Wednesday, January 25, 2006

The ghost of Quảng Ðức

Remember Thích Quảng Ðức ?
A similar protest was seen within the boundaries of Patiala, Punjab. The leader of a push-cart vendors' association - Gopal Krishnan Kashyap - went out to an act of self-immolation, to protest against the alleged failure of the Municipal Corporation to provide them a site to operate their dhabas.

As he set himself on fire, people gathered around him. They crossed their arms, and some didn't find the time to wipe the smile off their faces.
Pity. Nobody dared to stop him. No one person tried to say a word, and press, the media came following like a swarm of flies. The only effort they tried to make was to switch on their cameras and record the scene. Rewind and play, again and again on their channels.

Only when Kashyap was unable to bear the heat and fell, did I hear screams that left me disturbed. A light of hope shined though, when a few people brought in blankets to put an end to the oxygen-fed flame.
Kashyap, though alive, suffers from 85% burns, and is in a critical state. And now a case is being filed against Kashyap, for attempting suicide.

I have nothing left to say.

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