CM Mamata Banerjee derides Centre's claim of vaccinating everyone by Dec 2021

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over their announcement of vaccination for all by the end of the year. The Centre on Monday stated that it will be able to vaccinate the entire population by the end of December 2021. Refuting the Centre's projection of vaccination for all by December, Mamata Banerjee called the Centre's claim "baseless" and "a hoax" while also reiterating her demand that Centre should provide free vaccines to the states.

Mamata Banerjee said, "This [vaccinating all citizens before Dec 2021] is just a hoax. They just say baseless things. The Centre is not sending vaccines to State Governments. The Centre should procure vaccines for States and give it free of cost to all."

Vaccination for all by 2021

Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said all Indians will be vaccinated against the COVID-19 by the end of this year as he criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for saying that only 3% of India’s population is inoculated.

“The health ministry last week made it clear that within December the nation will produce 216 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines which means that at least 108 crore people will be able to get their jabs. So, Rahul Gandhi should understand that India will vaccinate all by December 2021,” Javadekar said during the press conference.

Moreover, the Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it expects the country's entire population above 18 years to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the end of the year.

India at present is vaccinating the citizens with Serum Institute of India - AstraZeneca manufactured Covishield and Bharat Biotech developed Covaxin along with the recent addition of Russian made Sputnik V. India has administered 21,85,46,667 till now with 23,97,191 vaccine jabs administered on the previous day, according to Union Health Ministry. Despite the shortage of vaccines, India became the second country to administer 20 crore vaccine doses, in record 130 days, with the US being the first to achieve the feat in 124 days.

Mamata Banerjee and Central Government at loggerheads

Amid the long-standing rivalry between Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal Government and the Central Government, the two have again traded barbs over the Cyclone Yaas meeting and then the recalling of West Bengal Chief Secretary by the Central Government. 

During the post-cyclone review meeting, Mamata Banerjee had left for Digha after meeting PM Narendra Modi briefly and did not attend the review meeting over the damage caused by Cyclone Yaas. Following this, Mamata Banerjee maintained that she took the Prime Minister's permission before leaving, but government sources opposed her claims and said that the permission was not granted. Thereafter, West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay was directed by the Centre to report to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the state government was asked to relieve him immediately, kicking off a new war between the Centre and the State government.