Srinagar:Kulgam Court Friday rejected the bail application of a man accused of running ‘hate campaign against Covid-19 vaccination drive’.
After hearing the public prosecutor Aijaz Ahmad Najar and defence counsel, the Court of Principal Sessions Judge TahirKhurshidRaina said that as per the experts, there was every likelihood of third wave which could be more fatal compared to the second wave of virus.
“And to avoid its fatal impact the only remedy available and suggested by the experts is to get more and more people vaccinated,” the court said.
The court observed that revenue team headed by Assistant Commissioner Revenue Kulgam, preceded to Ashmuji village for Covid-19 along with the medical team.
It further observed that the accused made hue and cry, instigated and provoked local inhabitants there against the team and halted the vaccination drive.
“The petitioner (accused) assembled a large crowd there against them, diverted the vaccination drive towards other unnecessary issues in order to restrain the general public from vaccination,” the court observed.
The court said that let a message travel in the length and breadth of the society at large that no such unbecoming and illegal attempt of rumor mongers would be tolerated who were creating a hurdle in the way of the vaccination drive.
“They will be dealt strenuously under the law. Such haters do not deserve concession of anticipatory bail, rather their free movement and free speech is a threat to the society at large,” the court said.
The court said that it was unfortunate that while on one hand, the government was making painstaking efforts to ensure the safety of the people against the deadly virus by vaccination drives, the rumour mongers like the petitioners were acting as stumbling block in this lofty endeavour of the government.
“By spreading rumors and disinformation campaign against the vaccination, the petitioner and their ilk are creating lot of fear psychosis and confusion among the general public about the vaccination,” it said.
“Such unsubstantiated and profane act of the petitioner is not only grossly illegal but amounts to pushing the life of the people in peril, who, if not get promptly vaccinated, may fall prey to the deadly virus,” the court said. “No further extension in interim bail is granted to the petitioner and his bail application stands dismissed.”
The court said that when the vaccine was approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), it was put into use for vaccination of the people at large in the world.