Some arm-chair intellectuals along with the yellow media are trying to downplay the tragedy at the Pushkarams as an accident owing to the lack of self-discipline and control by the crowds rather than mismanagement by the government. They further say that the issue ought not to be politicized. In other words, they say that the victims are responsible for their own deaths and one should go soft on the government as it is not possible to control each and everything.
This is completely wrong. It is true that by and large, people in our country lack the self-discipline compared to our Western counterparts. But the tragedy at the Pushkarams is by no means the fault of the public. The government was well aware that the event would be attended by millions of people. And it is not just the arm-chair, law abiding intellectuals who would be in attendance.
Millions of poor people from each and every nook and corner of the State would be attending the Pushkarams. Millions of poor, illiterate people who have not had the privilege of ivy- league education. And why would they be attending? Not because the government is doling out any freebies but purely out of devotion. These people have a tough existence.
They come in the hope of a better life as a result of bathing at the holy places, in the hope of a better tomorrow or after-life and in the hope of getting the lord’s blessings. Naturally, one cannot expect them to be as pragmatic or as savvy as the arm-chair guys. The government ought to be aware of this and should have taken appropriate measures in anticipation.
That the tragedy still occurred is an indication of utter mismanagement. The Pushkarams were not an event that was thrust upon the government at the last minute. They had months to prepare in advance and a generous fund of Rs 1600 crore to meet all their fancies. And yet they cannot guarantee the lives of the poor people? They had various case studies of earlier events to refer to, and prior experience of conducting the Pushkarams as well.
Surely, crowd-control should have been the first thing on their minds? In fact, it is high time the government gave a break- up of the expense sheet of the Rs 1600 crore it used for the Pushkarams. And asking the Chief Minister to resign is an exercise in vain. He must have prayed to Mother Godavari to give him another twenty years in power.
But who will assuage the hearts of those who have lost their loved ones in the stampede? The CM thinks an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakhs will assuage their grief. Nothing will bring back their loved ones and nothing will bring a smile on their faces. Let us not insult them further with such stupid statements like ‘lack of self-control or discipline’. Hopefully, the ones who perished in the tragedy are at least now at peace in the arms of Mother Godavari.
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