Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP for announcing free vaccines only for Bihar, subject to the ballot box.
Highlight
- BJP announces free COVID-19 vaccine for Bihar ahead of polls
- Congress criticizes connection of access to vaccines with elections
- BJP Says Make Vaccines Free to State Governments
New Delhi:
Congressional leader Rahul Gandhi joined the uproar on Thursday against the BJP’s campaign promise of a free COVID-19 vaccine in Bihar, suggesting that the ruling party was openly linking access to the life-saving drug to the elections.
GOI just announced India’s Covid Access Strategy.
Please check the state election calendar for when you will receive it, along with a bunch of false promises.
– Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 22, 2020
Gandhi’s comment came amid growing controversy over Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who made the promise of “free coronavirus vaccination for all” in Bihar ahead of next week’s elections.
“As soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is available for large-scale production, all people in Bihar will receive the free vaccination. This is the first promise mentioned in our survey manifesto,” Sitharaman said today, announcing the BJP manifesto. .
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.
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 for the vaccine (Give me votes, I’ll give you the vaccine) … what appalling cynicism! Will the Election Commission beat her and her shameless government in the United States? 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.
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