Huge Risk Due To The Maha Kumbh
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-04-16 08:04:37
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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
It was a huge mistake on part of the government to allow the holding of the Maha Kumbh in Haridwar this year even as the second wave of the pandemic raged across India. To be fair to the government, the nod must have been given when the second wave had not hit. But once it became known that cases were multiplying exponentially, it should not have allowed more than 10 lakh people to take the shahi snans in April on several days. In contrast, the 10000 people who were said to have gathered at the Tablighi Jamat one year back and were said to have spread the virus in India, pale into insignificance. Yet, the government, and a section of the media, was quick to denounce the Jamat.
The fallout of the Maha Kumbh is going to be massive - already thousands have tested positive in the random tests being conducted there. As per reports, only 17000 or 18000 tests were being conducted daily which was grossly inadequate for such a huge gathering. These pilgrims, many of whom might have been infected but not tested, will now go back home and might infect many others on their way back and then in the cities where they reside. The administration in Haridwar is not equipped to check or prevent this. Since these pilgrims have come to Haridwar from all over India, the danger is to the whole country.
The Maha Kumbh is held in Haridwar once every twelve years and has huge religious significance for the Hindus, but in times of health emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic, the first priority should be public health. All other considerations, including religious, should be ignored. The government was wrong in granting the permission and it was wrong in allowing the mela to continue even as cases continued to rise. The pilgrims took a huge risk in attending it. But now, as a consideration to fellow citizens, all pilgrims must get Covid tests done on reaching their destinations and isolate themselves for 14 days as a matter of due diligence even if they test negative.
pic courtesy: zeenews.com
