August 19 is 'observed' as World
Humanitarian Day. Yesterday was August 19.
Yesterday, on August 19, we had two
developments that, we can say, left us in bitter taste.
And to add to the misery, one came from an institution
that is often seen as the last resort to get justice in India - the Supreme
Court.
Read this:
"I
am very much disappointed. 18 years back, I lost faith in God and 18 years
later, I lost faith in judiciary. One thing which I have realised is that the
court of law is not same for the rich and the poor. Rich people can get away by
paying money but for ordinary citizens, judiciary is different. Had it been the
lives of children of politicians and judges, justice would have been done
within a year. Judiciary "cannot understand the plight of a mother who has
stood 18 years before the court to get disappointment. Nobody cares about
ordinary people but rich and powerful get away."
These words from a frustrated mother are
symbolic of a larger (and deepening) mindset in our society (getting wider realization
with every such development). The mother, Neelam Krishnamurthy, had lost two of
her children in the 1997 fire in Delhi's Uphaar Cinema that had killed 59
people.
Verdicts in the case, including this one yesterday
in the Supreme Court, clearly tell owners were responsible and thus Ansals, the
owners, were directly culpable.
And under a legal system, where our Constitution
sees rightful interest of even one life above all else, the loss of 59 lives by
'criminal negligence' and 'administrative manipulation' should have called for
a harsher punishment.
But, here it was no punishment at all and for
people like Ansals who are billionaires - (an ordinary Indian may not earn Rs.
1 crore in his entire life) a sum of 60 crore doesn't mean much - if it can buy
them freedom from the legal procedure.
We don't know what led to this
decision-making that will certainly set a precedent, but its message in masses
has certainly not gone well - with many equating this decision as 'inhumane'.
And incidentally (and accidently), the decision came on World Humanitarian Day.
On the same day, the news of a similar disturbing
development came from West Bengal. According to a news channel, doctors of West
Bengal's main hospital in Kolkata, indicted in report of causing death of a
teenager (medical negligence), were 'let off only a warning'.
Here we need to keep in mind that West
Bengal's health portfolio is with chief Minister Mamata Banarjee.
But efforts and desperate pleas of
economically poor parents fell to deaf ears. Even a case has not been
registered yet in this ghastly crime against humanity - where a child was
denied her 'right to life' in an 'absolute' way. And this medical negligence
case is not the first one in West Bengal, or in India. And sadly, it will not
be the last one.
The two development on World Humanitarian
Day came as shockers - with varying degrees gloominess.
The Supreme Court judgment in the Uphaar
Cinema Fire case is potent enough to set a precedent where high and mighty will
feel above the law by being able to buy anything with their riches.
'Justice delayed is justice denied' says
the common saying and the Uphaar case can rightly be placed in the league where
justice is denied by frustrating the victims who had lost their family members
- 18 years is a long time - a further victimization.
Legal remedy is an expensive affair in our
society, especially in higher courts, i.e., High Court and Supreme Court - and
with the Supreme Court's decision, the notion has got reaffirmed again. Ansals could
afford the best legal minds (with their deep pockets) and the case was delayed
to a disturbing wait of 18 years.
And what happened, even after 18 years,
rubbed salt into the wounds of the victims. Everything cannot be purchased or
compensated with money or material means, especially a person's life - our
Constitution is based on that - and here, the society lost its 59 people - and
there was no physical punishment but a monetary fine.
The two developments yesterday were
potently, symbolically anti-humanitarian, anti-thesis, to the underlying
concept of World Humanitarian Day that says - "It's a day to celebrate the
spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world".
Well, we need humanitarian feelings first -
and acts to inspire and inculcate action, driven by such feelings - something
that was hit hard yesterday.
Hope, it will not go unnoticed. Hope, the
developments that were thrust upon us, will see a different, humanitarian finality
in the days to come.