Sachin Tendulkar Lockdown Diary Special Digital Issue

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R covid-19 Nation State Can India feed itself?

RNI NO. 7044/1961

‹ N a v i g a t o r ›

EDITOR-in-chief Ruben Banerjee managing EDITOR Sunil Menon Executive Editor Satish Padmanabhan Foreign Editor Pranay Sharma Political EDITOR Bhavna Vij-Aurora Senior editor Giridhar Jha (Mumbai) Chief art Director Deepak Sharma Writers Lola Nayar, Qaiser Mohammad Ali (Senior Associate Editors), G.C. Shekhar (Associate Editor), Jeevan Prakash Sharma (Senior Assistant Editor), Ajay Sukumaran, Puneet Nicholas Yadav, Jyotika Sood, Lachmi Deb Roy (Assistant Editors), Naseer Ganai (Senior Special Correspondent), Preetha Nair (Special Correspondent), Salik Ahmad (Senior Correspondent) copy Desk Rituparna Kakoty (Senior Associate Editor), Anupam Bordoloi, Saikat Niyogi, Satyadeep (Associate Editors), Syed Saad Ahmed (Assistant Editor) Photographers S. Rakshit (Chief Photo Coordinator), Jitender Gupta (Photo Editor), Tribhuvan Tiwari (Deputy Photo Editor), Sandipan Chatterjee, Apoorva Salkade (Sr Photographers), Suresh Kumar Pandey (Staff Photographer) J.S. Adhikari (Sr Photo Researcher), U. Suresh Kumar (Digital Library) design Saji C.S. (Chief Designer), Leela (Senior Designer), Devi Prasad, Padam Gupta (Sr DTP Operators) Digital Neha Mahajan (Associate Editor), Soumitra Mishra (Digital Consultant), Jayanta Oinam (Assistant Editor), Mirza Arif Beg (Special Correspondent), Neelav Chakravarti (Senior Correspondent), Charupadma Pati (Trainee Journalist), Suraj Wadhwa (Chief Graphic Designer), Editorial Manager & Chief Librarian Alka Gupta BUSINESS OFFICE COVER STORY Chief Executive officer Indranil Roy 25 Publisher Sandip Kumar Ghosh Broken supply chains, labourers back home SR Vice president Meenakshi Akash Vice presidents Shrutika Dewan, and lack of incomes...Can India feed its billion- Diwan Singh Bisht Sr General Managers Kabir Khattar (Corp), plus people despite bountiful food stocks? Debabani Tagore, Shailender Vohra General ManagerS Sasidharan Kollery, Shashank Dixit 30 | MAXIMUM GOVERNMENT, Chief Manager Shekhar Kumar Pandey MAXIMUM GOVERNANCE MANAGERS Shekhar Suvarana, Sudha Sharma CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION Anindya As a crisis peaks, central, state and local Banerjee, Gagan Kohli, G. Ramesh (South), Vinod Kumar (North), Arun Kumar Jha (East) governments are working together to keep Digital Amit Mishra the worst at bay HEAD OFFICE AB-10, S.J. Enclave, New Delhi - 110 029 Tel: 011-71280400; Fax: 26191420 Customer care helpline: 011-71280433, 71280462, 71280307 34 | COUNTRY ROADS TAKE CORONA HOME 5 Letters e-mail: [email protected] For editorial queries: [email protected] Labourers’ reverse migration might intro- 8 poliglot For subscription helpline: [email protected] duce the pandemic in rural recesses. Can 53 Book review

other offices governments deal with it? 54 LA dolce vita mumbai Tel: 022-50990990 56 diary CALCUTTA Tel: 033 46004506; Fax: 033 46004506 38 | THE PRICE THEY PAY CHENNAI Tel: 42615224, 42615225; Fax: 42615095 BANGALORE Tel: 080-43715021 The exodus of labourers from cities is going Printed and published by Indranil Roy on behalf of Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd. to hit the rural poor the most Editor: Ruben Banerjee. Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd. Sy.No.185, Sai Pruthvi Enclave, 49 | LIGHTS, CAMERA...CUT! Cover Design: Kondapur – 500 084, R.R.Dist. Telangana and published from AB-10, S.J. Enclave, The shutdown, an unprecedented event in Deepak Sharma New Delhi-110 029 the entertainment industry, is the beginning Photograph: Total no. of pages 57, Including Covers of a prolonged, dark spell Tribhuvan Tiwari

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commitment by the Centre contacts are crucial to ‘extin- to infuse an extra Rs 15,000 guishing’ the pandemic. Till crore in public healthcare is scientists succeed in develop- a step in the right direction. ing vaccines and drugs to save us from the scourge (for MUMBAI which they are burning the Gundu K. Maniam: The pan- midnight oil), we are left with demic is taking its toll on liveli- little option but to continue to hoods in the informal sector. take precautionary measures. Staying back in such circum- stances and bearing the MUSCAT expenses for rent and food is Ramachandran Nair: not a viable option for many. In the wake of the COVID-19 Migrants feel the pinch and outbreak, any initiative to fight they are waiting for an escape the disease is a vibrant step route to their native place. But forward. Sharing vital infor- it is not so easy with a lockdown mation through reliable in all states. Besides, alerts have sources is one such initiative. been out for possible large-scale return of mi- grant workers to their native places—one­ such warning, for example, was recorded in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district about ‘return- ees’ from Kerala.

We Shall KANYAKUMARI G. David Milton: Overcome? Coronavirus is a sin- gle-strand, posi-

digimag.outlookindia.com LUCKNOW

tive-RNA virus. It has Deepak Kohli: This refers to your cover crown-like spikes pro- story The Economy and the Virus (April truding from its sur- 6). Our governance model provides for face resembling the decision-making at the Union level, but sun’s corona. The the burden of policy execution falls upon spikes affect the way a states, as healthcare, sanitation, agricul- virus binds to the host ture and public utilities are state sub- cell and infects it. Once inside At this time, it is important jects. Thus, fiscal federalism, the host, the virus conjoins that all political parties come youtube.com/outlookmagazine decentralised governance and flexibility with ACE2 under one umbrella in this to states to meet their needs should be receptors, where it creates fight towards saving human- part of the fight against the virus, includ- spikes to interact with the kind. It is the time for action, ing coping with the lockdown and man- receptor and goes on to use not criticism. The best ‘medi- aging the economy’s recovery. The the cell as ‘factory’ for repro- cine’, however, to counter the Centre must support state governments duction and propagation. The threat is awareness, remain- to ensure that farmers receive a fair price replication and shedding of ing calm and staying away and are able to move their products, the virus in cases where the from crowds. While govern- facebook.com/outlookindia

especially perishables, to markets. We immune system is unable to ments across the world are must realise that the much-neglected prevail over the viral load taking initiatives to curb the panchayat and local officials are key result in severe acute respira- pandemic, it is the responsi- nodes in keeping track of possible cases tory syndrome and bility of every individual to and the creation of quarantining infra- deprivation of oxygen. While be aware of their social structure. The success of the lockdown lockdowns help in contain- commitment. It is not the strategy is premised on an unprecedent- ment of the spread of the time for outings; instead, edly vigorous building up of health infra- virus, testing, identifying, stay indoors to reduce

twitter.com/outlookindia structure to fight the pandemic. The isolating, tracking and tracing chances of exposure.

00 outlook5| April outlook 13, 2020| april 13, 2020 L e t t e r s feedback › [email protected]

VARANASI Red Bull Jaideep Mittra: Kejriwal granting permission to From the Daak Room ALMORA prosecute Kanhaiya only Anil K. Joshi: The cover reinforces the dictum, ‘in story on Kanhaiya (Kunwar politics, there are no perma- Kamunist, March 23) nent friends or foes’. The couldn’t have come at a bet- Delhi CM is coming of age ter time. I am fed up seeing as a politician and Kanhaiya politicians and is no longer useful to those celebrities on the cover day who sided with him or a in and day out; Kanhaiya threat to his opponents. felt like a whiff of fresh air. Kejriwal distancing himself One may or not agree with from Kanhaiya after his vic- his anarchic approach or tory was a strategic move to whimsical ways, but the lad strike a balance between has the confidence and left- and right-wing ideolo- courage to speak his mind. gies. Moreover, he is becom- He has a good grasp of the ing more friendly with the country’s political scenario Centre and dropping his and his public declama- earlier confrontational tions, even if at times bor- stance. As for Kanhaiya, it is dering on the comical, do just the beginning of a long, make plenty of sense. His excruciating journey. How popularity may not win far he succeeds in establish- him elections, but we do ing himself as a prominent need the likes of him to leader and providing a new keep frontline parties and outlook to politics would be leaders on their toes. May interesting to see in the Profit From Jail Excerpts from a letter Nehru wrote to his tribe increase. years to come. daughter Indira from prison

NAVI MUMBAI doms and they decay like all C.K. Subramaniam: This created things. refers to Royal Shift Ruffles The Middle Kingdom NEW DELHI (March 23). Scindia’s Sangeeta Kampani: This departure has dealt the refers to The Sleep Is grand old party a big blow. Showing, Your Honour Congress is totally cut off (March 30). The alacrity from the people and with which Justice Gogoi appears to be interested was rewarded with a Rajya only in waging Twitter wars. Sabha nomination shows Unless citizens close ranks that all is not well with our and find alternative ways to been Congress’s obsession him. And the last straw was judiciary. Only sometime assert their rights, the ten- since Independence. It is when Priyanka Gandhi, a back, he had rooted for a tacles of authoritarianism not surprising, therefore, dynast, was chosen over fiercely independent are bound to tighten. that a young, ambitious him for Rajya Sabha. BJP is judiciary, but in his Congress has to regain its functionary like a party where a dynastic acceptance of this offer, he past prestige if it wants to be Jyotiraditya Scindia felt tag is not required to has ironically silenced his in the running in future neglected. The scion of the occupy top posts like party own voice. His slip is akin elections. If not, regional Gwalior royal family who president or prime minis- to the king in Henry V, of parties will become the worked hard to install a ter. It is certainly time for whom Shakespeare says: principal Opposition. Congress government in the Congress to sit up and “I think the King is but a Madhya Pradesh felt take notice. Not for nothing man/ His ceremonies laid CHENNAI suffocated when the post had the world’s first sociol- by, in his nakedness, he is K.R. Narasimhan: of chief minister or state ogist Ibn Khaldun said that but a man!” Well, now the Dynastic succession has party president eluded dynasties rise, beget king- slip and sleep both show.

6 outlook | april 13, 2020 TheNews Finally, The Old Fall Guy The Nizamuddin ‘hot spot’ allows trolls to The SBI has warned borrowers that target Muslims for deferment of EMIs offered under the RBI’s lockdown relief package could spreading the virus put an additional cost on them. During Jitender Gupta the moratorium period, interest shall Puneet Nicholas Yadav A person stuck in Delhi’s Nizamuddin continue to accrue on the outstanding Markaz for days is evacuated portion of the term loan. s the lethal veil of the COVID-19 allowed people to leave the venue. pandemic casts its shadow Activist Sohail Hashmi, a critic of across India, communal hatred, Jamaat’s religious activities, says the big- too,A is eagerly entwining itself to the otry has little to do with the Jamaat and threat. ‘Corona Jihad’—screamed is more about “projecting Muslims as hundreds of Twitter users soon after the cause of the pandemic in India”. reports emerged that a countrywide “The Nizamuddin police station is a search had been launched for over stone’s throw away from the Markaz, 6,000 Muslims, including many what were the police and administration foreigners, who had attended a Tablighi doing when the crowd was gathering… Jamaat congregation in New Delhi’s The government’s crisis mismanage- Nizamuddin Markaz in mid-March. ment was getting exposed, with rising The search was initiated after it was cases, the migrant situation and the eco- revealed that five corona-positive nomic fallout; it found a convenient All class 1-8 students of CBSE patients who died in Telangana had punching bag in the Muslims as soon as will be promoted to the next level. attended the Jamaat event between people who attended the event tested Pending class 10 and 12 exams will be March 11 (the day WHO declared positive,” he says. conducted only in 29 subjects that are COVID-19 a pandemic) and 13. Later, The Jamaat says it suspended its crucial for promotion and admission to reports suggest, nearly 100 partici- events after March 13. Meanwhile, reli- higher educational institutions in view pants—some within Delhi and others gious sites across India—Siddhivinayak of the coronavirus outbreak. tracked down in different states—have temple in Mumbai, Shirdi Sai Baba tested positive and over 5,000 people temple, Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath across 20 states and Union territories temple—continued to welcome devo- are now under quarantine. Delhi Police tees till a few days later. Reports say have also registered an FIR against 400 pilgrims are still stranded in Jamaat preacher Maulana Saad. Vaishno Devi. Furthermore, Parliament In a rush to paint the Jamaat as the vil- remained in session for over a week lain, notable omissions were made. The after the Jamaat event, and amid mas- Markaz, in a media statement, under- sive celebrations by BJP workers in scores how participants had gathered Bhopal on March 20 and 21, Shivraj nearly a fortnight before the 21-day lock- Singh Chouhan returned as CM of MP down. The suspension of train and flight after the BJP toppled the Congress gov- services prevented many from leaving ernment. Yet, the taint of spreading the vicinity and the police offered little virus attaches itself to Muslims. Wimbledon has been cancelled for the help to decongest the area, it claims. The Says former MP and Nizamuddin resi- first time since the Second World War due Markaz is now being asked to explain dent Shahid Siddiqui, “Communal virus to the coronavirus pandemic. The 134th how it allowed people stranded within is thriving in India; they turn everything, Championships will be staged from June Nizamuddin to stay in violation of social every issue into something to do with 28 to July 11, 2021. distancing guidelines, as well as why it Islam and Muslims.” O

7 outlook | april 13, 2020 A cop wears a corona-themed Poliglot helmet to spread awareness about the pandemic mixed shotS

Snapshot

Bjp’s West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh distributes food in Calcutta

Ekol Vidyalays­—schools where a single teacher gives lessons on moral science to 50 students—in many of these areas for quite some time and that makes their task to find workers easier. However, in Darjeeling, where the BJP has been winning Lok Sabha elections since 2009, there is not much activity from party. In the Darjeeling hills, the Gorkha Territorial Administration authorities has been taking care of sup- plying ration to the people; a local NGO, Darjeeling Enfielders, is delivering emergency medicines to those in need at discounted rates. In south Bengal too, the BJP’s activi- ties are visible. BJP activists have dis- Vote Bank Soup Kitchen tributed dry ration to the poor in the Calcutta neighbourhood of Salt Lake’s Rajat Roy in Calcutta polls next year; it’s no secret that the AE block. The party’s state vice presi- party is desperate to add Bengal to its dent Jayprakash Majumdar says they On a Sunday late in tally of states. And North Bengal is a have brought six metric tonne of rice w. bengal March, the West BJP stronghold, where it won all seven and pulses from Bardhaman and that Bengal unit of the Lok Sabha seats in 2019. The party’s would be distributed among the needy BJP received a message from the par- win in Malda (North) was facilitated by in Bhangar and Rajarhat, adjacent to ty’s high command that each kar- the massive leads it managed in some Salt Lake. Rantidev Sengupta, who is in yakarta—party worker—in the state of the areas in the constituency. It had charge of all media publications under should adopt five families and look also snatched the Habibpur assembly RSS in the state, says party-affiliated after them during the nationwide lock- seat from the CPI(M) in the bypolls. doctors are conducting awareness pro- down to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping in tune with their overall grammes—holding meetings and On the same day, around 150 karyakar- supremacy established in Lok Sabha explaining how to take correct precau- tas came forward to offer their services elections in North Bengal, the BJP and tionary steps to evade the coronavirus. in Malda district alone. Khagen its Sangh Parivar allies are paying They are paying special attention to Murmu, a former CPI(M) legislator attention to their new-found political senior citizens and trying to provide and farmer leader, currently a BJP support base. According to Tarun dry ration. parliamentarian for Malda (North), Pandit, one of the RSS secretaries in According to Rantidev, their work is says the numbers will increase in the North Bengal, the Parivar has divided effective mostly in Birbhum, Bard- coming days. Initially, his team tried to six districts of North Bengal into 11 haman, Murshidabad, North and serve cooked food and medicine to the administrative units where they have South 24 Parganas in south Bengal. needy. But after consultation with the deployed 296 swayamsevaks to cater There are allegtions that the Parivar is top brass of the district administra- to the need of more than 1,400 benefi- catering selectively to Hindus and tion, they decided to stick to dry ration ciaries. The Sangh has been running avoiding the Muslims. Doubtful, only. But, even before the lockdown though. Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum began, in areas like Bamangola, and North 24 Parganas have significant Pakuahat, Kendpukur, Gajol and For the BJP, this service numbers of Muslims, and the BJP is Habibpur (all under Malda-North), is part of the package the aware of this vote-base. But for the BJP workers had started distributing Parivar, consolidating its support base cooked food. party is offering to voters among Hindus and tribals is high on its For the BJP, this social service is part of Bengal, which goes to list of priorities. In the long run, this of the package that the party is offering could defeat its attempt to expand its to voters of Bengal, which goes to the the polls next year. mass appeal in the state. O

8 outlook | april 13, 2020 Poliglot

manipur Not All Heroes Rolling Wear Capes Sudhir Deharia sits on a ledge outside his home, sip- Stone... ping tea. His family interacts with him from the gate. It looks like a rather odd photo Stopped until you spot his surgical cap—Deharia is Bhopal district’s chief medical and n the fickle world of Indian politics, health officer. This scene Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh was from March 30, when didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. he met his family after a gap iIn 2017, just after winning the assembly of five days, working non- elections from Andro constituency in stop in the battle against Manipur, Shyamkumar had defected from COVID-19. After finishing the the Congress to the BJP, and helped the tea, he returned to the hos- saffron party form its first government in pital! There were no raucous this northeastern state. A few days ago, the pots and pans in store for honeymoon ended when assembly Disqualified Congress-turned-BJP Deharia, but the MP chief speaker Y. Khemchand Singh disqualified legislator T.S. Singh of Manipur minister tweeted glowing Shyamkumar, the state’s forest and praise for him. environment minister, as a member of the petitions seeking Shyamkumar’s disqualifi- Like Deharia, Digvijay House with immediate effect till the cation, arguing that he had violated the 10th expiry of the assembly’s current term on Schedule of the Constitution. The 10th Sharma also heeded the March 28, 2022. The speaker’s order came Schedule lays down the process by which call of duty in exemplary days after the Supreme Court invoked the legislators may be disqualified for defection fashion. The 22-year-old Constitution’s Article 142 to disqualify by the Speaker on a petition by any other constable was on leave Shyamkumar as an MLA. member of the House. As the petitioners until March 23 to appear Shyamkumar’s defection had set off high were not happy with the inordinate delay in for exams at Etawah. But drama in 2017 when the BJP raced to form the disposal of the case, they moved the not only did the exams the government despite winning just 21 Manipur high court and the Supreme Court. get postponsed due to seats compared to Congress’s 28. The BJP Though the BJP government in Manipur the shutdown, he could also found support from four MLAs of the is unlikely to face any numbers issue, the also not find transport to National People’s Party and the sole Lok latest development could have a political return to his police station, Janshakti Party legislator, besides inde- fallout, since several MLAs of the BJP and Rajgarh. Regardless, he pendents. In the 60-member house, the its allies have been demanding reshuffle of set out and walked for BJP proved its majority with 32 MLAs. the council of ministers. nearly 20 hours during the But the Congress didn’t take the betrayal Shyamkumar, meanwhile, says he is 450-km journey. lightly with as many as 15 party MLAs filing ready to face the voters again. O brevis

New York City- Artist and ar- Former Union Rajyogini based India Soap opera Spanish Princess chitect Satish minister and Dadi Janki, Abroad, an star John Maria Teresa Gujral has Samajwadi Party the chief of Indian-American Callahan of of Bourbon-Par- died aged 94. He founding member Brahma Kumaris, weekly newspa- All My Children ma has become was the younger Beni Prasad has died in per with a leagcy fame has died the first royal to brother of former Verma died. He Mt Abu. of 50 years, has at 66. die from corona- PM I.K. Gujral. was 79. She was 104. shut down its virus complica- print edition tions. She was 86.

9 outlook | april 13, 2020 Poliglot MixedShots

Present Past Alcoholics’ Own Country? verybody loved her, it was hard to let her go, but n Kerala, the lockdown has killed more people when 72-year-old Ambika’s osteoarthritis got so bad than the coronavirus—about seven alcohol that she became practically untreatable, they had to Iaddicts reportedly died by suicide after the Eput her to sleep. For 59 years, Ambika, an Asian government shut liquor shops. In Meghalaya, the elephant, had been a rare treat for visitors at government realised the importance of alcoholic the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington. succour in these tough times. So it has allowed She was born in India around 1948, captured home delivery of liquor, albeit only with a medical in Coorg’s forests when she was eight and prescription. The DGCA, taking note of the “extraordinary” circumstances, has suspended sent off across the oceans in 1961 as a “gift alcohol breathalyser tests for all aviation from the children of India”. But Ambika personnel as it could potentially spread COVID-19. is not the only jumbo to make a journey The railways has done the same for its freight as a diplomatic overture. In 1949, crew. Time to pop a bottle? We think not—those Nehru sent Indira—a baby with a “known history of alcoholism” will not be pachyderm named after allowed to skip the test. Interestingly, at the his daughter—as a gift beginning of the outbreak, there were rumours to Japan. O that the ‘bottle’ could kill corona, inspiring many to drown the virus in a stiff tipple. O

Missing You, Mrs Gandhi umhara haath, nahin hamare saath/ sabse badi bhool, tumko kiya kabool (Your hand is not with us, our biggest fault was choosing you)” reads a ‘miss- “ing’ posterT in Rae Bareli. The person it’s looking for? Sonia Gandhi, the MP for the constituency. The poster demanded why the Congress president was not aiding the people of Rae Bareli during the lockdown despite being one of the richest MPs. It was anonymous and did not even carry the name of the printer as mandated by law. For the record, Sonia Gandhi has pledged her MPLAD funds to combat coronavirus. O

(Coco)Nut Job Can you address this issue? s there something fishy hat’s in a name? Plenty for people in Korauna, about the shortage of Uttar Pradesh. With an appellation that sounds rations in Goa? Former like the dreadful virus, its residents are a harried IPanaji MLA Sidharth Kuncali- Wlot. Not only does it lead to an uncomfortable situation when enker thinks so. He accused the police asks where they are from, they have also had to face Uday Madkaikar, his party discrimination. Phone calls can be as colleague and Panaji mayor, of challenging. “When we tell people on diverting rations meant for home delivery during the the phone where we are from, they lockdown to a store run by his brother and urged the chief think it is a prank and cut our minister to institute a probe. But Madkaikar is a tough call,” says a resident. Maybe they nut to crack. He asked Kuncalienker to prove his could consult the residents of contention by taking a ‘coconut oath’—swearing with the Gadha, Pooh, Cumbum, or right hand on a coconut in front of a deity. Now, can Chutia—other places in India stuck Kuncalienker have his coconut and eat it too? O with unfortunate homonyms. O

10 outlook | april 13, 2020 Illustrations: saahil, text curated by alka gupta, saad ahmed Jharkhand/COVID-19

Going Goals Yuwa team members exult during a Donosti Cup match in Spain; below, Franz Gastler

Photographs: yuwa Losing By An Own Goal To hound out the Gastlers, who use football and education to empower girls in remotest Jharkhand, is a crying shame

Soumitra Bose Jharkhand was suddenly set upon by an unexpected ‘enemy’: a section of locals, crazed by COVID-19 fears, tar- s the threat from coronavirus geted them as ‘carriers’ of the deadly stalks the world, making the virus. Franz Gastler and Rose fight against it a truly global Thomson Gastler and their baby girl, war,A it has spawned malodorous, gripped by fear, have taken refuge at a manmade offshoots—taboos and friend’s house in Ranchi and are wait- discrimination, all underpinned by ing for the first flight to the US. suspicion and unreason. Gastler, who has been working as a A young American couple who were teacher in the tribal hinterlands of using football as a tool for social trans- India since 2007, founded the NGO formation in a remote village in Yuwa in 2009. In 2012, he was joined

11 outlook | April 13, 2020 Jharkhand/COVID-19

by Rose Thomson and in 2015, the duo from the village to a friend’s place in India and America. established the Yuwa School, a unique Ranchi. We’ve been threatened before Two years after Franz and Rose mar- institution that uses soccer to but this time there was so much panic ried in 2017, Yuwa’s work was acknowl- empower young girls who lead terribly that we felt it could turn bad fast. edged by the Laureus Sports For Good marginalised lives in their vilages. Especially with our daughter now, we Foundation. The NGO put Ormanjhi, The founders of Yuwa, which directly were really scared,” said Gastler, who an obscure village about 20 kilometres influences the lives of 520 girls and 60 returned to Ranchi from a trip to the from Ranchi, on the international map, boys in the age group of six to 20, are US on January 9, much before the when it was awarded the Laureus now staring at an uncertain future. COVID-19 cases were detected in Sports For Good Award in Monaco in Towards the end of March, the couple 2019. Thirty-eight-year-old Gastler and their kid escaped a possible attack and Rose, 30, who now have a seven- from a village mob that wanted them month-old daughter Liona, went up on out of Ormanjhi. Fortunately, given “Football has stage along with four girl ‘coaches’ to the goodwill Gastler has won over the made us strong; receive the award from former Arsenal years, some girls, all day-scholars at manager Arsene Wenger and five-time Yuwa school, passed on the ‘inside we can beat boys Olympic swimming champion from information’ of an impending attack. in studies too,” the US, Missy Franklin. Yuwa was sel­ “The SSP of Ranchi was extremely ected from among 160 projects by the helpful and the local police escorted us says Chhanda. Laureus academy that has sports and

12 outlook | April 13, 2020 Jharkhand/covid-19

Olympic legends Edwin Moses, Mark Spitz, Nadia Comaneci and Monica Seles among others as members. According to UNICEF data, over half of Indian child brides live in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. UP is home to the largest population of child brides—36 million. Jharkhand, carved out of Bihar in November 2000, has seven million, but with a signifi- cantly higher female vulnerability ratio. Bihar has 22 million. The Yuwa programme stepped into this quagmire of backwardness, super- stition and grinding poverty. In a state with some of the highest rates of female illiteracy, child marriage and human trafficking, Yuwa has made a telling impact by using football to reduce grinding poverty, endemic domestic violence­ and an acute lack of opportu- nity. Where six of 10 girls drop out of Rose, Franz and four Yuwa ‘coaches’ pose with the Laureus Sport For Good Award in Monaco school, Yuwa offers­ lessons taught by highly qualified teachers, empowering part of Yuwa. Thus, effectively, there girls practised. More importantly, his students to decide­ their own futures. are over 5,200 indirect beneficiaries. government initiated action against the In a clear indicator of confidence, Using their own lives as examples, girls Hutup panchayat sewak Deepak Sahu self-worth and changing perceptions in Yuwa inspire many others to recon- for misbehaving with the girls when they of ambition, Chhanda, a 17-year-old sider and challenge the old boundaries approached him for birth certificates from Hutup village, who is preparing earmarked for girls and women. needed to apply for passports. for her pre-Board examination (under A senior official of the Jharkhand “We have been branded human traf- the National Institute of Open government says: “After 6 pm, villages fickers. Given the number of times our Schooling) said she was happy to in Jharkhand are taken over by girls have travelled abroad and answer questions in English when drunken men who treat women shab- returned home with accolades, we approached by this reporter. “Football bily. Sexual violence is common. The would perhaps be the dumbest traf- has made us strong. Now the boys can’t government can’t do anything about it. fickers in the world. There is a lot of tease us because we can give it back to Given the work Yuwa has done in a dif- jealousy and some men bear grudges them very easily, both in a match or ficult territory, Franz has found little because the girls are doing well and studies,” she laughs. recognition than he actually deserves.” putting food on the table,” Gastler says. Set in a context where males and In August 2013, Jharkhand CM “We couldn’t have been virus carri- females seldom leave their villages, let Hemant Soren announced cash awards ers. We had two other teachers from alone their state, over 30 Yuwa girls for under-14 girl footballers from Yuwa the US who had left two weeks ago. have spoken at universities, TED who shone during a three-week tour of Given the incidents before, we had a events and conferences, and travelled Spain. The girls came third among 10 decently good risk-tolerance limit, but across India and abroad. And, criti- teams in the Gasteiz Cup, and reached given the pandemic, we will not be able cally, in a society where 60 per cent of the quarterfinals, from among 36 teams, to handle mob violence,” says Gastler, girls are married off as children, no in the Donosti Cup, Spain’s biggest foot- who is waiting to get back to Yuwa girl has been coerced into child ball tournament. Soren also promised to Minnesota in a special flight arranged marriage, says a study. Laudable as build a stadium within six months at by the US for its citizens. these achievements are, they also Dhanumojha village, close to where the UNICEF statistics reveal that com- invoke the ire of conservative, reac- pared to the past decade, progress tionary apologists of ‘tradition’, some- needs to be four times faster to elimi- thing that’s certainly at the root of the nate child marriage by 2030. Yuwa has Gastners’ recent ordeal. “Some men bear played its small part in correcting this Yuwa relies on a simple strategy to grudges as the social evil. The Gastlers are keen to extend its reach. It estimates that each return to Ormanjhi as soon as the dust youth who participates in a Yuwa team girls earn well,” settles down over this shameful epi- interacts closely with at least nine peo- says Gastler about sode. For now, they are worried about ple (immediate family members, the Yuwa girls whose safety is at risk if neighbours, classmates) who are not a a possible attack. the virus pays a visit to Ormanjhi. O

13 outlook | April 13, 2020 The author is a COVID-19/Opinion/ Peggy Mohan linguist and a writer

Slow Down. It’s Time. It’s not the end of the story. This is an early warning that we need serious course correction for the future.

apoorva salkade is a mild spring day, IT unseasonably rainy, and time is standing still. The ceiling fans are timidly waking up from winter. And we ourselves are housebound, craning our ears for the sound of the other shoe if and when it drops. I have been imagining this scenario for ages, this time-outside-of- time, with all of us hunkered down at home “for our own good”, the great turnaround moment when our species, racing faster and faster towards a stop light, suddenly jams on the brakes. The day we call a halt to the madness, and give the planet a break. The signs of endgame were there, for those who knew how to read them, with teenage activists cropping up all over the world to show us, if we were too blinkered or unconcerned to believe the climate scientists. We had A Mumbai street. Can ample warning that we had to slow you believe it? down and switch to a new way of living that did not destroy the planet while it When we wait in the industrial hub of the global made a few unspeakably rich. But we system, and spread out first to the places were on a roll, in a deadly game of too long, Nature in daily contact with Wuhan. David ‘chicken’, aiming our headlights Quammen, in his book Spillover: Animal straight at the oncoming car and comes out to Infections and the Next Human flooring the accelerator. The other guy bat during Pandemic, published in 2012, saw it would give up first, we thought, and we coming. He was certain we would soon would win. overtime and have to deal with a virus, and that it The only thing that could bring the sorts us out would most probably come from a bat needed flip was a microbe, something whose habitat we had invaded. that brought a dreaded disease in the ruthlessly. But the virus itself has been all but blink of an eye. Because, left to eclipsed by the panic that has come with ourselves, humans suffer from inertia, it. China and now Italy and Iran have which stops us from getting up and been badly hit, with huge numbers of deaths reported, and that has sent doing what plainly needs to be done. people worldwide into retreat. An instant result has been that the And when we wait too long, Nature polluted skies over China have cleared as no amount of human will comes out to bat during overtime, and could get them to do up to now, almost as if climate change were she sorts us out quickly and ruthlessly, temporarily put on hold. Designer and forecaster Li Edelkoort has without too much concern for who is called this period a “quarantine of consumption”, which she thinks will who, though it is usually the poor who lead to “a global recession of a magnitude that has not been experienced get the raw end of the deal. But who before”, which will allow humanity to “reset” its values. Maybe. But knew, this time around? All of a what we see right now is two sides with sharply different agenda faced sudden the big-time consumers, the off: the big players, armed and monied, who see a chance to dig frequent flyers, were the ones in the themselves in even deeper, and the little people—unarmed, crosshairs. This new virus had started unorganised—who want a better world.

14 outlook | april 13, 2020 covid-19/Opinion/ Peggy Mohan

sandipan chatterjee As I write this, the other shoe is yet to drop. We are weeks into the pandemic, but India has not seen the descent into disaster that the Chinese, Italians and Iranians have been living through. Our hospitals are not reporting the surge in patients that is being predicted each day with an almost ghoulish excitement. Maybe we will be lucky and it will give us a miss. But until we know this for sure, we will be bracing for a tsunami that is taking its time in coming, one that might even have changed its mind. For all we know, we might have been living with this virus for a long time already. India has never been out of touch with China, Italy or any of the other virus hot spots in Europe. Many of us had to take to our beds in January and February because of a A man sleeps in front of ghastly 10-day ‘flu’, the worst of our his closed shop, Calcutta lives, which sent some of our old relatives to hospital ICUs with pneumonia, and looked too close to police to ‘shoot at sight’ anyone found the Wuhan virus for comfort. Have The poorest will violating the curfew, and promising them many of us had this disease already, feel the pain, a cash reward if they at least break these but as it didn’t announce itself, we people’s legs. thought it was just another bug, while the engine The roads near my home were almost though a particularly nasty one? of growth gets empty that morning. A few cars, Every day, in ‘normal’ times, 25,000 very few cycles and scooters, almost no people out of India’s population of 1.3 spruced up one on foot. Inside the IIT Delhi campus, billion die—and more than 1,000 safe from prowling vigilantes, there was people (4,00,000 in 2018) die of and readied to no one walking around, no one sitting in tuberculosis, for which we do have a roll again. their gardens, no one on their balconies. cure, but have not eradicated because At a pivotal moment when we could it only afflicts the poor. A thousand have been thinking of how to change Indians, mostly children, die every course, call a halt to the mindless growth as a way of life and transition day of other respiratory ailments, and easily to mindful de-growth, we are frozen, more cut off from 500 die of malaria. But almost all of us each other than ever before. The break in momentum that could have will recover from viruses as bad as allowed a rethink, a springtime of new ideas, a chance to start over, may COVID-19, and live to chalk up the all come to nothing. The world will be back in business as before, the experience as a major milestone in same old thinking, heading for the same dead end. De-growth our lives. there will be, because the global economy has taken a hit. But the So why the unprecedented panic? pain will be felt by the poorest, whose jobs might have gone Why the scenes of police with lathis away for good, while the engine of growth gets spruced up, and frog-marching hapless migrant readied to roll again. workers, making them hop like This crisis is not the end of the story. It is just an early warning that we schoolchildren being punished for need some serious course correction for the future. Because, as the breaking bounds? Of men, women and world gets more connected and further from ground state, pandemics children having to walk on the are becoming more frequent, and diseases like Ebola, which were once highways to get back to their villages, seen only in villages close to the African rainforest, are taking on a new because the government is only level of menace when they find themselves in cities. It may be too much concerned about providing transport to expect us to learn this overnight, but we are now in a brave new for Indians stranded abroad? On the world, where there are going to be surprises. So we need to spend these news one night was the heartbreaking days at home getting a feel for these new times. Then we will be able to sight of a whole neighbourhood come up with models built not around endless growth, but a recognition looking into the camera and pleading that we are now fully grown, and that what we need to do is slow down for food. And the next day, in chilling and make it last. O contrast, came news of an MLA asking (Views are personal.)

15 outlook | april 13, 2020 covid-19/G20

pti Videoheads PM Narendra Modi takes part in the unique G20 summit on March 26 from Delhi

idea had come from India, after PM Narendra Modi brought leaders of SAARC countries together for a con- ference through video-calls to discuss the spreading pandemic in South Asia. The method was readily picked up by Saudi Arabia, the current chair of the G20, leading to the “G20 extraordinary virtual leaders’ summit”. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered China’s help and experience in contain- ing the virus and called for “cutting tar- iffs, removing barriers” to facilitate “the unfettered flow of trade”. He suggested that G20 “promptly set up communica- tion mechanisms and institutional arrangements for anti-epidemic macro policy coordination”. Pranay Sharma PM Modi, sources said, stressed on looking at globalisation with a human face. He stressed “multilateralism and full-blown crisis can bring out Give ’em globalisation” should not just be looked the best or the worst out of through the prism of economic issues, individuals as well as nations. but also through humanitarian lens to Often,A existing fissures in society can effectively address future pandemics. He rise to the surface; or they may be Twenty! also called for strengthening and papered over for collective action to expanding the mandate of WHO. douse the raging wildfire that threat- G20 leaders vow to fight the Indeed, there is growing view that if ens to incinerate all. COVID-19 is WHO had recommended a trade and proving to be a great leveler of coronavirus pandemic unitedly travel ban to China—something already inequities, forcing rich members of the done within China to isolate Wuhan and G20 to unite to meet this unprece- added, “The leaders gathered virtually prevent the virus from spreading—the dented challenge in a globalised world. around the world to discuss the whole pandemic would perhaps have been Originating in China’s Wuhan, the problem that right now 151 nations better contained. virus has so far spared none. It has gal- have got.” At the end of the G20 virtual summit, loped across the world map, engulfing The G20 had faced crisis in the past members agreed to inject a whopping countries at a speed that has left them too—most recently in 2008, during the $5 trillion into the global economy to overwhelmed, with health-care systems worldwide economic meltdown keep it from tipping into recession— stretched to limits. The lockdowns and sparked by the US sub-prime property many countries have declared huge sealing of borders, restricting movement crash that spread to most economies. financial stimulus packages to stabilise of goods and people, has disrupted sup- Through strong stimulus measures, banks and lending institutions. To ply chains and traffic to an extent that efforts were made to put the world ensure that the human factor remained has affected the global economy and economy back on track. central, it was agreed that migrant trade as never before. At last count, the Last week’s gathering of G20 leaders workers in each others’ countries as global infection toll had risen to 800,000, was unprecedented in scale and well as the poor in developing nations forcing US President Donald Trump to scope—the first time a summit of world should have access to medicine, food acknowledge that the coronavirus pan- leaders was virtual, held through vid- and shelter. To this end, finance and demic could well leave nearly 200,000 eo-conferencing. Much of this unique health ministers of G20 countries are to people dead in his country. The situation hold a similar virtual meeting later this elsewhere has been as grave. month to ensure better coordination. The realisation that this alarming Modi’s idea of a The collective effort of the world has situation could worsen forced G20 virtual SAARC to deal with the pandemic as it gallops members—comprising the world’s through its full course—the biggest leading economies—to confer on meeting led to challenge it has faced since WW II March 26 on how best to deal with this the unique G20 over 70 years ago. There is reason to unprecedented challenge. hope, for we emerged victorious out Trump called it a “great meeting.” He conference. of that struggle. O

16 outlook | April 13, 2020 politics/interview

In a political career spanning over 40 years, Kamal Nath faced, arguably, his most chal- lenging battle this March was when he was forced to resign as Madhya Pradesh chief min- ister just 15 months after assuming office. The defeat of 73-year-old Nath, orches- trated by Jyotiraditya Scindia has also come as a shock to the Congress at a time when it is fighting to stay relevant in Indian politics. Nath spoke to Puneet Nicholas Yadav about what went wrong but maintained that the loss of his government is only a temporary setback.

The Congress won a hard- earned victory in December 2018 against the BJP, which had ruled Madhya Pradesh for 15 consecutive years. Your government collapsed in 15 months. What went wrong? From the time I assumed office, the BJP began plotting to topple our government. The BJP could never come to terms with having lost the assembly polls. Of the 15 months that I was chief minister, over two getty images months were wasted because of the model code of and the mafia that thrived conduct for the Lok Sabha under the party couldn’t polls. Effectively, my govern- digest this. And yes, I also did ment could function only for not calculate that some of our a little over 12 months. In MLAs would fall for the lure these 12 months, we man- ‘Setback of money. aged to fulfill or initiate the So was your confidence process to fulfill 400 of our in your MLAs misplaced? manifesto promises, starting Did you place too much with the loan waiver for trust in them and on farmers. I also launched a in MP a Jyotiraditya Scindia? war against the mafia that Politics has to be based on was thriving under the BJP’s trust. If a leader can’t trust rule. We ensured uninter- his team, who will he trust? rupted power supply across Perhaps, I placed too much the state. I gave a model of stumble, confidence in them but I governance that was differ- still believe that the MLAs ent from the BJP’s—our who betrayed us were under model was based on tremendous pressure and accountability, was oriented not a fall’ this was not just the pres- towards the people and sure of money. towards delivery. The BJP As for Scindia, all I wish to

17 outlook | April 13, 2020 politics/interview

say is that I know there were other reasons for his switch to the BJP than the ones he has spoken about. He says he joined the BJP because my government did not fulfill its Victor and promises. I have videos of vanquished him publicly congratulating Kamal Nath with my government for fulfilling his successor our election promises. There Shivraj Singh are photographs of him, Chouhan (left) tweets he has posted saying

cheques for the second pti installment of the loan waiver scheme are being given to the directly involved in state- never listened to them. The untenable situation. Just farmers. The fact is that level politics? ministers allege that even search (online) what Scindia Scindia had made up his At the national level, as a you refused to listen to them. used to say about Shivraj or mind to leave (the Congress) minister you are in charge of These people have to make what Shivraj said about and is now cooking up your ministry or at the party some excuses to justify their Scindia till a month ago. The excuses to justify his action. level you are responsible for betrayal. They can’t say they BJP has swallowed a bitter There were reports through whatever specific task you went to the BJP because of pill only for the short-term your 15-month stint about are given; essentially you are the allurement of money. gain of toppling my govern- you and Digvijaya Singh plot- macro-managing things. As These ministers who have ment. These people have ting to sideline Scindia; chief minister, it is all about gone with Scindia were all turned politics and govern- reports that he was upset at micro management. Often a given important portfolios. ance into a joke and it is the not being made the state chief minister must act as a One of the most important public that is suffering. Congress chief and being minister of all departments. campaigns launched by my Are you saying that the BJP denied a Rajya Sabha berth? Having said that, I do not government to fight against with Scindia and his loyalists Was that the flashpoint? think I began with a handicap the food adulteration mafia will collapse under its own These are lies and fabrica- because I had vast adminis- was under one of these minis- contradictions? This is tions. I do not think he trative experience. ters (Tulsi Silavat). exactly what the BJP used to wanted to become the state In MP, the bureaucracy In his press conference after say about your government Congress president. He even had got used to working in a you resigned, Shivraj Singh till a month ago. told the Congress president certain way for 15 years of Chouhan blamed Digvijaya There were no contradic- (Sonia Gandhi) this and BJP’s rule wherein it was the Singh for the problems in tions so far as my govern- instead wanted his nominee bureaucrat who would tell your government but ment was concerned. The to be given the job. She asked the CM what he should do. remained silent on you. BJP wanted to topple my him to suggest a name but he In my government, I told Digvijaya Singh had no role government from Day One. never did. bureaucrats what they must to play in my government. I proved my majority thrice To be honest, after Scindia do. It took a short while but The BJP may have formed a and they got desperate. lost the (Lok Sabha) election, the bureaucracy eventually government now but it has Finally, they got hold of he turned into a different came around. 105 MLAs currently, which Scindia and with whatever person. I shared an excellent But the Congress MLAs who means it doesn’t have a allurements they offered, I rapport with Scindia. I tried quit, including six who were majority. There are bypolls don’t want to comment on to work things out. In fact, I ministers in your cabinet, for 25 seats that have to be those, they succeeded in met him on February 29 claim that the bureaucracy held within six months. Do making him defect along (nine days before he you see a period of prolonged with 22 MLAs. I don’t know resigned from the Congress) political instability in MP? what Scindia promised and it was a very cordial Obviously. These MLAs who them besides toppling my meeting; we had dinner ‘What really have resigned have attacked government but let the BJP together. What really made the BJP all through their now deal with the problems him desert the Congress is a made Jyotiraditya political lives and the BJP it has raised for itself. Why question he should answer Scindia leave the has attacked them. Now should I be bothered? honestly; why is it being these MLAs have to go back What will be Kamal Nath’s posed to me? Congress is a to their constituencies and role in MP politics now? Going by your experience of explain their actions and the Well, I am here in Bhopal. I the past 15 months, would question he should BJP has to go to its workers have no plans of moving back you say you began with a answer honestly, and tell them why these new to Delhi. This was a stumble, handicap as chief minister entrants are taking the place not a fall. The Congress will because you had never been not me.’ of the veterans. It will be an come back; mark my words. O

18 outlook | April 13, 2020 Valley/COVID-19

Kashmir from catastrophe as hundreds of people have come here from affected countries. Most of them had gone on pilgrimages to Iran and Saudi Arabia. A large number of students have also ret­ urned from China, Bangladesh and New Enemy, Europe. Police in the Valley have charged a number of persons, including an imam of a mosque for violating the restriction orders. Mosques have been Old Tactics asked to remain shut. “We are the first line in this war The lockdown has changed life everywhere. But in Kashmir, against coronavirus,” says a senior stay-at-home is the continuum of a familiar clampdown. officer based in south Kashmir. “We meet people and talk to them. In fact, people call us to inform about those Naseer Ganai in Srinagar Police Force (CRPF) personnel have who have returned from abroad and been manning security arrangements should be quarantined. We track peo- every day since last August. This ple and hand them over to the health s PM Narendra Modi ann­ means nothing had to be changed for authorities. We have no masks, gloves ounced a 21-day stay-at-home the COVID-19 lockdown. or personnel protection gear.” order for the country to tackle Like all highways in Jammu and The police are also accused of beating COVIDA-19, security forces in Jammu Kashmir, here too the army’s people or using abusive language while and Kashmir scrambled to enforce the road-opening party checks the road and issuing warnings on loudspeakers. lockdown. In this, the police and oversees convoy movement. The only “There are strict directions to moti- security forces in the region had an addition is that the police are back at vate people not to violate the restric- advantage over other places as they did the checkpoints set up last year across tions, instead of using the baton on not have to be moved to different Kashmir to ensure compliance with the them. But people don’t listen,” says the locations. Since August 5, 2019, the lockdown. So far, more than two dozen officer. “Motivating them at the check- forces have been on the ground across people have tested positive for COVID- points is like trying to cure COVID-19 the Kashmir Valley and there has been 19 and most of them have a recent his- no pause in the security drill. For tory of travelling outside the region. example, at the Panthchowk-Parimpo­ Health officials say strict implementa- Lockdown of a different kind ra bypass road, the Central Reserve tion of the current lockdown can save Lal Chowk in Srinagar

photograph: Umer Asif

00 outlook | April 13, 2020 Valley/COVID-19

The Shikara boy Alone along the Dal Lake, under the shadow of a virus that has no cure

PTI

with prayers and not medication.” pected militants shot dead a civilian at to come to work only on alternate As bankers, health workers, vegetable his home in Kulgam district of south weeks. Officers have been asked to vendors and others providing essential Kashmir. “His killing went completely instal thermal scanners at entrances to services are allowed to be out in this unnoticed. Such cases increase the their offices, wherever feasible, while lockdown, the police say it is difficult stress level of a policeman on the placing hand sanitisers has been made to impose curfew-like restrictions to ground,” says an officer. mandatory. Also, the officers must stop the movement of people. “It is dif- Earlier, Kashmir’s Grand Mufti discourage the entry of visitors for ficult to engage people and motivate Nasirul Islam asked the security forces routine issues. They have been them to stay at home. As soon as the to “go back to the barracks” for pre- asked to hold meetings through video police go soft, people engage in unnec- venting the spread of coronavirus in conferencing, avoid unnecessary offi- essary movement and shopkeepers ini- the Valley. “It is high time for the seven cial travel, ensure availability of hand tiate business activity,” says a senior lakh security personnel to go back to sanitisers, soaps and running water in officer based in Srinagar. their barracks for the biggest cause of all police institutions and distribute “In earlier lockdowns and curfews, humanity,” he says. “It has been seen protective gear among policemen, esp­ we learnt with experience to look out that security forces personnel are ecially those who are engaged directly for warning signs that can mostly be involved in travel from their in COVID-19 duty. Police personnel identified,” says another senior officer. respective places to Srinagar in large who have travelled abroad and ret­ “We knew everything. We had intelli- numbers every day. This travel can be urned by or after February 15 have gence inputs and knew how to control the biggest carrier of coronavirus and to be kept in compulsory quarantine things. We knew the movement of should be avoided forthwith.” for 14 days. people who were approaching. Now The army allays such fears, saying it Many believe the approach of the po- there is this unheard-of thing with has reduced convoy movement and lice and security forces to the pan- none of the identifiers we are used to. implemented strict guidelines. “We demic is akin to counter-insurgency We don’t know whether a person we have extended the leaves of personnel methods, not realising that handling a are trying to convince to move off the who were already on leave, and can- highly contagious disease is different road is symptomatic or asymptomatic. celled the leaves of those who are here. from dealing with protests. They argue This is a tough situation.” We strictly adhere to the quarantine that the police should change its tac- Acknowledging that the police don’t rules of the World Health tics and take civil officials along while have masks as these are more impor- Organization,” says an army official. maintaining law and order. According tant for health workers, the officer The Jammu and Kashmir Police have to eyewitnesses, the police set on fire a cites reports that doctors are refusing issued a 19-point list of instructions. fruit cart in Hawal area of Srinagar’s to treat patients in the absence of per- Police personnel have also been asked old city on Friday and warned grocery sonnel protection gear. “A policeman shops against opening and selling on the ground also has a high stress goods. “The police shouldn’t be vilified level. They feel insecure on seeing peo- for one cop’s action,” says senior officer ple trying to roam around or come Locals say the Feroz Yehya, adding that the police close and argue. You must understand forces are using have an internal mechanism to deal his position,” the officer adds. with cases of indiscipline and that cog- The police also fear that as security anti-militancy nisance should be taken of such cases. forces are busy trying to flatten the tactics to contain Another senior officer tweeted, “Don’t COVID-19 curve, militants might step come on roads and fight with security up their activities. On March 28, sus- a contagion. forces on duty.” O

