| November 26 2008, A WEDNESDAY, around 12.30 in the afternoon I was packing up my office work to start for my vacation a nine hour drive to Memphis, Just before shutting down my system as usual I checked IBNLive.com/ndtv.com and a news was flashing about some shooting in Mumbai and I reacted hmmm, NOTHING NEW and I closed my system and started for my vacation. While I was driving I received a call from my friend Pankur in California about the whole Mumbai situation and started surfing on my phone and then the whole situation started sinking in and in fact I was so engulfed in and enraged by the news that I nearly smashed my car into another one. After a long time I was so furious and so helpless by the situation at the same time. I said to myself "HOW DARE THEY" This was the question which didn't pop up even when I was in Mumbai in the midst of serial blasts so what was new ? Was it the brazenness of the attack or was the limit of my "Chalta Hai" attitude was at last breached. Believe me when I say that I have been in "quite a few" college/Hostel fights and the most humiliating experience was the one where I/we couldn't do anything (although I was as untouched as "Virgin Mary") than the experience where I had a bloody nose by punches in a fight. I think recent incident falls into first category.It is like terrorists have punched India on her nose.
For a successful and great democracy Media/Journalists have a very important role to play and I believe that Indian media till now has been a great catalyst in flourishing democracy in our country but nothing is perfect and We Indians are an emotional lot, we love melodrama ( ask Ektaa kapoor) so sometime our media also gets overboard.I can not comment much on the media's response to this incident as I could not watch the channels but what I have heard ( that media was worried how terrified the "Kabootars" of Gateway of India were) it was far from indisputable so much so that even Legendary Barkha Dutt had to face criticism
but I can give the benefit of doubt to the media as nothing might have prepared them for this kind of incident. Hopefully they will retrospect on the whole incident and get better (God forbid they have to face anything like that again.
Now when this kind of incident happens people become sad and start the blame game. I would say don't be sad be angry Be very very angry but channel this anger (Being Angry doesn't mean smashing buses,shops. pelt stones, Don't be a hooligan be a revolutionary) to reform the country. Now about Blame Game people would say don't do that but I would say Why not? Normally I am not the kind of guy who is in favour of firing people when something goes wrong
but sometimes you have to Shake it wildly so that inaction/incompetency could be uprooted, In corporate world If the project fails the manager is held responsible and many a times, is fired and these incompetent have failed us numerous times which has cost us so many lives, without any guilt and then has the courage to say that "bade-2 Shaharo me chhoti-2 batehoti rehti hai (Recent Quote : Mr R R Patil , Dy C. M. (oops Ex DY C. M) ). I would like to ask why were the
politicians so furious. when the parliament was attacked and moved the forces on the front, they would say that symbol of democracy was attacked but I think the real issue for them was that they feel threatened for the first time, A nation/democracy is characterized by its people rather than buildings and furnitures.That is why I want the heads to roll, make them accountable they should know that If they did not clear their mess their days are numbered.
When this incident happened I was furious, not as much on the terrorists (they were doing their JOB) but on the incompetent govt we have. I don't know what kind of terrorist reaction plan do we have when the most elite commando force in India doesn't have its own transportation and they have to arrive in BEST buses at the scene and that too several hours late which cost us so many lives. What kind of job is the government doing? Instead one of the most soiled
part of our democracy the Police emerged heroes in this incident. It is sheer bravery that an
ill trained cop having the legendary guns (.303) from WWII era which have success rate lower than the % of Indian politicians telling the truth dared (Now you can calculate their chances) to fight with highly trained and motivated terrorist brandishing AK 47s. My Hearty salute to Mumbai Police. It is a saying at the time of crisis the true character of a person is revealed and it shows Mumbai Police in the brightest light. Hopefully they would take inspiration from their fallen comrades and work for the people.
Following are the actions which I think Indian Govt should take
1. Fire some RESPONSIBLE people (people who are responsible for letting this happen so next time who is in their position will take his job seriously. Thank God there has been some action this time
2. Create a FBI kind of agency (yeah yeah we have CBI but what is it ? just a tool for settling scores with opposition when one is in power. The Agency should have more powers. It could start investigation without permission from a politicians/govt wherever it thinks national security is threatened.
3. Create a special law something like POTA (Difficult time requires tough measures) to give more powers to police to probe/prevent terrorist activities and make sure that in every team there is some quota of minority officers so that the investigations are not prejudiced against any person/community.
4. Every Official/politicians should be made responsible for the region/portfolio he is having and any lapses should be held accountable to him.
