Dear Editor,
Last April and May in the Stabroek News, Prime Minister Modi was severely criticized, to the point of the criticisms or critiques coming across as a personal attack on the leader, for his handling of Covid in India. Prior to that and since June, the PM was/has been praised for his handling of Covid with the lowest global infection and mortality rate per hundred thousand people. Guyanese and other critics failed to understand India’s federalist system of governance or what those of us who study India’s politics calls “cooperative federalism”.
When the PM assumed control of the battle on Covid last year, he was attacked for what critics described as usurping the power of the state governments or Chief Ministers who were the elected executive of the states. The PM felt humbled by the critics. Modi backed off. Fighting Covid was placed on the shoulders of state governments. Some handled it well; others did not.
Each state was given control over its Covid policy and vaccination drive and to procure its own vaccines. Funds were given to the states to combat Covid. The states proved to be inept in fighting Covid and in acquiring vaccines as the dreadful disease took an unfathomable and devastating toll across India. Millions of cases of infections were recorded daily. Covid swarmed the states; thousands died from Covid daily. No doubt, India was unprepared for the second wave that hit in April and May. After India’s low rate last year and through March of this year, the country was lax and the government felt it had ‘conquered’ Covid with its lockdown. The country let its guard down. During that period, India supplied the world with oxygen ventilators, PPEs, masks, etc., and later vaccines. India didn’t expect a second wave and did not prepare for it. So when the second wave came, India experienced shortages in equipment and vaccines. Modi was blamed for taking care of the needs of the world in vaccine diplomacy. And while happy to receive India’s vaccine, PPEs, etc, to combat Covid, some of the very recipients in Guyana blamed and attacked Modi for the rise of Covid in India and for the shortage of equipment in his own country.
After the PM was blamed for the rise in Covid casualties in May, the PM re-assumed control over Covid policy, securing vaccines, ventilators, PPEs, etc. and the infections drastically fell. Even when it was at its peak in April and May, India was among the countries with the lowest infection and mortality rate from Covid in April and May, lower than Guyana and the US. Today, India has the lowest infection rate globally among major economies. In addition, while most countries, including Guyana, experienced a third wave of infection, it appears that the third wave has skipped India where it has been very mild. Today, India is praised for its handling of Covid by the leaders of all the major countries. This Covid is the biggest problem the world is facing in 100 years. It is the biggest pandemic, and hence efforts made in India to tackle the corona are commendable. As the Indian PM stated some time ago, handing Covid has been most difficult for humanity. He did his best managing the problem of state power versus national control.
Last Friday, India administered more 22.6 million vaccines, unprecedented in the globe, a record for the issuance of any vaccines globally in a single day. That India has been able to control the third wave of Covid-19 and limit its spread is unprecedented. The Indian PM should be praised for his handling of Covid. Unlike what critics claimed in April and May, Modi has done a remarkable job since then to reduce Covid infections not only in India but in other countries as well, including Guyana, that were/are recipients of India’s anti-Covid assistance.
Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram
