Centre’s vaccination policy anti-people; Modi govt has enough money but would not provide vaccines free of cost: Mamata

She gave assurance that her government will administer vaccines for free to people above 18 years of age after May 5

Tearing into the Centre’s latest Covid-19 vaccination policy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dubbed it as “anti-federal and anti-poor,” and “anti-people”.

Mamata in her second letter to Modi this week further alleged that there was a “bias in favour of market” against the interest of the common people.

She also questioned the pricing of the vaccines from manufacturers which is Rs 150 per dose for the Centre and Rs 400 per dose for the states arguing that the states will have to pay 167% over and above the Centre has fixed for itself.

“This is anti-federal and anti-poor. States will buy vaccines for the poor and the young, hence, your policy is anti-poor and anti-youth. Such peculiar differentiation of rates also unheard of in Indian history,” stated Mamata.

Read: EC bans physical campaigning in Bengal in view of Covid-19

She stated that during such a “grave crisis situation”’ in the country there is “no place for making business” by the vaccine manufacturers. She further stated fixing the rate for the vaccine for private hospitals at Rs 600 is “not only discriminatory but also unhealthy” as it may trigger “unscrupulous mechanisms” in the market.

“I strongly feel that every Indian should get free vaccines regardless of age, caste, creed, location at one price, irrespective of who pays —the Centre or the states,” stated Mamata.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister said at a rally that despite having enough funds in its coffers, the Modi government was not providing free vaccines to everyone in the country.

“The Centre has lots of money in the PM Cares fund but even then it is not providing free vaccines to all...Till now, you (Modi) have done nothing. You did not alert the people to take necessary precautions when there was time. Now when the cases are increasing, you are asking people to purchase doses and get vaccinated,” said Mamata.

She said that her government will provide free vaccines to everyone above the age of 18 years in West Bengal from May 1.