Wish PM Modi celebrated his birthday every day: Congress takes dig at Centre after India administers record 2.5 crore vaccine doses

On PM Modi's 71st birthday, India achieved the highest record of 2.5 crore vaccinations on a single day, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

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New Delhi: After India administered a record over 2 crore COVID-19 vaccinations on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on Friday (September 17), Congress took a dig at the ruling BJP and said that the PM should celebrate his birthday every day. 

On the PM’s 71st birthday, India achieved the highest record of 2.5 crore vaccinations on a single day, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. 

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and said this is the pace of vaccination the country needs. “Looking forward to many more days of 2.1 crore vaccinations. This pace is what our country needs," he tweeted. 

In a series of tweets, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said he was “happy and grateful that 2.5 crore vaccinations were administered on Friday,” Further, he asked, "But why did we have to wait until the PM's birthday.” 

In another tweet, Chidambaram questioned, “Suppose the prime minister's birthday was on December 31, would the 2.5 crore vaccinations have been done only on the last day of the year.” 

"Vaccination is not like cutting a cake on a birthday. Vaccination is a programme, it is a process. It has to be accelerated every day, not scale a peak on a birthday," the former Union finance minister added.

टीकाकरण जन्मदिन पर केक काटने जैसा नहीं है। टीकाकरण एक कार्यक्रम है, यह एक प्रक्रिया है। इसे हर दिन तेज करना होगा, केवल जन्मदिन पर ही नहीं।

गंभीर विचार:
a) एक तिहाई वयस्क आबादी को अभी तक पहली खुराक नहीं मिली है।
b) केवल 21% को पूरी तरह से टीका लगाया गया है — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 18, 2021

Taking a sly dig, he said, "BJP ruled states -- UP, MP, Gujarat and Karnataka -- 'perform' on the PM's birthday and vaccinate many times the daily average. On other days, they are 'non-performing' states.

"I wish the PM celebrated his birthday every day," Chidambaram quipped. 

India not only created a world record of the highest number of COVID jabs in a day but also clinched "World`s Fastest Vaccine Drive" title by administering 466 doses per second on Friday, ANI reported. 

Meanwhile, hitting out at the opposition, PM Modi on Saturday (September 18) said some parties are experiencing fever after 2.5 crore vaccination on his birthday. 

(With agency inputs)