Punjab gasps as India’s Modi refuses to seek oxygen from Pakistan

[El Generico]

Amritsar, India – Amid an alarming shortage of medical oxygen, the Punjab government approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate an “oxygen corridor” with Pakistan, India’s archrival neighbour which shares a 550km-long (342 miles) border with the northwestern state.

There have been at least eight instances of requests made by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and other politicians from the state asking Modi to procure oxygen from Pakistan, whose city of Lahore is barely 50km (31 miles) away from Amritsar.


The demand to procure oxygen from Pakistan came after the country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan offered help to India on April 25. Pakistan’s prominent Edhi charity also volunteered to send medical aid amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

However, Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government refused to seek any help from its “enemy nation”, amid a lethal second wave of the coronavirus killing thousands of people daily.

“This denial is proving to be deadly for patients in Punjab who don’t know which breath would be their last breath,” member of parliament from Amritsar, Gurjit Singh Aujla, told Al Jazeera.


ujla was the first to write to Modi on April 26 seeking a special oxygen corridor with Pakistan as it was geographically proximate. When he did not hear back from the prime minister, he wrote again on April 27, followed by more letters on May 2 and May 5.

Meanwhile, Singh also released a statement on May 4, stating that the centre had rejected his proposal to allow Punjab’s local industry body to import oxygen from Pakistan through the Wagah-Attari border near Amritsar.

While more than 10 days have passed since the centre’s refusal, the disrupted oxygen supply chain in Punjab is yet to be restored.

Last week, at least three hospitals in Amritsar issued desperate SOS calls, saying their oxygen buffer had depleted. The local administration arranged the life-saving gas from a neighbouring district.

A government official privy to the crisis, requesting anonymity, said he had lost count of the number of SOS messages released by the hospitals in the past few days. “Every day, every few hours, there is an SOS call by some hospital,” he told Al Jazeera.



More on: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021...ias-modi-refuses-to-seek-oxygen-from-pakistan

This is the second time India's Punjab government has looked at Pakistan for help but the Indian federal government blocked it. This enemy nation thing is so absurd tbh, do they think a person dying cares that their oxygen came from an "enemy" nation?

 

[gazza619]

Shame shame shame shame shame!

What an embarrassment to humanity is Modi and his think tank!!!

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

Modi supporters would rather see fellow Indians die than be in a situation to accept help from Pakistan

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

This is an unnecessarily politicised stance to take. Modi might not want to accept help from Pakistan, but id doesn't need to be portrayed as accepting charity, they could set up a co-operation scheme where India could access Pakistan oxygen reserves now, and then could repay Pakistan with vaccine or other medical help when the situation allows.

It is actually a great opportunity for India to show that it can take the high road and show some real leadership of the region.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

This is not the time to show arrogance. Modi should have accepted help from Pakistan. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Why would Modi do it?

Taking help from enemy nation weakens him politically.

And he needs to do this for the Punjabi people where he doesn't have a good voter base for state or central elections.

For the very people who protested against him?

Makes no sense for Modi to do.

Chalk it up as a collateral damage and move on.

 

[King-Misbah]

Why would Modi do it?

Taking help from enemy nation weakens him politically.

And he needs to do this for the Punjabi people where he doesn't have a good voter base for state or central elections.

For the very people who protested against him?

Makes no sense for Modi to do.

Chalk it up as a collateral damage and move on.

Yes, let innocent people die instead. Modi is not even worthy to be considered a human.

 

[Bewal Express]

If the RSS guys were dying and they were told that the Oxygen came from PK, would they reject it?

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Yes, let innocent people die instead. Modi is not even worthy to be considered a human.

Delhi had to go to the court to get required oxygen from the centre.

And court ordered Govt to supply 700 MT each day to Delhi or it will take them to task.

So they supplied....and once the situation has improved, Delhi govt asked centre to utilize the surplus for other states.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

 

[El Generico]

Why would Modi do it?

Taking help from enemy nation weakens him politically.

And he needs to do this for the Punjabi people where he doesn't have a good voter base for state or central elections.

For the very people who protested against him?

Makes no sense for Modi to do.

Chalk it up as a collateral damage and move on.

That is a good point. Hopefully this isn't his way of "punishing" people who protested against him.

 

[King-Misbah]

Delhi had to go to the court to get required oxygen from the centre.

And court ordered Govt to supply 700 MT each day to Delhi or it will take them to task.

