Home Blog Page 462

No city for the poor

C K Bhatt
-
0
No city for the poor

11 years ago, Slumdog Millionaire, the Academy Awards winning Danny Boyle film, was criticized for various reasons. The foremost was the portrayal of the poverty in India and it was alleged by various sections of the society that the grim depiction of the characters living in slums of Mumbai in the movie was showing the slum dwellers throughout the length and breadth of India, in a bad light and violated their basic human rights. People also protested for the inclusion of the word “Dog” in the title of the movie. Nonetheless, the movie turned out to be a global commercial and critical success. Once again it was proved that if one can successfully turn Poverty into a spectacle, it will leave every other issue behind, in terms of revenue and publicity.

This is a time tested phenomenon in various spheres of the Indian society. Right from the days of “Gareebi Hatao”, this has been our favorite topic. In fact, with the inception of the age of social media, it has reached to a micro level and all of us are so obsessed with it. But it is rightly said that love can conquer all things except poverty and a toothache.

Coming to 2020, the lockdown in the Country has affected various strata of the society in different ways. While the rich and the middle class are worried inter-alia about their economic loss and loss of precious time, boredom and slow internet speed, it is the poor again, who has to bear the brunt of the Lockdown to the maximum extent. Landless, homeless and cashless people in countless numbers, suddenly discovered that suddenly, their struggle(s) in life changed in just a matter of few days. The present situation in metropolitan cities, industrial cities and the fertile areas where farming is done in abundance with the help of laborers is grim. Closure of Factories, establishments and other commercial activities (except for essential services) has left most of them, who are daily wage workers or contractual workers, without any work, money and any other resource. As a reason of the same, this strata of the society, left with no other option, decided to go back to their native place amidst the nationwide lockdown.

Despite the fact that the Government has subsequently announced various schemes for them, they have scant trust on the same, which is depicted from the action(s). In the recently concluded Delhi Elections 2020, these people were a major chunk of voters in Delhi. However, today, left with no other option, they have to leave Delhi and move to their respective native place(s), despite the nationwide lockdown. Is it safe to presume that such people will never be a part of Delhi, or for that matter any other similar Metropolitan Area, Industrial City or other areas where they move to in search of work and livelihood? A large number of them are fed and housed at the factories, shops and construction sites where they work at. This is in sharp contrast with the middle class who move to such cities/ areas to look out for better job opportunities, education and/ or improvement and betterment of their standard of life and per capita income.

People decided to walk hundreds of kilometers to their respective home towns/ villages/ native places despite the lockdown being in force and no means of transport is available. The media channels highlighting this, have successfully made a spectacle out of it, like the Slumdog Millionaire. Before any such reporting, it should have been considered that any panic reaction by any strata of the society upon seeing such reports on various channels, can be extremely harmful in the present situation. We have seen reporters of various media houses walking along with these people for a short distance to speak to them and feel their pain, but none have offered any constructive suggestion and the very next day, a sea of people gathered at Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi, where no officials were seen to facilitate the smooth departure of people who have gathered. Some people have, though wrongfully, even compared this with the migration during the partition of India in 1947.

The inquiry and blame games will take their own sweet time. Few heads will roll. Over-dependence on Police Officials has also left our System crippled in such times. In the absence of any clear orders/ instructions, the Police will use force to control the crowd. This in turn, has provided fodder to netizens and keyboard warriors, who are seen blaming the Governments, both Central and State for the harakiri committed. However, the silver lining is the public-spirited citizens, NGO’s and other volunteers who have come forward to help and supplement the authorities who are working day and night in order to ensure that the purpose of the lockdown is achieved to its maximum efficiency. Fellow citizens should understand the fact that each one of us has to contribute in some way or the other and it is not a time to cry over spilled milk.

The Central and respective State Governments are doing their bit, but as citizens of this Nation, we should adhere to our fundamental duties first in times like these. Is the migration of these people in such times a collective failure of the Governments and the citizens? Why is it that these people could not trust the Government and their fellow citizens, employers, landlords in this emergency like situation? Are they looked upon only as a source of cheap labour and not human beings? Why is it that these people believed that despite all efforts, the Government will be unable to provide them with safety, security, food, shelter and other basic necessities? Are they practically left on their own, in times when the State has to safeguard them? Many of them would have, by now, reached their respective destinations. Many of them would not have.

After normalcy is restored, the Central Government should start working along with the State Governments on a concrete plan to reduce the migration of people and the concentration of population in and around Metropolitan Areas. It is also noticed by many people that since the lockdown, the pollution level has drastically reduced. It is high time to consider the caveat of nature and realize that our resources are limited and they have to be used judiciously.

Moreover, the present Laws should be strengthened and if needs be, new Laws be enacted in order to deal with a pandemic like situation.

In such times, there is an immediate requirement of help and love towards people who are in dire need of it. But then, love can conquer all things except poverty and a toothache.

Cut the BS. Stay home. Shut up

Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan
-
0
Cut the BS. Stay home. Shut up

Cut the BS. Get Real. Stay Home. Take Care. Save Lives. Epidemiologists from The Imperial College, London have suggested that “strict lockdown measure might have already saved up to 59,000 lives across 11 European countries. Many more deaths will be averted through ensuring that interventions remain in place until transmission drops to low levels.” Yes, Modi 2.0 could have done better. They could/should have announced 21 mandatory Lockdown, while putting in place the logistics. In particular, they could/should have factored in the presence of millions of migrant labourers among us. Were they forgotten or ignored? OpEds are getting written and news reports followed by Editorials that migrants may have been left to fend for themselves, which is pretty much leaving them to the wolves or virus or ghosts. Yes, it is heart rending to see them assemble at the borders of bus stations, compelled to care two hoots for social distancing norms in place. Or families, with children walking miles to get home, as they may be running out of what little savings they may have managed to possess. Yes. Yes. Yes. Where are the ideas, suggestions, models, positive help, be it moral or monetary from these Modihaters?

