The official newspaper of Leeds University
India reels from second Covid wave as governance fails
www.thegryphon.co.uk Twitter: @TheGryphonLeeds Instagram: @thegr yphon Issue 6 12/05/21
Addressing sexual violence in Leeds with Sophia Hartley Iona Tompkins speaks to LUU’s Welfare tackle sexual violence in the University and the city. (Page 8)
Image: Ninian Reid via Flickr
This article is by Manasa Narayanan and is part of a series called #IndiainRed, run in collaboration with The Gryphon (UoL), The Roar (KCL) and Strand Magazine (KCL). India is experiencing a major humanitarian and health crisis
The timing of this cautioning coincides with the time when
right now. Each day, it surpasses its own record high death toll.
LUU societies make a comeback As lockdown restrictions ease, many LUU societies have been able to reunite in per-
As of the start of this month, 400,000 new Covid cases were
pandemic to the public, signalling to the gross negligence on
son. Hear Hiking Club, Skate Society, Kara-
recorded in the country in just a span of a day. This happened
their part. So, a combination of a far more infectious variant,
te Society and Leeds University Women’s
not just once; India crossed the 400k+ mark thrice in just the
a careless government with its misconstruing messaging, and
Rugby Union tell all. (Page 10)
a less vigilant public was what seems to have ultimately led to
Killing the Bill on Mayday
have been more than 3000 deaths each day since 27 April 2021. to ravage the country still. underestimation and the actual numbers seem to be much higher as several news reports from the country suggest.
Adam Abdalla shares the importance of
While the government seems to have failed in its duties
the Kill the Bill protests and using one’s
miserably, many common people have stepped up to help
privilege to speak out, from the perspective
out each other. As the demand for hospital beds and oxygen
of a Palestinian Muslim. (Page 11)
cylinders grew with the supply falling short, people started wave, in terms of cases, the numbers peaked in September
creating databases with lists of places where one could access
(which was around 98,000) and then steadily declined well
these resources. Social media feeds are now full of posts
past the close of the year. In February and March of this year
of people sharing, requesting and helping each other with
however, the numbers started to rise back up. But this was
supplies and hospital bed availability. Some are even preparing
not followed by any concrete government action to prevent the spread of infection.
the virus and isolated at home.
During these months, on the contrary, the messaging from
Help has also been arriving from outside the country.
the central government was one of triumph. Harsh Vardhan,
According to India’s foreign secretary, 40 countries are
the Health Minister of the country, gave out statements
helping out India with oxygen and related supplies. But some
claiming the country’s victory over the virus, saying India was “in the endgame” when it came to the pandemic. In fact, the government did not put a stop to the congregation of people
airport for around a week before it was sent out. But, the
for religious Hindu festivals during the past few months, and
central government has denied there being a delay stating in
the Prime Minister himself was basking at political rallies in
a press release that they have a “streamlined and systematic
Hedgehogs on campus
the presence of huge crowds.
mechanism for allocation of the support supplies.”
Catherine Upex discusses the Sustainability
It has now also been brought to light that INSACOG, an expert
While most of the political leaders in the country have
panel that was appointed by the government to study the
the University grounds. (Page 17)
variants in December 2020, warned the government (including
some going to the extent of denying the presence of an
the Health Ministry) of the risk of the new variant in early
emergency, and even threatening people not to report on
March. But, as the stronger variant spread across the country,
oxygen shortages, it is the public that is saving the day by
the central government did not pay heed to the warning.
helping each other out.
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