26 Nov2008: 9:58 pm
The buisness had just begun and it was crispily discussed alongwith each sip of alchohol that drenched the throats in the porches of all the star hotels in Mumbai. It was party mood in the ballrooms and the night showed signs of getting increasingly romantic with each minute passing by. Suddenly there was smoke and chaos and it hardly took time to realise that mumbai was under terrorist attack.
Though a fellow mumbaikar is accustomed to the sporadic events that test his nerves, this attack was a different one. It had directly challenged the law establishment entitled to protect citizens. This time not only were the middle class citizens attacked but a clear attack was carried out against the places so as to cause maximum casualty to foreigners and directly challenge the economic might of India by carrying out attack on its economic capital.
With 59 hours of long fought out battle, 183 civilian deaths including 20 casualties of security forces, the attacks clearly brought out a series of question that we need to address at the earliest. Was it a intelligence failure or a systemic failure? Are our forces equipped to fight this new battle? How long we are going to politicise even the basic issue of citizen security ? Have we failed to build up into ourselves the feeling of one nation or is this going to be a value that is to be displayed only when war like situation emerges? Can we think over national interest by placing our regional interests into background? Can we learn how to cherish our martyrs- real heroes?
The questions that clutter around one's mind may be many but it is necessary to find solutions to every question that we pose to ourselves. We as individual citizens have to remember that now our time has come - not to pose questions and wait for someone to act but to make it a point to act whenever and wherever situation demands.
I think the situation has to be improved from the base of the pyramid that is primary education. Contribute maximum energy to build up a healthy nation that has the ability to think over the issues concerning itself and it enjoys its right to vote pragmatically. It is from here that we can develop a healthy society. Short term actions have to be to reform the police to meet challenges of 21st century and active civil society participation to act as pressure group over the state apparatus.
Difficult times always bring out the best from an individual and also from the society. We have to take this event as an opportunity to build India into a nation that shall have the power to fulfill the dream of 1 billion people to live a respectful life, that has the ability to satisfy hunger of more than 500 million people and that has the ability to empower its every citizen with equal amount of say to decide his future irrespective of his economic and social condition.
Had this to happen then can only the souls of our brave martyrs can rest in peace and the likes of karkares, Ashok Kamtes can delightfully sing
" Aey Watan , Aey watan humko teri kasam,
teri rahoon mein jaan tak loota jayenge,
Jab uthegi shahiddo ki arthi tum rona nahi
magar jab hogi swantrata ki manaii hume bholna nahi......"
1 comment:
This attack on mumbai has indeed nullified what we have achieved over the years. Now India is just going to be seen across the world as vulnerable targets for terrorists. This makes it imperative to do the basics that we have missed.Like u said primary education,eradication hunger and building India as nation of togetherness...
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