Thread by @beastoftraal

Thread, on holding India's MOST influential, powerful person + party accountable for his/their hubris, arrogance and misdeeds. Much of this is from international media that BJP cannot control (advertising/coercion), but some Indian media as well.

"Last year, in televised appearances, a harsh lockdown was prefaced with messages of a united national resolve against the disease. This time around, there has been no explicit communication from him, instead a series of spirited election rallies where the crowds are large"

"the current situation does highlight a clear policy failure on varied counts" —a "policy failure" that comes at the COST of lives of Indians.

"Asking citizens to be responsible is crucial, but this carries far more credibility when the political leadership itself is responsible and does not engage in reckless political rallies and enables large and potentially dangerous religious congregations"

"This was the Empowered Group-VI (EG-VI) tasked to coordinate with the “Private Sector, NGOs & International Organizations for response related activities.” In its second meeting, held on April 1 last year, it red-flagged oxygen shortage" bit.ly/32CMedh

"Boosterism (like Modi’s around India’s vaccine production) and the encouragement of normalcy bias (which leads people to minimise threats when confronted by serious risks) have real impacts in public health emergencies that rely on encouraging people to be careful."

"Worse still was the government’s seeming indifference to the mounting tragedy. Even as the scale of India’s second wave grew obvious, Mr Modi and his top ministers actually encouraged vast gatherings, both at their own giant election rallies and at the Kumbh Mela"

"Politicians addressed tens of thousands at election rallies. 'The dominating factor to me is the social events, economic activities and carelessness of religious activities,' said Rakesh Mishra, director of the CSIR Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology."

What a monumentally callous signal for complacency! Here's arguably India's most influential man flagging off an event that is known for MASSIVE crowds, during a pandemic - if that isn't a signal (+ election rallies) for people to drop their guard, what is?

Covid-19: Is this a political turning point? If it does not become a turning point, it only means we Indians need more salt in our food to regain our sense of... as we say in Tamil, "சூடு சொரணை" (roughly: self-respect).

"After successfully tackling first wave of Corona, a fatal misconception I deluded myself into and hence went to town calling millions of fellow Indians to the Mahakumbh and to election rallies..." would be the real 'mann ki baat' (a.k.a unvarnished mind-voice).

He has been distressed, pained, saddened over lives lost to man-made and natural causes in India and globally, before and after becoming PM.

His reaction to THE WORST CALAMITY IN INDIA, that he also fanned due to complacency, under his RULE, with 192,000+ deaths?

Just last month, even as infections surged, Harsh Vardhan, the health minister lauded Modi as a “vaccine guru” and “example to the world”. —Modi leads India out of lockdown and into a Covid apocalypse bit.ly/3sNusio

"Whether it’s complacency, lack of preparedness or bureaucratic failure, there must be a full introspection into what went wrong. With funeral pyres burning over several cities, patients dying as oxygen supplies run out, there must be answers & accountability for this calamity"

"The clamour for decentralisation revolved around providing states greater flexibility in the rollout of the vaccination drive. It was not to create 28 separate state entities negotiating with a private manufacturer for a public good."

"Modi and his Govt have been criticised for failing to prepare health systems. The Govt is also accused of exacerbating the crisis by holding mass election rallies and allowing a giant religious festival to go ahead long after it was clear the virus was out of control."

"Narendra Modi, the prime minister, has been condemned for the failure to prepare for a second wave, instead encouraging huge political and religious gatherings earlier in the year when cases dropped below 10,000 a day."

"The government was slow to respond, even when the size of the second wave became clear. On April 17, Mr. Modi congratulated a mass gathering of people at an election rally in West Bengal for turning up in large numbers."

In other parts of the world, there are semblances of holding the powerful accountable. In India, most media (that get HUGE advertising money from the BJP) won't even vaguely name the actually-accountable and pussyfoot around 'system', 'state subject', 'Joe Biden' etc.

"the Indian leadership was so focussed on patting itself on the back for conquering the virus" —Brutally blunt editorial that holds India's MOST powerful directly responsible, as media houses should.

"The government of Narendra Modi, the prime minister, is desperate to deflect the growing storm of public fury now aimed at him. The scale of the crisis has shaken his air of dominance, as each day brings further catastrophe and his government flounders."

"Like populists elsewhere, Modi will be reluctant to take actions that might imply his government’s earlier mistakes fuelled today’s outbreak. Unless he does, more funeral pyres will burn across his nation." on.ft.com/3vmXOWt

"the Modi government has made some distinctive and disastrous errors. Having centralised power for many years, he now seems to be shifting the burden of responsibility for dealing with Covid-19 on to state governments." on.ft.com/3xpln2B

"India had largely relaxed its social distancing and quarantine measures by March – now viewed as a profound political misjudgment. Taking the cue from their leaders, many Indians abandoned these measures in February and March, returning to restaurants, salons and malls."

Devastatingly blunt editorial:
"it’s the Centre where, amid climbing distress, the evidence of fiddling is starker".
"Centre must take stock of its inattention and failures — because it was in charge and because it still is"

"one could say that this government... simply took the pandemic as an extremely useful tool gifted to it by the gods, a tool it could use to further its agenda — to stifle dissent, to topple Opposition state governments, to ‘win’ elections" bit.ly/2QZdikx

"India’s evolving coronavirus crisis has also been driven by other factors, including its low vaccination rate and limited hospital capacity, as well as decisions made by leaders such as Narendra Modi, and the tolerance of large political and religious gatherings"

"Premier Narendra Modi’s government, in a triumphalist mode thinking it had won over the first wave, has been slammed for having misread the situation and coming up with a late and callous response. State election rallies and the mammoth weeks-long Kumbh festival were allowed."

"The World Health Organization has said India’s deadly Covid19 second wave was caused by a “perfect storm” of mass gatherings, low vaccination rates and more contagious variants"
"there are other factors such as recent large gatherings that may have contributed to the rise"

"In early March, health minister Harsh Vardhan claimed India was in the “endgame” of the pandemic. Cricket matches, massive religious festivals were held. Populist PM Narendra Modi is now being dubbed #superspreaderModi on Twitter" bit.ly/3tZpL6h (The Telegraph, UK)

The sheer scale of the tragedy appears to have jolted a normally tame media into rare scrutiny of a popular politician... has caused many editors and reporters in the so-called “Modia” to question policy-making, such as the decision to allow Kumbh Mela" bit.ly/3gJdEGT

"The Indian government appears to be using the pretext of public health not to protect its citizens from harm but to protect itself from embarrassment. Mr. Modi’s regime has eschewed any semblance of transparency, not even specifying what legislation it used to justify demands"

"The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed its unhappiness with the Centre... saying “it appears you want people to die”. The allocation made by the Centre to Delhi is 490 Metric Tonnes per day. Not for a single day, Delhi has been able to get the complete quantity"

Stunningly BRUTAL! "The Indian drama, like that experienced by the Brazilians, also illustrates the ravages of populism, wherever merchants of illusions prospering on inequality manage to sell to voters their promises of salvation based on nationalism and ignorance."

State Government + YOU KNOW WHO should be taken to task together for this fatal blunder.

"The catastrophic shortages have fuelled accusations that Narendra Modi’s government failed to prepare the country for a second wave after seeing off the first last year. The Modi government has also been accused of wasting valuable time." on.ft.com/3xy5hUw

"Before the stunning increase in cases, the Indian government had described the virus as largely defeated and relaxed public health measures and allowed large crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies."

"Political and religious leaders publically downplaying the severity of the pandemic and calling for mass gatherings also played a role. All of this gave a common message that it doesn’t matter whether you keep a distance or wear a mask." bit.ly/3u3fndV

"For his followers, the government’s support for building a Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh on the contested site of a former mosque and its move to abolish the special status of Jammu and Kashmir are far more pressing priorities." bit.ly/32XsHEy

"The message of all this is clear: Policy goals, political dramaturgy and electoral prospects are more important than the well-being of the country's population." wapo.st/33cCRlb

Lessons from India's Covid-19 tsunami —The unfolding health disaster is a hybrid of a natural disaster compounded by complacency, misgovernance and power play bit.ly/3gRLR74

"Continued massive election rallies, many addressed by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, brought large numbers to congested gatherings and lulled many into underplaying the threat of infection. The incomprehensible decision to allow the Mahakumbh Mela..." bit.ly/3vs8N0F

"In every direction, the criminal negligence of the Modi govt is apparent. Culprits: incompetence, poor planning, arrogance, attractions of short-term economic gain and, most egregiously, the insatiable appetite of Brand Modi" bit.ly/2QGNjyv (Israeli newspaper Haaretz)

"We did highlight the fact in the first week of March that the second wave was on its way and the government should prepare. It was red flagged to the appropriate people in the government. People were in denial about the second wave."

