It's a mass of blood, flesh and horror that is left of a spectacle some people considered to be a celebration of gods in a Kerala town. This was a beautiful village where my grandfather hailed from and my memories are of a slow train and a boat ride across the river and many relatives for whom the world started and ended there. It tragically ended for many on Sunday morning.
Is this an accident, is this a tragedy? To me this is murder we would like to hide as an accident. I am never surprised at violations in India. We are used to it. But let's not accept it every time. Now what will happen now is a crime branch probe has been ordered by the government. It will take its own sweet time to let us know what really happened. But we must be told as soon as possible who gave the permission to go ahead with the firecracker show. The collector says she has not. Is there a more powerful administrative head in a district than the district collector? Did any political leader intervene to get this going on the sly in the midnight. Its coincidence that the state is going to elections in five weeks time.
There is a larger issue here of growing clout of religious leaders, mutts and trusts of all religions in Kerala. All small and big temples, churches and mosques are flush with funds. I have no quarrels with revival of religious places. But then these trusts tread on the power tracks and can bargain for deals with political parties which are looking to get every sect and group into their fold. Has something like that happened in Kollam? I am just curious for an answer. No, we must get an answer. Let us not allow anyone to hide or save anyone today or tomorrow. A probe will only delay and fade this as another tragedy.
The story of a 80-year-old lady Pankajakshi Amma who lives near the temple tells the helplessness of an average Indian to the power brokers. This time in the form of the temple trust. She had three heart attacks and has been living in fear of being claimed by this firecracker display for the last three years. Her house is damaged every year. Her father's house is already destroyed. The temple authorities has not taken kindly to her complaints and threatened to kill her. Her son and daughter come down from London around this festival to be with her just to reassure her that she won't die from the sound and fury of a firecracker show. She did not, she has survived. But over 100 people are dead and over 200 are injured and admitted in hospitals.
Politics, probes and time are a potent cocktail that can jeopardize justice. We must not allow that.
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