Notebook: The corona saga

     The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming. For one who have not watched the film, this quote is from The Dark Knight. It is narrated in the film as a ray of hope where all routes surrender in front of life’s helplessness.

      Hope is irreplaceable. It furnishes new energy and works as a catalyst for decoupage.

      An epidemic outbreak of COVID-19 is the witness of degrading moral values except some strong examples of civic caring to others. In a recent report published on BBC HINDI about a man who is lying on the roadside and pleading for help but time taking process of attending Ambulance and other state machinery cause the death of that man.

     

       The man was voicing in sorrow: Please help me. Admit me to the hospital. I can’t breathe. Someone tries to help, but no one cared sincerely due to the fear of the virus. On death, man’s son said: After watching the video, whom should I have blamed? It seemed that no moral value left in anyone. During the epidemic, an ambulance called, and it did not have PPE. Was that a Joke? Where did all the preparedness go?

       The incident is only one of the dark shades of morality. Remembering another episode, when the first lockdown was running, I went to a medical store to purchase a face mask.

      “How much cost of surgical face mask is?” I asked.

      “15 rupees” He replied.

      “Give me two pieces of these.” I said, but as per the government guidelines, the price has reduced to the previous rate.”

       After my words, he denied instantly and said, “I did not have any mask.” I asked again and again, but I could not change his mood. That day many medical stores had closed therefore I requested again, he rejected my request and reacted arrogantly: Go and Purchase from Modi.

     I lost my consciousness on his mischief character. I shouted that how Badtameez(Monkey business) you are? Then he played an old age card: you could not say these words to a 60-year-old man. You know I am saying because you are obliging me. Everyone is afraid of Covid and panic of it. People are dying, and you are thinking only to gain 10-15 rupees margin on the price of 5 rupees.

     Even in the beginning, the silver lining of almost all medical professionals had doomed. That medical store was one of them. If he sold masks on only 5 rupees margin, it was sure he could earn a reputable profit. 

    

     Continuous lockdown wreaked havoc mostly for the lower sections of society. Labourers, informal employees, and people without social security felt more pain comparatively and came to the road. Almost all India was at the bus stand, on highways, and railway tracks.

      Panics had got their culmination. Factories were not in operation. Manufacturing and other infrastructure activities had become dormant. Mostly workers were bonded work-men. They spent all their savings even in the early day and started struggling for every basic need.

      Governments taken steps provided them nothing for survival in neighbouring states, so they had only one way to march toward their homes. 

      

      At this time, where was the labour minister, no one knows even today. Where was the fault? Analysts will find, and some will be fond of the Government actions, and some will not. These will have been in progress, but no one cares about the death of these workers, shabby health care, immorality of individuals, and a proper crisis management implementation.

      How can any Government be so careless? I never imagined that the Delhi Government could reserve hospitals only for the residents of Delhi. CM Kejriwal’s initial Politics was unique where there was no left, no right, no religion, no caste, no class but was only humans. He sang a song of Mahatma Gandhi during India against corruption movement, and today he and his party workers showing play cards of Delhites. The order passed for this purpose has scrapped by the Lieutenant Governor otherwise Delhi would be the worst place for the students and the non-Delhites. Thanks to the central government that cares about the need of all.

      The year 2020 will have been a witness of revolutionizing everything for decades. It changed behavioural habits, modified disciplines in the queue, matured the guys under 30, transformed the style of marriages, amended the relationship, and established the importance of money. I experienced many of them mentioned above.

     This year also claimed the life of veterans, actors, performers, historians, academicians, politicians, and war hero who bid farewell to the world. The most recent death of Sushant Singh Rajput in the corona age triggered the recognition of mental health. 

      Loneliness is fearful. Many experience it. I also felt it not only in this lockdown but also on multiple occasions. One who survives, I assure, the loneliness leads to the solitude.

      We all are snooping uninteresting news of increasing corona cases, the worst condition of lower people, increasing death, the trouble of the health system, and the failure of governments. But, we should not be cheerless because we all are growing-up.

      I am sure that the dawn will overlap the darkest night. The government actions and the people spirit will flourish the colours of joy.