India is seething with anger and utter despair. Family relatives are watching helplessly as their love ones slip away gasping for breath, their lungs infected with the deadly coronavirus. Oblivious of the suffering, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi put his political fortunes ahead of the welfare of the Indian people. Much like Donald Trump, Modi surrounds himself with sycophants who continue to nourish his ego.

The ruling BJP party elite stated in early February – “it can be said with pride that India defeated COVID-19 under the able, sensible, committed and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The party unequivocally hails its leadership for introducing India to the world as a proud and victorious nation in the fight against COVID.” What utter nonsense!

BJP chief minister in Uttarakhand state said: “I invite all devotees across the world to come to Haridwar, take a holy dip in the Ganga. Nobody will be stopped in the name of COVID-19, as we assure the faith in God will overcome the fear of the virus.” How irresponsible and cruel, perpetuating a false belief that dipping in the most polluted river in the world will magically wash away all their sins.

The national vice-president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dr Navjot Dahiya has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘super spreader’ and blamed for the second wave of COVID-19. The scarcity of medical oxygen has become a major reason for the death of so many patients in every part of the country. Inexplicably, several projects for installing oxygen manufacturing plants are still pending clearance with the Union government with bodies piling up in crematoriums and long queues of ambulances outside hospitals in almost every city of the country. The Chief Justice of Madras accused the Election Commission and the BJP government of wholesale murder.

Responding to the acute shortage of oxygen, Sikh temples have installed makeshift oxygen supply units which deliver oxygen which they are offering without charge to the general public. Hindu temples could support this effort by purchasing critical needed equipment from their large gold reserves. Ignoring demands to suspend elections, Modi reveled in the huge crowds mistaking crowd size as testament to approval of his policies. In spite of wielding power and influence, his party the BJP suffered a humiliating defeat in the West Bengal elections. Government’s censors following the Trump playbook, demanded Twitter remove tweets critical of Modi’s leadership. Modi supporters poured vitriol on honest reporters, who were threatened with confiscation of their property and denounced as unpatriotic. Better to perpetuate a lie than voice the truth? Sounds familiar?

In a country dominated by male leasers, the only female chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, won a decisive victory to defeat Modi’s divisive, misogynist politics. There is mounting opposition to Modi’s centralizing, authoritarian juggernaut, which seeks to destroy India’s historical federalism and its secular roots and transform India into an autocratic Hindu state. A prominent Indian scientist, predicated an even more devastating third wave pf the virus. Meanwhile Western countries are hording large quantities of vaccines. There is a crucial need to lift the patent protections and allow