Dear Friend,
Kerala model of Corona control cannot be replicated ‘as it is’ to other states. Kerala has a health services system it created through decades of investment and hard work by visionaries, which cannot be replicated elsewhere. Its health systems and processes have been evolved based on complex multiple processes in the geographical, social and political context of the state. But the Kerala model offers very valuable lessons for epidemic control and management across the world. Kerala is indeed a ‘model’ to be studied by not only public health historians but also by social and political thinkers of the future.
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Is there a Replicable Kerala Model of Corona Control?
by Kandathil Sebastian
Kerala model of Corona control cannot be replicated ‘as it is’ to other states. Kerala has a health services system it created through decades of investment and hard work by visionaries, which cannot be replicated elsewhere. Its health systems and processes have been evolved based on complex multiple processes in the geographical, social and political context of the state. But the Kerala model offers very valuable lessons for epidemic control and management across the world. Kerala is indeed a ‘model’ to be studied by not only public health historians but also by social and political thinkers of the future.
It seems Kerala state in India has successfully controlled the spread of COVID 19 virus in its geographical limits. Global community is now wondering whether this success model can be replicated in other parts of the planet. This article examines whether there is any such possibility through a socio-epidemiological lens.
Kerala Model – Version 1
Historical moorings of Kerala model can be traced back to a UN study titled ‘Poverty, Unemployment and Development Policy (1975)’ though the term ‘Kerala Model’ was first used by Malcolm Adiseshiah in the book, ‘Kerala Economy Since Independence (1979)’.
‘Kerala model’ gained popularity in 1990s when Robin Jeffrey wrote his book ‘Politics, Women and Well-being (1992)’ in which he discussed how Kerala state which was earlier considered a ‘problem state’ in 1950s became a model in social development by gaining India’s lowest infant mortality, longest life expectancy and highest female literacy. Later, many articles by Amartya Sen and Jean Derez stated that Kerala State has attained high social development at a relatively low level of income by comparison to the rest of India.
However, a Kerala model which could not offer enough jobs to the state’s youth, welfare services financed by excessive borrowing, it’s still unfinished agenda of gender justice, marginalisation of tribal communities, unregulated land use in the state that led to excessive quarrying, environmental catastrophes and disappearance of food crops from the state’s farm lands was later criticised as an unsustainable model by many thinkers.
Despite these problems, Kerala’s achievements in the social sector, especially on literacy and education, health care, communication and demographic indicators have been widely appreciated. Can this model be easily replicated in other states too?
The answer probably is ‘No’! Roots of Kerala’s social development has already been well documented by numerous researches which inter alia include social interventions by progressive Maharajas and Missionaries, socio-political movements led by Marxists and other political parties, reform movements of both backward and upper castes and so on. These complex historical and social processes took place across a span of several decades and a replication elsewhere within a short duration is perhaps impossible.
Kerala Model – Version 2
When experts stopped calling Kerala a model for social or economic development, the state got global appreciation and recognition for its effective handling of the Corona pandemic. Kerala’s less disruptive, less costly, and more effective model of Corona virus control have following key elements.
- Presence of a robust Public Health System
- A popular campaign on ‘breaking the virus chain’ and non-stigmatisation
- Implementing strict home quarantine rules
- Ensuring uninterrupted supplies including food
- Aggressive testing, early detection, contact tracing
- Preparedness for a potential second wave
Robust Public Health System
The most important ingredient of Kerala model is the existence of a state-wide available, accessible and affordable public health system. This is not something Kerala has created after the arrival of Corona virus. Despite having a well developed Ayurvedic system in the state, in 19th century, the rulers of the ‘state’ brought in modern western medicine.
In 1879, through a royal proclamation, vaccination was made compulsory for public servants, prisoners and students. Hospitals for curative care were in existence around this period in major cities. In 1928, there were epidemiological surveys to control parasitic infections (hookworm, filariasis etc.). Town improve committees set us during the British period had responsibilities to ensure public health, sanitation and distribution of safe drinking water.
Christian missionaries immensely contributed to educating women, lower castes and marginalised communities in the villages and towns. Educated girls were encouraged to become nursing professionals. Nursing started as a service to patients eventually got professionalised, though the service orientation of Nursing staff from Kerala continue to get applauses across the world.
In Independent India, successive Kerala governments made priority investments in expansion of health and education services not only in the public sector but also in the private sector. Government has set up extensive facilities for training health care professionals and ensured high standards of medical education in the state.
Campaign on ‘Breaking the Chain’ and non-stigmatisation
Kerala has a history of large social movements and popular campaigns. The temple entry movement of Dalits and movement of lower caste women to dress appropriately are examples of some successful early movements in the state. Campaigns of later years, for example, People’s Science Movement (led by Kerala Shastra Sahithya Parishad), Library Movement, Literacy Movement etc. were led by ordinary people of the state (with little or limited involvement by the government). These campaigns were attended and led by people from all caste groups as these had messages of liberty and equality.
All these campaigns helped the people of the State to develop a scientific temper and spirit of enquiry and learning. Widely quoted words of state’s health minister are: “Fighting an epidemic like corona requires scientific temper, humanism and a spirit for inquiry and reform. We strictly follow scientists and experts”.
Through music and media, the state has communicated effectively in different languages to educate the entire population, including migrants, and prevented stigmatization of those infected. The campaigns organised by government are the most inclusive as it invited all key stakeholders, local bodies and civil society organizations to participate in campaign design and implementation.
These campaigns provided essential epidemiological information to understand the threat and related issues, ensure compliance with prescribed precautionary measures, and avoid panic. Many individuals, groups and communities aggressively campaigned on steps to be followed to break the chain of virus spreading like the people of the state did in earlier campaigns too.
