Will stop Serum's vehicles if doses not given to Maharashtra: Raju Shetti

Following the Maharashtra government's claim about the state facing a shortage of Covid-19 vaccine, Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana (SSS) leader Raju Shetti on Friday warned the Central government to increase the vaccine supply to the state within a week or his party will stop vehicles transporting vaccines to other states from Serum Institute of India (SII).

"I've written to Prime Minister, Home Minister and Health Minister stating that if the supply of vaccines is not increased for Maharashtra within a week, we will start stopping vehicles transporting vaccines to other states from Serum Institute of India," Shetti told media.

He claimed people in Maharashtra are angry over not getting the vaccine, and many vaccination centres are closed due to the shortage of doses.

"It is very unfortunate that they don't even understand that if more than half of the cases reported in the country are from Maharashtra then it must be given more vaccines... If our people are struggling to get the bed in Hospitals then Maharashtra is the state which needs to be provided vaccines on priority," the SSS leader said.

"Our stand is clear if we are not provided vaccines we will make sure that the vaccines manufactured in Maharashtra, manufactured in Pune in specifically, will not leave for other states," he added.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the state is facing a COVID-19 vaccine crunch and demanded 40 lakh doses every week from the Centre. The state reported 58,993 new Covid-19 cases, 45,391 recoveries, and 301 deaths on Friday.