Politicians defy BMC order for self-promotion at vaccination centres in Mumbai

Mahapragya School, Bhuleshwar. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Jarring posters carrying images of politicians have been splashed at several Covid vaccination centres across the city as parties make desperate attempts to steal credit. This brazen show of one-upmanship, at a time when the pandemic has upended countless lives, continues amid clear warnings from the BMC chief against putting up visuals showing photos of politicians or party symbols at inoculation points.

Kokan Nagar Vyayamshala in Bhandup West

On June 14, the civic body had issued an order, wherein the civic commissioner had asked elected public representatives to refrain from using vaccination centres for publicity. BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said that the civic corporation would issue show-cause notices to those centres that "have not taken circular/orders seriously and the approval given to these vaccination centres will be revoked/cancelled".

When Rahul Narvekar, BJP MLA from Colaba constituency, opened a centre at Mahapragya School, Bhuleshwar, he made sure vaccinated people would take selfies with his picture and name flashing. About this self-promotion, he said, "The centre is privately run; we have paid money from our own pocket here. BMC rules don't apply here."

Shiv Sena's Rahul Shewale, MP from South Central Constituency, has started a vaccination centre at Bindu Madhav Thackeray Udyan in Mankhurd. Here too posters have covered the main gate. Rahul Shewale remained unreachable for comment.

Posters featuring Ramesh Korgaonkar, a Sena MLA from Bhandup West, dominate the Kokan Nagar Vyayamshala centre. The free Covid-19 vaccination facility even has posters of the politician inside it. Repeated attempts to contact Korgaonkar failed.

Pravina Manish Morajkar, the Sena corporator from ward no. 169, has also initiated a vaccination centre at Sant Dnyaneshwar Hall, Nehru Nagar, Kurla. The centre was visited by Mayor Kishori Pednekar on June 14. It has posters of Sena leaders, including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Morajkar defended the promotion saying, "There are instructions about posters inside the centre. If you see, there are no pictures inside. Outside, we have put some posters and I don't think they cause any violation."

June 14
Day when BMC issued a circular banning posters at vaccination centres