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Second case of Monkeypox confirmed in India, both patients are from Kerala

OpIndia Staff
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Second case of Monkeypox confirmed in India, both patients are from Kerala

On July 17, Kerala confirmed the second case of Monkeypox in the state as well as the country. The 31-year-old male patient who had been found infected with the disease had returned to Kannur from Dubai on July 13. In a statement, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the condition of the infected person is stable. He was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kannur, and all his primary contacts are under observation.

The first case of the disease in India was reported by Kerala on July 14. The first patient was a 35-year-old male who had returned from UAE. As soon as the case was confirmed, the Centre sent a multi-disciplinary team to collaborate with the state authorities to curb the disease. Fourteen districts have been alerted, and help desks have been set up at four airports.

What is Monkeypox?

It is a zoonotic viral disease. It has symptoms similar to smallpox. However, scientists say that the clinical severity of Monkeypox is lesser compared to smallpox. World Health Organization describes it as a self-limited disease. Its symptoms can last for up to two to four weeks. It has a fatality rate of 4-6 per cent.

How does Monkeypox spread?

It can spread in humans via close contact with the infected person or animal. It spreads through lesions, respiratory droplets, body fluids, and contaminated materials such as clothes, bedding, etc.

What are the symptoms of Monkeypox?

Common symptoms of Monkeypox include headache, fever, backache, muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, chills, and rashes. The rashes look like blisters, and they appear on the face, inside the mouth, and in other parts of the body.

It has been declared endemic in the west and central African countries, including the Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Currently, the majority of cases outside the African continent are found in the European region at 86%, and the Americas reported the second largest number of patients at 11%.

Ace England all-rounder Ben Stokes announces his retirement from ODI cricket, will play last match against South Africa at his home ground in Durham

OpIndia Staff
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Ace England all-rounder Ben Stokes announces his retirement from ODI cricket, will play last match against South Africa at his home ground in Durham

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from the 50 overs format of the game. Stokes will play his last One Day International at his home ground of Durham against the visiting South African team on Tuesday, 19th of July. Stokes will continue to play T20s, and the Test matches, where he is the captain of the England side.

Sharing his decision via his Twitter account, Stokes said that the three formats are unsustainable for him now. He said that his body just can’t keep up with the schedule of all three formats and what is expected of the players. He also mentioned that he didn’t want to take up the place of another player who can give his all for the team and the captain, Jos Buttler.

Having made his debut against Ireland in 2011, Ben Stokes has played 104 games for England in the format so far, with his 105th game set to be his last ODI. So far, Stokes has scored 2,919 runs at an average of 39.45 with 3 centuries and also taken 74 wickets at an average of 41.8.

The hero of the 2019 World Cup final

Ben Stokes’ greatest performance in the format came in the biggest ODI game in England’s history. After decades of under-performances and heart-breaks at the World Cup, England finally managed to win the premier event in 2019 and Stokes was the star of the show on the day.

Coming into bat with his team in trouble at 71/3 while chasing the victory target of 242, Stokes scored a fine 84 off just 96 balls as he took England right to the doorstep of victory. He couldn’t get them over the line in the regulation 50 overs as the scores ended up tied after a last-ball runout but he took England to super over where the team won after yet another tie thanks to their superior boundary count.

‘Earlier Hindus thronged the premises, distributed food, and money’: Dewan of Delhi’s Nizamuddin dargah says Hindu visitors have decreased by 60% in the past year

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‘Earlier Hindus thronged the premises, distributed food, and money’: Dewan of Delhi’s Nizamuddin dargah says Hindu visitors have decreased by 60% in the past year

According to Ali Musa Nizami, the Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah’s Dewan, the number of Hindu visitors to the Dargah has dramatically decreased over the last year. He said that the number has gone down by almost 60 percent during that period. The 84-year-old Dewan, who has been associated with the dargah for several years, asserted that fewer Hindus are now visiting the dargah as a result of the ‘propagation of hatred’, which he believed will only increase with time.

Nizami stated that many Hindus used to visit the dargah every day in the past. From 2 in the afternoon to almost 11 at night, the Hindus use to throng the dargah, hold bhandara, and distribute food and money amongst the needy, but that is not the case anymore.

