Justice For The Dead Children of Gorakhpur

Nearly 70 children died in Gorakhpur, which is a part of the largest democracy in the world but sadly, nobody can be held accountable for this. 

Due to the lack of availability of oxygen cylinders and its irregular supply, the lives of innocent children could not be saved in a government run hospital.  When questioned, a representative of this government said, and I quote, "August mei toh bacche marrte hi hain" (Kids generally die in August). 

In my 17 years of education, I fail to recollect of any moment in which I came across a fact as outrageous as this. I think I need to read more. Or maybe, I should learn to accommodate the reality that the people we choose to represent us, are symbolic of sheer ignorance and apathy. Should I? 

So the routine drill began. 

"The tragedy" is here and the dance of democracy will start now.

 Level-1 is the blame game. 

Honourable members of the legislative assemblies had nothing new to showcase this time as well. Like every other establishment, this one too, started off by brushing away their responsibilities like they never had any. 

Care for some spices of statements to add flavours? 

Amit Shah said, "This is not the first time such an incident has taken place in a country as large as ours." 

Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh clarified (much to the dismay of educated citizens of the country), "Bribery is to be blamed for this. Rs.2 crores were released, however, a payment of only 11 lakhs was made and that too not before 11th August."

Apparently, he blames the hospital authorities for corruption and the subsequent unavailability of the necessities. 

Successfully crossing Level-1, we reach to,

 Level-2: "Mark the Muslims."

It has been 70 years of independence and thousands of years more than that since Hindus have been sharing this land with not just Muslims but people who practice various other religious beliefs. However, it is beyond my scope of comprehension to understand any reasoning that may be used to justify the divide between the two. The presence or involvement of specifically Muslims is identified and highlighted for cheap political purposes. Government or Opposition, they mark the Muslim territories they are supposed to base the battle on and then begins the next level. 

Setting and showcasing the roles of Muslims involved (or forcefully shown to be so) in the tragedy according to their own political conveniences is what the agenda gets reduced to. 

Quick Reminder- Children are still dead. Healthcare facilities are still poor. The count of corrective measures taken still rests at 0. 

Level-3: Who is a better actor? 

For the people in power to qualify this level, they have to prove the mettle of their dialogue delivery and acting skills. Sympathy is publicized in the form of fancy relief grants. Those who have seen nothing but luxury all their lives, pay visits to the families of the bereaved because apparently, that is an effective way of gaining bonus points in this level.

Level-4: Not Bored Yet? 

It has been a long time since those children died, moreover, none of them came from the powerful and privileged sections of our society. News channels have found new gossip in the town to be the subjects of their prime time debates. Hospital authorities are back where they previously were. Not to mention, ministers too, are back to their important jobs of inaugurating new metro stations, being chief guests at fancy celebrations etc etc. 

Do you still care? 

Yes. I care.

I wish to know if the facilities in that particular hospital and in others have been improved or not. It is my duty to question the progress that has been done to help those who were affected. Don't tell me that the bureaucracy is corrupt and dishonest, tell me that you have done your job of monitoring and reducing those corrupt channels. I don't care if this incident is a first or not, I don't care if its BJP or Congress, I don't care if the dead child or the doctor operating on them was a Hindu or Muslim, all I care about is, 

If again, in the 71st year of independence, a child is admitted to a hospital with a hope of getting cured, will he come back home with his eyes open and a smile on his face? Or will he face the same fate as those 70 children? 

All I care about is,

Will it ever be possible for the future generations of this country to say, without the shadow of a doubt, that Saare Jahaan Se Acha, Hindustan Humara?