'Publicity stunt': Trinamool asks EC to remove PM's photo from COVID vaccine certificates

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has written a letter to the Election Commission against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo being used on digital Covid-19 vaccination certificates, terming it as a 'publicity stunt' and a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The party is up in arms with the Modi-led BJP in the eight-phase assembly elections in West Bengal starting 27 March. Election dates in the state were announced last week, at which point the model code of conduct came into force.

In a letter to the EC on Tuesday, TMC MP Derek O’Brien said PM Modi is "debarred from publicising his name and claiming credit in this manner through government’s Co-WIN platform of vaccination" after the announcement of elections.  He urged the Election Commission to stop the PM from "taking unfair advantages and undue publicity at taxpayer’s cost during the conduct of elections.” 

The TMC leader alleged that PM Modi is 'stealing credit' from the producers of Covid-19 vaccines, by placing his picture and message on the certificates.

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"Publicity stunt"

TMC Rajya Sabha MP and former Indian Medical Association (IMA) chief Santanu Sen termed the act a "publicity stunt" and also questioned why the Prime Minister was not wearing a mask while taking the vaccine shot. Sen also said that no certificate for vaccinations carried the picture of the Prime Minister in the past.

India began the second phase of the world's largest inoculation drive against Coronavirus on March 1, vaccinating all senior citizens above 60 years of age and 45 years with comorbidities. Prime Minister Modi kick-started the drive-by receiving his first dose of COVAXIN at AIIMS, New Delhi on Tuesday. 

In West Bengal, 294 seats are up for grabs and people will be able to cast their votes at 1,01,916 polling stations. As per the phases, the polling will be conducted on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26, and April 29. The counting of votes shall take place on May 2. 

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