‘Begin mass, free vaccination, suspend Central Vista project’

New Delhi, May 12: Leaders of 12 Opposition parties Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a free mass vaccination campaign against coronavirus, and suspension of the Central Vista revamp project to aid the fight against the pandemic.

“Stop Central Vista construction. Use the allocated money for procuring oxygen and vaccines, instead. Release all money held in the unaccounted private trust fund, PMCares to buy more vaccines, oxygen and medical equipment required,” the leaders have told the Prime Minister in their joint letter.

The 12 Opposition leaders, who include Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, chief ministers Uddhav Thackeray, Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin and Hemant Soren, also demanded providing foodgrains to the needy, and giving `6,000 per month to the unemployed.

The leaders have said the Covid-19 pandemic has assumed unprecedented dimensions of a human catastrophe in the country, and that it was absolutely imperative for the Central government

Stop Central Vista construction. Use the allocated money for procuring oxygen and vaccines, instead. Release all money held in the unaccounted private trust fund, PMCares to buy more vaccines, oxygen and medical equipment required. — Leaders to PM in their joint letter

to undertake and implement these measures.

“Unfortunately, your government has either ignored or refused all these suggestions. This only compounded the situation to reach such an apocalyptic human tragedy,” they said.

Without going into all the “acts of commission and omission” by the Central government that have brought the country to such a “tragic pass”, the Opposition leaders demanded that some measures suggested by them must be undertaken on a war footing.

“Procure vaccines centrally

from all available sources — global and domestic. Immediately begin a free, universal mass vaccination campaign across the country. Invoke compulsory licensing to expand domestic vaccine production. Spend budgetary allocation of `35,000 crore for the vaccines,” the leaders said in their letter.

The signatories to the joint letter include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda and NCP supremo Sharad