‘Covid vaccines for Juhi Chawla, Jaya Bachchan’: Gujarat govt orders probe

The issue of fake Covid certification was highlighted by Congress MLA Imran Khedawala during the Question Hour. While asking a question on Covaxin booster doses given in the state, Khedawala told the House, “In Junagadh, vaccine certificates have been issued to celebrities such as Jaya Bachchan, Mahima Chaudhary and Juhi Chawla. These people do not stay in Gujarat. Does the government plan to take any action?”

The state government pointed out that it had organised special camps to inoculate people with “protection dose” where people without identity cards were vaccinated. In his reply, State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said the government has been giving “protection dose” as a precautionary measure against Covid-19 for the past one year and at present, there are only 68 active Covid cases in Gujarat.

“The Government of India got a lot of representations saying that a number of people — sadhus and poor — do not have identity documents and they also need to be included in the vaccination process. We held special sessions for those without identity documents even in Gujarat,” the minister said without delving into the issue.

When Congress leader in the House Amit Chavda reiterated the question asked by Khedawala, minister Patel said, “A primary verification through a team of consultants has been conducted and an inquiry has also been ordered. How did it happen?”

The minister explained, “If Amitabhai (referring to Chavda) brings 15 poor beggars or saints or migrant labourers for vaccination… If they do not have Aadhaar cards, the person manning the vaccination centre jots down the names given by Amitbhai and vaccinations are done. The matter referred to is limited to two talukas of Junagadh. We have already ordered an inquiry.”

During the discussion, Speaker Shankar Chaidhary chided Congress MLA a couple of times saying, “He (Khedawala) has no interest in subjects concerning people and he asksed the question to get publicity in the media.”

In response to supplementary questions asked by BJP MLA Amit Thaker, the health minister said “As on February 26, 2023, Gujarat had received 9.45 crore doses of Covishield, 1.86 crore doses of Covaxin and 43 lakh doses of Covovax.”