Tragedy unfolding in country is of 'epic proportions', says CPI-M

New Delhi: Left parties on Thursday attacked the government over the handling of the COVID-19 situation, saying it has failed to provide oxygen and beds, and termed the pandemic the worst calamity since the 1943 Bengal famine in terms of human lives lost.

They also alleged that the implementation of the inoculation drive against COVID-19 has been "callous" and the Centre is encouraging "duopoly" to let two vaccine companies earn "super profits".

India, according to Union health ministry data updated on Thursday, recorded a single-day rise of 3,79,257 cases and 3,645 fatalities.

"It (COVID-19 pandemic) is the worst calamity in terms of human lives lost since the Bengal famine of 1943 when around three million people died due to hunger, malnutrition and disease...," according to an editorial in the Communist Party of India-Marxist's (CPI-M) mouthpiece Peoples Democracy.

"In the current pandemic, disregarding the grossly underestimated official tally, at least a million have died and the toll continues to mount. This figure, however, is a conservative estimate, multiplying by five, the two lakh dead officially declared," the editorial in the latest issue of the Peoples Democracy said. "It will not require any historical research to pin the responsibility for this catastrophe on (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his government," it said.

The editorial said that the tragedy unfolding in the country is of "epic proportions".

"There is the scandal of people dying because of lack of oxygen in hospitals; there is the scandal of lack of hospital beds and medicines; there is the scandal of deaths due to COVID-19 being covered up and there is the scandal of the vaccine shortage and profiteering sanctioned by the government. But the biggest scandal of all is the Modi government itself," the editorial said.

Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja said the COVID-19 situation is "out of control" because of the "failure" of the central government.

"The country is passing through an unprecedented worst health crisis since the period of the Bengal famine in 1943 where 2.5 million people lost their lives. The present COVID-19 pandemic has already taken the lives of more than two lakh people," he said.