Muslims Lacking Faith in India COVID-19 Vaccines Should Go to Pakistan: BJP Lawmaker

TEHRAN (IQNA) – A BJP Member of the Legislative Assembly of India from Uttar Pradesh kicked up a controversy by saying that Muslims who do not have faith in the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the country should go to Pakistan.

Sangeet Singh Som, who represents Sardhana seat in UP's Meerut district, went on to say the Muslims who do not trust Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country's scientists should move to Pakistan.

"It's unfortunate that some Muslims do not trust our country, our scientists, our police force and PM Modi. Their soul belongs to Pakistan. They should go to Pakistan and not raise doubt over the work of our scientists," he said when asked about the Muslim community's concern over the use of pork in the coronavirus vaccine, Times Now News reported.

The BJP leader’s statement comes in the light of rumors doing the rounds that the COVID vaccines developed in India contain pork gelatin.

The much-anticipated nationwide inoculation drive against the COVID-19 outbreak will kick off on January 16 and priority will be given to the healthcare and the frontline workers, estimated to be around three crore.

Modi on Monday said the cost of vaccination for healthcare workers and frontline workers would be borne by the Central government in the first phase of the drive.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the country’s drugs regulator has given its nod to two coronavirus vaccines - Oxford’s Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute in India, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, for restricted emergency use.