Following Strict Quarantine Rules
Most viruses and bacteria are crowd dependent for survival. Kerala, though the most densely populated state in India has a housing pattern which is scattered and spread across the state. Upper and middle classes stay in farmhouse like settings. This has helped the middle class of the state to maintain social distancing.
In fact, state has a controversial and notorious history of prescribing strict distances to be maintained by polluting castes when they approached non-polluting upper castes. Memories of this bitter past has come up during this campaign too, but public intellectuals in the state were quick to call this rule as ‘physical distancing’ and not ‘social distancing’.
Washing hands, face and feet whenever you come home from outside is a rule generally followed by the Kerala households for centuries. Most houses in the state even today keep water in a long-knobbed vessel called KINDI at the entrance for hand and feet washing to ritually follow this tradition. Hygiene and handwashing are ingrained in people’s tradition.
Kerala is also the destination for many Indian internal migrants. There were problems with the migrant labourers in maintaining physical distancing. Unlike other states, Government of Kerala which considers these migrant workers as ‘guest workers’ (unlike many other states who consider migrant workers as parasites and burdens) has provided many welfare services to them, even before the arrival of Corona. The state has successfully slowed the spread of infection in the state by promoting physical distancing, sanitary precautionary measures, and by providing better protection for health care staff, by learning lessons from its earlier implementation of NIPAH prevention activities.
Ensuring Uninterrupted Supplies
Adequate supply of essential commodities, particularly food and medicines, has been ensured, especially to protect the most vulnerable sections of the state. Effective and functional food distribution through Public Distribution System is something which only few states like Kerala can boast about. Immunity boosting through food supply was ensured throughout the state. In many cases, people were provided with their rations at their doorsteps using police and official volunteers. The quarantined migrant workers were provided supplies of their local food, maintained the stress levels low by providing TV based entertainment in their own languages at their quarantined premises and made public announcements in relevant vernaculars to keep them informed about strict quarantine measures. “No one will go to bed hungry in the state” was a promise repeatedly made and delivered by the Chief Minister of the state.
Aggressive Testing, Early Detection, and Contact Tracing
The state has previous experience in effectively dealing with a similar virus called NiV. In May 2018, a Nipah virus disease outbreak was reported from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in Kerala. This outbreak was successfully managed by the state government and has been acknowledged as a success story. Coordination structure and mechanisms that were instituted by the state and performance of surveillance and interventions including non-technical support functions during the NiV outbreak were rated as the best by agencies like WHO through assessment of reduction of transmission. The outbreak of NiV demonstrated the importance of preparedness for similar events in the future. Based on lessons learned from the NIPAH management, the state health department promptly went into action, setting up a coordination centre on 26 January 2020. Recognizing there was no time to be lost, the Kerala state government set up mechanisms to identify, test, isolate and treat those infected, quickly.
Preparedness for a Potential Second Wave
Keralites are one of the most migrating communities in the world. They are present in all the high prevalent states in the world. The state understands that it is not yet time to become complacent. Accordingly, the state has already drafted plans to deal with a likely second wave of epidemic, when the migrant Keralites return after the lockdown period.
Can the Kerala Model be Replicated?
As explained above, the Kerala models of social development as well as epidemic control are products of various historical and social processes and has evolved over a period. Trying to implant the model to other states may not work always.
Model making is often a fallacy as models are made with simplifications and assumptions from observations that discount many nuances a model maker could not consider in the modelling process. This is especially true of models based on social and human behaviours which lack historical and social contexts of observed realities. I will go with George Box who said in 1970s: ‘all models are wrong, but some are useful’.
Kerala model of Corona control cannot be replicated ‘as it is’ to other states. Kerala has a health services system it created through decades of investment and hard work by visionaries, which cannot be replicated elsewhere. Its health systems and processes have been evolved based on complex multiple processes in the geographical, social and political context of the state. But the Kerala model offers very valuable lessons for epidemic control and management across the world. Kerala is indeed a ‘model’ to be studied by not only public health historians but also by social and political thinkers of the future.
(Kandathil Sebastian is Social Scientist, Novelist and Researcher based in Delhi. He has been part of many Public Health programs implemented by INGOs in South Asia.)
Brutalising Labourers, Jailing Dissidents
by Subhash Gatade
A medical emergency is no pretext to impose a political emergency.
A medical emergency is no pretext to impose a political emergency.
How many policemen in civil clothes are required to deliver a mere summons to an editor of a web journal 700-k away in an age of email and WhatsApp? The recent action of the Uttar Pradesh police, where it sent a posse of 7-8 policemen, in civil clothes, in a black SUV with no number plates, to Siddharth Varadarajan’s residence in Delhi to deliver a summons has prompted this question.
Definitely the police did not bother to ponder over how Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, will present himself to the authorities during a lockdown which has brought trains, flights and even private transport to a standstill.
The manner in which the issue has unfolded has caused an international uproar with 3,500 jurists, scholars, actors, artists and writers condemning Uttar Pradesh Police’s actions against The Wire, and saying that a “medical emergency should not serve as the pretext for the imposition of a de facto political emergency.”
How Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government will respond remains to be seen, but the story in The Wire on the Tablighi Jamaat, which also noted that “Indian believers” responded late to the viral epidemic obviously provoked the powers-that-be into action. The episode has brought into sharp focus the priorities of the government during the epidemic, which it is supposedly fighting a “war” against.
During this lockdown, most political activities stand suspended, and the citizenry are restricted to their homes, but a BJP-ruled government is still chasing one member of the independent press. The Delhi police has brought ignominy on itself by failing to apprehend members of a 200-strong gang which unleashed violence in JNU in January 2020 despite catching their movements on CCTV. Its handling of the north-east Delhi violence, where it is alleged that they did not respond to distress calls from those under attack, is equally lacklustre. Suddenly, the same police has become proactive and arrested two students of Jamia Millia Islamia, Saroofa Zargar, an MPhil student and media manager of the Jamia Coordination committee and Meeran Haider, a PhD student, who is president of the RJD or Rashtriya Janata Dal’s youth wing’s Delhi unit.