"The Madras high court asked on Thursday, "What was the Centre doing in the last 14 months to control the pandemic?". Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said the Centre should have acted in a planned and informed manner with expert advice rather than scrambling now."

"...directing their anger at those closer to home. Modi and his Hindu-nationalist governing party have been criticized for lifting restrictions and allowing huge events, including political rallies and religious festivals."

Read this fully. I cannot believe how flippant, combative and ruthless Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, sounds! And via him, the Center's culpability in treating Delhi badly, comes through. bit.ly/3t6QeNY

"Within a span of 15 months, our government has presented a textbook lesson in misgovernance. As India gropes for a glimmer of light, it is important to frankly list out at least five instances that must haunt any ruler left with an iota of conscience." bit.ly/3t0csBv

"The ICMR database is inaccessible to anyone outside of the government and to many within the government. Most scientists – including several identified by DST and NITI Aayog to develop new prediction models for India – do not have access to these data" bit.ly/3u7ZqD9

https://twitter.com/AC360/status/1387927338445418499

"The idea that India had hit herd immunity, that we only needed to be careful and we could eradicate the virus by February... all of this was wrong. But you must understand in which environment this advice landed. People heard what they wanted to hear."

"Instead of using the space January provided to reinforce social distancing, we allowed massive election rallies and Kumbh Mela. India has one of the lowest public healthcare budgets. That coupled with leadership that lacked foresight may just change the map of India forever."

When the Government—in a highly irresponsible and fatal move—signals massive complacency at the Prime Minister's level by allowing HUGE events, and fails miserably in thinking people-first (election-first & power-first), the people band together and help each other.

"Then India’s hyper-nationalism took over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders from his Bharatiya Janata Party took no time to claim victory against the virus. Election rallies attracted soaring crowds. Further fueling new cases was Kumbh Mela" bit.ly/3ub2Bu2

"Is an election more important than people?” he asked. If Modi takes credit for the first wave going away, he has to take the blame now."

"I will never support the party again. The government is completely absent. They have left the people to fend for themselves."

"When the vaccination drive should have been decontrolled with private participation right from the beginning, the Centre insisted on total control. Now, when absence of control will lead to chaos, it washes its hands off and lets states and private hospitals take the heat."

How the Indian CENTRAL Government's 'Make in India' policy came in the way of scientific testing of the virus, and how the Government continued to not be serious about science and testing. Monumental callousness that is now costing lives.

"A feature of “Third World-ism” is lack of accountability. The accountability and systemic checks within which developed societies operate are missing in India. Here, the PM’s favoured projects get special sanction. That’s very Third World."

"Leadership trickles top down. The more successful the leader, stronger this downpour. Triumphalism, premature declaration of victory goes straight into the teams. Top leadership was busy winning elections and dissing federal counterparts when India needed unity & consolidation."

"To achieve its objective, it (BJP) is focused entirely on winning every single election, or failing that, engineering defections by hook or by crook. Is it any wonder then that when the storm clouds gather, there is no one to tell the Emperor he is not wearing any clothes?"

"complacency permeated the Modi government’s actions. A “Covid task force” of scientific experts had been constituted — yet no actual meetings of the body were held in February & March 2021. For the prime minister had given the signal that the virus had been defeated by Indians."

https://twitter.com/SushantSin/status/1388440527431868418

April 29: HC to Center - Release O2 to Delhi.
April 30: HC to Center - Release O2 to Delhi.
May 01: HC to Center - Release O2 to Delhi.
May 01, evening: HC to Center: DO IT NOW!
Charade by BJP, for THREE DAYS!! Is BJP so angry with Delhi'ites for voting AAP twice?

"Modi is one of the most narcissistic leaders. The personality cult around him and his intolerance of dissent is profoundly. Modi has been as assiduous in steamrollering those traditions as he has been negligent in safeguarding India’s public health." on.ft.com/3vxqbkP

"Amazingly the govt has continued to permit election rallies, test matches and Kumbh Mela. But Poonawalla declines an invitation to apportion blame. "If I give you the right answer, or any answer, my head would be chopped off. I can’t comment on the elections or Kumbh Mela."

