More than 20 students died when a fire broke out at a coaching center in Surat, Gujarat. People, media and the government are calling this horrific incident as an accident but I refuse to believe this. To me this is not an accident but a brutal murder of 20 or more innocent souls.
Can we imagine the pain parents of those children are going through? Can any number of condolences or any sum of money heal the wounds of children never coming home? I think we all know the answer to these questions!
On Friday, a fire broke out due to a short-circuit in a building situated in Takshila Market, where many coaching centers are situated. Apparently, there were at least 60 students present when the fire broke out on the third floor and there was only one way to exit the building. In just a few minutes, the fire reached the fourth floor, after which children started to jump from the building.
At least 15 students jumped from the building and 3 lost their lives by doing so. The fire brigade was called as soon as the fire lit up the building, but it took 40-45 minutes to arrive, which was time enough for death to take the lives of these innocent children. Not only this, the fire brigade didn’t have enough water! They took 15-20 minutes in getting ready after arriving, and took the stairs to the fourth floor.
By that time it was too late. 17 children had died already and many were injured while jumping from the building. Parents and guardians were unable to identify the bodies of their children and floundered in the hospital to find them.
We read about it, watched the videos, nodded our head from left to right and then forgot about it. This is all the citizens of this country do. Be it rape, murder or this latest incident.
Honestly, I am devastated, disheartened and fed up but most of all, I am angry. I am angry at the government, I am angry at the people of this country and I am angry at myself.
Why ask the government about what they do with our taxes, when they fail to save 20 children from a fire? When some ask this question, others say the Modi government is being criticised. When will we understand that taxes are paid, to get these facilities in return!
It is the duty of the state to ensure our safety. Our fire brigade does not have adequate water and ladders, and here we are dreaming of making Indian cities just like London!
To me, the Surat incident is not an accident but murder. Our government time and again has failed to provide us basic necessities of life and we have just gotten used to not caring. This is nothing but utter failure of our governments. Is each family waiting for one of their children to die?
I work in the digital team of a regional news channel in Uttar Pradesh and covered the whole incident. I can say there are very few things which made my heart as heavy as this. Seeing children fall like leaves from the top of a building was incredibly scary.
It’s time we ask our government where they invest our money. It’s time we ask the government and ourselves about what is more important: a statue or a fire brigade equipped with a functional ladder?