Mamata promises ‘free’ Covid vaccine, gets snubbed by Opp.

In 1st phase, we’ll provide vaccine to all health workers in state, says Didi

With barely three months left for the West Bengal Assembly Election, chief minister and Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has announced that her government would provide Covid-19 vaccine “free of cost” to all, in her yet another attempt to woo the voters with a promise which however earned her only sharp attack from the BJP and Congress.

“You are aware Covid-19 vaccine is coming. With profound joy I inform that our government is making arrangements to reaching out to all the people of the state with this vaccine free of cost. In the first phase we will provide this vaccine to all the health workers of Bengal,” Ms Banerjee said in an open letter to all the frontline Covid warriors while saluting their service during the pandemic.

Blaming her of jumping to claim credit of what the Centre already announced for the entire country, BJP national IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya on Sunday tweeted, “Pishi (aunt) was a disaster when it came to managing Covid. From doctors to policemen, everyone protested against chief minister’s apathy. But now that the center has announced free priority vaccination for 3 crore frontline workers across the country, Pishi is rushing to take credit."

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh slammed Ms Banerjee, wondering, “Has the CM invented the vaccine? Prime Minister Narendra Modi already announced that all the citizens of our country would be provided free Covid vaccine. Then who first talked of saving us? After stealing rice from homes, the CM is now after the vaccine.”

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury said, “Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal already announced to give Covid19 vaccine free of cost to all. Now the Bengal CM has done the same but to get votes in exchange of what I say: poll bribe.”

But TMC minister Subrata Mukherjee claimed, “Whoever takes the credit of the vaccine is irrelevant. The state government, even if it stakes a claim to it, is also an elected one like the central government. It takes credit for its work instead of giving lectures which does not help.”