State NCP Chief Jayant Patil led a blistering attack against the Centre for not providing sufficient vaccine doses to the state saying that it seems some people in Delhi want the public health system in Maharashtra not to function properly. Patil also attacked state BJP leaders including the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis and said instead of criticising the state government they should cooperate with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in getting more vaccine doses from the Centre.
"Maharashtra has received 85 lakh vaccines but the population of Maharashtra is 12.30 crore & the number of active patients is approx 4.73 lakhs. On the other hand, Gujarat gets 80 lakh vaccines, its population is 6.50 crore & the number of active patients is approx 17,000,’’ said Patil.
‘’While Maharashtra has the highest number of patients in the country, it should get the highest number of vaccines, but this is not allowed with some purpose. It seems, some people in Delhi want the public health system in Maharashtra not to function properly,’’ he claimed.
According to Patil, the letter circulated by the Union Health Minister yesterday is only hatred towards Maharashtra. ‘’The role of the central government is non-cooperative with the MahaVikas Aghadi government as we do not have a similar ideology. The Union Health Minister did not have complete information about Maharashtra or he was given incomplete information. I doubt whether attempts are being made to defame Maharashtra by issuing circulars before ascertaining the proper information of the State,’’ he noted.
Patil said Maharashtra has been witnessing an unprecedented crisis since last year. From the very beginning Maharashtra's Health Department, Health Minister Rajesh Tope, and administration are fighting this crisis with vigour with limited support of the central government.
Vaccination politics played to divert people’s attention says Fadnavis
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said only three states including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan have received more than 1 crore vaccine doses. ‘’ Gujarat and Rajasthan have equal populations. Rajasthan has a Congress government in power. Vaccine supply is not on the basis of population but purely on the state's performance of the execution of the vaccination process,’’ he noted.
‘’Maharashtra received 1.06 crore vaccines as mentioned in the state government tweet on April 6. 91 lakh vaccines got used means 15 lakh still left with the state government. So why are vaccination centres deliberately shut down today and why peltering of false news?’’ he asked.
Fadnavis said whichever states have requested more vaccine supplies or has pendency from allotted quota, such supply is in pipeline and Maharashtra to receive another 19 lakh vaccines between April 9 to 12. ‘’Undoubtedly, Covid 19 and vaccination are important issues for our state. But since there is constant criticism on the governance of MVA and various exposes in courts lately, it's an absolute shame that vaccination politics is being played to divert people’s attention,’’ he claimed.
