Editor,
Apropos the letter that appeared in your newspaper, “COVID mess in Gujarat” by Kajal Chatterjee. (ST May 27, 2020) there is term used in political circles in the United States à la ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ where people oppose Trump for the sake of opposing him. The same syndrome has been unfolding in India for the last few years with respect to Narendra Modi. And it is thanks to this syndrome that that the author singled out Gujarat and did not mention the COVID crisis in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and the National Capital Region.
At last count the Gujarat is 3rd in the number of cases with 52% recovery rate which is well above the recovery rate of 37% in West Bengal and 30% in Maharashtra. The ICMR, MoHFW and even the media has constantly talked about West Bengal having among the lowest testing rates in the country which is a cause of concern. When testing is ramped up the true state of COVID-19 crisis in West Bengal would emerge which has understandably taken a backseat due to the recent natural disaster.
According to Chatterjee only Mamata Banerjee’s government has been singled out as far as visit by a Central team is concerned. The fact is the Centre had sent four such teams to the states of West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra in the middle of April which were the hotbed of cases in the country back then. Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP if the author has forgotten and had more cases than Gujarat at that point and hence this can’t be termed partisan. It was only West Bengal that opposed this visit and hence there was hullabaloo regarding the same.
There are few reasons why the centre was forced to intervene with the most important one being fudging of figures of COVID-19 deaths in West Bengal. Banerjee’s administration created a team of bureaucrats to have the last say in terming deaths as Covid-19 or those from comorbidities. It is akin to asking the students of humanities to have the final word on whether a rocket’s propulsion system would work. West Bengal government and police were also accused of cremating the dead in the middle of night to avoid media glare. It was under pressure after the Centre’s intervention that the state corrected its official figures. Did Gujarat or any other state in India stoop to such low as the TMC Government has done?
Chatterjee also accused the Modi Government of playing politics and trying to reap dividends out of the situation. I wouldn’t defend Modi or the BJP on this count as 24/7 politicians miss no opportunity in targeting their opponents. But the questions that need to be asked here are, wasn’t Mamata Banerjee playing politics when she downplayed the COVID-19 crisis and accused Modi of using it to divert attention from Delhi Riots? Wasn’t Mamata Banerjee playing politics when she expressed unhappiness on the colour of PPE suits sent to the state? Didn’t she play politics during Cyclone Alia in 2009 whose mismanagement was the last nail in the coffin for the Left Front? Public memory isn’t short as some would like to believe.
West Bengal has cried victim for the last four and half decades where it has mostly been on the wrong side of power in New Delhi. The fact that faces this state of 90 million is that few around the country even care for this constant animosity to how New Delhi treats it. The recent apathy towards Cyclone Amphan is a case in point where none of the hashtags like #SupportBengal #WeStandWithBengal emerged like we saw during the Kerala Floods of 2018. Playing the victim card has passed its ‘sell-by-date’ and instead of accusing others, the people of West Bengal should look within. After all, seven days have passed since Cyclone Amphan and yet large parts of metropolitan Kolkata have no power. It is anybody’s guess what the situation would be in rural Bengal. The TMC government has failed the people thanks to the large ‘ego’ carried by its leader and her cheerleaders.
Yours etc.,
Subhadeep Bhattacharjee
Shillong – 6
Stop corruption in the PDS
Editor,
It is exasperating to see the failure of the administration and statutory authority to regulate the distribution of essential commodities under the Public Distribution System and Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana ( PMGKAY) especially during this Lockdown period. Food grains distributed did not meet with guidelines issued by the Government. There are some places mostly in rural areas where Fair Price Shops dealers were charging food grains meant for free distribution through AAY and PHH beneficiaries, ostensibly to meet transportation costs. In some villages, the allotment and commodities delivered did not match as some Government approved suppliers (wholesalers) deducted 10-15 kilograms of rice from each FPS dealer. I also came across an incident where a bag of rice stated to contain 52 kgs and a bag of dal said to weigh 45 kgs, actually weighed just 49 kilograms and 35 kilograms respectively after re-measurement inside FPS Centre.
I am not sure who committed this malfeasance but the matter requires urgent intervention from the competent authorities. It is undoubtedly a case of corruption and malpractice. To some extent the intervention of the Deputy Commissioner, South West Khasi Hills District in addressing grievances of the public is appreciated but I still feel the situation demands an aggressive approach to totally eliminate all corrupt practices henceforth. Right to Food is a fundamental right and is recognized by the apex court in a case filed by PUCL. It’s relevant provisions can be found in Art. 39 (a) and Art. 47 of the Directive Principles of State Policy. Although provisions under Directive Principles of State Policy are not enforceable in a Court of Law, they can be applied as expressions on the Right to Life under Art. 21.
Hence any breakdown in the Public Distribution System can be rightfully termed as a “Violation of Fundamental Rights.” However, to halt the depravities of those used to such corrupt practices requires a collaborative response from all stakeholders. A painstaking and thorough investigation must be conducted to root out systemic corruption. A corruption free state is a product of collective responsibility.
Yours etc.,
Forwardman Nongrem
Rangthong,
South West Khasi Hills District