Believe the minister: Chidambaram slams Centre over COVID-19 vaccine, migrants

New Delhi, Apr 21: Amid the rising cases on coronavirus in India, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday slammed the Centre and said that the people must "believe the ministers" who have denied the alleged shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and also the exodus of migrant workers, who fear a lockdown similar to the previous year by the government to tackle the second wave of the pandemic.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader said, "There is no crowding at railway stations, says Railway minister. Believe the minister. The long queues shown on TV channels are there only to assist the Railway Police to guard the stations." This tweet comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told state governments to reach out to migrants and ensure their well-being.

PM Modi added that the Centre will take all steps to ensure that migrants are vaccinated in the states they reside in.

Chidambaram's remarks come at a time when scores of migrants are being seen at bus stops across states and Union territories, especially in Delhi where a six-day lockdown is in place, to return to their home states as they are distressed that the government may announce a lockdown last year to curb the spread of COVID-19 and they might lose their livelihood.

The former finance minister also targeted the Centre over its vaccination drive. "There is no shortage of vaccines, says Health Minister. Believe the minister. There is only a shortage of patients. Central government will issue an advertisement calling for applications from patients who want vaccines," the Congress leader wrote on Twitter.