16 Jun 2021  |   05:44am IST

Not positivity or negativity but reality

Not positivity or negativity but reality

John Eric Gomes

Wrong priorities and powerful propaganda are being ruthlessly exposed by Covid second wave with massive unnecessary deaths due to a comparatively neglected health infrastructure and untimely bad decisions; especially the utter neglect in Primary Health Centres in rural areas is devastating! There is no hospital reported in Kevadiya with the colossal statue of Unity! Scenes of bodies overcrowding available burial spaces, floating in the sacred Ganga and also buried on its shores are horrific. Many planned curfews/localised lockdowns are resorted to with soaring prices, inflation, shortages of essential commodities leading to hoarding etc and psychological problems. Every citizen has been affected in some way or another and has lost a family member, relative or friend. Many children have been orphaned; sole breadwinner’s demise throwing families into penury. The tension and trauma caused is unimaginable.

All this does not deter the Central Vista project priority including a Parliament building with new bungalows for PM and Vice President included. The project is declared of National importance so work carries on full swing during lockdowns! (No national discussions held). The Ram temple construction is also in full swing as both these projects will add to national pride and optics. No doubt other public interest projects like bridges, roads, etc, are in progress but not declared so urgent in national interest. The maximum priorities need first be concentrated on fighting Covid and helping the NGOs and good Samaritans who seem to be doing the government’s job of protecting people’s right to life itself! The focus has been more on politics than the people! It is not the duty of the government to control the people rather the people must be able to control the government who are their employees? Right from demonetisation the powerful executive has arrogantly acted unilaterally. It appeared that the Supreme Court was reluctant to confront the government and people suffered with no accountability or transparency expected from the biggest democracy in the world!

The Supreme Court has now given a hard hitting response to the Centre’s affidavit submitting that the judiciary should not enter into policy-making domain. The Centre was firmly told that courts cannot remain silent spectators when constitutional rights of citizens are infringed upon by the executive’s policies. Their policies on vaccination are prima facie “arbitrary and irrational”. In fact it was one of the bigger bungles affecting million lives. The PM has now corrected the policy accordingly and hopefully critical lost time in vaccination will be expedited. When government figures of deaths were around three lakhs, experts estimated it to be the region of 16 lakhs or more. Where are the Parliamentary Committees to evaluate the policies of government with data of the unorganised sector, details on finances, expenditures, etc, and the actions of the government right from Namaste Trump to election rallies, Kumbh Mela, and government electoral non compliance with Covid SOP? Just like Niti Aayog evaluates development Index of States, an independent committee in a democracy is essential to debate and evaluate the actions of the government. 

Our vista is: Whilst Covid is raging unprincipled politics and power games are also raging. We have a government that freely misuses Sedition, UAPA, draconian laws to impose its will and a perceived Teflon coated PM with Hindutva agenda. The government majority bulldozes whatever it wants through Parliament or by Ordinances, the President signing on the dotted line, Governors interfering with elected governments, whilst people are in survival mode desperately trying to adapt to new norms which are alien to our nature. The dreaded Covid carrier is not a mosquito or fly but fellow human being. No one knows how long this will last, if new mutating strains will not be more virulent or require us to take booster dozes or new vaccines have to be created. The delta strain is showing post recovery sickness and vulnerability to repeated infection. A third unknown wave is expected. The worst is the uncertainty! Trusting a government which hides/ suppresses/falsifies/says has no data, relying on it to be accountable and transparent has been bitter. Education is in shambles, loss of jobs, business down and household budgets in red. Note our economic contraction started in 2016 is the lowest since 1947 and the situation according to experts is alarming! BJP is now moving swiftly everything election oriented.

Covid-19 has exposed the world disorder, social injustice, hypocrisy, racism, elitism, increasing rich poor divide, increasing capitalism, unsustainable development and exploitation of the weak! There has to be a new world order emerging where compassion and humanity take centre stage. The turmoil in Lakshadweep due to enforcing undemocratic Hindutva ideology and centre planning “development” most undemocratically against the people’s will is a stark example of all that is wrong! Tsunamis, cyclones, earthquakes, pollution, Covid all warn against going back to business as usual. Acknowledging reality, admitting mistakes, building trust, humility, non adversial democratic cooperative federalism with people centric reforms is essential!

An independent unbiased Public Enquiry to ascertain culpability in governance, false media reporting, public foolishness, etc, to put to rest false narratives with facts versus fiction, bring in a reality check and most of all to ensure those responsible acknowledge it; is the need of the hour! Lessons learnt will be vital to our rehabilitation and survival. Not acknowledging ground realities living in a fool’s paradise, helplessly dying like flies must never happen again!

(The author is a retired naval officer, freelance writer residing in Porvorim)


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar