26/11/2009: Bombay, a year later

I along with my country folks and people from all over the world got somber yesterday for all the innocent victims of Bombay massacre last year. The mindless mayhem perpetrated upon the city and people of Bombay by a bunch of Pakistan-trained terrorists was so extraordinary that those 62 hours made India seem the most vulnerable. Bombay, of course, bounced back to life soon, showing its famed resilience once again in the face of its biggest adversity. The extraordinary courage shown by Taj Mahal hotel and Trident hotel staff, anti-terror squad's officers, CST's announcer, policemen, and most of all our elite NSG commandos was all the stuff of legends! Also encouraging was the solidarity shown by the citizens of India in severe condemnation of the most barbaric destabilizing act of the brainwashed extremists. We all heard India chanting: Enough is Enough!

The Indian government had to act. Under public pressure, it removed the utterly incompetent Home Minister. The Maharashtra chief minister and the home minister were forced to resign because of their absolute insensitiveness exhibited towards the most shocking of the carnage. India got a new Home Minister: a highly respected and perhaps the most competent so far. It felt India would finally be able to brace itself for any future fight to save its territorial integrity and maintain tranquility all around.

But nothing has changed apparently.

Except for the workings of the ministry of home affairs, of course. P. Chidambaram has successfully revamped the systems involved in maintaining homeland security to a large extent and we would soon be seeing him further minimizing the “accumulated neglect” and ensuring that India never ever gets under such hopeless circumstances.

But, beyond that? Has Bombay really learnt its lessons? Could Bombayites sustain their anger against the state government’s gross ineptness in handling the entire episode of terror? Did they decide to throw out the incompetent and corrupt government for bringing their beloved city to its knees in those horrific 62 hours a year earlier at the first opportunity thrown to them in terms of the state assembly elections recently? Sadly, the answer to all these disturbing questions is a big NO.

Bombay could never transcend beyond sloganeering. “Enough is Enough” remained only in the domain of a few people seeking short-term television appearance. They did not even come out to vote in enough numbers that could have upset the ruling party’s cartel. They did not even choose a few decent and capable professionals who had decided to take a plunge in the murky waters of politics, all for the sake of their fellow citizens. Worse, the same person got the Home portfolio whose utterly shocking sentiments that “such small things keep happening in big cities” had offended the entire nation post 26/11.

The fact that Bombay tries to disguise its indifference towards its narrow day-to-day routine grind of life by showcasing its so-called virtue of “resilience” is immensely disappointing. And this was at its best display yesterday – a year post 26/11.

The citiwallas had no time to come together even in remembrance, forget about showing solidarity and strength in demanding answers from the state and the central governments for their continuing apathy. Whatever we saw happening yesterday in Bombay and elsewhere as a mark of 26/11 first anniversary was all thanks to media’s initiatives, television channels in particular. Otherwise, the so-called Maximum City was happy with its minimum exhibition of its emotions.

(And, by the way, where were all those stalwarts, again, – by/for/of Marathi Manoos - ever eager to divide Bombay – err, Mumbai – in the name of the so-called Maratha Pride? Perhaps, they did not deem the issue of Mumbai’s safety strong enough a platform to garner a few more gullible votes! Honestly, I pity Shiv Sena and MNS alike.)

I pray for all those departed souls and their family members left behind. I pray for enough strength to our Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram who has the skill and the will to set things right. I pray for sustained security and prosperity of my country.

God save India.