Just a few short weeks ago, Indian government officials were patting themselves on the back. India was the “pharmacy of the world,” they said, and its cheaply produced vaccines would help end the Covid-19 pandemic globally. The federal health minister declared that the country had entered “the endgame” of its own battle against the pandemic. Even the Reserve Bank of India announced in unusually enthusiastic tones that India had “bent [the Covid-19 curve] like Beckham” and that “soon the winter of our discontent will be made glorious summer.”
Such boasts sound foolish, at best, today. Covid-19 case numbers and deaths have begun to spike exponentially in India, easily passing the numbers recorded during last autumn’s peak. Hospital beds are running short and so are vaccine doses. Although the government has halted all vaccine exports, many states have only a few days’ supply left in stock.
What went wrong? As is typical in India, official arrogance, hyper-nationalism, populism and an ample dose of bureaucratic incompetence have combined to create a crisis. The state has left India vulnerable to a second Covid-19 wave, multiple new mutations and the threat of repeated, livelihood-destroying lockdowns.
Worse, Indians aren’t the only ones who will pay the price. Developing nations that had been counting on the “pharmacy of the world” will now have to wait longer for their jabs, even as the new variants continue to spread.
Let’s start with the arrogance. The government appears to have unwisely believed its own rhetoric about having bent the curve of infections after imposing the world’s strictest lockdown last year. Even when new and virulent strains of the virus began to emerge, some of them from India’s own hinterland, officials showed no increased urgency about rolling out vaccinations. Regulators approved the first Indian vaccines in December. The first shot wasn’t given until more than two weeks later.
Then there’s the nationalism. Indian bureaucrats and regulators, under whatever administration, are prone to a barely disguised xenophobia. Thus, regulators pushed out an indigenously developed vaccine, Bharat Biotech Ltd.’s Covaxin, even before Phase III trial data was available. Meanwhile, other vaccines that had received regulatory approval elsewhere — including those from Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson — were unnecessarily held up until trials could be conducted in India.
World Health Organization guidelines say that such “bridging trials” may be needed “if there are compelling scientific reasons to expect that the immune response to the vaccine, and therefore its efficacy, could be significantly different to that documented in a prior efficacy trial.” Indian authorities never bothered to share these compelling scientific reasons. Why J&J’s vaccine, demonstrated to be effective even against the virulent South African and Brazilian variants, would need another large-scale trial in India demands some explanation, surely? (The company is still awaiting permission to launch a bridging trial.)
As for populism, the government sought to squeeze the private sector using price controls. Vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India was forbidden to produce for India’s private market, although CEO Adar Poonawalla had repeatedly said he would continue to offer the government doses of the vaccine from AstraZeneca Plc. for only Rs. 150 ($2) each. That price “is not profitable enough to re-invest substantially in building capacity,” said Poonawalla, who hoped to sell other doses on the open market for Rs. 1,000 ($13) each. Now the company has lost its export orders as well, further constraining cashflow.
As a result, Serum Institute has received a legal notice from AstraZeneca for failing to fulfill its contracts. More importantly, the company hasn’t got the cash to scale up its manufacturing capabilities. It’s making 50-70 million shots a month; it needs to double that at least. Poonawalla has now asked the government for $400 million to ramp up capacity.
Yet, far from investing in capacity or brokering deals to tap unused vaccine manufacturing facilities, as the Biden administration has done in the U.S., the Indian government been slow even to sign purchasing contracts with manufacturers. In January, Serum Institute had stockpiled around 50 million doses; the government didn’t sign a purchase order for weeks and then only bought 11 million jabs initially.
The government seems to expect Indian manufacturers to produce vaccines on spec, jump through various regulatory hoops and then break all their other remunerative contracts in order to give the final product solely to the Indian state — at grossly insufficient prices. Is it any wonder that Pfizer’s local subsidiary quietly withdrew its application for emergency use of its vaccine in India?
This kind of regulatory uncertainty, bullying, lack of foresight and urgency, and contempt for legitimate profit-making is familiar to every entrepreneur in India. Such attitudes are at the root of the country’s growth and investment crisis. Now the rest of the world will have to suffer the consequences.- Bloomberg
Also read: Asthma inhalers could reduce severe Covid effects, hospitalisation, study in Lancet reveals
Mihir seems to be on the rolls of khangress and Pappu.
1 Why adhar poonawalla of SI is blamed?
2 why is he discouraged
3 why image building.. photo politics of modi and his government ..when they had no contributions in vaccine development and management
4..why miss management when 50 millions dose were ready ..4 months ago ..in Dec..who is responsible for non procurement of vaccine and for exports to other countries for Pitora and false image building when Oxford was responsible for vaccines
Clubhouse dummy from scotch-brite wing. I am sure print must be evaluating the prospects based on ability to write fictional essays on criticising modi for anything and everything under the sun. These donkeys won’t talk about Sachin vaze and extortion happening in Maharashtra or farmers protests inspite of covid. Reading their articles is a complete waste of time.
I registered on Cowin website and today when i visited Nikhil hospitals,Hyderabad for administration of first dose at the appointed time, A display board was put up stating that the vaccination with them is meant for people who are due for second dose. There is no complaint mechanism for addressing immediately as the state govt. Helpline is passing the buck to the central govt. Stating the have a limited role to play. Why this drama when you dont have enough vaccine?
Jackass Mihir Sharma… check out the comments and get down from the fucking paid journalism and come on ground you piece of shit! Else ask your children… they’ll know better than you who did what!!! ?? your THE PRINT sucks big time!
Mr Amit: You parents did raise you up to be a polite chap didn’t they ?
May be the writer recently cured from CoVid.
That’s why he is very angry.
Just want to share my thought that why you all so called Independent Media are always against government. The rule of drug trial was set in India by Congress Government under Indira Gandhi and you have no work rather blame whom you have grudge on just getting an opportunity. If you are surviving today is only because of the open journalism policy set by the current government.
What is clear from the many comments on all opinion pieces is that The Print has become more about strong opinions (assessed by the looks of it, Qualitatively and quantitatively, biased) rather than as is what is views. It is attempting to influence rather than inform in both its avatars – digital print and YouTube videos.
It is taking away the sheen from its many great programs like cut the clutter, off the cuff, Ilanomics, SP’s take on Defence, DK’s political commentaries etc. which are excellent.
As such, I am still holding on to my faith that The Print will become the last bastion of equanimity depending more on “desi” numbers than on “foreign” numbers; about balanced headlines rather than contrived phrases for its articles and programmes etc and more about informing rather than influencing.
Tailpiece: I hope The Print does not miss the obvious
Colonel sahib, your first sentence is incomprehensible. ‘The Print has become more about strong opinions (assessed by the looks of it, Qualitatively and quantitatively, biased) rather than as is what is views.’
What is the meaning ?
The said article is not The Print’s, it is reproduced from Bloomberg Opinion, where the title was ‘India’s Covid crisis stems from arrogance, hyper-nationalism, incompetence’. So whether you quit The Print or not, this is the impression of India foreigners are gaining of the Modi govt’s incompetence. The outside world does not believe in an alternative reality about India. The Bloomberg article obviously has an impact on business. The Print has reproduced it to advise you what the outside world sees. You may be of the type who believes India is the vishwa guru and the outside world’s opinion is irrelevant. But I read in one of your posts that in your foreign travels, you had met only people who look up with awe about India, and you felt very proud. I don’t know whether your travels were during the MMS era. I suspect now after 7 years of Modi, and article after article in the foreign press on his megalomania, and India’s slipping economy and Covid fiascso, the outside view has changed (or is changing) its view on his competence, and his morality.
You end with saying the media should be more about informing rather than influencing. In another post, you were advising that the media should be the one (and not the govt.) influencing the public on social distancing, masking etc. It seems you bowl both kinds of spin !
You rascals hav no work but spreading negativity. You are true group of commie bastards . covid cases had come below 3000 per day without vaccine if Maharashtra is left out . when things were opened , people started behaving like pigs ,abadoned distancing , masks ,sanitisations , in classes, trains , hotels and restraunts, parks ,cinema halls , malls ,market places etc people cared nothing , being closely spaced without mask ,though govt was repeatedly reminding do gaz ki duri mask hai zaruri . As a result from less than 8 thousand (including Maharashtra ) per day now we are close to two lakh a day. People had started talking corona conspiracy theory, that there is nothing like any covid threat. These illiterate idiot pigs are whole to blame for current situtation.
So who allowed the Kumbh Mela Mr Mukund Rajan ?
didnt the media houses and intellectuals make money out of covid crisis?
THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Harry Truman (1884-1972), the 33rd President of the United States always had a note on his desk:
“The buck stops here”
That phrase essentially meant that when Truman made decisions, he accepted full responsibility for the fallout from these decisions. He did not deflect blame either towards others, his political rivals, his subordinates or his bureaucrats. He readily admitted that he was on the hook for getting the job done. He asserted that “end to end” responsibility was an integral part of his job description. More importantly, even when he was not directly responsible for tragic events in the country, Truman stepped in and assumed leadership responsibilities. Like his predecessor President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had done before him.
All American Presidents have been tested by internal and external crises. And all of them picked up the gauntlets and took ownership of the problem. The notable exception to that tradition being the racist demagogue Donald Trump who categorically declined to take ownership of the COVID crisis. Trump famously said:
“I do not take responsibility at all”
Equally importantly, until the Trump era, most Americans held their elected leaders fully answerable for the decisions they took and the consequences thereof.
Now take the case of India and PM Modi.
When Mohammad Akhlaq (RIP) was brutally lynched in Dadri in 2105, PM Modi kept silent on an incident that was reported all over the world. Finally, 8 days after the event, facing mounting international and national censure, PM Modi limply said whilst the BJP did not condone such acts, the Centre could nonetheless not be blamed for it. Rather than accept the fact that it was the BJP’s relentless attacks on Muslims and baseless accusations of cow slaughter that had led to the lynching, the PM refused to accept any responsibility. Worse still, he did not send a word of condolence to the bereaved family nor did he take upon himself the task of preventing such lynchings from happening.
But the true extent of the rot is only evident at the reaction of the public towards the government in power and PM Modi. The mass radicalisation of the Hindu voter is so complete that they refuse to take the PM to task many of his decisions – be it demonetisation, GST, lynchings, the bungled response to COVID, the fiasco at Golwan, the Rafale corruption scandals, the crony capitalism that favours Ambanis, Adonis and their ilk and so on. Additionally, when you also have a press that kowtows to the ruling party and practically worships at Modi’s feet, the death knell of Indian democracy has already sounded. And the Indian public is equally responsible for this descent into dictatorship – albeit an elected one.
Clearly, Modi does not have to say “the buck stops with me” when he has members of his rabid personality cult pinning the blame on everything but on this flawed Gujarathi demagogue.
English novelist & essayist George Orwell (1903-50) said:
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices”
It is “Shoot the messenger when the message is not pleasant, but true ” time looking at the comments section.
The fact is that the government had nothing to do with vaccine development, but decided to use it as an image booster for the supreme leader.The vaccine was developed by Oxford University and manufacturing license was given to Serum Institute(SI) after SI agreed to produce the vaccine at cost price for the first 12 months without making any profits and supply it to the International vaccine consortium (COVAX) which was formed to give poor countries access to vaccines. Serum institute took a huge risk by making 50 million doses even before anyone knew if the vaccine would work or not as the trial results were out in the UK only in December.As soon s the trial results were out and the vaccine was licensed for use, enter Modi claiming credit for a vaccine he and his government had nothing to do with. While many governments in other countries made advance payments for bulk orders to multiple vaccine makers months in advance as they did not know which vaccines will work,GOI made its first order for vaccines only in January and that too only for 10 million doses even as SI had 50 million doses in stock.Till the end of March, the government was sending more doses abroad than was used in India as part of the image building exercise for Modi.And now when shit has hit the fan, he and his cronies still are campaigning in W Bengal.he is the modern day Nero fiddling while the country is literally on its knees and burning. Unfortunately,we deserve all that is coming to us for electing incompetent bigots.
True.. bastards and unpads..do propaganda and attach their photo
@Mihir Sharma, sorry to say but your article provides no statistical analysis based on figures. It’s easy to build a narrative against the central government and join the bandwagon of Modi bashing troupe. Your article does not provide any credible information about why vaccines from Pfizer or J&J did not meet Indian standards. By the way you should have been appointed as Chief of ICMR, Finance Minister, RBI head and Chief of PMO infact replace the PM, if that’s not enough you can apply for WHO Chief position also.
The article certainly disturbed the bhakts who are find reality offensive.
Modi has messed up on five counts :
Economy
Mishandling of Covid
Destroying the social fabric and creating divisions between Indians by persecuting minorities
Losing land to China and getting tangled in an arms race India cannot afford
Foreign policy disasters with all neighbours.
The mishandling of Covid is the subject of this article. On that the author is right : official arrogance, hyper-nationalism, populism and an ample dose of bureaucratic incompetence have combined to create a crisis.
To that, I would add communalism, lack of concern for poor citizens, and promotion of unscientific quackery.
It is well known at the start of the first wave, various ‘Hindu nationalist’ channels and media men like Arnob, Kanwal and Sudhir Chaudhury created a story about how Muslims had planned a ‘corona jihad’. There was a Tabligh conference in which there were international participants (who had bonafide visas from the Indian govt..). The meeting had started before the lockdown , and they were caught in the midst of it. Instead of helping them, and controlling the spread, the opportunity was too good to miss to intimidate the Tablighis and put Muslims down. The BJP’s IT cell joined the regular media to pump out fake news, reading which bhakts in ME countries started tweeting hate messages. The talk of ‘corona jihad’ came to an end when the bhakts started being deported from the UAE and Kuwait. Then Modi explained to the bhakths corona has no religion, and sent Jaishankar to placate the Gulf countries before business got affected. This had occurred at a time when Shetty, another bhakth, had been implicated in large scale fraud in the UAE. Hence, if the correction on ‘corona jihad’ came, it was not due to any rise in intelligence and morals of the bhakths, but because of external reality (the UAE).
After that, India’s performance on the first wave was a mixture of quackery (lighting lamps for 9 minutes and attributing genius to Modi) and bureaucratic bumbling. A lockdown was announced with 4 h notice with no consideration for ‘migrant workers’. Asked when the curve would reach a peak , a govt. spokesman said it will not reach a peak in India (he thought it was a good thing !). Then Modi got involved in showing off to China that India could supply vaccine to others. The Indian govt. told WHO proudly that India had exported more vaccine than it had used. Every country takes care of its citizens first. Here, we bash some citizens, we do not care for poor citizens (they are ‘migrants’, from another country) and we peddle quackery and fake nationalism to the urbans. The rest is as Mihir Bose reports.
The second wave may propel India to the country with the highest Covid cases. India is not a victim of any corona jihad, it as victim as Mihir Bose says of official arrogance, hyper-nationalism and communalism, populism and an ample dose of bureaucratic incompetence.
Well you blatantly left out some details:
US and EU have blocked export of several ingredients required to produce these vaccines, which is effecting production.
India has exported some 60 million doses for some 100 million used in India? How much did US or Europe export? Well India could have gained more success locally by being selfish like them.
“And the world suffers” : As they should. US and EU needs to do more. For all the talk of anti racism, they are pretty self centered when it comes to international policies.
You need to cut out your fake BJP nationalism and pretence about India being selfless and not selfish.
In every country, the govt.’s responsibility is to take care of its people first, and then the outside world.
What the blatant details I left out ? The US and EU have every right to block exports when their populations are in a crisis.
India’s response was chaotic right from the first wave. It started with using Covid to attack Muslims which only ended when Modi’s bhakts started being expelled from UAE. That is the kind of unprofessional approach the govt. had, a foretaste of things to come. A lockdown was announced at 4h notice with no planning; afterwards, the govt. got mired in promoting quackery, clapping hands to create vibrations to drive away Corona, producing Covid Papad, and giving permission to Baba Ramdev to sell Coronil as a cure for Covid. When the vaccines started coming in India – due to the Oxford technology licensed to Serum Institute – the govt. used it to show off that India was not selfish (unlike the west). Then it got careless with mass gatherings and Kumbh, and all of a sudden we have a second wave of larger intensity, and not enough vaccine. Seeing the govt’s incompetence with the first wave, this will be a deeper mess that will drown India.
India is also self centred. That is why all our neighbours are alienated and going with China.
Correctly said
Mihir
You were waiting for a chance to blame PM Modi ji. First the blame goes to Indian population density and second to Congress(I) leaders & chief ministers of states ruled by Congress (I) / Congress (I) coalition governements who were creating / spreading bad impression about our desi brand Covid vaccines ( Covaxin) thus causing vaccine hesitancy. Do not politicize the issue. Government of India is doing its best in Covid mangement in India. PM Modi ji always consults high power health experts and decides on the course of Covid management and issue of vaccine approval.
Lol increasing oxygen output nationwide and procuring vaccines in advance are central govt job .it’s not state govt jobs .whi allowed kumbmela .why did not center stop it .now after 20 days the effects of kumbmeka would be known .daily it would be 1 milion cases in 4 weeks and no oxygen and no vaccine . How come pfizer,Johnson Moderna was not allowed in November and now it is allowed .they did not do india trials back then and even now .so why now they are allowing?? Why did sputnik by Dr reddy after completing all trials was not allowed production 1 month before .why it was granted permission yesterday .why sputnik file was gathering dust in pmo office since 1 month .why money was not given to serum in November itself to ramp up production for India consumption or no purchase agreements were made in advance for atleast 100 cr dosage in advance so that they could have procured raw material in advance. Bill gates foundation has given serum 300 million dollars grant to supply 100 million dosages to poor countries for 3 dollars .now we are not honoring that agreement after taking money .India reputation is spoiled .
J&J vaccine is put on hold in US. This guy is asking why didn’t be we use J&J.
When vaccine was rolled out, people were not taking . Now suddenly everybody wants it.
In India, we have habit to blame government for every thing. No surprise, it’s print.
Then why did we approve Johnson vaccine now after it is put on hold in usa .why did we deny approval back in November when Johnson vaccine was not put on hold in usa .
I think government failed miserably in risk calculation. If Modi’s government had done that then they won’t have donated vaccines to other countries when india is suffering for vaccine crisis. Also Modi ji should lead by example I never see him wearing mask during rallies. I don’t understand what’s the need of elections at this situation. Surely they could have been avoided. There’s lots of mis calculation and desperate steps to improve GDP that have accounted to such a acute covid situation. Covid handling by Government of India is far from ideal. Even courts have bashed government on various occasions. Maharashtra should get more vaccines but they are being denied. It’s high time that they should rise above personal agendas and think of people of India.
Agreed… well articulated
This write-up is coming top on Google along with many others when we search about covid India.
So all the IT-cell paid morons are here trying to discredit it.
Don’t be influenced by their shitty comments cause they are full of shit so whatever comes out is shit. Garbage in Garbage out.
Partially agree with the article. Because of government control on vaccine we were able to get vaccine in Rs 250 otherwise poonawalla would have sold it of Rs 1500. However, failed to understand why Pfizer & other vaccines were not allowed to sell in private. People who can afford these vaccines would have any way reduced the burdon on government. Dr Harshvardhan our health minister thinks differently I believe..
Mihir..why do you make it so obvious of being a lutyens bhakt? The more you write …the more your articles look like it’s paid. Who pays you ? The whole Of Europe and america put together is India’s population. Not so easy to contain. But still we are doing a better job despite the likes of you.
Agreed.
The cabal was furious when Bharat Biotech vaccine was given go ahead – today Bharat Biotech vaccine is among the safest alternatives. The Left cabal is ridiculously predictable, now they’re ruing why the vaccines were not given approval! Wait for 2 months they will say government forced people to take vaccines in order to bend the curve!
The comment section is a cesspool of bhakts
Aur tu kiya hai bhai??? The most progressive and learned person???
Dipu: Mr Ashutosh Pandey is certainly not a gomutra swilling, Modi worshipping bhakth like you.
Your comment…like the libtard writer of this article..is typical of a illogical Pappu supporter
Skrt: So whom do you support? Godse worshipper Sadhvi Pragya Thakur ? Saffron monkey Sakshi Maharaj? Gomutra magnate Baba Ramdev ?
so do u support stalin or mao. Ohh… i see … u support the maruaders of marichjahpi massacre…
couldn’t agree more
Thanks to God that the Corona pandemic has struck the country in Modi regime , otherwise we would have witnessed heaps of dead bodies in localities across the country.
Already happening, mate. Open your eyes.
Everybody who I know got Covid has recovered. Anyone at Print has died?
You are always Anti Modi.you are anti national
How much money you received from Italian family?
Article is interesting but it can not blame the Centre. States are responsible for the chaos. Vaccines are freely available in many States. Maharashtra and Chattisgarh were given ample vaccine doses. But incompetency, corruption and inefficiency resulted in people in these states to suffer. Article failed to pinpoint this aspect and it is nothing unusual for Print to blame our PM for everything he is not responsible The PM spends day in and day out to save the situation, people and the nation. Mihir should have appreciated this and given credit to PM.
The government certainly did make mistakes, particularly in roll out of vaccines which should have been on a war footing.
I was hoping for an analysis based on facts and figures, which could leave us a bit better informed. Instead, what we get is a regurgitation of standard tropes that Modi baiters use. And a liberal use of stereotypes that would be racist if not from another Indian.
Shame on you for milking a serious human tragedy to push your agenda. Or, does one need a made-in-China virus to push a made-in-China ideology?
The print publishes only negative narratives for creating prejudiced & biased attitude towards govt.
You are a mistake Mihir Sharma… If at all the mask was in the right place … you would not have written this crap. Maha would not be like this if instead of hafta vasooli they had focused on healthcare. Same with Punjab. You leftist suckers do not have lean on and blame on anything and everyone.
Pathetic person don’t want to know the facts your friend pm is spreading the virus don’t you get it . Omg
if there is panacea for hypocrisy , it would be found in the houses of media and journalists. When there were farmer protests they didn’t blame the protestors for not following social distancing or wearing masks. Infact they actively encouraged, promoted and participated in politicisation of it and ultimately financially gained from it.
But when politicians and religious people throw the covid safety protocols to waste bin ( for elections and Kumbh respectively). the same set of journalists/ media houses shout from the roof tops by pointing fingers at latter. The media houses/ journalists cover the elections and kumbh, benefit out of it financially but blame them for increase in covid cases.
The last thing i would tell any career advice seeking individual is to become journalist or sociologist …..
Farmers protests were few thousand. Kumbhmela is 1.3 cr feel ashamed for comparison.
It is very easy to blame everything on the most bankable face, but really hard to actually look for the right reasons.
As far as the “scientific basis” of vaccines goes, Covaxin went through the same scrutiny as most vaccines with impeccable stage 1 and 2 trials, and proper monitoring, adverse event reporting during the stage 3 trials WHICH ENDED IN MARCH DISPLAYING EXCELLENT EFFICACY, INCLUDING EFFECTIVITY AGAINST THE UK STRAIN, and very likely- Brazilian and South African too.
Very early on it was clearly said Pfizer will not be a good option due to cold chain drawbacks in India, and different population characteristics warrant proper trials, so yes, it was easier to give interim approval to an indigenous vaccine tested on “indigenous people” than a totally foreign one.
Johnson and Johnson got approved pretty late even in the USA, and now it’s already being questioned for the adverse reactions, and looking at the date on this article, this is of common knowledge.
Bharat Biotech has been a pioneer in vaccines. It developed the oral Rotavirus vaccine that has bolstered India’s efforts to decrease infant mortality due to diarrhea. The single dose Japanese encephalitis vaccine is being used as emergency vaccines across the country. Questioning the credibility of an institution made by competent genius doctors and scientists is ill-founded.
The rise in cases is definitely due to arrogance and hyper-nationalism, but OF THE PEOPLE, “nothing is going to happen to us” and “Indians are made of steel.” Quite clearly, we’re not. So please mask-up.
So why approve pfizer rnoderna now .they did not do indian trials even now nor india cold storage infra improved since November to April. This shows stupidity of modi shaw. Why did they not made prior purchase deals worth 200 cr doses with serum in November. Atleast by now 50 cr would have been available.
I entirely agree with the viewpoint expressed in the article. The Central Government in Delhi having centralized powers and solely controlling the vaccination drive is deciding which vaccinations are to be approved, who will manufacture them and at what price. The distribution of vaccines is controlled by Delhi. Why then blame the states? The central government needs to answer one simple arithmetic: what is our total need or demand , what is our total vaccination production capacity and how much time is needed to complete the vaccination drive – 6 months, one year, two years? The simple calculations at the back of the envelope tell that this period could be two years with the present vaccination rate and capacity. The US President has stated that they will complete the vaccination by 4th July, i.e, prior to their Independence Day. UK has population of 9 crore and they have tied up vaccines supply to the tune of 40 crore. Israel is topping in the vaccination race with vaccination of 116 doses per 100 people ( every person needs two doses). UAE has the rate @ 94, UK- 60, USA- 57. But India is a poor laggard at 8 doses per 100 people. We had a steep decline phase in the Covid pandemic first wave since September last year. We could have utilized that space to tie up the requisite supplies and production capacity. The blame is where blame should go and the accountability reaches Delhi, not Mumbai, Kolkata or Chennai.
This jackass Mihir has just lost it… oh sorry I guess he didn’t have it to loose it… ???
What an idiotic post, let’s assume that the government of all the countries made mistakes, but did they? What about public? Did they follow all the protocols? Did they follow all the safety measures? Did even half the population wear mask? Wash their hands after going out? Maintain a certain distance? The public is running for every opportunity to go out. How much can government regulate the public? If they do that, people like you cry, and if they don’t, you still cry. There is no end to crying for people like you who themselves don’t want to do anything and expect the government to give everything to you on a silver platter. And even if they do, you will still gonna cry. What a waste of time to read and anti-government post like yours. Government made some mistakes, but the public isn’t innocent either.
So what would the geniuses that compiled and published this highly anti-establishment article would have done otherwise?
Some points are really valid though not all. IT wing guys should let their paymasters know the truth instead of writing comments on all the articles that gets published on all the websites. There is definitely shortage of vaccines but no one in this govt is ready to acknowledge but had the audacity to boast that they were saving the world by supplying vaccines. Perfect example for banana republic.
Every article in your print is only against Modi. I think you r not doing Journalism job but working against Modi by manufacturing the news…..
Mr. G sharma is his father’s mistake so don’t mind?
“World Health Organization guidelines say that such “bridging trials” may be needed “if there are compelling scientific reasons to expect that the immune response to the vaccine, and therefore its efficacy, could be significantly different to that documented in a prior efficacy trial.” Indian authorities never bothered to share these compelling scientific reasons. Why J&J’s vaccine, demonstrated to be effective even against the virulent South African and Brazilian variants, would need another large-scale trial in India demands some explanation, surely? (The company is still awaiting permission to launch a bridging trial.)”
www(dot)msn(dot)com/en-us/news/us/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-blood-clotting-cases-cause-calls-for-pause-in-us/ar-BB1fB8wg
J&J are paused in the US. Inadequate trials missed the side-effect of blood-clots.
This is the reason The PM is not taking interest as India being a Democracy will continue to blame him only and never mention the other CM’s who opened the state like normal even if the cases were still coming. Vaccination drive wasn’t done effectively in the initial stage. Are state Govt’s ready to confirm everyone beyond 60 is vaccinated..why were they not able to complete 1st dose to all of them..had the progress would have been faster, the govt would have surely started additional production. What if after bumper production poonawala’s storage facility would have cought fire.. then again you would have blamed the PM saying what was the point in making so many vaccines if the speed is so slow.
My final submission : Critics will always criticize… it is upon the person being criticized whether to act as Dog and bark or act as elephant and move on..
Writing good English for hiding the truth, blaming center is a cup of tea for journal like mihir sharma. The reality is different. India is only country having high number of vaccines research and production, exports to more than 80 countries and above 10crore own citizen have received vaccines yet. It could have worst if other government like UPA govt and other govt which you are thinking in your dream. Secondly cases rise is not in hand of center it obviously for casual approach of state and own citizen of country those can’t follow wear mask and other safty major. Then corrupt govt like congress ruled and kichidi govt like chhatisgarh, maharastra adding sugar in corona tea. So you should polish your thinking and introspect while writing , only blaming center can’t uplift your malign idea. Also check last PM-CM meeting video you can see the casual approach from Delhi , Maharashtra CM in corona meeting will sure make you happy to get this type govt in your dream.
Where did this 10 cr vaccines come from if govt didn’t book anything? Allow pvt players to decide on price with no govt control? Ppl were not taking free or 250/- vaccines and they will buy highly priced pfizer n moderna vaccines? Who had declared victory any govt official in centre?
More than 50% cases are from Maharashtra and chattisgarh but blame goes only to modi! All the govts are incompetent !
The government did well to organize Kumbh Mela and show the world WTF they are. EC in India allowed political gatherings in so many states and so many days , ensuring no one is left out . Why blame only the vaccine
Such columnist only know to put the blame game, now they have stretched the line bit too far, does he knows more than medical experts regarding taking out vaccines, I don’t think so. Cheap anti India publicity, and nothing else.
Constructive criticism is always welcomed but when an article starts with ” typical in India, official arrogance, hyper-nationalism, populism and an ample dose of bureaucratic incompetence have combined to create a crisis.” , It can be more or less categorised under propaganda segment.
I don’t want to sound rhetoric like this Idiot Mihir Sharma and ThePrint, but this article is a blatant shit that I have read today.
1. More than the govt, the onus of containing virus is on people. If Govt imposes lockdown, you’ll cry mayhem, and if they don’t, you are crying mayhem now.
2. PFIZER & J&J ?? Really, have you seen their prices ? Moreover, J&J is facing ban as of today in US, go watch the news.
3. And what the hell is this closure, Rest of the world will have to suffer consequences ? You eat ping dung in breakfast or what ? I mean, you have taken your hatred of Modi to that level where not just Muslims, Not Just Gujarat, Not Just India, now the whole of world will suffer ? Shame on you.
Thu on you…
I m not speaking on behalf of Modi support or so. I’m just speaking common sense, which is rare to find on this channel.
He is speaking common sense and not on behalf of Modi!
What a joke.
Poorly researched article by the author. He has just wanted to put the blame on the govt be it state or centre but never went on to research as to why the centre or state has acted in such fashion. No fact finding only blaming. This kind of journalism is easily seen these days be it in print, online, tv etc
I look at my city bangalore…not a single person wears a mask. ive seen bikes and autos quickly pull up the masks soon as they see a cop and soon as they cross they pull it down.
The problem is the low IQ of the nation – average IQ of India is 79 compared to 105 of China. its almost like desis are like sub-humans who cant understand the simple logic : Wear masks – socially distance – and dont laugh like a monkey when someone tries to admonish or explain desis irresponsibility.
Oye people should also not forget masks and sanitizers go outside and look at them human behaviour is also to blame!