When will the poor get free Covid-19 vaccination and what is the rollout plan, asks Congress

'If Modi ji or his chief ministers do not wish to get the vaccine themselves, it is their view,' Surjewala asked.

Congress National Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. Credit: PTI File Photo

As the Covid-19 vaccination drive got underway, Congress on Sunday reminded the Modi government of its “vaccine for all” promise and asked it to spell out plans to vaccinate every citizen.

Addressing a press conference here, AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala sought to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi that leaders across the world, including US President-elect Joe Biden, have come forward to take the vaccine to instil confidence about the vaccination drive.

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“If Modi ji or his chief ministers do not wish to get the vaccine themselves, it is their view,” he said.

Congress also questioned the Modi government’s vaccine acquisition strategy and demanded to know why it was paying more for Covaxin, which is yet to complete Phase III trials as against the fully tested Covishield.

At the same time, Surjewala made it clear that the Congress will not question the government’s decision to grant certification for use of both the vaccines.

“If the government has certified the vaccines as safe, we will not question it,” Surjewala said, at a time when a section of Congress leaders have raised doubts over the efficacy of Covaxin.

Congress also questioned the decision to allow for export of vaccines to foreign countries at a time when more than 135 crore Indians were awaiting vaccination.

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“Will the SC, ST, OBC, BPL, APL, poor and underprivileged get the Corona Vaccine free or not? If yes, what is the roll-out plan and by when would the government ensure free vaccination,” Surjewala asked.

Keeping up the attack on pricing of Covaxin, Surjewala demanded to know why the government was paying Rs 95 more for a vaccine that has been developed by the expertise of state-run ICMR and tested on just 755 individuals.

“Should the price of such a vaccine not be cheaper than the AstraZeneca-Serum Institute,” he asked.

On the pricing of Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute, Surjewala wondered how a vaccine sold at Rs 200 per dose to the government is allowed to be sold for Rs 1,000 per dose in the market.