(Image source from: Is Maruti SX4 to be blamed for Gopinath Mundes death})

Ever since the news of tragic accidental death of BJP leader and Union Minister for Rural Development, Gopinath Munde, hit the headlines, Indian car giant Maruti Suzuki has been biting their nails in trepidation.

Almost all media stories have mentioned that Munde Maruti SX4, a fairly popular sedan, was toppled by an over speeding Tata Indica that overran a stop light.

Tata Motors have nothing to worry about though given that their Indicas mostly serve as private taxis and are often driven rash, as people who live in metros or near BPO/IT companies would affirm. Also, given their grim sales figures that is steadily driving south, it wouldn't be long before the taxi drivers ditch it for some other better cars.

But that isn't the case with Maruti. It's got a reputation in the market and accidents as this could blotch its good name and topple its sales too.

This morning, the Indian Express carried a piece citing Munde's preference for the premium, imported Toyota Lexus. Apparently, Munde would buy a new white Lexus every three years, since the time he suffered a critical neck injury in a stage collapse accident and wanted the size and comfort of a Lexus to carry on with his to and fro schedules.

"But on Tuesday, he was being driven in a Maruti SX4 car when he met with the fatal accident in Delhi," the Indian Express says.

So is the Maruti SX4 to be blamed for Munde's death? Unlikely. Check out the picture of Munde's SX4, now parked at a Delhi police station. You will hardly see any signs of damage save for a slight dent.

As Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan revealed that the late Union Minister died of cervical fractures and depletion of oxygen to the brain and lungs. His liver was ruptured and he lost one-two liters of blood. So if the accident wasn't any major, how did Gopinath Munde die?

Well, it could be that the hapless Union Minister was not wearing a rear seat belt and the sudden impact of the hit flung him out of his seat, leaving him with critical internal injuries that eventually took his life. Given that rear seat belts are not mandatory in India, this reason could raise eyebrows. But can we overrule the fact?

As many versions of the accident emerge, it isn't quite clear if it was Munde's driver or the Indica's driver, Gurvinder Singh, who is at fault. Regardless of who the culprit is, the lesson remains the same. It is time to strap on that rear seat belts, India. Not just that, more Indians now need to invest in cars with airbags.

While front seat belts are compulsory in Indian metros, most drivers tend to slip them off on the highways, not realizing that they need more safety when driving there. And while  there is no concrete proof  to testify that, a simple Google search reveals that many of our leaders too refrain from wearing a seat belt.

Google and you will find that none, from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwa and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrain from wearing a seatbelt, whether they are seated on the front seat or rear.

After the tragic Munde episode, the  government must  do everything in its capacity to bring road safety to the forefront and take those speeding Tata Indicas as well as other vehicles to book, install CCTV cameras and warnings at accident prone junctions. But that isn't all. We must also learn to use the personal safety equipment  present in our vehicles and ensure that we use them without fail. After all, “jaan hai to jahaan hai.”

AW: Suchorita Choudhury