Perhaps the BJP forgot that as a party in governance, it is answerable to all citizens, not just those of poll-bound States
Political adventurism shouldn’t trespass reason. And governance is about contextual maturity. Besides, certain issues are just not meant to be politicised, especially something as serious as the Coronavirus vaccine, a hope that’s sustaining the entire nation which could still end up being the worst-hit in the world. That, too, at a time when an effective vaccine is like the proverbial El Dorado, as trials are still going on and there is no proof yet that it would work on a mass scale. Even assuming it does, every citizen, graded according to priority and co-morbidities, has a right to be administered a shot. And any smart Government would try to sound altruistic enough about protecting all citizens, if not mean it, only to reap political gains. Agreed politics is all about making tall claims that are rarely achieved. Still, for all the eloquence, there ought to be some sense of prudence and judgment. Most importantly, no party can advocate anything that is morally questionable. In this sense, the ruling BJP has overreached itself a bit much, promising the voters in Bihar free vaccines, without realising that it is implicitly saying that official benefits will now flow selectively among those who vote for it as a quid pro quo. That sounds as bad as a public threat. Worse, its promise is not just another instance of poll populism — it’s an attempt to manipulate the anxieties caused by the most lethal pandemic to have ravaged the world in more than a century. And when somebody like Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman makes the announcement, it shows that the Government is desperate about the poll arithmetic of the party it represents than pursuing holistic policies, that it is cavalier about the demands of science and health protocols and is unconcerned about lives, leave alone being compassionate. However, this isn’t the first time the party has made such questionable promises. There was talk that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to launch a home-grown COVID vaccine by August 15 to mark the nation’s 72 years of Independence. Apparently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was under pressure to fast-track clinical trials but widespread criticism about compromising efficacy for the sake of political expediency and pressure from scientists ensured that a life and death question was not made a mockery of. Yet the BJP’s claim of free vaccine doses has already trivialised a grave issue into a point-scoring exercise. A similar announcement followed in Tamil Nadu, where the elections are due next year. AIADMK leader and Chief Minister E Palaniswami promised the shots on the basis of his proximity to the BJP. In other words, tradeoffs of this nature will be made to buy the allegiance of federal parties. One wonders what the BJP’s stand would be in Bengal, where it is seeking to dislodge the Trinamool Congress? But the BJP’s fatal flaw has certainly galvanised the Opposition. Delhi Chief Minister and leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal was quick to point out the plight of the people in non-BJP ruled States while National Conference leader Omar Abdullah called the announcement a “blatant populism” that “shamefully exploits COVID fears.” He even wondered if the BJP would be paying for these vaccines from the party treasury. So when the Union Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Chaubey, tried to clear the air, it was too little too late. According to him, the Centre had prepared an elaborate plan on distributing the vaccine and identifying those who would be given “preference.” He even added that every State would be given free Coronavirus vaccines. But Amit Malviya of the BJP’s IT cell further complicated matters when he said that like all programmes, the Centre would provide vaccines to States at a nominal rate. And health being a State subject, the Bihar BJP unit had decided to give it free if elected and that other State Governments, too, can decide to do the same. This is not unexpected, as it has become normal for the ruling dispensation to change its stand on what subjects under the State List can be manipulated by the Centre. Except that the Opposition is not buying this narrative with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) urging the Election Commission to restrain the BJP from “signing a poll deal using the vaccine.”
The larger concern is that the political parties will still get away making wild claims during the Bihar elections, the results of which will be announced in November. And no trial results will be available before December, leave aside the prospect of a rollout by the beginning of next year. Would the voter bet on something that has still not seen the light of day? The Government should instead focus on the vaccine administration process and set up a seamless cold chain infrastructure, both of which are humongous challenges. Vaccine preservation is a tricky business as wide swathes of vials could go bad if safety norms are not adhered to and the temperature controls are not monitored strictly. The COVID vaccine has to be stored at temperatures lower than other known vaccines. The Serum Institute has already raised questions on the Government’s ability to keep aside Rs 80,000 crore for the rollout. Is the Government equipped to handle this without roping in the private sector? If so, how much will the private sector be ready to subsidise costs? Besides, how will those at risk be mapped, considering that most Indians have a heavy disease burden and co-morbidities? Vaccine distribution and administration will be no less of a logistical challenge than the general elections and will require the Centre and States to work together. So before it promises the moon, the BJP should realise that gravity is rude and it alone would land with a thud if it doesn’t pursue collaborative politics on COVID for its own good.
