India's main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has warned that unless the deadly second Covid-19 wave sweeping the country is brought under control it would decimate India as well as threaten the rest of the world.

In a letter, Gandhi implored Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prepare for another national lockdown, accelerate a country-wide vaccination programme and scientifically track the virus and its mutations.

Gandhi said the world's second-most populous nation had a responsibility in "a globalised and interconnected world" to stop the "explosive" growth of Covid-19 within its borders.

Rahul Gandhi. — AP/File
Rahul Gandhi. — AP/File

Opinion

Editorial

External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...
Hormuz gamble
20 May, 2026

Hormuz gamble

The Strait of Hormuz has become the real centre of the confrontation.
The unkindest cut
20 May, 2026

The unkindest cut

SUICIDE, a complex symptom of deep despair triggered by mental health problems, is hardly a moral issue. Punitive...
Ad hoc culture
20 May, 2026

Ad hoc culture

THE Supreme Court’s ruling against prolonged ad hoc and acting appointments is an indictment of a deeply ...