PM Narendra Modi’s Photo Removed From Covid Vaccine Certificates, Here’s Why

The Union health ministry has updated the CoWIN certificates for Covid-19 vaccinations, removing the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Previously, these certificates prominently featured Modi’s image along with a quote affirming India’s collective resolve to conquer coronavirus. While the quote – “Together, India will defeat COVID-19” – remains attributed to the prime minister, his name has been omitted from the certificates, The Hindu reported.

Following vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca’s admission in a UK court, discussions on Covishield’s potential association with Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a rare side effect involving blood clotting, have resurfaced. In India, many have examined their vaccination certificates in light of this development.

Some users on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) noticed a significant change: the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph on the Covid-19 vaccination certificates issued in India. X user Sandeep Manudhane said, “Modi ji no more visible on COVID Vaccine certificates. Just downloaded to check – yes, his pic is gone.”

Another user, Irfan Ali, who identified himself as a Congress functionary, said, “Yes, I just checked and PM Modi’s photo has disappeared and there is only QR code instead of his photo.”

Reason for Removal

Officials from the ministry of health and family welfare told ThePrint on Tuesday that the image was removed from the vaccine certificate due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in place for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Modi’s photo was removed from Covid vaccination certificates.

In 2022, Modi’s photograph was also removed from vaccination certificates issued in five states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, and Goa. This action was mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in preparation for the assembly elections in those states.

Controversies and Responses

The inclusion of Modi’s picture on vaccination certificates had previously sparked a row in 2021, which escalated to the Kerala high court. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan had remarked in response to the contention that certificates issued in other countries did not carry the photos of elected leaders, “They may not be proud of their PMs, we are proud of our PM.”

Congress’s Demand for Compensation

The opposition Congress has alleged that the BJP government at the Centre did not follow the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and demanded that the relatives of those who died due to heart attack or similar reasons after taking the Covishield vaccine against coronavirus should be paid compensation. Doctors associated with the Gujarat BJP, however, said a study by an expert panel in the state had established that there was no direct link between Covid-19 vaccines and blood clotting which can lead to heart attacks.

In India, AstraZeneca partnered with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to produce the vaccine. Gujarat Congress president and Rajya Sabha member Shaktisinh Gohil sought to know why data was not collected despite WHO’s advisory.