Kerala: Donation drive for vaccine price picks tempo on social media

TWO DAYS after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi objecting to sure situations within the Centre’s new Covid-19 vaccine distribution coverage and demanding free vaccines for the states, a social media marketing campaign has begun to take form, searching for donations to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to cowl the price of vaccine photographs.
The marketing campaign is basically being pushed by Left-affiliated teams with hash tags similar to “Stand with Kerala’’, “CMDRF challenge’’ and “Donate for vaccine.”
Vijayan informed reporters that the CMDRF account on Thursday bought Rs 22 lakh as contributions from those that had taken the vaccine.
“This is the specialty of this state. Till 4.30 pm, the CMDRF got Rs 22 lakh as contribution from those who had taken the vaccine,” he stated. “It shows the attitude of the people to stand with the government in a critical juncture. This gesture from the people gives much strength to the government.”
Making a contribution to the CMDRF for the vaccine, an individual claiming to be working within the UAE, wrote on his Facebook web page: “UAE gave me two vaccine shots free of cost. Hence, I am donating the amount required for vaccinating two people in Kerala to CMDRF.”

Another individual wrote, “Myself and household will get free vaccination from Saudi Arabia. I’m contributing the equal quantity of my household’s vaccination to CMDRF Kerala. We will overcome this example collectively.’’ Those who contributed to the CMDRF as a part of the marketing campaign shared display screen photographs of the donations.
One of causes that’s apparently serving to the marketing campaign choose tempo is the criticism of the Kerala authorities by BJP chief and Union Minister V Muraleedharan for writing to the Prime Minister on vaccines.
Referring to the Chief Minister’s letter to the Prime Minister, Muraleedharan stated Kerala should purchase the vaccine as a substitute of ready for the quota from the Centre. He blamed the state for creating pointless concern among the many individuals by elevating the vaccine scarcity, which, in line with him, didn’t actually exist. “Anarchy prevailed at vaccination centres in Kerala,’’ Muraleedharan stated.

The ruling CPI (M) has slammed Muraleedharan, saying he was insulting the individuals who have been dealing with vaccine scarcity.
On Wednesday, Kerala introduced that the state would give free vaccines to all eligible individuals.