Atir Khan

The enemy is at the gates and the world is watching us. Covid has returned with much more fury, all eyes now are on how Indians are grappling with the monster. On a philosophical note, the return of the pandemic appears to be some sort of divine intervention for India to unite.

Noted author Gurcharan Das in a recent interview said if Covid cannot unite Indian people nobody can. One couldn’t agree more with this point of view. Grappling with Covid is not just the test of good governance; it’s also a test of India as a nation. We have a common enemy.  

There could be no better time to change the world perception in an era of hatred. India is being perceived as a nation where religious divisiveness has taken deep root. However, this is the chance to change this perception into a country of love and care for fellow citizens.

We did a fantastic job sharing vaccines in the needy countries. This has gone down very well among the world community, which also expressed its gratitude for the grand gesture.  The pandemic has shown humanity is the only champion and only it can save you.

It’s like we are in an acrobatic motorcycle stunt cage, which we used to watch in a circus during our childhood. The stunt man had to ride in the cage to earn his living but at the same time, he put his life at risk to survive. Indians are also trapped in the Covid cage and humanity holds the key to unlock it.

We defeated the first Covid wave with our concerted efforts but then we let our guards down. And here we are sitting in a lockdown. The lockdown has brought with it concerns of survival, it has also brought in some nostalgia, of remembering good old times when all was well.

 Social media is abuzz with childhood memories of people. You will find people in groups remembering books like Ruskin Bond’s Room on the Roof and K R Narayan’s Malgudi Days. People are also discussing films they watched when they were children such as Dead Poets Society, Ben-Hur and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Whatever time people are getting out of working from home schedules, they are listening to memorable Hindi film songs of Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi. Then there are others who like listening to bhajans and sufi music.  

Going Back to Roots

In Hindi social media groups one can find people discussing renowned Hindi authors such as Munshi Prem Chand, Mahadevi Verma, Amrita Pritam, Jayshankar Prasad and many more. Similarly, Urdu social media is abuzz with renowned Urdu poets like Ghalib, Rahat Indori, Khumar Barabanki and others. Urdu knowing people are also reading forgotten spy novels of Ibn-e-Safi.  These are all memories of collective consciousness with which we have grown up in this country, we should be proud of it.

We are remembering things that gave us values and appealed to our senses in our childhood.  With those memories comes the realisation that we live in a beautiful country that allows us to do or be what we want to be. At least I cannot think of another place where I wish to spend the rest of my life.  

Interestingly in the first Covid wave we saw Indians were introspecting and this had opened floodgates of charity and concern for those who needed help. Irrespective of caste or religion people came together to help all Indians in need.  

Civil society played its role so wonderfully that the first wave of Covid was defeated with flying colours. While the service of religious groups was commendable, there were personalities, who with their extraordinary efforts became cult figures.

Take the example of  Sonu Sood, a Mumbai film actor, whose great job in helping migrant workers reach their homes became legendary. Today he has become a poster boy. In a lighter vein perhaps if he contests elections, he stands a good chance of winning.

There is abundant care and concern for fellow citizens when you look around. Recently Sonu Rastogi, a resident of Bijnaur in Uttar Pradesh on his birthday left the celebrations and donated blood to save a Muslim woman’s life.  Similarly in Udaipur Rajasthan 32-year-old Aquil Mansori was fasting when he heard that Nirmala and Alka, two women urgently required plasma. Their blood group was 'A' positive. Aquil, who had already donated his plasma, on hearing the life of two women was in danger rushed to the hospital. Doctors refused to accept his plasma as he was fasting during Ramzan. Aquil had no choice but to break his fast so that he could donate the plasma. He said saving lives was more important than fasting and moreover, Islam teaches to help people in need.  

Of late and rightly so a few political parties have come under heavy criticism of giving priority to winning elections rather than the spread of Covid. India being a democracy is rich in its diversity, culture, religion and heritage.  In spite of all the differences, it has withstood natural and manmade calamities and has stood the test of time as a nation. While world democracies were rattled in the face of adversity, the existence of India as a nation remains a marvel for the world.

During the crisis Opposition parties have been doing their job by red-flagging their concerns. Those in Opposition also know it is easy to give suggestions, they are easier said than done. Had they been in power they would have faced similar criticism in the face of the pandemic. India is a land of free advice. But on a serious note, the need of the hour is that all political parties should mobilise their cadres to save the nation rather than thinking about winning elections. They must use this opportunity to help and unite people.

The point is that all Indians will have to show the same courage and magnanimity as they showed in battling the first wave of Covid. We need many more Sonus and Aquils to save our nation. But before helping others people should also take care of themselves and ensure they follow all Covid protocols. As they say when you board a flight in case of oxygen scarcity during the flight, before helping others please wear your masks.