French embassy in India procured Moderna vaccine for its citizens despite no approval to it, claims Nawab Malik
Premium- Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V are the three vaccines that are permitted by the Indian government
Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Thursday claimed that the French embassy in India has procured Moderna vaccine and is administering it to its citizens in Mumbai despite no approval to the vaccine in the country. Malik said Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V are the three vaccines that are permitted by the Indian government but the French Embassy in India has procured the Moderna vaccine and is inoculating their citizens and their relatives in Navi Mumbai.
The minister then asked the Centre and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to clarify how a non-permitted vaccine can be administered to the residents of France staying in India. He also sought to know that if France can procure the Moderna vaccine, why not India. "Question arises, how can a non permitted vaccine be allowed to be administered? If they can get it, why can't Indian government get it for our citizens too. The government and the Health Minister @drharshvardhan must clarify," Malik said in a tweet.
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1 min read . 07:50 PM ISTAccording to PTI, BJP leader Pravin Darekar responded to Malik's claim saying that there were no exact details available about the minister's allegations. "As per my information, every embassy has made provisions of COVID-19 vaccines for its own staff working here. However, the Maharashtra government is not taking care of its own people in the state, but wasting time in pointing fingers at such non-issues. It shows the kind of sensitivity this government has towards its people," Darekar was quoted as saying by PTI.
Nawab Malik is a senior leader and national spokesperson of NCP, which is part of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra government has been very critical of the BJP-led Centre for its handling of the pandemic and vaccination policy for the country. The Centre has so far approved only three vaccines - Serum Institute's Covershield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Russia's Sputnik V.
In India, the vaccination process is ongoing but the country is running short on doses with both manufacturers — Serum and Bharat Biotech — expressing their inability to meet the demand raised by the states to inoculate the eligible population. The states have been demanding the Centre to allow foreign vaccine manufacturers in the country for speedy vaccination.
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