New Delhi, Jun 12 (IANS): The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Monday hit out at the Congress for blaming the RSS for prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt the introduction of anti-cervical cancer vaccine in the country, saying the party was backing "certain pharmaceutical lobbyists".

Calling the Congress' statement "irresponsible and ill-informed", the RSS-affiliated body said in a statement: "This is in response to an irresponsible animation pushed from the official handle of Indian National Congress.

"Although the entire animation was based on falsehood, but this rejoinder is on a particular slide blaming RSS for prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt introduction of anti-cervical cancer vaccine."

"Apart from condemning this irresponsible and ill-informed statement, Swadeshi Jagran Manch expresses surprise at which the Congress is backing certain pharmaceutical lobbyists," it added.

The SJM said that the letter, which it sent to Modi, was based on sound scientific research. It said the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer was expensive, had severe adverse effects, and the pharmaceutical lobby could not prove the efficiency of the use.

"We are glad that he not only intervened but stopped the introduction of this vaccine," the statement said.

It added that even some Congress leaders had opposed the introduction of this drug in the standing committee of parliament in 2007, and that they should now speak up.