Swati Vaidya

Atheist, Feminist.
Teaches Economics

Learning Unlearning & Relearning

Poetess - English, Marathi & Hindi
Views: Personal

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

दिल्ली के मालवीय नगर में आग लगने से कई लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है।

सभी शोकाकुल परिजनों को मैं अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं। सभी कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं से आग्रह है कि वो राहत और बचाव कार्य में हर संभव योगदान दें।

घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की आशा करता हूं।

[Swati Vaidya @swachar]

Interestingly good comment on the CJP phenomenon. Please read:

The Cockroach Janta Party is a performance — driven by the elite and algorithms https://t.co/3EPufjZIci via @IndianExpress

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

पापा, आपने जिस कुशल, समृद्ध और मजबूत भारत का सपना देखा था, उसे साकार करने की जिम्मेदारी मैं पूरी करूंगा।

आपकी सीख, आपके संस्कार और आपकी यादें हमेशा मेरे साथ रहेंगी।

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

Raghu Rai ji’s lens chronicled the soul of India for over six decades - its people, its struggles, its joys, and its defining moments.

He didn’t just take photographs, he preserved our nation’s memory.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, his colleagues, and the countless admirers his work touched across generations.

[Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad @VarshaEGaikwad]

महाराष्ट्राचे दैवत छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांचा अपमान महायुतीने केल्याची क्रोनोलॉजी!

[Swati Vaidya @swachar]

Ignoring this demographic factor would amount to a poorly distributed representation, an oxymoron of the sort.

[Swati Vaidya @swachar]

Now that the delimitation bill has been rejected, it is time to discuss a few other things:
If the criteria to assign additional weight/ representation is the, 'size of the population of the state', then
Why not add, 'the size of non-agricultural employment provided' as another?

[Swati Vaidya @swachar]

Hence the states which generate more employment than others, are practically the magnets where the workers from the high population-low employment opportunities states, are driven to earn their livelihood.

[TheLiverDoc™ @theliverdoc]

Good morning @dr_sivaranjani

The Public Interest notice put on social media by Kenvue, the makers of Fake ORS™ is a classical case study in "Corporate Health-Washing".

Hey @kenvue @JNJNews no one needs your rubbish "hydration products" from a scientific standpoint. So you can go to hell and your products can rot on the shelves for all we care. Stop intimidating physicians and clean up your corporate mess born out of greed. Presenting your products in medical conferences is not scientific evidence, its paid endorsement. So respectfully, F.O.

A product that was commercially marketed as ORS for years despite not meeting WHO composition standards, that was formally banned by India's food safety regulator, that had its ban upheld by the Delhi High Court as a "health hazard," and that has now been cosmetically rebranded with a visually similar name, is being presented as a triumph of science-backed innovation. The WHO's own recommendation against the very sweetener used in the reformulated product is dismissed as "unrelated." And the physicians who fought for eight years to protect children from this deception are characterized as "disparaging influencers."

Here is a takedown of their sh*tty notice from my side, which you (@dr_sivaranjani) can use in your case against them.

1. "We have shaped the hydration category in India providing consumers with scientifically formulated solutions"
This is corporate euphemism for having commercialized a high-sugar beverage that was deceptively branded to resemble WHO-standard ORS for years. The product ORSL was never WHO-compliant ORS. The WHO reduced-osmolarity ORS formula specifies glucose 75 mmol/L (~13.5 g/L), sodium 75 mEq/L, potassium 20 mEq/L, and a total osmolarity of 245 mOsm/L. A product with roughly 8–9 times the glucose concentration of WHO ORS is not a "scientifically formulated solution", it is a sugary beverage that can worsen diarrheal dehydration through osmotic diarrhea. FSSAI found that the labeling and branding of ORSL beverages may mislead consumers into believing the product was a medically approved oral rehydration solution.

2. "In January 2026, we diversified our portfolio into two distinct brands — ORSL (Drug product) and ERZL (Food Product)"
This "dual-brand strategy" was not voluntary innovation — it was forced by the FSSAI ban. ORSL has even rebranded to ERZL (the 'e' designed to look similar to 'o' and the 'z' to 's'). The visual similarity between "ERZL" and "ORSL" is not accidental. The product's communication and positioning may create an association with ORS, and references to similarly named products in branding or advertising could reinforce consumer recall and blur the distinction between scientifically approved ORS and commercially marketed electrolyte beverages. A parent who was buying ORSL thinking it was ORS will now see ERZL in the same pharmacy shelf with near-identical packaging and make the same error. This is classic brand continuity engineering designed to circumvent regulatory intent.

