Triumphalism, premature declaration of victory meant no one checked if India had enough vaccines, oxygen, remdesivir, bringing us back to a crisis where we need foreign aid after four decades.
Till February this year, Narendra Modi and the BJP were congratulating themselves on having avoided the tsunami of Covid. Now India is a hare in headlights.
Between premature victory mood that allowed Kumbh & elections, and lack of urgency on vaccines, Modi govt has walked into its biggest crisis. The way out needs realism, humility and one ‘Ram baan’ weapon.
Flurry of economic reform suggests Modi realises his muscular nationalism script is getting jaded. Chances are he'll try for economic recovery but stick to what's worked.
Pakistan, Bangladeshis and terrorism are missing from the Modi-Shah election campaign. They seem to have understood the risks of cynical mixing of domestic political motivations with strategic national interests.
If India thinks it's caught in an awful two-front situation, the picture is more challenging for Pakistan. It can continue fighting India and become a colony of China.
The world has expectations from India and complains when those aren’t met. If global praise is acceptable to Modi govt, why the resentment and rejection over criticism?
We can complain about undermining of institutions, misuse of agencies, discriminatory laws, use of sedition, rail-roading of legislations. But, on all key issues, Congress is MIA.
Judiciary is responsible for ensuring our liberty, and habeas corpus is the usual route. But magistrates are acting as if the rule is ‘jail, and bail is above my pay grade’.
The 125 APAs include 86 Unilateral APAs (UAPAs) and 39 Bilateral APAs (BAPAs). The total number of APAs since the start of the APA programme has risen to 641, with 506 UAPAs and 135 BAPAs.
This year, the Army has scheduled an online combined examination that will span 174 locations across the country. The examination window is from April 22 to May 7.
As the BJP heads for a likely third successive term in power, it's fascinating to debate how true it looks to the original proposition: a party with a difference.
Dear Shekhar ji,
You said ‘I would have no argument with what price private sector charging…’.
Why? Are private sector free to profit whatever they want? Are they above any guideline or rule?
My economics book says that private sector must be allowed to charge and profit as much as it wants.
It appears that HINDUSTAN now requires the help of CHRISTIAN and MUSLIM nations in its fight against COVID !!! Ha…ha…ha…so much for “Nationalism”. No “Patriotism” is going to save you now. No “Dharma” is going to save you now. You are all doomed. Congrats Bhakt Buddhus.
Nationalists always work in the interest of the nation. It’s anti nationals like you who spread panic and profit from selling fake drugs and hoard life saving oxigen. Ultimately it would be nationalists who would do their best to defeat the Corona. Parasites like Shekhar Gupta can only criticise and do nothing.
All knowledgeable pandits only talk about lndians failure to combat 2nd surge of covid.&blame Modi govt. I would like to ask why most Govt. Inthe world also failed to combat the surge? This is a pandemic. Mankind has not yet any answer to this problem. Instead of finding fault of Modi why do you not try &suggest better solution to the problem we know you all. Seen you all. DTOP PREACHING VENOM.
chuslims and christians countries can go f**k themself .Hindus are spread in all countries if the virus spreads or goes out they will also suffer with us.So it serves their interest and No allah or Jesus will be able to save them.So much for faith in allah and jesus ha ha ha
Hindustan helped Christian and Muslim country🤣🤣🤣🤣 now they will help us..
Well said
And China is Buddhist, Shinto, Confuscian. Japan is Taoist. All religions & lands come together to help humanity. We are not a Hindu nation or a brown race or any of that sort. We are the human race.
Someone / Some govt is trying to throw mud on Modi about Corona but the fact is illiterate n useless and thankless people who have never followed what he said, never wore mask, no social distancing and not come out of home, etc etc n this is endless. They did kumbh mela , they did what they liked without bothering for anyone n now they put blame on Modi. Their own thinking has brought our public to this situation.
They start remembering note bandi etc etc n start finding so many faults with Mr Modi.
May God give them brains to understand that if He was not Pm, half of our country would have perished. His sincere and hard work has saved us from a big big big problem.
This is all deceiving game plan by some other country. So wake up n understand
Yes shekhar, tell the other side too where people are freaking dying because of incompetent Modi.
Wait…
what did you say? There is no other side to death?
Never mind a bhaktz gonna be bhakkt.
Shame on you “sold out prestitude”…dont all the educated people know how vile journalists such as you are responsible in destroying a Nation by spreading malicious news to instigate some of the naive citizens …that too at such trying times! In your opinion, keen to know how Raul, Sonia or anyone else would have handled this crisis?! Dont we all also know how the Corona virus was tweaked in the Wuhan lab to wreak and unleash havoc in the countries that pose a threat to China…such an cowardly biological warfare! And cowardly boot licker prestitudes such as you succumb to those cowards to spread false news and hatred in this Nation…what a shame!!! Please find a life and do something worthy for the needy of this country instead!
If Corona virus was tweaked in the Wuhan lab to wreak and unleash havoc in the countries that pose a threat to China, what was your supreme leader, aka, VISHWAGURU, doing? Taking a sabbatical in Kedarnath with photo-ops? If anything can be called an ultimate disaster, it is people like you who call others boot lickers but still indulge in the same for your gratification with your so-called leaders. This government has dragged India into an abyss of darkness from where there does not seem to be any escape, other than destruction. Answer back if you have the guts!!!!
Ms Aloo Tikki Singh has suggested that funerals should not be filmed without the consent of the grieving relatives. Logistically difficult if fifty cremations are taking place simultaneously, some on pavements. Shri Anupam Kher has written a namby pamby column of how we should not politicise this immense tragedy, go back to being one happy Hindu Undivided Family. Is that the sanitised version of journalism you would want Print and many fine others to go back to.
Any body would have handled it better than a prime minister engrossed in self glorification and winning elections giving last priority to saving lives. Acts omission and commission, holding election rallies, not stopping Kumbh Mela, do not call for very high intelligence or great leadership provided you have empathy for the people and not just single minded commitment to your party.
You have hit the nail on the head.
Why do counter view to BJP always startby criticizing Pappu and Sonia, who are they. In today’s time they are nobody. People of india dumped them long time ago. Stop using them in conversations, it just makes a week argument when you are blaming and out of power and unpopular leader. It does not matter whose fault it is, but the buck stops with PM, since he is the elected official of the country
This guy’s a complete idiot. The moment he realizes that the wind’s blowing in Modi’s favor, he will change again. Finally he’s the great Shekhar Coupta
Well said
He who knows not & knows not that he knows not is a fool. Avoid him
You did your paid job as BJP troll army or BJP media cell??
I know Shekhar Gupta’s sweet-bitter pill is very hard for you to digest. India is back to begging for foreign aid or at least extending its begging bowl for foreign aid under the Messiah Modi…… this is the reality……
Shoo you blind bhakt. You have done enough damage already. Don’t spread your tutored lines anymore like a stuck record when we have death and disaster all round us.
