India recorded over 3.5 lakhs COVID-19 cases on today, amidst the second wave of the virus, adding pressure to the already burdened health infrastructure in the country. At a time when people have been struggling to find beds, medicines, ventilators and oxygen for family, friends and even strangers on the internet, Anupam Kher was criticised for tweeting, "Aayega toh Modi hi," in response to an analytical tweet that questioned the government’s absence in the current COVID-19 crisis.
Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta took to social media to call out the government's response to the virus, or rather the lack of it. "As a child of the sixties, I’ve seen every crisis, incl 3 full wars, food shortages, calamities. This is our biggest post-Partition crisis & never has India seen a Govt missing in action like this. No control rooms to call, nobody accountable to reach. It’s a governance rout," he tweeted on Sunday night.
Responding to the tweet, Anupam wrote, "Aadarniya @ShekharGupta ji!! Ye kuch zyaada hi ho gaya. Aapke standards se bhi. Corona ek vipda hai. Puri duniya ke liye. Humne iss mahamaari ka saamna pehle kabhi nahi kiya. Sarkar ki aalochana zaruri hai. Unpe tohmat lagaye. Par isse joojhna hum sabki bhi zimmedaari hai. Vaise ghabrae mat. Aayega toh Modi hi!! Jai ho!"
(Respected Shekhar Gupta!! This is too much, even by your standards. Corona is a problem for the entire world. We've never faced this pandemic before. It’s important to criticise the government but it’s our responsibility to handle this. Don't worry. Modi will come back! Jai ho!)
However, Kher’s tweet didn’t go down well with a section of netizens as he faced a backlash, many referring to the large number of casualties because of lack of facilities.
For the past few weeks, social media, and especially Twitter, has been filled with pleas for help- for oxygen, beds, ventilators, etc. Some hospitals reported mere hours of oxygen left while tankers tried to deliver stock.
While cases in India continue to rise, High Courts in Madras and Bengal have criticised the Election Commission for allowing rallies, often blaming them for the rise in cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi only recently held a high-level meeting with major oxygen suppliers in India to address the oxygen shortage in the country.
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