Maharashtra suffers as MVA management sinks to low politics in COVID disaster

Grave occasions reveal the actual aspect of leaders – whether or not they select to rise to the event or descend into petty politics. As Maharashtra continued to peak with the best variety of COVID-19 constructive circumstances within the nation, CM Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray clearly made his option to ‘fall’ within the second type.
One of the gravest examples of this descent was an allegation, extra so a sensationalized model of the reality, levelled in opposition to the Prime Minister.
Article by Deccan Chronicle
In a press release from CMO Maharashtra, it was put out how when CM Uddhav Thackeray reached out to PM Modi to debate the state of affairs of oxygen provide in Maharashtra, he couldn’t pay money for him on his landline because the PM was travelling to Bengal.
More than the information, one needs to be stunned on the naivety and ignorance of the Chief Minister himself. Being a Chief Minister and lively in politics for years, neither did he nor his workplace even as soon as consider reaching out to the PM by the PMO workforce that travels alongside wherever he goes.
The PM, who one can confidently say belongs to the primary form of leaders, may simply be contacted at any time of the day. In reality, all all through the pandemic, PM Narendra Modi has stored channels of communication open with the CMs of each state, having talked to them over 15 occasions in formal settings and several other extra occasions informally.
This makes one surprise – was the decision positioned to really communicate to the Prime Minister or from the very begin, was it carried out with an intention of constructing headlines?
If that is information to you, then what conspired only a day in the past, on fifteenth April, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a digital dialogue with the Chief Ministers of assorted states on the state of affairs regarding COVID-19, will make you query the CM’s intentions moreover. During this significant meet, extra so for Maharashtra, CM Uddhav Thackeray was discovered busy fiddling along with his telephone.
Uddhav Thackeray twiddling with telephone
Uddhav Thackeray twiddling with telephone
One is break up between deciding what was extra silly out of the 2 – calling somebody and anticipating to succeed in them on their landline after they’re travelling or placing it out for the world and letting them learn about your foolishness. The jury is out.
Going again to the subject of grave occasions and how one can take care of them, one wants to grasp how completely different folks react to loss in a different way. The first form of leaders dwells on turning adversity into a possibility, the second type flip in the direction of grief and grievances.
Stages of grief
With the pandemic spreading its lethal arms, mismanagement on the helm of affairs and state leaders plumbing new political lows every single day proper underneath the watch of Maha Vikas Aghadi mastermind Sharad Pawar, one actually has to surprise if it was on function, that if it was the grief that was bringing pleasure to them.
Data, private accounts, photos, movies, tweets, misery messages – all of it has already painted fairly a dark image of Maharashtra within the minds of the Indian public. Adding doom to the gloom was how issues had been, how issues are nonetheless, being run.
From vaccines to oxygen cylinders, life-saving medication to public cash – there’s maybe no subject of important public significance that the Maharashtra authorities leaders haven’t performed politics on, and that too in a time of a disaster. With each passing petty political transfer, MVA’s politics plunged additional down, pulling the remainder of the nation with it too.
The ongoing COVID-19 surge in Maharashtra, negligence, petty politics and all of it may be finest defined by varied levels of grief. The grieving strategy of not of the general public, however of the leaders of Maharashtra.
First stage: Denial
“This can’t be happening to me” – When a wave of shock hits one, it’s maybe among the many first few ideas that crop up within the thoughts that very immediate.
But it was occurring, irrespective of how a lot the State or the state-sponsored mouthpieces tried to stay in denial or inform folks in any other case. Another wave of COVID-19 was nearing, this time a lot larger than earlier than and Maharashtra was battling to outlive.
Maharashtra authorities did what each grief-stricken individual going by denial does –deflecting, asserting and pointing fingers. And when the uncomfortable reality, although exhausting to swallow, needed to be gulped, it was washed down citing ‘transparency’.
Maharashtra was sinking and all of the sudden everybody was cheering on after the captain for declaring it minutes earlier than, that certainly it was.
People in Maharashtra had been contracting the lethal COVID-19 virus once more, this time at a tempo larger than the final. Was it laxity, mismanagement or one thing else? We’ll discover out.
1st March, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 12,286
Ahead of the Budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature, Congress’ state chief Nana Patole assembled outdoors the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha together with different leaders. The Congress celebration had known as out a cycle to rally in protest in opposition to gasoline costs.
Mumbai Mirror article
Aslam Sheikh, Bhai Jagtap, Yashomati Thakur and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat had been current too. The occasion was telecasted LIVE from INC Maharashtra’s Twitter web page.
