Maharashtra Congress to challenge Center over Covid-19 antibody deficiency

The Maharashtra unit of the Congress will stage a protest against the BJP-ruled Center from Monday.  Plates and ring bells rang outside vaccination centers in the closed state due to the unavailability of Covid-19 vaccines.  The leader said.  State Congress President Nana Patole spoke to reporters on Sunday on how to observe the 'Tika Utsav' (Vaccine Festival) in the state from April 11 to 14. 

We will protest against the Central Government's attempt to politicize the serious issue of low vaccination doses.  Doses were not available due to thali (plates) and ringing of bells outside vaccination centers.  The beating of the plates and the ringing of bells were part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to the people last year to show the country's collective determination to defeat Kovid-19 and to thank the health workers and frontline officials who risked their lives during the epidemic.

Patel said there was no other way but to vaccinate people to keep them safe from the virus.  He said Maharashtra was at the forefront of vaccination drive in other states but the Center was not giving adequate doses.  He said the country was producing enough vaccine doses but was exporting the vaccine instead of allowing it to Maharashtra.  Free to other countries including Pakistan. 

He said the number of active cases of Covid-19 in BJP-ruled Gujarat was very low and its population was smaller than in Maharashtra, but the supply of vaccines was high.  Patel accused the opposition of deliberately trying to focus on the ruling states to blame the corona virus management.  He said the agitation of the state Congress would continue outside the closed vaccination centers until the vaccination supply was adequate.