Coronavirus and travel ban

India and Indians were very happy and tension free. Our neighbour China was in the grip of deadly virus Corona which killed thousands of people and lakhs of people were affected by the virus. China, although is a very developed and advanced nation even then, it has no knowledge or medicine to control the deadly disease. Keeping the affected or the patient in quarantine or in isolation is the only way-out to check the spreading of the virus. The Chinese authorities enforced this system of quarantine or isolation very brutally.

The epicentre of this epidemic is the Wuhan province of China. In China, thousands of Indian students, businessmen and visitors were also stranded due to the cancellation of flights. The government of India arranged special flights to bring back these stranded Indians. On moral grounds, it appears a very good decision. But this decision brought Coronavirus to India. Rather we invited Coronavirus to India. It was a self-invited disaster. 

Everybody knows that the health services in India are very poor. Similarly, there is no discipline in the governing system. As a result of this, the virus spread in the country. It snatched our peace and health. The government of India did not stop here; it brought back NRIs, students, visitors and tourists from Iran, Italy and other gulf countries. Now, the nation is also in the grip of panic.

In so many states educational institutions, cinema halls etc have been closed. The seminars, conferences, sport meets, musical shows etc also have been cancelled. But, the government of India is silent on the most important action and that is a travel ban. Even Pakistan refused to take back home its own citizens from China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Now this epidemic and virus have spread all over the country. Ladakh to Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat, the entire nation is in the grip of this virus. It has become a pandemic disaster.

Now, a very natural question comes to the mind. Why the government of India, is bringing all the NRIs, students, tourists and visitors to India from disease affected nations? The answer is very simple. We Indians believe in the show of the hollow lofty and suicidal ideas. This is sheer 'method less madness', as Bard of Oven, William Shakespeare has mentioned in the famous tragedy 'Hamlet.'

It is just inviting our own death or going for suicide in the presence of all. No other country is doing this senseless act. Almost all the countries have imposed travel ban with the disease affected nations. America has banned all the entries from all the European nations. Saudi Arabia has banned the Haj and Umra pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina and shut down all the mosques

The government of India should also ban all the entries from the Corona infected countries. It is playing havoc with the lives and safety of the people. The NRIs, tourists, visitors and students are responsible for bringing Coronavirus to India. These entries must be banned with immediate effect like the other countries for the safety and health of the people. Most of the countries including America, China, Italy, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan etc have banned all the entries from the affected nations.

Here, this point is noteworthy that first time this virus was detected in Agra, which is a famous tourist destination. Later positive cases were also found in Delhi, Bangalore and Rajasthan. Again, these places are also business tourist destinations. Peoples are still visiting tourist and religious places without any check and restrictions. Still, pilgrims are also coming to visit Ajmer dargah without any restrictions.  This is a very serious lapse on the part of the government of India.

In this matter, even the role of judiciary cannot be appreciated. Recently, a High Court has directed the government to bring back all the Indians, stranded abroad. Health concern was not an issue for the learned judge. Kerala assemble has gone a step further and criticized the central government for not acting fast to ferry back the Indian citizens from foreign nations.

All these suggestions and criticism cannot be appreciated in the matter of safety and health. The safety of people and the nation must be first. It is very necessary for the government of India to impose a strict travel ban from the affected nations for the safety and health of the people.

In view of the unfolding stern brunt of Corona or COVID-19, the entire nation is facing a very tough and testing time. Education institutions closed, cinema halls shut, bubs and malls empty, flight are being restricted, people are also facing the severity of the situation. The entire nation is getting hit and disturbed. In the existing circumstances, it would be very appropriate for the government of India in these hard times by imposing the travel ban by guiding them to come back after some time when the threat subsides. People, opposition parties and judiciary should take the appropriate call, accordingly.