A joint statement by teacher’s organisations has called this a “retaliatory revengeful action against those who were active in the movement… on trumped-up charges relating to the North East Delhi riots and other baseless allegations”.
These students were at the forefront of the historic movement to defend constitutional rights, and opposed the CAA and the NRC. Their movement had a massive impact throughout the country. Despite provocations from the police and right-wing elements, the movement stuck with its non-violent path and in the wake of the global Novel Coronavirus pandemic, they peacefully withdrew.
Demanding immediate release of these leaders this joint statement signed by FEDKUTA, DUTA, JNUTA and Jamia Teachers Association JTA as well as AIPWA, IPTA, Janwadi Lekhak Sangh, Jan Sanskriti Manch etc underlined that Safoora Zargar is pregnant and requires proper care and medical supervision.
The timing of the arrest of student leaders/activists and targeting of others is significant.
The timing of the arrest of student leaders/activists and targeting of others is significant.
Remember, this happened exactly when the functioning of the home ministry—which is directly under Shah’s supervision—was increasingly coming under a scanner, including for how the Delhi police has been acting during the last few months.
Or, consider the Markaz event where the Tablighi Jamaat held its programme in Delhi. No doubt, theirs was an unwise decision, but can it be singled out for this and the entire Muslim community targeted for their mistake? What about role of Delhi Police and the Ministry of External Affairs? Should not they be blamed equally? Remember, the TJ could not have held its programme without permission from Delhi Police, which, again, is directly under the Home Ministry.
The Maharashtra government did not allow the TJ to hold its convention in March because of the Covid-19 epidemic. Anil Deshmukh, home minister of Maharashtra pointedly asked why the Union Home Ministry did not act in time. Not a very comforting question for someone who is compared with Sardar Patel by his followers.
The government was also facing flak for being ill-prepared to provide essential supplies during the lockdown which it had suddenly put in place. Besides, Shah has remained tight-lipped about the migrant labourers who fled on foot, by bus or train, for their homes right after it was imposed. Yet, it turns out that the home ministry had no qualms in making special arrangements for the return—in around 30 super-luxury buses—of around 2,000 Gujaratis who were stranded across Uttarakhand in the aftermath of the lockdown. The operation was wrapped in so much secrecy that Uttarakhand’s transport minister was not even aware of it.
Filing criminal charges against a reputed editor, apprehending activists who were running peaceful democratic movements under serious charges and arresting Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde, two of India’s finest human rights activists, make it crystal clear that Covid-19 has provided an opportunity to target dissenters and suppress civil liberties.
Barring cheerleaders, all are being penalised if they hold ideas contrary to the regime. A commitment to speak truth to power and ideals enshrined in the Constitution is proving costly for many. A statement issued by NAPM on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, 14 April, details how governments are using the Covid-19 lockdown for “destroying the democratic institutions and processes, restrict fundamental rights and freedom and criminalise any critique as sedition and anti-national. The federal character of the Indian state is being put under the strain and being eroded constantly.”
It talks about filing of FIRs against Prashant Bhushan, Ashlin Mathew, Kannan Gopinathan and the continued incarceration of peasant leader Akhil Gogoi in Assam, of Dr Kafeel Khan in Uttar Pradesh, of Abhilakh Singh, secretary of Theka Mazdoor Kalyan Samiti in Pantnagar University, teacher Konsam Victor Singh and Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy in Manipur, Soneswar Narah and Pranab Doley of Jeepal Krishak Shramik Sangha in Assam and many others arbitrarily arrested for their Facebook posts, WhatsApp forwards and, most importantly, for raising questions over the government actions.
In addition, the government circulated a Cabinet note which has talked of raising the official working hours from 8 to 12 hours a day, defeating the hard-won rights of workers in a single stroke.
Teltumbde’s prophesy on the eve of his arrest is worth pondering over again: “In the name of the ‘nation’, such draconian laws that denude innocent people of their liberties and all constitutional rights are constitutionally validated.
Teltumbde’s prophesy on the eve of his arrest is worth pondering over again: “In the name of the ‘nation’, such draconian laws that denude innocent people of their liberties and all constitutional rights are constitutionally validated.
“A jingoist nation and nationalism have been weaponised by the political class to destroy dissent and polarise people. The mass frenzy has accomplished complete de-rationalisation and inversion of meanings… it is with a feeble hope that I write to you at such a grim moment.
“Well, I am off to NIA custody and do not know when I shall be able to talk to you again.
“However, I earnestly hope that you will speak out before your turn comes.”
The author is an independent journalist.
Originally published in News Click
Anti-China Propaganda In The Backdrop Of Covid-19 Pandemic
by Dr S Jatin Kumar
. A section of the world is blaming China as culprit without a tangible proof. Politics took precedence over Science. This pronounces that the need of the hour is to share knowledge and cooperate with each other and fight the virus globally as a united task force. The Chinese authorities are repeatedly pleading the world to act in this direction. But some of the countries and USA are acting differently.
A pandemic is a situation where a disease spreads to various countries and continents globally in a short time. Even before one understands the nature and progression of the disease, it kills a number of people. The present Covid-19 virus was declared as a pandemic by the World health organisation (WHO) on 11thMarch 2020. To understand what a pandemic means, let us go to some historical experiences from past. Small pox and Plague of bygone centuries which killed crores of people repeatedly are still remembered as worst pandemics. From the recent past, The Spanish Flu (1918 -20) with a death toll of 2 to 5 crores, Asian Flu (1957-58) killing more than 11 lakhs, Hongkong Flu (1968) with deaths of more than 10 lakhs, Swine Flu (2009-10) killing 2 lakh people are well noted. The cholera, yellow fever, leprosy, HIV (1981), SARS (2002-3), EBOLA (2014), MERS (2015) are also considered pandemics. HIV is considered to have taken away 3.5 crores of lives so far but spreading in a very slow pace; the Ebola killed more than1.3 lakhs people by 2016. Thus, pandemics may be slow or fast in spread and vary in mortality.
The present COVID-19 disease caused by a novel CORONA virus (nCoV-2019) strain is spreading very fast and as on 18th April 2020 more than 22.97lakhs are affected in about 200 countries and more than 1.57 lakhs people have perished. It is to be noted that the advanced medical knowhow, treatment modalities, the advancement in scientific knowledge, information technology, progress in identifying the disease early and combating it with all capabilities are all helpful in containing the infections. The past knowledge alone will not be sufficient as the virus presents in a different mode and new defences developed by it through gene mutations. The present novel virus is also a mutated form from the family of influenza viruses. We require a new game plan to treat and eradicate it. The virus is constantly changing its form even after the first outbreak in Wuhan of China in the last week of December 2019.
As on today the virus is found in three strains (varieties). A-variety spreading in America and Australia, B-variety seen in China, Korea, Japan, Hongkong and some other East Asian countries, and C-variety is violent in France, Italy, Sweden, England etc., meaning that the virus is still evolving. It is interesting to note that A-variety virus was seen in Americans who lived in Wuhan but most Chinese patients in Wuhan harboured B-variety virus. This observation brings out the need for more scientific study to conquer the virus.
Though the first cases were seen and reported in Wuhan, there is no substantial proof to say that the virus originated there. The first studies identified the source of Covid 19 from bats and pangolins and highlighted Wuhan as the initial epicentre. Multiple arguments were put forward mostly by politicians and media of the west, accusing of vicious motives to China.
The politicized attacks over the initial outbreak were aimed at maligning China and none had the patience to hear what the scientists of the world would say. The epidemiologists world over are still wondering and conducting studies on the origin and spread of virus which has not been straight, and shows complex pattern of mutations. They are trying to make sense of the new disease. Meanwhile the epidemic became pandemic. A section of the world is blaming China as culprit without a tangible proof. Politics took precedence over Science. This pronounces that the need of the hour is to share knowledge and cooperate with each other and fight the virus globally as a united task force. The Chinese authorities are repeatedly pleading the world to act in this direction. But some of the countries and USA are acting differently.
Some of the US politicians, intelligence agencies and media of the west are engaged in promoting false propaganda (rumours), misinformation and misinterpretations regarding China’s role in the fight against Covid19. Throwing mud at China and blindfolding their citizens and other people world over, creating misguided ill feelings against China, is an old trick played by US authorities. Rightist sections in some of the countries joined hands with USA in this game. US authorities are politicising the pandemic, manipulating the public opinion and stigmatising China. This attitude of USA broadly serves three purposes like firstly diverting public attention from the havoc in their country, secondly worsening China’s investment environment, and thirdly to win support of voters in the forthcoming presidential elections.
As on 18th April there are more than 7,19,000 Covid positive tested cases in USA, about 38,000 patients died and the figures are increasing every hour. It is very evident that the most advanced and most prosperous country in the world is unable to contain the viral menace. The health services and medical institutes in USA are not geared up and not able to cope up with the fast expanding corona in their country even though the first corona case was reported on 21stJanuary2020 in Washington.
On the other hand, the Chinese took all possible precautions to contain the epidemic and took care of people, ever since the first case was identified in the last week of December, and they precisely informed WHO on 31st December 2019. They rose to the challenge with war footing efforts of government and people combined together to win over the dreaded virus. They could contain the disease to the place where the first outbreak occurred, limiting the total number of cases to over 82,000 and deaths to 3300 during the 3 months period from the first death due to this virus on 11th January. In this scenario the leaders of USA, to hide their failure, are trying to show China as the source of the virus and root cause of the ongoing misery. They are not accepting their inactivity, irresponsible attitude and lack of preparedness to combat the pandemic, in spite of having time of two months from the time of their first case to the rapid spread of the disease in the United States.
China and World Health Organisation [WHO] have alerted the world. The virus crossed the borders of China by 20th January. A few cases were reported in other countries. Global Health Emergency was declared on 31st January 2020, i.e. just one month from the date of China’s first communique on 31st Dec2019. Starting from 3rd January China gave regular and periodic information about the Covid virus to WHO and USA. Russia, South Korea, Hongkong, Vietnam and Singapore took action including closure of borders with China and domestic institutions like schools, malls etc.; they were closed from February in some of the countries. This prompt reaction was due to their past experience of H1N1 epidemic and today they are in safe limits.
But the USA took no lesson from their past and acted with recklessness and carelessness about people’s life. On March 11th WHO declared Covid 19 as pandemic when the illness was seen in almost 110 countries and territories and over 1,18,000 cases were reported. WHO has many times pointed out the pandemic potential of the covid epidemic. “Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a crisis that will touch every sector, so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight against this crisis”, as per the Director general of WHO. The technological, scientific, economic and intelligence parameters of USA are considered so high that it cannot remain silent. It should have taken steps to prevent the pandemic as its global duty, even if WHO did not react swiftly. Instead USA took to a blame game against China and WHO, that both of them colluded and did not alert the world.
In reality China has promptly informed WHO local office in late December, and formally on January 3rd about the unknown type of pneumonia caused by a new virus spreading in one of their provinces. China informed the same to USA also on 3rd January and had several telephonic conversations later on with US authorities. Before the official communication, Chinese authorities conducted a number of press conferences including international press briefing about the new disease. It may be true that in the first phase, China too might not have understood the intensity or potential magnitude of this new disease. In fact, it was only on Jan 5th, a Lab test ruled out other pathogens of Flu. It is not unusual or a crime to take some time to understand and estimate the severity of the new disease. It needed to be evaluated on basis of scientific data.
