November 26th 2008 remains as one of the scariest days in my life. Living so very far from Mumbai, I can feel the shivers that the terrorist created. It was one of the most terrifying moments in most of the people’s life. There are millions of people reporting about the tragedy but none of them talk about the solution to it. If there is any then it is just filled with anger because of loss of near and dear ones and the pain the terrorists inflicted upon the entire nation. We were just mute spectators. This should not happen again and if that has to become a reality then it is our job to do such a thing.
I believe that in a home, if your parents are not having any healthy habits then the chances of you learning any healthy habits is very bleak. I know it is not impossible but it is difficult. Similarly for a country the leader should be responsible and sensible to lead the people from within. It is from these leaders we learn how to rule the nation and they give out wrong signals.
These were some of the observations that hurt me most:
1. Maharashtra CM comes to Mumbai from Kerala after 10 hours after the terrorist attack was informed to him. Does he care about Mumbai? If he really does then I guess he would have been there in just an hour or lesser. I know he must have had work and all that but still you have to give priority to certain things. When I know my mom is in danger I just can’t enjoy or think about anything else till I see my mom out of danger. Is it not CM’s responsibility to take care of Mumbai?
2. Terrorists were killing Israelis in the beginning itself fearing that the Israel’s combat forces might come very soon within just 5 hours after learning about the incident. Since the terrorists had orders to finish them off. They never bothered about Indian combat forces. Such a shame! It is disgusting for someone taking us for granted and they merrily killed people just like in computer games.
3. I pay so much money as tax just like other people. Our budget for defense is much higher than anything else. Still it is a shame that police officers have some very poor ammunition and the terrorists had the best of them. Terrorists are generally funded by some wealthy guy or guys. It won’t be bigger than the taxpaying population of India. Still we can’t get the latest ammunition. I hate to see the police officers like this. Can’t they get better equipped ammunition?
4. Shamelessly some politicians give out statements regarding police officers that they are corrupt and all that and once they die the same politicians claim that the martyr is a hero. How dumb can that get? I feel if the politicians can change their mind so fast then what will happen to the promises they make when they ask for vote? I guess that is the reason we are just a developing nation and we will be developing nation for ages. We need to change such politicians. Don’t we?
5. Media is filled with sadistic people. They can do anything just about anything to get news and increase the TRP ratings. Come on how sick can that get? Do we really need such people? Why there are so many news channels? God knows what they get out of this. In a recent fight clash between some castes in Chennai’s Law College, the students were hitting a poor soul very badly and all that the inspectors standing there were not even bothered as though they were standing like they had come for a ceremony. Such a cheap state our police force is. To top it, the camera man was busy shooting the incident rather than lending a hand to that poor soul. Isn’t it human to expect someone to ask for help? Can’t we help anyone? Are we so much obsessed with news and TRP ratings? Please media, have some sense. When the entire episode of operation cyclone was unfolding, the camera man was so busy with his shots. I agree that he is a brave soul and all that but still I don’t think it is right on his part to do such a thing. You can argue that if the combat forces had asked him to come along otherwise how he would have gone so far. I agree that can be a possible scenario but there is something called “Consciousness” that most of us lack. Just think this way, if the terrorist were following what is happening around them through some device then I am sure that he would have known where exactly to hide and what to do. Can that happen? I don’t know whether you might agree to this or not, but I feel this could have happened. I know I am imagining too much but why take a chance in such a situation?
There are many more incidents which I don’t want to go in detail about. All that I have done in last two three days is just think about it, the very first thought is just bomb neighboring country, how can they be so inhumane? Then I realized there are civilians out there just like you and me. They have not done such a grave mistake. It is some people who indulge in such activities. Why punish everyone? The next thought was why the police and other combat forces waiting for CM’s orders. Can’t they function on their own? It might be good for today but not in the long run. In our country people with little power does such a big menace, if the police get so much authority then the whole country will dance to their tunes. Which I don’t think it is right.
We are ruled by some people who don’t know what to do for the people. All that they know is how to make money and play the political game and we shamelessly vote for the same kind of people. I am sure that not today or tomorrow there will be any difference if we are being ruled by same or similar people. Life is going to be like a rotten potato and nothing else. It is no fun living such a life.
What should we do? This is my call and I hope at least 100 readers of this post do the same. I know it is very small but a change is a change and I believe in it. I believe if I want to change the world then I need to change. My proposal is, “NOT TO VOTE” to some lame leader. It matters to me, I don’t want to elect some incompetent leader and then see the country suffer in his hands. Karnataka’s ex-CM had a rally which halted the city life for more than 5 hours and he says that let the Bangaloreans get to know the pain of village life. My sincere and humble question to him is, HOW? Our leaders are like this. There is no exception. I won’t vote just because I have to. I have the option of not to and I will exercise it. It is a shame that people vote without proper knowledge. I am referring to only the educated people who know (I assume!) what is right and wrong. It is a pity that the uneducated people still fall prey but it will surely change. When the educated lot thinks nothing significant, how can you expect others to be in the right path?
