India: Political will, terrorism and Mumbai

Even as the unfolding hostage situation in Mumbai escalates, more reactions on the blogosphere – from India and other places. Desipundit has pulled in links from various blogs – highlighting posts – from experience, to shock, despair and rage. The article on the attacks over at Wikipedia is an excellent source, compiling information from various source. Sonia Faleiro writes about being caught in the middle of it all.

We stepped out of the hotel and bullets rang in the air, people screamed, a tidal wave raced down the street and the security guard said ‘Inside! Madam, Inside NOW!’

We ran inside and I messaged my friend Chandrahas. ‘Encounter. We're staying in for now.’ We thought then it was a gang war, and it would end soon and Rahul and I looked at one another and we thought: This is what we're bringing our children into the world for.

Even then though there was no fear, only worry and stress. This is Bombay we said to ourselves, we fear no gangs, they are part of our bloodstream.

It's certainly not the first terror attack. Over the last year, there have been several cities targeted in various ways. From low intensity bombs, to grenades, and now open firing. Just a little something writes

It’s been numbing to say the least. Every time something like this happens I am seized by different reactions – sadness, anger, frustration, and helplessness to various degrees. And I am sure that must be the case with a majority of people. To be so vulnerable to attacks in the spate of a year is extremely scary a situation. Imagine how powerless our Intelligence must be to not have a CLUE about the blasts / attacks coming to any of the cities this year.


The Mad Momma
expresses anger at the way politicians have handled the issue so far.

Why didn’t the PM get up at midnight itself and give us some words of comfort and confidence? Why do we need a doddering old Shivraj Patil to make crappy, ineffectual statements? Where is the young blood that will lead us? Oh, apparently old man did warn us about terrorism via sea routes two years ago. So why didn’t we take it more seriously? If they had the gall to turn up at the heavily populated Gateway – can you imagine what goes on along our coastline?

Kalachakra raises some similar and pertinent questions about the ineptitude of the government machinery to deal with terror attacks, despite so many cities having been at the receiving end over the last few years.

Why have there been no resignations? Actually as a nation we are so immune to lack of action by the executive that we have stopped demanding that pubic servants accountable for the security and law enforcement take responsibility and resign. Ideally Shivraj Patil should have resigned many months ago, or should have been sacked and replaced with someone with a better track record.

India seems to be an easy target. With much of the anti-terror tactics hopelessly mauled by politicians after vote banks. Lekhni asks

Do the people who carry out these attacks this believe the West will turn a blind eye to terror attacks in India? Or do they want to create the impression that India, and Mumbai in particular, is an unsafe destination? Or is India just an easy target with its crowded public places?

The hostage situation doesn't show any sign of ending soon. More on this as the day goes on.

9 comments

  • These events of terrorism in India were predictable. See the article “Terrorism: An Indian Perspective” on
    http://www.swaveda.com to be republished on
    http://www.sookta-sumana.com

    No substantial action was taken by the Govt. of India or by the International Community of the Free World since this article was published.

  • yogita

    Ndtv focussing mainly on rich and famous ex 2 high ranking police, actor who lost his sister, journalist, chairman of bank. what about other 14-15 police. why not show us the faces on these brave men as well as all others involved.

  • For easy reference click on URL as follows by copying it in the address bar:

    http://www.swaveda.com/articles.php?action=show&id=111

    to access”Terrorism: An Indian Perspective” of July 2005

    India and the International Community of the Free World needed to have joined to strengthen the Anti-Terrorism strategies against the Jihadi and Islamic terrorism in India, which incidentally has not been properly covered by the Western media until now. There is a tendency to revictimise the victims of such terrorism when the victims react forcefully. That is not where the action needs to be. Action is long overdue to prevent continued and persistent victimization of innocent people in India, and now the specifically targeted Westerners, and to thwart future terrorist attacks.

  • Joe Mala

    Our response to terror in our neighbourhood should be on many fronts. One of them must be – Reject politics of polarization. Communalization brews mistrust and continues to seed the growth of new pockets of terror in many localities the world over. Terror needs to be fought at its birthplace – which can be anywhere. We need a single all-community condemnation of terror. That happens and continues to happen of course. The problem with such condemnation is that it is not honest enough. This allows terror elements to continue pushing their agenda. Look at the terror timelines on DNA Saturday’s page 14 (Nov 29). A long list of terror events – notice something? The Babri Masjid demolition is not on it, and neither is the Godhra carnage nor the riots that followed it. The omission is not minor – it points to a larger problem of bias. Bias that is centred around communalization. Bias that must be overcome before communities can begin to trust and respect each other. Our politicians would rather do the opposite. So it is up to us and only us, to reject such polarization of communities. Let’s start now by educating our children, reaching out to our neighbours and rejecting the politicians who thrive on divisive talk.

  • Well, at least some heads are rolling now.

    Shivraj Patil debates with Sardar Vallabhai Patel on who was the better home minister. Check http://www.rameshsrivats.net/2008/12/shivraj-patil-versus-sardar-patel.html

  • JYOTSNA

    india is suffering from the terrorism because of bloody politicians. during the time of terror attack where is that scounderal raj thackerrey?

  • ShahidB

    For those who think that terrorism is only related to Muslims, just check the following incidents carried out by Hindu Fanatics:

    May 17, 2007: Explosion in a Mosque during Friday prayers killing 32 in the city of Hyderabad.

    Feb 19, 2007: Two bombs explode in a train heading to Pakistan. 68 passengers killed mostly Pakistanis. Recently a Hindu Indian Army Col. has been arrested who was the mastermind of these blasts.

    Sept 8, 2006: Explosions near a mosque in Malegaon town.

    In addition the Hindu Murderes like Narinder Moody, Thakrays, the recent killings of christians in Orisa by Hindu Fanatics.

    The list just goes on and on. The bottom line is that as long as we don’t face the reality the problems won’t go away.

  • Hi ShahidB,

    Terrorist don’t think abt hindu or musilim.They killed innocent people.They killed 33 musilm on mumbai.

  • ShahidB

    Gopirkishna:
    I most certainly agree with you and thank you for brigning it up.

    That is the point I tried to send across for those people who affiliate terrorism with only muslims. It’s not a problem with one religion or society. Terrorism has no faith, religion or boundaries. We must face the realities and the truth that there are very bad people out there in all the societies of this world but they are a very small minority and can not be considered represetatives of the majority which are good and caring. If we keep blaming one specific group and try to hide or ignore the others the problem will nvever go away.

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