BJP trying to stop CM efforts to give jabs to all: Sisodia
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and ministers of criticising chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for his “relentless efforts” towards vaccinating every adult in the national Capital, instead of extending their support.
“It is the prerogative of the Delhi government to ensure each and every citizen gets vaccinated at once. Every time CM Kejriwal begins his work towards helping people and managing the Covid crisis, BJP leaders, instead of following his lead, start attacking him and try to stop his efforts,” Sisodia said in a digital press conference.
Delhi BJP leaders dismissed the charges, and said the turnout at vaccinations centres in Delhi was low.
Sisodia’s statement came hours after Haryana CM ML Khattar accused Kejriwal of playing politics over Covid vaccines, saying Delhi is exhausting its supply too soon while his state is stretching it over a longer period.
Kejriwal also responded to this through a tweet in Hindi: “Khattar sahab, it is only with vaccines that we can save the lives of people. The sooner vaccines are administered, more people will be protected (from the virus). My goal is not to save vaccines, but to save people’s lives.”
At the press conference, Sisodia reiterated that “the mission of the Delhi government is to save people, not vaccines”.
Khattar’s comment was also criticised by the Congress. “Deliberate delay in administering vaccines is also being termed as a strategy. He (CM) says the government has vaccines, but these will be administered to people in small numbers over several days. This is the reason why the people of Haryana are not able to get the vaccines...,” said Congress general
NEW DELHI:
secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala in a tweet in Hindi.
On Sunday, BJP national president JP Nadda, ostensibly alluding to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), had said it was creating “hindrances” in Delhi.
Sisodia, on Monday, said BJP leaders make false statements to “hide their own failures”. “When the nation was reeling under Covid cases and needed immediate help, BJP government was more interested in managing their image and conducting elections. It seems like the only mission is to sell and save vaccines by playing dirty politics,” he said.
In response, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta accused the AAP of resorting to politics over the issue.
“Nobody is stopping them from demanding vaccines for Delhi... When it was time to talk to Indian vaccine manufacturers, AAP leaders were busy criticising the Centre and now when they failed to arrange vaccine, they are playing politics of confrontation with private hospitals by questioning their vaccine quota,” he said.
The Delhi BJP further said there is low turnout in government vaccination centres.
“It should be noted that Delhi has 180 vaccination centres where Covishield is being administered to people above 45 years of age. In all these places, the footfall is significantly dismal. In Rohini’s Sector 9 on May 30, the centre had 400 Covishield doses available, and only 55 people took the dose. Today (May 31), only 70 people visited the centre, while it had 400 Covishield doses available for 45+ group. At Prashant Vihar centre on May 29, 100 doses of Covishield were available and only one person got the jab,” claimed Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, chief minister Kejriwal said, “Procurement and distribution is the responsibility of the Centre, and administering the vaccines is the responsibility of the state.”