Invisible onslaught of the Coronavirus pandemic

Masked citizens at a Dadar market in March. File pic

The novel Coronavirus pandemic has claimed several lakh lives since last March. We know the number of deceased through a government mechanism, but we hardly get to know the deaths that the disease has caused indirectly. One such case, a representative of the Covid-19's ‘invisible' onslaught has been reported from Pune's Hadapsar, where a 24-year-old Swapnil Lonkar, who aspired to be a government officer, ended his life because the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) did not conduct interviews of him (and several hundred others) despite clearing the qualifying exams. Swapnil would have been alive today if the MPSC had completed the recruitment. His death is a harbinger of despair for the young generation and comes ahead of a formality-like, two-day Monsoon session of the legislature, that we don't think will debate this with seriousness.

"If Corona wasn't there, my life could have been different," wrote Lonkar in his suicide note. "MPSC is mayajaal (a web of illusion). Don't go for it. With every passing day you get older and pressure on you mounts. You start losing confidence and begin to doubt yourself. I had taken a huge debt in anticipation of securing an officer's job, but I cannot service the loan doing a private job," he said further, adding that he had passed the qualifying exams two years ago and "yet find myself doing nothing to fulfil the family's expectations. I'm not scared but feel I'm lacking something. There is nothing that could help my life start afresh. I don't blame anyone. If possible please pass this (message) on to others."

Yesterday, it was someone else who did not leave a suicide note behind. Today, it is Swapnil who chose to tell his story to advise his brethren on the cut-throat arena of civil service exams. Tomorrow, it could be some other person. Their stories will have common factors of policy flaws, the indecisiveness of babus and their political bosses.

The MVA government could have explored ways other than conventional ones of recruiting officers and other employees, instead of postponing the exams and stalling the process in the name of the pandemic. In fact, there are many youths who have been selected for the interview (the last stage) but haven't been given appointments yet. Swapnil was among the 21 lakh who are registered for appearing for various MPSC exams. We are told the MPSC doesn't have the strength to even handle normal circumstances, forget about managing a crisis.

About turn or ‘right' turn?

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Samyukta Kisan Morcha, that are part of the ongoing farmers' agitation at the border of Delhi, aren't happy with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, which they thought was a friendly one, because the three-party alliance has decided to amend the three farm laws enacted by the Centre, instead of repealing them, as promised. "All the three parties in the ruling MVA government in Maharashtra have, from time to time, expressed support for the farmers' movement. Now that the farmers' fight against these laws has come to a decisive turn, the government comprising these parties needs to take a firm and clear stand by passing a resolution in the state legislature against the central Farm Acts," said a statement released by the coordination committee.

Ahead of the two-day Monsoon session, the committee says the MVA government is trying to bring new farm laws in Maharashtra by making some changes to the controversial farm laws. "However, making amendments to the draft of the central laws will not change the purpose behind the enactment of laws nor will it change the anti-farmer and corporate character of the laws. Keeping in mind the expectations of farmers' organisations, the state government should not rush into enacting farm laws in the state on the lines of the Centre."

Sources in the government said the amendments proposed by a group of ministers led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will ensure the farmers' interest. It ensures a minimum support price, though the Centre's Act does not have any such provision. It provides for a three-year jail term for those who cheat farmers and has stringent conditions for trading by making a government permit mandatory against the Centre's provision that anyone with a PAN card can purchase produce from farmers. It would be interesting to see if the MVA brings up the draft bill for the legislature's approval on Monday or Tuesday.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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