Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla – who is by far one of the most important persons in India’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has been receiving not just flak on social media from champagne-sipping socialists, but also threats from vested interest groups and militant arms of liberals. Keeping in mind the significance of Adar Poonawalla to the nation, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday issued orders providing Y-category security to the SII CEO. The move comes ahead of the third phase of the vaccination scheduled to begin from May 1.
The Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, and as such, in times of an unforgiving second wave of Covid-19, has assumed the role of a strategic asset for the country. It therefore makes sense for Poonawalla to be provided with the Y-category security, which usually comprises of 11 personnel, including one or two commandoes and police personnel. However, that such a security cover was necessitated for the SII CEO should put all Indians to shame. Here is a man who is making his company manufacture life-saving vaccines at a war-footing, but is being also provided security for doing so.
On April 16, the director of SII, Prakash Kumar Singh, wrote to the ministry seeking security for Adar Poonawalla. In his letter, Singh mentioned that Poonawalla was getting threats from various people regarding the supply of Covid-19 vaccines. “We are working shoulder-to-shoulder to fight against Covid-19 pandemic with the government of India under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji,” the letter said.
Adar Poonawalla has been targeted on social media by mascots of liberalism for what they think is an exorbitant pricing scheme of the Serum Institute of India, which had previously announced that it would sell Covishield vaccines to state governments at the rate of Rs. 400 per vial. However, keeping in mind the liberal opposition to the announcement, Adar Poonawalla decided to reduce the initial price by ₹100 to ₹300 per vial. He said, “As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of Serum Institute of India, I hereby reduce the price to the states from ₹400 to ₹300 per dose, effective immediately; this will save thousands of crores of state funds going forward. This will enable more vaccinations and save countless lives.”
As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of @SerumInstIndia, I hereby reduce the price to the states from Rs.400 to Rs.300 per dose, effective immediately; this will save thousands of crores of state funds going forward. This will enable more vaccinations and save countless lives.
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) April 28, 2021
https://twitter.com/visvak/status/1387390901874413571?s=20
https://twitter.com/Rofl_JamesBabu/status/1387618073134342147?s=20
It is absolutely inhuman to profit from life-saving vaccine amidst the pandemic and yet @adarpoonawalla has the audacity to say crap like 'gesture of philanthropy' when he's charging double the actual amount. This is Modi sanctioned loot of people's money.
— Sharjeel Usmani (@SharjeelUsmani) April 28, 2021
Adar Poonawalla must be thanked by Indians for his contribution to India’s vaccination campaign. However, instead of being grateful to him, the MHA is forced to provide him security because despite saving Indians, his life continues to be under threat. Nothing could be more shameful. Liberals are essentially anti-industry, and the idea that Adar Poonawalla and his company will somehow profiteer to an extent during the pandemic gives them sleepless nights. That such profits will be used for R&D enhancement and for modernising SII facilities does not matter to Indian liberals. What matters the most right now is the hounding and threatening of Adar Poonawalla.
Adar Poonawalla is an opinionated entrepreneur. He makes no secret of the fact that he believes in a certain set of principles, which of course, might not be liked by liberals. Since Adar does not fit into the ‘socialist’ box, he has been made a punching bag – to the extent that he now requires a CRPF security cover for travelling anywhere within the country. A man who invested money into vaccine production capacities when nobody else would is being attacked for trying to recover those costs and provide for SII’s staff. Let that sink in.