5. Make a Homeland security/NSA kind of agency which is kind of umbrella for all other security agencies and which should be the first one to be held accountable for any incident.
6. Make " No negotiations with Terrorists" policy and follow it whatever be the consequences.
7. In case of Highjacking/kidnapping there should be clear cut policy, I don't know what happened to all the demands which were made after kandhar Highjacking case for making a clear cut policy.
8. Make a special cell in the intelligence agencies like "Israel's Agency Mossad to pursue culprits like Dawood , Masood Azhar, Mumbai terrorist attack masterminds to the gates of hell (Give them the "License to Kill"). Put heavy rewards on their head 50-100 crores (its a small cost for the lives of our people) so that even their brothers/families/friends would be forced to sell them.
Take them out if need arises but do whatever it takes to make a statement that whosoever does this kind of crime against India, its People, SHOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES "DEAD".
9. NSG should be divided into 4-5 parts if possible more than that and they should have their own chopper/Plane and the orders should come directly from PM/Home Minister and no bureaucracy/red tape should be involved. In addition every major city should have a anti terrorist squad which should be trained by NSG in these kinds of operation and for God sake throw the .303 and provide police with latest and good firearms/equipment so that no more Hemant karkare would have to die because of faulty equipment/protection.
10. Politicians/Media should not give knee jerk reaction every time a terrorist attack happens and blame Pakistan (even if you are damn sure that Pakistan is involved) before any investigation is done and loose credibility in front of the whole world. Get some solid proof and publish to the world, If possible go to international court.
11. Don't brag about starting a war with Pakistan. Do quietly whichever camp you know is spreading the hate and violence against India and destroy it after all why do you have Special Forces. You can do that and deny any responsibility for that action since it is an covert operation and since it would be a terrorist camp Pakistan can not blame India openly (How can it be destroyed if it doesn't exists) as then It would also have to disclose information about it which would be embarrassing for them.
At last every time something happened to/in Mumbai the next day people forget and take pride talking about "SPIRIT of Mumbai" and forget their pains and suffering, I am getting sick of this because If we do not awake this time then soon there will only be "SPIRITS" left . It is good to move on but never forget what happened and once in a while do remember the pain because it is this PAIN which keeps you alert/cautious and on your toes so that next time you don't have to suffer.
Take lesson from History and act so that history does not repeat itself and remember the poem of Prasoon Joshi on Mumbai incident
"Is Baar Nahi..................."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfq-OsM5kqA
With that I am signing off for now, but I will be back
Jai Hind Jai Bharat
Ashutosh Srivastava
Please provide your frank/honest suggestions/views
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5 comments:
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Well said Ashu. I think most if not every Indian will agree to what you have said. I too believe there is simply too much politics in each and every aspect of life in India. And this red tape is what delays, corrupts and finally helps in the blame game. But giving additional powers to any agency, whether it be police or army is frought with more dangers than benefits especially since we have always had a dearth of people with integrity at responsible levels. More than anything else, these powers will be misused for personal gains if not group gains. I believe the first thing to do is 'massively' increase the base salries of our police, army and intelligence cadre. Once they have a sembelance of prosperity, atleast some of them will not be 'FORCED' to become corrupt in a petty way. Once they become less corrupt, they wont mind becoming more accountable. Giving better guns to our hooligan policemen will only lead to more extortion and ego fuelling for these corrupt cops otherwise. But then again who will pay for all the increase in salary ? Only 5% indians actually pay their 'correct' income tax. In the end everythong is linked. Dont put the blame on politicians and administration, put the blame on every friend, relative and businessman you know, who cheats and steals the tax. Lots more to say, but then, its Ashu's blog not mine ! Jai Hind ! And on that line stop these marathis saying Jai Mahrashtra more loudly than Jai Bharat !! Someone ask them, why did those NSG commandoes from Kerela and UP lay down their lives for Mumbai. Shouldnt they be asked to leave too like Railway hopefuls. Too many pseudo nationalists in India ! Jai Hind.
Too good. Points are all valid. But, we, sitting here in the AC cube, can just write or discuss. you should think, who all are entering to the politics? most of them are school drop outs and college drop outs... somthing needs to be changed from the bottom. May be somthing like, which is in the US. Or may be, some educational criteria for becoming an MP or any public servant. Any ways, keep writing
Very nicely drafted and easily comprehensible to any common man. The heart wrenched feelings of an author is easily visible through the writings.
Our country definitely needs a big change now and if the reflected posted points are implemented, we can surely bring some difference in the existing system.
Hi,
You said you will be back...where are you?
Ritesh
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