By Amitav Banerjee, MD*
Our Constitution declares India as a "democratic republic." This confers on India the haloed status of not only being a democracy but also a republic. Since 1950, India has celebrated the Republic Day separately from the Independence Day. India's status as a Republic distinguishes it from some other democracies like Canada, Australia and New Zealand which still retain the British Monarch as their formal head. In addition to this, and more importantly, the roots of India's republic are deep and its meaning profound.
The ethos of the Indian republic as interpreted by our leaders, including Ambadekar, Nehru, J P Narayan, Lohia, Narendra Dev, M N Roy and others down the years rests on the principles of social and economic equality, the state as a public institution, an active and public-spirited citizenship, and separation of powers.
On the eve of our 75th Republic Day there are looming clouds which can undermine the ethos of our republic and threaten to convert the annual Republic Day celebrations into a mere ritual sans the soul. This can only be prevented by making our active and public-spirited citizens aware about the threat facing us and empowering them to question their elected representatives in power who are in a position to save our democratic republic.
While in an earlier era, ambitious Empires expanded their dominion with direct aggression and conquests of land and enslaving the people, modern day “Empires” are faceless, formless but nevertheless very powerful conquering and spreading their influence subtly without the conquered realizing that they are being enslaved. These entities are the greatest threat to Indian and all world democracies and republics.
History is on the verge of repeating itself and we may lose our “real” independence without the majority of Indians realizing it. Let us take a quick glimpse on how the British conquered India. And how, to the discerning, it rings a bell. The majority are in deep slumber.
India was not easy to conquer. But the British achieved it. It resorted to all possible nefarious means to enslave India. In some kingdoms they overcame the local ruler with brute military force. In others they stooped to conquer by flattery and became the de facto ruler subtly by signing “treaties” which allowed the King to rule as a figurehead enjoying “Royal Rituals” but actually becoming a puppet of the British.
Does it ring a bell? Will this bell rouse the sleeping masses and their elected representatives?
The proposed WHO pandemic "Treaty" and the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) is designed to seduce world republics to surrender their autonomy to the WHO under the pretext of safeguarding them from future “pandemics.” As it will affect all citizens of the world understanding the implications is relevant.
The British conquered India by force and by doling out “sultanates” to petty Indian kings and signing treaties. The modern avatars of colonialism are the UN bodies like the World Bank, the WHO and the World Economic Forum, all forming a strong nexus. Their allies are ostensible philanthropies like the Gates Foundation, The Wellcome Trust and others. They are backed by the strong pharmaceutical industry. One should therefore be wary of Bill Gates praising India’s harsh lockdown and WHO calling it laudable. If our leaders get fooled by such flattery, then unfortunately, not much has changed since colonial rule.
Most medical research is funded by these agencies converting it into big business. Business, unlike true science, cannot wait for uncertainties to resolve with meticulous and cautious research. Rather all research efforts have to be directed to influence the results in favour of the pharmaceutical industry. Even medical journals cannot be trusted today to publish unbiased research. Editors of leading medical journals had expressed concerns that clinical trials were being influenced to serve the interests of the industry sposors. Richard Smith a former editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) says that medical journals have become the marketing arm of the pharmaceutical companies.
This is the present day “Medical Imperialism” which has overtaken “Military Imperialism.” This is driven by the pharma race which is more profitable to all vested interests than the arms race. Military Imperialism promoted wars and conquests. Medical Imperialism is poised to promote “Pandemics” and interventions driven by pharma interests. In both, people suffer. In this “pandemic mongering” which has replaced “war mongering,” WHO is taking the lead. The strategy is to replace “military treaties” with “pandemic treaties!” Even Alexander the Great would have envied this masterstroke!
Medical imperialism has overtaken military imperialism. It is driven by the pharma race, which is more profitable than arms race
Similar to the doles given to petty kings or treaties negotiated by the British to win them over, the Medical Imperialists led by the Gates Foundation in cahoots with the WHO and other bodies dole out research funds to scientists and even national scientific institutions like the ICMR to win them over. Recently, the Gates Foundation signed a Declaration of Intent with the ICMR for collaboration in research and development.
The recent pandemic exposed the WHO. It pushed harsh and draconian lockdowns for an infection which had an infection fatality rate of less than 0.03% to 0.05% up to the age of 70 years. It downplayed the strong immunity acquired by people after recovery from natural immunity to promote the untested and experimental Covid-19 vaccines benefiting the vaccine manufacturers.
During recent hearings even the “high priest” of science, Anthony Fauci, who literally assumed the role of a medical dictator during the pandemic, had to admit that most of the measures such as social distancing were not based on science. These measures caused immense harm to poor and marginalized people worldwide while the rich became richer. Instead of fixing the accountability of a handful of medical dictators and the WHO and a thorough audit of the impact of the measures taken during the pandemic, the WHO in unholy haste, is pushing the Pandemic Treaty and the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), which will give it enormous powers to implement the failed and unscientific draconian measures including forced vaccination, lockdowns, restriction of movements, with no questions asked and no accountability. The amendments also provide for censorship and silencing of dissenting opinions. This cannot be science which progresses by dissent and debate. This is pure dictatorship under the garb of imagined pandemics.
Dr David Bell, a former WHO scientist, said that the WHO Treaty is a terrifying power grab that will grant the WHO a central directing role and monopoly of power in global health governance. Under the treaty the WHO comprising of unrepresentative, unelected members, would not be accountable to any national government or constrained by their constitutional safeguards. He feels that pandemics will become self-serving benefiting the WHO and its minions, including bureaucrats, career scientists, and politicians, and pave the way to international fascism. Hitler would have envied this!
Concerned at the discordance of the proposed WHO Pandemic Treaty which will take away our autonomy and violate the human rights of our citizens, a group of prominent lawyers, doctors and concerned citizens, have written a letter to the Indian Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare urging them to reject the WHO Treaty as the provisions of the treaty are ultra vires of our constitution.
We earnestly hope our government rejects the 21st century imperialistic power grab camouflaged as the “pandemic treaty.” Failing this we fear that our “democratic republic” would be going through the Republic Day rituals every year sans the soul of a true republic.
If we fail during this “tryst with destiny,” history will not judge us kindly. Jai Hind.
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Dr David Bell, a former WHO scientist, said that the WHO Treaty is a terrifying power grab that will grant the WHO a central directing role and monopoly of power in global health governance. Under the treaty the WHO comprising of unrepresentative, unelected members, would not be accountable to any national government or constrained by their constitutional safeguards. He feels that pandemics will become self-serving benefiting the WHO and its minions, including bureaucrats, career scientists, and politicians, and pave the way to international fascism. Hitler would have envied this!
Concerned at the discordance of the proposed WHO Pandemic Treaty which will take away our autonomy and violate the human rights of our citizens, a group of prominent lawyers, doctors and concerned citizens, have written a letter to the Indian Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare urging them to reject the WHO Treaty as the provisions of the treaty are ultra vires of our constitution.
We earnestly hope our government rejects the 21st century imperialistic power grab camouflaged as the “pandemic treaty.” Failing this we fear that our “democratic republic” would be going through the Republic Day rituals every year sans the soul of a true republic.
If we fail during this “tryst with destiny,” history will not judge us kindly. Jai Hind.
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Renowned epidemiologist, professor at D Y Patil Medical College, Pune. Having served as an epidemiologist in the armed forces for over two decades, he recently ranked in Stanford University’s list of the world’s top 2% scientists. He has penned the book, "Covid-19 Pandemic: A Third Eye"
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medical imperialism.