As observed above, even today the scientific community could not deliver a confirmed opinion. But China, as soon as it could find out and pin down the nature and character of the virus and disease, got down to arrest it and shared the information. It reacted so well and controlled the “Unprecedented Epidemic situation with an Unprecedented swiftness and vigour” that the world acclaimed their efforts. China could identify the virus, its mode of spread, its genome structure, developed quick diagnostic kits within a short period and developed possible medical treatment methodology and very transparently transferred this knowledge to the international scientific community.
The way China locked down 6-7 crores of people for prolonged period, the first time in mankind’s history, attended not only the medical needs but also the daily requirements of people, supplied necessities to the doorsteps of people, are now taken as bench marks of dealing an epidemic. They developed fever clinics, makeshift hospitals and designated hospitals for this purpose, adopted a “three zones -two passages strategy” at their hospitals. Monitored every person by mobile apps and other technics, temperature squads were employed. Huge infrastructure was created within days, mobilising more than 20000 medical and paramedical trained staff from other provinces, including 4000 from the military, the brotherhood and social responsibility nurtured between the citizens, the sacrificing and duty-bound attitude of employees are of high human values. The dedication and planning of the political leadership is outstanding and speaks of the magnificent rich values of socialist society. Never were such steps taken by the so-called developed countries in the history of combating epidemics. They never shared the scientific data nor developed such procedures in the service of humanity.
But still the American and western press blames china of adopting “draconian, authoritarian methods, violating human rights and denigrating citizens freedom” etc. It is true that Chinese adopted very stringent measures which required high degree of efficiency, discipline and massive infrastructural facilities. They stood as a model to follow. Now when globally the infection is seamlessly raising, they are back to almost normalcy. Now they are engaged in screening, tracing and treating the imported and sporadic cases with a strong vigilant eye and prepared to extinguish the second tide of the virus in their country.
While China was fighting the Covid virus tooth and nail, the US and its allies are engaged in spreading another anti-china political virus. They accused that the novel virus was creation of China in the Wuhan laboratory and was intended to rage bio-war against USA and it accidentally got released. This idea was mooted as early as January by the New York times and other popular media. Senators and strategists in US repeated it tirelessly. But later news agencies like USA Today conducted fact check and found it as baseless and deliberate false propaganda. Medical journals like Lancet, Scrips research institute, US national academy of sciences and many more scientific bodies unequivocally declared the novel virus as a natural mutation in nature and rejected the plea that it was created in a laboratory. Next, the perpetrators attributed the rapid spread of disease to the unscrupulous carnivorous eating habits of Chinese and spread a tide of racial discrimination depicting all Chinese as a reservoir of virus. Today we see the spread of virus irrespective of eating habits, across all races and regions. Scientific studies are going on to determine whether the Wuhan wet market was the real source (as was thought initially) or not. American administration accuses China and WHO that they withheld information on the severity of the disease and misinformed the world on the mode of spread. USA and others are attacking the World Health Organisation because WHO appreciated the efforts of China in controlling the epidemic, contrary to the opinion of USA. Mr. Trump openly complained WHO is taking major funds from USA but appreciating China.
Of late on 6th April 20th, China published the timeline of events regarding Covid 19, which brings out the transparent role played by the Chinese government and how it expressed its concern over the spread of the epidemic from the beginning. It is true that first the epidemic was thought to be originating from animals or birds and their contacts only. But soon it was recognised that it spreads by human to human contamination also. As soon as this was identified the information was passed on and propagated widely. Is it justifiable to blame a country that it did not disclose the facts prior to obtaining scientific evidence?
Today we have sufficient knowledge regarding identification, isolation and treatment of patients, sanitization of houses, hospitals, buildings and roads. We know better how to destroy the articles and apparatus used in treatment, disposing biowaste, how to protect the health care providers and disinfecting the personal protection equipment used by them. Method of scientific disposal of dead bodies is also learnt. Thanks to the Chinese contribution. The Chinese have developed all the procedures and protocols by trial and error while losing their people.
But it is unfortunate that most of the other countries are unable to implement even the readily available lessons which are hard learnt by Chinese. This showcases the attitude of leaders of socialist society in their care for people in comparison to the callous nature of the leaders of capitalist clan. This also brings out the strength of socialist society in combating a common enemy with participation of all men and women. It is obvious that in USA and such other countries there is no such unified, single hearted effort. Gaps exist between federal and state local governments. Different strategies put forward by different sections voice their self-interests rather than welfare of the society. Indecisiveness prevails because of conflicting and vested interests.
The ongoing discussion on human life and economic stability-which is to be given priority -is clear indication of dilemma in capitalist society. Mr Trump represents them by declaring that American economy is not for a lockdown, whereas Chinese communist leadership ordered for a shutdown of all economic activity without blinking an eye to save lives of people. They mobilised all people, skills, trained personnel, resources and raged a united peoples war against the virus. They controlled the epidemic in their country to a large extent and are on the way to normalcy. Now they are extending a helping hand to all who seek their help to control the pandemic. It is clear that China fought a war not only to save their people but also to save the human race. It appeals that the whole world should join hands and fight unitedly with a concerted global strategy against Covid virus.
It was also propagated widely by western capitalists that Corona was spread deliberately in Wuhan where many western and European companies exist with huge investment. They said it was to intimidate the foreign investors so that the companies sell away their properties and shares at throw away prices to the Chinese government. They continued arguing that China after making a profit of 20 billion dollars in the process, controlled the epidemic after the foreign companies sold their properties. How absurd it sounds; it was the foreign investors who over reacted to the epidemic and expected that China’s economy will dwindle beyond repair and cannot recoup. Hence, they wanted to leave China. But the Chinese leadership took all possible remedial steps and restored their economy. This was beyond the estimates of capitalist economists.
