The question hurts !.
The answer seems to be obvious but still … India has a long way to go in the process of respecting itself .
The attack was unprecedented in many respects. There was this generation and whole of india who started watching live action as it started .Boradcasted across network it had a moviegoers thrill in the eyes of many watching .Yes there was anger and a sense of being insulted when the siege continued for days but that too shows the naivety that we collectively have for such situations .
While we salute the brave police officers many of us have tough time ignoring that the ATS chief died with an out dated Armour in place .
While we appulaud the commandos we have tough time too ignoring the delays the system made .
Mumbai attack shattered many things along with the pride of Indians .
Its now a nation coming in terms with reality .Its people are realizing the sweet assumptions that we had aren’t so ! .
This India is now demanding action .And for a time after many years Indians started to realize that we are asking at the wrong place .
Its this india who is facing the moment of truth .The truth that we ignored and compromised the very basics standards that need to be followed to make a good society a great republic .Its this painful process of self examination that we are going through leaves me with hope that we may finally evolve to the questioning and uncompromising nation that we historically were know to be .
This is not to say that we or any other nation could avoid such incidents in future .Infcat i strongly believe thats its India who has the philosophical maturity to solve the problem of it at fundamental level .
But not in this incident .This was a case of terror and national insult and we must be candid in acknowledging that this is also a case of nation ignorant and unprepared ! .
To me Mumbai attacks aren’t unprecedented because they killed so many people or because they took hostage .It for reason subtle and far more effective for social psyche that makes them defining for India .
consider this :
This was the attack on foreign nationals most notably Israelis . This was also attack on the riches and not some train passenger .This was the attack happening on the background of rise of the term called hindu terror . This was the Most uncommunal aattck we had .This was the aattck where Muslims in mumbai denied access to their graveyard for terrorist burial .That to me , my friend is life defining moment for this nation .
Most notebly this was the attack in the age of media .This was the time where we had pakistani journalist participating in TV debates .It was in the face , like a slap , awakening the masses that unknowingly chose to pretned to sleep .
But now, somewhere it takes some amount of pain to call ourself that great of nation and super power in making .And this kind of feeling is frustrating .While i observe an event in making i pray that we feel more angry than frustrated , for its the former that leads to action . The later is just a drama done for self satisfaction .
While its too cute to believe that condy rices’s visit to Delhi was just a goodwill gesture .
The main question is will we go on war ?
The answer my friend in NO .
Not that i take side on we going or not going on war .The main question that won’t let me sleep is will the generation remember that we chose not to go on war ?
Will the generation never forget this choice made for progress as price paid and later channelize this in greater and universal benefit .
The main question is how far we will remember this day ?,will be take instant decision or will we stop compromising on principles? …will we improve the sum total of us …the nation ….?
the real question is …will india awake and arise ?!