Taking a dig at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said its strategy to fight the COVID-19 pandemic consisted of imposing a 'Tughlaqi lockdown, ringing bells and singing praises to the Lord.

The Congress-led opposition has been criticising the government over its handling of the pandemic and the vaccination drive, while the Centre has maintained that its timely steps have been instrumental in fighting Covid-19.

In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, "The Central government's Covid-19 strategy -- Stage 1- Impose a Tughlaqi lockdown, Stage 2- Ring bells, Stage 3- Sing praises to the Lord."

The Congress leader on Thursday attacked the govt as well, saying the Centre is indulging in a "sham" of a 'vaccine festival'.

He also alleged that there is no testing, no beds in hospitals, neither ventilators or oxygen and vaccine is also not available.

Gandhi also took a jibe asking what PM-CARES is doing, as huge donations were given to the fund for handling Covid-19 situation.

"There are no tests or beds in hospitals. There are no ventilators or oxygen. The vaccine is also not there. But there is a sham of a festival. PM-CARES?" he asked.

The Congress in the past also has compared some of the government's decisions to those taken by Delhi Sultanate ruler Muhammad bin Tughlaq, to allege that they were arbitrary and not well though out.

The Congress has also taken swipes at the government over its 'taali-thaali' call last year in which people across India clapped, rang bells, blew conch shells and beat metal plates in solidarity with health workers fighting the novel coronavirus.

Gandhi's attack on the government came amid a steep rise in coronavirus cases in the country with a record 2,17,353 new infections taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,42,91,917 on Friday.