The COVID-19 pandemic may have temporarily given nature a respite from the violence unleashed in the guise of development. Pollution levels have dipped thereby sparing our lungs the involuntary violence arising from reckless development policies of governments, though temporarily. The 30 days of curfew has given us Goans a feel of our traditional Goa after almost three decades. This crisis has shown us the wisdom of a culture which once religiously observed a weekly shut down of markets by traders, the value of a village centric economy, and spending time with the family which all have tremendous hidden health benefits.
The coronavirus has helped slow down the mad rush in life to amass wealth and indulge in limitless enjoyment. One will probably agree that, minus the Government’s mismanagement and rights abuses during the lockdown, this COVID-19 crisis is showing us that it is not necessary for our towns and villages to be ‘happening places’ in order to be considered as modern. That we need to learn to be comfortable with silence and resist the lure of a materialistic and consumerist economy. That, the 24x7 and 365x12 social and economic culture is not in consonance with the rhythm of nature. Nature seems to be reminding us that to be ‘sosegado' (laid back) is not a sin, as it is about a non-violent and sustainable existence.
Keeping aside the tremendous benefits to the environment and citizens’ health, due to the lockdown and the lifestyle changes which are compelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, one cannot afford to lose sight of the adverse political consequences, besides the economic impact, that this health crisis could have for democracy and civil liberties in the country. This ugly reality of a totalitarian and communal mindset in governance has never been more pronounced than in the response to this COVID-19 crisis. A Union Government taking the liberty of imposing a total lockdown across the country without any second thought, and by not taking the State Government’s into confidence, is definitely a dangerous precedent for the future of federal democracy. Adding to this brazen government arrogance was the employment of Goebellian tactics of psychological warfare. The mixed messaging from the Government to dodge and confuse the public, the deployment of its police force to terrorise citizens into accepting confinement within their homes and the fake news to demonise certain communities cannot be considered as healthy governance. Unable to contain the adverse publicity from a section of the media, which kept exposing the disastrous fall-outs of the lock-down on the poor and the migrants, the Government even attempted to muzzle free speech by seeking the intervention of the Apex court.
This COVID-19 crisis has exposed the serious deficiency of a scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform in India’s citizens. This resulted in the nation falling prey to a mass hysteria and irrational behaviours around COVID-19, which helped the Government to cover up its larger political blunders and condone excesses. A Government’s fantasy and obsession with being a USD 5 trillion economy and a military superpower, building samadhis and erecting statues, silencing its political opponents and the media with sedition charges and hunting down ghuspaithiya (intruders) and termites using NPR and NRC, only woke up to find the health service sector and community totally ill-equipped for the battle against the COVID-19 disease. A Government in panic could think of nothing more than its fascist solutions of lock-ups and lock-downs to save itself from embarrassment. As usual, this crisis was given a communal colour to justify the unconstitutional and inhuman political excesses as being warranted in the interest of protecting the nation. This is how the COVID-19 disease even got a nationality and a religion to whip up hate against particular communities. Every patient of COVID-19 gets treated like a terrorist or seditionist who poses a threat to the integrity of the country. Fear and stigmatisation of patients is definitely not an effective prevention and control strategy for infectious diseases.
The COVID-19 crisis has amply demonstrated that education and technology advancement have also failed to tame the primitive mindset and behaviour of Indian society. This is why an educated India has failed to debate on whether the total lock-down, with such enormous social and economic costs, was the only rational option to contain the spread of the COVID-19 disease. Instead of citizens demonstrating their much touted rich culture of self-discipline and self-restraint in times of such a crisis, they chose a lethargic and cowardly option of cheering a despotic political approach of suspending civil liberties. While there is no shortage of good Samaritans who showcase their humanity in times of such crisis, they are silent when it comes to questioning the unjust social and political structures and systems which contribute to repeated failures in timely and efficient crisis management by the Government.
Far deadlier than the coronavirus are the bigoted minds holed up in TV studios and political party media cells. It was in such a background, that the clapping and lighting of lamps, which was meant to be about saluting the medical warriors, was hijacked for an unstated show of Hindu unity and solidarity with a Hindu leader, in a battle to protect Hindu India from a Chinese virus being employed for jihad by a particular community which has been mischievously labelled as a ‘coronavirus bombshell’. This is shameful and not expected from a 21st Century India.
We already see a rise in domestic violence, child sexual abuse and hunger during this lock down. Let us only hope that the government’s prescription against this Coronavirus does not prove to be more fatal for democracy and humanity in this country than the disease itself.
(The author is a social activist who has been a member of the Panchayat and has worked in creating awareness on the issue of local self-governance.)