UP minister gets COVID-19 jab; takes swipe at Akhilesh Yadav

Uttar Pradesh Minister Shrikant Sharma on Tuesday received his first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine here and took a dig at Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying they should also get themselves vaccinated.He also said that the leaders should encourage others to get inoculated when their turn comes.Currently, the central government has allowed COVID-19 vaccination for all people above 45 years of age.There are some who commented on the vaccination drive and made unwarranted remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi also, the state energy minister said.Now, the prime minister has also taken the vaccine.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Shrikant Sharma on Tuesday received his first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine here and took a dig at Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying they should also get themselves vaccinated.

He also said that the leaders should encourage others to get inoculated when their turn comes.

Currently, the central government has allowed COVID-19 vaccination for all people above 45 years of age.

''There are some who commented on the vaccination drive and made unwarranted remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi also,'' the state energy minister said.

''Now, the prime minister has also taken the vaccine. Everyone is taking the vaccine. I appeal to opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to also take the vaccine, and persuade others to do so,'' Sharma said after taking the jab at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital here.

Yadav on Monday had said that members of his party will get inoculated only after free anti-coronavirus vaccine is administered to the poor and indirectly questioned the efficacy of the vaccines.

In January, he had termed the anti-coronavirus vaccines as ''vaccine of the BJP'' and said he would not take the shot, drawing a sharp retort from the ruling party which accused him of ''insulting'' the doctors and scientists.

''How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP's vaccine,'' the former UP chief minister had said.

Later, Yadav had clarified that he never insulted the scientists who developed the vaccines.

The state minister said, ''In the fight against the coroanvirus, vaccine is a big weapon. Vaccination drive is underway in the entire country and all eligible persons should take the vaccine when their turn comes and show unity in this fight.'' He also appreciated the role of health workers amid the pandemic and added that India is helping other countries by providing them vaccines.

Sharma said people should follow all precautions like using face mask and maintaining social distancing.