The party has shown respect for human life by deciding to put off big campaign rallies in UP

The ‘grand old party’ has finally started showing some spark after staying moribund for a long, long time. A couple of sprightly decisions within a matter of hours, after lying inert for years altogether, point to this rejuvenation in the core of the Congress: One, the party has decided to put on hold public rallies and political functions in Uttar Pradesh in view of the deepening health scare in the country. Two, party president Sonia Gandhi spoke to Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach and sternly told him to fix accountability and take suitable action. But first things first. Owing to the sudden spurt in Coronavirus cases (mainly its Omicron variant) across the country, the Congress has decided to put on the backburner all major campaign rallies; the decision is said to have been taken by senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders in consultation with the UP PCC brass “in view of public safety”. It indeed is a matter of record that the COVID-19 situation in the country is worsening by the day and major political rallies — which draw crowds of thousands — have the potential of turning into super-spreader events, especially in view of the anticipated third COVID wave.

To reach out to voters, however, the Congress has sought permission from the Election Commission for door-to-door campaigns and small gatherings. The Samajwadi Party, too, followed suit. However, the BJP, AAP and BSP are yet to announce their stand officially though they have cancelled a few rallies. For his part, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday cancelled a Government function in Gautam Buddh Nagar district. But the same doesn’t hold true for the BJP’s star campaigner, Modi, who recently addressed a massive rally in Manipur and was cut short by circumstances beyond his control from attending another huge rally in Punjab’s Ferozepur on Wednesday. It’s indeed a matter of shame that the horrifying memories of the second wave — huge political rallies turning into super-spreaders; lack of oxygen cylinders and hospital beds; crematoria struggling to cope with incoming dead bodies; and bodies floating in the Ganga — have not deterred parties from operating as businesslike as usual. In this context, the Congress certainly deserves a loud ‘cheer’ for taking the lead in respecting the value of human life over its share in ballot boxes.