New Delhi, May 22:  Continuing its attack against wastage of COVID-19 vaccines in Rajasthan, the BJP on Saturday said that the Ashok Gehlot government is solely responsible for it.

The saffron party also said that while former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is blaming and cursing Centre and shedding crocodile tears, reports of vaccine wastage and negligence are coming from his party ruled Rajasthan. COVID-19 Vaccination Drive: Haryana Reports Highest Vaccine Wastage Followed by Assam, Rajasthan, Says Union Health Ministry

Rajasthan BJP Chief Satish Poonia told IANS that wastage happens only due to misinformation campaign run by Congress and Gehlot against vaccine. Around 11.5 lakh doses of wastage has been reported across the desert state.

"First Gehlot ran a misinformation campaign against vaccine along with Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders. Secondly, when vaccine is available, Gehlot government completely mismanaged the whole process to administer the doses," Poonia said.

Poonia alleged that due to misinformation campaign against the vaccine there are hesitancy among people. "When the government opened the vaccination process for people above 18 years, people above 80 years were seen in the queue at the vaccine centres to take the jab. Are they (above 80 plus) not supposed to get vaccinated months ago? Only due to misinformation campaign against the vaccine, people did not came up to get vaccinated," Poonia said.

The Rajasthan BJP Chief said that many districts of the state have reported wastage of vaccines doses and maximum wastage of around 40 per cent was reported from Churu district followed by Hanumangarh, Bharatpur, Kota and others.

"We request the Gehlot government to take people's health seriously and act promptly to save lives instead of blaming Union Government and BJP," Poonia said.

BJP national secretary Alka Gurjar tweeted, "Due to irresponsible government in Rajasthan, not only the black marketing of the vaccine happened but the dose also got wasted. Ashok Gehlot's misgovernance at the time of disaster."

BJP National in-charge of Information and Technology department, Amit Malviya tweeted, "In Rajasthan, 11.50 lakh vaccine doses have been wasted. Nearly 40 per cent of the vaccines in Churu district wasted. Similar negligence was also observed in Rajasthan with respect to oxygen, Remdesivir and ventilators. And on the other hand, Rahul Gandhi is blaming the central government and shedding crocodile tears."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2021 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).