I am guilty..

I am writing this note with a lot of grief and pain.

Please follow the link below to know the reason.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/cop_begged_for_help_but_no_one_cared.php

Ever since I have seen the video in the news it is running in my head with a replay button on. The video is blurred and is being aired with a warning stating it contains disturbing images and is not suitable for children.

Leave the children alone, it is haunting me.

Little less than 5 hours from the first time it aired in one of the news channels we are having all kind of debates, arguments, discussions and panel meetings of how the ministers are responsible for the cop's death. The channels, the internet is flooded with sms’s and tweets.

I am angry. I am sad. I am pained.

I know I am echoing the emotions of the many who are seeing this story on the news or will wake up to it tomorrow morning’s headlines.

Every sms and each tweet trying to make a point.
How the two ministers (one of them - the health minister) should be sacked and for some, hacked for being so incapable. How the high ranking officials in this case the collector and Health secretary who were present at the scene have been inhumane. How the police is ill equipped to save themselves. How the common man (yes, of course, how can we leave him behind) is not safe.

Please look closely into the video, read the facts and probably things may appear a little different. Besides the two ministers there were minister’s security guards, dozen’s of police men, the common man (in this case a dozen or more men) and the cameraman who shot the video. They all could have done something.
At least some one could have done something.

I am guilty. For me it was a collective failure. I choose to believe everyone present there is/was responsible in more than one way.

This responsibility doesn’t end by expressing our emotions over tweets and sms polls but only begins by actions.

It is a story about some remote village in Tamil Nadu. And it is a everyday reality in my city lanes and roads. India ranks first on the list of death due to road accidents. Some of which I have witnessed up close in person and have been as incapable and inhumane as any one else in this case. At least twice in my life I have frozen, not knowing what to do. I still carry that guilt somewhere deep down within me. Have you come across a situation where you were left frozen? If yes, then join my circle of guilt.

Did I want to help?
Yes.
Did I want to do something?
Yes.
Did I do anything?
No.

I froze because my intention lacked knowledge and skills. I realized that in spite of the fact that I wanted to help I couldn’t, simply because I didn’t know what to do.

So did them.

So did you.

I am a believer. I believe there is a Good Samaritan within all of us. I have a strong conviction that we all have the intention. In this case too I believe most of them had the will but they lacked the skill. I am not surprised that the health minister and health secretary didn’t have a clue about what to do. Don’t wish to open up the casket of ugly truth. What about the others?

What about people like you and me?
For me one person with basic knowledge of first aid would have made all the difference. I don’t know if it could have saved his life but it would have given him a fair chance. We would have given ourselves a fair chance.

The day we take responsibility, I believe it would be the difference..

Hopeful Samaritan..