'Kejriwal busy searching for Sikh CM': Hardeep Puri's jibe on Delhi vaccination

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri lashed out at Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal for low vaccination numbers on the national capital on Monday, when India inoculated record number of people against Covid-19. Puri said Delhi has more than 11 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines, yet only 76,259 people were inoculated.

"On a day India vaccinated more than 84 lakh people, Delhi administered only 76,259 out of more than 11 lakh doses available. Why?" the civil aviation minister said on Twitter.

He said the Delhi chief minister busy in preparing for Punjab elections. "Instead of focusing on health & welfare of people of Delhi, Kejriwal Ji is busy in Punjab searching for a Sikh CM face for his party," said Puri. The Delhi chief minister was in Amritsar on Monday where he said that AAP's chief ministerial face for next year's Punjab Assembly election will be from the Sikh community. "One thing I can tell you is that the entire Punjab will be proud of him," Kejriwal said.

Puri's tweet came in response to accusations from Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia that the Centre is exporting Covid-19 vaccines at a time when thousands of Indians are dying.

On Monday, Sisodia alleged that the Modi government is spending money on advertisements instead of vaccinating the people of the country. The central government is pressurising Delhi government officials to publish advertisements thanking its vaccination drive, he further in an online briefing.

"Instead of spending money on vaccinating citizens, the BJP is only interested in spending on advertisements on vaccines," Sisodia said. He also took a dig at the Centre, saying billboards thanking Modi will be displayed all over Delhi if it is provided 2.30 crore doses.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor hit back, accusing the AAP government of creating confusion over the ongoing vaccination drive.

"Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded freedom to buy vaccines which the central government allowed, but failing to buy vaccines in the international market, he demanded that the Centre should procure vaccines for the states," Kapoor said.

"It's very clear that it is the Arvind Kejriwal government that created all the confusion over vaccination drive after failing to get any vaccines on its own," he added.

India administered 86,16,373 Covid-19 vaccine doses on Monday, the first day of the free vaccination drive for adults. This is the highest-ever single day vaccination in the world so far.

Madhya Pradesh administered 16,73,858 vaccine doses, the highest ever among states in the country in a single day so far.

On the historic feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated those who got vaccinated and lauded all frontline warriors.

"Today's record-breaking vaccination numbers are gladdening. The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight COVID-19. Congratulations to those who got vaccinated and kudos to all the front-line warriors working hard to ensure so many citizens got the vaccine. Well done India!" the Prime Minister tweeted.

So far, 28.87 crore vaccine doses have been administered in India under the nationwide vaccination drive which began on January 16 this year.