Deepraj Das
Xuvihe Colony, Dimapur
It wrenches my heart to see world’s largest democracy brew on the cup of inequality by layering people as haves (the creamy section) and have-nots (the non-creamy section). Civilization has come along a long way, we have drifted many things apart but what we have not drifted is the shallow ideology of inequality based on income, caste, religion- a tranquillity which has hampered many uncountable minds.
The present scenario has exposed the inherent inequality once again which was hidden in our society. All thanks to COVID-19 and other related events of 2020 that has churned up the issue back to existence.
Credit needs to be awarded where it is due but a blatant claim that corona cases are spreading more due to the arrival of the migrant labourers is absurd in true sense. The pandemic was an imported disease by the upper and middle privileged classes for which the real price had to be paid by the poor/migrant labourers. Instead of empathizing with the migrant workers, most of the governments and governmental institutions are treating and questioning them as a potential carrier of the virus.
What needs to be questioned is that could the government analyse the impact of nationwide lockdown before implementing it, for which the lives of many went to a vulnerable state as there was starvation all around. In absence of adequate support when the workers decided to return to their native villages so that they could afford meal of at least two times for their families, the government deprived them of all the rights (right to movement, right to assemble etc. among others) and most importantly a class divide. While the migrants were sent back to their home in buses and trains they were simply treated just like any other factors of production, the riches were treated with utmost care.
We see two worlds, a world for the upper and the privileged middle class and the other for the deprived ones.
On one side we see the biggest challenge of work from home, boredom, depression, and dilemma about what meal to cook next, which movie to watch, what to post on social media and which viral trend to follow next. But on the counterpart, it was a question of basic survival.
Although various relief packages have been provided by the government but these went on vain as real help was never led to the needy. Many individuals, NGOs have come up to serve these migrant workers but there service is of limited impact until and unless it is backed by governmental support which has turned to a failure.
We also see a transparency gap when asked about PM-CARES fund, to which the government befittingly replied that is not a public authority in the sense that it is not established by or under the constitution, by any act of the parliament, or any other law made by the state legislature so the government could not provide any internal information. But we all know that the PM National Relief Fund was a public authority, why wasn’t all the money put under this fund and what was the need for PM-CARES fund when we already had the relief fund.
I know that there is a pandemic all over the nation and world but this does not mean that the government should not be held responsible and accountable for every decision it takes. And most importantly, being a parliamentary democracy, government is bound to be held accountable for its actions by law too. In countries such as UK, Canada, Brazil, France and even the most affected Italy government held a videoconferencing meeting of its parliamentary committee to be accountable for each and every actions that they are liable to the public. Why is not the Indian Government doing so? Why is not the Indian Government conducting any videoconferencing summoning the topics like on what basis the country wide lockdown was imposed, how they are dealing with the pandemic, what are the strategies, what are the expenditures that have been made so far, recent privacy concerns regarding Aarogya Setu app and police brutalities amidst the lockdown. In a country where article 85 of the Indian Constitution gives the Government and the President to summon a parliamentary meeting between the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at any time and place, which he thinks fit. It’s high time that the government answers to these questions.
So if we want to go ahead, we must get started.
