Mumbai blasts: Dinesh Majhi needs our help; what will you do?

There are some stories you just wish happened. You pray to God they happened (even the seculars, or the pseudo seculars like us, pray to God). Monday’s story about Dinesh Majhi, who survived the blast last week, is right at the top of such a wish list.

Majhi’s photograph, splashed across our front page the day after the blast, had sent shockwaves through the city. Many criticised our decision, saying it dishonoured the dead.

There were plenty others who thought there was no other way to convey what happened.

Honestly, we had no idea if the person was dead or alive. We thought it was a shocking picture that told the story of terror.
There was also some controversy over another photograph (on other papers’ front pages) that showed injured being ferried to hospital in a tempo truck.

A few felt it was insensitive to carry the injured in a tempo and a few felt the photograph shouldn’t have been taken and published. They did not acknowledge the urgency of the situation and the presence of mind shown by those who took the decision to grab anything that came their way and take the injured to the hospital, saving several precious lives in the process.

We decided to track down these people who appeared in newspaper photographs. Often what happens is that while we convey the picture, we often miss the story. They are not mere objects, but persons with real life stories.

We wanted their stories told so that readers could share the pain and grief that they went through. Majhi’s story is one such tale. His father passed away when he was barely a month old. He came to this city of opportunities with hopes of earning a living and supporting his mother. Little did he know that he will land in the hospital with one leg severed. His employer was so scared of the repercussions of employing an under-aged boy that he told the hospital and our reporter that Majhi was 19.

This despite Majhi telling hospital authorities his real age at the time of admission — just 13. As he recuperates at Saifee hospital, he just so wishes his mother was around. Our prime minister, who I always believed is a good man, came and stood next to him and the government photographers released the picture without telling us who he was and what his story is.

Through this piece, I appeal to the government of Maharashtra and, indeed, the prime minister to do something for this boy who came with dreams in his eyes. Here is an opportunity for the authorities to set aside the much maligned red tape and show their humane face. Could they bring down his mother? Could they rehabilitate him in such a way that he never regretted coming to Mumbai?

And you, our dear readers, what could you do? Please tell us. We will be more than happy to play our part.
l_deepak@dnaindia.net