We are fighting an enemy who has no face. The enemy is hidden in the dark making his preparations and striking at the innocents while using them as shields, calling it “Jehad” or a holy war. It is stunning to know that the people who have caused this mayhem are youngsters just out of their teens. It is clearly evident that this is an age where passion and rage surpass reason and these propagators have been trained to be so throughout their teenage. The roots are definitely from the madarsas where kids are trained to fight in the name of holywar and are brainwashed to do so. Who else would believe in glory after death and go on a slaughter, killing innocents & breadwinners of numerous households.
After the 11/26 attacks the entire nation has been a victim of terrorism. Though you may not have faced the terrorists, the media coverage of this entire episode was so comprehensive that even a newly born baby could have exhibited streaks of fear. The attacks did cause a mental stir in a young nation that has begun to believe in dreams and potential. That is what even the terrorists wanted to achieve. By repeatedly targeting urban India, the very signs of progress made by this country they are arresting the common man’s fondness towards dreaming big. The recent attacks in Mumbai have stood as a testimonial to this fact. The attacks were so properly organized and orchestrated that around 4000 security personnel of the highest levels took 3 complete days to flush the terrorists. While the security personnel were definitely the heroes who have eliminated the propagators of one of the longest remembered terror episode in India, we should not forget the fact that most of the hostages were killed.
As Mr. Ratan Tata said, the problem is that we don’t learn from the past. Blame the population or the different sects of population which make it difficult for us to identify the thugs; it is a fact that we have been least prepared for such kind of attacks in spite of some reasonable hints given to us by Intelligence agencies. Whether it is attitude or apathy, one fact clearly comes out of this episode - we have got used to this kind of violence. We have begun to forget, forgo and forgive (may sound harsh) whatever is happening. That definitely seems to be the stance of the current UPA government. They are trying hard to salvage their image by showing some last minute aggression which would definitely subside with people’s memory but a pitiable fact is that the government is doing the least on preventing such kind of attacks. The home-grown intelligence agencies have failed miserably in most of the previous occasions and this is a serious threat. It’s high time we concentrated on what can be done before another such glorious attack takes place weakening the strong hearts of this youthful country. It’s no use to scare Pakistan in the name of war. They are convinced that india would not want to attack a nation that is controlled by religious mavericks and power-hungry politicians. If India is not able to launch a direct offensive due to the nuke fear, cant India pull off a proxy like it did to some extent in Afghanistan.
A convincing solution would be to strengthen our security and intelligence while increasing the vigil in the cities. It’s high time the politics in India detaches itself from ostentatious secularism and allows the security forces in rationally carrying their duties in sensitive areas which are doubted to be the breeding places. The Mumbai attack did leave a haunting effect and cause a feeling of insecurity in the growing segments of the country. The confidence levels sagged looking at the helplessness of our mighty army in flushing out a handful or terrorists. This could have happened to any of us shopping at a local mall, or dining at a nice restaurant, or in a movie multiplex or a Delhi metro station. It may sound a cliché but we have to be empowered by our intelligence and vigilance… A common man can’t think beyond this and is equally helpless in solving this problem.
