COVID-19: Only solution is to vaccinate 1 crore people a day, says Tripura Congress

Agartala: The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) on Friday wrote a letter to the President of India through the governor of Tripura demanding free universal vaccination for every citizen of India as part of their national programme.

Speaking with reporters, TPCC president Pijush Kanti Biswas said that COVID-19 has caused unprecedented devastation and immeasurable pain to nearly every Indian family. It is very important to vaccinate the entire adult population of above 18 years on or before December 31, 2021.

“The only solution is to vaccinate at least one crore people a day and not the current average of 16 lakh people a day. The need of the hour is that the Union government should procure the vaccine and supply it for free to the states and private hospitals for vaccination of the people of India. Anything less is a huge disservice to India and its people,” Biswas said.

“Tragically, the Modi government has completely abdicated its duty of fighting the Coronavirus and abandoned the people, leaving them to fend for themselves. The truth is that the union government is guilty of criminal mismanagement of COVID-19,” Biswas said.

He also said that other countries started placing purchase orders for vaccines from May 2020, the Modi government failed India. It went on to place its first order of vaccines only in January 2021. As per publicly available information, the Modi government, state governments have till date ordered only 39 crore vaccine doses for a total population of 140 crore.

Also read: Tripura: Ex-CM comes out in support of CPI-M MLA, says expressing view is not crime

Speaking further, Biswas said that 21.31 crore vaccine doses have been administered till May 31. But only 4.45 crore Indians have received both the doses of vaccine, which is only 3.17 per cent of India’s population.

He said that in last 134 days, the average pace of vaccination is about 16 lakh vaccine doses per day. “At this pace, it will take over three years for us to vaccinate our adult population. As Indian citizens are getting infected from Corona in the middle of the raging pandemic, Modi Govt is busy exporting vaccines,” Biswas added.

He also lashed at the Union govt and said it has exported 6.63 crore vaccine doses to other countries and termed it as the biggest disservice to the nation.

“A single dose of Serum Institute’s Covishield costs Rs 150 to Modi government, Rs 300 to state governments and Rs 600 to private hospitals. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine costs Rs 150 to Modi government, Rs 600 to state governments and Rs 1,200 to private hospitals. The private hospitals are even charging up to Rs 1,500 for a single dose,” Biswas said.

Apart from Pijush Kanti Biswas, former MLA Tapas Dey, ex-minister Laxmi Nag, spokesperson Rahul Saha and others were present in the press conference.