The investors blame that Chinese government overstated the situation regarding virus whereas the CIA says “China has understated the corona virus infection.” “It’s death count also could not be relied upon” says CIA but shows no proof. It shows the utter disregard of capitalist world to the actual situation and they only talk and spread whatever looks convenient for them. They argue based on the predictive models of USA. This is purely fiction and without much data or adequate modelling approaches. They also accuse bureaucratic misreporting by Chinese. This again is based on their suspicions and suppositions and outdated understanding. US authorities are showing the drop of 2.1 crore cell phone connections as an evidence of high death toll in China. The western media also attributes fall in phone connections to the deaths. How ridiculous!
In China communication channels between central and local governments are direct and quite transparent and no one can hide the information. Once the pressure of attending on a huge number of patients in a short span is overcome, the medical services took stock of the situation, reviewed statistics for unrecording, or non- inclusion of deaths that occurred at home, or missed due to initial urgency and lack of uniformity of criteria in different regions. New entries were also due to the changing definition of what constitutes a covid-19 case world over. They recently published the revised, updated statistics on 17th April with total deaths in Wuhan as 3869 instead of 2579. Today total cases in china reached 82,735 and death toll of 4632. The figures are revised to show “accountability to history, to the people and the victims,” and to ensure “open and transparent disclosure of information and data accuracy”.
The main motive of US authorities is to tarnish the image and status of China as the amazingly developing nation. As it reached the status of 2nd largest economy in the world, it is trying for a new order in the world. In place of hegemony and exploitation, it is proposing for establishing a community with shared future for mankind and a community of common destination as goals. It is steadfastly uniting the developing and underdeveloped countries for peace and development.US considers it as a threat to its hegemony and always tries to halt the progress of China in every possible manner. But unable to fulfil its aspiration, it declared a trade war against China which was promptly retaliated. Now it started attacking the economic basis of China which has grown as the manufacturing hub of the world. US wants to affect the exports of China by spoiling the brand image and thus worsen China’s investment environment.
At the outbreak of the epidemic US was hoping that china’s economy will crumble and declared that “More jobs will come to Americans and Mexicans”. But soon it became evident that Corona outbreak made strong turbulence in US economy where as China’s economy stood stable. It is reported that US lost 1.6 crores of jobs in last three weeks. Unable to control the declining economy it resorted to spread fallacious stories on China and trying to shift the responsibility on that country. Now it complains of the poor quality of goods from china. It stooped to such low levels of creating a fear that virus may be imported through Chinese goods. China could withstand such mudslinging and tirade of misinformation. The socialist market economy of China could not be crashed by USA and came out as the most vibrant and vigorous economy. When the whole world is devoting itself in the war against the viral crisis, some countries, especially US, are concentrating on to calculate how many people died in China. If they put the time and energy in handling their viral outbreak, more lives might be saved.
Lastly it is not out of place to think that the present President Mr. Trump is promoting the Anti- China political virus to win support of voters by infusing the xenophobia in Americans. Mr. Trump could not meet his election promises and now he needs some explanation for his failures. He is making China a scapegoat and trying to picturise that he only can lead the confrontation with china if re-elected. Every occasion is used for this purpose and the pandemic provided another opportunity. The tendency of Trump is made more obvious. But the present situation shows a severe back lash from Americans against this tendency of blaming China for everything.
Though United states of America is leading this Anti-china strategy, few other rumour-mongering allies are also a part of smearing China and dragging it down. For example, Australia endorses the ridiculous conspiracy theory. Some media outlets fabricate facts and groundlessly accuse china of being responsible for the pandemic and demand china pay for the losses the pandemic would cause. They attribute present shortages of medical supplies in Australia, any other country for that matter, are “due to the purchases made by china in February to save their population”. Is it not understandable that beyond reproach any country would do the same thing when ravaged by the epidemic, to combat the emergency? They accuse that disaster in world economy is brought by China and it should not be allowed in world trade. Many tall tales are spun demonizing China by the so-called opinion leaders of many countries, and appear regularly in press. Even in our country the baseless, biased stories against China are echoed and re -echoed in press and electronic media.
Even though WHO prohibited 10 years ago the method of naming of new diseases indicating a place, or person, we are regularly told that the present COVID 19 virus as Wuhan virus, China Virus, or corona made in china. From Trump to Telangana government, this propaganda with malicious intentions, is carried out officially. On the other hand, certain methods and tactics applied by China’s government to suppress the viral infection are borrowed by them without gratitude or acknowledging and carried out half-heartedly.
Even in the midst of such enmity and baseless allegations and calumny, China as a responsible world leader is extending all possible help and repeatedly proposing to have a global taskforce and combat the dangerous Covid virus which already claimed tens of thousands of lives. The Chinese government had provided material assistance including medical masks, N95 masks, protective suits, nucleic acid testing reagent and ventilators to 120 countries and four international organizations. China sent its medical teams to several countries.
The western press is making a mountain out of a mole even on this assistance and criticising in every step. An inadequate Covid 19 testing has become a full-blown scandal in US. Many Americans are calling on US government to purchase NAR test kits from China based on their satisfaction on the manufacturing and test capability of China. Thus the people of America are also not buying the version of authorities on the quality of test kits. China can produce as many kits as required and it tests millions a week. The kits are constantly upgraded and updated to avoid the false negative results. Vazyme biotech company of Nanjing supplied millions of kits from January and developed a highly sensitive RTqPCR reagent, but US government accuses of low quality only with the intention of clamping china’s biomedical industries. China disapproves US stand and gently advises to stop trade disputes and attempt to contain the virus instead of blaming china. China also urges the world to deal with their government directly and not to order with private companies who might comprise on quality under the pressure of urgent deliveries.
