Since people play a pivotal role in administration, the credibility of ‘janata curfew’ will be tested on the anvil of public interest time and again
With the fresh and rapid spike of COVID-19 cases in India, the fear of a second wave of the pandemic is looming large in various States. A couple of days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Chief Ministers of all States to chalk out an amicable mechanism, including the management of micro-containment zones and strict enforcement of restrictions to control the “emerging second peak” of the contagion.
Last year, too, the Prime Minister called for social distancing and a “janata curfew” — a curfew of the people, by the people and for the people — was imposed on March 22 to contain the pandemic. The speech was inclusive and persuasive and the “janata curfew” proved beneficial to prepare the country mentally for the hard lockdown that was to come soon after, to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.
Currently, with a view to checking the infection, the vaccination drive is in full swing across the nation. In the Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra, various district administrations have decided to implement “janata curfew” from time to time, instead of complete lockdowns. Though it is true that a complete lockdown cannot be replaced by a “janata curfew” if the infection is to be effectively contained, the intention of the administration is not to paralyse socio-economic activities completely but to continue them in a restricted manner. In this context, such a curfew has an edge over a complete shutdown.
The record of “janata curfew” deserves unraveling and accounting for. The central idea behind such an effort rests on the people’s participation from the beginning to the end.
Last year, while advocating social distancing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister’s clarion call for a “janata curfew” recieved immense support. There was clapping, ringing of bells, beating of drums and utensils in gratitude to the Corona heroes nationwide. Endorsements from celebrities also poured in.
In her balcony in Mumbai, Sunita Bhuyan played the tune of a song by the iconic Bhupen Hazarika on her violin. There was solidarity expressed at the historic Jama Masjid of Old Delhi, too. The overall support was colossal.
A couple of days before the “janata curfew”, Modi addressed the nation on the pandemic. While hailing the doctors, nurses, housekeeping staff, police and media persons for the commendable job they were doing in a time of crisis, he counselled people not to go for panic buying. The “janata curfew” worked as a good means of communication and Modi took the narrative of social distancing to the next level. The tone of the address was apolitical and he laid stress on the power of the people, as a weapon to keep the crisis at bay.
People’s participation has effectively met the necessary requirements in various fields including public health. The idea of ‘Pani Panchayats’ driven by the people is intended to manage groundwater across the country. Community kitchens, meant for achieving food security for people on the margins, are not mere populism. Khabar Lahariya, a community media driven by rural women journalists, belongs to Dalits, tribals and other minority classes. Community radio stations like Vidyavani run by the Savitribai Phule Pune University and Radio Udaan for the visually impaired, have been instrumental in giving a voice to the voiceless. These instances encapsulate the power of the community in nation-building. Sadly, some of the ambitious programmes and action plans are marred by irregularities.
However, there are other sides to the “janata curfew”, too. The Mahagujarat movement, known as the Mahagujarat Andolan in the year 1956, is a case in point. A “janata curfew” was called to protest the film Padmavat, too. Earlier in 2013, to get a separate Gorkhaland, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had resorted to a “janata curfew” to take on Mamata Banerjee’s 72-hour ultimatum to lift the strike in the Darjeeling Hills.
Tellingly, since India is a place of the people and their decision plays a pivotal role in every aspect of the administration, the importance and credibility of “janata curfew” will be tested on the anvil of public interest from time to time.
Biswal teaches at the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Symbiosis International, Pune, and Chakraborty is an academic researcher.The views expressed are personal.