Over 180 Signatories Urge Opposition Parties to Step up Action to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic

New Delhi: As many as 187 eminent academics, activists, journalists, authors, filmmakers and professionals from across the world have signed a letter requesting opposition parties to step up constructive action to combat the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The full text of the open letter and list of signatories is appended below.

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Open Letter to India’s Opposition Political Parties

We, a group of concerned citizens and well-wishers of India appreciate and fully endorse the constructive measures to be “undertaken on a war footing” suggested by progressive opposition parties to the Government of India (GoI), in their joint letter of 12 May 2021, to combat the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “An apocalyptic human tragedy” the letter says, compounded by the government’s refusal to act on suggestions made to it.

It is heartwarming that amidst this unprecedented crisis, most political parties are willing to work in a non-partisan manner in the peoples’ interest. Yet, despite the offer to cooperate and work with the union government, it is shocking that the GoI has neither welcomed the suggestions, nor created a truly national task force comprising of all parties, state governments, experts and civil society to tackle the unprecedented situation India is facing. The GoI’s contemptuous disregard towards sincere support is especially disconcerting given that it bypasses the wealth of experience and expertise India boasts of. Consequently, millions of Indians are scrambling to access basic healthcare services ⎯ hospital beds, ventilators, oxygen, essential medicines, ambulances, hearses etc. The visuals of the deceased lying on roads, floating in rivers and riverbeds has pricked the world’s collective conscience.

This situation is especially shocking because we all expected that the Indian State would tackle this crisis resolutely. Instead of deploying the many resources it commands to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the State seems to have reneged on its moral and constitutional responsibilities. It is very distressing that, despite a history of successful mass vaccination campaigns in the past 70 years, the GoI has outsourced the procurement of vaccines to severely stretched state governments, at differential and exorbitant rates. Likewise, expert advice is repeatedly ignored, while obscurantist, unproven remedies are encouraged. Large rallies and religious congregations were organised, and there was no preparation to enhance the availability of oxygen, vaccines, and beds. These have in no small part contributed to an explosion of cases and deaths. They have also imposed an unnecessary burden on citizens, whose expenditure on healthcare has mushroomed. Similarly, relief material being sent from abroad is reportedly often stuck because of bureaucratic delays, is being allocated to states in a partisan fashion, and funds are being misused for non-COVID related activities. What is especially nauseating is that amidst this chaos there is an attempt to hide and obfuscate the gravity of the situation, while governments harass journalists and citizens for speaking the truth. Equally shockingly, billions of dollars are being squandered on wasteful projects such as the Central Vista and a new residence for the prime minister in the capital city. Not a day goes by without a new litany of horrors that shock and despair us.

Yet, this difficult time has also revealed the best of humankind. Thousands of conscientious citizens have taken up the mantle to help perfect strangers. Many of us have been part of and witnessed these endeavours at close quarters. It is a testament to the resilience of the Indian people that despite facing years of divisive politics, they have come together as one.

Yet, far too many citizens have, and are still dying in vain. Given the near absence of leadership from the GoI, citizen driven efforts will, perforce, have to continue. However, given that according to many experts, the third wave is widely expected to be much more devastating than the second wave (partly because India’s vaccination drive has weakened and even stalled in many places, and partly because adequate preparations have not been made for it), citizen/civil society groups will need more help and support. With their considerable resources ⎯ financial, organisational and human ⎯ progressive political parties are uniquely placed to empower these noble initiatives. Therefore, in the national interest, we appeal to them to consider the following measures to deal with the crisis:

1. There is a need to immediately reach out to, and support the efforts of these citizen/civil society groups. Since these are already acting as aggregators of requests from citizens in need, progressive parties can support them by securing help for them or connecting them to the right authorities/systems. Parties must also support and sponsor citizen/civil society initiatives, which are hamstrung because of restrictive policies regarding fundraising imposed by the GoI.

