New Delhi: News channel NDTV and its journalists are often embroiled in controversy over spreading fake news and even after they have a media group, they are exposed to the truth by the public themselves. In the same episode, NDTV journalist Vishnu Som has once again worked to mislead the public. In fact, Som has falsely accused the Central government on Twitter about the shelf life of Bharat biotech Covaxin. NDTV journalist Som quoted a user's tweet that shared a letter on Twitter extending the shelf life of the COVID-19 vaccine to show that expired doses of Covaxin are being administered to children in schools.
In a tweet by Navnita Varadpandey, she says, "My son went to get his first vaccine, the vaccination campaign for children has started from today, but that is when I remembered that the vaccine had expired in November itself. He was then shown a letter extending the shelf life of the Corona vaccine! How, why, on what basis? Do you experiment with children to clear stocks?' Without knowing the truth about the allegation made in the tweet, Som accused Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya citing Navnita Varadpandey's post. NDTV's Som asked the health minister if a formal notification could be issued to approve the expired vaccine for children?
It may be noted here that in response to a letter from Bharat Biotech International Limited on 25 October 2021, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had approved the enhancement of the shelf life of Covaxin from nine months to 12 months. Similarly, on 22nd February 2021, the drug regulator had also increased the shelf life of Covishield from six months to 9 months. Therefore, the central government's allegation that 'shelf life was extended without any notice' is just a lewd attempt to tarnish the image of the government and create confusion among the people. Som, a journalist for the channel, who created confusion about the vaccine among the people and spread hatred against the Central government, did not even consider it necessary to look at the news covered by his own news channel before making the false allegation. NDTV itself was among the media institutions that covered reports of extending the shelf life of Bharat Biotech Covaxin. The report on NDTV was published on 3rd November 2021, just two months before the onset of immunization of children.
The NDTV journalist may have accused the Centre without looking at the reports published on his own channel's website, but nothing is snatched away from the eyes of social media users. He lashed out at the NDTV for spreading this lie. Ajit Dutta shared a screenshot of the NDTV news and reminded him that 'the news of extending the shelf life of Covaxin was also covered by your institute. On the other hand, some social media users took a dig at the journalist of the NDTV and asked if he did not believe in his own channel.
The vaccination of 15-18-year-olds have started in India from 3rd January, the first dose of vaccine has also been given to more than 40 lakh children on the first day itself. While the Government of India is pushing for accelerating vaccination so as to protect the people, NDTV is working to instil fear of the vaccine in the minds of the people by spreading such misleading things. Even before that, when the vaccine was made, many opposition parties, instead of cooperating in vaccination, had questioned it. SP chief Akhilesh had even said, "I will not get the BJP government vaccinated.''
Perhaps they would not know that the vaccine was made not by Narendra Modi, Amit Shah or JP Nadda, but by scientists in the country. But they only had to spread confusion, which they did. However, when Akhilesh's father Mulayam Singh Yadav himself reached for the vaccine, Akhilesh also retaliated and got vaccinated.
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