Murder of Mumbai

It was December, 2006. I was sitting on a stone at Marine Drive on Christmas eve and for the first time in my life, I fell in love with a city. There was something in the sea air that I was missing since I touched my teenage. Mumbai had a feel of a modern and free city. Delhi has its own share of educated and wealthy middle class but Mumbai seemed a far mature city. Mumbaikars readily adapted to change in life style driven by pro-liberalisation policies since 1990s. I can safely say that when it comes to mentality and outlook towards life, Mumbaikar of 2006 was at least 30 years ahead of its counterparts in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. With its strict traffic policing, mature citizens with respect for privacy and beliefs of fellow citizens and a active nightlife, it looked pleasantly familiar to western cities, we usually see in Hollywood movies. But that all has changed dramatically in last one year and I don't think Mumbai is ever going to be same.

Last week's terrorist attack was unique in its execution and magnitude. Mumbai has endured many deadly assaults in last decade. But no attack was powerful enough to stop Mumbai in its tracks. In past, in the aftermath of blasts, people had move on with life as usual. Media used to call it spirit of Mumbai and celebrate it. Inept politicians and police officers used to hide behind this spirit. Nothing has changed since 1993 bomb blasts because establishment(media included) took this spirit as a denial of attacks by Mumbaikars. After rhetoric on day of attack, everybody used to forget about taking preventive measures and just wash their sins by joining chorus in praising the famed spirit of Mumbai. So, what has changed this time ?

The attack that took place on 26Th November was not a terrorist attack but it was a attack by few foreigners to destroy a city. They did'nt want to kill people, they just wanted to kill the city. This time, execution of attack was such that finally Mumbai has woken up to the fact that spirit of Mumbai is nothing but a mask Mumbaikars wear to hide their aloofness or selfish attitude. The very symbols of Mumbai, which every Mumbaikar feel proud were attacked and left blood-stained. Why Mumbaikar is today on road protesting the politicians and airing his rage on national television ? When Mumbai let itself raped by vote-hungry politicians, why today that much rage and anger ? May be Mumbai has realized that it has been taken for granted by politicians and terrorists alike.

Mumbaikars are fighting a battle that they have already lost. Thanks to a spoilt brat, term Mumbaikar has become a misnomer. Either you are a Marathi manoos or a bhaiyya or a Gujarati or a Tamil and so on. Mumbaikar has died a silent death without a whimper. I felt pity for honourable home minister of Maharashtra for his notorious remark 'small incidents happen in big cities'. He must be thinking that I have worked so hard on a sure-shot plan to trigger rise of a nobody into a political star. Everything was going according to script. I denied that goons are taking charge of Mumbai. I ordered an encounter that could be easiily avoided. Due to these terrorists attacks, People and media have forgotten about him. Now, I have to work out a damage control plan to bring that stupid fellow back on national television and these idiots are bothering me with the petty issue of death of 200 people. What are 200 people for Mumbai ? Why are they so bothered when Assembly elections are less than 1 year away ? Can't they go to their schools and offices as usual ? Where is that bloody spirit of Mumbai?

Mumbai has been murdered in this attack. Those very symbols, who were giving a illusion to people who are living in Mumbai that they are still Mumbaikars, left blackened for ever by terrorists. Mumbai will take a long time to recover. It is not about renovating hotel taj or fixing new glass panes in Cafe Leopold. It about rise of Mumbaikar from the ashes. People have to repair social fabric of a city which, till few months back, was considered as one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world.

What America means to us ?

These days, I am consistantly coming across articles claiming latest financial crisis as end of 100 year old American empire. It is a general perception that America's military might lies in its economic muscles. Now that muscles are losing tons of weight, there are waves of panic world over. There are predictions of new power equations everywhere. People are hoping that new power centers of world will be Russia and China. I feel it is too early to predict demise of USA as world's only superpower. America will bounce back on shoulders of its inspiring leaders and patriotic commoners.

