There has been more than a couple of reasons for one to panic, of late.
Let me start with the rains and floods that brought this fabled city (Mumbai) of grit and gumption to a stand-still. The "resilient" Mumbaikar was back in the papers.
The very next day, after it stopped raining, we had shiv sainiks holding the city for undisclosed/unknown ransom on July 8, to protest against the defacement of a statue of Meenatai Thackeray, the late wife of Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief. Several buses were burnt and stoned and shutters of shops that I had never seen shut, even at 3 AM, forced shut.
Then came in our way (literally here) seven bombs that ripped open as many first class compartments of as many trains. And then hoax bomb calls that put the railways into total disarray.
So, all that adds up to one whole terrorising week. I am not spilling any more ink over recounting events and facts and figures about loss of money, life and property -the whole world knows about it.
Rains 'n' Floods: Well, this time though I was slightly impressed with the BMC, they foresaw heavy rains for the then "next 48 hours" and sent mass SMSs on every phone warning them about it. One hopes that the High Court brings to task the authorities that caused the "Rs. 250 crore go down the drain" as it has promised.
Shiv Sena Vandalism: In the first place, the bust was built with tax-payers' money, when, the Shiv Sena, forget Meenatai herself, has done more destructive work than constructive. Of course, Meenatai did nothing. So, what if it was defaced? -It could be cleaned. "But then the Shiv Sena, we all know, is Shiv Sena and will continue with its histrionics."
And despite most people saying or implying that these histrionics are to be discounted, the amazing part was that we still chose not to leave our homes and have our shutters down!
7: I was at work when a friend called and asked me not to take the train back home. I had no clue of the blasts. The phone lines were jammed. We all left work at where it was and rushed home.
I reached home after spending about two hours in the taxi and learned that the number was 7. I shot off to the bombed spot closest to my home to help if any was needed. Many VIP cars and their security vans had lined one and half lanes of the two lane road. A contingent of khaki clad policemen were standing in a conglom on the footpath parallel to the train station. On the opposite side of the road were many-a-volunteer trying to help by running all over the place maybe trying to hitch a ride for people stranded, because of the trains not working. The already hassled and now irritated drivers would jump lanes and the entire place was still and noisy lake of cars - pedestrians running all over.
After about two hours of helping there, I ran to a hospital where a blood donation camp was put up. Here, after sometime, many people gathered to donate blood. Hundreds of them. And soon the camp turned into a picnic spot with donors cracking vulgar jokes and laughing loudly. Just a few ten meters from them were about fifty dead bodies from the bomb blasts. We were waiting in queue when a new patient was brought in. He was alive though only a quarter alive. He was wrapped in a plastic bag neck-down and head bandaged - no eyeballs in his sockets - squirming. The loud laughter and jokes barely stopped.
Next morning, we mumbaikars were back with the steel wheels rolling on iron tracks! The trains were as packed as ever and the stock market was on yet another day of bull-run. We all were back to work. Not that it was a bad thing. But it seemed like we're living like sheep -giving wool, not knowing to whom and then we run the risk of being butchered the very next moment! And if not, we continue giving the wool. And my phone lines are jammed when I need to get in touch with my loved ones the most.
And sheep I feel like -bullied by the shepherd's dog. For the whole of last week I was wanting to access a few blogs including my own. It was only today that I read in the newspapers that blogs were banned! There should be no criticism of the Government, you see...
What happened to our fundamental right to speech which includes, right to free press and right to information? No state emergency has been declared to suspend these rights!
Even the Supreme Court, the guardian of the constitution and the fundamental rights contained therein, does not deny any publication, in any form, the right to, bona fide, criticise even its judgments and orders -upholding individual liberty - who the hell is the Govt. to shut us up? Maybe one could have expected the NDA doing something like; but this was the UPA -Singh, not Advani.
Brainwashed is how I feel - suspended in oblivion - not having an exact idea but a slight, unclear and blurred picture in my head. But this obliviated picture is enough to make a few constructions. Where is Lashkar-e-Toiba? And if we are intelligent enough to know that they exist, how come we do not know where they are.. for so long? Is it a "truth" or a mere "artificial reality"? For that matter, Osama bin Laden is "real" for sure; but is he "true"? We seem to know the very entity that causes every corresponding act of terror. But, with all our satellites and stealth bombers and technological hocus-pocus, no one seems to know where that entity is.
The whole world hates Osama, Lashkar, etc., etc. But do we really know if they exist? Are they true? To me (on no basis of tangible evidence) it is an extremely convoluted scheme of the politicians.
How can one rely on what is told? On July 8, when shiv sainiks rioted.. I stepped out to be where the riots were being telecast from as "Live"... when I reached the spot... I found a few kids playing football on the empty piece of road!
