Given the pandemic situation, all are urged not to hoard essential supplies, including oxygen, said the MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday clarified that it was in continuous touch with all High Commissions and Embassies and is responding to their medical demands, especially those related to Covid-19 including facilitating their hospital treatment.

"The Chief of Protocol and Heads of Divisions are in continuous touch with all High Commissions/Embassies and MEA is responding to their medical demands, especially those related to Covid. This includes facilitating their hospital treatment,” a statement by the MEA Official Spokesperson said.

It added, “Given the pandemic situation, all are urged not to hoard essential supplies, including oxygen."

The MEA Official Spokesperson’s statement was issued “in response to queries regarding medical requirements of Foreign High Commissions/Embassies in India.”

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar replying to a Twitter post by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said, “MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling.”

https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1388700951012417537?s=20

"Jairamji, MEA never sleeps; our people know across the world. MEA also never fakes; we know who does," the EAM said in another tweet.

https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1388700953348554758?s=20


Ramesh had on Saturday taken to Twitter posting a video showing a few men taking oxygen cylinders inside the Embassy of Philippines in India, accompanied by a message that said, “While I thank @IYC for its stellar efforts, as an Indian citizen I’m stunned that the youth wing of the opposition party is attending to SOS calls from foreign embassies. Is the MEA sleeping @DrSJaishankar?”

https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1388554871163473921?s=20