New Delhi: Exposing the central government’s disastrous handling of the COVID-19 situation in India, Congress party’s national social media coordinator Hasiba Amin on Monday curated a timeline of events since the first COVID-19 case was reported in India last year. Amin, in a series of tweets, debunked several claims and pointed out glaring issues in whatever the Centre has done so far, painting a not-so-rosy picture.
Taking to her Twitter on Monday, Amin mentioned events including the mega “Namaste Trump” event that was held in February 2020 after the first COVID-19 case was reported in India, to the mass exodus of migrants during the first leg of nation-wide lockdown that was imposed from March to May 2020 and the consequent relaxation in the lockdowns.
Amin also highlighted reports of India-China border clashes that claimed the lives of at least 20 Indian soldiers in June 2020, during the raging pandemic. She also shared that fuel prices reached the record heights during the same time.
Cut to 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared at Davos’ World Economic Forum that India defeated COVID-19 and even helped 150 other countries.
More ‘unlocks’ followed; and the Central government paid no heed to the parliamentary panel’s report warning about potential or upcoming oxygen shortage in the country in February. Amin shared a screenshot from the same report.
March was peculiar. The second COVID-19 wave loomed over India, but it remained under-highlighted. Kumbh Mela was allowed to be conducted in April, with COVID-19 protocols. Devotees participated in lakhs, with tens of hundreds infected with the virus, with several fatalities.
Meanwhile, obviously, elections were scheduled to be held in five states; and by-elections were taken up in several others. Amin shared reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading rallies that attracted crowds in thousands. Meanwhile, considering the spike in COVID-19 cases, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cancelled his rallies in mid-April.
The Congress national coordinator also took to share that several countries imposed travel restrictions on India, bringing everything back to square one.
By the second half of April, hospitals across states especially in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, reported oxygen shortage. Governments became concerned and booked those who spread ‘rumours’ for sedition.
Amin also compiled reports why Kumbh Mela was being called a ‘super spreader’.
Several international publications, renowned journals and organisations expressed concern of the second COVID-19 wave that is spreading like ‘wildfire’ and even warned that it might get worse by the year’s end. Many also gave a scathing criticism of Narendra Modi’s leadership
To add fuel into the existing fire, a deadly black fungal infection is now a major part of our woes.
Such has been for India for over a year. Hasiba Amin has merely compiled news paper reports during this time and all of it reflected only one reality–the centre’s haphazard planning and acting during a health crisis. For most of the time, the government has been in denial about the gravity of the situation and its late realization and action proved fatal. And it denied the fatalities too.
And now, no amount of crocodile tears can cover that up.