Opposition reacts to PM's speech: From Mamata's 'delayed decision' to Yechury's 'lot to be done', what politicos said

Opposition leaders and chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states on Monday credited the Supreme Court’s intervention behind the Centre’s reversal of the COVID-19 vaccination policy and also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for heeding their demand of free vaccinations for all.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee pointed out that she had written to the prime minister multiple times since February 2021 with the demand for free vaccines for all and said the prime minister had finally listened and implemented it after four months and much pressure.

“The well-being of the people of India should’ve been prioritised since the very start of this pandemic. Unfortunately, this delayed decision by PM has already cost many lives. Hoping for a better-managed vaccination drive this time that focuses on people and not propaganda!” Banerjee said on Twitter.

The well-being of the people of India should've been prioritized since the very start of this pandemic. Unfortunately, this delayed decision by PM has already cost many lives.

Hoping for a better managed #VaccinationDrive this time that focuses on people & not propaganda! (2/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 7, 2021

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh (Congress), Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik (BJD), Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin (DMK) and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (CPM) were among the state leaders who appreciated that the Centre had approved their request for free vaccine supply.

Amarinder Singh said the move will help Punjab and other states facing problems in sourcing vaccines to ensure early vaccination of their people. It’ll also bring much-needed pricing parity - a necessity in pandemic times, he said.

Thank PM @narendramodi Ji for acceding to our request of central procurement & distribution of vaccine for all age-groups. I had written twice to @narendramodi Ji on this issue and to @drharshvardhan Ji suggesting this as the only feasible solution to #CovidVaccine crisis.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 7, 2021

The Hon. Prime Minister's declaration that Covid-19 vaccine will be supplied free of cost to the States from 21 June, is the most appropriate response at this hour. I am happy that our request has been positively responded to by the Prime Minister.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) June 7, 2021

The Left party, however, alleged that the prime minister had tried to defend his dubious discriminatory vaccine policy by passing the buck on to state governments.

“Now Modi abandons his policy, fearing a Supreme Court directive for a free and universal vaccination programme by the Centre. The Modi government must now sincerely implement the free and universal vaccination campaign and not look for excuses. There is a lot to be done. Many lives to be saved,” CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.

The Union Government and the BJP must learn to accept responsibility for its failures when people of this country have paid with their lives. This incessant focus on spin and PR is an assault on and insult to the millions who perished in the pandemic.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) June 7, 2021

Meanwhile, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, in a series of tweets, also said the reversal of the vaccine policy appeared to be an outcome of the Supreme Court’s order.

“Thanks to PM for another episode of an unnecessary lecture that could have been a press release. Reversal of vax policy seems to be result of SC’s order. Although blame of a terrible vaccine policy has been put on states, it’s Modi who failed to ensure vax supply, Owaisi said in one of the tweets.

Accusing Modi of putting political before lives, the Hyderabad MP went on the question Modi over the vaccine shortage.

Till April, no money was spent on ramping up vaccine production. If there are no vaccines, it does not matter who procures it. Not surprisingly, private hospitals will continue to have 25% quota so that rich have ‘VIP queue’, while poor have to wait for vaccine availability 3/n

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 7, 2021

“Modi congratulated himself for vaccinating frontline staff “in time”. Of 30 crore priority group that had to be vaccinated only 10 percent were vaccinated by early May. We need 60 crore doses to vax them by July. Currently we get only 8cr doses/month. PM failed in basic math,” Owaisi alleged.

Describing the CoWIN platform for vaccination as a “lottery”, Owaisi said till recently the site was only available in English, a language understood by a small minority while excluding women, poor, rural Indians and a majority who dont have internet.

Modi congratulated himself that India is vaccinating people better than many countries & we're even being appreciated for COWIN. As long as he gets foreign validation, he doesn't care about saving lives. The only test that matters is how many Indians are fully vaccinated? >4% 5/n

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 7, 2021

Lastly it is good that Modi has pointed out that many people have spread propaganda against vaccines. Hope his govt takes action against such people & punishes Ministers who are always at the service of such anti-science people. 7/n pic.twitter.com/dSeG2ognqM

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 7, 2021

Delhi deputy chief Minister Manish Sisodia too expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for its intervention.

“We express our gratitude to the Hon’ble Supreme Court that after its intervention, free vaccines will be available to all age groups across the country. If the central government wanted, it could have done this long ago, but due to the policies of the Centre, neither the states were able to buy the vaccines nor the central government was giving it,” Sisodia tweeted.

On 2 June, the Supreme Court questioned the Centre’s policy of paid vaccination for 18-44 age group, saying it is “prima facie, arbitrary and irrational”. The top court had pointed out the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the Centre to review its vaccination policy.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also  claimed the Centre had taken the step after being reprimanded by the Supreme Court  and demanded that the prime minister apologise.

Better late than never, but never late is better Modi ji, the party said on its Twitter handle and noted that the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi have been pressing the Centre for free universal vaccination in the country.

The party opposed keeping 25 percent vaccines for the private sector for which they will charge people.

