Head I win, tail you lose! Who has not seen PM Modi’s face on Covid vaccination certificates, posters and media advertisements to create an impression as if he is only to be credited for ‘the glory of 150 crore vaccination’ in India. Even the BJP made it an issue during poll campaign in various state assembly elections. Let us not refer to the total chaos, utter mismanagement, shortage of injection vials, whimsical arrangement of inoculation programmes that the common Indians have been victims of during the pandemic which, among other things, resulted in over 40 lakh deaths as claimed by unofficial sources. But this very government is now shrugging off the liability of deaths that occur after vaccination.
The Central Government has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court where they have said that the government cannot be held liable for paying compensations to the families of those who died during administration of Covid19 vaccines. The affidavit came in response to a petition filed by parents of two young women who died due to side-effects after being administered the vaccine last year. The government has a weird argument. It says the vaccines in use under the vaccination programme were manufactured by third parties. Who these third parties are? Are not they the private manufacturers who have made fortunes by selling vaccines at exorbitant prices? Will the government hold the third parties (vaccine manufacturing companies) liable for compensating these bereaved families? The health ministry is silent about that. The affidavit has further claimed that the victims were not forced to take the vaccines; they took it voluntarily.
What an excuse! If that be so, why does the government take credit of vaccination? Why did they crowd the street walls, lampposts, train compartments and media in arrogating to itself the credit? Did the government disclaim their responsibilities prior to the vaccination programme? There is no data about total casualties that occurred after vaccination. Any civilized government worth the name would have preserved such information.
But, in digital India where minutest details of every individual are recorded through various means, how could such an information be missing? No one in government-administration can be made accountable for the answer to such uncomfortable questions. Because they all are Caesar’s wife!
Self-arrogated credit for providing covid vaccination but shrugging off the liability of death
