Contagion and our Constitution – Pandemic and Preamble
The architect of our constitution felt that it is workable, flexible and strong enough to hold the country together both in peace and war time. If in recent times we…
Coronavirus
The Gilt Comes Off: Singapore Goes Into Lockdown
A clean, technology driven dystopia. A representation of our techno future. These were the introductory descriptions to a piece by science fiction author William Gibson on Singapore for Wired in…
Tragic miscalculations based on a false premise
Health expert Srinath Reddy on India's unpreparedness for the second wave, the danger of variant B.1.617, and waiving patents on life-saving medicines India’s second Covid-19 wave has been particularly vicious.…
Teachers at Crossroads during COVID-19 Pandemic in India
During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths of teachers got a huge media attention especially at the intersecting period of April-May 2021. The deaths of several hundred school…
When death floats down the Ganga
Allahabad: The recent images of bloating human bodies floating on the Ganga, with crows and dogs picking on the carcasses have shocked the nation and made headlines around the world.…
Does the government want to save oxygen or save lives?
Oxygen ‘audit’ and rationing is taking lives; anesthesiologists say planning adequate buffer stocks is the only way A string of recent directives, from the central government to states, and from…
China on the horizon as ‘world’s pharmacy’
Jospeh Stiglitz, the Nobel laureate, in an essay last week , with a startling title Will Corporate Greed Prolong the Pandemic? , wrote: “…Their goal is simple: to maintain as much…
Covid tragedy unfolds in Jharkhand
Dumka, Jharkhand: ‘I am completely alone’, says Asha worker Jayshree Marandi sadly. ‘He would have helped me in the care and education of the children, but Covid-19 snatched him from…
Role of Psychological Capital in Fostering Well-Being among Students in the Age of COVID-19
Health is a precious asset. The World Health Organization identifies health as a state of total physical, mental, and social well-being, rather than simply the absence of disease. It also…
Crowded Vaccination Centers And Overcrowding At Curfew Relaxation Hours
Turbulent times- that’s where we are living in! It almost feels like a flight leading to neverland that has been in turbulence since December 2019 and all of us are…
Situating the deaths of serving professors of AMU during Covid-19 pandemic in larger contexts and raising the questions that we need to raise
Could we know the exact or even approximate number of deaths caused due to Covid-19 and related symptoms which took place in last one month in Uttar Pradesh and which…
The Pandemic: Global Death Over 3.34M, India Reports Over 343,000 New Cases
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 3.34 million and over 160.8 million cases of the infection have been detected, according to Baltimore, Maryland's Johns Hopkins University…
COVID Crisis: Be Scientific, Convalescence Is No Answer
It is well known that Covid pandemic is caused by a novel virus (SARS-CoV-2), Its variants and mutated forms which did not exist earlier. It is natural not to…
RSS’ Positivity
No one is malicious and mean enough to believe that Modi has knowingly caused the death of lacs and disease to millions. He has done his best to prevent them…
Political Economy Of Modi Government’s Vaccination Policy
Modi on April 19 announced "liberalised vaccine pricing” policy. "Private vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price.” This is part-2 of a two-part article, dealing with Politics And…
‘Positivity Unlimited’ or Total Incompetence?
