New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj has said that most of the COVID-19 deaths in India have occurred among people under 45 -- who have not yet received even a single dose of the vaccine. He said that the BJP-led Central government lied to the people of India by stating that now states should invite global tenders for their vaccine procurement, whereas these companies have clearly informed the states that they cannot give any vaccines without the Centre’s approval.
"They can only deal with Central Govt like in other countries. The Central Govt knew this from the very beginning but just wasted critical time," said Saurabh Bhardwaj, adding that the Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP-led central government should immediately begin the vaccination program across India on a war footing by procuring vaccines from every possible Pharma Company.
Bhardwaj said that the BJP-led Central government only two companies to manufacture vaccines and sell vaccines in India. The two companies Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute have been provided monopoly to sell their vaccine to a huge population of 96 crore Indian Adult population and earn profits running into thousands of crores.
Chief spokesperson of the Aam Admi Party, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “After recovering from the Coronavirus, I am holding a press conference after a long period of time and I believed that efforts are made not to badmouth somebody and to only talk positive and somehow pull the country out of the grip of the Coronavirus. But today this press conference is being addressed to address a future disaster. Right now, we as a Nation are facing the second wave of Corona. Thousands and lacs of people lost their lives, the old, the young, and the children. The Governmental statistics are only giving you the numbers of the people dying in the hospitals."
"All those who in their homes, in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh’s far away towns and villages are dying, they are not even being counted. The majority of them residing in remote towns and villages don’t even know that they are dying of Coronavirus. The situation is so grave that there is no wood left to cremate the dead bodies. People have had to bury the dead. On the banks of the Ganga, bodies are being buried. Dead bodies are flown into Ganga," he said.
AAP's chief spokesperson said, “Whenever we receive a message of someone's death on WattsApp, we write Rest in peace, condolences. But these words have become very hollow now. We are ashamed of even writing these words because we cannot understand the sadness of the mother who loses her young son. No one can understand that. The father of a daughter who dies leaving her children, no one can understand that grandfather's pain."
"Many children have lost their mother, their father, both their parents, we cannot understand the impact on the lives of those children. Nor can we bring them back. Who will pay their remaining EMIs is a question that stands to date. The brother who dies leaving the 3 unmarried sisters, who will marry them off is a question that still stands today. If you ask around, if you ask the doctors in the hospital, if you inquire in any colony, the maximum deaths are of those who are less than 45 years. The elderly are also dying. Within this, there is a huge majority who have died, from what I can understand, around 95%of the people or quite possible 99% people are those who have not been vaccinated," the AAP MLA said.
Saurabh Bharadwaj further said, “Most of those who are dying or falling severely sick are those who were not vaccinated. Now the third wave is about to come, all our scientists are saying that the third wave will be even more dangerous. We don’t know how many people will die in that. Some people are saying that the children will be worst affected, you think that there are so many small children in our country, how will we save them is the big question for all of us. For all the governments. Those who died could have been saved, and those who can die in the third wave, they can also be saved. The only solution is to vaccinate all."
Now the most common question that comes to our mind is why would Central Govt deliberately not give the vaccines to all?
Why would Central Government deliberately let its own people die? This is a crucial question, but we want to present certain facts on this question."
He said, “I know that all across people have suffered because of the Coronavirus and people from all corners have died, irrespective of the Party you believe in, be it a Congress voter or a staunch supporter of the Bhartiya Janata Party. People are dying in every second house, even if you are a supporter of the Aam Aadmi Party. Everyone has suffered. Only on certain crucial questions, we want to present to you some facts and factual data and please do think about this."
Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Countries like America and the United Kingdom, starting May 2020 that is exactly about a year ago from today were communicating, investing and giving contracts beforehand to the vaccine making companies that they will buy millions of vaccines from them for their people. Why did our Central Government do nothing like this? Today if I am to tell you about the UK out of every 100 people 88 people have gotten vaccinated. In America, out of 100 people 84 have gotten vaccinated and in our country, India out of 100 only 13 people are vaccinated. This means that out of 100, 87 people are such who are completely vulnerable in the third wave of the Coronavirus.”
He said, “Now the question emerges that why did the BJP Government of our country did not administer the vaccines in the country or why did they fail to do so take any vaccine or any medicine, every type of vaccine, every type of medicine is usually available on the counter, from the Chemist. The government does not control this. In this situation, the Central Government permitted only two of the companies to manufacture and sell and use vaccines in India - Bharat Biotech can sell Covaxin, and Serum Institute can sell Covishield."
"The biggest Parma companies of the world like Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson were permitted in our country. The Central Government of India did not permit these big companies to sell or use their vaccines in India. They were not given the permission, however, only 2 companies – Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute were given the permission that only they could sell the vaccines to India and only their vaccines can be administered in India.”
He added, “Pfizer is being administered in 85 countries across the world but India has not permitted it. Moderna is being administered in 46 countries but India has not given it permission. Johnson and Johnson's vaccine is being administered in 41 countries but it has not been permitted by India. Why?
"So that only these two companies – Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute can earn profits in India and earn money as a monopoly. India is a very huge market. It is a country of 125 crore people. Out of 125 crores, 96 crores are such who are above the age of 18, who are to be vaccinated. You assume a market of 96 crores has been handed over by the Central Government to just 2 people, to 2 companies so that they can earn profits on it. And today, heavy profits are being made," he alleged.
"In today’s date, the Delhi Government does not have vaccines to administer, but if you call a private hospital, the private hospital will give you the vaccine for 1200 rupees in some cases, 1400 rupees in the other. Approximately it can be assumed that a profit of Rs 1000 is being made on 1 vaccine. The vaccine that is being given at Rs 150 to the Central government, is being administered at Rs 1200 in the private hospital then it means that at the least a profit of Rs 1000 is being made on it by private players," he added.
According to Saurabh Bhardwaj, “If we assume that 96 crore people need this vaccine and even half of them take it from Private Hospitals, then this becomes a profiteering of 96000 crores which is going to these two private Companies and some private players/Hospitals. This is very crucial data that I am presenting in front of you. You yourself think that the friends you lost, the family members you lost, the brother you lost, the children you lost, who is responsible for their deaths? Their lives could have been saved. Even today if the Central Government can carefully invite all the big companies of the world, then the lives can be saved."
Almost a month ago the Central Government started spreading a rumour that whichever state wants a vaccine can invite a global tender. The Central Government made a fool of everyone. Many State Governments communicated with these companies, the Delhi Government talked to Moderna, Pfizer, we wrote a letter and we received a response. The Maharashtra government invited global tender, the Punjab government invited a global tender and in every global tender what emerged was the fact that these big companies, firstly have not been given permission by the Central Government and they will only and only deal with the Central Government."
"In the entire world, every Central Government, National Government is buying vaccines for their people from these big companies. Not from today, but from May 2020. They have already vaccinated 85% of their population. We have been only able to administer to 13% of the population and now the Central Government has thrown the responsibility upon the state governments to buy directly and these big companies are telling us that we can only sell to the Centre and not the states," he added.
Did the Centre not know this?
"The Centre knew this from day 1. The Centre only to make a fool of the people, a fool of the state governments and to belittle them for another low-level politics, said that the states should take the responsibility and their 1 month got wasted in this.”
Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “I want to say this to the Central Government that they should not play with the lives of people. Understand your responsibility and call these companies and buy as many vaccines as possible from them and administer them on a war footing. The third wave will witness the deaths of small children and the nation would not be able to bear their deaths. This big disaster is looming large upon the nation. I think the Central Government should now wake up otherwise great destruction waits for us.”
