Modi’s Actions Inexcusable: Lancet Severely Slams PM

The top international medical journal, Lancet lambasts PM Modi for mishandling the covid situation and disregarding all the warnings. While Resign Modi hashtag is trending for the past few days on all social media platforms, the Saturday editorial from Lancet severely criticized Modi stated that he could be in charge of “a self-inflicted national catastrophe”.

“Modi’s actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable,” the report stated. “India squandered its early successes in controlling COVID-19. Until April, the government’s COVID-19 task force had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages,” it added.

“The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart,” the report further read.

The report also pointed out how the Modi-led government allowed religious events and political rallies in huge numbers, despite the devastating second wave. “Before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, Indian Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the “endgame” of the epidemic,” the Lancet report said.

“Despite warnings about the risks of super-spreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies-conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures,” Lancet said.

The majority of netizens, soon after the release of the Lancet report, agreed by lauding the world’s oldest medical journal on how they exposed Modi’s government. On the other hand, a few blamed Lancet for politicizing pandemic, instead of focusing on science.