3. "Reduced the added sugar content by 87% with 1.4X more electrolytes" — framed as a public health achievement
If you reduce sugar by 87% from a baseline of ~110 g/L added sugar, you still have approximately 14 g/L added sugar - and you have now replaced that sugar with sucralose, an artificial sweetener. The framing of "87% reduction" is a mathematical trick: it sounds impressive only because the starting point was absurdly, irresponsibly high. It is like a tobacco company boasting of reducing tar by 87% and expecting public health applause. Furthermore, "1.4X more electrolytes" is vague and scientifically meaningless without specifying which electrolytes, at what concentrations, and whether the resulting osmolarity is appropriate for the claimed indication. An electrolyte drink for "everyday hydration" in a healthy individual is, physiologically speaking, unnecessary - plain water and a normal diet provide adequate electrolytes for non-pathological states.

4. "There is well established scientific and safety assessment of sucralose, which is recognized by Global Health Authorities like Codex, EFSA besides both FSSAI & CDSCO/Indian Pharmacopoeia"
This statement cherry-picks regulatory approvals while deliberately ignoring the WHO's own 2023 guideline where especially, this ingredient is not supposed to be part of "healthy hydration."

5. "WHO Guidelines (2023) regarding use of 'non-sugar sweeteners' to reduce the risk of unhealthy weight gain have also been cited out of context and is unrelated to products like WHO ORS and Electrolyte Drinks"
This is perhaps the most egregious misrepresentation in the entire notice. The WHO 2023 guideline on NSS is a public health recommendation against the use of non-sugar sweeteners in foods and beverages across the board. This guideline provides evidence-informed guidance on the use of non-sugar sweeteners in adults and children. The guideline explicitly applies to "all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners found in manufactured foods and beverages." ERZL is a manufactured beverage containing sucralose. It falls squarely within the scope of this recommendation. Kenvue's argument that this guideline is "unrelated" to electrolyte drinks is scientifically untenable. The WHO did not carve out exceptions for beverages that happen to contain electrolytes. The guideline's scope is defined by the presence of NSS in the product, not by the product's marketing category.

6. "We have been singularly targeted by a few Healthcare Professionals cum influencers in a disparaging and denigrating manner"
The healthcare professionals who raised these concerns were exercising their professional duty. Dr. Sivaranjani documented cases over eight years, including a diabetic child from Chennai who was dehydrated despite being given an ORS drink from a tetra pack. It was her advocacy that ultimately led FSSAI to act.
Characterizing physician advocacy against misleading health products as "disparagement" is a well-documented corporate strategy (SLAPP: Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) designed to silence public health criticism through legal intimidation.
The notice's claim that these professionals are motivated by "commercial benefits" and "increasing followers" is an ad hominem attack that inverts the actual conflict of interest. The commercial benefit accusation is outrageous - the party actually benefitting commercially from the product is the company Kenvue (Johnson & Johnson).

7. "We always recommend our ORSL WHO ORS portfolio to address diarrheal dehydration and ERZL for everyday hydration, respectively"
The concept of "everyday hydration" requiring a commercial electrolyte-and-sucralose beverage has no basis in physiology or evidence-based medicine. It is not recommended in any clinical guidelines. Healthy individuals with intact renal function, normal diet, and access to water do not need electrolyte supplementation for everyday activities. "Silent dehydration" - a marketing term promoted by these manufacturers - does not appear in recognized medical literature. This framing medicalizes a normal physiological state to create a market for an unnecessary product.

8. "We had no choice but to take necessary action to safeguard the brand integrity"
Sending legal notices to physicians who raise legitimate scientific concerns about a product that was already banned by FSSAI and whose ban was upheld by the Delhi High Court is not "safeguarding brand integrity." It is an attempt to suppress public health advocacy. The timing - sending notices after being forced to rebrand by regulatory action - suggests the motive is to silence documentation of the rebranding's deceptive visual similarity to the original banned product, not to correct misinformation.

The science is not on Kenvue's side. The regulatory record is not on Kenvue's side. The public interest is not on Kenvue's side.

[Dr.Sivaranjini @dr_sivaranjani]

I am Dr. Sivaranjani, a pediatrician , raising concerns about how ERZL is being marketed and positioned in pharmacies, and the risk it creates for consumers making critical decisions during dehydration.
This issue is not about whether ERZL is safe in isolation.
It is about how it is presented, perceived, and potentially misunderstood in real-world settings.

ERZL is a commercially marketed electrolyte drink. However, its branding and advertising raise serious concerns.
*It should not be using ORSL in its communication.*
Why?
Because:
* ORSL itself is not the original medically recommended ORS
* Referencing ORSL in any form creates brand recall in the minds of consumers
* Instead of reducing confusion, it continues and reinforces it
When ERZL is positioned as a continuation or replacement of ORSL, it keeps that same association alive — especially among parents who may already believe ORSL was equivalent to ORS.
👉 This defeats the very purpose of regulatory action.

