National Conference President and MP Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the lockdown has hit underprivileged the most, while urging the affluent class of the society to come forward to help those in need.
In a statement Abdullah said the situation following theoutbreak of pandemic has pushed unprivileged to hunger.
“We are unquestionably facing a big health emergency; themeasures taken to curb the spread are inescapable. However, it is not the well-offswho are facing the brunt, it is the poor, who unfortunately have been thrown towolves,” Said Abdullah. “Ours is a society of deep inequalities, for thepoorest of poor, the daily wagers, the hawkers, the cabbies, artisans and othersocially downtrodden sections of society, it is no less than a nightmare.”
Abdullah said a good chunk of the society lives by hand tomouth and they do not have necessary income to stock ration in their homes.
“They work to eat. The panicky buying and hoarding has alsoaggravated the situation exponentially. There are people who are skipping mealsto bank the ration for their children. How will such families be able to spendon sanitation with their hands tight-fisted,” Abdullah said.
He said the prevailing situation was no less than afinancial emergency. “The poor have been left to fend for themselves. Not justthe contractual working in government, including scores of lecturers, dailywagers working in public sector have also been left high and dry. It is not anissue of a single person, it is the scores of families which are facing anexistential crisis,” said Abdullah.
He said the local administration and the government havenbeen caught off-guard by the lockdown. “What is the much touted disastermanagement department up to: Aren’t we caught in an eye of a storm? Why isn’tthe supply chain being adequately managed by the administration? Why areessential including mutton, chicken, grains, vegetables off the shelves instores and shops? People living in Sher-e-Khas areas of Srinagar are facingscarcity of various basic commodities. They don’t have the land and livestockto bank on,” Adbullah said.
He said the plight of people living in suburbs of Srinagarand other rural areas was no less than depressing and the situation was asworrying in other parts of J&K.
Abdullah while expressing concern over the plight of peoplesaid, “It is up to the affluent classes, the community, mohalla and masjidcommittees to ensure underprivileged and those who live by hand-to-mouth are takencare of. I’m sure this too will pass, but we as a society will have to give ita collective and empathetic response,” said the National Conference President.
He said the government should ramp-up its efforts to ensuredirect money transfers to the under privileged. In addition, he said, thepending wages of all daily wagers should be released immediately.
“The supply chain should also be ensured adequately. If itrequires the government should ensure home-delivery of good and essentials,”Abdullah said.