2. Parties can use their influence to urge the union and state governments to prepare in advance for the imminent third wave. Just to cite one example, children (who may also be impacted by the third wave) will need different oxygen masks, which hospitals don’t have in adequate quantities. Parties can work with citizen groups to map demand, and try to secure their supply.

3. If the third wave is as, or more intensive and virulent as the current one, many more temporary hospitals, ambulances, oxygen refills/cylinders/concentrators, and food will be needed. Parties must leverage their connections to stock these in advance, and work with citizen groups to disburse them as and when they are needed. The more we prepare in advance, the more lives we can save.

4. In this context, the universal demand for stepping up a free and universal vaccination programme is critical. Every possible step to actualise this must be taken, whether it is increasing production through public and private initiatives, providing adequate funds, importing vaccines, seeking aid and so on.

5. An all out effort to revamp the public health infrastructure which has tragically been allowed to decay in most parts of the country is also the immediate need.

6. A cap on medicine prices, and private sector hospital charges is necessary. State governments can take the lead in resolving this issue.

7. At this crucial juncture, a safety net must be provided to all, without which many are permanently slipping back into poverty and destitution.

8. Consultative groups with experts from various sectors can be institutionalised, so they can help all parties and state governments plan for the third wave. Expert advice can also help you to hold all governments accountable on specific issues/lacunae, and to urge them to perform their duties more effectively.

While we would have ideally liked the government of India to take the lead in forming a National Task Force that could have implemented the suggestions outlined here, the experience of the past few years have proved that it is very unlikely to do so. The bitter reality is that, like during the freedom struggle, Indians today face an uncaring and extractive government. Consequently, the full might of the system will continue to be misused to obfuscate the truth, and hide the government’s failures in implementing any welfare measures. In this situation, it is our collective duty to not just continue to hold the government accountable in Parliament and in the media (electronic, print, digital and social), but also step up constructive action that can tangibly help the people.

In this extraordinary situation, it is incumbent on all progressive political parties to work together, and with those conscientious Indians who are helping their fellow citizens. India is thirsty for a compassionate, consensual and cooperative leadership that truly works towards furthering peoples' needs and aspirations. We hope you will rise up to the occasion, for history will judge all of us for what we do next. In this, we are all with you, and will try to marshal all the forces and support we can muster for the above mentioned initiatives.

Yours faithfully,

1 Aditya Mukherjee Historian and Former Dean, School of Social Sciences, JNU
2 Aruna Roy Founder MKSS & former Member, National Advisory Council
3 Kaushik Basu Chief Economist, World Bank & Former Chief Economic Advisor, GOI

4 Mridula Mukherjee Former Director, Nehru Memorial Library, JNU Professor & Trustee,
Samruddha Bharat
5 Shantha Sinha Magsayay Awardee & Founding Chairperson, National Commission for
Protection of Child Rights
6 Syeda Hameed Former Member, Planning Commission & Trustee, Samruddha Bharat
7 Rajmohan Gandhi University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
8 Romila Thapar Professor Emerita, JNU
9 Irfan Habib Professor Emeritus, Aligarh Muslim University, President, Aligarh
Historians Society
10 Harsh Mander Director, Centre for Equity Studies & former IAS
11 Wilson Bezwada Magsaysay awardee & Activist
12 Achin Vanaik Retd. Professor, Delhi University
13 Salil Shetty Former Secretary General, Amnesty International & South Asia Institute,
Harvard
14 Prabhat Patnaik Professor Emeritus, JNU and Former Vice Chairman, Kerala
Development Council
15 Arun Maira Chairman, HelpAge International & former Chairperson, BCG Group
16 Rajeev Bhargava Former Director, CSDS, Delhi
17 Zoya Hasan Professor Emerita, Jawaharlal Nehru University
18 Sukhadeo Thorat Former Chairperson, University Grants Commission & Advisor,
Samruddha Bharat
19 James Manor Professor, University of London
20 Sashi Kumar Chair, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
21 Barbara Harriss-White Emeritus Professor, Oxford University
22 Nikhil Dey Founder Member, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
23 Purshottam Aggarwal Former Member, UPSC & Author
24 Ganesh Devy Cultural Activist, Author & Advisor, Samruddha Bharat
25 Jayati Ghosh Former Professor, JNU New Delhi and
Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
26 Shabnam Hashmi Social & Human Rights Activist
27 Aditya Narayan Misra Former President, DU Teachers’ Association & FEDCUTA
28 T K Arun Senior Economic Journalist
29 Utsa Patnaik Professor Emeritus, JNU
30 Nisha Agrawal Former CEO, Oxfam India & Advisor, Samruddha Bharat

