Rahul was in school during Operation Bluestar: Punjab CM
Chandigarh, Aug 26 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday lashed out at Akali President Sukhbir Singh Badal for what he said was the unwarranted and uncalled for attack on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on the issue of the 1984 riots.
Castigating the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President for his statement that Rahul Gandhi was a 'partner' in the crime, the Chief Minister said Gandhi was in school at the time of Operation Bluestar.
To blame him for anything was absurd, Amarinder Singh said in a statement here.
To hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for an act which he was not even aware of at the time it happened was ridiculous, said the Chief Minister.
The Congress, as a party, was never involved in the riots that continue to haunt the Sikh community.
He said if any individual was involved, he or she would be dealt with as per the law.
"To blame the entire party for the acts of a few was preposterous and typical of the political immaturity of Sukhbir Singh," the Chief Minister said.
Amarinder Singh said Rahul Gandhi's latest comments need to be seen in context with his earlier statements on the 1984 riots, wherein he himself had named some Congressmen.
The Chief Minister said Rahul Gandhi had condemned all violence, including the 1984 riots, and called for strict punishment to the guilty.
"It is unfortunate that due to delays caused by the judicial system, justice had been denied to many victims of the 1984 riots," Amarinder Singh added.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
