Row Erupts in Bengal As Deputy Mayor 'Administers' Vaccine for Photo Op; Oppn Calls it A 'Circus'

In a shocking incident, the outgoing deputy mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) in Bengal’s West Burdwan district has landed in controversy after she administered the COVID-19 vaccine to a person without having any formal training for such a job.

The incident, amid a fake vaccination racket in the state, has sent the ruling TMC on the back foot as the party leaders do not approve of the deputy mayor’s actions. The video of AMC’s outgoing deputy mayor Tabassum Ara went viral on social media, where she can be seen taking the syringe from a nurse standing beside her in a vaccination camp and administering it to a female recipient.

The female recipient (identity not revealed on request) while speaking to the media persons claimed that she was vaccinated by the deputy mayor and not by any health worker.

When contacted, Ara denied saying, “I was only holding the vaccine to create awareness among the people for vaccination. People are scared of getting vaccinated and therefore I tried to give a message that vaccination is must and safe.”

However, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh claimed that Ara vaccinated a lady without having any nursing qualification. “It is not only condemnable, but also shocking,” Ghosh said.

Ace fashion designer and BJP MLA from Asansol South Constituency, Agnimitra Paul, tweeted, “TMC’s manhandling of the lives of people knows no bounds. A non-medical official, TMC’s Tabassum Ara, member of administrative board of AMC, chose to vaccinate the people herself, in spite of doctors and nurses being present there… Is she even medically authorised to do so?”

Babul Supriyo, MoS in Environment ministry, too condemned the incident and tweeted, “Seems like TMC govt has no control over its administrators. TMC’s Tabassum Ara, a member of the administrative body of AMC, has vaccinated people herself and risked hundreds of lives…Will her political colour shield her from stern punishment? @MamataOfficial.”

Hitting out at ruling TMC, CPIM leader Sujan Chakraborty said, “It’s a ‘Circus’ going on everywhere. It is a Shameful act and extremely worrying.”

TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said that anyone who is administering the COVID-19 vaccine should have proper training for the job.

“I believe the district health officials are looking into the matter,” he added.

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