COVID-19: ‘If Omicron harms our children, Modi would be responsible’
The Hindu
Congress questions non-procurement of vaccine for children in 12-18 age group
Questioning the Union Government for non-procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for children in 12-18 age group even after two vaccines were approved by World Health Organisation (WHO), former Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be held responsible if the fast-spreading Omicron variant of novel corona virus harms children.
“Mr. Modi, a government is playing with the lives of millions of children in the country. The WHO had approved two vaccines for children in April, and countries worldwide have already vaccinated their children to protect them from the pandemic. But, the Modi government in India did not place an order for the vaccines. Doesn’t Mr. Modi have minimum common sense? Or, does he have a malafide intention behind the non-procurement of vaccines for children? If the pandemic harms our children, Mr. Modi will have to be held responsible,” Mr. Patil told mediapersons in Kalaburagi on December 8.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists