Rakesh Tikait demands COVID vaccine jab for protesting farmers; says 'will take 1st shot'

As India's vaccination picks up pace, BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Thursday, demanded that all farmers who are protesting against Centre's Farm Laws must be given the COVID-19 vaccine. Vowing to take the shot himself, Tikait's statement gains significance as several elderly farmers have been camped at Delhi's borders - Tikri, Ghazipur for 113 days. Visuals from the site show no masks being worn by the protestors, leading to the SC asking the Centre if the protestors had been tested for COVID-19.

Tikait: 'Will take vaccine' 

Farmers' poll plans

On March 12-13, Sanyukt Kisa Morcha (SKM) delegation led by Tikait held  two meetings in Bengal - Nandigram and Kolkata, urging members to not vote for the BJP. Tikait, who was received by TMC MP Dola Sen in Kolkata, slammed the Modi government for the loss of 300 protestors in the past 108 days, urging Bengal farmers to ask BJP leaders visiting them as part of their "ëk mutthi chawal"  campaign about a law on MSP first. Farmers formed 5 teams to visit poll-bound teams - Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu to hold talks with farmers and urge them to not vote for the BJP. Centre-farmers' talks stalled after 11 rounds of talks as farmers continue to demand repeal of the laws and the government proposing for suspending the implementation of the three laws for one and a half years.

India's vaccination progress

India began its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16, aiming to vaccinate 3 crore health care workers. Its second phase of vaccination kicked off on March 1, with PM Modi taking the first shot. The second phase  is dedicated to those above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with co-morbidities - registered on CO-WIN website and walk-ins at some hospitals. While pricing for a COVID-19 vaccine dose has been capped at Rs 250 at private hospitals, doses are available free of cost at government centers with the Centre bearing the cost of the inoculation. Recently, several states like Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka have sought the Centre's nod to rope in private hospitals and to begin vaccinating adults above 18.

On January 3, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani announced that the vaccines of Serum Institue of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) have been granted permission for restricted use in an emergency situation. Several other vaccine candidates like Sputnik-V and Zydus-Cadilla's vaccine too are eyeing the emergency nod. As of date, India has administered 3,82,66,059 doses - of which 3,15,28,093 have received the first dose and 67,37,966 have received the second dose.