JOIN USIndia needs citizens to unite in support more than ever
As India celebrates its 74th Independence Day, it is grappling with daunting problems. Although the country has travelled a long distance from days of British colonial subjugation to a position of global prominence today as an independent nation, it could be argued that never before has India welcomed August 15 while trying to cross so many stumbling blocks. India appears to be struggling like Abhimanyu, the mythical character from Mahabharata, inside a modern-day Chakravyuha.
The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the world, and India is no exception. India's first Covid-19 case was reported on January 30, 2020 in Kerala. Since then, the number of cases has risen exponentially to cross the 25-lakh mark. The tally of positive cases has propelled India to occupy the undesirous third position in the list of coronavirus-affected countries, only behind the United States and Brazil.
The relentless increase in the daily number of cases has pushed the country on the backfoot and brought life to a standstill. The Centre along with the state governments has implemented phased lockdowns in a bid to curb the outbreak and also maintain the flow of economic activities, for the pandemic has dealt a crushing blow to the country's economy. Livelihoods of the poorer sections have suffered, and the mass exodus of migrant labourers during the initial phases of lockdown highlighted their pitiful condition. In a ray of hope, the tally of recovered Covid-19 cases in India has surpassed the total number of active cases by a fair margin.
But as the saying goes, troubles don't come alone. As if the coronavirus pandemic and economic setback were not enough, China added to the misery. On June 15, twenty Indian Army soldiers were martyred in combat with the Chinese Army (People's Liberation Army) in the Galwan Valley. The incident once again brought to the fore China’s aggression along the Line of Actual Control, a topic of dispute since the 1962 Indo-China war.
There have been numerous disengagement talks between diplomats of the two sides, but the stand-off between the two armies has not ceased to exist. Amid this chaos, Nepal too decided to change its map. The new map shows the Kalapani area along with Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand as its own. The inclusion of Indian territories in its map triggered tension between the neighbouring countries. And Pakistan has continued to shell mortars across the Line of Control, injuring civilians and inducing the Indian Army to give a reply.
Floods have also appeared on the list of problems in states such as Assam, Bihar and Karnataka affecting lakhs of people, taking a toll on livelihoods, destroying farmland and in some places claiming lives. In Assam the death toll from the floods stands at 110 and over 60 lives were lost in a devastating landslide in Kerala's Idukki district.
Do all these incidents mean that like Abhimanyu, India will not be able to break through the circular, maze-battle formation of the Chakravyuha?
To take the metaphor of sport, in any game, the supporters play the role of an extra player, boosting their teams' morale during a crisis. Likewise, India's citizens need to put their faith in the country and will it to emerge from its troubles. All political and civil society voices at this point must be cognisant of this imperative and encourage an attitude of cooperation among the citizenry about the larger goal of helping India tide over difficult times. Only the unfailing support and united effort of people will be able to help India overcome these difficult situations. On this Independence Day, such an attitude would be the most fitting tribute to the Tricolour and help it flutter proudly in the years to come.