20 outlook | April 13, 2020 The author is MANAGING EDITOR, Opinion/ Sunil Menon OUTLOOK

Doppelganger Emergency Why are the police bestialising us? Why are humans made to crawl, duck-walk, frog-march? The symbolism is stark.

fear of the elevator button, of A the ATM keyboard, of flat, gleaming surfaces…sneaking new forms of dread grip us today. Maybe they will linger and become part of our bouquet of bodily reflexes, long after the corona pandemic blows over. Will we fear that man next to us on the Metro? Animals? Currency notes? Will our enduring bequest be a supermart tray full of irrational new tics, pangs and OCDs? We will have to live long enough to find out. But there’s one ancient figure of fear among them, one that has always been with us, a dull, thick presentiment of pain that is newly sharper. A transparent, polycarbonate, soulless piece of fear that comes swishing through the spring air like a whip. Police brutality near-biblical scene where India’s barefoot It’s the fear of the policeman. villagers reached across the globe. “I’m It’s not easy to comprehend and reflects this new reminded of the Indian migrant labour master a battle with unseen things. walking along the Hooghly to the depots But to get there, India first needs age of sadism, to wait for the ships to go to the enough time and mental space away where we are Caribbean. It was called Jeeta Janaza, the from things it can see. It’s a long list— Funeral Cortege of the Living,” she says. from the casually cruel, to the being reduced to “My ancestors looked like her….” abnormal, to the truly depressing. But even among such millenarian Like the hundreds of thousands of animal status, to visions, there were a few that truly Indians who have to get home before our bare life. stood out as the harbinger of a new they can stay at home. Like the age of sadism. 90-year-old lady my colleague saw Those images of bestialisation. Humans walking on empty tarmac back to her trying to get back to the security and familiarity of faraway homes in village in Rajasthan’s Sawai strange and uncertain times, with no other means to do it except on their Madhopur, 400 km away. feet, were being brought to their knees. Baton-waving policemen were The sight of migrant labour walking making them crawl, or duck-walk, or frog-march. The symbolism was back to distant villages already unmistakable. ‘You are being reduced to animal status, to your bare life.’ produced a historic sense of pathos. It happened in Badaun, UP, in Punjab, in Rajasthan. The videos of “In which other country are people them violating and dehumanising the common people of India, whom walking home? The last such images I they are meant to protect and serve, sliced through all except the most remember was during the Partition,” callused conscience. (Plenty of those exceptions: AltNews founder wrote author and sanyasini Pratik Sinha noted on Twitter that an appeal for policemen to behave Atmaprajnananda. humanely had elicited too many jeering comments that they were Peggy Mohan, author and linguist of actually being too humane.) part-Indian Trinidadian descent, There were numerous other sightings of sadism: vegetable carts being recalled an even earlier forced exodus overturned in a country where people die of starvation, where another from history, from the 19th century—a food crisis may yet loom; people being thrashed so plentifully and matter-

21 outlook | april 13, 2020 Opinion/ Sunil Menon

If the anti-CAA movement of winter saw citizens expand their right to speak, this moment is one of mass contraction of those rights. Even if it comes about not through an executive fiat directly related to those rights, that’s the temporary effect it has. Because it comes about by way of a health emergency, people perhaps do not realise how profoundly political this moment is. That vacuum on the streets connotes, in ways, the evacuation of the public sphere, a temporary suspension of our rights as autonomous, thinking subjects and throws us back to our purely biological existence: ‘bare life’. And into that void flows only one thing: the State and its absolute writ. And that of the police, the advance guard of the State. Which finds its powers, never modest at the best of times, almost totally unfettered by the ‘needs’ brought on by a health crisis. If anyone has had trouble grasping the fancy-sounding concept of biopolitics, this moment should ease that. “The power to make decisions of life and death have always been there—it just continues to find ever-new avenues,” says Ravinder Kaur, author of the forthcoming Brand New Nation: Capitalist Dreams and Nationalist Designs in Twenty- First-Century India. In sundry functional terms, we are practically already in an Emergency. Why? Because the power to make even the most ordinary decisions has been stripped from millions and millions of citizens, and those have been sucked up by the State: it presently enjoys a massive accumulation of authority. A facial recognition We are in an device would be hard put to distinguish between the two faces. Emergency; the Remember, it is still only an imitation, a Doppelganger State has sucked Emergency. Not by any stretch the up our power to real thing—it only resembles it. The government still responds, if make even the belatedly, to public concerns. The most ordinary media is active, so is that vast sphere of public speaking, the social decisions. media (even if there were, not coincidentally, apprehensions about a clampdown in that sphere of-factly that it seemed like a new initially). And governments have asked the police to pipe down—they too mode of greeting for an age where the have gone slow on beating people every other second as if it were an human touch has been banned. Oxford comma in their sentences. In Andhra Pradesh, one cop who starred in one such video was suspended. But the purpose has been So what is wrong with our police? served. An air of almost-Emergency pervades our public sphere. What brings on this sudden tidal It is no coincidence the word floated around tremulously. Subramanian wave of sadism, of a deeply psychic Swamy cautioned against a ‘financial emergency’, and actor Rishi Kapoor, aggression? who has aged rather gracelessly to become a bumbling agent provocateur We will be finding answers long into of reactionaryism, did not fail to confuse the concepts altogether, taking our foggy future. But one thing is the side of the police to boot. “Dear fellow Indians. We must and have to certain and can be felt on the skin, as it declare EMERGENCY. Look at what’s happening all over the country!... were. The physical evacuation of our People are beating policemen…” streets has produced a strange kind of Yes, that did happen too. “Karma,” wrote someone on Twitter, to a video vacuum. A kind of voiding of of a man turning back on a poor policeman, who found himself suddenly citizenship and its rights. As our police overwhelmed as the usual clause of asymmetry—of people not lifting a brings the baton cracking down on finger on the police—cracked under the strain of this new abnormality. skin and bone to empty out our public There were honourable exceptions. Arvind Kumar, the SHO of Defence spaces, and we get corralled to our Colony in Delhi, has arranged for 300 food bags to feed 350 families of homes, it parallels incarceration in stranded daily wage-earners in Indira Camp, just behind his thana. Vijay specific, bodily ways. It is an imitation, Gupta, Station Officer at Sadar Bazaar, Meerut, has turned his own house an intimation of prison. into a community kitchen, at his own cost. There were a few other videos,

22 outlook | april 13, 2020 Opinion/ Sunil Menon

of cops feeding and sanitising the needy, even singing songs. But the exceptions, just like the police officer who sang songs to a group of anti-CAA protestors in Karnataka, alas only proved the rule. And the thumb rules of the new law— an undeclared police state—had already been writ. Even as we arrived at this all- pervasive ‘state of exception’ via COVID-19, where the normality of civil exchanges has been suspended, the run-up to it had given us many eruptions of mini-states of exception: militia-like behaviour at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, and then finally as killings and violence convulsed Northeast Delhi. Remember, it was just a month ago. The irony is that the ordinary constable is drawn from the same pool of rururban peasantry that he governs with a near-class hatred. Yes, the There’s a wide gap Hindu-Muslim divide is drawn starkly in the police vs people divide: an between Ganpat of additional source of exacerbation. But the effects are visible even beyond it. Aadmi and the cop What produces this emotional who is a victim of distance between the cop and the people? A kind of alienation that a brutalising and makes them feel they belong to the ‘other’ side, that of power? dehumanising life. It’s partly something endemic to the policeman’s psychology: it’s a bleak life, constantly exposed to the dark side of human affairs, not to speak of whose “original role” itself was that of “an imposer of force upon people”. danger. He is, in a real sense, also a The Irish model, which mixed law-and-order duties with semi-military psychological victim of a brutalising, tactics against a people meant to be politically subjugated, is what was dehumanising life. But invested with enforced in India. raw physical power, and a sanctioned This nominal membership of the ruling colonial class is what produces monopoly of violence, he fills out his the sense in the policeman of the people somehow being on the “other” powerlessness, his inability to change side, an “enemy”. They still behave like that. As far back as the 1860s, a anything, with empty violence. That British historian listed mounting grievances against police high- gives us the gap between Ganpat, the handedness as being one of the causes of the 1857 rebellion. The police, he policeman of Shantaram’s 1939 film wrote, were “a scourge to the people” and “their oppressions and Manoos/Aadmi, who rescues and exactions form one of the chief grounds of dissatisfaction with our treats a sex worker humanely, and government”. Sounds familiar? Anant Welankar, a dynamo of Our generation has witnessed some real and some pseudo-millenarian seething violence in the shape of Om moments—some of you may be old enough to remember the sense of Puri in Govind Nihalani’s Ardh Satya doom of the Skylab days, many more would remember Y2K. What we (1983), who is in an epic battle with have today is a real, gigantic cross-section of how we are structurally—a his own anger. giant ‘slice of life’ is under our microscopes, if only we care to see. And it The second source of that alienation would be an absolute waste if we don’t use this moment to study it, is structural. Indian policing, as we all diagnose it, and think deeply and creatively about our fundamentals. know, has its roots in colonial policing, Among them, the need to make a people-centric approach an and 70 years into our Republichood, elementary part of police training, its sole objective. So that we get a our policing laws still derive from the police service, not a police force. Indeed, that lesson could profitably mid-19th century needs of British flow upwards to all wings of the State. That objective—the need to gendarmerie. The prototype here was decolonialise ourselves—is our real emergency. Then we can get back to the Irish constabulary shaped by 1822, dealing with elevator phobias. O

23 outlook | april 13, 2020

COVER COVID-19 STORY

Alam Srinivas, Lola Nayar and Jyotika Sood HIGHWAY TO HUNGER

The foodpipes are clogged. A famine hides in the countryside and stalks the cities.

T’S a mess of epic proportions and complex nature—a maze of contradictions. The COVID-19 lockdown—national, and even global in its sheer Isweep—has brought a screaming shortage of essen- tials across the country. At the same time, paradoxi- cally, India has more than enough food to feed her citizens. In the darkest of ironies, the buffer stock of food grain—i.e. the stock in storage—is three times the mandatory requirement. On top of that, there are indications of a bumper crop this season. So the food is there. But herein comes the real knot in the puzzle. How does one get the tiger, the goat and the bundle of grass across the river? It’s a logistical dead-end that governments, both at the Centre and the states, are staring at. They seem simply unable to move the food to where it is required—everyone’s plates.

PRABHJOT GILL COVER COVID-19 STORY

Ghazipur Mandi, Delhi Only one in seven major JITENDER GUPTA mandis is open in India It’s like blood circulation stopping suddenly in pers, or those whose produce is ready, are an already suffering body. Truckers are unable to unlikely to go hungry. But the full force of the operate freely. They cannot find workers to of- downstream repercussions will be on them—for fload food items, nor do they have the goods to carry for the the next 2-3 years, or more. Since they will be unable to sell return journey. Not to speak of being harassed at inter- and their crops, or even opt for distress selling, their incomes will intra-state checkposts. The upshot: farmers are unable to sell dwindle this season. That means they will be unable to repay their produce. And central warehouses have become islands their current debts, and will need to borrow even more for the of isolation. Only one in seven major mandis, or wholesale next season. markets, is open across India—so retail supplies in towns, cit- In effect, farmers will get even more entangled in a debt ies, even villages, stand drastically disrupted. It’s not a produc- whirlpool. Result? Suicides, extreme poverty and subsist- tion calamity, but a distribution nightmare on a national scale. ence living—or, if they are fortunate, loan waivers at least The signs of an ominous food crisis in rural areas are for those within the formal system. There are many mar- already there. Most rural households—barring the land-own- ginal farmers outside that. Also, armies of migrant work- ing ones— across six or seven Indian states that Outlook spoke ers—those who return home to earn money during the to fear that they may run out of food in a few days, given the cutting season, who find themselves high and dry. They will number of family members returning home from cities. Retail depend heavily on welfare schemes, like MNREGA, which outlets are unable to refurbish their dwindling inventories. need to be escalated immediately. Else, we may be staring Given the creeping onset of what could be a dispersed famine, at extreme rural distress. experts fear that India may soon find itself in the midst of food Urban areas have another phalanx of ghosts haunting them. riots and civil crisis if circulation is not eased. Economist Jean Already strained by bankruptcies and more possible failures Dreze, who has worked extensively on starvation, fears in the organised sector, they may soon see companies rural India will be in a lot of pain with the rev­erse slashing costs (read: layoffs). Salaries may be cut flow of migrants unless emergency measures too. Middle-class consumption will conse- are taken (see interview, “Bihar will take the quently come down drastically. As for the worst hit”). The Centre and state govern- unorganised sector, the spectre of an ments are confident as of now, and say uncertain future looms even sharper— they will manage and resolve the distri- and longer. One variable here: will mi- bution bottlenecks in a few days. A grant labourers even come back from lot of Indians will be hoping that the the villages? Or will uncertainty keep proof of the pudding will come—in them back? It will be bleak at home, the eating. and back in the city too. The real extent of the emergency, Already, in January 2020, the World even if of a disaggregated nature, will Bank lowered India’s growth rate to 5 be known soon. There will also be eco- per cent. This could slip further by nomic consequences to contend with. In another 1-2 per cent due to the current rural areas, the good news is that the crop- crisis, or perhaps more if it explodes­ in our

26 OUTLOOK | APRIL 13, 2020 COVER COVID-19 STORY

faces over the next couple of weeks. Sectors like tourism, avia- tion, hospitality, agriculture and huge swathes of manufactur- ing will be paralysed, or just limp along. Also, one needs to factor in the web of global factors. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs recently projected up to 1 per cent shrinkage in the global economy this year because­ of the pandemic—and even worse if economic activities continue to be restricted for an extended period without sufficient fiscal responses. If the US drifts into a recession, as is expected,­ countries like India and China, an integral part of global supply chains, can’t escape being impacted. Things, as they say, are likely to get even worse before they show any signs of improvement. Indians will need to tighten their belts in several ways—socially, emotionally, economically. This is an unprecedented crisis. No genera- tion, except for sections in some states during Partition, have seen anything like this before—not during the Emergency, not during the wars, not during past civil crises. This nation has never been locked down. It’s time not only for a pitched battle against COVID-19, but for the larger SANDIPAN CHATTERJEE war that will stretch ahead of it. And all of us need to join it. Barabazar, Calcutta is tanking because people can’t N March 10, the start of the rabi harvest season, India Prices of farm produce go out. That’s impacting all the was sitting on huge food grain stocks—estimated at have gone up by 15% input-output relationships.” 77.72 million tonnes, over three times the statutory since the lockdown Hurdles in the supply chain, Onorms. So the country should not rightfully witness any food meanwhile, could aggravate the riots…unless the authorities mess up the distribution and sup- food situation in some parts of the country pretty soon. plies. Ground reports from several states indicate that, despite Rural farm households across most states generally keep government measures to ensure a smooth harvest and sale by food for themselves before going out and selling it—or grow farmers, persistent police high-handedness during efforts to separately for their consumption. So they will be spared enforce the COVID-19 lockdown is causing disruptions. hunger. But some states like Kerala, Goa and those in the The ongoing harvest of wheat, paddy, pulses, oil seeds and Northeast are already witnessing shortages of essential com- maize, besides fruits and vegetables, all hold the promise of a modities. Being a consumer state with 80 per cent of its food bumper crop—barring in some areas where untimely rains, requirement coming from outside, Kerala finance minister fungal infestation affecting vegetables and lack of transporta- T.M. Thomas Isaac is justifiably tense. “We have provided tion has wrought some damage, impacting the income of everybody 10 kg of rice through ration shops, and started scores of farmers and supplies to the market. Agro-economist community kitchens. But this is a new situation: we feel an Prof Abhijit Sen is optimistic because of the sheer abundance absolute shortage may emerge,” he says. Kerala’s welfarism— and dismisses fears of any food crisis. “Given that the harvest including the packets of dal and chapati it has started provid- is just coming in and the produce will be stored somewhere, ing to migrant industrial workers—depends on supplies. there is time enough to actually sort out things. There is, of Many states have enhanced PDS limits, with some also course, a lot of unthinking stuff going on, but finally some including pulses to meet the population’s protein needs. Sen is, order should prevail,” he says, while acknowledging the however, not sure whether the promised ration is reaching the specific challenges of the present. poor. “PDS operations vary from state to state, as always. It is India’s total food grain production, as per the Second also too early to say whether direct fund transfers have Advance Estimates for 2019-20, is pegged at a helped the beneficiaries.” record 291.95 million tonnes, which is 6.74 Dr Panjab Singh, president, National million tonnes more than the previous crop Academy of Agricultural Sciences, is among year. Wheat production during 2019-20 is the optimists. He feels there should be no estimated to be a record 106.21 million problem with food availability either in tonnes, around 2.61 million tonnes the cities, where supply chains are more than in 2018-19. That’s why the being activated with the help of online Food Corporation of India is hopeful portals and big retail outlets, or in of procuring 35 million tonnes of rural areas. What he calls for is a grains this year, against 34.13 million sharp focus on rural areas so as to tonnes last year. But the situation, cater to the large number of migrant admits Sen, “is more complicated than labourers who have relocated there post-demonetisation. Then the real due to lack of income sources in economy was tanking because of a locked-down cities. “We need to restock liquidity problem. Here the real economy distribution centres for that,” he states.

27 OUTLOOK | APRIL 13, 2020 Cover covid-19 Story

But S.P. Singh of the Indian Foundation of Transport, plies—and 118 of them are providing retail services within the Research and Training says the logistics is completely crip- state. Unlike profiteers, FPOs help protect farmers’ interests, pled (and so is the business it needs to be viable). Truckers while also reaching out to consumers. So damage to the pres- who have reached their destinations are unable to find la- ent vegetable crop is being reduced considerably. bour to offload their consignments. And those who have Deepak Khatkar, an FPO representative in Haryana, is confi- managed that don’t have cargo to take back. dent that registered FPOs could soon help smoothen the sup- Sudhir Panwar, former member of the Uttar Pradesh ply chain across India. Some, like Ravi Sajjanar in Bagalkot Planning Commission, also points out multiple problems district in Karnataka, are using direct links with consumers farmers are facing, mostly due to harassment at police check- and wholesalers to ensure smooth supplies in cities like posts. “Police are persisting in not allowing movement of vege- Bangalore. All this while addressing the COVID-19 concerns: tables despite central and state government PTI Sajjanar says they are providing protective orders. They are either demanding money gear to their workers. Panwar, however, says or harassing out of fear,” he says. The multi- replicating that is not possible on a large plicity of orders is creating confusion, he scale given the scarcity of gloves, masks and adds. Agriculture being a state subject, sanitisers. many states have issued different orders: The fear factor is such that, despite gov- that has led to police emerging as the exe- ernment orders, most mandis had not cuting authority. Results: logjams in the started operations until early this week, flow of labour and agriculture produce. leaving farmers in a fix. The clotted arter- Otherwise, he points out, it’s not unusual to ies mean that, inevitably, prices have wit- see migrants returning home to help with nessed a 10-15 per cent rise for many farm farm work during the harvest and sowing of products, including vegetables, says “Jaid crops” from March 20-April 20. “This Sudarshan Suryawanshi, CEO of Indian is known as the ‘rewarding season’ where Society of Agribusiness Professionals. But instead of cash, workers are paid in wheat, he’s happy that most state governments which helps them stock up for the family are now taking proactive measures to r­­ needs,” he adds. A depletion there means estore the supply chain. hunger for the landless. But right now, it’s still like a cardiac arrest. A senior food ministry official says on M.J. Khan, chairman of Indian Chamber of condition of anonymity, “Even though Food and Agriculture, says only 1,000 out truck movement is happening and of India’s 7,000 mandis were operational imp­roving, difficulties are being till March 30. And village haats, which faced at state borders. These are provide a ready source of income for among concerns that were recently farmers, have been non-functional flagged at the meeting with food and since the lockdown. That has led to civil supplies secretaries.” Many many small farmers dumping their state governments have asked the first vegetable harvest. Centre to intervene and are them- Kedar Sirohi, a farm leader in Madhya selves approaching neighbouring Pradesh, fears that with harvest gather- states to bail them out. Border points ing pace, farmers in need of money may are the bottleneck. make a beeline for the mandis to offload their produce, despite the health advisory ther gremlins too attack a vulnerable against gathering of too many people. It is not system, and need to be tackled. “We have a uncommon during peak harvest, stretching over 10 special 24x7 helpline for complaints regarding black days from April first week, to find 5,000 to 8,000 farmers Omarketing, distribution and wholesaler problems,” Bihar flocking to mandis at any time to sell their produce. “Will chief secretary Deepak Kumar tells Outlook. “After the first that not defeat the purpose of the lockdown?” asks Sirohi, two days of huge complaints, now the helplines are not urging the government to improve the e-payment system buzzing that much.” He makes light of the fear of food riots, and provide incentives to farmers willing to hold on to their stating that special arrangements have been made for rural produce for a few more days and not crowd the mandis. The areas. Panchayats are undertaking food delivery at homes, government procurement window could be widened to facil- and mukhias and sarpanches are ensuring these supplies, itate this, he adds. he says. But judge that against Dreze’s grim cautionary note, And the present paralysis will also have an ongoing effect at that some of Bihar’s communities lead a “hand-to-mouth another level. Sowing is expected to begin soon, and farm exp­ existence even at the best of times”. erts warn that production hurdles could hit supplies of seeds Many farmer producer organisations (FPOs) are also striv- and fertilisers, and raise farmers’ input costs. So, in the abs­ ing to find solutions with the help of local authorities and the ence of timely action, we will be reaping a grim harvest in the horticulture board by getting passes issued for supply of vege- next season also as summer, and that other annual spectre, the tables and fruits to nearby villages and towns. In Haryana, out much-awaited monsoon, stalk our countryside. Hunting in of 400 FPOs, about half have been roped in to ensure sup- pairs with a virus. O

2 8 outlook | April 13, 2020 COVER STORY Covid-19 KERALA FARMS

Siddharth Premkumar in Thiruvananthapuram

he only germs I have ever worried about were the ones that blighted my crop,” says “TJohnson in Edathua. The past week— and the peculiar dynamics of the lockdown—has then been a “learning experience”, he notes, for the roughly 50,000 farmers of Kuttanad, Alleppey, where the ‘puncha’ (rabi) harvest is underway. Unseasonal rain is a major concern at this time of the year. This season though, it is “corona” that has v.V. Biju cast a dark cloud on Kerala’s ‘rice bowl’. A shortage of combine harvesters Lifeblood of Kerala—the fields and farms and their operators—both of which Salve on a mainly come from Tamil Nadu— wrapped up his harvest in early March. threatened to undercut procurement According to the Kerala State Civil even as the state guaranteed 15 kg rice Supplies Corporation (Supplyco), for each of its 87.14 lakh ration card Splintered which monitors everything from holders (35 kg for BPL holders). With seed allotment to farmer registration further disbursement of free and grain procurement, some rations beginning April 1, the state 57 million kg of rice has been obtained leadership has enacted special health Chain from the roughly 27,500 hectares set protocols for load workers, truck driv- Coronavirus could have aside for paddy in Alleppey. Kuttanad ers and harvester operators. According is the largest in both production and to P.A. Thomas, a paddy farmer from blighted harvests, but state farmland area. The other major Muttar, this includes close police intervention has helped rice-growing districts include observation and measures to ensure Palakkad and Thrissur, both of which hygiene besides daily phone calls from other districts. face uncertainty. the panchayat and the influential With the administration bringing the Whereas hard bargaining by rice mill farmers’ collectives. the district under Section 144, owners is usually the biggest headache, “There are also strict work hours Kuttanad’s six agronomic zones have the coronavirus panic set in and and restrictions on the number of seen uneven, albeit generally steady, caused harvester owners in neighbour- people working at one time to allow for harvesting. In upper Kuttanad, where ing states to suspend loaning their as much social distancing as possible. both Edathua and Muttar fall, the sec- mac­hines. Nor did out-of-state work- The police are watching carefully, so I ond crop season (the first,irrippu , typ- ers feel safe enough to return to can’t be present for as long as I would ically begins in April-May and ends in Kerala’s fields. It took the formation of like. Even providing soap and water to September) begins in October- a high-level crisis management cell the workers for sanitation is moni- November, whereas in Kainakary gram that included various ministers to tored,” says Thomas, who would have panchayat (in lower Kuttanad), the ensure both the harvest and procure- preferred to be more hands-on at this puncha crop is harvested in February ment began on a war-footing. As the crucial time. “But our health comes and March. Despite the early COVID- lockdown began, clarification from the first,” he adds. 19 scare after the country’s second case chief minister’s office was needed to Among the COVID-19 protocols was reported in the district in January, highlight paddy procurement as an instituted are restricting the harvest- the traditionally staggered cultivation essential activity. ing period, the provision of food and pattern on the community’s paddy “Without such intervention, the accommodation to workers in keeping fields was uninterrupted, says C.K. result would have been very different. with public health diktats, issuing spe- Samuel, a farmer from Kainakary who The government’s efforts to source cial passes to ferry fuel for machines workers were crucial,” says Johnson, and seamless transport of harvested who is reasonably confident of a good grain to mills. In addition, local bodies Workforce attrition yield. “After the floods and other crises, have been permitted to turn schools we have learned to always expect and and halls into makeshift godowns has been tackled prepare for the worst while hoping for if the need arises. As a stop-loss by bringing labour the best. We have to think about our measure, workforce attrition has been families and their health, but at the same tackled by bringing in labour from from other districts. time, our farms are our lifeblood.” O

2 9 outlook | April 13, 2020 COVER STORY COVID-19 GOVERNANCE

ONLY HAZMAT NIZAMUDDIN? One super-spreader speaks of wider policy lapses­—now being (hopefully) fixed as government cranks into action JITENDER GUPTA Cover story covid-19 governance

Bhavna Vij-Aurora

sense of nation-wide emergency, across all aspects of life, now pervades governance. Coordination is maximum, and conflict Aminimum, across Centre and states—indeed, across the political sphere. Everyone realises how crucial this period is. The expression ‘Lakshman rekha’, a recent appearance in the lexicon of words associated with the fight against COVID-19, reflects that. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-day lockdown on March 24, Doordarshan began a rerun of Ramanand Sagar’s TV serial Ramayan, and soon someone realised this metaphor from the epic resonated particularly well in these unusual circumstances. What was this new proscription—stay at home, going out would invite danger—if not a modern form of Lakshman rekha? Reality, of course, soon defied the epical metaphor. Thousands upon thousands of Indians had no op- tion but to observe it in the breach. Having left their villages for a hardscrabble life in the glittering cit- ies—where they worked on highways, built condo- miniums for others, served tea, cleaned, and did hundreds of other jobs—they never had the safety net implied by a Lakshman rekha. The national tribhuvan tiwari lockdown left them without work, money and food, or even buses or trains to go home. So they packed their mea- certainly infecting others, and who are now being traced. The gre belongings and started on a determined long walk, on Nizamuddin colony has been sealed. March 31 also saw the highways they had themselves built. If anything, it resembled biggest spike in cases—237 in 24 hours. another image from the epic—that of a collective vanwas. But if the Tabligh was myopic, so also other religious congre- The government had clearly not seen it coming. Much like it gations; was it not part of a larger myopia at the level of gov- did not foresee several other things. Take the fortnight-long ernment? Policy has to be fed by sharp information-gathering. Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, which became a ‘hotspot’ unto Both were sloppy. The fact that the Tabligh event went on for itself. No religious congregation had yet been banned (the a fortnight is now being seen at least as an ‘intelligence failure’ event was from March 1-15)—crowds still thronged Vaishno (if not an administrative one). So is the exodus of migrant lab­ Devi, Keoladevi in Rajasthan and Shani Shingnapur in our—which produced intense concentrations of humans, the Maharashtra. Even on March 20, thousands gathered in ‘liter- very opposite of the effect intended by the PM. Another pot­ ate’ Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram for an ‘arattu’ pro- entially spreading web not foreseen. So far, so flat-footed. cession at a local temple. Even without a ban, each one of What now? A mess had been created, it had to be cleaned up. them spoke of the criminal insularity of congregation leaders. An urgency previously missing was now in evidence—some of Corona fears were widely known by then, and each was a it desperate. The government scrambled to stop the exodus, likely super-spreader event. closing all district and state borders. Before that, The fears proved acutely true with the Tabligh event, heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed at Delhi’s Anand where the organisers really should have known Vihar bus terminal as migrants jostled to get a seat better—their footfalls are typically global, and on buses arranged by the Delhi and UP govern- their February event in Malaysia had al- ments (the chain of authority not very clear), ready been designated the “largest viral and also at the Bihar border where they vector in Southeast Asia” by New York were all kept locked up in a facility—for Times as early as March 3. As it tran- a disease best prevented by maintain- spired, some 1,900 people had to be ing physical distance. Some semblance evacuated on March 31 from their of order was finally restored after Nizamuddin HQ and sent into quar- states set up shelters for migrants, antine, weeks after they arrived from whose homeward march was halted. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi In a shocking revelation, the Arabia et al. Over 100 of them have Centre told the Supreme Court that been confirmed as coronavirus positive. the exodus had to be stopped as almost Many had travelled across India, almost one-third of the returning migrants

31 outlook | APRIL 13, 2020 Cover story covid-19 governance

could be infected. The apex court, in turn, said large-scale migration out of “fear and panic” was a bigger threat than the pandemic itself. Not that the latter isn’t. In a status rep­ ort filed on March 31, home secre- tary Ajay Kumar Bhalla told the SC: “So far rural India has remained safe from this infection. If migrant la- bourers are allowed to…reach their home village(s), there is a serious and imminent pot­ential of the in- fection penetrating rural India also.” That would make it “unman- ageable to contain,” he wrote, “dan- gerous for the migrant workers” and “also for rural India”. The Centre was working in close coordi- nation with the states to ensure food, shelter and medical facilities to the migrant workers, he added. “Around 6,66,291 persons have been provided shelter; 22,88,279 persons have been provided food,” the sta- tus report said. The system had cranked into action, if belatedly. morass. Decisions taken impulsively, much like demonetisation, do more he policy drift that defined harm than good,” he says. much of March was now being Former finance minister P. analysed at large. Among other Chidambaram was quick to spot a Tthings, Union home minister Amit chance for some artillery shelling too. Shah had been keeping a noticeably Yes, India’s budgets are already over- low profile all through. MHA officials stressed. But still, the ex-FM feels, a say he has been holding regular review confidence-boosting financial assis- meetings at his Krishna Menon Marg tance plan (FAP) should have been residence. But that’s one aspect. Overall, announced­ prior to, or along with, the says former cabinet secretary K.M. imposition­ of the lockdown. Taking to Chandrasekhar, the situation should never Twitter, he said: “The FM’s FAP was so mi- have come to this pass. “The PM had no choice serly and inadequate, it actually prompted other than the national lockdown to ‘flatten the many to go back to their villages. I urge the govern- curve’. But it should have been handled in a better way,” he ment to announce­ a bold FAP II today or tomorrow.” tells Outlook. According to him, Modi could have signalled an Anyway, the focus now is to use the lockdown period to imminent lockdown when he addressed the nation for the strengthen healthcare facilities and prepare for a very likely first time on March 20. His March 22 ‘janata curfew’ also cre- spike in numbers. A member of the Joint Monitoring Group ated contrary effects on the streets, and lockdown day finally (JMG), headed by the Director General of Health Services, set off a panic shopping frenzy too, after word came at 8 pm. says community monitoring is being done extensively. He says “The states should have been taken into confidence…such the Centre has increased­ testing capacity on a war footing— situations are best left to the states to prepare for and handle,” from a single lab in Pune in January to 118 now across India. Chandrasekhar says. “And the Centre should have announced “We now have the capacity­ to test 15,000 samples a day. In ad- the Garib Kalyan Yojana immediately after the March 20 dition, we have coordinated­ with 47 private laboratory chains speech and given funds to the states, along with guidelines. It with over 20,000 collection centres,” he tells Outlook. seems to have got enmeshed in the deliberations of a mul- However, he concedes that extensive testing, what WHO rec- ti-layered committee.” The former cabinet secretary was sev­ ommends, is still not part of the protocol. “We are still follow- ere in his indictment: “The impact on the economy and the ing a more conservative approach,” the JMG member rues, people, particularly the poor, was catastrophic.” He’s deeply agreeing that testing needs to be more. “Much more. We are concerned about the possible fallout of a prolonged lock- not even close to what needs to be done. India is doing just down—it will be a terrible blow to the economy, worsening about 17-18 tests per million. South Korea did 5,000 per mil- the effects of two years of lethargy, he says. “During the 2008- lion and flattened the curve much faster,” he adds. 09 recession, there was the Planning Commission. Now Former home secretary G.K. Pillai also makes a strong there’s no mechanism in place to pull the economy out of the case for large-scale testing. A retired Kerala cadre IAS of-

3 2 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover covid-19 Story

ficer, he recommends the Kerala model of tracking and testing people. He says low testing can suddenly spring a A fistful of biscuits is all he got to palliate hunger—food scarcity huge spike in cases. “As of now, things seem under control haunts every migrant worker rendered jobless by the shutdown but I think a peak can be expected in mid-April. If that hap- pens with increased casualties, there will be panic. I hope inspirational side, reaching out to doctors, nurses, health we don’t reach that situation,” says Pillai, another figure and sanitation workers. That’s appropriate, given the grav- who evokes a sense of bureaucratic experience missing now. ity of things. India is on the brink of Stage 3: community transmission. “By the time you write about it, we may have ormer home secretary Vinod Duggal is more opti- ent­ered the stage. That is why preparations are on a war mistic and sees “light at the end of the tunnel by mid- footing,” the minister says. April”. Duggal, who has also served in the National India, collectively, has so far managed to identify 1.35 lakh FDisaster Management Authority (NDMA) as pointsperson isolation beds for potential COVID-19 patients. Rail wagons for relief efforts after the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, admits to are also being converted into isolation beds—initially, 80,000 the challenges. Given its constraints of time and budget, he beds in 5,000 coaches. The plan is to modify 20,000 coaches says, the government has done well. “When the problem is of to get additional capacity of 3.2 lakh beds. “If the need arises,” this magnitude, there are bound to be challenges,” he says. stresses the minister. “All efforts are to ensure it does not The government knows that now. A Union min- arise.” A member of one of the 11 empowered ister—coordinating efforts with 10 districts in groups handling the crisis also admits to the a north Indian state—admits the task is challenges. Funds are being provided to herculean. “We are still at the foothills states for “augmenting quarantine facili- and have to climb the Everest,” he says, ties, upgrading hospital infrastructure” not wanting to be identified. He is and procuring PPE sets—hazmat suits, one of several ministers given charge N95 masks et al—to secure doctors of 10 districts. They coordinate and nurses, he says. Coordination closely with district magistrates and among the 11 groups, however, is district collectors and submit a proving messy, he accepts—even if all daily report to the PMO. report to the PM’s principal secretary The PM is monitoring things, and P.K. Mishra. The more you listen, the int­eracting with all key nodes on a more it sounds like a war out there. A daily basis: governors, CMs and health sprawling, unpredictable mess, with ministers. He has also been active on the moments of lucidity. O

33 outlook | April 13, 2020 COVER STORY Covid-19 RURAL health

In rural West Bengal, people returning from elsewhere PTI Natives return were quarantined on trees in the Time of Corona The pandemic has almost reached rural India with the lockdown-spurred reverse migration. Villagers and local authorities are rigging up fences—but­ how long can they hold off?

