Coronavirus pandemic: The strengths and weaknesses this crisis lays bare

While the PM has led from the front and states have deftly helped the affected, our poor healthcare infra and stretched fiscal situation have exposed some chinks in India's armour, writes T N Ninan

A crisis shows up the strengths and weaknesses of a system. The social stability underlying India’s everyday chaos was on display during the wreck that was demonetisation in 2016; people died while waiting in queues at bank branches, but there was no rioting. Somewhat contrarily, the trigger-happy rioting that occurred in Northeast Delhi last month exposed the social fault lines that cause occasional eruptions. And, the initial failure of the police to bring the situation under control showed how much the machinery created to enforce law and order has been compromised and communalised.
 
Covid-19 has exposed new strengths and