Stupidity Has No Religion!

In today's world, it is easy to paint everything with a communal brush. What could be simpler than labelling a particular group and throwing invectives at it, especially when it happens to be part of a minority community?  

So, this massive gathering was held at Delhi, that of a preachers’ group that believes in spreading its principles by travelling from place to place. There is nothing wrong in that if one looks at it through the lens of religion. The Constitution of India has it down pat… freedom to practise one’s religion.

Where, then, does this turn into a problem? Not just a little, irksome problem, but one that affects the entire country, in the light of the world-wide pandemic that is being fought on a war footing? It turns into an insurmountable problem when, despite repeated warnings being given, the principles of social distancing being shouted from the rooftops, myriad images of wearing masks, washing hands, keeping a metre away from another person, staying home and staying safe, one sees this huge congregation breathing together, living together and believing that no harm could come to them. Well, sadly, harm did come, not only to them but hundreds more, once they left the gathering and got back to their homes, infecting everyone they met on their journey, and many more back home.

This is the height of selfishness, of stupidity. One person explained this behaviour on television, saying that this group was a simple group that wandered around, preaching their principles. Thus, they may not have realised the extent of their folly. To that, my answer is, ignorance is no excuse, when the whole world is in peril.

On the 5th of April, the government said that 30% of the infections in the country were linked to this one meet. 1023 cases. 22,000 people linked to the group. The primary contacts quarantined. Across 17 states. The statistics are out there for anyone who wants them.

This reads like something out of a horror film, doesn’t it? Well, it is our very own horror film. The head of the group was charged with violation of government directions in respect of the restriction of gatherings and safety measures, including physical distancing. The attendees had been in close community interaction, in prayer, during meals and in travel, all of which put them in high risk of contagion.

There were attendees from various states like J&K, UP, Assam, TN and Kerala, apart from foreign participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Criminal cases were charged against the foreign members which could prolong their stay in India by up to 5 years.

The slum in Dharavi has always been a high-risk area, considering the density of its population. Immensely frightening was the news that linked the death of a 56-year-old garment shop owner who died of Covid-19 to the above-mentioned gathering which led to an exponential increase in the number of cases across the country. It was believed that he had lent his flat to a few attendees, who could have further come in contact with others living close by.

Just when one would have expected people to have understood the gravity of the situation, especially in a state like Tamil Nadu which has been monitoring Covid-19 cases so stringently, a news item appeared of the funeral of a man which was generously attended by a throng of friends and family members, in spite of the government directive not to have more than ten mourners at a time. The final rites were performed after the protective covering was removed from the body. Later, it ensued that the man had died of Covid-19, and the entire throng was put in quarantine. The two sons of the man were booked immediately. However, the damage had already been done.

When a national lockdown is in place, why on earth do people flout rules and act irrationally? The above mourners should not have participated in the funeral. There have been so many deaths in this period of lockdown, where only the immediate families have performed the rites, thus obeying the directives of a government that has been striving to bring the pandemic under control.

 Five days remain for the original lockdown to end. One never knows how long it will take for the nation to get back to its normal swing of things. There is no magic here. The government and the heads of state are in discussion about the best possible solutions. Social distancing will have to continue, the precautions set in place will need to become part and parcel of our daily lives.

Just when there seems to be a tiny light at the end of the tunnel, another news item catches our eye; that of a privileged person getting permission from one of the administrative authorities to take his family members and friends to a hill station, despite prohibitory orders. Apparently, there was an entourage of 23 people all along for the ride. The gentleman in question has been named as an accused in a legal wrangle, and yet, his privileges obviously override his scruples. The good news is that he has been detained and booked under Section 188, for violating the rules of the lockdown.

 Ultimately, what remains in the collective consciousness is the fact that, at a juncture like this when being safe is the priority, a few should not be allowed to break out and endanger others around them. Strict, punitive measures have to be taken against those who do so for they are public nuisances and should be treated as such. Cardinal Richelieu, the man who turned France into a strong centralized state under the reign of King Louis XIII, couldn’t have said it better.

“Harshness towards individuals who flout the laws and commands of state is for the public good; no greater crime against the public interest is possible than to show leniency to those who violate it.”