The poor and pitiable Pradhansevak harping on a desire to become a Vaccine Vishwaguru and champion Vaccine Maitri has fallen flat on his face and facing flak from all quarters.
Thats rich coming from journalist like you who shamelessly reporting fake news about coup and who has a lots of unaccounted property. It would be great if you can share this scheme of getting rich with us .China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
SG, it seems like all the left lutyens liberals are up in arms against modi and that too in those hour of human crises. You SG, Rana ayub, barkha, arundati, karan, axar etc., are all in the same boat. Shame on you guys. We have a national disaster and you SG in particular are leading the these bandwagon of moral criminals.
Of course by storm. Because India developed it’s own vaccine within a time frame at par with developed nations. Because the first wVe of 2020 had very least effect in terms of spread and mortality as compared to world figures. Because India added 1000000 beds in hospitals within the lock down period 2020 to augment. Because it saved humanity by supplying life saving medicines to the world.
In your last column you said there’s nothing wrong in India accepting the aid during crisis. Other countries, such as Italy, China also has to ask for aid during height of the pandemic. Now, in this column you’re saying our International standing is going down.
Other thing, I really doubt this time we need monetary help. This COVID surge is a logistical nightmare. Hence we had to take international help.
Shekar ji did you anticipate this kind of Corona onslaught. Be truthful, I am sure you didn’t. Retrospectively all decisions, policies can be whether of Nehru or Modi can be proven wrong. Question is how do we help common man immediately. Do you have plan, then please suggest.
An early thought ( before reading the column. ) Delhi is every bit as prosperous as Bombay, as far as government financing is concerned. LG and MC BMC are both senior mandarins. What if Mr Baijal had taken comprehensive command over the entire gambit of medical and other resources, personnel, and coordinated the response as Mr Chahal has. Undemocratic, perhaps, because there is an elected government, but considering how shabbily it has been treated, Dilliwalas would not have complained. When a public authority is functioning effectively, citizens are not going to dot the is. 2. The other takeaway from OTC which has relevance for the government in general is how well things work when one central control room is dismantled and 24 are set up in the wards. Whether it is power flowing to ministries in Delhi or the sharing of power between Centre and states, it is the undermining of this elementary principle of management or administration through over centralisation and micromanagement that has created so many Mayday situations.
With foresight / hindsight, so many things could have been done differently, helping save lives, reduce human distress, economic hurt and deprivation. Consider just one : Vaccination. For months, the world waited as teams, Oxford – Astra Zeneca especially relevant for India, raced against time to bring a safe, efficacious vaccine on the market. Pfizer and Moderna were almost certain to deliver. Sputnik V proved its sceptics wrong. India needed two billion doses for its citizens, apart from global commitments. To be administered in 2021, without waiting for Santa Claus on Good Governance Day. How difficult was it to create a core team to deliver this result. At about $ 15 billion, not frightfully expensive either. 2. No matter how this is spun domestically, this story is not playing out well to a global audience. Contrary to what may have been projected in the first election campaign as India being a land of scams, we had been steadily rising in the world’s esteem. Not so much in terms of what successive governments had contributed but what such a large collection of talented, hard working people had achieved, at home and abroad, when given even a half level playing field. A lot of that has been undone. We should slowly start the process of regeneration.
SG, at least during these dire times we expected you to be honest. The headline of this piece should have said ‘How Modi led India into a perfect storm’, not ‘How Modi govt led India into a perfect storm’.
Offcourse PM Modi is responsible for the Covid crisis in the world and in our country. It is PM Modi who made this virus and let it spread across the globe and it was not china. Everything happens in India is because of PM Modi. Also according to the journalist country like Pakistan is feeling proud for lending a helping hand to us. Offcourse the journalist must be happy for them.
An eye opener article hope everyone including BJP supporters take note take from this and start asking questions from Modi Government.
The mild tone of your piece is miles and miles away from capturing and expressing the anger felt by the people. Have some courage to give that anger a platform. You are embarrassing yourself with this frightened critique.
Mr. SG, till yesterday you were busy playing a cheerleader, praising most of what you are criticizing now. What a creep. Yesterday Rohit Sardana made the world better by dying. Why don’t you follow the suit to make the Indian journalism a little less bad. But before you do that, run one more episode of your cut-the-clutter to say that Modi’s popularity has grown after the second Covid-a9 wave.
Print is only trying to blame government. It’s not govt, its people and pharma lobby that are responsible for this. How come neighbouring countries don’t have even 50% of the cases whereas in our country, it’s increasing. Don’t crib about government. People are aware of your selective outburst.
The same Pharma and Healthcare industry is working day and night to produce required drugs..Who are you idiot..From some other planet kya
An excellent article, though some of us would find the ground reality very prickly and pinching. I would like to refer to a clever trick played by the Centre by transferring a large part of its burden of vaccination cost to states. There is no rationale to justify this. In any case, availability of vaccine rather than its cost is the most vital factor. But the issue is why does the Centre want to save cost and shift it to the states, when it has made an allocation of Rs.34000 crore in the current budget for vaccination? This is beyond comprehension. Total requirements of vaccines will not exceed 2 billion doses for a nation with population of 1.35 billion. If average price of vaccine is taken at Rs. 225 per dose ( mean of Rs.150 per dose for one half and Rs.300 per dose for the other) as quoted by SII Pune, the total cost would come to Rs. 45000 crore, which is Rs.11000 crore in excess of the allocation made in the budget. This can be easily borne by the Centre having total budgeted expenditure exceeding Rs.34 lakh crore for the current year. It may please be noted that India has spent Rs.59000 crores to purchase 36 fighter aircrafts from France, Rs.40000 crore to purchases Anti-Missile S-400 system from Russia and invested more than 4 lakh crore for recapitalization of loss making public sector banks. Undoubtedly, all these were essential, but isn’t saving lives of 1.35 billion Indians also essential? Alternatively, let me put the arithmetic this way. The Centre simply buys 100 crore doses at Rs.150 per dose and doesn’t bother what happens to the states and consequently to our young generation of 18 to 45 years age. It will have to spend just Rs.15000 crore leaving unspent balance of Rs. 19000 crore of the allocated budget!!! For what purpose and for whom?
Consider a weighted average cost of Rs 1,000 for two doses of vaccine per citizen, public § private. One trillion for one billion Indians. $ 13 billion. With Centre, states, well off citizens going Dutch. Compare that to 1. the loss of precious lives; 2. the economic costs of lockdowns, curfews, restrictions. Vaccines is the last thing where penny pinching is justified.
Does’nt state also collect tax and and cry fedralism when it suits them can’t they also intervene. State govt also charge huge tax. What does state govt do with that money BMC is richest municipality where is all the money gone?
