CM slams Goa Cong chief for casting doubts over vax efficacy

Panaji, Sep 17 : A day after Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar claimed that he, along with his family have not vaccinated themselves on account of doubts about the vaccine, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday urged Chodankar to shed his negative mentality and get himself and others inoculated against Covid-19.

Speaking to reporters, Sawant also urged opposition politicians, including Chodankar, to shun politicising the states efforts to vaccinate the population.

"He (Chodankar) needs to be told that until we do not vaccinate ourselves, we will not be able to defeat corona," Sawant told reporters, when asked to react to Chodankars comments made on Thursday.Chodankar during a press conference on Thursday, had maintained that neither he, nor his family, had vaccinated themselves.

"I have my own doubts or concerns, but I have not stopped anybody from taking it," Chodankar had told reporters.Chodankar had also questioned the authenticity of Sawants claim that the state government had ensured 102 percent coverage of the first vaccination jab."The mentality should not be that I am left out (without getting vaccinated) so how can it be 100 percent (vaccination coverage).There is a need to step out of this negative mentality and drive such a mentality out of people and get them to vaccinate themselves," the Chief Minister said, responding to Chodankars charge."There is no need to politicise this.There are other issues to politicise.It is important to save lives.

What sort of a doubt does he have about (vaccines) which have been approved by the world, the country," the Chief Minister also said.The to and fro between Sawant and Chodankar comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis virtual interaction with Goas politicians, administrators and Covid warriors, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday.