there in the legislative council, some of the pro china voices are going to say, why are you not applying it to, to amazon? why are you not applying it to that? so again, i mean the pressure will be mounting from the outside because people are, and everybody's kind of bending over backwards not approve, are loyal. they are due the national security. oh, i give it al, this is al jazeera and these are the top stories. the african union has suspended sudan from all of the blocks activities until civilian rule is restored. workers from sedans, state own, to oil company have joined a growing movement against monday's military coup. israel has approved plans for 3000 new illegal settlement units in the occupied west bank according to axial new site. the u. s. secretary of state vocally opposed. the plans and a tense phone call with the israeli defense minutes minister made abraham as

follows. developments from nablus and the occupied westbank for palestinians. one settlement unit is one unit too much. we are standing here in front of the league. it is really settlement of a lead has been here since the eighty's and it has been expanding, has been connected to other illegals, really settlements, an israel with a network of roads, transportation. it has access to electricity and water. and it has also prevented past indians from accessing their lands. we're not just talking about the built up area, but the whole mountain has been off limits to palestinians who own agricultural lands there. the european union's top court has ordered poland to pay a fine of more than $1000000.00 a day. it's part of a deepening dispute between the you and it's made mistakes about poland, judiciary, but against god's solid region is experiencing its worse drought and 40 years pushing more than a 1000000 people to the brink of famine. that's according to an amnesty

international report. it says 4 consecutive droughts of wa, dot harvests and claimed lives. the rocks electoral commission has started manually recounting some results from this month's parliamentary election. there are around 70 dispute polling stations. pro rainy infections in iraq suffered losses in the election. they're alleging from old the u. s. government is trying again to extradite wikileaks found, a julian assange from the u. k. protest is denouncing the extradition, are outside the high court in london with a 2 day hearing is being held. a lower court previously ruled the songs not be sent to the u. s. on mental health grounds. he faces 18 challenges there related to the publication of secret military documents. but the headlines hoping your more news for you here on out 0 right after context. india susan. bye bye. mm

hm. hello and welcome to context india. i'm afraid azusa coming to you from the city of rome by on context india. our aim is to give you an in depth look into the was most populous democracy from the insight. we're not chasing breaking stories. instead, we're taking the time to deliver a fuller or considered analysis of india. it's politics and it's people. in each of the 4 episodes in this series, we'll be taking a closer look at a specific facet of what has perhaps been the biggest crisis india has faced since independence. coven devastated numerous countries. but india's experience,

especially during the 2nd wave, began in april 2021 was one of the most shocking pandemic ordeals the cove at impact. both the shot and the long term will be significant. and that is why it is the focus of this series. in this 1st episode will be analyzing the role of government. i will be speaking with priyanka chad, to really member of parliament and a senior opposition politician and marines. nathan, asian leader in the ruling vantage and our party bgp will be discussing issues of accountability, crisis management, and why india has suffered so many avoidable debts during the pandemic will be closing each week's episode with a piece of panoramic art music created by indian artists in the many months co it was around this week. we're sharing a tune by a group of 4 crocker's sweat after ah,

understanding how and why covert reeked such have or can india understanding what steps were taken and not taken by the government. and understanding the lessons from the indian pandemic experienced requires us to step back in time. at the beginning of 2021, india looked like it had beaten cove. it a stringent national lockdown during the 1st wave was followed by a fall in case numbers. the country was getting back to business as usual. the messaging from the moving government was that india was a beacon for a post covered future. 1.3000000000, so job argued that apply bernoulli re swat. zagata was back on me got. i got a guy just 2 months after the speech by prime minister movie to the world economics,

part of india was in the cross of a catastrophic 2nd with a new mutation of the corona virus, the delta of and spreading like wildfire at the peak of the 2nd wave in me 2021. india was reporting approximately 400000 daily cases and 4000 daily debt. according to numerous statistical studies. however, these official figure was significant underestimate. the delta of it into law doesn't explain the magnitude of what was unfolding. the actions that the indian state require some scrutiny 1st, the government. yes. governments both federal and regional levels like that got down in march 2021 india then health minister doctor hush for the girl. had this to say about that if one of us today to go to and i think the approach

to 3 days after the minister made this speech, a group of scientific adviser, all boss of a government organized consortium shed data, the ministry of health, indicating that new more contagious mutations. corona virus spreading in india, according to our lasting spokesperson of the volunteer agenda. parties to be g p. the owners to respond to scientific data was on the regional or state government incentive government. and in the leadership of our prime minister, not in the g, we have got more than 70 commit to monitor the trend of this virus. and in february 2021, the committees had 113 states like at a loss mirage drug took, discard that they can see research of the cases in the states and they should be on alert. but somehow they didn't do any he to these warning and it spread in all of

