26/11 attacks – 2

This image still haunts Mumbai!!!

A day of remembrance of :

The valour of our Mumbai Police Force

The efforts of the Indian Army

The way Mumbai helps and works.

At the same time,

The failure of our political system

The failure of our Intelligence

The failure to save 150 plus lives...

That day, 12 years ago, I had just reached home around 9.15pm and as per my habit started the television set to watch the news. My neighbour called out and asked me to watch the Doordarshan channel as it was flashing some breaking news about a gun fight. I immediately switched to DD News and started listening to the news. As the time passed it turned from bad to worse to worst and grim, eventually by 10.30 or so, we all realised that they were the dastardly attacks on the fragile fabric of Mumbai.

The horrendous scenes on TV for the next 3 days were mind boggling and invoking anger as day by day the death toll just rose up. Many policemen and soldiers bravely gave up their life in defending the economic capital of India. The gross indecisiveness by the Central Government as well as the State Government led to chaos and anguish amongst the citizens. Only when the Army Commandos flew down to Mumbai, people breathed a sigh of relief.

What followed was the courageous display of skill and commitment, one by one the terrorists holed up at the Chaddar House and The Taj were killed and Mumbai was finally liberated.

But the way a few eminent journalists behaved and transmitted live pitcures raises questions about their integrity and commitment towards India. Their live telecast was watched by the handlers in Pakistan and they guided the terrorists to locations where they wouldn’t have gone and do what they wouldn’t have dared to do. It’s a shame that some Indians still eulogise such reporters even today in the name of freedom of speech.

Also the later attempts by a few people from a particular political class to colour these attacks “Kesari” and call it a “RSS sazish” need to be equally looked down upon. The attempt to portray Hinduism and Hindus as terrorists and justify their own stand for ‘Terrorism has no religion’ is disgusting and need to be called out. Such class of people are not only enemies but the back stabbers of their own country. There are no words to despise them and their action.

But today is the day of remembering the heroes, who gave up their lives to save Mumbai and its citizens, rather took care of the fine thread of harmony of Mumbai.

I dedicate this blog today to Shri Tukaram Omble, the police Havaldar who took 40-odd bullets from the gun of Ajmal Kasab but caught Kasab alive.

I bow down to the General Manager at Taj, Mr Karambir Kang, who sacrificed his wife and children, as he took care of the guests in the hotel. My condolences to him and his family.

Also my salutes to the young Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who fought the terrorists in the Taj Hotel and was shrewdly killed with a bullet in his back.

Today even after 12 years of those dastardly attacks, feel ashamed that the main perpetrators are still not brought to the doors of justice. They find safe havens in a neighbouring country and the politicians and the media out here in India, still acknowledges them by adding a ‘Shri’ to their name. We truly do not have any sense of respect for the dead!

At the same time feel angry with myself, with my fellows Indians that why does this feeling of Indianness comes alive only particular days? Why is it that we realise that we are Indians on a Republic Day or a day such as this? Will we be part time countrymen? Truly feel frustrated at times that even in a democratic set up we are tied down to the rule of law and fight against people who do not believe the law.

Hope that some day we all will live upto the idea which are fathers of the constitution have called India, that is Bharat!

Hope that some day we will be prepared to give up our lives for our motherland India!

Hope that some day we will realise that money, power are nothing as compared to self respect and country’s respect and stand strong on our two feet to fight for the idea that is India!

Hope that we will instill a feeling of “Being Indian” in our future generations and trian them to become more better and disciplined citizens.

Hope that the world unites in the fight against terrorism and defines terrorism in it truest sense and not only condemn their doing but take action against them!

Jai Hind!

Vande Mataram!