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Bollywood: No More Dollar Dreams
Special Digital Issue
www.outlookindia.com April 27, 2020 Rs 60
Is
my
Safe?
R N I N O. 7 0 4 4 / 1961
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EDITOR-in-chief Ruben Banerjee
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BUSINESS OFFICE
Chief Executive officer Indranil Roy
Publisher Sandip Kumar Ghosh
SR Vice president Meenakshi Akash
Vice presidents Shrutika Dewan,
Diwan Singh Bisht
21 COVER STORY
It’s appraisal time. But a pandemic barreled in and
Sr General Managers Kabir Khattar (Corp),
Debabani Tagore, Shailender Vohra 1.3 billion people were ordered to stay indoors—a
General ManagerS Sasidharan Kollery,
Shashank Dixit
lockdown of the country, it’s economy and more.
Chief Manager Shekhar Kumar Pandey
MANAGERS Shekhar Suvarana, Sudha Sharma
People were furloughed; salary delays and indefinite
CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION Anindya leave without pay have been increasing across
Banerjee, Gagan Kohli, G. Ramesh (South),
Vinod Kumar (North), Arun Kumar Jha (East) sectors. Fear of catching the virus is now running
Digital Amit Mishra
alongside another anxiety: ‘Will I retain my job’?
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2 o u tlo o k | Ap ri l 27, 2020
LETTERS FEEDBACK › OUTLOOK@OUTLOOKINDIA.COM
20/4/2020
I know I am at a sniffing ON E-MAIL
distance Rakesh A.: The pandemic
Of this little big virus was imminent as humans
That attacks one and all, have been destroying nature
Without any prejudice or for centuries. It seems as if the
bias. earth is now shut for much-
Bored, I fret and fume needed repairs. The sky is so
Oh God, why so much blue, the water in Venice’s ca-
gloom? nals crystal clear, and dol-
phins and whales are visible
Don’t get me wrong off the Mumbai coast. What
I mean to write no thousands of crores of rupees
swansong. couldn’t do, the lockdown
It is not death I fear, did—clean the Yamuna and
However close, Ganga to a great extent. Our
It may appear. world, however, remains div
What terrifies me is loss, ided into more than 200 quar-
How to come to terms ters, barred by the wires of
With this tragedy gross! visas and passports. About a
hundred individuals and their
Even if I survive, companies hold more than
How will I live with this half of the world’s resources.
trauma, They have not learned any les-
This turmoil, sons from previous pandemics
An entire civilisation on and continue their self-cen-
boil. tric, divisive agendas. Human
Oh God, such immense grit and determination may
D I G I M A G . O U T LO O K I N D I A . C O M
Trauma loss!
Whichever way the coin
soon deliver a vaccine for
coronavirus, but unfortu-
And Turmoil lands,
Heads up or tails,
nately, there is no vaccine for
the more deadlier viruses of
hate, animosity, divisiveness
NEW DELHI I stand to lose the toss. and discrimination.
Sangeeta Kampani: This refers to
your cover story Losing Sanity?. It is T R I B H U VA N T I WA R I
YO U T U B E . C O M / O U T LO O K M A G A Z I N E
difficult to stay composed as the
world falls apart, but we must keep
striving. I have written some verses
about this.
Like all of you,
I am being told to welcome,
Each dusk, each dawn
Savour, they say,
FAC E B O O K . C O M / O U T LO O K I N D I A
Every moment,
Forget things bygone.
Suddenly there is
A premium on life.
Rumours are rife,
Some say, clap
Some say, chant
T W I T T E R . C O M / O U T LO O K I N D I A
Yet others recommend,
The power of an esoteric plant.
Like all of you
I am a little nervous,
Sad and mirthless.
00 O U TLOOK3| APOUTLOOK | AP RI L 27, 2020
RI L 27, 2020
LETTERS FEEDBACK › OUTLOOK@OUTLOOKINDIA.COM
No Way been left at the mercy of of
a few men who have failed
FROM THE Daak Room
Forward? them. These impoverished
millions are being treated June 1, 1586
as criminals, condemned To Won’s Father,
GREATER NOIDA to rush back to their
Alok Kumar: This refers homes, creating a scene You always said, “Dear, let’s live together until our hair
turns grey and die on the same day.? How could you pass
to your story The Economy reminiscent of Partition. away without me? Who should I and our little boy listen
And The Virus. Thanks to Alas, there is a pattern in to and how should we live? How did you bring your heart
demonetisation and GST, this madness: first, Modi to me and how did I bring my heart to you? Whenever we
the economy was already in tested the obedience of the lay down together, you always told me, “Dear, do other peo-
a terrible shape. Now with people on March 22 and ple cherish and love each other like we do? Are they
the coronavirus pandemic after being totally satis- really like us?” How could you leave all that behind and
go ahead of me? I just cannot live without you. I just
and ensuing lockdown, fied, he declared a national want to go to you. Please take me to where you are. My
things are only going to get lockdown two days later feelings towards you I cannot forget in this world and my
worse—not just for India, with just a four-hour not sorrow knows no limit. Where would I put my heart in
but for the entire world. I ice! This impromptu ann now and how can I live with the child missing you? When
wonder what life will be ouncement reminds one of I give birth to the child in me, who should it call
like once the threat of coro- demonisation, which he father? Can anyone fathom how I feel? There is no tragedy
like this under the sky. You are just in another place,
navirus passes. used to quell dissent and and not in such a deep grief as I am. There is no limit
opposition. As we cannot and end [to my sorrows] that I write roughly. Please look
DEHRADUN expect him to share any closely at this letter and come to me in my dreams and
Rakesh Agrawal: The way long-term plan or vision show yourself in detail and tell me. I believe I can see
the government of India is for the tattered economy, you in my dreams. Come to me secretly and show yourself.
handling this pandemic is we will be condemned to There is no limit to what I want to say and I stop here.
not just highly inept, but live in a dark tunnel for a
also insensitive to the core. very long time. And, there Unfathomable Excerpts from a letter a woman wrote to
Millions of poor, deprived is no light visible at the her dead husband in Andong, South Korea. Archaeologists
and hungry people have other end! uncovered it next to his coffin in 1998.
PRABHJOT GILL
LUCKNOW taged the lockdown” and
M.C. Joshi: This refers to “spiked the spread of the
your cover story Ration State disease”. Minority affairs
(April 13). The lockdown was minister Mukhtar Abbas
declared on March 25 and Naqvi’s description of the
the number of COVID-19 religious gathering as a
cases in the country then “Taliban-type crime com-
was 721. According to a mitted on purpose” is
media report, had the lock- clearly beyond the pale.
down been not imposed on The terms “Covidiots” and
March 25, the number of “super spreaders” are reli-
cases would have been 5,000 gion-neutral and not prob-
after 10 days; and 30,790 in economy will shine. Your during the coronavirus lematic, but “corona
the next 20 days. The impo- cover story narrates the diffi- outbreak, the Tablighi jihadists” reeks of
sition of the nationwide culties faced by farm produc- Jamaat cast prudence to Islamophobia and Muslim
lockdown is a wise and ers in selling their produce the winds. It is true that bashing. It is wrong to use
timely action. Lockdown has as well as in inter-state the event preceded the ban a health crisis to open reli-
made life difficult, but gov- movement. The priority of on large gatherings in gious faultlines and malign
ernments are trying hard to the governments, Centre Delhi and the national an entire community for
cope with the situation by included, should be to rem lockdown. Still, the Jamaat what a bunch of Covidiots
transferring money to peo- ove hurdles and restore the should have shown presci- did. The last thing India
ple’s accounts and delivering supply and delivery chains of ence and farsightedness, needs during a pandemic is
rations to them. A ground farm produce. and called off the confer- communal politics or pol
report from a village in UP ence beforehand. At the arisation of society. This
says that if all goes well and MARUTHANCODE same time, it is wild exag- is the time to be united
the bumper crop reaches the David Milton: By organis- geration to say that the and single-mindedly fight
home of the farmer, the rural ing a religious conference Jamaat deliberately “sabo- the virus. O
40 0
O U TLO O K | AP|RI
O U TLOOK APL RI
27,L 27,
20202020
THE
NEWS
Guns Of
Never End
Lockdown—political and
India will receive normal rain this pandemic—brings peace
season, the Met office predicted to Kashmir, but a new
in its forecast for the southwest militancy is rising
monsoon that covers 75 per cent
of the country. But it is likely to
arrive late in several states. Naseer Ganai in Srinagar
As many as 45 militants have been killed in
P
Kashmir over the past seven months
EACE in Kashmir is
often an oxymoron. But the audio message circulated through social
word does provide some media, the outfit said after stripping
context to what is happening in the Kashmir of its special status, India didn’t
Valley. The tumultuous political spare anyone, not even the loyal political
upheaval in Jammu and Kashmir last leaders. The Front first surfaced on
year—the abrogation of Articles 370 March 23 when the police said it had
and 35A—gave way to months of busted the outfit’s first-ever module and
relative peace. Counter-insurgency recovered a consignment of weapons.
operations continued, though. To put Analysts say the new outfit is an
things in perspective, 45 militants indication that Pakistan-backed
have been killed in Kashmir since militants are not ready to give up on
August last year till March. In Kashmir. “The Keran encounter shows
A special court in Mumbai put contrast, between January-July in there is investment in arms and training
Dalit scholar and activist Anand 2019, over 154 militants were killed by of militants because they cheaply lost
Teltumbde in NIA custody till April security forces. The number was over hundreds in the past couple of years
18 in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link 260 in 2018. without putting up a fight or inflicting
case. The SC had declined to extend Recent developments, however, hold any damage,” says a security official who
his interim protection from arrest. ominous signs on the militancy front. didn’t want to be named.
On April 5, five Indian soldiers were In December last year, a Yashwant
killed while fighting infiltrators close Sinha-led committee had said people
to the Line of Control in north in Kashmir tend to think that protests
Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The and civil disobedience will make no
soldiers belonged to the elite 4 Para— difference to the Centre, and some
the unit which undertook the 2016 groups may be preparing the ground
cross-LoC ‘surgical strikes’ in for a new phase of militancy. The
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Concerned Citizens’ Group (CCG)
Five militants were also killed in the report says approval of militancy is
latest operations lasting two days. going up at a time when Pakistan is
Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh not interested in promoting an armed
says the encounter and subsequent struggle in Kashmir as it is caught up
heavy exchange of fire along the LoC with FATF (Financial Action Task
shows that Pakistan and the militant Force) guidelines on preventing
The US has announced that it will groups it nurtures are making money laundering and terrorist
accept H-1B visa applications for attempts to infiltrate into India and financing. With COVID-19 and a
an extended stay—a decision that disrupt peace. looming economic recession staring
brings relief to thousands of Indian A little-known outfit, The Resistance at the world, the police in Kashmir
professionals in America, who are Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for feel the situation might change in the
left stranded by the pandemic. the attack on the security forces. In an months ahead. O
5 O U TLO OK | AP RI L 27, 2020
POLIGLOT
PTI
Liqour shops are
allowed to open in
M I X E D S H O T S Assam. But ‘mind the
gap’ as you line up.
SNAPSHOT
rural and semi-urban areas. All ques-
tions about the Tablighi Jamaatis who
returned from Delhi and dispersed
across the state are stonewalled, too. In
Calcutta itself, there is no regulation of
vegetable, fish and mutton markets in
Rajabazar, Narkeldanga, Topsia,
Metiaburz, Gardenreach, Ekbalpur and
Manicktala, which swarm with people.
