‘No vaccination, no ration’ campaign: Chamarajanagar DC faces flak

Bengaluru, Sep 01: The Chamarajanagar district Deputy Commissioner (DC) M R Ravi has drawn flak for linking COVID-19 vaccination with disbursal of pension and ration.

With his announcement on Tuesday about "No Vaccination, No Ration" and "No Vaccination, No Pension" from September 1 drawing widespread criticism and the Health Minister too stating that it was not the stand of the government, the DC on Wednesday issued a clarification that no official orders have been issued in this regard and there was no question of halting ration or pension.

"...keeping in mind the public interest and to protect lives, from September 1, we will start a programme, under which the beneficiaries should have got vaccinated to get ration, with a slogan No Vaccination, No Ration to eradicate vaccine hesitancy and create awareness," the DC had told reporters on Tuesday, noting that there are about 2.90 lakh beneficiaries under BPL and Antyodaya card in the district.

"Also there will also be No Vaccination, No Pension. There are about 2.20 lakh people in the district who get pension under various schemes in the district, this is to create awareness among them.I have given instructions to all banks in this regard," he had added.

However, Health Minister K Sudhakar clarified that it was not the decision of the government and that he will speak to the DC. "..I'm not aware of it, it is not the government's decision. Mostly the DC locally with an intention to overcome vaccine hesitancy might have taken such a decision. I will speak to the DC. He will also not do it, no officer will do it eventually..." he said.

Meanwhile, Congress Karnataka president D K Shivakumar urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to suspend the officer and file a case against him. "Is he a Chakravarthy (emperor)? The first thing the Chief Minister should do is to suspend him (DC). It is a violation of human rights. A case has to be registered against him. Let them keep him in their (BJP) office if they want," he said.