Owaisi targets Centre over COVID-19 management, says 'it slept despite scientists' warning about 2nd wave'

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 11 (ANI): AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday targeted Centre over COVID-19 management, stating that the government has failed in their vaccination policy and providing oxygen to the State and the Union Territories.

He added the central government slept despite its own scientists' warning about the second wave of the COVID-19.

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, "The Supreme Court had said the vaccination policy of Narendra Modi-led government violates the right to life, which is a fundamental right in our Constitution. That is why I am of the opinion that the Government of India has failed in its vaccination policy. They have failed in providing oxygen to the state government and Union Territories because the supply of oxygen is in the exclusive domain of the union government."

He said people are not able to get oxygen, anti-viral drug Remdesivir and other required drugs to fight COVID-19 and the government is not able to provide vaccine doses even to people aged 45 years and above.

He further questioned the Centre over exporting COVID vaccines to foreign countries and restricting the manufacture of vaccines only at two companies. 

"They exported nearly 6 crore doses of COVID vaccines to foreign countries. The ICMR has given the licence for Covaxin to Bharat Biotech. When we are the pharmacy capital of the world why do only the two companies manufacture the vaccines?" he asked.

Alleging that people are suffering because the government is actually disconnected from them, he said: "They slept on and their own scientists warned that the second wave will come. Despite that, the government failed. Every day in India more than 4,000 people are dying for the last three weeks. The cemeteries are full of dead bodies. The Narendra Modi-led government must accept its mistake and apologise to the people of India for not being capable enough to stop the second wave."

He urged the Finance Ministry to remove the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on vaccines for at least a period of 3-4 months. "Why do you charge 12 per cent IGST on oxygen concentrators? When you are not able to provide oxygen, you must ensure the IGST is not imposed on those life-saving equipment for 5-6 months," he said. (ANI)