The Centre-states war of words on vaccine shortages and Covid management shows how India is getting its pandemic response horribly wrong. The cocktail of bureaucracy, politics and hubris is hurting. This can’t be treated as another political or policy wrangle. Lives and livelihoods of millions of people are at stake.
FCAT abolition a reform but making filmmakers appeal to high courts isn’t smart either
Abolishing FCAT is a reform. India doesn’t need another layer of tribunal bureaucracy governing film certification. But making filmmakers appeal to high courts isn’t smart either. It will clog up courts even more with peripheral issues of certification grievances. Allow self-certification, and courts can step in later, in exceptional cases.
Pinarayi Vijayan invoking Gods shows class struggle not enough to win elections. Blame BJP
Pinarayi Vijayan’s claim that legions of Gods are with LDF is a big leap of faith for a Communist CM. Credit goes to BJP for forcing even atheist comrades accept the existence of God, at least in politics. Class struggle, on its own, isn’t obviously good enough to win elections.
Politics and governance are both in Ashwamedha mode. Unrelenting, unceasing. Power the ultimate aphrodisiac. The pandemic is an especially grim challenge, true, but there are so many other domains where this model is hurting. The poor most of all. There are in fact many fine people in the bureaucracy who can deliver far superior outcomes.
I am praying for CM Vijayan … 2. Science is the answer to our prayers. Those comforting words of Speaker Nancy Pelosi have stayed with me over the last year. The vaccines, medical care for those who have been infected, everything valuable has come from science and technology. Only placebos from the god men. 3. India shedding its scientific temper, religion becoming an intrusive presence in the public sphere as well, not taking us to the First World. Give me the spiritual Sikhs, any day, setting up langars, offering sanctuary and respite to those in distress.