Delhi’s AAP Government & BJP Led Central Government In Spat Over Vaccine Orders

The back and forth between the AAP-led Delhi government and the BJP-led centre on who is to be blamed for the national capital's chaotic response to the coronavirus situation continued unabated on May 10. The topic for exchange of accusations was a shortage of vaccines in the city, both sides gave contradictory figures for the jabs ordered by the Delhi government in May. In response to Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain's remark that stocks of both the approved vaccines, Covishield & Covaxin, would be consumed in the next four days, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, in a virtual press briefing, said the AAP government was playing politics over the Covid-19 crisis & accused it of ordering only 5.5 lakh doses. AAP refuted the BJP leader's claim strongly. It shared letters on its social media handles claiming they were evidence that the centre had been "cutting short vaccine supplies to states and selling that to foreign countries.” Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claimed that his government had ordered 1.34 crore doses, but the centre had only approved 3.5 lakh jabs for the national capital in May. He said the BJP had sold off vaccines abroad out of greed. He also accused the centre of ushering in devastation in the country by organising the Kumbh Mela, which has been branded by experts as a super-spreader event.