"Our preparation has been such that vaccine is fast reaching every corner of the country," prime minister Narendra Modi said on January 22. Just over three months later, that initial promise has evaporated and the government’s plans are in disarray."

"Modi would have been able to manage the current surge if he had selected the right people. His selection and dependency on an inefficient team has proved very costly for the nation. Many say that the BJP seemed to prefer winning political power over people’s health."

"As the biggest modern-day crisis continues to unfold in India, there has been no accountability, no heads have rolled. The citizens continue to pay the price for the government prematurely announcing victory and then refusing to stop campaigning while a country was bleeding."

"all of March, there was little to no action by the government. This was a shocking policy failure. There were massive rallies and the Kumbh mela. Family and friends in India told me that India had beaten Covid-19. But how, when no one in the world had beaten it?"

Thread:

https://twitter.com/beastoftraal/status/1388677529972600838

"The blame lies in Modi’s governance, where top ministers are chosen for loyalty rather than expertise, where secrecy and image management is privileged over transparency. In such a framework, when Modi drops the ball, as he did on Covid, there can be disastrous consequences."

One man's hubris & cockiness is affecting THE WORLD: "Shipments (from India) ground to a halt by mid-April. The limited supply would be a particularly big blow for low-income nations, many of which (had) sought India-produced AstraZeneca vaccine through Covax."

“In January, his mother had been the one worried about him returning to Britain, when a troubling second wave of the virus was taking hold there. “For them,” he said of the general perception in India earlier this year, “COVID was over.” — Who was responsible for that perception?

"A forum of scientific advisers **set up by the government** warned Indian officials in early March of a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus taking hold. Authorities were not paying enough attention to the evidence as they set policy."

“If we don’t have the data to fully understand what’s happening now, how can India possibly prepare for the future?”

What stupendously callous and lax attitude! Where is the sense of urgency in ensuring that there are more vaccines sooner?

Why is India SO, SO behind in terms of the vaccine availability? Because a cocky Central Government didn't think it was necessary for all and even insulted everyone who said otherwise. Now, India is paying the price for BJP's my-way-or-highway arrogance.

Update, from both Central Govt. and Adar. Indian Govt *PAID* on April 28, 2021. So, was there a fresh order *AFTER* March, by the Central Govt, as claimed originally by Adar and the Business Standard report today?

"It is not certain what the government did with this information, which has proved to be tragically accurate. This is the consequence of the government not listening closely to warning from its own scientific establishment." —The blood, on Indian Government's hands.

"a series of directions issued by the Supreme Court late on Sunday may finally lead to more decisive steps to alleviate the oxygen shortage. But for that, politicians — ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE ***CENTRAL GOVERNMENT*** — have to prioritise Delhi’s right to breathe."

"The reality is that the BJP can no longer claim to offer a superior model of governance" on.ft.com/33c2ceT

It Isn't Just Modi. India’s Compliant Media Must Also Take Responsibility for the COVID-19 Crisis bit.ly/3vBZoDW

Ministries fumble as questions raised on fate of oxygen, foreign aid rushed to Covid-hit India: Questions are being raised in the US as well as in India on the distribution of the foreign aid bit.ly/339gRrg

"India’s Covid ordeal, like Liberia’s Ebola and Haiti’s earthquake, is a curse of nature. But its effects on a wondrous, ambitious country have been magnified by the dereliction of India’s government."

"The prime minister and the chief minister have gone into hiding, abandoning Varanasi and its people to their own fate. The local BJP leaders are in hiding too. They have switched off their phones. People are so angry." bbc.in/3xIMaHn

Who is responsible for India's vaccine shortage? One man's hubris, incompetence and self-serving overconfidence.

This is beyond apathy. This is criminal negligence. The way t berates the Center is astonishingly blunt and categorical. Yet, the Center remains, as we say in Tamil, "like the buffalo that stands in the rain".

When was the SOP for distributing foreign aid framed? **AFTER** it was reported in the media that the Govt is sitting on it. Reactive, not proactive. Total apathy.