The areas specifically men-
Mamata Banerjee tioned in the MHA letter
distributes food are mostly Muslim-
to people during majority areas.
the lockdown When asked by the media
to comment, Mamata’s
response was typical: “We are fighting
coronavirus, not a communal virus. You
know who are at the helm of affairs at the
Centre, and their motive behind making
these allegations. I won’t say anything
more on this.”
Moreover, there are allegations that
Incovidient Questions Trinamool leaders, including some
MLAs, councillors and panchayat mem-
bers are pressuring ration dealers to
Rajat Roy in Calcutta DGP of West Bengal is reminded of an hand them food grain for distribution
earlier missive dated April 4, where the among the people. This forced the All
Even as she exudes MHA drew attention to the rampant vio- India Fair Price Shop Dealers’
W. BENGAL confident control lation of lockdown measures in Bengal. Federation to write to the state food
in her televised The latest letter also alludes to security minister, requesting him to intervene
administrative meetings, West Bengal agency reports on the gradual dilution of and protect dealers from being forced to
CM Mamata Banerjee has reasons to the lockdown, with an increase in the yield to illegal demands. That the allega-
be worried. They go beyond the matrix number of exemptions being provided tion has got some merit was indirectly
of operations involved in fighting the by the state government. corroborated by the state administration
coronavirus pandemic, from feeding The observations have solid basis in and ruling party leaders. Mamata
the needy and protecting health work- reality: for the past several days, flower Banerjee, too, commented that some
ers to contact tracing—the Centre and and tobacco markets have been allowed Trinamool leaders were distributing
the BJP have sharply attacked the to open; several tea gardens in North food grain to the masses after expropri-
Trinamool government over handling Bengal are functioning. Then, some taxis ating them from ration shops and asked
the pandemic. Union minister of state are allowed to ply on Calcutta’s roads them to desist from the practice. Partha
Babul Supriyo’s charge that the state and paan and sweet shops open for some Chatterjee, a senior minister and the
government is suppressing facts time at least. Most glaringly, people party’s official spokesman, also criticised
regarding actual numbers of the across urban areas are breaking social the leaders.
afflicted and the dead, with the same distancing directives with impunity At a meeting in Calcutta on April 12,
being reiterated by a state BJP delega- under the eyes of a passive police force. the 18 BJP MPs from West Bengal and
tion to the governor, has angered The problem is apparently worse in their minder Kailash Vijayvargiya
Mamata. A complaint and an appeal alleged that though the Centre has
for courtesy were promptly lodged announced free rations (5 kg rice/wheat
with PM Narendra Modi. However, the BJP accuses Mamata and 2 kg dal) for 80 crore Indians and
allegations have some resonance in the of lax lockdown; she that Bengal has received its share, it was
letter purportedly written by the not being distributed in any of their con-
Union home ministry on April 10. hits back, saying ‘we’re stituencies. So the ungainly wrangle
In that letter written by deputy secre-
tary, MHA (Internal Security Division)
fighting corona, not a between the BJP and the TMC in
Bengal, even in these fraught times, lives
Srinivasan K., the chief secretary and communal virus’. another day. O
6 O U TLO OK | APRI L 27, 2020
POLIGLOT
ASSAM
JAIL-BREAK
Bihu By
W
HILE the coronavirus crisis has
Any Other
placed the entire country indoors,
the pandemic could become the
cause for RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s
Name
liberty, albeit only for a few months. A con-
vict in four fodder scam cases, Yadav has
not been able to secure bail from any court
since his conviction in December 2017. He
has been shuttling between Ranchi’s Birsa
Munda Jail and the Rajendra Institute of
A
Medical Sciences (RIMS) because of his
SK an Assamese how many eos. Social distancing has taken over an failing health.
Bihus he celebrates. The event that brings people closer. Social Now, because of the coronavirus out-
break, his family has requested Jharkhand
answer would be three—spring, gatherings are off limits, as are ‘Bihu chief minister Hemant Soren to grant parole
winter and autumn. And of course a functions’. Yet, the indomitable Bihu to the former Bihar CM. The family has cited
fourth, springing from popular artistes spirit continues to thrive. When lock- that Yadav is currently admitted to RIMS,
gigging at shows held across Assam for down restrictions were relaxed for the which is also the designated hospital in
a full month and which are coeval with liquor shops to open, masked people Ranchi for isolating confirmed COVID-19
cases. As he suffers from a host of compli-
the advent of 24x7 television. Rongali queued up neatly keeping a safe dis-
cations—cardiac and renal are his primary
or Bohag Bihu, the happiest and tance for their quota. They went home ailments— the comorbidity factor could
biggest in the troika, is by tradition a with a bottle and a song. What that prove fatal for him if he gets infected.
week-long affair. Even that timeframe song would be? The current ‘chart- Sources say Soren has asked the state’s
is a stretch, but the dance-and-music buster’ is from Assam Police (yes, you advocate general to look at the parole
application and give his opinion. A senior
continues on the loop on TV and social heard right!), an original score exhort-
RJD functionary says the party is hopeful of
media until it’s time for the next Bihu. ing people to stay indoors and beat the Yadav’s parole within the next week. The
That’s ‘TV Bihu’—much like Pluto the CoronaV—unlike covers like ‘We Will RJD is also a junior partner in the JMM-led
planet, debated whether it’s the real Overcome’ by cops elsewhere. coalition government of Soren.
deal or a con. Well, for all its folksy roots, Bihu It is speculated that Yadav will be
released for a few months, until health
The spring Bihu has always been an songs have always held up a mirror,
risks posed by the pandemic ride out.