Jeevan Prakash Sharma Bareilly hosed down returning folk sioner of Garwah in Jharkhand, whose and Ajay Sukumaran with bleach; from a remote village in district has not reported any positive West Bengal’s Purulia came the unu- case yet. Block and village heads have sual story of seven villagers just back been told to keep an eye out for people WO images stood out in stark from Chennai quarantining them- coming from outside and ensure that contrast in the early days of a selves on banyan trees so as to protect they get a medical check-up done. “We nationwide coronavirus their families living in huts, and them- have circulated helpline numbers. We Tlockdown. Deserted city streets, and selves from elephants. received calls about many outsiders their polar opposite—long columns of Though migrants are on the move in who were reluctant to undergo medical an exodus snaking out of these urban several places, states like Uttar Pradesh, tests. We sent our team and got it done,” agglomerations into the countryside. Bihar and Jharkhand are gearing up for Mangla says, adding that villagers are Thousands of migrant labourers left larger numbers heading back. District being regularly reminded to maintain adrift because everything has shut magistrates, village heads, chief medical social distancing among themselves. down are retreating to their roots—by officers and public servants whom “Rural folks are so sensitised that it is any desperate means they can, some Outlook contacted spoke of several very difficult for any outsider to sneak on goods lorries, others on foot. Large methods they are deploying­ to segre- into a village. We have received calls parts of rural India, to where they are gate migrants from the village folk—the from villagers who anonymously pro- heading, had so far remained at arm’s Centre has given out strict instructions vided information about their close length from COVID-19. But these are to home-quarantine those headed relatives who have arrived from out- also places where healthcare is far home, for 14 days. However, it’s easier side. Nobody wants to put their life at from optimal. How will they cope now? said than done, many admit. risk,” he says. The concerns were already visible— “Social watch is an effective solution,” Elsewhere, like in Paippad in Kerala, overzealous district authorities in says Harsh Mangla, deputy commis- the story was about stanching the flow.

3 4 outlook | April 13, 2020 COVER STORY Covid-19 RURAL health

The town has for long been a hub of migrants from West Bengal, Assam and Odisha. On March 29, a few hundred workers gathered in the streets dem­ anding transport to go home. Fake messages about trains being arranged by the government had added to their confusion, says the state gov- ernment, which has set up over 5,000 camps for migrant workers. In neigh- bouring Karnataka, officials in Belgaum this week stopped workers heading to Rajasthan and took them to government hostels. According to the Union home ministry, nearly 6.75 lakh migrant workers have been housed in 21,000 relief camps across states.

itamarhi, a district in Bihar ature, to escape notice. “We have nei- A hospital in the interiors of UP prepares for a that shares its border with Nepal, ther the manpower nor the resources virus that has baffled the world’s best has received over 4,000 migrants needed to take samples of all those who Sin the past two weeks. “Most of these have come from outside,” says a district hospitals to help ease the staff crunch. labourers are coming from Delhi and chief medical officer who doesn’t wish While 71 per cent of India’s popula- they started leaving for their villages to be named. Another medical officer tion is predominantly rural, only 34 per from March 15 onwards,” says Parimal, says, “Precaution is the only cure. All cent of doctors and 33 per cent of district information and public rela- the district heads and health officers are nurses out of the total available pool in tions officer. “We have started putting aware of this grave reality.” the country serve in rural areas, states a home quarantine stamps on their There are chances that there may be report published last year by the Indian hands as many others have run away positive cases among people returning Institute of Public Health, Gurgaon. from self-isolation elsewhere in the to their villages, said Lav Agarwal, joint The country is estimated to have bet­ country.” Abhilasha Kumari Sharma, secretary, Union health ministry, at a ween 30,000 and 50,000 ventilators, the district magistrate, says about 242 briefing on March 31. “That’s why we but these are mostly in the big cities. government and private schools have are advising everybody to stay where Many districts have sealed their bor- been converted into quarantine homes they are.” The ministry says it is work- ders with barricades, and deployed po- to isolate whoever has fever or other ing with the states to make sure that lice personnel and medical officers to symptoms of flu. basic health services continue. “As part carry out check-ups on the spot. With “Around 20 of the 75 villages in my of our strategy to manage COVID-19, we seven positive COVID-19 cases—the block have received over 1,000 mig­ have been taking up extensive training highest in Bihar—Munger district is on rants in the past fortnight. Like in across the country to ensure that our high alert. “One person infected the other districts, we too have converted healthcare staff is aware of what precau- other six. We have been trying to iden- marriage halls, community centres and tions are to be taken when it comes to tify his chain of contacts, who could schools into quarantine wards,” says COVID-19 management.” also be suspects,” says Rajesh Meena, Arun Singh, head of the Nawabganj The Karnataka health department the district magistrate. “The villagers block in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district. has decided to recruit 810 ad hoc medi- themselves are not letting anyone The good thing, he reckons, is that the cal staff. They will be deployed at 18 enter without medical check-up.” villagers have become so suspicious In UP’s Pilibhit, a mother and son who that “even if a person completes 14 returned from Mumbai on March 18 days of home quarantine, he will alw­ were found to be positive. Officials say ays be under watch for days to come”. the district has received around 4,000 Some village heads say they are keep- migrant labourers over the past week. ing away from nearby villages too. “We “Those from affected areas have been have stopped all contact with our asked to stay at home, quarantined. For neighbouring villages. We are doing those who are symptomatic with high with whatever food we have stored,” fever, we take their samples and send it says Vidur Mohan, village head of to Lucknow for diagnosis,” says Vibhav Sathary in UP’s Muzaffarnagar district. Srivastava, the district magistrate. Can Thermal screening, naturally, is the India’s rickety and stressed rural health first line of defence, but officials are care cope with a pandemic that has wary of people popping paracetamol overwhelmed the world’s best? We can tablets, which bring down body temper- only try. O

3 5 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story Covid-19 Testing

PTI

Late start The US was slow in its testing, but Slow drive in ramped up the exercise when cases spiralled

March 22. In all, over 47,000 people had fast test lane been tested by midweek (April 1). But the approach, however, is still calibrated. India has one of the lowest testing rates in the world. The Indian Council of Medical Will new, locally made kits change its programme? Research (ICMR) recommends only symptomatic people in quarantine, health workers and the contacts of labo- Jeevan Prakash Sharma and seal on his hand—an event that piqued ratory-confirmed positive cases be Ajay Sukumaran neighbours’ curiosity. From time to tested. Besides this, time, he got an IVR call: “If you have no hospitalised patients with severe res- symptoms, press 1. If you have cough, piratory illnesses are being tested as a Bangalore-based executive will fever or breathing difficulty, press 2.” COVID-19 surveillance measure. complete his 14-day home He has not gone beyond 1. Yet, knowing Overall, testing figures are still low com- quarantine this week. He is in a that people can be asymptomatic and pared to other countries and the availa- Adilemma, though. Ever since he still be infected with the virus leaves ble capacity—the utilisation rate stood returned from an overseas business trip, him with a nagging question as the at 38 per cent by midweek. he has been cooped up in a room in his quarantine comes to an end—is it safe to Both the health ministry and ICMR home, peeking at his family only meet his family again? “The only way to point out that isolation—if people adh­ through a window. The solitary spell has know is by testing,” he says. ere to the lockdown scrupulously—will been quite an experience. Initially, he Facilities have indeed been ramped up be crucial in limiting the outbreak. grappled with anxiety as news of the and more people are being tested now— Experts reckon that testing will regard- novel coronavirus exploded. Days later, nearly 18,000 tests were conducted last less have to be ramped up to know there was a visit from local health week across the country, which was whether the lockdown has succeeded. authorities, who stamped a quarantine double the cumulative figure until “Everything moves on evidence.

36 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story Covid-19 Testing

Simultaneously we have to monitor scription from a government-certified what the microbe is doing,” T. Jacob physician—the patient proforma rec­ John, retired professor of clinical virol- ords symptoms, history of travel, con- ogy, Christian Medical College, Vellore, tact with high-risk patients among tells Outlook. The evidence, he says, other details. will come from testing. “Epidemiology Indiscriminate testing too has its own intelligence will tell you what you problems, explains one medical profes- should be prepared for. In other words, sional. “Remember, when a test is indis- you will be two steps ahead of the virus. criminately done, there could be false Are we not moving two steps behind the Minal Dakhave positive results and false negative res­ virus now?” Bhosale ults too.” The trace, test and treat/quar- Of late, there are indications that ant­ antine strategy is a trusted public health ibody tests could be deployed—both If ‘twins’ be the word, this approach, he says. Karnataka and Kerala have said they are mom is a supermom. Virologist Governments are trying to ramp up making efforts to source these tests, Minal Dakhave Bhosale over­ capacities. At the end of March, Kerala which could be used to screen quaran- came the restricted mobility from had 1.63 lakh people under surveillance, tined people. An antibody test is a quick advanced­ pregnancy to deliver 7,485 samples had been tested and 215 blood test that can tell if a person was India’s first coronavirus testing positive cases were under treatment. infected. But it’s not a diagnostic tool The state government says COVID-19 kit as well as a bonny little girl, like the polymerase chain reaction care centres have been set up in all dis- just a day before the equipment (PCR) test that can detect the presence tricts for people who were not residents of the virus in a nose or throat swab. Nor was handed to the authorities. of the state, like tourists, but had been does a negative result rule out COVID- She and her team of 10 at Mylab advised home isolation. In Bangalore, 19 infection, so there’s a limitation to Discovery in Pune delivered the fever clinics have been set up for people antibody tests. kit in six weeks. “It was like giv­ with travel history who develop ing birth to two babies,” she said. COVID-19 symptoms. t’s more a pre-screening tool, exp­ The kit—at Rs 1,200 each is a “The government has asked all of us to lains Dr V. Ravi, head of neurovirol- quarter of the Rs 4,500 the gov­ get prepared, but did not give an indica- ogy at NIMHANS, Bangalore. “It’s tion of how large the testing require- ernment spends on testing—red­ Ifast, much cheaper and you don’t need ment may be,” says Vijay Chandru of expertise­ in doing it. You can’t take uces the time taken for a result Strand Life Sciences, whose lab in swabs from thousands of people who from eight hours to 2.5 hours. Gurgaon expects to start testing soon. are quarantined. You can screen their The lab, once set up, will have a capacity blood rapidly and if it is positive, you of 500-1,000 tests per day, he says. The can take a swab immediately,” he says. in Delhi, Chennai, Rajkot and Bangalore. government has recommended a cap on Antibody tests haven’t been widely used The home collection method is similar cost at Rs 4,500—this includes Rs 1,500 for respiratory viruses, but since SARS to what was being done for H1N1 swine as a screening test for suspect cases and Cov-2 is a new virus, people believe­ it flu—phlebotomists collect nasopharyn- an additional Rs 3,000 for the confirma- will have some role in detecting expo- geal and oropharyngeal swabs. But tion test. sure at this stage. “Antibody testing will since they are outfitted in protective Currently, the probes for PCR tests tell you who was infected or what pro- gear, it would likely require public edu- are mostly imported. But there is some portion of people were infected.­ At any cation and awareness—a private lab good news on that front—Pune-based given time, you do an antibody­ survey reported­ that a few of their clients were Mylab, the first Indian company to get and then you extrapolate,” says John. apprehensive that the pick-up would approval for a testing kit, says that it can As of April 1, around 126 govern- attract­ attention. Testing requires­ a pre- manufacture up to 1 lakh tests a week, ment-run labs were functional and 51 with kits costing one-fourth of the pro- private labs given the go-ahead for dia­ curement costs of the imported tests. gnostic PCR tests. With these tests, vir­ Mylab says its PCR kit screens and det­ ologists look for a certain sequence that ects the infection within two-and-a-half defines the virus by amplifying the nuc­ hours as compared to an average­ of leic acids that are in the virus. Many pri- eight hours currently. “The kit has a vate labs have started work and their unified screening-confirmation out- large networks, it is expected, will help come, which means you don’t have to further the reach of testing. “So far, conduct two separate tests and thus, sample collection has been done from you save on time,” a company spokes- homes of patients. We are now isolating person says. Researchers have been a few dedicated centers for sample col- working on other approaches—an IIT lection,” says Metropolis Healthcare Delhi-designed probe-free method for Ltd, which began testing in Mumbai PCR tests is among those being evalu- and is awaiting approval for operations ated currently. O

37 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story Covid-19 Labour

The Jitender Gupta

An out-of-work migrant worker ponders his Nowhere future after the lockdown. “better to die on the roads than die of hunger in this city”. As governments—at the Centre and states—grappled to tackle a humanitar- People ian and potential health crisis due to Experts warn that reverse migration will have the reverse migration of workers from urban centres to villages, experts warn a debilitating effect on the rural sector that the exodus could lead to massive economic devastation in the rural sec- Preetha Nair Hunkered down at his tenement, the tor. Dr K.P. Kannan of the 36-year-old who came to Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram-based Centre for Bihar’s Madhubani district 20 years Development Studies predicts that the Or over a week, Sadat Ansari ago wanted to join the thousands of rural sector will face economic as well has been confined to a dingy migrant­ workers who had hoped to as social distress in the coming days as 10x10 feet room in Khirki rush back to their villages, despite the the returning migrants are not going to Fextension in South Delhi, a rented lockdown. What held him back? Ansari be welcomed in their native places. accommodation he shares with seven left his village because it has little to “These people will be seen as liability more people. He stares at the sprawl- offer. No jobs, no money. Abject pov- now. There will be fear of health, ing shopping centres across the street, erty. The stich hasn’t changed all these unemployment, conflict, and competi- constantly reminded of the glaring years. Besides, the Bihar government tion for available food among other social distance between him and the has no plan in place for them. “I don’t pressing issues. Our national output is urban crowd. Ansari, a daily wage even own a small plot of land. What wiped out for the next few months and earner was rendered jobless on March will I eat there? Though the Bihar gov- the recovery will take time,” says 25 when Prime Minister Narendra ernment has announced free ration, Kannan. Lack of investment in agricul- Modi announced a nationwide we will get it only next month. Do they ture and public health will have a debil- lockdown to stop the spread of a silent want us to die?” he asks. But his room- itating impact on rural economy, he killer—the new coronavirus. mate, Mohammed Usman, thinks it’s warns. For economist Jean Drez, the