"Is it too much to expect Modi to admit that even if the virus is more virulent, India is actually going through a man-made disaster?" bit.ly/3b4WmjP

"Public communication during a pandemic must focus only on healthrelated issues, not how to make the government look good."

"Before corona, I saw Modi ji in a different light. But being a world leader is pointless if you can’t stand up to the local needs. How can you send vaccine abroad when people are dying in your country? What is the point of making grand speeches?"

"He makes strong choices with disastrous consequences. The Prime Minister may have been blinded by his own success. India's strongman never admits to failure. He knows that the next national elections, in 2024, are still a long way off." (machine-translation from French)

"What counsel did the BCCI take about the COVID environment? Might its go-to counsel on epidemiology have been that noted expert Narendra Modi, who as recently as two months ago was declaring victory over COVID, and that India had 'saved humanity'?" bit.ly/3eoSzju

"On April 17, when India was reporting 250,000 cases, Mr. Modi suggested the (Kumbh) festival should be “symbolic.” Late afternoon that day, Mr. Modi attended a public meeting of over 50,000 people in West Bengal. “Wherever I look, I just see people,” he gloated."

India's MOST POWERFUL and INFLUENTIAL MAN played down the seriousness of the 2nd wave by first announcing a 'victory' against the virus and then by saying one thing and doing the exact opposite. Coming from the PM himself, that signalling perpetuated complacency.

"the Prime Minister exulting about the size of an election rally crowd on a day when over 2,00,000 Indians were newly infected (is) unassailable action(s) of the state. By participating in the state’s abdication of responsibility, one is fostering conditions of social murder."

"It is not simply that evidence has mounted of repeated failures to heed warnings of an impending second wave of covid­19. Indians are accustomed to ineptitude and meagre support. Rather it is a sense of utter abandonment that is driving the anger."

"At the same time that tens of thousands of corona patients die every day in India, the Modi government is promoting a 1.5 billion euro refurbishment, including a new home for the country's own leader." (machine translated from the Greek newspaper Ta Nea)

"India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages. The success of that effort will depend on **the government owning up to its mistakes**, providing responsible leadership and transparency." —The Lancet, editorial. bit.ly/2R0GWpW

"The second wave was provoked to hit us, and when it did, Modi-Shah were busy with election rallies to respond seriously. Their unequivocally centralised government collapsed, and those most responsible absconded, as unprecedented chaos reigns." bit.ly/3uuVug6

The decision.
The act.
The result.
All he needs is pliable sycophants... repercussions can always be managed with PR and 'media-relations'. (Read the tweet above to know his functioning even better)

"Her son Gaurav begged doctors to admit his mother or provide her with oxygen. She died in the car. Now Gaurav is full of rage against the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a politician whom he supported until recently."

"The criticism has gone beyond politicians. Some people have even drawn comparisons between Modi and Nero, the Roman emperor who, according to legend, fiddled while Rome burned." cnn.it/3uARhaE

"While there is no doubt that complacency and missteps led to this ferocious second wave, there is a growing perception that the government’s response to the outbreak is appalling and in some cases insensitive."

When one man's hubris allowed him to put PR above the lives/interests of Indian citizens—"until the end of March, India was vaccinating fewer people at home than the number of doses it was sending overseas" bit.ly/33rV1zh

"Blaming the Centre for the surge, the IMA said a national lockdown of at least 10-15 days was necessary as it would have given the struggling healthcare infrastructure breathing space to recoup and replenish both the material and the manpower."

"Is there any accountability mechanism for people surrounding the leadership... I suspect there is a tendency to please Number One (Prime Minister), so no one is flagging negative situations to him on time," said the RSS leader. bit.ly/3etd1j9

https://twitter.com/Bhayankur/status/1391242499100864516

"They show the losses in a country where the dead and infected are widely believed to be grossly undercounted. They stand as a rebuke to a government accused of mismanagement by many of its people." nyti.ms/3o1ONzt

"How is it right for the government to hold election rallies and elections in West Bengal then?" —Mahant Das.

"Modi's reluctance to cancel the gathering was because of possible backlash from Hindu religious leaders."

