External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal does not speak for India as the Singapore government on Wednesday conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner its strong objection to the latter's comments about a "Singapore variant" of Covid-19. Jaishankar said that Singapore and India have been solid partners in combating the pandemic and appreciated the country's role as a logistics hub and oxygen supplier.
"Singapore and India have been solid partners in the fight against Covid-19. Appreciate Singapore's role as a logistics hub and oxygen supplier. Their gesture of deploying military aircraft to help us speaks of our exceptional relationship," Jaishankar said in a tweet.
"However, irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships. So, let me clarify - Delhi CM does not speak for India," he added.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said that the Indian High Commissioner conveyed to the Singapore government that the Delhi Chief Minister has no competence to comment on COVID variants.
"Singapore Government called in our High Commissioner today to convey strong objection to Delhi CM's tweet on "Singapore variant". High Commissioner clarified that Delhi CM had no competence to pronounce on Covid variants or civil aviation policy," Bagchi tweeted.
Kejriwal had on Tuesday called for cancelling all air services with Singapore with immediate effect, saying a strain of coronavirus found in that country could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave.
"The new form of coronavirus in Singapore is said to be very dangerous for children. It could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave. My appeal to the Central government: 1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect 2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on a priority basis," Kejriwal had said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Singapore Health Ministry later rubbished Kejriwal's remark, saying "there was is no truth in the claim".
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