The Complete Covid Chargesheet

As I write these words from my Covid sickbed—despite being vaccinated, I have been hit hard, with a diagnosis of Covid-induced viral myocarditis and intense fatigue—I am acutely conscious of our nation’s trauma in the face of the pandemic.

As the cumulative number of infections crosses 2 crore by the first half of May and the cumulative death toll passes 3 lakh (though ­experts estimate the real toll to be eight times as much), as hospital beds began to overflow, oxygen supplies dwindled, vaccination centres ran out of vaccines and pharmacies were unable to meet the overwhelming demand for ­anti-virals, India is reeling from its failure to cope with Covid. The Congress denounced the government for ­presiding over “a saga of tragedy, incompetence and colossal mismanagement”. But this is not an Opposition view, it is that of the common citizen of India.