Hindus have disappeared from the streets leading to Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah

On July 17 (Sunday), OpIndia visited the dargah to assess how much of Nizami’s assertion is credible. There was a lot of activity when our team reached the main road and walked through the path leading to the dargah. However, no Hindus were in sight. Neither on the route to the dargah nor inside the dargah. Similarly, when our team left the dargah after spending nearly two hours there, the situation was exactly the same.

Numerous people told us that this place is bustling until two in the morning. No one, however, was willing to admit on camera that, like Ajmer’s dargah, here too the number of visitors has decreased, impacting the local residents’ livelihood. Initially, the Dewan had also kept insisting that the dargah draws visitors from all religious communities, be it Hindus, Muslims, or Sikhs. However, later, as he started opening up, he acknowledged that the number of Hindu visitors coming to the dargah had, indeed, reduced drastically.

There was a time when Hindus visited the Dargah in large numbers but things are different now

The decline in Hindu pilgrims to the dargah, according to Nizami, was not sudden. This has been a steady trend for approximately a year. He claimed that this is because it is widely believed among Hindus that the dargah is actually a grave. The Hindus are being told that instead of doing a prostration here, they should instead pay visits to Hindu temples.

He further said that Hindus are kindhearted people but this sort of propaganda is making them hateful towards Muslims.

When asked about the recent controversy regarding the former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, the brutal murder of the Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, and the impact of the provocative statements by people associated with Ajmer dargah, he said that all this keeps happening. “Conflict over religion is a constant among people. The dargah, however, conveys a message of peace and love,” said the Dewan.

“Due to long-standing animosity among them, the number of Hindus coming to these areas has decreased”, he said.

The Nizamuddin Markaz of the Tablighi Jamaat, which became a Coronavirus hotspot in early 2020 is also located en route to the dargah. The Dewan said that only Muslims visit the Markaz while the Dargah is open to people from all religions. He added that the number of visitors to the Dargah has reduced because false propaganda is being spread against it.

When questioned whether the shops of the Hindus which operated on the street leading up to the dargah, still exist, Nizami refused to answer. He, however, smirked and said, “My servant is a Hindu. There are many Hindus serving here.”

Odisha: Congress MLA Md Moquim votes for BJP’s Draupadi Murmu, PCC considers disciplinary action

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: Congress MLA Md Moquim votes for BJP’s Draupadi Murmu, PCC considers disciplinary action

On Monday (July 18), Odisha Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim flouted party directives and voted for BJP’s Presidential nominee Draupadi Murmu.

The development was confirmed by Moquim after casting his vote for the Presidential election. While speaking to ANI, he said, “I am a Congress MLA but I have voted for NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.”

“It’s my personal decision as I’ve listened to my heart which guided me to do something for the soil and that’s why voted for her,” he emphasised.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Sarat Pattanayak has stated that the matter will be taken up with the party high command and appropriate action will be taken against Mohammed Moquim. It is notable here that Congress has only 9 MLAs and only 1 MP in the state. Moquim is the MLA from Barabati-Cuttack constituency.

Speaking to media, Moquim told that he voted for Murmu because she is from Odisha and as an Odia, his conscience told him to support her.

Last month, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had appealed to State MLAs, across party lines, to vote in favour of Draupadi Murmu.

In a tweet, he said, “Appeal all the members of Odisha Legislative Assembly, cutting across party lines, to extend unanimous support to elect the daughter of Odisha – Smt Draupadi Murmu to the country’s highest office.”

On June 15 this year, the Election Commission announced the date for the election of the 15th President of India. As per rules, the election was held before the expiry of the term of the incumbent President.

Given that President Ram Nath Kovind will vacate his office on July 24, the Election Commission had fixed the date of the election on July 18, 2022. The Opposition has declared Yashwant Sinha as their Presidential candidate while the BJP-led NDA has fielded tribal leader Draupadi Murmu, the former governor of Jharkhand.

The votes for the Presidential election will be counted on July 21 this year.

Supreme Court calls FIRs against Zubair a ‘vicious cycle’: Directs UP police not to take any precipitative steps without their permission

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court calls FIRs against Zubair a ‘vicious cycle’: Directs UP police not to take any precipitative steps without their permission

A Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud issued an order today ordering Uttar Pradesh Police to refrain from taking any precipitation action against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair until July 20. The court further noted in the order that it will hear the matter again on July 20 and will assess Zubair’s bail application in all 5 cases filed in UP.

