NEW DELHI: The opposition parties on Thursday panned the BJP for promising free Covid vaccines in its poll manifesto, saying that the saffron party was using the pandemic for political gains.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe saying that people should check poll dates in their states to get the vaccine.
“GOI just announced India’s Covid access strategy. Kindly refer to the state-wise election schedule to know when will you get it, along with a hoard of false promises.” Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the BJP is deriding the people of Bihar.
In Srinagar, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah termed it as blatant populism.
“Will BJP be paying for these vaccines from the party treasury? If it’s coming from the government treasury then how can Bihar get free vaccines while the rest of the country has to pay? There is so much wrong with this blatant populism that shamefully exploits COVID fears,” he wrote.
Senior PDP leader and former MLC Firdous Tak said the BJP has never come with anything concrete or substantial to offer to the people across the country.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav termed the poll promise as “opportunistic politics”. “It is another ‘jumla’ (rhetoric) of the BJP to cheat the people of Bihar. They have ruined the state during the last 15 years. Can they tell when the vaccine will come? ” said SP leader Rajendra Chaudhury.
RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said that he was shocked to hear the announcement.
“In a welfare state, promising a vaccine for a pandemic, if it is a part of an election manifesto, shows the level of deterioration in their thinking.”
TMC MP Saugata Roy found the announcement of giving free Covid-19 vaccine a statement to gain political advantage. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said the BJP are politicising health of citizens.
BJP’s 19 lakh counter to RJD’s 10L job promise
The BJP clearly seems to be rattled by the RJD’s poll sop of 10 lakh jobs. To counter the move, the party has in its manifesto promised to create 19 lakh jobs in the next five years.
These will include recruitment of 3 lakh teachers in primary, secondary and higher educational institutions.
It said that a large number of people will be provided employment in the health sector which is in for a major face-lift through projects like AIIMS-Darbhanga.