The strange comment of the former head minister of the UP, Akhilesh Yadav, on the Covid vaccine (file)
Lucknow:
As India concentrates on launching its first coronavirus vaccine, a strange comment from Akhilesh Yadav, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said he could not “trust the BJP vaccine”, prompted a strong response from the minister of the Union Anurag Thakur and the deputy chief. Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The Samajwadi Party chief also appeared to urge people not to seek protection against an infectious virus that has killed nearly 1.5 lakh people in India alone, stating: “We cannot get vaccinated with the BJP vaccine.” Yadav then promised “free vaccinations” by winning the UP state elections in 2022.
Thakur called the Samajwadi Party chief’s statement “very unfortunate” and Maurya criticized him for “insulting the country’s doctors and scientists.” Both BJP leaders also criticized Yadav for playing politics.
On Saturday morning, Akhilesh Yadav told reporters: “How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated with the BJP vaccine.” He also said that his party would come to power after the 2022 elections and that everyone would receive the vaccine for free.
The comments prompted an immediate response from the BJP.
“Akhilesh Yadav’s statement that” he will not be vaccinated because it is a BJP vaccine “is very unfortunate … What could be more unfortunate than a young leader linking the Covid vaccine to a political party over politics” Thakur told the ANI news agency.
“Akhilesh Yadav does not trust the vaccine and the people of Uttar Pradesh do not trust Akhilesh Yadav. The fact that he raises questions about the vaccine is an insult to the doctors and scientists of the country. He should offer an apology,” said the deputy from UP. Prime Minister Keshav Maurya said.
The comments came as the center conducted a nationwide trial to identify potential problems in vaccine delivery; The tests were carried out in 116 districts at 259 sites, including six sites in Lucknow.
The Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that around three million frontline workers, including doctors, nurses and essential services like the police, will be the first to be vaccinated. Dr Vardhan also highlighted that existing vaccines were expected to work against the mutated strains of the virus that were first detected in the UK and South Africa.
On Friday, a center-appointed panel recommended that the Oxford vaccine, made by the Serum Institute in Pune, be approved by the DCGI for emergency use authorization.
India has more than 2.5 lakh of active coronavirus cases, data from Saturday morning showed. Uttar Pradesh has nearly 14,000 active cases and has recorded more than 8,000 virus-related deaths.
With contributions from ANI
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