Make Vaccination Compulsory for Politicians
Throughout India, a Covaxin revolution is taking place under the leadership of the government. In addition to the distribution of the vaccine, politicians are trying to instill a sense of pride that Covaxin is a ‘Swadeshi’ vaccine. Undoubtedly, it is a matter of pride that the country has produced a vaccine in the face of the Coronavirus that battered the country. But, politicians more than experts are issuing statements about Covaxin. The Centre is spending crores of rupees for Covaxin. In such a situation, it is very important for Covaxin to prove its reliability. The vaccine is being distributed even as a controversy has emerged around the government’s approval for the Covaxin being manufactured by Bharat Biotech even before the third phase of testing could be completed. The government is still not been able to respond adequately to the various questions that doctors and experts have raised regarding the vaccine. Already, it is being reported in the media that Covaxin is causing adverse impact on many of those who have been vaccinated. But, the government that has denied this has clarified that only 0.18 per cent of the vaccinated have been adversely impacted. Of those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, only 0.1 per cent of people have reported fluctuations in their bodies. The Centre has claimed that among these, only 0.002 people have been admitted into hospitals. At the same time, the Centre has regretted that doctors, ayahs, and health workers are refusing to get vaccinated.
One aspect should be observed here. The victims of the coronavirus are upper middle class and upper-class people. While tuberculosis, malaria, and other such diseases targeted the poor and slum dwellers, the coronavirus targeted people belonging to higher classes. The coronavirus entered India through airports from Indians living in foreign countries or those engaged in businesses or having connections with foreign countries and did not haunt the poor. But the lockdown that was imposed to check the spread of the coronavirus had a drastic impact on the poor. The number of people of the lower strata whose lives were destroyed due to the lockdown is far more than the number of upper-class people impacted by the coronavirus. And people from the lowest strata of society never demanded the Centre for the vaccine but asked to be rescued from hunger. “We are not scared of the Coronavirus but are scared of hunger”, migrant labourers said repeatedly and publicly. Ironically, having announced that the vaccine against the coronavirus has been manufactured, the Centre also announced that ‘civic workers will be given priority.’ If the coronavirus was truly a deadly disease, civic workers would have been the first victims. When the entire country was in lockdown and stayed indoors at home, these civic workers were cleaning the streets and collecting garbage without any fear of contracting the disease. They never feared the coronavirus, neither did the virus affect them. No labour organization requested to be vaccinated on priority. In such a situation, the government’s objective in showing its love and prioritizing civic workers for vaccination is clear. The malafide intention of the government to choose civic workers to test the efficacy of the vaccine and stop its distribution if they faced any adverse impact is very clear.
It is being alleged that hundreds of women who volunteered during the pandemic are being forced to be part of the vaccination drive. In Chitradurga, a nurse who refused to be vaccinated was forced by Minister Sriramulu to take the vaccination saying ‘Please take the vaccination. If you hesitate, what about the others’? Sriramulu could have taken the vaccine and encouraged the others to do so. Many politicians have been affected by the coronavirus and politicians mingle with the public in large numbers. Politicians should therefore be vaccinated on priority. In other countries, leaders have been vaccinated first. But, in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not yet been vaccinated. Not just Modi, no other important leader has come forward to get vaccinated and inspire people. Does it not prove that the leaders who are recommending the vaccine do not have any trust on the efficacy of the vaccine? Moreover, a large number of doctors have refused to be vaccinated. The government has expressed its regret over this. When doctors are refusing the vaccine, how appropriate is it to force people to get vaccinated?
Within two days of the vaccine drive, more than 50 per cent of health workers of six central government hospitals in New Delhi refused to be administered the Bharat Biotech vaccine. Of the identified 1,250 vaccine beneficiaries, a total of 551 health workers reported for vaccination on January 16 and 18. This means only, 44.8 per cent of people have been vaccinated. Of the 81 hospitals in New Delhi, 75 hospitals are run jointly by the Delhi government and private sector. In these hospitals the Covishield vaccine that has been produced by Oxford-Astra Zeneca has been distributed.
