The humankind is engulfed by Coronavirus. People are dying. Many are struggling between life and death … While death is one form of tragedy, the hell of life without livelihood is even more tragic.
Coronavirus is spreading irrespective of class, caste, gender, region, religion, nation and language. It poses all kinds of challenges to people and governments. The responsibility to protect people from this major threat rests primarily on governments. Governments are alert about it, evaluating regularly the medical, police, media, social, technical and human resources available and attempting to deploy them effectively. Social distancing, lockdown, quarantine, testing and treatment, are being implemented.
It is in this context that the central government announced the lockdown. Even as they implement the lockdown, the state governments too are evolving their own strategies to combat the virus. When our Prime Minister called for Janata Curfew, clapping and lighting of lamps, crores of people in our country, rising above caste, and religion, participated.
At the same time, we also need to recognise the realities. The way the lockdown was invoked by the government has thrown lives of crores of our people into disarray. If the decision was implemented with adequate precautions, giving time for people to prepare to leave for their places, if some time was given to them to reach their homes, if arrangements were made to facilitate this, it would have helped the poor cope.
Crores of the abjectly poor, unorganised labour with infants, who throng our cities to eke out a living from far-flung places were suddenly rendered homeless. Left with no other option, they are walking thousands of kilometres to their homes, braving harsh weather, hunger and thirst. Children and the elderly are dying of hunger. On the other hand, we are hearing that domestic violence has gone up and women and children are being put to untold miseries.
Many families depend on daily wages and daily sales are unable to meet their basic needs. Facing up to the challenges of these difficulties and losses, the people, particularly the poor are willingly abiding by the orders and rules of the government in the eager hope of overcoming the threat of Corona pandemic. They are counting their days, standing by each other with courage and helping each other out with love, rising above caste, community and religion.
Some elements are bent on polluting this environment of good-will in times of adversity. They have taken the religious conference held at Nizamuddin Tabligh in New Delhi as an excuse to ramp up an intense campaign of poisonous hatred against the entire Muslim community. This campaign is being run to establish that Tabligh Jamaat and the entire Muslim community are solely responsible for the spread of the virus in India. “Corona Jihad”, “Corona terrorism”, “Islamic revivalism” are some of the phrases in currency. Media is reverberating with stories of renewed threat of Islam to India. Media is spreading strange stories, inserting visuals unconnected to the present context. This propaganda is aimed at terrorising ordinary folks into thinking that Muslims have resorted to some major subversion.
Electronic Media playing a dirty role
It appears that electronic media, social media, have taken an anti-Muslim stand and are forcefully orchestrating their agenda. They are sowing doubts in the minds of the people that Coronavirus can infect by the mere touch of Muslims. The social distancing that is being followed for preventing Corona is taking the shape of a social boycott when it comes to the Muslim community. This situation is a body blow to the spirit of the nation-wide united fight against the virus.
It is being reported that doctors are fearing to provide care to Muslim patients. In many places, Muslims are being asked not to report to work. All over the country, Muslims are being reduced to a criminalised, insecure existence. Apart from all other common troubles, Muslim communities are experiencing terrible psychological violence.
These acts that divide the social fabric vertically, that promote mutual distrust and hatred are acts of subversion, divisive, and against the rule of law. Everyone understands that no single caste, religion or class is responsible for the spread of the Coronavirus.
It is no exaggeration to say that there is no one who does not know that this is not any single individual’s problem, nor that of a single nation. It is a major threat being faced by the entire humankind and Corona is a pandemic.
There may be many other reasons for the spread of Corona in our country and this is the time to assume collective responsibility. Though we have several limitations and failures in facing this threat, this is the time for us to set them aside and depend on available human resources and common values.
This is the time to block the poisonous propaganda that the only reason for the spread of the virus in the country are the activities of the Tablighi Jamaat and the Muslims. Some people are attempting to stoke communal hatred by intentionally, in a planned way, running this inhuman propaganda on social media to misrepresent Muslims community. We condemn these cruel activities in one voice. We demand that the Central and State governments take severe and immediate action against those responsible for such activities.
We request all the media entities to expose the conspiracy to once again scapegoat the Muslim community and to work towards building communal harmony.
Similarly, those who have participated in the Markaz conference, and other Muslims who have had interaction with them must voluntarily go to the authorities, get Covid tests done, follow doctors’ advice, and cooperate with the governments.
Corona virus is a pandemic. This is a global threat being faced by the entire humankind. Let us face this pandemic unitedly together, rising above caste and religious differences!
