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Justice P.V. Kunkikrishnan of the Kerala High Court has pulled up a petitioner, Peter Mariyapalli, on a plea challenging the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi being affixed on the vaccination certificates issued to citizens upon being vaccinated against Covid-19.

Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan observed:

"He is our Prime Minister, not the Prime Minister of any other country. He came to power through our mandate. Merely because you have political differences, you cannot challenge this...Why are you ashamed of our PM? 100 crore people don't seem to have an issue with this so why do you? Everyone has different political opinions. You are wasting judicial time."

Myaliparampil had contended that he took the paid vaccine from a private hospital and receiving a certificate with the Prime Minister's photo on it is in violation of his fundamental rights.

He further stated that the certificate is a private document and the Prime Minister’s photo on it serves no purpose. He further argued that the CoWIN portal should infact have an option wherein people can choose to not get a certificate with the Prime Minister’s photo on it.

Therefore, the petitioner had stated:

“The state has no right to claim the credit by inserting a photograph of the Hon'ble Prime Minister in the certificate issued to a paid vaccine recipient. Even if the photograph of the Hon'ble Prime Minister carries with it a mere motivational message, the petitioner wants to be spared of it."

Earlier, the Central Government has defended its decision of putting the Prime Minister’s photo on the certificate, with the Minister of State for Health BP Pawar telling the Rajya Sabha that, "The photograph along with his words reinforces the message for creating awareness and importance of following Covid-appropriate behaviour even after the vaccination. It was done in the larger public interest."

The Court has stated that it will go through the arguments in the petition and decide on it.

Cause Title: Peter Myaliparampil vs Union of India & Anr.