The coronavirus is back in the news all over the country. The common man is anxious and confused. While politicians are conducting major election rallies, people have been prevented from earning wages for their food. Nobody seems to have a problem with election rallies during the day. But if people venture out in their cars or bikes after 10 pm, they are stopped and tortured. At the same time, the government is relaxing the regulations for the Maha Kumbh Mela. 

Modi wave on the one hand; Corona wave on the other. People are forced to struggle with both these waves. They no longer have the morale to speak up against the Prime Minister who keeps threatening to gift the people with ‘lockdown’.

The specter of lockdown is looming large over the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared on television and warned people that ‘stringent measures must be followed.’ Partial lockdown has been imposed in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and other cities. With shops and hotels on the verge of opening, the government issued an order to shut them down. 

This seems absurd. A lecturer pays a bribe to get the top post of a university, an institution responsible for shaping our society. And who does he bribe? A rowdy-sheeter who is involved in several criminal cases. The recent incident in which the lecturer of a science department paid a bribe of Rs 17 lakh to rowdy sheeter Prasad Attavar to occupy the top post in his university has come under the scanner and is being discussed extensively. The accused has already been arrested but people are confused about who should be condemned. A rowdy sheeter’s job is to accept bribes and extort money from the gullible. As is his wont, he cheated this lecturer as well. 

The Supreme Court has asked: “For how many more generations will reservations in jobs and education sectors continue?” This question has arisen in the context of providing reservation for Marathas. The court has expressed anguish over the arguments that the maximum limit for reservation should be removed. In Maharashtra, Marathas are not ‘ex-untouchables’ and have obtained preferential representation in religious, political, economic and other sectors. Despite this, they have been demanding reservation using people, wealth, and political might.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps issuing statements that the number of poor has decreased under his rule. He seems to think that it is easy to reduce poverty by changing the parameters of identifying the poor.

The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution upholding ‘vaccine equity’ and that the availability of Covid vaccine must be increased in conflict-affected and poor countries. This means that the United Nations is demanding that rich countries be stopped from getting the Covid vaccine on priority as it is depriving the poor countries of the vaccine. 

The President of India inaugurated the world’s largest cricket stadium just a few days ago. The stadium which was earlier named after Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel has been renamed after Narendra Modi and this led to heated discussions on social media. In the midst of this, the price of gas cylinder that has been increased by Rs 25 at one go did not become news and the people’s anger against this did not go viral at all.