“The world is a
dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who
look on and do nothing.”
― Albert Einstein
She was happy, it was her fifth birthday. Cakes, candles,
more time to play, a new dress and friends all around; she was happy. She shyly
cut the cake and looked coyly towards the camera. With both her parents around
her, she celebrated her birthday.
Did she know what was going to happen in a matter of
minutes? She certainly didn’t, for she
would in a very elaborate manner learn at this early age that she was born in
the most indifferent country in the world, she was born in India!
Mahi, a child, all of five years falls into an open bore
well pit, falls 60 to 70 feet and 46 hours hence we still haven’t been able to
get her out of that hell. What sort of a country are we living in? Where is the
professional help and if at all it’s there then why does it take so long? Why
do we have to summon the army all the time in such circumstances? Or should the
question be why on earth the authorities in our country are so apathetic? We
live in a country that has funds for the Euro zone but not for improving the
conditions here in our own backyard!
Exactly 6 years back another child had suffered a similar
ordeal, but still there hasn’t been a system or a body in place to make sure such
incidents do not happen again. It’s shameful and unfortunate. Our country, our
authorities do not value the life of the common man.
It’s sad, really really sad that this is our country and our
India. No matter how proud we may be being Indians; it pains me to admit that
this indifference also happens only in India. We have the worst set of politicians;
we have the worst lot of bureaucrats who only care about credits to their bank
accounts. No one, not a single person in authority cares about us ordinary
Indians. Who is there to help us?
If the girl in the pit would have been the daughter of a big
shot politician, would it still take so much time to save that poor soul?
Sometimes I feel so claustrophobic in my own country. Such painful things keep
happening all around that I really wonder if at all any positive transformation
would ever occur in this country of ours. Even I am tired and dejected writing
over and over again about the loopholes of our lacklustre system; but sadly no
one learns!
I pray for you Mahi
and I know all so called ‘common’ Indians like me too wish well for you. I am
sure you will come out safe, no matter how long it takes and when you do remember
for the rest of your life that in this country you have to take care of your
own self even if you are a child. And a note of thanks to our Army, if it wasn’t
for you even the small glimmer of hope that we have would fade away.