Even the IAS officers so called steele frame of India what have they done? Shouldn’t they be held accountable or they are the permanent establishment not to be touched?There is zero administration on ground this morons who enjoy VIP like life live in bungalows when it comes to resolving basic needs fail miserably and are smug that no one can touch them.
Govts just looks like goon who collects taxes from middle class Even goons atleast provide security
Superbly argued with facts and figures. thanks.
Seems to be an attempt to grab power by maligning Modi and India. Big politicians and anti Modi forces have conspiracy with China and Pakistan it appears.
@Mahabaleshwar Pandit: Power grab with an opinion piece? Hope you’re being sarcastic. Sure hope you’re kidding.
A few points are in order to cut the clutter from usual left liberal anti Modi slant in the article. 1- Second wave was way beyond anyone’s expectations including that of Shekhar Gupta. He was praising Modi just a few weeks before on Covid. The wave was extremely severe in a short time leading to massive unprecedented demand on the health system, which had cracked even under the first wave. It is also openly agreed by Dr. Trehan on NDTV that even private hospitals where scenario analysis was done more professionally never anticipated this rush for oxygen, medicines or beds in such a short time. So if Modi said we won war against covid, it was for the first wave and everyone knew that further waves were possible and Modi always cautioned about masks and social behavior. 2- Indians have been extremely careless about basic protection of using double masks (covering nose and mouth), general hygiene and social behavior. 3- Vaccine is supposed to be an additional protection against the fatality and not a license to go back to pre Covid behavior. 4- We have now suddenly discovered in the last 2 weeks that vaccines work like miracles and everyone in India must get vaccinated soonest, if not tomorrow itself. 5- Vaccination program will run for at least 1 year, if not 2 and how much ever one shouts about it, that is the reality. Assuming we have 280 crores vaccines ready in stock, we can not vaccinate more than say 50 lacs persons in a day all India! This will itself tell us the timelines required for vaccination. 6- Price of the vaccine is the least critical issue. Those who can afford it will pay for it and those who cannot will stand in either State govt or Central govt queue.
But the current crisis is a wonderful opportunity to bring image of Modi down by few notches, which is of course, par for the course. No one is bothered about it and least of all, Modi himself. But people on the street should not misunderstand the issues or get wrong picture of realities and difficulties in the management of this pandemic at policy, administration and operational levels.
Thanks for that.
Press – including international media – is behaving as if India is China where you can control the population!
When Modi imposed the strictest of national lockdowns early on in the first wave – everybody cried foul. The likes of Burkha Dutt were showing how India is a poor country with the poor left out.
Now Modi is giving the opportunity to the states to do something about their outbreak and suddenly Modi is responsible for what is happening across the country? How?
Maharashtra didn’t have elections – yet has the highest caseloads across both waves.
No govt – whether in a developed or developing country can have the capacity to overcome a pandemic like this. What Modi is doing is the best in the given circumstances.
With due respect to you Guptaji, let me ask you one question.. Now all worthies are having the benefit of hindsight and are eager to pass judgement against Modi Govt.. But did anyone of them (including you), sounded the alarm bells in advance? Reams of newspaper have been spent reporting farmer protests, State elections (initial phases) etc.. Even opposition leaders including Rahul, Priyanka, Mamata etc were into aggressive campaigning.. Why didn’t any of the know – all media and their wise editors think it fit to remind the government or the general public of the possibility of a corona second wave?
If you can’t contribute anything positive, atleast stop spreading negativity alone.
We have had the worst display of brazen triumphalism the last three months from this government. With utter disregard for caution, it has permitted the Kumbh when last year the same set of ministers shouted themselves hoarse branding the Tabhligis as anti nationals. The Prime Minister and his Home Minister have exhorted the crowds to turn up in large and larger numbers during every election rally. The vaccine drive has sputtered to an embarassing stop even as cases are piling up daily. Yet denial is the only official statement from the government.
If the pandemic is the crisis we are battling from outside, the overdosing of Atmanirbharta is the crisis plaguing us from within. From vaccine suppliers we are reduced to vaccine beggars. The Emperor is in his new clothes and is praised by his sycophants. So intoxicated is he in their encomiums that voices of the people are not heard by him. Sadly, it is the country that cries at being exposed to the world. He continues to strut.
Why print is always having news as perspective of international community. The only decision went wrong is not ordering vaccine earlier and exporting vaccines without sufficiently vaccinating ourselves. US and European countries were also scrambling for beds medicines so nobody has the infra to handle such situation.
Shekhar Gupta is an inveterate ‘Trickle-down-ist’, as against the disgusting people who demand that Govts do something about healthcare, education, employment, essential services, basic rights of every citizen: such people are swept aside by Gupta as ‘povertarians’. I visualize Gupta with his mouth eternally open, head thrown back, waiting for trickle down of covid vaccine, oxygen, To demand anything else would after all be ‘povertarian’. After Ambani Adani and other fatcat cronies of Modi have had their fill, hopefully Gupta will get the dried up leftovers that are permitted to trickle down to him and others of his mind.
Discalaimer: NOT in defense and with malice to none
It sounds like closing in for the kill; abysmal journalism, very obvious! Sad.
Criticize everyone, which you may feel is YOUR job.
What is your contribution these days to redeem the situation except for finger pointing (then again your sole job eh?)
I expected better from The Print.
Tailpiece: Is this creative journalism? just asking.
Journalists do not exercise executive authority. So blaming them is even more unfair than blaming the Opposition. They keep us well informed, including about things which governments all over the world wish to keep hidden from the public. Reporting the news should be truthful, views everyone is entitled to express, so long as there is no cross pollination. Difficult at such a time to shower praise, or provide alibis. That is the PIB’s job.
Health is a state subject. It is the duty of the state governments to work upon the constitutional obligations. But they were busy in their extortion or advertisement activities.
Not just these five loud mouthed blatant liars ,can make the dead talk but will be haunted,power hungry,,hatred and vengeance can let them sleep well,,HOW,,,,the country is ashamed how this govt has let the country down by just two at the top bragging about the crowds they attracted and ignoring what the country has been brought to its knees by power hungry insatiable lying leaders,,,who will forgive them for their sins??
Every where in the world the government has failed to anticipate the enormity of the virus but I have never heard their media or the citizens insulting their own leadership around the globe.
And no country or the global media has dated to write against any nation or leadership.
It is only our own vested interests who are hell bent on removing the present government by any means have done this disgrace.
We can also understand why the global lobby wants to rack up this issue and create this gloomy situation about India as they want to capture Indian market for pharmacy and Modi didn’t permit them to do so.
Why the so called second wave has not affected our neighborhood.we all are geographically have same level of Immunity.
I think it is well hatched conspiracy against our nation by the powerful Lobby and few countries and it is Shameful that our own few vested interests are helping them in destroying our country and economy just to grab power.