When Rome was burning, Emperor Nero was playing violin—it is said. What a coincidence! When India was suffering from Covid-19 our Prime Minister was busy playing with a peacock…
Need For Invocation Of Emergency Powers Under The Patents Act
Vaccination is the only solution to mitigate the ferocity of Covid-19. If we continue the present pace of vaccination, experts say that it would take many years to administer…
The Horror that is India
Why Is the Ruling Establishment Simply Incapable of Responding Any Other Way to the Pandemic? On the morning of 27th April I got a phone call from the youngest son of…
Election Commission And Its Role As Covid Superspreader
The Madras HC reminded the Election Commission that it was the "the most irresponsible institution" and even said its officials may be booked under murder charges…Causing death by negligence or…
WHO Declares Covid Mutation Found in India a ‘Variant of Concern’ for Global Health
The World Health Organization on Monday classified a coronavirus mutation first detected in India as a "variant of concern" for global health, warning that it appears to be more contagious…
Mumbai is touted as model city for Covid treatment But it needs to do far better
One does not see disturbing images of oxygen and bed shortage in Mumbai as are being seen from other cities during the Covid crisis. But he well-organised media hype over…
Covid-19 Vaccines: Politics And Economics Of The IPR Waiver Ploy
US announcement to discuss IPR relaxation came as Modi regime, a QUAD ally, was gasping for political breath after election setbacks, and an oxygen crisis in India. In a sudden…
Aligarh Muslim University: Havoc And Hope Amidst Pandemic
There is a general air of malaise at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Approximately 43 professors – both serving and retired – have lost their lives due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The rate…
Migrant Labourers and Lockdowns
It is now painfully clear that the Government of India has been woefully underprepared for the second wave of COVID-19. The resulting misgovernance [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9] is precipitating the announcement of…
Governance Lost! Finder will be rewarded
In early 2020, the Coronavirus took all countries by surprise, causing the first Covid storm (Covid-1). Even countries with a sound public health infrastructure struggled to manage the crisis arising…
Will the nation remember two lakh fifty thousand citizens who died due to Covid ?
The dance of death continues and it is extremely difficult to see people dying in pain without any dignity given to them even in death. Will India ever remember this…
A national Covid Strategy, the Need of the Hour- Not Knee-jerk responses
To Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Finance Minister With the daily new Covid cases exceeding 4 lakhs and the daily number of deaths exceeding 4,000, with nationwide shortages in terms of…
We Need To Breathe!
It was a scene which will forever be etched in the memory of millions the world over: on May 25 2020, on a street in Minneapolis, US- a white police…
Big Pharma Greed Will Prolong Pandemic—If We Don’t Fight Back
Written by Joseph Stiglitz and Lori Wallach The Covid-19 vaccines have been developed by scientists from all over the world, thanks to basic science supported by numerous governments. We must…
When death seeks finality this Covid season
All media is filled with the news of death. All social media timelines are overwhelmed with accounts of suffering, pain and loss. Pictures of pyres burning that are splashed across…
The surge and the Oxygen- Winners and the Losers
The concerned experts have been suggesting an increase in the share of GDP for health for last many years. The advice fell on the deaf ears of the government. Today…
Pandemic: Implications of RSS statement
The Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) tasted the allure of partial power during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government. It has now experienced seven years of complete power under the leadership of…
CM Of Karnataka, Act Now Against Communalisation Of The Covid Crisis
Report of Press Conference held via Zoom on 6th May 2021, 3 pm Opening the press conference, Ms. Bhargavi Rao, Trustee of Environment Support Group noted “We have lost so many of our…
Breach of Fundamental Duties – Spread of Virus
The World health organisation the health wing of United Nations has stipulated certain public health and social measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 virus. The measures were contemplated by…
People’s Vaccine Alliance lauds US decision to break open Covid-19 monopolies and urges others to follow
The United States government last night moved to support a waiver of intellectual property protections of the Covid-19 vaccine. The People’s Vaccine Alliance has been campaigning to suspend Covid-19 intellectual…
Boris Johnson walks away laughing with India’s Serum Institute in tow
Without doubt, Johnson has stolen a march over PM Modi just when the Indian foreign policy establishment is daydreaming about the possible induction of the UK into the Quad to…
In Responding To COVID Crisis, Prioritise Human And Environmental Health, Learning Lessons From The First Wave
Statement by the Vikalp Sangam Core Group India is in the midst of a COVID emergency. The pandemic’s 2nd wave has exposed the abysmal state of its public health system…
The Second Wave of Covid: The role of the political leaders – Has self-interest superseded people’s welfare?