outdoorsy affair (And Oh, the lifelong documenting current events. There’s a Parole rules won’t allow him to take an
affairs born out of the festival that song dedicated to the advent of the active part in Bihar politics—the state is
brings people together, bonds them first coal-powered train to Assam. This bound for polls later this year—but his party
with music!). Even Assam’s cussed year, Bihu has mutated, taken different is hopeful that the Yadav Senior’s mere
floods or those cholera outbreaks of forms—livestream COVID Bihu, presence in Patna will be good enough to
rejuvenate the party cadre, galvanise its
yore haven’t been able to stop the cohabiting with TikTok Balcony Bihus, support base. And also, most importantly,
spring-break ever. But then, these are YouTube Bihu, WhatsApp Bihu… ease the simmering rivalry between his
unusual times—a virus threatens to Phew! Like Pluto, hope they remain on sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi. There’s some
infect people more than viral Bihu vid- the fringes. O fodder for thought in this.
brevis
T E X T B Y A N U PA M B O R D O L O I A N D P U N E E T N I C H O L A S YA D AV
American math- President Donald Classical vocalist Mort Football club Formula 1 legend
ematician John Trump’s develop- Shanti Drucker, Chelsea’s Stirling Moss
Horton Con- er friend Stan- Hiranand—a whose legendary has died at 90.
way, who stood ley Chera Padma Shri caricatures of goalie Peter The greatest
out for bringing died of coronavi- and disciple of celebs appeared Bonetti has driver never to
maths to the rus. Chera was in Begum Akhtar— in Mad Magazine died at 78. He win the WC, he
masses, has died his late 70s. has died in for five decades, had the cleanest contested 66
from COVID-19 Gurgaon at the has died at the sheets until Petr Grand Prix from
complications. age of 87. age of 91. Cech beat him. 1951 to 1961.
7 O U TLO OK | AP RI L 27, 2020
POLIGLOT
MixedShots
ONE FLU OVER THE BIRYANI BEST
N
OTHING can keep gluttons away from their beloved MASKED MUTTON?
W
biryani. Not even a potentially fatal disease. A 27-year-old HEN K.V. Rao, a farmer in Telanga-
COVID-19 patient in ESI hospital, Coimbatore, requested na, heard that a tiger in a New York
his wife to bring him the delectable dish. zoo contracted COVID-19, he did
She dutifully obeyed, but the hospital what any coronaphobe would have
staff refused. Bereft of his meaty repast, done—put face masks on his goats, all 20 of
he hurled a fire extinguisher and broke them! Lest you think that might be rather
windowpanes. Alas, to no avail. The inconvenient while grazing, Rao has a
hospital registered a complaint and solution: “Once we reach the interiors of the
ensured social distancing from his forest, I remove their masks and then cover
favourite grub. Now if only he had taken them again before returning home in the
ill in Uttar Pradesh and was evening.” While there is no evidence that
recuperating in a particular isolation domestic animals can spread coronavirus
ward there, where the lonely souls to humans, Rao’s caution is perhaps
threw booze bacchanalias. What better warranted. Who would want a serving of
than spirit to lift your spirit? O coronavirus with their Kakori kebab? O
S
BOLLY MISSES KILLER KISSES
OME are counting tiles in their bathroom to kill time during quaran-
tine, some are deriving pleasure in watching celebrities do chores.
But only filmmaker Shoojit Sircar is asking the right questions. How
will filmmakers shoot intimate scenes, especially those involving hugs,
kisses and perhaps more, he pondered in an Instagram post. While there
aren’t enough takers for masked kisses and gloved caresses, all is not lost.
Directors can just revert to that romantic gesture of yore—the rubbing of
flowers, the stroking of petals, the patting of pollen…all culminating in an
orgiastic cut. What the puritan peddlers of sanskaar and glorious Indian
culture couldn’t do in generations, a mere virus achieved in just a sneeze. O
MONEY ROOT OF ALL INFECTION? ANGEL ON WHEELS
I T
T was a sight people dreamt of HE railways recently displayed such unprecedented
in other times—two Rs 500 generosity that one is tempted to forgive all its
notes adrift on the streets and grimy toilets, cardboard-textured food and
not a soul to watch you pocketing inordinate delays. After a woman in Mumbai tweeted about
those. But with the pesky virus the requirement of camel milk for her three-and-a-half-
waiting to sneak into your nasal year-old autistic child allergic to goat, cow and buffalo dairy,
cavity, one can never be too sure. senior IPS officer Arun Bothra contacted Advik Foods, the
Residents of Lucknow’s Paper Mill Colony certainly weren’t. pioneering brand of camel milk products in the country.
When they saw the currency notes, they insisted that it had The Rajasthan-based company agreed to
been left on the streets to spread coronavirus and immedi- provide it, but transportation to
ately called the cops, who ‘confiscated’ the notes. The police Mumbai remained an issue. That’s
consulted doctors, who, for mysterious reasons, advised them when Tarun Jain, a railway officer,
to keep the notes in quarantine. It’s only a matter of time manoeuvred an unscheduled halt in
before some enterprising fellow calculates how long the virus a Ludhiana-Mumbai goods train to
lasts on banknotes and makes a dash for the neat sum deliver 20 litres of the milk to Bandra
languishing in social isolation. O from Falna. O
8 O U TLO OK | AP RI L 27, 2020 I L LU S T R AT I O N S : S A A H I L , T E X T BY A L K A G U P TA , S A A D A H M E D
Mata aMritanandaMayi
devi donates `13 Crores for
CoMbating Corona
The Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Kollam, Kerala, always in the forefront of social upliftment through
education, health and its several other initiatives, has liberally donated from Rs 10 crore to the PM CARES and
Rs 3 crores to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDR Fund) to combat the virulent
Covid-19, even as the world is at its wits’ end to contain its devastating rampage across continents.