Let’s hope that the public understand this and not fell prey to such vultures.
Jai hind
Well said.,. It is very true that we are not bother for our country. They want to come to power and sell our country to the other countries. Days are not far off. Because of this God has sent the virus in the world to make people realise their mistakes and make the world a happy place to live for all leaving selfishness. We should change our constitution to make our country great in the world. There should be a limit for freedom to everything. This is my opinion.
let us also count our blesings. nobody is accusing the govt. of corruption in this regard. what would have happened if some of the ministers had tried to make money on each imports or whatever? don’t tell me it has not happened in the past.
Can you be honest, Mr Gupta? And confess that you too were triumphalist during the first wave, in these very columns? As Arundhati Roy reminds us in her most recent essay.
shekarji
let us be fair. even you in one of the earlier cut the clutter declared victory and almost said that but for commentator’s bad luck the worst is over. please go back to that cut the clutter and admit that you are wrong.
or perhaps it is commentator’s bad luck afterall !!!
You fell victim to triumphalism yourself, and hugely influential as you are did the leadership take this as a vindication of their policies?
Our drains are not filled with bodies, our hospitals have not run out of beds,” wrote one prominent Delhi editor. “Our crematoriums and graveyards are not out of wood or space. There is not even a cricket field-sized sliver of India anywhere that might help you make a convenient or macabre comparison with the Spanish Flu of 1918.” He added “that good news, or absence of expected bad news, is the truth that so many in the international community, and also within India, seem unable to handle.”
China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
Thats rich coming from journalist like you who shamelessly reporting fake news about coup and who has a lots of unaccounted property. It would be great if you can share this scheme of getting rich with us .China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
You are right it was central govt and in particular Mr Modi should lead by example and if central govt not doing opposition led by state govt should do it. We were failed by both.
Mr Modi here looks vulnerable of all criticism as he did not stop campaigning even though number of cases surpass earlier daily peak .
In terms of vaccination drive you yourself was saying that public is not come upfront in getting vaccinated on top of it there was an article in print suggesting expiration of vaccine in absence of use. It was due to some biased argument by some of the opposition leaders as well as lower cases during months of Jan/Feb and March, now everyone wants vaccines. This govt did another mistake by asking everyone above 18 to get vaccine it should continue its earlier plan (vaccination by age group) it will ease down pressure on staff handling vaccination drive as well as reduce chaos.
At the same time you can’t be bias by ignoring number of cases compare to last time, this rise in cases is not totally due to election you can clearly see all the states have similar increase in numbers so increase in numbers is not due to election. These many cases can not be handled effectively by any govt in the world on top of it number of patients require oxygen increased dramatically that leads to more deaths.
I hope collective response without hiding reality will definitely help in tackling this unavoidable situation.
Mr Modi clearly damage his image and give an opportunity to everyone who opposed him to attack.
Biased reporting. Even USA and Europe took help from India earlier due to this pandemic. So what does that mean. Use your brain and don’t be biased. This type of pandemic has occurred for first time in the century and it will stay for long. Let’s see who else will take help from whom in future.
Useless and politically motivated articles. How much was paid to you for this. Any political party will try for vote and victor when situation was became normal . Who will know that the situation get worsen. My dear writer the time is not to write this shit but to help the country. You never know what’s the future. Do good karma and get fruitful results
What do you mean by saying how will they know..When u r employed by someone it is expected from your to be ready..Make scenarios, be prepared for the worst. That is why people vote for someone believing they will take right steps for the betterment of country
If govt is helpless, better to not declare victory also, if u think all things are happening on its own.
The Chinese virus has ended up showing how naked the Indian “emperor” truly is. If this doesn’t open our collective eyes, our country and its people are doomed. It is not as if they are incompetent- they are frankly dangerous, because they are doubling down on their incompetence and refusing to see reason.
I have 4 suggestions and all of these is to the RSS – if they wish to save their reputation of being “nationalists”
1. Replace this PM with Gadkari. This PM cannot unite the country behind him. We cannot have the ugly spectacle of states fighting the centre and vice-versa. No one trusts this PM.
2. Ask Gadkari to form an all-party govt. This will unite the political class. People with serious experience to man important ministries.
3. Ask the new PM to appoint 2 domain experts – one for managing Covid and the other for the economic fallout. Source vaccines from wherever you can, at whatever cost but vaccinate all adults by Dec 2021. Keep the economy running so that after we don’t fall too far behind China.
4, When the WHO declares an end to Covid pandemic call for new elections.
The RSS is bigger than the BJP and the nation and its people are bigger than everyone else. To save the bigger cause, smaller causes can be put on the back burner. A true “nationalist” would understand.
India needs to set up dedicated think tanks with regards to long term economic, foreign , defense, health, space program , land reforms, water sharing, border management, infrastructure policies. Their exhaustive work should become reference point for successive govt. Till such time we will keep addressing one disaster after another. Why not copy rouge state China at least for forward planning. PM should use talents like Scindia, Mukul Roy, Jr.Sinha, Gulam Nabhi , MJ Akbar to assist him.
Mr. SG, you were always appreciative of Modi’s election winning ability. You never criticized his poor governance. Had you done it as a senior journalist, not only you would have done justice to your profession, but also other journalists would have taken the cue and done the same thing. Now the nation suffers..
He is good for nothing , he was never a hero or common people’s neta. He was an employee of RSS, a poor mislead boy run away from home in search work filled with hatred and jealousy towards world. He managed capitalists for funding his event managment and rallies. Well it worked ! Thts it ! And this is only story. I am sorry for every common man who believed this venomous snake, who is good for none.
You leave in this country or some where else. Instead of who is wrong or who is right..pls give your contribution in strengthening the fight against covid. All the other countries are also in the same stage. Bit thier media knows what to broadcast and what to not. But unfortunately in India, media is trying show all negetive news and trying put people still further under stress. Please stop spreading such news and work for betterment of society. There is a responsible govt and they will take all required actions to come out from this pandemic.
Articles like this are all part of a coordinated last ditch attempt in concert with many internal & external vested interests, to somehow try & bring down the democratically elected Indian Government, & replace it with a pliable, tin pot, corrupt hodgepodge conveniently led by a half wit dimwit dynast.
This situation is not about leadership failure, it’s our own failure and being of the largest populated countries it’s impossible to control. did u write a single article about how it’s going to second wave is going to hit india and precautionary measures to public, because you do not have idea of forecast, you only know to write an article blaming someone after the pandemic happens…this is the time to be with unity and support each other and government.
You must understand that common man does not care about the so called media. that is the reason bjp/modi is winning. We understand that if central govt ask information then, you will say that govt is trying to control. now if that goes out of control, then you will see that govt has failed
if it is successful, the state govt has done it well. if not bjp/modi has failed. when modi/bjp negotiate centrally for vaccine, then federalism is compromised, when told to handle by state, then it is a failure of central govt
What?! No hateful comments by Sanghi Trolls of BGP(Bharatiya Garbage Party) IT Cell!! It seems they do not work on Saturday.
