New Delhi: The Congress presented a divided house on vaccination drive and campaign.
India's vaccination count is not only great by sheer numbers. Sources say India administered 35 lakh doses per day, which stood at 22 lakh more than the US figures and 28 lakh more than Japan.
India administered five times more doses than Japan, nine times more than Germany, and ten times more than France.
Statistics also say it took 85 days to administer the first 10 crore doses, and it completed the last 10 crores in just 19 days.
A path-breaking change in the entire laggard vaccination programme came when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the central government would handle the entire operation.
This was decided after states failed to procure enough doses as the manufacturers were not showing trust in the provincial regimes.
According to the Union Health Ministry, the average doses per day had improved to 60 lakh after June 21, when the Centre took over the entire vaccine procurement and supply management.
Before this, it was hardly 18 lakh per day. This was the return of a vintage Narendra Modi. On June 7, in his ninth national broadcast, since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Prime Minister Modi announced major changes in vaccination policy.
"Desh ki kiso bhi rajyo sarkar ko vaccine par kucch bhi kharch nahi karna hoga(No state government will henceforth have to spend any money on vaccines)," Modi had said.
He said free vaccines for citizens over the age of 18 beginning June 21, as well as the centralised vaccination. His speech came when several states, including Maharashtra and Delhi, had begun the process of unlocking, and there were all sorts of apprehensions and scepticism.
Different versions from Congress
The beleaguered Congress presented itself as a divided house on Oct 21, 2021, which Modi said has turned into a historic day.
"This is a matter of pride for all Indians. Let's give the Government credit," tweeted Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor.
Congress confusion over vaccination drive came to light the other day when Congress national president Sonia Gandhi said now most members of CWC have been vaccinated twice and thus could safely attend the party meetings in person.
Congress has never been very enthusiastic about the jab drive and campaign. Instead, its state governments in Punjab and Rajasthan came under attack for different reasons vis-à-vis the vaccination issue.
In Ashok Gehlot-ruled Rajasthan, there were charges of 'dumping' of vaccines; in Punjab, there was an alleged scam as jabs were made available at private hospitals at a much higher price.
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