So they supplied....and once the situation has improved, Delhi govt asked centre to utilize the surplus for other states.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

I just think its so petty, it didn't matter where the oxygen came from as long as people survived. The man has blood on his hands.

 

[MP2011]

I just think its so petty, it didn't matter where the oxygen came from as long as people survived. The man has blood on his hands.

Everything related to him is petty, in fact gutter level. Period.

 

[MP2011]

Delhi had to go to the court to get required oxygen from the centre.

And court ordered Govt to supply 700 MT each day to Delhi or it will take them to task.

So they supplied....and once the situation has improved, Delhi govt asked centre to utilize the surplus for other states.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Devotees are like why does Kejriwal need so much Oxygen? And mind you, all those who are questioning him are Delhites themselves!

 

[gani999]

Nothing surprising here. Pakistan has refused Indian aid in the past too.

https://www.dw.com/en/why-is-it-so-hard-for-pakistan-to-accept-indian-aid/a-5921074

It's way too complicated for the two countries to accept aid from each other. Sad but true.

And the more the likes of Al Jazeera keep drumming up such campaigns, the greater the chance that Modi will return in 2024. They should focus on helping Indian people if they can, and not take potshots at Modi. It serves no purpose.

 

[El Generico]

Nothing surprising here. Pakistan has refused Indian aid in the past too.

https://www.dw.com/en/why-is-it-so-hard-for-pakistan-to-accept-indian-aid/a-5921074

It's way too complicated for the two countries to accept aid from each other. Sad but true.

And the more the likes of Al Jazeera keep drumming up such campaigns, the greater the chance that Modi will return in 2024. They should focus on helping Indian people if they can, and not take potshots at Modi.

Why would a news agency look to help India? Isn't there job to report news which they did? Also how is it potshots when they are literally quoting Indian politicians in the article? It's not like they made this news up.

Anyways if depriving people of Punjab of oxygen is what gets modi votes in 2024 then I guess it makes sense why he did it. .

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Why would Modi do it?

Taking help from enemy nation weakens him politically.

With this attitude India will always remain a third world country. A bigger and more ambitious India would not even regard a "failed state" like Pakistan as an enemy nation, they would see this as an opportunity to open a dialogue with the smaller neighbour and expand their own footprint in that country using these opening discussions as a doorway.

I really never can understand why a country with ambition gives so much importance to making a country like Pakistan an implacable enemy when it should really be looking to bring them on board.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

Why would Modi do it?

Taking help from enemy nation weakens him politically.

And he needs to do this for the Punjabi people where he doesn't have a good voter base for state or central elections.

For the very people who protested against him?

Makes no sense for Modi to do.

Chalk it up as a collateral damage and move on.

This is an unnecessarily politicised stance to take. Modi might not want to accept help from Pakistan, but id doesn't need to be portrayed as accepting charity, they could set up a co-operation scheme where India could access Pakistan oxygen reserves now, and then could repay Pakistan with vaccine or other medical help when the situation allows.

It is actually a great opportunity for India to show that it can take the high road and show some real leadership of the region.

This is good post. India can take moral high ground and also assert leadership in the region with such steps. But this has been always a failing of Indian foreign policy that despite being several times bigger than Pakistan; it has failed to gain any real leverage over it.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

Nothing surprising here. Pakistan has refused Indian aid in the past too.

https://www.dw.com/en/why-is-it-so-hard-for-pakistan-to-accept-indian-aid/a-5921074

It's way too complicated for the two countries to accept aid from each other. Sad but true.

And the more the likes of Al Jazeera keep drumming up such campaigns, the greater the chance that Modi will return in 2024. They should focus on helping Indian people if they can, and not take potshots at Modi. It serves no purpose.

If Al Jazeera hates India and wants it to do bad (claims by many Indians here) and it hates Modi (claims by Indians); then why would it NOT want Modi to return in 2024?

India is doing pretty badly right now by all metrics. Any one who wishes badly for India would want Modi to continue right?

The Covid situation is heart wrenching and even the laughably understated official statistics are depressing.

The economy isn’t doing great. It was showing declining growth even before covid with unemployment at decades highs. Covid has ravaged it further.

The social fabric of the country is being torn apart. There are yearly riots. Every significant minority be it Muslims or Sikhs has protested against the government over the last few years.

Why would a hater of India not want this to continue?

 

[street cricketer]

I dunno but I'm not sure about importing oxygen from Pakistan when it's battling covid situation too, albeit not to the same extent as ourselves but it's not like covid infections and deaths are minimal in Pakistan like Australia. Wouldn't they want oxygen for their own citizens first. I can only imagine the blowback Imran would face politically if Pakistan endures an oxygen scarcity after exporting some to India.

