PM Modi should apologise to people who lost loved ones during COVID, says Owaisi

Amid the intensifying COVID situation in the country, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise to people who lost their loved ones due to a shortage of oxygen, beds and medicines.

"Prime Minister is scared to face parliament and the press. He could talk for hours about shamshans (cemetery) and kabristans (burial grounds) but never about hospitals. He must apologise to people who lost loved ones due to a shortage of oxygen, beds, medicines, etc. He must be held accountable for this preventable suffering," Owaisi tweeted.

He further criticised the COVID vaccination policy of the central government, stating that it should have allowed foreign-made vaccines to be available in India.

"Supreme Court said that Prime Minister's vaccination pricing policy prima facie violates Right to Life. Why were adequate vaccine orders not placed before time? Why did Modi continue with vaccine export with his photo on boxes when we knew there were not enough vaccines? Why did Prime Minister not allow foreign-made vaccines to be available in India? Why did you not order compulsory licensing for vaccines to be made by other Indian companies? Why are you still charging GST on vaccines? Why are you now trying to pass your disastrous vaccination policy to the state governments?" Owaisi asked.

He advocated for a simplified procedure for the registration for vaccination and suggested decentralisation of execution of vaccination operations to the states.

"We need free and universal vaccination. Vaccine procurement can be centralised but the execution of vaccination operations can be decentralised fully to the states. Do away with cumbersome online registration requirements. Make vaccinations simple and easy for all," demanded Owaisi.

( With inputs from ANI )