Ministers have increased but not COVID vaccines: Rahul Gandhi's jibe at Modi Govt

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a swipe at the central government, saying the number of ministers has increased but not the COVID vaccines.

He also shared a chart of the average vaccinations per day, which are falling short of the target to vaccinate all adults by December 2021.

"The number of ministers has increased, not of vaccines," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag "WhereAreVaccines" His comments came after 43 ministers were inducted into the Modi government, taking the total number of ministers to 77.

The chart shared by Gandhi was on India's vaccination equation that aims to stop the third wave of COVID-19.

The chart stated that the target is to vaccinate 60 percent population with both doses by December 2021 and the required vaccination rate per day is 8.8 million.

However, it pointed out, that the actual vaccinations in the last seven days were at an average of 3.4 million per day, leaving a shortfall of 5.4 million per day. It also highlighted that the actual vaccination on July 10 is 3.7 million, leaving a shortfall of 5.1 million for the day.

The Congress has been raising the issue of shortage of vaccines in the country and has urged the central government to speed up inoculations, saying it is the only way to stop the third wave of COVID-19.

The BJP had hit back at the opposition party by targeting the performance of Congress-ruled states and had also accused it of encouraging vaccine hesitancy.