Tribute in Honour of Individuals Who Have Died as A Result Of COVID-19, Lockdown, Lynching, or Famine

Every Sunday, light a candle or a lamp in honour of those slain by COVID, or those who died on the long walk home during the lockdown, by lynch mobs, or from hunger, to commemorate the humanity of individuals who have been reduced to statistics.

A group of celebrities including actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Richa Chadha, badminton player Jwala Gutta, singers T.M. Krishna, Moushumi Bhowmik, and Rupam Islam, Assam MP AjitBhuyan, Gujarat MLAs ChhotubhaiVasava, and Jignesh Mevani, Bihar MLAs Manoj Manzil and Mahboob Alam sent out this message.

"Governments do not want to count the dead or even admit they have died. They are even removing the shrouds from the riverside graves so that the world may not be able to count our dead. By refusing to count them, they are seeking to forget our precious loved ones. But we cannot let our loved ones be forgotten: each has a name, each must be remembered, each must continue to be loved.", said the appeal

In addition to lighting a lamp at home, in the neighbourhood, or at work every Sunday, the statement urges people to sing, share images, and post messages on social media on the theme.

There's no need to congregate in huge groups and risk spreading the infection; you may participate from wherever you are. Simply reach out to neighbours and strangers to share your sorrows, appeal added.

A total of 3.6 million people succumbed to COVID-19 all around the world. According to the official data, India accounts for 3.44 lakhs of death. This data is widely criticized to be underreported. Apart from that, in past few years, there are increases cases of mob lynching as well. Between 2010 and June 2017, "28 Indians - 24 of the Muslims – were killed and 124 injured" in similar attacks, according to the Reuter's investigation.