by admin | May 25, 2021 | News
NEW DELHI — India witnessed highest spike of 3,86,452 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 3,498 fatalities due to virus infection in the last 24 hours, according to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It was the ninth day in a row when India recorded more than 3 lakh cases while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the past three days. On Thursday India witnessed 3,645 deaths, highest fatalities in a day.
India’s tally of total Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,87,62,976, the highest since the pandemic started in 2019, with 31,70,228 active cases and the total death toll stands at 2,08,330, according to the health ministry data.
The ministry said that 2,97,540 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 1,53,84,418.
The health ministry said that a total of 15,22,45,179 people have been vaccinated so far in the country.
Maharashtra reported a record high of 66,159 new Covid-19 cases followed by Kerala with 38,607 fresh cases and Uttar Pradesh 35,156. Delhi recorded 395 Covid-19 deaths and around 24,235 cases with positivity rate of 32.82 per cent. Karnataka reported a new all-time record with 39,047 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Friday to discuss the prevailing situation in the country. This will be the first meeting of the Council of Ministers in the aftermath of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 28,63,92,086 samples tested up to April 29, 2021 for Covid-19 of these 19,20,107 samples were tested on Thursday.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Representational image
New Delhi: The volunteers of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) are sparing no efforts to ensure a decent burial or cremation of Covid-19 victims. They have continued their service even while observing the dawn-to-dusk fasting during the month of Ramadan.
The medical wing of the TMMK had started the service last year. They have so far helped to bury or cremate over 2,170 persons belonging to different faiths, The Hindu reported.
”Our volunteers helped in the burial or cremation of 1,820 persons who died of COVID-19 till March 31. More than 350 bodies were handled in April alone, till Monday,” says M. Mohamed Rafi, joint secretary of the medical wing.
They do not charge for their service. However, the cost of the personal protective equipment they use and the cremation and burial charges are borne by the families of the deceased. ”If a family is unable to bear these expenses, volunteers try to source money from sponsors,” Mr. Rafi says.
Around 50% of the volunteers have taken the COVID-19 vaccine, Mr. Rafi says. Efforts are being made to get the others vaccinated.
The volunteers transport the body from the hospital to the burial ground or crematorium.
Religious rites are performed by the kin of the deceased. In the case of cremation, they take the body to the crematorium and hand it over to the staff there. And in the case of burial, the volunteers themselves do the work.
TMMK is a Muslim non-governmental organisation. It was founded in Tamil Nadu in 1995 by M. H. Jawahirullah.
The Muslim community have drawn appreciation from across the country as several members of the community been at the forefront in the battle against Covid-19. They have been extended their services in various forms.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
The delay could have been due to the US’ unfinished battle with the virus, its deliberative decision-making process, and, the desire to avoid a controversy
Frank F. Islam
By Frank F Islam
On Sunday, the United States (US) announced that it will immediately make available raw materials requested by vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) and will also send supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and personal protective equipment to India.
A statement released by the National Security Council, after a telephone conversation between US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, said additionally that Washington is “pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis.” The statement, which came after two overnight tweets by Sullivan and secretary of state Antony Blinken, both indicating that help was on the way, put an end to a period of speculation on whether the US was abandoning India during what may be its worst humanitarian crisis since Independence.
This concern arose because of the time it took the US to state exactly what assistance it would provide to New Delhi after the current cataclysmic wave of Covid-19 overwhelmed India’s health care infrastructure.
The period of uncertainty began after Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII, appealed to President Joe Biden in an April 16 tweet to lift an “embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that vaccine production can ramp up” in India.
Six days later on April 22, when asked by a reporter whether the White House would lift the ban on the export of vaccine raw materials that threatened to slow down India’s vaccination drive, a state department spokesperson, answered in a way that sounded like Washington might not allow the export. The next day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki clarified the issue, stating that the US is “working closely with Indian officials at both political and experts’ level to identify ways to help address the crisis.”
Despite Psaki’s reassurances, there was an impression created that the Biden administration might not help India. On social media, there was speculation that the bilateral relations between India and the US were strained. A few Indian analysts questioned the reliability of the US as a partner and suggested Russia may be a better ally.
While many of these theories have since been put to rest, questions arise as to why there was this period of uncertainty about what relief and support the US would provide to India.
There are three possible reasons for this: America’s own unfinished battle with the virus. The deliberative nature of the Biden White House decision-making process. And, the understandable desire to avoid a political controversy in the middle of the pandemic in the US.
First, even though Biden has exceeded his vaccination targets for his first 100 days in office, the US is still not out of woods, as far as the pandemic is concerned. On Saturday, April 24, more than 50,000 Americans tested positive for the dreaded virus and around 750 lives were lost.
That is why state department spokesperson Ned Price pointed out on April 22, while responding to the question on lifting the embargo on vaccine raw materials, that the country “has been hit harder than any other country around the world” and the administration has “a special responsibility to the American people.”
Second, when it comes to decision-making, Biden who served decades in the Senate and for eight years as vice-president to President Barack Obama is an institutionalist. He believes in getting feedback and inputs from different stakeholders before making a commitment to action.
Sunday’s announcement came following days of intense intra-agency discussions at the highest level, involving, among others, officials from the National Security Agency, the department of state and the office of the US Trade Representative. Interestingly, until the Sullivan-Doval call, there was no official statement from the Indian side on the issue, indicating that those discussions were going on. Finally, in these divisive times in the US, the administration must be mindful of potential attacks from the nativist “America First” crowd if it appears to chart a course in the international arena that suggests that it cares more about foreign nationals than its own citizens. It is true that there is a bipartisan support for relations with India. But there are some elected officials who could use the administration’s humanitarian and completely appropriate support for India and the world for exploitative purposes.
The good — and I should add expected — news is that the US is doing the right thing in lifting the embargo on vaccine ingredients and sending other critical supplies to India. The surprising thing is that there was ever any doubt or question that it would. The Biden administration also brings a compassion and moral understanding to the table that empowers it to do this as the right thing to fight this virus globally.
Frank F Islam is an entrepreneur, civic leader, and thought leader based in Washington DC The views expressed here are personal
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Employment
By Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Finally, some employees of the Times Now woke up to their journalistic conscience, urging the channel to shun “PR exercise of the Narendra Modi government in the name of doing journalism”.
Some current and former employees wrote an open letter to the Times Group MD Vineet Jain, besides marking the same to organisation’s editors Rahul Shivshankar, Navika Kumar and Padmaja Joshi as well, to register their angst, accusing the channel of doing everything but journalism.
Instead of asking questions to PM Modi for his callous attitude and misgovernance in handling the coronavirus crisis, the channel’s editors are engaged in spinning facts, applying all methods to protect PM from getting a bad name, the journalists said.
In a hard-hitting letter to the channel’s editors, the beleaguered and disillusioned employees of the channel said what Times Now is doing in the name of “journalism” these days is nothing but blatant PR for a government that has failed on every count and let down the people of this country.
The letter addressed to editors -Rahul Shivshankar, Navika Kumar, and Padmaja Joshi- said that the editors of Times Now are not willing to hold the BJP government accountable for its mismanagement of COVID19 pandemic.
They further alleged that the channel choose to find soft targets, engage in selective targeting of non-BJP governments and leaders and peddle BJP IT cell agenda.
It also diverts attention from real issues by debating overtly communal Hindu-Muslim stories and gives spin to every story that is not in favour of the government.
Here is the full text of the letter
To,
“Rahul Shivshankar, Navika Kumar, Padmaja Joshi
From,
The beleaguered and disillusioned employees of Times Now
Respected Sir/Madam
We, the former and current employees of Times Now, never imagined that we would come to a situation where we would have to write an open letter to remind the editors of the channel about the basic ethics and values of journalism. We are tired, dismayed, upset, angry and disillusioned looking at all that is unfolding around us and we have never felt so helpless. As journalists we were taught one thing: Always be on the side of the people. Always be on the side of humanity. Always hold those powerful accountable for their actions. But what Times Now is doing in the name of “journalism” these days is nothing but blatant PR for a government that has failed on every count and let down the people of this country.
Even as we write this letter to you, some of our colleagues and their families are paying the price because of the government’s incompetence in dealing with the COVID19 situation.
As journalists, we have all the information about what’s happening around us. People are waiting in ambulances or on the streets to get a bed in a hospital. Even worse, critical patients have to gasp and gasp and gasp for breath for hours, before they get Oxygen support. Some of them die while waiting. Life saving drugs are unavailable and good samaritans on social media platforms seem to be doing more than the government in helping the patients find these facilities. A prominent hospital in the national capital had to approach the High Court to get oxygen cylinders from the government to keep its patients alive. Hospitals have to tweet tagging the authorities to highlight how they are running short of Oxygen. States are fighting with each other claiming the Oxygen to be “theirs”. This is the reality we are living in today.
The entire system has collapsed. Let there be no doubt about that. More than this being a medical emergency, it’s a humanitarian crisis that’s unfolding right in front of our eyes. And what are we, as journalists of a powerful brand like Times Now, doing for the people of this country?
