By John Dayal
New Delhi, July 6, 2020: Many people do not realize it, but the Covid pandemic has not just changed everyday life, family life and employment, it has changed many of the things that we have taken for granted as citizens of a democratic, republican, secular country governed by a written constitution which is overseen by parliament and the judiciary in its implementation and observance by the Executive.
This goes much beyond the hardships posed by the virus — the need for quarantine, the distancing from loved ones, and loss of income for almost everyone other than billionaires. The hardships also include the critical loss of education for most, and the almost total loss of one year for the children of the poor and the marginalized who cannot afford expensive smartphones, much less tablets, iPad or laptops for every child.
Class are being held for every school going child, which means a family of four school going children needs four phones if all classes are from 10 am till 12 noon.
This is just one thing.
The condition of the hospitals, the high costs, the vacillating government positions, make it difficult for anyone to trust government hospitals, unless absolutely at death’s door. Looking at the rate list of major private hospitals, one needs 1 million rupees for admission up front, with no guarantee of recovery. Insurance fails, EWS schemes are now useless and non-existent.
But it is in the erosion of civil liberties that I am most worried. The total absence of parliamentary recourse – the MPs are invisible in the pandemic, and so are MLAs and most ministers. Who will articulate our grievances before the government? The two-way route enshrined in the Constitution is now one way.
We listen to the Mann Ki Baat, and we obey. Rules are framed, ordnances passed without any civic involvement. Environment laws, infrastructure rules, labor laws, agriculture relief and many others have been framed, impacting not just nature, climate and soil, but the very livelihood and home of millions.
We cannot protest on the road. To ask us to protest in virtual medium is locking our helplessness.
We look to the judiciary for relief against torture, death, loss, police excesses, arrest without reason, fake cases and so on. It is a gamble. The judge may, but usually will not give any relief. Right from metropolitan magistrate to the Supreme Court.
This is a twin, or double Emergency. Covid gives the government the excuse to do what it wants. Our fear of both government and disease makes us accept injustice.
This is the loss, the erosion, the cut in my human status, in my human rights, in my citizenship.