It's a lazy Sunday evening and as happens with all Sunday evenings, the mood is reflective. All said and done, tomorrow is a Monday, and tomorrow has to be spent at work. Along with a whole host of nostalgic thoughts that go to not too long ago, is a thought about where we as a country are going to go! It's a period of flux everywhere. Changes at work, changes in life, changes in actions, changes in my rocking city! It's change change everywhere. Do I like it? Well, whether I like it or not, I have to live with it.
For instance, soon after the attacks commenced on Mumbai's icons, I was downcast and angry for a very very long time. I had to attend a Sangeet ceremony of one of my close friends, but somehow did not find the mood or the mind to 'celebrate'. I confided in one of my oldest friends. I told her that I was so low, that I was in no mood to celebrate since so many of my people have been decimated, and all the city faces is political apathy and jeering on the world stage of the political circus. Her immediate response was, as usual - "Sindhu you think too much and you think nonsense". I was bewildered. She continued, " You think so much about political apathy. But will you or any one of our current generation who finds it appalling to handle office politics want to step into Mantralaya and run the state? No! You say so much about revamping the defence system, and internal security, did it strike you that almost everyone is thinking the same? Then why is there no action? Since there seem to be other more 'pressing matters' for our 'leaders' to handle. And now this mayhem has grabbed headlines, and these will stay till the next new media spectacle comes up for all to see."
At that time, I was aghast at her apparent indifference. But as time spanned out, look what happened....
Head politicians of the state resigned citing 'moral compulsions'. Can the new people deliver? Who knows? It will perhaps take them some time to understand the past ramblings before they decide to do something new, and by the time they deliberate and decide to do something new, it's poll time and poll jargon will start riding the airwaves. Then what? Back to square 1.
Pakistan has pledged support. How many times have they done that? And how many times has the world community been assured by the government of their unending co-operation? And is India so gullible? So immature to be treated like a weakling time and time again? Why? Are we not strong enough? No. How much should we put up with to prove our patience to the world? Granted, war is never a solution, but why try Satyagraha on hooligans??????? There has to be a better way to handle matters. UNSC certified terrorists are still at home under a farcical 'house arrest'. How does that help matters? A number of terrorist outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen, today's Times reports, have disbanded. Really? Perhaps only to regroup like how the LeT did as JuD. People who have committed crimes against our country are being provided a safe haven in a neighboring country, and India has to be patient and diplomatic. I ask, 'Would US be so patient, if Osama was in Mexico?' So going totally filmy, I ask...'Unka Khoon Khoon, aur Hamaara Khoon Paani?'
Yes, we have slipped up in places too. Perpetrators of the Parliament attack are still breathing thanks to the slow moving wheels of clemency pleas. Intelligence is perhaps not as smoothly connected as it should be - so say the papers.
At the end of the day, we have had young people who have laid down their lives so that we may see another day. And the army chief has said that even more number of brave youths are more than willing to step up to the challenge. But unfortunately, it ends there. Like in the case of the Parliament attack, where India's blood boiled for a while. Like in the case of Kanishka, where India seethed. For a while. Like in the case of the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in '93, the Gateway bomb blast in 2003, the train blasts in 2006, where Mumbai was angry. For a while. But then the years would pass, and new issues would spring up, new communities would need to be given reservations somewhere, one religion's beliefs would need to be questioned, and all that would remain would be the lifelong gloom in the houses of the martyrs and in those houses alone......
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