Fatal consequences of Coronavirus outbreak

It was unprecedented. Locking down 1.3 billion Indians, in one place, for three weeks. And it may have been necessary to avoid the inadequate health system from being overwhelmed by those affected by the novel corona virus (“Huge challenge to lock down 1.3b people in a democracy,” Mar.31, Gulf Today).

Surely, India wanted to follow in China’s footsteps in containing the virus, but the abrupt announcement of the lockdown by Prime Minster Modi instead of helping the situation seems to have created problems of its own. A few hours after the broadcast the whole system went into a spin, with the government having no clue on how to handle the situation. To me it looked like another ‘demonetising’ exercise was unfolding, this time with the health of the nation on a leash.

While on the one hand landlords chased migrant-tenants out from the homes, on the other the police machinery began wielding the stick to enforce the lockdown, keeping not only people off the roads, but also disrupting essential services. It was a complete breakdown, all because the government failed in working on the logistics of an exercise of this magnitude.

I don’t need to highlight what followed next. All I want to know is why they did the Central government not take the state governments into confidence before announcing such a draconian measure. Although Modi has won the biggest political mandate in decades, he needs to understand that the country’s federalist system requires him to work with state leaders. He has put thousands of lives to risk by ignoring this thumb rule of a democracy.

The Prime Minister did apologise later, but the damage was already done. And if reports from some virologists and medical experts are right, India is on the brink of disaster, probably greater than Italy. I fear to think of what will happen in the coming two weeks. God save India, is my fervent prayer.

Khalil Khan — By email