The mischievous and defamatory Facebook post by a senior BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy against the Church is on expected lines. Nowadays, the communal forces are so upbeat that any issue which can malign the minority community will get exploited. However, the condemnation of such communal remarks voiced in social media will do little to address the discrimination faced by HIV patients. The situation for the 13 HIV positive kids who were refused admission would have been no different had they approached non-Christian schools in their village. Nothing has stopped the other non-Christian school managements and PTAs in the vicinity to set an example by coming forward and offering to admit these discriminated children. This is because the privileged sections have one set of behavioural standards set for others and quite the opposite for themselves.
Those handling the crisis in the Rivona school should have known that stigma towards the HIV infected persons could have been dispelled by prior sensitization over a period of time and not once the parents had been overtaken with fear which in turn triggered anger and panic. It became difficult to reason with the parents without addressing their emotions. Social behaviour cannot be expected to keep pace with the hyper-activity of social workers. Behavioural changes come about through a process and a Court judgment is no license for anyone to ignore processes of mentally and psychologically preparing the larger community. The parents should not be made scape-goats to cover the unprofessional approach of the HIV/AIDS workers in the area.
While various forces attempt to either cover up or exploit the crisis in Rivona, the question remains as to whether a broad based and professional approach was employed for positively resolving the stand off between the parents and the school management. The forced admission of students and the withdrawal of some children by angry parents in retaliation is definitely not a resolution of the conflict/crisis. If not brought to closure, this unresolved issue could resurface in a nastier manner in future, not only in Rivona but in any corner of Goa. The reaction of the PTA in Rivona has actually exposed the deficiency in the government’s HIV/AIDS programs and the absence of crisis management expertise.
