For the past few months, because of the apathy and inaction of the current 15-year-old regime, the coronavirus pandemic in Bihar has become an alarming crisis and is set to get much, much worse. But Nitish ji, despite this, is engaged in the renewal of his chief ministerial post. He is not at all concerned about the health of the people of Bihar. If there is any anything that he is concerned with, it is clinging on to power by any means necessary. Today, with the infection spreading rapidly, health experts are speculating that there is a danger of lakhs of people getting infected in Bihar in the next 2-3 months. Bihar is in deep trouble because of this impending eruption. Even if a tenth of the diligence that the chief minister has shown to design his electoral plan was used to ensure the safety of the people of Bihar, the situation would not have been so serious.
Disbursing copious claims of good governance, the chief minister has been carried away by his pseudo-development, the layers of which have been peeled off by the coronavirus crisis. The critical state of the health system ignored in the last 15 years has started to surface. Bihar has consistently been at the bottom in the evaluations of institutions like NITI Aayog, National Health Mission (NHM), UNICEF and others. Even the courts have reprimanded the Bihar government many times over its poor healthcare system. Far from fighting COVID-19, the Bihar government has used the lockdown period of more than three months to enjoy a deep sleep. Whether it was the issue of students and migrant workers or the issue of poor health infrastructure, the government has left everything to the Almighty instead of taking initiative and quick action. This has been the default mode of the Nitish Kumar government during any disaster. In the event of any serious crisis, the chief minister keeps his silence and maintains his distance from the media.
Despite concerns about the pandemic among ordinary people, no new hospitals were built. The capacity of existing hospitals was not increased. Even after four months, doctors and health workers in Bihar are protesting to demand basics like PPE kits. In light of the increasing number of cases and patients, if we talk about ventilators, etc. the situation becomes even more frightening. The entire country is unable to understand why Bihar, which has the highest population density, has the lowest testing rate. Even today, basic things like PPE kits, masks are not available in most hospitals. We have begged the government since March for public health to be made a priority. We are ready to save politics for another day but this government refuses to wake up. Instead, our suggestions have always received negative comments.
We all saw lakhs of people walking on the streets with our eyes, saw the chief minister's apathy towards them. I saw the sick on the shoulders of their relatives, gasping for treatment and also saw the chief minister of the state sleeping comfortably in his luxurious bungalow for 100 days.
Even today, instead of fighting the coronavirus, they are engaged in electoral preparations and are once again preparing to crush the public mandate. They are taking steps that will ensure that there will be no confidentiality and impartiality of voting. Ironically, people of 65 years will contest elections, go around to ask for votes, but the chief minister, deputy chief minister and the state president of his party, all above the age of 65, will cast their votes at home. The rulers in power are aware of the public outrage over their inaction and failure, which is why elections will take place, but political parties will not be allowed to meet the public. Only virtual rallies and other digital media will be allowed to spread propaganda - though which the BJP and the JDU are experts in spreading lies. Unfettered participation and equal opportunities are important for a healthy democracy.
Everyone knows that whether it is the question of employment or education, health or law, or the humiliation of migrant workers, discontent with the Nitish Kumar government and calls for change are sweeping all of Bihar. We also know that this kind of resentment and dissatisfaction of the past 15 years against the ruling party favours the opposition - especially a strong one like us. Despite such an ideal situation, our party is constantly requesting the government and the Election Commission to understand the priorities. Save our brothers and sisters of Bihar and their children from this pandemic, take care of their health, their livelihood, don't forget that "Jaan Hain To Jahan Hain". You can understand the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis in Bihar by the fact that 85 people in the chief minister's residence, including family members, have tested positive. The deputy chief minister's personal staff and others in his residence are also infected. Many ministers, MLAs and MPs have also tested positive. 75 BJP leaders have been infected. The Chief Secretary and several bureaucrats are infected. How can the common man even expect to stay safe? The state of governmental disrepair and the poor healthcare system is heart-wrenching.
We stand with human sensitivities. We do not want elections on a pile of corpses. We do not want people to go to the crematorium instead of the polling booth after three months. If the BJP-JDU is fully convinced that the coronavirus is not a problem in Bihar and elections should be held at the same time, they should allow regular campaigning, not digital and virtual.
Democracy is kept alive with elections held in their traditional manner, but if the common man's life is in danger, people are living in the shadow of the fear of this pandemic, won't holding elections and the electoral discourse put us in the category of vultures? A sensitive party will always demand that there should be a general atmosphere for elections. The society and the state should come out of this disaster and feel safe first. Elections will take place and must take place. Apart from us, the whole of Bihar is waiting but not in this atmosphere of apprehension and fear. I can understand Nitish ji's state of mind that he is afraid that if the election is postponed because of any reason, then under President's Rule, the BJP will do to him what he has done to the BJP in the past few years. There is no justification for risking the lives of 12.6 crore Biharis for this match-fixing by Nitish ji and the BJP.
I will request the Election Commission to take the right decision about holding elections at the right time, keeping in mind the ground reality. In a "Loktantra" (Democracy), the "Lok" or its people are critical. When their participation is disrupted, what is the use of the "Tantra" (System)?
(Tejashwi Yadav is leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly and RJD's chief ministerial candidate for 2020)
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