Palaniswami, Stalin tussle over Covid vaccination

The state government was handling the pandemic situation well and has therefore earned people''s appreciation, prompting the DMK chief to have "political vendetta" against it, Palaniswami said in a statement.

The chief minister had on Thursday assured free immunisation against coronavirus for all sections of people in the state as soon as a vaccine is made available.

However, Stalin had hit out at Palaniswami saying,"it is the duty of a welfare state to provide life saving vaccination free of cost during the times of a pandemic."

On Friday, the chief minister said it was a fact that vaccine alone was a "lasting solution" for coronavirus and people were eagerly waiting for it.

"I had announced about the free immunisation to all the people of Tamil Nadu, once a vaccine is ready, keeping in mind the public welfare."

"The leader of opposition (Stalin) has got political vendetta due to the good name earned by the government for its virus-prevention activities and is issuing statements apprehensive over the surging public support. People are laughing at this," he said.

Countering Palaniswami''s statement, Stalin wondered if people indeed appreciated the government on the handling of the pandemic situation and claimed the chief minister has only earned all-round anger.

"Why does he not understand that it is inhumane to assume that it is some kind of mercy, for the government to do the basic duty (of immunisation) by using revenue earned from the people," he said in a statement today.

He asked if it would be fair to dub food packets distributed to flood affected people as "free of cost."