Kannur :In show of support for the Left government’s assurance of free Cvoid vaccines and treatment amid state's huge financial crisis, the veteran Malayalam story writer, T Padmanabhan donated Rs 1 lakh to CMDRF responding to Vaccine Challenge launched Thursday.
Padmanabhan squarely criticised the Centre for leaving it to monopolies to decide vaccine prices even as people were dying en masse around the country. Placing prices on lives of people in pandemic times like the current, is utterly cruel on part of the centre, said Padmanabhan.
Even when the British ruled India, they provided free and compulsory vaccinations against the smallpox epidemic. It is unjust to grant pricing powers to monopolies for the vaccine as the country passes through precarious moments. Chief Minister’s announcement reiterating the state promise of free vaccines and treatment to all, renders much hope and relief to the people, said Padmanabhan.
People are donating into Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund(CMDRF) without any kind of compulsion or external pressure, something that’s reflective of that hope. A housewife’s contribution that came from selling her goat is a great inspiration. I am not generally public about my charity, however, may information this time help toward motivation if it may, said Padmanabhan.
During the two times that floods struck the state, T Padmanabhan has made similar contributions in gesture of solidarity for the government’s efforts.
