Muslims to support anti-polio drive in Godhra despite wild rumours

Vadodara, Nov 4 (UNI) The Muslim community in the communally sensitive Godhra town have decided to extend full support to district health authorities for their anti-polio drive on November 12 even as an anonymous Urdu magazine warned members of the community that the vaccine might cause impotency and sterility.

Rejecting the magazine- Tamir-e-Hayat's claim as ''baseless'', Godhra-based Muslim Ghanchi Samaj Punch president Firdosh Kothi today said the move was aimed at further dividing the two communities and defaming the Muslims of Godhra.

''We had a meeting with senior district and health officials on the issue and have resolved to fully support the immunization programme across the district for its cent per cent success,'' Mr Kothiu said and clarified that no Fatwa had ever been issued through the anonymous magazine against taking polio drops as reported in some section of the press.

When contacted, incharge Panchmahals district collector Mamta Verma said the authorities had launched a people's awareness campaign to counter the misinformation spread due to circulation of some copies of the magazine in minority-dominated areas of Godhra town in the last few days.

''Our officials are discussing the issue with different minority community leaders and have taken all possible steps to cover every child below the age of five in the next round of immunisation drive slated for November 12,'' Ms Verma said.

Claiming that anti-polio drive had given good result in Panchmahals, Ms Verma hoped that immunisation would be cent per cent despite all this misinformation campaign.

The four-page anonymous Lucknow-based magazine had virtually kept the district officials on toes as it claimed that the imported vaccine leads to impotency. The issue soon snowballed into a controversity after a vernacular daily termed the article as a Fatwa.

UNI SS KU VD VV1458