MP: Cops give out tricolour badges to encourage citizens to get vaccinated

TIL Desk/National/Bhopal/ In a bid to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the police in Prithvipur town of Madhya Pradesh”s Niwari district distributed tricolour badges with the message, “I am a true patriot, as I got administered corona vaccine,” to those who had taken the jab, an official said on Thursday. People who hadn”t taken the vaccine were handed a poster showing a skull with the message “I am not vaccinated, stay away from me”, the official said.

 “During a roko-toko abhiyan (checking drive) on Tuesday, we gave out tricolour badges to people with a message I am a true patriot, as I got administered corona vaccine, while those who hadn”t taken the jab were given a poster stating I am not vaccinated, stay away from me,” Prithvipur”s sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) Santosh Patel said.

The whole exercise was carried out to motivate people to take the vaccine and it was not meant to shame them, the official said, adding that the police personnel had not pinned the badges and posters on people and they had done so of their own volition. Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Niwari Anil Jain said while it is good to encourage and raise awareness among people for vaccination, the police should also ensure that citizens don”t face any hardship because of these campaigns.