New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation today, said the 100 crore vaccine milestone reflects a new image of India and is an answer to all those questioning the country’s inoculation drive.
‘We should be proud of the fact that India’s entire vaccination program has been science-driven and science-based. It’s based on scientific methods, entirely,’ he said.
‘Dutifulness of 130 crore Indians behind vaccine feat, this success belongs to India and every Indian,’ he said.
‘There was a time when we would hear ‘made in this country’, ‘made in that country’, but now all Indians realise the power of ‘Made in India’. I urge all Indians to encourage Indian manufacturers by purchasing ‘Made in India’ products, promote ‘Vocal for Local’,’ he said.
‘We ensured that the VIP culture does not overshadow our vaccination program and everyone is treated equally,’ he added.
According to the Prime Minister, world nations are still battling vaccine hesitancy while similar concerns were raised in India. But the 100 crore vaccine dose achievement shows how we have defeated the vaccine hesitancy.
With the trust in science and innovations, India has managed to achieve this major feat.
‘While we are being lauded by countries across the world, most will miss where we started- where we were dependent on others,’ he said.
The PM said at the time, a lots of questions were raised – would we be able to afford, would we be able to vaccinate quickly to beat pandemic? ‘This moment today has answered all these doubts,’ he added.
‘100 crore vaccine jabs are not just a number. It is the reflection of the capacity of this country, this is a new chapter of the country, a country that knows how to achieve huge targets,’ he said.
‘People were saying that there will be vaccine hesitancy in India and it is a real challenge in many big countries today. But Indians have achieved this feat and left everyone speechless. This is because of the huge participation of people in the vaccine drive. Our first line of defence was: People’s participation,’ he added.