The entire world is currently grappling with the unfortunate yet inevitable crisis of the Covid -19 pandemic. In this situation, every government in the world has dedicated all its available resources to battle this deadly virus in the pursuit of saving their citizens.
What is clearly established in these Covid times is that saving the lives of citizens is of paramount importance. However, while doing so, the current ruling establishments of respective countries also have a crucial responsibility of ensuring that all the other economic aspects of the country are affected in the minimum possible way.
At the same time, the establishments are struggling to enhance the entire available health infrastructure to meet the growing demands from patients worldwide.
While the nations have one of the most significant battles to be won against Covid, another battle that they are facing is the application of opinions from their own citizens and at times, from the judiciary of the respective nations as well.
While India, compared to the current scenario of the other nations, certainly is in a difficult spot, however, the establishment is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the balance between demand and supply of its current health sector infrastructure needs.
While the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is efficiently dealing with the challenges in the country, it has been a victim of the vocal and many times illogical pseudo-liberal intellect which are often spearheaded by the politicians of the similar clout from behind the curtains.
While a lot has been spoken about how the situation must not be politicised, the opposition, however, is not leaving a single opportunity to put to shame the basic essence of a federal structure by defying the spirit of working together hand in glove during the current times of crisis.
Not to mention the brilliant way how the legal framework is misused by these pseudo-liberals to create an antigovernment narrative even in such times. While one cannot deny another the constitutional right, however, if the legal rhetoric comes out to being irrational, then when will the rational debate begin.
The judicial prowess is considered as of the most appellate in the country by everyone because of its unquestionable and rational behavioural pattern based on every important aspect of the book of the law. The nation expects rational solutions from the judicial systems and not indulges in blame game as for it, the political opposition, though with baseless allegations, outshines everyone.
However, when the same judicial voice happens to pinpoint one entity in a manner that appears to have lacked a rational comparison and study, then the same book of law has given the right to question to ordinary citizens, no matter who an individual is up against.
Let me give a counter-argument to the judicial rhetoric that has become the talk of the town and is being further fueled by pseudo-liberal oppositions. The Chennai High Court held the Election Commission (EC) responsible for the increasing Covid cases in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, the honourable apex court of the nation ordered an immediate halt to the election and campaign affairs in the state up for elections, not to forget that political outfits had voluntarily decided to do so before the court’s opinion.
A common citizen expects the apex judicial body to give both the judgement and the solution at one time. However, it should be based on the highest moral and rational ground, in a manner which is unquestionable by the citizens is the least they expect.
In the above-mentioned case, I want to particularly highlight some important points. The EC is an autonomous body and the constitution has bestowed it upon the duty of conducting elections on time to ensure that a people-appointed government is formed within the set time frame. The decision to hold elections in these five states was taken in November-December last year at a time when the first wave of Covid-19 reasonably subsided and the second wave was predicted, however not of this intense nature. Therefore, it was decided that the elections will be held in April and May.
The court through the EC has slammed the political parties for the increase in Covid cases. At this point, I would particularly like to indicate the common citizens’ expectations from the apex judicial body which has been given incomparable authority by the book of the law. The court, taking Suo moto cognisance of the matter, should have decided to postpone the elections and also should have taken the responsibility to find a solution if elections were not to be held.
With its power of judgement, it should have ensured that the elections are postponed without the breakdown of the federal system at the same time. Now instead of doing so, when the apex judicial institution holds someone responsible, the common citizen wants to invoke his right to ask given by the same book of the law. Besides, while stating that Covid is spreading due to campaign rallies, the court should also comment on why Covid cases are increasing in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, and other states in the absence of elections. Similarly, on the issue of the price of vaccines, the courts have created an ambiguity amongst the citizens of the nation as the detailed facts continue to be unexplained to them.
Today, not only India but the entire world has accepted the fact that vaccination is one of the most crucial remedies against the deadly coronavirus and hence subsequently there is an increasing demand and support for the vaccination drive in the country as well. The Central Government has gradually provided free vaccines to those above 45 years. With the intent of encouraging the vaccine manufacturers in our own country, the central government as well paid Rs 4,500 crore to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech combined.
