Assam's ravaging floods issue raised by Arsenal FC, Adil Hussain questions celebrities' silence

A total of 71 people have died in the ravaging deluge of the flood that has continued wreaking havoc across Assam. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, 3,218 villages across 27 districts in the state are reeling under floodwater.

A total of 39,79,563 people and 1,31,368 hectares cropland have been adversely affected so far in the flood. So far, 13,30,965 big animals, 7,59,717 small animals and 12,85,754 poultry affected.

This has been the seasonal reality of motherland Assam, which faces the wrath every year like a season of suffering after it celebrates Bohag. This year, however, the challenge has been double due to the spread of Corona and Japanese Encephalitis.

The unabated check on floods continuity every year speaks of policy failure of respective governments that have come and gone with different parties and ideologies with floods and destruction, the only reality and constant for the state of Assam.

Also read: Assam: Animals clash with humans amid floods with 47 dead in Kaziranga

However, the sad scenario amid all of this is the lack of representation in the mainstream media and popular culture about the issue of floods. The so-called B-town celebs, mainstream entertainment icons have all avoided the matter.

In the midst of all this, on a different continent in Europe, the issue of Assam has been raised by a club that has never been relegated once it got promoted to the top tier. The football club Arsenal from the English Premier League has openly voiced support for Assam and its devastating flood menace. On a Facebook and Instagram post, the club with the only golden Premier League trophy (aka the Invincibles) openly voiced support for Assam, that too in the Assamese language that the citizens of the state hold very dear.

Mainstream neglect

Amid this international recognition of Assam's concerns, another question that is raised: the silence of the National celebrities and stars over the state's condition. Assam's Adil Hussain, of Life of Pie fame, raised the issue on the relative silence of actors and cricketers on the issue. He tweeted:

Going forward

The state death toll of floods has reached 71. The corona death toll is 50 and along with that more than 40 have died from encephalitis. In this triple challenge, the state needs a well-formulated policy to deal with the situation primarily. But, it also needs the empathy of the agenda-setters who have the power to bring attention to the issue, so that it is taken up in a macro aspect, instead of the damage control the government resorts to every time, when the water reaches above the chest.

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