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Friday, January 31, 2020Editorial

By a CorresponddentBy Raju Vernekar

IIT, Bombay has banned anti-nationalactivities by students within campusand has advised students that theundesirable activities will not beallowed even if faculty is part of thegathering.The 15 point circular issued via e mailby IIT B Director Subhasis Chaudhurion 28 January 2020, states that theyshould not indulge in giving speeches,play music or any other activities thatwould disturb the peace of the hostelenvironment. Besides, the pamphlets,leaflets can be distributed or posterspasted only with the permission of theHostel Council or the Dean ofStudents’ Affairs.Point 10 of the internal mail states that“Residents shall not participate in anyanti-national, anti-social and or anyother undesirable activities.” Theinternal mail says that it is aimed atreiterating and highlighting hostelrules that need to be strictlyimplemented.Earlier, IIT Bombay director in anopen-house speech had to ldstudents that they should refrain

from taking part in such protestsinside the campus. He had said thatthe students should express theirpolitical views outside the campusand never use the institute’s namewhile voicing such v iews. I ITBombay is funded by thegovernment with public funds andthe institute is apolitical, he had said.The 15 point circular has been issuedin the backdrop of some IIT Bombaystudents and faculty organising acandle march in solidarity withstudents of the Jamia Millia IslamiaUniversity and the Jawaharlal NehruUniversity where widespreadviolence was witnessed over the past

month.Besides some students are alsorunning a face book page “ IITBombay for Justice” . The pageboldly carries a photo of somestudents, posing with a placardsaying ‘Reclaim the Republic’.According to reports, this page isbeing run by the lef t o rientedstudents affiliated to “AmbedkarPeriyar Study Circle”. Thesestudents were in the forefront inagitations against CAA/NRC. Eventhe comedian Varun Grover hadparticipated in the anti CAA/NRCagitations and had recited a poem inHindi titled “Hum Kagaz Nahi

Dikhayenge” (we will not showdocuments to authorities for CAA/NRC).Those attached to “ IIT Bombay forJustice” were also busy preparingposters protesting the seditioncharges filed against Sharjeel Iman,by several states for an anti-CAAspeech he delivered at AligarhMuslim University on January 16.Later Imam, a PhD student inJawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),was arrested from his village” Kakoin Jehanabad district of Bihar” on 28January, Tuesday. He was a studentat IIT, Bombay between 2006 and2011. He pursued a dual degree inComputer Science and Engineeringand graduated in 2011.However the national sentiment wasalso quite apparent at IIT, Bombaywhen the students and teachers inlarge number took out 4.5 km longmarch carrying a long tricolour onRepublic Day. The theme of themarch was “IIT Bombay for NationBuild ing”. Besides, over 1,000residents of IIT Bombay rallied insupport of the institute’s director’scall for non-politicisation of thecampus.

IIT Bombay bans anti-national activities within campus

What is a coronavirus?Coronaviruses are a family ofviruses that infect both animalsand human s. Humancoronaviruses can cause milddisease similar to a common cold,while others cause more severedisease (such as MERS - MiddleEast Respiratory Syndrome andSARS – Severe Acute RespiratorySyndrome). Some coronavirusesthat are found in animals can infecthumans – these are known aszoonotic diseases.What is known about the diseaseidentified in Wuhan China?• I t is caused by a novelcoronavirus (called 2019-nCoV)• Infection with this virus causesrespiratory disease ranging frommild to severe disease.• Some infected patients have diedfrom infection (people with seriousunderlying medical conditions aremore at risk for severe disease anddeath) What is NOT known aboutthe disease?• Where it came from?• How easily is it spreads betweenpeople?• Who is vulnerable to infection?Timeline of the outbreakDec 2019 - 1 st case December 12• Cases linked to a Seafood Marketin Wuhan City ChinaJanuary Week 1 - China reportsto WHO a total of 59 patients withpneumonia of unknown etiologyJanuary Week 2 • Diagnostic test developed &confirms 41 cases in China• Thailand reports 1 case • 1 death reported in ChinaJanuary Week 3-Japan reports 1 case• Thailand reports a second case• A second death reported in ChinaJanuary Week 4Total of 571 confirmed cases inmainland China, 4 in Thailand, 1in Japan, 1 in Republic of Korea, 1in the United States of America, 1in Taiwan, China• A total of 17 people have died• Of the 571 cases, 95 are severecases• Some human to humantransmission is occurringAs per Official report data as of23.01.2020 10:00 Beijing.Important events• Initial cases all linked to HuananSeafood Market in Wuhan City,China. The Market was closed01.01.20 for enviro nmentalsanitation and disinfection• On 10 January, WHO launched awebsite with updated general andtravel guidance h t tps://w w w.w h o . in t /h ea lth - to pic s /coronavirus• On 11 January, China shared thegenetic sequence o f nCoV

Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak 2019 -2020 : Updated by WHO

enabling the rapid development ofdiagnostic tests• The cases in Thailand, Japan andRepublic of Korea were all travelersfrom Wuhan CityWhat is being done to control theoutbreak? What are affectedcountries doing?• Remaining vigilant for new casesand provid ing care for existingcases• Imp lemen ting scr eenin g oftravelers• Sharing information with WHOand o th er cou n tr ie s Wh at i sWHO doing?• Supporting affected countr iesand providing guidance on howto manage the outbreak• Working with global networksof researchers and exper ts tod el iv er accur a te , up da tedinformation• Delive r ing accu rate, tim elyinformation to the worldPublic health advice: summaryFrequently clean hands by usingalcoholbased hand rub or soapand water Cover mouth and nosewith a medical mask, tissue, orflexed elbow when coughing ors neezin g . Was h hand safterwards and discard mask ortissue. Avoid unprotected closecontact with people with feverand cough and seek medical careif you have a fever, cough anddifficulty breathing When visitinglive markets, avoid d irectunprotected contact with liveanimals and surfaces in contactwith animals Stay healthy andprotect yourself from infection Ifyou become sick while travelling,inform crew, seek medical attentionearly and share travel historySafe travel guidanceBefore you depart: Avoid travel ifyou have a fever and cough If youhave a fever, cough and difficultybreathing seek medical attentionand share previous travel historywith your health care providerDurin g travel: • Avoid closecontact with people suffering froma fever and cough • Frequentlywash hands by using alcohol basedhand rub or soap and water • Avoidtouching eyes, nose or mouth •Cover mouth and nose with tissueor flexed elbow when coughing orsneezing and wash handsafterwards • If you choose to weara face mask , be sure to covermouth and nose. Avoid touchingmask once it’s on, immediatelydiscard single-use mask after eachuse and wash hands after removingmasks. • If you become sick whiletravelling, inform crew and seekmedical atten tion • If you seekmedical attention , share travelh istory with your health care

providerFood safety guidance: Guidancefor shopping in wet marketsWash hands with soap and waterafter touching animals and animalproducts• Avoid touching eyes, nose ormouth• Avoid contact with sick animalsand spoiled meat• Avoid contact with strayanimals, waste and f lu ids inmarket• Avoid d irect unpr otectedcontact with live an imals andsurfaces in contact with animalsStay healthy at markets Guidancefor working in wet markets 24/01/

2020• Frequently washing hands withsoap and water after touchinganimals and animal products• Disinfect equipment and workingarea at least once a day• Wear protective gowns, glovesand fac ial pro tectio n whilehandling animals and fresh animalproducts• Remove protective clothing afterwork, wash daily and leave at thework site• Avoid exposing family membersto soiled work clothing and shoes

China Successfully Cures FirstPerson Of The Deadly WuhanCoronovirus Using HIV Drugs

Chinese government has confirmed that they’ve successfullycured it’s f irst patient of the deadly Wuhan Corona-virus.Agen cy r ep o r t s a id th a t th e Ch in es e go v e r n m en t h asannounced to the world that they’ve successfully treated anddischarged it’s first patien t of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus.The patien t identified as a 56-year-o ld has been dischargedfrom the hospital af ter showing tremendous improvement.The woman Chen f irst started showing symptoms on January10th and was hospitalized on January 12th.After many days of testing and scans, strangely she star tedshowing good response to a medicine used in treating HIV andAIDS.The drug called Nelf inavir is a protease inhib itor drug whichdecreases toxins in already infected cells.The drug also helps to reduce the production of virus fromcells.Although the exact cause of Wuhan corona v irus has not yetbeen determined, it is believed to have or iginated f rom wildanimals which include bats and snakes.The deadly Corona-virus has already claimed its 110th patien twith over 90,000 currently infected.The Chinese government has shut down all transport systemsincluding trains and airports in o ther to curb the deadly virus.Most cities including Wuhan have also been shut off from theoutside world so that infected patients does not leave.As China battles to complete a world record of setting up a1000 bed hospital in 7 days, the corona virus has now beenrecorded in 16 countries with Ivory Coast in Afr ica been thelatest country to get the Virus.A student who arrived the country was showing symptoms ofCoronavirus and was detained at the airpor t. He was found tohave traveled through China.

