Gathering Clouds will wither away

Some time back I wrote the Blog ‘corona Fatigue’. At that time our strict ‘Lock-Down’ had started showing results. Corona seemed to have been brought under reasonable control by government intervention. The focus of the government(s), then, was on saving lives rather than livelihoods. Economy nose-dived. There was disturbing exodus of migrant labour from urban areas towards their homes in villages as it was impossible for them to survive in their places of work.

As the corona virus responded to steps taken by the government(s), the focus was shifted back to saving livelihoods and recharging the economy. Lock Down was withdrawn. Government(s) were seized with the gigantic task of rejuvenating the economic apparatus.

However, government advisory was clear. Basic Corona Protocols of keeping safe distance, frequent washing of hands, sanitizing sensitive contact points should be strictly observed. Awareness campaign was intensified.

Government thought people were well informed about the dangers of not observing basic corona protocols at home and work places. But corona fatigue had set in. People were tired of the lock down restrictions and were let loose without any self-imposed restrictions to protect against the Corona-In-Waiting.

Election rallies, marriage functions, festivals, aggressive shopping in malls and road side vendors, protest demonstrations and flocking at religious places without masks or social distance, appearing on news channels became ugly nightmares for those who were conscious.

What was feared the most, happened. We are in square one, no not in square one, it is much worse than the situation in which we were earlier. Corona is spreading faster, has become more dangerous and might overtake our meager medical infrastructure if, as it seems it will, spreads in rural areas.

Only saving grace is that we the people, though not all, have become more addressed to the dangers of ignoring the virus, our scientists working day and night have come out with vaccines which can make our bodies corona-resistant, governments have started vaccination program on a war footing, several NGOs have started sharing government’s great responsibility and governments may, it seems, think of re-imposing, not complete lockdowns as before, but perhaps, micro-managed lockdowns in those clusters where the infection is concentrated.

However, we the responsible citizens of this great country, must forget all our political, religious, regional and other differences and unite to help the government to help us fight this formidable enemy. Succeed we must. We can never despair or give in. Eternal Vigilance by each one of us without distinction of age, sex, religion, region or political persuasion needs to be our Goal-Post.

Humans are indestructible. They have survived against all calamities whether inflicted by nature or ourselves, over billions of years. Corona will become a dirty page in our history. It has strengthened our will to fight it out, come what may. It is a war. It can be won only if we the people take it as a real war. Human spirit is never cowed down by conflicts. It comes out stronger.

I have no other than the poet-statesman of our times well respected by politicians of all hue and even by our own beloved first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to quote. Those who listened to his recital of this piece in parliament from his own mouth will know the strength of his spifrit.

बाधाएं आती हैं आएं,
घिरें प्रलय की घोर घटाएं
पावों के नीचे अंगारे
सिर पर बरसें यदि ज्वालाएं
निज हाथों में हंसते हंसते
आग लगा कर जलना होगा,
कदम मिला कर चलना होगा.

हार नहीं मानूंगा, रार नई ठानूंगा,
काल के कपाल पे लिखता मिटाता हूं,
गीत नया गाता हूं.