31 Rajib Ray President, DU Teachers' Association & Federation of Central Universities
Teachers' Associations
32 Paranjoy Guha Thakurta Independent journalist, author, publisher, documentary film-maker and
teacher
33 S Irfan Habib Formerly Mauulana Azad Chair, NUEPA, New Delhi
34 Teesta Setalvad Journalist, educationist, rights activist
35 Jane Ohlmeyer Professor of Modern History, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
36 Tsukasa Mizushima Emeritus Professor, The University of Tokyo, Japan
37 Michelguglielmo TORRI Director, Asia Maior - An Italian think tank on Asia & Full Professor of
Asian History (retd.), University of Turin (Italy);
38 Salil Misra Professor of History and Fmr. Pro Vice Chancellor, Ambedkar University
Delhi
39 John Dayal Former Editor, Writer and Activist
40 Gauhar Raza Former Chief Scientist, CSIR & Poet
41 Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd Chairman T-MASS, Author, Retired Professor Osmania University
Hyderabad & Advisor, Samruddha Bharat
42 Tara Krishnaswamy Active Citizen, Co-founder Political Shakti & Citizens for Bengaluru.
Author
43 Sumit Sarkar Historian and author
44 K.N. Panikkar Former Vice Chancellor and Chairman, State Higher Education Council,
Kerala
45 Tanika Sarkar Historian and Author
46 Ashis Ray President, Indian Journalists Association (Europe) & Author
47 Rahul Mukherji Professor and Executive Director, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg
48 Catherine Lawless Director, Centre for Gender and he Women’s Studies, Trinity College,
Dublin
49 Anjum Malik Managing Partner Alhambra US Chamberand Executive Director Global
Impact Initiative
50 John Harriss Professor, Simon Fraser University,
Vancouver
51 Prof MM Ansari Former Central Information Commissioner & UGC Member
52 Prof. Rosemary Byrne Professor of Legal Studies, New York University Abu Dhabi
53 Vamsi Vakulabharanam Co-Director, Asian Political Economy Program (Political Economy
Research Institute) and Department of Economics, University of
Massachusetts Amherst
54 Romi Mahajan President, KKM Group

55 Gopinath Ravindran Vice-Chancellor, Kannur University, Kerala
56 Shobhana Warrier Associate Professor, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
57 Sharmila Rudrappa Director, South Asia Institute, and Professor, Dept. of Sociology,
University of Texas at Austin
58 Inderpal Grewal Professor Emeritus, Yale University
59 Giordano Sivini Professor of Political Sociology
Calabria University Italy
60 Jyoti Puri Professor of Sociology, Simmons University
61 Nandita Narain Former President, DUTA & FEDCUTA & Associate
Professor, St.Stephen's College
62 Hidetoshi Kobinata Visiting Professor, Tokyo College of Music, Japan
63 Manjari Katju Professor, Political Science, University of Hyderabad
64 Anusha Rizvi Filmmaker & Journalist
65 Santosh Mehrotra Former Prof, JNU, former DG National Inst for Labour Econ Res;
Visiting Prof, Univ of Bath, UK
66 Surinder S. Jodhka Professor, JNU
67 Amrita Mondal Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of North Bengal,
Darjeeling, West Bengal
68 Shireen Moosvi Secretary, Aligarh Historians Society
69 Nicola Acocella Emeritus, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
70 Ugo Marani Università orientale, naples (italy)
71 Maurizio Franzini Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy
72 Carlo Clericetti Journalist, Rome, Italy
73 Nivedita Menon Professor, JNU, Delhi
74 Giuseppe Tattara Università Venezia Cà Foscari
Italia
75 Anil Bhatti Prof. Emeritus, JNU
76 Bob Jessop Prof. Emeritus, Lancaster University, UK
77 Ngai-Ling Sum Reader of Cultural Political Economy (retired), Lancaster University, UK
78 Ashis Ray Foreign correspondent, broadcaster, writer, Academic Visitor St Antony's
College Oxford
79 KM Shrimali Fmr. HoD, History Dept., DU & General President, Indian History
Congress
80 Akbar Khan Solicitor

