Meenakshi Lekhi hits out at Rahul Gandhi over COVID vaccination after Mann Ki Baat taunt

On Sunday, Union MoS MEA and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi blamed ex-Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the slacking COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country. She was responding to Gandhi's tweet in which he took a dig at PM Modi's monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' over the purported shortage of vaccine doses. According to her, the situation would have different had the Wayanad MP been helped the people constructively during the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, Lekhi also accused the Congress leader of promoting vaccine hesitancy, which she claimed led to the death of many persons during the second wave. 

Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi remarked, "PM Modi speaks the truth in Mann Ki Baat. But if leaders like Rahul Gandhi had engaged themselves in serving the country at the crucial time, then the condition of vaccination wouldn't have been dire. During his ancestors' time, the vaccines would become available after 30-50 years in India." 

"If he would have given timely information on whether he and his family members have taken the vaccine, so many people would not have died. These people who created doubts in the minds of people are responsible. Besides this, their states slacked in giving vaccines supplied to them (by the Centre) to the people," the BJP MP added. 

PM Modi's message on vaccination 

During his 'Mann Ki Baat' address on July 25, PM Modi cited the example of his mother and exhorted citizens to get themselves vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. Highlighting that India had achieved the feat of inoculating million people in a single day, he stressed the need to address vaccine hesitancy. Moreover, he opined, "During festivals and gaiety, do remember that Corona is not yet gone. You do not have to forget COVID-19 related protocols".

The PM observed, "I have myself been vaccinated with both doses. And my mother is close to a hundred years of age... she too has taken both doses. At times, some people develop fever but it is very minor, just for a few hours. Not getting vaccinated can prove dangerous," 

COVID-19 vaccination in India

Apart from Covishield and Covaxin, the Drugs Controller General of India approved Sputnik V and Moderna on April 12 and June 29 respectively. From June 21 onwards, the Union government has started procuring 75% of the vaccine stock and distributing it to the states free of cost for all adults aged above 18. Without giving a specific deadline, it has hinted that all adults might be vaccinated by December 2021. A total of 33,83,66,029 persons have been inoculated whereas 9,18,31,399 of them have received the second dose of the vaccine too.