Indian-American Dr Vivek Murthy to serve again as Surgeon General of US: Joe Biden
Washington, Dec 9: US President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Dr Vivek Murthy as his Surgeon General, exuding confidence that the renowned Indian-American physician will be a key voice on his response to the coronavirus pandemic to restore public trust and faith in science and medicine.
Murthy, 43, served as Surgeon General of the United States during the Obama administration and had to leave abruptly when Donald Trump became the US President.
"Dr. Murthy will be one of my most trusted public health and medical advisors, and I'm grateful for his continued public service," Biden said on Tuesday as he announced Murthy's nomination.
"A renowned physician and research scientist. A trusted national leader on health care, and for me, a trusted advisor during this campaign and transition. This will be his second time serving as America's Doctor, having served in this role under President Obama. During his tenure, he took on some of the most pressing public health issues we face from the opioid crisis to threats to America's mental health," Biden said.
Biden said he had asked Murthy to serve again as Surgeon General, but with expanded responsibilities.
"He will be a key public voice on our COVID-19 response, to restore public trust and faith in science and medicine. But he will also be a key advisor to me and help lead an all-government approach to broader public health issues mental health, addiction and substance use disorders, social and environmental determinants of health, and so much more," he said.
"Above all, he will help restore faith in this country as a place of possibilities. A son of Indian immigrants, who raised their children to always believe in the promise of America," Biden said.
Dr Murthy was previously confirmed by the Senate to serve in the same capacity, holding the post as 'America's Doctor' between 2014 and 2017.
A trusted national voice on health issues and a long-time advisor to Biden, he currently serves as co-chair of the President-elect's COVID-19 transition Advisory Board.
In his remarks, Murthy said that he will dedicate himself to caring for every American, will be driven always by science and facts, by head and heart and be endlessly grateful to serve one of the few countries in the world where the grandson of a poor farmer in India can be asked by the president-elect to look out for the health of the entire nation.
"That is a testament to the promise of America one that I will work to fulfill every day as Surgeon General," he said.
Murthy said that in this moment of crisis, when so many Americans have fallen sick and lost loved ones, when people are losing jobs and struggling with childcare, he feels grateful to be able to do everything he can to end this pandemic.
"While this is a daunting task, we absolutely have what it takes to get the job done. We have world class scientists. We have courageous medical professionals who are risking their lives to care for the ill. We have companies on the cusp of delivering vaccines, and we are blessed with generous, compassionate people all across America who are stepping up to help those who are struggling," he said.
"If we all work together, we will overcome this pandemic and return to our lives, he said, adding that COVID-19 is not the only health crisis the country is facing.
"If anything, it has underscored a host of other epidemics that are devastating families and shortening lifespans: addiction, the opioid crisis, and spiraling mental health concerns; glaring racial disparities and high rates of diabetes and heart disease, he said.
These challenges are both caused and exacerbated by broader societal issues from the economic strains families face to the disconnection and loneliness Americans feel, he said.
"In my new, expanded role, I will work to bring a health perspective to our policies across government so that our schools, workplaces, and communities can be forces for strengthening our health and well being," Murthy said.
Murthy was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire to immigrants from Karnataka. In 1978, the family crossed the Atlantic to Newfoundland, where his father worked as a District Medical Officer. When he was three years old, the family relocated to Miami, and his parents established their medical practice.
Eminent Indian-American and Indiaspora founder M Rangaswami said that it was evident through the appointment of Murthy as the Surgeon General that President-elect Biden trusts him implicitly.
"Through the presidential campaign, Vivek advised Biden regularly and frequently, which has led to Vivek being selected for this highly important position," he said.
"At Indiaspora, we have seen Vivek's skills first-hand, first when he led our network through an early, prescient briefing about COVID-19, and again when he spoke eloquently about his new book on loneliness. This role is so critical that it demands Cabinet level status," Rangaswami said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi court sentences Haryana gangster Vikas Gulia, associate to life imprisonment
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court has sentenced Haryana gangster Vikas Gulia and his associate to life imprisonment under MCOCA provisions, but refused the death penalty saying the offences did not fall under the category of 'rarest of the rare cases'.
Additional Sessions Judge Vandana Jain sentenced Gulia and Dhirpal alias Kana to rigorous imprisonment for life under Section 3 (punishment for organised crime) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
In an order dated December 13, the judge said, "Death sentence can only be awarded in 'rarest of the rare cases' wherein the murder is committed in an extremely inhumane, barbarous, grotesque or dastardly manner as to arouse umbrage of the community at large."
The judge said that on weighing the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, it could be concluded that the present case did not fall under the category, and so, the death penalty could not be imposed upon the convicts.
"Thus, both the convicts are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs 3 lakh each, for committing the offence under Section 3 of MCOCA," she said.
The public prosecutor, seeking the death penalty for both the accused, submitted that they were involved in several unlawful activities while they were on bail in other cases.
He argued that the accused had shown no respect for the law and acted without any fear of legal consequences, and therefore did not deserve any leniency from the court.
The court noted that both convicts were involved in offences of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, robbery, house trespass, and criminal intimidation. Besides, they had misused the liberty of interim bail granted to them by absconding.
It said, "The terror of the convicts was such that it created fear psychosis in the mind of the general public, and they lost complete faith in the law enforcement agencies and chose to accede to the illegal demands of convicts. Despite suffering losses, they could not gather the courage to depose against them."
The court noted that Gulia was involved in at least 18 criminal cases, while Dhirpal had links to 10 serious offences.
It underlined that MCOCA had been enacted "keeping in view the fact that organised crime had come up as a serious threat to society, as it knew no territorial boundaries and is fuelled by illegal wealth generated by committing the offence of extortion, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, collection of protection money, murder, etc."
Both accused persons had been convicted on December 10 in a case registered at Najafgarh police station. The police filed a chargesheet under Section 3 (punishment for organised crime) and 4 (punishment for possessing unaccountable wealth on behalf of member of organised crime syndicate) of MCOCA.
