Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reacted to the controversy that sparked following the state government’s recent directive that bars an individual from going to public places if he or she is not fully vaccinated.
Notably, the Centre in an affidavit to the Supreme Court on Monday stated that taking COVID-19 vaccine jabs is not mandatory and cannot be forced into an individual.
“Vaccination is not mandatory. But those people who are unvaccinated cannot go to public places including offices and restaurants,” said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He added: “People who are not willing to take vaccine shots can stay back at home. In Assam, one will have to produce vaccination certificate, if asked to do so.”
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This new directive of the Assam government has sparked a new debate – “Is a Fundamental Right of an individual being violated by the state?”
Notably, Article 15 of the Constitution of India “prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any of them. This right can be enforced against the State as well as private individuals, with regard to free access to places of public entertainment or places of public resort maintained partly or wholly out of State funds.”