Same old order to tackle most potent threat
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 31, 2021 -

DESPITE fresh orders issued by the Home Department restricting musical concerts, Thabal Chongba, celebratory feasts, large gathering of public in enclosed areas or indoor halls, etc., it is unlikely that neither the people would follow Covid appropriate behaviour during electioneering for the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections nor would the law enforcement agencies stringently enforce the directive primarily aimed at preventing escalation of the pandemic situation in the aftermath of detection of Omicron infections in the state.

While these restrictions are inevitable considering the fact that highly transmissible Omicron variant of the Covid-19 could overwhelm the healthcare system without any warning, the biggest challenge before the healthcare workers would be in keeping the situation under control amid the increasing intensity of election-related activities by all the parties across the state.

Apart from the significant gathering of people in every election meeting and rally being held to show strength of the intending candidates, incumbent legislators had been laying foundation stones for new projects or inaugurating completed ones - all with an eye to impress the voters and seek mandate of the public for another term in office, with all such events entailing presence of ardent supporters in large numbers.

Thus, it could be safely stated that the upcoming polls would be yet another litmus test in the fight against the pandemic as the five yearly democratic exercises has been traditionally involving public participation to decide who should represent them and candidates in the fray understandably deriving pleasure on seeing large gathering at his/her election-related events.

For the healthcare workers, it is obvious that hectic election activities already in full swing in the state amid the Omicron scare would be giving them sleepless nights for nature of their duty would automatically separate them from their loved ones as their priority will be proper treatment of the patients.

Moreover, role of the healthcare professionals would be the deciding factor on whether or not the Election Commission of India would stick to its plan of holding the assembly elections in five states.

If the pandemic situation does not aggravate any further then it could be guaranteed that the Commission would go ahead and hold the elections as could be comprehended from the successful conduct of the Bihar Assembly polls in 2020 during the second wave of Covid-19. Interestingly, the voter turnout recorded at 57.05 per cent was marginally higher than the 56.66 per cent registered in the 2015 polls.

The healthy turn-out of voters in Bihar as well as in some states where by-elections were conducted around the same time is seen as the main reason for the Commission to announce and hold assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry earlier this year despite health experts cautioning that imminent gathering of people in large numbers would aggravate the pandemic situation.

Thus, one can only hope that purpose of the latest but familiar order of the Home Department against the newest threat to humanity would be digested by all concerned and the fear that the election might trigger fresh Covid cases turns out to be presumptuous.