While the Covaccine scandal has spread widely in the Brazilian media, Indian media has remained silent about it. Brazil was supposed to buy 20 million doses of covaccine made by Bharat Biotech. The vaccine has not been recognized by the World Health Organization and the Drug Control Agency of Brazil rejected it, too. The deal amounted to $324 million dollars.
It has come to the fore that Bharat Biotech tried to get an advance of $4.5 million to a Singapore based offshore company despite its name not being in the contract. A senior official affiliated with importing the vaccine questioned the payment and met the President Bolsonaro regarding the matter. It is believed that it was an attempt to rob the government treasury.
The corruption involved in the deal was exposed and the deal was put to a halt. The credibility of the Indian pharma industry and government has been questioned in Brazil. Although, readers and viewers all over India remain unaware of it.
As per a MediaVigil report, an Indian journalist, Shobhan Saxena, who has lived in Brazil since past ten years has been deeply troubled by what has been printed or shown in the Indian media about the ‘CovaxinGate’.
As reported by The Wire the last week, the vaccine scandal has become a full-blown scandal, which has been getting 24×7 media coverage and millions have been following it. “With explosive leaks coming out almost in real time, a top television commentator also called the investigation ‘CovaxinGate,'” reported The Wire. The ‘Gate’ here, is a reference to the ‘Nixon-Gate’ scandal, which signifies corruption.
Shobhan Saxena has said that he’s saddened on the Indian media being silent or covering up on such an important news which is directly related to India’s reputation.
The investigation has been led by Brazil’s Parliamentary Commission. And the hearing is broadcast live. The news that Bolsonaro spoke to Modi for the deal is raised everyday.
It is no news that Brazil is the worst affected country by the Covid-19 pandemic, with almost 70,000 new cases coming everyday and the death toll being more than 5 lakh 18 thousand. Bolsonaro has been held responsible for the whole fiasco. In the beginning of the pandemic, he had refused to accept the disease. He mocked the masks and vaccines. And Brazilian masses have been agitating in the streets.
Reports show that despite the highly influential Pfizer company having written hundreds of mails for the vaccine deal, no response was given. Whereas, the vaccine deal with Modi was jailed at presidential level, when it is not even recognized by the World Health Organization.