Modi and Shah and their uneducated and dimwitted andh bhakts have brought this nation to a calamity. Time for these criminals to go.
Dear Shekhar ji,
You said ‘I would have no argument with what price private sector charging…’.
Why? Are private sector free to profit whatever they want? Are they above any guideline or rule?
Yours, Sincerely,
Rupam.
My economics book says that private sector must be allowed to charge and profit as much as it wants.
It appears that HINDUSTAN now requires the help of CHRISTIAN and MUSLIM nations in its fight against COVID !!! Ha…ha…ha…so much for “Nationalism”. No “Patriotism” is going to save you now. No “Dharma” is going to save you now. You are all doomed. Congrats Bhakt Buddhus.
Nationalists always work in the interest of the nation. It’s anti nationals like you who spread panic and profit from selling fake drugs and hoard life saving oxigen. Ultimately it would be nationalists who would do their best to defeat the Corona. Parasites like Shekhar Gupta can only criticise and do nothing.
All knowledgeable pandits only talk about lndians failure to combat 2nd surge of covid.&blame Modi govt. I would like to ask why most Govt. Inthe world also failed to combat the surge? This is a pandemic. Mankind has not yet any answer to this problem. Instead of finding fault of Modi why do you not try &suggest better solution to the problem we know you all. Seen you all. DTOP PREACHING VENOM.
chuslims and christians countries can go f**k themself .Hindus are spread in all countries if the virus spreads or goes out they will also suffer with us.So it serves their interest and No allah or Jesus will be able to save them.So much for faith in allah and jesus ha ha ha
Hindustan helped Christian and Muslim country🤣🤣🤣🤣 now they will help us..
Well said
And China is Buddhist, Shinto, Confuscian. Japan is Taoist. All religions & lands come together to help humanity. We are not a Hindu nation or a brown race or any of that sort. We are the human race.
One sided view only
Someone / Some govt is trying to throw mud on Modi about Corona but the fact is illiterate n useless and thankless people who have never followed what he said, never wore mask, no social distancing and not come out of home, etc etc n this is endless. They did kumbh mela , they did what they liked without bothering for anyone n now they put blame on Modi. Their own thinking has brought our public to this situation.
They start remembering note bandi etc etc n start finding so many faults with Mr Modi.
May God give them brains to understand that if He was not Pm, half of our country would have perished. His sincere and hard work has saved us from a big big big problem.
This is all deceiving game plan by some other country. So wake up n understand
Yes shekhar, tell the other side too where people are freaking dying because of incompetent Modi.
Wait…
what did you say? There is no other side to death?
Never mind a bhaktz gonna be bhakkt.
Shame on you “sold out prestitude”…dont all the educated people know how vile journalists such as you are responsible in destroying a Nation by spreading malicious news to instigate some of the naive citizens …that too at such trying times! In your opinion, keen to know how Raul, Sonia or anyone else would have handled this crisis?! Dont we all also know how the Corona virus was tweaked in the Wuhan lab to wreak and unleash havoc in the countries that pose a threat to China…such an cowardly biological warfare! And cowardly boot licker prestitudes such as you succumb to those cowards to spread false news and hatred in this Nation…what a shame!!! Please find a life and do something worthy for the needy of this country instead!
If Corona virus was tweaked in the Wuhan lab to wreak and unleash havoc in the countries that pose a threat to China, what was your supreme leader, aka, VISHWAGURU, doing? Taking a sabbatical in Kedarnath with photo-ops? If anything can be called an ultimate disaster, it is people like you who call others boot lickers but still indulge in the same for your gratification with your so-called leaders. This government has dragged India into an abyss of darkness from where there does not seem to be any escape, other than destruction. Answer back if you have the guts!!!!
Ms Aloo Tikki Singh has suggested that funerals should not be filmed without the consent of the grieving relatives. Logistically difficult if fifty cremations are taking place simultaneously, some on pavements. Shri Anupam Kher has written a namby pamby column of how we should not politicise this immense tragedy, go back to being one happy Hindu Undivided Family. Is that the sanitised version of journalism you would want Print and many fine others to go back to.
Any body would have handled it better than a prime minister engrossed in self glorification and winning elections giving last priority to saving lives. Acts omission and commission, holding election rallies, not stopping Kumbh Mela, do not call for very high intelligence or great leadership provided you have empathy for the people and not just single minded commitment to your party.
You have hit the nail on the head.
Why do counter view to BJP always startby criticizing Pappu and Sonia, who are they. In today’s time they are nobody. People of india dumped them long time ago. Stop using them in conversations, it just makes a week argument when you are blaming and out of power and unpopular leader. It does not matter whose fault it is, but the buck stops with PM, since he is the elected official of the country
This guy’s a complete idiot. The moment he realizes that the wind’s blowing in Modi’s favor, he will change again. Finally he’s the great Shekhar Coupta
Well said
He who knows not & knows not that he knows not is a fool. Avoid him
You did your paid job as BJP troll army or BJP media cell??
I know Shekhar Gupta’s sweet-bitter pill is very hard for you to digest. India is back to begging for foreign aid or at least extending its begging bowl for foreign aid under the Messiah Modi…… this is the reality……
Shoo you blind bhakt. You have done enough damage already. Don’t spread your tutored lines anymore like a stuck record when we have death and disaster all round us.
The poor and pitiable Pradhansevak harping on a desire to become a Vaccine Vishwaguru and champion Vaccine Maitri has fallen flat on his face and facing flak from all quarters.
Thats rich coming from journalist like you who shamelessly reporting fake news about coup and who has a lots of unaccounted property. It would be great if you can share this scheme of getting rich with us .China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
SG, it seems like all the left lutyens liberals are up in arms against modi and that too in those hour of human crises. You SG, Rana ayub, barkha, arundati, karan, axar etc., are all in the same boat. Shame on you guys. We have a national disaster and you SG in particular are leading the these bandwagon of moral criminals.
Of course by storm. Because India developed it’s own vaccine within a time frame at par with developed nations. Because the first wVe of 2020 had very least effect in terms of spread and mortality as compared to world figures. Because India added 1000000 beds in hospitals within the lock down period 2020 to augment. Because it saved humanity by supplying life saving medicines to the world.
The Print is definitely part of the Sleeper Cells operating in India.
In your last column you said there’s nothing wrong in India accepting the aid during crisis. Other countries, such as Italy, China also has to ask for aid during height of the pandemic. Now, in this column you’re saying our International standing is going down.
Other thing, I really doubt this time we need monetary help. This COVID surge is a logistical nightmare. Hence we had to take international help.