I
ndia has exhibited commendable
resilience where the medical fraternity,
essential services sector and its people
are throwing their might behind the
government in tackling the scourge on a
war-footing, cutting across region, political
affiliations, social standing and religion.
India has risen as one voice, as one people.
“Seeing the entire world hurting and
crying in pain, my heart is aching deeply.
Let us all pray for the souls who have
succumbed to this pandemic, for the
mental peace of their families and friends,
for the peace of the world, and for God’s
grace,” Amma said. For decades, Amma
has been insisting on mankind changing
its lifestyle to be more harmonious with
Nature, warning that failing to do so would
result in increased natural disasters and
diseases. “The selfish things man has done
to Nature are now coming back in the form
of such epidemics,” Amma said. Mata Amritanandamayi
Kollam, Kerala,
The Math, besides donating `13 crores
to help fight the Covid-19, is also providing
relief to those physically, mentally and
economically affected by the virus.
Moreover, it has come forward to provide under stress, anxiety or depression due service opportunities. The Math is also in
free care to corona-affected patients at to the pandemic and its ramifications. regular communication with the leaders
the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Anyone can call to get free support. of its 101 adopted Amrita SeRVe villages,
(Amrita Hospital) in Kochi. This was started after Amma requested promoting Coronavirus awareness,
Since 2005, under Amma’s direction, the doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists ensuring that the villagers are aware
Math had provided more than `500 crore to set aside time to provide counselling, of all the latest government-assistance
in disaster relief, including the provision stating, “Counselling is a service needed programs available for them, as well as
at this time,” Amma said. “Please consider preventing fake news and erroneous
of financial support, household items, free
this as an appeal from Amma to doctors, information regarding the pandemic
healthcare and even construction of new
psychiatrists and psychologists. Whether spreading within their communities. Some
homes.
you are believers or not, set aside one Amrita SeRVe villagers have been trained
At Amma’s request Amrita University
or two hours every day to provide free by the Math to tailor medical masks and
and Amrita Hospital have set up a mental-
counselling for those who need it.” are fulfilling government contracts to meet
health hotline (0476 280 5050) for people
Through its deemed university, Amrita the demand and need of the hour.
Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University), “We need to develop the attitude that
the Math has also has constituted an we are nothing but Nature’s servants. We
MAth’s CoronA CoMbAt interdisciplinary team consisting of more should practise humility, servitude and
support: than 60 faculty from the fields of medicine, respect. At least now let us stop throwing
nanoscience, AI, big data, sensor- our arrogance in Nature’s face. The time
• `10 crores will go to the PM manufacturing and material sciences, has come to bow down before the forces of
CARES Fund and `3 crores to working in tandem to produce low-cost Nature. The time has come to beg Nature
Kerala’s CMDR Fund. scalable medical masks, gowns and face- to forgive all our trespasses. The time
• Amrita Hospital is offering protection visors, as well as ventilators, has come to abandon the lackadaisical
free treatment for COVID-19 rapid-setup isolation wards, units for attitude that Nature will just forbear, suffer
patients sterilizing medical waste, and IoT means and forgive all the indignities we keep
for the remote monitoring of quarantined heaping on her. Nature is commanding us
• A 24-hour mental-health patients. to wake up and look around. To awaken
hotline is being manned by Through online classes and interactions, humankind, Nature is sounding a loud
trained professionals. Amrita students are also being engaged alarm in the form of COVID-19,” Amma
in Coronavirus-related curriculum and warned.
SLUGGG/SUBSLUG
CM Shivraj Singh
Chouhan during an
inspection in Bhopal
A Test Case In
PTI
Testing Times
Holes in MP’s hazmat suit are showing—a CM without a health minister fights a pandemic;
private hospitals are getting to treat more coronavirus patients than AIIMS, Bhopal
Puneet Nicholas Yadav after he returned as the state’s chief Chouhan could not even choose a lim-
minister for a record fourth term, need ited cabinet with ministers for portfo-
I
to be analysed. lios like home, finance, health and
NDIA may still not have a clear Chouhan returned to power after a public distribution. Since the Nath
answer on the best model for long-drawn political circus in the state government was toppled before it
combating the coronavirus that saw Jyotiraditya Scindia and his could present the state budget, there is
pandemic but Madhya Pradesh has 22 loyalist legislators ditch the currently no specific allocation of
offered some critical tips on practices Congress and Nath to switch to the financial resources across depart-
governments must avoid. On March BJP. Perhaps as a natural consequence ments while the absence of ministers
23, when the BJP returned to power in of the circumstances that pitchforked for the other three portfolios—all criti-
the state by orchestrating the fall of him to the CM’s chair after a 15-month cal to proper management of the
the Congress-led Kamal Nath govern- hiatus, Chouhan wasn’t sworn-in along COVID-19 crisis—cannot be
ment, MP had already registered its with his council of ministers. The cabi- overemphasised.
first few COVID-19 cases. The political net, it was indicated by BJP leaders Chouhan’s administration now
drama that unfolded in the state in the then, would be formed after a compro- appears like a do-it-yourself (DIY)
preceding days doesn’t need to be mise was reached between old BJP hack where the chief minister must
recounted in detail. However, deci- warhorses and Scindia’s brigade of par- oversee every aspect of the state’s pre-
sions taken by Shivraj Singh Chouhan ty-hoppers over ministerial berths. paredness against the pandemic him-
10 O U TLOOK | APRI L 27, 2020COVID-19/MADHYA PRADESH
Governor Lalji
When The Tandon asks Nath
to prove majority
Masks
in assembly the
Jyotiraditya Scindia following day.
resigns from Scindia joins BJP, 22
Came Off Congress, 22 party Congress rebels resign
MLAs in MP leave as MLAs. Kamal Nath
for Bangalore in government set to
How the MP political story chartered flights. collapse.
unfolded along with the
coronavirus cases
Mar Mar Mar
9 11 15
BJP leaders and
hundreds of workers
gather in Bhopal, Shivraj Nath
Singh Chouhan set to resigns. Assembly
return as CM. Same speaker N.P.
