Oh Bombay…

I take no pride in admitting this but the first time I went to town since November 26th, my stomach crunched to its deepest depths and I started shivering involuntarily, as I passed Colaba Causeway. It was the eeriest, quietest environment and I wanted it to be anything but. Bombay didn’t deserve this.  

As I read through reams and reams of reports regarding the Bombay terror attacks, and the loud backlash against the media coverage of the event (with specific reference to a certain Ms Dutt who seems to be ruling social media networks at the moment for all the wrong reasons), I made a silent resolve to stay away from all news channels for the next three days, believing it would help in putting away the sense of doom that I was feeling. Ten minutes into that resolve, I get a forwarded email in my inbox from a friend that is a first person account of a Brit survivor’s tale from the Taj. It is a harrowing account of his survival on that fateful night.  I am not able to stop thinking about it, for a few hours after I finish reading the mail.

My heart goes out to the families of those killed at CST, at the Cama hospital, at the Taj, at the Oberoi/Trident, at Nariman House and especially for the NSG commandos and cops killed during the operation, words cannot articulate the empathy that the people of Bombay as well as those from around the country are feeling right now with them. I think I speak for many of my friends when I say that there is a sense of loss among all Bombayites regarding their feeling of security. and of the city they call home. I know I do.

From a Mumbaikar…

I’ve been trying to write something since Wednesday night since all this mayhem began. Something to express what Iam feeling inside. Truth is, I’ve started on my laptop at least five to six times and always turned it off, given up, because it’s impossible for me to articulate how im feeling right now. 

Today is Sunday night. And I am still numb and speechless. At the brazenness of it all, the helplessness that we are feeling, the anger, the frustration and the political apathy and insensitivity. According to news reports that are streaming in, the Indian Intelligence agencies had alerted the central and state government to possible attacks at the Taj and other prominent spots in Mumbai, as early as September. And reports also suggested that RAW had intercepted a satellite phone conversation about ‘cargo’ being dispatched to Mumbai which was eventually traced back to an LeT officer. 

I mean, is this a joke??? Are you seriously telling me that all this information was available to the government and nothing was done? Can someone from the government HONESTLY tell me that they would have displayed the same apathy to such intelligence information if there were reports that the parliament or some other “important” government abode were to be attacked? I would think not.

There’s no value for human life in this country. if there was, information such as this would have been acted upon, at the earliest. The Congress, quoted in the press, says Mr Shivraj Patil “took appropriate action following the tragic event on Wednesday.” What about pre-emptive measures to avoid such an incident in the first place? Isnt that why he was placed in office for? 

Can we please have some accountability from politicians for a job not done? more than just token gestures like tendering their resignations? And can we remove the layers of security from politicians of all grades and stature and let them feel a little insecure as well? Just to let them get a taste of how Mumbaikars are going to be feeling from hereon…