Problem with the joint letter by opposition politicians is that no one knows when to take these 'leaders' seriously? For they recommended one thing one day and do a complete U-turn the next day.
So which suggestion to accept? And when?
A response on each of the 9 points. 1/10
Point 01: Procure vaccines centrally.
Letter signed by Sonia Gandhi.
But @RahulGandhi wrote a letter in April asking for "State governments a greater say in vaccine procurement". Multiple Congress leaders asked for same.
So which suggestion to accept? Sonia ji or Rahul? 2/10
@RahulGandhi Point 02:Free, Universal mass vaccination
Letter signed by Sonia Gandhi.
But from @DrAMSinghvi to @ShashiTharoor and all others have been arguing for months for private channel vaccination. Whose suggestion to accept?
(central channel vaccination is FREE FOR ALL ELIGIBLE). 3/10
Point 03: Expand domestic production of vaccines
Letter signed by Sonia Gandhi & @yadavakhilesh.
But @ManishTewari & other Congressis have been instigating people against 'domestic' Covaxin for months.
Yadav dismissed all vaccines as "BJP vaccines". Which version is true? 4/10
Point 04: Spend budgetary allocation on vaccines
Letter signed by those experienced in governance
So far, total 17.59 Cr people vaccinated. Approximately 16 Cr of these are through FREE Central government channel.
How are these vaccines procured without utilizing budget? 5/10
Lot of sensational narrative on why is there is so called differential pricing on vaccines between states & centre or that why has vaccine been opened for private sector etc?
Central government had a well defined, scientific & as per WHO guidelines, vaccination process rolling since Jan 2021.
Front-line, elderly, those with comorbidities, etc be vaccinated first to reduce mortality & then progressively open up. This process was progressing well. 2/10
However, there was a concerted campaign by Congress party highest echelons, opposition CMs, media editors and civil society that:
A) Vaccination process be opened up to allow private channel vaccination as well
B) States be given more leeway and liberalize the process
One of the debilitating effects of so many High Court hearings, across the country:
critical officers are now engaged full time in replying to queries of HC, studying orders, preparing responses / affidavits and thus there actual work suffering. 1/4
Take Sumitra Dawra - AS in DIPP. She is in charge of securing supplies of oxygen etc. Also COVID positive.
Secretary of DIPP is COVID positive and in ICU.
However, instead of 24X7 devoting to securing supplies, the department is now also engaged in replying to HCs. 2/4
Or take case of Piyush Goyal, Additional Secretary in Home Ministry. In charge of securing logistics for oxygen, seamless movements between states and other such critical tasks.
Piyush Goyal is also forced to spend marge part of his time in High Courts, especially in Delhi. 3/4
TMC manifesto released by @MamataOfficial lacks any credibility whatsoever due to complete failure to fulfill promises of previous manifestos.
TMC has been in office for 10 years. Their promises must be judged on their past record of delivery and on that they come a cropper. 1/5
Promise in 2016: @AITCofficial promised to supply water to 2 Crore Households.
Delivery: West Bengal severely lags behind in Jal Jeevan Mission.
In 2020-21, only 11.37 lakh tap connections have been provided against a target of 55.58 lakhs - Just 20% delivery! 2/5
Promise in previous manifestos: @AITCofficial claimed to "bring in a new a new wave in the industrialization of Bengal".
Delivery: WB's ranking in EODB remains stagnant – 11 in 2015 and 9 in 2019. WB received less than 1% of total FDI inflows between Oct 19 and Dec 20. 3/5
MyGov has released an excellent booklet "Putting Farmers First" which not only covers in detail the current #FarmLaws2020 but also lays out in structured summarized format the work done by the Modi government in the last 6 years.
Some snippets. 1/10
What has always baffled me is why did India not respond at all after #MumbaiTerrorAttack on 26/11 in 2008?
Even minor countries respond in at least some military way after a terror attack. But consider what India faced in just 2008 alone (attached chart) and yet no response? 1/5
More than 450 Indians had been murdered in terrorists attacks in 2008 alone. 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007 had not been any less brutal years.
And yet, despite all of this carnage kind of culminating into the #MumbaiTerrorAttacks on 26/11, the Congress government kept silent. Why? 2/5
One plausible explanation could be that the decision makers inside government were compromised.
For example, we now know, through his own views, that Shiv Shankar Menon (FS in 2008) feels that it is legitimate for USA to decide India's policies. Was he compromised then? 3/5
Once-in-a-century global pandemic.
Economic dislocation across the country.
Migrant hardships.
15 years of anti-incumbency.
Entire media ecosystem aligned against you.
Yet, the NDA wins with complete majority in Bihar.
BJP performs phenomenally. #BiharElectionResults2020 1/10
Comfortable reelection of BJP led NDA in Bihar and its sweeping victories in the by-polls, across the length and breadth of the country, is a testimony to the phenomenal popularity of PM Modi.
This popularity is not media or PR built but because of hard work on the ground. 2/10
The continued popularity of PM Modi also holds lessons. both for his detractors as well as his well wishers.
To the well wishers: Think about what did PM Modi get right in dealing with the COVID pandemic? Some of it may not sound sexy or set the pulse racing, but it works. 3/10