Hundreds of BJP day, first Prajapati
workers take to the four COVID-19 cases PM Narendra Modi adjourns
streets in Indore to reported from announces Janata Curfew House till March 26, citing
‘observe’ Janata Curfew. Jabalpur district. for March 22. coronavirus pandemic.
Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar
22 21 20 19 16
Several officials of MP govt directs 15 public
state public health health officials admitted
Chouhan sworn in Journalist who attended department—principal to AIIMS, Bhopal, to be
as CM for fourth Nath’s resignation Coronavirus cases secretary Pallavi Jain Govil transferred to the private
term. Bhopal reports press briefing on March rise steadily in state, and Health Corporation Chirayu hospital. Indore
first confirmed 20 tests positive. His particularly in Indore, MD, J. Vijay Kumar, test reports death of two
coronavirus case, daughter was the first Bhopal, Ujjain and Morena. positive. A dozen cops doctors in two days; first
Indore too witnesses confirmed COVID-19 Chouhan says Tablighi infected too. Asked to cases of medics dying of
fresh cases. patient in state capital. Jamaat responsible. self-quarantine. coronavirus infection.
Mar Mar Mar 26- Apr Apr
23 25 Apr 3 4 8&9
GRAPHICS: SAJI C.S.
self and with bureaucratic chieftains either in isolation wards at hospitals or the virus. Before the virus indisposed
left to do the firefighting. In the midst under self-quarantine. these officials, Chouhan inexplicably
of this acutely centralised governance From Health Corporation chief J. decided to shunt-out health commis-
model has come, arguably, the most Vijay Kumar, principal secretary sioner Prateek Hajela—the 1995-batch
fatal blow to the state’s efforts in bat- Pallavi Jain Govil and several more IAS officer who oversaw the NRC exer-
tling the health crisis. Practically the senior officials of the National Health cise in Assam—and appointed Faiz
entire public health department, Mission to low-ranking staff, over 50 Ahmed Kidwai to the post on April 1.
responsible for overseeing measures members of the public health depart- A day before being dismissed, Hajela
for controlling the pandemic, is now ment have, so far, tested positive for issued a medical bulletin detailing the
11 O U TLOOK | AP RI L 27, 2020COVID-19/MADHYA PRADESH
First responders
Health workers
in Jabalpur on a
drive to screen
people for infection,
with just masks
and gloves for
protection
PTI
state’s preparedness to deal with the in Bhopal and Indore are taken aback What is the rationale behind such a
pandemic. According to the statement, by “the preferential treatment being decision…the government will end up
six government medical colleges in given to select private hospitals”. A spending twice the money on private
Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, doctor at AIIMS, Bhopal, says: “We hospitals for the same treatment
Rewa and Sagar with a combined ICU have no problem with the government because it will not just have to pay the
capacity of 394 beds and 319 ventila- deciding to shift our patients to owners for treating patients but also
tors and eight private medical colleges Chirayu but what is the point of getting for the period that the hospital will be
with a combined capacity of 418 ICU three government hospitals (AIIMS, a COVID-19 centre.”
beds and 132 ventilators had been Hamidia Hospital and Bhopal For his part, Goenka of Chirayu
identified for treating coronavirus Memorial Hospital and Research praises the state government for its
patients. The number of COVID-19 Centre) in Bhopal vacated if first pref- help and support. “I have 140 patients
cases across MP when Hajela released erence for admitting patients will be at Chirayu now,” he says, adding that
this bulletin, on March 31, was 66. given to private hospitals? No other the hospital’s total capacity is an
Evidently, the government-run medi- state is doing this. Is the government impressive 800 beds. “I can accommo-
cal facilities were well-equipped to not suggesting that it doesn’t have confi- date 100 patients in the ICU and 32 in
just accommodate the existing dence in AIIMS or its own hospitals?” private rooms. We have 50 ventilators
COVID-19 patients in the state at the A doctor at the government-run and can offer oxygen support to 400
time but also had sufficient capacity Hamidia hospital makes a similar more patients. The government has
for treating new cases. point. “We were asked to make also promised us that we will have no
For reasons best known to Chouhan, arrangements for COVID-19 patients shortage of medicines needed for the
his government decided to not just but in over two weeks now, all we have treatment, personal protective equip-
draft in select private hospitals in done is screened patients for the virus. ment (PPE) for all our staff and other
Indore and Bhopal to treat COVID-19 The hospital is empty because all necessary requirements,” he explains.
patients but also ordered that all patients are being sent to Chirayu. The government has ordered that all
infected public health officials who COVID-19 patients receiving treat-
were admitted to AIIMS, Bhopal, be ment in any hospital—private or gov-
transferred to Chirayu Hospital, a pri- ernment—will be covered under the
vate facility founded by Vyapam scam “The government Ayushman Bharat scheme, irrespec-
accused Dr Ajay Goenka. Similarly, in will end up spending tive of their financial status. The agree-
Indore, Sri Aurobindo Hospital— ment with Chirayu for treating
founded by another Vyapam scam twice the money on COVID-19 patients, Goenka says, “is
accused, Dr Vinod Bhandari, was iden- for a period of three months… the gov-
tified as a COVID-19 treatment centre.
private hospitals for ernment will pay Chirayu for the treat-
Doctors in government-run hospitals the same treatment.” ment of all COVID-19 patients and
12 O U TLOOK | APRI L 27, 2020COVID-19/MADHYA PRADESH
compensate the hospital for the loss of won’t be limited to containing the pan- this exercise would depend on the effi-
its revenues during this period”. demic in hotspots like Indore, Bhopal ciency of respective state govern-
Besides officials of the public health and Ujjain. ments. The experience of the 21-day
department, another major chunk of There’s another tough battle that’s stay-at-home order in MP on this front
confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bhopal round the corner for the administra- has, so far, been disappointing.
