"To Save Lives," Says Gujarat BJP MLA On Charges Of Hoarding Remdesivir

The charges of hoarding and illegal distribution of Remdesivir are "absolutely false, frivolous, baseless and made without verifying correct facts," BJP's Harsh Sanghavi said.

Vials of anti-viral drug Remdesivir were made available to the needy patients from the BJP's office in Surat on grounds of "compassion and humanity" to "save a number of lives", Gujarat BJP MLA Harsh Sanghavi told the High Court as he defended himself against charges of hoarding and illegally distributing the drug at the peak of the second wave of coronavirus in April. Mr Sanghavi told the High Court on Tuesday that Remdesivir injections were made available by BJP leaders to the needy patients in Surat and Navsari in south Gujarat between April 10 and 12. This was done with the "sole intention of compassion and humanity" as injections were "urgently required to save a number of lives", he said in an affidavit submitted in the court. Remdesivir is widely used to treat serious Covid patients and the drug's shortage was reported in April and May when the second wave of the pandemic was at its peak.