Total Mockery by Politicians in Terms of Following COVID-19 Guidelines & Social Distancing

Total Mockery by Politicians in Terms of Following COVID-19 Guidelines & Social Distancing

 Mangaluru: Seems like “We Don’t Practice What We Preach” kind of attitude here, with our elected politicians, who think that they can do according to their WIL and WISH. Even as authorities advise us against assembling at crowded places owing to the COVID-19 scare, we see leaders from BJP and also Congress violating COVID-19 guidelines, including SOCIAL DISTANCING. With the Central and State governments gone to the extent of invoking the Epidemic Disease Act to curb the spread of the highly transmittable coronavirus (COVID-19), our Netas, including MP, Ministers, MLA’s seem to have thrown caution to the wind.

With the palpable sense of fear sweeping across the country, our careless politicians are found violating the directives and defying the recommended practices amidst the coronavirus scare. The defiance of government advisories by prominent personalities belonging to different fields has drawn a sharp reaction from concerned Citizens here in Mangaluru, who castigated the public figures for setting a wrong example for their followers and taking a pandemic that has so far claimed many lives lightly.

Negligence of political leaders in terms of following social distancing and self-quarantine can lead to a much bigger threat to the community amid deadly coronavirus outspread. Look at the photos in this report there is no strictness, whatsoever, over social distancing at their meeting or celebration. Even though we saw Clapping to Slapping, for that matter, India under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi did everything other than social distancing this week.

When PM Modi imposed a lockdown to flatten the coronavirus curve, little did he know how difficult social distancing would be for Indians, including our Mangaloreans? Recently, we saw ‘corona festivals’, police slapping those out on the road during COVID-19 lockdown, Apartment associations in groups clanging plates together and clapping at 5 pm, jostling at grocery stores right after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech and helpless migrant workers trying to get home cramped in container trucks. We saw on Sunday, citizens lighting candles, diyas, etc- but What was missing in all these instances? Social distancing — the very reason Modi had opted for a lockdown. And it’s not just the citizens, even our elected leaders who stress on us to follow social distance, themselves are violating the norms. How about that?

Yes, Social distancing is a strategy that has been implemented in the coronavirus pandemic in order to flatten the curve. Like it or hate it, until a vaccine is developed, social distancing is the way to curb coronavirus. But how far is social distancing followed is the question, which is hard to answer- and our politicians may not even have the answer when they themselves are breaking the rules. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned it in his speech, asking people to follow a strict ‘Janata curfew’ on 22 March, but the disdain for rules was so high that some people hit the streets shouting, “Go Corona Go” in hoards when asked to stay indoors. Others congregated on balconies and roads to clang plates. Even the governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Vala, banged thaalis to thank health and front line workers, surrounded by at least 50 people, flouting the call for social distancing. Bah humbug!

Another problem in the way of social distancing is the planning in our City. Every nook and corner, govt hostels and govt schools have been utilized to accommodate people, making areas densely populated. Social distancing is impractical for those living in slums and crowded areas. Understanding the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic, some organizations took the call for social distancing seriously. The result is that offices have adopted work-from-home with most organizations are urging their employees to avoid travel and stay indoors. But when citizens are taking a serious note of social distancing, we see our politicians flouting such guidelines.

Just look at the photos, a celebration that took place in Moodbidri commemorating BJP’s Formation Day, where the chief guest was MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, along with other BJP honchos, namely MLA UmanathKotian, BJP leaders Sudarshan M, Sunil Alva, Gopal Shettigar, Keshava Karkera, among others- did anyone of them followed SOCIAL DISTANCING- you be the answer? And in yet another instance, during a food and cheque distribution programme, where MLA U T Khader, Ex-MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ivan D’Souza, Congress leader Harish Kumar among others were present, did anyone think of Social Distancing- You be the answer? Also, hardly anyone was wearing a face mask either. Even at the BJP or Congress meetings, there is absolutely no social distancing followed, where they sit close to each other on the dais.

In conclusion, all I have to say, Embracing SOCIAL DISTANCING seems to be India’s only option now if we want to flatten the curve- but that’s not been taken seriously by citizens of India, and above all, even by OUR ELECTED NETAS aka POLITICIANS? What a SHAME!