Mumbai has been under a terror attack yet again. But of a very different nature this time. This was nothing like the multiple blasts that we've witnessed in the past. We were in turmoil for more than 50 long hours, and this was clearly one of our most agonising moments in history. Our NSG commandos, army, navy, and local police have shown exemplary courage amidst all this havoc. Like the news channels rightly pointed out, these are the real brave-hearts of the city, the men who actually put their lives on the line to safeguard us. There can indeed be no greater patriot than the soldier fighting gallantly for his country. And after the men in uniform, I think our media deserves a round of applause. Our correspondents and camera-men have been out there in the danger zone all this while, giving us a relentless, blow-by-blow account of the entire encounter, while we sat back at home and watched with obvious comfort and safety.
As always, we had the mandatory, meaningless speeches made by the politicians, which after a point were infuriating. Empty vessels do make the most noise. Although the politicians were sorely lacking concern for the victims, they did manage to come up with some surprising antics, like portraying a very controversial (and questionable) sense of unity. Amidst all the political drama, the only genuine response came from our security forces. Their anxiously awaited comments were brief and to the point. Unlike the politicians, these men did way more than talk bullshit and stroll around the Taj hotel and J.J. hospital. And of course, we also heard a few passionate lines from some prominent mumbaikars, who perfectly resonated the sentiments of the city.
But amidst all this chaos and mayhem, what we really need to hear is the voice of the common man, the random mumbaikar. How does he feel today? What does he think about this devastation? Isn't he outraged at the alarming frequency and magnitude of these terror attacks? Doesn't he think that our security system is crap, and that our lame politicians are doing a fuck-all job? Doesn't he believe that the inability to avoid, or atleast foresee this massacre is a paramount failure on the part of the administration and the intelligence? Of course, he does. But whats new? Every single time that we witness a reckless episode of terrorism, we're anguished and angered. But the regrettable thing is that as soon as we've dealt with the episode, our anger drastically subsides, and we fail to analyse, or even question what led to such an attack in the first place. We miraculously just put the unfortunate incident behind us and get on with our routine life. If we choose to be this tolerant about terrorism, why gasp in horror when we witness it? The absurd part is that after every major attack on the city, instead of condemning the administration for their lax, mumbaikars applaud themselves for their endurance, for their so-called "spirit". Even our politicians will vouch for the fact that the "spirit" of mumbai never dies. Of course, the mumbaikars dying is an issue that they don't really work upon. Get my point? This over-rated "spirit" of ours is an utterly romantic version connived at covering up the flaws of the politicians. While it is remarkable that our spirit is not subdued by the psycho-activities of a handful of terrorists, it is daft of us to be this resilient and simply carry on with our routine, foolishly assuming that such barbaric attacks of terrorism will not recur. Of course, they will! What the hell are we thinking? Or are we? How much longer before we realize that by not protesting against these attacks, we are dangerously provoking them. By being so submissive, we are inviting, if not exactly breeding terrorism in our city. How can we possibly allow such a bold assault on our city, on us, go unquestioned and then fantasize that it won't repeat? That is extreme stupidity. We are damned if we just normalize again. We are damned if we think things couldn't get any worse. And we are damned if we still talk about our "spirit".
We need to evoke a united response, an organised mass movement. Solitary, sporadic reactions will not do. Instead of coming up with a pathetic, "Why me?" , or a selfish, "Thank God, it wasn't me." , we Indians need to come up with a dignified and resolute, "It WON'T be us again." That said, we need to actively do something about it. We should know better than to think that our netas will take the initiative. They won't budge unless we DEMAND. So, demand we will. Foolproof security ought to be the first on our list. The politicians had better assure us that we can walk fearlessly in our city, unless they're game for a revolt from the masses. Also, some serious ground level changes will have to be demanded. We have to realize that any significant change in our country is not possible without the efforts of our police department. Therefore, undue skepticism towards them should be done with. Their contribution in our society should be readily acknowledged, and they should be motivated to strive harder. Forget not, that these are the men who really defend us, the ultimate regulators of law and order in our society. Without them, even our judicial system would be helpless. Let us learn therefore, to put our hands together for the men in khaki.
And let us learn, not to make the men in white our perennial scapegoats. For goodness' sake, we've got to stop blaming the politicians for everything that goes wrong in the country. True, they are responsible for most of it, but we are the ones who elected them in the first place. So we are much more accountable for this mess than they are. Instead of just lamenting over them, lets do something more constructive, like say, building up some pressure over them so that attacks like these are not taken lightly, or forgotten easily. We have to make the politicians realize how aware we are of their failures. We need to emphasize the point that they are constantly under public scrutiny, and that their screw-ups will be anything but overlooked by the masses. The press is always at our disposal to assert our opinion regarding the administrative failure. How many of us have ever written a letter to the editor? It is a supremely effective way of communicationg our displeasure and anger to the administration.
It won't suffice to sit back and watch the drama unfold. Its time to intervene. And we ought to begin NOW. We can't afford to wait another 150 years before we fight back terrorism. We have to snap out of the mentality that a common man can't do anything significant to change the current scenario. If you think you're just an ordinary man, fine. Start with some ordinary activities. Follow the news closely. Be vigilant when in public places. Look out for any odd or out of place objects, or suspicious characters, and report these promplty. If you wish to bring something to public attention, write to the feedback column of various newspapers, and also read these regularly. In case of a natural calamity, or a disaster like the one we're currently facing, go to your nearest govt. hospital and donate blood. It will be a huge relief in this time of bloodshed. If you're financially well-endowed, donate some money as well. The funds are always welcome, especially after such a major crisis. If you're a celebrity and have the added advantage of charisma, make yourself useful. Give meaningful interviews to create public awareness about political issues. If you're in the media, make a documentary. If you're in the press itself, even better. Be honest and expose the hypocrisy in our system. Write rhetoric articles and motivate the masses, compel them to think. If you're a teacher, you have an excellent opportunity to mould the young minds. Inculcate a sense of national pride and patriotism in them. If you're a college student, organise debates over political themes. If you are a prominet figure with some political clout, pull a few strings to get some purposeful things done. Any chance you're an MLA, get your lousy ass into action. If doing any of this still seems like a fantasy to you, never mind. Atleast see to it that your kids, elderly members of the family are well-informed about our national issues, your maid even.
And finally, we need to fight the enemy within. We have to think of ourselves and of our fellow countrymen as INDIANS FIRST, before we think of ourselves as Maharashtrians or mumbaikars. If we remain so engrossed in internal discriminations, how can we ever succeed at fighting external threats? What is really needed is not a change of leadership, but an intense sense of national unity. The persistence of internal conflicts in our nation implies deep-rooted problems in our society, which will have to be tackled in a civilized manner. We have to learn to communicate our differences calmly, and then come to mutually acceptable decisions. Riots are never the solution. The indiscriminate finger-pointing and blame-game will have to end as well. We need to keep in mind the bigger picture (read national peace and security), and zealously work our way towards it. Old prejudices and orthodox systems will have to be discarded. Ancient doctrines will have to be replaced by modern ones. The begining of a new era has to be heralded by a new ideology. We first need to ensure that our infrastructure is not crippled with corruption and caste system, that we are not biased towards any region or religion, that we truly are a secular and democratic nation. And when we've effectively dealt with all our internal differences, only then can we defeat the enemy outside. It is ultimately, all in the mind. The battle must be won before it is fought. VANDE MATARAM.