The rot starts from the very top: bbc.in/3xTjPON

"What can Modi do? Be positive. Your negativity itself is killing people. Everyone should be together at this time." This reaction is fine for social media. But the government can't run like that. You're a union government, not a WhatsApp group." bit.ly/33u4PZx

The chronology of culpability - he himself will headline, invite an event known for teeming crowds, even removing a CM who opposes it and planting a yes-man in his place. And then he himself will come an offer help while the yes-man thanks him. What a complete farce!

Is this some kind of a joke on us Indians? The seers were ready for a symbolic Kumbh, it seems. The PM too was ready for it, it seems. And yet, the PM put his face on a Shoosha level jamboree, leading to catastrophe. Who took the decision to go to town, then?

"part of a pattern of treating the epidemic as a short-term crisis, like natural disasters such as an earthquake. The government treated the relatively mild ‘first wave’ outbreaks as a triumph of its policies and of Indian exceptionalism." —Deccan Herald bit.ly/2SyINTe

"Mr Modi’s brand of Indian exceptionalism bred complacency. A presumption of national greatness has led to a lack of preparedness, most notably in vaccine production. The buck stops with him. He should acknowledge and make amends for mistakes that have caused enormous suffering."

"The govt has declared the Central Vista project an “essential service”, so that the laborers continue working during curfew hours. These are the anxious hands constructing the emperor’s palace, as funeral pyres billow smoke in the Delhi sky around them." bit.ly/33w8JB5

Must-read, on the monumental mess caused by BJP in the name of vaccine policy and how it is significantly harming Indian citizens, the same people that BJP swore to protect when it took power twice.

"This is not a picture of a leader concerned about the well-being of the country he governs but of fulfilling a personal and political agenda in spite of it."

"This is about the intent, thought and actions of the Narendra Modi government in the middle of a national health emergency. Either the government was callous about the nation’s continued fight against COVID-19, or wanted to abdicate responsibility to the States entirely."

Not 'India'. BJP celebrated prematurely. Our PM crowed prematurely. This led to Indians thinking, "Oh, if the ruling party and PM seem so confident, we're safe!". The responsibility needs to be pinned - not on a nebulous 'India', but on the specific entities responsible.

"many Indians struggling to keep Covid-stricken relatives alive in the face of daunting obstacles feel abandoned by a leader who appears strangely indifferent — if not paralysed — amid their suffering."
Full story: on.ft.com/3eKfcPe

We did not export vaccines merely because of liabilities. We did it because the PM and BJP (not 'India' - only these 2 erring, self-centered entities) announced a premature victory over the pandemic in arrogance, cockiness and hubris. BJP put their ego over Indians' well-being.

"The Indian government failed to order enough vaccines for its population—or ramp up its vaccination program fast enough. But for months, the U.S. also blocked exports of crucial raw materials India needed to manufacture vaccines and stockpiled 20 million AstraZeneca shots."

"Mr. Modi has presided over a shambolic response to the pandemic that threatens to set India back by decades. When things seemed to be going well, he was eager to claim credit. Now it’s time for him to accept the blame."

Brilliant: "The vaccine shortage is because of one simple word called atmanirbharta. The idea that self-sufficiency is the main end to be achieved in the vaccination drive, and not the vaccination itself." bit.ly/33IjzEl

"the government is notable by its absence. Harsh Vardhan, the health minister, last week advised Indians to eat extra-­dark chocolate with “more than 70% cocoa” to beat covid-­related stress. 86% of Indian families cannot afford a basic balanced diet, let alone fancy chocolate."

"when it comes to Covid-19 management, the Centre has failed to perform even logistical tasks — oxygen supply, access to basic medicines, treatment protocols, data systems, vaccinations. When all else fails, we are reminded that health is, after all, a state subject."

"The government has failed and collapsed completely. We can pay money to the government if they can at least provide us oxygen."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appeared more interested in silencing critics than in confronting the breadth of a pandemic."

Related thread:

https://twitter.com/beastoftraal/status/1393895288025223169

Finally, the chorus is starting against the utterly idiotic, thoughtless vaccination policy by the BJP Govt. It is aimed ONLY at shifting responsibility and protecting Modi/BJP. This selfish decision costs, will cost India dearly for years.

More on how absurd Govt's vaccination plan is: "There is no reason for this tech infrastructure if your goal is to distribute vaccines. We have this technological system because of dreams for a universal health identity database."

