1. The Paradox.
The northern most district of Kerala - Kasaragod - has been the most Corona virus-hit-district of
Kerala. The sad fact is that the medical facilities available within are inadequate to meet this huge
challenge despite the hard work put in by everyone concerned. To make matters worse, Karnataka
has closed all the entry/exit points with mud embankments put across the highway as they don't
want any Malayalee patients to be taken to Mangalore - just over 20 km from the district head-
quarters! Affidavits and counter affidavits have been filed in the Kerala High Court and the
Supreme Court, the state government has asked the Prime Minister to intervene but still nothing
has happened. Meanwhile deaths continue to strike for want of timely medical attention and the
sad thing is that the incidence of the Corona cases are on the rise!
Malayalees or Kannadigas, aren't we all Indians? Why should there be a feeling that states should
not share resources with each other? In our federal set up, doesn't the central government have any
jurisdiction over the state governments? Shouldn't the latter listen to the central government or is
it wariness that plays since the same party is ruling at both levels?
To top it all, the unkindest cut for the people of Kasaragod have come in the form of Kannur
district, immediately south of them sharing the border, sealing that to prevent the movement of
patients for medical assistance! What a miserable state of affairs?
A team of 20 doctors had left Thiruvananthapuram, this morning, to set up and man a 200-bedded
hospital that will take care of only the Corona virus cases. A silver lining on the otherwise dark
cloud, for the hapless people of Kasaragod.
I feel ashamed to call myself a Malayalee first and then, an Indian. We've no finer feelings for our
brethren and countrymen. Sad!
2. Heeding the Prime Minister's Call.
At 2100 hrs, this evening, we were at our balcony to light the lamp, for 9 minutes, as exhorted by
our Prime Minister. I'd also switched on my cellphone which gave out a nice musical prayer that
Supriya, a friend of ours, had sent across this morning asking us to play it during the occasion.
The AM next door and the Warriath House, close by, had followed suit but what angered me was
that Ikka's house had all the lights on, ignoring the event totally.
I know, for sure, that had Ikka been alive such a situation would have been unthinkable! How
dare these people behave as though they have no loyalty towards the country? I shall make it a
point of telling them, tomorrow, that it was not expected of them and that too, when this country
has given everything to them, on a platter.
I know the counter that may be given, "Sir, we are the followers of the Congress Party/IUML and
we do not believe in the lighting of the lamps but they will have to listen to me!
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was ready on time. It was masala dosas for breakfast and Suma had made them well and I ate myself silly. Missed wishing Maman many happy returns in the morning but made it up by evening.
But there was a disaster that had taken place. In Thiruvananthapuram, it rained heavily in the evening, followed by strong gusty winds. A heavy trunk of a huge tree in the Gandhi Smarak, opposite the Foundation, had broken and fallen onto our Science Exploratory Bus(Costing over Rs.40 lakhs), causing damages.
The northern most district of Kerala - Kasaragod - has been the most Corona virus-hit-district of
Kerala. The sad fact is that the medical facilities available within are inadequate to meet this huge
challenge despite the hard work put in by everyone concerned. To make matters worse, Karnataka
has closed all the entry/exit points with mud embankments put across the highway as they don't
want any Malayalee patients to be taken to Mangalore - just over 20 km from the district head-
quarters! Affidavits and counter affidavits have been filed in the Kerala High Court and the
Supreme Court, the state government has asked the Prime Minister to intervene but still nothing
has happened. Meanwhile deaths continue to strike for want of timely medical attention and the
sad thing is that the incidence of the Corona cases are on the rise!
Malayalees or Kannadigas, aren't we all Indians? Why should there be a feeling that states should
not share resources with each other? In our federal set up, doesn't the central government have any
jurisdiction over the state governments? Shouldn't the latter listen to the central government or is
it wariness that plays since the same party is ruling at both levels?
To top it all, the unkindest cut for the people of Kasaragod have come in the form of Kannur
district, immediately south of them sharing the border, sealing that to prevent the movement of
patients for medical assistance! What a miserable state of affairs?
A team of 20 doctors had left Thiruvananthapuram, this morning, to set up and man a 200-bedded
hospital that will take care of only the Corona virus cases. A silver lining on the otherwise dark
cloud, for the hapless people of Kasaragod.
I feel ashamed to call myself a Malayalee first and then, an Indian. We've no finer feelings for our
brethren and countrymen. Sad!
2. Heeding the Prime Minister's Call.
At 2100 hrs, this evening, we were at our balcony to light the lamp, for 9 minutes, as exhorted by
our Prime Minister. I'd also switched on my cellphone which gave out a nice musical prayer that
Supriya, a friend of ours, had sent across this morning asking us to play it during the occasion.
The AM next door and the Warriath House, close by, had followed suit but what angered me was
that Ikka's house had all the lights on, ignoring the event totally.
I know, for sure, that had Ikka been alive such a situation would have been unthinkable! How
dare these people behave as though they have no loyalty towards the country? I shall make it a
point of telling them, tomorrow, that it was not expected of them and that too, when this country
has given everything to them, on a platter.
I know the counter that may be given, "Sir, we are the followers of the Congress Party/IUML and
we do not believe in the lighting of the lamps but they will have to listen to me!
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was ready on time. It was masala dosas for breakfast and Suma had made them well and I ate myself silly. Missed wishing Maman many happy returns in the morning but made it up by evening.
But there was a disaster that had taken place. In Thiruvananthapuram, it rained heavily in the evening, followed by strong gusty winds. A heavy trunk of a huge tree in the Gandhi Smarak, opposite the Foundation, had broken and fallen onto our Science Exploratory Bus(Costing over Rs.40 lakhs), causing damages.
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