I woke up to the devastating news of gun men taking control of most high profile, high security buildings of Mumbai. It's perturbing to hear about an attack of such scale across Mumbai by terrorists. What a big intelligence and security failure? My prayers and thoughts are with those who died and injured in the terror attack.
Questions keep coming out of mind, as more and more news come out. We don't have the answers now and we may not know the answers for many of our questions. But one thing is for sure. We must all stand united and be brave. I was touched and also pained by the sight of ATS chief wearing the helmet and chest guard before entering the Taj Hotel. The top man of ATS walking to fight terrorists speaks loud about the situation. Soft governance and vicious politicians are the bane of this country. It is time we, Indian citizens, learnt our lessons.
In rediff B.Raman, Former deupty secretary at the cabinet secretariat has written an article on this situation. Please read it. He asks whether our nuclear establishments are safe. This, coming from a man who served as one of the top bureaucrats is highly disturbing. Unless he sees a motive in the top echelons of our safety and security, such a question would not come out.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/nov/27raman-are-our-nuclear-establishments-safe.htm
Corruption and the greed for power is corroding the iron of our safety.
My mind is clobberred by incessant thoughts coming out of my anguish and pain. All that I want to say is this. The union government and the state government have failed to save its citizens and the guests. They were sleeping or pretending to be asleep while terrorists planned and walked into Mumbai to carry out an attack of this scale. They are wholly responsible for the intelligence and security failure. What are they going to do? I guess, they will cling onto power, because that is what they want.
Balaji
ReplyDeleteSame thoughts here. But i wonder how any of this is possible without local support. I mean the ones who voluntarily support such attacks secretly and the ones who support unknowingly, though i believe the second type would be few.
The clean-up job, if at all planned seriously, should start from the inside. This is becoming a ritual these days and looks like it could strike anyone, anytime.
Very true Sid. We have to clean up internally first before thinking about an uncompromising security set up.
ReplyDeleteYou would know by now that the ATS chief is no more. The top officials of Indian Police have been killed.
ReplyDeleteCNN reports that despite our courage, we are inept to deal with such situations.
Yes Kartikey. A question that pops up is this, why did he go in, however committed he may be? He is too important as the top honcho of ATS. Did he go in just to support his men? or did he underestimate the situation? Whatever be the reason, it was a immature decision, though it sounds brave.
ReplyDeleteWe are divided within ourselves. Today everyone is emotional and feels bad for what has happened. Tomorrow we will wake up to the real world where everything will be questioned, and a call for a commission of inquiry into our security personnel's 'encounter' at the Taj and other places will surely come...
ReplyDeleteInstead of knee-jerk reactions, such as stronger anti-terror law, arrest of 200 suspects and so on, we should question why this happens here...
My feeling is that people here have no self-respect or pride, only big egos. We don't listen, we don't learn anything. No one aspires to be different. A mediocre people.
I feel so bitter these days when I think about our country, and it shows here.
We have a sense of superiority, but we are callous and indifferent. We speak about compassion, but when something bad happens, we look around for someone to hurt. We speak about fairness and rights, but when we get power, we abuse it.
There is not much we can do about this kind of attack, but the frequency of these incidents are definitely alarming.
This is a barbaric episode in our history, let us hope we come out of it with our heads held high.
I posted this as a response to you Bala elsewhere. I'll repeat it here.
ReplyDeleteI wait for the day Indians can separate the struggle for roti-kapada-makaan from a struggle to maintain their country. Both must run concurrently, daily, hourly, every breath Indians take in this country.
Freedom does not mean a loo..Democracy is not another name for anarchy and vandalism ....freedom does not mean I can pi$$ on you and you and you there every day and yet hope my country will remain pristine.
If Indians have been upset, as they say they are every time we have a crisis, then there must be some basic conscience within each.
Where did we surrender the rest?
To jump ques? To speed up a prescribed process? To conduct a routine designated responsibility?
We as people fear rogues more than casting a stone on our nation.
Our hand doesn't shrivel up and fall off when we cast that stone on our own motherland.
It supplicates to the local rogue, whether on the street or in a seat.
I feel the same thing as Baskar says. The day before, we were not talking about terrorism or what we should do about it and such other things. And we will not, a week after now. We will be 'excited' by the media's dose of hype 'static's, of more important things like cricket, cinema and the likes.
ReplyDeleteI think, we, the braves, will be enduring, by being sluggish, in comatose, many such 'coward acts of terrorism' and deal with them 'through diplomatic talks'. (Already the tv's run scrolls saying negotiations are underway for ransom and release of jihadis against release the hostages)
When we, who are mostly not directly affected, feel so much incapacitated for those who are affected, I could only imagine what the kith and kin of those who are killed or injured would have to sustain. Its painful and pitiful, thinking of them. May they have the strength to overcome it, and if possible, the power to educate and change a wider mass.
But what each one of us, at least who author and comment in this blog, can do to help make our nation strong and sane, I wonder!
There is no doubt about the need for a fundamental change in the way we Indians live and operate in this country. Just stone throwing at the country will not take us anywhere. We must stand up to face every form of violation and not be cowed down by the rogues and the thugs.
ReplyDeleteSurely each of us, those who author, comment and visit this blog can make serious contributions to this nation and that can happen by answering their conscience and living right and straight.
Brave words won't serve the nation nor will scathing criticisms but action on the ground.
I too wonder why the chief of ATS jumped into the situation. I mean being the chief; he should have been busy formulating a strategy right? And with the NSG, army on its way in, it is indeed surprising that he decided to be one of the pawns.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed very sad that he lost his life. Heartfelt condolences to him and may his soul rest in peace.