Kerala temple fire man-made. Punish the guilty
The Kerala temple fire tragedy on Sunday was made-made and not an act of god. It was the result of the indifference of a set of individuals to the safety of people in the lust for extravaganza that had no divine sanction. The excessive fireworks that set off the massive blaze, claiming more than 100 lives, was not a requirement as part of any ritual associated with the Puttingal Devi temple in Kollam district. But the Devosam Board, a highly influential organisation that manages hundreds of temples in the State, has reportedly said that under no circumstances would fireworks be discontinued to mark important occasions and events as part of various temple celebrations.
This is making a mockery of the tragedy. The issue is not of fireworks but an excess of it to a dangerous level. This is what happened in Puttingal Devi temple on Sunday. The role of various authorities should come out in the open, because there are many culpabilities that led to the tragedy. The district administration had categorically denied permission to the temple trust authorities for the display of fireworks. Since thousands of people had gathered to celebrate the Hindu New Year and Navratri, there was considerable police presence. The police must have known that permission for fireworks had been rejected. And yet police personnel stood by and allowed it to happen.
It is being said that local politicians had brushed aside the district administration's order and it was on their assurance (that nothing would happen if the order was flouted) that the temple authorities went ahead with what proved to be fatal. If the local politicians had indeed intervened, it would not be surprising, given that this is election season in Kerala. We have to wait for the findings of the Crime Branch probe the State Government has initiated, but it is clear that not only was the order flouted but also large amounts (more than what is ordinarily permissible) of explosives (some reportedly in the banned list) had been stacked in a godown, which went up in flames — and this led to the loss of lives. It is not for the first time that the temple authorities indulged in massive fireworks; this had been happening earlier, which had prompted a local resident who suffered loss to her property in the past, to complain to the administration, and the latter to issue the denial order. The complainant had reportedly been threatened by certain people because she had dared to lodge the protest. A nexus between the temple management, local politicians and the police appears real.
Religious shrines often become sites of tragedy when there is a large congregation of people. If not fire, stampedes claim the lives of innocents. Every time a disaster occurs, authorities promise systemic steps to ensure a repeat does not take place. But long-term measures have rarely been put in place. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from the organisation of the country's and the world's biggest religious congregation — the Maha Kumbh, in Allahabad. The Kumbh mela had on occasions turned into a graveyard for many visitors as a result of stampedes etc. In the last few years, however, the organisers have revamped and fine-tuned safety and security measures on the banks of the Sangam, thus virtually eliminating casualties.