Any half-decent political party with an iota of self-respect should understand how selfish and monumentally idiotic they are: "this is a regime that, despite two spectacular victories, has boxed itself into believing that every criticism is a sinister plot by the losers."

Today's 4th piece on the thoughtless vaccine policy of BJP at the Center: "Instantaneously, it abdicated its responsibility, perhaps aware that in the chaos which would follow such a move, the blame would now have to be shared by the Opposition governments and the Centre."

"What blinded government to the devastating second wave of Covid? Among the obvious factors are hyper nationalism, concentration of power in the hands of a few and reliance on pseudo-scientific remedies."

The **FIFTH** piece today that exposes how selfish the BJP's non-vaccine policy is! "We won’t be safe till we all are. This needs to be recognized especially by government. Instead of relying on CoWin, we must prepare for the launch of a door-to-door ‘jabs for all’ campaign."

"The prime minister stands accused of turning a blind eye to warning signs of the second wave, ignoring the advice of scientists and fuelling a culture of complacency at the top levels of government by allowing state elections, political rallies and religious festivals."

Read together, one after the other—"by mid-March only 15 million doses had been delivered, covering a mere 1% of India’s population. The vaccination drive was hobbled by messages from Indian leadership that the country had conquered the virus and by..." nyti.ms/3hyU8NE

The SIXTH voice in 2 days to expose BJP's horrendous (non)policy on vaccination. Chandrakant asks, "How long must one wait before acknowledging that what was planned is not working?". Trouble is, BJP puts its own ego, Modi's ego before the nation's interest.

SEVENTH voice in 2 days, on India's terrible vaccine (non)policy: "There is utter confusion and chaos over the vaccine policy, causing much concern in the minds of millions. The results are there for everyone to see."

"This rage over the government’s abdication will be harder for the BJP to mollify, coming as it does not from the liberals it loves to hate but from ordinary Indians." bit.ly/3uXWIAt

"the Indian government displayed little urgency about buying large amounts of vaccines in advance. What’s more, India has flung open eligibility for vaccines without a concomitant increase in supply."

Thread.

https://twitter.com/beastoftraal/status/1394832519208472579

"riled **some**", it seems. That *some* is BJP, because it cannot stand any kind of criticism and s bent on conflating 'BJP = India' and 'Modi = India', as if only they own the idea and honor of India.

News: "On Wednesday, India recorded the world’s highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a single day. The country reported 4,529 deaths in the last 24 hours, topping the previous high set by the U.S. on Jan. 12, when it recorded 4,475 deaths."

India's Health Minister:

THIS is what BJP is desperately trying to divert our attention from (besides the PM himself inviting *massive* complacency by saying one thing and doing the opposite all through Jan-Apr) - the seriously botched vaccine non-policy that is costing lives. ET edit today is piercing.

The TOI edit, compared to ET edit, is more circumspect and guarded almost as if they want to criticize the monumental ineptitude of BJP's vaccination blunder, but their words were airbrushed to reduce the anger. But the ending is a giveaway: "Don't drop the ball ***AGAIN***".

"3 things were required from the Indian government in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic: take the threat seriously, use the initial time to strengthen the health care system; and to vaccinate as many Indians as quickly as possible." —Failed miserably, in all 3.

What happens when a Prime Minister lets sub-national entities like States compete globally for a life-saving vaccine after monstrously botching it himself (under the pretext "States asked for it!", as if he agrees to everything the States ask for!). Result - firefighting mission.

"With thousands of Indians dying daily, one might have expected a man with such a show-man’s talent to signal solace to a wounded nation. But the most powerful leader in a generation seems unable to do more than deliver finger-­wagging homilies."

"...while the Government was missing in action" — 'self-help' seems like euphemism for 'atmanirbharta'.

African countries have formed the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust to negotiate better. European Union has a joint negotiation team. India? BJP has left the States to procure vaccines on their own - THE ONLY COUNTRY in the world to do so! BJP, the real Tukde Tukde party.

What use is absolute majority when a Govt cannot stick to a decision based on experts' view? And make a monumentally fatal mess of India's vaccination program? This, on top of a seriously botched procurement. We, the Indian people, are paying the price for BJP's incompetence.

Besides 'vaccine hesitancy', India is also fighting BJP's 'vaccine ordering hesitancy'. After warning States on March 17th, as late as April 8th, Modi was crowing about vaccine'less victory. Orders (meagre) only in April end. Result: Our pathetic vaccine availability.

