Thane BJP objects as mayor gets Covid vaccine

THANE: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators in Thane raised objection on Wednesday after Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske and Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Phatak got vaccinated last week.

BJP corporator Manohar Dumbre claimed that elected representatives have not been given permission by the state government to get vaccinated yet and the immunisation process has only been granted for healthcare and frontline workers across the state.

However, Mhaske said, “We have followed proper procedure before getting vaccinated. All corporators and political leaders have been on the field even when the pandemic was at its peak. We shall continue to do so and help the citizens, and to do that, it is important that we be considered as frontline workers and get immunised. Moreover, we have done this after releasing a notice to all corporators within the civic body a month ago; many have registered on the COWIN app. We have followed all protocols and taken the jab. We also want more frontline workers to come forward and get immunised. Through us, there will be more awareness in the society about the vaccination.”

Dumbre said, “In the history of this city, there would not have been a mayor like Mhaske who has broken all rules and gotten himself and others from his party vaccinated by abusing his power. He not only got himself vaccinated but also conducted a photo session afterwards.”

Thane civic officials were unavailable for comment on the issue and to explain the protocol related to vaccination.

Mhaske said, “Dumbre was also one of those who got themselves registered for the vaccine. Despite registering, why is he pointing fingers at us who have gone through the same process to get immunised?”