06 KOLKATA, WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE 2020 Vol.

CXXXXXIV 148

Incorporating and directly descended

from THE FRIEND OF INDIA - Founded 1818
Whataboutery in outrage A MEMBER
OF THE

ASIAN VOICES
The global protest of 'black lives matter' may not be relevant in the specific sense, but
At great risk when viewed as an outrage against the 'politically-discriminated', it resonates globally. ‘Reopening of
I
t is ironical that two reports in yesterday’s edi- Indeed 'all lives matter' but the gut-wrenching diminution of the African American reality,
tions should have focused on separate aspects of
especially as personified by the George Floyd incident, if left unspecified and generalized
schools could
the problems of the elderly in these troubled
times. The first described a laudable initiative in as 'all lives matter', inadvertently glosses over the larger undertones of racism be fatal’
Kolkata to take care of senior citizens who have
been left on their own by serial lockdowns. The sec-

T
ond, a report published in Delhi, described the he arrangements – which are
murder of a senior citizen, the second such inci- listed in the self-assessment
dent in two days, while resisting robbers. The pre- form for preventing the spread
vious day, the 88-year-old wife of a retired official of of Covid-19 ~ concern the cleanliness
the Ministry of External Affairs, was robbed and of classrooms, buildings and teaching
murdered. As India’s elderly struggle to cope with materials; school policies; teachers;
food preparers; and cleaners.And
the severe restrictions placed especially on them while the Education Ministry has set
by the Covid-19 upsurge, and the enhanced risk of July 1 as the reopening date, schools
mortality that has frightened them into seclusion, must have all 42 items in place and
not enough attention appears to have been given to implemented two weeks beforehand.
their special circumstances and needs. It is not The first of the points on the list could
enough to say that those above 65 should not ven- spell disaster for many schools: they
ture out of their homes. Many elderly people live by are required to measure all their out-
themselves, with children having migrated either side space minus car parks, to make
within the country or overseas. They do not have sure there is at least 10 square metres
for each student and teacher. The ratio
easy access to their finances; for while they may
for classrooms is 5sqm per person. It’s
have found it possible to visit their bank or the likely that many schools will not be
nearest ATM in the past, they cannot do so now. able to meet this requirement, partic-
They may lack the skills required to order groceries ularly those located in big cities. This
and other essentials online, and would likely be the is the toughest among the require-
most vulnerable victims of the unavailability of ments outlined under social distanc-
domestic help, either because workers have migrat- ing rules. Others include keeping at

