Siddaramaiah faults govt for postponing vaccination for 18+

Bengaluru: After the State government said that it couldn't start the vaccination programme for the 18-45 age group from May 1, the day scheduled by the Central government, the Congress went hammer and tongs against the ruling BJP. Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah urged the Center and the State government to resolve the issue of the shortage of vaccine soon.

Speaking at the inauguration of the helpline and ambulance service organized by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) under the initiative Congress Cares, Siddaramaiah said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appeared on TV and announced the vaccine for 18 to 45-year-olds to be started on May 1. Now the BJP government in State has postponed the vaccination. Where is Modi?" "Did the PM not know that the State government was not prepared to vaccinate 18+ population? Hasn't this been discussed at a meeting of the chief ministers? Modi should apologize to the people of the country for not telling the truth."

The former CM added that online registration was a difficult task for rural people, so the vaccination should be conducted on the lines of universal polio vaccine campaign.

"The risk of coronavirus infection is very low for those who are vaccinated. Therefore, the State government must make serious efforts to ensure that all persons under the age of 18 and above are vaccinated as quickly as possible. I have discussed the vaccine issue with the Chief Secretary of the government. Six crore vaccines are needed," Siddaramaiah added.

"Last October, the central government had issued a tender for 162 units of vaccine-making, of which only 30 units were commissioned. This is the main cause of vaccine deprivation in the country. Till date, only about 25% of people over the age of 45 have been given the corona vaccine. Prime Minister Modi has given over 6 crores of vaccines abroad to make Indians vulnerable to the vaccine when the need for vaccination is high among us. This was one reason for spreading the infection," the Congress leader stated.

"The ever-increasing coronavirus infection is disturbing, and the government has failed to prevent this. Let BJP leaders make a sincere effort to prevent coronavirus or relinquish the office," he added.

The State Congress is deploying 10 ambulances for the poor and providing them free services and opening up the corona helpline.