BJP-ruled states favoured in Covid-19 management, says Shiv Sena in Lok Sabha

Shiv Sena also dubbed the celebrations over the 100-crore vaccination mark as premature

The Opposition on Thursday hit out at the government over Covid-19 management, accusing it of mishandling the second wave and favouring BJP-ruled states in allocation of vaccines.

It also dubbed the celebrations over the 100-crore vaccination mark as premature.

Initiating a debate in Lok Sabha on the Covid-19 pandemic, Shiv Sena leader Vinayak Raut lamented that Parliament was discussing the issue 21 months after the outbreak of the disease and at a time when cases were on the decline.

Referring to the Omicron variant of the virus, he demanded close co-ordination among state governments and the Centre.

"There should be clarity in the Centre's directives on Omicron," the Lok Sabha member from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg in Maharashtra said.

On Covid-19 vaccination, Raut accused the Centre of allocating vaccine doses to BJP-ruled states in excess and at the cost of non-BJP ruled states.

"The prime minister's responsibility is for the entire 130 crore population. It should not be so that you look at Maharashtra with a sly glance, help Gujarat in good measure and make maximum allocations to Uttar Pradesh because it is going to polls. Allocations should be made on the basis of the population," the Sena leader said.

He also described as "premature" the celebrations in India over crossing the 100 crore milestone in Covid-19 vaccinations.

"Till date, only 38 per cent of the population has received both doses of vaccines. Should we be satisfied with this? We cannot launch premature celebrations for 100 crore doses," Raut said.

On utilisation of PM-CARES fund, he refrained from making a direct attack on the Centre and instead targeted contractors tasked with supplying ventilators to hospitals and establishing PSA oxygen plants.

"The Centre or the prime minister is not to be blamed. It is the suppliers who provided sub-standard ventilators which could not be used for the welfare of the people," Raut said.

He said the prime minister had made an announcement of setting up more than 1500 PSA oxygen plants at hospitals across the country, but in reality, only 316 plants were functional.

"But for the rest, only foundation stones were laid and the plants were not operational. Contractors have betrayed the Centre and strict action should be taken against such people," Raut said.

The Sena leader also raised the issue of private hospitals overcharging Covid-19 patients, particularly during the second wave of the pandemic.

Gaurav Gogoi (Congress) charged the government with ignoring various warnings leading to a shortage of bed, oxygen, and ventilators in the second wave.

The second wave has resulted in the hardship for poor as many of them have lost jobs, he said.

Instead of supporting them, he said, the government robbed them by increasing the prices of LPG cylinders, petrol, and diesel.

They should have rather increased corporate tax if the government was falling short of funds, Gogoi said, adding, the government has money to spend on the Central Vista project but no money to support the poor.

According to the National Disaster Management Act, he said, the government should have given compensation of Rs 4 lakh crore to the family members of those who succumbed to Covid-19 but they are facing difficulty in paying even Rs 50,000.

Gogoi demanded the government should inform the house about the roadmap for vaccination and booster dose and should also clarify how many actual death have taken place due to Covid-19.

Expressing concerns over the economy, he said, the informal sector has been hit very badly and government needs to support them.

He also said that the Indian economy is witnessing a phenomenon where the rich are becoming richer while the poor are getting poorer leading to deeper inequality.

There is an immediate need to bring down prices of LPG, Kerosene, diesel, and petrol to protect the poor hit hard from Covid-19.

DNV Senthilkumar S (DMK) said that the Standing Committee on Health had warned the government about the threat of second wave and shortage of oxygen, ventilators and other medical equipment but the government ignored those suggestions.

He also demanded the government to provide compensation to 700 farmers who have lost their lives in the protest.

Participating in the debate, BJP's Ratan Lal Kataria said that as a new variant of the Covid virus has emerged, there is a need to be more cautious and follow all protocols properly.

"It is not the time to sit comfortably, we have to be vigilant," he said.

According to medical specialists, so far there are no cases of this new variant in the country, Kataria said.

He said the opposition has a role in democracy and they should play that role, but asked it not to politicise things when it comes to serving humanity.

They should encourage people to engage in the fight against the pandemic, he said.

Enlisting various relief activities undertaken by the BJP during the pandemic, he said party workers distributed 22 crore food packets and rations to 5.36 crore people besides face masks to seven crore people.

On the charge that the Centre was only favouring BJP rules states in supply of vaccines and ignoring those ruled by the opposition, Kataria said several oppositions ruled states approached other nations for vaccines.

However, they were told that those countries would only deal with the central government, he added.

Check out the latest videos from DH: