Voice from Gorakhpur

It's been a few days since the Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Gorakhpur story broke out. 

There has been a lot of discussion about it since. Normally I'm never at a loss for words or for an opinion, but, to be honest, right now, I'm in no frame of mind to discuss the subject here.

Anyway, I’m sure it will eventually settle down, like all stories do. And everyone will just move on.

But right now, I'm STILL struggling to get my head around it.

How can we be SO callous as a society, that too towards babies? 

Some have tried to brush this off, saying it is routine for Gorakhpur due to encephalitis attacks. I’ve seen claims that there have been about 40,000 such deaths in the last four decades, so what’s the big deal now?

That is a horrendous number – I don’t even know if it is anywhere close to the truth. But whatever it is, this is a truly pathetic attempt to rationalize, or justify, these deaths.

If anything, it only shows how shamefully inadequate our healthcare is, especially outside the major metros. And, in particular, for those depending on government hospitals, not being of the AIIMS (or near-equivalent) label.

One can only hope that at least this shocking incident is a catalyst for serious and immediate action to step up healthcare in India.

None of this helps my current, tormented, state of mind though.

I've just not been able to get these deaths out of my head. Those pictures of babies in their parents' arms are haunting me.

Today, after a very long time, I wrote a few rhyming lines (I wouldn't dignify this by calling it poetry). I still write random stuff, mostly in my head, when I'm troubled within. It usually gives me a bit of relief.

So this is what I wrote today, with the face of that little dead baby in my mind all the time. I felt like he was talking to me, talking to all of us. 

Aaya tha jahaan mein tumhaare
main ek nanhaa taara
socha tha aanchal mein tumhaare
milega mujhe sahaara

chhod diya kyon maut ke dar par
tha nahin main bechaara?
jeene ka mujhe haq nahin kya
haq hai ye sirf tumhaara?

yaad main aaoon, aansoon laoon
mujhe nahin ye ganwaara
jab tak na hota yakeen mujhko
ye kabhi na hoga dobaara

I'm SO sorry, I'm SO sorry!