Shadow on the sun…..

I took the liberty of using the rock group Audioslave’s track for the title of this article. Honestly, I could not think of a more fitting title for the unfortunate hostage crisis in South Bombay (Sorry Mr. Raj Thackeray, sorry Mr. Bal Thackeray, I know I didn’t use ‘Mumbai’, but I just don’t give a F***). Even as I am typing this article, rescue operations are still on, with our NSG commandos, part of an elite force to deal with such untoward events, risking their lives in painstakingly trying to capture the militants Dead/Live and free the hostages. We salute them and the army personnel deployed in the area.

My city Bombay, where of my 23 years on this blessed planet, 19 years have been spent in this fast paced, metropolitan, replete with slums and corrupt officials, tiring, never asleep city, I love so much.. How do we face such disaster time and again?? In the words of my friend, ‘Why this city? Why my city?’ But, I ask over here, ‘Why this country? Why any country?’ When has anyone heard militancy and violence resolving the problems of the people of any sect!!

Hindsight deliberations, rumours, cooked-up tales will last for another 2 weeks at least. But, as we live in a country where more than anyone the politicians know, that public memory is short-lived. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had come out yesterday with a ‘very strongly worded’ address to the nation condemning the actions of the militants and the usual rant of, ‘We will put forth a stronger law, won’t leave any loopholes, constitute a Federal investigating agency, improve intelligence services, develop a crises infrastructure (The last one I thought was funny.. We don’t even have a decent ‘regular’ infrastructure.) All, he had talked about after the series of blasts beginning with Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bangalore. Nothing has changed since then, we still don’t have tougher laws (Ok, I understand the reluctance over there, thanks to the way the previous central government misused it), still not even the slightest signs of movement towards constituting any agency, still reeking under poor intelligence (I wonder if we can still call it ‘Intelligence’). The Congress party has time and again failed this nation while the BJP resists to show any remorse seeing only an opportunity to regain power, and the never-ending saga of continual bickering goes on..

They say ‘Choice is the most salient feature of Democracy.’ So here are our ‘choices’, a party which is inactive on combating terror (read, Congress and allies) or a party which is over-active on combating terror from the outside while allowing terror within (read, BJP and allies). In the state elections we have a 3^rd choice in a party who defines terror based on the faith of a person and not by the bomb in his/her hand (read ShivSena, who has actually called for a State Bandh on 1^st December in protest of the alleged ‘torture’ of the Sadhvi involved in the Malegaon blasts.) Since day before's disheartening images, I’ve been getting this constant feeling of how the military should take over and disband all parties, so we may live with no fear and free of sick politicians. But then I get this chill down the spine thinking about the apathy of people living under Military rule (read, Burmese Junta).

I wonder if there is a common ground between Military rule and Freedom of speech, movement, press, judiciary. I guess I’m asking for too much in life these days. Until we don’t find that sacred ground of hope, I will continue to hold my head high in the city I love so much… ‘Bombay meri Jaan’…………

Anthony Palathingal