Thread by @amishra77

Lot of sensational narrative on why is there is so called differential pricing on vaccines between states & centre or that why has vaccine been opened for private sector etc?

A thread exposing such fraudulent commentary. (Sample tweets by @FarOutAkhtar & @arvindsubraman ) 1/10

Central government had a well defined, scientific & as per WHO guidelines, vaccination process rolling since Jan 2021.

Front-line, elderly, those with comorbidities, etc be vaccinated first to reduce mortality & then progressively open up. This process was progressing well. 2/10

However, there was a concerted campaign by Congress party highest echelons, opposition CMs, media editors and civil society that:

A) Vaccination process be opened up to allow private channel vaccination as well

B) States be given more leeway and liberalize the process

3/10

Here are examples of Congress party asking for opening up vaccination process
A) @RahulGandhi in letter to PM: "Give states greater say in vaccine procurement and distribution"
B) @DrAMSinghvi: Asking for private players
C) @ShashiTharoor: For open market at higher prices
4/10

Examples of Editorials / journalists / influencers asking for opening vaccination and allowing open market:

A) TOI Editorial
2) The Wire Founder @mkvenu
3) Print Founder @ShekharGupta ran a full campaign
4) Industrialist @anandmahindra

All asked for open market. 5/10

Now that vaccination process is open, another series of propagandists and full time andolan-jeevis have mobilized to confuse the people with following:
1) There is differential pricing
2) Poor will not get free
3) Why allow open market

All of these are untrue. Here is how. 6/10

On issue of Differential Pricing between Centre & States:

Centre DOES NOT VACCINATE ON ITS OWN. All of center's stock from 50% quota is given to states only.

THE ENTIRE CENTRAL QUOTA OF 50% IN PRACTICE IS STATE QUOTA ONLY.

Hence center getting some other deal is absurd. 7/10

Central quota eligibility has progressively evolved to vaccinate those most at risk & poor.

States are now free to either continue ONLY with center channel OR open another channel per their own priorities.

If STATES open own channel, CENTRAL CHANNEL WILL STILL CONTINUE. 8/10

So states need not spend any money in case they so choose. Just stick with free central channel.

Even for states channel, price by SII, for example, is quoted by a private player. It is not a center declared price. Nothing prevents states from negotiating better price. 9/10

Balance 50% quota is for private players & corporates etc. to pool their resources for vaccination as an add-on to GOI effort.

Hence this entire manufactured fracas is nothing more than professional agitators moving from one cause to next. Let's defeat their agenda.
10/10