ed to their villages or find it difficult to commute.
Without discounting the presence of Good Samari-
tans, of whom there are many in every community,
elderly persons are also most at risk from scam-
sters, thieves, robbers and murderers, as incidents
in Delhi and elsewhere demonstrate.
Recent data suggests that one of two elderly
persons (49 per cent) lives only with his or her
spouse. Most have co-morbidities that could make
a Covid infection fatal. Anxiety about their fate
could accentuate some conditions and make the
elderly even more vulnerable. Access to medical
advice is more difficult than before. Even keeping
prescriptions filled poses a challenge and the rou-
tine pathological tests that many require are not so
easily available. A beleaguered government strug-
gling to cope with medical challenges posed by the
epidemic, the downturn in the economy and the
widely publicised plight of migrant workers, has lit-
tle time to focus its attentions on elderly citizens. As
is often the case, while the poor and the very rich
find ways to cope, it is the middle-class that is left to
its fate. In 2007, the Government piously enacted
the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior
Citizens Act making it mandatory for children to
provide maintenance and welfare facilities. But the
legislation, besides bringing little change in the sit-
uation also did not clearly delineate the State’s
responsibility towards elderly citizens. These short-
comings are now becoming evident. In the absence
of specific initiatives by state governments, it is
important that society comes to their aid. For if
there is one section of people that needs help, it is
the elderly.
Elections to quangos
T
he aftermath of any
tragedy is followed by
condolence messages by
a set of people, one that
is soon derided and counter-
posited by another set of people
for its ostensible hypocrisy, igno-
rance or some other pejorative
context. The same pattern ensues
following the death or killing of
any person that acquires a politi-
co-religious dimension, the
death of an African American in
the United States, the apparent
suicide by a movie star, to just
about any incident, anywhere.
The nation seems to be in a per-
manent state of being ‘competi-
tively-outraged’ at others, and
therefore perennially bitter and
polarised in general. All of this is
conducted via the diversionary
and argument-derailing tech-
nique adopted by assorted politi-
cos, party spokespersons, loyal
cadres to aggressively partisan
people who partake the aggres-
sive concept of whataboutery. A
rote and tired style of counter-
arguing that starts with the line
‘but what about when….’, basically
auto-referencing another inci-
dent of the same construct of
similar tragic circumstances,
albeit, supposedly ignored by the
other side.
People who indulge in
whataboutery do not appreciate
the specificity of the initial out-
rage ~ either they think it is too
narrow and ignores the larger
narrative e.g. ‘black lives matter’
coercive and accusative tone impact the farm loan rates, just tisan outlook under the tag of least 2 metres between students in
often taints the alternative inci- as the youth in Nagaland will ‘award-wapsi gang’, as in one classrooms and at least 1 metre at
dent postulated by the whata- need the farmers to produce sweep, a completely democratic, other locations, including tempera-
boutery, irrespective of the merits plentiful and affordable food ~ all peaceful and selfless act of per- ture checkpoints, toilets, canteens,
water stations, and waiting areas.
of the latter case. The phraseolo- concerns are inter-related and sonal renunciation was afforded
gy is not meant to enlighten oth- yet the individual priorities can an anti-national import, onto to Floor markings throughout schools
ers of similar incidents that gen- differ. Therefore, the global those who had once brought will help enforce social distancing.
uinely merit equal or more protest of ‘black lives matter’ may glory to the nation. Another tough point is the require-
empathy and support. Instead, it not be relevant in the specific In calling out the supposed ment for ample stocks of alcohol gel,
is meant to shame the others into sense, but when viewed as an ‘selective bias’ of a certain argu- alcohol spray, soaps and cleaning liq-
publicly highlighting the limita- outrage against the ‘politically- ment, the practitioners of uid. All students, teachers, parents and
tions of their beliefs, priorities discriminated’, it resonates glob- whataboutery rarely add to the others must disinfect their hands
and concerns. ally. Indeed ‘all lives matter’ but nuance, balance or widen the every time they enter the school. And
This method of argument the gut-wrenching diminution of debate for the overall betterment the entire premises must be cleaned
frequently ~ every two hours for toilets
presupposes many things about the African American reality, and enlightenment of the society.
the accused; foremost, amongst especially as personified by the Instead, they themselves could
them is the fact that everyone is George Floyd incident, if left fall prey to an equally partisan
given to the same unspecified and slant, that they had themselves
world of existence, generalized as ‘all accused the others for expressing and every hour in classrooms, includ-
instincts and prefer- lives matter’, inad- ‘selective bias’ in outrage. A cer- ing desks, chairs, toys, doorknobs and
ences, therefore vertently glosses tain smallness of spirit is at play windows. Cleaners must be provided
everyone ought to over the larger in whataboutery as it is not in with boots and rubber gloves, as well
be universally sen- undertones of consonance with the evolution- as face masks. All food must be
sitive and aligned in racism. ary process of intellectual debate, cooked and served hot. Meanwhile,
outrage. In a world The most dan- argument and rationality. the school’s management board must
of extreme diversi- gerous whatabou- The illiberal and authoritari- design a safety policy and ensure that
ties, that is never tery is the political an tone accompanying whata- everyone knows and follows it. Classes
the case, and given vitriol that remains boutery almost demands a con- need to be rescheduled to match stag-
the vividness of our BHOPINDER combative, evasive formity on matters of personal gered lunchtimes, as there is no longer
cultural, profession- SINGH and regressive in belief, urgencies and faiths as enough space to seat all students in
al and socio-eco- the sense that no even the outrage is expected to the canteen at the same time.The
nomic conditions, The writer IS Lt Gen
PVSM, AVSM (Retd), lessons are ever be conform to the dominant most important thing, however, is for
the impulses are Former Lt Governor of learnt, and only strain. Actually, it is always bene- all parents to acknowledge the safety
Andaman & Nicobar
bound to be differ- Islands & Puducherry accusations abo- ficial for society to be enlightened policy and measures. They should
ent. The natural und. The answer to of similarly outrageous incidents, monitor their children’s health daily
and keep sick kids at home, or one
impulses and pri- difficult questions facts and narratives that people
mary concerns of a youth in to the powers-that-be is not sat- could genuinely be unaware of, child could spread the disease to
Nagaland, a subsistence farmer isfactorily addressed when coun- however, the tone and expression friends, teachers and others, since face
in Bundelkhand to an investment tered with a set of similar misde- accompanying such an intent is masks and frequent cleaning do not
banker in South Mumbai will all meanours from the past, even if very different from the one guarantee safety.
be different, not necessarily true. Often the spokespersons
wrong or misplaced, but simply counter with the most deflective
deployed under whataboutery.
Even if people do indeed harbour
Fulfilling all the requirements is
a huge burden on both school