But is it fair or proper to be complaining or criticising the state administrations, in these scary times? Dissent is the essence of democracy. But howling all bad, is no dissent. It is stifling those waging the battle, on our behalf. They are men and women too. They have their families too. Those on the front line- be it Doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, hospital administration, police and security personnel, essential service providers, particularly the scavenging brothers and sisters and every other worker who is keeping the milk supply, news papers or any other item delivered without a break, are going their utmost.

We need to care for them too. India may be revealing numbers which are nowhere near what Wuhan in China, Lombardi in Italy or New York in United States of America are recording. We have no real answers. Have we crossed Phase-1 and 2 or 3, or in the midst of ‘peaking’, to be sure that the process of flattening the curve, has begun? We don’t know. We are no better placed than the most developed countries which too are groping for answers including a possible vaccine.

Just no one knows. If Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US numero uno among Pandemic experts, the world over says “No one can say for sure. The virus is the boss of all, it surveys. Covid-19 decides the time line for all of us. We can only sit back, stay home and keep safe and hope for the best. I make it clear, in my over 50 years as a medical professional, handling such viral disease crisis as H1N1, SARS, Ebola, the works, and read about Bubonic Plague, Black Death, Spanish Flu, I have seen nothing like this ever. Not one country could be ready, or be prepared to handle this catastrophe. It would make no sense to grumble and complain in these horrendous times. There is only one mantra, I can say with confidence and conviction. Stay Home. Stay Home. Stay Home. Please”. One wonders how these dissenters or ever naysayers can claim to be privy to, all they claim to be aware of. That is what our Prime Minister asked of us. He was constrained to even apologise to We The People, for all the inconveniences.

The Covid19 warriors, Central government downwards, are working 24×7 to keep us safe. Just note that Canadian Prime Minister’s wife was infected, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary have become virus positive, and for the first time in his over 3 year White House administration Donald J Trump is speaking the truth. He is giving numbers which his Covid-19 Task Force has built models from. Across media, in the US, print and electronic, including Trump’s Trumpets, the verdict is “Trump is scared for America and the world”. It is that scary.

Olympics have been postponed by a year (but our dear commercial dadas in BCCI are yet to formally cancel or abandon IPL 2020, which as of now stands postponed to commence from 15th April, 2020. What, commence? Are you kidding yourself or us or does it disclose your depraved moola mindset). In the meanwhile, our #ModiHateClubs are working overtime, to gin up support for their one point agenda.

“Modi 2.0 is responsible for the virus to have seamless passage. He allowed it to spread and was happy with Janata Curfew Clapping. Then announced a 21 day mandatory shutdown, overnight, catching everyone on the wrong foot, particularly the migrant labour community. Modi 2.0 went ahead with Lockdown, unmindful of the consequences, without any prior research on the consequences. What is the use of his apology? We don’t have sufficient Testing kits. Our health care system, is woefully inadequate. As for the economic package, it is miserly. Already the Demonetisation affect still had its vestiges, GST had kept it aflame and now Modi’s Lockdown has pretty much sewn up the circle of agony. The Cure from Modi 2.0 is worse than the disease.” They go on and on. Luckily, their viral spread speed is nowhere near Coronavirus’.

When the invisible enemy is bombarding us from outside, inside, above, below and/or from any side, it chooses to, and the house is on fire, these ‘characters’ are sitting on the sidelines, and shouting that the firemen are led by a poor general and by staying home, away from the inferno, the people of India, may be killed in more numbers, than if they were allowed to get into the inferno. Thanks.

The tale of woes these ‘usual suspects’ can highlight, knows no remit. They have nothing useful or constructive to offer. Wonder how many of them made a contribution to PM Relief Fund or any agency? Only negative connotations which are inspirational to their #HateModiClub to enroll members.

For heaven’s sake, please wait till 2024. You have no choice. We beat you hollow at the hustings, not once but twice. We wanted Narendra Modi at the helm. We are sure and convinced that our Prime Minister and Covid-19 warriors are trying their darnedest, despite the adverse circumstances, and ‘your’ best of bad wishes. We The People shall have to contribute our mite. By simply staying home. Considering the environment, straying out is harmful not only to you, and you may not care, but it is vicious to those around you. Do care for Them. We are trying what we can. Being polite and chivalrous, to our immediate members of the community, particularly the essential service providers. And writing repeatedly to well up the spirits of the Covid-19 warriors on the front lines.

It is most unfortunate that these ‘usual suspects’ have no care or concern for the impacted, except flagging it off, to flog Modi with. The intent is potently unhelpful to the cause, they seemingly espouse. If you can’t contribute usefully or constructively, can we please add to the clarion call from the Covid-19 warriors, to their Stay Home message- a simple one- SHUT UP PLEASE.

Let the Covid19 warriors carry on the battle. They are fighting for us. If only We The People simply- Cut the BS. Stay home. Take care. Shut up. We save lives- we shall overcome.

(Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan- Author is practising advocate in the Madras High Court)

Tablighi Jamaat and its dreadful fallout

G Indira
-
0
Tablighi Jamaat and its dreadful fallout

Coronavirus positive cases increased manifold in different states of India. In Telangana state where the government thought that it has almost bid adieu to the virus, now have 97 and Andhra Pradesh reported 21 fresh cases in a single day (31st March). These are all fresh positive cases recorded in a single day, in the two states and all of them (patients of COVID) have attended the Tablighi meet in Nizamuddin Markaz, Delhi or are relatives of those who have returned. Similar is the position of other coronavirus infected in other states of India. 

When the country-India, has been somewhat smooth sailing, compared to European nations and US, this sudden calamitous spread of covid happened because of the #tablighijamat meet. Most of the attendees, knew about the coronavirus and its impact on the world nations. Yet, took the risk of attending in droves, sitting side by side, they participated in all proceedings of the congregation. 

The Liberals in India lament that the contagion of the coronavirus in various parts of India, is communal ised and the Muslim minority community is blamed. They cite the BJP president’s son’s recent marriage where many guests were present including the PM and no one questioned it. In the same way, Kanika Kapoor’s episode and the fear of Corona contact. In those two, none could point out or gauze Corona propagation. Specially, in the former, they would have taken adequate care as the hosts and guests of the marriage were distinguished citizens. Whereas, sermons of Maulana Saad, chief of Tabligh Jamaat, his exhortations to Muslims to gather in mosques, though knowing fully well the sensitivity Corona propagation, are  unpardonable. 

Sagarika Ghosh tweeted on 31st March: ‘Those calling for arrest of #TablighiJamat must also call for the arrest of Kanika Kapoor, her VIP hosts, all Madhya Pradesh MLAs holding meetings when #COVID outbreak reported. Also of 700MPs of both houses who attended Parl when there shd’ve been social distancing #Lockdown21

Being a Rhodes scholar, how could she be so ridiculous in her reasoning? Has she vowed to fight for the Tablighis congregation that sent shockwaves in India-Corona fight? Kanika Kapoor, no doubt, was punished by the slap of an FIR. Moreover, to her luck, no one from among the VIPs that came to her bash was proved to be a Corona positive. MLAs of M.P and Parliamentarians had not (at least for now) seemed to have spread the virus. If any #TablighiJamat-kind happened with them, people would construe them as culprits. To hold the Parliament at the time of crisis (outbreak of Coronavirus) was a gutsy action. It boosted  the morale of people. Like cowards, the MPs cannot wind up the session. They wanted to conduct it, at the risk of their lives, to address the people’s problems. 

Along with Sagarika Ghosh, Rajdeep Sardesai and Barka Dutt have  been pleading the people to toe their line and not communalise the issue of #tablighijamat. It’s a communal issue in people’s mind, in the sense, it’s held by a rabid  Muslim Organisation that is for propagation of their religion. As India being a liberal democracy, the country allowed it with clerics from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Of course, there was some lapse in checking them at airport or quarantining them for 14 days. Had some Hindu priests gone to Pakistan or Bangladesh, if similar congregation and similar virus propagation done, would it be communal or not to them? Anyway, that’s all hypocritical. Those countries would never allow any other religious congregation to take place other than theirs. Here, in India, Shahid Siddiqui says: since Yogi Adityanath wanted to hold Shri Ramnavami celebrations,  the Tablighis got emboldened to go ahead with theirs! This is a bizarre justification. 

Most of the Indian Muslims are ghettoised. They are like cogs fitted in their community network and lead a structured life which their ancestors had lived in Saudi Arabia. Hygiene is not at the top of their agenda. For body-bath: Jumme pe Jumma (once only in a week, ie on Fridays, as ordained by the prophet Muhammad (due to scarcity of water in Saudi in those days). Whereas, Hindus keep their body and house clean by a daily wash. Personal hygiene is part of their culture. Another thing, Polygamy of Muslim men and keeping two-three wives and their children in pigeonholed houses (with only curtains apart), is another unhygienic practice. Their leaders protest if any Bill for Uniform Civil Code is tabled. Those who attended #tablighijamat were hard core Muslims. Their laxity of hygiene is part of the problem for the spread of virus. In this scenario, Liberal plea to see #tablighijamat beyond religion falls on deaf ears. 

The virtues of being a Muslim in India

sranjan
-
0
The virtues of being a Muslim in India

When Mr. Sudhir Chaudhary, editor of Zee News talked about different jihads of Muslims he probably would not have envisioned the health jihad and its horrendous, terrorized effect on India. The kagaz nahi dikahenge gang has not all gone silent even on their collective failure as a religious community in India’s fight against Wuhan virus. Around 2500 people were present in the Tabligh e Jamaat’s-Markaz, some 450 have shown symptoms, some are on ventilator and several of them are dead. Over 1100 are quarantined with unknown number of lives that they put at risk. As per Markaz’s own statement there were 2,500 people including foreigners in 1 building till 24th March. They knew that hotels had been vacated, dormitories shut, foreigners were going back to their countries but no rules applied to them.

We have seen time and again that Muslims do not see eye to eye to police and administrations anywhere. We have even seen them undermining Honourable High Courts and Supreme court during not only at anti-CAA protests but before also. They did not end Shaheen Bagh protests even after Delhi government issued several orders thus prohibiting mass gatherings and later on even invoked sec.144. They did it because they somehow felt that their main supporters from outside their own religious community, the communists have started showing signs of discomfort. They do not follow rules laid by police and government but in Tabligh e Jamaat case they are putting onus on the administration. We have seen it on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites like Tik-Tok that how educated Muslims defend their blatant wish to spread Wuhan virus in India.

Whenever Indian society at large wants to have a discussion about atrocities committed on Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indian Muslims remain not only against it but they actively raise their support for Palestine which has no bearing on India. The anti-CAA stance while supporting illegal rohingya’s entry in India is nothing other than ummah. One can hear every Muslim scholar talking about how Muslims should follow the law of the land where they live. According to them by being a Muslim they are bound by one ummah and are a homogeneous group.

When several Muslim countries have enforced ban on mosques why Indians Muslims are hell bent on doing Namaz in mosques which is not even an religious requirement, is it beacause they feel that Kafirs have no right to live and this way they will go to heaven by doing ALLAH’s work? Hiding foreigners in Masjids is no easy task. 17 were found hiding in Jharkhand and 11 in Bihar. It takes support of local populace who go to these Masjids daily. Then there is food to be arranged which is impossible to be prepared in large quantities inside Masjids without anyone suspecting any foul play. It is a consolidated effort by Muslims to undermine the law and help in spread of Wuhan virus.

No country in the world treat their minorities as good as Indian treats Muslims. At 14% of Indian population, Muslims takes an astounding 9% of government jobs in India. Data for private jobs are not available but different government schemes have made them self reliant and self sufficient. No other country in the world has given so much to their minorities. The Minister of Minority Affairs revealed that BJP government has spent Rs 22,000 crore in the past six years on Minority welfare and has awarded scholarships to around 3.2 crore students belonging to minority communities, namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs. Students from the Muslim community received about 80 per cent of total scholarships offered under 20 Central government schemes in 2018-19, official data shows. Christians came in at second place with 7.5 per cent share, Sikhs at 5 percent and 4.7 per cent for Hindus. 1.4 crore applications that were received in 2018-19, of them 1.08 crore were verified. Among the students who received scholarships, 88 lacs were Muslims.

