'Jungle raj won't be allowed to hamper vaccination': Harsh Vardhan on WB's 'Benvax' portal

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan came down heavily on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly launching an alternate COVID-19 vaccination portal- 'Benvax' in the state. The Health Minister stated that an alternate state platform in place of the Centre's nationwide-- Co-WIN portal would lead to several difficulties including issues in the verification of an inoculation's authenticity.

In a series of tweets, Dr Harsh Vardhan asserted that he will not allow the TMC government's 'jungle raj' to harm India's COVID-19 vaccination drive and added that the matter was being investigated. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is said to have apprised the Union Health Minister about the existence of 'Benvax' after he wrote a letter to him highlighting the window that the portal had created for scammers to take advantage of the nation's vaccination drive.

Suvendu raises concern over 'Benvax' 

In his letter, Suvendu Adhikari revealed that vaccines in West Bengal were being administered through Mamata Banerjee's 'Benvax' portal and locally prepared certificates were being issued to people. "Vaccines are supposedly administered showing some locally prepared coupons and vaccination certificates issued with a photo of Mamata Banerjee through a different Benvax portal, instead of internationally valid ones generated through Co-WIN," he wrote. "Even if genuine vaccines are administered, but the vaccination data is not updated on Co-WIN, it may lead to undue harassment or create more confusion if a person wishes to travel outside the state/country," Adhikari added.

Kolkata vaccine scam

This comes amid the Kolkata vaccination scam where fake Covishield labels were found to have been imposed over labels of an antibiotic-- Amikacin Sulphate 500 mg, used to treat bacterial infections of the urinary tract, bones and joints, lungs, brain, blood, among others. On June 24, Kolkata Police raided a man named Debanjan Deb, impersonating as an IAS officer in KMC's Kasba office in South Kolkata, and found a large quantity of Amikacin vials and fake labels of Covishield. The BJP has alleged the role of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the scam saying that several incriminating photos suggestive of accused Debanjan Deb's influence in the ruling party of West Bengal.