AagencyGangtok JAN 31

With th e novel coro navirusleading to over 100 fatalities inChina, Sikkim sounded high alertin view of the outbreak of NovelCoronavirus (nCoV) in China andhas banned import of yarn andwool from Punjab, Assam that mayhave origin in China.Sikkim government has put atemporary ban on import of yarnand wool f rom Ludhiana andGuwahati. The order issued by the

Rural Management Depar tmentreads that the step has been takenas a par t of p recaution f romCorona Virus as the yarn and woolmay be have imported from China.Earlier, Chief Secretary, S.C. Guptain a meeting seeked preventivemeasures and caution against anysuspected case of Corona Virus,and to assess the preparednessfor prevention of any outbreak.He urged the heads ofdepartments and all stakeholdersto be aler t and work in closecoordination.

Coronavirus outbreak:Sikkim bans import of yarn& wool from Punjab, Assam

Judiciary on the rescueIndian Constitution

‘In Indian politics nothing is impossible’ – former ChiefMinister of Manipur Radhabinod Koijam once said to reportersbefore he took oath on February 15, 2001. Saying so, thebindings of the constitution of India cannot be overridden byany of the citizen including the elected representatives calledMLAs or Ministers. Numbers matter in democracy to formgovernment, but as stated by former CM Radhabinod Koijam,it was made possible for the BJP to form a government herein the state even though it bagged only 21 seats in theassembly election. Congress party which bagged 28 seatsfailed to come back to power as it failed to control itsmembers elected in the election who had parted violatingthe constitutional provisions provided under the Anti defectionLaw.

Recent verdict of the Supreme Court of India, directingthe Speaker Tribunal of the Manipur Legislative Assembly,perhaps is a sign to show that the impossible part that formerChief Minister had stated regarding politics in Indiandemocracy turn out to be wrong. He seems to have forgottenthat there is a judiciary that will come to the rescue of theconstitution of India if violated by law makers. Some saidthe directives of the Supreme Court is a blow to the SpeakerTribunal, but then opinion of some said that the order ismore like an opportunity given to the Speaker of Manipur toexercise his power without interference from the politicalparty that he got elected. Even though the Speaker has toleave his party if become the speaker in conventional manner,he definitely may find undue pressure from the leadership ofthe party while rendering his duty.

To remind our readers, Th. Shyamkumar, the ForestMinister, was the first Congress MLA to join BJP. He joinedBJP even before being sworn in as MLA. He was sworn in asCabinet Minister at Raj Bhavan along with others on March15 this year. On April 18, Congress MLA Ginsuanhau Zoujoined BJP. Four more Congress MLAs - Y Surchandra,Ngamthang Haokip, O Lukhoi and S Bira joined the BJP onApril 28. Another two Congress MLAs Kshetrimayum BirenSingh and Paonam Brojen joined the BJP on July 17.

With the joining of the 8 Congress MLAs to BJP, thenumber of Congress MLAs has been reduced to 20.

Congress party is the oldest political party in the country.People across the country have high respect for this politicalparty over its commitment to protect and safeguard theconstitution of India.

When BJP comes to power, people are not upset onrealizing that the Congress party will play constructive roleof opposition. In democracy a strong opposition is whatpeople has been expecting and with the present numbers,Congress is a strong opposition in the house of 60.

Protecting the 10th Schedule of the Indian constitution isalso what is expected from the oldest political party. But forreason best known the political party is not following anyprocedure to protect the constitutional provision.

A candidate will be disqualified if he wins election on oneparty ticket and joins other party after win under Anti-defection law. Anti- defection law was introduced by 52ndamendment act, 1985 and it was also added in constitutionas 10th schedule. Having known it, none of the members ofthe Congress had applied for disqualification of these electedrepresentatives even after 7 months plus some few days. Itwas only against Th. Shyamkumar that a petition fordisqualification had been reported filed. But till now no moveor campaign is seen to speed up the case.

Lately a disqualification case has been filed against MLAY Surchandra to the Speaker’s tribunal but by a voter fromKakching Assembly constituency and not from the politicalparty he had defected.

Better late than never, justice is likely to be delivered.Saying so, it is upto the Speaker that will decide the fate ofthe defected congress MLAs. People in the state have to waitand watch the integrity of Manipur Legislative Assembly.