Jaipur, May 25 (IANS): The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Rajasthan got engaged in a war of words on Tuesday over Covid vaccines.

While Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the Central government of creating vaccine crisis in the nation, saying a possible third wave of the pandemic can create havoc for children if vaccines are not arranged on time, the state BJP accused the Rajasthan government of hiding its failures by putting all blames on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"What is the status of the global tenders floated for availing Covid vaccines as 50 per cent of vaccination is the responsibility of the state," asked BJP state unit chief Satish Poonia.

"You cannot hide your corona mismanagement by making false accusations against Prime Minister Modi. Under his leadership, about 20 crore people have been vaccinated in the country, and one crore people in the age group of 18 to 44 have been inoculated in the third phase," Poonia added.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot had shot three tweets warning the Central government that a possible third wave may create havoc in the state if vaccines for each and every citizen are not arranged on time.

"PM Narendra Modi and (Union Health Minister) Harsh Vardhan should have kept vaccine production on priority. If a third wave infects our children, the nation will never forgive us," Gehlot said.

"In a country with over 130 crore population, the situation can turn serious if vaccines are not arranged for everyone and if kids fall victim to the third wave. Oxygen and medicine crisis will be at their worst in that situation," Gehlot added.

However, Poonia accused the state government of mismanaging the Covid situation in the state and "hiding the exact figures of deaths and the number of Covid patients", especially in the rural areas, leaving the health system "in the hands of God".

"Neither sufficient number of staff has been deputed in the hospitals, nor have oxygen plants been installed with the funds allocated by PM Narendra Modi a year back. Also, Gehlot failed to stop black marketing of hospital beds and medicines in the state," Poonia alleged.

"Is it the Ashok Gehlot model in which death figures are being hidden? Neither the patients are getting timely treatment, nor are medicines being made available to them. Also, private hospitals are refusing admission to patients through the Chiranjeevi scheme, a medical insurance programme launched by the state government. The hospitals are also charging exorbitant rates from people in the name of treatment," Poonia said.

"Who is misleading the people of the state? Isn't 50 per cent of vaccination the responsibility of the state? Patients are dying at the doors of the hospitals due to medical mismanagement. The people of the state will never forgive the Chief Minister," Poonia added.