COVID-19: No examination without vaccination, Akhilesh Yadav had tweeted (File)
After Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asserted that there should be "no examination without vaccination", Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Tuesday took a swipe at him, saying "leaders and their supporters who tweet from AC rooms are worried".
As the government is in the process of taking a decision on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance tests that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19, a demand has been made from some quarters that if the exams are to be held, the students be vaccinated first.
"Pahle tika, fir pariksha (first vaccination, then examination). No Examination Without Vaccination," Mr Yadav tweeted.
Demanding vaccination of students, Samajwadi Party MLC Udaiveer Singh said, "The central government should not play with the lives of students."
At a high-level meeting called by the Ministry of Education earlier this week, Delhi, Kerala and some others demanded vaccination of students before the exam.
Reacting to the tweet of the SP chief, the deputy chief minister said, "The opposition is feeling dejected by the development of Uttar Pradesh and popularity of Yogi Adityanath. Leaders and their supporters who tweet from AC rooms are worried. They are sweating it out in search of an issue."
Without taking any name, he said, "First the vaccine was termed as the 'BJP's vaccine'...Thousands of people were in doubt. Now, by giving the statement 'first vaccination, then examination', he is instigating the children, while the fact is that there is no vaccine for the children. At this hour of crisis, the attitude of the opposition is not appropriate."
Mr Sharma, in a statement, also said that there are some leaders who have instilled fear in the minds of the people regarding vaccination, but have themselves got vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" has said there is a broad consensus among states about conducting class 12 board exams and an "informed, collaborative" decision will be taken by June 1.