38 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story Covid-19 Labour

biggest worry at the moment is the JNU. Remittances by migrant workers den of net producers now becoming state of Bihar, which will see the return are estimated at Rs 1.5 lakh crore, acc­ consumers. People will start selling of a large population of migrant work- ording to the Economic Survey 2016-17. their assets and land to survive. The ers. “Being a caste- and class-ridden Ghosh says effective intervention by marginal farmers cannot reinvest in society with huge numbers of landless the Centre in tandem with state gov- the land. So, future production is imp­ labourers, the fallout will be huge for ernments is a prerequisite at this point. acted, which in turn impacts future the state”, he says. “Though we don’t know how many have employment,”­ says Dewan. However, it’s Uttar Pradesh which managed to get back, the remittances­ Another migrant worker from Uttar sends out the largest number of have stopped altogether. This is com- Pradesh, Ram Kumar has no plans to migrants, according to India Migration pounded by the fact that all the regula- return to the satellite town of Gurgaon, Now, a Mumbai-based non-profit org­ tions are being interpreted and where he was a tailor. Kumar, who was anisation. While UP accounts for an implemented shoddily,” she alleges. visiting his family at his village in estimated 33 per cent of migrant lab­ Apart from ensuring cash assistance Bulandshahr, says he would explore ourers in India, Bihar takes the second and food to villagers, the government job prospects in the village, though op- place with 15 per cent, fol- PTI tions are limited. Kannan lowed by 6 per cent from says many workers will have Rajasthan. Delhi tops the list to stay back as the economy of top destination states, fol- takes time to rebound. lowed by Maharashtra, “Unfortunately, the econ- Haryana, Madhya Pradesh omy is not like a health crisis. and Gujarat. The economy needs a lot of Drez says the central gov- things to get back into shape,” ernment should chip in with Kannan says. The uncertainty emergency measures as will continue till demand most of the announcements picks up and “many small in the relief package will take industries­ will be shut. Only shape only after the lock- when demand picks up, they down. “The migrants want to will be able to get back their go back because they don’t jobs”, he predicts. feel secure here. They know If the surplus workforce is that they will end up in jail going to be a problem in or they will go hungry here. If the gov- some parts, Punjab and Haryana are ernment wants them to stay put, give faced with shortage of labour with the facilities and treat them with dignity,” beginning of the harvesting season. he says. The government needs to “Usually, this time agricultural mig­ pump in money for this informal sec- rants from UP and Bihar migrate to tor, which contributes 50 per cent of Punjab and Haryana. Unfortunately, the nation’s products, say experts. As they won’t be able to go this time. most of them work in areas such as People who don’t have land are going construction, textiles, rickshaw driv- to be in great difficulty,” says Drez. ing, domestic work and other such The disruption in the demand and services, it’s also a well-known fact supply chain is going to hit the rural that they are the work horse or major poor the most, fear economists. As the drivers for/of the economy. government claimed that they have should enhance­ supply of seeds, pesti- enough stockpiles of food, immediate s the number of internal mig­ cides, fertilisers and essential inputs relief of free ration through the public rants recorded an upward trend for the farmers, as agriculture forms a distribution system is the need of the over the past four decades, 2011 major part of rural income, she says. hour, they say. “The migrants should Acensus data says India now has app­ The surplus workforce is going to be a be helped with an immediate grant of roximately 60-70 million migrant­ major worry, experts add. About 80 per minimum Rs 5,000,” Kannan says. workers. “In 2011, a quarter of India’s cent of India’s workforce is employed in To ease the burden of the rural poor, urban population was enumerated as the informal sector, says the 2015-16 Kannan suggests that more thrust being migrants,” wrote author Employment-Unemployment Survey. should be given to NRGEA employ- Chinmay Tumbe in his book India With the breadwinners of the family ment. Apart from expanding its 100- Moving: A History of Migration, to becoming dependents, it will add to the day limit, he says the government denote­ the key role played by migrants. burden of the family, says Ritu Dewan, should also pay advance wages to all However, with remittances from mig­ vice president, Indian Society of NRGEA workers. “Work can be res­ rants drying up now, the rural sector Labour Economics (ISLE). “There’s umed when the situation becomes­ will face unprecedented crisis, says already­ surplus workforce and now normal. Now, it’s time to pay wages Jayati Ghosh, professor of economics at there’s more. There is additional bur- in advance”. O

39 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story covid-19 exodus

Laboured March

Salik Ahmad Some have endured police truncheons to make it this far. They make calls to update those at home of their progress, then switch the phones off. isualise this. A young man with a And they hopelessly signal the vehicles whizzing boyish moustache walks along an express- past for rides. It’s a numbing walk for those who way leading out of Delhi, one arm wrap- walk it, and a numbing sight for those who see pingV a child barely a year old to his chest, the this exodus. other clasping an oddly-rectangular jute bag. His Two days later, tens of thousands throng bus wife, a thin, small-boned woman, walks along, stations after the UP government announces gripping the hand of their other child as he tries buses from Delhi to various districts in the state. to keep pace beside her, taking in the scenes The roads witness a continuous, thick stream of around them blinkingly. She is holding a bag too; migrants. Inflated bus fares fail many. More can- it contains a precious cargo of biscuits and water. not find a place in already-packed buses. Some The man is a mason, fitting tiles to perfection in cannot find buses to their home districts—they mansions. He has Rs 450 in his pocket. And are not prominent enough to be taken into acc­ nearly as many kilometres to cover to his destina- ount by bus operators. tion—his village in Kanpur. Because of the lock- After the government reinforces the lockdown a down in the wake of coronavirus spread, the roads day later, and as visuals of massive crowds evoke to his livelihood are shut to him. His immediate strong and varied reactions, shamefaced authori- savings will not last to feed four mouths for the ties tell them to stay back. So those remaining go next 20 days; he’s dimly sure of that. The one road back to their colourless, careworn, subterranean is the road back—his village, he’s equally sure, existence—in the shadows of tall buildings, beh­ holds the meagre promise of roti and salt. ind walls, under flyovers, in nondescript slums In this bedraggled procession they are part of, huddled in the darkness. All that stands between there are able-bodied men, 90-year-olds, physi- them and starvation now is government food/ cally challenged persons, pregnant women, wid- food grains supplies. And some good samaritans. ows—many of them with blisters on their feet, One such person who was helping them with glazed eyes and fearful minds shut to the immen- food, and occasionally money, tells me, “When sity of the task ahead or the ordeals awaiting you offer them money, they are a little taken them. Some hope to find a vehicle at a later point. aback. They have never taken charity.”

NH-2, near Calcutta sandipan chatterjee Cover Story covid-19 exodus

4 1 outlook | April 13, 2020 Delhi Suresh K. Pandey Cover Story covid-19 exodus

Delhi tribhuvan tiwari

4 2 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story covid-19 exodus

Delhi PTI

Mumbai Ghaziabad apoorva salkade Suresh K. Pandey Cover Story covid-19 exodus

PTI

allahabad

4 4 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story covid-19 exodus

Greater Noida tribhuvan tiwari

NH-24, GHAZIABAD PTI

45 outlook | April 13, 2020 Cover Story covid-19 exodus

Anand Vihar, Delhi Suresh K. Pandey sans frontiers

world Tour

FOREIGN HAND

Hungary The Hungarian Parliament granted Prime Minister Victor Orban power to rule by decree to deal with the coronavirus emergency, further splitting a polarised country. The opposition said getty images Hungarian democracy has now been placed in quarantine amidst widespread razilian President Jair Bolsonaro—nicknamed “Trump fear of Orban misusing his new power Bof the Tropics”—is bent upon outdoing his American against critics. Over 100,000 people had exemplar in ignoring the severity of the coronavirus pandemic. The spread of the deadly virus through 178 countries has signed a petition opposing the move. affected around 800,000 people and taken 37,000 lives so far. But Bolsonaro describes it as a “little flu” and a trifling “cold”, accusing the media instead for creating a fuss. “The coronavirus-denial movement officially has a leader, and it’s Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro,” says The Atlantic. Donald Trump has also been widely criticised for his slow response in arresting the spread of the virus in America which, with about 200,000 cases, is now the worst-hit country of all. But, for once, he seems to be listening to experts’ advice. The White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx issued a dire warning on March 30, saying she was “very Colombia The National Liberation Army halted their fight against the worried about every city in the United States”. In her estimate, government for a month in view of the in a best-case scenario, the US might have 100,000 to 200,000 coronavirus pandemic. The “humanitarian deaths. But if people continue to ignore guidelines, failing to socially distance themselves and keep indoors, the toll could be gesture” came after 10 people died and a staggering over two million by the time it ends. “We can go 700 others tested positive for the virus in from five to 50 to 500 to 5,000 cases very quickly,” Birx said. She the Andean region. The rebels have been admitted that in “some of the metro areas we were late in fighting for 50 years and in January 2019 getting people to follow the 15-day guidelines”. But she stressed had killed 20 police cadets. that “no state, no metro area will be spared”. Trump who had earlier talked about easing the guidelines on social distancing by Easter, April 12, has extended it to April 30. He expects things to improve by June. In contrast, Bolsonaro, who leads the worlds fifth largest country and a dynamic economy, feels the virus is a “symptom- free nuisance” for 90 per cent of the affected Brazilians. He mulishly argued that Brazilians “never catch anything” even when they dive into “sewage”. But few in the country share their president’s optimism. As Israel Israel’s year-long political people in Italy, India and elsewhere came out to their balconies, deadlock ended after Benny Gantz agreed clanging plates and spoons, expressing appreciation of their to join Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. government’s efforts, when people gathered at a similar fashion He had refused to work with his rival in Brazil, it was to show their anger against Bolsonaro. who has been facing graft charges. The demand for his resignation is getting shriller in the Gantz changed his mind after being Latin American country. Though the possibility of him stepping elected speaker of parliament. He down could be as remote as the sudden disappearance will serve as foreign minister under of the pandemic. O Netanyahu until September 2021, before taking over the premiership.

4 7 outlook | april 13, 2020

Lockdown Covid-19 Bollywood

Paradise Locked As it waits out the shutdown, a circle of dangers presses closer on Bollywood

Giridhar Jha in Mumbai put on hold. Shooting schedules of several big-ticket extravaganzas have Casualty of war Akshay Kumar, Ranveer gone haywire. So has consumption of Singh in Sooryavanshi, the release of which he cameras have stopped, and finished parcels of dreams and night- was postponed so have the entire universe that mares—all theatres, single-screen and revolves around it, with its multiplexes, have been shut down. conservative estimate, the entertain- tvarious, interdependent eco-sys- With the deadly virus wrapping its ment industry stands to lose a mini- tems—a near-biblical desolation. Not tentacles over the Indian film and tele- mum of Rs 500 crore in the first few just Bollywood, the coronavirus scare vision industry, it has caught dream weeks of the lockdown enforced by the appears to have infected the entire merchants—from big studios to inde- Centre from March 25 to contain the entertainment industry and it may pendent film-makers—unawares. spread of the contagion. It appears to take it months, if not years, to recover Film industry pundits appear to be at be just the beginning of a prolonged, from the crippling blow. a loss to even fathom the magnitude of dark spell, something unprecedented As the rest of the world continues to current and future financial losses in the industry. grapple with a pandemic, the release of befalling a sector where every weekend Like the rest of the economy, the many a potential blockbuster has been matters in the long term. Even by a entertainment industry rolled on a

4 9 outlook | April 13, 2020 Lockdown Covid-19 Bollywood

practised smoothness when the catastrophe struck mid-March, and theatres began to be closed in one state after another. On March 2, a jubilant film-maker duo, Rohit Shetty and Karan Johar, had organised a mega trailer release of their upcoming ambi- tious multi-starrer, Sooryavanshi, in Mumbai with fanfare. Scheduled to be released on March 24, the Akshay Kumar-Ajay Devgn-Ranveer Singh- Katrina Kaif starrer was widely expected to be a blockbuster. Its trailer generated a hum of excitement, prompting many in the trade to believe that it would dispel the clouds of despair spawned by the lacklustre busi- ness of a string of Hindi movies in the first quarter of 2020. The new year had started off on a grand note, with a blockbuster like Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Yet none of the other big tickets, including Tiger Shroff’sBaaghi 3 and Kartik Aaryan’s Love Aajkal 2 , were mega successes. Analyst Joginder Bollywood, therefore, had pinned a lot of Tuteja says hope on Sooryavanshi, oblivious of the dead- Bollywood will ening stasis that lay in return to store for it. By the sec- ond half of March, normality only once theatres in lucra- in the last tive markets, includ- ing Delhi and quarter of 2020. Mumbai, had to down shutters as per the directive of the respective state governments, Rohit Shetty had little option but to defer the release of the film indefinitely. “Sooryavanshi is an experience that we have created for you with over a year of dedication and hard work, and the response we received for its trailer was nothing less than electrifying and proved it truly belongs to its audience,” a statement from Shetty’s production house said. “But with the recent out- break of COVID-19, we the makers have decided to postpone the release of your film keeping in mind the health and safety of our beloved audience. Sooryavanshi will be back for you just when the time is right.” Amid growing uncertainty, Sooryavanshi was not the solitary ‘blockbuster-to-be’ to be stopped in its Stuck on ‘em Films stalled midway include (from top) Laxmmi tracks by the method needed to stall a Bomb, Coolie No. 1 and 83 lurking coronavirus. Kabir Khan’s

50 outlook | April 13, 2020 Lockdown Covid-19 Bollywood

eagerly awaited 83, based on India’s first cricket World Cup win at Lord’s in England in 1983, was supposed to open on April 10. It, too, has been post- poned. Actor Ranveer Singh, who plays Kapil Dev, took to Twitter to announce the decision stoically: “83 is not just our film but the entire nation’s film. But the health and safety of the nation always come first. Stay safe, take care. We shall be back soon!” The makers of 83 echoed him: “We urge our fans to take all the necessary precautions and take care of their Portrait of an actor Salman Khan brushes up his sketching skills loved ones. 83 is a film about fighting the odds and we hope we will all bounce back from this soon,” a state- perspective, I think things should be future, medium- and big-budget movies ment issued by its makers said. fine towards the year-end.” need a theatrical release to break even. ‘How soon?’ That is the question that From superstars to spot boys, the cri- “They will have no choice but to clash weighs heavy on Bollywood filmmak- sis has affected everybody associated with other films on the same Fridays ers. When the entire country is seques- with the entertainment industry. But, once the situation improves,” he says. tered at home, resumption of normal as always, it’s the lot of the common “Also, considering the adverse impact business in the near future looks a soldier to bear the brunt of a conflagra- this period will have on the overall rem­ote possibility. Movie trade analyst tion—Bollywood’s daily wage workers. economy of the country, viewers will Joginder Tuteja says Bollywood can- Since all shooting schedules of movies have to decide how many films in a not expect to return to normality until and television shows have been sus- month they can afford to watch in thea- the last quarter of the year. pended until the lockdown ends, they tres. All of it does not augur well for the “Coronavirus has made a huge impact. have been left to fend for themselves. film industry,” he adds. Hindi cinema had done a business of Like their brethren across the econ- Then there are mega movies stuck, Rs 4,300 crore last year but the sce- omy, many of them have gone back to cruelly, in medias res. They include nario looks too bleak this year. In the their ancestral places for want of Salman Khan’s Radhe, Akshay Kumar’s first few weeks itself, Bollywood has employment and thus sustenance. The Laxmmi Bomb, Varun Dhawan’s Coolie lost over Rs 500 crore,” he tells Producers Guild of India has promptly No 1 and John Abraham’s Mumbai Saga, Outlook. “Baaghi 3 and Angrezi set up a relief fund the for daily wage which were scheduled to hit screens in Medium, released in March, have workers but, given the situation, their the next two to three months. With already incurred huge losses because woes are only likely to compound in shootings or post-production work sus- of the lockdown.” According to Tuteja, the months to come as shootings are pended, they will all miss their deadlines. ripple effects of the crisis will have a unlikely to resume soon. The fate of many other movies due for long-term impact. “The bigger issue Filmmaker Ankur Garg of Luv Films release later this year looks uncertain facing the industry is whether audi- is mindful of the length of the shadow too—shooting schedules are horribly off ences will return to theatres as soon as cast by these extraordinarily difficult kilter. Industry sources say that getting normality returns. I am afraid I don’t times for the industry. “It depends on the dates of stars such as Akshay Kumar, see that happening.” how long this period lasts. We have who are currently confined to their Tuteja believes that the industry will already lost many weekends and homes or farmhouses in and around have to rejig release dates of many mov- releases planned on those weekends Mumbai, will also be a big problem. At ies in future because of the changed will need to be accommodated,” he says. the moment, Salman Khan, for one, has scenario. “There will be a scamper for Garg believes that while small-budget chosen to fall back upon his old hobby of release dates, but things are unlikely to films may find a way in exclusive painting, while Saif Ali Khan is catching improve until Diwali,” he adds. releases on digital platforms to recover up with his reading. Others are busy But is the industry resilient enough costs or even make some profit in reading piles of scripts or doing work- to bounce back after enduring such a outs at their home gym. destructive tornado? Tuteja is hopeful. The stars patiently wait for the end of “There have been times in the past the extended staycation forced upon when no film was released for two As always, daily them by the Big C; the less fortunate months for reasons like strikes or the wage earners cadge around for a living to feed their IPL tournament but it always managed families, desperate for an end to their to fight back by delivering good and hit bear the brunt of ordeal. The movies chose to forsake movies,” says he. “This time around, the industry the once obligatory ‘The End’ in recent Bollywood will learn from this unprec- decades. They now wait passionately edented experience. From the revenue lockdown. for its return. O

