Online Homage to Corona Victims: RSD initiative

The Coronavirus pandemic has been one of the most devastating tragedies in the history of India. Currently India is struggling to contain one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks with daily deaths reaching new records. It has so far affected nearly 2 crore people. Nearly 4 lakh new cases are reported daily. One likes to hope that this number does not rise to 7 to 8 lakh -daily--by mid-May as is being predicted by experts. We are not thinking of the 3rd Phase as yet though there is a near certainty that another deadly phase may affect India.

The figures are larger or at par with the figures of victims in other remembered natural or man made calamities in modern India's history. The Spanish Flu in 1918-19 affected 1 crore and 70 lakh persons. The Partition of India and Pakistan resulted in the death of more than 10 lakh. The Bangladesh war saw 2,69,000 persons killed in the subcontinent -- Pakistani, Indians and Bangla Deshis. The Killari Earthquake killed over 30,000 and the Kutch earthquake took the lives of 18,600 persons. The figure of the dead due to the Coronavirus illness has crossed 2,30,000 today. It is going to increase as the days and weeks pass, and one simply does not know how large it will be if the dreaded 3rd Phase hits us. The tribal and rural districts which had so far remained relatively unaffected have started showing a high incidence of COVID from last month.

How do we as a society respond to this hydra-headed calamity?
 
One way is, of course, to enhance the country's healthcare infrastructure, to add to the human resource in the sector and to accelerate manufacture of vaccine and oxygen. Millions of families have already been devastated by the Corona impact. They have lost their dear ones, lost jobs, lost opportunities, lost hope. What we are facing is not just an individual's tragedy. It is a large, unprecedented and universal catastrophe.

The least we can do in this situation is to remember and pay homage to the covid victims. Our prayer for them should be a prayer and also a tribute for the courageous Indians who lost their lives fighting hatred, contempt and injustice.

Therefore, Rashtra Seva Dal (RSD) is convening an on-line homage and tribute. Dr. Ganesh Devi, President of Rashtra Seva Dal  has appealed to light a candle in your house for five Fridays. The on-line Shraddhanjali will include lighting five candles or diyas, symbolising Courage, Unity, Hope, Freedom and Equality along with a two-three minute short speech in memory of the departed. Homage will be paid in five successive weekly on-line meetings held on Fridays at 6.00 pm beginning Friday, 7th May till Friday, 4th June. On 4th June, hundreds of  Rashtra Seva Dal members will observe a day's fast to symbolically reaffirm their commitment to Courage, Unity, and Hope, Freedom and Equality. Many eminent  thinkers, scientists, doctors, artists, writers, activists, cultural figures, community leaders and citizens from all part of the country will join in these meeting. The eminent personalities who will join the meeting are Kanhaiya Kumar, Nandita Das, Nayantara Sehgal, Baba Adhav, Kavita Lankesh, Mallika Sarabhai, said Sagar Bhalerao, social media national co-ordinator of RSD.