Stressful times are the period to test the resolve of a people. I don’t think a nation State, a legal entity, can be tested in the times of dire distress. The legal and constitutional mechanism may fail; the leaders may do just the minimum expected out of them or simply abandon the people to their own fate.
But the resolve, coherence and the collective strength of a people can be tested at the time of war, famine, pestilence and pandemics. A country either rises to its highest values of sacrifice, brotherhood, nationalism and cooperation during the crisis or they simply collapse and recede into the background of history. The recent Corona pandemic offers examples of both.
While diseases, especially unknown ones, can originate anywhere and anytime, the responsibility of the nation where such a disease originates is above all supreme in terms of timely alarm to the world and seeing to it that all efforts are made to contain as well as cure it with full disclosure to the world.
How much China fulfilled this international obligation will be known in due course of time. What is most important now is to contain a virus which seems to go out of control. Well, at least in Europe and the USA, it definitely seems so.
While President Trump hides behind his characteristic bravado despite bodies piling up in New York morgues and Italy, Spain, the UK and France resign to their fate and virtually stop fighting, China after exporting the virus to the world is now poised to export the means of containing it and expecting a hefty profit, both financial and political. However, only one nation stands tall in the fight against the dreaded menace.
India under the visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi is drawing praises from all around right from the WHO to all the leading nations of the world for its deft handling of the situation. When the USA, also a democracy, refused to impose a lockdown, India, in an unprecedented move brought the nation to a standstill for 21 days in just a matter of 48 hours.
The naysayers this time did not even raise a murmur. Their experience during demonetization and GST roll out solidly behind them, they knew the country would rally behind the wisdom, good governance and charisma of Modi Ji. And exactly that’s what happened. A nation of 130 crore people just followed the sagacity ofModi Ji’s decision and stayed home.
This perhaps saved countless lives as would be clear in the days to come. The redeeming feature is that at the time of writing this article as we enter 18th day of the lockdown, all essential services are functional, all essential commodities are stocked in plenty and the lifeline of cargo movement by train is in full force.
It’s no mean feat to bring the whole railway network to a standstill and yet motivate people to work for cargo shipment. Same with other services such as banking, telecom and cooking gas and oil. The Prime Minister being tech savvy, took to the digital media to extensively monitor and direct the massive operation and ensured that his Cabinet colleagues follow suit.
Most praiseworthy is the complete coordinated efforts of the Centre and the State Governments. It is unprecedented in the country to see a coordinated effort from village to the State capital, from the State capital to the national capital; the same views, the same strategy, the same information is flowing seamlessly. It was possible only because of the ‘India First’ attitude of the Prime Minister. Only the purpose matters irrespective of political compulsions.
A few things stand out in this crisis. The traditional Indian attitude of feeding the needy is in full swing and both Government and individual efforts are showing results. The earlier success of having a Jan DhanAccount of every poor family showed dividends as the Government could send money instantaneously to the poor and needy. It’s the largest DBT operation in the world. The Government tackled the problem from all angles.
Announcing a Rs 1.70 lakh crore package for the needy to easing the financial burden of the business class by making available cheap credit of Rs 3.7 lakh crore and taking care of lakhs of migrant labourers, Modi Ji has not left any stone unturned to come out of this crisis successful.
A salute is due to our health system workers from doctors to nurses to paramedics and health entrepreneurs who left no stones unturned to fight the menace often putting themselves at risk. All because of a greater sense of purpose and sense of sacrifice instilled in them by our Prime Minister.
Above all, the world is now looking up to India as a leader in the fight against the pandemic.
President Trump thanked India; Brazil and Israel followed suit and India showed generosity and consideration when it allowed supply of much needed drugs to the affected countries without any precondition.
The strategy of lockdown, containment and an appeal to the good sense of people along with the symbolism of prayer and thanking the frontline workers is showing results as India is even now at stage two of the pandemic and the absolute number of positive cases as well as fatality is the lowest in the world per million of population.
No doubt, the economy will take a toll and it is a herculean task to restart the economy once the lockdown is eased. But the leadership of Modi Ji will find a way so that the pain of recession and resetting the economy remains minimum.
In true Antodaya principle, he has taken care of the last man in the queue first and will continue to do so till the spectre of the pandemic is over. The nation salutes the visionary leadership of Modi Ji and his core team of Ministers, experts and bureaucrats.
(Dr Samantsinghar is BJP State secretary)