is of MP police personnel. Officially, tion running sans a council of minis- “Besides disruption in the supply
the police have maintained that their ters. The harvesting season has just chain which all states have complained
personnel got infected “while tracking begun and the state’s economy is not of, in various parts of MP, the district
members of the Tablighi Jamaat who just predominantly agriculture-based administration’s measures for
had come to the state after attending but also rife with crop failure and transportation and distribution of
the event in Delhi’s Nizamuddin resultant farmer distress. A major rea- vegetables were shoddy,” says Ram
Markaz, where several cases of son for the BJP losing power in the Bharose Kushwaha, a farmer who
infection were later reported”. This state 15 months ago was the Congress’s trades at the Karond Sabzi Mandi in
explanation for widespread promise of farm loan waiver—the first Bhopal. “Since several localities in
coronavirus infection within the police two installments of which had been Bhopal were sealed, the municipal
force may not be an exaggeration but it given, according to Kamal Nath, when corporation said it would procure
does raise another equally important the BJP toppled his government. With vegetables and then ensure proper
question that betrays the state’s the 21-day lockdown extending for delivery through its staff. Later, several
preparedness against the pandemic. corporation workers tested positive
“We knew that we were sending our for the virus and for three-four days
men to track people who may have there was no supply of vegetables
contracted the virus but we didn’t throughout Bhopal,” he says. If
equip them with the protective gear coronavirus cases continue to rise in
needed for handling COVID-19 the weeks ahead, such complications
suspects. If we say that our men got the over procurement and supply of
infection from the Jamaatis, we should vegetables and food grain could
also admit that we did not provide become a recurring problem.
them with the necessary precautionary Chouhan’s administration hasn’t yet
tools they desperately needed,” says a offered any feasible alternative to the
senior police officer who doesn’t wish existing system, which has already
to be named. been scarred by poor implementation.
The outrage that the state adminis- The pandemic and the lockdown
tration’s mishandling of the crisis has have also triggered massive reverse
generated, arguably, led Chouhan to migration of the poor who had left
issue an order, on April 10, which said
“Centre’s engagement their homes for work in big cities and
that anyone sharing information in toppling the MP are now compelled to journey back
related to the pandemic with the after losing jobs and whatever money
media for publication “without prior government delayed they earned. In several MP districts—
approval” of designated authorities steps for tackling the most prominently those that fall under
will be “guilty of offences under the the drought-prone Bundelkhand
MP Epidemic Diseases Regulations, COVID-19 crisis.” region—distress migration of debt-rid-
2020”, and liable to legal action. The KAMAL NATH den farmers, who move to the cities to
order was silent on whether media Former CM, Congress work as construction labour and daily
would be held liable for similar action wage earners, has been common for
if it publicised information that hadn’t years. Now, hundreds of thousands of
been vetted by designated officials. another fortnight (till May 3), them are either back in their villages in
Besides, it raised questions over Chouhan will have to find quick solu- MP or are marooned in camps across
whether, in the garb of curtailing tions to ensure that harvesting is not the country; detained by police while
spread of misinformation, the interrupted and farmers are able to marching on foot from the states
Chouhan administration wanted to sell their crop without the risk of where they had found work. Chouhan
force media to only share the govern- amplifying the spread of the virus. is yet to announce any real financial
ment’s version. With new cases of Sources say Chouhan, like chief minis- relief package for these poor people. In
coronavirus infection being reported ters of several agrarian states, has the absence of a state budget there is
from across the state every day and the urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi also no specific allocation for relief
threat of community transmission to ease lockdown restrictions to measures arising.
looming large after cases were ensure that harvesting crops, procure- In his hurry to return as chief minis-
reported in the interiors such as ment and distribution are not hin- ter, Chouhan may have created the
Sheopur, Morena, Sagar, Barwani, dered. While relaxation for farmers biggest challenge of his political career
Chhindwara and Nagda, the challenge and the food distribution network are for himself. And so far, the virus seems
ahead for Chouhan’s administration expected, the successful execution of to be getting the better of him. O
13 O U TLOOK | APRI L 27, 2020COVID-19/CENTRE-STATE
Altered State of
Governance
How the fight against COVID-19 is changing the way the government works
Bhavna Vij-Aurora cant in the normal course as his minis- “Not much should be read into Shah
try is at the forefront of enforcing the moderating the conference,” says a
A
lockdown and coordinating with the senior government functionary. “Had
FTER initiating the discussion states. However, it raised some eye- somebody else been the home minis-
with chief ministers on brows because Shah, known for his ter, it would have been the same as the
handling the nationwide hardline image, had somewhat receded ministry of home affairs is central to
lockdown and making his opening into the shadows after the back- the lockdown. Whether it is issuing
remarks on April 11, PM Narendra to-back decisions to abrogate Article instructions about ensuring essential
Modi handed over the proceedings to 370, pushing the Citizenship goods and services or issuing adviso-
home minister Amit Shah to moderate. (Amendment) Act and to amend the ries regarding welfare of migrant
Though Centre-state relations come Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. labourers, it is all done by the MHA.
under the purview of Shah’s ministry, His uncharacteristic reticence since Shah’s presence was crucial at the PM’s
the CMs were taken by surprise when riots broke out in Delhi in February meeting with the CMs.”
