Prime Minister Narendra Modi should get himself vaccinated first: Prakash Ambedkar

Narendra Modi. Pic/AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should first get himself vaccinated for COVID-19 to clear doubts in the minds of people, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Ambedkar said the VBA will hold protests across Maharashtra on January 27 in support of the ongoing agitation by farmers at borders of Delhi for the repeal of three new farm laws.

"The prime minister and CM (Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray) should take the COVID-19 vaccine first and clear all doubts in the minds of the people. Once they get the vaccine shot, I am also ready to get myself vaccinated," he told reporters.

He said the upcoming agitation for farmers will be held by Muslim volunteers of the VBA.

"During Delhi''s Shahin Baugh protest, Sikhs had guarded agitators, now Muslims will show their support through this agitation," Ambedkar said and named the proposed protest as "Kisan Baugh".

Ambedkar said Opposition parties, including the Congress, the CPI and the CPI (M) have failed to support the agitation of farmers.

"Are these parties paralysed? Rahul Gandhi remained present for the agitation but his party was not seen," he said.

Queried about the demand raised by the ruling Shiv Sena to rename Aurangabad city as ''Sambhajinagar'', Ambedkar said Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj had no links with this city.

"This renaming movement smacks of anti-Muslim sentiment," he added.

He said the VBA will contest the upcoming Aurangabad Municipal Corporation election on the issue of water scarcity without forming any alliance.

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