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West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday alleging that the use of PM Narendra Modi’s photograph on provisional certificates issued during COVID-19 vaccination violates the model code of conduct that comes into force after elections are announced in four states.
Provisional digital certificates issued by the Health Ministry through its Co-WIN platform, to all those vaccinated carry a strip at the bottom with the photograph of PM Narendra Modi along with a quote from him in English, "Together We Will Defeat Covid-19" and in Hindi, "davai bhi aur kadai bhi (vaccination, as well as caution).
In the letter, TMC's leader Derek O'Brien wrote, "We insist that you stop the PM from taking unfair advantages and undue publicity at tax payer’s cost during the conduct of elections. His action clearly violates the provisions of Part VII (Party in Power) of the Model Code of Conduct that clear states: "The party in power whether at the Centre or in the State or States concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it has used its official position for the purposes of its election campaign and in particular…(4) Issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media."
"After elections have been declared, the PM is debarred from publicizing his name and claiming credit in this manner through the government's Co-WIN platform of vaccination... By placing his photograph, name and message on the provisional certificates issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, he is not only exploiting his post and powers but also stealing commendable credit from the producers of Covid vaccines," O’Brien wrote.
The Election Commission had announced the poll schedules for West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on February 26. The Model Code of Conduct enters into force the day after the commission announces the election dates – which it did on February 27.
The PM's photo is usually used in publicity material for central government schemes, but its inclusion in documents given out to beneficiaries of government initiatives is something new. India is perhaps the first and so far, the only country in the world whose leader is using vaccination certificates to promote his own politics and cult of personality.
India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive began on 16 January and over 1.3 crore healthcare and frontline workers have received the shot since. The second phase of the drive, which includes the senior citizens and those aged over 45 years with comorbidities, began from Monday.
Source: theprint.in, thewire.in, hindustantimes.com
Written by Siddhant Sharma
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