"Increadible India", "India Means Business"...etc etc..those were the words echoing everywhere, yes 'were the words'..come this 26/11 and the headlines went topsy turvy, the news flashes now show pictures of despair, grim faces have replced the effervescent smiles. I won't go into the details and numbers of terrorrist attacks, nor dive into history of terror attacks we have endured, but the sheer audacity of these attacks is apalling to say the least.
I faced this strange paradox myself. I was in Frankfurt at the time of attacks, there whenever the word 'India' came up, it was always associated to growth, properity, oppurtunities, culture, diversity and every thing that made me a proud and confident 'Indian'. But the after the news of attacks broke out, the mood changed rapidly, I couldn't hide my diffidence in admitting that these attacks are not a rarity in India, and that the number of people dieing is actually less than the historical numbers. It happens in such situation, you are a kind of ambassador of your country and answerable for everything happening out there. Hundereds dying and getting injured won't be the headlines that an Indian will be seeing for the first time, more so in the last couple of years. Like the previous (sucessful) attempts by the terrorrists, they managed to hit the nerve centers of India this time as well. Now I'm not at all lauding the terrosists whose inhumane activities bring shame to their country and religion. But there incessant strikes have definitly dented the confidence of any average citizen of India. To be honest, I am afraid to go into a crowded place these days, I do get suspicious about people with beards and carrying black bags, even more so when I see any deserted bag anywhere.
But the effects of these attacks in particular, are far worse physcologically if not physically. We, its so depressing to say, are used of seeing people die, which have seldom directly affected our daily lives. But what we are not used to see (unlike the people of pakistan), is foreigners being targeted (so now the headlines would read for eg, 6 foreigners die amongst the total toll of 101), cricketing nations deffering and canceling their trips, companies (like mine) asking its employees to cancel their trips to Mumbai specifically. But I won't blame them, I mean how many of us would be eager to go to Somalia, Iraq or may be even Pakistan. Well, if you think its exxageration to compare India and Iraq, you better check the numbers India is next to only Iraq when it comes to the number of people dying in terror attacks.
All said and done, what is our responsibility as 'Indians'..?? Ofcourse no one expects us to storm into the hotels and bring the terrorists to their knees. What we as a regular citizen can do is, to 'defeat their purpose' if not them as such. If we unite ourselves and say to the world that, the terrorists may have the gunpower which may take our lives, but they definitly can not kill the spirt of Indians..that however 'organised' their attacks might be, we will not loose our track, we will get up the next morning and head to our offices, schools etc. with even more zeal to 'defeat their purpose' and to take India to greater heights.
I won't be wrong in saying that terrorists are themselves a 'terrified' lot, they fear of India becoming a economic power, they hate India being acknowldged as the epicenter of Southern Asia, and if we could just smile to thier faces and say 'dude no matter what you do, I won't stop untill I have reached my destination (which by the way is not just overtaking US)'.
Here is a middle finger to all the terrorists..!!
Here is a middle finger to all the terrorists..!!
