Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh swap PM Modi's pic with CMs, party chiefs on vaccine certificates

The Congress-ruled state of Chhattisgarh has gone ahead and changed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph on the digital COVID-19 vaccine certificates being issued to beneficiaries. In a choice that is being taken by the Congress-led governments across states, the certificates will now carry the photos of the state party chief and CM Bhupesh Baghel. The Chhattisgarh government on Friday started rolling out its own certificate with the CM’s photo, for vaccination of the age group of 18 to 44 years.

Explaining the choice, Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo said there should be no issue in using the CM’s photograph, as the initiative is being undertaken by the state government. He claimed that the Central government has left it on the states to bear the financial burden of procuring their own vaccines, hence they should issue their own certificates too.

Prior to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand’s coalition government, of which the Congress is an alliance partner, started issuing vaccination certificates with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s photograph on it. Over the previous few months, many Congress leaders have been making a widespread furore over the use of PM Modi’s image on COVID-19 vaccine certificates. There has been a war of words between the Centre and some states over the issue.

Chhattisgarh on Saturday reported 4,943 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 9,41,366. The number of active cases in the state now stands at 76,446. Besides, 61,82,585 people have been vaccinated in the state. 

In the case of Jharkhand, 2,151 fresh cases were logged in on Saturday, taking its tally to 3,27,035. There are 24,499 active cases in the state and the number of inoculated individuals is 38,75,530.

Maharashtra wants a separate vaccine registration app

Last week, Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik had urged the Centre to let Maharashtra design its own application for vaccine registration, asserting that the state will not remove PM Modi’s photo from the certificates. Malik claimed that glitches in the CoWIN portal, designed by the Union government, were making it difficult for people to register themselves and book a slot for the vaccine.

Back in March, the Union Health Ministry had removed PM Modi's photo from COVID-19 vaccine certificates in the poll-bound states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The decision was made under the direction of the Election Commission of India (ECI) after Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress complained to the poll panel that it violated the Model Code of Conduct.