The daily beast
50 million people are allowed at the Superspreader Festival, so Modi can secure the Hindu vote
Dane Siddiqui / Reuters In an apparent effort to get votes for his party in India’s upcoming state elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allowed at least 50 million Hindus to go to the Ganga River for a holy bath in a religious festival that turned into an unprecedented festival. Kumbh Mela, or the pitcher festival, is a mega Hindu gathering that takes place every 12 years along one of the four pilgrimage sites along the river, where millions of people bathe in the Ganges, also known as the Ganges, hoping to wash away his past sins and obtain salvation from the cycle of life and death. The one-month festival has been linked to at least 2,000 coronavirus infections so far. The holiday involves asceticism wrapped in marigold flowers and the wearing of tridents – a major symbol in Hinduism – leading hordes of ashes covered to the banks of the river. Huddled together, the festival-goers sing, dance and hug each other after they dive into the water. Despite the obvious dangers to public health, Modi allowed the festivities to continue uninterrupted. The prime minister, who seems more concerned with improving his party’s electoral chances, has even promoted potential over-spread events. With five Indian states heading to the polls by April, his de facto deputy – India’s interior minister – has jumped from place to place, addressing thousands of people at election rallies and leading high-profile shows. Meanwhile, across the country, patients sit outside hospitals and breathe before dying unattended. This month, India’s largest crematoria ran out of firewood, as ground space was left short in cemeteries. On Wednesday alone, 200,000 Indians tested positive for coronavirus. In addition, India, long celebrated as the “world pharmacy”, is running out of vaccines for its people. Several states complained about the lack of stocks, while the country’s largest vaccine manufacturers, Covishield and Covaxin, condemned the lack of resources. Experts fear that the current infection rate triggered by the festival is just the tip of the iceberg. After the festival, millions will return to different parts of the country, where they risk infecting others. 1232270216 XAVIER GALIANA Dr. SK Jha, chief physician of Haridwar province – home to one of the festival’s sites – told The Daily Beast that “cases are growing here every day and we expect more infections in the coming days in Kumbh Mela. Followers have come from many parts of India, where cases are already on the rise. “The government promised earlier more layers of screening to reduce the spread, as Ash ascetics took over the city, but health authorities eventually withdrew COVID-19 tests. Two months ago, Modi declared an early victory. of the pandemic: “At the beginning of this pandemic, the whole world was worried about the situation in India,” Modi announced in a powerful virtual address. “It simply came to our notice then [coronavirus] inspires the whole world. “It simply came to our notice then. Last month, a newly detected variant was minimized by the government. As cases began to escalate again, the government refused to return to the Kumbh festival, apparently fearing reactions from religious leaders in the Hindu-majority country and securing it the Hindu voting bench. religious fanaticism and Islamophobia. Last year, the Muslim community in India was denigrated after 4,300 positive cases were linked to a religious gathering. Community members were imprisoned, tried in court and subjected to a broadcast campaign led by the national pro-government media. Critics have compared the media coverage of the Muslim event to the Kumbh festival, condemning the government’s apparent double standards and intentional ones. ignorance when it comes to the Hindu festival. Responding to the criticism, the chief minister of Uttarakhand – the state hosting the festival – said: “They [Markaz attendees] they were all inside a building and here it is outdoors, near the Ganges. The flow and blessings of Ma Ganga (Mother Ganga) will ensure that the coronavirus does not spread. The question does not arise from a comparison … The devotees who participate in the Kumbh are not from outside, but our own people ”. 1231641382 PRAKASH SINGH Although the current pandemic crisis is focused on managing the Kumbh festival holidays, the planning and implementation of the Modi policy have fallen on deaf ears. Last year, when India registered around 525 cases, Modi announced a total sudden block overnight. The unplanned closure triggered an exodus of millions of workers working in metropolitan cities, returning on foot to their rural homes and spreading the virus, which at the time was limited to cities. However, Modi managed to promote the game of optics and sell his failures as essential steps and successes for the electorate. Modi’s party relied on its public messages to appeal to voters – a tactic focused on politically attracting its feet and displaying its massive, largely maskless rallies. He is adamant in celebrating the crowds that approach him and does not dare to diminish the mood by asking voters to adhere to security measures. As other politicians follow suit, the Hindu nationalist leadership seems collectively geared toward presenting an illusion of normalcy. and maintaining his religious feelings. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise as India’s historic health crisis spirals out of control. Read more at The Daily Beast. Sign up now! Daily members of the Beast: Beast Inside delve into the stories that matter to you. Find out more.