Accept it or not, we are living in a era of US-haters. Most of the general people and media revile US. This is also true about most of the governments across the across which are against democratic instituions. I never understand the reason for that. Are people jealous of US or it is just sheer hatred for ts actions in past ? I think people are just jealous of the way Ameica assert itself on world stage. Sheer ruthlessness and arrogance are trademark of US foreign and economic policy. American influence over world just can be annoying for the ones who dream of a multipolar world. We have seen the capacity of America to involve in lenghthy conflicts without any concern for social and economic unrest back home. Amrican way of life, their patiotism and will power to rule the world invites the envy. Thats why a American failure is generally celebrated throughout the world whether it is crash of columbia spaceship or their failure to retain top spot in olympics.

So, lets assume that American empire is destroyed. What that mean for world ? Demise of American hegemony will be black chapter in world history. There is a conflict going on in the world. Democratic powers are on one side and a nexus of evil powers like religious terrorism, communism and totalitarian regimes are on other side(May be it sounds like a fantasy). America is leader of democratic powers. Who will take up challenge in absense of Ameica. India ? Are we in dreams ? We are yet to come come out of shadow of China. Our leaders keep begging before China for friendship. We just lack self-respect to lead a global coalition. Without America, it will a end of democracy and freedom. America symbolises everything good in this world.

I never understood why people want to hate US. Media says that US has a fetish for war. 9/11 attacks were an attack on soul of a progressive nations. What do you expect ? Just like our leaders, they should have keep repeating bullshit like Pakistan is resonsible for action and something like guilty will not be spared etc etc. and then forget about it ans start waiting for next terror attacks. Guys, they are nation with self-respect. Their leaders wanted to restore dignityof nation. After attack, whole nation stood together. Even opposition who fought a bitter battle for presidency just few months back was behind leader of nation. They just have no business for bickering and playing vote-bank politics. They answered and removed one of the most brutal regime of world. Osama bin laden, Saddam Hussein and Taliban were no saints. Nobody has dared to attack US again. Even today, US is trying to protect innocent Iraqis. Terrorist are killing innocent citizens and people are blaming US for all this.

Next one year will be decisive for the all of us. If US survive current economic crunch, democratic countries will get a morale boost. China and Russia have always helped anti-democratic regimes. They have always opposed sanctions on Sudan's ruling regime which is involved in genocide of its own people. They have supported nuclear weapon programmes of Iran, Pakistan and North Korea. They have supported anti-people rulers like Mugabe and Myanmar;s military junta. They started to make moves on their long-term strategy. All Latin Americans countires have turned communists expect Columbia. Russia incursion in Georgia is enough to create waves of terror in central Asia and East Europe. So, all hopes of future lies in rise of America and its coordination with other responsible nations like France and India.

On the edge

I am back! I know there are not many people who felt my absence in bloggers world, but still, I cannot not stop myself from exclaiming my return. There is a state of turmoil in the world. There are bomb blasts, communal violence, back-off on industrial projects, economic slowdown. low salary increments and monstrous inflation. Looks like we returning to some sort of dark age. I have not returned to make dark predictions about a world which is going to be doomed but last few months are giving the feeling that everything is just slipping out of hands.

Who is responsible for this ? We humans always curse a figure named god(or it is just a illusion) for our all woes. Everyone preach that his god is epitome of good and benevolence. Then suddenly, a sort of competition starts and people commit every known sin known in this world to prove(or force) that their god is the biggest(or more importantly, bigger than other gods ?) statue of goodness. It is a irony that despite all this, we human beings consider ourselves as most brainy children of mother nature. Well, some people plant bombs in cities and send mails to newspaper bragging about how they hold a whole country at ransom. It is a pity most of these guys belongs to a banned organization that has word student in its name. Alas! what education has done to these guys. Education has made them realize that they and their god is disrespected in this country and they are licenced by their god to punish the offenders. Some other guys are involved in mob terrorism because they feel that they have every right to kill someone who is trying to implement 'switching over to new god'. hmmmmmm...........I don't know how come these guys have time for all this bullshit.

