Tharoor's U-turn! Congress leader questions Modi govt's decision to ban vaccine exports
Senior Congress has contradicted himself by questioning the Modi government's decision to ban the export of Covid vaccines within two weeks when he had chided the Centre for sending vaccines to other countries.
Tharoor cited a comment by WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan to say that the "government should hang its head in shame over the vaccine export ban".
“When a senior WHO official, a distinguished Indian, says India’s decision to ban vaccine exports has had a severe impact on 91 nations, the would-be “vishwaguru” should hang its (governmental) head in shame,” he tweeted.
Tharoor's U-turn! Congress leader questions Modi govt's decision to ban vaccine exports 
Notably, Tharoor and Congress leaders have been relentlessly targeting Prime Minister Modi for exporting vaccines that ‘belong’ to India. He had earlier accused the government of exporting vaccines of "children to foreign countries".
"Instead of helping struggling Covid patients, GOI's Delhi Police has registered 17 FIRs & arrested 15 people (daily wage workers, a painter, auto drivers) for pasting posters reading “Modiji, why did you send vaccines of our children to foreign countries?” Tharoor had tweeted on May 16.
The opposition has alleged that the government has failed to come up with a sound vaccination policy to inoculate 130 crore Indians, a charge categorically refuted by the BJP. India has so far exported around 6.63 crore vaccine doses to other countries. While 1 crore jabs have been sent as first aid, 5 crore doses have been sent as a liability.
The WHO recently said that India's decision to ban vaccine exports has made nearly 90 countries vulnerable to infection.
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