On Monday, SC agreed to hear Mohammad Zubair’s appeal to dismiss six FIRs that had been filed against him in Uttar Pradesh. Zubair is a co-founder of Alt News. Through his lawyer Vrinda Grover, Zubair requested SC to immediately list his case for the quashing of FIRs that had been lodged against him in many districts of Uttar Pradesh for inciting religious feelings and derogatory remarks against Hindus. The constitution of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the UP government to look into the six cases has also been contested in the plea.

Notably, on Saturday, July 16, 2022, a sessions court in Mohammadi, Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, rejected co-founder of Alt News Mohammed Zubair’s petition for bail in the Sudarshan News fact-check case. A hearing on police custody remand is scheduled for July 20.

The Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into all the accusations against Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair. Over half a dozen FIRs under various sections of the Indian Penal Code have been filed against Mohammed Zubair for his defamatory comments against Hindu seers, hurting religious sentiments by sharing disparaging posts against Hindu Gods, and making critical remarks against News anchors among other things.

After being apprehended by Delhi police on June 27, in connection with an FIR lodged against him for allegedly inciting religious sentiments through a tweet sent in 2018, Zubair is now being held in Tihar jail.

Watch: Hindus celebrate the first Monday of Shravan, mesmerizing visuals from across the country

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Hindus celebrate the first Monday of Shravan, mesmerizing visuals from across the country

On July 18, Hindus across India celebrated the first Monday of Shravan or Savan Maas (month). Shravan is the fifth month in the Hindu calendar, it is considered auspicious as it is dedicated to Bhagwan Shiv. This year, Shravan month started on July 14, and it will end on August 12. There are four Mondays in Shravan month this year. Mondays are dedicated to Bhagwan Shiv, and thus Mondays falling in the month of Shravan are often seen as the holiest days, especially by Shiv devotees.

During the month of Shravan, the Shiv devotees take out Kanwad Yatra, where they travel on foot and get water in pitchers from River Ganga. Devotees often observe fast on Mondays during the month of Shravan, especially unmarried women. Interestingly, some devotees keep fast on Tuesdays as well as during Shravan, Tuesday is considered to be the day of Devi Parvati, wife of Bhagwan Shiv. The Tuesday fast is known as Mangal Gauri Vrat, and devotees seek blessings from both Shiv and Gauri by keeping fast on these two days every week

There are several legends associated with the month of Shravan. From Samudra Manthan to Parvati doing tapasya for Bhagwan Shiv, there are a lot of stories on why this month is dedicated to Bhagwan Shiv.

The legend of Samudra Manthan and Halahal Vish

It is believed that during this month, Samudra Manthan took place, where Devtas and Asurs got together to churn the ocean. During that process, Halahal Vish (the world’s strongest poison) came out, and it was so strong that it started to kill all forms of life on earth. To save the living beings, Bhagwan Shiv drank the poison and stored it in his throat. As a result, his neck became blue, thus the name Neelkanth.

Every year, Devtas and Asurs offer water to Bhagwan Shiv to reduce the poison’s effect. To commemorate Samudra Manthan and Bhagwan Shiv saving the world, the month of Shravan is dedicated to worshiping Bhagwan Shiv.

The story of Devi Parvati’s Tapasya

As per the legends, Devi Sati gave her life after she found out that her father insulted Bhagwan Shiv (her husband) by not inviting him to auspicious Yagna, where all Devtas were present. Devi Sati was reborn as Devi Parvati at the home of Maharaj Himavan (Himalaya).

Devi Parvati did Tapasya during Shravan month to please Bhagwan Shiv as she wanted to marry him. Bhagwan Shiv was pleased by her Tapasya and promised to marry her. They got married on Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Fagun. Their wedding day is celebrated as Maha Shivratri every year.

During Shravan, unmarried women keep fast to find a suitable match like Bhagwan Shiv.