If this all is not enough, there is economic slowdown world over. This is just an indication why today world is considered a small village. Falling of stocks in Wall street is creation great ripples in India. every news article with news of large layoffs and cost cutting is adding to blood pressure of IT and MBA professionals in India. Well, what is most noticeable here is ruthlessness of big corporates to defend themselves. These guys at top management level take faulty decisions. The guys at lowest level just implement those policies. But still, these managers generally get their dues. Even they plan their future in other corporates and keep their employees in dark about what is going to hit them. Always employees at the lowest level have to pay. They are first ones to be booted out as burden and useless. The freshers who join their first venture with high hopes and a burning desire to prove themselves overnight turns into bitter and heart-broken individuals. The anger is quite easy to be channeled as hatred and mistrust for whole soceity to turn them into sociopath. In India, it is common phenomena. Every mass recruiter here has incompetent managers who do not have full knowledge about existing process in the organization, leave aside new ideas. These irresponsible organizations allow these irresponsible people to handle affairs irresponsibly to ruin the career of new entrants in corporate world who can win the world, if given a chance.


So, is there any ray of hope ? It is very necessary to find solutions. Being from typical Indian middle class family, I am not going to put forward a solution. I will just selfishly and cowardily try to ignore the problem until it start to hit me without realising that every denial is pushing me towards a wall. There are two options. Either educated middle-class of India come out of it comfort zone of shopping malls and multiplexes and defying all fears and hesitations. take the rein of country in its hand or allow someone like Hitler to rise and capitalise on mass discontent prevailing among large section of our society. Like me, we all have choice. Act in time or wait in silence for inevitable to happen.

Let them know

Few days ago, I was going through my daily dose of newspaper. My eyes caught a clipping about permission granted by local administration to school for providing sex education to students. It reminds me of late 90s when some schools introduced weekly classes for sex education but due to objection of Parents and teachers, initiative was backtracked. My school was one of them. It was not that I was disappointed because at that time, I did not how it will help and why people are opposing it. Well, some of my friends were ruing at the missed chance. I do not have much hope from latest initiative. It will be taken back after sometimes because guards of our culture are against polluting young mind. Talking about sex has always remained a taboo in our society. So, legitimising discussing about sex in such a way is just out of question



Even today, I do not understand why people so bothered about sex education. Its an obvious thing that you have to know at some stage. Would not it be better if these information can be provided at right time through proper channels. These two means are either parents or school. Most of teens and youths do not like to share their problem with their parents. They want to become self-dependent and thus, like to tackle their problems themselves. Moreover, teens do not like to open themselves with parents. They generally feel hesitation in talking about their adolescent problems, doubts and any new developments. Even parents feel hesitation. They always have doubt about the timing. For example, after watching a family planning advertisements, if your son in early teen want to know what is condom, it will become a embarrassment for you and you will just try to divert his attention.



So, school become the obvious place to discuss adolescent developments. Now, here if proper guidance is not provided, students will resort to advice of friends. Here, they can come across many misconceptions prevalent among teens. These days, students are tech savvy. There are helplines and forums on the web. But these sources of information are suspicious and no one is responsible for wrong advices. Even that unreliable guidance is available to urban youths. What about majority of teens living in villages and towns ? Most of under-20 Indians are still equipped with wrong information. Few months back, I was watching 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. In a scene, Salman Khan kissed Aishwarya Rai on cheek and she posted the question whether it can lead to pregnancy. Sometimes, movies intentionally or unintentionally reflect some harsh truths and it was bang on target.



Sex education is an important aspect of life. These days, there is a huge danger of sexually transmitted disease. Information is the only defence against these fatal diseases. At some point of time, a human has to cross the line. Is not our society in name of decency and culture, playing with lives of teens? Being having knowledge, next generation will be more equipped with challenges of the new world. Well, giving formal course of sex education will deprive them of some of the interesting memories. There will be no all guys meetings to unfathom the most difficult mysteries of world like 'where babies come from' , 'is a marriage some sort of magic wand which tell god to deliver the babies' and the mother of all, 'what the hell whispers are for?'.

Lets face them

Recently, there has been a string of bomb blasts throughout the country. An organization named itself as Indian Mujaheddin has claimed the responsibility for the blasts. This time we are facing a very strong enemy. These are not just some misguided youths with polluted mind who have masterminded the blasts. This is a network which has some clever brains with a plan to destabilize our nation and thus , convert it into a failed state. These hi-tech terrorists have long -term plans. The terrorism they are propagating is psychological terrorism. These terrorists are more interested in affecting psychology of our nation than actually killing the people. They have opened two fronts. On one front they are challenging law-enforcement agencies and government and on other front, they are playing mind games with common men. The later front is decisive front because it will prepare the stage for efficient execution of whole plan.

