Stop communalism, start work

Kajal Chatterjee *

When precious money time and energy get invested upon "Grand" temples, "Gigantic" statues, "sky-kissing" flags, glamorous VISTAS and all things which glitter; it is most natural that basic necessities of common citizens, improvement and maintenance of social/national infrastructure (through proper utilisation of human resources by mass recruitment) and security protocols would go for a toss!

In this disgusting perspective, there lies hardly any surprise when precious lives continue to get abruptly lost in train accidents in regular intervals around the country!

It is high time common Indians ask the concerned authorities not to play with their precious lives and basic infrastructure of the nation any more by playing to the gallery. How can there be shortfalls in pledged funds for critical safety-related works and track inspections in railway sector when there lies no such financial scarcity (rather deluge of unlimited funds) in case of temples, statues to vulgar propaganda programme!

Let the wealth of human resources be properly utilised through mass recruitment and wealth of the State be devoted in improving crucial infrastructure and safety protocols so that the combination of human vigilance and security-related technology prevent such man-made calamities in future.

Instead of concentrating in the glittering spectacle of Bullet trains/Vande Bharat express only for the sake of privileged few; more people-friendly trains should be run throughout the nation. The main goal of the passengers is to safely reach their destination in scheduled time with basic facilities of light fan and running water in regularly cleaned toilets!

The on-board Wi-Fi, infotainment facilities or rotating seats, being zealously advertised and implanted in luxurious high-speed trains, can perhaps wait a bit.

In this context, the selfless service of the Fazlur Rahmans of Chhoto Nirmaljote village(the accident site of the Kanchenjunga express at Darjeeling district of West Bengal) should definitely be highlighted in brightest colours. Just after offer of Eid prayers in the morning, the villagers got alerted by the loud explosion.

By forsaking preparation for the feast and Eid-related celebrations, Rahman and his friends rushed to the site immediately to take charge of the situation - - extricated the bodies and the injured passengers from the mangled coaches, collected the luggage and protected it from loot until police force and Railway officials arrive and thereafter assisted the administration by staying back till late afternoon bringing water and providing first aid whatever possible!

This heartrending incident reminds us of the similar gallant act by the villagers of Malappuram district, Kerala who had arrived as messiah in August 2020. Amidst heavy rainfall in evening; residents after residents numbering nearly hundred rushed towards the wreckage site at Calicut international airport either running, vide bikes trucks and all sort of vehicles.

And by discarding all Covid-related stigma or thoughts of possibility of a massive explosion had fuel leaked from the fragmented aircraft; the Junaids and Fazals simply jumped on the scene and transported the injured to hospitals by carrying on bikes cars or vans! As if that was not enough, next morning the Malappuram residents queued up in various hospitals to donate blood!

The similarity between Chhoto Nirmaljote and Calicut doesn't end in display of magnanimity of heart only, but residents of these two places (almost diagonally opposite to each other in Indian map) were/are affiliated to Islam!

Though religion is a negligible matter, still it needs to be highlighted as none other than the top mandarins in the Constitutional Chairs and most dominant party of the country are obsessed with Islamophobia and even go to the extent of denigrating them as "infiltrators with lots of children"!

So instead of maligning children of the Almighty and fellow citizens of the country through poisonous communalism, the concerned authorities must devote all attention to boost up the infrastructure of the Railway with mass human recruitment and advanced security-related technology and ensure safety of the passengers.