More than 24 hours and the war continues in the streets of Mumbai - the financial capital of the country. A lot of questions storm my mind and there are no answers anywhere. The streets continue to burn, the terror looms large and a couple of armed mad men still have a nation under siege. Being hailed as the largest terror attack on the country and one of the biggest on Mumbai post 1993 blasts, the city has been brought on its knees on this 26th day of November, 2008 by terrorists who are running amok in the city, shooting and killing at will.
The nature of this particular attack has been radically different from the bomb blasts in the past, and it seems that it shall leave a more pertinent impact on the public memory as well, simply because while the commotion a bomb blast brings lasts only a few hours, this attack has left the nation humiliated and humbled before the world for more than a day now and yes, as I key in this, it is still not over.
The attackers, it has been revealed had traveled from across the International waters and reached Indian shores and simply walked out into the city and held it to ransom. As ever their footprints are being traced to Sialkot and Karachi in Pakistan and as ever, the Pakistan Defense Minister has issued an official statement about Islamabad having nothing do with this attack on this backbone of Indian commerce.
TV channels are pouring in public opinion. This would be over soon. The intruders have brought with them enough arsenal to last them a couple of days. They have managed to come in undetected with bags full of hand grenades and rocket launchers and machine guns and so it has been an intelligence failure, a news channel informs me.
Thank you for that valuable piece of information. However, what I am actually interested to know is why rather than a how. The first question actually goes to Mr. Shivraj Patil "Dear Sir, Why could the security agencies not prevent it?"
This entire episode has been very disturbing. I am left with many questions that some how no one wants to answer. Why do we let this happen time and again? Why can't we teach people and countries responsible for this a lesson for life? Why can't the police have more sophisticated armory and gadgets to finish off such ordeals in a few minutes? Why can't people in this country raise their voice in unison and ask a few questions? and above all Why don't people who come with guns on a suicide mission let us be in peace?
At this point I am also reminded of the martyrs of this trial. Chief of Anti Terrorist Squad Hemant Karkare and others who went down fighting. Why did they have to die? I recall a TV clipping of the ATS chief being aired as he went on fighting with the terrorists holding up at Kama Hospital. It was heartbreaking to see him trod in the line of fire wearing only a half sleeved thin bullet proof jacket for his protection in a combat situation when he should have been in a proper combat uniform. Why did he chose to lead the team when he could have sat behind and let his men go ahead?
I am sure by the time this episode ends (what ever time it takes), it shall have already scalded hearts of many a country men. However, as ever people shall soon forget and forgive those at fault and once again the atrocities of this night and the night before shall cover themselves in a thick blanket of dust. The 'true Mumbai spirit' shall engulf the entire episode as if it was permissible for masked men with guns to come across the border and spill blood on the streets.
I for once really feel that the country comes out strongly at people responsible behind this fanaticism and sheds its garb of being a passive victim and for once makes an example out of this attack on its dignity and integrity.
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