The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities is an overarching programme covering various schemes/initiatives of the participating Ministries/Departments, and is implemented throughout the country. The said Programme also provides that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities.

For education enhancing opportunities they especially get:

Naya Savera – Free Coaching and Allied Scheme with the aim to enhance skills and knowledge of students and candidates from minority communities to get employment in Government Sector/ Public Sector Undertakings, jobs in private sector and admission in reputed institutions in technical and professional courses at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.

Nai Udaan – a scheme for providing support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission, State Public Service Commissions etc.

Padho Pardes – A scheme for providing interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies to enable students from minority communities to pursue higher education.

Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme provides financial assistance to students from notified minority communities, to pursue higher education such as M. Phil and PhD.

Pre-Matric Scholarship

Post-Matric Scholarship

Merit-cum-Means  Scholarship

Maulana Azad National Fellowship for pursuing higher studies such as regular and full time M.Phil/Ph.D. degrees in Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences and Engineering & Technology.

Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madarsas (SPQEM)  seeks to bring about qualitative improvement in Madrasas to enable Muslim children attain standards of the national education system in formal subjects.

Scheme for Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutions (IDMI) funds infrastructure development of private aided/unaided minority institutions to the extent of 75% and subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 lakhs per institution for strengthening of educational infrastructure and physical facilities in the existing school including additional classrooms, science / computer lab rooms, library rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities and hostel buildings for children especially for girls.

Greater Resources for Teaching Urdu

Sakshar Bharat/ Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan

Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities from class IX to XII.                  

Special economic activities related programmes:

Seekho aur Kamao (Learn & Earn)– It is a skill development initiative for minorities and aims to upgrade the skills of minority youth in various modern/traditional skills depending upon their qualification, present economic trends and market potential, which can earn them suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment.

Upgrading Skill and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD) – The scheme aims at capacity building and upgrading of the traditional skills of master craftsmen and artisans. Training of minority youths in various identified traditional arts/crafts through master craftsmen and develop national and international market linkages.

Hunar Haats – Organized in various parts of the country, which provides direct and indirect employment to skilled artisans and craft persons.

Nai Manzil – A scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from minority communities.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)–  Providing basic amenities so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in the identified Minority Concentration Areas.

Nai Manzil – An integrated Education and Livelihood Initiative for the Minority Communities.

Nai Roshni– Leadership development of minority women.

Restructuring of NMDFC and Loan schemes of National Minority Development & Finance Commission (NMDFC)

Bank credit under Priority Sector Lending

Issue of guidelines for giving special consideration for recruitment of minorities.

Opening of new Bank Branches/ awareness campaigns.

Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme

80% of Temple’s money are spent on non Hindu and non Hindu religious activities and often funds Muslim and Christian institutions. Muslims use 33% of the aid put up by the central government. In these testing times Temples have opened their doors and have donated several hundred crores of rupees. Minority religious institution have failed in providing assistance to people in any manner whatsoever at large scale. Very few Muslims have lent their support even when their religious requirements talks about Zakat but it seems that they will only help people of their own religion.

A pan-India survey conducted about Zakat estimated it to be between Rs 30,000-40,000 crores. The amount of zakat is pegged at 2.5 percent of total income, assets and savings in a lunar year after a certain threshold known as nisab is crossed. Worldwide, zakat is said to be up from Rs 25,000 crores in 2003 to an estimated Rs 1,80,000 thousand crores in 2015, with global assets expected to surpass Rs 3,00,000 crores by 2020.

Coronavirus isn’t a threat to humanity; China is!

Anant Chetan
-
0
Coronavirus isn’t a threat to humanity; China is!

Last week I came up with two articles regarding Coronavirus outbreak, they both fall in the category that raises questions on the way the pandemic has been exaggerated and used by various groups for their own benefits. Both the articles were either not approved to be made visible or were removed from the various platforms I use to promote my blogs. What made me thinking about writing this one was the comments on the article before it was removed by the moderators. Quite surprisingly, none of the commenters came up with any reference/research/study or any sort of link to contradict my point of view, but they all were calling me delusional, nut job and many other things. They commented that the article must be removed from the platform.

Why?

You can have a look at the articles and decide yourself if they lack credibility:

The first one, compares the number of deaths caused by flu every year in various countries and also shows how the mortality rate is being abused in this case. The other one connects a few dots that clearly show how some groups/companies/countries have successfully used this outbreak to fix their financial troubles. Please have a look at the two articles and share any research/paper you find that contradicts these views of mine. And if you find any merit in them, please do share them because that’s the only option left to get more to people read about what mainstream media is hiding from them.

I am not disappointed at the comments calling me names, I am disappointed because these champions of democracy are trying to make this world a China, where there can only be one voice, all other different voices, views and opinions would be suppressed denied or censored.

This kind of behavior in fact is one of the biggest reasons why outbreaks like this have been originating from China for years now. A doctor in China had warned the world of this outbreak in 2019 but was covered up by the communist regime. If he was not censored the world would have either avoided this predicament or would have been better prepared. Not only this, the whistle-blowers in the beginning of this outbreak were censored, if they were allowed the freedom to voice their views, the world would have known about the outbreak earlier. By the time we came to know about the outbreak there were more than 5 million people had already flown out of Wuhan to various parts of the country. What happened after that, I don’t need to say. Do I?

The irony of the time is that the world is not even willing to question the Chinese narrative. China sensationalized the outbreak by putting millions of people in quarantine, if they would not have done so the rest of the world would not have paid any head to the outbreak.

One simple question, how come the virus from Wuhan reached countries like Italy, Spain, the UK, the USA etc but could create the similar kind of havoc in Beijing or Shanghai or any other Chinese state/city? How come the mortality rate in other parts of China (other than Wuhan) is exactly the same that the flu virus causes i.e. 0.7%? Is there any sort of verification for the numbers that Chinese authorities are laying out for the rest of the world to consume? Or do you think the virus is racist and it affects Europeans and Americans more than Chinese even with the exact same environmental conditions?