The ‘preserver’ goes to sleep, and the ‘destroyer’ takes charge

Another legend suggests that just four days before Shravan’s month begins, Bhagwan Vishnu, who is known as the preserver of the universe, goes into a deep sleep for four months on Devshayani Ekadashi. As he will be in a deep sleep for four months, Bhagwan Shiva, who is known as the destroyer, takes charge and maintains balance in the universe.

Bhagwan Vishnu will wake up from deep sleep on Prabodhini Ekadashi, which falls eleven days after Diwali in the Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. The first month when Bhagwan Shiv takes charge of the Universe is celebrated in his honour by the devotees.

The mesmerizing Shiv Pooja at 12 Jyotirlinga

There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India, these holy places hold utmost importance for every Shiv devotee. The 12 Jyotirlingas are Somnath at Gir Somnath in Gujarat, Nageshwar at Daarukavanam in Gujarat, Bhimashankar at Pune in Maharashtra, Trimbakeshwar at Nashik in Maharashtra, Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand, Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar at Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, Kashi Vishwanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Kedarnath at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Rameshwaram at Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu, and Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Somnath

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Nageshwar

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Trimbakeshwar

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Grishneshwar

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Vaidyanath

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Mahakaleshwar

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Omkareshwar

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Kashi Vishwanath

Visuals of Shravan Somvar celebrations at Kedarnath

Rajasthan: Hindu student in Asind, hometown of Kanhaiya Lal’s killer, receives death threats from Islamist over Facebook post

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Hindu student in Asind, hometown of Kanhaiya Lal’s killer, receives death threats from Islamist over Facebook post

In a frightening incident, Narayan Gurjar, a 23-year-old student from Asind in Bhilwara district in Rajasthan, received death threats from an Islamist after posting a video on his Facebook profile. Narayan has approached the local police station and submitted a complaint leading to the registration of an FIR over the issue.

After posting a video of himself discussing the Hindu faith on Facebook, Narayan Gurjar received a threatening comment on his post from an account named Mehfooz Mansoor. Mehfooz said, “Ek Gardan Nikal Gayi Hai, Shanti Se Nahi Baithenge (One has been beheaded, will not stay silent).” Along with the comment, a photo of the murderers of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur was also posted below the timeline post.

OpIndia spoke to Narayan, who has been terrified since receiving the threat. Narayan stated that he is a B.Ed student who spends most of his time studying. He also stated that he has never gotten involved in any religious debates or insulted anyone by making disparaging remarks. Narayan’s family has been horrified by the threat he got referring to Kanhaiya Lal’s beheading.

Narayan said that his complaint has been acknowledged by the police and an FIR has been lodged. Police protection is also being provided to Narayan and his family.

ASI of Asind police station in Bhilwara said, “The man has filed an FIR and we are taking the help of our technical team to trace the person named Mehfooz Mansoor. However, his profile is now deactivated. We are taking all possible help from the technical staff. Protection has been provided to the family of Narayan Gurjar as well.”

Kanhaiya Lal’s murderer hails from Asind

It is worth noting that Riyaz Jabbar, the Islamist who beheaded tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, is a native of Asind in Bhilwara who relocated to Udaipur 20 years ago. Riyaz’s family has claimed that they have no idea where Riyaz Jabbar has lived all these years, when and with whom he married, or what he did for a living. Following the death of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, a large police presence was stationed outside Riyaz Jabbar’s residence in Asind.

VP candidate Margaret Alva spills the beans about Sonia Gandhi’s ill-treatment of former PM Narasimha Rao, her old clip goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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VP candidate Margaret Alva spills the beans about Sonia Gandhi’s ill-treatment of former PM Narasimha Rao, her old clip goes viral

A day after veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva was appointed as the Vice-Presidential candidate by the United Opposition, a video clip of her interview with India Today has gone viral on social media.

The contentious interview was given by her to ‘journalist’ Karan Thapar in July 2016. Margaret Alva had accused Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi of insulting former Indian Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.

Thapar said, “There is a real sense from your book that Sonia Gandhi got her revenge. You were General Secretary and you saw how Narasimha Rao’s body was treated by Congress and Sonia was then Congress President.”

“The gun carriage bearing Narasimha’s body was not allowed to enter the AICC headquarters. Instead, it was parked on the pavement outside the gates, with chairs for party leaders outside the gate,” he read out an excerpt from Margaret Alva’s book titled ‘Courage & Commitment: An Autobiography.’

