India’s consistently rising Covid infections and fatalities are cause for alarm. The data variation from states shows India hasn’t mounted a united attack on coronavirus. Some states have even been complacent. India needs to test more and central government must again take control of the fight to flatten the curve.
Right to dissent is essential to democracy. Supreme Court must also live by it
Supreme Court’s contempt notice to lawyer Prashant Bhushan for his tweets on incumbent and former chief justices of India is unjustified and avoidable. Shoulders of great judges should be broad enough to endure criticism. Right to dissent is essential to democracy. The highest court must also live by it.
Earlier, the number of Atom Bombs and Missiles for their delivery were considered as a deterrent even by small nations like Pakistan. In future, the deterrent will be the virus; the greatest chemical and biological weapon. Even the tiniest nations will be to set up small laboratories to create a virus and leave it to destroy nations or even cause the extinction of the world. Not only tiny nations; even wealthy and powerful criminals may set up such labs and use the virus as a weapon to dominate the world-threatening not only the entire humanity but also the natural world. Thus now the deterrent has passed in the domain of Chemical and Biological experts from the atomic experts. This will also decrease the importance of large forces. Since virus seas, no borders, the importance of man-made borders will also reduce making the world borderless.
To stop these risks not only WHO but also its alma mater UNO has to step in a big way:
1. To research and evaluate the source and purpose of origin
2. To research the present and global impact of spread of such virus.
3. Set up laboratories to counter the effects of such virus.
4. Put a moratorium on research on such chemical and biological warfare laboratories.
5. A larger group of nations than the existing Security Council must oversee the control.
6. The review of the Security Council membership should be done by excluding those who have been responsible for Korona virus.
Leadership in pandemics need to be very capable and knowledgeable. The leaders must be both democratic when dealing with the public and dictatorial when taking hard decisions. When hard decisions are needed, evaluate their outcomes intently. Once convinced never to go back and enact these firmly. Soft but firm may be the rule for implementation. They must select, delegate and empower their subordinates after due deliberations and place the right man at the right place at the right time. Showing empathy with the people being deal with, with a humanistic approach is the best course. Since all strategies and decisions may not bring desired results and there may be failures one after the other leaders must never say die. We have seen the head of Italian Government on the verge of throwing his hands, which is not expected of a genuine leader. A leader must continue till success and should have strong resilience to bear the effects of each failed action and build on it to be successful. People, especially in democracies, are needed to be taken along from their hearts. Hence their feelings must be taken into consideration. Strong motivation must ensure that they all feel attached emotionally. ‘Safety and security of your men should be at the foremost’ as is the dictum of Indian Military Academy. Leaders must not show their authority through force. Authority is judged by the actions and results. Rather than being haughty have humility in mind and heart. Judiciousness and equality is the basis of all the decisions. A leader of a country is the leader of all; hence he has to think and act for all. He cannot afford to be partial like a mother who treats all her siblings equally.
All plans, decisions and actions should be very transparent so that all the people feel that the direction being followed is correct and is benefitting all of them equally. Nothing should smack of mala-fide or tribal tendency. The decision of sending Corona affected persons from Sindh and Punjab being shifted to Mirpur stealthily in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir by Imran Khan has bounced back by sudden upheaval in POK against Imran Khan because it was not justified on the balance of equality and justice.
Above all the leaders has to be visionary. They must see the impact from all angles and the effect of their plans and actions at a global angle. Prime Minister of India Mr Modi’s action of one-day self-curfew was a wonderful step and appreciated globally. The direction for honouring the hospital and police staff by cheering them on that day was with a good intention but was not adopted in the spirit of the lockout. It was because the procedures were not clarified to the public in general and pre-warnings of wrong actions were not given. Order of Lockdown for 15 days without catering for the arrangements for stay and food of the labourers and poor strata misfired as these labourers started on long journeys in view of their losing the jobs and in fear of hunger hovering over their heads. However, the overall effects of all his actions were positive and were even lauded by UNO body. Hence leaders must also very sensitive to the reactions not only from his people but also from the world.
The center was infact in control in the beginning of the covid19 crisis. But the hullabaloo of some states was such that the centre had to decentralise the efforts. Now you want the center to take the lead. Isn’t this a paradox?
Some states have done better than others, true. Front line workers – health, municipal, and police – have toiled beyond the call of duty, many have been infected, some have perished. The continuing surge of cases shows them to be like swimmers who are battling an enormous incoming tide and beginning to tire. The Centre must step in decisively, strengthen them, including with financial resources. Left to themselves, they will do the only thing that seems feasible to them : continue the lockdowns. A daily briefing by the union health ministry would be very helpful. The Centre should also coordinate with the states a comprehensive resumption of economic activity from 1st August.
The Supreme Court is the most powerful, trusted, admired public institution in the country. That is due in part to the powers conferred upon it by the Constitution, one of three organs that can – literally – sit in judgment over the other two. Declare laws or executive acts unconstitutional, rescind them. Conversely, the executive can no longer appoint judges, the legislature has rarely exercised its power to impeach judges who have strayed. Beyond this constitutional role, the apex court has earned the trust of ordinary citizens by acting often and effectively to safeguard their fundamental rights and freedoms, all the more when the executive becomes domineering. That stellar record is now passing through a different phase. Over the last one year, the SC has been unable to rule on the validity of constitutional changes made to the status of J & K, or the CA Act, which has drawn the world’s critical gaze. Cases of habeas corpus lie unattended. Members of civil society who voice dissent have received insufficient protection from the courts. The SC is the best judge of whether Shri Prashant Bhushan has crossed a line. However, this is a moment in the evolution of this august institution which calls for the deepest reflection and introspection.
Justice Arun Mishra should recuse himself from this case, as he is an enthusiastic admirer of Narendra Modi, while Prashant Bhushan is a critic.
Gentleman retires in the first week of September. It will be interesting to observe his post retirement plans.