"Baseless": High Commission Slams Australian Media Report On Covid Crisis

Over the past few weeks social media has been choked with desperate cries for help from family members looking for beds medication and oxygen cylinders

The Indian High Commission in Australia has slammed a "baseless, malicious and slanderous" report in The Australian - a daily newspaper - titled "Modi leads India out of lockdown... and into a viral apocalypse". Urge @australian to publish the rejoinder to set the record straight on the covid management in India and also refrain from publishing such baseless articles in future. @cgisydney@CGIPerth@cgimelbourne@MEAIndiahttps://t.co/4Z3Mk6ru3Wpic.twitter.com/4bgWYnKDlB The article, which is also available online (behind a paywall), attributes the rise in cases to factors like allowing thousands to attend election rallies, permitting the mega Kumbh, ignoring experts' advice on more infectious strains, and a critical shortage of medical oxygen and vaccines. Acknowledging the potential impact of mutated Covid viruses, the article also refers to "hubris... nationalist politics... slow vaccine roll-out, an ill-equipped health system... and promotion of the economy over containment". The High Commission wrote to Christopher Dore, The Australian's editor-in-chief, on Monday and accused him of publishing a report "written with the sole objective of undermining the universally acclaimed approach taken by the Government of India to fight the pandemic".