Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 2: Amid the controversy surrounding the Covishield vaccine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph has been removed from Covid-19 vaccine (CoWIN) certificates. While some social media users speculated that this action was linked to AstraZeneca's admission regarding rare cases of blood clots, official sources cited compliance with the election model code of conduct as the reason.
According to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials speaking to media, said that the removal of the photograph was in accordance with the Election Commission of India's (ECI) directives, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in effect during the ongoing seven-phase Lok Sabha 2024 elections.
CoWIN certificate before (left) and after
In 2021, the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea challenging the inclusion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph on vaccination certificates issued to citizens. The court imposed a substantial cost of Rs 1 lac on the petitioner, with Justice PV Kunhikrishnan stating, "They may not be proud of their PMs, we are proud of our PM."
Recently, UK-headquartered pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca acknowledged that its COVID-19 vaccine, known as Vaxzevria in Europe and Covishield in India, can cause a blood clot-related side effect in ‘very rare cases’. However, the causal link remains unknown, according to court papers cited in UK media reports. In India, the AstraZeneca vaccine was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.