Rahul Gandhi suspends all his public rallies in West Bengal due to prevailing COVID-19 situation

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday (April 18, 2021) suspended all his impending public rallies in West Bengal due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

The Wayanad MP took to his official Twitter account and also urged other political leaders to think over it.

"In view of the Covid situation, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal," he tweeted.

"I would advise all political leaders to think deeply about the consequences of holding large public rallies under the current circumstances," Rahul Gandhi added.

In view of the Covid situation, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal.

I would advise all political leaders to think deeply about the consequences of holding large public rallies under the current circumstances.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 18, 2021

This announcement comes on a day when India registered a record 2,61,500 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which pushed the country's total caseload to 1,47,88,109.

Rahul Gandhi started his campaign in West Bengal on April 14, ahead of the phase five polls. While addressing a public rally, he said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to destroy Bengal and its culture while addressing his first rally in West Bengal in this election season. 

Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP wants to destroy Bengal's culture, heritage and divide it. In Assam, they are doing the same thing; in Tamil Nadu, they are trying to do the same thing with their alliance partner AIADMK." adding "The BJP has nothing to offer except for hatred, violence and divisive politics."