Congress tweet
This was a time when the COVID numbers had simply begun to surge in Maharashtra once more. But had been issues any higher when the second wave was already at its mighty finest? Let’s discover out.
ninth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,45,384
From 12,000 on the day of the cycle rally to 1,45,000 on that given day – COVID-19 was already sweeping Maharashtra by now. Yet on ninth April, NCP chief, Sharad Pawar’s nephew and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar addressed an enormous public assembly [3]in Maharashtra’s Solapur forward of the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha meeting constituency by-polls.
eleventh April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,68,912.
It was round April 11 when Maharashtra leaders, who might have gotten a way of the rising numbers by now, began to panic, and selected to enter a full denial mode.
It all started with blaming and pontificating different states for the rising COVID-19 numbers in Maharashtra, whereas conveniently forgetting those organized within the state’s instant neighborhood.
Are lives extra necessary or these election congregations? Asked Priyanka Chaturvedi.
Tweet by Priyanka Chaturvedi
Almost as if making one severely surprise if elections within the Eastern a part of the nation may really be accountable for surging virus circumstances in its Western elements.
Then there was one other one from Congress chief and Maharashtra Minister Aslam Sheikh, who you would possibly recall had taken half within the cycle rally talked about earlier. Instead of analyzing his personal state’s state of affairs, Aslam Shaikh had directed the COVID19 Task Force to check why circumstances didn’t enhance in different states the place mass gatherings had been being held for the needs of campaigning. The irony just isn’t misplaced on one.
thirteenth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,84,372.
In line with the political whataboutery of his counterparts, Shiv Sena chief Sanjay Raut got here out ahead levelling allegations on the folks of different states for the rising Coronavirus circumstances within the nation. Criticizing the Kumbh Mela congregation, Sanjay Raut, on high of every part, suggested different states to train management and restraint.
If this wasn’t sufficient, Raut’s denial had reached to such ranges that he even went on to say how Maharashtra had the very best authorities, finest administration, finest CM and the very best healthcare system in all the nation.
These hyperboles at a time when the folks of Maharashtra had been struggling with the worst ever collapse of public healthcare system within the historical past of the state.
fifteenth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 2,17,353
Perhaps Sanjay Raut had a degree to make. In an enormous show of ‘control and restraint’, forsaking the state of Maharashtra to take care of its sorrows by itself, Raut travelled to Karnataka’s Belgavi to carry a roadshow marketing campaign for upcoming by-poll elections.
Tweet by ANI
seventeenth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 2,61,394
“Those returning from Kumbh Mela to their respective states will distribute Corona as ‘prasad’,” mentioned Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, evaluating the Kumbh congregation with the Markaz super-spreader congregation from final 12 months. Furthermore, Pednekar’s admission that the Maharashtra authorities had no concept what number of devotees had attended the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand and the way they had been coming again, was in itself a commentary on how issues had been being dealt with in Maharashtra.
In some kind or the opposite, these operating the Maharashtra authorities had been rejecting the details in entrance of them. In psychology, it’s mentioned of denial that if it persists it might in its most ugly kind forestall an individual from taking an acceptable motion. This is strictly what was occurring in Maharashtra – inaction.
2nd stage: Anger
“It’s not fair! Why me?” – The subsequent stage of grief is anger. When one is full of rage, they search for one thing or somebody accountable for the state of affairs.
And right here one just isn’t even speaking of public anger. It is relatively a type of anger which is unreasonable.
We’re speaking about how the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi began reacting as they had been nearly crossing the brink of denial and starting to sense that issues certainly had been going uncontrolled.
When one just isn’t accountable for conditions, the best factor to do on the planet?
Blame others in your predicaments.
seventh April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,26,789.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope began claiming that there was a scarcity of vaccine doses. He additionally demanded the Centre open vaccination for folks within the 20-40 years age group. The blame sport had simply begun.
Tweet by ANI
The identical day, in response to Tope’s fees, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan revealed how the allegations had been ‘utterly baseless’ and had been simply part of diversionary techniques adopted by the Maharashtra authorities to cover their inefficiencies.
Article by Indian Express
Dr. Harsh Vardhan additionally slammed the ‘lackadaisical attitude’ of the Maharashtra authorities, which singularly slowed down the nation’s efforts to struggle the virus.
He additionally criticized the Maharashtra authorities for placing the folks of Maharashtra at risk by letting folks escape institutional quarantine necessities for the sake of their private ‘Vasooli’ assortment.
So, whereas Tope was blaming vaccine scarcity for the rising circumstances in Maharashtra, proper underneath his authorities’s nostril, or ought to one say in connivance along with his authorities, international flyers to Mumbai had been paying to skip COVID quarantine protocols.
eighth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,31,968.
