Protests held across Karnataka for 'timely, equitable' Covid-19 vaccination

Thousands of people took part in one of the largest decentralised protests in Karnataka for timely and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccination on Thursday.

Mobilised by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), the protesters held placards and raised slogans outside gram panchayat offices and in their homes. The organisers said the campaign had been more than two weeks in the making, and was a “great success”.

Arun Javagal, of the KRV, said: “We demand free, timely and equitable vaccination for all. The prime minister has announced free vaccination but what needs to be done is to inoculate a large number of people within a short time frame so as to avert any possible waves of Covid-19.”

The protesters asked the government to open vaccination centres similar to voting booths, simplify the registration process and vaccinate people at their doorstep wherever possible.

The KRV’s state general secretary accused the Centre of giving more vaccine doses to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh than South Indian states. “There is ample data to prove this. There was similar bias in the distribution of oxygen, ventilators, Remdesivir and other Covid drugs,” he said and demanded vaccination as per the population.