Has COVID -10 pandemic exposed fault lines in Neo-Liberal Economic Policies that we are passionately pursuing?
The coronavirus that is responsible for COVID -19 also highlights the shortcomings of the neoliberal economy where the government is left with only issuing guidelines and citizens are expected to bear the responsibility of avoiding and treating the virus themselves. Certainly, the common people cannot be satisfied to hear that ‘this virus is fatal only to the elderly, malnourished and sick people’ and the death rate of COVID in India is only 3%’. It is important to note that those affected by COVID- 19 are not just workers who walked barefoot on the streets of metros fearing hunger, thirst, sickness and uncertain future but also the self-proclaimed rich. The enchanted middle class is also not unaffected by the disaster as the report of suicides due to financial distress and depression are increasing day by day.
How can this corona disaster be turned into an opportunity?
Prime Minister has spoken of turning this disaster into an opportunity. Look at the history back. The plague of the 14th-century plague in Europe which is known as ‘Black Death’ was turned into an opportunity. It is estimated that millions of people lost their lives in this, but this incident reduced the influence of the Church on the governments of Europe and a new era was started. In contemporary responsible India, we can meaningfully invest in science and technology, not in religious rituals. By investing in science and technology, these problems will end and life will return to the old pattern. Only then the masses in the great depression will dream of a happy life again. Let us create a responsible youth force who can jolt the system out of slumber.