Let me start with the rains and floods that brought this fabled city (Mumbai) of grit and gumption to a stand-still. The "resilient" Mumbaikar was back in the papers.
The very next day, after it stopped raining, we had shiv sainiks holding the city for undisclosed/unknown ransom on July 8, to protest against the defacement of a statue of Meenatai Thackeray, the late wife of Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief. Several buses were burnt and stoned and shutters of shops that I had never seen shut, even at 3 AM, forced shut.
Then came in our way (literally here) seven bombs that ripped open as many first class compartments of as many trains. And then hoax bomb calls that put the railways into total disarray.
So, all that adds up to one whole terrorising week. I am not spilling any more ink over recounting events and facts and figures about loss of money, life and property -the whole world knows about it.
Rains 'n' Floods: Well, this time though I was slightly impressed with the BMC, they foresaw heavy rains for the then "next 48 hours" and sent mass SMSs on every phone warning them about it. One hopes that the High Court brings to task the authorities that caused the "Rs. 250 crore go down the drain" as it has promised.
Shiv Sena Vandalism: In the first place, the bust was built with tax-payers' money, when, the Shiv Sena, forget Meenatai herself, has done more destructive work than constructive. Of course, Meenatai did nothing. So, what if it was defaced? -It could be cleaned. "But then the Shiv Sena, we all know, is Shiv Sena and will continue with its histrionics."
And despite most people saying or implying that these histrionics are to be discounted, the amazing part was that we still chose not to leave our homes and have our shutters down!
7: I was at work when a friend called and asked me not to take the train back home. I had no clue of the blasts. The phone lines were jammed. We all left work at where it was and rushed home.
I reached home after spending about two hours in the taxi and learned that the number was 7. I shot off to the bombed spot closest to my home to help if any was needed. Many VIP cars and their security vans had lined one and half lanes of the two lane road. A contingent of khaki clad policemen were standing in a conglom on the footpath parallel to the train station. On the opposite side of the road were many-a-volunteer trying to help by running all over the place maybe trying to hitch a ride for people stranded, because of the trains not working. The already hassled and now irritated drivers would jump lanes and the entire place was still and noisy lake of cars - pedestrians running all over.
After about two hours of helping there, I ran to a hospital where a blood donation camp was put up. Here, after sometime, many people gathered to donate blood. Hundreds of them. And soon the camp turned into a picnic spot with donors cracking vulgar jokes and laughing loudly. Just a few ten meters from them were about fifty dead bodies from the bomb blasts. We were waiting in queue when a new patient was brought in. He was alive though only a quarter alive. He was wrapped in a plastic bag neck-down and head bandaged - no eyeballs in his sockets - squirming. The loud laughter and jokes barely stopped.
Next morning, we mumbaikars were back with the steel wheels rolling on iron tracks! The trains were as packed as ever and the stock market was on yet another day of bull-run. We all were back to work. Not that it was a bad thing. But it seemed like we're living like sheep -giving wool, not knowing to whom and then we run the risk of being butchered the very next moment! And if not, we continue giving the wool. And my phone lines are jammed when I need to get in touch with my loved ones the most.
And sheep I feel like -bullied by the shepherd's dog. For the whole of last week I was wanting to access a few blogs including my own. It was only today that I read in the newspapers that blogs were banned! There should be no criticism of the Government, you see...
What happened to our fundamental right to speech which includes, right to free press and right to information? No state emergency has been declared to suspend these rights!
Even the Supreme Court, the guardian of the constitution and the fundamental rights contained therein, does not deny any publication, in any form, the right to, bona fide, criticise even its judgments and orders -upholding individual liberty - who the hell is the Govt. to shut us up? Maybe one could have expected the NDA doing something like; but this was the UPA -Singh, not Advani.
Brainwashed is how I feel - suspended in oblivion - not having an exact idea but a slight, unclear and blurred picture in my head. But this obliviated picture is enough to make a few constructions. Where is Lashkar-e-Toiba? And if we are intelligent enough to know that they exist, how come we do not know where they are.. for so long? Is it a "truth" or a mere "artificial reality"? For that matter, Osama bin Laden is "real" for sure; but is he "true"? We seem to know the very entity that causes every corresponding act of terror. But, with all our satellites and stealth bombers and technological hocus-pocus, no one seems to know where that entity is.
The whole world hates Osama, Lashkar, etc., etc. But do we really know if they exist? Are they true? To me (on no basis of tangible evidence) it is an extremely convoluted scheme of the politicians.
How can one rely on what is told? On July 8, when shiv sainiks rioted.. I stepped out to be where the riots were being telecast from as "Live"... when I reached the spot... I found a few kids playing football on the empty piece of road!
