In an indirect admission of the failure of handling deadly covid-19 pandemic, Modi government changed the health minister for heavy lifting of crucial health ministry at current juncture. Removing Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar has been given the charge of Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“In a way, the government wants to send out a message that the minister who should be leading from the forefront during covid-19 pandemic, didn’t perform and has been shown the door. The government also removed the health minister to wash out the blot it had due to mismanagement of the second wave of covid-19 pandemic and to safeguard its international image,” said Sanjay Kumar Professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.