NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday declared that the government had been busy rescuing the prime minister’s picture whilst Covid-19 took its toll upon the individuals of the nation, drawing a sharp retort in Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who accused him of creating”epic claims” and then politicising the problem.
Gandhi at a tweet said India wants rapid and total vaccination rather than the BJP’s”manufacturer of lies and rhyming slogans” to pay the vaccine shortage brought on by the government’s inaction.
“India needs rapid and total vandalism, not BJP’s standard new lies and rhyming slogans to pay vaccine shortage brought on by Modi Government’s inaction,” the Congress leader said Twitter.
“GOI’s persistent efforts to conserve PM’s bogus image are easing the virus and dividing people’s lives,” he added, mentioning reports that a few members of this scientific team were not accountable for decreasing the gap between 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccine Covishield.
At a sharp retort, Vardhan said,”Signor @RahulGandhi proceeds to stay lost in a mythical territory furthering epic claims without assessing any facts!Protecting household’s crown and name would be @INCIndia’s business” “GoI is devoted to serving people and protecting lives and livelihoods in this outbreak,” he said on Twitter.
In a second tweet, he refused that the news reports, stating”choice to raise the difference between administering two doses of COVISHIELD was accepted in a transparent way based on scientific information.
India has a strong mechanism to assess data” “It is unfortunate that this important issue has been politicised,” Vardhan alleged.
Hitting back, Congress main spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that rather than abusing the resistance he must aim to vaccinate the mature inhabitants of the nation.
“So claims a Health Minister and authorities, ”’Himalayan Mismanagement’ of Vaccination finished past 6 weeks (16th Jan-16th June) reveals in – Just 3.51percent of people stricken using both doses.
Average daily Vaccination is only 17.23 lakh each day during the previous 6 months,” he explained.
At this rate of 17.23 lakh vaccinations each day, Surjewala said, it is going to require 944 times longer to vaccinate all 94.50 crore adults using both doses until January 16, 2024.
“Can India afford to wait for this long? How are you going to handle the 3rd wave? Rather than abusing the Opposition, then please do so,” he explained.
Still another Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, requested about whose information the authorities claimed to improve the gap between 1st and 2nd doses of Covishield to 12-16 months, even while thanking scientists that said they advocated merely 8-12 weeks.
He requested Vardhan to describe if vaccine shortage was a crucial element in prolonging the gap.
Ramesh said,”Asking questions is not politicising! It is based on which scientists are saying.
There is real concern about incidence of this’Delta’ variation and the effects of lengthy gap between two doses of Covishield on the security of our citizens” “speed of Covid-19 Legislation was 29 lakh doses/day at 1st half of June.
This MUST growth by a minimum of three days in a couple of weeks.
Only after that can we now FULLY vaccinate at 100 cr Indians (approx 75 percent inhabitants ) from Dec’21.
The Modi Government has not yet shared with a weekly roadmap about the best way best to do this,” Ramesh tweeted.
The Congress was alleging there is a vaccine shortage in the nation and the present speed of vaccination is extremely slow.