In pharmacy settings:
* People are often making quick decisions under stress
* They rely on familiar names and visual cues
* Branding can directly influence what they choose
If ERZL continues to build on ORSL recall, it risks being perceived as a medical solution for dehydration, even when it is not the same as ORS (the medically recommended solution).

There are also concerns around ingredients like sucralose, especially in children and with prolonged use, based on global health guidance.
This makes clear communication even more important.

After raising these concerns, I have received a legal notice from Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue.
This petition is not about conflict.
It is about:
* Clarity in healthcare communication
* Preventing consumer confusion
* Ensuring responsible branding and advertising
* Allowing doctors to raise public health concerns without hesitation

We urge the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to:
1 *. Ensure that, since ERZL closely resembles ORSL, Kenvue is directed to rebrand it in a way that does not create recall or association with ORSL.*
2. Prevent misleading positioning that may confuse consumers
3. Strengthen enforcement at the pharmacy level
4. Ensure clear differentiation from medically recommended ORS
5. Protect healthcare professionals raising genuine concerns

In healthcare, even small confusion can have big consequences. Clear choices save lives.

@fssai @JPNadda
@MoHFW_INDIA @narendramodi
Stand for public health. Sign and share this petition to help protect every family from confusion in critical moments.
https://t.co/EzGFbVddDU

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

ओडिशा के कटक स्थित एससीबी मेडिकल कॉलेज और अस्पताल में आग लगने की दुर्घटना में कई लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत पीड़ादायक है।

सभी शोकसंतप्त परिजनों को अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं। घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की आशा करता हूं।

[Swati Vaidya @swachar]

Graves floating in the Ganga, during the pandemic, showed acute deprivation and desperation, which felt cruel.

A long line of graves of little girls, killed in their school in Iran, cruelty is in front of you, crystal clear, pure.😢

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

करोड़ों भारतीयों के दिलों में सद्भाव और मोहब्बत की विचारधारा है, मगर मन में भय भी है - दीपक ने उन सभी को अपने साहस से राह दिखाई है।

जो लोग नफ़रत फैलाकर समाज को डराने की कोशिश करते हैं, वो दरअसल कायर होते हैं - उनसे कभी भी डरो मत।

दीपक ने हमारे तिरंगे और संविधान की रक्षा की है। नफ़रत के सामने डटकर खड़ा हुआ, कमज़ोर की हिफ़ाज़त की -
इससे बड़ी देशभक्ति नहीं होती।

[Amock @Politicx2029]

Rahul Gandhi was called Pappu for years in a coordinated campaign. NO OUTRAGE.

Manmohan Singh was called Maunmohan for years. NO OUTRAGE.

Farmers protesting for their rights were called Khalistani. NO OUTRAGE.

Students raising questions were labelled Anti National. NO OUTRAGE.

Wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar were dragged on streets. NO OUTRAGE.

When Chinese troops entered Indian territory and questions were silenced. NO OUTRAGE.

When inflation crushed middle class families. NO OUTRAGE.

When Bilkis Bano case convicts were garlanded after release. NO OUTRAGE.

When MPs questions were deleted from records. NO OUTRAGE.

When Manipur burned for months and the PM stayed silent. NO OUTRAGE.

But a peaceful Youth Congress protest at the AI Summit.

Suddenly it became Anti National.

Suddenly studios turned into courtrooms.

Suddenly morality was rediscovered.

This outrage is not about nation.

It is about protecting BJP.

People can see it now.

[Aaditya Thackeray @AUThackeray]

A huge piece from the under-construction Metro 4 line fell on a rickshaw and a car today.

Similarly a wall had collapsed and the then newly inaugurated metro line 3 had flooded with rain water last year.

Will the regime blacklist this contractor? Not likely- may be it’ll show a penalty of a few lakhs and let the contractor get more tenders.

If you notice, pillars are already painted- before the work was completed. This will cost the State some crores- and then once work is finished, crores again to do them up.

Even today, most infrastructure works have terrible barricading that either lead to traffic jams or vehicles falling into open pits.

Life has NO value under the bjp regime. Falling pieces from metro lines, unsafe modes of transport, cars/ bikes falling into open pits with no help for hours.

What a shame! Soon a day will come when countries will issue travel warnings for such things in our country too.

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

FIR हो,
मुकदमा दर्ज हो या
Privilege प्रस्ताव लाएं - मैं किसानों के लिए लड़ूंगा।

जो भी ट्रेड डील किसानों की रोज़ी-रोटी छीने या देश की खाद्य सुरक्षा को कमजोर करे, वह किसान-विरोधी है।

अन्नदाताओं के हितों से किसान-विरोधी मोदी सरकार को समझौता नहीं करने देंगे।

[Gurpreet Garry Walia @garrywalia_]

राहुल गांधी का ये वीडियो जिसने रीट्वीट ना किया है उस से दोस्ती ख़त्म , सब भाई इस मुद्दे को उठाओ 💔