On March 26 Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech titled “Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak” at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit, stressing the outbreak is spreading worldwide and the situation is disturbing and unsettling. Xi said: “It’s imperative for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response to win the battle against such a major infectious disease for humanity. Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to share its good practices, provide assistance in its capacity to countries hit by the growing outbreak, and contribute to the stability of the world economy.”
Blaming China for government’s failures in respective countries will not work. The arguments and attitudes seen now can simply be crystallised as evidence of the struggle between the imperialist hegemony versus democratic aspirations.it also indicates the difference in governance of capitalists versus the socialist forces. This is an echo of the ongoing class struggle in the world order. The virus has no borders, no race, no nationality, no religion and no language. The human race also should unite now crossing all the barricades and annihilate the dreaded enemy. People’s China with the support of friendly nations and its gigantic road and belt initiative, is sure to break the shackles applied by the capitalist section and lead the world for a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious society.
Dr S Jatin Kumar is joint secretary of INDIA CHINA FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION-TELANGANA state
Source and references:
1.US Rumour mongering about China’s covid 19 serves multiple purposes—Global Times 9-4-2020
2.Those in west indifferent to China’ searly pain now blame China for their loss-GT 4-4-2020
3.Chinese embassy refutes media reports about china- people’s daily online
4.China Publishes timeline on covid 19- English.news.cn-xinhunet.com 6-04- ‘20
5.China’s solution to fight the first wave of Corona-bussiness-standard.com
6.New Covid19 study shows science must come before politics-CGTN 11th April 2020
Pulwama : Who stood to benefit?
by Madhu Bhaduri
The uncanny parallel between the fire in the Reichstag in Berlin in 1933 and the explosive attack on troops in Pulwama in 2019 have similarities
and end up with the same question: Who stood to benefit? Or in Italian: “ Cui bono”? Lawyers in ancient Rome used to ask this question when they could not locate a murderer in a murder case.
The repressive caste-inequality within India’s public administration: A threat to political democracy of India
by J Harsha
Seven decades ago, Dr B.R Ambedkar declared that India was entering the life of contradictions. Across political front, India had achieved equality i.e. one man, one vote, one value. However, India, then, had not achieved equality on social and economic fronts, the status quo, which continues till date. But what probably could have baffled Dr. B.R.Ambedkar is not only the absence of that one man one value system or equality between historically disadvantageous classes and historically advantageous classes of the Hindu
society but also caste-repression even within Indian public administration.
Seven decades ago, Dr B.R Ambedkar declared that India was entering the life of contradictions. Across political front, India had achieved equality i.e. one man, one vote, one value. However, India, then, had not achieved equality on social and economic fronts, the status quo, which continues till date.
But what probably could have baffled Dr. B.R.Ambedkar is not only the absence of that one man one value system or equality between historically disadvantageous classes and historically advantageous classes of the Hindu society but also caste-repression even within Indian public administration.
This is a paradox because the public administration, consisting of innumerable government departments and organizations across union, states, and local levels of Indian federation, was supposed to be the instruments of change ushering the social and economic equality as dreamt by Dr B.R Ambedkar.
Although reservations in government services were envisaged as a means of bringing social and economic equality, however the very same aren’t implemented in letter and spirit in every government department.
The statement made by Minister of Personal attributed to India Today1 in 2019 that a total of about 15,000 backlog reserved vacancies belonging to historically disadvantageous groups existed within the organizations of Government of India lends credence to the reluctance in implementation of the reservations in services. The scenario is no different or worse in state government organizations.
Part of the problem is due to the fact that top level posts within the hierarchy that controls every government organizations is largely dominated by historically advantageous castes and groups.
As evidence, in 2019, The Print2 reported that only 4 out of 82 secretaries in Government of India belonged to Schedule caste and Scheduled Tribes who are historically disadvantageous groups of Hindu society. The scenario is no different whether the organizations are controlled by Indian administrative services or central civil services or state civil services.
Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribes are largely confined to lower order posts of Indian public administration that reminds evil caste order but in the modern avatar. And these disadvantageous groups are simply helpless as they will be repressed through neo-terror tools of public administration such as transfers, destruction of their appraisal reports and conduct rules.
The erstwhile religious and social diktats that oppressed schedule caste and Scheduled Tribes are now replaced with draconian conduct rules and other neo-terror tools.
They are selectively used not only to undermine reservations but also brutalize them into submission and prevent them from reaching the higher order of the hierarchy within the organizations.
An assertive Schedule Caste or a Schedule Tribe, no matter what his contribution is, or how hard he works, will be crushed and prevented from rising across the hierarchical ladder. This is the horrific scenario found within various organizations of various governments of Indian federal polity.
Over 5000 complaints and petitions related to service matters pending as on 2015-16 in the National Commission of Scheduled Castes corroborate such caste-repression and inequality existing within the Indian public administration even in 21st century3. The number as on date could be even more.
Three major forms of neo-terror tools are widely deployed by historically dominant class employees in government departments and organizations to crush and quell innocuous Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees who assert the constitutionally guaranteed rights, privileges and equality that Dr B.R Ambedkar passionately fought throughout his life.
The three neo-terror tools are:
- Annual Rotation Transfer of employees
- Annual Performance Appraisal Review (APAR)
- Conduct Rules
- Annual Rotation Transfer of employees:
Transfers in Indian government organizations are never an egalitarian tool meant to improve public administration.
It is always a whip meant to terrorize helpless Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and those who assert their constitutionally granted rights and privileges, question casteist-biases and casteist-malevolent acts. (Evidence: S.R.Kamde vs. Central Water Commission, 2010)4. Such employees will be brutalized by transferring to places that hurts their livelihoods and families.
