The State of Affairs
Sometime at the end of December 2019, we found out that a virus named the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Here in India, we were going about our business and our right wing politics was thriving and people seemed to be convinced that, finally we have got a leader who had what it takes to conquer the world. He was perceived as decisive and someone who could take bold decisions and had the interest of the Hindu majority of the country in mind. The Indian middle class which in India comprises of the upper caste, second generation of absentee landlord zamindars turned educated white collar job seekers were convinced that the Hindus had to unite against the threat of the rising Muslim population of India and to counter this an openly communal government was a necessity. You could hear countless closed door discussions in middle class households about how the ‘Modi and Yogi Sarkar’ were putting the Muslim’s in their place. Even while this was happening the Indian news media had completely shifted towards a polarized, pro government, openly communal model backed by political parties and corporations through ad revenues. The BJP government lead by Mr. Modi had won a second term by a landslide electoral win despite numerous counts of failed attempts at ‘Vikas’(Growth, Progress). Every thing was going great. Modi was mesmerizing crowds at Madison Square garden in New York. He had captured the imagination of the country, quite literally. The BJP and Modi Fanboys were termed as ‘Bhakts’ by the left wing and liberals . Whoever did not agree with the communal propaganda of the BJP and its machinery(the media) were termed as Anti Nationals. There was a clampdown on students from colleges who had a leftward tilt and people who would ask fundamental questions regarding health, education, infrastructure and in general people who were trying to make the the government accountable. ‘Intellectual’ had become a bad word and Science had taken a backseat.
Then came the dreaded year of 2020, the year of the Coronavirus. Everyone in India thought that it was a distant virus, that too in China. But the Awareness of the virus had crept in by February 2020. China had locked down its entire country. Then in march things started to escalate and Mr. Modi came swiftly to the rescue. He announced a curfew known as the ‘Junta Curfew’ on the 22nd of March 2020 wherein people had to remain indoors and only essential services were allowed. And then came the Big Bang. A nationwide lockdown for 21 days was announced the very next day. This lockdown continued throughout the majority of the year with the government orchestrating unlocks.
Come March 2021. Cases starts to dip to their lowest levels. Almost 1 and a half year of the Corona Virus. We had defeated the virus. We had one of the highest recovery rates in the world. The virus seemed to have got a tough host in Indians, with their superior immune system bread on Turmeric, Ginger, and countless other ayurvedic formulations with its origins in the ‘vedas’. Masks were ‘passé’. The prime minister even took credit for the high recovery rate of Indians.
Come April 2021. In a matter of weeks the hubris garnered over seven years of rule has come crashing. The strategy of rule by narrative building seems to be difficult to work now. The middle class is suffering and the supreme leader has disappeared amidst chaos and anarchy. Like the Pied piper of Hameln, who wore multi colored coats, The prime minister of this great country India has treated its citizens like rats(Please read the pied piper story) and has lead its citizens to the river Weser and drowned them. So who should take the blame? Countless deaths, suffering, chaos. Death in indignity. A looming fear, burning pyres and what do we get ? An election result, with people celebrating . What are they celebrating for I wonder? The media is doing its bit. Remaining a bystander as people suffer. What is the government doing, where is our supreme leader, what is he thinking now.. like right now. Maybe ideas to get out of this. We are still trying to scramble oxygen, we don't have vaccines. No lockdown, no plan, no expert committee of scientists, epidemiologists. We were supposed be getting a permanent seat in the UN security council. What happened? The delusions have been shattered and India now perfectly feels like a third world country. Well Done Mr. Modi. Well Done!
Its probably just me.
Probably “sab changa si” .
