Centre begins awareness campaign to alleviate fears over COVID vaccination

New Delhi: With increasing hesitancy among people towards Covid-19 vaccination in remote and rural areas of the country, the Central government on Monday started a campaign to make aware people and assuage rumours being spread about the ongoing vaccination exercise against the deadly pandemic.

Ministry of Minority Affairs along with various socio-educational organisations, NGOs and Women Self Help Groups have launched the campaign which will be organised across the country in the coming days.

The nationwide "JaanHaiToJahaanHai" campaign aims to create awareness on corona vaccination in rural and remote areas and also to "crush and curb" the rumours and apprehensions, being spread by some vested interests regarding the on-going vaccination drive.

Under the campaign, various religious leaders, prominent people from social, educational, cultural, medical, science and other fields are giving effective messages to the people to get vaccinated and street plays will also be organised across the country.

Launching the campaign, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday said, "some vested interests are trying to spread rumours and apprehensions regarding corona vaccines in some areas of the country. Such elements are enemies of the health and well-being of the people".

Noting that the two "Made in India" corona vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- are result of the hard work of our scientists, Naqvi said: "It has been proved scientifically that these vaccines are absolutely safe and effective weapon in the fight against corona."

He further appealed that every eligible person should get vaccinated to make India free from the corona pandemic.

The Minister stated that State Haj Committees, Waqf Boards, their associated organisations, Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation, various social and educational institutions, NGOs, Women Self Help Groups working under "Nai Roshni" scheme of the Minority Affairs Ministry, have been included in the awareness campaign.

"These organisations will encourage and persuade the people to get vaccinated to tackle the corona pandemic."

Religious leaders and prominent people from various fields including Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari; Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, Delhi, Dr Mufti Mukarram Ahmad; Jain Guru Acharya Lokesh Muni; Archdiocese of Delhi, Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto; Parsi religious leader Dasturji Dadachanji; prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad; Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee President Manjinder Singh Sirsa; Ajmer Sharif Dargah Sajjadanashin Syed Zainul Abedin; Anjuman Syyed Jadgan, Dargah Ajmer Sharif Chairman Haji Syed Moin Hussain; Dargah Ajmer Sharif Khadim Janab Syed Ghulam Kibriya Dastagir; All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Chairman Syed Naseruddin Chishty; Dargah Nizamuddin, Delhi Sajjadanashin Syed Hammad Nizami; and Shia Masjid, Delhi Imam Maulana Mohhamad Ali Mohsin Taqvi and prominent people from other fields have given effective message and appeal to create awareness on corona vaccination.

Besides, the appeal has been made by Inter Faith Harmony Foundation of India Founder Dr Khawaja Iftikhar Ahmed; Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Dr Tariq Mansoor; All India Imam Organisation Chief Imam Dr Umer Ahmed Ilyasi; renowned Neurosurgeon Dr Mazda Turel; Director UNESCO Parzor and Jiyo Parsi Dr Shernaz Kama, Buddhist Monk Kachayan Sraman; renowned actor Raju Shrivastava; Bollywood singers Neelam Chauhan, Rani Indrani and Vivek Mishra.

Video messages of these prominent people will be publicised through social media platforms and other medium to create awareness on corona vaccines. Several other prominent people of the country will also join the campaign in the coming days.