Coronavirus is the enemy, not Narendra Modi

Modi must restore confidence in the people that he will join everyone to fight the pandemic collectively

When Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases and adviser to every US President since Ronald Reagan, and to Joe Biden now, was asked by an Indian TV anchor, what lessons had he learnt about the Covid pandemic that has ravaged America and the rest of the world and what was his advice to India, the wise, avuncular doctor had this to say: “We must pull together as a united nation. You can’t have divisiveness among you. The common enemy is the virus. Put aside all political disagreements and all ideological differences. And focus on one thing only, like a laser beam. The enemy is the virus. You have got to fight the virus together, particularly when you have a big diverse country like the United States and a big diverse country like India. You have got to put all your resources and focus just on the virus. That’s the lesson I have learnt.”

Today, our country is at war with itself -- the ruling party at the Centre and the opposition-ruled states are fighting each other instead of collectively fighting the virus, which continues to destroy lives and livelihoods. Even as ghastly scenes play out at hospitals, with rows of ambulances waiting with Covid patients seeking hospital beds, and as wrapped dead bodies continually roll out at another exit, as funeral pyres burn day and night, unable to cope with the influx of dead bodies, as rivers of joy turn into rivers of sorrow, as floating corpses are brought ashore and the riverbanks strewn with bloated bodies, while a whole nation is in mourning even as death stalks the land, our leaders of political parties, with no conscience to prick their souls but only vaulting ambition, are tearing each other apart like vultures steeped in blood.

There are demands from well-known writers, including from the opposition, asking Narendra Modi to resign. The timing may not be right. They must face the reality. The regional satraps are more than a match to the two BJP leaders controlling the party as we have seen it in state elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and even Maharashtra. But when it comes to fighting Modi-Shah nationally, the opposition leaders forget that they are hopelessly fragmented. They have to knit themselves together first and choose one leader of stature (without authoritarian traits, a charge they make against Modi) from among them who is acceptable across India and unite on a common ideology and development agenda before nurturing any ambitions of replacing Modi. Modi still commands a large following. The opposition is sure to crumble in a heap if they can’t rise above their differences, their petty politics and inflated ambitions and egos.

There’s a rebellion now within Congress to displace the Gandhi family. But it is not strong enough to bring about a change. Similarly, only inner party democracy within BJP coming to the fore and demands from within the party and the RSS, its mothership, along with the rising disillusionment with the present leadership, can possibly bring about a change of leadership in the BJP.

When there’s a rising clamour for change from within the BJP, a leader may emerge in the mould of Vajpayee, someone who is strong but not authoritarian, proud of his Hindu origins but does not use it for political ends, and treats other religions with reverence, who celebrates democracy, debate and dialogue, who is accommodating and conciliatory in his approach, has a generosity of spirit and a scientific temper that embraces ideas from everywhere, and holds himself accountable to the people.

There may be hints of unhappiness with Modi in a recent article in Indian Express written by Ram Madhav, the former BJP general secretary now reverted to the RSS, and signs of discontent in the recent statements of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, but they are still very muted. Any glimmer of glee among Modi detractors is premature. Right now, the BJP is content with Modi, just as Congress is blissful with Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party with Akhilesh Yadav, TMC with Mamata Banerjee, and other regional parties are all happy with their party bosses.

A palace coup within the BJP amidst the pandemic is unlikely but if it happens, it will not be a peaceful transition. Nor is it desirable when the country is in a deep crisis. Imagine changing horses midstream, that too when the stream is in full spate.

Modi, for his part, should climb down from his pedestal, and ‘with malice toward none, and charity toward all’, invite the opposition leaders, the intelligentsia of the right and left, and scientists and doctors, to forge a new way to combat the virus. He must restore confidence in the people that he will join everyone, setting aside his politics and ideology, to fight the pandemic collectively. As a first important step, he must pledge to make it easy for scientists to access data pertaining to the virus and ensure total transparency at all levels. This will enable them to provide him and the state governments evidence-based advice and timely action plans to tackle the virus. Without data, you are flying blind. This is the time for Modi to dedicate himself to working with the states and focus on building the nation’s crumbling healthcare infrastructure on a war footing and bring about the reforms necessary to realise it.

The opposition, too, must stop treating Modi like its ‘enemy number one’, howsoever his ideology and politics are an anathema to them. They must join hands with him in a spirit of unity to conquer the virus. They must put lives above politics.

This is not the time to fight Modi. That time will come. In 2024. They must bide their time till then. This is the time to bind and band together to fight the virus.

(The writer is a farmer, soldier and entrepreneur)