India is no stranger to income inequality but the COVID-19 crisis has only made the situation worse. While the rich enjoy their privileges, the middle and low-income groups face loss of income and life.

Here are a few examples from the recent past.

1. India’s super rich paid thousands of dollars and flew to the UK and Dubai via private jets as India battled the massive second wave of coronavirus.

mint

While migrant workers rushed to bus depots and railway stations in search of a way out of the big cities due to the fear of lockdown.

wsj

2. Celebrities with mild symptoms or asymptomatic got themselves admitted to major private hospitals and occupied beds for longer periods in Mumbai.

Mumbai Mirror

While other Covid patients struggled to get oxygen beds.

3. Crores of rupees are being spent on the accommodation and quarantine facilities of IPL players.

The Quint

While the poor and middle class are denied treatment in hospitals.

4. Despite the pandemic the number of Indian billionaires rose to 140 this year as compared to 102 last year.

The Print

While salaried jobs declined by 9.8 million across India.

Mint

5. Rich Indians are buying a single vial of Remdesivir for as much as ₹30,000 in the black market.

Business Insider

While the poor are dying due to the shortage of the life-saving drug in the market.

6. Rich celebs like Kangana Ranaut suggest planting trees to those battling COVID-19 and struggling to get one cylinder of oxygen to survive.

As hospitals across India run out of medical oxygen supply.

BBC

7. Bollywood celebrities vacationed in the Maldives amid a massive surge in cases.

As Indian states imposed restrictions on the movement of people.

HT

8. Rich people like Pooja Bedi asked people to ‘free their minds’ as she took a private boat ride in Goa.

While the poor begged for their right to live.

India Today

9. Affluent minister’s 22-year-old relative received the COVID vaccine despite being ineligible at the time.

While eligible senior citizens were turned away due to a shortage of vaccine at centres.

Deccan Herald

10. Politicians flout COVID norms at wedding functions and rallies and escape scrutiny.

TOI

While others struggle in isolation because someone didn’t bother wearing a mask or following covid protocols.

Time

If this doesn’t put things in perspective, nothing will.