Counterview

Dr Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
The well-crafted slogans of ‘Shining India’, ‘Achhe Din (good days)’ and ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas (solidarity with everyone, development for all)’ are designed to hide failures of BJP governments and camouflage the hate filled ideology of RSS. These slogans also summarise the deceptive narratives of development theology.

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*
The famed political cartoonist Manjul has a very powerful cartoon in his Mumbai Meri Jaan, series in "Mid-Day". There are two frames. In the first frame there is the idiot box (TV) blaring “Friends! I’m here to ask for something!”

By Our Representative
A civil rights organization, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Right to Information (RTI) Foundation, expressing concern over the non-availability of medical consultation facilities for emergency patients at Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) at various places in the state, has demanded provision of quarantine facilities outside hospital premises.

By Our Representative
Even as the national lockdown to avert the coronavirus contagion continues, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has launched an online campaign, urging the authorities to ensure that attention should be paid to keep children safe at home, as there is a "greater threat of sexual abuse, online abuse and trafficking" during this crisis period.

By Sandeep Pandey*
The coronavirus threat has forced governments to impose a disruptive change in our life styles, which may seem very inconvenient and irritating to us in the present circumstances, but it may be worth considering to continue with some of these changes in the interest of society, economy and environment.

By Our Representative
The civil society organization, Right to Food Campaign (Jharkhand), has taken strong exception to the Government of Jharkhand announcing, as part of its relief measure, that eligible households, left out of the public distribution system (PDS), should be given 10 kg of foodgrains if they have applied for a ration card out of the contingency fund of Rs 10,000 of gram panchayat heads.

By Prof (Dr) Mansee Bal Bhargava*
COVID greetings from Ahmedabad to dear mentors and friends from around the world…
I hope you are keeping well and taking care of yourself besides caring for the people around you. I’m writing to learn how is the science and the society coping with the prevention and cure of the pandemic. I’m also writing to share the state of the corona virus that is further complicated with the long-standing class and communal viruses.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
India needs investment in health infrastructure by establishing more medical colleges, research centres and hospitals. Indians need more doctors, nurses, pathologists, pharmacists, medical technicians, laboratories and hospital managers. These facilities are central to public health infrastructure in India. Instead of providing these facilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indians to clap, bang thalis and light candles.

By Rajiv Shah
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), United Kingdom (UK), has admitted that at least 21 of its devotees were infected because of the spread of the coronavirus amongst the UK devotee community following the March 12 funeral and March 15 memorial of the Bhaktivedanta Manor temple president, in which about 1,000 people participated. Regretting that five of the devotees have passed away, the top Hindu religious in Britain body does not deny more may have been infected.