How PM Modi Failed to Handle Covid Crisis in India
When the devastation caused by the virus was increasing exponentially in the country, Modi had lifted the lockdown restrictions without any medical inputs.
By Rakesh Raman
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Chief Ministers (CMs) of different States and Union Territories (UTs) today (24 November 2020) via video conferencing to review the status and preparedness of Covid-19 response and management, with special emphasis on eight high-focus States.
These States are Haryana, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and West Bengal. The modalities of Covid-19 vaccine delivery, distribution, and administration were also discussed during the meeting.
Although it is said that India is under-reporting the coronavirus disaster information, even with understated data India – with over 9 million cases – is the second worst-affected country after the U.S. But PM Modi said without any basis that the situation in India is better than most other countries.
According to Oxford Economics, India will be worst-affected among the world’s major economies even after the pandemic wanes with output 12% below pre-virus levels through the middle of the decade.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also predicts that India’s GDP will shrink 10.3% in the year to March 2021 as PM Modi’s sudden lockdown has paralyzed the economic activity in the entire country.
Modi had announced a sudden coronavirus lockdown for 21 days on March 24. While Modi’s blind followers had thought that coronavirus will disappear as Modi had asked them to burn candles and hit their kitchen utensils, Modi’s totka (superstitious mischief) did not work.
When the devastation caused by the virus was increasing exponentially in the country, Modi had lifted the lockdown restrictions without any medical inputs. Since Modi is behaving as a Hindu sect preacher instead of a wise leader, he is taking random decisions without any scientific support to deal with the disease.
As Modi failed to manage the Covid crisis, in an ongoing RMN Poll, 81% people say that PM Modi is not handling the coronavirus crisis effectively.
In the meeting with CMs, Modi talked about the expansion of testing and treatment network and noted that special emphasis of the PM-CARES Fund has been to make available oxygen to patients.
While the PM-CARES Fund was created by PM Modi in a secretive way to collect money to deal with coronavirus, the Modi government refuses to reveal the details of money collected and spent through this account.
In the virtual meeting, the Chief Ministers provided detailed feedback of the ground situation in their States. They gave an overview of the rise in number of cases, testing, and other restrictive measures, and steps taken to increase the usage of masks. They also discussed and gave suggestions about the vaccination drive.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
