PM Narendra Modi’s photo removed from Covid vaccine certificates; Health Ministry officials respond
- In Reports
- 01:33 PM, May 02, 2024
- Myind Staff
The Union Health Ministry has removed the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the CoWIN certificates for COVID-19. The certificates previously featured his image along with a quote emphasizing India's determination to combat the pandemic. While the quote – “Together, India will defeat COVID-19” – remains attributed to the prime minister, his name has been omitted from the certificates.
A social media user, Sandeep Manudhane, pointed this out on X, formerly Twitter, and shared a picture of the Covid-19 vaccine certificate. “Modi ji no more visible on Covid Vaccine certificates. Just downloaded to check - yes, his pic is gone," he wrote.
Another user, Irfan Ali, who identified himself as a Congress functionary, said, “Yes, I just checked and PM Modi’s photo has disappeared and there is only QR code instead of his photo.”
Concerns regarding Covishield's potential association with Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) have resurfaced after AstraZeneca's admission in a UK court. This rare side effect involving blood clotting has prompted individuals in India to reexamine their vaccination certificates.
The removal of the image from the vaccine certificate, according to officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in place for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Notably, this is not the first time Modi's photo has been removed from COVID-19 vaccine certificates. In 2022, The Print reported that on the ECI's directions, the Prime Minister's picture was removed in poll-bound states, including Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
The inclusion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture on vaccination certificates had sparked controversy in 2021, which even reached the Kerala High Court. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan had remarked in response to the contention that certificates issued in other countries did not carry the photos of elected leaders, “They may not be proud of their PMs, we are proud of our PM.”
The opposition Congress has accused the BJP government of failing to adhere to the recommendations set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO). They have called for compensation to be provided to the families of individuals who have died from heart attacks or related causes after receiving the Covishield vaccine for COVID-19. Doctors associated with the Gujarat BJP, however, said a study by an expert panel in the state had established that there was no direct link between COVID-19 vaccines and blood clotting which can lead to heart attacks.
In India, AstraZeneca partnered with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to produce the vaccine.
Image source: Hindustan Times
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