the country. the prime minister did have official meetings related to corporate 19 leading up to the 2nd wave of ever significantly reduced between generally in march 2021. in fact, in march, the prime minister had only one meeting with the chief minister. so when it would be, think about the training. they all these factors that time for the vision wasn't really then not control, but our ability to detect it. and to act on it was something that we could have done if we had been better. and of course there was no need for us to set up. so trading events that wound up spreading the disease to every part of it wasn't just one super better effect. they were multiple. it was the

camilla festival. a hindu pilgrimage that reached its most crucial. in march and april 2021. millions converged in the north indian state of a truck and more than 3000000 people taking a ritual in again, just river on the 12th of april. on that same day, india recorded more than 160000 daily cases at the same time as all of this campaigning for regional elections in western goals. carola and some of what i'm doing and the prime minister movie and key members of his cabinet headlining massive political rallies, arch job, many as a decade. any super spread event, any place there that knowledge number of people get that will be a problem. and if you look at those 50, that's 18 times you can you, in cases in the 2nd building for me and in the election,

also the huge value in 2 pieces. and you know, case of have gone up in every single state elections as case number sold and more people required hospitalization in their health care system was utterly overwhelmed by early april 2021 major cities like bengal m about and even the capital new delhi were facing massive shortages of ice you beds and oxygen. by april 22nd, the supreme court of india instructed the government to court beg, borrow steel or import and good to meet the skyrocketing demand for oxygen. that was the same day, april 22nd. when the government finally hit the breaks on big public events, but things had already gotten out of hand by the middle of me. scores of bodies was seen floating in box of the gun just river,

washing up along its banks. territory and burial grounds will flow to capacity and people were depositing bodies into the water. there was some critics who said that the media coverage of all of this was part of a conspiracy against the chief minister of the state of the physician to which much of again just flows when we see the pictures of dead bodies into but again, just or v c b tend to remain in grounds then i will say this is that on the because we never saw any picture. all sham genes that just mostly graveyards on the in the why. so because we have got on whoa, who is with the for these any analysis of india 2nd wave and its aftermath has the fact. so the countries vaccination policy at the end of last 2021 in the us or preventative to the united nations, delivered to the summary. the government priority. as of today, we have supplied,

move back, seems globally that have actually need to not on people. 2021 had begun vaccine export, skyrocketing and india. one of the biggest vaccine producers globally calling itself was pharmacy index. 1466000000 doses of the code, 900 vaccine, the 95 countries until the end of me 2021. i didn't truly have a problem with the exports from the beginning. they closed the way exporting at the time in cases and then very low and as good global citizens it made sense to explore at that time. but i think what was really needed was that we should have had a policy that was clearly out and try to react to the situation domestic by the end of march 20 for anyone in your call today. and ramped up the national campaign to actually citizen in july 2021 prime minister movie

overhauls. his cabinet headline change within the ministry of health. the girl was replaced, i knew minister went to mandavi's. another key appointment was in the ministry of information in broadcasting. the indian government determined to change the narrative in the country. so what could have been avoided in india's pandemic experience? what has been learned to prepare the country for future searches and outbreaks? i am speaking with miss priyanka, to really a member of parliament with the ship seen our party, representing the opposition and from the b, j. p, which is the party that runs the central government and several state governments. mr. that ended with the nature was the lead over the potty, by opening question is to the both of you, but i'll start with you mr. the nature. the pandemic 2nd wave in india exposed the fragility of india's institutions and its health care infrastructure. several critics are calling it an,

an mitigated disaster. why did this happen and who was mostly responsible, mr. commission? well, this is all, has been a challenge, not for the, for the whole or she's a 2nd. it was a challenge, but as a union of states and has a state subject, central government is very important role. but when you look at these days, some states might have an investor just with the challenges. i think over when you look at the future and in some cases, some states that have been better than the others and sent to them and also the welcome to 47 bites on the primary. so using a official this ultimately i want to give you an option once the same question was the 2nd wave in your opinion and unmitigated disaster. and who do you think was most responsible for as far as the secondary was concerned, there were some failures on that part. and just to put this in context, i must say once the indian epidemic act was put into place,

the central government becomes solar polity, sending guidelines to radio state. whether it is in terms of medication, in terms of treatment protocols, in terms of vaccination. now, what happened to the 2nd wave, we had a election campaigns going on and voted this regard to a 2nd wave, which was, you know, happening across the world was getting a dozen the face. but there was no capacity building happening. we had started fighting ourselves on the back about having a, you know, one over a, as far as india, as a populous nation is concerned, there were shortage of bits. they were shortage of oxygen. they were shocked to do medicines, the shortage of vaccines. and how do we plan ourselves better? is something that me as a state and as a country would need to look at our resources to ensure that we do not pay something like this ever again. this is the nature we know now that in early 2021 there was scientists who had submitted reports to government wanting off

