ON FIRE FOR NO REASON

Don’t play with fire — an important rule of safety we learn as children. but like so many things we learn; we ignore, forget or do not grasp the seriousness of it until irreparable damage is done. Recently, Congress Committee secretary, K. Sumathi Mohan, became victim of her own affliction while trying to burn an effigy of Chandrababu Naidu. her sari caught fire accidentally and she wound up at the hospital. A few weeks ago, 23-year-old K. Venugopal Reddy, a student at Osmania University, reportedly set himself ablaze, convinced he was dying a martyr for the Telangana cause.
We belong to a country whose greatest leader preached and practiced non-violence and managed to free a nation on that principle. it’s a pity that our contemporary political representatives encourage the masses to resort to horrific acts of violence with such disregard for life. What’s far more tragic than the people who suffer these injuries is the dogma that dictates their belief system — they delude themselves into believing their actions are noble and selfless. It isn’t so. Fire is lethal, it destroys, and for those who survive a burn, it scars and disfigures leaving its mark for life. What’s worse, it’s your loss entirely. No one even will even remember what ‘cause’ you were fighting for.
Even first degree burns take a week to heal and it’s a painful process. “Second degree burns take about two-three weeks to heal and in the case of third degree burns, healing time varies depending on the damage. In cases where skin grafting is required, it can take several months to heal,” explains Dr V. Sudhakar Prasad, senior consultant, cosmetic and plastic surgeon, Apollo Hospitals.
Even though burn victims are not subject to medication for a long period of time, the psychological damage often lasts a lifetime. “Physical disfigurement can impair a patient’s self confidence. In some cases, limbs are amputated. Psychological support and counselling can help the patient, but this aspect of care is lacking in our country so the victims deal with the trauma on their own,” states Dr Prasad.
There are toxic consequences too. inhaling toxic fumes can damage an individual’s lungs and lead to ulcers.
To fight for what we believe in is our right, so is being alive. Living in a democracy, we have the advantage to express ourselves freely, peacefully and still be heard — it’s time we learn to benefit from the secularity of our country instead of burning it and ourselves.