AAP slams BJP's 'free Remdesivir distribution' in Surat; Guj CM says 'not from govt stock'

Slamming BJP's Gujarat unit over alleged Remdesivir injection hoarding, AAP on Sunday said that the BJP had taken PM Modi's message of  "converting disasters of opportunities" literally. BJP's Surat unit has reportedly procured 5000 Remdesivir injections amid a shortage of these jabs in the state. CM Vijay Rupani has clarified that BJP's procurement has not come from "part of government stocks”.

AAP slams BJP for 'Remdesivir injection hoarding'

BJP procures 5000 Remdesivir vials 

Earlier on Friday, BJP Gujarat chief C R Paatil announced that BJP would give 5,000 vials of Remdesivir injections free-of-cost to needy patients from the Surat BJP office on a daily basis from Saturday, as per reports. Addressing media at Surat’s New Civil hospital. BJP has stated that it was only supplementing the distribution, while the state government has its own arrangement. Congress, NCP, and AAP have criticised BJP for the move amid a short supply of Remdersivir which is an approved drug for treating Covid-19.

On Saturday, CM Rupani claimed that it was best to ask CR Paatil 'how he procured the Remdesivir injections', while addressing media in Surat. Clarifying that the govt has made separate arrangements, he said that the BJP's distribution has no connection with the stocks set aside for Surat. Currently, Gujarat's neighbouring state Maharashtra too is facing an acute Remdesivir shortage.

“About Surat, C R Paatil has arranged for 5,000 Remdesivir injections. How he (Paatil) made those arrangements, it is better to ask him. The government has made separate arrangements. The distribution organised by the BJP is also different. This has no connection with the stocks we have sent for Surat. Not a single injection has been given from government stocks,” said Rupani on Friday.

Commenting on BJP's free distribution of Remdesivir, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik of the NCP pulled up the Centre for 'politicising' the injection supply amid a state-wide shortage. He tweeted, ". If drugs are being distributed through a political party by disrupting the administration, then what is it but politics?". He also questioned the whereabouts of the procurement. Maharashtra is currently staring at imposing a total lockdown amid rising COVID cases, deaths, shortage of tests, beds, oxygen supply and COVID vaccines.