JOIN USKarnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa must be complimented for his statesman-like address through social media platforms in which he assured the people about the preparedness to tackle Covid-19, extended an olive branch to the Opposition, addressed the issue of corruption, issued a warning to those not following precautions and, above all, lifted the week-long lockdown. Now that the lockdown is gone, the remaining restrictions, like night curfew and Sunday shutdown, too, should be withdrawn soon. The chief minister’s categorical assurance that a lockdown will not be imposed again either in Bengaluru or in the rest of the state and that work on combating the pandemic and reviving the economy should go hand-in-hand comes as a relief both to the general public and the business community. While Yediyurappa appears to have been ill-advised on imposing the just-concluded lockdown, despite many experts saying that it would not serve any purpose, he seems to have emerged wiser now, having declared that lockdowns are not the solution to controlling the spread of the virus, while stressing that resource mobilisation is equally important for the government.
Addressing the issue of suspected corruption, the chief minister explained how he had intervened and struck down a deal in which beds and peripherals were rented at an exorbitant cost, even as he assured the Opposition that the government would clarify their queries or allegations within 24 hours. An assertive, combative and confident Yediyurappa gave the impression that he may have managed to unshackle himself from some of his colleagues who were pulling him in different directions, leading to a lack of consistency in the government’s actions. The absence of strong leadership had, of late, dented the state’s fight against Covid-19. Now that Yediyurappa has left no one in doubt who the boss is, it is hoped that the loose ends will be tied. A common complaint is that the chief minister, who is otherwise sensitive to public issues, is being pulled down by the coterie around him. It is thus imperative that he takes urgent steps to surround himself with the right people.
Yediyurappa should also give attention to the absence of a strong chain of command, which has led to a lack of unity of purpose in the war on Covid-19. At least 60 IAS, IPS and IFS officers, not to mention some 10 ministers, are swarming Bengaluru, leaving not only the rank-and-file in chaos but creating a multi-layered decision-making process leading to all-round confusion. Unless this is addressed first, the government’s efforts may come to naught and end up as a typical case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.