Enjoy nature; it is the free gift to us! But don’t harass anybody

By: Ashim Kumar Ghosh. (ashim57@gmail.com)

Today 2^nd of January 2014, it was morning time, very sharp weather. Sunlight is welcoming all to come out from bed and have a look at beautiful nature outside. People have enjoyed and continue to enjoy New Year. We are all exchanging New Year’s greetings, giving wishes to each other; “Happy new Year 2014”. Really I was very glad that people around are enjoying with their families, friends, colleague and others. Somebody is dancing, playing, singing, somebody is busy with children in park, riverside and Circus. Really it looks well. Somebody is also busy in giving charitable services in shelter home, children’s home and also in street. Really glad to see that everybody is happy and very energetic.

I was also busy with my work and also enjoying my home work in morning hours. Currently, my routine job every morning is to wait for the newspaper, checking in every 10 minutes the bag hanging from my balcony, whether newspaper delivered or not. Really very interested to read the newspaper- how was the previous day, what are the events organised in street, where is the exhibition for children. It was also enjoyable moment for me to read what happened on 1^st of January 2014 (first day of the calendar year) in the streets of Kolkata. Though I was less interested to go through the political news, now a days it is too much confusing to me!! But may be interesting for others, should respect the feeling of others.

Going through the supplement pages- Metro news, it was the gala party across the street in Kolkata, artists came together, mind blowing songs and rock performance by the artists, all are happy by face and nice snaps.

I was shocked when I read the news on death of girl, who was sexually assaulted in Kolkata. I was totally stopped, what is happening? why we are permitting such types of inhuman act and serious criminal attitude? Who has given authority to them to disturb the peace in the society? Who has given authority to do sexual assault? Are the children and girls safe in the street? who has given authority to say this place is not for you? who am I to say?  What is my contribution”. Yes my contribution is to maintain the social norms, not to disturb.

I was thinking about the girl, her struggle started since October 2013 till she ended her life in 1^st of January 2014 in hospital. She was chased to death, nobody thought about that girl, she has been picked from home in false assurance and she was assaulted by group of people. She went to Police station with her parents gather lot of courage, but once again she was chased by the same group. We were all silent; law makers and safe guarder-citizens, all. Political parties and leaders are watching and waiting the incident, they are looking for opportune situation. Pressure mounted to her family members from different corners of the accused family to withdraw case from police station, neighbours of the victim also maligned the girl and her family members in public place. Can you assume how it must have felt for the victim and her parents? She was burned by the accused family members, charges were also framed against them by the police, but what is the result- “death of 16 years girl”. She was brave enough to give testimony at that stage.

I was also thinking about the father- he is a taxi driver in Kolkata- he came from Bihar for livelihood in metro city. In my opinion this city is not belonging to only few but this is for all. He came with family, managing resource for the family, running taxi from here and there in Kolkata and earning money for family. He has seen so many things in the street of Kolkata and ultimately what happen, he lost daughter. I question whether we are living in the society where we are honouring the dignity of all individuals? It was the struggle of the taxi driver since October to January 2014. He was compelled to shift rented house from MadhaymGram to Dum Dum just opposite direction in Kolkata city. He couldn’t able to see the lively face of her daughter on first day of New Year 2014. Are we thinking that taxiwala worked for so many people in the street of Kolkata, sometime he pulled patient from hospital to home, sometime during night he has taken passenger from dark to home, reach them safely in home. Do we do justice to this taxi driver who worked for us, who has provided us services? It is not, a big question?

I am also thinking about the police officials- what they are doing, are they committed to their work, are they protecting our children in street. Why not they acted in time, why second and third incident with the victim could happen? How they can threat to the taxi driver “how will you drive taxi in kolkta, we will see you” how dare they are? Are we are paying taxes for that to state for inviting such types of incident in our society, are they entitled to threat people like this.

Yes political parties, they are busy in political blame game. They are working with their own mandate. We have given our consensus mandate for that “you come and do whatever you are find fit” we have given mandate to them for blame game, only that is visible in newspaper and TV channel. Responsibility and duty are things attached with you, you can’t deny it, you have to do your job, for which we have assigned you, if not then don’t waste our time.

Yes got some positive signals, civil society came in the road for demonstration. There was also agitation for justice of the victim. Police administration came in action. My point is that we have to tell the administration, something is going wrong, people need to come in the road for demonstration and agitation, after that only they become alert, it is not good symptoms of good governance and vigilant institution.

I was really in the mood to enjoy with the rhythm of Kolkata but sorry, I stopped reading newspaper for the day and decided to write something on the issues.

Yes I am very optimistic, will change, we all have to contribute to welcome the beautiful nature.