W
hen local elections in West Bengal were versus ‘all lives matter’, or more different. The societal wounds line ‘You are not entitled to ask a ‘selective bias’ in expressing finances and time. At a school with
postponed in the first week of April in view likely, they think the outrage per- perceived by a North Easterner, this question, as you yourself...’ outrage, the onus on ensuring a 400 students, 30 teachers, three
of the coronavirus pandemic, it did not petuates a certain slant of parti- the sheer dependence on the or an even more theatrical, ‘those more holistic, contextual and kitchen staff and three cleaners, the
attract much attention though such engagements sanship, elitism or sheer igno- moneylender for the farmer, or who live in glass houses...’ Resort- transformational understanding process could be completed in a week
rance. In the era of the social the state of macro economy for ing to whataboutery is tanta- lies not in whataboutery, but in – but at a cost of about Bt30,000 as
had also been deferred in different parts of the well as many working hours. This
media and limited attention- the banker will not make as mount to a virtual admission of the civil discourse and dissemi-
world, notably the mayoral polls further afield in span of the wider audience, the much sense to the others. No guilt, lack of reasonable argu- nation of the alternative/addi- excludes the money for stocks of alco-
London, Manchester and Liverpool. But the tryst tenor of whataboutery is imme- concern is irrelevant, just the pri- ment or rubbishing the ‘con- tional information that does not hol gel, spray and cleaning liquids,
with democracy, albeit on a limited scale, slipped diate, cuttingly-sharp and meant orities of livelihood with dignity, cerns’ ~ in all ways, the question reflect the uncivilised pettiness of whose consumption rate remains
from public view in view of the alarming coron- to be offensive. Not only does it differ. A society that discrimi- remains unanswered, and the whataboutery. In a way, wha- unknown. The investment may not
avirus and the balloonong afflictions and death toll. attempt to diminish the poignan- nates will one day seep into the society, poorer for it. The under- taboutery also reflects the boor- sound so high, but it comes during
When elections can be put off with so little discus- cy of the moment as defined by macro-economic framework of lying spirit of whataboutery was ishness, lack of answers, failures lockdown, when private schools are
sion of alternatives, such as the feasibility of a the tragic incident and espoused the banker, and the health of at play in ridiculing those who and frustrations of those, who generating no revenue yet having to
switch to postal or electronic voting, there is a risk by the initially outraged, but the macro-economic condition will did not conform to a certain par- practise it. bear a lot of expenses.
that they are made to seem unimportant. Quite
true. Any election is now less important in the over-
all construct. While the lockdown is being progres- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@thestatesman.com
sively extended, with chock-a-block traffic and sho-
ps pulling up their shutters, the West Bengal gov-
ernment, for instance, has been rather muted in its
response to voting. True, social distancing will be a
India’s skewed health priorities Congress that the govern-
ment is committed to incr-
ease the R&D spending to
effective and rapid tools for
diagnosis of diseases.
Yours, etc., Javvadi
alert system, it can be safely
said that mobile phone
users have been fully sensi-
challenge on voting day, whenever it is is scheduled. SIR, Apart from exposing the two per cent of the GDP. Lakshmana Rao, tivized about the dangers of
But postal or electronic voting could well be an rickety healthcare system Beyond such grand state- Visakhapatnam, 22 June. Corona after listening to the
alternative, if permissible under law. As it is, the ad and abysmally low public ments at gatherings of sci- same message for three
spending on the sector over entists, nothing much hap- MOBILE ALERT months since the beginning
hoc arrangements in several quangos, pre-eminen-
the decades, the coronavirus pens on the ground. India SIR, For the past three mon- of this pandemic. But, now
tly Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the civic pandemic has brought into has one of the lowest density ths, users of mobile phones that normal activities are
body in Siliguri, have caused a flutter in the political sharp focus the country’s of health workforce with have been forced to listen to gradually being allowed by
roost. Signals from abroad are mildly encouraging. skewed priorities when it density of physicians being a GOI mandated message the authorities, it is time that
The lockdown restrictions are easing three months comes to addressing the 7 per 10,000 population and on Corona everytime one GOI should advise the mo-
after the clamp. Ergo, the issue calls out for another challenge posed by infec- nurses 17 per 10,000 popula- requires to use the set to bile phone service provider
look. The South Koreans went to the polls with tious diseases. India carries tion as against the global speak to someone. After the to stop transmitting this al-
distancing and hygiene measures in April. Other a disproportionate burden average of 13.9 and 28.6 entire message runs its cou- ert message for phone users
