Unlocked India – Week – 4

Unlocked India – Week – 4

At the end of week 4 of unlocked India, June 29, the corona virus is spreading its wings. The total of positive cases has reached 5 lakh twenty nine thousand with about 16 thousand deaths and a daily addition of about 20 thousand positive cases. The redeeming feature is that more than 3 lakh cases have been cured with a recovery rate of about 60%. Governments and the public are fully engaged in the fight against the deadly virus but, it seems, the situation is turning out to be serious in Delhi and Mumbai. The experts fear that in Delhi-NCR alone the tally of positive cases will reach 5 lakh by the end of July. Obviously, it is a worrisome situation. We need to be prepared to meet this challenge whole heartedly.

The scientific community and medicos are fully engaged in finding a vaccine for the virus but it is taking time. Meanwhile, it is unfortunate that some of us, skeptically, waste our time and energy in discussing the solutions offered and efforts made by some of our traditional healers like Baba Ramdev among others. He has come out with medicines under the well recognized traditional medical systems like Ayurveda. What is the wrong in that? The onus lies on the manufacturers and promoters like Patanjali Group and Baba Ramdev to prove the research and its results as per the law of the land. Let it be. We don’t lose anything. Rather we should encourage other traditional and modern players to undertake the job and help the suffering masses. Let us not help and encourage the multi-nationals and cartels to exploit the situation. The second caution is to ward of political slugfest internally while addressing the challenge. We would certainly defeat the deadly menace.

The country is passing through a critical phase with many more aspects of our standing as a nation. The immediate big challenge is our relations with China, a wily and unreliable big neighbour. The armies of both the countries are having ball to ball confrontation on the LAC in Galwan Valley in Ladakh. It is a big challenge to our standing as a dignified and peace loving country from a country known for deceit and expansionist agenda in nexus with yet another hostile neighbor Pakistan. Nepals’s uncalled for behavior on the

border has added to the difficulties. PM Narendra Modi’s government is fully alive to the situation. The whole country of 130 crores, we the people of India, is standing behind and with him to defeat the nefarious designs of the enemies against our motherland. We are to be alert and pragmatic, without succumbing to the emotions and short term approaches, to deal with China, a strong neighbor and an emerging power. I am confident that the government is fully prepared to meet the challenge with its well oiled defense and diplomatic arms fully supported by the people of India and also our friends in the comity of nations. Let us not allow the short term political interests prevail and weaken our resolve to safeguard our national and international standing of a dignified and strong Bharat. Considering the ongoing political stance taken by both the ruling outfits and the opposition, sometimes the warnings of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar openly given in his last speech in the constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949 come to touch my mental pendulum and give shivers in my spine. He said, “On 26th January 1950, India will be an independent country. What would happen to her independence? Will she maintain her independence or will she lose it again? This is the first thought that comes to my mind. It is not that India was never an independent country. The point is that she once lost the independence she had. Will she lose it a second time? It is this thought which makes me most anxious for the future. What perturbs me greatly is the fact that not only India has once before lost her independence, but she lost it by the infidelity and treachery of some of her own people.” We should keep this in mind while dealing with the situation.

Now the usual lighter side of the situation to lessen the grimness and prepare ourselves to face it with a healthy and positive mind:

The lighter side of the nexus among Pakistan, China and Nepal:

चीन ने कहा पाकिस्तान और नेपाल हमारे साथ हैं!
तब से दोनों को दस्त लगे हैं सोच रहे हैं "हम खुद जिसके भरोसे बैठे हैं वो हमारे भरोसे बैठा है!"

The petrol diesel prices are being increased almost every successive day. Some ‘Diljala’ has shared the gem:

पेट्रोल के दामों में लगातार बढ़ोतरी!
कोई सरकार को बताये कि बदला चीन से लेना है देश से नहीं!

Pradhan Sevak did “Mann Ki Baat” on radio today, June 28, people are quick to encash the occasion to lighten the situation:

अगला प्रधानमंत्री शादीशुदा होना चाहिए!
जो मन की बात अपनी घरवाली से करे और काम की बात जनता से!

Let us hope for the best in the weeks to come and strengthen hands of our national government to meet the challenges to our border security, economic development, health and wellness of the masses and our social fabric.

As a word of caution, let me quote to conclude:

छुपा के  आस्तीन  में बिजलीआ  रख  ली हैं गुरदु ने ;

अनादिल बाग़  के गाफिल न बैठें अशिआनो !