After COVID-19 jabs manufacturer AstraZeneca admitted before the UK High Court last week that Covishield can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a rare effect linked to blood clots and low platelet count, many in India hurriedly downloaded their vaccination certificate but were met with a surprised.
Wondering why? It is because they suddenly found out that the COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued in India no longer have the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Though the certificate no longer has PM Modi’s photograph, a quote saying, “Together, India will defeat COVID-19” remains, with an attribution to the Prime Minister, sans his name.
People took to X to point it out. One user, Sandeep Manudhane posted his vaccination certificate with the PM’s photo missing in it. He wrote: “Modi ji no more visible on COVID Vaccine certificates. Just downloaded to check – yes, his pic is gone.”
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“Why @narendramodi picture is now missing in COVID VACCINATION CERTIFICATE?” asked another user.
Another user asked why PM Modi’s photo has been removed from the COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
“Did you check your vaccination certificate? Modi ji photo has disappeared,” wrote a user, sharing her recently downloaded Covid vaccination certificate.
One of the users wrote, “I am proud to have my PM @narendramodi Sir’s pic in my covid vaccine certificate. I trust my PM and the vaccine I got. No anti-national Congress or Dravidian troll can take away my pride.”
Many have been speculating that the picture of the Prime Minister has been removed from the COVID-19 vaccination certificate after the latest admission by AstraZeneca that its vaccine Covishield, which is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under a licensing agreement with the pharmaceutical giant can cause TTS.
But what’s the REAL reason?
A report by The Print quoted officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) saying that PM Modi’s photograph from Covid vaccination certificates have been removed due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in effect for the Lok Sabha polls 2024 which is underway.
Not the first time
It is worth mentioning that PM Modi’s photograph has not been removed for the first time from the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. In 2022, the Prime Minister’s picture was removed from vaccination certificates issued in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, and Goa – at the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) directive ahead of Assembly elections in those states.
Back in 2021, PM Modi’s photo on vaccination certificates had sparked a row that escalated to the Kerala High Court. Responding to the contention that certificates issued in other countries did not carry the photos of elected leaders, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan said: “They may not be proud of their PMs, we are proud of our PM.”
With inputs from agencies
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