Congress accuses BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, his uncle Ravi Subramanya of seeking cash for Covid-19 vaccine

New Delhi, May 29: The Congress on Saturday accused BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and his uncle Ravi Subramanya of making money through vaccines and demanded that an FIR be registered against them and they be removed as MP and MLA respectively. The BJP leaders have, however, denied the charge.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that according to an audio tape leaked through social media, Subramanya purportedly took a bribe of Rs 700 per vaccine at a private hospital in Karnataka. Surya is seen promoting the hospital in ads, he alleged.

"The membership of Tejasvi Surya from the parliament should be ended immediately, we owe the people of Karnataka. The membership of Ravi Subramanya, third-time MLA from Basavanagudi, should be ended right now," he told reporters.

Khera alleged that a supervisor of a private hospital clearly tells a public member that per vaccination he will have to pay Rs 900 as Rs 700 of this have to be given to Ravi Subramanya, a BJP MLA from Basavanagudi in Karnataka, who is Surya''s uncle.

"These are shocking, startling revelations. It is like getting caught red handed. This is a private hospital. Earlier this week, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who is also the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, had advertised his own picture along with this hospital, exhorting people to get vaccinated from this hospital," he alleged.

"We want to ask Prime Minister, this Tejasvi Surya is his blue-eyed boy. We demand answers, how on earth were vaccines being diverted from government hospitals to a private hospital," he asked.

"There should be an FIR lodged against Surya and Subramanya, Prime Minister," the Congress leader said.

Citing the case of cash for questions in which members were expelled from Parliament, he said this is a case of cash for vaccines.

"Tejasvi Surya''s Parliament membership should be ended with immediately," he demanded, adding, "If you want to save the lives of people of Karnataka, this is hardly any sacrifice for you Prime Minister. This is the least you can do."