After the Birthday Party yesterday, when the hangover lifts the reality bites. This #Coronavirus#epidemic in #India shows no sign of abating; another 96k new infections as we march towards #6MillionCorona cases by the end of September. And that's just the Reported numbers.
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What is the dumbing down force that makes even people of some eminence put out stupid posts on social media. Posts that mislead, misinform and pander to a prejudice? Like this one from @sanjeevsanyal ? Mr Sanyal is not some cheap troll. He served as India's Prin Econ Adv 6 yrs
And is now on the PM's Econ Adv Council. He is a published author and commentator and has a huge @X. So why do I take issue with that tweet of his about Sweden's support for migrant's who want to go back elsewhere?
Read on to see why I am so disappointed at the level of public discourse on social media even from people who should know better. 1. The substance of the tweet suggests that Sweden is rethinking its policy on taking in refugees and migants, and is seeking to send them back.
Of all the claims that @palkisu made in her fanciful @OxfordUnion debate on India under Modi, the most egregious was the claim about how, in the much dreaded queue at the UK Border Agency at Heathrow she observed throngs of Indians proudly presenting their INDIAN passports.
No longer did they have to shamefully and hesitantly reveal their Indian-ness. The implication was that before Modi arrived on the scene (and forced us to defend Indian democracy), all of us did precisely that - hide our passports as we slipped in shamefaced and embarrassed.
what utter bollocks! what balderdash!
If at all any Indian traveller arriving at Heathrow is not so knackered and bushed after a 9 hour flight that he presentes his Indian passport with a proud flourish its because of pride that he has obtained a Visitor Visa
This #50WordEdit from @ShekharGupta really takes the biscuit. He seems to have swallowed the usual Govt hype and self-praise about the recently concluded India-EFTA trade deal, and its description as a 100 billion USD deal. Let's delve behind the deal a bit shall we?
I presented an analysis of this deal in this twitter thread done a few weeks ago when it was still under negotiation.
But to reiterate a few points:
EFTA may have Europeean in its name - European Free Trade Association - but for avoidance of doubt it is not the European Union. EFTA is a customs area of 4 countries, Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein (a tiny city state of a mere 40,000 people)
Tucked away in the new Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita is Sec 148, under which a policeman can order
"any assembly of five or more persons ..to disperse;..." They need not be doing anything wrong. It's enough if the policeman thinks it is likely they will.
If they don't disperse as commanded, Sec 148(2) provides for the policeman to call up members of the public to assist him in making them disperse (These could potentially be goons from some saffron dal).
Sec 149 provides for the DM to summon the help ofthe army to disperse the crowd of 5 or more people.
I think the Opposition is missing a trick. Instead of sitting on the steps to some side entrance into Parliament, they should run a 'parallel' parliament session. debating issues, considering bills clause by clause and passing resolutiions maybe even voting down bills.
It'll have no effect of course but it would make for good theatre. Put it on @YouTube. Invite journalists and experts for select committe style enquiries into policy issues, I am sure there'll be enough volunteers to provide secretarial support.
After all the suspended MPs come from almost all parts of India. Many are well-versed in Parliamentary procedure and language. Some are constitutional, legal and public finance experts. They could put on a greart show of erudition and elocution with humour and grace
I currently have family over from India, on a visit. Educated, well off. Totally unaware of current affairs; claim they never bother with news, neither TV nor magazines. But that doesn't mean they have no opinion on issues that matter. So for instance, they assert that:
1. After 70 years in which nothing happened, India is suddenly now a world power. 2. By 2050, Muslims will take over India. 3. Hindus are discriminated against in favour of minorities esp Muslims and Christians who have the upper hand because of past vote-bank politics.
All these assertions crumble under cross examination.
"So they say.. on WhatsApp.. we don't know if true or not, but why take a chance.. " is the constant refrain.
It is maddening and frustrating. Logical fact based counter argument gets you nowhere.