Raipur: Congress ruled Chhattisgarh government has removed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo on Covid vaccination certificates and started issuing its own certificate with state chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s photograph for vaccination of the 18-44 age group.
Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo reportedly said, "When Government of India was providing the money and vaccine, they had the Prime Minister’s photograph. If the state government is doing something, then we will use the chief minister’s photograph."
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The minister alleged that the Centre has left it on the states to bear the financial burden to procure vaccines and thus, the state government has launched its own vaccine website ‘CGTEEKA’ for vaccination and also, issued separate vaccine certificates, with CM's photograph instead of PM Modi.
According to the report, Chhattisgarh's BJP leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik opposed Baghel government's approach of using picture of chief minister over Prime Minster Modi’s picture.
"It is a standard practice of Chhattisgarh government to take undue credit over Centre’s schemes. Though it is Centre’s decision that states must procure vaccine, but when the vaccination drive for 18 plus age group is Centre’s decision, then states should consider to use Prime Minister’s picture," Kaushik said.
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It is to be noted that the development has come two days after Jharkhand replaced the photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with that of its Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the Covid-19 vaccine certificates. Earlier this week, the Jharkhand government issued new vaccine certificates with CM Soren’s photo on it in place of PM Modi's.
Earlier, even Maharashtra govt urged the Centre to let the state design its own app and certificates for vaccination.