In order to divert the attention of the masses from its stark failure to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the Yogi Aditya Nath-led Uttar Pradesh government of the BJP has recently demolished another mosque in Barabanki district of the province. Again, the BJP government has taken the wholly illegal action under its ideology of Hindutva to improve its sagging image. The historic Babri Masjid was destroyed in December 1992 by a group of 400 vandals drawn from the RSS and other extremist organisations. However, the Ghareeb Nawaz Masjid in Barabanki district has been demolished on the orders of the district and sub-divisional magistrates of the district in blatant violation of the instructions of the Allahabad High Court.
On April 24, the high court had issued clear-cut directives that the administration should go slow on demolition of structures, whether illegal or legal, and on eviction. The court had banned such action till May 31, 2021. The arrogant provincial administration, however, did not adhere to the high court orders and razed it to the ground on May 17, and entirely on flimsy grounds. The administration was in a great hurry to carry out the wicked political act at a time when the second wave of Covid-19 was raging in various parts of the country, including Uttar Pradesh. The BJP government utterly failed to provide oxygen, medicines and hospital beds to corona patients.
Commenting on the negligence of the sufferers of Covid-19, the Allahabad High Court had described the utter helplessness of patients as ‘Ram Bharosay (entirely left to God)’. The gravity of the situation can be judged from the fact that at least 2,000 dead bodies were thrown into the Ganges River. Many key office-bearers of the BJP repeatedly contacted the party high-ups to help get oxygen cylinders either for themselves or for their ailing relatives but they met with disappointment. Large numbers of patients died due to lack of oxygen. Now the same Yogi government claims that full arrangements are in place to deal with a third wave.
This story first appeared on tribune.com.pk