India / Not more than 23 cr doses administered: Raut on 100 cr vaccination claim

New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that the claim about the administration of a billion (100 crore) Covid-19 vaccine doses was “false”. Addressing a meeting of party workers at Nashik in Maharashtra, Raut also alleged that not more than 23 crore doses were given to eligible beneficiaries so far, news agency PTI reported.

Further, the Shiv Sena leader also claimed that he would provide proof that the ‘billion doses administered’ claim was wrong, the PTI report further showed.

“How much will you lie?” Raut asked without specifying any names. “In the last fortnight, 20 Hindus and Sikhs have been killed, 17 to 18 soldiers have been martyred, China is creating problems in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, but we are celebrating 100 crore vaccination, which is not true,” PTI quoted him as saying during the meeting. “Who has counted these numbers?,” he further asked.

Meanwhile, reacting to the claims by Raut, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said that the Shiv Sena leader’s comments were “laughable.” He also said that the party leaders are used to making baseless claims.

“Raut's comment on 100 crore vaccination, when the figures are clearly seen, is nothing but laughable,” PTI quoted Upadhye as saying.

Earlier this week, on October 21 the cumulative doses administered under the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country achieved a major milestone by crossing the one-billion mark. The Centre celebrated the achievement through several events, especially by illuminating 100 landmarks across the country in the Tricolour.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and several political leaders conveyed their wishes on the occasion. In addition, countries like the US, Israel and global bodies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) also lauded the achievement.

From the opposition, the Congress party has also criticised the government for the celebrations and the party’s national spokesperson Pawan Khera said that it was an “insult” to the people and families that are suffering from the effects of the pandemic to credit the government for the vaccination record. Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah also questioned the celebrations and said that the percentage of people fully immunised in the country was still low.