The Seesaw of Stupidity

I don’t often talk publicly about politics, politicians or the dramas unfolding around them. It’s not because I don’t have solid views or don’t like a debate, but it’s because I like my peace of mind and if you go verbal on social about any such issues, there’s polarity (which is great), constant trolling (which can be entertaining) and threat messages (which is shameful and disturbing).

Also, I have better things to do in life than indulge some nincompoops on educated issues that they’re surely not going to give even a remote hearing to. 

But over the past year or so — ever since COVID amputated the usual way of life, more for the societal worse than environmental good — we’ve all been shown time and over again that India’s political pillars and their brainless devotees have derailed the country into the pits of hopelessness. 

Be mindful that I am not only talking about the government in power, but all the political parties and so-called social movements.

Last year, there were countless debates about how the pandemic situation in India could’ve been handled better. On the other hand the world hailed India’s position and efforts in containing the spread. Great.  

But there were rubble activities too — from banging Thalis and chanting ‘Go Corona Go’ to performing ‘Ras-Garba’ and urging public to drink cow urine (which was confidently debunked as having no good effects in combating Coronavirus at all). 

I won’t dwell on and rant about those things any more, but what’s going on in this rapid revival of the spread is simply appalling beyond comprehension! 

You don’t even have to look with a piercing microscope. There are political rallies being organised and people being appreciated for making them successes. The public is being urged to turn up and vote in record numbers.  Holi celebrations and the Kumbh Mela — don’t even get me started on that. 

And after everyone’s done doing all the damage, there’s a simple tweet of redemption which requests the country-folks to take the spiking COVID cases very seriously. How stupid, bizarre, myopic and irresponsible can the powers that be, be? 

It’s a proven fact that impositions have worked. When one man could shut the entire country down in a day, could there not have been a directive that rallies (or elections for that matter) be postponed? Or that the religious communal bathing be suspended? 

But then it all comes rolling down to how India’s political society really thinks and drives the communities. 

Keep the religious sentiments satisfied — irrespective of how it’ll cripple the medical infrastructure — and you’ve gained words of praise and support of a culturally and religiously influential group. 

Promise a bright tomorrow if you come / come back into power through energetic speeches and the media blow-up on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp will ensure that you’re in the minds of the people for some time. Spread of COVID? Who the hell cares if people die! You’ve won the game of ‘Mine was Bigger’. 

Do you know the most sadistic thing? There are some political leaders in MP who stopped a tanker carrying 30 tonnes of oxygen. Want to guess the reason for that? They wanted to perform ‘puja’. 

More to the point — they wanted to get clicked performing the puja so that they could make it into the news and be appreciated for their actions of calling for the blessings of the Gods on that vehicle. I can’t even begin to imagine what their children would be thinking of them at this moment. 

It’s tragic that when the entire nation is being impaired at a pace no one could even imagine, our elected leaders are busy making this a political seesaw. 

How will the country run; the economy sustain? The world altered its ways and organisations realised that work-from-home wasn’t merely a glorified HR concept, but a good enough solution. Even the industries that can’t operate with remote directions figured out innovative solutions. So if you think that can’t happen again, you want yourself to live in denial. 

I’m not in any way suggesting that common people — citizens of the country — are not responsible for this spread. Walk out and you still see folks moving about in public spaces without masks on or some going ahead with their celebrations. It is idiotic.

There are great many learnings that we can implement in our structures — political, economic and social. There are great many realisations to be had. If they are wrong, so are we. As a collective, we — the people of India — should be better than what we are, because we’re miserable in our current state of blinded following.

At the moment, above all else, there’s a desperate need for compassionate leadership and practical solutions. Dear people of New Zealand, could we please borrow Jacinda Ardern to lead our country for a few years? 

Image Credit: Adam Nieścioruk, Unsplash