During the first wave of the pandemic, FIRs against journalists, criminalisation of the Tablighi Jamaat, the arrest of comedian Munawar Faruqui, had already exposed how the government selectively used the COVID-19 regulations to stifle dissent.
During the second wave, too, when the wrath of the virus has increased manifold, Bharatiya Janata Party governments at the Centre and states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have continued this selective hounding. In fact, gone a step further. Apart from stifling dissent, the government is now also criminalising factual reporting, SOS calls for oxygen, and expert voices seeking accountability for crippling medical infrastructure.