I simply don’t understand how the media houses and everyone else is simply buying anything and everything that China is selling. They said it came from the wet markets, and everyone just believed it. Why can’t it be a leak from the bio-safety lab in Wuhan? I am not saying that it is a bio-weapon, I am saying there could have been a human error (intentional or unintentional is another topic) in the research lab and the virus leaked outside. There have been instances in the past and in fact a leak in a bio-containment lab has already been classified to possess a potential to cause a pandemic. However, this  aspect was subtly covered up by calling the virus a bio-weapon. It is not a man made virus, it is a natural virus found in Bats. The human error issue never came up against the controversial bio-weapon theory. Mission accomplished!

The other question, which no body seems to be asking  seriously is “If China did it intentionally“. Back in 2003/04 when SARS outbreak happened, the Chinese Academy of Sciences had approved the construction of a BSL-4 laboratory before the outbreak, and the epidemic of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) around the same time lent the necessary momentum to the project. It may again be a coincidence that China is now planning to open one new BSL 3 lab in each of its province and five new BSL 4 labs in the country.

What we know as a trade war is actually a race to be a global hub for research and innovation. China’s economy is not struggling because of the revised trade tariffs. It exports only 1% of its GDP and out of that exports only around 5%-6% to the US. However, it is falling because of the aging population. China is racing for high tech industries, research and innovation which increase the productivity by several folds so as to repay the humongous debt that it has accrued over the years, with its limited young workforce.

U.S. government fears that foreign nations, particularly China, are taking unfair advantage of federally funded research. The US has been distancing itself from the Chinese research programs. You can literally find a dozen of news reports where the Chinese researchers (or any research with established ties with China) are sent back and the institutes are going through tough scrutiny as in where the funds are coming from and going to, if any thing links up to China, it does not end well. White house has slashed the research funding. In 2018, the CDC  stopped funding epidemic prevention activities in 39 out of 49 countries, including China, after the Trump administration refused to reallocate money to a program that began as part of the government’s response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014.

Every other year there is one such Coronavirus related outbreak in China. The most recent was in 2016-17 where a quarter of world’s pigs died in a year because of swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV). Before that it was MERS and before that it was SARS. By means of regular Coronavirus outbreaks, it becomes imperative for the researchers across the world to research in China. Million and million dollars are now raining for the Coronavirus research. I am not someone who is against Research and Development, but I am definitely confused in this case; is it “A research for the virus or a virus for the research!”

The sad truth is that instead of holding China accountable and penalizing it for this dictatorial means to achieve its goals, the different authorities/organizations/media houses in various Democracies across the world are using Coronavirus Pandemic as a tool to further their own selfish, self centered causes. Media houses already know that SARS-COV-2 is not that deadly, but they are still promoting it as one. For instance 32 million infections and at least 18,000 deaths so far this year because of the seasonal flu in the US alone. Compare it with the Covid numbers, I know you would already know the numbers. How does the comparison look like? Is a death from Covid-19 is more significant than a death because of seasonal flu? American media is using the pandemic as a tool to target Trump who will be facing an election later this year. The love and relationship American media and Trump share is not hidden from anyone.

Fear is one of the best motivators. You keep counting deaths, one after another and succeed in inciting enough fear that people stop thinking.

China has secured an upper hand in the research and innovation race going in the world. China is not a democracy and does not give a shit about its people, it used the entire population of Wuhan as “lab subjects”. Now, when the have done what they wanted to do, don’t scratch your head when China comes up and start saying, no new cases in the country and the patients are recovering, everything is fine as before, lets do business; buy from us anything and everything ranging from sanitizer, mask or vaccines to Drones, high tech robots, AI powered equipment along with the largest data-set to train your AI algorithms on. And mind it, these all have been duly tested on million of alive human test subjects in Wuhan. No other country would be able to come up with a data set consisting of stats of millions of human beings for research purposes. A clear win for China.

On the other hand, the countries that are inherently democratic have started paying the price for this exaggerated fear, think about the damage complete lock-down is going to do to India and Indian economy. I am just waiting for someone to question unemployment and falling economy in the coming months, and I will ask them if they raised questions when media created conditions where lock-downs started looking legit.

And above all, this time it was a virus that is flu like, what happens when China does something like this but the virus is actually deadly something like HIV or Ebola and is as contagious as a flu virus? If it remains like this, be prepared for the worst, it is yet to come.

Thanks for reading and stay healthy!

Also read: Lost in the Likes

PM doesn’t care, so what?

Arun Dash
-
0
PM doesn’t care, so what?

PM doesn’t care – you must be wondering – about what? PM doesn’t care about what all the dynast name-worshippers talk about the emergence of a new fund in the name of #PMCARES! Some callous panelist in a prime-time debate claimed that #Modiji’s plan of coming up with this new fund is an attempt at deviating the media attention from their poor handling of this Corona pandemic.

Pick up any politically active Indian to tell you the first sign of dynasty politics– they certainly will tell you about the naming of every playground, scheme, bridge, stadium or airport after the surname of the Gandhis. And now look at the audacity of the #chamchas – they question a fund named as #PMCARES as if P in it stands for Narendra and M, for Modi! How disgusting!

At a time of national crisis, when people across all the developed economies in the world despite their advanced healthcare system are struggling to arrest the death toll caused by the #Corona pandemic, a sick, irresponsible opposition has started nit-picking every trivial issue that does in no way help the nation in fighting the pandemic better. Many of us must have heard the multiple complaints against Modiji on the grounds that he is soft on the capitalists even though there are many stronger reasons for why an ever-aspiring and never-becoming developing country must be like that.

In an emergency like this, when the whole country is under a 21-day lockdown, to tackle a virus that has no vaccine to our rescue, the sincere and serious government is taking all steps possible to arrest the infection rate. The country-wide lockdown would certainly affect negatively the already dwindling economy further, the sane government humbly admits. Amidst all that, conscientious countrymen including industrialists, film actors, sportsmen and people from all walks of life are coming forward to contribute towards a fund that will be used to deal with the fight against this #Corona.

“Keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ has been set up. Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust and its Members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.”

Now who but a fool should read too much into it? The bogus questions raised will leave you aghast at the opposition’s thoughts: Why is it named as #PMCARES? When there already was one relief fund PM Relief Fund, what was the need for another fund at this juncture? There must be a malafide intent behind all this. Are the funds being siphoned into a secret account of the party the PM belongs to?

Don’t you think the persons raising such questions against a pro-active government that has earned praises from across the globe for their exemplary fight against #Corona have already been inflicted by an unnamed or undiscovered virus that is much sinister than COVID-19? And what about those anti-Modi brigades who support these divisive souls as whistle-blowers? In fact, they have been the potential bearers of that unnamed virus. So as sincere law-abiding patriots, you must be watchful against those potential bearers not only of the #Corona virus but also of that unnamed virus. We may perhaps get a vaccine soon for #Corona, but even the omnipotent time has failed to get an antidote for that unnamed virus. So as you stay home, keep working towards building your immunity against that unnamed evil virus too.

Is the Govt doing enough for us or has it let us down in these challenging times?

nibranshu
-
0

The crisis that is unfolding in other parts of the world is similar in every aspect to what is happening here in India. So it’s for the Indian government to further step-up the measures taken to avoid the spread of the virus, particularly so when reports of transmission of the virus within the community have begun figuring across the web. Moreover, the union health ministry’s attempt at dodging the question of India having entered the stage of community transmission, as indicated by a document on SOP for transporting a COVID-19 case released by them, raised concerns regarding the intent of the government in bringing out the actual data and accurate figures amongst the public. Fair enough, more so when accountability on both sides- by the government and public alike, is of prime importance and a life-saving factor considering the urgency of the matter.

So, we as responsible citizens have a greater role to play in these critical times. Unless people aren’t willing to cooperate with their governments no degree of responsiveness from the authorities will help them mitigate the difficulties at hand. Unfortunately, the government seems to be responding to the exigencies of the situation at a leisurely pace, especially in the hinterlands of the country as also in the suburban areas. It doesn’t seem to be mindful of the fact that not just the under-privileged section of our society but sadly even the educated ones, at least a few of them, are shamelessly disregarding the guidelines given by the authorities as a measure to contain the outbreak. 

People have been continuously raising concerns about the state of local vegetable markets and grocery stores. The government doesn’t quite seem to be paying heed to the matter. Even though some administrations have been doing a terrific job by temporarily shifting the mandis that have been concentrated at smaller and closed spaces to larger ones, like in places such as stadiums, and by marking out spots for people to stand while they wait for their turn at the grocery store- these being done in addition to keeping up with the hygiene measures being implemented, a majority of mandis can still be seen operating at confined spaces, especially in suburban areas, where lack of hygiene is a matter of grave concern for the authorities in attempting to contain the spread. 

Modi government was anyway seen as an authoritative regime, being capable of managing the crisis using draconian measures if the situation so demanded, but the apparent failure on their part to take a stiff action at an earlier stage against the impending dangers of contracting the virus has proven to be no less than cataclysmic in nature and extent. But does the problem also lie in the fact that health is fundamentally a state issue even though discussions of bringing it under the concurrent list have begun taking place? But then, this proposition doesn’t quite seem to hold ground. Evidently so when our state governments have been equally pathetic at handling the situation, except a few states like Kerela and even UP to an extent. Kudos guys. Good job.

But I don’t think so our healthcare infrastructure is well-equipped to handle a crisis like the one we are facing today. Major emphasis must be laid on the state of the public healthcare system in India considering the fact that a vast majority of our population still can not afford a treatment at a private hospital. So a vast part of our population has been left vulnerable at the hands of our decaying PHS. Hence, it is high time we start focusing more on concentrating our resources towards building well-equipped hospitals at taluk and district levels rather than coming up with more ‘world-class’ hospitals in cities. 

New challenges for Donald Trump

sajaljainn143
-
0
New challenges for Donald Trump

Despite the widespread effect of Covid 19 on USA, Trump’s reluctance to impose the lockdown initially points to the frustration Donald Trump might enduring is not beyond anybody’s sense of understanding. While several cities of USA has been severely gripped by the virus with total of more than 160000 active cases with as much as 3000 succumbing to the illness, New York, the third most  populated state in USA following California and Texas, accounts for more than one-third of the total infected. It was not more than a week since the positive cases of COVID-19 have been increased drastically in USA so much so that it  had surpassed Italy , China, and Spain to ascend the topmost position in a tally.

Let us take our area of focus to the devastating effect of the virus on political arena of USA.

The long term effect of the virus has the enough potential to shatter all the hopes accumulated by Donald Trump for the ensuing 2020 presidential election. It has sparked the sense of ambivalence among the Americans whether their country is in the safe and prudent hands. Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was full of ups and downs, friends and rivals, both opaque and transparent, however, turned out to be a surprisingly successful.

From the rigmarole  to the clear assertion, Trump’s presidential campaign was based on major such issues, i.e, Opposition to illegal immigration, More employment for the Americans through the policy which Trump’s administration had designated as “America FIrst”, Better economic opportunities, WIthdrawal of intervention policy, etc. All such grandiloquence attracted more and more crowd, media, as well as the global world towards Republican (a party which Donald Trump belongs to). His promises had influenced people from all parties cutting across the party lines so much so that clashes between his supporters and rivals became common and often violently leading to cancellation of his rallies, cancellation of Chicago rally was a perfect example for it.

The equivocal stand on illegal migration into USA had elevated Donald Trump to another extent. He in particular was against the idea of open borders between USA and Mexico, provided the fact that more than 900 million illegal migrants cross this border annually. The Mexico–United States border is the most frequently crossed border in the world and the tenth longest border between two countries in the world with the length of 3145 km.

