THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP has accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of creating a ‘panic situation’ among the people in the state by repeatedly highlighting the shortage of Covid vaccine.
BJP state president K Surendran termed as “unnecessary” the Chief Minister’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing vaccine shortage at a time when the Centre has assured sufficient availability of the vaccine in all states.
He said the panic spread by the state government has led to fights among people at vaccination centres.
Surendran reminded Pinarayi of his promise on December 13 last year that the LDF government will provide vaccines to the people of the state free of cost.
He said the Chief Minister has also claimed that vaccine production facility will be set up in the state.
“It is not proper on the part of a person holding the high office of the Chief Minister to give such false promises to the people,” Surendran said.
The BJP state president said the LDF had unleashed a false campaign over the past few months that the Centre didn’t do anything for the state during the pandemic.
“Such false campaigns will only lead to alienation of the state from the national mainstream,” Surendran cautioned. He also urged the Chief Minister not to mix politics with the pandemic.
BJP’s initiatives
Surendran said the BJP has decided to channelise its entire efforts towards fighting the pandemic. The state leadership meet of the party, that was held on Tuesday, has chalked out a detailed action plan to help people affected by the pandemic, he said.
The BJP has launched a state-wide Covid help desk at its state headquarters. Similar help desks will start functioning in all major towns in all 140 constituencies, Surendran said.
The party will provide assistance to families isolated due to the pandemic, ensure adequate infrastructure facilities in hospitals and arrange blood and plasma donation camps.
Under the aegis of the BJP state medical cell, the party will launch telemedicine facilities in all 14 districts on Thursday and BJP state medical cell Convener Dr Biju Pillai will coordinate its activities, he said.