PATNA: Congress Bhagalpur MLA Ajit Sharma stirred a fresh controversy on Tuesday morning after he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be the first to take the dose of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin' vaccine to bring confidence in people.
Sharma said that PM Modi should follow what the heads of Russia, US and other states have done by taking the vaccine shots first in the country to instill confidence in people. He also added that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders should volunteer to take the vaccine doses as well.
While congratulating the scientists for their medical achievement, Sharma said "though this is a matter of pride for Indians, there are doubts among people over efficacy of the vaccines."
"Therefore, it would be better if our PM and his BJP leaders are the first to take the vaccine doses in a move to end the doubt existing among people," he said while speaking to the media.
Sharma said "instead of giving credit to BJP for the vaccines, the Congress party must be thanked because it was during their governance that the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Bharat Biotech were established."
Leaders including state chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and Nikhil Anand lashed out at the Congress Party MLA calling his statement 'unfortunate.'
Dr Nikhil Anand said that Congress MLA's statement asking PM Narendra Modi to take the first doze of vaccine shows how much the Congress doubts the country's talent.
"Sharma would have not doubted the vaccine, had it been made by Pakistan. This is how Congress leader Ajit Sharma has become Doubting Thomas," said Nikhil Anand.
JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasa also said that no one should mislead people on vaccine or push it into controversy as it has been developed by Indian scientists who deserve Kudos from the entire country.