It's upsetting to see just how familiar we Mumbaikars are to the situation we are in right now. Serial blasts in India's financial capital at the evening rush hour. We all know exactly what will follow.
No one is surprised when they can't get through to their loved ones in Mumbai or when they are asked to stay in office until the matter cools down. We know that it's common practice for phones to get jammed, for streets to be blocked off, and for restaurants around office areas to eventually run out of food for dinner.
Even the authorities on television sound ashamed. "Yes, it has happened before," "It's unfortunate that we are here again;" are some of the statements you'll hear on the radio or TV. Milind Deora a Member of Parliament from the South Mumbai constituency said "My message to the people of Mumbai is... what I said the last time this happened..." His message was the right one: be calm, don't promote any communal disharmony and don't buy into any rumors, etc but he recognizes the frustration and anger faced by the people who voted him in.
Mumbai's police commissioner said, "We will bring the guilty to book -- make no mistake about it."
It's a comment that brings cynical and sarcastic responses.
We are still not sure whether it's Mohammed Ajmal Kasab's, the lone surviving gunman from the 26/11 attacks, 24th birthday. The Indian Express and The Times of India and the BBC at first, reported it as his birthday while CNN-IBN reports his birthday to be in September. BBC then, a few hours later changed their report on their website to read the following:
According to some reports, the blasts came on the birthday of Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, the sole surviving gunman from the 2008 attacks. But BBC correspondents say court records show his birthday to be in September.
Given that we took three months to get his name right and that there are still doubts as to where he lives, his birthdate will certainly be up for debate. So whether it is his birthday or not, whether he lied in court records or not, it's difficult to believe that these dates are a coincidence. And even if they are, one can't help but ask that why, in the process of bringing him to justice, are we only punishing ourselves.
What are we trying to prove? That despite knowing of the dastardly acts committed by Kasab, we are an extremely respectful civil society that will uphold due process at any cost?
We spend over Rs. 30 crores annually (Over 6.7 million USD) to keep Kasab alive and safe while knowing very well that we are going to kill him eventually. (Kasab was sentenced to death by a trial court, which was upheld by the Bombay High Court earlier this year). It's safe to say that it is time to end the circus and execute him as there is little more information he has to offer our investigators.
Seeing as Mumbai is all too familiar with this, let's hope that we get few things right going forward:
Since the Indian Mujahedeen is reported to have taken credit for these attacks, the moderate Muslim leaders must make their voices heard -- be the first (preferably beat Pakistan) to issue press statements condemning these acts and express an interest in speeding up what's left of Kasab's trial.
The media must black out any anti-Pakistan and/or polarizing voices. The world knows that the most frequent victim of such bomb blasts and acts of terrorism is Pakistan.
This is the erudite Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram's chance to reassure citizens of the security machinery set in place after the attacks on 26/11; authorities should be quick to make arrests.
Chidambaram's first statement came only two hours after the blast and was concise: it clarified that there were three and not four blasts and gave the home minister's account of the number of injured, dead and assured the media of briefings every two hours. He also reassured viewers of the status of security forces. One would have liked to see our reticent Prime Minister step up and address the nation as well.
It's heartening to see that our journalists seem to have learned from their mistakes as well. One can't help but notice the caution with which Barkha Dutt, Group Editor, NDTV is anchoring the story, after all the flack she received during the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks and the accuracy with which reporters are sending in their stories at the cost of speed.
Attention-seeking text messages, false news and rumors have also been at the minimum. Credit to all the public figures who microblogged appeals to not forward or broadcast messages from unreliable sources.
There is little news in the fact that Mumbai is an easy target for terrorists with its vast coastline and uncontrollably crowded public transportation system. As jaded as they sound, statements like "we are fed up" and "when can we feel safe?" are certainly justified. The city was just getting confident of its safety and security after 26/11. This time around, Mumbaikars will seek strong government action and demand quick results. Maybe before the 13th day of September.
Follow Anant Goenka on Twitter: www.twitter.com/anantgoenka
Hina P. Ansari: Twitter Keeps Mumbai Moving After Blasts
Dozens of People Killed in Mumbai Attacks - WSJ.com
Can India-Pakistan ties withstand Mumbai bombings? | Pakistan: Now ...
"The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which has taken over the investigation of the triple blasts case, is questioning two Indian Mujahideen (IM) suspects arrested last week. Mubeen Khan, 32, and Ayyub Shaikh, 28, are residents of Khazrana in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, who are accused of stealing four cars, two of which were used in the Ahmedabad blasts and two in the failed Surat attack of 2008. "We cannot comment on the interrogation at present, but can confirm that we are questioning them," said an ATS officer. Security agencies, looking at the pattern of the three blasts that shook Mumbai on July 13, said it could be the work of the IM. "
Every time a security agencies make an arrest they claim that the suspect is the "master mind" and they have an air tight case and within few months all the evidence will apart and judges throw away the case due to lack of even circumstantial evidence against the culprits.
Take the case of Hyderabad blasts. Police arrested several Muslims and claimed to have a solid air tight cases only to be later found out that all the individuals were framed by some anti-Muslim elements in the Police. Court released all the individuals, no apology and no compensation. Now the security agencies believe that those blast were carried out by Hindu terrorists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDOiMaV7lZM
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-11/india/28353359_1_mecca-masjid-blast-case-malegaon-blasts-bomb-blast
Several other high profile examples include Samjhauta express, Ajmer and Malegaon blast wherein the Police initially arrested Muslims claiming to be the masterminds of the blast only to be found out later that this could have been work of Hindu terrorists.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Aseemanand-four-others-charged-in-Samjhauta-case/articleshow/8930941.cms
Step1. Indian securities forces promise action.
Step 2.Pakistani news sources vigorously deny any Pakistani complicity in the event and produce the usual number well-worn conspiracy theories ranging from Americans to Zionists and to Indian revanchist.
Step3. Jihadists websites world over erupt in congratulatory posts to the "heroes of the struggle against Infidel."
Step4. Pakistani securities forces drag their heels in identifying the perpetrators.
Step5. India produce incontrovertible evidence about Pakistan- based ISI sponsored terrorist group involvement.
Step6. Pakistan begins grudging cooperation to avoid escalation in border tension.
Step 6. In a year or so: another attack on India. Repeat the above steps.
I'm sure they will...here was their powerful response during the last terrorist atrocity:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7758651.stm
I for one feel that lifetime imprisonment, especially for younger offenders like 23/24 year old Kasab, is a harsher and more appropriate punishment than the relatively swift release of death (by hanging, I presume).
Furthermore, I disagree with Goenka's view regarding the abandonment of due process. Maybe it's because I grew up in the US, or maybe it's because I have never had reason to believe otherwise. Still, he has a point in that his trial should be expedited and not bogged down by red tape...
I as a citizen of India feel depressed and helpless and at the risk of sounding coward I feel I am better off staying away from India.
May Allah save us all.