No vax, no benefits, Samant tells teachers; Bhujbal warns Nashik

Aurangabad/Nashik: In a bid to push inoculation, the authorities are widening the vaccine mandate and talking tough. On Friday, two ministers pitched in: higher and technical education minister Uday Samant said ‘benefits’ may be stopped for unvaccinated teachers and nonteaching staff while Nashik guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal warned of no ration or LPG soon in the district for those who have not taken even one shot.

- Mohammed Akhef & Ranjan Dasgupta

Speaking at Aurangabad, Samant said: “Vaccination has been made mandatory for all teachers, professors, principals or else all of their benefits will be stopped.” He reasoned that after “asking all the students to get vaccinated if they question about the teachers not being vaccinated, we will not have any answer”.

Asked if salaries too would be affected, Samant said vice-chancellors have been asked to take a call. The VCs have been asked to serve notice and give the staff 15 days to respond. “If they do not, the VC will take a call. We may have to take that decision too,” he said. “Citing that they are imparting online education, some teacher associations are unwilling to get vaccinated. All professors, academic staff, non-teaching staff, principals have to take both the doses,” said Samant.