51 outlook | April 13, 2020 Review / Art and Culture

Deepika Chikhalia carved a hits and are remembered to this niche for herself in the Indian ‘Ramayan is a wholesome treat day. I was lucky that I moved entertainment industry by play- for the soul. Don’t politicise it.’ on from Hindi cinema because ing Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s there was a call within me as an iconic television serial Rama- actor to do good work. yan. The 54-year-old actress cially on millennials? the telecast has already begun. Still, you quit cinema quite spoke exclusively to Giridhar > Ramayan remains relevant There are people who would early in your career… Jha after the first episode of despite the multiple options on oppose it. As far as Ram is > In 1991, I entered politics and the 1987 show was telecast on streaming platforms because it concerned, they have turned contested elections. I had to March 28 amid a raging political is more than a TV series. It will him into a political agenda. That travel often to my constituency. I controversy. Excerpts: make you understand what your is not correct. Ram is a king was newly married and was not culture is all about. Ramanand who lived with certain princi- happy doing that. It was getting How was it watching Rama- Sagar’s Ramayan is of the level ples. It is a story about a king, a more and more difficult, so I let yan 33 years after it was first of Valmiki’s or Tulsidas’s version. husband, a son, a brother. Treat go of films. I left politics after my screened? I was telling my daughter that his life as a learning lesson and daughter was born because she > I remember the first episode you go out and eat the best of do not see everything from a needed me at home. of Ramayan being shot on the cuisines, but when you return political point of view. You have lately staged a come- first day of the serial’s shoot- home, you need dal-chawal or You did many regional films, but back. Are you open to working ing. That was also the first khichdi. Ramayan is that kind your career in Bollywood never in more movies now? time I saw myself on screen of food for the soul—don’t treat took off. > Of course, I am open to good as Lakshmi. It took us seven it like entertainment. Millennials > I was versatile and welcomed work. I recently did Bala (2019). days to complete one episode cannot read Tulsidas, so this is with open hearts and arms in all I am really looking forward because there was so much their other option to understand regions I worked. I am afraid that to my second stint in Hindi chroma keying involved. Also, it Indian culture. Hindi cinema did not give me the cinema—not much happened involved depiction of gods and The rerun of Ramayan has kind of work I was looking for. So during the first. goddesses, so we did not take it kicked up a row… I did films in regional languages. Are you also open to joining lightly. I am remembering (now) > It is over and done with as All those turned out to be super- politics again? all those things and more. It was > Why not? At the moment, I am also nice to see myself look so looking for a platform, not nec- young again. essarily politics, where I would People used to touch your feet like to do something to serve back then… the country. If you are a celebrity This country has faith and lives with a little power, it is important with the understanding that When Doordarshan re-telecast Ramayan from March 28, after to have a certain responsibility there is god. That is why they more than three decades, audiences started demanding that towards society. I would defi- treated us like demi-gods. I have other popular television shows of that era be aired again. nitely like to do something for respect for that. I cannot do Taking note of the public demand, the government has dec­ the country. anything about it, I just respect ided to show Mahabharat, Byomkesh Bakshi and Circus—with Does it mean you will contest people. As they say, god is noth- Shah Rukh Khan, the TV actor then. Social media is abuzz another election? ing without his worshippers, so with calls of ‘more, more’. The demand list includes the Milind > I have not thought let them do whatever they want. Soman-starrer Captain Vyom, Mukesh Khanna’s Shaktimaan, about it. Anything I say at What impact do you think the Malgudi Days, Hum Log, Alif Laila and SRK’s Fauji. the moment would be a Ramayan rerun will have, espe- hypothetical answer. O

52 outlook | April 13, 2020 Book Review

government schools as inefficient and dysfunctional, especially Still, Faded among the urban middle class and above, who would shudder to send their children to one. Girdhar’s book is a robust dismissal of such dismissals. His is more a case for individual teachers rather Chalk On than the system, of which he has his share of criticism. But any sys­ tem is only as good as its individual practitioners—ironically, in this case, the whole can be much worse than the sum of its parts. Clearly, the bad press government schools get in India are linked Blackboards to the often superficial reasons for which people—ironically, from disenfranchised segments of society—send their children to private We see them as pits of schools: ‘they have a nice uniform with tie and shoes’, ‘English seek­ hega’ or bizarre ones like, ‘my biradari (community) will think we despair, but, as this book are kanjoos’. And since private schools are more expensive, the shows, government schools choice also becomes a vehicle of gender bias: private schools for boys and government schools for girls. and their unjustly derided The book is a collection of brief profiles on the people Giridhar teachers give both shelter aptly calls the “unsung heroes of real India”, the teachers in govern­ and alphabet to millions the One folk ment schools across the country who illustrate the heroic work of devil that educating the nation’s children, the vast majority of them from rural and poverty-stricken areas. The different chapters are clus­ Saikat Majumdar blackens tered around different kinds of heroes—in Giridhar’s evocative lan­ government guage, “the head teacher as CEO,” “reflective practitioners”, those n March 14, a national dai­ schools is especially committed to “equity and quality” or “teamwork”. ly reported that as the cor­ ‘teacher Giridhar makes the sad admission that the nation’s best talent is onavirus­­­ pandemic keeps not drawn to school teaching, much less teaching in government O students away from school, absenteeism’. schools.­ But at the same time he deflates many negative myths 3.75 lakh children registered with Yet studies about government schools, especially its teachers. As opposed to 33,115 anganwadis in Kerala will show most “urban myths”, these misinformed notions get material for their mid-day S. Giridhar are “folk devils”. One such folk devil is that of meals delivered at home. It bro­ absent ‘teacher absenteeism’. “Popular discourse—in ught to mind an article in an teachers are Ordinary People, parts of higher echelons of government—bac­ American­­ higher education­ mag­ sent away Extraordinary ked by some ‘scholarly’ research talked of azine, of college shutdown due to Teachers: The absenteeism of 30 to 50 per cent,” he writes. the pandemic forcing poor and on other Heroes of Real He continues: “We had never seen absentee­ minority students­ to lose valua­ work. They India | ism rates, even remotely of this order.” Rather, ble academic experience, as well are the ones Westland | 288 the study conducted by Azim Premji Universi­ as hot meals and a shelter. The that hold the pages | ty found that of the 18 per cent of teachers who closure have literally thrown were not in school, 2.5 per cent were absent Rs 499 them out on the streets. system up. without cause, while 6 per cent were on sanc­ S. Giridhar’s Ordinary People, tioned leave, and 11 per cent were sent on Extraordinary Teachers is a tim­ other work, such as training or government ely reminder of what government business. He makes a potent case against the schools mean to the vast majority last—sending teachers away on business when of Indian children. For a nation they should be in school. It is the kind of mis­ whose urban middle and upper-­ leading publicity, such as calling teachers middle class increasingly identify “missing”­­ or “nadard” in the press when the K-12 education with private insti­ majority of them were away on approved busi­ tutions, what is forgotten is that ness, that builds up to the negative and hope­ education is not just a venue of less image of teachers at government schools. liberal humanist idealism—the Yet there is no denying that government sch­ widening of emotional, intellec­ ools exist today across a landscape of bleak­ tual and ethical horizons. For the ness, a gathering of travails real and imagined. poor and marginalised, it is very Across this scene, the question Giridhar asked often the ticket to a meal and a the teachers most persistently was: “Why do bed to sleep on. And in no country you come here?” The “gist of all answers,” he can this responsibility be carried says, “is the same: ‘we want to learn to teach out by private institutions.­ They better’.” Like their stubbornly hopeful ans­ are, as Giridhar says, the lifeline wers, Giridhar’s book also does much to dis­ of 60 per cent our children. pel the bleakness and spread light across But it is customary to dismiss this vast and crucial landscape. O

53 outlook | april 13, 2020 la Under The Net dolce Congratulations are the norm when celebrities declare their love publicly; eyeballs are due when vita they prove it with photos. We offer both to badmin- ton ace Jwala Gutta who has, she declares, not only been dating Tamil actor Vishnu Vishal, but plighted her troth to him too. There was a time when Jwala used to man the back court, allowing poor Ashwini Ponappa to do the heavy springing around up front. But that’s the norm, too, in marriage, isn’t it?

Cometh The Man As the assorted Khans sit around, counting their curses in locked-up movies and kicked-out releases, eyeing, no doubt, their accumulated billions for comfort, out steps Akshay, with Rs 25 crore for the millions groaning and starving due to the loss of livelihoods. “I had nothing when I started,” retorted he when wife Twinkle asked if he was sure about such an amount. In this bleak hour, forgive the man for the message on his T-shirt (it does him no credit). We unreservedly applaud you, sir.

getty images

5 4 outlook | April 13, 2020 la dolce vita

With Kajol, Always Luminous All happy families are happy in the same way—at least in photos. Queen Ajay Devgn and Kajol’s family confirms that queer genetic rule: the boy (Yug) resembles mom, the girl (Nysa) takes after dad. We She’s the outlier, yet also confirm that Kajol and Nysa are fine, for some yobs (mind very much in the thick of things—four you, even the jobless have more time) spread the rumour that Hollywood oppor- they’re down with coronavirus. tunities, one from Cecil B. DeMille, an attempted kiss by the incorrigible Errol Flynn, two dream roles in Sadhana (1958) and Woh Kaun Thi? (1964), which made the careers of Vyjayanthimala and Sadhana. She spurned film offers and proposals equally. Chose marital bliss over mass adulation in her heyday in what was not known as Bollywood then. Nimmi (1933-2020) did all that, unfailing- ly holding her own opposite Raj Kapoor-Dilip Kumar-Dev Anand. She was top draw but happy to play second lead in several ’50s blockbusters. After her mentor Mehboob Khan released the English version of Aan (1952) as Savage Queen with a world premiere in London, she resisted temptations to go global, even turning away her cheeks when Flynn got too close for a peck. “I am an Indian girl!” she told the actor. R.I.P. “the unkissed girl of India”!

Yes, Pretty Please As if to snub us pessimistic slobs, here comes another good samaritan, daring us to defy her charm, snaring us in the folds of that gown’s faux deshabille, letting us catch our eye with those well-set pearls dangling from her ear, carefully matching that close-fitting neckpiece. For Pranitha Subhash, who is to appear in Hungama 2 (with ancients Paresh Rawal and Shilpa Shetty) has pledged Rs 10 lakh for the PM-CARES fund. Lofty deeds start like this.

5 5 outlook | April 13, 2020 Lockdown Sachin Tendulkar

Seeing Off That First Hour stepping out of home is an absolute no-no. Sleeping well, going to the It’s been a lazy morning, a rare day in gym, a leisurely breakfast, a lunch of my choice and then it’s time for my hectic life. We are into the second some family entertainment. My mother must be the happiest seeing her week of the three-week lockdown in son and grandchildren away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. India and the gravity of the worldwide As a family, we are doing those simple things—watching TV serials, havoc created by the COVID-19 virus is playing games and eating together—things that we otherwise tend to deeply concerning. We are staring at an miss quite regularly. uncertain future and against an As I said, ‘accept’ and ‘adapt’…that works whether it’s a hard top at Perth unknown enemy. The lessons I learnt or a crumbling fifth-day Nagpur pitch, or life. The better we accept this from cricket are very relevant now. As situation and follow the simple dos and don’ts, the faster we combat the the situation demands, we have to take fear factor, and higher the chance that we survive...and thrive. With this fresh guard, read the pitch, manage the crisis, ‘adapting’ calls for a sterner reappraisal of our playing style itself! swing and bounce, and above all, be As a family, we have accepted that coronavirus is a challenge to human- circumspect. Those words we’ve heard kind and we need to revisit the way we lead our lives. a million times—application and tem- perament—are really the key in life too. No ‘Upar’ Cuts, Please Nobody wants to give his wicket away! What’s good? For one, it’s quite incredible to see the whole world united For me and my family, our lives are in against a common foe. And what’s not? Well, when a few people callously reboot mode and believe me, it’s one of flout basic precautions, I find it very disturbing. Clearly, it’s a matter of the best phases we have had at home discipline and trusting the information shared by credible health organ- together. From Arjun, the youngest isations. I have been saying these in my messages for UNICEF, so do member in the family at 20, to my guard against fake news! And play within yourself....For me, this has been mother, who is 83, we are witnessing the time to introspect and plan ahead. I feel a person who utilises this how one reacts to a situation variably as time properly will always be a step ahead of the person who thinks he has per one’s age. We all have different nothing to do at home. tastes and choices, but for me, this period is a test of acceptability and The Doctor Is ‘In’ adaptability. Collectively, we must What better than having a doctor-wife at home in this hour of need! Anjali really think for each other—for India’s has been making sure that we constantly wash our hands and keep our- 1.3 billion people and for the global selves sanitised. This includes the people who help us at home. We have community at large. stopped guests at home—for one thing, it’s not allowed; and with my mother vulnerable because of her age, we are extremely careful about Stay In The Pavilion! who’s meeting her. There is no pressure of meetings and I am glad our children have grasped the challenges and are doing their

005 6 outlook | Aprildecember 13, 2020 16, 2019 Lockdown

bit by making our lives easier at home. A lockdown can be quite challenging for young girls and boys, but both Sara and Arjun have understood the repercus- sions of what a wrong step could mean. As parents, we have tried to keep them mentally stimulated and that means spending a lot of quality time together, going to the gym with each other, eating home-cooked food, watching the TV serials and movies we love and, of course, music.

Of Varan-Bhaat And Bharta enjoying plenty of unplugged versions on YouTube. Pink Floyd has been I have tried testing my cooking skills a simply awesome. Also Coldplay, Dire Straits and U2, and any number of bit, but here too I tend to play in the ‘V’! Hindi singers…. But the children love modern songs and here too we have Which means sticking to the basics and to show our sense of adaptability in accommodating their choices! having simple, normal home food—bai- gan bharta (roasted and mashed brin- Rain Stops Play jal) is my favourite, so also varan-bhaat Finally, I must appreciate the call taken by the International Olympic (a Marathi dish consisting of lentils and Committee to postpone Tokyo Olympics in July-August. I won’t be white rice). A bit of chicken adds to the surprised if IPL is deferred too. These are challenging times and resched- spread, like that four off the last ball. We uling sporting events or cancelling them outright is the right way forward. are foodies at home, but there is so We can’t afford to lose any more lives. We already have lost many. There much sense in eating basic stuff. It is are solutions for all other sorts of challenges, but death is an irreparable distressing to hear of the conditions out loss. We must learn to live while maintaining social distancing, but there, with lots of people not getting emotionally, we must be together. even basic food or ration. I have been part of a World Cup-winning team in 2011, when we fulfilled the dreams of a billion people and I know what adulation means. But Pink Floyd Se Panga... when I think of the hundreds of health workers and other personnel who We have been watching the latest seri- are confronting COVID-19 by putting their lives at risk, I feel their levels als and movies on TV. We enjoyed the of achievement and commitment are immeasurable. They are our series Special Ops that showed how our real-world champions. Let us all do our bit and ensure that their efforts security agencies use intelligence to do not go waste. combat terror and keep us safe. We also saw Panga, the Kangana Ranaut- A Credo For The Corona Age starring sports movie on the life of a Sports, they say, is a great leveller, and cuts across boundaries and knows kabaddi player. Also Good News, no caste, colour or creed. The script you are handed in sports is always an Chhapaak—and among series, Truth Be open one and it’s never perfect. The more one reflects on it, the more I Told and Formula 1: Drive to Survive see parallels with life. This virus too has been a true leveller. It has Season 2. Knowing my love for cars, affected all of humankind, no matter what your status is. While we fight Anjali has also recommended a few against it, we must focus on the brighter side. It offers us a chance, like a documentary series on Formula One difficult pitch, to unmask our deficiencies—including a lot of our preju- and I can’t wait to watch them. dices and beliefs. Also, it gives us time to introspect and look at humanity’s But what’s binding us all together is a effect on our planet as a whole. How, in the middle of it all, nature has lot of music. I am a music freak and I found space and time to breathe and heal. enjoy tracks from the ’70s onwards a For now, it’s stumps, folks! We are all together in this challenging lot. Generally, I can enjoy any good match. Let’s follow all the precautionary measures shared by the aut– music. I may be listening to a Hindi horities. Let’s pad up and wear our guards and helmets. We will come song one minute, but five minutes later, out of it stronger. O it could be a Spanish one. We are also As told to Soumitra Bose

005 7 outlookoutlook || Aprildecember 13, 2020 16, 2019