Mohammed Shahid Saleem
The only planet-Blue, having to live on it the human civilization as chief creation of almighty, is in total mess post-outbreak of COVID 19-Corona virus. The heavens, I mean to say, the crown, above the seventh sky, being circumambulated by seventy thousand angles daily, who never again get the chance to repeat the same, is also in crisis as contrasting prayers are being reported from the human dwellers of the blue planet. While a tiny portion of the human population with capitalist actions and ideology has submitted an oral application to the court of almighty to put an end this deadly RNA virus and its further spread, a majority of the population of the world who have suffered for centuries at the hands of theses capitalists and currently are in deep misery and gloom due to the selfish policies of the former class, want this Mr Corona to continue to as in-charge of the world affairs for a reason. However, the current tall leaders who are responsible for the pain of the world’s poor population are at present in the state of quivering, stress and anxiety in their deep glittering castles but still thinking of capitalist GDP growth which in any case is beneficial to them and their agents and representatives.
This GDP based capitalist growth never came to the rescue to the world’s poor. What came to their rescue are the disasters, epidemics, accidents or the wars created, launched and fought by these capitalist beasts for their ulterior and ugly political designs far from the thought of a realpolitik. It is this state of affairs that the poor, destitute, unheard and unwept are praying for the continuance of Mr Corona as head of the world affairs as it is going to bring aid in different modes to their doorsteps. It is not a joke but a fact proved by the researchers empirically. Yes, the world’s largest donor, the mighty US, though not donating the agreed and required 0.7% of its GNI, gave an aid of $ 4 million to Ethiopia in 2002 for raising its agriculture output but in the same year later, for meeting the challenges put forth by famine, gave an emergency food aid worth $ 500 million. Many more examples of the same sort are available and if we focus in our tiny localities such examples are in play. Wait a minute, this food aid is not free, it is to be repaid and that too with interest. Yes, grant element of aid is only 25% but at present, the debt trapped countries are struggling just to repay the interest leave aside principal debt amount and that’s why the UN Secretary-General stressed for waiver of interest for one year at least. So shameful for these shameless, parsimonious and niggardly minded tycoons of the world of capitalism sucking the blood of poor nations for maintenance and continuance of their lavish lifestyles. Interest from nations having starving and poor population, these creeps can go to any extent. And yes, the reasons for their starvation and poverty is the colonialism added with the drain of wealth. Thank God, at least the aid given at present in different localities is only for the sake of humanity without any political or economic motive.
Let me not drain my thoughts with the flow of anger against these materialistic animals with machine minds and machine hearts. The issue is about the crisis in heavens, beyond the tree of destiny and eternity, around the crown. Whom to answer, the current Pharos and Nimrods who master all the technology and resources or the impoverished, disadvantaged and penurious struggling between life and death and currently at the mercy of the former. What a crisis. A crisis and battle of life and death on this planet with painful prayers of both groups. A sensational battle of emotions to be handled by the most merciful and the most benevolent decision-maker. On one side the prayers of poor urge for the continuance of Mr Corona as they currently are getting food at their doorsteps, a natural redistribution process of wealth, while the other group is praying for its as the same will halt every economic process and they will not be able to continue with the food aid. The prayers are being offered the world over.
A real event of this sort happened in some area of Jammu where some philanthropic voluntary groups are collecting donations from wealthy people and ensuring free food supplies to the poor in their localities at their doorsteps. A natural process of redistribution. The wealthy, scared of this deadly disease, are contributing heavily for the cause, with prayers for an early end of the pandemic while the recipients of this aid, amazed by the humane gesture of neighbours’ are praying for Mr Corona to stay as it is first time in their lives that they are getting food delivered at their doorsteps. An old, poor, illiterate and blind man in his eighties with three orphans of his son in a shack, uttered a prayer for Mr Corona to stay while receiving food aid. He continued his prayers despite the distributor telling him ‘Baba, it’s a deadly disease don’t pray for its stay’. The baba after having a thoughtful pause replied ‘Son, this Corona has brought a smile on the face of these orphans, for the first time after years we slept with a full stomach, we have enough food present, we all are happy. We never had food even on the days of festivals but now we are having in abundance. Now, tell me after thanking God and you, why should I not be thankful to Mr Corona. Is he not better than all the leaders and wealthy, who despite having everything couldn’t ensure food for the poor like us? Who despite having in abundance, gained more and more leaving us to starve? Who didn’t wish redistribution of the wealth acquired by them? We only require food, not good lifestyle and luxurious items and they didn’t provide us even that’.
The end of his prayers was a flood of tears from deep sunken eyes. Yes, between the prayer of a destitute and the almighty, there is no wall.
The court of heavens is in dilemma, whether to continue the family of the poor and destitute Baba with having food as unconditional aid from the rich in the neighbourhood, for the time being, keep him in bliss and happiness, let his orphan grandchildren smile and play in joy and happiness or end the Corona and its spread for the sake of wealthy people so that they remain in a position to continue the unconditional aid process, which they will of course not if the Corona ends, and take away the gifts bestowed to the Baba with one stroke and let the capitalists rejoice once again in glittering clubs, dance bars, taking high-class wines and drinks, enjoy splendid lifestyles, amass wealth again, continue with corruption, rent-seeking and loot, start slipshod methods to earn and destroy the balance in the humanity to further ebb. In this conflicting situation, an immediate decision is almost impossible as the decision from the most merciful and benevolent will be based on full logic, understanding and will be universal- beneficial to all. Let’s wait and watch- how, till a decision is made up above in the heavens by the mighty on the crown, the small creature with the ability to talk, think and explore is going to handle the situation. Till date, the experience is bad, be his policies and approaches or intentions and actions.
Khudayi Ehtimam-e-Khusk-o-Tar Aai
Khudaya Yeh Khudayi Dar-e-Sir Aai
Magar Yeh Bandagi Astagfirullah
Yeh Dard-e-Sir Nahi Dard-e-Jigar Hai
The ideas are private and have nothing to do with the official position of the author.
(The author is a Kashmir Administrative Service officer presently doing Masters in Development Studies (Public Policy) at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, The Hague, The Netherlands.)
mssd1978@gmail.com
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