The subsequent day, State Health Minister Tope began accusing the Central authorities of discrimination in vaccine distribution, alleging that BJP-ruled states acquired extra vaccines over others. He additionally warned that vaccination in Maharashtra could be paused for the following 7-days if vaccines weren’t dispatched in a day’s time.
Responding to his allegations, but once more Union Minister Harsh Vardhan got here ahead with information revealing how each non-BJP states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan had acquired one of many highest numbers of vaccine doses than another within the nation.
Tweet by Dr Harshvardhan
The identical day, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar revealed that how as a consequence of an absence of planning on the a part of the state authorities, round 5 lakh doses of the COVID-19 vaccines had been wasted in Maharashtra.
So not solely was the state Health Minister Tope mendacity concerning the vaccine discrimination, it appears he was additionally faking a scarcity, when it really was extra about wastage. But what about stopping vaccination for 7-days? Quite clearly Maharashtra had an enormous inventory resting with itself. Why was Tope claiming there was a scarcity? What concerning the 5 lakh doses that had been wasted as a consequence of state authorities’s inefficiencies? And most significantly, can somebody be so consumed by anger that they’re able to put a maintain on the vaccination drive of their COVID-hit state solely to make a political level? Well, sure.
ninth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 1,45,384
The circumstances in Maharashtra had been rising and so was anger. After threatening to halt the vaccination drive, macho posturing was chosen as the following techniques in sequence to divert public anger in addition to pressurize the Centre.
MVA ally Raju Shetti, chief of the Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana, threatened to cease autos transporting vaccines to different states from the Serum Institute of India if the availability of vaccines to Maharashtra was not elevated in every week’s time. He wrote a letter to PM, HM and Health Minister, warning the identical.
Tweet by ANI
On a separate be aware, one other occasion that was doing the rounds on April 9 was how the state’s Environment Minister and CM Uddhav’s son Aaditya Thackeray was slammed by a Congress chief for sanctioning whopping Rs 3,693 crores from the District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) funds for the beautification of bungalows of 43 Shiv Sena corporators.
On a traditional day, no one would have taken a lot discover of this, however nothing was regular when it got here to the affairs of the Maharashtra authorities. Just 6 days earlier on the third April, State Congress president Nana Patole, whereas crying about lack of funds had accused the Centre of withholding the rightful funds meant for Maharashtra.
Patole blamed the Centre for not offering Maharashtra sufficient from the Aatmanirbhar Package, and expressed his disapproval in the direction of BJP leaders who as a substitute of donating to CM Fund had donated to the PM-CARES fund.
Clearly it was one more low blow, claiming of shortages the place there have been none, blaming the Centre and placing them within the dangerous mild – one thing which had now change into a daily from Maharashtra leaders.
In grief, it is very important launch anger, however not in a method that will show to be dangerous. Be it the false alarm over vaccine scarcity, the threats to cease the vaccination drive in Maharashtra, blocking vaccine provide to the remainder of the nation or falsely crying lack of funds –all of them are unhealthy and never turning into of the management of a state reeling with a disaster.
third: Bargaining
“Why me?” – At this stage, one begins searching for methods and means to reclaim management over issues, bargaining with themselves and eager to really feel like they will affect an occasion’s end result.
Yet once more, it wasn’t the general public, however the management in Maharashtra who was going by this stage.
Sensing imminent public fury for mishandling the pandemic once more, a number of leaders of the MVA started arising with common rituals to struggle the rising sense of narrative slipping out of their palms. These rituals concerned faking it, making false accusations, claiming shortages in provide, and doing every part else of their would possibly to cut price management of the state of affairs.
seventeenth April, 2021 – Total No. of New Cases in India: 2,61,394.
NCP spokesperson and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik despatched out a tweet falsely claiming that 16 export-oriented models (EoUs) that had greater than 20 lakh vials of Remdesivir, had been denied permission to promote within the nation by the Government of India. He additionally claimed that solely 7 firms had been allowed by GoI to promote Remdesivir and that these firms had denied taking on any obligations.
Union Chemicals & Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya instantly took to Twitter to debunk the lies unfold by Nawab Malik. The Minister shared how over 20 vegetation had already been given specific permission to supply and provide Remdesivir. He additionally revealed that there was only one unit of EoU and one other in an SEZ and never 16 as talked about by Malik. The Minister additionally demanded Malik to share the record of the aforementioned 16 firms.
If this was not sufficient, Malik then posted a authorities order, claiming that GoI had issued an order to ‘one of the export companies’ to provide Remdseivir to Gujarat solely. He claimed that the Central authorities was giving a ‘step-motherly therapy to Maharashtra.