If you look at the pattern, you can easily understand. They have staged attacks in states which are ruled by a party which claims to be saviour of Hindus. And then, they send a email putting responsibility on shoulders of Indian Muslims. They want everyone, especially Hindus to think that this task has consent of all the Muslims and 'Indian Mujaheddin' is representing them. They have chosen BJP-ruled states because Hindu fundamentalists are supposed to be strong there. Now, it is a psychological battle. They are challenging Hindus to attack their fellow brothers. Very cleverly, they have raised all local issues in their emails to TV channels and claimed to be avenging for the injustice met out to them. By doing this, they removed all chances of claiming a foreign hand by government or even exploring the possibility of it. In their mail, they threatened Muslim film stars against acting in the movies. They are frustrated with Khans because they proved that Muslim has ample opportunity to become successful in India. These stars can become role model for aspiring Muslim youth. This can give them confidence that they can be accepted as all-Indian boys. What medium can provide a greater access to masses than cinema ? Success of these stars is example of false propaganda by terrorists. One more aim of these hi-tech terrorist is to create a empire of fear. Look at the sheer number of blasts that took place in last 4 days. They were more interested to cover every area of city rather than to kill more people. In this way they were able to touch life of nearly every person in the city. This type of organized terrorism is a new phenomenon in India.

Till now, our people have acted with caution. There had been no reports of communal skirmishes. Even Gujarat has remained peaceful in aftermath of bomb blasts. This kind of resolve is needed in this hour of crisis. Narendra Modi has let down these merchants of death. He was more than diplomatic in his reaction to blasts. The bitter bickering that was on between various political parties has toned down. Rather than asking for PM's resignation, opposition has resorted to need for federal mechanism and stringent laws to tackle terror. We have won first round of mind games and save the day for nation. But government and law-enforcement agencies cannot afford to lax. It is difficult to ignore dead bodies and grieving families. The propagators of this heinous crime should be brought at disposal of law.

Good Guy, Bad Guy

I have'nt watched latest batman movie 'The Dark Knight'. Our caped crusader is taking on its arch-enemy, joker. Everyone who has watched the movie is showering praise on joker for displaying evil with perfection. Nobody has time for batman. Batman has taken some sort of backseat. This is not a new phenomena. Our cine goers and film critics always have been smitten by powerful anti-hero. Whether it had been Rahul of Darr or Langra Tyagi of Omkara, these guys always have got away with best laurels. The more mean and evil they are, the more popular they will become. If they are powerful enough to instill a psychological fear into other characters of movie, they become a legend. We just love evil. Our parents may have teach us in our childhood to be a kind, good-natured and soft spoken fellow but these characters just brought all the bitterness and anger against society on the silver screen. Everyone could relate their anger and frustration with those portrayals.



In real-life also, Osama bin laden and Robert Mugabe has bigger fan following than the honest and efficient head of states who are working tirelessly for welfare of their states. It is part of human psychology. We always worship who inspires awe in us. Well this is true for at least for 90% of the people. Ya, I know you are thinking that you belong to 10% minority. Everyone thinks like that. Actually, parents and teachers are wrong in representing the rosy picture of world around you. One should present practical picture of the world to their wards. By instilling feeling of sacrifice, veracity and social welfare in an excess, they just make their ward a emotional handicap. People know that their companion is using them just for their cause or they are going to be cheated by someone, they just let themselves to be exploited on the pretext that they cannot hurt anyone. They just say that it is too late for them to change themselves. It is not just that. It can make their inner self very dark. And they find someone portraying their fantasies on the screen and in real life, these anti-heroes become their god. Now again we are good guys in our own perspective and here lies the main reason for mass popularity of these villains.

