Muslims who do not believe in COVID-19 vaccines, should go to Pakistan: Uttar Pradesh MLA sparks row

Lucknow, Jan 13: In a recent development, a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh kicked up a controversy by saying that Muslims who do not have faith in the COVID-19 vaccines, developed by the country, should go to Pakistan.

Sangeet Singh Som, the MLA from Sardhana in Meerut district, went on to say the Muslims who do not trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country's scientists should move to Pakistan.

"It's unfortunate that some Muslims do not trust our country, our scientists, our police force and PM Modi. Their soul belongs to Pakistan. They should go to Pakistan and not raise doubt over the work of our scientists," he said when asked about the Muslim community's concern over the use of pork in the coronavirus vaccine.

The BJP leader's statement comes in the light of rumours doing the rounds that the COVID vaccines contain pork gelatin.

The nationwide inoculation drive against the COVID-19 outbreak will kick off on January 16 and priority will be given to the healthcare and the frontline workers, estimated to be around three crore.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the cost of vaccination for one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers would be borne by the Central government in the first phase of the drive.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the country's drugs regulator has given its nod to two coronavirus vaccines - Oxford's Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute in India, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, for restricted emergency use.