03/05/2021
Take home message for all citizens of our great country amidst the covid tsunami
1) Don't idolise people. Modi is God. For others, Thackarey is God. Mamta is God. Yogi is God. Gandhi family is God. Even our cricketers and actors are god. Such blind worshipping will get us nowhere. Idols can never be questioned. Democracy cannot function without asking questions.
2) Hold people in power accountable. Our leaders are accountable to us. Praise them when they are right. But more importantly, Question them when they are wrong. If there is no accountability, there is no democracy.
3) Prioritize healthcare, education and cleanliness. Demand an increase in GDP on healthcare and education. We have seen how well we have dealt with COVID by spending 1.2% of GDP on healthcare. We have failed our own people and have become a global embarrassment. Demand 10% of GDP on healthcare. Health is a basic human right and not a luxury. Mandir, masjid, central vista, election is not our priority. Hospital definitely is. As for the people, please follow the covid appropriate behaviour thoroughly, get vaccinated and maintain personal and social hygiene.
4) Have empathy. Selling oxygen and pharmaceuticals in the black market at 50 times the actual cost while your fellow citizens are dying on the street is shameful. We as Indians are very proud of our culture, our heritage. On one hand, we say that our guests are our God, and on the other hand, we sell oxygen in the black market. Our ancestors, who actually had true Indian values, would be ashamed of us. We are an embarrassment to their legacy.
5) Corruption is engrained in the depths of our soul. Elections. Give money and liquor and get votes. Spread hatred and get votes. Divide and rule. From the Panchayat election to the larger elections, all are fought on the same dirty politics. Dirty policitians and dirty media houses go hand in hand and spread hatred. Fake news and biased news is the norm and not the exception in our country. People also need to stop being so gullible and fall into the trap of caste, religion and hatred based politics by ALL political parties. Got a speeding ticket, bribe the officer. Need to get some official work done, bribe the concerned officer. Stop taking bribes. Stop giving bribes. Stop VIP culture.
6) Give. Charity begins at home. Feed people. Don't let them die because of hunger or inability to access medicines. Keep them employed and give their salary even if your business is closed due to lockdown. The elite class should definitely do more. They should even be demanded to do more.
7) Stop demonizing doctors. People cannot ask questions from the high and Almighty politicians so they look for the soft target. The doctors. It is not your doctor's fault if you do not get hospital bed or oxygen, it is the government's fault (both center and state). All Healthcare workers (Doctors, nurses, hospital staff, cleaners, security officers) have worked relentlessly during these extremely challenging times with everything at risk and without a pay raise. The captain of that ship is a doctor. A doctor works day in and day out and is still blamed for looting patients or selling their organs. Hospital bills may be exuberant but 99% of the healthcare workers get their fixed salary and have nothing to do with the patients bills. Big hospitals are owned by big corporations or the government and not by your regular healthcare worker so he/ she does not control your bill. There might be 1% rotten apples (less than in probably any other profession, certainly less than in politics where only 1% are not rotten) but even today, it is the most noble of all professions. Respect your doctor. Don't bang thali on one day and bash your own doctor physically and verbally the very next day.
- Rant by a sad, dispirited, disheartened but still hopeful Indian doctor
Pasted as received