The Vice-Presidential nominee had clarified, “Whatever the differences, he had been the Prime Minister, Congress President, Chief Minister and party’s General Secretary. He had done a wonderful job, except for the Babri Masjid and the mess up with it.”

“When a man is dead, you don’t treat him that way. And I was hurt. I have always regretted not walking away on that occasion but I did not want to insult his body by walking away,” she informed.

Margaret Alva, however, conceded that she did not raise the issue with Sonia Gandhi and had only confided about it to her party colleagues. “This is not the way to treat a dead leader,” she said.

During the interview, she also revealed that there is no picture of PV Narasimha Rao in the Congress headquarters, although the walls are adorned with pictures of other party leaders.

The veteran Congress politician also nodded in affirmation when Karan Thapar pointed out that Narasimha Rao was not given the honour of a cremation or burial in the National Capital.

Indignities meted out to PV Narsimha Rao under Congress

It is not a hidden fact that Sonia Gandhi loathed P.V. Narasimha Rao enough to not allow his mortal remains to enter the AICC (All India Congress Committee) compound. His body stayed parked in a carriage outside the gate.

PV Narasimha Rao, who Manmohan Singh hails as the “father of economic reforms in India” did not even receive a state funeral. In fact, a leader like Sanjay Gandhi, who presided over horrendous programs such as forced sterilisation during the Emergency was honoured with a state funeral and a samadhi in Delhi.

However, PV Narasimha Rao was not considered by the Congress leadership, headed by Sonia Gandhi, of worthy enough to deserve a state funeral and a samadhi in Delhi. Sonia Gandhi, it is believed, was ‘upset‘ about the way the investigation of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination had proceeded.

Even before his demise, Rao was subjected to humiliation and abasement that did not seem proper for a senior AICC member and the former Prime Minister of India. Rao passed away on 23rd December 2004.

On 27th December 2004, M D Nalapat, an Indian academic and columnist wrote (emphasis added): “In fact, despite being a former AICC president and a prime minister, Narasimha Rao was not just excluded from the Congress Working Committee since the current heir to the Nehru dynasty took charge of the party in 1998, he was not even allowed to become one of the numerous ‘special invitees’, most of whom get selected for their cheerleader skills rather than any other contribution.”

Following his death, Nalapat claimed that despite calling a special Union Cabinet meeting at 3 pm to discuss the subject of Rao’s funera. No arrangements were made at his 9 Motilal Nehru Marg to receive the body and place it on a platform.

Neither flowers nor carpets were laid out by the Congress administration for the mourning crowds to sit on.

Expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal releases video footage, repeats claim of attack on PCR van outside his house after Delhi Police said it was an accident

OpIndia Staff
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Expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal releases video footage, repeats claim of attack on PCR van outside his house after Delhi Police said it was an accident

The ex-BJP leader Naveen Jindal released video footage on Monday, July 18, to reiterate his claims that the police van stationed outside his house was attacked by extremists and the windows of the PCR van were broken.

In his Tweet, he provided a precise timeline of how things unfolded on the night of the attack. He alleged that at around 12.09 am, three youths came and stood behind the PCR (Police Control Room) patrolling van for some time. After that, at around 12.15 am a speeding tempo approached the PCR van. The tempo deliberately rammed the PCR from behind with one of its open doors and sped off. Hearing the loud noise, the cops deployed in his house rushed out to check. They came back inside after not finding anyone outside. Minutes later, at around 12.28 am, the same three youths who were seen hovering around the PCR before the incident, came back. They checked the police van and left.

In his subsequent Tweet, the former BJP leader, who has been receiving threats over social media since his comments were made viral, wondered why only the police van was targetted out of the 60-70 vehicles that were parked in the lane. He further alleged that some police officers’ ineptness led to the Home Ministry being misinformed.

It may be recalled that after Jindal put out his Tweet yesterday (July 17) alleging that the PCR van standing outside his house was attacked, the Delhi police released a statement wherein they stated that the glass of the PCR van was shattered because of a spinning stone from a vehicle passing by and there was no such attack.

