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BIG STORY APRIL 23, 2021 | The Indian Eye 6

covid-19 & modi government : colossal failure

accountable is The Guardian in Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with the leading oxygen manu- of discussions with his counter-
England, which on April 21 ran a facturers across the country through video conferencing, on Friday. (ANI) part Anthony Blinken on the
reported piece direly headlined easing of the US export em-
‘‘The system has collapsed’: In- agement’ of the second wave of bad planning and incompetence bargo. Foreign secretary Harsh
dia’s descent into Covid hell’. the pandemic and said the Prime of his government?” she asked. Shringla has held similar discus-
The piece begins with Modi’s Minister ‘failed’ to provide lead- She said at a time when the sions with Wendy Sherman, US
now infamous musing at a rally ership at a crucial time. In an government should be focussing deputy secretary.
in Bengal, on the fact that he has interview, Ms. Vadra said “the on fighting the catastrophic sit- Washington sources said
not seen such large crowds be- lack of planning and preparation uation, the Prime Minister con- some US Congressmen have
fore. COVID-19 guidelines pro- between the first and the second tinues to address election rallies. also expressed support. But that
hibit large gatherings and call for wave is the worst act of negligence In a separate tweet, she said the this is going to be a difficult one,
social distancing. and incompetent governance”. government failed the country to is now clear. Meanwhile, Ger-
On April 22, meanwhile, “The Prime Minister has provide oxygen despite being its man chancellor Angela Merkel
West Bengal goes into the sixth completely failed to provide largest producer. expressed doubts about helping
phase of its eight-step election. a sense of safety, direction or The Modi government is not India develop its pharma sector,
“In West Bengal, where Modi’s leadership during this massive only failing at home, it is also not especially as India has tightened
government has refused to cur- human crisis we are facing. It able to get support from its allies. its pharma exports in the context
tail the drawn-out state elections is shocking that just day before As India’s Covid crisis ex- of the ongoing Covid crisis.
that his Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday [Sunday], he was on plodes, the US delivered a Merkel was quoted as saying
(BJP) is hoping to win, Modi and a public stage addressing thou- blow to India’s vaccination pro- by Politico, “We now have a sit-
his home minister, Amit Shah, sands of people with no COVID gramme, indicating it would uation with India where, in con-
continued their public meetings protocol and laughing while do- prioritise its own citizens before nection with the emergency sit-
and roadshows into this week ing so. What is there to laugh addressing India’s request for uation of the pandemic, we are
even as queues of ambulances about? The entire country is in vaccine components. worried whether the pharma-
lined up outside hospitals across tears,” she said. Responding to journal- ceutical products will still come
India,” the piece by Hannah El- “There are no hospital beds ists, the US State Department to us,” observed Merkel.
lis-Petersen notes. available, medicines are running spokesperson said, “we have On Thursday, John Nkenga-
It also delves into warning short, crematoriums are full, a special responsibility to the song, director of the Africa Cen-
given by healthcare profession- frontline workers are exhaust- American people”. ters for Disease Control and Pre-
als, which appear to have been ed...Where is the leadership? “It’s of course not only in our vention, warned India against
ignored by the Modi govern- Where is the planning? Why are interest to see Americans vacci- blocking vaccine exports to Afri-
ment, thus leading to the crisis. we short of facilities? Where is nated; it’s in the interests of the ca under the COVAX program.
Modi’s opponents too are the money from the PM fund rest of the world to see Ameri- This is definitely the worst
attacking him with force. Con- being used? Why has he done cans vaccinated.” The implied moment for the Modi govern-
gress general secretary Priyan- nothing to address the five major subtext was that Indians’ vacci- ment. But for the people of In-
ka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday shortages of vaccines, beds, ven- nation was less important. dia, it is a huge tragedy that can
slammed the Narendra Modi tilators, oxygen and Remdesivir? Foreign minister S Jaishan- only get worse in coming weeks
government over the ‘misman- Will he take responsibility for the kar has held a couple of rounds and months.

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