After Oxygen, its vaccine politics between Delhi Government and Centre; CM Arvind Kejriwal writes to PM Modi

The issue of Oxygen has not died yet and the politics over vaccines have intensified between the Delhi government and the Centre. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written PM Narendra Modi requesting him to allow other companies to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccines. He said in the letter that given the outbreak of the COVID-19, every citizen of the country must be given two doses of vaccines as soon as possible. “Presently, only two companies are producing vaccines in India. It’s not possible to vaccinate the entire nation by relying on just two companies. For this, the production of vaccines will have to be done on a war footing. Therefore, I request you for the benefit of the nation that you allow mass production of the COVID-19 vaccines. Not only two, all the companies in the country which have the desired capacity be allowed to manufacture vaccines,” said Kejriwal in his letter.

देश में युद्धस्तर पर Vaccine का उत्पादन बढ़ाने पर CM @ArvindKejriwal का सुझाव:

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"Vaccine बनाने का काम सिर्फ 2 कंपनियां न करें। केंद्र सरकार Vaccine बनाने का Formula इन दोनों कंपनियों से लेकर देश भर की उन सभी कंपनियों को दे, जो सुरक्षित तरीके से Vaccine बना सकती हैं।" pic.twitter.com/qBPHFdZQhw

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 11, 2021

Arvind Kejriwal asked the Centre to share the vaccine formula with other companies as well to enhance manufacturing. He said that other manufacturing companies may pay a royalty to the two companies. “Government can do away with vaccine production monopoly using the patent law,” said Kejriwal.

Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal’s letter to PM @narendramodi seeking sharing of COVID-19 vaccine formula with other manufacturers as well so that the capacity can be scaled up. pic.twitter.com/ZG0txI65fk

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 11, 2021

Meanwhile, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia said that if states will have to go to the international market and float a global tender for vaccines, then what is the role of the Government of India?

On the other hand, the BJP leader and MP Meenakshi Lekhi today alleged that the Delhi government did not buy any new ventilators last year and is using those delivered through the PM-CARES Fund. She alleged that the Delhi government even did not increase the number of ICU beds in the city. The New Delhi MP also claimed that the Centre and the Defence Research and Development Organisation have been providing oxygen, hospitals, and special beds, and even the medical staff are being provided by ITBP and other defence organisations. She said that while the Delhi government is vouching about vaccination, the MCD is running around 150 vaccination centre in Delhi.