Editorial 1: Violence, most foul
“It is fair to count rape among the most egregious violations of human rights.”
Introduction
The recent horrific rape and murder of the Kolkata postgraduate medical student in a state-run hospital she was working in is tragic and appalling. The state and circumstances in which the body was found leave no room for any doubt that it was a most dastardly violent act, and brazen in that it occurred within a hall in the supposedly safe confines of the government medical college hospital.
Key Facts of the case
- Delays by the enforcement agencies: Seem to gauge public outrage before acting upon crimes against women.
- Misrepresentation of the Facts: The parents of the slain doctor were reportedly told that she had committed suicide initially, a blatant lie.
- Public outcry: It could not have escaped the attention of anyone at the scene of crime, but particularly so medical professionals, that here indeed was dreadful assault and murder.
- Administrative lapses: Were found despite both the home and health portfolios being held by the Chief Minister of the State.
- Delay in government response: Led to a public outrage as the grisly crime became impossible to contain politically.
People’s response to the heinous act and silence of the government
- Protests: Broke out in Kolkata and across the country, bolstered mostly by medical students and post graduates in hospitals.
- Safety and Security Demands: Doctors being the first responders and engaged in healing people demanded steps to endure security.
- Doctors Fear and Anger: Have been rising with multiple acts of violence against doctors that have marred the peace between doctors and patients, in the country, for years now.
- Other such cases: The murder, last year, of Dr. Vandana Das in Kerala by a patient with mental illness is recent history, but the frequent attacks on doctors and nurses during COVID-19, or when there are adverse health outcomes, have been recorded too.
- The Indian Medical Association: has said that for doctors, pedestrian working conditions, an inhuman workload and harassment in the workplace are the reality.
Conclusion
The move to drop the 2019 proposal to introduce legislation to protect doctors and their workplace was a lapse, and it should be remedied forthwith. Above all, the state should proactively take steps to prevent rapes, making the punishment a deterrent. The nation cannot afford to fail one more doctor or hospital caregiver. Those tasked with saving lives should not have to fear for their own. It’s about time for the society to be more vigilant, and demand strict actions against the culprits.
Editorial 2: Illusory blip
Introduction
India’s retail prices rose 3.54% in July, the slowest pace in almost five years, easing sharply from 5.1% in June. Food inflation, that has been high for about three years now, slid to a 13-month low of 5.4%.
This is also the first time since August 2019 that inflation as per the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has aligned with the RBI’s median inflation target of 4%.
Minutes of Monitory Policy Committee Meeting
- Status Quo: Last week, the MPC decided to maintain status quo on interest rates for the ninth consecutive time as it awaits a durable decline in the inflation rate.
- July’s pleasant inflation numbers: Will not trigger a rethink, as the MPC has in fact, hiked its projection for this quarter’s inflation average to 4.4% from 3.8%.
- August/September Expectations: It expects price rise to rebound to well over 4% through August and September.
- July’s number may be due to the base effect: July’s print may be purely statistical outcome of base effects when the CPI was up 7.4% and food was 11.5% deare. Thus it can be seen as a rather tangible softening of persistent price pressures for households.
- Vegetable Inflation: Was the biggest driver of last month’s decline, slid from June’s 29.3% spike to just 6.8% in July.
- Tomato prices: But this was on top a whopping 37.3% rise last July, when prices of tomato, which played a key role in last month’s vegetable price trend, had hit around ₹110 per kilo.
- Households sentiments: They do not feel the pinch of living costs on a year-on-year basis alone, as they need to readjust spending plans depending on how every passing month plays out.
- Cereals and Pulses: Inflation in some food items, such as pulses and cereals, remains stubborn despite base effects. The prices of pulses rose in double digits for the fourteenth straight month, by 14.8% on top of 13.3% recorded last July.
- Core inflation (excluding food and energy prices): Rose for the first time since January 2023, primarily led by pricier services, including transport and communication that sped thanks to telecom tariff hikes.
Conclusion
Private surveys on manufacturing and services signal a hardening of price pressures beyond food, which in turn is expected to see a meaningful reprieve only by October when the next harvest hits the market. While kharif sowing progress holds some hope, the September monsoon spurt predicted by the weatherman may yet hit standing crops. With the prolonged spate of high inflation cramping consumption levels, and in turn, hopes of fresh private investments, the latest optical blip offers neither comfort nor room for complacency.