Unraveling Falsehoods: Setting the Record Straight on India's Vaccination Program
Misa Bharti, a leader from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party, has made unfounded claims. She stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture was removed from Covid-19 vaccine certificates due to "defamation" fears and alleged "doubtful results" from the vaccines. These assertions are misleading and disseminate incorrect information about India’s successful vaccination program. The removal of the Prime Minister’s photograph from vaccine certificates is a standard practice during election periods to adhere to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). This temporary measure ensures a fair playing field for all political parties and prevents the misuse of government resources for electoral gains. The Prime Minister’s image was also removed from vaccine certificates during the state elections held in early 2022 across five states – Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. This practice has been consistently followed by successive governments to uphold th...