Cong calls for free vaccines for all

■ Rahul urges people to speak up ■ Priyanka highlights flaws in distribution

The Congress on Wednesday urged the citizens of the country to speak up for free universal vaccination. The party took to social media to highlight its position.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted in hindi, “Vaccine is the strongest protection against Covid pandemic. You should also raise your voice to provide free vaccination to everybody and to wake the government up.”

He also started the #Speak Up and attached a video with his tweet to underscore the shortage of vaccines and how faulty policies of the center are responsible for the “slow pace” of vaccination in the country.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi highlighted the flaws in vaccine distribution. She tweeted, “We are one of the biggest vaccine manufacturers in the world. Yet only 3.4% of our population is fully vaccinated. Who is responsible for India’s confused and dithering vaccination program? #SpeakUpForFr eeUniversalVaccination.” She also attached a video along with her tweet. In her Facebook post she wrote, “Experts believe that to defeat coronavirus, vaccination is the key and the countries which have vaccinated its people have seen less impact of the second wave, but in our country it was 320 per cent more than the first wave." She further added that the citizens are asking why the situation has come to this that the state governments have to go for global tender and compete for different rates for the same vaccine. How the government is claiming to vaccinate every Indian by the end of this year and what is the plan to vaccinate those who are deprived of digital connectivity?”

Party leader and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also said free universal vaccination is the right of every Indian.

“All previous Central governments have been taking this programme forward. Now when the nation is grappling with an unprecedented health crisis, to deny vaccination to all is totally unjust,” Mr Gehlot tweeted.

Vaccine is the strongest protection... You should also raise your voice to provide free vaccination to everybody and to wake the govt up.

— Rahul Gandhi, Cong leader