Dark Underbelly Of Indian 'Netas' Exposed, As Odisha Struggles To Stop Deadly Mutants From WB

By D N Singh  The dark underbelly of our system has been exposed. No amount of meetings or discourses can repair the grievous damage. Some patients battling with Covid have died due to lack of oxygen in the hospitals, is just a shame on the face of people who otherwise think of themselves as Messiahs of people.  Ingress Of Variants From WB To Odisha  Not to go far. See what looms on Odisha from its neighbouring state West Bengal? Which has gone through a metamorphic impact of contagion by over months-long election campaigns in which leaders from all political parties have to have a share of the blame for exacerbating the risk through series of rallies, roadshows, and public meetings in complete disregard to the menace of the surging virus.  Odisha At Receiving End  Who can stop the most dangerous 'triple mutant variant ' gushing into Odisha through several loopholes from WB into Odisha?  No amount of strict measures can create a watertight barrier to stop the people from coming in.  And who is the creator of such contagion in WB? The 'netas ' now would never recall their irresistible craze for votes for which they demolished all the scruples to resist the political greed for votes.  Odisha has been at the receiving end as huge number of people of Odisha are trickling into Odisha through all available inlets from there. And they cannot be ignored as potential spreaders of the disease in Odisha which so far has not faced the threat of Corona that much. EC's Shocking Disregard! What is equally shocking was the compulsive silence of the Election Commission virtually closing its eyes to what was happening down there.  Now also the EC has given a nod for the rest of the campaigns only restricting the people to 500 in rallies. Why so? At a time when the country passes through an unprecedented danger from the spread of the virus and thousands are nearly counting their breath due to the oxygen crisis,  how can the EC allow election rallies with, say, 100 people even!  Court Orders Given Bypass And these are being allowed in spite of concerns and rulings given by many high courts and the country's Supreme Court has described the situation as no less than a "national emergency " like situation and sought the political dispensations in India their due indulgence. Even Uttar Pradesh has shown the audacity not to impose lockdown in five major districts in the state despite the Allahabad High Court directive. No Fear Of Corona But Oxygen Shortage  There in Delhi and adjoining areas shortage of oxygen has completely exposed the political shortsightedness of our leaders. While hundreds of Covid patients are breathing through the mouths as oxygen cylinders' availability has become a common feature all over.  Somewhere there is a feeling that people are not worried about the Coronavirus but the oxygen shortage has become a real killer in the waiting.  Caught All Napping  These are the measures the government should have got up to months before when footfalls of the second wave were audible.  But politics of power consumed foresight and now people have to console themselves with the assurances only.  In this climate of catastrophe also the campaigns in WB would go on! Can there be a worse paradox?  About the Author: DN Singh is a Bhubaneswar-based senior journalist. DISCLAIMER This is the personal opinion of the author. The views expressed in this write up have nothing to do with the www.prameyanews.com