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Updated June 5th, 2021 at 16:24 IST

Gambhir says CM Kejriwal in 'Punjab mode' on vaccine profits; diverting to liquor delivery

Gautam Gambhir launched an attack on CM Kejriwal and accused him of selling COVID vaccines to private hospitals, drawing a parallel with the Punjab government

Reported by: Koushik Narayanan
Gautam Gambhir
ANI / Twitter composite image | Image:self
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East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir launched a fresh attack on CM Arvind Kejriwal and accused him of selling COVID vaccines to private hospitals, drawing a parallel with the actions of the Congress govt in Punjab which has been accused of profiteering from selling doses. The Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government faced severe backlash for selling some of the 1.14 lakh COVAXIN doses procured at Rs.420 per dose to private hospitals at Rs.1060 per dose, before rolling back the order.

Taking a dig at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir accused the AAP chief of attempting to steal the spotlight by asking PM Modi-led Centre to procure vaccines while he could take credit for vaccinating the people of Delhi. Further, Gautam Gambhir claimed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had used the money he had profiteered from the sale of the COVID vaccines to private hospitals and had spent the money instead on the door-to-door delivery of liquor in the national capital.

Gautam Gambhir levels 'Punjab Mode' charge on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

On Thursday morning, the DCGI told the Delhi High Court that Gautam Gambhir's foundation had committed an offence under Rule 61 and 18C of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, assuring that action will be taken without delay. The matter will again be considered on July 29. Issuing his first response hours after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) pulled him up for illegally holding unauthorised stocks of anti-COVID drugs, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir minced no words as he held CM Arvind Kejriwal responsible for the situation in the national capital, slamming the AAP government's handling of the pandemic. Refraining from making any direct comments as the matter remains before the courts, Gambhir remarked that CM Kejriwal 'cannot stoop any lower' when asked for his comments on DCGI's submission to the Delhi HC earlier in the day. 

Punjab government faces backlash

Out of the 1.14 lakh COVAXIN doses procured at Rs.420 per dose, the state government sold some of the stock to private hospitals at Rs.1060 per dose. While it had acquired these doses for people aged between 18 and 44 having co-morbidities, for construction workers and families of healthcare workers in government vaccination centres, the private hospitals are reportedly administering them to all adults at Rs 1,560 each. Speaking to the media on Thursday, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed that vaccines were being diverted to private players at hefty margins to create an artificial shortage. 

Similarly, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar too lashed out at the Punjab government advised Rahul Gandhi to concentrate on the situation in Punjab rather than giving lectures to others. Highlighting that the Centre has provided nearly 22 crore doses to states free of cost, he reminded that it was state governments that had sought decentralization of vaccine procurement. Taking a dig at the internal turmoil in the Punjab Congress unit, Javadekar claimed that the state government was failing in vaccine management.  

After the backlash, the Punjab government issued a fresh order on May 4 stating, "The order of providing one-time limited vaccine doses to 18-44 years age group population through private hospitals has not been taken in the right spirit and is hereby withdrawn. Further, it has been decided that private hospitals should return forthwith all the vaccine doses available with them. The doses which they have utilised as of date should also be returned back, once they get direct supplies from the manufacturers." 

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Published June 5th, 2021 at 16:24 IST

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