THE anger over the killing of scores of innocent citizens in terror attacks in Mumbai on Wednesday night (July 13, 2011) might be reflective of the simmering disenchantment with the government that has no other recourse than to blame Pakistan for their repeated dastardly acts. Yet again Mumbai was targeted on July 13 leaving over 21 dead and scores grievously injured in a series of bomb blasts that hit Dadar, Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House. The security analysts were quick to point out that the targets were more to do with concentration of rich Gujarati population in the business districts of Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House which are part of a diamond hub, and Maharashtrian middle-class in Dadar. And if the connotation is about terrorists taking revenge on Gujarat riots, then the argument does not hold water as Gujarati population in Opera House was targeted even in the 1993 serial blasts. But the most striking aspect of the aftermath of the latest terror attacks in Mumbai is Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram’s inference that the bombings took place to derail the India-Pak talks. The India-Pak talks are going on for decades now with no conclusions whatsoever, so why would Pakistan terror groups suddenly find it good enough reason to attack Mumbai? Unless, they are dying to find convincing reasons to attack India. The impotence of the governments both at the Centre and the State was revealed by the surprise element. Government spokesmen in Delhi were lost for words, even as they were deciding which faction of terror group to blame. The lack of intelligence reports could not be more stark. In such attacks usually the government gets feelers in good time, though this time no one had a clue. This is the eighth terror attack on Mumbai since 1993, mostly orchestrated by Pakistan. Most of the prime accused and convicts in the earlier attacks are out acting in movies and have a good time or cooling their heels in jail waiting for logical conclusions of justice. As film-maker Ashok Pandit quite succinctly put it, “it looks like a repeat telecast of the same incident. Politicians are busy blaming each other and citizens are starting candle-vigil marches. The term security has no meaning any more”. A former Chief Justice of India during his send off party for his retirement said, “after Sept 11, there has not been a single terror attack in the US”. Compare that with the almost regular attacks killing hundreds of people in the financial capital of India, and a government which is absolutely lost on the course of action. The best reflection of the over-riding anger and frustration with the government’s inaction and inability to protect citizens from the repeated terrors attacks from Pakistan has been the Facebook and Twitter wall postings. If the governments, both in Maharashtra and Centre, wanted to estimate their popularity they should simply log in to these two networking sites to understand the kind of revulsion people have against them. When US President Barrack Obama sent in Navy Seals to take out Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize went up in the air. But bringing terrorists to justice is more important for the Americans than winning brownie points with global awards. Dr Manmohan Singh who openly suggested that India cannot take out terrorists in Pakistan even though our army chief said it is possible if the political bosses gave the orders, said so much about the legacy-obsessed Prime Minister of India.
