Arvind Kejriwal Targets Modi Government Over Vaccine Procurement, Gives War With Pakistan Analogy

States cannot afford to compete among themselves to buy coronavirus vaccines - any more than being forced to buy individual stores of weapons & ammunition in case of an attack by Pakistan - Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on May 26. Kejriwal urged the centre to urgently procure enough doses to inoculate people in the national capital & across the country, rather than leaving it to states to try & negotiate separate deals with manufacturers. “It's like imagine, if Pakistan attempts war on India, will the centre leave states to defend themselves?” Kejriwal said. Kejriwal also said that unlike many other countries, India delayed vaccination by six months. India has been hit hard by the second wave of infections, with more than 3,000 deaths per day since April 28 & over 2,000 a day since April 21. By contrast, the most deaths in a day in the first wave was less than 1,200. The second wave has coincided with a worrying dip in vaccinations, as the centre & states go back and forth over the demand & supply of doses. States insist they do not have enough doses to vaccinate both age groups - 18-44 and over-45.