For Those Who Lost Someone

on November 30, 2008

Kartikey Sehgal

Everyday, around 10 people die on Mumbai local train tracks. But that is not ‘The Taj’. No foreign national comes and kills them. Their death is standard legitimate death. And not sufficient to make headlines.

If a man/woman falls from a train and dies, then the event is deserving of our apathy and disinterest. If a foreigner pushes a man out of the train, then it is an attack worth some media coverage.

The recent terror attack is also India’s way of getting attention and importance. The National Security Guard (NSG) should not have been given the chance to carry out such an operation. The intelligence agencies and the Police should have done their job well.

The commandos are being feted for their bravery and risk taking abilities. However,  Indian security personnel die daily during border fights and their toughness is hardly given any political importance.

Of course, Mumbai is the epicentre of India’s importance and the borders don’t have proper electricity poles and English speaking gentry. Hence the importance in dying in Mumbai instead of, say, Kathua or Pathankot.

Did Indian people shout slogans or stand in support for Army/Navy/Air Force when they wanted a better pay and better ration? That commando whom you are applauding has been fighting with the polity for better ration and good pay for a long time. The people, the democracy, the ‘united front’ has been apathetic to their cause. That was not an international issue so it won’t be exciting for people to shout patriotism on the streets. But this is an international issue. CNN and BBC are involved.

Families of individuals killed in the attack have no reason to accept sympathies from Indian people and politicians. It is their personal loss and they must grieve it alone. The Mumbai resident won’t flinch if your family member is killed in an overloaded train compartment. Blow the member into pieces and Mumbai will show solidarity. Why accept anything at all from such people?

Peace and faith are instruments that would be used to ward off public anger in the coming days. Don’t fall for it. Grieve alone and be silent till you have the chance to act. Learn this tactic from the terrorist and use it to your advantage.

 

A National Security Guard commando rests during a lull in action after firing at suspected militants holed up at Nariman House in Colaba, Mumbai, India, Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. Commandos ended a siege of the luxury Oberoi Trident Hotel on Friday while other forces rappelled from helicopters to storm a besieged Jewish center, two days after a chain of militant attacks across India’s financial center left people dead and the city in panic. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) Source

 

Tomorrow: ‘Ananth Venkatesh’ on the Mumbai carnage 

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