Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged on Saturday that the ICMR’s plans to launch a coronavirus vaccine by August 15 was aimed only at enabling the prime minister to make a big announcement from the Red Fort.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said on Friday that it aims to launch the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine by August 15.

“Why is ICMR rushing for an unrealistic timeline of August 15 for Indian corona(virus) vaccine when global experts are giving 12 to 18 months’time frame,” Chavan tweeted.

The Congress leader alleged that the ICMR was in a hurry to develop a vaccine only so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make a major announcement from the Red Fort during the Independence Day address.

The Union health minister should make a clarification in this regard, Chavan demanded.