PM Modi: Ensured VIP culture doesn't overpower Covid-19 vaccination drive

“The ‘Sabko vaccine, muft vaccine’ (free vaccine for all) initiative was started by taking everyone along. The country had one mantra- if the Covid-19 disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in vaccination too. Hence, it was ensured that the VIP culture does not overpower the vaccination drive,” Prime Minister Modi said on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday the Centre ensured that the VIP (very important person) culture did not overpower the ongoing vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), adding that beneficiaries, irrespective of their position and wealth, would be vaccinated just like any other citizen of India.

On October 21, India administered over a billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to eligible beneficiaries. (HT file photo)

Addressing the nation a day after the country achieved a record feat of over a billion vaccinations, Modi said, “The ‘Sabko vaccine, muft vaccine’ (free vaccine for all) initiative was started by taking everyone along. The country had one mantra- if the Covid-19 disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in vaccination too. Hence, it was ensured that the VIP culture does not overpower the vaccination drive.”

The Prime Minister said at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, fears started arising that it would be very difficult for a democracy like India to fight this pandemic.

“It was being said for India and its citizens, how so much control and discipline will work here. But for us, democracy means everyone's support,” he said.

During his address on Friday, PM Modi also threw light on the topic of vaccine hesitancy, which is still being discussed across the world. Modi said that in many developed nations, vaccine hesitancy is a big challenge.

“It was also said that a majority of Indians would not take the vaccine. But, with the administering of a billion vaccine doses, the citizens of the country have silenced such people,” he also said.

India began its vaccination drive in January this year and it took nine months to administer more than one billion doses. Until now, only China had managed to administer these many doses.

On Friday, Modi changed his photo on his Twitter profile to highlight this landmark achievement. "Congratulations India-100 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses administered," his profile photo on the microblogging site read.