The positivity rate of Covid infections seems to be falling in some of our metros thanks to the lockdown — although while Delhi and Mumbai are improving, Chennai and Bengaluru are seeing a rising graph. The villages tell an even more alarming story as the virus spreads like wildfire in areas where there is almost nonexistent health infrastructure. Then there is talk of a third wave that will target young kids. The end is nowhere in sight; at best all we can hope for is a brief respite (that too in some regions) as we had from January to March.
Meanwhile, the politicians are busy playing politics. Defenders of the Prime Minister will tell you that he is working silently (and totally uncharacteristically) behind the scenes, that he is blameless and the Opposition is playing petty games by blaming him and not the virus. The Opposition meanwhile is busy putting up Missing posters (on social media) and raising questions about the decision to export the much-needed vaccinations. Rather belatedly and valiantly, the BJP’s Sambit Patra is trying to defend the decision to export as many as 6 crore doses of vaccinations by stating that almost 5 crore were part of a commercial commitment to the Global Alliance for Vaccinations and Immunisations (GAVI), a public-private partnership that provides vaccinations to developing countries. However, this is not the story we were told earlier when India was being painted as the vaccine provider to the world. Today that same provider is out with a begging bowl.
Then let’s take a look at India’s own procurement policy. While speaking to NewsX, Raghav Chadha of the Aam Aadmi Party (yes, an Opposition leader) asked, why reinvent the wheel? There is already a National Immunisation Policy in place whereby the Central Government procures and the state government administers. However, what the Central Government (working quietly behind the scenes) has done is to transform what was a buyer’s market into a seller’s market. Earlier it was the Central Government that was given sole responsibility of procuring the vaccinations from Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech and so they could influence the price. Now we have a situation where each and every state, Union Territory and large hospital chain is bidding against each other to procure the limited supply of vaccinations. Is that not a waste of the taxpayer’s money? What about the taxpayer’s faith when one day it is announced that vaccinations are open to all and the next day it is discovered that there are not enough vaccines to go around?
Again, in another interview to NewsX, Prof. Srinath Raddy, President of Public Health Foundation India, spoke of the need to involve citizens in helping with relief measures. Already we are seeing citizens reaching out, simply because the system has failed. And what does the system do to these good Samaritans? It orders the Delhi Police to investigate those that are helping under the pretext of looking into the black marketing of Covid drugs. And so a Srinivas BV, an Indian Youth Congress leader who earned tremendous goodwill on social media for helping those in need with medicines, hospital beds and cremations, is investigated. Though not connected, another youth leader who is making inflammatory speeches and spreading communal tensions is left untouched by the courts and his party leadership. Another political leader Shahid Siddiqui is questioned only because he thanked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on social media for helping him with an injection for his wife. Yes, I know even BJP leader Gautam Gambhir was questioned, but how does that justify anything? Surely the police have other suspects to go after. Those who are genuinely and furtively involved in black marketing, rather than those helping others transparently and openly? I would like to add to this list of Samaritans the BJP’s Youth Wing (BJYM) which is also helping those in need with hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, etc, but minus some of the publicity the IYC has got. Another BJP cabinet minister who reaches across the political aisle to help another human being in distress is trolled simply because he has helped someone belonging to a different ideological makeup. Is this what we have come to? As my friend Samir Singh said, right wing or left wing, both belong to the same bird. Instead of helping the bird fly, we are tearing apart its wings.
Finally, it all comes to the leadership question. Has India got the leaders it deserved? From the ruling party and the Opposition? If there is one after-effect of the second surge, the Covid long haul impact, it is this — we have a political leadership that takes our very breath away. And not in a good way.