By Sidharth Mishra

My father, a medical graduate of early 1950s, often recounted the service he had rendered in the cholera, malaria and typhoid epidemics in the 1950s. He would end conversation saying, “Hope your generation never gets to see an epidemic.”

His soul must be sad seeing his country facing the epidemic for the past one year and with no light at the end of a very densely dark tunnel. In his epidemic stories, one thing was very clear that it was the government infrastructure and machinery which led the fight. During that time hardly existed any facility in the private sector. This time around government is not visible at the grassroots, and private sector unequal to rise to the challenge.

By Sidharth Mishra

Number of people dying in pandemic remains a figure till one doesn’t lose a known face, a dear acquaintance or a close relative. There would not be very many left in the city of Delhi and its prosperous suburbs to whom death in pandemic would have by now remained just figures; it has become part of painful personal emotions in the majority of the families. Thus government flaunting figures beome inconsequential, as almost everyone is in pain of a grievous loss. 

By Sidharth Mishra

In the midst of the Covid 19 surge one managed to get the second dose of the vaccine after fully following the six-weeks gap between the first and second jab. There was a marked difference which one could see which has dawned on the venue of vaccination during this period of six weeks.

By Sidharth Mishra

By Sidharth Mishra

While there could be lack of agreement with the Arvind Kejriwal government on most of its actions, which are often propelled by electoral considerations, there is not much scope for the criticism of its new excise policy especially on the count of lowering the age of consumption. This was probably the best option Delhi Government had in tiding over the financial crisis staring at it.

By Sidharth Mishra

Last week Parliament passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which reaffirmed the fact that government in Delhi meant the Lieutenant Governor and not the cabinet headed by the Chief minister. The passage of the bill has been decried by the Opposition as murder of democracy. There is a disagreement on this.

By Sidharth Mishra

The resignations of social scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta and economist Arvind Subramanian from the faculty of Ashoka University has started a discussion about a liberal university unable take the load of ‘political liability’. For those who may not know, Ashoka is a private university which marketed itself as a liberal centre of learning albeit at a huge fee.

By Sidharth Mishra

Last week the Delhi’s Finance Minister Manish Sisodia presented budget in assembly where he claimed a hike on the allocations in the education sector. The Delhi Government has for the past six years made many a claims of spending on education but unfortunately it has so far failed to show on the ground.