Now we must understand the basic dynamics of the overall business to be able to comment on the same. When the first lot of vaccines was sought by the government and the manufacturers produced it, it was based on a calculative study and approach and also a risk as the results of the vaccination were not known at a large-scale level. Hence, the price was capped to a certain extent and the quantity of production was limited for reasons. However, as the positive results of the vaccination drive were evident, both the government and manufacturers channelised their resources to increase the vaccine production to their best capacity; however, hindrances to the same continue to persist.
Now in phase two of vaccine production, the manufacturers have increased the prices at the same time keeping philanthropic viewpoint. However, now it may have been designed to suit their business model as well. Hence, the price difference can be justified as per the perspective of economic grounds.
However, the courts’ intervention on higher pricing on the grounds of life-saving drugs seems to be humbly debatable as there are various other drugs in use in the markets without which lives can be put at risk. If a very small example has to be quoted, even if the medicines for blood sugar and blood pressure are not taken, the consequences can be fatal and the prices of these medicines in combination are significantly more than what has to be spent for two doses of vaccines.
Predicting the high demand for vaccines, in January itself, the vaccine manufacturers had argued that large scale productions at minimal pricing would be difficult. Now taking advantage of the critical conditions and filling the coffers with revenue is certainly wrong, however, emptying all the coffers of revenue as well cannot be a possibility for any entrepreneur. Taking an overall view of the situation, the government decided to give freedom to the vaccine manufacturers to decide the prices of vaccines for the states and Centre.
To draw a similar comparison, electricity is also a necessity. However, they are provided at different rates to different sections of society. While industrial and commercial establishments have to pay more, prices are different for residential purposes and even cheaper for farmers and poor people. The same is the case with the price of the vaccinations. No pseudo-liberal class in the country will ever take efforts to explain these logics to people because their basic existence is based on leading people astray for their own motivated benefits.
However, the common citizens of this country with logical sense shall always expect courts to not fall prey to these ulterior motives of pseudo-liberals. People of this nation in the last six years have been privy to the honest governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the efforts of politicising such serious situations have now become the identity of these pseudo-liberals.
The nation was an audience to the petty political trick the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did during a video conference with the Prime Minister by airing his speech live. The Maharashtra government, led by Maha Vikas Aghadi, is doing nothing but playing blame game politics in such a grave situation. The Ministers of the Maharashtra government have no idea even about the needs of the state when it comes to vaccines and the government goes on to comment how the Union Government is not helping them.
While initially, the Maharashtra government decided to float a global tender, later it went on to change its policy to procuring it directly. A state like Maharashtra, in such crucial situations, cannot afford such indecisiveness from the government. I particularly want to highlight here that out of all the aid that respective states are getting from the Central government, Maharashtra is the highest receiver amongst all.
The political opposition and at times, even the judicial institutions might overlook the efforts the Modi government is taking day and night to enhance the infrastructure which helps us fight the Covid battle. However, the people of this nation are with Prime Minister Modi in this battle.
While one very small section of the society is criticising Modi governance in such times, the majority of the nation is witnessing the fact that India, despite all the challenges, is the fastest country to have carried out the vaccination drive efficiently by vaccinating 15 crore Indians in just three and a half months.
Developed countries like the USA and others are in a state of confusion when it comes to setting the target of vaccination. However, India with its robust systems and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is moving heaven and earth to ensure maximum possible vaccination.
Democratic Indians are always together in voicing their opinions. However, they cannot accept biased comparisons from the elements of society doing it with an intention of falsifying them. In such a situation, we, as a nation, look up to the apex judicial system as we trust the rule of law over everything. But the very same Indians are also not oblivious to the fact the same rule of law has given them the right to seek, the right to question, and the right to protest. The consequence of which shall always lead to the fact that democratic Indians, under the ambit of law, shall always question everything but rational eloquence.
Vishwas Pathak is the media head of BJP Maharashtra. The views expressed are personal.
