The spirit of Mumbai
A lot has been said about the never say die attitude of the people of Mumbai, their ability to bounce back after disasters, their resilience. Me not a Mumbaikar. Infact, I have been to the city only a couple of times. But even on those short trips I could feel the energy that drives the citizens. I have held them high, and after this calamity they have just gone a few steps higher.
But what I question is the apathy shown by the Government. Such acts of brutality should have evoked more than just a gentle reprimand to our neighbour. The response has not been more than a gentle spanking that a baby gets. You want the baby to know that his action was improper, but at the same time you don't want to hurt him. I don't know who would have been hurt, if a fitting reply was given. Not us, because we are bleeding right from J&K to Kanyakumari. It's very well to call Indians peace loving in general (and Mumbaikars resilient in particular). But to take advantage of that, and keep testing their patience is to ask a lot. We have been asked to maintain calm even in the face of 13 attacks (7 in Mumbai and 5 in Srinagar) on the same day, so that the "Peace Process" doesn't get derailed. But I ask why should we be quiet and peaceful? What has the peace process achieved so far other than a few bus journeys and India-Pakistan cricket matches becoming benign. The Kashmir problem remains the only and central issue. Our Government chooses to put that in the back burner and works on the so called Confidence Building Measures. All these are just means to evade the main issue, buy some time from the people, fill the already over-flowing closets.
You want to call me naive, so be it. But for a moment imagine if the same had happened to the G-8 countries. Unimaginable,right?
Just because we are not in the group of developed nations, does it mean that our lives are less valuable? We are extending an olive branch to a rouge nation, only because Big Brother is watching? While this hog-wash of friendship is on, our people continue to bleed.
Daily deaths in the J&K valley no longer make the headlines on the newspapers' front pages. Those are reserved only for other states. Does it mean that we are a nation of peace loving, gentle citizens, following the path shown by the Mahatama, or does it mean that we have got our directions wrong, now so weak that we can't even defend ourselves from within?
How many more deaths will it take for us to reply in a manner it should be done?
But what I question is the apathy shown by the Government. Such acts of brutality should have evoked more than just a gentle reprimand to our neighbour. The response has not been more than a gentle spanking that a baby gets. You want the baby to know that his action was improper, but at the same time you don't want to hurt him. I don't know who would have been hurt, if a fitting reply was given. Not us, because we are bleeding right from J&K to Kanyakumari. It's very well to call Indians peace loving in general (and Mumbaikars resilient in particular). But to take advantage of that, and keep testing their patience is to ask a lot. We have been asked to maintain calm even in the face of 13 attacks (7 in Mumbai and 5 in Srinagar) on the same day, so that the "Peace Process" doesn't get derailed. But I ask why should we be quiet and peaceful? What has the peace process achieved so far other than a few bus journeys and India-Pakistan cricket matches becoming benign. The Kashmir problem remains the only and central issue. Our Government chooses to put that in the back burner and works on the so called Confidence Building Measures. All these are just means to evade the main issue, buy some time from the people, fill the already over-flowing closets.
You want to call me naive, so be it. But for a moment imagine if the same had happened to the G-8 countries. Unimaginable,right?
Just because we are not in the group of developed nations, does it mean that our lives are less valuable? We are extending an olive branch to a rouge nation, only because Big Brother is watching? While this hog-wash of friendship is on, our people continue to bleed.
Daily deaths in the J&K valley no longer make the headlines on the newspapers' front pages. Those are reserved only for other states. Does it mean that we are a nation of peace loving, gentle citizens, following the path shown by the Mahatama, or does it mean that we have got our directions wrong, now so weak that we can't even defend ourselves from within?
How many more deaths will it take for us to reply in a manner it should be done?
posted by anacreon at 8:39 AM
5 Comments:
yea..youre right in asking why our nation is into wanting peace with our neighbours when all we get (supposedly) from them is constant loss of lives of our citizens. however, whats the difference between us and them if we react in a manner equal to theirs?
you refer to this situation as slapping a child gently...but that IS the way to deal with kids....hit them too hard, and they rebell the moment they get a chance...slap them gently , and they realize that they were wrong, and know that you can be harsher but arent because all you want is that they realize sooner or later.
you ask as to y we are quiet when the G8 nations wouldnt have been if put in the same situation...i ask you, arent there controvercies and uneasiness among the citizens of US itself about the war in iraq (preemptive, which WAS originally triggered by the 9/11 attacks)?
something should be done about this...yes. but does that something have to be equally loud? or is there a better way of dealing with this? the answer really isnt as simple as we might want it to be. our reactions could vastly vary based on how we think. so the question is: do we fight back, or do we quietly show that we are unaffected (to some extent) by their efforts untill they finally give up and realize?
9:53 AM
time to march to pakistan
9:54 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
10:38 AM
@Anand:
I totally agree with you .Infact i have raised similiar questions in my blog.
@1st Comment:
Dude Gandhi is dead and so is his principles.Its high time we address this situation differently.No one is kid here.
10:41 AM
-said:
Very crudely put, the difference is that we don't bomb their cities. And we have had quite a few of ours bombed.
You talk about a child who is willing to listen and realize his mistake by himself, not a child who is obstinate. Even parents talk severe steps if their ward doesn't mend his ways. What would you have done if your child didn't give up on drugs in spite of your mild chides? Anyway, the situation is much bigger than that.
Of course, there are controversies. Because US bombed Iraq driven by its fancy. In our case, don't we have a good enough reason? Indians who went to work in the morning never returned back to their loved-ones. Is this not reason enough?
Precisely, our answers are based on the way we think. But are our politicians giving it any thoughts? Or is it a case of the policies changing with change in government?And even I am looking for different options, which might work.Do you have any which might stop our cities from getting bombed?
nishant, suitable-boy : thanks.And I know there are many like us who feel let down and frustrated with all that's been happening.
sonal : I am not trivializing what people in Mumbai are going through. And why just Mumbai, not the nation.
I hold all those common people who helped with water and biscuits in very high regard. All I am questioning is why is it we have to suffer again and again? The time for
helping and showing empathy is over,
we really need to find a solution. Long have we been termed a docile nation who does not infringe on other's sovereignty. But should this go on at the cost of so many innocent lives? Will Mumbai be able to bear another such attack?
2:28 AM
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