Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 22, 2021, 11:05 AM
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday the Centre ensured that the VIP (very important person) culture did not overpower the ongoing vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), adding that beneficiaries, irrespective of their position and wealth, would be vaccinated just like any other citizen of India.Addressing the nation a day after it achieved a record feat of over a billion vaccinations, Modi said, “The ‘Sabko vaccine, muft vaccine’ (free vaccine for all) initiative was started by taking everyone along. The country had one mantra- if the Covid-19 disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in vaccination too. Hence, it was ensured that the VIP culture does not overpower the vaccination drive.”The Prime Minister said at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, fears started arising that it would be very difficult for a democracy like India to fight this pandemic.“It was being said for India and its citizens, how so much of control and discipline will work here. But for us, democracy means everyone's support,” he said.During his address on Friday, PM Modi also threw light on the topic of vaccine hesitancy, which is still being discusses across the world. Modi said that in many developed nations, vaccine hesitancy is a big challenge.