Critical of the government's handling of Covid, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said doctors need protection from coronavirus and the BJP dispensation's callousness as he made an appeal to save them.

Gandhi has criticised the government's policies to check the spread of the pandemic and the vaccination drive.

"Doctors need protection from coronavirus as well as BJP governments' callousness. Save the saviours," he said on Twitter.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also attacked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for asking all states to speak in one voice on vaccines.

"All I ask Jagan is: who made the vaccine issue Union vs States? Who unilaterally decided the Union government will abdicate vaccinating 18-44 year olds? Why weren't states consulted before this policy was rolled out? Why don't you ask the PM these questions," Ramesh questioned him.

Reddy had said that in a "states versus Union" situation, the chief ministers should should "speak in a single voice" on vaccines and urged them not to indulge in politics by pointing fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to all chief ministers for a consensus on centralised procurement of vaccines by Government of India in view of the challenges faced by states.

"Spoke to some CMs who shared my views. No state is safe unless all states adopt vaccination as a top priority and execute it on war-footing," he had said.

Some non-NDA ruled chief ministers have criticised the Centre over its vaccination policy and urged the central government to procure vaccines for them.