Congress accuses SSI and Bharat Biotech of profiteering from corona vaccine production

After doubting the efficacy of the indigenously developed Bharat Biotech Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, the Indian National Congress is now attacking the vaccine makers Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech, accusing them of profiteering. 

The Congress party has said that both these companies will amass profits as large as ₹1,11,100 crore because of the Government’s modified vaccination policy, reports Hindu Businessline.

Already, Rahul Gandhi has given many serious statements undermining India’s self-reliance, or ‘Atmanirbharta’, when it comes to vaccine production and development.  

The second Covid-19 wave has hit hard on the states led by the Congress government. Now, the Health Ministers from Congress-ruled stated in Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand have also accused the vaccine makers. They accused the companies of pushing their own vaccination policy to suit profiteering by the two companies which are producing Covishield and Covaxin COVID-19 vaccines.

Congress party general secretary in-charge of media, Randeep Singh Surjewala has made allegations of profiteering against the two companies by asserting that the Adar Poonawalla-led SII will make a profit of ₹35,350 crore, whilethe Dr. Krishna Ella led Bharat Biotech will be as much as ₹75,750 crore.

Former Union Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram, who himself is accused of scams, also said that there is a “body of opinion” that the two companies could also make a small profit by pricing their vaccines at ₹150 per dose and that if the same is true, then the two companies will be “profiteering by pricing their vaccines at ₹400-₹1,000 range”.

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