Tarun Chugh
The world, including India, is in the midst of a dreadful Covid-19 crisis. It has played havoc with families and economies all over the world over the past one and half years. Now, the plausible long-term solution given by the medical experts to contain and check this menace of Corona is vaccination.
On the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, Indian scientists and researchers started working on an antidote of Corona in the form of a vaccine and in a record time period, India got two vaccinations, Covidshield and Covaxin, ready for the people. All credit to Indian scientists, biologists and research experts, India was able to make its own vaccine by the name Covaxin. Prepared by Bharat Biotech it is administered to prevent coronavirus. Phase 3 clinical trials result shows vaccine efficacy of whopping 81%.
Ideally, there should have been a unanimity and consensus on the administering of the vaccination. Everyone should be encouraged to get vaccinated irrespective of the streams of political-ideology one subscribes to. In fact, there should have been no politics on the matter. Each and every political and social influencer should build a positive narrative for it .“Intellectuals, media and intelligentsia have a very crucial role in building up a narrative for the vaccination. People follow them and are influenced and shaped by their ideas.
However, it is a matter of regret that the Opposition political parties have been trying to score political points in the vaccination campaign. Instead of trying to build a national consensus in this moment of crisis, the Opposition parties have been trying to spread panic and fear in the society by questioning the vaccination campaign.
Surprisingly yet ironically, the opposition party and some sections of society have made it their duty to oppose everything that the Centre tried to do for the public welfare. A false narrative has been created to oppose even this delicate issue of life and health of citizens. It has led to disinformation and misinformation among the people who stand confused at the end.
During the first phase the Government was questioned as to why vaccination has not been developed, or why not develop it at a speedy-phase. In this phase, the role of Government and the ability of the Indian scientists was questioned raising false concerns like lack of funds, lack of capacity and capabilities of the Indian scientists, lack of resources and lack of overall budgetary support.
In the second phase when the Indian scientist developed a vaccine of its own in the name of Covaxin and also the Government allowed the use of Covidshield prepared by Serum Institute of Pune, a narrative of efficacy of the vaccinations was projected. It was questioned as to why the approval was given so fast or in the 3rd phase or even the size of data of clinical trials was questioned by these ‘experts’ in the social media. Also, the vaccination developed by other countries was highlighted and India’s ability was again questioned. It was said that this is insufficient data and this vaccination cannot be relied upon. Many articles were written in newspapers against the vaccination and irresponsible statements were made by many leaders of the opposition parties.
In the third phase, when vaccination was ready, a set of false narrative was projected. The very campaign of vaccination was politicized by questioning it from political-perspective rather than from its medical and life-saving utility. Many leaders identified the vaccine with the ruling BJP and some even said that since this is prepared under the leadership of Modi , this vaccine cannot be trusted upon! Some leaders also spread false and half- baked information which was further ‘viraled’ through social-media.
“In the fourth stage which coincided with the rising of corona cases in the aftermath of second-wave, the narrative was set as why the Government is not going fast on vaccination? Why are there not enough vaccinations? It should be made free for all and why given to only a certain age group of people?
What all this led to? This led to utter confusion in the people of India and they were led to think that the vaccination is not safe. A fear-psychosis was created. When the vaccination started, very few people turned up. So much so, in some centers only 5 to 6 people came to the centre leading to huge wastage of vaccination. Due to vaccination-hesitancy, millions of doses were wasted, further projections of orders were delayed and it also weakened the production-capacity.
As of now there are three Vaccines which are available in India, Covaxin, Coviedshield and Sputnik. As per the data released by the Government the results of vaccination is very very promising
*As of today India has vaccinated close to 17.50 Cr people.
* Vaccination is the only panacea. The role of opposition is to be a constructive-opposition i. e to suggest steps instead of opposing for the sake of opposition. It is time to shed political opposition and unite for the cause of the nation.
(The author is National General Secretary BJP)
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