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The Rajasthan High Court has asked the State Government to explain their reasons for excluding the Pakistani minority migrants for vaccination against Covid-19, despite court orders.
At the last hearing on May 28, the court had granted time to the Additional Advocate General, K.S. Rajpurohit, to furnish details regarding the steps taken by the Government in every District for “Covid-19 Vaccination of Persons without prescribed Identity Cards through CoWIN”. But the Bench of Justices Vijay Bishnoi and Rameshwar Vyas noted that the government failed to file a compliance report in this regard.
The Court observed that after its order on May 28, a letter had been written by the National Health Mission, Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Rajasthan to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Government of India requesting them to include the Pakistani minority migrants in the Standard Operating Procedure which deals with “Covid-19 Vaccination of Persons without prescribed Identity Cards through CoWIN.”
To this, the court remarked, “It is noticed that once this Court in its order dated 28.05.2021 has already opined that SOP dated 06.05.2021 is not excluding the Pakistani Minority Migrants, who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, then it is difficult to understand that why the State Government is seeking further clarification from the Central Government and requesting it to include the Pakistani Minority Migrants in the SOP dated 06.05.2021.”
The Amicus Curiae in this case, Sajjan Singh, appearing for Pakistani minority migrants, informed the court that even those Pakistani minority migrants, who have been declared as Indian citizens are not getting vaccinated because they don’t have Aadhaar cards. As far as the ration/food packets are concerned, the same are being made available to groups residing only in Jodhpur. In other districts such as Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jaipur, no such ration/food packets are available.
The Bench took cognisance of this and said, “We are forced to direct the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur to submit a detailed affidavit regarding the steps taken by the State Government in every District as per the procedure given in Clause-5 of the SOP dated 06.05.2021 and also to explain that why the State Government is not treating the Pakistani Minority Migrants, who are not having prescribed identity cards, eligible for Covid-19 vaccination though this Court vide order dated 28.05.2021 has already clarified that such Pakistani Minority Migrants are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination as per the SOP dated 06.05.2021.”
The Bench has also asked for a report regarding availability of ration kits. The matter has been listed for hearing on June 10.
The order may be read here:
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