Saturday, November 26, 2011

India, post 26/11

26th November 2008, one of the bloodiest days in the recent past of India, is something that no true Indian can ever forget. It was the day, when 10 terrorists executed their months of meticulous planning to spread terror in the economic capital of India, Mumbai, ruthlessly murdering nearly 200 innocent people. The attacks were clearly an attempt to push India and Pakistan into yet another deadly battle, and they almost succeeded, but hats off to the Indian government's diplomacy, and help from the international community, that the war that was looming was averted. Yes, a lot of people are sceptical about the the UPA government including me, but in their tenure, the International diplomacy and the nuclear deal were the two major things where this government managed to stand out. 

3 years have passed, the heartless, soulless culprit is still a national guest, making we, the citizens of India, live under the fear of death at each and every step. Security checks, frisking, metal detectors and under belly mirrors are now a inseparable parts of our lives. From the swanky metro stations of Delhi, to the Malls of Chennai, every single, major establishments have turned into fortresses. From the shopping at the high Bazars of Kolkata to even a romantic walk by the seas in Mumbai, nothing in public happens without the ire of guns. Small kids were deeply touched watching the gory images of fire and smoke emanating from the heritage wing of the Taj, a symbol of an Indian win over the wraths of Britishers, and pictures from elsewhere. Infact I myself was so touched that, after having done an year and a half of preparation of JEE, I wanted to join IMA or NDA. I still remember how I spent those Wednesday to Saturday, under immense fear, glued to the TV, the city under high alert, classes were cancelled...

I am the kind of person, who values his self respect and principles utmost. For me there is nothing more important than my self respect and my privacy and I always give back the same respect to everyone. Why should I let someone frisk me?! Why should I let someone see through my mother's purse, or my father's coat?! But in this selfish world, where everyone just wants their own motives to be fulfilled, you don't know whom to believe and whom not to. Where people say something and actually mean something else, where they are something outside and something else inside, I suffer. Everytime I have to buy a gift for someone dear to me or a book for myself or enjoy a movie with my friends or board a flight to go meet my grandparents, I have to "cooperate" with the security. I surely don't enjoy it, and I am sure no one does, but that is what our lives have become after these terrorist attacks. They drive fear in us and make us submit to this inhumanity. I hope just one day, just one day in my lifetime, I get to see a fearless world, where I can be assured that I won't be harmed, neither will someone I love and care for. 

I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte, and all others who died during the attacks and their families. You are all martyrs, and its because of your greatness, that we are all alive today.