Observing the 10th Foundation Day of the proscribed umbrella organisation Coordination Committee (CorCom) which falls on Thursday, the Committee sent its warm greetings to the revolutionary groups operating in ‘WESEA’ region and Manipur, and the general public.
CorCom offered prayers to the ones who have passed away due to COVID-19 and shares the grief of the bereaved family and friends, CorCom stated in a release issued by its publicity committee on Wednesday.
In battle against the global pandemic COVID-19, which has ravaged across the world, many frontline health workers such as doctors and nurses have lost their lives in leading the fight while many more continue to get infected by the virus. CorCom commends all the health workers who have put themselves at risk in order to protect their families, leaving everyone behind so that they may continue upholding their duties 24/7 and carry forward the mission to save mankind. Their great efforts, their firm determinations and sacrifices shall be written down in golden ink on the annals of Manipur’s history, the release stated.
Not only for Manipur, CorCom is deeply aggrieved by the sufferings faced by Manipur’s neighbouring country Myanmar due to COVID-19 and hopes that the pandemic will be controlled soon and a new era of harmony and peace will be ushered in, it added.
Although Manipur is suffering like the rest of the world due to COVID-19, the effects of the pandemic are multifold as it exists as a colony of India and suffers from many disadvantages in terms of economy and health. Unable to control the pandemic, Manipur has lost many renowned figures among many youths and children, while the rest stare at an uncertain future between life and death, CorCom stated.
In truth, this was a direct result of the Indian government’s recklessness and indifference towards the suffering public, and all the missteps it had undertaken, it mentioned. Had it taken the right precautions and measures when the reports of the pandemic came to light in December, 2019, the prevailing situation could have been avoided, it added. The pandemic had subsided by the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021.
Europe started taking intense measures to produce vaccines and improve their health infrastructure at the period, CorCom stated. On the contrary, India was busy spreading propaganda on international media that it had defeated COVID-19 under the leadership of Narendra Modi. However, more than 4 lakh people were killed by June after the second wave hit the Country, CorCom stated. Since the deaths were caused by the government, the real figures of the numbers of fatalities had been kept hidden, it added.
Certain media reported that real numbers are six times higher in some states. Unable to give proper rituals by the poor, the bodies were discarded into the Ganga river where corpses were seen floating on the water, and this has been reported by the media, it added.
The Indian government did not ensure treatment at government hospitals for all and compensations were paid only when the Supreme Court issued orders, CorCom stated.
The pandemic has caused a major economic crisis in the globe, and it is fuelling the price hike of essential items. Loss of Jobs and unemployment has caused untold miseries upon many. The worst affected are the students as the educational institutions are closed down, CorCom mentioned. This has disrupted the academic atmosphere and mentally affected the youths as well as the children. Online classes may provide the sole means to disseminate education but they are meant only for the privileged sections, it added.
In Manipur, more than 1,200 people have died so far due to Covid. The Health authorities had announced that a total of 19.85 lakh will need to be vaccinated in the state and aims to reach the target by December 31. But considering the slow pace the vaccinations are being given, it is highly unlikely that the target will be reached, CorCom stated. The second wave was predicted to arrive around September-October but the new Delta Variant already accelerated the spread of the virus, and posed a huge threat to all.
WHO had continually stressed that vaccination alone cannot defeat the pandemic as health infrastructure also needs to be strengthened, it stated.
The United States had devoted 17 per cent of its GDP to Health Infrastructure but it was still left completely overwhelmed by COVID-19. Therefore, the claims made by India, which devotes only 1.26 per cent of its GDP to health infrastructure, that it is fully prepared to tackle the third wave, is an act of fooling the public, it added.
“What we can do is expect the worst and get ourselves prepared to face the outcome. The public should not buy the claims that there is no need to panic as no worst case scenarios will take place. These are all lies made by those who cannot think,” the release stated.
CorCom further stated that while experts are being sent from Delhi to take stock of the Covid situation in Manipur as it is reportedly among the six worst affected states, the state BJP leaders are claiming that the situation is now improved, and also breaking the SOPs to start election campaigns.
“In such a critical juncture, the people of Manipur should not allow themselves to get swayed by elections. If we let our guard down and do not take up precautions at the right time, then we will face the worst scenarios ahead. This election cannot decide our fates and our future,” it added.
It continued that this election is a trap that will keep the public in shackles. Instead of falling into a trap, the public must turn towards the means and resources to ensure a better future by collectively fighting COVID-19, it added.
