Kolkata’s Chorbagan Puja Pandal Stampede

            One’s heart aches to learn of stampede tragedies like the one at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal today. Condolences to the kin of those who suffered in the tragedy.

            For a long time we have been an overpopulated country, bursting at the seams and struggling to provide fair means of dignified survival for all. It was no secret even several decades ago that we were heading towards becoming the most populous country in the world, and new dynamic measures would have to be devised for handling the large numbers in several areas of our lives.

            Urgent measures should have been initiated from the “Hum Do Hamare Do” days itself, employing the most practical minds our authorities could call upon.  But it wasn’t done.  A strong slogan was coined and thought sufficient. Evidently, it wasn’t. There have been many stampede deaths in India in these prevailing years. Short term noises are made and the short public memory ensures that the stories get buried and forgotten soon.

            These were just simple, common people out to celebrate Durga Puja, in family groups perhaps, and pay obeisance at the pandals. The elders might have been narrating anecdotes and educating the youngsters on the richness of our culture. There was, naturally, the least suspicion of the unprecedented horror awaiting them that evening.

            The fact is that Indian common people are mostly simple, religious, and family oriented, and deserve well thought out SOPs to handle crowds for smooth conduct of celebrations and festivities, with proper dignified methods other than wielding batons willy-nilly.

            We can start making the effort even now.

            We have had genius minds creating the postal pin code system, the metro rail systems, the adhaar card, and many more creations that changed for the better the way the country functioned. There is no reason why we cannot do it in this matter too. The lack of initiative seems to indicate that this matter is not considered urgent and real. Or must we resign ourselves to the easier way out that seems to have been preferred – of simply creating two broad categories of citizens – ‘them’, and ‘us’.

            ‘Us’ would evidently be the entitled classes, who have first rights on anything important, enriching, and preferential. They have the authority to frame the rules that govern the nation. So then, ‘them’ would imaginably consist of the common people, those unimportant but essential elements of society who are but useful to ensure an unending supply of taxes for the nation’s coffers. For any other important purpose, they are best ignored, forgotten, chased away, wished away, kept away from the mind, for they remind the authorized classes of their duties and responsibilities, which ‘is quite a burden’.

            That is not a pretty picture we paint of ourselves before the world. It’s high time serious due thought was given to the matter.
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