This Dusshera, come, let's join the Azad Covid  Army to fight the third COVID wave, the real Asura currently in our midst! The 3rd  wave is already causing great damage to other south east Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar etc. If we are not careful now, it will cause enormous damage to our country as well.  

When I go for my daily morning walk or take the lift to my office floor or go to the bazaar, it pains me to see many educated people moving around without wearing masks. We watch silently. The security guards watch silently. Do you know why? Because all of us fear losing our popularity or being ignored or insulted. 

Recall how the irresponsible behaviour of 10 to 15 percent people caused the horrific second wave with so many lives being lost, so many business casualties and so many families drowning in financial problems. A third wave can severely derail the Indian economy and extinguish thousands of lives once again. 

With COVID cases still close to 40K per day, small and medium businesses struggling to restore normalcy and the medical infrastructure silently groaning under the huge pressure of daily vaccines and health care, we are actually fighting a war much bigger than Kargil. 

The Azad Covid Army does not need your blood: it only needs your strong voice and proactive actions against COVID non-compliance. All we have to do is SPEAK UP: pro-actively request our friends, neighbours, co-passengers to follow Covid Protocols i.e wearing mask, avoiding physical touch as much as possible and follow hand hygiene. 

We have to conquer the FEAR that stops us from speaking up: what if the other person does not keep my request, what if they ignore me or they become annoyed. Actually, all these concerns will vanish the moment we start thinking that we are doing this to save our country and countrymen. Even if two out of ten persons listen to our request, we should be delighted that we have taken the initiative and added to national well-being.  

We need to create awareness even among the people who have already received two doses of vaccines. They are roaming around nonchalantly without masks assuming that they are no more a threat to anyone. But the fact is all these persons can also be infected and the probability is high that they may become asymptotic carrier and spread the disease among many without their knowledge. Surely, in our 75th year of Independence we should be courageous enough to speak up the truth at the risk of irritating or annoying some irresponsible or unaware citizens to protect our country from another devastation.  

Join the Azad Covid Army, today! Sign this petition, share the same with as many Indians as possible and pledge to take the following actions to defeat the third wave through our collective efforts:- 

A)   Let's start a mask donation ceremony from the auspicious day of Mahalaya , on which the Asura was killed by Ma Durga. Any person walking without a mask, must be politely requested to wear a mask. If they are not carrying a mask, we should offer them a fresh mask. Every day, if we can pledge to distribute at least 5 to 10 fresh masks, as per our financial capacity, very soon a domino awareness effect will be created in Indian society.

B) Request our Honourable Prime Minister , Home Minister and Chief Ministers of all states and union territories to implement strict punishment and penalty for violation of Covid Protocols especially for not wearing masks for the next six months till the entire country including our your people are vaccinated. Hope the lessons we have learnt from the second wave of Covid will inspire our honourable leaders to take appropriate and timely action before the festive season begins.

C)    Set up mask dispensing kiosks at local Puja pandals and at every festive gathering – ask corporate sponsors and local citizens to donate to this vital cause rather than only festivities

D)    Discuss this issue with business leaders, religious leaders, important personalities in your locality, Office Bearers of different Puja Committees, Building Committees and create an environment where no one will feel comfortable to roam around in public without wearing a mask.

It’s not just the soldiers and the doctors. Now it is our turn to make our country victorious in the biggest battle of human civilization through our collective efforts.

On this auspicious day of Vishwakarma ( the Divine Architect) Puja, let's pledge to create A NEW INDIA where responsible citizens will set an example for the whole world to follow.