This move had paved a wide way for the support to Trump mostly from Whites, conservatives, rich classes, etc. The other economical promise that secured a massive victory for a conservative Donald Trump over his arch rival Democratic’s liberal minded Hillary Clinton was of more employment for the Americans along with the withdrawal from various traffic free intra countries agreements. After winning an election, Trump immediately sought to fullfill his economical promises by taking USA off from Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trade deals, levying economic sanctions on various countries including Russia and Iran. These were followed by Trade war of 2018  between USA and CHINA over the issues of economic traffics on their products by both the sides. This war not only affected these two countries but it also resulted in a form of  major blow to other developing counties like India.

A perfect answer to why Donald Trump has always been eager to bring back USA soldiers serving in other countries for establishing democracy or American rule fighting prolonged wars is the vote bank. Americans has always apposed American intervetion in the internal matters of other countries by using its own resources which has visibly no outcome. USA has always been seen as a country wanted to interfere and meddle in the internal affairs of various politically as well as economically weak countries. USA’s interventions in Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq, Syria are the perfect example of USA’s dominance.

But the trend has been changed now. With countries like China and Russia strengthening their military will power, it seems that to be remained an universal world power, USA’s might have a lot to sacrifice in coming future. Assessing the global scenario, Trump administration now seems little reluctant to further wage any military war or establish its domination over other countries. Trump administration has understood that to attract more and more votes, the need of the hour is to work as per the likes of its voters.

What would be changed for Trump after this deadlly virus?

Since Trump has expressed unfortunate possibility of more than 2 lakhs deaths in USA from COVID-19, it is going to be very difficult for Trump to regain the power in coming Dec 2020 presidential election. The Coronavirus Pandemic has changed the messianic campaign to a contemplation over what could be done from here now. Covid 19 has brutally affected the economical institutions of USA whether its New York stock Exchange or the Economy. Millions in USA will be loosing their jobs in near future as UN Labor Organisation has anticipated of more than 25 million to be unemployed globally due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Stocks have already been collapsed as the Global markets are facing their worse fate. The world is going to be entered in Global Recession worse than that of 2008. These are being a cause for Americans parting their ways from Trump’s policies. All the earnest efforts of Trump till now has become baseless and reduced to ruins from this sudden blow of the virus.

While deliberations over his political efforts would only be wasting of time as Trump has neither successful in bringing back its soldiers in USA as promised nor could he resolved the border conflicts with Mexico. Both of these were frontliner promises of Trump for his presidential election. Failing to make Taliban comply to the Qatar Deal of 2020 between USA and Taliban which aimed at ending 18 years long military war between both the sides could be enough for Trump to be back-footed and discuss the possible plans for coming election.

It seems that Trump efforts have been reduced to ruins by the havoc of COVID 19 and all his hopes of winning election comfortably have been shattered. It is crucial time for Trump Administration to discuss and contemplate various new plans with possible outcome to enter into election with. 2020 presidential election for Trump and his team is going to be very difficult. In such a prevailing scenarios Democrats might get a new wave of supporters to be relied upon.

Mitigating risk of Coronavirus from food products

Alok Mishra
-
0
Mitigating risk of Coronavirus from food products

COVID-19 disease, resulting from one of the most contagious virus SARS-CoV-2, has affected almost all parts of the world. Around millions of people have been infected with it and more than 35 thousand have succumbed to death. The numbers are still rising. ‘Social distancing’ has become a common jargon in every household. However, one needs to go out for food, medicine and other essential daily needs. Among all, food and water are the most essential requirements of life.

Does food & water spread SARS-CoV-2 virus?

At present, there is no evidence that food or water systems support growth and transmission of coronaviruses. A person can get COVID-19 only when he/she comes in contact with surface or object having the virus on it and he/she touches their nose, mouth, or possibly eyes. However, this cannot be assumed as the main way of transmission. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures.

Shopping grocery items Safely

steps should be followed during grocery shopping to help protect from coronavirus.

  • Use masks while visiting a grocery store or mart.
  • Select fruits and vegetables that are not bruised or damaged.
  • Fruits and vegetables should be bagged separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
  • Wash your hands after handling food and food packages when you return from the grocery store and after removing packaging from food.

Steps of food safety

Clean: Wash fruits & vegetables thoroughly under running water with intermittent rubbing. Wash them after taking home from grocery store, before eating, and before cooking. Use of soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended for washing fruits and vegetables. Washing should be followed by drying with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce pathogen load from the surface. Cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter-tops should be washed with soap and hot water. Frequent cleaning and disinfection of surfaces should be done. Ladles, tongs, condiment holders etc. should be washed and sanitized frequently.

Separate: Raw meat, poultry, fruits & vegetables must be separated from ready to eat foods and cooked foods. It is advisable to use different chopping boards, knives, and utensils for fresh produce, raw meat & poultry, and cooked foods. Cross-contamination among themselves must be avoided.

Cook: Cooking may kill virus as the experiences with previous coronavirus incidences (MERS & SARS) suggest heat treatment of 60 °C for 30 minutes have been found effective. Pressure cooking should be done to ensure maximum safety of cooked food. Washing hands and maintaining good hygiene is a must. For raw milk, an extended boiling should be practiced to ensure maximum safety. Pasteurized milk should be boiled before consumption. Milk packets should also be washed in running water followed by hand washing, before tearing the packet.

Storage: Cooked food should be consumed within two hours of preparation. If not, it should be refrigerated below 5 °C. Such refrigerated or thawed frozen RTE foods should be heated before consumption.

Other important points

  • US-Food & Drug Administration (FDA) advises not to share foods and beverages.
  • Good hand-washing requires use of enough soap to form a good leather for at least 20 seconds. Rub all parts of hands vigorously and thoroughly, followed by thorough rinsing under running water. Dry hands thoroughly using personal towel or disposable paper towels.
  • If hand-washing option is not accessible, an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol may be used. However, it is not a replacement to soap & water.
  • Soap, liquid detergent and dishwasher detergents are likely to inactivate the virus.
  • Touch points e.g. door handles, stove knobs, induction buttons, railings, etc., should be cleaned more frequently.
  • During grocery shopping, money handling should be avoided by using possible contact less payments options.
  • Prepare fresh cooked food at home avoiding takeaways and online orders, if possible.
  • Follow social distancing and safety measures for takeaways and online food orders.

