COVID-19 Pandemic - Who Is Really Fighting?

One look at a straight line from my balcony discloses a gathering of people before a couple of shops that includes a chicken shop, a Kirana store and a kabaadi shop. This scene has not changed from day one of lockdown. We thought why are they not following the rules? Should we report to the police? Gradually, with every passing day we realized that the boys working in the kabaadi store, stayed there after working hours. The same applies to the boys working at the chicken shop and Kirana store. They are not crowding. All they do is step out of their homes, and that becomes a crowd for us.

Crowded isn't it? The mandis and local stores? Well! the fact to be noticed here is that most of this crowd does not have a two-room space to stay. The shout outs to stay at home does not go down the same way with everyone. The difference lies in the meaning of roads, which is a home to some and a space to stray for many.

Apart from the disastrous impact, COVID-19 is highlighting the community of unregistered laborers that live without a postal address. It's worth acknowledging that the greater fight lies among these labor class and in the corridors of the slum, where the existence cannot be separated from unity. There is nothing like admiring nature and spending quality time with family that can keep them indoor. Though their means of livelihood seizes to exist, the constant chatter with the next door occupants is what keeps them alive. It is difficult to even wonder about maintaining a physical distance between the numerous Indian citizens lining up to use common toilets and bathrooms. The real question here is if we can throw such a challenge to them.

In a densely populated country like India, can we actually survive a pandemic that spreads with close contact and touch? Because for this we need boundaries. Boundaries that can interfere, refrain and separate. The greater challenge ahead of us is not about people following lockdown. It is about the space that one needs to lockdown for a consecutive number of days.

The nation-wide clapping and diya celebrations to honor the people serving during this pandemic have highlighted the capacity of our citizens across every race and economic class to understand the severity of the situation. The truth is that no one wants to die. And the question is what should these people do?

Isn't it really amazing that all we can do is keep our doors shut and rely on these daily wage workers to fight the fight? If we contain the spread of COVID-19 in the coming months, we have to agree that it will be a sign of victory of the lower economic strata which is taking much more effort than keeping the doors of their houses shut. Once the corona virus transfers from the foreign returns to the common man, it will be up to that very common man to stop the spread. It is now, after the extension of lockdown, the real fight against COVID-19 begins.