Well, there is nothing wrong in it. It is better if people are satisfied with considering beast on screen as their alter-ego. The glamour, power and terror wielded by them is a dream for majority. So, all self-proclaimed good guys an gals say in unison Hey Mogambo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Citius, Altius, Fortius

Citius, Altius, Fortius. This is the motto of olympics. These three Latin words mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." These words are a source of motivation for the athletes all over the world to achieve excellence in sports. Olympics is not just a sports competition today but a question of national pride and honour throughout the world. Our country also participates in olympics. 80 years back, our hockey team announced arrival of India on international sports arena by winning a gold. Dream run continued till 1964. But from thereon, there is a haunting silence. We get a single medal sometimes in olympics and that is all our 1 billion nation has to show in world sports gala. Father of modern olympics, Pierre d Coubratine once said that participation is more important than winning. Our olympians have taken it to heart.

There were few olympics in between where we failed to won a single medal. Australia suffered same humiliation in 1976 olympics. They revamped the whole system and started to nurture talent from school and college level. Their trainees in government sports hostel do not have to worry about jobs and future. Government take care of everything. They are given proper exposure to foreign tournaments. Resuts were there to see when Australia finished fourth in overall medal tally in 2000 olympics. China did not send its team till 1984 olympics because they were against sending the team just for sake of participation. Today they are best sporting nation in world after US.

Well, I am not going to lecture about how India can improve its performance in olympics. It is of no use. Olympics are from 9-19 August. For sure from 20Th to end of august, we will see angry reactions from public and media. Our 24-hour TV channel will show clipping of people blaming players and federation for national humiliation. There will be articles in newspapers about how to produce champions at ground level. Yuck......I am bored of it man. You guys are doing same things in postmortems of last three olympics. I can bet if India win the champions trophy(of course cricket's guys.we cannot qualify for hockey's for last 4 years), the following month, everyone will forget about all this olympic fiasco. Well, you can ask why I am even bothering about debacle at olympics. It is not as important as injustice met out to our crickets in Sydney test match. Right!!!!!!!. We need a halle gebrselassie to remind our athletes about Citius, Altius, Fortius. Now I will not tell you about him. Try on google.

Are we ready?

We are living in a difficult time. Price rice is on a roll. Share markets are falling. Suddenly, everyone is apprehensive about job security. People are running to trademark companies rather than small ventures which give hefty pay package. There is shortage of food and fuel world over. Everybody is getting hit. Cliches like booming India and India shining have suddenly become part of distant past. Well, last economic depression was two generation ago and even if I would have my grandfather with me today, he certainly would not be able to explain economic depression because mighty british empire took the hit that time.



Today, situation is different. Britain has lost too much muscle and our independent India is yet to gain power to face this crisis. In India, literacy rate has improved and pockets of people have also become heavier but still, we like to live in dreams. Our leaders make populist promises without sparing a thought about consequences. Who can forget that 60000 crore loan waiver for farmers or free electricity promises in state elections. And what about fight for distributing elctoral freebies like DVDs, TVs and cycles to voters during recent assenbley elections in Tamilnadu. This kind of irresponsible and short-term promises increase fiscal deficit which is more or less responsible for current crisis. According a report punlished in a leading national daily, atleast 10 different loan waiver packages have been declared for vidharba region alone in last 6 years.Suicides have continues throughout this period and there has been no improvement in economic situation of farmers. Where that money has gone? Who is answerable for such a utter waste of taxpayer's money?



If government is really serious about stopping current crisis from converting into a full-blown economic tragedy. it has to make long-term plans for improvement of agriculture. Current policies favour farmers who go for cash crops. So, most of farmers are going for cash crops rather than cereal crops. Due to this continous growing trend, today we have to import food grains after a gap of 30 years. Most of farmers who are under debt grow cereal crops. This discrepency has to be removed from the system. Government has to open the gates of foreign investment to increase the confidence of small investers. FDIs are responsible for recent bull-run of stock markets. These FDIs pull local investors like magnet. New sectors are needed to be identified.



Finally, we have to accept that everything is not in our governemnt control. For example, government cannot do anything about global oil prices. It cannot force Americans to go for shopping which was driving force behind double digit GDP growth of most of third world countries for last 5 years. But same measures can be taken to improve happiness quotient in our public. We can introduce social security plan for senior citizens and jobless peoples. This plan is operational in USA and UK. Some study of their implementation will be helpful in reducing chances of misuse of this facility. It will be a big relief to salaried people who are currently under severe trauma because of losses incurred by their american bosses and the farmers to whom one monsoon means end of the road. Again, key lies in its implementation. It will be successful only if it is properly monitored, accounts are maintained fairly and goverment have genuine zest for public welfare. At least, it will give believe to people that in this hour of crisis, they can bank on someone. Maybe, I am hoping for too much but we have to be ready for worst because this time we really have something to lose and there is no british empire to hide us. We have to face it straight on.

