Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday appealed to the Centre to import COVID-19 vaccines and distribute them to states.
Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said the Delhi government had "spoken to Pfizer, Moderna for vaccines, and both the companies have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said that they will deal with the Government of India alone".
The statement by Kejriwal comes a day after news that the Punjab government said Moderna had refused to supply vaccines directly to the state, citing the same reason. Punjab nodal officer for vaccination Vikas Garg said, "Moderna has refused to send vaccines directly to the Punjab government stating that according to their policy, they only deal with Government of India and not with any state government or private parties".
Two weeks back, Kejriwal had stirred a controversy when he claimed Bharat Biotech had declined to supply additional doses of its vaccine, Covaxin, by stating the Centre was deciding on vaccine supplies to states.
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Kejriwal, along with numerous other opposition leaders, had been calling on the Centre to raise production of vaccines by sharing of formulae with other companies. On Monday, Kejriwal questioned why the Centre was not moving to allow Bharat Biotech to share its vaccine formulae.
