KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has observed that the plea for removing the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the COVID vaccination certificate is a very dangerous proposition.
Justice N Nagaresh made the observation when the petition filed by Peter Mayaliparambil, Kottayam against depicting PMs photo in the certificate came up for hearing.
When the case came up for hearing, the court orally observed that "This is a very dangerous proposition. Tomorrow someone can come here and protest that they don't like Mahatma Gandhi, and seek the removal of the image from our currency saying it's their blood and sweat and they don't want to see his face on it. What will happen then?"
Then the counsel replied that the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was printed on currency as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Regulations, while the Prime Minister's photograph was not affixed based on any statutory provision.
The centre government counsel sought more time to file a statement in the matter and the Court posted the case to be taken up on November 23.
The petition stated that a photograph of the Prime Minister on the Covid-19 vaccination Certificate serves no utility. It is a certificate issued merely to confirm the status of vaccination of a person. The photograph of the Prime Minister has no relevance in such a certificate as can be seen from such certificates issued by other countries. Any additional messaging or motivation in a certificate is irrelevant as the recipient of the certificate is already convinced of its utility and has taken the vaccination voluntarily. Further messaging in a certificate is no more than ‘preaching to the converted.’
The petitioner has paid for his vaccination. There is no subsidy or largesse of the government in providing the vaccination. In fact, it was the non-availability of free vaccine slots that led to the petitioner opting for the paid vaccination. The state has no right to claim the credit by inserting a photograph of the Prime Minister in the certificate issued to a paid vaccine recipient. Even if the photograph of the Prime Minister carries with it a mere motivational message, the petitioner wants to be spared of it, stated in the petition.