India is now divided over the vaccine. One particular vaccine is being distributed for the poor and another for the rich. Until politicians and doctors openly and fearlessly get vaccinated, the common man should not be forced to take it. The government should also not mess with the lives of people only to gain political mileage.
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Shivakumar clarifies on Cartier watch, hits back at BJP leader
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday hit back at senior BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and clarified with records on the expensive Cartier wristwatch he had submitted in the affidavit to Lokayukta.
Claiming that he is a "transparent person", he asked whether he or Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should not have the right to wear a watch of their choice.
His clarification came a day after Narayanaswamy, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, had questioned about the expensive watches.
"Mr Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, please take a moment to review the affidavit I submitted to the Lokayukta," Shivakumar said in a post on 'X', with documents of assets declared with Lokayukta on October 28, which mentions Rolex watch worth Rs 9 lakh and two Cartier watches worth Rs 23,90,246 and Rs 12,06,000 respectively.
The Deputy CM said, "As someone in a position of responsibility, speaking falsehoods for convenience is not only wrong but also undermines your (Narayanaswamy) integrity."
"I am a transparent person and have shared the truth openly. Do I, or even CM Siddaramaiah, not have the right to wear a watch of our choice? I urge you to refrain from making baseless remarks and exercise your constitutional authority wisely and responsibly," he said, adding that all the details are on record, and if the BJP leader wishes, he is welcome to visit the Lokayukta office and verify the affidavit himself.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar reportedly wore similar Cartier watches when the former visited the latter's residence for breakfast on December 2, and the opposition BJP has been critical of the expensive watches and has raised questions about it.
Pointing to reports that both the CM and Deputy CM were wearing expensive watches from the same company, Narayanaswamy on Thursday had accused Shivakuamar of not mentioning about the watches purchase to the Election Commission.
He said that Shivakumar's affidavit submitted to the Election Commission only mentioned a Rolex watch worth Rs 9 lakh and a Hublot watch worth Rs 23,90,246, but does not have any mention of a Cartier watch.
"Where have you (Shivakumar) declared a Cartier watch", the BJP leader had questioned while adding that the watch is currently valued at about Rs 47 lakh, including taxes.
Questioning whether the Cartier watch was stolen or purchased, Narayanaswamy accused Shivakumar of lying to the people by stating that he had purchased it using his credit card, and had demanded him to release the documents about the purchase.
The opposition leader, citing that the CM is a "watch lover", pointed out that Siddaramaiah, during his earlier tenure as CM, was embroiled in a controversy over a Hublot watch, which he had subsequently handed over to the Assembly secretariat, declaring it as state property.
Reacting to Shivakumar's post, Narayanaswamy on Friday, while stating that it is a well-known fact that the Deputy CM has the ability to buy and wear watches worth lakhs of rupees, asked him, "As you (Shivakumar), yourself have said, you have a Cartier watch that you bought 7 years ago, why did you not declare it in your 2018 and 2023 election affidavits?"
In a post on 'X', he said he has only put a legitimate question before Shivakumar to seek clarification. "It is up to you (Shivakumar) to answer in the right way or ignore it," he added.
Hitting back at Narayanaswamy, Shivakumar, speaking to reporters, said, anyone could check his Lokayukta affidavit and that he was ready to resign if he had lied. He also challenged the opposition leader whether he was ready to resign if proven wrong.
"Narayanaswamy lacks experience, I have filed (declaration of assets) before Lokayukta and wherever I have to. I have my watch with me. If I'm lying I'm ready to resign today itself. Is he ready? One should have basic common sense and should not speak just for publicity. I behave more responsibly than him. He should learn to work with responsibility. Let him go and see the Lokayukta affidavit that I have filed this year," he said.
