Noting that India now needs an absolute one-point programme to save lives and alleviate the pain of millions of citizens, Congress president Sonia Gandhi , in an interview to The Hindu on Thursday, called for a gigantic collective endeavour cutting across party lines.
Also read:Govt. profiteering from people’s miseries: Sonia
“We need to work together and mobilise all assistance and help for the millions in dire need, and we need to ensure that vaccination coverage expands as fast as possible,” she said. “Increasing vaccine supply and rate of vaccination is the most urgent task that requires a national effort.”
Ms. Gandhi said that in every State, the Congress had shunned a blame game and calls to fixing accountability. “We are extending help in whatever way we can,” she said.
Ms. Gandhi, however, said that a “political consensus” during a national crisis required the “ability to listen” and not an attitude that “you know everything”.
She said the Union government declared a premature victory over the novel coronavirus some months ago and started celebrating. Recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee to be in a state of preparedness were ignored. By early February, public health experts in India and abroad were issuing warnings on what might happen given the situation prevailing elsewhere. “But we were caught in a web of hubris and complacency. Super-spreader events were allowed with no thought or care about their potential impact,” she said.
She accused the Prime Minister of “ruthlessly politicising” the vaccine policy. Asked if COVID-19 was being manipulated to hide the real picture, Ms. Gandhi said the Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh government were those whoi were resorting to it the most.
She said while international help that had come to the aid of India was welcome, but it was “pathetic” to see that such help was being “spun” around to hail the Prime Minister.
Ms. Gandhi alleged that the Modi government’s misplaced priorities such as the Central Vista project pushed the country to a situation where it was forced to seek foreign assistance.
Excerpts from the interview:
‘We need to work together and mobilise all help for the millions’
The second wave of corona has been devastating and India is, perhaps, going through the worst public health crisis in recent history. Who or what, do you think, is responsible for such a rapid slide?
Frankly, I think this is the time for a gigantic collective endeavour cutting across party lines. We need to work together and mobilise all assistance and help for the millions in dire need, and we need to ensure that vaccination coverage expands as fast as possible. But I will say this: the Union government declared a premature victory some months back and started celebrating. The facts staring us in the face were ignored. Recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee to be in a state of preparedness were ignored. By early February this year public health experts in India and abroad were warning us on what might happen here given the situation prevailing elsewhere. But we were caught in a web of hubris and complacency. Super-spreader events were allowed with no thought or care about their potential impact.
There is a narrative that blame game and fixing accountability can wait; it is more important to save lives. What is your view?
I agree. The absolute one-point programme now is to save lives, to alleviate the pain, suffering and anguish of millions upon millions of our citizens, to deal with the shortages of oxygen, critical medicines and beds in hospitals. That is the approach the Indian National Congress has taken in each and every State. We are extending help in whatever way we can.
This is also not the time, I believe, to take credit for or broadcast what we as a political organisation are doing on the ground. This is the time for work and extend help without fanfare. I also want to add here that we are all very thankful for the manner in which the international community has come to our help these last few days.
But I find it quite pathetic that even this is being give a ‘spin’ to hail the Prime Minister when in reality it is a reflection of his government’s incompetence, insensitivity and completely distorted sense of priorities. For example, is this really the time to push on with an unnecessary and wasteful project like the Central Vista Redevelopment Project? Having said this, let me also applaud the manner in which so many civil society organisations and groups and so many individuals in our country have come forward and involved themselves in providing relief and succour. Our front-line health workers have been, of course, braving so many odds and risks and our debt to them is irredeemable.
Recently, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had offered six suggestions with regard to vaccination but it got a stinging rebuttal from Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. Mr Rahul Gandhi and you have also been writing to the Prime Minister with suggestions. But there is some criticism that Congress is trying to 'politicise' a crisis.
Yes, Dr. Manmohan Singh wrote a very sober, dignified and constructive letter to the Prime Minister based on his vast learning and experience. Sadly, the Prime Minister did not even acknowledge the letter but got the Union Health Minister to mount an extraordinarily personal, discourteous and wholly unethical attack on Dr. Singh and the Indian National Congress. I was actually shocked by his reply as I think many were. I have written a number of times to the Prime Minister as has the former Congress President. There have been no meaningful acknowledgements of these letters as well. By the way, I should mention that I have written ten letters to the Prime Minister over the past fourteen months only on COVID-19 containing constructive suggestions. I want to stress that they share practical ideas for action based on discussions we have had in party forums and with chief ministers of Congress-ruled States relying on their present experience. It is not a question of politicising this crisis. We are fulfilling our obligations as a responsible and responsive Opposition.
There are allegations that COVID-19 data is being manipulated to hide the real picture...
I think by now it is abundantly clear that the real picture is far worse than what the government would have us believe. And I say this with a full sense of responsibility — the manipulation is maximum in States like U.P., Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. This has been highlighted by several persons in the media. But all this is symptomatic of a malaise that has afflicted the Modi administration since 2014 — suppress facts that are uncomfortable, doctor data when it puts the ruling regime in poor light and try and control the narrative. Clearly, for this government deadlines can be missed but headlines are more important.
You recently said the Modi government’s handling of the second wave is a “complete disaster”. But hasn't the Opposition been critical of the government in whatever they do. Last year, the Modi government was severely criticised for causing immense hardship and 'destroying' the economy by imposing a harsh lockdown. Now, it is being criticised for leaving everything to States. Where is the political consensus?
Let me point out a couple of things. It is the Union gvernment that has consistently played politics and discriminated against Opposition-ruled States. It is the Union government that has centralised everything. When things appear to be getting better, it takes the credit. When things begin to go awry, it blames the States. Take the issue of vaccines. Was pricing ever discussed with States? In fact, this whole issue of pricing makes little sense and has come under severe criticism from public health professionals. The entire vaccination strategy has been relentlessly and ruthlessly politicised by the Prime Minister. Consensus requires honest consultations, a capacity to listen and not assume you know everything, that the only way is your way.
Regarding your criticism of the new vaccination policy announced by the government, don’t you think the vaccine producers need to be incentivised and be paid appropriate prices so that they can expand their capacities and fulfil demand?
Well, this needs to be looked at from the point of view of the public. Of course, manufacturers of vaccines need to cover their costs and be assured of reasonable margins. But isn’t it the duty of the government — like governments in other countries have done — to facilitate production, to place advance orders and to strengthen supply chains? The Modi government didn’t place any orders till as late as January 2021 and that too in numbers that are miniscule compared to the requirement.
If every eligible Indian is to get two doses, we need something like two billion doses, and we need them in a hurry. Our party believes that in this pandemic, the bulk of the people should be given vaccines for free and the Central government should take the responsibility for ensuring this after negotiating with manufacturers. Instead, they have created a system in which there are multiple prices and an encouragement to profiteering. In fact, the government seems to have completely disowned our younger age group, between 18 and 45, who are expected to pay much higher prices for their vaccinations.
What according to you is the single most important task calling for a national effort?
Without doubt, the answer to this question is vaccination. Less than 10% of the target set by the Union Government last January has been achieved so far — and I am referring to those who have got both doses. The target itself was 300 million and now of course with the 18+ category it will be much more. Increasing vaccine supply and rate of vaccination is the most urgent task. This has to be a collective endeavour. And I would still say that Dr. Manmohan Singh’s suggestion that India should invoke compulsory licensing to expand vaccine availability must be acted upon without further delay. Let the Prime Minister take credit — that won’t be anything new — but at least let him act.
