New Year

2008 hasn’t begun well. Not well at all. The Chennai Savera accident and the Marriot Mumbai incident are not my idea of ushering in the new year. For the uninitiated, here is what happened:

Chapter One: Hotel Savera, Chennai

It is not midnight yet and the real celebrations have barely begun. College-goers and software professionals have only just got to the dance floor to shake a leg. The dance floor is a wooden stage atop the swimming pool. Don’t ask me who’s idea it was but it sounded like fun. Fun until the stage collapsed and the hundred odd partyers fell into the pool. The hotel staff are unprepared for the emergency and despite their best efforts rescue operation takes far too long. One person is dead, several are injured and two are in critical condition. The two in critical condition are dead now, after I began writing this post. One of them, Anand, is my neighbour. A lad of 20. (I share my grief with his family and other mourners but this is the time for choler. Sorrow can wait)

Chapter Two: Marriot, Mumbai

Same time, similar celebrations and the countdown is over. Two girls are molested by a mob of 70-80 men. Their escorts are manhandled.

Chapter Three: Afterwards

The day after, the National Newspaper (as it claims to be) does not print the name of the hotel in their miniscule news article. Why, I wonder. Tamil dailies and some radio channels are insensitive enough to suggest that the partygoers deserved it. Partying to welcome the New Year with alcohol and music is against our cultural ethos. It is an evil wrought on society by westernization and high-paying software jobs. Therefore, these people; these delinquents brought it upon themselves. Paid a fortune for it in the bargain. The way to avoid getting injured in party accidents is to not attend parties. The same way that the way to avoid road accidents is to not use the roads. Staying home (preferably in front of the tele) is the assured way to a long life. (And what a life that would be)

Is there an increase in safety awareness and emergency preparedness? Who wants that! The ones who died, died because they went to a party. Were drunk. And dancing. This is a lesson to all youngsters. Stop partying. Stay home.

When will we stop blaming the victims? The other chapter hasn’t a better ending. Columns are written on how if women dressed provocatively and went clubbing, drank alcohol, one can’t help being molested by a horde of pea-brained men. They invited it upon themselves. How can 80 men be wrong? It was the woman's fault. Or, maybe it is not her fault but the way to stop such incidents is for women to not put themselves in such situations.

The same song, a slightly modified version is played here. This is not right according to our most noble and ancient Indian culture and is precisely the reason why bad things happen. Ladies, stop partying. Stay home. And be properly dressed. Head to toe is a good start. A couple of extra layers wouldn’t hurt.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!