This is of course - how most politely to put it - poppycock. Yes, the official so-called active cases count is dropping but that is not because India has the epidemic under control. New cases, officially, are at 85 k plus per day, deaths at 1100 a day.
Unofficially, of course, no one has a clue what the real numbers are. This is just the kind of false optimism and pseudo-science that today's Lancet editorial is all about. India is shoring up big real problems. thelancet.com/action/showPdf…
This fetish with recovered cases is a peculiar affliction of those who want to put a falsely positive spin on the #epidemic. #Coronavirus infection is an illness that naturally recovers, (unless it kills). Recovery does not mean a bounce back to vigorous health for 10-15% of..
cases who suffer the long term sequelae of #LongCovid. If we wait long enough we'll have zero active cases. But the path to that #PyrrhicVictory over #Covid - a #nirvana of sorts - will be strewn with misery, a shattered economy, deaths and the morbidity of #longcovid.
This is the reality, 83,562 new #Infections last 24 hours, total infected to date 5.9 Million, 93k deaths . And that is just the officially reported numbers. #India accounts for 18% of the World's #Coronavirus cases (and 17.7% of the World's population), we're pulling our weight
This is India's epidemic curve, the only one that matters.
And this chart of time trend of cumulative cases and daily cases.
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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.