The Corona Expose

I know this is a crisis time probably the worst mankind has witnessed over past several decades and even centuries but this will pass as many of our other nefarious pasts. I sincerely hope it does but at what cost I can’t foretell, nobody can but, that’s not what I am going to talk today. I am going to take you on a tangential line of thinking.

My point is when it is gone when the leftover human population would be standing on the ruins of this pandemic that should be a time for retrospection for all, as it is for me today. There are two very important revelations striking out of this retrospection for me today which I am going to share with you.

1. We need to restructure our social system.

The way our society is designed today, I think we have got it all wrong. Look at who is the most celebrated, most powerful and most sought after in our society today, the politicians, the people from the entertainment and media industry and our religious masters, one single stroke of a novel bug has bared their skin.

“कल तक जो डाक्टरों को गाली देकर अपनी TRP बढ़ाते थे,

कल तक जो नेता डाक्टरों को पीट कर अपना सीना ठोकते थे,

कल तक जो मरीज़ सीना ठोक कर डाक्टरों को पीटते थे,

वो आज थालियाँ पीट कर उनका सम्मान कर रहें हैं “

I know it sounds ironical that when the entire nation was resonating synchronously to express solidarity with our workforce to fight against this menace called the Corona my plebeian mind seems to be resonating with the cliche cry about the violence against doctors.

Buts that’s the plebeian truth, the irony, that the world is so very selfish. On one side there is an ostensible display of solidarity with the doctors and on the other side a doctor, a paediatrician was thrashed black and blue because the child he treated got a little more sedated with the cough syrup he prescribed than the wishful liking of his parents.

Well, the irony was not that the five o clock five-minute clapping was meant more to show our political devotion than to show sympathy for the medical fraternity.

The irony was not that a noble gesture of sympathy, a noble effort of uniting the public by a very able leader suffered a blow at the ignorant hands of his devotees who danced on streets as if BJP had won an election.

The irony is that people like healthcare workers, educationist and soldiers who should be at the top of our social systems enjoying the greatest respect are being crushed by cheap entertainers who charge millions to mock them and call it ‘Satyamev Jayate’.

The irony is that our politicians and top-notch bureaucrats who don’t miss a single opportunity to preach morality and protocol are blatantly flouting every protocol to invite singers and dancers to celebrate their birthday parties.

So, we need to redesign our social fabric and give meritorious what’s their due.

2. Corona… the religious relevance

The second revelation concerns the way look at religion today. I think religion as a saviour must be losing its grip, it’s the relevance as a saviour of mankind for many if not for all.

When I say religion I am not talking about spirituality that’s as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago. I am talking about the religion of temples, mosques and churches. I am talking about the religion of our religious masters who flaunted their fan following. I am talking about the politics and business of religion.

Till today, many like me, when faced with a crisis in our lives turned to them. One single stroke of an infective virus has changed all equations. Where are they?

Everyone has a right to faith and a right to hope. But allowing this faith to be used as an instrument of fear? To be used as a tool to flourish their agenda? I think we should do away with that.

I think all ostensible, all public display of religion and its practices should be banned.

As for saving yourself from this pandemic, the only mantra is,

STAY AT HOME COME WHAT MAY.