Taking a hit on the BJP election manifesto for Bihar linked to the poll that includes free Covid-19 vaccine for all of Bihar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that before it used to be ‘give me blood and I will give you freedom’. “But now it has become ‘give me a vote and I’ll give you the vaccine.’ Only those who vote for BJP will receive the vaccine. It shows the discriminatory nature of the BJP, ”the leader said Friday, alluding to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s iconic speech he delivered in Burma in 1944.
Shiv Sen is competing for around 50 seats in Bihar, as previously announced by the party.
The promise of a vaccine, which is being tested, at no cost during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, drew strong reactions from all political corners.
Congressional Leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the party, tweeting: “The Government of India has just announced India’s Covid access strategy. Please check the state election calendar for when you will get it, along with a bunch of false promises. “
Shortly after the BJP announced a free vaccine for Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh also followed suit and promised free vaccines.
While doubts are being raised as to whether the vaccine promise violates the Model Code of Conduct, people familiar with the matter told the Hindustan Times that the promise cannot be seen as a violation. “By virtue of article 123 (2) of the People’s Representation Act of 1951, a declaration of public order, a promise of publication or the mere exercise of a legal right without intention to interfere with an electoral right be interference in the sense of this clause ”, they said.
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