Why should that matter?

Yesterday, while I was on my way back home, a strange thing happened. I was feeling really sick and in fact fell sick today. (As I write I am down with fever. But, let that be.) Was not at all in a position to talk to anyone or even to change the direction in which I was looking as it would consume my energy. While I was at the platform, suddenly I could see women gathered close to the police help counter. To be honest, I was not tempted to look or try to know what had happened. But suddenly the lady sitting next to me said, "Woh bachchon ko kya hua?" And I turned. Now, the fatigue was replaced by concern. That was when we discovered that three kids aged 4-6 had gotten off the train by mistake. They didn't know from where they boarded the train, nor were they were aware of where they were heading. Women had already begun cursing the parents of the children for being so careless. My heart went out to them and in my mind I uttered a silent prayer. That was that. The train approached the station and I had no choice but to move on. This is not the strange part of the incident. What happened after that was strange.
I got into the train and occupied a seat. The lady sitting to my right (who was also witness to the incident) again broached upon the kids' topic. (A female after all. Sorry for being sexist). At that instant, a burqa-clad (I wouldn't mention that if it didn't concern the story) lady to my left asked what had happened as she must have boarded the train one or two stations before my station and hence was oblivious to the whole incident. The lady narrated the whole thing to the burqa-clad lady. On hearing the whole incident, the lady turned to me and asked, "Were the kids Muslim?" This question left me startled. At an instant where a kid is crying, do we have to think about his religion before trying to pacify him? Is the religion so very important? When there was Babri Masjid demolition, or Godhra carnage or any bomb blasts (as there were too many in our country) did we ask the religion of the person before extending our hand to help?
Some may argue stating that the lady was not qualified enough. Point taken. But, in this country, does one have to enroll into a crash course for learning humanity? A woman, by birth, they say has maternal instinct. So in that instinct to care for a child, from where did the dilution of religion come? Why should it creep into our hearts?
We all are aware of what happens when one gets consumed by religious principles and ideologies and gets easily brainwashed. It's undoubtedly that what is responsibile for the ideological and philosophical regression that we as a country are facing.
It's high time that we stop at least now. If not for anyone else, for ourselves.

Manjiri