INTRODUCTION
The Government's sudden enforcement of the lockdown because of COVID-19 has caused a great amount of damage to the country. Many people were unemployed through losing their jobs or shut down their businesses and many are still finding it difficult to manage livelihood for their family. Also, there has been a mass exit of the migrant workers and concerns are rising about the starvation among people who work in the informal economy. The government has struggled to battle with COVID-19 and fall of the economy. It seems like the government was not fully prepared to handle the global disease, but more than that repressive and corrupt practices are even more harmful under these conditions like, domestic violence against women, communal bias, etc.
Police brutality is yet another matter of these practices as we have seen that police and other security forces have used excessive and sometimes deadly force to enforce lockdowns and curfews. These violations have often been against people from the poorest and most vulnerable segments of the population.
Corruption through Road fines
The parliament has passed the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2019, which was implemented across the country subsequently. During the time of pandemic and lockdown, people have found these taxes high.
This has also been noticed that when the vehicle owner pays the road tax at the time of purchase of the vehicle then why the drivers and vehicle owners are forced to pay the toll tax even after paying the road tax?
However, the drivers and passengers still do not get quality roads in the country why should one pay the taxes if he does not get the quality roads. The people should raise objection and the government should be accountable for this. The system should be transparent.
Multiple challans, but proof unavailable
Several Motorist received challans amounting of lakhs of rupees, but many complained that was not able to open the attached pictures with the challan, This image file is very important for the accused of the reference or to check the details of the challan.
According to the report published in the print news portal. A cab driver got 125 challans worth 3.5 lakhs. He was shocked after getting the challan. He tried to check the details of the challan online, but the attached file was inaccessible.
In another similar case, A vehicle was parked inside the house and the vehicle owner got an online challan for the over speeding. The vehicle owner tried to get the details via twitter however He did not get any update with details of the challan. Is the police department not looting the civilians during this COVID-19 pandemic? Is it not the torture on law-abiding citizens of the country?
Domestic violence during the lockdown
Amid lockdown measures imposed on citizens like to stay at home, social distancing, economic uncertainties, and anxieties have led to an increase in domestic violence during the lockdown. The lockdown fails to ensure their safety.
The national commission of women has recorded 291 complaints of domestic violence in March 2020 and is now only receiving complaints via email.
The women belonging to poor classes are not able to file complaints. These cases of domestic violence leave an impact on the mental health of women which could lead to job losses and other economic pressure on women.
The government should take measures to stop the increase in domestic violence against women’s like: -
It should declare helplines as essential services during the lockdown.
Increase the resourcing for NGOs that respond to domestic violence.
The perpetrators should get punishment as per the provisions of law.
Communal Bias through COVID-19
The pandemic has been used to start violence when the Tablighi Jamaat for no reason was identified responsible for many cases. Much fake news about Muslims intentionally spreading the coronavirus went viral and India started trending #CoronaJihad
In Saharanpur, the police issued a statement denying that Jamaatis quarantined in Rampur “created a ruckus” because they didn’t get non-vegetarian food and had excreted in the open. “After going through news reports, news channels and social media posts we have found that these reports are completely wrong and untrue.
The hatred lead to the mob lynching of many Muslims with the accusation for cow slaughtering or stealing something. And there are not only 2 or 3 cases but so many from various parts of India.
Also, A doctor refused to treat pregnant women for just being Muslim and this resulted in the death of the Muslim women’s child this incident happened in Rajasthan.
Many Muslim vegetable sellers were not allowed to sell their vegetable in non-Muslim areas
Islamophobia should be stopped, and it can only be minimized when media will be unbiased.
CONCLUSION
Covid-19 is a deadly decease and it is important to take necessary precautions to safeguard the citizens however it is equally important to ensure that the measures taken are logical and does not create harm for people. The reason lockdown was required to prepare ourselves to handle the pandemic such as uplift the medical services, create more rooms to treat patients in Hospitals, necessary actions to manage the economy and to ensure required steps for safeguarding the employment.
At this point, it does not seem that we are prepared to handle the pandemic and on the other side impact was huge on both livelihoods of citizens and the nations economy and on top of it corruption and hatred have been absolutely poisonous for the country.
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