AN INCIDENT AT THE WAGAH BORDER

Living in India seems hopeless sometimes. With the number of powerful people ruling us with no sense of responsibility for its citizens, no rules amended in its proper place, we the ‘common’, helpless citizens of India face the unwanted mindless torture.

I am writing this for an unknown person with whom I don’t have any relation but a relation of humanity. All this happened on September 10, 2011 around 5pm at the Wagah Border, Amritsar. 

First of all, there were No rules written on the board for women and men to follow queues. Secondly, in respect to the number of seats for the audience at the Wagah stadium for Retreat Ceremony more and more people were pouring in. Third, the security was worthless who didn’t know how to handle a crowd properly. They were the main culprits behind all such acts and thus am writing this blog in the form of a complaint.

When the large crowds begin to reach the stadia, which is few meters away, where the popular patriotic songs are played and the war heroes are remembered who laid down their lives for the country, here one BSF personnel beat a man. His only mistake was that he unknowingly stood with his wife and two years old daughter in the ladies queue. And that BSF guy beat him to death.  He was nearly choking. His chest was bruised badly. He and his wife were crying. I and my mother saw it and helped the couple. Later, watching all this, that same uniformed man came to check whether the man is dead or alive.I mean after doing this he is coming up to see him as if he doesn’t know how strong his hands can be for a civilian. He could have shouted, warned him but beating so badly, losing out his cool was unacceptable.  I can understand that managing and dealing with a crowd can be really difficult. But the purpose for which these men in uniform are guarded and the behavior one demonstrated was highly insane. 

…and after waiting for an hour in the ladies line, another thing happened. A group of foreigners came to visit the Wagah, and in a few minutes I saw those ladies with us joined the men’s queue with their people just because they were Foreigners.

Now look at the situation here. When an Indian goes abroad, there is a strict ‘Rule’ for everybody and here we Indians in our own country are treated poorly. Just because of NO RULES in order, all such things happen. Now why didn’t the men in uniform pull out them? 

I even complained the above hitting and beating incident to another BSF soldier but he said - being in a small position he couldn’t do anything. He also went on saying that these are the works of ministers, who have to be strict on it. 

But NO, this thing is impossible in India. 

So, does that mean they are carrying out the frustration on ordinary people, who are visiting the border for the first time with there families to salute and enjoy the historical past of their countrymen.

The worst thing could have happened that day was a ‘stampede’. I, in my last visit to the border, haven’t seen such a big crowd. Being a weekend, the Authorities should have managed. But alas, Rules don’t go with them. And this was the same week when ANNA HAZARE ended his fast.

Till 5pm the BSF soldiers gathers crowd when its time to enter the stadia. Why doesn’t people go and be seated on the first come first basis with there families. Families should go together and should pass the security checks too but here they have to be separated in such unruly crowd. We even arrived before time and still we didn’t get to see the Retreat.

That day the crowd rushed ferociously to capture the seats and later they were made to stand in the queues feeble-mindedly and then the security checks begin.  After that, people again were formed into a crowd where they again rushed for the seat. Till then the seats got filled up, the ceremony started and the rest of the people – kids, couples or families, who were unable to find a standing space went back hearing only the songs without watching the ceremony.  Can you imagine the rate at which some men touch the girls in the crowd? Can’t this be all managed? 

We were all lost and later united with our family. The whole Wagah trip got ruined.  While coming back I forgot about the unseen ceremony and prayed God for that man to recover fast. I still get to see the helpless images of crying couple and their 1 may be 2 yrs old daughter.

 Either the stadia at the border should be increased or the crowd should be managed properly. There should be entry ticket with minimum people’s entry (as per the seats available and free-standing position) without hurting people and Indian sentiments.