UP CM Yogi Adityanath launches veiled attack on Akhilesh for ‘BJP vax’ remark

KANPUR: Touring Samajwadi Party’s home turf of Saifai in Etawah district to review Covid preparedness, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said, some people vehemently opposed to vaccines during its rollout, are now queueing up to get inoculated, in a probable reference to the statement of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who had termed Covaxin a ‘BJP vaccine’ .
Encouraging people to get vaccinated, the CM said, children would be impacted more if the third wave strikes and the government was focusing on vaccinating parents who have children below the age of 10. Special camps for journalists and judicial officers will also be set up in each district, he said, adding by June, the government aimed at administering double the number of shots per day.
“Due to our aggressive handling of the pandemic, UP has a recovery rate of 93%, which is the highest in the country. The Etawah team comprising administrative officials, health workers and police have done commendable work. From 30%, the positivity rate has dipped to 2% in the district. Of 1.62 crore vaccines given in the state, 1.2 lakh have just been administered in Etawah district,” the CM said.
The CM first visited the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai, where he inspected an under-construction 1,000 litre capacity oxygen plant. He expressed displeasure that the project had overshot its deadline of March 18.
Elaborating on welfare schemes launched in the state during the pandemic, the CM said, community kitchens were being operated in all districts so that the poor and those who lost livelihoods would not go hungry. “I would like to praise the Etawah MLA, who helped set up a canteen at Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai.
We have also begun distribution of dry ration to the needy, even if they do not have a ration card. From June, we will also provide financial aid to all street vendors, rickshaw-pullers, e-rickshaw drivers, fruit vendor, barbers and cobblers across the state. Nearly two crore people would be benefitted,” the CM said.
He also held a review meeting with officials and public representatives at the university and then met patients at the Trauma Centre of the university and enquired about their well-being.