Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has published a commentary on the devastating pandemic situation in India. The country has become the epicenter of the global pandemic in the past weeks as the death toll is on the rise. Riaz insists that the complacency of the government led by Narendra Modi has contributed to a large number of deaths and the collapse of the healthcare system.

“More than a year after the first wave of the pandemic, and repeated warnings about an imminent second deadly wave, the lack of preparedness of the Modi government is shocking,” he wrote.

He goes on to say, for the ruling BJP, setting up hospitals and clinics to provide care became secondary to encouraging millions to attend a pilgrimage, which has contributed to the spread of the virus. A country that produces the largest numbers of vaccines in the world managed to have only two percent of its own people be fully vaccinated while it embarked on vaccine diplomacy to extend its sphere of influence in the region and beyond.