Mumbai: Politicians Play Musical Chairs?

I don't know more than the average person about Indian Politics. In fact, I am probably below average when it comes to knowledge on the subject. However, I think that in the last two days I have learned more about politics in this beautiful country of mine than I have in all my 21 years. Politics in India today, is just like a game of musical chairs.

If you watch these politicians on television move about, or see them arrive for hospital visits as I did on Saturday, you will notice a few key things. To be a politician you need A) a white wardrobe, B) a posse and C) an ego problem.

One would expect that after a 62 hour ordeal upon one's home city, it would feel as though a stubborn weight has been lifted. This has not quite been the case for many Mumbaikars. For those of us who were lucky enough to be at home during the attack, and watched the misery unfold in the safety and comfort of our air-conditioned rooms, we are the people who have also been affected by the attacks, but not traumatized; the angry people, who are in a less disturbed frame of mind to voice their disappointment, and hold the responsibility today of pressurizing those in power for change.

Everyone wants an answer, or someone to blame. I am amazed at this country's ability to flounder in negligence time and again. I am a huge fan of the more capable politicians, and of India's foreign policy in general. I believe there is much to be said about a country which will refuse aid offers in a time of crisis, and one which albeit tries to forgive and forget a problem that goes back 60 years with a neighboring nation again and again, only to realize that our peace talks were, in fact, a distraction. None of this may be proved true quite yet, and if Pakistan can prove they had nothing to do with these attacks, I'd be the first one to lend an ear.

But my prime concern, as shared with many a fellow Mumbaikar, is still how India faulted here. Instead of taking our anger out on Pakistan, or the terrorists, or anyone else who may be behind this, we are hailing our disdain at our politicians, and that is the way it should be, because that is the only way to evoke a change and prevent this from happening again. It has been just over 48 hours since the last attacks ended, and all that has happened is this (good luck):

Our Home Minister has stepped down, taking moral responsibility for these attacks. In his place, our Finance Minister has stepped in. Taking over the additional responsibility of the Finance Ministry is our Prime Minister, who was the Finance Minister from 1991-1996, and responsible for widely praised economic reforms in 1991. Our State Chief Minister and his Deputy Chief Minister were both outraged by people asking them if they were going to step down, especially after the State Chief Minister took his son, a bollywood actor, along with a horror movie filmmaker, to see what was left inside the Taj. But within a 24 hour period of that incident, both ministers have submitted their resignations, with one still pending a sure approval.

So what is really going on you ask? Musical Chairs.

I am proud to say, that despite the relief Mumbaikars are feeling towards some of these Ministers resigning or being asked to leave, we are not fooled. Nothing since the attacks has been done except paper work. There are no changes to the system in place, only a bunch of people saying, 'It wasn't me,' or, 'not my problem,' and resigning. The huge twist in this game of chess is that elections are coming up in 6 months. The opposition parties jump at every opportunity to bring down the one in power which is also the most capable party at this time, but all Mumbaikars want to know is when they can feel safe again. I just want to know, when is the music going to stop.