countries where elections were delayed, such as of global infectious diseases, respectively. rse for more than a minute, any longer. Discontinuing
France, are now going ahead, with the mayor of particularly the ones of Being a country of ext- the phone starts ringing for such an alert on phone is
zoonotic origin. Bihar in recent times have by state governments, is reme geo-climatic diversity, whoever the caller and highly desirable, as it direct-
Paris, Anne Hidalgo, expected to win a second term. The rapid urbanisation exposed the gaps in public needed for efficient and sus- India faces a constant threat recepient may be. At present ly disrupts immediate acti-
But while the UK government has pushed on with has increased mobility and healthcare system such as tainable reduction of the of emerging and re-emerg- every mobile phone user has ons of phone users in times
reopening schools and businesses in defiance of density, raising new chal- weak surveillance, lack of burden of a wide range of ing viral infections. There is to go through this irritating of urgency, needing respon-
warnings about continued health risks, elections lenges to sanitation and public awareness, poor infectious diseases. need for strengthening dis- ritual whatever may be ses without delays.
appear not to inspire the same urgency. Nor for that healthcare. There are other nutrition, sanitation and ill- Poor public spending ease surveillance in the urgency for the call. Without Yours, etc., Kunal Kanti
matter is it quite so urgent in West Bengal despite environmental, demograph- equipped health facilities. on healthcare is a major country focusing on the epi- casting aspersions on the Konar,
the relaxation generally. Visually, life is normal. ic, socio-economic factors Experts point out that hurdle in the fight against demiology and disease bur- thought behind such an Kolkata, 22 June.
Technically, however, the state bears witness to and changes in the agricul- the infectious diseases that infectious diseases. At pre- den and also the emergency
Lockdown Phase 5. tural practices that intro- are not in the vertical con- sent, India’s expenditure on preparedness for these dis- MOSQUITOES AND FILTH
duce zoonotic pathogens trol programmes are mostly healthcare accounts for 1.17 eases. We need policies that
It will take time to assess how well local coun- and put India at a strong risk neglected, with no formal per cent of the GDP, one of have provision for rapid SIR, The entire area of Kidderpore and its vicinity are
cils have coped during the pandemic. With their for communicable diseases. monitoring or control sys- the lowest in the world. By response during an emer- now infested by mosquitoes. The rapid breeding of the
role in adult social care largely whittled down to The infectious diseases tem at the population level. 2025, it is targeted to go up gency such as an epidemic. insects has created an awful and perilous situation for
that of commissioners, they are not responsible for account for about 30 per India is a textbook case for to 2.5 per cent, when the The budgetary cut for insti- residents. Almost every residential house is surrounded
care homes in the same way that the state’s health cent of the disease burden anyone wishing to study average for the rest of the tutions under the Council by filthy water, muddy surface and a foul environment.
department is responsible for hospitals. Schools in India. However, only a few infectious diseases. Many world is expected to be for Scientific and Industrial The area gets waterlogged after rainfall, there are
have been closed till 31 July. But three months after infectious diseases are pri- such diseases can be pre- nearly six per cent. Research (CSIR) has evoked mounds of garbage alongside ditches due to unfinished
the lockdown was declared, we need to reflect on oritised in the vertical con- vented and controlled in the Similarly, the country’s criticism from the scientific construction work. The debris of demolished houses
how well children have been looked after, not mere- trol programmes managed community with a robust investment in Research and community. Such budgetary and accumulated building materials have also resulted
by the Central government, public health system and Development (R&D) rem- curbs can adversely impact in the breeding of mosquitoes.
ly in terms of online learning but in matters medical
and even among these dis- adequately trained public ained stagnant at about 0.9 quality research and imple- The mayor, Mr Firhad Hakim, has already
as well. Not the least because public health is inte- eases only the control of HIV health personnel. Function- per cent of the GDP over the mentation of national sci- announced his plan to combat dengue and to take
gral to the functioning of municipalities. In West and leprosy seems to be suc- al integration of vertical pro- past ten years. It has become ence policies. The experts immediate action towards cleanliness and thus pre-
Bengal’s perspective, it remains to be seen whose cessful. The outbreaks of grammes and their coordi- a ritual for every Prime Min- have also emphasised the vent dengue and malaria before an epidemic erupts.
interests this election timing will serve. But they Nipah in Kerala and acute nation with the healthcare ister over the years to reiter- need for development and Yours, etc., Mohammed Salim, Kolkata, 21 June.
can’t be deferred till the cows come home. encephalitis syndrome in system, which is managed ate at the annual Science validation of newer, cost-