Drum Beating on Vaccination

The almost daily blaring of horns on India crossing the billion mark in Covid-19 vaccination would be amusing if it was not so tragic. Apparently, the objective is to draw attention away from the gross mishandling of the COVID pandemic by the Narendra Modi led ruling dispensation. Nobody can forget how the poor were left hungry and forlorn when all of a sudden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first lockdown last year. Hundreds of migrant workers died when they had no option but to return to their native places without a penny in their pockets. The government reacted very late to the need for providing relief to the people hit hard by the disruption of the economy.

The situation was only slightly better when the second wave of the pandemic hit India earlier this year.The ruling dispensation’s back slapping on India crossing the 100 crore mark in the vaccination drive is ridiculous when one examines the figures and compares the performance with other countries.

China with more population than India achieved 80 percent vaccination in September this year. Britain achieved 71.2 per cent vaccination mark while the European Union climbed the 65.9 percent mark at the same time. Nearer home, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan have more percent people vaccinated than India. But the vaccination coverage is lower in neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

In stead of hiding its dismal record of handing the Covid pandemic, the ruling dispensation could do much better by improving its handling of the economy. Nobody knows if there would be a third wave of the Covid pandemic. But it is certain that the country would be able to handle the situation better if the economy is in a ship shape state. And that cannot be achieved just by selling the family silver, which the government is at present busy with.The need is to lighten the burden of the common people, not to enrich a few chosen cronies.