New Delhi:
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised Donald Trump's remarks that the US may consider a "retaliation" if India does not agree to export hydroxychloroquine, a key anti-malaria drug believed by many to be effective in the treatment of coronavirus.
"I would be surprised if he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) would, you know, because India does very well with the United States," Mr Trump said at a White House press briefing on Monday, when a reporter asked whether he was worried about "retaliation to the US ban on export of medical goods" from India.
"I don't like that decision, I didn't hear that that was his decision. I know that he stopped it for other countries. I spoke to him yesterday, we had a very good talk and we'll see whether or not that's his... For many years, they've been taken advantage of the United States on trade. So I would be surprised if that were his decision. He'd have to tell me that. I spoke to him Sunday morning, called him, and I said, we'd appreciate you allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn't allow it to come out. That would be OK. But of course, there may be retaliation. Why wouldn't there be," the US President said.
Shashi Tharoor, who had spent many years at the United Nations and was the under-secretary general, hit out at the American President, saying the US will get the hydroxychloroquine supply when "India decides to sell it to you".
"Never in my decades of experience in world affairs have I heard a Head of State or Government openly threatening another like this. What makes Indian hydroxychloroquine "our supply", Mr President? It only becomes your supply when India decides to sell it to you," Mr Tharoor tweeted.
Never in my decades of experience in world affairs have I heard a Head of State or Govt openly threatening another like this. What makes Indian hydroxychloroquine "our supply", Mr President? It only becomes your supply when India decides to sell it to you. @USAndIndiahttps://t.co/zvSPEysTNf
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 7, 2020
Hours after Mr Trump's remarks and amid rising pressure over the export of the key drug, the government today said India "will supply essential drugs to some nations badly affected" by COVID-19.
The ban came after India curbed the export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and the medicines made from the US, including paracetamol - a common pain reliever also sold as acetaminophen. Some of those restrictions have since been relaxed.
World
Coronavirus has spread to 184 countries. The total confirmed cases worldwide are 13,48,160 and 74,829 have died; 9,95,880 are active cases and 2,77,451 have recovered as on April 7, 2020 at 9:04 am.
India
In India, there are 4,421 confirmed cases including 114 deaths. The number of active cases is 3,981 and 326 have recovered as on April 7, 2020 at 9:00 am.
State & District Details State Cases Active Recovered Deaths Maharashtra
748
647
56
45
Tamil Nadu
621
608
8
5
Delhi
523
497
19
7
Kerala
327
267
58
2
Telangana
321
280
34
7
Uttar Pradesh
305
281
21
3
Rajasthan
288
264
21
3
Andhra Pradesh
266
262
1
3
Madhya Pradesh
165
156
0
9
Karnataka
151
135
12
4
Gujarat
144
110
22
12
Jammu And Kashmir
109
103
4
2
West Bengal
91
75
13
3
Haryana
90
64
25
1
Punjab
76
66
4
6
Bihar
32
31
0
1
Uttarakhand
31
26
5
0
Assam
26
26
0
0
Odisha
21
19
2
0
Chandigarh
18
18
0
0
Ladakh
14
4
10
0
Himachal Pradesh
13
10
2
1
Chhattisgarh
10
2
8
0
Andaman And Nicobar Islands
10
10
0
0
Goa
7
7
0
0
Puducherry
5
4
1
0
Jharkhand
4
4
0
0
Manipur
2
2
0
0
Mizoram
1
1
0
0
Tripura
1
1
0
0
Arunachal Pradesh
1
1
0
0
Show more
Show less
