MP Police carries out 'Roko-Toko Abhiyan' to encourage vaccinations
In a bid to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the police in Prithvipur Town of Madhya Pradesh's Niwari District distributed tricolor badges. The message on the badge read, "I am a true patriot, as I got administered corona vaccine." "The badge is given to those who had taken the jab," an official said on Thursday. Here are more details.
Here is a video of the campaign
Tricolor badges were given to those vaccinated
"During a Roko-Toko Abhiyan (checking drive) on Tuesday, we gave out tricolor badges to people with a message I am a true patriot, as I got administered corona vaccine," Prithvipur's Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Santosh Patel said. Moreover, those who hadn't taken the jab were given a poster stating, "I am not vaccinated, stay away from me."
Badges are not meant to shame people: Officials
"The whole exercise was carried out to motivate people for vaccination and it was not meant to shame them," the official said, adding that the police had not pinned the badges and posters on people and they had done so of their own. Meanwhile, Niwari's BJP MLA Anil Jain said the police should ensure that citizens don't face any hardship due to the campaign.
Several cities in Madhya Pradesh have relaxed COVID-19 curbs
According to Financial Express, only 4.2% of Niwari's population between 18-44 age group is vaccinated so far. Notably, like other states, several cities of Madhya Pradesh have relaxed the COVID-19 curbs and opened the markets this week after over a month-long period of COVID-19 lockdown.
