Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot dismisses BJP’s charge of vaccine wastage

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday rubbished the allegations of the BJP that 11.5 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines in the state have been wasted.
He said the BJP is trying to play politics by spreading lies and bringing down the morale of frontline workers. “The news reports alleging that 11.5 lakh corona vaccines got wasted in Rajasthan are untrue,” Gehlot said in a statement posted on his Twitter handle.
“As of May 26, over 1.63 crore people have been vaccinated in the state. Out of this, 3.38 lakh doses got wasted, which is just 2%. This is much lower than the national average of 6% wastage. The Centre has kept the wastage limit of 10%,” he further said.
Gehlot added, “It seems that deliberate attempts are being made to mislead public during the pandemic. We are working to fight the coronavirus by taking everyone along, but the BJP is trying to bring down the morale of the corona warriors who have been working day and night for the last14 months.”
The CM said the entire nation is watching the ‘politics of lies’ being done by the BJP at the time of the raging pandemic. “I will appeal the opposition leaders of Rajasthan that instead of creating all kinds of controversies, pressurise the Centre by looking at the interests of the state so that the state can get more vaccines,” Gehlot said.
Gehlot urged the state-level BJP leaders to push the Centre for free vaccination. “Rajasthan has received 14,94,750 vaccine doses for the age group of 18 to 44 years, so far 15,07,830 people have been vaccinated. In this age group, extra doses in vaccine vials have also been used, which has given additional vaccine to 13,080 people,” he added. Previously, due to the condition of the central government, only those registered on the CoWIN app could get the vaccine. The central government removed this condition, which made zero wastage of vaccine possible.