PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat: 'Don't believe covid vaccine rumours, trust our Scientists'

Urging everyone to shed vaccine hesitancy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to not believe in rumours about the Covid-19 vaccines.

Asserting that he and his mother, who is about to turn 100, took both the doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, Modi urged countrymen to believe in science, trust scientists and take the jab.

"The threat of Covid-19 remains and we have to focus on vaccination as well as follow Covid-19 protocols," the prime minister said.

He made these comments during his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat' which was aired today.

Modi also lauded healthcare workers for administering a record 80 lakh vaccines on June 21, on a day when the Centre's latest vaccination guidelines came into effect.

Seeking to make people shed vaccine hesitancy, Modi spoke to residents of Dulariya village in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh and counselled them to take the vaccine amidst their doubts about the exercise.

Meanwhile, with Monsoon approaching, Modi also stressed on water conservation. In his broadcast, he also paid tributes and remembered the contribution of Indian sprint legend Milkha Singh, who died earlier this month.

Modi hailed Singh's contribution to Indian sports and said he will always cherish his interactions with the athlete. Singh died in a Chandigarh hospital after a month-long battle with Covid-19. He also lost his wife Nirmal Kaur, a former national volleyball captain, to the same disease.

Modi also shared the struggles and triumphs of Olympics-bound Indian athletes and said that people must not build any pressure on these sports persons but "cheer for India".

"Every athlete who is going to Tokyo has worked hard. They are going there to win hearts. It must be our endeavour to support our team and not put pressure on the team," he said.