The Opposition should develop credible policy alternatives instead of blaming the Govt, and the Centre must be transparent in distribution of the COVID shots
Should political parties play politics over COVID-19? That is what is happening over the delivery of vaccines in the last few days. It has resulted in a fight between the Opposition-ruled States and the Centre for more doses of the coveted jabs as the former and the latter have accused each other of “discrimination” and “neglect” respectively.
When COVID-19 hit the country in January 2020, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi took the Chief Ministers (CMs) and even the public on board about how to effectively deal with the situation. He held several meetings with the CMs and consulted and guided the States, promising them of all possible help. They worked in tandem.
The pandemic helped the Governments focus on the deteriorating healthcare system, lack of hospitals and facilities, inadequate social protection, the need for more funds for the health sector, health insurance and so on. Both the PM and the CMs needed each other and leaned on each other to tackle the enormous medical emergency.
However, both were looking at an electorate and their position at the end of their terms. Therefore, it became an individual race for every one of them. However, whether the Government mishandled the lockdown last year came into question. Still, the lockdown itself did not turn into a political issue. Even the Opposition parties could not go beyond a point to criticise the Modi Government.
Now, after one year, with the pandemic running into its second wave, politics seems to have taken over. When things go wrong, it is politics that comes to the fore.
Now, there are vaccine shortages and there was an obvious miscalculation on the part of the authorities. If something goes wrong, the Centre blames the States while the States blame the Centre for not delivering the required doses of vaccines. The demand pertaining to the shots has also gone up. The initial response from the public was one of “wait and watch”, but now there is a clamour for vaccines as India became the second worst-hit nation in the world.
While the BJP touts Modi as the saviour of the people and lauds his efforts in handling the pandemic, the CMs of the non-BJP ruled States are now alleging that they are getting a stepmotherly treatment. The fact is that all the political parties have realised that COVID-19 has become a long-term game and they cannot simply sit and not play politics over it. So, everything, right from the approval of the vaccines to allocation to the States, is being politicised.
Former CM of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav has declared that he would not take the “BJP vaccine”. Others have questioned the efficacy of the vaccines and rightfully the promise of vaccine avalibility made to the people in poll-bound States by the ruling party.
It is a time of reckoning for the State Governments and all political parties. Recently, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, while addressing the CMs of Congress-led States, asked them to prioritise COVID-19 containment. She also accused the Modi Government of “mismanaging the pandemic situation by allowing the export of vaccines resulting in vaccine shortage” in India.
She said: “As the principal Opposition party, it is our responsibility to raise issues and push the Government to move away from PR tactics and act in the interest of the people.”
The current wave of infections will test the country’s health infrastructure and improvements in it since last year. Maharashtra was the worst-hit State during both the significant surges of COVID-19 cases. As of April 8, almost 24 million doses were in stock and another 19 million were in the pipeline. Some 3-3.5 million doses have been administered on an everyday basis, according to data made available by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The second wave came when people started celebrating the success with respect to effectively tackling the first wave. The period also coincided with the Assembly elections in five States and mega religious events like the Kumbh Mela. On March 7, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan even declared that “we are in the endgame of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
However, this is not the appropriate time to question “who” and “why” with respect to the mishandling of the crisis. The real question is what the Centre and State Governments have done during the pandemic and what they can do to contain the second wave. The Opposition must understand that it should be more vigilant, active, public-spirited and courageous.
The Opposition parties should play their role as an institutional watchdog and develop credible policy alternatives instead of blaming the Government. The Modi Government should be transparent in distributing the vaccines and in addressing the concerns of the CMs of the Opposition-ruled States. All the sides should realise that this is an unprecedented crisis, and playing politics will not help.
The writer is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal.
