By Ranjona Banerji
The spectre of a Covid-19 spike has raised its head again in India. Experts – by which I mean scientists, not Whatsapp know-it-alls – fear a massive peak in mid-April. Cases are rising everywhere. And here we are in the media, paying scant or lip service attention to the pandemic, and concentrating instead on assembly elections. And of course, praising various publicity measures taken by the Modi government, especially on Modi’s latest visit to Bangladesh.
First, the pandemic. The BBC has done a massive investigation into last year’s lockdown and discovered, via RTI applications, that the prime minister consulted no one when he announced one of the world’s most severe lockdowns.
Like demonetisation, he winged it, regardless of the consequences and minus any back up plans. Needless to say, like demonetisation none of the promises made were fulfilled either. Last year at this time, migrant labourers walked home. They were sprayed with disinfectant, as if they were pests that had to be controlled. The Centre denied to the Supreme Court that there were any migrant workers on the roads of India at all, despite all evidence. The Railway minister denied that any migrants died in train accidents, despite clear evidence.
Every time these statements are not loudly, constant and vociferously challenged, it means that lies are given weight.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56561095
In another India, in any democracy, this would have been enough to rattle the government. But in our partly-free democracy and our electoral autocracy, we are too scared to take any revelation of government wrongdoing too far, for fear of the consequences.
It is the media which spreads the myth that all that matters is election strategy, that campaigning in the midst of a dangerous pandemic speaks of political acumen and the biggest legend of all, that Modi works very hard. The problem is, the mainstream cheerleading media does not clarify what exactly Modi works hard at. Definitely not on pandemic control.
By flattering the BJP’s campaign strategies over its governance strategies, the media enables situations like this, where a request from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to vaccinate senior citizens, the differently abled at home, is turned down by the Centre. Only because, or so it appears, the BJP wants to exploit the worsening Covid situation in Maharashtra for its own gains.
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/no-door-to-door-covid-vaccination-in-mumbai/amp_articleshow/81729447.cms?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TOIMumbaiNews&__twitter_impression=true
What other reason is there for a government to turn down an initiative which will only help?
I repeat myself. In any other democratic nation, the people would clammer for more action from a government.
But not India.
People we see are fatigued. Photographs of Holi celebrations nationwide are frightening in the lack of responsibility demonstrated. In this, you cannot blame the Centre for individual actions. You can however hold state governments and local authorities to account for bad messaging and inadequate control.
However, you can and must question why there is no nationwide strategy. And why both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister are missing in action when it comes to Covid governance.
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And then there’s Bangladesh. Much as Modi’s visit was filled with good intentions (his dubious claims about his role in Bangladesh’s freedom notwithstanding), the terrible consequences of his party’s constant attacks on Bangladeshis as termites and illegal aliens played out. Diplomacy is a tough game and a 56-inch chest and constant electioneering are not always the best strategies.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/29/two-die-in-fresh-bangladesh-protest-violence-over-modis-visit
I see instead The Print claiming that India has got back its neighbourhood “swagger”. Like a pompous, overbearing bully.
The deep insecurity and absurd inferiority that runs through the Sangh Parivar is now echoed by the pliant media.
Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She is also Consulting Editor, MxMIndia. Her views here are personal