Shekar ji did you anticipate this kind of Corona onslaught. Be truthful, I am sure you didn’t. Retrospectively all decisions, policies can be whether of Nehru or Modi can be proven wrong. Question is how do we help common man immediately. Do you have plan, then please suggest.
Waheguru Waheguru Waheguru simran only
An early thought ( before reading the column. ) Delhi is every bit as prosperous as Bombay, as far as government financing is concerned. LG and MC BMC are both senior mandarins. What if Mr Baijal had taken comprehensive command over the entire gambit of medical and other resources, personnel, and coordinated the response as Mr Chahal has. Undemocratic, perhaps, because there is an elected government, but considering how shabbily it has been treated, Dilliwalas would not have complained. When a public authority is functioning effectively, citizens are not going to dot the is. 2. The other takeaway from OTC which has relevance for the government in general is how well things work when one central control room is dismantled and 24 are set up in the wards. Whether it is power flowing to ministries in Delhi or the sharing of power between Centre and states, it is the undermining of this elementary principle of management or administration through over centralisation and micromanagement that has created so many Mayday situations.
… gamut …
With foresight / hindsight, so many things could have been done differently, helping save lives, reduce human distress, economic hurt and deprivation. Consider just one : Vaccination. For months, the world waited as teams, Oxford – Astra Zeneca especially relevant for India, raced against time to bring a safe, efficacious vaccine on the market. Pfizer and Moderna were almost certain to deliver. Sputnik V proved its sceptics wrong. India needed two billion doses for its citizens, apart from global commitments. To be administered in 2021, without waiting for Santa Claus on Good Governance Day. How difficult was it to create a core team to deliver this result. At about $ 15 billion, not frightfully expensive either. 2. No matter how this is spun domestically, this story is not playing out well to a global audience. Contrary to what may have been projected in the first election campaign as India being a land of scams, we had been steadily rising in the world’s esteem. Not so much in terms of what successive governments had contributed but what such a large collection of talented, hard working people had achieved, at home and abroad, when given even a half level playing field. A lot of that has been undone. We should slowly start the process of regeneration.
SG, at least during these dire times we expected you to be honest. The headline of this piece should have said ‘How Modi led India into a perfect storm’, not ‘How Modi govt led India into a perfect storm’.
Offcourse PM Modi is responsible for the Covid crisis in the world and in our country. It is PM Modi who made this virus and let it spread across the globe and it was not china. Everything happens in India is because of PM Modi. Also according to the journalist country like Pakistan is feeling proud for lending a helping hand to us. Offcourse the journalist must be happy for them.
An eye opener article hope everyone including BJP supporters take note take from this and start asking questions from Modi Government.
The mild tone of your piece is miles and miles away from capturing and expressing the anger felt by the people. Have some courage to give that anger a platform. You are embarrassing yourself with this frightened critique.
Mr. SG, till yesterday you were busy playing a cheerleader, praising most of what you are criticizing now. What a creep. Yesterday Rohit Sardana made the world better by dying. Why don’t you follow the suit to make the Indian journalism a little less bad. But before you do that, run one more episode of your cut-the-clutter to say that Modi’s popularity has grown after the second Covid-a9 wave.
Please don’t your stress yourself we don’t this kind of contents at least on these day!
Print is only trying to blame government. It’s not govt, its people and pharma lobby that are responsible for this. How come neighbouring countries don’t have even 50% of the cases whereas in our country, it’s increasing. Don’t crib about government. People are aware of your selective outburst.
The same Pharma and Healthcare industry is working day and night to produce required drugs..Who are you idiot..From some other planet kya
An excellent article, though some of us would find the ground reality very prickly and pinching. I would like to refer to a clever trick played by the Centre by transferring a large part of its burden of vaccination cost to states. There is no rationale to justify this. In any case, availability of vaccine rather than its cost is the most vital factor. But the issue is why does the Centre want to save cost and shift it to the states, when it has made an allocation of Rs.34000 crore in the current budget for vaccination? This is beyond comprehension. Total requirements of vaccines will not exceed 2 billion doses for a nation with population of 1.35 billion. If average price of vaccine is taken at Rs. 225 per dose ( mean of Rs.150 per dose for one half and Rs.300 per dose for the other) as quoted by SII Pune, the total cost would come to Rs. 45000 crore, which is Rs.11000 crore in excess of the allocation made in the budget. This can be easily borne by the Centre having total budgeted expenditure exceeding Rs.34 lakh crore for the current year. It may please be noted that India has spent Rs.59000 crores to purchase 36 fighter aircrafts from France, Rs.40000 crore to purchases Anti-Missile S-400 system from Russia and invested more than 4 lakh crore for recapitalization of loss making public sector banks. Undoubtedly, all these were essential, but isn’t saving lives of 1.35 billion Indians also essential? Alternatively, let me put the arithmetic this way. The Centre simply buys 100 crore doses at Rs.150 per dose and doesn’t bother what happens to the states and consequently to our young generation of 18 to 45 years age. It will have to spend just Rs.15000 crore leaving unspent balance of Rs. 19000 crore of the allocated budget!!! For what purpose and for whom?
Consider a weighted average cost of Rs 1,000 for two doses of vaccine per citizen, public § private. One trillion for one billion Indians. $ 13 billion. With Centre, states, well off citizens going Dutch. Compare that to 1. the loss of precious lives; 2. the economic costs of lockdowns, curfews, restrictions. Vaccines is the last thing where penny pinching is justified.
Does’nt state also collect tax and and cry fedralism when it suits them can’t they also intervene. State govt also charge huge tax. What does state govt do with that money BMC is richest municipality where is all the money gone?
Even the IAS officers so called steele frame of India what have they done? Shouldn’t they be held accountable or they are the permanent establishment not to be touched?There is zero administration on ground this morons who enjoy VIP like life live in bungalows when it comes to resolving basic needs fail miserably and are smug that no one can touch them.
Govts just looks like goon who collects taxes from middle class Even goons atleast provide security
Superbly argued with facts and figures. thanks.
Seems to be an attempt to grab power by maligning Modi and India. Big politicians and anti Modi forces have conspiracy with China and Pakistan it appears.
@Mahabaleshwar Pandit: Power grab with an opinion piece? Hope you’re being sarcastic. Sure hope you’re kidding.
