Discriminatory, injustice to poor and rural people: Congress on Centre`s Covid-19 booster dose move

Calling Centre`s decision to introduce booster dose for all adults at private centres for a price `absurd`, the Congress said it is a `gross injustice` to the poor and rural population of the country.

New Delhi: A day ahead of the precaution dose rollout for all adults at private centres, Congress slammed the Central government on Saturday (April 9) for not allowing government hospitals to administer Covid-19 vaccine booster shots free of charge. 

Calling it an "absurd policy", the Congress said it is a "gross injustice" to the poor and rural population of the country.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi alleged that the Centre was allowing profiteering by allowing the sale of booster dose by private entities, PTI reported.

Singhvi asked, "Why administer this booster dose only through private hospitals and have no option of getting it through government hospitals. Does it make sense? Is this a reasonable policy that government hospitals will not deal with this 18-60 years category." 

Speaking at a press conference, he claimed that the private sector will earn crores of rupees at the "cost of Indians who are already suffering due to high prices and inflation".

Singhvi said the "selling of booster dose vaccines" by private companies and entities has "exposed the cruel, the cunning and the callous nature of the BJP government". 

The Congress leader said this policy will deprive the poor and rural population who do not have access to private hospitals. "The decision on privatisation of booster vaccine is bitter, brutal and barbarous. Unfortunately, the central feature of this new policy is discrimination by design," he alleged. 

Attacking the BJP-led Centre, Singhvi asked if this is creating "two Indias". "Should the government be discharging its duty in this manner by transferring the buck? Is this fair. Is this segregation? Is it creating two Indias? Is it creating discrimination? What is the sense behind this absurd policy, after already the price levels at which we are standing," he questioned. 

On Friday, the Centre allowed Covid-19 precautionary dose for all adults from Sunday (April 10) at private vaccination centres. “Precaution doses to be now available to 18+ population group from 10th April at private vaccination centres,” the Ministry of Health had said. 

(With agency inputs)