Mumbai Terror Attacks - India’s defining moments?
For days nay weeks I have been thinking to write something on this. However my preoccupation with my television job has kept me from it. However not any more. Tonight when I logged on to the CNN site I saw CNN IBN’s breaking news pointer on Mumbai terror attacks. Horrified I am still watching sufferings of the citizens of Mumbai on NDTV and CNN IBN. One remarkable thing that I have noticed is that quite unlike the past the Indian media has been very restrained and careful in blaming the names which India has been obssessed with like Pakistan’s ISI or international priah Al Qaeda. India and Pakistan traditionally have been in the habit of blaming each other whenever anything dramatic happens. And as far as Al Qaeda is concerned it has been a huge grudge of the Pakistani radicals, against Osama bin Laden that he has seldom shown antipathy towards the Indian state. Yet ever since the war on terror started Indian government has been acting like a Don Quixote. Consider this. When Tsunami hit Asia, Indian Ambassador to the US was found preaching the US President and former Presidents, visiting the embassy in order to condole with the Indian people, how big was India and how it was appropriate to consider it the master of the regional oceans. Recently when a Saudi Oil Tanker was hijacked by the pirates, Indian news sources claimed that Indian ship had destroyed the pirate mother ship. Some sections of the Indian press considered this as a sign of Indian ascendency as global power. Yet shortly later the hijacked ship could only rescued by paying ransom. How very interesting. If the pirates were destroyed the ship would have sailed back without any trouble but that clearly was not the case.
Let me please put here that I am not a traditional India basher. Far from it I believe that India deserves to become a world leader. And it will become a power in due course. But what disturbs me is this premature hubris and desperation to be recognized a power over night. Why? Because it makes the country prone to exploitation by imperial agenda. Indians are a conscientious people but they after all are human beings like you and us. Need an example of this exploitation? Here it is:
Sometime back a serving Lt Col Purohit was apprehended with his involvement in Malegaon bomb blast which had earlier been blamed on Islamic terrorists. Later it was found out by the Anti Terrorism Squad that a terror assault on Samjhota Express was also made possible due to Purohit’s involvement. Why would he do that? I believe to give the Indian establishment an opportunity to draw international attention to India’s desire to participate in the war on terror or then give Indian right wing extremists an opportunity to terrorize India’s loyal Muslim citizens. Just see the current situation in that context.
But I do not essentially imply that the current situation is a conspiracy by such elements. There could be real terrorists doing and it is a condemnable crime against humanity. But just see the symbolism of the entire episode. It was ATS which apprehended Purohit and now among others the ATS chief Hemant Karkare is also dead. At a time when the change of guards in Washington is in order and unlike anywhere else in the conservative segments of India, Bush and his regime have been quite popular. Indian establishment has been petrified by the election of Obama, the fact that he talked of resolving the Kashmir issue and that Obama took time in calling the Indian Prime Minister. So miraculously such an incident can provide India’s stand on various matters a new lease on life. Believe me had I written this article a couple of weeks ago as I actually intended I would have expressed absolutely similar fears. India is a great country and like the people of the United States it also has to make a clear choice between retrogression and progress, reductionism or holism.
Of course Pakistani ISI could have been blamed for such a crime had we not known that owing to the country’s vulnerable situation the directorate and the government are under severe pressure and in its current condition it is in no position to mount such attacks on India. Again since the start of the war on terror, the agency has been repeatedly cleansed of the fundamentalist elements and whatever remains is considerably different in nature.
I know this situation is considerably volatile and hence can be easily manipulated to suit the radicalist agenda, I know that the Indian media and the Indian people are very decent and conscientious. Decency hence will prevail and all the negative conservative elements will be finally defeated. If there was one way to become world power exploiting this sorry tragedy is not the one. Meanwhile our hearts go out to the Indian people who are going through this living hell. Let us pray for their safety and the immediate resolution of this crisis.
Well, very nice facts given by the writer. Its all politics; Politics is politics and Terrorism is also politics.
