VSK TN
The last one week witnessed massive increase in Corona +ve cases in Tamil Nadu, Chennai city in particular. Low death and high recovery rates are encouragingly much above national average. But the well intended section of the state have apprehensions that the move to relax controls, already implemented and likely relaxations to be announced from June 8, may derail the efforts, put in by the society from the second week of March.
Japan has controlled the Covid 19 menace without lock down. No or strict order of the government achieved this. Only by the self discipline of the people. Even during normal times Japanese use masks. When a Japanese catches a cold he/she wears a mask in public places. During the corona crisis every Japanese maintained social distancing, personal hygiene voluntarily. All the government did was to declare Emergency to curb international travel in and out of the country. Here in India the “ Janata Curfew”, on March 22 announced by PM. Shri. Modi, had overwhelming support and the subsequent total lock-down 1,2,3, and 4 were successful. It would have been a total success like Japan , had not the two sections of the society that enjoys more freedom/privileges , were adamant to continue group prayers , disregarded social distancing , knowing well the consequences.
Two days back the Chief Secretary, TN government convened a meeting of Religious heads/leaders to discuss the request to open the places of worship from March 8. The Chief Secretary blatantly ignored the majority community in the “invite” to the meeting. The majority community prefers to pray from homes , in the interest of the whole state/nation , but the minorities are hell bent on group praying only. There are authentic reports in Madurai , Tiruppur, etc., they have already started regular prayers flouting lock-down guideline. There were reports from south TN of people traveling in buses, jam packed, flouting the guidelines.
The administration during the lock-down era too , as usual, was lenient to minorities in enforcing the law. The opening of the places of worship , it feared , may derail the disciplined efforts of crores of people in containing the pandemic. Who will make them understand by cooperating in the fight against corona? The TV channels have miserably failed in effectively telling people about the fatal danger involved in ditching social distancing. They stop with dishing out the daily statistics bulletin of the health department. Had they applied their mind, they could have driven home the fact that anyone flouting social distancing commits a crime amounting to murder. Do they have the imagination to do such things?