Homicide in Vaishno Devi

By abhay mokashi

The new year has begun on a tragic note, with the death of at least 12 persons in a stampede at Vaishno Devi, the famous Hindu shrine in Katra, in Jammu and Kashmir.

The stampede may not have occurred if the COVID protocol was not sent for a toss by the administration, the Lieutenant Governor and the political powers.

With the threat of the third wave of the COVID 19 pandemic looming large in the country, the Union Government, its Health Ministry and various state governments have been insisting on strict adherence to the COVID protocol, which comprises, avoidance of crowds and public gathering, among other things.

The Hindutva agenda of the Union Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party, wherever it is in power, is seen as regards adherence to COVID protocol. The governments are strict when it comes to the Muslims and Christians, but ignore the protocol when it comes to the Hindus. The leniency towards the Hindus is not with the belief that the 33 crore Hindu gods would protect the Hindus assembling at such places, or would protect their religious shrines and functions, including Kumbh Mela and Dharma Sansad.

The burst in the number of COVID cases after the Kumbh Mela is on record, though the then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand had announced that river Ganga would protect the devotees from the disease; well, it did not and that was bound to happen after unscientific statements were made.

The crowds at the Vaishno Devi shrine carried two dangers, one was the threat of the spread of the Corona virus and all its mutations; and the other being the possibility of a stampede. There is always a possibility of stampede where the crowds gather beyond the capacity of the captive place, as was seen at Vaishno Devi.

People were allowed to gather at Vaishno Devi, only to appease the Hindus and the Hindu voters, by making them believe that the BJP-led governments and the administrations under the control of the party are in favour of the Hindus by being lenient with the community, while being strict with other communities, especially the Muslims and Christians. However, while doing so, they have taken the lives of innocent Hindu devotees. This is homicide.

The appointment of the high-level committee to probe into the incident may not prove to be fruitful as the damage is done. If the committee has to be effective, it should be asked to probe who gave the permission for the assembly of some many people or why the assembly was allowed.

The governance of the region is under the Union Government, so the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, Lieutenant Governor and the bureaucrats responsible for ensuring the safety of the people should be prosecuted for culpable homicide, not amounting to murder. Not only are these individuals responsible for the death of the people, but they have done injustice to Hindus, while trying to promote their Hindutva agenda. No government will sue them for their crime, but the next of kin of the dead, should file a police complaint to that effect.