5 years since 26/11 but are we safe today?

984th BLOG POST -->>

     

     Yesterday when Hindustan Times came at home, I rushed to get it. The only reason for my curiosity was to read about the survivors or the family members of those killed in the attacks of 26/11. It was too traumatizing in 2009 to read the paper that came on the first anniversary of the attack because victims were still in the pain and unable to forget the moment. For the last 365 days, they were thinking only about the 72 hours that changed their life drastically. It was too sad to read about those few people who were been covered by the newspapers. But as the years kept passing, Kasab got hanged, the day he was prosecuted etc, newspaper got back to those people and it was nice to know that in spite of remembering the event as fresh as it happened just yesterday, these people learnt to live life with it. They moved on. Like a Mumbaikar's spirit, they got back to work without crying over their past which the nation saw with pain.

           26/11 is a day that's been remembered as a day of terrorism in all over India. People were shocked for those 72 hours as to how can an attack as big as this happen in one of the biggest 5 star restaurant of India. Recently when I went to Hotel Trident, the same restaurant which also got attacked the same day and had my first experience of a 5 star restaurant visit, I was surprised to see the checking. I was been asked 10 times why am I entering inside and am I being officially invited or not. Then while my bag was getting scanned, they found something made up of iron and humiliatingly, I had to take out my geometric compass box that I have since 3rd standard. Yes, there's something nostalgic to it that I have not replaced it with new compass boxes or pouch that people carry these days. They saw it, made faces that someone having this is been called for such a big function to this restaurant. Well, at that point of time, the only thing that came to my mind was "How did those terrorists enter such well-secured building then?"

            And that's a slap to us, citizens of India. If such prominent places that are been visited by celebrities and elite group regularly isn't well secured and the nation's biggest terrorism takes place here, then how much are we general people safe who stays in cheap restaurants with no security, travel by local trains which are not covered with any CCTV cameras, we live in societies with an ordinary person as a Security Guard with no arms and ammunition? Somewhere down the line, while watching the live telecast of attacks as such, we get scared even while walking towards the shop that's at 10 meters from home imagining a bomb exploding besides us. Our nation is developing in various fields and doing well and hoisting its flag everywhere around the world but there are some basics that are to be considered seriously and before anything else. 

            We are rich enough to provide security to every region of our nation. CCTV cameras can be installed everywhere around the major cities and rushy roads. As soon as a suspicious person gets visible on the display screen, our Security Guards should hold him, check and only release after getting satisfied that there's nothing wrong with him. The way Americans do- they don't even shy from checking our President of India and Bollywood Superstar. Such should be the determination of our Nation's security. Today, I enter malls and movie cinemas and I find Security Guard just acting to check our baggage. Even he smiles and says,"Jaiye sir" and we smilingly get inside thinking that "Bach gaye yaar. Nahi toh chain kholo, check karwao. Time bach gaya". But we never think at that particular moment what if the person behind us is carrying a bomb in his bag. Even that would remain unchecked and I may lose life some minutes later. This is how we, as a society, are resisting ourselves from being in the shield of safety.

             Coming back to 26/11, I would just say that I feel it's a big political plan that brought this event into execution otherwise tell me, every now and then, the elite group and big celebrities and legends stay or visit these hotels in Mumbai. But on the day of attack, not even a single celebrity was at the spot. None of them faced the bullet of Kasab and company. Doesn't it seems as if some top-level employee of Taj informed all of them to stay away from coming to the Hotel on that particular day? I have a big doubt. I still feel that everything was well-planned and informed. I visited CST station too on the same day when I went to Trident Hotel. It does not have any security check still. Anything can be easily installed in India. There are walking machines but there's no one concerned whether its switched on or off. We got a lesson but we didn't learn anything from it. Terrorists know that the match with Indian citizens is a one-sided match which only they are going to win each time they come on the field. Hence they are silent currently but they can erupt anytime and destroy us like past. The way they tried in Bihar some days ago. With this, my condolences to everyone who have lost their close ones in terrorist attacks. Hope our Government will work upon it very soon. 

 Thanks. 

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!