A day after the Maharashtra unit of the Congress demanded door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination in the State, the party on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding free vaccine jab for people in the 18 to 45 age group.
Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap, while referring to former party president Rahul Gandhi’s demand of free vaccination, said, “On behalf of the Mumbai Congress, we demand that all people in the age group of 18 to 45 years in Maharashtra be given free vaccination as the poor working class will not be able to bear the cost of doses.”
He added that more people would stay away from vaccination if they had to pay for it. “The Central government has announced vaccination for all above 18 years and we understand that the Centre will be charging those in the age group of 18 to 45 for administering doses,” Mr. Jagtap said.
Earlier, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole came down on the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that it was playing politics in the times of COVID-19 instead of extending a helping hand to the people of the State.
“The State is facing a shortage of oxygen and Remdesivir. It is time for the BJP to come forward and display its commitment towards the people of Maharashtra. The urgency demonstrated by the Opposition to rescue a pharmaceutical company owner arrested by the police was never shown by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis to approach the Central government to solve Maharashtra’s problems,” Mr. Patole said.
