Wishful thinking politicians would honour SOPs
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 23, 2021 -

CHIEF minister N Biren's clarion call to both the political parties and the people to follow Covid appropriate behaviour during electioneering for the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections makes it crystal clear that the upcoming polls would be yet another litmus test in the fight against the pandemic.

With the five-yearly democratic exercise inevitably 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, there is no doubt that the government authorities would be worrying over possible upsurge in Covid-19 cases due to flouting of the standard operating procedures during electioneering.

As the pandemic situation has been improving and there is ample evidence of life limping back to normalcy, it could be guaranteed that the Election Commission of India wouldn't retreat from holding the upcoming assembly elections in five states, including Manipur.

For instance, the Commission conducted the Bihar Assembly polls in 2020 when Covid was raging. The voter turnout, at 57-05 per cent, was marginally higher than the 56.66 per cent recorded in 2015.

Apparently, encouraged by the higher percentage of votes polled, the Commission went ahead with conducting assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry as well earlier this year despite health experts cautioning that imminent gathering of people in large numbers would aggravate the situation.

The experts' fear turned out to be true as Covid cases spiked after the latter polls and spread of the disease severely disrupted normal life across the country.

Despite severity of the pandemic situation during the second wave, there were no national lockdowhs as the responsibility to contain the contagion was entrusted to the state governments.

During the first wave when infection was milder and comparatively fewer in numbers, there were frequent reports of people, daily wagers in particular, facing violent police actions.

Videos of police knocking down food carts and wielding the baton on migrant labourers returning home were circulated widely on social media.

These tactics were decried as violation of democratic values and professional norms.

In sharp contrast to brutal enforcement of the lockdown and prohibitory orders, police authorities policed elections and religious festivals with a citizen-centric approach.

The law enforcement agencies evidently planned with precision, concentrating on sensitive voting booths, bringing religious leaders and community groups together to uphold peace.

The same tactics are certain to be adopted in the upcoming elections and the police authorities advised to curb their natural instincts to use force against the masses.

In the state's context, ever since outbreak of the pandemic and surge in the number of positive cases, the government frequently cited public complacency to uphold the safety protocols as the primary cause for the virulent spread of the pandemic, especially during the height of the second wave.

However, it is unlikely that even if positive cases surge in the coming weeks or months neither the government nor any sane politician would put the blame on the masses as any critical remarks from candidates and political organisations would be considered suicidal.

Thus, regardless of the chief minister's sincere appeal and reminder to all that threat from the pandemic is not over, intending candidates and their hardcore workers wouldn't be enthused to join the fight against the contagion.