Murder on Shimla streets

 By: Akhil Puri

Himachal – The Land Of Gods, has been since its birth a place where the law prevailed, people having high values lived and showed mutual respect to each other. With our 60 years of Independence, I was not expecting all that to change, but the happenings around us certainly do tell us that we are changing. I had not expected to transform ourselves on these lines along with the other visual transformations taking place. But as India is shining, so why not Himachal shine with it. Here I’m not talking of the different sectors shining but all the shining that comes from loot, arson, etc.

Yesterday as the papers came in, firstly there was the usual burning or arson in some other part of the country but along with it the front pages showed a family grieving, and as the reason came to light all one with right mind could think of was “How Could We?” Just think and think but we just cant take ourselves away from it. We just cant let it go as a stray incident, here we had a family who had their child referred to Shimla because they did not have the treatment for acute diarrhea at the regional centers ( But we do get awards for better healthcare). The State Capital, Shimla, the most advanced city of the State wasen’t looking forward to treat the child, but it was preoccupied with the show of strength by our political masters. Masters who have forgot the basic lessons that are taught in junior school.  There are administrators who know too much. But the basic lessons are lost over the years. A simple see left, see right and then cross the road principle can work wonders. Do whatever one wishes but not at the cost of others. Demonstrations and show of strength are your business, you should go about doing your business without letting other people’s business suffer. I’m sure these masters wouldn’t tolerate anybody encroaching on their business so how could they think otherwise. A simple word EMPATHY works wonders, but surely most people have forgot about its existence or the meaning.

We can simply put it as, why not did our learned leaders, administrators took the basic precautions before doing what they are only good at. Using the main roads of the town and not knowing of its emergency uses is simple case of mental degradation with age. It is always said with age people acquire knowledge, experience and an ability to teach , here all these things are nowhere to be seen. A small state as ours should take this incident as an alarm bell and people with right mind should not just sit back and decry but come forward and act. The grieving family of the child can not be repaid in any way but sharing their grief and punishing the guilty would lead to making a new beginning where we could see the basic rights of people being respected. The pictures of the harried family taking their child from one place to another can make anybody’s heart and mind ask questions from themselves and others. Did the child deserve this treatment just because of some stupid political outings. The days of satyagrahs are gone, when there was meaning to such things. Today’s wannabe’s are nothing more than business men who chose this for their living or time pass. Everybody else is following master’s orders.

Well there has been so many blots put on Shimla over the years, and this one too would add to the count nowhere ringing a bell. Can we relate it to an ailing parent shut down by new age children spread far and wide?

CHAK DE rather than move on !