The spirit of Mumbai...
Mumbai bounces back...
Mumbaikars will fight back...
Messages that are supposed to make people feel good? I am tired of hearing that. Its being used as an excuse by politicians and administrators to not do their job.To me it just means that people are so used to these things happening, that nothing is too much for them. What other option do we have? Do we sit at home as the city gets flooded, as hooligans hold the city at ransom, as bombs go off in one place or the other, or as terrorists go about on a killing spree?
Thankfully, the politicians have so far not hogged the news. But that will not last long. In a day or two, the political circus will begin. We'll hear inflammatory speeches and blame games, homages to the brave security personnel, announcements of compensations;all in the name of political one-upmanship. When the storm abates, then these paper-tigers will come out and use this incident for their votebank politics.
I have no solutions,just a lot of questions.#@$@!%!#%#!%#@!%#@!%#@!I can feel this voice screaming inside my head, trying to make up swear words. Who do I direct it against? What do we learn from this? Fortunately/Unfortunately, public memory is shortlived. Just like numerous times in the past, this time too, we will raise a hue and cry and then things will be back to normal. There will be numerous villains who will come out of this whole mess. The only true heroes are the policemen, the security personnel, the fire brigade guys and numerous other good samaritans who have been in the line of fire. God bless them!
P.S: This is the second time in six months that I have had to write about this. I just pray that I will not have to do that again in a long time. I don't think I have the Mumbaikar spirit or the famed resilience of this city in me; to bounce back again and again.
8 comments:
These messages are needed to people. Otherwise, they'll lost heart. But I agree on what you said about politicians. Their bhashans would be started. Maybe, we have to put cotton in our ears :D
-Saurabh-
It is very dissapointing that something such as this had to happen in order to bring light to a problem such as laxed and unprepared security. A problem that has existed in Mumbai for quite some time and for tourist such as myself who frequent Mumbai often, we knew it was inevitable by looking at the many bombings that have occured there in India.
http://desidharma.blogspot.com/
@The Bollywood Lover
I agree that these messages are needed to boost up the morale of the people..But everytime something happens, you can't use this as an excuse for not doing your job!!!
@your culture guide for the third eye
So true..It's just that we are used to reacting to such events,rather than being proactive.
@Julissa
Thanx for dropping by..Cya around :-)
I can well appreciate your feelings ...
When a predator makes a kill, he first has his fill...then one by one the
‘hang-arounders’ move in...the vultures, the hyenas, the jackals...
You must be wondering what the hell I am driving at...
I find close parallels in any man-made disaster like what happened in Mumbai recently.
Soon after the terrorists mowed down the innocents at many locations, the TV personnel went into a over-clocking mode and the crew moved in to capture the gory details ...to flash them on the small screens around the world to claim a ‘Breaking News’ report...as if that was all that really mattered, ( maybe to them ). These guys did more harm to the entire 'Operation' than all those terrorists put together ! . They helped to provide a ball-by ball-report to whosoever was directing the dastardly show...all for free, in the name of instant reporting( and for increasing the viewer-ship, of course!)
Then came the politicians in their flashy swanky cars , accompanied by their bodyguards and hangers-on, made the right noises through the nose and mouth as appropriate, and showed their long faces to the TV cameras to record their physical presence at the site for ensuring some possible future votes, while the poor hostages were being shot one by one...
The next turn is that of the ministers , of both the ‘prime’ and ‘chief’ varieties, the ‘sada’ minsters with or without portfolios, the VIPs ( whatever that may mean ) all making a beeline to the place of the ‘happenings’ , to grab a piece of the publicity cake while the solders and police brave the enemies...And Oh! I forgot! The Candle light Vigils'...(see my blog 'Candle Light Vigil in my blog site)
Oh, yeah, we in India have a ready made script cut out for Disaster Management...in our own unique way! God help us!
@kar2nist
Exactly my feelings...and the whole thing about 'hang-arounders' is very well put!
Ahh the candle light vigils..that's something new that has caught on!Personally, it doesn't make sense to me, but guess people need some kind of outlet for their emotions.
Oh and welcome to my blog :-)
There is definitely no spirit involved which would drive me on the same train, that blasted yesterday! Or there is no Mumbai is back on track feeling that would make me drive a car on the flooded road, but we do DO IT, because if we DON'T, .... you-know-it! Yesterday's flood didn't kill me or my family. However, if I DON'T get back DOING IT today, I am DONE with! It is definitely NOT a BRAVERY ACT.
But may be a fear, topped with a bit of recklessness that drives us, all the way, which is my philosophy!
On a funny note, I recall a woman wanting to finish her PIZZA, before vacating the INORBIT MALL, on a bomb-scar note!
On a hot Sunday afternoon, vacating the mall flooded the streets, and I heard - "Ricshaw... Raghuleela Mall"; "Rickshaw... Shopper's Stop"!
And I said out aloud to my friend - "Hats off to the spirit of Mumbai"
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