Merely a week after being provided with the Y-category security, a writ petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking Z plus-category security for Adar Poonawalla — the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India (SII).
Adar had left the Indian shores after being threatened for his life by powerful people and receiving constant backlash from the liberal media. The threats have now escalated to his family and petitioner Datta Mane – a Mumbai-based advocate has asked the court to intervene and also sought registration of an FIR against persons who allegedly threatened Poonawalla for the supply of the vaccine.
As reported by TFI, 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.
As a result, the government had to instantly provide Y-category security to the SII CEO, who is currently one of the most important persons on the planet. 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.
SII 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. Protecting Poonawalla means protecting India and the world’s vaccination drive against the virus.
Along with China-made pandemic, India seems to be fighting a misinformation pandemic of massive proportions. As reported by TFI, after reports trickled in suggesting that the Central government had not placed any new order for vaccines, both the Modi government and Serum Institute of India including Adar Poonawalla had to come out and rubbish such reports.
Those threatening Poonawalla and his family should be immediately rounded up and put behind the bars. As the country battles the second surge of the pandemic, it becomes paramount, perhaps more than ever that the centre ramps up Adar’s security — to keep him and his family safe and protected.