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'Bogus claim,' says BJP after Bengal CM announces free Covid-19 vaccine for all
Banerjee said that in the first phase, the state would provide vaccine to all health workers.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has announced free Covid-19 vaccine for all citizens of the state.
In an open letter, which Banerjee wrote to all health workers of West Bengal, the chief minister said that the government was making arrangements to ensure that Covid-19 vaccine reaches every citizen free of cost.
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“I am very happy to announce that our government is making arrangements to facilitate the administration of Covid-19 vaccine to all the people of state without any cost,” Banerjee wrote in the letter.
She also wrote that in the first phase, the state would provide vaccine to all health workers.
The state population is around 10 crore and there are around six lakh health workers. The vaccination program is scheduled to start from January 16 across India.
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After one crore health care workers and two crore front line workers, the Centre plans to vaccinate 27 crore people who are at a greater risk of contracting the disease.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back saying that the chief minister was making bogus claims.
“Pishi (aunt) was a disaster when it came to managing Covid. From doctors to policemen, everyone protested against Chief Minister’s apathy. But now that the center has announced free priority vaccination for 3 crore frontline workers across the country, Pishi is rushing to take credit,” Amit Malviya, head of BJP’s IT cell, tweeted on Sunday.
In another tweet, he wrote that TMC posters could be seen publicizing the chief minister’s message.
“It doesn’t stop at CM making bogus claim that her government is providing free Covid vaccine to all frontline workers, TMC cadres are rushing to put posters, which read, ‘Every person of our state to be given Covid vaccine for free, announces Didi’. Shamelessness has no limit,” Malviya tweeted.
In November 2020, Banerjee had expanded the state-run Swasthya Sathi health scheme to cover the entire population of the state
