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Government speak on Sedition

KEEP THE SEDITION LAW IN ABEYANCE: SUPREME COURT RULES IN A HISTORIC ORDER  11 May 2022 https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/breaking-supreme-court-urges-centre-states-to-refrain-from-registering-firs-invoking-section-124a-ipc-198810

"We hope and expect Centre and State Governments will refrain from registering any FIR, continuing investigation, or taking coercive steps under Section 124 A IPC when it is under reconsideration. It will be appropriate not to use this provision of law till further re-examination is over".. The Court also held that those already booked under Section 124A IPC and are in jail can approach the concerned courts for bail. It has also been ruled that if any fresh case is registered appropriate parties are at liberty to approach courts for appropriate relief

On Sedition Law, Government's Big Climbdown In Supreme Court https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbhJnlJ_rZg May 9, 2022

Two days after firmly defending the country's colonial-era sedition law and asking the Supreme Court to dismiss the pleas challenging it, the government on Monday did an about-face, saying it has decided to review the legislation. In a new affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the centre said, "In the spirit of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of Independence) and the vision of PM Narendra Modi, the Government of India has decided to re-examine and reconsider the provisions of Section 124A, Sedition law."

Comment: SS:  The sublime intention so very beautifully expressed is meant only to kill the current petition. For now, nothing more, nothing less."In view of this, the government “ respectfully submitted that this Hon’ble court may not invest time in examining the validity of Section 124A once again and be pleased to await the exercise of reconsideration to be undertaken by the Government of India before an appropriate forum where such reconsideration is constitutionally permitted"Ananthakrishnan G  May 10, 2022 - https://indianexpress.com/article/india/will-reconsider-provisions-of-sedition-law-centre-tells-sc-7908127/

"To Buy Time": Trinamool's Mahua Moitra Shreds Centre's New Plan On Sedition Law  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3C3C7DnP8w May 9, 2022 Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, one of the petitioners who called for the colonial-era sedition law to be scrapped, told NDTV today that the government's sudden move to decide on a review of the law is "just a ploy to buy time". The matter, she said, deserves to be referred to a seven-judge bench.

Is It Time To Scrap Sedition Law? Top Judge & Advocates Opine | News Today with Rajdeep Sardesai  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgAF2pQgAl0 May 10, 2022
Former Judge Pradeep Nandrajog, Senior Advocate in Supreme Court Dushyant Dave, ASG Satya Pal Jain (https://youtu.be/FgAF2pQgAl0?t=496) and Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud over the brewing issue of scrapping of sedition law in India.

Does India Really Need Sedition Law? | Left, Right & Centre https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7TNEdmTqX4  May 8, 2022

Ahead of the crucial hearing in Supreme Court on the petitions challenging the Sedition law, the Centre has defended the colonial-era law saying there is no need to scrap it. Is sedition law essential or is it now archaic? Is going against the dominant narrative seditious and do sedition laws have a place in modern democracy?

India’s Sedition Law: Will the repressive law survive?  May 4, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl7JIAt0g90 

On May 5 2022, the Supreme Court of India will be hearing multiple pleas challenging the validity of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code or sedition law. Will this contentious law finally be done away with? With the final hearing on the matter ready to take place tomorrow, that remains to be seen.

Covid-19: When will the profiteering of private hospitals be curbed?

https://countercurrents.org/2022/05/covid-19-when-will-the-profiteering-of-private-hospitals-be-curbed/

The first and second waves of the Covid pandemic in India saw health personnel in both government and private hospitals risking their lives to save patients, often working late hours day after day. For this, the Indian public will always remain indebted to them for their selfless service.

However, the stories of Covid patients being fleeced by private hospitals that are now emerging are enough to put all of humanity to shame.

“The pain caused by living is more than that of dying. Life has become harder in middle age than the end of life.” These were the sorrowful words shared by Sakharam Shinde, 62, a Covid patient who returned home from a private hospital last year.

A retired teacher of a government school in Kolhapur, Shinde had spent all his savings during hospitalisation. According to his family members he alleged that the bill that the hospital had given him in the name of treatment was not justified. The capital which he had saved for the future of his children and family, had to be given to the hospital. Within a few days after coming home he died due to weakness.

Many such tales of exorbitant hospital charges bankrupting and breaking the spirit of Covid patients are now emerging through complaints filed by non-government groups in Maharashtra with the state administration. The groups are actively participating in the audit process with the victims and in some places, district and tehsil level officers of the government are also playing an active role in public interest.

Have is a look at some of the cases of complaints against private hospitals charging exorbitant bills.  Identities of the patients have been hidden to safeguard their interests.

Case One:  “I am a professor in a private college. I was getting only half salary at the time of the Covi lockdown. It was becoming difficult to run a family with this incoe. So, at the same time we were doing other income generating work. In the second wave my close friend died. I too got Covi. At the beginning my treatment was done by the doctors of the village. But, later my condition became serious. My father, brother and friends had to struggle hard to get an oxygen bed for me. With no improvement in health, the cost increased. Family and friends together deposited Rs 5 lakh. It’s true, I got healed, but a mountain of debt hit me. I came to know that many people had complained about the private hospital overcharging. I also complained, but the hospital refused to return the money. Instead, I was called by two doctors, they told me that they saved my life and now I am withdrawing the money from their pockets. They created emotional pressure. I insisted on my complaint. Seeing this, they took the help of some goons. The goons first called me and then threatened me at home. At the same time, with the help of tehsil, district and state level organizations, I kept fighting my case with truth. In the end, the hospital had to return Rs 79,000.”

Case Two: “I am left alone with my child. My in-laws have already broken up with me. I live in the room next to my mother. I run a small grocery store. My brother helps in everything. I don’t go out alone. We tried very hard to save my husband from Covid. But, he died. I was left with the debt of hospitalisation.

Some good people helped us. We sent them the bill on WhatsApp. They said that the hospital has taken an additional Rs 12,000 from me. On their request, I went to the government office the next day with the bill. Government officials have issued notice to the private hospital. The hospital said they did not charge extra. Then those good people contacted the authorities and explained to them the rules and regulations of the government. They told the officials that the husband of this woman had died leaving behind a small child. I fought too. When the authorities again sent the notice, the hospital people returned Rs 12,000.

Case Three: “ Dadi (Grandma) was admitted first with Covid and then Tai (Aunt) also started having trouble. Both were in the hospital. Grandmother died. We were looking after Tai’s two young children. Tai’s condition was getting worse day by day. Changed three to four hospitals. I ran out of money to pay the bills. Nobody gave loan. The mortgaged fields were the only source of livelihood for the family. I also got Covid. We were at home in Shirur in Pune district and Tai was at Hadapsar hospital in Pune. We sold land and kept sending money over the phone. One day the phone rang. Tai had made us all orphans. Now Grandma, Tai and the land – all are gone.

I met many such people inside the hospital. Many people who could not save the lives of their loved ones in spite of all their efforts were scared and angry. They have become dependent, indebted. Someone came to the hospital with his mother, someone was sitting with his children. The wife, who had lost her husband, was telling the hospital people that she spent lakhs of rupees to save her husband’s life. Husband is no more. Now give me my money back.”

In May 2020, the Maharashtra government had issued a rate control order on 80 per cent of beds for treatment of Covid in private hospitals under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. In some districts, auditors were appointed by the District Collector and Municipal Commissioner for compliance. In the districts where there was public awareness about the rate control order, a demand was made to conduct an audit of the cost of Covid treatment before sending the patient home. Some hospitals charged money according to the order, while some collected huge bills in the name of various types of treatment. The common man endured all this, because it was his feeling that his patient should be saved. All these scams have left many families in debt and homeless. Farmers became agricultural labourers. In some districts, government officials expedited the audit work, but in others efforts were made to evade responsibility.

Who will stop private hospitals from duping patients in such a dire situation like the Covid pandemic period? Taking lessons from the experience, the government should at least bring such unregulated hospitals under control. A firm step should be taken to provide free and quality health care to the citizens.

Shirish Khare has been associated with rural journalism for a long time and has been continuously reporting on the economic, social and health impacts of rural life during the Corona pandemic.

Why we need feminist leadership for climate justice

https://countercurrents.org/2022/05/why-we-need-feminist-leadership-for-climate-justice/

It is increasingly clear that climate change is a social justice issue that can be resolved only if global inequalities are addressed. There is a well-documented wealth gap – reflecting historical injustices and unequal power relations – between the nations responsible for emissions and those forced to deal with their harsh effects, which range from flooding to droughts and wildfires.

For all too long, white men in the Global North – largely untouched by the catastrophic realities of climate change – have dominated the climate debate. Those in the Global South, particularly women and Indigenous communities, have been ignored. The result is emissions that are higher than ever and a lack of climate finance to support mitigation and adaptation actions, and loss and damage.

Meanwhile, business-as-usual ‘solutions’, such as carbon offsetting, seem to worsen rather than address global inequalities. Oil giant Shell, for example, plans to offset 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from its polluting activities with large-scale tree plantations that are likely to drive land grabs in the Global South.

As Kenyan environment and climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti said:

“If we are serious about tackling the climate crisis we need to start listening and feel the pain of those suffering the consequences already today.”

 by Barbara van Paassen 

06/05/2022

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