While a tiny portion of the human population with capitalistactions and ideology has submitted an oral application to the court of almightyto put an end this deadly RNA virus and its further spread, a majority of thepopulation of the world who have suffered for centuries at the hands of thesecapitalists and currently are in deep misery and gloom due to the selfishpolicies of the former class, want this Mr Corona to continue as in-charge ofthe world affairs for a reason. However, the current tall leaders who areresponsible for the pain of the world’s poor population are at present in thestate of quivering, stress and anxiety in their deep glittering castles butstill thinking of capitalist GDP growth which in any case is beneficial to themand their agents and representatives.
This GDP based capitalist growth never came to the rescue ofthe world’s poor. What came to their rescue are the disasters, epidemics,accidents or the wars created, launched and fought by these capitalist beastsfor their ulterior and ugly political designs. It is this state of affairs thatthe poor, destitute, unheard and unwept for are praying for the continuance ofMr Corona as head of the world affairs, as it is going to bring aid indifferent modes to their doorsteps. It is not a joke but a fact proved by theresearchers empirically. Yes, the world’s largest donor, the mighty US, thoughnot donating the agreed and required 0.7% of its GNI, gave an aid of $ 4million to Ethiopia in 2002 for raising its agriculture output but in the sameyear later, for meeting the challenges put forth by famine, gave an emergencyfood aid worth $ 500 million. Many more examples of the same sort are availableand if we focus on our tiny localities such examples are in play. Wait aminute, this food aid is not free, it is to be repaid and that too withinterest. Yes, grant element of aid is only 25% but at present, the debttrapped countries are struggling just to repay the interest leave asideprincipal debt amount and that’s why the UN Secretary-General stressed forwaiver of interest for one year at least. So shameful for these shamelesstycoons of the world of capitalism sucking the blood of poor nations formaintenance and continuance of their lavish lifestyles. Interest from nationshaving a 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 thedrain of wealth. Thank God, at least the aid given at present in differentlocalities is only for the sake of humanity without any political or economicmotive.
Let me not drain my thoughts with the flow of anger againstthese materialistic people with machine minds and machine hearts. The issue isabout the crisis in heavens, beyond the tree of destiny and eternity, aroundthe throne. Whom to answer, the current Pharos and Nimrods who master all thetechnology and resources or the impoverished, disadvantaged and penuriousstruggling 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 painfulprayers of both groups. A sensational battle of emotions to be handled by themost merciful and the most benevolent decision-maker. On one side the prayersof poor urge for the continuance of Mr Corona as they currently are gettingfood at their doorsteps, a natural redistribution process of wealth, while theother group is praying for its end as the continuance of the same will haltevery 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 Jammuwhere some philanthropic voluntary groups are collecting donations from wealthypeople and ensuring free food supplies to the poor in their localities at theirdoorsteps. A natural process of redistribution. The wealthy, scared of thisdeadly disease, are contributing heavily for the cause, with prayers for anearly end of the pandemic while the recipients of this aid, amazed by thehumane gesture of neighbours’ are praying for Mr Corona to stay as it is firsttime in their lives that they are getting food delivered at their doorsteps. Anold, poor, illiterate and blind man in his eighties with three orphans of hisson 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 adeadly disease don’t pray for its stay’. The baba after having a thoughtfulpause replied ‘Son, this Corona has brought a smile on the face of theseorphans, for the first time after years we slept with a full stomach, we haveenough food present, we all are happy. We never had food even on the days offestivals but now we are having in abundance. Now, tell me after thanking Godand you, why should I not be thankful to Mr Corona. Is he not better than allthe leaders and wealthy, who despite having everything couldn’t ensure food forthe poor like us? Who despite having in abundance, gained more and more leavingus to starve? Who didn’t wish redistribution of the wealth acquired by them? Weonly require food, not good lifestyle and luxurious items and they didn’tprovide us even that’. The end of his prayers was a flood of tears from deepsunken eyes. Yes, between the prayer of a destitute and the Almighty, there isno wall.
The ideas are personal, and have nothing to do with the official position of the author.
Mohammed Shahid Saleem 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.