Editor's note: Rabi Sankar Bosu is an Indian contributor to Chinese media outlets. He writes about Chinese politics, social and cultural issues, and China-India relations with a special interest in the Belt and Road Initiative. The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN. 

Since the mid-February this year, the recurring peaks of infections and the death processions across the country arising out of the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic have potentially blown up Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face. The present health calamity signals that PM Modi has miserably failed to extend his government's helping hand to the suffering of the people during the ongoing brutal second wave that has visibly caused a serious erosion to his "political immunity."

On the other hand, the graph of Modi's "diplomatic immunity" has also gone down due to his wrong "Vaccine Diplomacy" by exporting vaccines to boost his prestige on the world stage.

Indian people have reasons to be worried about the Modi government's lack of foresight in dealing with the deadly pandemic which has resulted in the worst public health crisis of independent India. Modi's arrogant overconfident approach towards the pandemic has overshadowed the "Brand Modi" image, pushing his leadership under fire.

The heartbreaking images of dead bodies floating in the river Ganges, or of a woman trying to breathe life into her dying COVID positive husband's mouth in Agra, or of a man wailing behind his mask on an empty hospital stretcher at the New Delhi hospital have indeed unmasked the crumbling infrastructure of India's public health care.

Literally, India's COVID-19 tragedy has exposed a seemingly clueless government under Modi who, denying the reality on the ground, has pushed the country's most economically vulnerable to face the worst. From common people to opposition leaders, from health experts to media experts - all have blamed the Modi government's "indifference, insensitivity and incompetence" (as in the words of Congress president Sonia Gandhi) for the disaster.

It is seen that the way former U.S. President Donald Trump destroyed science, encouraged xenophobia, and failed to bend the epidemic curve, following the same line Modi also encouraged the super-spreader events like the Kumbh Mela and did not open his mouth against the constant propaganda of anti-science ideas by his BJP party's executives and workers also. It is really a matter of regret that during his political campaigns and rallies in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in the past three months, Modi focused on polls rather than the pandemic.

Quite rightly, The Lancet journal in a commentary on May 7 directly blamed the Modi-led government for the current shocking surge and gave it suggestions "to own up to mistakes, provide responsible leadership and implement a science-based response to steer India out of its COVID-19 crisis and botched vaccination campaign."

The most unfortunate thing is that when the second wave has been ravaging the lives and livelihoods of common Indian people, Modi is more intent on the construction of the multi-billion dollar Central Vista project which includes a new parliament house, lavish residences for the prime minister and the vice-president in the heart of Delhi. This shamelessness on the part of the leaders at the Centre has hurt the 1.4 billion Indians.

When Modi is enthusiastically promoting the success of his "vaccine diplomacy" by shipping millions of vaccine doses to some 95 countries in order to build his "Vishwa Guru" (world leader) image, sad but true, his own countrymen are now struggling to get vaccinated before the closed vaccination centers with a notice saying "NO VACCINES AVAILABLE". It is a matter of farce that India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, is now in search of vaccines in the world market to meet the huge shortfall in the country.

It should be noted here that Modi was voted the worst among several world leaders in terms of their countries' pandemic response, according to a recent poll conducted by The Conversation. Now BJP leadership and its functionary are busy to repair the "Brand Modi" image by blaming the opposition-ruled states on COVID-19 management. But Modi must keep in mind that his success as the Prime Minister will not be judged by the construction of a new parliament building or a statue of Sardar Patel or the Ram Temple.

The pandemic is a stark reminder for the Modi government to launch a "long march" for the right to life, health and education of all Indian citizens. Hope he will wake up at least now.

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