A virus stalled the world, we learn and unlearn, willingly or otherwise and the fear of the unknown grip us. Doubts and uncertainty prevails. Social media overflows with the dos and don’ts of keeping us and the rest of the world safe. Our eyes and ears are all open for everything anyone got to say concerning the pandemic. In addition to appreciating videos that convey the idea of nature reclaiming its spaces, people introspect and retrospect.
Among certain sections of our society, behavioral patterns change and improve for good. Shake hands give way to ‘namaste’, regulating the distances between us and others has become easier, unnecessary conversations have come to an end, message forwarding reaches an all-time high and above all we get the essence of how precarious and precious our life is.
Those who make hay while the sun shines are entertaining in these days of curfew and quarantine. Prophecies of evangelists and religious leaders are heard everywhere with hushed voices of approval and disapproval making the rounds. Excerpts from old science fictions and tweets resurface keeping philosophers busy. Goodness of saviours reach the homeless street dwellers.
Since everyone seems to be doing their little part easy-peasy, our PM too decided to play his part, nice and easy. The one day Janata Curfew followed by clapping, clanging of vessels, ringing of bells and blowing conches prompted other countries to look at us with ‘AWE’. Not sure though. WHO heard us loud and clear and vice versa. So, one day of curfew paved the way to invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. A cursory look at this is enough to help us realize that in a way Brits come handy at least once in a century. With so many people’s representatives going into self-quarantine after attending a party hosted alongside a Corona positive celebrity, many wonder if the government thought they are immune to viruses too just as they are immune to laws and rules. Alas! From the party to the parliament and off to Rashtrapati Bhavan made sure nothing spared the first citizen of our country as well. Self-isolation became the norm of the day. But, believers in luck earn more of it especially when they work harder. Kudos to the Health Minister for having tested negative. Sometimes when efforts of certain people go beyond the call of duty, they seem harmful not to mention the procession that followed clapping to encourage doctors and sanitary workers.
As all stayed put, if there was one thing that gave us the initial jitters it’s the news of suspected cases escaping isolation wards, rats and lack of potable water in quarantine facilities and a one minute video that showed us how a medical department senior assistant at the Tumkur railway station, Karnataka carried out his duty of screening passengers at the passenger exit. Though he was suspended for his lethargy and irresponsibility, we never know how many suspected cases walked out from many more entryways and exits to generously transmit the virus to all and sundry.
Directions and instructions on how and why to wash our hands the way it should be went on well with one and all until sanitizers, soaps, hand washes and refills disappeared as quickly as they appeared. ‘Bring your own blankets’ by the Indian Railways was a story that distracted the people for a while from the noisy assurances of leaders and scary statistics from around the world.
Famous or anonymous, the virus struck many leaving many others to learn lessons on disaster risks quickly and willingly. At this point of time is there anything that can save big names, who’s who and the penniless from this unenviable or inevitable fate! Civil wars launched careers, revolutions transformed societies, violent turmoils collapsed states and pandemics ravaged the world. Even this violent leveling will invariably abate over time before which nations of the world will take the courage to admit that leveling forces return anytime, set aside differences for the time being and let goodwill combat anything that needs to be. Hadn’t we all known that history pushes its reset button from time to time to drive down inequality temporarily!
Unfamiliar with a pandemic and sizable outbreak, nations humbly admit they scramble, are out of control and at fault too. Yes, if the sun rises in Great Britain, it sets as well. The queen, prince and Prime Minister placed in quarantine, the Finance and Home minister both of Indian origin stand next in line to the first secretary of state. What a comeback! Echo of applause said it all. We understand that the basis of international cooperation is the capacity for empathy, an intrinsic value that rises above economy and trade. When the gap narrows, cooperation becomes evolutionarily advantageous with the backing of appropriate institutions.
In India, situation spiralling out of control seem to encourage ministers to watch ancient Indian epics, tweet on them, delete tweets and play hide and seek. The ruling party of the National Capital Territory of Delhi feeding almost 4 lakh migrant workers at 800 centers motivated the central government to think of better ways to serve the needy. Chief Minsiter Kejriwal’s other initiatives did make many at the helm stop and stare. After all, many politicians live to outwit one another when it comes to serving people. As expected, grand announcements and promises were made by yet another leader that left hundreds and hundreds of passengers stranded in the Charbagh bus station awaiting those one thousand buses that were supposed to transport them to their hometowns. Hopefully, these migrant workers will forget hopeless promises, forgive leaders and resume their long walk to homes mindful of all the hurdles they have to cross. For the poor and homeless, it’s all about taking the risks or losing the chance of survival or seeing their families one last time. Hundreds of voiceless and faceless being sprayed with bleaching powder and may be concentrated acids too if some dumb senior office in charge of Covid-19 operations is a result of government apathy to take on irresponsible and stupid officers.
In India the shock made itself felt once interstate services were suspended and men in khakhi were unleashed with lathis to display their might and power to powerless citizens. Prolonged agony, fear and dislocations is the pattern this cataclysmic adjustment has set. Ominously known as the viral catastrophe, it’s sweeping through every nook and corner and let’s assume it may cut down one in two people if this catastrophe is not to hijack our hope with an “All is bleak as the apocalypse sets in” tone. Major power shifts in the world will not surprise us but our incapacity to rethink our moral obligations with regard to transnational cooperation to rebuild a safer world might leave us shocked about our capacity to survive as a species.
On balance, even though a less plagued world might well have enjoyed the attenuation of inequality by some other means, it is obvious that this process will reach a scale it should in contrast to the nuclear and military deterrence, genetic engineering, robotics or bio mechatronics can in real life, in the following weeks to come.
Humanity in peril everywhere, in God’s own country too. Here, damage to humanity is substantial and severe under a bad, imprudent and prejudiced leadership.
Amidst Operation Bleaching powder, operation 1000 buses and operation Ramayana, it’s doubtful if our government can keep their senses alert to respond sensitively and not react brutally to unheard cries and woes of our teeming millions.
Elsa Lycias Joel can be reached at elsalyciasjoel@gmail.com
