Mumbai Madness

7/11: A Tragedy.

For those of you who haven't heard already, on July 11, 2006, several bombs went off in seven trains in the city of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The state is located in west-central India. The city of Mumbai is considered the financial capital of the country. The bombings are being compared to the train bombings in Madrid, Spain, from two years ago. A terrorist organization is already suspected behind the attacks but it is too early to tell. The attacks were obviosuly coordinated together as they all happened within minutes of each other. Nearly 200 people were suspected dead and over 600 wounded as of estimates of over a day ago.

I fail to comprehend mankind. How can anyone be so thoughtless and careless? Killing civilians and innocent people is just so heartless and cowardly. What can anyone hope to accomplish by this? I suppose this is one of those things that just really make you sad. All one can do in situations like this is be helpful. Hope must be ignited everywhere where there is tragedy. It is needed there the most. What else do we have on this earth (not counting material possessions) other than the natural land, water, and each other. It's like the subtitle of this blog says: Kal Ho Na Ho (There may or may no be a tomorrow)...so here's some uplifting material from various sources that I have gathered:

People light candles as they pay tribute to the victims of Mumbai and Kashmir blasts. (Reuters)

"11th July 2006 has been a disastrous day in the history of Mumbai. In the past few weeks our city has survived torrential rains, a flooding deluge, riots, and now...8 blasts in 11 minutes in the heart of Mumbai city. The economic capital of India, the New York of Bharat, the big apple of our dreams has shattered. But in the face of devastation, the candescent spirit of Mumbaikars shines..There are those of us who should be heading home but instead, are out there ..on the roads..giving the others a direction..a ray of hope...
Here lies the true spirit of Mumbai...to hold it together...to not let our peace dampen...
So let us pray..for this city of hope..so that tomorrow it's people may stand yet again in the face of a calamity..."
--- From the 7/11 AAMCHI MUMBAI FACEBOOK GROUP

"Dear Terrorist,
Even if you are not reading this we don't care. Time and again you tried to disturb us and disrupt our life - killing innocent civilians by planting bombs in trains, buses and cars. You have tried hard to bring death and destruction, cause panic and fear and create communal disharmony but every time you were disgustingly unsuccessful. Do you know how we pass our life in Mumbai? How much it takes for us to earn that single rupee? If you wanted to give us a shock then we are sorry to say that you failed miserably in your ulterior motives. Better look elsewhere, not here.

We are not Hindus and Muslims or Gujaratis and Marathis or Punjabis and Bengaliies. Nor do we distinguish ourselves as owners or workers, govt. employees or private employees. WE ARE MUMBAIKERS (Bombay-ites, if you like). We will not allow you to disrupt our life like this. On the last few occasions when you struck (including the 7 deadly blasts in a single day killing over 250 people and injuring 500+ in 1993), we went to work next day in full strength. This time we cleared everything within a few hours and were back to normal - the vendors placing their next order, businessmen finalizing the next deals and the office workers rushing to catch the next train. (Yes the same train you targeted)

Fathom this: Within 3 hours of the blasts, long queues of blood donating volunteers were seen outside various hospitals where most of the injured were admitted. By 12 midnight, the hospital had to issue a notification that blood banks were full and they didn't require any more blood. The next day, attendance at schools and office was close to 100%, trains & buses were packed to the brim, and the crowds were back. The city has simply dusted itself off and moved on - perhaps with greater vigor. We are Mumbaikers and we live like brothers in times like this. So, do not dare to threaten us with your crackers. The spirit of Mumbai is very strong and can not be harmed.

Please forward this to others. U never know, by chance it may come to hands of a terrorist who can then read this message which is specially meant for him!!! With Love,

From the people of Mumbai
Regards Mumbaiker"
---A Random E-mail.

