Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo has been removed from COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. “Together, India will defeat COVID-19," the CoWIN certificates had long borne images of PM Modi, along with the caption. Now, the quote remains with an attribution to the Prime Minister on 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.
Sandeep attributed the removal of PM Modi's picture to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials told The Print that the image was removed according to the Election Commission of India's (ECI) directions, as the MCC is in place during the ongoing seven-phase Lok Sabha 2024 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.
Many users on X speculated that the most recent admission regarding Covishield—a product made by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under license from AstraZeneca—was the reason behind the alteration in the immunization certificate. However, it turned out to be the Model Code of Conduct.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Misa Bharti on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image was removed from Covid-19 vaccine certificates as he feared “defamation” now that “doubtful results of the vaccine are coming out.”
“It is the Prime Minister's old habit to take credit of any work. Now, doubtful results of the Corona vaccine are coming out. Therefore, fearing defamation, his picture has been removed from the vaccine certificates,” Bharti said at a press meet in Bihar's Danapur.
She also credited the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) with making people aware of why an investigation was needed into the Covid-19 vaccination.
“The general public is being aware made by leaders of the Mahagathbandhan. The Corona vaccination should be investigated at every level. Strict action should be taken against the culprits,” the RJD candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency, further said.
To be sure, the Prime Minister's photo has been removed due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that is in place for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The PM's image was removed in early 2022 as well, when assembly elections were held in five states: Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
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Netizens react
Another social media user, Santosh Iyer, also said the same, “Yes, you are correct. I checked and find that Modi's photo is no longer visible on the covid vaccination certificates ! Ha!Ha!Ha! [sic]."
“It is because MCC. If he comes back to power again you will find his photo [sic]," one more person commented.
“Sir, expect you to not mislead people. This has nothing to do with what you are hinting at. It is due to model code of conduct and ECI guidelines. In all poll bound states the photo was removed even…[sic]," the fourth user reacted.
“It was removed earlier also if you gave ID as passport for international travel. That was done after many country immigration confused the picture with the picture of visitor and refused to let him in [sic]," the fifth user said.
