With as much love and respect for Lord Ganesh as others, it is just not on that people set back the fight against COVID-19 by crowding in a thoughtless manner
A view of the crowd at Dadar Flower Market on Friday, the day before Ganesh Chaturthi. Picture/Ashish Raje
It was shocking and deeply disappointing to see crowds throng Dadar, just a day before the Ganesh festival.
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One had to blink a million times as the scenario unfolded. People jostled for space in the little lanes, there was barely any space to manoeuvre as people rushed to the maze of lanes off the main street at Dadar to complete last-minute festival shopping.
If they were not wearing masks, one would think this was just like the pre-COVID times. This was not a pocket where uneducated people may not have understood the dangers of not keeping distance. This was the very urban central Mumbai and this behaviour is simply inexcusable.
With as much love and respect for Lord Ganesh as others, it is just not on that people set back the fight against COVID-19 by crowding in a thoughtless manner.
This paper ran a front-page piece with pictures of authorities literally throwing up their hands in despair. They were totally outnumbered by the shoppers and could do little that day, except to watch on helplessly as the surge continued and last-minute purchases were in full swing.
With the exception of some perishables, the buying could have been spaced out in these extraordinary times. Even the divine would have forgiven people for not having something at home or making do without as we are in a very dire situation.
Some statements were made about not hurting the sentiments of people, but practising good sense is surely not wilfully hurting people. In fact, what hurts the city the most is regressing in the fight against COVID-19, with such incidents.
Let us take a hard look at the numbers to show that we can never let our guard down. Social distancing, masks and hygiene, these are still needed, perhaps now more than ever. Even the Lord would agree.
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