Karnataka District's 'No Vaccination, No Ration or Pension' Plan Revoked After Backlash
New Delhi: The deputy commissioner of a Karnataka district has been forced to revoke planned drives as part of which people will not be given rations or pension if they have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 after backlash.
The news agency ANI on Tuesday tweeted two quotes from the Chamarajanagar district deputy commissioner, M.R. Ravi, in which he noted that vaccination will be compulsory for two separate groups of over 2 lakh people.
As part of the 'no vaccination, no ration' drive, Below Poverty Line and Antyodyaya card holders in the district who wish to avail themselves of free rations will now have to compulsorily be vaccinated. This group is 2.9 lakh strong, Ravi said.
We've launched a drive with the slogan 'no vaccination, no ration'. To avail ration facility, the BPL & anthyodaya cardholders, around 2.9 lakhs in number, will need to take vaccine compulsorily: MR Ravi, Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka pic.twitter.com/wOl5tQV5ye
— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021
BPL cards are held by extremely poor households who get to purchase foodgrains at reduced prices every month.
The Antodyaya Anna Yojana card is given to the "poorest of the poor", who are given the opportunity to buy larger amounts of rice and wheat for Rs 3 per kilogram and Rs 2 per kilogram.
Ravi also said that a 'no vaccination, no pension' drive will be kickstarted under which the 2.2 lakh pensioners in the district will also be unable to get their pensions without having been inoculated. "We have instructed all the banks in this regard," he said.
We've also given the slogan of 'no vaccination, no pension'. We have around 2.20 lakh pensioners in (Chamarajanagar) district. We have instructed all the banks in this regard. These measures are part of our efforts to vaccinate everyone in the district: Chamarajanagar DC MR Ravi
— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021
The planned move came under severe criticism, especially from the opposition Congress.
Congress leader in Karnataka D.K. Shivakumar tweeted asking after the total number of vaccines available, noting that denying people food and pension is illegal.
In Chamarajanagar, the BJP Govt says it won’t give ration or pension to those not vaccinated.
But are there enough vaccines?
Have they persuaded people to take vaccines?Such denial of basic food and pension is illegal, unethical, unconstitutional.https://t.co/JVqfkrpGKb
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 31, 2021
Trinamool Congress member and RTI activist Saket Gokhale has tweeted that he will be filing an RTI to find out if there was enough vaccines in the district to merit such an incentive at the cost of "starving" poor people.
Will be filing an RTI to find out the total vaccine stock available this week in Chamarajanagar District.
If the number is even 1 digit below 2.9 lakhs, this genius Deputy Commissioner has a lot of answering to do for trying to starve poor people. https://t.co/rkI37bikhU
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) September 1, 2021
While the efforts are aimed to ensure full vaccination of the district's residents, they run afoul of concerns voiced by courts over denial of essentials to people by linking it to the vaccine. Later in the day, Indian Express reported that the directive had been pulled back.
Vaccination is still voluntary in India and according to the Union health ministry, "...it is advisable to receive the complete schedule of Covid-19 vaccine for protecting oneself against this disease and also to limit the spread of this disease to close contacts including family members, friends, relatives and co-workers.”
Several educational institutions and services have made it mandatory for students and employees to be vaccinated in order to resume classes and employment in person. However, they have not been tied to government schemes until now.
Hearing a petition asking for data on vaccine trials, the Supreme Court had recently refused to offer interim relief from compulsory jabs.
In July, the Manipur high court had pronounced illegal the practice of denying livelihood to people by linking their employment to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Meghalaya high court had similarly said in late June that forcible administration of vaccines goes against the “fundamental purpose of welfare” attached to vaccination. Bhushan referred to the Meghalaya high court judgment in the apex court, as well as a Gauhati high court judgment on similar lines.
Note: This article was originally published on September 1, 2021 and updated and republished on September 2, 2021 after the move was withdrawn.
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