Mourning :(

[Mayavi Morpheus]

http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/17fire2.htm



VIP visit overwhelms townsfolk



A Ganesh Nadar in Kumbakonam | July 17, 2004 21:08 IST





The Kumbakonam Government Hospital was crowded. Eleven children were still in the intensive care unit. Only one parent each was allowed inside the ward. The rest of the relatives and well-wishers were all milling outside in the compound.



Then word spread like wild fire. Indira Gandhi's grand-daughter is coming, said one old lady. No dear, it is her grandson who is coming, corrected another.



The district collector confirmed that Rahul Gandhi, MP from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, would be coming to visit the hospital with Union Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and Rajya Sabha member G K Vasan, son of the late G K Moopanar.



Dr R Anbumani, Union health minister and son of Pattali Makkal Katchi founder Dr S Ramadoss, arrived. The waiting journalists tailed him into the ICU, but were stopped at the door.



Anbumani re-emerged 10 minutes later and held a brief press conference where he blamed the state government run by the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the tragedy. He said the government had given permission to schools without infrastructure, and the tragedy was a result of such actions.



In his 15 minute press conference, however, the minister did not say if the Centre was going to help, or how. Declamation over, he drove off in his Toyota Qualis.



Two helicopters appeared over the horizon. One was small, the other was huge. A few minutes later, two white Ambassador cars drove into the hospital compound. Rahul Gandhi had arrived, as the collector had said, with Aiyar and Vasan. Gandhi's security detail led him straight into the hospital.



Gandhi remained inside for 30 minutes. The securitymen explained to the press that there was sufficient space only for the VIP and them. If they moved back a few paces there would be space for everybody. The press refused to budge.



By now there were fewer relatives of the victims of the school fire and more curious onlookers and a healthy number of Congress workers.



Gandhi emerged. The bodyguards pushed everyone out of the way. The press screamed, "Rahulji, they are not allowing us to speak to you." "I will speak to you at the helipad," he replied, and made his way to the waiting Ambassador.



From the window of the building opposite the ICU, an old man peered out. Gandhi shook hands with the stunned man, then got into his car and called for Aiyar. He was told that the minister had already got into another car. An old lady now appeared at the window. Gandhi alighted again and shook her hand. The crowd roared its approval.



The car moved slowly through the hospital compound. Gandhi shook hands with all those who were within reach.



The car left the hospital and accelerated towards the Government Ladies College where the helicopter was waiting. Police cars raced after him, followed by the press.



The crowd in the hospital campus began to disperse. People were cheering and laughing. Some others were screaming, "I saw him, I saw him!"



Everybody had forgotten the victims of the fire.

[Bimbette]

Has anyone seen a 'burns case' from close quarters ? I was witness to a horrifying incident on the annual Sports Day of one of the best schools in the twin cities, a few years ago.



Kids between the age group of 10-14 were given 'Diwali sparklers' for the closing ceremony. One spark on one of the girl's outfit and all their lives were changed forever. And the spectators (a few 100s) saw children being burnt. It took us a few seconds to register what was happening.



What happened in Tamil Nadu is TRAGIC. What I'm concerned about is whether the surviving burn victims will be given monetary and medical assistance once all the political noise dies down. Plastic surgery is expensive. They should all be given the best medical treatment.



What the kids will go through in the next few days will test the limits of human endurance (I've seen it). All we can do is pray for them.

[rabbithole]

^^thats a good point.

i saw a photo of kids who got badly burnt lying on a banana leaf in the hospital..their burn were left open ..burns normally are very easy to get infected ...i hope they get good treatment...can v do something for them

[The Rainmaker]

What I'm concerned about is whether the surviving burn victims will be given monetary and medical assistance once all the political noise dies down. Plastic surgery is expensive. They should all be given the best medical treatment.

What the kids will go through in the next few days will test the limits of human endurance (I've seen it). All we can do is pray for them.

thats true.. what was intended to be good for the kids (their goverment-funded free mid-day meal was being prepared, which is what set off the fire..) , turned into a horror. it seems the cooks and attendants jumped across the wall and into safety, the moment they saw the fire spreading. whereas the stupid watchman had locked the gate and gone to have tea



i think they've started giving out the compensation already. unfortunately it'll all be too little, too late.

[CtrlAltDel]

this incident reminds me of a similar horrific incident that happened at Mecca, Saudi Arabia in March 2002.

15 girls perished in a fire in their school since the religious police did not allow them to run outside the building because they were not in Hijab. No one were even allowed to enter the building to rescue them coz in their version of Islam, girls without hijab are not allowed to come in contact with strange men. The religious police simply locked the building from outside and watched the girls being roasted alive.

This caused a big stir among Saudis themselves and the monarchy made some correct noises, but nothing came out of it.



here r some links on this incident



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1874471.stm



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2399885.stm



http://216.26.163.62/2002/me_saudis_04_22.html

[The Rainmaker]

this incident reminds me of a similar horrific incident
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1874471.stm

One witness said he saw three policemen "beating young girls to prevent them from leaving the school because they were not wearing the abaya".



The school was locked at the time of the fire - a usual practice to ensure full segregation of the sexes.

[ZC]

The crowd in the hospital campus began to disperse. People were cheering and laughing. Some others were screaming, "I saw him, I saw him!"

Everybody had forgotten the victims of the fire.

Mera Bharath Mahan

[The Rainmaker]

Well, ZC. dont mock Bharat!! these things happen everywhere in the world.... a calamity takes place, the president / pm / celebrities visit.. and people try to catch a glimpse of them.



one good aspect of the visit of the Gandhi's was... at least they announced a package of one crore for the victims. i hate the gandhi's, but i cant ignore their good deed in this 1 case.

[The Rainmaker]

Well, ZC. dont mock Bharat!! these things happen everywhere in the world.... a calamity takes place, the president / pm / celebrities visit.. and people try to catch a glimpse of them.



one good aspect of the visit of the Gandhi's was... at least they announced a package of one crore for the victims. i hate the gandhi's, but i cant ignore their good deed in this 1 case.

[Dedh_quintal]

Does any of you have a child ?



Think about little hearts, calling out for thier parents.



They just did not know what to do, until they were charred. Probably they did not even know what death was.



Think about the parents who must have dressed them up in the morning, just to see their little ones come back as ......



Stop talking about politics when such tragdies occur.



That is the apathy, instead of being collective, you are looking for a link to justify your political views.



This is the time to be collective. Call for a ban of crampled schools.



Call for a overhaul of the education governance system



Again, corruption.....call for a ban against corruption.

[ZC]

Well, ZC. dont mock Bharat!! these things happen everywhere in the world.... a calamity takes place, the president / pm / celebrities visit.. and people try to catch a glimpse of them.

the bold letters have already done the mocking, i just put it in words