Death in relief camps
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 27, 2013 -

Death of people from cold during winter is nothing new in India.

Every year, thousands of people, particularly the aged and children, died from not able to fight against the onslaught of cold wave.

But the recent incident of death of around 40 children in the relief camps meant for riot victims in Uttar Pradesh was really shocking, because these children have died as there were not enough blankets to protect themselves from the cold.

Along with other family members, these children have fled their homes and come to take shelter in the relief camps after their houses were damaged in the Muzaffarnagar riots three months back.

After they escaped from such a close encounter with death during the riots, the displaced families must have surely come to the relief camps in the hope of piecing together their shattered lives once again.

Unfortunately, with the menacing shadow of death coming to haunt them even in the relief camps, not so much from the cold waves of the winter but from the apathy of the State administration, it seems there is no escape from death for these poor victims of one of the worst communal violence in recent times.

After being forced them to become victims of communal hatred, the survivors of Muzaffarnagar riots now have to fight not just against the onslaught of cold weather but the apathy of the State administration, which does not even deem it fit to provide enough blankets. This is indeed sad.

More than the revelation of the death of young children in the relief camps from want of warm cloths and blankets to protect themselves from the vagaries of winter, what has come even more shocking is the attitude of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav who sees those living in the relief camps as conspirators of Congress and BJP.

Instead of showing any sign of sympathy towards the plights of the displaced families, Mulayam Singh Yadav had on December 23 stated that most riot survivors had left relief camps and those still living there were Congress and BJP conspirators.

Realising the damage that had been done by the loose tongue of his father, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav did the obvious by rushing to the rescue of his father, claiming the SP chief's statement had been twisted and quoted out of context.

The young Yadav also asserted that his Government has been doing everything possible to provide relief to the riot survivors.

Well, if that is the case, then why the children are dying from cold in the relief camps?

Anyway, it is good to know that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the media reports and sought reports from the Uttar Pradesh Government and the district authorities concerned on the death of young children, who are mostly below 5 years of age, in the relief camps due to extreme cold and want of adequate blankets.

We feel this is a serious issue of violation of human rights of the displaced kids, who are too young to understand anything about politics or religions, but have been made victims of both the dirty games that unscrupulous politicians always loved to play in India.