The foundation of India’s social infrastructure has long been rickety, and it is not surprising to see it crumble under the current coronavirus pandemic. As reported by the Jharkhand Janadhikar Sabha, an alliance of progressive organisations based in Jharkhand, it took 21 days after its announcement for the state government to allocate funds to ensure the delivery of 10 kg grains to eligible families who had been excluded from PDS despite applying for a card. The adivasis now believe, “Bimari se pehle Bhookh maar degi”, meaning that starvation would kill them before the virus. Granaries in India are overflowing with food grains, but the Public Distribution System of ration is not universalised. That’s not just a void in the social welfare system but a travesty in the life of a fully-functioning, seemingly independent country.

In an attempt to beef-up national security, India just secured a deal worth USD 155 million to procure defence contraptions such as missiles and torpedoes from the United States. Maybe it’s time that India learns that ensuring food security for all citizens is the biggest security.

To contain the spread of the coronavirus, state-owned Coal India Limited has developed a sanitising chamber to disinfect the coal mine workers in Jharkhand. But where is the fear of the novel coronavirus when our tribal folks are dying a slow death every day?

For now, our government needs to avow to protect all of its marginalised communities, including the various tribes indigenous to India. What we need is a more inclusive outlook to provide safety nets to all our socio-economically challenged communities.