A few points are in order to cut the clutter from usual left liberal anti Modi slant in the article. 1- Second wave was way beyond anyone’s expectations including that of Shekhar Gupta. He was praising Modi just a few weeks before on Covid. The wave was extremely severe in a short time leading to massive unprecedented demand on the health system, which had cracked even under the first wave. It is also openly agreed by Dr. Trehan on NDTV that even private hospitals where scenario analysis was done more professionally never anticipated this rush for oxygen, medicines or beds in such a short time. So if Modi said we won war against covid, it was for the first wave and everyone knew that further waves were possible and Modi always cautioned about masks and social behavior. 2- Indians have been extremely careless about basic protection of using double masks (covering nose and mouth), general hygiene and social behavior. 3- Vaccine is supposed to be an additional protection against the fatality and not a license to go back to pre Covid behavior. 4- We have now suddenly discovered in the last 2 weeks that vaccines work like miracles and everyone in India must get vaccinated soonest, if not tomorrow itself. 5- Vaccination program will run for at least 1 year, if not 2 and how much ever one shouts about it, that is the reality. Assuming we have 280 crores vaccines ready in stock, we can not vaccinate more than say 50 lacs persons in a day all India! This will itself tell us the timelines required for vaccination. 6- Price of the vaccine is the least critical issue. Those who can afford it will pay for it and those who cannot will stand in either State govt or Central govt queue.
But the current crisis is a wonderful opportunity to bring image of Modi down by few notches, which is of course, par for the course. No one is bothered about it and least of all, Modi himself. But people on the street should not misunderstand the issues or get wrong picture of realities and difficulties in the management of this pandemic at policy, administration and operational levels.
Thanks for that.
Press – including international media – is behaving as if India is China where you can control the population!
When Modi imposed the strictest of national lockdowns early on in the first wave – everybody cried foul. The likes of Burkha Dutt were showing how India is a poor country with the poor left out.
Now Modi is giving the opportunity to the states to do something about their outbreak and suddenly Modi is responsible for what is happening across the country? How?
Maharashtra didn’t have elections – yet has the highest caseloads across both waves.
No govt – whether in a developed or developing country can have the capacity to overcome a pandemic like this. What Modi is doing is the best in the given circumstances.
With due respect to you Guptaji, let me ask you one question.. Now all worthies are having the benefit of hindsight and are eager to pass judgement against Modi Govt.. But did anyone of them (including you), sounded the alarm bells in advance? Reams of newspaper have been spent reporting farmer protests, State elections (initial phases) etc.. Even opposition leaders including Rahul, Priyanka, Mamata etc were into aggressive campaigning.. Why didn’t any of the know – all media and their wise editors think it fit to remind the government or the general public of the possibility of a corona second wave?
If you can’t contribute anything positive, atleast stop spreading negativity alone.
We have had the worst display of brazen triumphalism the last three months from this government. With utter disregard for caution, it has permitted the Kumbh when last year the same set of ministers shouted themselves hoarse branding the Tabhligis as anti nationals. The Prime Minister and his Home Minister have exhorted the crowds to turn up in large and larger numbers during every election rally. The vaccine drive has sputtered to an embarassing stop even as cases are piling up daily. Yet denial is the only official statement from the government.
If the pandemic is the crisis we are battling from outside, the overdosing of Atmanirbharta is the crisis plaguing us from within. From vaccine suppliers we are reduced to vaccine beggars. The Emperor is in his new clothes and is praised by his sycophants. So intoxicated is he in their encomiums that voices of the people are not heard by him. Sadly, it is the country that cries at being exposed to the world. He continues to strut.
Why print is always having news as perspective of international community. The only decision went wrong is not ordering vaccine earlier and exporting vaccines without sufficiently vaccinating ourselves. US and European countries were also scrambling for beds medicines so nobody has the infra to handle such situation.
Is is surprising that no one came with vitriolic comments on Mr Gupta for exposing apocryphal images of a world leader.
Shekhar Gupta is an inveterate ‘Trickle-down-ist’, as against the disgusting people who demand that Govts do something about healthcare, education, employment, essential services, basic rights of every citizen: such people are swept aside by Gupta as ‘povertarians’. I visualize Gupta with his mouth eternally open, head thrown back, waiting for trickle down of covid vaccine, oxygen, To demand anything else would after all be ‘povertarian’. After Ambani Adani and other fatcat cronies of Modi have had their fill, hopefully Gupta will get the dried up leftovers that are permitted to trickle down to him and others of his mind.
The Print you are really a big liar misleading the people
Discalaimer: NOT in defense and with malice to none
It sounds like closing in for the kill; abysmal journalism, very obvious! Sad.
Criticize everyone, which you may feel is YOUR job.
What is your contribution these days to redeem the situation except for finger pointing (then again your sole job eh?)
I expected better from The Print.
Tailpiece: Is this creative journalism? just asking.
Journalists do not exercise executive authority. So blaming them is even more unfair than blaming the Opposition. They keep us well informed, including about things which governments all over the world wish to keep hidden from the public. Reporting the news should be truthful, views everyone is entitled to express, so long as there is no cross pollination. Difficult at such a time to shower praise, or provide alibis. That is the PIB’s job.
Health is a state subject. It is the duty of the state governments to work upon the constitutional obligations. But they were busy in their extortion or advertisement activities.
Not just these five loud mouthed blatant liars ,can make the dead talk but will be haunted,power hungry,,hatred and vengeance can let them sleep well,,HOW,,,,the country is ashamed how this govt has let the country down by just two at the top bragging about the crowds they attracted and ignoring what the country has been brought to its knees by power hungry insatiable lying leaders,,,who will forgive them for their sins??
Every where in the world the government has failed to anticipate the enormity of the virus but I have never heard their media or the citizens insulting their own leadership around the globe.
And no country or the global media has dated to write against any nation or leadership.
It is only our own vested interests who are hell bent on removing the present government by any means have done this disgrace.
We can also understand why the global lobby wants to rack up this issue and create this gloomy situation about India as they want to capture Indian market for pharmacy and Modi didn’t permit them to do so.
Why the so called second wave has not affected our neighborhood.we all are geographically have same level of Immunity.
I think it is well hatched conspiracy against our nation by the powerful Lobby and few countries and it is Shameful that our own few vested interests are helping them in destroying our country and economy just to grab power.
Let’s hope that the public understand this and not fell prey to such vultures.
Jai hind
Well said.,. It is very true that we are not bother for our country. They want to come to power and sell our country to the other countries. Days are not far off. Because of this God has sent the virus in the world to make people realise their mistakes and make the world a happy place to live for all leaving selfishness. We should change our constitution to make our country great in the world. There should be a limit for freedom to everything. This is my opinion.
let us also count our blesings. nobody is accusing the govt. of corruption in this regard. what would have happened if some of the ministers had tried to make money on each imports or whatever? don’t tell me it has not happened in the past.
Can you be honest, Mr Gupta? And confess that you too were triumphalist during the first wave, in these very columns? As Arundhati Roy reminds us in her most recent essay.
shekarji
let us be fair. even you in one of the earlier cut the clutter declared victory and almost said that but for commentator’s bad luck the worst is over. please go back to that cut the clutter and admit that you are wrong.
or perhaps it is commentator’s bad luck afterall !!!
You fell victim to triumphalism yourself, and hugely influential as you are did the leadership take this as a vindication of their policies?
