The Rotary Ulema Council, formed in the troubled days when there was a lot of resistance against polio vaccination by the Muslim community in States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, etc, has been roped in again as Rotary in India has signed an MoU with the Indian Government for a partnership in universal immunisation including Mission Indradhanush.
Under the chairmanship of PRID Ashok Mahajan, who had played a leading role in bringing the Muslim community on board during polio vaccination over the last many years, the Rotary Ulema Council met in Lucknow in December. Mahajan said the meeting was attended by Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious leaders. “Around 30 Muslim Ulemas who attended the meeting, expressed their wholehearted support and an appeal to promote Routine Immunisation, signed by many prominent Ulemas from Lucknow was released.”
Secretary of the Ulema Council, past president Ajay Saxena, from D 3120 was also present, as well as the media which has reported this initiative of Rotary to ensure that children from all communities get proper immunisation to protect them from polio, measles, rubella etc.
He added that the Ulemas have promised to propagate the immunisation message during Friday prayers in mosques in UP.