Karnataka vaccine commission scandal: Congress accuses BJP MP Tejaswi Surya of COVID19 profiteering

Congress party accused BJP MP Tejaswi Surya and his uncle MLA Ravi Subramanya of profiteering from COVID vaccines after an audio of the hospital staff, claiming that the MLA is paid commission in each vaccine, got leaked. Congress also alleged that Surya had also publicized the vaccination drive in this hospital by advertising his own images outside the hopsital before this audio clip got leaked.

New Delhi: Congress party, on Saturday, accused BJP MP Tejaswi Surya and his uncle Ravi Subramanya, a three-time MLA, of profiteering from Covid vaccines by asking people living in Bengaluru to get vaccinated from a particular hospital.

During a press conference, Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera referred to a "leaked audio", in which a private hospital's Supervisor is purportedly telling a man that the price of Covid vaccine cannot be less than Rs 900 per dose as out of this amount, he will have to give Rs 700 to Subramanya.

Congress also alleged that Surya had also publicized the vaccination drive in this hospital by advertising his own images outside the hospital before this audio clip got leaked.

"How on earth were vaccines being diverted from Government hospitals to the private hospital, the same which Tejasvi Surya was advertising this week? How on earth do we have a shortage of vaccines in Government hospitals, but, they are available in private hospitals in Bengaluru and other parts also," Khera asked.

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He also posed a number of demands to the Prime Minister, saying, "There should be an FIR lodged against Tejaswi Surya and his uncle Mr. Ravi Subramanya from Basavanagudi. This is cash for vaccines. The membership of Tejasvi Surya from the parliament should be ended with immediately."

He added, "We owe to the people of Karnataka, the membership from the Karnataka Assembly of Mr. Ravi Subramanya should be ended right now. If you want to save the lives of the people of Karnataka, this is hardly any sacrifice for you Mr. Prime Minister. This is the least you can do."

Earlier today, Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar also raised this issue saying that the allegation against Surya and Subramanya is a serious one and therefore a suo-motu FIR should be filed, also HC must monitor the probe and they should be disqualified by the speaker.

He also quoted an observation made by the Karnataka High Court stating that there are more chances of getting vaccinated from private hospitals than in govt facilities.

"It is now evident that there is a scam in vaccine allocation and BJP leaders are involved in diverting govt stock to private hospitals," DK Shivkumar tweeted.

Putting another accusation with a hastag of '#LetCongressVaccinate', he said, "They won’t let the Congress procure vaccines with MLA/MLC development funds. Now you know why. BJP leaders exposed earning Rs 700 ‘commission’ selling vaccines for Rs 900 a dose through private hospitals."

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