House panel members differ on vaccine drive

ADHIR SAID THE PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DOSES NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA; SOME MEMBERS FROM THE BJP OBJECTED TO ITS INCLUSION

NEW DELHI: The Public Accounts Committee of Indian Parliament could not arrive at a decision on whether to examine the production, purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines after members failed to reach unanimity on the subject.

According to two members present of PAC, chairman Adhir Chowdhury (of the Congress) started reading out a note on why the subject needs to be added to the agenda of the panel for FY 21-22, when some members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to its inclusion on the grounds that it was not listed in the draft agenda that was placed before the panel for deliberation.

India’s vaccine policy has become a polarising political issue. Against the larger backdrop of a supply constraint, a debate has raged over the approval, purchase, prioritisation, pricing, and administration of vaccines.

Chowdhury, according to the two members, who asked not to be named was not the first to demand inclusion of the subject. DMK leader TR Balu suggested the same, they said. After Chowdhury’s speech met with objections, a few other members such as Congress leader Shakti Sinh Gohil came out in his support and said he should be allowed to complete his speech. The objections, however, continued, with BJP members saying the speech was political in nature, one of the two cited in the first instance said.

“At one point, a senior leader even proposed voting to decide if the subject should be in the agenda,” said the second leader.

The non-inclusion of the subject is in keeping with protocol, a lawmaker explained.

PAC member and BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said: “All agenda that has to be listed for deliberation requires unanimity. If a single member opposes it, the proposed subject can’t be taken up for deliberation. The onus is on the chairman to take other members along with him.”

2021 is the centenary year of the Public Accounts Committee that was established during the British Raj in 1921.

The entire debate took place in front of Comptoller and Auditor General GC Murmu and other officials of India’s audit watchdog. The proposed list of subjects in the draft agenda contained only the recent CAG reports, said the first MP.