To be a Muslim

Few days back, I watched a hindi movie, Aamir. It was a movie about a person who has everything right about him and who deserved a happy and good life. He missed out on it because he is a muslim and his views do not match with religious hatemongers. Irony is that everybody looks at him with suspicion because of the general thinking after 9/11 that every muslim is a terrorist. And his muslim brothers are not ready to embrace him because he is one who is modern. educated and a person with rational thinking.



Leave aside movie, this is true about general atmosphere prevailing in Indian cities. Muslims gave away their identity easily with those burqas and topis. Dangerous thing is that they allowed themselves to be recognized as a saparate group who live as a flock. This perception has never allowed them to become part of mainstream. It is not that hindus are ready to embrace them. When I was in Delhi, I found muslims are limited to certain very old and poor areas. These were sub-standard all-muslim colonies of old delhi and turkman gate. Even in hyderabad, city is properly divided between hindu areas and muslim areas. My friends who were living there for 20 years warns me of going to charminar, the central point of old hyderabad. Even Banglore was same. Media played a special role in it. When a Ishant Sharma become successful, nobody points out that he is a hindu but when a Irfan Pathan became successful, everyone was gung-ho about a muslim doing well for India. Itis not that opportunities are not there but problem is that their co-workers generally practice minimum interaction policy with them and there are very people who can survive that suffocating environment of quite hostility. Reservations will worsen the situation. Indian middle class is paranoid with suspicion and fear. It is our failure that we fail to recognize a sizable section as our own.

We have to protect characters like Aamir because they are they are fighting on two fronts. We have to give power to them, believe to them that they are not alone in their fight against hatemongers and fundamentalists who want a big section of society languishing in dark age. I have found my Aamir long ago. You have to find yours.

Fly Smart

I don't whether you are aware of the title or not but people who frequently travels by air can easily identify it as tag line of a domestic airliner. These days, domestic airlines are raining in India. In every six months, new airlines are coming up. But that does not mean that quality is improving. Well, my experience has told me that at least in airlines industry, quantity and quality are inversely proportional. I think I should return to 'fly smart' airlines. Recently I got a chance to travel from Bombay to Delhi via that airliner. Most of my friends had warned me in advance that these flights are rarely on time. Well, I was lucky that I became a party to that rare occasion. When I boarded the flight, I was searching for those pretty faces and greetings. Well there was none. None pretty faces do not had time to say even a hello. Plane was as worse as it could be. My seat adjuster was absent from its place. Plane was like someone has put it on runway directly from a warehouse. When treatment of passengers by support staff was very rude. They were giving a definite feeling that we were unwanted there. You can say why I am so much fuss about these petty things. After all, I have to tolerate this only for 2 hours. Well, I spent a good amount of money for travel and I have right to expect good service. I was thinking at that time of tag line 'fly smart'. This airliner is owned by a big bollywood actress and a business tycoon. I don't know whether they are taking revenge on us for their own poor traveling experience . It is not that only this airlines provide this kind of treatment. I had a terrible experience with other private airlines when I went to them for cancellation of ticket. I don't know what is qualification for sitting on ticket counters but we can expect them to understand simple english. It was written in terms and condition section that tickets can be cancelled 2 hours prior to departure. Well, those guys were adamant that they will cancel ticket only exactly two hours before departure. I had to don the cap of english tutor to the people who desperately don't want to learn the things. These incidents not one off incidents. Air travel has become a compulsion for the people who are working very far from their home towns and cannot afford two days of travelling in train in a professional environment which is all about time-constraints. I am not against private airlines. these are all responsible for fall in airfares. But they are not providing service for pennies. Airfares are still not that low that you can ignore poor service. Next time, when you try to book a flight, you better check with your friends and relatives and remember the tag line 'fly smart'.