We have had enough of the corruption in our state and we have also learned how to adjust with it. We never thought of voicing against the wrong doers and we never expected our leaders to do good things even in our wildest dream. But at this hour, we need to come together as one regardless of rich and poor, big and small etc. to combat with this deadliest virus. We can’t just go with the flow like any other day. I am afraid our silence and negligence may become a cry tomorrow.
I can understand all the illegal activities done to loot money in the past, I know you are securing your future and the future of your great grandchildren. We have given you enough opportunities by not raising our voice. This is our way of life and we have been doing this for generations. But however, this virus has come to wake us all up and we must wake up; we have no choice. This virus is analysing all our deeds, how we have lived. We have no good roads, ambulance services and health centres, etc. and we never did realise the need of all these facilities. Now I am starting to question myself on what will happen if the rural areas of our state are badly affected. Are they going to die struggling to reach Dimapur? If the government provides helicopter to every village, then we have no problem with the road conditions, but however this seems like a joke and it’s not funny.
Right now, the state government failed to provide even basic equipments to ambulance drivers. The same thing will happen to doctors and nurses. We can’t blame them when they refuse to give their service because they are not Jesus Christ to sacrifice their lives for us. The colony people and neighbours are hesitant to allow them to enter their respective colonies. Though the people are showing the dark side of Christianity, we can’t criticise them randomly because the people who are engaged with Covid 19 are not well protected.
Our state had enough time to get prepared yet we are not prepared; the Covid 19 hospital is not yet ready to admit the patients.
The world is struggling to invent Covid 19 vaccine while Nagaland is struggling to set up Covid 19 lab. That is the difference between us and the rest of the world. The state government should stop playing with fire. At this hour, they should tackle the situation in a best way possible. Whether we like it or not, we are on the same boat, if I fall we fall together. If you are thinking that you can easily fly off to Delhi once you are affected, you are making a great mistake. So dear leaders, kindly use 20.5 crore sanctioned by he central government to combat the virus wisely or else you can’t use that money even for your funeral if you are affected and die of Covid 19. Even a royal and many celebrities around the world have died of Covid 19, who are you to be spared? The corona won’t ask you who you are or how much money you have in your bank account; it will just attack your respiratory system.
If SARS-CoV-2 spread like a wild fire in Nagaland, no doubt we are going to learn that honesty, discipline and social responsibility, and most important it will teach us what equality is. So my dear fellow citizens and leaders, we need to come together as one because we have reached the brink of doom. If we don’t stand up today, we may never stand up at all.
Ngaupu A
M.Sc. Nagaland University Lumami