By Matters India Reporter

Varanasi, March 28, 2020: Several Church groups in Varanasi are engaged in a massive campaign to save the poor from starvation during the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Leading the campaign that began on March 25 are members of the Indian Missionary Society (IMS) in partnership with St Mary’s Hospital of Varanasi diocese, many social organizations of different faiths and students of the Banares Hindu University BHU.

IMS Father Anand Mathew, convener of Sajha Sanskriti Manch (United forum for cultural diversity), coordinates the inter faith program campaign. “This is being done throughout Varanasi city and in all the villages wherever the least privileged, marginalized and vulnerable Dalit communities are living,” the priest told Matters India March 28.

The Vishwa Jyoti Communications, the media and communications wing of the IMS’ Varanasi province, and Jan Vikas Samiti (people’s development society), the province’s nodal center for social action, mooted the plan.

They feed between 150 to 200 families daily. “We are providing provisions to the entire family which will be useful for more than a week — 5 kg rice, 5 kg atta, half a kg mustard oil, half a kg daal, vegetables, soaps, salt, masks, bread, biscuits,” Father Mathew explained.

They feed mostly members of the Musahar community. Father Mathew suspects that the lockdown had forced some people to eat grass.

The campaign, Father Mathew claims, has proved to be a “big blessing for the poorest of the poor” who have lost all means of livelihood because of the lockdown. “They have no money as they live a life hand to mouth,” he added.

This campaign, he says, will go on as long as the lockdown continues and as funds to maintain the project keep coming from individuals in the city and their friends in different parts of the country. “This is not done with the support of any foreign organization,” he points out.

Others involved in the campaign are IMS Fathers Chetan, who directs Jan Vikas Samiti, and Dayakar, the joint director of Vishwa Jyoti Communications. Father John Paul, the director of St Mary’s Hospital, also helps in the campaign.

Father Mathew has requested people to join the campaign or support it with through generous donations.

Varanasi is the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi.