EC must do something to negate the Omicron threat

Many experts are calling for a lockdown. They are armed with data to prove their fears, showing how the richest countries have so far failed to contain Covid. India is fortunate that for the past several weeks, less than 10,000 new cases are being reported every day, while in the US it has crossed 80,000 in a day.

This is the reason why restrictions are being imposed in many countries. Greece has imposed a fine of $113 a month for those who do not get vaccinated. It has also been proposed to cut the pension of people above 60 years of age by one-third, who have not been vaccinated. In Britain, where people were roaming without masks till a few days ago, it has been made mandatory again in public places. New Zealand and Taiwan, which were praised for their handling of the situation in the previous stages of the pandemic, have also implemented containment measures. Curfew is in force in all countries of Africa.

Recently, when reporters asked US President Joe Biden about Omicron, his answer was that there is no need to panic and he does not see any far-reaching consequences for the economy. On Thursday, his administration announced some new measures to deal with Kovid. Everyone knows how his predecessor Donald Trump ridiculed Covid and its effects. British PM Boris Johnson made the same mistake; Britain is still bearing the brunt of it.

What is India’s position in this time of apprehension and panic? Due to the tireless efforts of the central and state governments, we have been able to control the epidemic to a great extent, but no one knows how Omicron will behave. The government machinery is on high alert, but the campaigning for the assembly elections in five states has started. A huge crowd is gathering. What happened in Bengal elections and Kumbh is still fresh in our memories.

The Election Commission (EC) was criticized for neglecting the necessary precautions while managing the elections. Why can’t the Centre, political parties and the Election Commission together initiate the process of finding a solution? An example was set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call for the symbolic Kumbh. This was accepted by the sages. If Kumbh can be made symbolic, then why not campaigning?

This is the age of social media. Smartphones are used by more than 500 million Indians. About 77O million Indians have internet access. The flow of news and opinion is no longer dependent on the old system of communication. Modi had started the practice of using digital tools even before the 2014 general elections. Now is the time to pursue the idea.

The time has come for political parties to unite and decide to do away with the old ways of approaching voters. With the digital initiative, their opinion will reach the voters instantly and resources will be saved in crowd mobilization. Anyway, the voter has now become so aware that crowding at rallies is no longer a guarantee of winning the election.

If election campaign can be done using modern technology, then it will also curb the use of black money. The Election Commission should ban large rallies and relax the limit on the amount spent on media use so that the details of expenditure are transparent. The tax collected from this can improve the health of the exchequer. Politicians need media to ensure that their message lasts longer and reaches the masses. In addition, campaigns often promote conflict at the local level. Even after the elections, these political rivalries give impetus to violence. All such problems will be solved automatically through digital campaign.

The question is how will this happen? Will politicians accept it? To make my point clear, I would like to give you an example from the social reform movement that started in Bengal during the 19th century. The road to such movements was even more difficult. Great social evils like Sati system, child marriage, untouchability and zamindari system were destroying the society for centuries, but these reforms took shape gradually and today’s society can proudly say that we have no chance to be free from our evils. Capacity.

We must not forget that elections are being held in only five states and the participating leaders/workers are only a few thousand, while the entire society was affected by those social reforms. Will the Election Commission be able to muster up the courage to take this initiative?

Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, India. Views expressed are personal.