81 Ciara Breathnach Associate Professor in History, University of Limerick, Ireland.
82 Rachel Murphy Associate Teacher, Department of History, University of Limerick,
Ireland.
83 Swadesh M Mahajan Professor of Physics, University of Texas at Austin and Shiv Nadar
University, UP, India
84 Richa Raj Assistant Professor, Jesus and Mary College & Former Member of the
Academic Council, University of Delhi
85 Chandra Prakash Jha Director, Fashion
86 Robert Jenkins Professor, City University of New York
87 Prem Chand Assistant Professor, ARSD College, Joint Secretary, Delhi University
Teachers' Association
88 Pushpesh Pant Ex- Professor SIS JNU
89 Indrani Chatterjee Professor, University of Texas at Austin
90 Gyan Pandey Professor, Emory University, Atlanta
91 Mario Tiberi Former Professor Sapienza, University of Rome
92 Kumkum Roy Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU
93 Mustafa Barbhuiya Founder and Director, Foundation for Advancement of Essential
Diagnostics, Guwahati, India
94 Balveer Arora Chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism, Fmr Professor & Rector JNU
95 Anand Kumar President, Society for Communal Harmony
96 Bodh Prakash Professor, School of Letters, Ambedkar University Delhi
97 Sarah-Anne Buckley Lecturer in History, National University of Ireland Galway
98 Nebojša Blanuša Associate professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
99 Rakesh Batabyal Associate Professor, Centre for Media Studies, JNU
100 R. Mahalakshmi Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU
101 Ziya Us Salam Author and Associate Editor, Frontline, The Hindu group
102 Nasir Tyabji Formerly with Jamia Millia Islamia
103 V Rajagopal Associate Professor of History, University of Hyderabad
104 Meena Radhakrishna Former faculty member, Delhi School of Economics, DU
105 Laura Izarra Full Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences,
University of São Paulo
106 Pradip Krishen Author and Environmentalist
107 Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay Author and Journalist

108 Sucheta Mahajan Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New
Delhi
109 K. L. Tuteja Former Professor, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
110 Dr. Sebastian Joseph Assistant Professor Dept of History UC College Aluva Kerala
111 Nandu Ram Dr. Ambedkar Chair Professor (Rtd.), CSSS, JNU
112 Leonello Tronti Contract Professor Dept. of Economics, Roma Tre University
113 Rajan Gurukkal Vice Chairman, State Higher Education Council, Trivandrum, Kerala
114 Rakesh Gupta Former Professor, Political Science, JNU
115 K.L. Sharma Former Vice Chancellor, Rajasthan University
116 Pramod Yadav Former Professor, Life Science, JNU
117 Balbir Singh Butola Professor, Regional Development, JNU
118 Himadri Bannerji Fmr. Guru Nanak Professor, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
119 Anvita Abbi Former Professor of Linguistics, JNU and Guest Scientist, Max Planck
Institute, Leipzig, Germany
120 Hugo Gorringe Co-Director, Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh
121 Saurabh Bajpai Convener, National Movement Front &
Assistant Professor, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi
122 Gyan Prakash Professor, Princeton University, USA
123 Madan Gopal Singh Musician, writer
124 Tadd Graham Fernee Lecturer, Researcher New York University, New Bulgarian University
125 Vikas Pathak Faculty member, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
126 Sunanda Sen Former Professor of Economics, JNU
127 M.H.Qureshi Former Professor,Regional Development, J.N.U.
128 Minati Panda Professor of Psychology, J.N.U.
129 Saumyajit Bhattacharya Associate Professor, Economics, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi
130 Furqan Qamar Former Vice Chancellor, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur
131 Krishnakumar M.V. Assistant Professor, Department of History, Newman College,
Thodupuzha, Kerala
132 Goerge Thadathil President, AIACHE & Principal Salesian College, Sonada-Siliguri
133 Lokesh Jain Theatre Actor, Director, writer,Educationist
134 NK Sharma Theatre Director and Trainor
135 C.M. Paul Founder HoD Mass Communication, Salesian College Sonada, Darjeeling

