Bihar Elections 2020: BJP has promised free Covid vaccination to all in its manisfesto poll.
The BJP’s promise of “free coronavirus vaccination for all” in Bihar before next week’s elections has become hugely controversial as the ruling party fends off accusations of a “gruesome” attempt to use the vaccine. for your political agenda.
“As soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is available for large-scale production, all people in Bihar will receive the vaccination free of charge. This is the first promise mentioned in our survey manifesto,” said the Finance Minister of the Union, Nirmala Sitharaman, announcing the BJP manifesto for the Bihar elections.
There is a global race to produce a coronavirus vaccine and trials are underway in many countries, including India. But this is the first time that a vaccine, especially one that is in the works, is an electoral promise.
“What about states not governed by the BJP? Will the Indians who did not vote for the BJP get the free Covid vaccine?” – tweeted Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), raising a question that many pointed out on social media.
What about states not governed by the BJP?
Won’t Indians Who Didn’t Vote For BJP Get Free Covid Vaccine? https://t.co/kjid5IC5aH
– AAP (@AamAadmiParty) October 22, 2020
The question was put to the Union Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Chaubey, who is currently in Bihar. “The corona vaccine is being manufactured around the world. When it is ready, we have prepared an elaborate plan to distribute the vaccine, who will be given preference, etc. All states will receive the free coronavirus vaccine,” said the minister. to journalists. .
The clarification failed to cover the deluge of criticism on social media, with some using the hashtag #vaccineelectionism.
Congressional MP and former trade union minister Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Tum mujhe vote do main tumhe vaccine (Give me votes, I’ll give you the vaccine) … what dreadful cynicism! Will the Electoral Commission hit her and her shameless government on the knuckles? “
The leader of the National Conference, Omar Abdullah, called it blatant populism. “Will the BJP pay for these vaccines from the party treasury? If it comes from the government treasury, how can Bihar get free vaccines while the rest of the country has to pay? There is so much wrong in this blatant populism that it shamefully exploits COVID fears” wrote the former prime minister of J&K.
Will be @ BJP4India pay for these vaccines with the party treasury? If it comes from the government treasury, how can Bihar get free vaccines while the rest of the country has to pay? There is so much wrong with this blatant populism that it shamefully exploits COVID fears. https://t.co/ek796weG84
– Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 22, 2020
Soon one of the top leaders of the Bihar BJP, Bhupinder Yadav, made a clarification in response to Shashi Tharoor’s post. “His attempt to misrepresent Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement reeks of desperation. All parties issue manifestos. Vaccines will be available to all Indians at nominal costs. States can make it free. In Bihar, we will,” he wrote.
His attempt to misrepresent Smt Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement reeks of desperation. All parties issue manifests. The vaccines will be available to all Indians at nominal costs. States can do it for free. In #Bihar, we will do it. https://t.co/rDji6EBxuP
– Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) October 22, 2020
For hours, the only response to the criticism was from Amit Malviya, from the BJP’s TI cell, who posted: “The BJP manifesto promises free Covid vaccine. Like all programs, the center will provide vaccines to states at a nominal rate. It is for the state governments must decide if they want to give it free or not. Health being a state issue, Bihar BJP has decided to give it free. Simple “.
So far, the government has not answered questions related to the delivery and pricing of the vaccines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired several meetings on the government’s preparations for the storage and distribution of vaccines.
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