Whatever be the error that triggered a tragedy causing heavy loss of innocent lives, those who committed it, either by omission or commission, should be held responsible. Mainly because that is a surefire way of preventing a recurrence of the disaster anywhere, anytime in future. But in the case of the Wayanad catastrophe, the blame games that have erupted from different quarters, even before the rescue operations have been completed, seem to have not only political contours but are also soaked in insensitivity. Apart from Union home minister Amit Shah trying to point fingers at the Pinayari Vijayan-led state government in Kerala, there were also other voices regretting the dumping of the Gadgil report.
Isn’t it a bit premature and insensitive to scream “you erred” amidst wails of horror and agony that the unexpected natural disaster has set off in the otherwise-scenic district? True we need to figure out the causes for the landslides that took away so many lives and left so many others with nothing to live for since we can’t afford to see the recurrence of such cataclysms, we should mend our own ways. But let’s not be judgmental at this hour of collective grief, when families are in tatters and victims have to be helped to rebuild lives. The state government, too, needs to be allowed to deal with the catastrophe.
The Union minister trying to blame the state government for alleged failure to take note of his government’s warning and the chief minister replying with a “you did not tell me properly” are not statements that would help anyone, be it the administration or the victims. Neither is it seemly to butt in at his moment of loss and confusion with grouses of an old report being not adhered to or rather opposed by the people for various reasons. Perhaps we could dust it up and look at it again. But at a moment when the world should stand by the people of Wayanad, exacerbating their agony is nothing but inhumane.
