E-Paper
'To vaccinate people free of cost': Mamata seeks PM's help in procuring Covid vaccine
In her letter to PM Modi, the West Bengal chief minister has urged the matter to be alleviated to top authorities seeking the purchase of the vaccines "from designated points on top priority in order to provide vaccine free of cost to the people."
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking free vaccination for people in the state.
The chief minister highlighted the concern that that people in the upcoming elections will be forced to go to polling stations without any vaccination coverage.
In order to prevent that from happening, the state government has decided to provide free vaccines to people in West Bengal, Banerjee wrote in the letter.
"...West Bengal being an election-going state, we are required to reach out practically to every government and para-statal employee on an urgent basis to make the election safe," she said.
"However, the worrying point is that, in ensuing elections, the people, in general, will be forced to go to the polling stations without any vaccination coverage," the letter read.
The chief minister reasoned that it is equally important to reach out to people with a rapid programme immediately for the interest of t health and well-being of all concerned with the election process.
"Under the circumstances, government of West Bengal has decided to procure an adequate number of vaccines for the members of the public at large," Banerjee said in the letter.
In her letter to PM Modi, the West Bengal chief minister has urged the matter to be alleviated to top authorities seeking the purchase of the vaccines "from designated points on top priority in order to provide vaccine free of cost to the people."
Earlier in the day, the Bengal chief minister launched multiple scathing attacks on PM Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, accusing them of spreading lies and hatred throughout the country.
She was speaking at a rally at Sahaganj in Hooghly district.
"I will be the goalkeeper in the assembly polls and you (BJP) will not be able to score a single goal. All shots will fly above the goal post," Banerjee added.
The chief minister also condemned the recent CBI interrogation of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife in connection with a coal pilferage scam, saying it was an "insult to our women".
