With the total number of coronavirus cases rising exponentially by the day, India has already crossed the 70k mark. Despite that, we are currently required to systematically lift the lockdown owing to a stilted economy. We as a nation are currently treading a very thin line and how we proceed from here is going to decide our collective future.
However, there remain some who don’t seem to let go of their racism and sickened mindsets even amidst the current crisis. Since the very beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, we have been hearing about instances of all kinds of racism and discriminatory behaviour.
In a recent display of the ugly side of humanity, a 20-year-old girl from Manipur was racially harassed and assaulted in Gurugram, Haryana. Chong Hoi Misao was returning from a friend’s house and was simply passing through a Gurgaon locality when an elderly woman stopped her, told her that it was private property, and then began abusing her in a tone that was racially-charged.
Misao’s friend Joel shared in a recent media report that when the girl requested the elderly lady to talk decently to her, she was further abused and was called “corona” by the lady. Sensing the aggressive stance of the women, when Misao warned her of taking matters to the police, the lady retorted with “Police are on our side.”
Things quickly escalated and within no time the son and daughter-in-law of the lady came out with sticks and began beating Misao. It was only after she fell unconscious that she was recused by the nearby locals and the police were informed. “Just when she thought there would be justice, the police officials told Misao to compromise,” shared Misao’s friend. This is when they reached out to North East Support Centre & Helpline (NESCH) for help. The members from the organisation soon arrived and took Misao to safe shelter as they worked on the FIR.
But then again we cannot expect much from people who wouldn’t even shy away from discriminating against and assaulting the COVID-19 frontline heroes, right? In the recent news, a woman doctor had to face the same right after her treatment and getting discharged from the hospital. Be informed, that this is a senior resident doctor in the Police Line Hospital in Tis Hazari, Delhi who contracted the infection while fighting against the pandemic.
However, that wasn’t enough credit for her problematic neighbours to hold back their discriminatory attitudes, abusing her, and locking her inside her house where she lives all by herself. Upon protesting, she was allegedly told: “Main bhi dekhta hun bahar kaise nikalti ho. Ab toh tumhain yahan se jana hi padega. Jisko call karna hai kar lo (I will see how you will get out of your house now. You will have to leave this place. Call whoever you want to).” The police are currently looking into the matter.
