‘Bit too selective’: Health minister Harsh Vardhan calls out P Chidambaram after his ‘correction’ tweet

After PM Modi announced free vaccination for all, Chidambaram said that the government has learnt from its mistake.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today accused former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram of being ‘selective’ after the latter corrected himself over a tweet concerning the Centre’s vaccine policy. Harsh Vardhan questioned P Chidambaram whether he cares to acknowledge another leader’s (Rahul Gandhi) demand for letting States procure and distribute vaccines. “Being a bit too selective, are we, Sh @PChidambaram_IN Ji? Care to acknowledge another so-called leader’s demand for letting States procure & distribute vaccines… No prizes for guessing who!” said Harsh Vardhan in a tweet quoting P Chidambaram’s post.

In another tweet, Harsh Vardhan hit out at Rahul Gandhi terming him ‘usual suspect’ and ‘forgetful & self-contradicting crowned price’ for his demand related to vaccine decentralisation. “As always, it’s the usual suspect, the forgetful & self-contradicting crowned price …Sh @RahulGandhi ji. Of course, staying true to @INCIndia’s ethos, he did a complete U-turn later, receding on his earlier demand & then asking Centre to get the task done! See @INCIndia tweet,” said Harsh Vardhan sharing a screenshot of Congress party’s tweet.

Care to acknowledge another so-called leader's demand for letting States procure & distribute vaccines…

No prizes for guessing who ! pic.twitter.com/DKntfOatxh

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) June 8, 2021

After PM Modi announced free vaccination for all, Chidambaram said that the government has learnt from its mistake but as usual blames opposition for the mistakes it committed. Harsh Vardhan’s remark came after Chidambaram said that he ‘stands corrected’ over his claim that no state asked PM Narendra Modi to allow them to purchase vaccines. To counter Chidambaram’s claim, various social media users shared letters written to PM Modi by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanding decentralisation of vaccination policy. To this, Chidambaram said, “I told ANI ‘please tell us which state govt demanded that it should be allowed to directly procure vaccines’. Social media activists have posted copy of letter of CM West Bengal to PM making such a request. I was wrong. I stand corrected,” he said in a tweet.

Since he did not refer to Rahul Gandhi’s letter, the health minister took the opportunity to launch a counter-attack against the Congress, which has been cornering the government over its vaccine policy.