Kochi: Kerala High Court One wondered on Monday what was wrong with the Covid-19 vaccination certificate bearing a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the people of the country were elected to power.
Examining the hearing of a petition seeking removal of the Prime Minister’s photograph from the certificate, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan asked the petitioner whether he felt ashamed of the Prime Minister.
The judge said the prime minister has been elected to power by the people of the country and hence what is wrong in putting his photograph on the certificate.
When the petitioner’s counsel told the court that there is no such practice in other countries, the judge orally remarked, “He cannot be proud of his Prime Minister, we are proud of our Prime Minister.”
The court further said, “Why are you (petitioner) ashamed of the Prime Minister? He came to power with the mandate of the people… We may have different political views, but he is still our PM.”
Petitioner’s counsel Peter Mylyparampil submitted that the certificate is a private place in which personal details are on record and, therefore, it was unwarranted to intrude on the privacy of an individual.
He argued that adding the Prime Minister’s photograph in the certificate is an intrusion into a person’s personal space.
On this, the court said that more than 100 crore people of the country do not mind having the photo of the Prime Minister on the certificate and asked the petitioner, ‘Why?
The court said it will examine whether the petition has merit and if not, it will dispose of the matter.
During the more than an hour-long hearing, advocate Ajit Joy, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that it was a personal choice to be proud of one’s Prime Minister or not.
Also, Joy told the court that it was not a matter of political differences, as the Supreme Court has laid down guidelines for advertisements and campaigns using public money.
He said having photographs on certificates would also affect the minds of voters and the issue was raised during the recent state assembly elections.
The Central Government opposed the petition saying that it is a public interest litigation.
The petitioner, a senior citizen, has contended in his petition that the photograph of the Prime Minister on the vaccination certificate is a violation of fundamental rights.
Examining the hearing of a petition seeking removal of the Prime Minister’s photograph from the certificate, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan asked the petitioner whether he felt ashamed of the Prime Minister.
The judge said the prime minister has been elected to power by the people of the country and hence what is wrong in putting his photograph on the certificate.
When the petitioner’s counsel told the court that there is no such practice in other countries, the judge orally remarked, “He cannot be proud of his Prime Minister, we are proud of our Prime Minister.”
The court further said, “Why are you (petitioner) ashamed of the Prime Minister? He came to power with the mandate of the people… We may have different political views, but he is still our PM.”
Petitioner’s counsel Peter Mylyparampil submitted that the certificate is a private place in which personal details are on record and, therefore, it was unwarranted to intrude on the privacy of an individual.
He argued that adding the Prime Minister’s photograph in the certificate is an intrusion into a person’s personal space.
On this, the court said that more than 100 crore people of the country do not mind having the photo of the Prime Minister on the certificate and asked the petitioner, ‘Why?
The court said it will examine whether the petition has merit and if not, it will dispose of the matter.
During the more than an hour-long hearing, advocate Ajit Joy, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that it was a personal choice to be proud of one’s Prime Minister or not.
Also, Joy told the court that it was not a matter of political differences, as the Supreme Court has laid down guidelines for advertisements and campaigns using public money.
He said having photographs on certificates would also affect the minds of voters and the issue was raised during the recent state assembly elections.
The Central Government opposed the petition saying that it is a public interest litigation.
The petitioner, a senior citizen, has contended in his petition that the photograph of the Prime Minister on the vaccination certificate is a violation of fundamental rights.
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