We still blame the opposition. We divert attention from real issues. We discuss overtly communal Hindu-Muslim stories. We spin every story that is not in favour of the government. And we maintain absolute silence when it comes to questioning the inept central government. We do not have the courage to even take Narendra Modi’s name and criticize him for the current mess we are in. We cannot even add a picture of Amit Shah while showing visuals of other opposition parties who are violating COVID19 guidelines by organising large rallies in election bound states. That’s how spineless we have become.
Remember how all of you used to cry “policy paralysis” during the UPA regime? Despite the entire system being in shambles now, have we even once called out the central government for its inefficiency?
It is very apparent that the editors of Times Now are not willing to hold the BJP government accountable for its mismanagement of COVID19 pandemic. When thousands of Indians are dying across the country, the least that is expected of us is to ask tough questions of the government and show the e ground reality as it is. Instead we choose to find soft targets, engage in selective targeting of non-BJP governments and leaders and peddle BJP IT cell agenda.
Precious air time where people’s sufferings can be brought to the notice of the government is being used to target the farmers, which obviously suits the BJP agenda. This is a classic example of how the media is trying to divert the attention from real issues.
Instead of asking questions to Prime Minister Modi for his callous attitude and misgovernance, the editors are hell bent on saving his image and protecting him from getting a bad name.
It’s also disheartening to see how messages sent by members of BJP IT cell are cut, copied and pasted by the channel and how it becomes prime time debates, thereby setting the country’s news agenda. Messages posted by a turncoat, a troll and a government lobbyist Shehzad Poonawala becomes the top story and he ends up getting more air time than the channel’s own reporters and editors.
What have we reduced ourselves to? A channel that consistently spoke for the voiceless janta, has now become a full blown propaganda machinery of the government. The channel that claims to put the nation first is oblivious to the sufferings of its own citizens.
When will you speak up for the people? When will you stop forcing your entire editorial team to work for the BJP’s agenda? How many dead bodies do you want to see before turning around and holding the government accountable? Is your privilege blinding you from seeing how people on ground are suffering? How much more blood do you want on your hands?
Respected editors, your choice is simple: Be on the side of humanity or be on the side of BJP. If you choose the latter, you are not only failing this profession, but also this country and its people.
To colleagues in other national channels, stand up and speak out. If we don’t do it now, history will never forgive us.
Thanking you
The former and present employees of Times Now”
—
Note : The veracity of the alleged letter is not confirmed.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate
Mukesh Ambani
By Dr. Prem Singh
Bare truth
When the Prime Minister imposed a sudden lockdown in the country last year on the night of 24-25 March, the heart-wrenching scenes of the exodus of migrant laborers brought forth the naked truth that the corporate India, which was being constructed for three decades, is sustained on the back of the hard-working masses. This truth is kept under wraps by the ruling classes under a mutual understanding as there is consensus among them on this very venture of corporate India. That time would have been most opportune for a debate on this truth and little thought would have been given to whether it was valid on any basis i.e., the values of the freedom struggle, the values of Constitution or even simple human values? But unfortunately that did not happen. In the discussions which took place in the circles of the ruling government, opposition and civil society on the exodus of migrant laborers who walked out on the rough roads in the whole country, it was assumed that despite their day and night hard labor, there is nothing wrong in keeping them poor and making them live a life bereft of any amenities.
As a result of the consensus on the corporate-India and the corporate politics which thrives on it, the working class will again be seen leaving the capitals/cities of the country and the states in case a third, fourth or even fifth wave of the corona pandemic happens. Imagine if the people enjoying a secured life in the corporate India had to go out on the streets in such a bad condition, would anyone have had the courage to play thali, conch-gongs, make airplanes dance in the sky, celebrate Diwali! This ‘sacred’ event for pandemic treatment was not celebrated by the Sanghis and Modi fans alone; Progressive and secular intellectuals and politicians/parties doing politics of social justice were also celebrating with great enthusiasm.
The patent of ‘Achhe Din’ has been done in favor of the builders of the corporate India for ever. There is no need to elaborate on this truth further. One fresh example would be sufficient. Speaking in the agenda setting debate series organized under the joint aegis of ‘Indian Express’ and ‘Financial Times’ on 22 April 2021, the country’s finance minister announced that despite the second wave of pandemic, the pace of reforms, especially disinvestment of public sector undertakings, will continue with full force. The corporate India is being formed, and then there should be people who pay for it. They should also be given some consideration. That is why the finance minister, very kindly has also stated that it would be necessary to give immediate attention to those who have paid favorably.
