Narendra Modi cancels West Bengal visit, to chair high-level meet on COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not address election rallies in West Bengal on Friday as he would be chairing high-level meetings to review the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country. PM Modi today tweeted saying that he will not be visiting poll-bound West Bengal as he would be busy with the high-level meetings to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. The second wave of the COVID-19 disease has hit the nation hard with the health infrastructure in many states almost crumbling to the pressure. For the past few days, PM Modi has been chairing several meetings to discuss the coronavirus situation.

Tomorrow, will be chairing high-level meetings to review the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Due to that, I would not be going to West Bengal.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2021

The prime minister on April 19 interacted with leaders of pharmaceutical industry and appreciated the crucial role of the pharma sector in the fight against the pandemic. O the same day, he reviewed the public health response to COVID-19 with the country's leading doctors. Notably, following the two meetings, the government announced that people above the age of 18 will be eligible to get vaccine against Covid-19 from May 1. The vaccine manufacturers were empowered to release up to 50 per cent of their supply to state governments and in the open market at a pre-declared price. Amidst the second wave of coronavirus, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 19 had announced that it will not hold any further big public meetings in West Bengal. The saffron party said that PM Modi and other BJP leaders will address small public meetings with a maximum of 500 people in the poll-bound state.