Rahul Gandhi doing petty politics in the name of vaccination: Mandviya

Responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's earlier dig at the government for alleged vaccine shortage, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya on Sunday called upon Rahul Gandhi to feel proud of health workers' tireless efforts. Health workers have administered over 13 crore vaccine doses in July, he added.

The vaccination drive would be further accelerated from August, and "we must feel proud of our health workers" for this, Mandviya said on Twitter.

On Sunday, Rahul had taken to Twitter questioning the alleged shortage experienced across several states with the hashtag #Wherearevaccines. He wrote in Hindi, "July is gone, and vaccine shortage hasn't gone away."

Responding to this, Mandviya wrote, "India has administered over 13 crore vaccines in July. The vaccination drive against corona will be expedited from this month. We are proud of our health workers for this achievement. You also feel proud of India and health workers' achievement."

He further accused the Congress MP of doing 'petty politics' over vaccines and wrote, "I have heard that you are one in those 13 crores people who were vaccinated in July. But you did not speak a word for our scientists, did not appeal to the public to vaccinate. It means you are doing petty politics in the name of vaccination."

"Actually there is no lack of vaccines, you lack maturity," he claimed.

As per the data put forth by the Health Ministry, India has thus far administered vaccines to over 47 crore people countrywide. In the last 24 hours, 60,15,842 Covid vaccine doses were administered.