Be the makers of ‘Hindu-Rashtra’ or those who finely spin the idea of India – all have common faith in the corporate India. The corona pandemic has not even reduced this faith a bit. Let us not talk about Narendra Modi’s wiseacre (lalbhujhakkad) economists, even progressive economists never say that the toiling masses are not included in the economy of the country. For them, there are some schemes/programs only run in the name of the prime ministers, chief ministers and their favorite icons. There is a whole industry starting from the country to abroad to provide nomenclature and outline to such schemes/programs. Whenever such schemes/programs were run in the pre–corporate India era, it was at least said that poverty has to be removed. The ‘cry of poverty’ is prohibited in corporate India. If poor are there, a cheap labor is readily available for the construction of corporate India; And also, cheap votes to promote corporate politics.
Celebration in disaster
The reality of ‘Shining’, ‘New’, ‘Smart ‘, ‘Digital’ as well as ‘Ayushman’ India which has been promoted in a ‘halla-bol’ style, is exposed in the mirror of the pandemic. Patients are dying on the shoulders and in the laps of relatives without beds, medicines, oxygen, ventilators. Somewhere patients are being killed due to fire in the hospitals, somewhere due to oxygen leakage, somewhere due to oxygen dip. Funerals after death have become a difficult task. If the residents of South Asian and South East Asian countries did not have a natural charisma of resistance power, then in the absence of an effective public health system in India, corpses could have been piled up.
But politicians, bureaucrats, experts are busy day and night to tell that there is neither any shortage nor any omission from anyone in the power/system. An interdiction has been done so that prime minister’s image has not been affected at all. Right now, he is seen to have some calm. This time he has preached co-ordination and harmony between various agencies, describing lockdown as the last option. As the situation improves, or Bengal is conquered on May 2, he could make a furious outcry against the critics thundering the duping expression as he did earlier: “Mahabharata was won in 18 days; the war against corona will be won in 21 days”. Being of a festive nature, he has advised people to celebrate in the disaster. While giving the advice to celebrate the disaster, the prime minister must have believed that people will not be perishable. Because they have been well persuaded that Narendra Modi has come to perform big things.
The epidemic has made it clear that only the people at its center in corporate India have uninterrupted treatment facilities. The people who settled on the various sub-centers of it, who thought that throwing money would buy most expensive treatment for them, have come in trouble. Most people are settled on the margins of corporate India. They may have come to know that their status is no better than those who have been excluded. The pandemic has also conveyed the truth of how badly the multi-acclaimed corporate India is divided into pieces of religion, caste, sub-caste, gotra, region, language etc. The pandemic has shown that you must have an enemy to make your place and to make progress in the corporate India. Countless circles of hostile sentiments active in corporate India have turned the country into a quarrel zone.
True inspirations of dialogue have also come to light in the pandemic crisis. Many people, personally and institutionally, have played a role in wiping tears and creating harmony. This beating heart of humanity is a great support for Indian society at the moment. Gurudwaras had also handled a large responsibility during the first wave; the initiative of a Ghaziabad Gurudwara to provide oxygen to the needy gives hope that this initiative will be enhanced in the whole country.
Truth of governance
It has become clear from the BBC report that the prime minister had announced the lockdown without informing any concerned government department/institution, including the President’s office. He is very fond of showing manliness. In the pandemic too, he did not miss the opportunity. There has also been a report by a researcher that despite the fact that the government has had a lot of factual information about the second wave, no measures were taken to stop or deal with it. The government went on a campaign to win the elections, saying “Corona has been conquered”. When the second wave exploded, those who invited more and more crowds from liquor shops to rallies/Kumbh Mela gave a fatwa that people are guilty, they do not follow the rules!
The pandemic has revealed that the much-praised corporate India does not have anything called structural governance. A credit goes to the RSS that it has provided the first coxcomb (chhaila) prime minister to the country. For the prime minister, the meaning of policy-making, planning, governance etc. is the same as fashion and talks. The responsibility and accountability of the government comes not from making noise in the media, but by solving problems and crises inside seriously and honestly. Some of the remnants of responsibility and accountability that remain in political parties and government institutions are rapidly deteriorating in the corporate India. Because mere talking and advertising has become synonymous with good governance. The result is in front of the people. At the time of the first wave of the pandemic, an ostracized baby boy was dragging his dead mother’s fringe at Muzaffarpur railway station. This time a large number of big people are shaking the dead bodies of their loved ones deprived of treatment.
——————————-
(The writer teaches Hindi at Delhi University)