Maintaining safety

Since there is no vaccine available at present for the prevention of COVID-19, avoiding exposure to this virus is the best way to prevent illness. Thus, basic principles of hygiene should be followed. Washing hands, cleaning and disinfecting surroundings, avoiding close contact, and taking advice from a doctor upon illness are the best ways to maintain the safety of all the family members.

An open letter to Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India

Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan
-
0
An open letter to Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India

We live in scary times. The entire world is on Lockdown, it would seem. Yet, the numbers of those afflicted by Covid-19, knows no abatement, alongside those succumbing to it. Donald J Trump, leader of of the free world, who boasted a few weeks ago that “the Chinese virus would miraculously disappear as it was a ‘Do Nothing Democrats’ conspiracy against my administration, they having failed to get me impeached”, now in a 180 degrees pivot says, “We may have more than 1,00,000 fatalities in the US.”

And he goaded and was goaded himself, by the US Congress into signing a $ 2.2 trillion bailout package, to rescue the “teeming millions joining the unemployed, small businesses and even the ‘too big to fails’ facing closure”. He has promised that more help was on the way. The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has himself joined the ranks of those impacted by Coronavirus, along with his Chancellor Rishi Sunak (social media is delighted after 200 years of British colonialism, now an Indian, son in law of N R Narayanamurthy of Infosys, was at the helm), has come with a sweet economic deal and promising more.

India is not lagging behind. After a successful Janata Curfew on 22nd March, 2020, Modi 2.0 is on an Aam Janata Rescue plan. Crores are to be put in the accounts of poor and underprivileged, allied to goodies as essentials in their homes and hands, from State Governments. Corporate India and economic purists, who always worried over ‘quantitative easing or deficit financing to make good the budget numbers’, are now crying hoarse that the Union of India “Damn the deficit as extraordinary times demand extraordinary responses. Financial prudence was the least of our priorities.” How many times they are a changing!

Be that as it may, time may have come for the Central Government and the State Governments, to grab these Pandemic Times, as THE occasion to achieve the twin aims of a huge reduction in the docket explosion in courts and a collateral yet humongous economic benefit in the hands of the litigants. Pendency in courts is a huge menace. Chief Justice after Chief Justice of India, have bemoaned it and promised solutions. They have worried that the system may collapse under its own weight, if it was not emergently attended to.

Nani Palkhivala called it, “a viral epidemic which may devour the good in the system”. He felt that the ‘snail’s pace was eating into the vitals’. Justice V R Krishna Iyer echoes the sentiments, “The State is the major culprit. Over 50% of the litigation is generated by them. The bureaucratic lethargy and unwillingness to take bold decisions persuades them to leave it in the lap of judiciary. Not a healthy state of affairs.” In a Nani Palkhivala lecture, Soli Sorabjee said “Tabulating the present pendency and juxtaposing the rate of disposal alongside the new filings, rest assured it will take only 300 years for a clean white slate”. Seminar Circuits, Law Commissions and Expert Bodies have sat, debated, discussed and delineated and the ‘why’ and ‘how’. Chief Justice Chagla downwards has opined that the answer lay in ‘identifying and appointing the most competent as Judges, and that does not come easy to political India’.

One therefore strongly feels that the Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) may just be the opportune moment to be grabbed, for a surgical remedy to be performed. Governments and constitutional courts can and need to come together for this once in a life chance to literally swipe the pendency off the surface, with a deserving dose of sanitizers. There may not be another, for Black Death, Bubonic Plague, Spanish Flu and now Covid-19- have been 1720, 1820, 1920 and 2020 phenomenons. World over, governments are vying with one another, to come up with economic dole outs. The populace is grieving on the physical, mental, emotional and economic fronts. It is felt that 1930 Depression and 2008 Economic Crisis were common colds, compared to the present.

In such a scenario, it would be a humongous bonus, if the Central, State Governments, and PSU institutions, came up with an Emergency Policy to agree to withdraw as many litigations as possible, from courts and releasing huge sums lying in court deposits to the hands of the people. There are hundreds of arbitration claims, insurance claims- particularly lakhs of compensation claims from motor accidents- tax liabilities, the works. Such sums are locked up and clogging the economic wheels, even in ordinary times. Now, one does not have to elaborate, when economic activity has come to a staggering full stop.

Add the potion and distressing inability of the ‘public servants’ to take decisions for fear of being hauled by the courts and ghosts of CVC/CBI/DVAC (Central Vigilance Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation and Department of Vigilance and Anti Corruption), you have a systemic fault line that has become an assembly line, and feeder category to the courts’ mounting arrears population. It is not going to disappear any sooner, as PILs based on newspaper reports are daily dosage for ‘activists’. There does not appear to be any vaccine on the horizon yet, to treat this viral Pandemic of inhuman proportions, on the pending litigations.

The apocryphal tale associated with Nani Palkhivala, “Father files a suit for recovery. Son obtains a decree. Grandson seeks execution of the decree. Great grandson realises the futility of the exercise’ is no longer funny or untrue. Time therefore for the powers that be, to take both issues by the scruff of the neck, throat, arms, legs, fingers, nails and deal with it m. the only way direly necessary. In one fell swoop, the Governments would have freed huge sums of money into the hands of the litigating public. And also dealt a body blow up the pendency pandemic enabling a clean slate start.

All it needs is the willingness, boldness and imagination. If Rs.1 crores and less income tax liabilities, stuck in courts, could be sorted out by an administrative order, it is eminently possible, on other fronts too. There would be many a domain expert – Advocates, retired bureaucrats, retired judges et al- ready to serve for free, for such a cause offering advices in identifying cases for withdrawal. Time is now. None is likely to grumble or question. Or even if there are dissenters and naysayers, of whom, we have no dearth, on any issue or occasion, they would be drowned out in the community of yes sayers and flow of obvious benefits, from such an exercise. Be brave. Be bold. We need leaders who not only eat last, but those who come forward first, with out of the box or without a box thinking even, for a huge national cause.

(Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan- Advocate practising in the Madras High Court)

1...461462463...889Page 462 of 889