Amid raging controversy over the side effects of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of putting the lives of people at stake. He alleged that the ruling party extorted political donations from a vaccine manufacturer. Addressing an election meeting in Kishni assembly segment of Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency on Friday, the SP chief demanded a high-level probe into it. He also demanded free medical check-up of all persons who were administered the Covishield vaccine. Akhilesh Yadav said allowing such lethal medicines amounts to a fiddling with public health and those responsible should be prosecuted. I stand vindicated after the revelation about the side effects of the vaccine. I had refused to take the vaccine, he said. Around 80 crore Indians have been administered Covishield vaccine, and two doses are given to each person. The company which made its original formula has said that it causes a risk of heart attack, Yadav said. Akhilesh Yadavs wife Dimple is seeking re-election from Mainpuri. Those who have lost their loved ones due to the side effects of the vaccine or who feared the ill effects of the vaccine, their doubts and fears have now been proven right, he added. The UK-headquartered pharma giant AstraZeneca has admitted that in very rare cases, its COVID-19 vaccine, which is known as Vaxzevria in Europe and Covishield in India, can cause a blood clot-related side effect but the causal link is unknown, according to court papers being quoted in the UK media. In India, the AstraZeneca vaccine was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. Attacking the BJP, the SP chief further said, The ruling party has put the lives of the public at stake by collecting political donations from the vaccine manufacturing company. Neither the law, nor the public will ever forgive them. There should be a judicial inquiry at the highest level in this matter, Akhilesh Yadav added. The SP leaders had made similar allegations while addressing election meetings in Mainpuri earlier this week, saying the BJP took commission from the manufacturer of the Covid vaccine, which they said was forcibly administered to people. SP national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav said, It has now been exposed that they have taken commission in vaccines too. Low quality vaccines and medicines were given to the people. Dimple Yadav said people were forcibly administered COVID-19 vaccines in the country. A donation of Rs 200-300 crore was taken by the BJP and the pharma companies were given permission to market the vaccine. People were forcibly administered vaccines. Nowhere in the world vaccines were administered forcibly, Dimple said, adding that corruption in vaccine manufacturing has now come to the fore. Akhilesh Yadav, addressing several meetings in Mainpuri, reminded the people of the series of failures of the BJP led Central and state governments and urged them to vote for the SP candidate.

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