136 Dr. Bibin Kuriakose Assistant Professor & Head, Department of History, Mar Thoma College
for Women, Perumbavoor, Kerala
137 Sohail Hashmi Writer, Film Maker
138 Sharmila Sinha Writer, Food revivalist
139 Arun Kumar Kalra Actor, writer, Director
140 Jose Puthenpurackal Vice Principal, Salesian College, Sonada, Darjeeling
141 Christine Coutinho Principal, Loreto College, Kolkata
142 Lata Singh Centre for Women’s Studies, JNU
143 Jerome Francis Former Principal, St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata
145 Joy Sengupta Theatre & Cinema Actor/Cultural Activist
146 Anu Chenoy Retd. Professor, JNU
147 Ayush Educator,trainer, environmentalist
148 Sudipto Roy Filmmaker
149 Yasmin Kidwai Documentary Film maker -Cultural Event Curator -Municipal
Councillor-Delhi
150 Xavier Jeyaraj Social Worker, Human Rights Activist
151 Sten Widmalm Professor, Department of Government, Uppsala University
152 Sanjay Verma Associate professor, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi
153 Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi Professor CAS Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh
154 Syed Jabir Raza Rtd Professor Abdullah Girls College AMU Aligarh
155 Meenal Patel Theatre/TV Actor
156 Antonella Palumbo Associate Professor, Roma Tre University, Italy
157 Veena Oldenburg Professor Emerita-CUNY USA
158 Leanne McCormick Senior Lecturer, History, Ulster University
159 Jaya Iyer Theatre and movement artist , teacher, facilitator
160 Susmita Ram Associate professor, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi
161 Bhanwar Meghwanshi Activist, Author
162 Ramesh Dixit Academic and Social Activist
163 Aditi Mukherjee Visiting Professor, IIIT Hyderabad
164 Gloria Burrett Psychotherapist
165 Imtiaz Quadri Assistant Editor, Economic and Political Weekly
166 Ania Loomba Professor University of Pennsylvania

167 Fabio Santos Professor University São Paulo
168 Satyen K. Bordoloi Journalist / Screenwriter
169 Suhail Dutt Senior Advocate, New Delhi
170 Gulshan Dietl Professor (Retired) JNU
171 Mariam Dossal Former Professor of History, University of Mumbai
172 Narendra Panjwani Former Professor of Film Studies,
Xavier’s College, Mumbai
173 Dipa Sinha Professor, Ambedkar University & Right to Food Campaign
174 Qurban Ali Senior Journalist
175 Dr. Ahmed Zaheer Medical Scientist
176 Koninika Ray Biomedical Scientist
177 Rana P Behal Historian
178 Dr. Mohini Giri Former Chairperson, National Commission for Women and Chairperson,
Guild of Service
179 Ritu-Ngapnon Architect, Writer
180 Prem Chandavarkar Architect
181 Irfan Engineer Peace Activist
182 Heta Pandit Writer
183 Sergio Cesaratto University of Siena (Italy)
184 Aruna Ghose Editor
185 Shernaz Cama Professor & writer
186 R R Sharma Former Vice Chancellor, Jammu University & Former Dean, School of
International Studies, JNU;
187 Milap Chand Sharma President, Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association

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