The terror attack that killed 40 men of the Central Reserve Police Force in Pulwama on February 14, 2019, was a turning point in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in the summer. The outrage it triggered not only threatened to derail the BJP's campaign, but also had the potential to dent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image of a strong leader. The reaction, however, was decisive. Indian fighter jets pounded terror camps in Balakot, inside Pakistani territory, on February 26. The crisis was turned into an opportunity. Political discourse was set by the issue of national security. Modi's image soared. The pain of demonetisation was forgotten. The BJP had a landslide victory.
Now, as the deathly strain of Covid-19 wreaks havoc across the country, despondency has again set in. While it is proving to be a challenge for both the Centre and the state governments, Modi has been steering the national response to the pandemic, and the expectations have been much higher from him.
The crisis came in the middle of fiercely fought elections and was exacerbated by mass political and religious gatherings. But, this time, there has been no surgical strike to tide over the crisis. It could have been resolved in one swift action; it needed a focused response. Political considerations evidently clouded the government’s assessment of the severity of the crisis. As it lost precious time for building health infrastructure, the ruling political class appeared at a loss on how to handle the crisis.
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