Panic Is Never The Answer

For the last nearly four months, the Corona Virus – COVID 19 has not only been dominating the news in every type of media, but it has undoubtedly created a variety of emotions, both positive and negative, among everyone.

As of writing this piece, we are in the last day of the 40 days all-India lockdown. It has already been extended by a further two weeks, thereby adding to the already intense and negative emotions in everyone since the first curfew was imposed on March 22, 2020.

When India went under lockdown, the devastation being caused by COVID 19 in many parts of the world, commencing from Wuhan in China, was escalating on a daily basis. Everyone was aware of the catastrophe building up; the lockdown and social-distancing only confirmed it.

Initially, the all-pervasive emotion was ‘fear of the unknown’ and a sense of helplessness, but soon fear gave way to a variety of emotions. For some, it was a challenge that had to be confronted head-on; for others it was motivation to assist the needy; some flaunted the ‘couldn’t care less attitude: others took recourse to prayers; for the bulk of the populace it was fatalism - the philosophical doctrine that stresses the subjugation of all events or actions to fate or destiny, which is a typical trait of Indians.

Our culture and civilization past and in some measure our subjugation by foreign powers have added to this attitude of resignation in the face of future events, which are thought to be inevitable!

The last but not the least emotion was panic, which too affected large numbers. It was manifested by villagers hunkering down with village youth nominated (Thikri Patrol in Punjabi) to close all entries/exits, even for their own residents who had been away on city jobs; some refused to even perform the last rites of their close relatives; some tried to use force on those ensuring compliance with lockdown/curfew and even doctors and other hospital staff; and the vast number of migrant workers, many with wives and children, who started walking hundreds of miles to their far-off villages, carrying their meagre possessions.

The panic of the migrant workers had three additional components: ‘no job’, ‘no money’, ‘no food’.

There has also been sudden rise in cases of domestic violence, much of them on account of panic. It is these panic prone persons who need to be watched carefully. We must not allow panic to get hold of us, as it is self-defeating paralysis and has a tendency to spread very fast, unless special actions are taken, including handling by psychiatrists and other experts.

In the Army, there is a well-known saying: “Jo Dar Gaya Woh Mar Gaya” (loosely translated: ‘one who panics is dead’). Fear is a natural reaction in stressful situations. Even well trained soldiers are prone to fear, but their training, coupled with their bonding with comrades, motivation and faith in their leaders enables them to overcome it.

Commanders at all levels take great care to ensure that fear does not turn to panic. There have been cases in battles where on a few occasions the rank and file has panicked suddenly because of local commanders losing control, even for a few minutes or an isolated event not visualized earlier. However, well trained units and formations, with professionally capable commanders keep a hawks-eye on any such tendency and take appropriate actions to shun panic. This needs to be inculcated in all our citizens.

Having started in China, the virus has now engulfed practically all countries of the world. Irrespective of the degree of its impact in terms of numbers adversely affected or the number of fatalities, fear and panic do prevail. Actions to contain its spread have not reduced the panic, especially as figures and statistics are being trundled out continuously and the barrage of warnings; do’s and don’ts; forced confinements; and no signs of a vaccine are adding to the uncertainties.

These are further exacerbated by loss of jobs, insufficient health equipment and infrastructure; inadequate pre-planning, sudden imposition of curbs without preparations at the ground level, as it happened on the evening of March 22, when a one-day curfew was changed to the first lockdown; the likelihood of second and third waves; rapidly declining economy; too much centralization and little sharing of thinking and plans or strategies for the future.

Unlike wars and battles, there is no need of such secrecy while handling a pandemic, where transparency and correct statistics do more to allay fears and stop rumours. All these add to the sense of panic.

While political and other leaders continue to give assurances and homilies, these do not assuage the turmoil in the hearts and minds of individuals and families. So, how do we stop fear from turning to panic amongst the populace? I have already highlighted the need for transparency and reporting of correct statistics. However, at the individual, family and mohalla levels, it is the older experienced folks who need to proactively assure their wards to have faith in the governments, the doctors and more importantly in themselves, stressing that we would soon pass the hurdle and will be stronger both individually and nationally. Examples of people and events who can be role models can also be considered. Let me give examples.

The partition of the country resulting in the massacres, lootings, rapes and mass movements that accompanied our Independence in 1947 was probably the worst disaster that befell a nation emerging from colonial rule. Millions were affected, especially from the border states, who mostly came in the clothes they were dressed in, leaving everything behind in their homes. The new nation was heavily involved in evolving a new government and absorbing the over 550 princely states in the new nation; the military was committed in dividing manpower, weapons and infrastructure with Pakistan, as well as in fighting the so-called Raiders, but actually Pakistani soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite these major challenges, the refugees found jobs and work for themselves because of meeting the challenges head-on and not panicking.

There are individual examples galore of how adversity, when taken as a challenge, produced astounding results. Although one should not cite one’s own example, maybe it might fit in here. I lost my right leg due to sustaining severe wounds during the Indo-Pak Conflict of 1965. I was then sporting the rank of a captain and had less than four years of commissioned service, but I had a zest for life and loads of self-confidence, nurtured in the army.

During the year-long convalescence and fitting of an artificial limb, I resolved to soldier-on in my infantry battalion, competing with my colleagues in every department, with no quarter given or taken. There were many problems and difficulties, but to cut a long story short, after breaking many glass ceilings in the residual over 35 years, I demitted office in the second highest post of the Vice Chief of the Army.

A parallel feature of my recuperation period also encompassed the first slow moves towards a blossoming love story (Romance on Crutches!), which culminated in my lady love marrying me within a year of my hospital sojourn, despite my warning her of the bleak prospects of my going far in the army, carrying a permanent disability. All she said was ‘We will meet the challenges together’!

The rest, as they say is history!

Let me end with a recent episode. Late last year, during a routine visit to our Dental Centre, it was found that I had a cancerous growth in a molar cavity. Decision to remove it by surgical intervention was made immediately. On the morning of the surgery, as I entered the waiting room of the Operating Theatre, I found about 20 glum-looking persons already there, some for their surgery and others accompanying friends or relatives. To put some life in the gloomy atmosphere, I told them that I was going in for cancer surgery, happy that the vermin would be removed and they too should cheer up as everything will go off well in the hands of our competent surgeons! It did lighten the atmosphere, though I withheld myself from reciting the first few words of the song: “Don’t Worry Be Happy”!

In conclusion, let me add that no matter how unpredictable the road ahead may be or where it may lead us on this journey of change, may the choices we make reflect our hopes and not our fears. Where there’s life there’s hope.

Meet the challenge head-on and have faith in our doctors, specialists and scientists. Let’s all walk tall with hope in our hearts and drill a tunnel of hope through this mountain of darkness, knowing that there is a light at the end of it.

Lt General Vijay Oberoi (Retd) is a former Vice Chief of Army Staff.