Political Reaction to the Mumbai Attacks - Pathetic

Many newspapers touted it as the 9/11 of India, the others calling it Mayhem in Mumbai, last week saw one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks in India in the financial capital of the country. The attack was probably aimed at creating panic and showing the country that the terrorists can strike anywhere they wanted.

This was also the time when the so-called leaders of this country had to prove their mettle. This article is aimed at looking into how the great leaders of this country fared this test.

The usual chain of events after any blasts or attacks consist of the leaders of this country especially the leaders in the government coming out and issuing statements condemning the attacks. But looking at the frequency that it has started happening nowadays, I wonder sometimes whether the clips being shown on the television are live or recorded from the previous attacks.

The reality was not too different this time around. As soon as the news of the attacks spread, everyone came out condemning the attacks. I saw a glimmer of hope when the PM and the leader of the opposition decided to tour Mumbai together to show solidarity. But I should have known that it sounded too good to be true. When both these leaders were trying to show solidarity, both the parties were working behind the scenes to print ads in newspapers blaming each other for the happenings. One blamed the other party by telling that its soft on terror and the other trying to get back by comparing it with the Kandahar episode.

The would community came out issuing statements such as, "Such forms of terrorism are unacceptable". Can someone please tell me, what kinds of terrorism are acceptable? The ones which US practised in Afghnistan and Iraq?

The time when the leaders of the state were supposed to be coming out in the open to calm down the people, we never saw any appearance from any state leader on TV. Instead, we heard stories that the CM is regularly updating the leader of the Congress party about the chain of events. My simple question is, "Is the CM answerable to the masses or the leader of the party? " (to whom he should not be once he is holding a constitutional office).

The home minister of the state makes a remark that such "small" incidents happen. They would only understand the massiveness of the attacks if someone from their families are also the victims in one of these attacks. No attack is small for a family who loses a loved one.

All this was taking place when our security forces and the other services like the fire services were working round the clock to defeat the terrorists and minimize the damage. I salute them from the bottom of my heart for all that they have done for the country.

The stories don't end here. After the attacks, the CM goes to survey the damage in the Taj Hotel. Guess who all accompany him to the site - his son Riteish and Ram Gopal Verma. Was it some kind of a joke. What the hell were they doing there and did the CM really think that they were the most important people to be included in the survey party. If that is what he thought, we really need to think what kind of people we elect.

One of the martyrs of the attacks was Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan of the NSG. Although his family lived in Karnataka, he was a Keralite. The CM of Karnataka visited him as soon as the news of the martyrdom reached him. The CM of Kerala initially didn't even bother to visit his family and after media criticism, he decided to visit the place in the evening. Not surprisingly, the father of the soldier became emotional and refused to accept his condolences.

What the CM said next was shocking. He said, "It was for Sandeep I had gone, otherwise even a DOG wouldn’t have visited them. I never expected this." Such people should be publically paraded and beaten up on the streets. To top it, he even refused to tender an apology for the statement made. God save the country from the communists. This should be an eye-opener for the people who vote for them.

So, in retrospect, the politicians failed miserably on all fronts. In such cases, the politicians in India have a lot to learn from their western counterparts. Whatever differences they might have, they come out solidly as one voice when such incidents threatening the fiber of the country take place. When can we see Indian politicians maturing. Is it just me or am I just wishing for too much. I hope that our politicians realize that the basic aim of a democracy is not to divide people and come to power, but it is to provide good governance to people, especially in testing times.

I would end with this quote that I read in some article recently. This was given by Sir Winston Churchill, about politicians of India which was delivered on the eve of India's independence. He said, "Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and
freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low caliber and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight among themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles."

Sadly, I see all this coming true right in front of my eyes.