"I'm really pleased that the city has gotten back on its feet so quickly, and there hasn't been any religious violence. Hopefully the attacks won't have much long-term impact...
Jai Hind"
---Vikram

"I am not a mumbaikar....I am a dilliwala but before that.....I am an Indian and as an Indian I say..."shame on those who bring terror into the lives of innocents"
---Adithya

"I hope Manmohan Singh and Mumbai Police can put things together and find whose responsible for this or destroy those who support the group who committed this crime, at least in this way those who died wont go in vain."
---Ajit.

Here's a STRONG critique of the situation:

"And, we India? Oh, we NEVER learn, do we? I wrote in my earlier Blog Déjà vu, Déjà vu (http://o3.indiatimes.com/anant_rulz/archive/2006/05/03/653309.aspx) about the usual reactions that we’ll come across after every terrorist incident. As usual, our Mum Mohan Singh said "...terrorists will be defeated and we will not allow them to succeed in their evil design..." (Rubbish! They've already succeeded). He reviewed the security situation in the aftermath of blasts in Mumbai and Srinagar after which he expressed the government's resolve to "fight and defeat the evil designs of terrorists". He appealed to the people to maintain calm in the face of terror attacks in Mumbai and………….

Did you see any sign of the state machinery after the train blast in Mumbai? Any police, ambulance, or Home Guards in sight? All we could see was the aam-aadmi, the large-hearted samaritan picking up the body parts, dead and the injured from the railway track on some lungi-cloth? Our Home Minister READING a 3-line statement on the TV? No STATE hospitals or emergency plans to handle such crisis, despite so much planning claimed by our administration. Only private hospitals like Hinduja taking the injured? And, now we’ll see the vultures, er, the politicians descending in droves to create more confusion and their usual big talks and lectures about need for maintaining communal amity, the undying spirit of Mumbaikar and the spirit of Mumbai. As if, the common Mumbaikar has any alternative except to travel by the same train and face the same danger for his sheer survival.

And, the cost of a human life: Rs. 1 Lakh? That too, if you can PROVE that your kith or kin died in this blast! ‘How do we know that your son was traveling by this train? Fill those 39 forms in triplicate with all photocopies of evidence. Can you show us the pictures of him dying in the blast? Bring your ration card, PAN card, gas connection card, Election Card, Electricity Bill, Water Bill, Proof of residence, Passport, his Income Tax returns for past 10 years for block assessment, Copy of your son’s passport, where was he working, proof that he has not gone to Dubai with his girl friend, signature of your local MLA/MP/Jila Magistrate/ SHO certifying that you are who you say you are’ and so on. 'Nahee hain? Go to that tout there'

Please wait, Kuldip Nayyar jee. Let me get my candles for lighting at the Wagah Border. Series of granade attacks on tourists in Kashmir, did you say? Wahan toh log marte hee rehte hain jee. But, the peace process with Pakistan must continue. Terming the blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai as ‘inhuman’, President A P J Abdul Kalam appealed to the people for maintaining calm and assist the administration in providing relief to the injured. All blasts are 'inhuman', Kalam Jee!

So, what's new?

What? We should catch the culprits? And, what will you do even if you catch them? Like Telgi, Abu Salem and the like, you’ll feed them Biryani in their jail? Meanwhile, we’re finding out whether there were six, seven or perhaps even eight blasts? An enquiry committee will reveal that in just 6 months. And, as the newspapers say, life shall go on as usual. will survive. We will get over our pain. We’ll once again witness the same old moaning and wringing hands and doing nothing.

Go, ask someone who has lost her breadwinner, her son, his daughter, his father, his wife; life can never be the same for them.

Never Ever."
--- 9/11, 7/7, and 7/11.

Related Articles:
Series of Bombs Explode on 7 Trains in India.
Train Bombers Focused on Mumbai Business Class.
Terrorist Attack Not Expected to Affect India's Buoyant Economy.
Mumbai Bombings: 400 detained.
Musharraf Pledges Help on Mumbai.
Indian Media Condemn Blast.
Pictures.

For now, let us hope and pray for the best.