On his birth centenary day, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented him with the homage by trampling under his feet the fundamental rights of Indians by extending the Lockdown for another 19 days in the fight against the pandemic corona virus. NaMo may not be conscious of his action though he could not have missed that forcing citizens to stay safe inside their homes was virtual turning them into being cowards who can’t take care unless the government steps in.

The first lockdown had come suddenly to allow people to prepare 21 days of hardships. Perhaps, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was eager to ward off dangers of the corona virus that had afflicted the developed nations severely. He moved suddenly without detailed consideration of the possible and probable impact of his move to clamp down all economic activities and social functioning to cut down chances of infection spreading through contacts. The decision made middle class and upper strata elated as probability of spread of the pandemic corona was nipped. 70 per cent lower strata were pushed in the abyss of deprivation of daily earnings and consequently food. The lockdown was not for day or two but for three weeks.

The government agencies were expected to study the spread of corona virus and its victims to evaluate its potential. From the bare minimum details handed out to maintain public terror, it is apparent that not many from lower strata were caught by the infection. Not only infected but also victims were mostly aged from higher middle class. They had caught the infection from their social interactions with persons of their class returning from abroad. Few others in Rajasthan were victims of their contacts with Italian tourists. In short, those who came from abroad or had interaction with outsiders were the only affected.

This basic information should have been used while deciding the second phase following the 21 days clamp of lockdown that had put millions of poor in the most difficult conditions. Nearly 600 million depend on their daily wage earning from various vocations. 400 million are hovering around the poverty line and depend on others to feed them. Only 330 million have assured comforts of food and ease in life without dire need of daily earning. They can comfortably lock themselves inside their homes for five weeks without worries of supplies of essential needs.

The geographic position, climatic conditions and living styles were essentially different from the developed world of Europe. Even the map of intensity of corona infection in America clearly shows only northern areas in deep red. There are no reports of panic in any undeveloped African nation. On the contrary the President of Somalia ran away from his land to be safe from infection and caught it in Britain. The picture available to experts clearly indicated that India was in no danger of the infection converting into epidemic. The Prime Minister appeared to be engaged in consulting state leaders as the period of lockdown approached the end. Most state leaders favoured continuation for two more weeks of lock down. State leaders have no reason to worry over the state of national economy. States are not responsible for survival or revival of the national economy. The Prime Minister had told nation at the time of imposing lockdown that health of people was of more concern of the government than health of economy.

Now he appears to be concerned about the lower classes that had to take the major brunt of his extreme step of putting stop to all economic, social and individual activities to minimize public contacts. In his address to nation he goaded the upper class to reach the lower classes to ensure they did not go without food. He could not tell them where to find the needy and how to reach him or his family with food. Millions walked to their villages in distances as they lost the chance to earn their daily incomes to ensure family had plateful food both the times. With restrictions of movements, many middle class families dare not step out or open their doors to admit anyone.

Most critics would grant that the government moved in time to take measure to prevent spread of infection. No one would come up with better solution. Yet no one would evaluate the real impact of the measure. It reduced Indians to cower in fear. Humans responded enthusiastically to calls to arm themselves to fight the greater virus the human design to subjugate the humanity for thousand years. The corona virus could not reach as many Indians as the government step of clamping the lockdown affected their life and their future.

The government had directed all owners of different establishments to ensure wage payments even though their employees did not or could not attend to their works. Now reports suggest that many may lose their jobs as the clamp dictated closure came as boon to them. More were infected by the corona virus in the upper strata of society but larger punishment was to the lower strata that did not have homes or economic ability to sustain life for forty days without the opportunity to earn every day to stack food on plates for their family members. Hunger was more agonizing than corona infection. The NaMo government could not see beyond welfare and health of the more vocal and organized sector with economic ability to sustain forty days of lockdown. The poor lost the dignity of life due to their inability to earn their bread. But above all they had to stand up to pay homage to Baba saheb Ambedkar.