Opposition parties did everything to derail vaccination programme, alleges J P Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda on Friday hit back at opposition parties for their criticism of the Modi government's vaccination programme against Covid-19, saying they left no stone unturned to derail the exercise with comments questioning the safety of two Indian jabs.

He also asserted that everyone will be vaccinated in time and noted the falling Covid positivity rate and increasing number of recoveries to say that India is on way to defeating the disease.

Speaking at the inauguration of Covid help desks established across the country by the party's Kisan Morcha, Nadda claimed that India has been able to keep the infection rate low compared to other countries due to the Modi government's alacrity and people's awareness.

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Attacking opposition parties, he said they did everything for one year to "blunt and stop" the vaccination programme and to "break India's morale".

"Congress leaders did everything to derail the vaccination drive. And now they are singing a new tune: vaccination, vaccination, vaccination. You are now carrying on with the subject of vaccination after you tried to mess it up by every means. Remember it, every person will get the jab in time under the prime minister's leadership," he said, addressing party members through a virtual programme.

Referring to the government's approval of two vaccines, he said health ministers of opposition-ruled states had then alleged that this would endanger people's lives and that they were given the nod without third phase of trial.

All BJP-led NDA state governments have made the vaccination free for people to help the poor, he said, asserting that this is a reflection of the party's motto of "sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas".

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Those who write letters should ask their chief ministers to do the same, he said in an apparent swipe at the Congress.

The Centre has so provided 18.70 crore free vaccination dosages, Nadda said and also praised the welfare exercise undertaken by BJP members across the country to help people during the pandemic.

On the occasion, the BJP president also cited the government's decision to hike subsidy on DAP fertiliser by 140 per cent to ensure that farmers pay the old price despite a hike in its international market rate and called it historic.