Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Bus burning episode - appalling!

Setu issue: Chennai-bound bus set on fire, 2 killed-India-The Times of India

This comes as a black mark to Bangalore. This is an appalling incident and needs to be condemned in the strongest words.

When I read this news item first thing in the morning, I felt really bad because of so many things. The first thing is of course that people were killed. The second is that they got killed for absolutely no fault of theirs. It is really heartbreaking to see two unsuspecting people wanting to wake up in Chennai the next morning burnt to death like this. I hope the law takes its proper course in the matter. May rAma grant peace to the departed souls.

The apparent reason for this incident as shown by the newspaper (and suspected by people) is Karunanidhi's nonsensical speech questioning rAma's historicity. A few people got disgruntled enough to go burn a bus (and 2 people in the process) and pelt stones at Karunanidhi's daughter's home.

If these people (the bus-burners and stone-pelters) were real supporters of the rAma-setu cause and of rAma, they couldn't have jeopardized their case any better than by indulging in such an atrocity.

The cause of the setu was getting so much positive press and the government had begun to look like it had all its calculations wrong. People sitting on the ideological fence were veering towards supporting the setu. But now, because of the actions of a few thoughtless people, popular opinion may shift elsewhere. The importance of popular opinion in such a cause cannot be overstated.

In fact, the anti-setu group is probably feeling good about this as even they couldn't have done anything better to bolster their case. Do we smell the fishy odor of conspiracy here?

Another question: Were the two incidents co-ordinated or separate?

Anyway, as they say in Kannada - "ella kaShTakkU shanaishchara kAraNa" (Lord Shani/Saturn is the reason for all difficulties), the "Sangh Parivar" name is a name that has been used quite vocally as the source for all troubles. Just ask the Communists!


1 comment:

parijata said...

You know what, when I read about Karunanidhi's statement yesterday, I was wondering when riots would start, and when they would turn communal.

We're becoming too predictable, aren't we?