Unless they are sycophants of the highest order, it is a miracle to find these employees in favorable positions. This is nothing but the re-enactment of erstwhile evil bonded labor.
- APAR:
APAR is the very important performance assessment tool in public administration meant for career progression of an employee.
Much against the tenets of equality, many times, the dominant class employees use APAR as tool of chicanery to destroy the careers of employees from weaker sections of the society whereas their brethren are allowed to occupy top and favorable posts.
No matter how hard an employee from disadvantageous group works, if that employee is not a sycophant to the megalomaniac dominant castes, then lies and biases are created, so that the performance is devalued purportedly to scuttle his probable rise across the hierarchical structure (Evidence: Shri Raja vs. Indian Audit and Accounts Department, Government of India)5.
- Conduct Rules:
The conduct rules is another neo-terror tool where freedom of speech and expression of upright employees from historically disadvantageous groups are crushed by threatening their job security.
The rules are imposed disproportionately against them vis-à-vis chauvinistic dominant class employees as an act of retribution. Plenty of evidences are available with National Commission of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes where principles of natural justice are never followed and these employees are dismissed from service (Evidence: Shri Jasvir Singh vs. Noida Authority, Uttar Pradesh)6
Out of fear of losing jobs, this neo-terrorism of conduct rules against historically disadvantageous class employees within public administration is never disclosed to the public.
The failure of Indian judiciary in granting justice to oppressed employees has also exacerbated the crisis leading to the transformation of these organizations into human rights abusing organizations and havens of inequality much against the wishes of Dr B.R.Ambedkar.
So, the oppressed classes of the modern Indian public administration have little choice but display proclivity towards extreme form of sycophancy or surrender their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and expression or sell their self-respect as a quid pro quo. Thus, the convoluted caste conflict within India’s public administration continues unabated but clandestinely.
Conclusion
Seven decades ago, Dr B.R Ambedkar cautioned the then young nation that unless there is social and economic equality in the Indian society, the political democracy that was envisaged could be in peril.
However, it is a paradox that the inequality and the caste-repression that Dr B.R.Ambedkar strived to destroy during his life time have spread their tentacles right in the government organizations.
The widespread prevalence of two men two values within Indian public administration is the source of malaise that threatens every sphere of social and economic life in India. And that spells doom for the political democracy of India after seven decades of Constitution of India coming into force.
Therefore, unless, these contradictions of caste-inequality in public administration is rectified (which seems insurmountable now) and repressive regimes within public administration are proscribed, then, as rightly predicted by Dr B.R Ambedkar7, this logjam will present a grave threat to the foundations of the political democracy that India has built laboriously in the past seven decades.
References:
- https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/representation-of-scs-sts-in-govt-jobs-above-prescribed-percentage-govt-1570524-2019-07-17
- https://theprint.in/india/governance/of-89-secretaries-in-modi-govt-there-are-just-3-sts-1-dalit-and-no-obcs/271543/
- Annual Report 2016-17. National Commission of Scheduled Castes (NCSC). Government of India. New Delhi. Retrieved at http://ncsc.nic.in/files/AR16_17.pdf
- File No.S-46/Water-1/08/SSW-I decision taken by NCSC on 04.09.2008.
- File No.5-22 / CAG-L/2018-SSW. I Minutes dated 27.08.2018.
- File No.J-3 I/UP -17/2018-SSW. ll Minutes of Hearing dated 07.09.2018.
- https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/insight/democracy-in-peril-763128.html
J Harsha is a post-graduate MS in Hydraulic Engineering & River Basin Development from UNESCO-IHE, The Netherlands. He did his graduation in University Visvesaraya College of Engineering in 1998. In 2001, he joined service in Government of India as Assistant Director after successfully clearing the UPSC Combined Engineering Service Exams. He is presently working in Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India as Director at Regional Office of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
(Views expressed are personal)
Corona and the Geopolitics of Justice
by Junaid S Ahmad
The new world order can be worse than the previous one, more unequal and authoritarian. Or, if we take seriously the emancipatory ethos from both our prophetic religious and secular philosophical traditions, we can struggle to make it a relatively more just and egalitarian one.
COVID – 19: Changing Dynamics, Shifting World?
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By weakening the economic prowess and exposing the moral depravity of the current hegemonic world order – a post-colonial, post war creation – which has only fostered injustices, inequities and violence may have reached its limits and COVID 19 may have paved the way for the world to reflect and reject the status quo of injustices and mobilize for a
better, more equitable and a just world order in the coming days!
Understanding the Tablighi Jamaat (Group)
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Coronavirus has become global pandemic without any viable treatment, only practical solution to contain is to social distancing and for the same almost whole world is under lockdown including India. But unfortunately, Tablighi Markaz failed to do unintentionally but communally charged mainstream media appears to portray it as a deliberate action.
Notes from Balochistan: Volunteers for humanity
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The blood camp got a huge number of donors. The team met their target only in four hours. However, many locals were rejected when they came forward to donate blood as they were considered unfit. They stood the whole time only in the hope they would be called back to give blood, added
Murad Jan, a volunteer of the team.
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The Transparent People
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The transparent people cannot be seen
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The transparent people have no emotions
Is that true?
The Wretched of India
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The COVID-19 induced prolonged lockdown in India has devastated the lives of the poor
One Fate, One Humanity: Lessons From Corona Virus
by Dr Muhammad Mumtaz Ali
Let us come
forward at a time when we are locked downed in our houses about our mode of thinking, epistemologies and methodologies and share with one another and make sure with certainty and authenticity that we are able to think ethically and scientifically and also capable to save humanity from self destruction and allow it to live in peace, free from diseases, weapons and wars.
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