"Callous, Cruel": P Chidambaram Slams Centre Over Vaccine Policy

The central government's direction to states to procure vaccines directly from manufacturers abroad was a "cynical move", the former Union minister said.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday slammed the centre over "shortage of vaccines" and said its directive to states to procure vaccines directly from manufacturers abroad was a "cynical move". Is there any surprise that Pfizer and Moderna have refused to deal with states (Punjab, Delhi) and will deal only with the central government?The central government's direction to the states to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers abroad was a cynical move. His attack on the government came after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said US pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have declined to sell coronavirus vaccines to the city government as they want to directly deal with the centre. A senior Punjab official said on Sunday that US-based COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send vaccines directly to the state government stating that it only deals with the centre. "Is there any surprise that Pfizer and Moderna have refused to deal with states (Punjab, Delhi) and will deal only with the central government?" P Chidambaram said.