Congress urges Modi to take first shot of COVID vaccine

Reacting over the 'restricted approval' given to the coronavirus vaccine, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the first shot of vaccine to build confidence.

New Delhi: A day after some of the senior Congress leaders expressed concern regarding the approval of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, the opposition party, on Monday, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the first vaccine to clear the doubts of all citizens.

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "As a measure to build confidence, Prime Minister should himself take the first shot of coronavirus vaccine so that the fear factor or the apprehensibility regarding the vaccine goes away."

On Sunday, Senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor asked the Government to explain why it has "bypassed the mandatory protocols" and "comprised" the safety standards.

To this, BJP attacked the opposition leaders saying that they are playing in the hands of vested interests who refused to be proud of 'anything Indian'.

"The Central Government must clear all the doubts regarding the acceptability for this vaccine, it is the duty to instil confidence. The vaccine is the light which everybody is seeing at the end of a dark tunnel," Shergill added.

The Congress leader also slammed the Central government for not accepting farmers demands regarding the three controversial farm laws.

When asked about the meeting between farmer unions and Central Government, he said, "This is a thick-skinned Government. BJP has proven that they are anti-farmer. Farmers are serving langar to the Union Ministers, in return BJP is showering lathis on these farmers. I pray to God that BJP's arrogance must break and they take back the three farm laws."

Seeking to mount pressure on the Government, farmers unions had warned that they will intensify their protests and would enter the national capital on January 26 with tractor trolleys if their demands will not be met.

Shergill said, "BJP has in a drunken state, intoxicated and high in the arrogance of power. It is high time that for the sake of the nation, BJP should take back these laws as 60 farmers have already died. BJP should not behave in a tyrannical, dictatorial and a brutal manner with their citizens."