Never thoughts the truth that the order he shared was from Food & Drugs Control Administration, Gujarat. The order Malik posted was from the Gujarat authorities, not the central authorities.
Twist within the story is that Maharashtra too had written an actual related letter to one of many export firms to solely provide the inventory of Remdesivir to the state of Maharashtra solely.
These purported lies had been customary to create panic and seed discord amongst folks. But one after the other these lies had been being taken aside. However, that didn’t cease them from doing no matter they supposed to.
Next up, Maharashtra politics plummeted to such ranges that it was not solely restricted to attacking the Centre however prolonged to harassing non-public residents as nicely. BJP chief and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had introduced on board pharmaceutical firm Bruck Pharma for supplying Remdesivir in Maharashtra. In what appeared one other try and regain management, on seventeenth April, Mumbai police detained Bruck Pharma provider in Daman. Mumbai cops known as it a routine enquiry, adopted by supporters of the Maharashtra authorities levelling false allegations of hoarding on the corporate.
Wait, what? Weren’t Maharashtra leaders simply complaining concerning the scarcity of Remdesivir? And what occurs when somebody comes ahead to provide the identical? He is illegally detained and harassed by Mumbai police on the behest of the state authorities.
On a associated be aware, it is very important recall the tweet by Nawab Malik, the place he brazenly threatened about his intentions to grab the inventory of Remdesivir.
Tweet by Nawab Malik
The identical day, the allegations of CM Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray making an attempt to get in contact with PM Narendra Modi and his following unavailability on the landline got here out.
GoI Minister Piyush Goyal immediately put out details calling out CM Maharashtra for his ‘petty politics’. In a sequence of tweets, Goyal revealed how the Government of India was at 110% of oxygen producing capability and diverting all accessible oxygen from industrial use to medical use. He additionally revealed how Maharashtra had thus far acquired the best amount of oxygen in India and that Uddhav Thackeray wanted to cease his every day dose of shameless politics and take accountability.
It is pertinent to notice that the Indian Railways had already began to move liquid oxygen on trains to Maharashtra in cryogenic tankers after the Maharashtra authorities’s request. The Centre was coordinating every day with States to evaluate wants and guarantee assist.
With all controls misplaced on the narrative, the very best that Shiv Sena may provide you with in response to Goyal’s assertion was scorn, disdain and name-calling by their Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.
Tweet by Priyanka Chaturvedi
In the top, in the case of the management in Maharashtra, the precedence has at all times appeared to be about being on the successful aspect of the narrative over what’s finest for public welfare. Even in the event that they did, the win of Maharashtra’s win was positively not a win for its folks. The state authorities was not dwelling as much as the top of its cut price and other people had been dropping lives.
4th stage: Depression
“Leave me alone!” – This by far is essentially the most uncomfortable stage of the grief course of. It includes withdrawal from social life and an extended spell of silence.
The chief of this unholy alliance in Maharashtra, the mastermind, the wizard on the behest of whose political manoeuvre this coalition authorities had been wolfed collectively up, was nowhere to be discovered, seen or heard.
He made time to time public appearances, generally seen getting vaccinated, generally calling for working along with the Centre or generally supporting now ex-Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in Vaze-gate.
One wonders, why was Sharad Pawar quiet all this whereas? No phrase was uttered from his aspect as leaders of his alliance be it belonging from the Shiv Sena, Congress and even NCP, had been placing the lives of thousands and thousands in danger in Maharashtra.
Silence implies consent, some say. By being silent all through, as Maharashtra was being pushed in the direction of its miserable destiny, making it to be a reason behind public well being scare for all the nation, Sharad Pawar has made his intentions well-heard.
Silence is as massive as a political assertion there may very well be.
fifth stage: Acceptance
What about acceptance?
If now we have learnt something from the mismanagement by the Maharashtra authorities through the first wave of COVID-19, then we for certain know that there’s not a way of remorse or a shred of braveness in them to simply accept absolutely the catastrophe that they’ve created for themselves and for the remainder of the nation.
The grief should go.. on
Maharashtra’s management is oscillating between the first phases of grief, resisting strongly to maneuver past. Blaming, pontificating, intimidating, mendacity, faking and doing every part besides what they had been presupposed to. Given the circumstances and the angle of the MVA authorities, it appears grief is right here to remain in Maharashtra, sadly.
The grim state of affairs in Maharashtra, in the long run, does do one thing. It offers us all an image of what grief feels wish to the helpless lots in a democracy – the sense of grief when one will get one thing they didn’t select, one thing they didn’t vote for, one thing that had simply befallen on them – just like the Coronavirus.
(This article has been written by Vasudha Madhogaria, who’s an observer of politics and media)