Bengaluru
BJP leader and former Chief Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda criticised CM Siddaramaiah for linking the rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to recent heart attack cases in Hassan district. Gowda reminded the public that Siddaramaiah was among the first to get vaccinated and remains healthy.
Thanks to the vaccine, Siddaramaiah is healthy today and confident about completing his five-year term and even leading Congress to another win, Gowda said, taking a dig at the CM. He added, Siddaramaiah rushed to the vaccination centre when the drive began and nothing happened to him. We wish he stays healthy, but he must show restraint in his statements.
The criticism follows Siddaramaiah’s recent claim that sudden heart attack deaths—over 20 in a month in Hassan—could be linked to the quick approval and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, Gowda also dismissed Minister Priyank Kharge’s comment on banning the RSS, calling such a move impossible.
Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw responded to Siddaramaiah’s vaccine concerns, stating that India’s COVID-19 vaccines were cleared under emergency protocols meeting global safety standards. She said calling the approvals hasty was factually wrong and misleading.
In response, Siddaramaiah clarified that questioning vaccine safety does not mean spreading misinformation, and emphasized that the government is seriously investigating the rising number of heart attacks.
The controversy highlights a political divide over COVID-19 vaccine safety, even as experts stress the importance of science-based discussions in public health matters.