"India Squandered COVID-19 Early Success," Says Medical Journal Lancet

"[PM] Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable," Lancet said in its editorial.

India "squandered" its early successes in controlling COVID-19 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government could preside over "a self-inflicted national catastrophe", international medical journal The Lancet said in an editorial on Saturday. In a piece highly critical of the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the widely respected publication said the success of India overcoming the crisis will depend on the PM Modi's administration "owning up to its mistakes". "[PM] Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable," it said. "India squandered its early successes in controlling COVID-19. Until April, the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages," the Lancet editorial said.