Our drains are not filled with bodies, our hospitals have not run out of beds,” wrote one prominent Delhi editor. “Our crematoriums and graveyards are not out of wood or space. There is not even a cricket field-sized sliver of India anywhere that might help you make a convenient or macabre comparison with the Spanish Flu of 1918.” He added “that good news, or absence of expected bad news, is the truth that so many in the international community, and also within India, seem unable to handle.”
China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
Thats rich coming from journalist like you who shamelessly reporting fake news about coup and who has a lots of unaccounted property. It would be great if you can share this scheme of getting rich with us .China which shamelessly hid details about Wuhan virus and responsible for pandemic were able to go scott free. How well did welfare countries like Canada ,European countries able to handle it?
Pakistan itself goes around begging for aid
This is all about power politics if you are militiarily strong and control narrative you can get away with anything .So all these examples you state are irrelevant. No one is doing better on this one. Modi was wrong to allow rallies but either ways you would have blamed him claiming its fascism is coming. You were the same people who spread narrative that vaccines were dangerous you should be equally held accountable .You encouraged farmers protest .This is same variant infecting Delhi. You promoted that as it served your interest so keep you moral highground to yourself.You as media publication should also introspect and look inwards the same advice which you dish out to others
You are right it was central govt and in particular Mr Modi should lead by example and if central govt not doing opposition led by state govt should do it. We were failed by both.
Mr Modi here looks vulnerable of all criticism as he did not stop campaigning even though number of cases surpass earlier daily peak .
In terms of vaccination drive you yourself was saying that public is not come upfront in getting vaccinated on top of it there was an article in print suggesting expiration of vaccine in absence of use. It was due to some biased argument by some of the opposition leaders as well as lower cases during months of Jan/Feb and March, now everyone wants vaccines. This govt did another mistake by asking everyone above 18 to get vaccine it should continue its earlier plan (vaccination by age group) it will ease down pressure on staff handling vaccination drive as well as reduce chaos.
At the same time you can’t be bias by ignoring number of cases compare to last time, this rise in cases is not totally due to election you can clearly see all the states have similar increase in numbers so increase in numbers is not due to election. These many cases can not be handled effectively by any govt in the world on top of it number of patients require oxygen increased dramatically that leads to more deaths.
I hope collective response without hiding reality will definitely help in tackling this unavoidable situation.
Mr Modi clearly damage his image and give an opportunity to everyone who opposed him to attack.
Looks like “The Print” don’t have any other news other than criticising Modi government.
Biased reporting. Even USA and Europe took help from India earlier due to this pandemic. So what does that mean. Use your brain and don’t be biased. This type of pandemic has occurred for first time in the century and it will stay for long. Let’s see who else will take help from whom in future.
Useless and politically motivated articles. How much was paid to you for this. Any political party will try for vote and victor when situation was became normal . Who will know that the situation get worsen. My dear writer the time is not to write this shit but to help the country. You never know what’s the future. Do good karma and get fruitful results
What do you mean by saying how will they know..When u r employed by someone it is expected from your to be ready..Make scenarios, be prepared for the worst. That is why people vote for someone believing they will take right steps for the betterment of country
If govt is helpless, better to not declare victory also, if u think all things are happening on its own.
The Chinese virus has ended up showing how naked the Indian “emperor” truly is. If this doesn’t open our collective eyes, our country and its people are doomed. It is not as if they are incompetent- they are frankly dangerous, because they are doubling down on their incompetence and refusing to see reason.
I have 4 suggestions and all of these is to the RSS – if they wish to save their reputation of being “nationalists”
1. Replace this PM with Gadkari. This PM cannot unite the country behind him. We cannot have the ugly spectacle of states fighting the centre and vice-versa. No one trusts this PM.
2. Ask Gadkari to form an all-party govt. This will unite the political class. People with serious experience to man important ministries.
3. Ask the new PM to appoint 2 domain experts – one for managing Covid and the other for the economic fallout. Source vaccines from wherever you can, at whatever cost but vaccinate all adults by Dec 2021. Keep the economy running so that after we don’t fall too far behind China.
4, When the WHO declares an end to Covid pandemic call for new elections.
The RSS is bigger than the BJP and the nation and its people are bigger than everyone else. To save the bigger cause, smaller causes can be put on the back burner. A true “nationalist” would understand.
India needs to set up dedicated think tanks with regards to long term economic, foreign , defense, health, space program , land reforms, water sharing, border management, infrastructure policies. Their exhaustive work should become reference point for successive govt. Till such time we will keep addressing one disaster after another. Why not copy rouge state China at least for forward planning. PM should use talents like Scindia, Mukul Roy, Jr.Sinha, Gulam Nabhi , MJ Akbar to assist him.
Mr. SG, you were always appreciative of Modi’s election winning ability. You never criticized his poor governance. Had you done it as a senior journalist, not only you would have done justice to your profession, but also other journalists would have taken the cue and done the same thing. Now the nation suffers..
He is good for nothing , he was never a hero or common people’s neta. He was an employee of RSS, a poor mislead boy run away from home in search work filled with hatred and jealousy towards world. He managed capitalists for funding his event managment and rallies. Well it worked ! Thts it ! And this is only story. I am sorry for every common man who believed this venomous snake, who is good for none.
You leave in this country or some where else. Instead of who is wrong or who is right..pls give your contribution in strengthening the fight against covid. All the other countries are also in the same stage. Bit thier media knows what to broadcast and what to not. But unfortunately in India, media is trying show all negetive news and trying put people still further under stress. Please stop spreading such news and work for betterment of society. There is a responsible govt and they will take all required actions to come out from this pandemic.
Articles like this are all part of a coordinated last ditch attempt in concert with many internal & external vested interests, to somehow try & bring down the democratically elected Indian Government, & replace it with a pliable, tin pot, corrupt hodgepodge conveniently led by a half wit dimwit dynast.
IS THE STORM PERFECT OR WAS THE NAVIGATION PERFECT ?
This situation is not about leadership failure, it’s our own failure and being of the largest populated countries it’s impossible to control. did u write a single article about how it’s going to second wave is going to hit india and precautionary measures to public, because you do not have idea of forecast, you only know to write an article blaming someone after the pandemic happens…this is the time to be with unity and support each other and government.
You must understand that common man does not care about the so called media. that is the reason bjp/modi is winning. We understand that if central govt ask information then, you will say that govt is trying to control. now if that goes out of control, then you will see that govt has failed
if it is successful, the state govt has done it well. if not bjp/modi has failed. when modi/bjp negotiate centrally for vaccine, then federalism is compromised, when told to handle by state, then it is a failure of central govt
What?! No hateful comments by Sanghi Trolls of BGP(Bharatiya Garbage Party) IT Cell!! It seems they do not work on Saturday.
Modi and Shah and their uneducated and dimwitted andh bhakts have brought this nation to a calamity. Time for these criminals to go.