TMC MLAs leaders get COVID vaccine on day 1 spark row

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    Burdwan/ Alipurduar (WB), Jan 16 (PTI) Several
Trinamool Congress leaders, including two MLAs, were among the
people who received the COVID-19 vaccine in West Bengal's
Purba Bardhaman district on Saturday, while many healthcare
workers alleged that they could not get the jab though they
were asked to come for it.
    District health officials said that these leaders are
all associated with different hospitals as members of the
Patients' Welfare Committees, making them eligible for the
vaccination programme in the first round.
    The vaccination drive at the Bhatar State General
Hospital began with local TMC MLA Subhash Mondal getting the
first shot. Later, former TMC MLA Banamali Hazra, Zilla
Parishad Karmadakshya Jahar Bagdi and Bhatar Panchayat Samity
Public Health in-charge Mahendra Hazra also received the
vaccine.
    At Katwa Sub-divisional Hospital, local MLA
Rabindranath Chatterjee of TMC was among the 34 people who
received the vaccine on the first day.
    The Centre is targetting to vaccinate three crore
healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase for free.
At a meeting with the chief ministers on Monday, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi suggested that public representatives,
a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial
exercise.
    "This is my personal suggestion and no one should
take it otherwise. We public representatives are not part of
it," he had said.
    Even as the TMC leaders received the vaccine on the
first day, several healthcare workers in the district alleged
that though they were asked to come for the jab, they could
not get it.
    A nurse at the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital
said that she was asked to report for the vaccination by 9 am
and though she arrived for it on time, she did not get the
shot.
    Some other nurses at the hospital, refusing to be
identified, also levelled similar allegations.
    The district's Chief Medical Officer of Health Pranab
Roy said that the public representatives who received the
vaccines are part of the Patients' Welfare Committees at
different hospitals.
    "Since they are associated with the hospitals to
ensure good services, they are also eligible for the vaccine.
There is nothing irregular in it," he said.
    BJP's national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya
described the incident as "loot".
    "Corona vaccine was looted. The prime minister sent
free vaccines for corona warriors, health workers and
frontline workers. But in West Bengal, TMC MLAs and goons took
the vaccine forcefully. Mamata Banerjee claimed that PM Modi
sent less number of doses, shame," he tweeted in Hindi.
    Senior TMC MP Saugata Roy said it would have been
better had the party leaders not taken the vaccine.
    "The TMC leaders and MLAs who got the vaccine are
members of Patients' Welfare Committees of different
hospitals. So, they got it. However, it would have been better
had they not taken it today. These are isolated incidents. It
would be wrong to blame the party," he said.
    In the Alipurduar district, TMC MLA Saurabh
Chakrbarty's name was on the top of the list for Covid
vaccination. However, he claimed that he was unaware of it.
    "I am not taking any vaccine now and I have informed
the health department. First, the common people of Alipurduar
should get the vaccine and then I will take the shot. I am not
aware as I had not applied for any vaccination," Chakraborty
said. PTI CORR BSM SUS PNT
SOM SOM

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)