Bio-terrorism? Public health Bill 'ignores' pollution, malnutrition, people's insecurities

Counterview Desk
Protesting against the proposed Public Health Bill, Gujarat-based physician-activist Dr Maya Valecha, who heads a civil rights group seeking nationalisation or socialisation of healthcare, Jan Andolan, has insisted on the need for “social management of healthcare services and pharmaceutical companies under public ownership.”
In a statement seeking support on her phone number 7016002688 on messaging services, Dr Valecha said, the Bill should not be allowed to be passed as it could enslave us, underlining, “The New Public Health Bill to be tabled in monsoon session is not for our health or welfare”, adding, it is people who should decided what they for the healthcare sector, not the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Text:

The new Bill is all about virus and bio-terrorism. However, health issues in our country are related to malnutrition, pollution, economic and social insecurities. Nothing is being thought of, done for that, nor enough budget is being allocated to correct these issues.
But to implement the measures suggested by WHO, an entity funded primarily by pharmaceutical companies, a Bill is being drafted that can violate our bodily integrity, put an end to our freedom, and recourse to the judicial process is also being curbed.
What we gather from media is that this Bill will be the bill brought in 2017 plus lockdown will be defined in more detail.
The Bill of 2017 has many tyrannical provisions. If any infection is merely suspected, entry into your home or office, doing testing on anyone, medicating anyone, vaccinating anyone, closing down markets and schools, sealing buildings and destroying, disinfecting or killing your pets or animals can all be done.
It is not just when a disease has spread but when a disease or infection is simply suspected then also any or all of these actions could be taken. There is no mention that when WHO declares a pandemic, our country’s health experts would be consulted for final decision. Our experts in fact had said No to total lockdown of our country during the covid episode.
It is clear that lockdowns, masks, social distancing do not stop the virus spread. And still, they want to have it in a Law, to keep bringing such measures repeatedly.
Hence, we have sent a letter with thousands of signatures, where doctors, lawyers and social workers have signed and sent it to the Prime Minister, Health Minister, Chief Justice of India, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare.
We have asked that…

Before any Law is passed there should be a wide-spread public debate among people and there should also be a citizen’s referendum.
Other than allopathy we have many indigenous treatments in our country, such as ayurved, homeopathy, siddha, unani and all these deserve equal importance. They should be made available in all government hospitals and be used in pandemics as well.
The existence of a pandemic in our country will not be declared by WHO. That would be decided by our local medical experts and our public opinion after studying symptoms and number of those infected, deaths here in the country.
Unreliable tests such as the rt-PCR that has not been even fully approved, will not be forced onto the people.
No medicine, injection or vaccine can be made compulsory for anyone, anywhere.
Lockdowns will never be used as it has absolutely no benefit and has created extensive damage to socio-economic wellbeing.
There will not be any Treaty with WHO as it is proved by now that it is funded by Private Pharmaceutical Companies and their allies and therefore works as per their direction.

These days the government is passing Bills without any discussion with the public or even in parliament. Hence, we need to spread this awareness in advance, build a public opinion and warn the government that neither we will allow such a Bill to be passed nor will we allow any Treaty or agreement with WHO. Instead, our country’s health care system and drug companies will be taken away from private ownership, brought under social ownership and will be under the direct management of people with participatory democracy.

During the corona time and before too, it has been observed that there have been widespread instances of open scamming and looting by private hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. To come out of this problem permanently, we need nationalisation/ socialisation of healthcare system and drug companies under the direct democratic control of people.
Free healthcare services of the highest quality is our basic right.
It is not possible with private ownership existing parallelly. Hence, we need to build a wide-spread opinion and movement.
After socialization, government will have to tax super-rich with inheritance tax and wealth tax to provide enough funding for healthcare services. However, the full management of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies will be by public committees that will be answerable to the public meetings on a monthly basis.
We need to bring our life in our own control. A lot of hard work needs to be done in the right direction, the only way to prevent the total enslavement of future generations.

Comments

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

Mergers and privatisation: The Finance Minister’s misguided banking agenda

By Thomas Franco The Finance Minister has once again revived talk of merging two or three large public sector banks to make them globally competitive. Reports also suggest that the government is considering appointing Managing Directors in public sector banks from the private sector. Both moves would strike at the heart of India’s public banking system . Privatisation undermines the constitutional vision of social and economic justice, and such steps could lead to irreversible damage.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

Shrinking settlements, fading schools: The Tibetan exile crisis in India

By Tseten Lhundup* Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala has established the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the guardian of Tibetan culture and identity. Once admired for its democratic governance , educational system , and religious vitality , the exile community now faces an alarming demographic and institutional decline.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Sardar Patel was on Nathuram Godse's hit list: Noted Marathi writer Sadanand More

Sadanand More (right) By A Representative In a surprise revelation, well-known Gujarati journalist Hari Desai has claimed that Nathuram Godse did not just kill Mahatma Gandhi, but also intended to kill Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Citing a voluminous book authored by Sadanand More, “Lokmanya to Mahatma”, Volume II, translated from Marathi into English last year, Desai says, nowadays, there is a lot of talk about conspiracy to kill Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, but little is known about how the Sardar was also targeted.

Search This Blog