India's main opposition party Congress on Monday slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for the alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
Taking to Twitter, Congress spokesman Jaiveer Shergill has questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over considering vaccination drive as its election agenda for next 10 years.
He also noted that at the current pace of vaccination in the country, it will take more than 10 years for 80% of the population to get both the jabs.
BJP drumbeats slogan “Vocal for Local” but has completely mismanaged “Vaccination for Local” -At the current pace it will take 10years+ for 80% of population to get both jabs -Is BJP planning to put vaccination promise in their election manifesto(s) for next 10 years?
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) April 12, 2021
According to Indian government data, the estimated population of India is over 1.3 billion.
Over the last two weeks, India has faced a record-breaking number of cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis; to make matters worse, several states are claiming a shortage of vaccines.
Several states have reached out to the central government for assistance as many claimed that their stocks will last only a few days.
Several opposition leaders have slammed the BJP for exporting vaccines abroad in an attempt to improve the nation's global image rather than vaccinating the country's population first.
Every Indian has a right to a safe life & it is PM Modi's prime responsibility to ensure this right is upheld.
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2021
As Covid19 pandemic rages, Modi govt should ensure each Indian is vaccinated- that too in a time bound manner. This demand is uncompromising.#SpeakUpForVaccinesForAll pic.twitter.com/rpUBxJeAjm
Responding to the requests and concerns, federal Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has said the country has enough doses and urged state governments to put an end to “fear-mongering”.
India has recorded 168,912 new COVID cases in 24 hours, making it the sixth record rise in seven days. On Monday, India overtook Brazil to become the second-most affected country globally.
Meanwhile, as per federal Health Ministry data, the country has achieved the landmark of administering over 100 million vaccine doses in a record time of 85 days, surpassing the vaccination rate of all other countries in the world.
