Pandemic and the Social Fabric: Reflections on India

Abstract

The outbreak of corona virus disease 2019 hit a totally unprepared world. And it brought with it a realization, there is no magic bullet, there is no magic vaccine nor a date for its final recession. The governments amidst this conundrum responded through certain measures like lockdown, social distancing etc. whereas people utterly confused responded by fear, doubts, unnatural responses etc. The paper attempts to cast a light on first, the kind of governmental response in India that wasn't same across the states in India; second, the differential impact felt across the different stratum of society; third, the lessons we have learnt and the legacies left behind. Government responded through an unprepared hurried call for nationwide lockdown and a total confusion. The impact was experienced differently by different stratum of society. Vulnerabilities increased on the one hand combined with incidents of lawlessness, vulnerabilities and exclusions. At the same time there emerged a new hope amidst the gloomy realities. Social distancing was countered by social solidarity of a new kind as individuals and civil society organizations stepped out to extend their hands as partners to the government in managing the crisis.