Naveen Jindal, had, in fact, also written to the SHO of the Laxmi Nagar police station in Delhi on July 17, to inform them about the incident. In his letter, he reiterated the same claims he made on Twitter on July 17 and 18. He raised concerns about his and his family’s life being under severe threat. He stated that he has already submitted six complaints with sufficient evidence and urged the SHO to take appropriate and swift action in his case.

SS of the letter Naveen Jindal wrote to SHO after the PCR van incident

Notably, on Sunday (July 17), former BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal Tweeted, “My family is under the constant instant threat from Islamic jihadists for a month now. I have written to the Delhi police on several occasions in the past month.”

Jindal further added, “A PCR (Police Control Room) patrolling van and a cop has been deployed outside my house. Yesterday night, jihadists broke the glass windows of the van and sent a message.”

He requested the Delhi Police Commissioner to take appropriate steps to ensure his safety and that of his family.

Along with national spokesperson Nupur Sharma, Naveen Jindal was expelled from the BJP due to a tweet that was allegedly disparaging the Prophet Muhammad. Since his comments went viral after being translated into Arabic, he has received threats via social media. Jindal has received multiple Direct Messages threatening to kill him as soon as he leaves the house.

As India reached the 200 crore doses milestone, here is how politicians and the media had fuelled vaccine hesitancy and wild claims

Dibakar Dutta
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As India reached the 200 crore doses milestone, here is how politicians and the media had fuelled vaccine hesitancy and wild claims

On Sunday (July 17), India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage crossed an important milestone of the 200 crore mark. With this, India has become the second country after China to have administered over 2 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to its population.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked, “India creates history again! Congrats to all Indians on crossing the special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses.”

He further added, “Proud of those who contributed to making India’s vaccination drive unparalleled in scale and speed. This has strengthened the global fight against COVID-19.”

It must be mentioned that the historic feat was achieved despite a concerted effort by Opposition political parties and leftist media to derail the nationwide vaccination programme.

While some opposed the immunisation drive to turn around their political fortunes, others targetted the vaccine manufacturers in a bid to demoralise them. One of the strategies employed by them was discrediting the indigenous Covaxin vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech.

The government approved its emergency use in the month of January 2021. Using this as the primary tool for propaganda, Congress leaders such as Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, and Chhattisgarh health Minister TS Singh Deo trivialised the vaccination drive altogether.

This is despite the fact that Covishield (developed by Oxford-Astrazeneca) and manufactured by Serum Institue of India (SII) was primarily used until Covaxin completed the third phase trials (with 81% efficacy).

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav had gone even a step further to claim that he could not trust ‘BJP’s vaccine’. He claimed that he would only get vaccinated when his government is formed after the next election (which he eventually lost).

Lawyer-turned-activist Prashant Bhushan had discouraged the Indian government in early February from procuring the Covershield vaccine from a private company, the Serum Institute of India (SII).

He had blamed the government for supposedly splurging ₹35,000 crore funds for Coronavirus vaccines at a time when the pandemic is ‘naturally dying down’ in India.

One of the key roles played in the dissemination of vaccine hesitancy had been the pivotal role played by a section of the media. The Print was at the forefront of such a campaign.

Through its articles, it cast aspersions on the approval process for Covishield and Covaxin and propagated apprehensions about their safety and efficacy. It even insinuated that doctors were having doubts over the efficacy of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Leftist propaganda site The Wire too published articles that played a part in promoting vaccine hesitancy.

Casting doubts over which the vaccines were approved, and by extension questioning the efficacy of the vaccines, The Wire published an article whose headline read: “India has gained two vaccines but its regulators have tarnished Indian Science”.

The article argued that none of the two—Covishield and Covaxin—have presented the requisite data needed for approval and yet they were permitted for emergency usage by the Drugs Controller General of India.

Screengrab of the news report by The Wire

They collectively led a nefarious online campaign to create panic and cast aspersions on the efficacy of the Coronavirus vaccine. This had aggravated the situation, with many refusing to be jabbed against the Wuhan Coronavirus.

The continued effort at creating this ‘vaccine hesitancy’ had endangered the lives of countless people. However, regardless of all the propaganda, misinformation, assumptions and aspersions, India has achieved what no country (other than China) has achieved so far.

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