On Friday last, 23 people were killed in a stampede in Mumbai. The stampede happened on the foot over bridge connecting the Parel and Elphinstone Road stations. The stampede apparently was triggered by rumours of the foot over bridge collapsing, and a short-circuit. This happened at a time when thousands of commuters were using the bridge. Tragic. A stampede is always tragic and leads to loss of lives. India has always had challenges with “crowds” because it invariably leads to stampedes … whether at a Kumbh Mela, the Kanwariyas, or the political party rallies. Why India, just a couple of years back, the annual Hajj pilgrimage had a massive stampede and 2400+ pilgrims died.
Even before rescue operations could start at the Mumbai stampede, they were asking for Piyush Goyal’s head, Modi’s neck and mocking the bullet train project. What ??? At least wait to figure out if any of these people had anything to do with the stampede but no, HMVs are in high gear.
I have spent the last four days trying to see how I can make Piyush Goyal responsible for this tragedy – but all thoughts lead to this fact “THE FOOT OVER BRIDGE DID NOT COLLAPSE”… where is the connection to the FOB infrastructure ? Sure, infrastructure across the country has to be improved but what do you do to change human behaviour ? The Kumbh Mela stampede happens in an open ground.. what can anyone do? It’s tragic. Every human life that is lost is tragic and whatever has to be improved to avoid loss of life should be done but the people who hate Modi seem to be leaping over several facts at one time. Also Piyush Goyal has taken over as railways minister just a few days back …. just like NaMo had become the CM of Gujarat just a few months before the Godhra riots in 2002… and in 1984 when Sardars were massacred in the streets of Delhi, all that Madame Sonia’s husband could say was “when a big tree falls, these things happen”…
Why did nobody ask for the resignation of the paragon-of-corruption Lalu Yadav in 2006 when a bridge “COLLAPSED” on the Howrah-Jamalpur Express passing near the Bhagalpur station in Bihar killing 37 people ? He was the railways minister … are those 37 people less important than the 23 who died due to the behaviour of their fellow commuters ? Those 37 people died due to criminal negligence by some people who were working on that bridge and never informed anyone that it had become unstable.
The selective outrage and selective candle light marches are making the genuine citizen weary …. the desperation of the political parties is showing. The bogey of the heirline-receding heir taking over has again been raised for the 50th time. Why is the CONgress waiting for Diwali to be over ? Hindu superstition at play ?? Or just plain acknowledgement of no confidence in the forever-youthful-non-leader ?
People need to stay vigilant … hate Modi with all your heart, but if you love India, look at the facts, corroborate evidence and then feel outraged or not. The media is merely making money at your outrage’s expense :(. Remember that a strong opposition is only possible when there is good work done by both sides and nothing happened to our vibrant democracy till CONgress was the only party to form the government at the centre for nearly 30 years after independence. Why are some people worrying within three years that there is no opposition to BJP ?
Very valid points. Well said.