Group Dynamite/cs

I am not able to quiet figure out why 26/11 has shaken me this much. These attacks are not something new to me. I wonder is it because the operation lasted for 60 hours, is it because the coverage was given full throttled on the news channel, is it because it made to resign the CM’s and Union Home Minister, is it because of the game-blame of various stake-holders, is it because the good cops of Mumbai Police were killed, or because seeing the Versace clad Kasab on CST. Probably it is because this and what it led in my mind, that I have been terribly depressed, blocked and wanted terribly to vent off myself.

To quote the data, since 1998, 20000 people have died in terrorist attack. We are second to Iraq, but theirs is a civil war. There have been 11 attacks all at the major cities in last 7 years (Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Varanasi, Malegaon and again Mumbai). in hindsight, I am shaken this much not earlier but this time. Why?? This proves that I am one of those tolerant Indians.

According to ToI’s Editorial on 27/11, the attack was also meant to shake our economic spine by attacking on foreigners at places like Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House and just ahead of December which marks the beginning of tourist season.

It is a well acknowledged universal fact that, we are the economic superpower. Over 1 billion people contribute towards over $1 trillion economy which is constantly growing by 8-9 %. With recent global recession, we are not affected as much as that of USA. It is said that whenever the recession will get over, India would be amongst foremost to get ahead.

Now consider this: the NSG commandos who got down at Taj didnt have the basic equipments like flak jackets, night goggle, knee pad; the commandos were brought to Taj by local buses; the Helicopter which they supposed to have got, has not bought yet; Naval Admiral says how can we protect sea borders with less coast guard ships; RAW says that we had informed the authorities about possible attack but no action was taken; CM takes film director and his son to take round of the attacked places, Deputy CM is impressed with Raj from DDLJ that he says “Bade bade shaharon mein, aisi chhoti chhoti baaten hoti rahati hai”, Anyone dare attack the dress of Union Home Minister, come what may he is clean and cool, there is no co-ordination among various security agencies that we have: Army, Navy, Air force, RAW, IB, CBI. Who will report to whom, not clear?

Well the list could go on. The recent news channels are full of such masalas. I was wondering about the previous two paragraphs, don’t they give opposite messages? India comprising of same people could perform economically so well, and governance point of view...impossible. And mind you, with same sort of people. For good ones, the entrpreneurs, corporates, ‘The Indian Middle Class’ could be credited for. And on flipside: Politicians?

They say ‘Civilians get the Politicians they deserve’. This is so apt and leaves less to be said. This throws light on those who elected those politicians or rather chose not to vote by letting the non-deserving come in. The average voting happens between 55-60%. Rural population is 70% of total population (whose contribution to growth not more than 2%) and rest 30 % urban population contributes significantly to valued growth of India (there contribution must be 22-25 % so as to maintain 8-9% overall growth).

Thus it can be concluded from the above data that, India is full throttled functioning due to these 30% who are not only supporting themselves but also those 70% by paying taxes, which in turn be utilized for various schemes that government implements. If we say that the converse of this is true in the governance related matter; that we are lagging behind in Governance of our nation because these 30% are not taking interest, they are indifferent, which has started affecting the entire nation.

There are certain matters which have to be handled by the government and they can’t be taken care by corporate or NGO’s, matter of security is one such of them along with regulation to name a few. (As USA’s banks have collapsed Government has accommodated them by mergers.) And there we don’t have efficient people. Bureaucrats are to some extent take care of this but then they also are manipulated by politicians. Thus governance’s direct responsibility lies with Politicians, and We, The People elect them.

They are not accountable to anyone except their party. Had there been a forum of civilians like Parent-Teacher’s Association (PTA), local samits/groups in Nagarpalika/Gram Panchayat of education, water supply etc, Housing societies, local common interest groups like those have come together for music, theatre etc, like the Self-Help Groups (SHG) are there in villages in which I work. Imagine, this group would have chosen the appropriate candidate for a particular party, taken agenda from various political members and would have valuated them at regular interval. Thus the strings would have remained in really People’s hand. A real, vibrant Democracy!

But, this is the hardest thing to ever happen with us. Especially with Indians who are cursed by Bhagawan Vishnu for working in the ‘Group’. We can’t work with each other. I know what politics goes in my Mangalmurti Housing Society, how several of our music and dramatic groups got dissolved due to inter-personal problems. I wonder how we can get over that.

The recent problem of terrorism has roots over there or for that matter any of our problems. We can’t blame Pakistan for this solely. Attacking them is incidental solution and would not give us peace in long term. What message are we giving them by being secularist in the form of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). By burning Gondhra, breaking Babri Masjid. Whoever does that, it is considered as Indians are doing it, same way as we blame Pakistan or ISI or LeT for every attack on us.

I am touched by an article from India Today (December 15, 2008) Michael F. Schever, who says don’t do it America way, the way they incessantly bombed Afghanistan after 9/11. George Bush is condemned for it and Obama is seen with lots of hope who can bring change human way. The attackers are well-educated like Togadiyas of VHP, Narendra Modis of BJP and Raj Thakres of MNS. We have to clear signal to the outside world both as strict as well as accommodative at appropriate places.

And nonetheless, I believe, root lies with you and me and us as ‘Group’ coming together. How do we do that is to be realised.