While triumphantly launching the roll out of India-made vaccines on January 16, 2019, with a view to drive home his point of helping others selflessly, the Prime Minister quoted the…
Migrant Workers Stranded Yet Again
As the death toll and positivity rate in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic stays alarmingly high, lockdowns and other restrictions have been instituted in many…
Critical Comments on the Principal Scientific Advisor’s Interview
On April 23, 2021 the Economic Times published a short interview with K Vijay Raghavan, the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India. It is my understanding that…
COVID Disaster Is Transforming How India Handles Its Dead
In the past several weeks, the world has looked on in horror as the coronavirus rages across India. With hospitals running out of beds, oxygen, and medicines, the official daily…
Going to Court: The EU Sues AstraZeneca
It has been a relationship of characterised by bitterness and misunderstanding. It began with a poorly negotiated agreement – poor, that is, from the European Union perspective – between Brussels…
The Hindutva Cow Urine Cultural Nationalism And The Corona Crisis
Ever Since the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine came to power in 2014 the deepest crisis it is facing is the Covid-19 dance of…
Tackling Corona: Think Local, Act Local
First of all, I want to salute the front line health workers who have done a heroic job and have risked their life. No words or compensation can ever adequately…
COVID-19 Pandemic India: Need A Citizens’ Justice Committee To Fix Responsibility
First the personal facts briefly: I obtained MBBS degree dated 15th February, 1975 from University of Delhi. Obtained Master of Surgery (Orthopaedics) degree dated 23rd March, 1979 from University of…
Concern for Safety of Teachers Increases Following Large-Scale Deaths in Uttar Pradesh
In the middle of the serious conditions created by increasing Covid mortality, concerns over safety of teachers have increased following the allegations of deaths of nearly 700 teachers made by…
Forgetting Citizenship: Australia Suspends Flights from India
As India is being devastated by COVID-19 cases that have now passed a daily rate of 400,000, affluent and callous Australia has taken the decision to suspend all flights coming…
India covid tsunami
"If you are lucky to get a bed in hospital, you have to buy an oxygen cylinder every eight hours to keep your patient alive. Then, you get the only…
Maximum governance that fails to give oxygen
By April 2020, Centre knew that oxygen generated in India is not at all sufficient if the demand is increased and all formal requirements were completed to sanction and establish…
How Narendra Modi out-Bolsonaroed Brazil’s Bolsonaro
It will be considered no mean feat to outdo the likes of President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil. At every step of the corona crisis, he maintained a head-in-the-sand, denialist attitude. He…
Quid Pro Quo System
Written by Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant, Sandeep Pandey Narendra Modi once said he is a Gujarati and understands business. As time passes his business model is getting exposed and he…
How Hindutva socio-psychopaths rule India
The Hindutva socio- psychopaths are neither nationalists nor patriotic people. These medieval reactionary forces don’t understand the idea of citizenship, justice, liberty, equality and humanism. Indian democracy is merely an…
Corona Pandemic and Targeting of Minorities
Currently (April 2021) India is passing through its worst period as Covid19 Phase II is at its peak, with high rate of infectivity and mortality. The shortage of beds, Oxygen,…
Modi led Hindutva Pandemic in India
Indians struggle to find place and time to bury their dead due to the devastating effects of the second wave of COVID 19 in India. The crematoriums in the capital…
A Few Facts About Industrial And Medical Oxygen, And Our Callousness : A clarification
I wish to clarify that I am a scientist, I have no affiliations except to science and welfare of the society. I had made a few representations to PMO on…
We Need More Hospitals, Not Temple or Mosques
Written by Bobby Ramakant and Sandeep Pandey As India runs a drive for vaccination against Covid the nature reminds us about our diminutiveness by an accompanying surge in Covid…
Why I Chose Not To Get Vaccinated
For Urgent Attention Honorable Chief Minister, Punjab, Secretariate Chandigarh At the age of nearly 74 years, I need to get vaccinated for Covid19 as it is medically advisable, however…
A Few Facts About Industrial And Medical Oxygen, And Our Callousness
Written by Hanuman Lal Bengani and Dr. M. Bapuji Illustration by DOMINIC XAVIER / Rediff.com I, Dr. M.Bapuji, received the following information through friends from Indian Inst of Petroleum, Dehradun…
COVID Vaccine debate intensifies in the USA
Various Covid vaccines have been developed in unprecedented record time due to the widely voiced urgency . The normal time for development of a vaccine before the advent of Covid…
‘System collapse’ to bring private monopolies in the Health Sector
'The system has collapsed', is a general cry these days as event unfolding everyday bring more uncertainty and desperation. As an Indian, I can say, we were never so helpless…
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