THE union government announced “free vaccine for all” on June 7, and a gap of 15 days was kept before its implementation on June 21, to prepare for a countrywide massive propaganda campaign of “Thank You Modiji” in Hindi and “Thank You, PM Modi” in English linked with the vaccination. The propaganda was launched simultaneously by the BJP governments at the centre and states, by government institutions, its political outfits and others for BJP’s own political purposes and, in the process, building up RSS’ fascistic concept of ‘One Nation, One Leader’. 

The campaign was formally launched by the BJP’s national president J P Nadda at New Delhi’s RML hospital on June 21. The proposed BJP help desks in vaccination centres across the country too have the same banners to send their political message.  Not only the BJP but even government institutions have been instructed to contribute to the campaign.

Every road, lane and areas of NCT Delhi are full of government advertisements. Government of India’s (GoI’s) DAVP, BJP’s state governments’ agencies and governmental institutions are spending crores of rupees from public funds in providing the posters, banners, hoardings and other expenses for BJP’s campaign. The BJP-led state governments in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have also gone on an additional advertisement overdrive thanking the PM for free vaccines. In election-bound Uttar Pradesh, BJP has begun a booth-level campaign.

CBSE has asked the Kendriya Vidyalayas to put up such advertisements in the school premises. Higher education nodal institution UGC instructed all government-funded colleges and universities to put up posters that read, “Vaccine for All; Free for all; World’s largest vaccination; Thank you Modiji.” Delhi University was among the first universities to put up such posters in its campus, website and social media handles. Several private universities also followed suit. ‘Thanks, PM Modi’ for ‘free vaccination’ even appeared in Toronto, Canada.

THE FACTS
Several deficiencies of the Modi government in the overall management of Covid-19, including vaccination, have already been published. Some of these include delay in beginning the vaccination process – the road map. While the UK, EU, Japan, Australia, Brazil and some other countries prepared their road maps for vaccination in early 2020 and vaccine procurement began in May 2020, India began taking wobbling steps only in January 2021. During January – June 2021, Modi government announced four Covid-19 national vaccination policies, deficient in content and wobbling in implementation as against people’s demand of free universal public vaccination.

First - Modi government announced its first national vaccination policy on January 16, 2021 followed by modification in strategy on February 1, 2021. This was meant for free vaccination only to the selected groups – the health workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs).

Second – The second national vaccination policy was announced on March 1, 2021, to cover, in addition to HWCs and FLWs, people aged 60 years and above; and persons of 45 – 59 age group having 20 specific comorbidities.

In this policy, the government of India (GoI) procured all vaccine doses from the manufacturers and then distributed them to the states/UTs free of cost for disbursal through government and private COVID-19 vaccination centres. The private facilities were allowed to charge a sum above Rs 250 per person per dose from the beneficiary.

The second policy was modified on April 1, 2021 by adding all persons of 45 and above age group. GoI procured all doses and disbursed free for vaccination through public and private centres.
Third - The third national vaccination policy, which came into effect on May 1, 2021, introduced the so-called ‘liberalised vaccination policy’ by adding commercial aspects in it.

Under this policy, the vaccine manufacturers were required to supply (i) 50 per cent  of their monthly doses to GoI; and (ii) remaining 50 per cent  doses – 25 per cent  to state/UTs and 25 per cent  to private hospitals and industrial establishments - on negotiated commercial terms; (iii) removed limit of Rs 250 per dose in private hospital opening flood gate of black marketing and overcharging by private health corporates; (iv) free vaccines were limited to HCWs, FLWs and those above 45 years of age; (v) Age group of 18-44 years was added for vaccination, but at commercial cost and GoI’s channel of vaccine doses would not be available to them; (vi) the fully ready-to-use imported vaccines are allowed to be utilised entirely by states/UTs channel and private channel.

This national vaccine policy, effective from May 1, 2021, was a total departure from the free universal public vaccination desired by the people. It came under sharp criticism by the Left and other opposition parties; Left and other opposition chief ministers and all democratic sections of the people and mass organisations.

The three-member bench of the supreme court also intervened and extensively discussed the ‘liberalised vaccination policy’ effective from May 1. The supreme court said that while arranging free vaccination to HCWs, FLWs and 45 plus age group; asking the 18-44 age group to pay for their vaccination is “arbitrary and irrational” and directed the GoI to review its national vaccination policy.

The supreme court also asked the GoI to submit reports within two weeks on several issues related to Covid vaccination like procurement process; unwillingness of foreign vaccine manufacturers to directly negotiate with the states/UTs; inter-state migration; existing healthcare infrastructure; urban / rural divide; road map for vaccination till December 31, 2021 etc.

Fourth - it is in this background, Modi government on June 7 announced its fourth national vaccination policy effective from June 21, 2021, removing ‘discrimination’ of 18-44 age group and adopting the policy of free vaccination for all above 18 years of age.

Under this policy, 75 per cent  of vaccine doses are procured by the centre taking over 25 per cent  responsibility of the state governments and union territories as was in the third policy.

But, 25 per cent  of doses are still allowed for the private sector for commercial purposes, restricting only injection cost at Rs 150 per shot without restriction on cost of vaccines.

This is the real story behind the Modi government’s ‘free vaccination’ and ‘Thanks Modiji’ campaign.