Congress, CPI slam BJP manifesto over free COVID vaccination in Bihar

Congress leaders took a dig at the BJP over its promise that people in poll-bound Bihar will get a vaccine against coronavirus free after it is cleared by ICMR and said the Centre has announced its COVID 'access strategy' and that people in every state should refer to their election schedule to know when they will get the vaccine.

New Delhi: Soon after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released BJP's election manifesto which has promised to provide free COVID-19 vaccination for all the people of Bihar, Congress slammed the ruling party for politicizing the health crisis by tying the access to the life-saving drug to election campaigns.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi joined the uproar against BJP on social media, by tweeting, "GoI just announced India's covid access strategy. Kindly refer to the state-wise election schedule to know when will you get it along with a hoard of false promises."

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "BJP is trying to get political gains even from COVID-19 pandemic. BJP is so scared of losing the elections that it has gone down to such level. You even politicize death and pandemic like issues. How can you be so 'unethical' and morally corrupt that you can't even spare a pandemic for your political gains?"

She further alleged, "Today they've promised free vaccine to all the people of Bihar if they come to power in the state. So this means, other states won't be able to get free vaccines and if BJP won't come to power then even Bihar people won't get free vaccines?"

Earlier today, FM Nirmala Sitharaman said, while releasing the BJP's manifesto, that as soon as COVID-19 vaccine will be available for production at mass scale, every person in Bihar will get free vaccination.

Reacting strongly on her statement, Congress senior leader Shashi Tharoor said, "Tum mujhe vote do, main tumhe vaccine dunga (Give me votes, I'll give you vaccine).... what appalling cynicism! Will the Election Commission take a note of the shameless government on the knuckles?"

In an official statement, Congress also questioned the Finance Minister whether the citizens of other states will have to pay for the vaccine, while alleging, "Every major vaccination programme from Polio to Smallpox has been free for our citizens, does BJP intend to reverse that?"

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel called it a 'Vaccine Electionism' while alleging that by making such promises, BJP has implied that citizens of other non-election states will have to pay for the vaccines.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also slammed BJP manifesto in his tweet, saying, "So if people of Bihar don't vote for BJP PM Modi will deny them vaccines. This is not a democracy, this is tyranny. People of Bihar will not be intimidated, no power can deny them their rights. They will reject the bullies of Delhi with their vote."

"It's a mandate of the government to provide free vaccine in hospitals. People used to get a free vaccine till the age of 12. This is a false promise of the BJP government. The announcement was made to woo the voters in Bihar," said CPI (M) politburo member and former MP Hannan Mollah.

The CPM leader has vehemently criticised BJP for making false promises.

"Before the election, BJP used to make a series of the bogus announcement and if they won, they have a tendency to mask over their announcement," said Mollah. He said that the BJP Government had earlier promised to 2 crore jobs every year.

"Now it's almost 6 years, and the Government was supposed to create 12 crore jobs. On the other hand, people are looking at their jobs," added Mollah.

While on the other side, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called today's announcement of BJP as an 'alarm' for the state governments to ask Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for equitable distribution of the vaccine.

"Irrespective whether the vaccine is here or not, this announcement today should raise an alarm and state governments should ask MoHFW to share how it will ensure equitable distribution across the country and the Order of priority," she said.

She also slammed the ruling party for making a humanitarian crisis an election issue and called it "highly immoral" and "unethical". She added, "Shouldn't the covid vaccine be a part of Universal Immunization Programme? Will vaccines be decided basis of election going States, BJP-non BJP governed states?"