a very infectious variant that project have across the country. nevertheless, the government allowed large scale events to take place. do you say now the central government would take responsibility for those a way to win debts? first of all, you see who is a global crisis and the worker is trying to be destroyed. once you central government takes the job done to the government. but then again, on the ground, that is the responsibility of the states. but to say that the government, a government allowed a government actually moved to the election. that was the election commission, which is an almost organization or them. and in terms of it, which is going on 40 percent, it was kind of, you know, in the country, it was kind of an informal consensus in the country that actually kind of coming

out of it is in fact the 2nd being all of us. but as of right now, most of the needs are the new york times put out an article saying senior officials at the indian council for medical research. the i. c. m, are forced scientists of elite institutions to downplay the threat of the pandemic . to prioritize mr. moore, these political goals, i do respond to that. well, i just want to let you know this might be by good for you, not for me. now the point is that you might talk with some doctors and other government, both of you that i see him are there any of the organizations give it as a warranty? the system with the organization in the middle, the government messed up and got when did you want to respond to that? come from the state of rush. it's our highest amount of caseload at one particular point in time. but he also denies the shortcomings in terms of where we could be lacking when the 2nd wave strikes. our task force is led by scientists was led by

medical experts and everybody continue to one that there is a 2nd wave coming. and if you don't take that is if you're going to base capacities, you're going to have a problem. what unfortunately happened at the center was a clear declaration of we have will, will come to plus 3. that is going to be no 2nd wave. and we went and gave over all right, scenes as well. so these are challenges and i think acceptance of those mistakes only makes you stronger and prepares you better for the future. don't deny what is coming in the new york times to deny what is being reported in newspapers even denying your parliament. the question that nobody died of oxygen shortage, i think is an unfortunate way of preparing yourself for the future and the capacity building that is needed for the country. you represent the ships in our party which runs model struct. was his state in the country home to them by which is our major business city, where the 2nd wave really mushrooms, the 7th of april 2021 mister dr. hush for them going was the ben hill minister of the country said, and i quote, i have been

a witness of the mist governance and i took casual approach of the marshal government in battling the vidas. the lackadaisical attitude of the state government has singularly bog down the entire country efforts to fight the virus. what is your response to that? mara was the only state which was reporting transparently. and the health minister stepping down is the biggest response that would come from the prime minister about what his statements were. well, mrs. and he said, you agreed that the cabinetry shuffle in the removal of the health minister in the middle of a health crisis was an acknowledgment of mismanagement on the part of the central government. evidently, shipment was a long overdue and the doctor hospital. the degree i'm in this performance order was actually wanted to send the sioux city a compared to what it actually man is to can be the 2nd big, you know, a country with a,

with certain asia at the beginning of 2021. the indian government was justifiably proud that india was supplying vaccines to the world. but on the domestic side, by mid january, the government had only ordered 16500000 doses, for the population of over 1300000000. when the 2nd wave hit, producers had to break their export deal so that indian citizens could be vaccinated yet at the start of june, only 3 percent of the population had been fully vaccinated. why was the domestic vaccinations so poorly planned? lew wait, is a dynamic situation globally. the moment we realize, actually mostly for you know, on people who decided to put it back on next for a student to another student. i think this remark, it will be less, less a 2nd video opportunity to rebut. actually unfortunately,

for most of the major to make it political by saying a failed to control, i thought that was extremely unfortunate because data will tell you variances line with the problems like talk about transparency so that, that is a challenge where i think india as a nation feel under the governance of the central don't miss out of it is easy to criticize the central government. but if we look at marcia with one of the largest state budgets and also some of the worst inequality when it comes to healthcare, should the marshall government take responsibility for the fact that its health care infrastructure is inadequate? i will accept all judges about higher numbers about reporting numbers, etc, but i will not accept them. what i show is not prepared for the 2nd in terms of, you know, identifying radiance. you are doing good in terms of ensuring that capacity will legal vaccine happens. you're doing it in terms of creating field hospitals besides the hospitals, ritual government, hospitals, we're doing it. you're the 1st day for what a cap on the kind of pricing that the hospitals are charging us. i must remind you

