04/11/2020, 09.40
INDIA
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India’s battle against coronavirus: Challenging barriers of religion and caste

The government-imposed quarantine has endangered the lives of millions of people, especially migrant workers. Activists in Gujarat help the least with food, medicine and legal assistance. Support for victims of ethno-religious violence in West Bengal. In Pune, a Hindu teacher and a Muslim create a food bank for day laborers.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - In the fight against coronavirus in India, "the herculean efforts of some courageous human beings challenge the barriers of religion, caste and social classes", writes Neha Dabhade, researcher at the Center for the study of society and secularism in Mumbai.

The government-imposed quarantine to combat coronavirus is seen as a necessary measure in India, but at the same time it has endangered the lives of millions of people. Especially those of the poor migrant workers, who without money and means embark on long journeys on foot to return to their villages of origin.

And yet there are some small rays of light in this dark moment for the country. With the help of other activists, Hozefa Ujjaini distributes food and health care aid to the poor in Ahmedabad. He has always worked for peace and harmony between the various communities of Gujarat, the scene of horrendous clashes between Hindus and Muslims in 2002.

The activist group organized a legal support system to access aid made available by central and local governments. In particular, Ujjaini has worked to assist 200 "safai karamchari", workers employed in the manual collection of waste, which are often overlooked for caste reasons. Tribal migrants, day laborers, destitute people in urban areas, widows, single women, the elderly and people with disabilities also benefit from his help.

Neither are internally displaced persons fleeing from ethno-religious conflicts being overlooked. Subhoprotim Roychowdhary, an Amra activist in Kolkata (West Bengal), brought food and other aid to survivors of recent community clashes in the Bhatpara area. 93 families, whose living conditions worsened after the imposition of a curfew, have been helped.

Dipti Tukaram Jadhav, a law professor in Pune, has created a food counter for day laborers who have lost their jobs. In distribution efforts, she is helped by a Muslim activist, Mohammad Zahid Shaikh. The city of Maharashtra is one of the hardest hit by Covid-19.

“There are millions of Indians who risk dying from lack of food or disease. All these activists have gone beyond the political, social and religious divide to help those most affected by the coronavirus," observes Dabhade

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