India's "Vaccine Ordering Hesitancy" - failure to foresee, plan and commit. "Did no one do the calculation ... of how many doses will be needed in India?"

Associated Press: bit.ly/3wvcYcz

The Hindu: bit.ly/3bMs1qK

When the PM opens vaccine procurement to States without considering that he is allowing sub-national entities to compete globally (instead of INDIA acting in one voice), and the vendors insult the States by refusing to deal with them. Terrible state of affairs.

Editorial in Gulf News today, of all places! "Indian government needs to vaccinate, not vacillate. India needs to face this crisis head on without glossing over the shortcomings."

Pandemic national success stories - the coronavirus has exposed them again as shallow thinking.

India is THE ONLY COUNTRY in the world to let sub-national entities compete in front of the world for life-saving vaccines. BJP is the party that let States bypass the national Govt to cover its own incompetence. BJP *broke* India into pieces in front of the world.

Reason why India *still* does not have a widespread, multi-lingual, multi-media campaign to motivate vaccination: it would remind people about the horrendous vaccine supply and hence BJP's utter ineptitude, early crowing of victory over COVID and fatal vaccine-order-hesitancy.

"An emergency is the worst hour to abruptly saddle the States with additional procurement responsibilities. The current scramble by States on
the international stage also propagates a discordant image for (the) country."

"The tone of Prime Minister’s address at the World Economic Forum sounded self-congratulatory and complacent. India continues to score self-goals and surprises even sympathetic observers by often snatching defeat from the jaws of victory."

"The government didn’t place sufficient orders with domestic manufacturers. Not being able to secure sufficient supplies despite having the vaccines and a large manufacturing base is perhaps the biggest policy error of recent times."

"...shows the PM stepped up review meetings from the second half of April 2021, *more than a month after the second wave began*." (after *WARNING* States on March 17th) —he had a more important task... to play the mascot for the 24x7 election winning machine, BJP.

"By taking his eyes off the road, Modi had driven the country into a ditch. Now he, and his sycophantic chorus of Cabinet ministers and paid propagandists, were busy blaming the passengers for not fastening their seatbelt." bit.ly/3fkaQyG

Today's TOI editorial exposes the total ineptitude and my-way-or-highway belligerent approach by the Indian Govt in vaccine procurement and CoWin. This ego-centric decision-making is costing precious Indian lives. But, for BJP, their own ego is more important.

"In some (countries), there was hubris, such as the proclamation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January that India had beaten Covid-19."

Related toon that explains India's fatally botched handling of 2nd wave.

"India has one of the world’s largest capacities to manufacture vaccines, but the central government’s failure to place orders in time, complexities around licensing Western vaccines and overreliance on just two domestic manufacturers have led to a massive supply crisis."

"lack of adequate supplies has meant that India’s vaccination rate has suffered even as other countries have stepped up their efforts... (other) countries have already ordered enough vaccines to provide at least one dose to each citizen. India is far behind on that front."

Blistering indictment! - "Modi first put the lives of his own people at risk by not putting money where his mouth was. When it went horribly wrong, he forced Indian companies to break their word on deliveries, endangering millions of others the world over" bit.ly/3bYxvP0

Thank you for following up on BJP's "myths", Economic Times. And exposing the ugly truth behind their blatant lies and abdication of responsibility. The language in BJP's response against States was disgustingly pugnacious, like a typical bully.

Don't let BJP turn such reporting into 'hinduphobia'. That's precisely what they want to deflect attention from seeking accountability. When we talk about this, we are blaming BJP and the politicians who enabled this event during a pandemic. bit.ly/3p4t0aZ

He posed a question on September 26, 2020. He was forced to capitulate to the Lotus Feet of BJP's mascot within a day. And the world is still paying for that costly miscalculation, fatal arrogance, bloated ego till date.

BJP's horribly botched vaccine procurement non-strategy explained - zero commitment to India when needed most. Because... staggering arrogance that absolute majority gives, twice, goes to their heads. We Indians are and will be paying the price of this for a very long time.

"But to take comfort in the hope that democracies will demand accountability, we must first remember, as the pandemic continues to ravage India and Brazil, that it is not only the virus, but also the hubris of autocrats, that kills."