Profiteering from vaccine shameful: Hardeep Puri
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 5
The BJP today fielded Union Minister Hardeep Puri to take on Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on issues related to Punjab, including “diversion” of Covid vaccines to private hospitals and farmers’ agitation against the three agricultural laws.
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Why was order withdrawn?
When we raised the issue, Capt issued directions to withdraw the order, which means it was fishy. Why was the decision taken in the first place?
Puri, who attacked the state government claiming that private hospitals in Mohali charged Rs 3,200 and more for a Covid shot that cost much less, also took on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who hit out at the Centre with “where are the vaccines for our children” charge.
Stating that vaccines “sold for profit” were for the 18-44 age group, Puri said: “Vaccines for children are being thrown into the garbage in Rajasthan and being used for profiteering in Punjab — the two Congress-ruled states.”
Inhuman, condemnable
The Punjab Government is buying vaccines at Rs 400 each from the Centre and selling these to private hospitals for Rs 1,060 instead of passing the benefit to the people through government hospitals. Profiting during an emergency is inhuman, condemnable and saddening.
Referring to the Punjab Health Minister’s statement that “he was not in charge of vaccines”, Puri today wondered who then took the decision and why it was rolled back. “Why did the government roll back the decision if nothing was wrong with it? Why did the Health Minister say he does not have control over vaccines? Was there an arrangement between the Punjab Government and hospitals,” he wondered, adding that he was not raising these questions as a Union minister but as a ‘karyakarta’ of the party from Punjab.
The minister said it was “shameful” that the Punjab Government was trying to profit from vaccines meant for people. “When we raised the issue, Capt withdrew the order, which means it was fishy. Why was the decision taken in the first place?” he said.
Puri said as per Punjab Government officer and in charge of Covid-19 vaccination, Vikas Garg, 4.29 lakh doses of Covishield were procured at Rs 13.25 crore (Rs 309 per dose on an average), while 1,14,190 Covaxin doses were procured at Rs 4.70 crore (Rs 412 per dose on an average).
Quoting Garg’s order, he also questioned how the government was planning to get back the vaccines already administered.
Puri also slammed the Congress for opposing the three farm laws and the Central Vista project. “The pro-farmer Modi government has agreed to all demands of farmers and taken several steps, including DBT on MSP, for their benefit,” Puri, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar in 2019, said.