If Pakistan has surplus oxygen reserves though, I don't see a problem. Afaik India exports life saving drugs manufactured in the country to Pakistan as well (not sure if it's still continuing now though). These things shouldn't be politicised when it comes to saving lives regardless of the border, but knowing south asian politics, I'm sure it will.

 

[El Generico]

If Al Jazeera hates India and wants it to do bad (claims by many Indians here) and it hates Modi (claims by Indians); then why would it NOT want Modi to return in 2024?

India is doing pretty badly right now by all metrics. Any one who wishes badly for India would want Modi to continue right?

The Covid situation is heart wrenching and even the laughably understated official statistics are depressing.

The economy isn’t doing great. It was showing declining growth even before covid with unemployment at decades highs. Covid has ravaged it further.

The social fabric of the country is being torn apart. There are yearly riots. Every significant minority be it Muslims or Sikhs has protested against the government over the last few years.

Why would a hater of India not want this to continue?

Exactly, modi has been so damaging for India and it's image that at times I wonder if he is an ISI agent.

 

[King-Misbah]

I dunno but I'm not sure about importing oxygen from Pakistan when it's battling covid situation too, albeit not to the same extent as ourselves but it's not like covid infections and deaths are minimal in Pakistan like Australia. Wouldn't they want oxygen for their own citizens first. I can only imagine the blowback Imran would face politically if Pakistan endures an oxygen scarcity after exporting some to India.

If Pakistan has surplus oxygen reserves though, I don't see a problem. Afaik India exports life saving drugs manufactured in the country to Pakistan as well (not sure if it's still continuing now though). These things shouldn't be politicised when it comes to saving lives regardless of the border, but knowing south asian politics, I'm sure it will.

Pakistan had already increased its oxygen levels by approximately 40% as compared to the 1st wave and further work was also being done to expand capacity even more.

 

[hitthestump]

I dunno but I'm not sure about importing oxygen from Pakistan when it's battling covid situation too, albeit not to the same extent as ourselves but it's not like covid infections and deaths are minimal in Pakistan like Australia. Wouldn't they want oxygen for their own citizens first. I can only imagine the blowback Imran would face politically if Pakistan endures an oxygen scarcity after exporting some to India.

If Pakistan has surplus oxygen reserves though, I don't see a problem. Afaik India exports life saving drugs manufactured in the country to Pakistan as well (not sure if it's still continuing now though). These things shouldn't be politicised when it comes to saving lives regardless of the border, but knowing south asian politics, I'm sure it will.

India were unprepared for the oxygen shortage whereas Pakistan shouldn't be in that position by now (you'd think). I doubt Imran is so incompetent that he is sending supplies to India while taking a significant risk at leaving his own population gasping. It's likely fine and India should be accepting it.

 

[PakLFC]

Modi will be seen as being pro-Pak if he took oxygen from us. Now that he has not Congress will accuse him of not caring for his own people so the poor tea maker can't win. India's refusal could be a great favour for Pak, we may need our oxygen in future if things get as bad in Pak too. The Covid situation in Pak is nowhere near the level as it is in India unlike some posters here seem to be suggesting. Heard an Indian saying we were so proud of being the world's pharmacy exporting vaccines now we are running out of them ourselves.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

With this attitude India will always remain a third world country. A bigger and more ambitious India would not even regard a "failed state" like Pakistan as an enemy nation, they would see this as an opportunity to open a dialogue with the smaller neighbour and expand their own footprint in that country using these opening discussions as a doorway.

I really never can understand why a country with ambition gives so much importance to making a country like Pakistan an implacable enemy when it should really be looking to bring them on board.

This is good post. India can take moral high ground and also assert leadership in the region with such steps. But this has been always a failing of Indian foreign policy that despite being several times bigger than Pakistan; it has failed to gain any real leverage over it.

You guys need to take a step back and introspect.

You can be magnanimous when you are successful and everything is going good.

India has almost nothing going well for it now.

Pakistan/Muslim is the only angle BJP has for now.

Why would it try to be bhai-bhai with them?

Moreover, I think India and Pakistan have some massive differences and any friendship (even if it happens) will be shortlived. The better route is to engage in a forthcoming way which I don't see happening due to a complex situation. The best we can hope for is a civil discourse but that ain't an option with nothing going for the govt.