Inadequate supply to Oppn states a ploy to meet vaccination goal: TMC

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury urged Modi to address the issue of unemployment instead of celebrating his birthday. “The unemployment rate in the country is at 33 per cent. This may be the highest in the world. Now our PM is celebrating his birthday for three weeks. Instead of celebrating his birthday in this fashion, he should have addressed pressing issues,” Yechury added.

Defending Modi, the BJP lashed out at the Opposition for not acknowledging the achievement. “The PM is leading the country from the front during the present crisis. We gave a target of 2 crore vaccinations on his birthday and it has been reached. This is a record and credit goes to all doctors and nurses. This is only possible under the leadership of Modi. There is no issue regarding vaccination in other states. The problem only persists in West Bengal,” said state BJP president Dilip Ghosh.

Meanwhile, the BJP launched its ”Seva aur Samarpan” programme in Bengal as part of its countrywide outreach programme on the occasion of Modi’s birthday. Party workers across the state distributed masks and sanitisers to people and asked them to follow Covid-19 protocols.

Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar attended the BJP’s programmes in Bankura while Dilip Ghosh participated in a similar event in Arambagh in Hooghly district. The 21-day programme will conclude on October 7.

The Congress organised a sit-in in central Kolkata to protest against the Modi government over rising unemployment and the sale of public sector units.

Meanwhile, Bengal recorded 719 new cases of Covid-19) in the past 24 hours, a bulletin issued by the state health ministry said on Friday.