THE MESSAGE IS VERY CLEAR FROM MY SIDE “DON’T VOTE FOR INCOMPETENT LEADER”. REFRAIN FROM VOTING IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY RATHER THAN VOTING FOR SOMEONE AND FEELING THE PAIN. IT IS OUR NATION AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
A REQUEST TO YOU IS, PLEASE SHARE THIS WORD WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND OTHERS. I HAVE A READER’S BASE OF 30 PEOPLE AND IF YOU GUYS FEEL THAT THIS IS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THEN PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW. THANKS FOR READING SUCH A LONG POST AND WE WILL MAKE A BETTER INDIA FOR THE COMING GENERATIONS. I BELIEVE EVERY INDIAN HAS A RIGHT TO LIVE HIS LIFE THE WAY HE WANTS AND NOT DIE IN THE ARMS OF TERRORISTS.
PLEASE SHARE IT… THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO CONSIDERATE..
Engineer's Finance 
Numbers below refer to the points in your post correspondingly:
1. Let alone the CM dude, NSG itself reached to the spot 10 Hrs late!!
2. I got to know they did so. It is more shameful to know terrorists preconceived that NSG / Military force will reach Mumbai only after 12 hrs or so. And they had planned the assault accordingly.
3. While discussing this with a friend, we jointly came to a conclusion that it should be mandated for all young citizens of India to serve in Army for at least an year after their graduation. [This is in practice in most of the European countries].
And about your statement on voting, Bingo! thats the root cause of all, Electing useless candidates for the Parliament. I do not suggest people not to vote. But to vote for the best of the worst
We Indians badly need young, honest and sensible PMs and CMs. Sad that the average age of our PM or CM candidates will be above 65 always 😦
I understand that you are troubled by the incident in Mumbai. But I don’t believe that not voting is the solution to the problem. If educated thinking people like you and me don’t vote, then the only ones that will vote will be the remaining poor, illiterate people. Historically, this demographic is known to vote based on:
1) whoever offers them the most money/goodies, or
2) the caste/religion of the candidate.
Isn’t not voting what most people in urban areas already do? If all educated people do vote, and take time out to actively involve themselves in public life, then there is surely hope for change.
@Anantha:
Yeah dude, we need some young blood infused in our political system who are honest.
@Adarsh:
I am not saying I won’t vote!! All that I said was, “I don’t want to vote for some useless guy”. I stand by my opinion bro.
Yes, what you said was entirely correct. India has everything now but lacks politicians who have some vision who can guide our country.
We have all the resources, technology, money but we don’t have a true leader who can work for the country atleast 50% of his time. All are interested to make money and fool people with some schemes before elections and come to power again. I also think that if we have atleast some good politicians then we can see a lot of change in the country.
We should definitely vote but not to a bad guy and one more thing there are lot of illiterates in India and some people who r educated also they just vote as that guy belongs to some party/caste. We also need to bring some awareness among people known to us so that everyone elect a good candidate.
Definitely, I will try to pass your message as many as people as I can.
@Madhu:
After a long time I am seeing you comment.
Yeah I don’t know how to educate people regarding voting and other stuff. But I will bring about a change. I will work towards it.
Thank you so much for passing the message.
I agree with all the facts in this post. Leaders stupidity,Media foolishness and ‘Not voting” and stuff sounds a bit common solution. The fact is “WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA” are not finished products, most of us have no discipline in our life. I have been to foreign countries ; of all the countries India has the best of culture and stuff, still what makes the difference is that they are disciplined and love their country, they want the country to progress as a whole, but here we just pull each others leg and just dream of becoming a super power. @ Author, Our leaders are bunch of chicken S****, so whom do I pick….. They are all the same.
Nice post.
At last, RIP for all those who lost their life in this inhuman attack and a salute to brave defense hero’s (both Martyr and alive).
God bless India.
@Saravanan: Firstly, the NSG was ready to go as soon as the incident was reported, it was the red-tape that held it up. [Source: http://indiauncut.com/iublog/article/this-city-with-arms-wide-open/ ]
I do agree that the Indian Police needs a revamp to counter the growing terror menace. There was never a need for a strong internal-force in the past to protect the country as most of the attacks were external, i.e. China, Pakistan.
The police force in New Delhi is far superior than in Mumbai or, any other city. This upgrade in New Delhi was reactive to incidents in the past not pro-active.
All said, the solution to growing terror-menace is not giving up on democracy. What are you achieving by not voting? Non-participation is certainly not a solution.
@Vishnu:
I believe in Democracy and I am very clear about my opinion and thoughts. I never said “I WONT VOTE”. All that I am saying is, “I WONT VOTE FOR WRONG CANDIDATE”. If there are 10 candidates and all are bad then I wont vote for either.
I agree with most of the comments here that non-participation in voting is not a solution. We chose democracy as our government because we wanted to shape the destiny of our nation ourselves. If today, the democracy in our nation has reached such a sorry sate, it is because we have become so dormant that we have let the leaders get away with wahtever they do.
It is time that every one of us got actively involved in the matters that concern us and make sure that our leaders are accountable to us.
@Shashi:
I agree with you, but the fact remains that the leaders who lead us are not “LEADERS” and I am with the Democracy as we are one of the largest democratic nation.
I agree that we have to get actively involved in everything that matters to us. It is our nation and we have to develop it.
hey Saravanan,
Just curious with your statement “If there are 10 candidates and all are bad then I wont vote for either”, watz ur criteria for bad ??
@Anonymous:
That is a tough question to answer in a comment section and I will write a post on it soon.
Gr8 !! cozz tht would be interesting, since ur “not voting” is based up on “bad candidates”. I would like to share my thoughts for that post.