he took charge of the video conference. was being talked about within the BJP Pointing out that it’s the work done
He had been present in their earlier and also among Opposition leaders. by ministers, not their visibility, that is
meetings with the PM too—on March Congress leader Kapil Sibal had ques- important, the functionary adds:
20 and April 2—but except urging the tioned his silence, tweeting on March “Shah is visible in the Centre-states
states to implement the lockdown 28 that while people were locked down conference. You see Rajnath Singh, as
strictly at the second meeting, Shah and lakhs of migrants were walking No. 2 in the government, chairing a
had mostly been silent. Much like the home, the home minister was neither meeting of Group of Ministers; (exter-
other two ministers participating in seen nor heard. nal affairs minister) S. Jaishankar
the meeting—defence minister coordinating efforts to get Indian stu-
Rajnath Singh and health minister Dr dents back from Wuhan; (finance min-
Harsh Vardhan, along with the The PMO is firmly ister) Nirmala Sitharaman
principal secretary to the PM, the in the saddle, but announcing an economic distress
cabinet secretary, the home secretary, relief package; (I&B minister) Prakash
the health secretary and the DG of the bureaucracy
Indian Council of Medical Research.
Asking Shah to moderate the meeting
is the mainstay PM Modi at a video conference with chief
would not have been seen as signifi- of the fight. ministers over the coronavirus outbreakCOVID-19/CENTRE-STATE
Javadekar briefing the media about the colonial-era public administration ting success stories from districts like
important cabinet decisions; Dr Harsh system that has become the mainstay Bhilwara and Agra, which are being
Vardhan coordinating COVID-19 miti- of the fight against the novel coronavi- used as case studies for others to emu-
gation efforts; (food and public distri- rus, while the PM is strengthening his late. The credit for these small victories
bution minister) Ram Vilas Paswan image as a benign ruler by reaching out goes to the local administration.”
ensuring availability of essential food to doctors, nurses, health and sanita- The PM’s team is led by his principal
items; (road transport and highways tion workers through his Mann ki secretary P.K. Mishra, a 1972-batch
minister) Nitin Gadkari looking at Baat,” says a secretary to the govern- Gujarat-cadre officer, in close coordi-
ways of getting labour back to restart ment of India. Leading the charge on nation with principal advisor P.K.
highway projects; and (agriculture and the ground are officers at the district Sinha. “Between the two PKs, it is
rural development minister) Narendra level—district magistrates, superinten- clearly Mishra who is boss. Associated
Tomar trying to figure out a way to dents of police and chief medical with the National Disaster
harvest the rabi crops.” officers. As the PMO has assigned indi- Management Authority in its initial
But the general perception remains, vidual states to all Union ministers, days, he has vast experience in disaster
especially with political rivals, that they get daily reports bypassing the management. He was also conferred
Shah is no more the first among equals, lengthy state-to-Centre channel. The with an award by the UN Office for
next only to the PM? A senior BJP Disaster Risk Reduction last year.
leader, not wanting to be named, He is definitely the right man for
says it was only a perception due to the job,” claims a senior official.
his old association with the PM, and The backbone of the core team is
that needs to change. Apparently, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, a
the BJP’s ideological parent, the 1982-batch Jharkhand-cadre
RSS, had also expressed reserva- officer. He is believed to be the
tions about this. “The perception operations man, coordinating with
was harming the party,” says a sen- various ministries, states, bureau-
ior RSS functionary. “The BJP is a crats and other agencies, and tak-
disciplined party and does not func- ing key decisions in the fight
tion like other parties. The hierar- against COVID-19. Then there is
chy in the council of ministers the ring formed by secretaries in
needs to be maintained. If Rajnath key ministries, including health,
Singh is No. 2, he has to be seen as finance, external affairs, defence
such. And the other ministers too and home. Though all of them are
need to get their due. Whenever Modi Amit Shah is working around the clock, health sec-
goes to the BJP headquarters, he goes monitoring all retary Preeti Sudan and home secre-
like a karyakarta (party worker), giving tary Ajay Bhalla have perhaps the
the party president due respect and information related toughest jobs at hand. A 1983-batch
taking a backseat himself. Ministers officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre,
cannot forget this discipline as they are
to the coronavirus Sudan is usually the first point of con-
karyakartas first.” from his home. tact for any queries coming from the
An MHA official claims the home PMO or her ministry. She is also
minister is closely monitoring all pan- involved in regular review of the pre-
demic-related information from his respective ministers coordinate with paredness of states and Union territo-
Krishna Menon Marg residence. “Shah all the DMs, SPs and CMOs of the ries in terms of requirements like
continues to be as important as ever. state on a daily basis regarding meas- testing kits, PPEs, masks, ventilators
Some niggling health issues are keep- ures taken to contain the spread of and even hand sanitisers.
ing him away from the warfront. He COVID-19, quarantine facilities and Bhalla, a 1984-batch Assam-
has been to his office in North Block a lockdown-related problems, and Meghalaya-cadre officer, is coordinat-
few times and attended a few GoM report back to the PMO. There is a ing all lockdown-related issues with
meetings, but generally works from dedicated email address, accessed by the states from a ‘control room’ set up
home,” the official adds. the ministers concerned, where they in the North Block. He monitors the
get constant updates to be passed work of two key teams working under
Bureaucracy to the Forefront on to the PMO. him—one collates all pandemic-related
Subtly but definitively, the COVID-19 “The PMO is depending on multiple data from the health ministry and vari-
crisis has changed the way government layers of information sources to keep ous states and compares it to the global
works. While it has highlighted the tabs on how things are unfolding on the figures, and the other tackles issues
role of respective ministers, it is the ground in terms of outbreak, hotspots, raised by the states and the problems
bureaucrats who have become the face containment and problems like supply faced by them. All lockdown-related
of the government’s fight against the of essentials goods,” says the secretary. advisories, notifications and guidelines
pandemic. “While the Prime Minister’s “The mechanism has cut down on reac- to states and other ministries are sent
Office remains firmly in the saddle, it is tion time and slip-ups. We are also get- out by Bhalla. O
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