Lourembam Devraj Singh (
[email protected])
In movies and dramas, we often hear the line, “The history is going to repeat itself”. Today, in reality, the history has already started repeating with the onset of the year 2020. In the history of global disaster, we have learnt the occurrence of the two great wars – First World War (1914-19) & Second World War (1939-45). These global wars had hit hard the global economy and created havoc on earth due to which people in nook and corner of the world had to spend many hard days in the later years. Above all, some silent killer diseases had also infiltrated into the human colony which almost turned it upside down with their severe consequences. Out of these, the Great Plague Epidemic (1720), the Cholera Pandemic (1820), the Spanish Flu Epidemic (1920) deserves special mention. And today, the entire world is facing the harsh crisis of COVID-19 pandemic.
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic disease, the policy-makers around the world had instructed the masses to follow two techniques to contain the spread of this disease – Social Distancing and Herd Immunity. In fact, with the first one being more feasible, people in almost all parts of the world have adopted this technique and kept themselves isolated at homes with promulgation of “Lockdown”. During these lockdown days, people are encouraged to work from homes and essential services are made available. However, the worst impacts are being suffered by the vulnerable sections of the society – the migrant workers, the daily wage labourers, the small retail business people, the rural people, the old-age pensioners, the disabled people, etc.
Recently, to support the livelihoods of people during the lockdown days, the Government of India had launched its “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyaan Yojana” with which many relief benefits are going to be transferred to its people. In addition to the benefits under ‘National Food Security Mission’, additional food grains and pulses are being allocated to the people at zero prices. In this tussle between the pandemic and hunger, another concern had evolved in the form of ‘legitimate beneficiaries’. In many parts of the country, many vulnerable people like migrant workers whose names are not enrolled in the voters’ lists are being deprived of these food entitlements which may invite ‘death-on-hunger’ to them which is harsher than the consequences of COVID-19. Lockdown for 21 days and being isolated at homes without any penny left in pockets to spend for essential items is a serious matter of concern which should be carefully dealt with to bring about equity among country’s population and to garner support from every single person living in the country to fight against the spread of this disease.
The effects of the ongoing pandemic disease have become so undesirable that the word ‘CORONA’ itself has become a social stigma. It is a known fact that people from north-eastern states of India have been going through the bitterness of racial discrimination in parts of mainland India. Moreover, this time, the level of the stigmatisation and racial discrimination has reached a new height with branding of the north-east people with names like ‘CORONA’ in addition to the earlier names like ‘Chingkies’ and ‘Momos’. The drama does not end here. It continues up to the extent that north-east students in some parts of the mainland India had been driven out of their rented houses and had not been allowed entry into grocery shops just because of their physical resemblance with the Chinese people.
On 29th March, 2020, Mr. Thomas Schafer, the German State Finance Minister, was found dead the cause of which is assumed to be a suicide. It is also comprehended that the reason of the suicide may be the upcoming economic downfall of Germany due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. As a responsible legislative member, he could have taken the responsibility on his shoulders but it was very late for him to do so which made him to take away his own life. It is very sad to hear this tragic incident which demotivates its countrymen. Instead, standing together and co-operating with each other to fight against the monster and rebuild the economy would have been a better way out.
Amidst this pandemic crisis, ‘terrorism’ is not a silent spectator. With the recent attack on ‘Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara’ located in Kabul, it is re-affirmed that terrorism is yet to be completely uprooted. We all are born to die one day or the other. So, what is the point in attacking and killing each other? And, COVID-19, the killer-disease, is more than enough to be tackled which is killing many among us these days.
Keeping the ongoing geo-politics aside, in the larger interest of humanity, it is high time to treat all the countries around the globe equally. No country should be deprived in any manner in this crucial juncture in which unity is the call of duty for the humankind. Many countries are still being sanctioned by superior countries even in these crucial days due to which death tolls owing to COVID-19 are rising out there at a great pace. It is worth mentioning that countries like Iran, Russia, and North Korea are being sanctioned by the United States under its CAATSA Act which isolates them from the global philanthropic assistance even in bitter days like today. Due to this harsh reality of COVID-19 coupled with the geo-politics, innocent people in these countries are suffering to the core.
With the toll of morning bell, I wish everything was a nightmare. And, I wish I could reserve these nightmares’ anecdotes for a special yet horrible surprise of 1st April (April Fool Day). I wish I could say a loud “APRIL FOOL”, loud enough to reach people’s ears.