IAF sacks one employee for refusing to take coronavirus vaccine

New Delhi : The Union Government has informed the Gujarat High Court that an employee of Indian Air Force has been sacked for allegedly refusing to take the coronavirus vaccine.

The government responded to a petition filed by an IAF corporal from Jamnagar, who claimed that it is a fundamental right not to get vaccinated, according to a report by the Times of India.

News agency PTI reported that the Gujarat high court disposed of the plea by corporal, Yogender Kumar. However, the high court said the interim relief granted to the petitioner shall continue until his case is decided by the IAF, and the same shall not be implemented for two weeks from the date of service of the order to the petitioner.

Yogender Kumar had approached the High Court with a plea to quash show cause notice dated May 10, 2021. He also sought the court’s to issue a direction to the IAF to not take coercive action against him in furtherance of the show cause notice.

The petitioner had mentioned in his plea that the Union Government had said that taking the vaccine is purely a voluntary decision.

In its reply to the petition, the IAF had said that vaccination is a service requirement and not a personal option for the Armed Forces, and taking the jab is necessary to “ward off the ill effects of biological weapons”.