Vaccination can’t be made compulsory, says Naga Peoples’ Front

Dimapur, July 23 (EMN): The Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) on Friday stated that the option of vaccination to limit the spread of infection is comprehensible but it cannot be made compulsory.

It came a few days after the government of Nagaland issued an order asking its employees to either get vaccinated or produce Covid-19 negative test report every 15 days at the expense in order to attend office.

In a press communiqué, the NPF term the “directive for compulsory vaccination of state government employees” as unreasonable.

“Neither imposition of forceful vaccination nor demanding Covid-19 negative test report every 15 days on the expense of employees will go down well with any State since the same is not only a clear violation of human rights challenging Article 14 & 21 of the Indian Constitution but a contempt of court,” read the press communiqué.

It stated that vaccination is voluntary and the same has been validated by the Union Health Ministry and rulings of Mizoram High Court and Meghalaya High Court.

“Covid-19 vaccination is not mandatory and as such, no one can be forced, coerced, lured, or pressurized to take the vaccine. Individual freedom includes the right to control one’s health and body, free from any interference and therefore, imposing forceful vaccination on its employees by the state government can only be seen as a deliberate abuse of power,” it stated.

Maintaining that Covid-19 vaccine can’t be considered as “completely safe” and guarantee safety after inoculation, the NPF advised the state government “to follow the mandate laid down by the Court of Law and policies framed by the government of India and review its notification”.