Untouchability has returned. This time in a smarter way, in the guise of new avatar of "social distancing" having strong backing of both those who rule and those who are ruled and having strong sanction of middle-up class andbgovts of the world. This time social distancing is being taught as a remedy for saving the mankind from an invisible virus named Noval Corona Virus and population all over the world is trying to get by heart the lesson of social distancing as soon as possible.
U may wonder why in this hour of crisis when the entire medical fraternity throughout the world is prescribing the social distancing as the first and foremost medicine to prevent the draconian spread of COVID 19 I'm telling so insane things, u may consider me either a fool or ignorant of the global development or a devil wishing for demise of mankind. Yes I know u are trained to think so, u r trained to think that anyone who has some questions for establishments is a wrong person whose existence is a danger to world civilization. But sorry, u r trained in a defective way. Why I'm appearing so arrogant in my attitude? U will find answer to ur question in the following paragraphs.
Have u knowledge of the system of untouchability prevalent in all parts of india from ancient to modern times? Have u knowledge that the system of untouchability was a major tool for ensuring the rule of upper caste and sanskritized middle caste? Certain sections of the society were stigmatized religiously, their contacts were considered viceful and any physical contact with such sections was seen as infectious for the very existence of religion and also of power. Interestingly this entire untouchable section consisted of service class providing menial labour to upper and sanskritized middle castes, the entire comfort , luxury and basic needs of these two sections were being ensured by the menial labour of this untouchable section . Still they were deprived of any social or political right. Their social proximity with the two privileged sections was completely denied though their existence was preserved to provide all needs and comforts to the privileged section. Their social distancing was ensured by the then powerful castes to preserve social, economic and political power of that section which pretended to be intellectual of that time. In a nut shell social distancing was the crux of untouchability.
And this was not confined to Hindu society only. Slavery in the other parts of the world was also founded on the basis of social distancing. Slaves were denied access to social, economic and political rights and they were tool to ensure political , economic and social power of the respective ruling classes of the world. In both these systems of untouchability and slavery a certain section of society was forced to observe social distancing for the continued existence of political class of the time.
Now we are returning to our original question of social distancing in this age of coronavirus.The phrase was shrewdly coined to exploit the grim consequences of COVID19. We all know the disease caused by the corona virus is too much contagious , spreading very easily and very swiftly with minimum physical contact, and even when we are in proximity of an infected carrier. This necessiates a prescribed physical distance from the carrier. The worst part is that in most of the cases carriers themselves donot know they are suffering from the disease. This makes the entire population vulnarable. Under the circumstances physical distancing is a pre requisite to prevent the spread of the disease.
And this situation has been being very intelligently and rather shamelessly and shrewdly exploited. All govts remain afraid of people's awareness. Govts are constantly searching opportunity to separate masses from each other. The basic character of govts all over the world is to keep awareness level at the minimum. Collectivism is always a threat to power. Rich and powerful never want to see rank and file united as in this case there is every probabilty that people may unite to oppose the rich and powerful for their misdeeds. Tthen powerful may be unseated, the rich may be divested of their wealth. Workers may ask for better dividends, political opponents may overthrow those who are in the power, priveliged may be deprived of their shares. Collectivism is always a threat to power.
In this era of corona politicians and the rich have found a much saught for opportunity to devide people. Fear of corona has already losened the social bond among the people in their respective societies. Powerful and rich community has started popularising the term "social distancing" in place of "physical distancing" . Social distancing enables the rich and the powerful to disunite people in a society. A disunited society can not be a threat to any powerful and rich establishment.
And the consequence of this propaganda of social distancing has started producing results. Corona has found communal buyers. Muslims are being branded as corona carrier for all wrong reasons of terrorist agenda. The country has easily forgotten their contribution to the national economy by way of influx of foreign currency from the gulf countries. Muslims, and also hindus are working in gulf countries and in this way they have been contributing to our GDP. But this has easily be forgotten and it has been being advertised that indian muslims working in gulf countries are doing terrorist act by spreading corona virus in India and this is wilfully being done by concealing the fact that in India Corona virus has not only come with muslims from gulf countries, this virus had also come in India from other parts of the world, the US, Europe, China etc. And carriers have been of all religions and of various nationalities. But who cares this? This is the age of social distancing and in the name of social distancing those religious groups which are not suited to the people in power are being socially distanced. See also other factions. Without any data we can safely say about 70 to 80 percent of Indian population is poor for all practical purposes and a large share of the poor Indians are migrants within their own country. And that for economic reasons only. Indian poor travel to far flung areas , alien to their culture, language,and food habits only in search of some job to feed their families. And they afford only unreaseved seats in Trains. But see what happened actually. Trains were being cancelled even before The Janta Curfew and it was done abrubltly and suddenly without even 24 hr prior notice. In fact IndianRailways Lockdown was started by the Indian Govt from the night of 21st March, almost 12 hr before The Janta Curfew and it was extended first to 31st March and latter to 14th April. Due to total lockdown from 25th production activities seized to operate throghout the country and lakhs of workers become jobless in one stroke. Govt was benevolent to factory owners and businessmen who provide jobs to these workers by not compelling them to provide advance salary and protective articles like mask etc. to their workers. Workers lost their job in the middle of the month but no mandatory provision was made by the govt to compel the owners to provide salary compulsorly before the month end. Bereft of their job with no money in hand workers were forced to leave their work place with empty pocket and empty stomach with the certainty that no trains were available . And we witnessed the most disgraceful scenes of bulk predesterians on Indian roads. Our great PM was silent observer , if he was even observing. In one stroke in the name of social distancing a large section of society was segregated from the affluent and well off sections easily. If your memory is not fragile u can easily recollect that on the one hand trains were cancelled even before total locklown by a simple one line notice and air transport was given 24 hr prior notice for its closure and that notice was given non other than the PM himself and that too on National Television which telecast was well advertised. Affluents were given safe passage whereas workers were treated in the most inhuman ways which stories are still floating even today. This is economic distancing in the name of social distancing. In one go party in power has ensured political and financial support from the middle and upper class , by distancing these classes from the working class.
And today minorities and and the poor are branded as ambassadors of corona by the the political class. Here the "social distancing " is a tool for ensuring segregation of one social group from another. And by this tool the party and groups in power are ensuring all out support of affluent and middle class by creating rift between owner and worker, affluent plus middle and lower and by pitching one section against the other. This is a new rule of untouchability.
In reality, we need physical distancing in a close social net to ensure prevention of COVID19. Be physically separated, be safe.