Every Indian will be vaccinated against Coronavirus by the end of 2021, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar claimed on Friday, hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism for saying that only 3 per cent of India’s population is immunized against the disease.
Drawing Gandhi’s attention to a Union Health Ministry "blueprint", he stated that he would ensure 108 crore people are inoculated by December and reminded him "India is the second-fastest in vaccinating its people"; it has so far administered over 20 crore vaccine doses.
"India's vaccination will be completed before 2021. The Health Ministry has given a blueprint. 108 crore people - with 216 crore doses - will be vaccinated by December. Rahulji... if you're concerned about vaccination then pay attention to Congress-ruled states... there is a mess. They are not taking the quota given to them for 18-44-year-old beneficiaries from May 1," Mr Javadekar said.
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Javadkar has accused the states who went berserk on low vaccines stocks over the past weeks, of "not taking the quota for 18-44 age group given to them from May 1".
Hours earlier on Friday, Rahul Gandhi had criticised the centre claiming that if the vaccinations continue at the current pace, India will suffer from multiple waves.
He went to blame Narendra Modi for the damaging effects of the pandemic and the mismanagement of the crisis. He said the prime minister doesn’t have any strategy to handle the country amid such a disastrous situation and also called him an 'event manager'. "He is responsible for the second wave of Covid-19," Gandhi said.
He also attacked Gandhi for using the word nautanki for the prime minister calling it not only an insult to the nation but also to the people of this country. He said using such words when the country is facing such a crisis is an insult to the efforts of the government to contain the pandemic.
Javadekar also said that the Covid-19 vaccination programme is robust and will successfully vaccinate every citizen.
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Meanwhile, several states like Delhi, Punjab have floated global tenders to buy vaccines after the centre said it would only supply 50 per cent of the required doses. The states and private hospitals were told to buy the rest on their own. The centre on other hand said that states have enough doses and has accused them of wastage. On Thursday, Madhya Pradesh - a BJP-ruled state - joined others in hitting back over this charge, while Jharkhand said that there is a glitch in the Arogya Setu app.