Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slammed PM Modi over the announcement to provide free to all above 18 years of age.
The Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his announcement during address to the nation that the government will provide free Covid vaccine to all those eligible, including those in the 18 plus age group.
Moments after PM Modi concluded his address to the nation, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked him and said that the prime minister has finally accepted the Opposition's demand concerning vaccine procurement.
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"The Prime Minister inflicted a huge cost on the people of India before accepting the Opposition’s demand for centralised procurement and free vaccination for 18-44 year olds. Humility and reaching out will not hurt him," Ramesh said in his tweet.
The Aam Aadmi Party too took pot shots at the PM, saying today's announcement was a result of the Supreme Court pulling up the govermment over the vaccination drive.
Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said that the Centre's decision to change its vaccination policy came after the Supreme Court described it as 'irrational' and 'arbitrary'.
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"Thanks to the honourable Supreme Court's intervention, now all eligible age groups will get free vaccine. This step could have been taken earlier," Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
"After being pulled up by Supreme Court, Centre took this decision, we welcome it. Our demand was also to run a national immunisation drive, which was overlooked. After constant gruelling by SC, Centre has finally woken up," AAP MLA Raghav Chadha added.
PM Modi announced that the central government will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21, and asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in coming days.
The Centre has decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments, the prime minister said his televised address to the nation.