13th April 2020
Vimala Morthala
Prof Haragopal, Civil Liberties Activist
Prof Rama Melkote
Boorgula Narsinga Rao, Freedom Fighter
K Ramachandra Murthy, Journalist
K Srinivas, Andhra Jyothi Editor
Allam Narayana, Writer, Journalist
B Narsinga Rao, Film Director
Zaheer Ali Khan, Executive Editor, Siasat
Amer Ali Khan, Editor, Siasat
Khader Mohiuddin, Journalist
Gita Ramaswamy, Publisher
Jeevan Kumar, Human Rights Activist;
N Venugopal, Journalist
JB Tilak, Delhi
Guntur Lakshmi Narsaiah, Poet, literary critic
Katyayani, writer, literary critic
Ambati Surendra Raju, Journalist
Bhooman, Journalist
Goreti Venkanna, Writer-singer
Prasen, Poet, journalist
Vempalli Sharif, writer, journalist
Vimala, Social activist
Prasada Murthy, Poet, journalist
RV Rama Rao, Journalist
Arasavelli Krishna, Virasam
GR Ambedkar, Lawyer
R Bharadwaja, Journalist
Varalakshmi, Virasam
Buddiga Jamindar, journalist
Mamata Vegunta, Painter
Tadi Prakash, Journalist
Desaraju, Poet
P Satyavati, Writer
Skybaba, Poet
Bandla Ramam Rao, Poet
Satya Ranjan, Sangamam
C Umamaheswar Rao, Director
Khaja, Poet
Wahed, Poet
Jaha Ara, Lawyer
Dr Shajahana, Poeet
K Subhashini, Writer
Seeramsetti Kanta Rao, Writer
Mutyala Prasad, Visalandhra
Kanthamneni Rajagopal, Writer
KN Malleswari, Writer
Amarendra Dasari, Writer
Katyayani Vidmahe, Writer
Sankar, Cartoonist
Devipriya, Poet
Kosaraju Suresh, Publisher
Durgam Subbarao, Journalist
Sajaya Kakarla, Social Activist, Journalist
RK, Publisher Perspectives
Muppala Bhargavasri, Writer
Kothaplalli Ravibabu, Writer
Balreddy, Malupu
Devi, Cultural Activist
CSR Prasad, Virasam
Nalluri Rukmini, Writer
Mandaraapu Hymavathy, Poet
Divi Kumar, Jana Sahithi
Prasadanna, CPI ML State leader
Jyothi, Journalist
Gali Narasa Reddy, Poet
Olga, Writer
Akkineni Kutumba Rao, Writer
C Rammohan, Writer
A Rajendrababu, Writer
Rama Sundari, Writer
Sumitra, Ankuram
Bajara, Writer
SG Kalyani, Writer
Raghavachary, Convener, Palamuru Adhyayana Veika
K Achyutha Ramamrao, President, A I K M S
K Ranadhir, General Secretary, A I K M S
V. Sandhya, POW, National Convener
Subhadra, POW State General Secretary
Arelli Krishna, President, I F T U
M Srinivas, General Secretary, I F T U
P Varadayya, President, P Y L
A Rajender, General Secretary, P Y L
M Parasuram, President, P D S U
Vijay Kanna, General Secretary, P D S U
P Venu, State President, Arunodaya Samskrutika Samakhya
M Nirmala, Arunodaya Samskrutika Samakhya
Srisail Reddy Panjugula, Chairman, Professor Jaishankar Human Resources Development Centre
Kandukuri Ramesh Babu, Journalist, Photographer
Arunank Latha, Writer
G Venkatakrishna, Writer
Anil Atluri, Writer
B Narsimha, OPDR
Thayama Karuna, Writer
Aparna Thota, Writer
Aranya Krishna, Writer
Shanthi Prabodha, Writer
Kiran Vissa, Raithu Swarajya Vedika
Kondaveeti Satyavathi, Social Activist
Kurmanath, Journalist
S Ashalatha, Social Activist
S Ramu, Journalist
Narayanaswamy, Poet
Attada Appalanaidu, Writer
Justice Chandra Kumar
Ravi Kanneganti, Raithu Swarajya Vedika
Aluru Raghava Sarma, Journaist
Kathi Padma, Mahila Chetana
VVnamurthy, Writer
Bhandaru Vijaya, Writer
Mrunalini, Writer
Kalpana Kannabiran, Feminnist Sociologist
Vasant Kannabiran, Feminist Writer, Poet
Prof Padmaja Shaw, rtd academic
Shyam Rao, Social Activist
B Subramanyam, PUDR, Theatre Activist, Delhi
Sadiq Ahmad, State
Secretary, JIH Telangan
K Lalita, Anveshi
Vasantalakshmi, Journalist
Madhurantakam Narendra, Writer
Undurthi Sudhakar, Writer
Lelle Suresh, Professor
U Vindhya
Khaleda Parveen, Social Activist
S Bal Raj, AITUC
T Visweswara Rao, AIKS
Kantaiah, BKMUK
Srujna, NFIWV
Syed Vali Ullah Khadri, AIYF
Ashok Stalin, AISFN
K Srinivas, IPTA
Dr. Veerachari, PWA
K. Prabhakar, Dalit
Punem Srinivas, Girijana
Yadaiah MCH, AIPSO
Munir Patel, INSAF
Panjala Ramesh, Jana Seva Dal
Sadanada Goud, STUG
Bommagani Prabhakar, IAL
Arunkumar, ISCUFS
S. Vittal, TS MEU
S. Babu, TS RTCEU