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Covid-19: Is India staring at a vaccine shortage? Rahul Gandhi asks why debate need vs want

Some states are running out of Covid vaccines as Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday sent an SOS alert to the Centre over Covid-19 scarcity.

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India began inoculating lakhs of its citizens above the age of 45 from April 1 to contain the surge in coronavirus infections that are touching daily records since early October 2020’s cases. The Covid-19 vaccination drive in India started on January 16 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the world’s biggest rollout.

The government called it the beginning of the end of the coronavirus that has claimed over 1 lakh lives, affected businesses, drained the economy, led to the biggest migrant crisis and unprecedented suffering since early last year.

Where does India stand in vaccinations?

As per the Health Ministry, India stands at the second position in administering the Covid-19 vaccine after the US but given the size of its population and surge in Covid-19 infections, India is behind the desired target. India puts out over 26.5 lakh shots a day of Covid-19 vaccines compared to the US’s figure of over 30.5 lakh.

But since India crossed a 1 lakh mark in daily Covid-19 cases on April 4, more than 45.25 lakh people were inoculated on April 15, recording the highest single-day Covid-19 vaccination figure, the CoWin database said.

How many people have been vaccinated?

India has administered over 8.48 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines since the Centre launched the vaccination drive. During this period, 1.02 crore people got both doses of the Covid-19 vaccines, which is not even one percent of the estimated 137 crore population of India. The share of Covid-19 vaccination would go up to around three percent if one-dose beneficiaries are taken into account.

Is India running out of vaccines?

Some states are running out of Covid vaccines as Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday sent an SOS alert to the Centre over Covid-19 scarcity.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the state has 14 lakh vaccine doses which won’t last beyond three days. After that, vaccination may come to a standstill. He said that Maharashtra needs a stock of 40 lakh vaccine doses per week.

Similarly, a top health official in Andhra Pradesh has said that currently, the state has only 3.7 lakh doses available while its consumption per day is 1.3 lakh doses.

With rumours of a vaccine shortage looming, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan clarified that there is no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in India in the early evening of Wednesday.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had on Tuesday said vaccinations will not be available to a wider group anytime soon amid an alarming spike in coronavirus infections across the country. He has said that the government is prioritizing some groups over others as in this phase of vaccination, vaccines will be in limited supply.

Reacting to the Health Secretary’s limited vaccination statement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted that every Indian deserves the chance to a safe life and that it’s ridiculous to debate needs and wants. The Congress and other opposition parties have been critical of the decision to send medicines abroad before vaccinating the people of India.

Why is India running out of vaccine stock?

While India’s own states are suffering from the scarcity of Covid-19 vaccines, the country on March 27 delivered 2,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) worldwide.

The cargo of AstraZeneca Covishield vaccines produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune was sent to UNPKF despite the government’s decision to reduce exports in view of the need for vaccines domestically as the country is witnessing a huge surge in coronavirus infections.

The vaccine was sent to honor a commitment made by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at a UN Security Council meeting in February. 

Read Also: Night curfew imposed in Punjab till April 30, political gathering banned amid Covid-19 spike

Data put out by the Ministry of External Affairs website boasts that India has supplied 645.02 lakh doses of made-in-India Covid vaccines to 84 countries as of Wednesday. Countries like UK, Canada, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Srilanka, Morocco, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and many more have received made-in-India Covid vaccines as of now.

With 103 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine, India’s neighbour Bangladesh got the highest number of vaccines.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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