Who Killed KK?

 

By Raja Chowdhury

 

Kolkata: Krishnakumar Kunnath, fondly known as KK, was one of the most versatile singers of the Indian music industry. His soulful voice gave us many memorable songs. Yesterday he succumbed to his ailment. Succumbed to the callous attitude of the Government functionaries at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata.

Giving a state funeral was just a cover up to hide the utter mismanagement at the Nazrul Mancha. Ifit was a so called 'Good Governance', instead of announcing a state funera; for KK from a public rally in Bankura, Chief Minister mamata Bannerji would have announced a high leel enquiry and allowed the heads to roll. Instead she tried to cover up the entire episode by announcing a state funeral at the airport.

Nazrul Mancha which has a seating capacity of 2 thousand 500 people had at the said point of time around 7,000 visitors insude the closed auditorium. How and why was that even allowed? It was a stampede like situation after all. 

This raises some pertinent questions which the government should answer now. What was the management and the security personnel deputed for sucha show were doing? why was the programme was allowed even to start keeping in mind the safety and security of the people who came there? why werent the extra people turned out of the event. were they gate crashers or tickets were sold to them? or they were invited?  The reports even suggest that the Air Conditioners installed at the venue were not working properly. 

During the show, KK was perspiring profusely and complained several times regarding the same which fell on deaf ears. There was no first aird neither there was paramedical support inside the auditorium. 

It was only after the show KK's manager took him to his hotel and not any hospital though KK was unstable even in the car.

Several quarters in Bollywood has raised serious objections to the callous attitude of the government. Some of them have raised alarm for a CBI enquiry while some are asking for immediate ban of Bollywood artists performing in such auditoriums in Kolkata unless a strict action is taken and all auditoriums are assured of proper management in future.