“One simple question - If vaccines are free for all, why should private hospitals charge for them,” Rahul tweeted using the hashtag “#FreeVaccineForAll”.

BJP leaders laud PM

Meanwhile, BJP leaders, lauding the prime minister, said that the announcements on continuing free ration for the poor showed the government’s commitment to their welfare.

Expressing gratitude to the prime minister, BJP president JP Nadda in a series of tweets said the Modi government stands with every countryman in the fight against the coronavirus. “It is our resolution that poorest of the poor should get vaccine for free,” Nadda said.

To ensure that no one sleeps hungry, Nadda said, Modi announced that 80 crore people will get free ration till Diwali under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMKAY). “Our motto is that every person should get food, every person should be vaccinated,” he said.

Underlining that under Modi’s leadership, the country is effectively fighting against COVID-19, Nadda said, “Whenever there is any crisis in the country, our Prime Minister Modi ji has always led the country from the front.”

देश में जब भी कोई संकट आया, हमारे प्रधानमंत्री मोदी जी ने हमेशा आगे बढ़कर देश का नेतृत्व किया है।मोदी जी के मार्गदर्शन में देश वैक्सीनेशन की सफल यात्रा तय कर रहा है और सक्षम हो रहा है।
जो लोग लगातार बहाने बना रहे हैं, भ्रम फैला रहे हैं, उनको भी इसमें सकारात्मक योगदान देना चाहिए।

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) June 7, 2021

He also suggested to Opposition parties that rather than making excuses and spreading confusion, they should also contribute positively in the country’s fight against COVID-19.

Echoing similar sentiments, senior BJP leader and defence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated Prime Minister Modi for his announcement on the vaccination drive and said he has given great relief to the public and infused a new strength in the fight against the pandemic.

भारत में वैक्सीन को लेकर एक सुनियोजित तरीक़े से अफ़वाह और आशंकाओं को फैलाने के प्रयासों को आज प्रधानमंत्रीजी ने अपने संबोधन में पूरी तरह ख़ारिज करते हुए, देशवासियों का टीकाकरण अभियान के प्रति भरोसा बढ़ाया है। मैं इसके लिए उन्हें धन्यवाद देता हूँ।

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 7, 2021

Rajnath also thanked Modi for thwarting the attempts to spread rumours about the vaccines and said that, with his address, Modi has increased the confidence of the countrymen in the vaccination campaign.

Speaking about the continuation of free ration scheme, the defence minister said the government is dedicated towards ensuring the welfare of the poor during the pandemic.

He also appealed to people to get themselves vaccinated with full trust and without coming under anyone’s influence.

मैं सभी देशवासियों से यह आग्रह करता हूँ कि वे किसी बहकावे में न आयें और पूरे भरोसे और विश्वास के साथ कोरोना की वैक्सीन को ज़रूर लगवायें। वैक्सीन ही कोरोना के ख़िलाफ़ वह मज़बूत कवच है जिसे अपना कर हम इस महामारी को हराने में सफल होंगे।

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 7, 2021

Union minister Smriti Irani said that this shows the sensitivity and commitment of this government.

'प्रधानमंत्री गरीब कल्याण अन्न योजना' के तहत दीपावली अर्थात नवंबर 2021 तक देश के करीब 80 करोड़ ज़रूरतमंद लोगों को मुफ़्त राशन देने की घोषणा के लिए माननीय पीएम @narendramodi जी का हार्दिक धन्यवाद।

लोककल्याण को समर्पित यह फैसला सरकार की संवेदनशीलता और प्रतिबद्धता को दर्शाता है।

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) June 7, 2021

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union minister Anurag Thakur also thanked the prime minister.

माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के इस निर्णय के लिए मैं उनका हार्दिक आभार प्रकट करता हूँ, इससे राज्य पर अतिरिक्त बोझ नहीं पड़ेगा। 18 वर्ष के युवाओं को मुफ्त टीकाकरण निश्चित रूप से संभावित तीसरी लहर को हराने में कारगर सिद्ध होगा। https://t.co/Fi1UW5G0yA

— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) June 7, 2021

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is in alliance with the BJP, also thanked Modi and said the decisions will help in the fight against the pandemic.

पूर्व से केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा 45 वर्ष से उपर के लोगों के टीकाकरण हेतु मुफ्त टीका राज्यों को दिया जा रहा है। अब मा0 प्रधानमंत्री द्वारा 18 वर्ष से अधिक एवं 45 वर्ष से कम आयुवर्ग के सभी लोगों के टीकाकरण हेतु राज्य सरकारों को मुफ्त टीका उपलब्ध कराने एवं पिछले साल की तरह। (1/2)

— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) June 7, 2021

Modi on Monday announced that the Centre will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from 21 June, and asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in coming days.

The Centre has decided to buy 75 percent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 percent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments, the prime minister said in an address to the nation.

Modi said private sector hospitals can continue to procure 25 per cent of vaccines, but their service charge would be capped at Rs 150 per dose over fixed price of the vaccine.

He also announced the government will distribute free foodgrains to around 80 crore people till Diwali under the PMGKAY.

With inputs from PTI