A war of words has ensued in Bihar after the Congress and the RJD asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the first shot of vaccine to infuse confidence among the people of the country.
The suggestion from the Opposition camp came close on the heels of India’s drug regulator approving ‘Covishield’ and ‘Covaxin’ for restricted emergency use.
“The way heads of the State in US and Russia took the first vaccine to infuse confidence among the people, PM Modi too should take the first shot of vaccine and assure people here,” said the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ajit Sharma, the party’s senior legislator from Bhagalpur.
“We are happy that India has got two vaccines. But there are certain doubts about them. To dispel such apprehensions, Prime Minister Modi, much like the heads of the State of US and Russia, should take the first shot of the vaccine. Other senior BJP leaders too should follow suit so as to dispel any misgivings about vaccination,” said Sharma.
The Congress leader also averred that since Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute, which prepared the coronavirus vaccine, were established when the Congress was in power, the Congress should also be given due ‘credit’ for the breakthrough.
The RJD went a step further and added that besides Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah should also take the vaccine shot so as to dispel all the misgivings about the vaccine.
“The Congress and the RJD have developed a habit of opposing anything and everything and will always cast aspersions on Modi. The time has come for them to think logically, rationally and in a scientific manner,” said BJP spokesperson Prem Ranjan Patel.