. one fact that nowhere in the world did the central government wash off its responsibilities, or ensuring the vaccine to all eligible population. and ensuring that were adequate stop by low vaccines, so that states are not left on their own. and so good now will find your vaccines on your own. mr. nisha, would you agree that the b g during the 2nd day, was also fixated on controlling the narrative and managing its image during the pandemic. in april, the chief minister with the petition, which is a beach at the stronghold, told officials to clamp down on hospitals that were complaining to the media about oxygen shortages. the state even pressed criminal charges against one civilian individual who had used twitter to request for oxygen for a loved one. well, the one studio is all the 1120 in country. you see the point here is that government didn't have time for this is the city last, we will be moving off season, visiting,

whatever the and the kind of support we can mobilize government and whenever possible, our so busy we didn't have time for managing emergent. those and i think that was not a saturday. the one of the frequent criticisms of the opposition that you represent in parliament is that there's no cohesive voice that they haven't really been very vocal advocates of the citizens of this country during the 2nd. be able to find them even in parliament when parliamentary convened, the focus was not so much on accountability over coven bias, that as an opposition we had come together for the 1st time. in fact, i would say during this particular session, 17 to 18 political parties game together to ask for answers from the government of india. and it was about call when it was about rising fuel prices. it was about peg . this is an issue that has to do with national security. so i would say there has been more who has a response this time around with many political parties. we have different says of

opinions on various other issues. but coming together under one umbrella to be able to hold the government accountable or government would not. i have answers. and by having those health minister step done just before the session began, speaks what it says that government also gave a vote of no confidence, especially the prime minister to the health ministers response to the pandemic. and obviously that you could call it, we were holding him the scapegoat making him the skin and asking him to step down and take all the model. responsibility is another thing for the government to address. not for me to say, i have a question for both of you don't the citizens of into deserve accountability. will there be an independent in quality order so that we learn from these mistakes on a certain a job? will the government continue to maintain that you did a fantastic job in terms of accountability just for the democracy? so that's why you mention a fish. if we have not done anything, as some people wanted the people to show us, they're seen as working on the account, going to 4 by 7. do see that what you have done for the people, you know,

it should be all best when it comes to accountability, let a democracy people know the best. my point was that a? yes, i guess that was 2 different, you know, i want an apology from my i'm sorry, i think if that is the basis of apology, then i think the feminist was an apology to the entire nation. it's not just of interest. your family. there are many families that suffered so many bodies are found floating in the many debts when time departed from states like my life. my depredation like goods at odds with the british as far as citizens of the country are concerned. election is not the only mccann as them of checking popularity and having some of the people of the country. democracy is also seen in the parliament . democracy also comes when you allow the opposition to be able to hold you accountable and sequences from you. democracy also tells you that when the

government has been given a chance to govern opposition has been given the authority to question. that's how democracy works. it does not work on election to election basis. of course in a democracy election is not the only platform to many of them to see. you know me asking questions question so this is asking the question opposition? just asking the question, when it comes to democracy is important. we have a strong opposition in the country. we want that was not were only the prime minister going to by the way, or by 7 or 2nd. did you want to say? but tell us, it doesn't tell us how good you will ever handle the situations. you know what happened on where to go? my name is melissa, i completed it. and so i wanted to be, i actually gave an answer to how the co would would have been managed better by telling you that in the state of. but i thought it was led by scientists. it was

led by medical exports. we created field hospitals. we d centralized pub. well, so i would just say one thing. you can listen from the point of not responding. you can sometimes listen to get more ideas or it bethany child was set to really thank you for joining us here on a context and go on to see her. i appreciate your time. and finally, on the shore, we want to shared our space with indian voices outside of government, academics and the mainstream media. india abounds with artists who create work in multiple languages. every week will be bringing your music created during the pandemic. today we're presenting an except for song in the bush, kill regina, meaning living through tough times, composed and presented by a full prop band from the city of bingo noodle in south india. it's a gentle reminder that even in good times you must choose to live. i hope you enjoy the music. i'll see you next week on context in

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ah. and november on al jazeera, also a year of turbulent weather. well, lead us gather in bloss, go for crucial summit on the battle against climate change. emmy award winning full blinds, goes beyond the headlines, investigating the untold stories across the us. millions in ca, gustavo, both in parliamentary elections under a new constitution and more than a year after the lawful frigate, a political, quite immersive personal short documentaries, africa, direct showcases african stories from african filmmakers, china mall, 100 days until it host the winter olympics. but how will the pandemic and quote for

a boy impact the sporting event november on out just sarah? ah, the african union suspend sir don's participation and the well bank stops 8 in response to mondays military coup. ah, hi there, i'm kim fidel. this is al jazeera alive from dell ha, also coming up israel approved plans for nearly 3000 new illegal settlement units in.