New Delhi : Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and P. Chidambaram took a jibe at the Covid-19 vaccination drive on Prime Minister Modi’s 71st Birthday on Friday, where more than 2.5 crore doses were administered across the country.
Taking to twitter on Saturday, Mr Gandhi said, “looking forward to many more days of 2.1 crore #vaccinations. This place is what our country needs,”
On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 71st Birthday, India on Friday set a record by administering over 2.5 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses in the country.
As per provisional data till midnight, 2,50,10,390 vaccine doses in all were administered on Friday taking the cumulative number to 79.33 crore vaccinations.
With Friday’s record vaccinations, 63 pc of the estimated adult population has received its first dose while 21 pc are fully vaccinated.
Another senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also taunted the government over successfully administering over 2.5 crore vaccines on Friday and said in a tweet that, “Vaccination is not like cutting cake on birthday. Vaccination is a programme, it is a process. It has to be sharpened every day, not only on birthdays,”
“Happy and grateful that 2.5 crore vaccinations were done yesterday. But why did we have to wait till PM’s birthday? Suppose December 31st happens to be the PM’s birthday, will 2.5 crore vaccinations be done on the last day of the year?,” he added.
“One third of the adult population has not yet received the first dose and only 21% have been fully vaccinated,” Mr Chidambaram alleged.
Earlier, on Friday the Prime Minister hailed the front line workers and the party “Karyakarta” for taking this initiative and said in a tweet, “Every Indian would be proud of today’s record vaccination numbers. I acknowledge our doctors, innovators, administrators, nurses, healthcare and all front-line workers who have toiled to make the vaccination drive a success. Let us keep boosting vaccination to defeat COVID-19,”
“I would like to appreciate every @BJP4India Karyakarta and well-wisher who has enriched the “Seva Aur Samarpan Abhiyan” with their active participation. I am proud of their constant endeavours to improve the lives of people,” he said.
The WHO South-East Asia Regional office (WHO SEARO)also congratulated India for achieving this milestone. “Congratulations to Indians for yet another milestone! Indian march ahead with another achievement in its fight against Covid-19” said in a Tweet.
The government however, said “India has crossed Europe in the total number of vaccine doses administered so far in the country,”.
