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The country is in a lock down now. The fact is it should have happened earlier but better late than never. The prime minister’s call for the Janata Curfew was nothing but a preparation for the full lock down. It is good that people responded to it. Actually, this is a good way to impose things in the name of people’s will but yes, it was needed and whatever way is done, has to be welcomed. The Prime Minister spoke for about half an hour and his address was uninspiring to say the least. It did not have anything except his own ‘anecdotes’ and then the ‘novel’ ‘idea’ of ‘thali peeto’ & ‘ghanti bajao’. Many of the bhakts came on their balcony and did it so diligently that they were unable to stop it. I thought Modi ji might have given a time period for how long was it supposed to be done. Now, we are getting videos that people came out in the streets at many places with their thalis and Ghantas and banged them. All the ‘social distancing’ was wiped off with in five minutes of what we witnessed in Ahmedabad and Jaipur where the crowds throng the street with tricolor in their hands.



And look inward, we have a Parliament in session but it did not have time for serious discussion. Even if the speaker had allowed a discussion, the leaders would have made it an address to their bhakts. What we are witnessing today is the numbing of brains by idiotic ‘prescriptions’ and deliberate distortions. Now TV channels are inviting fraudster Babas to give more ‘knowledge’ to people. Why are we doing so ? The reason is clear that when we fail as a nation to respond to the crisis. I personally feel that India will succeed in holding on as we have enormous food diversity. The food culture of this country will survive it from the onslaught of these diseases, ofcourse, we need to maintain physical distancing. Socially, India has always practised ‘distancing’ because of the ‘caste system’ and many of the ‘ideologues’ will now justify this as a ‘boon’ amidst the current crisis. Whether people survive or not, our economy will be in a deeper crisis and poor and marginalised will face more trouble.

The quality of Narendra Modi and his team is that they do not give people a chance to think for themselves. They are deciding and thinking for every one and producing all these ‘event’ which the bhakts are more than happy to respond as all of us are waiting for a miracle and people feel Modi can get them that ‘miracle’. In India, Kerala government has done extremely well and announced a big package for people. Even Arvind Kejriwal’s offer on food subsidy was good. Many state governments have been far active in dealing with it. The prime minister’s address lacked that seriousness which it needed.

The Central government has allowed private labs to conduct the Corona testing and a fee is capped around Rs 4,500 for that. This is so cruel. Rather than this, the government could have pitched in the private sector and ensure that all those who needed it, would have got the consultancy and treatment. No patient should be barred or untreated. Any kind of discrimination based on assumption or findings should be strongly condemned and government must make it clear that such part of behavior by people or doctors or any one else is criminal and will be dealt with seriously. Isnt it tragic that a doctor who was suffering from Corona Virus was not admitted by nursing homes in Maharashtra. The Ghanta Bajao brigade might act as a vigilante to see who did not bajao the Ghanta and then isolate them.

In December when the Corona Virus was first detected in Wuhan city of China, a big numbers of Indians students particularly engineering and medical were stranded there. When no one was going there, the brave crew of Air India rescued all these students and Indian citizens. We all accuse this airlines of ours but the fact is that in the time of crisis, it is this airlines, which has come to the rescue of the nation. And what happens now is more shameful and ungrateful. I place Air India’s press release here :

“It is alarming to note that in many localities, vigilante Resident Welfare Associations and neighbors have started ostracizing the crew, obstructing them from performing their duty or even calling in the police, simply because the crew traveled abroad in the course of their duty,” Air India said in a statement.

“These vigilantes have conveniently forgotten that many a spouse, parent, sibling, child and near and dear one have been brought home safe and secure from affected countries, thanks to the heroic efforts of these Air India crew,” the airline said.



Wish you all protection and good health.

Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social activist


