Karan Mehra: ‘Stop corona-shaming working class people’

Karan Mehra, whose team of phlebotomists continue to go to work at his diagnostic franchise centre, says the working class shouldn’t be shamed for being out.

There are a lot of people who’ve been risking their lives and working round the clock despite the pan-India lockdown due to the coronavirus scare, and among them are also actor Karan Mehra’s team of phlebotomists, who continue to go to work at his diagnostic franchise centre which he says is authorised to conduct tests for Covid-19. If that’s not tough enough already, some of them are even shamed for being out.

Nisha Rawal and Karan Mehra hold placards as they protest against shaming of working class.

To voice their plight, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor and his wife Nisha Rawal took to social media, and held up a placard which reads, “Stop Corona-shaming”. And further wrote, “Stop Shaming The Working Class! Stop Shaming People Who Have To Go Out. May be someone is dying! STOP SHAMING people who come out with the VIRUS! STOP stigmatising! If something so small as this microorganism couldn’t teach us something, wonder what else will? I hope we don’t lose more people to suicide than the virus itself. I’m ashamed I am kickstarting this awareness campaign to stop #CORONASHAMING Let’s cut the bud at it’s nip. (sic)”

Mehra says he’s aware of how difficult it is for his staff members to step out of their homes to go to work and even convince their family for this. “They come from far away, travelling two hours in the bus. On Day 1 of the lockdown, one of them was also beaten by the cop as we couldn’t get them Special IDs so that the cops allow them to commute to work. They’re stigmatised by the people in their societies and people look at them as if they are carriers of coronavirus. Some even shun coming close to them and their family.”

While his team is taking all precautions, what disturbs Mehra is that a section of people continue to roam around freely without masks. “They are stepping out to do exercises or playing games. There are some who poke fun in the name of coronavirus. I had gone to buy vegetables and suddenly somebody started shouting coronavirus, coronavirus... It created a sudden fear and panic in people. Some people aren’t understanding that it’s a deadly situation out there,” he says.

Asked if any positive case has come up at his facility, Mehra shares, “The coming times are going to be tough as more and more people might come to get themselves tested for Covid -19. So far, thankfully, there hasn’t been any positive case.”

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