Criticism aside, food-for-blood did fulfil a dire need

People donating blood at Prabhadevi on Sunday

Blood donation are the buzzwords, given that a Shiv Sena-led initiative, in which donors were given food for blood, caught imagination and eyeballs.

For days now, the spotlight has been on blood donation drives spearheaded by the Sena, in which donors were promised paneer, chicken or fish at different venues. These were roundly slammed by its arch political enemy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for letting things come to such a pass that the ruling partner alliance at the state level had to resort to what they termed as cheap gimmicks, to get people to donate blood.

The response was overwhelming as a report in this paper showed. Donors flooded the Prabhadevi and Mulund venues. While the concept of food-for-blood may not be palatable (pun intended) for many, given that blood donation is seen as a noble, voluntary task with no expectation of return, these drives certainly resonated with so many.

Blood stocks are running dry with people afraid of visiting medical facilities to donate. Whether this has set a good or bad precedent, we will know in the near future. But ways must be thought of to alleviate the current crunch. Rival political parties are well within their right to criticise or ask questions. Yet, this must be accompanied with alternatives or solutions. Without that, this simply boils down to carping and pointing fingers, instead of trying to help in dire times.

Let us see maturity and responsible statements from any and all party representatives at the helm, instead of clawing and pulling down those who are taking that step forward.

The citizenry is paying a price because of the constant State vs. Centre war that is now evident in all facets of life here. The food-for-blood programme is open for debate. What is not is that we need blood, and these drives certainly fulfilled that need.

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