Who to blame? But, I have a question, either its Pakistani’s agencies or Internal/International issues, why a common man is suffering? Are we all moving towards some endless direction? That’s a food for thought for everyone.
i seriously condemn this kind of terror where there is killing of innocent human being which is the best of creation by the creator , may peace be with them and their families who got shaheed in this incident . and the almighty punishes the culpret , and rescue the innocent people . may this country and the whole world adopt the beautiful saying of Khwaja baba who message was to Love Towards All , Malice Towards None .
from the humble servant of khwaja garib nawaz (r.a)
aman chishty ajmer sharif
Hi,
Very recently I have read a remark made by some British foreign minister that,”the basic problem between India and Pakistan is that these two countries hardly knows each other and hence their opinion and sentiments can be swayed in any manipulated direction”. Few things to start with which I would like to mention here, 1. The ship that the Indian Navy sank was a hijacked Thai ship and they fired back in retaliation only. The ship that was released on ransom was a Japanese ship and the only reason we could not touch that was because it was in the Somalian waters. 2. Major-General Purohit and Hindu Sadhvi Pragya was arrested and put to arrest not by any enemy state or some Taliban organisation but by our government department itself (that consists of most of the Hindus only). After reading your article, I am convinced that he was right. Today, after my country has just passed through one of the most traumatic times of its recent past, I am happily surprised that most of the pakistani’s (but yet, only those who are educated enough to write and read in these blogs) have shown their brotherly affection to its long lost brother. I would love to know more about you all and how do you feel about us, how do you look at us, how do you feel for our pain and sorrows. Today, We are not frustrated but yet bruised and hurted, we are not depressed but yet sad and anguished, we are not angry but resolute and committed to fight once again. In the last, most of us believe that pakistan is rogue state controlled and managed by a coterie of Pakistan’s Army. Democracy in Pakistan is a name for the administrative body which has no control over its Army. These perpetrators of Terror can only be brought to books if the pakistan masses could be educated by the international societies and that should include everything from Civic to Execution system, from cultural to technology, from religion to humanity. India is struggling with the same problem of uneducated masses and we are doing our best to progress our race to a better future where we would achieve happiness and security for all. - Thanks, Jina
Muslims (in the subcontinent) are foolish to say the least, to follow a religion which started with the rape and pillage of their ancestors.
The Irony is that all Muslims are decedents of Hindus and Buddhists who were peace loving non-violent people who were way ahead of present day western civilization. Then the Muslims(coward barbarians) invaded India and forcibly converted those peace loving brave people, (because only brave people can renounce weapons & violence)until Guru Gobind Singh put a stop to Muslim tyranny .
Instead of killing or kicking them out of the region we just need to love them and convert them back to being Hindus/Sikh or Buddhists and help them out of their miseries and make India the land of peace that it was.
hey mike i’m from india n i’m a hindu i dont agree with your version of things its all this fundamentalist mindset thats a problem now how could you justify your version that all muslims are not civilised i know a lot of muslims who are peace loving caring human beings its only that some manipulative views of jihadists that spew hatred among the uneducated masses y6ou should change your add salt to fire philosophy
Mikeeee, which history book did you read, was it the Enquirer. Hindus are non-violent really, then who did the massacre in Gujraat??You cannot just label a religion or race,these are bad human traits ok, get educated first and then you might not pass these dangerous hateful comments.
Thanks docniik and abdlsy, your comments much appreciated man.
saare jahan se achha hindustan hamaara ………HINDI hai HUM…HINDI hai HUM….WATAN hai………hindustan hamaara …saare jahan se achha….Mazhab nahin sikhaata aapas mein bair rakhna saare jahan se achha hindustan hamaara………..Do you understand???????????
I think the comments made by Mike are full of venom and hatred..These are the people who are extremists..and please note extremists are there in all religions..those who burned Samjhota express those who burnt Muslims alive in Gujrat..Muslims rule India for 1000 years but did not convert people like you mike ji..its ample proof that they were not preaching Islam with sword..Those who were blessed became Muslim coz they had light in their heart..Islam is the name of ultimate truth.and it attracts those with open mind and internal strength..A Muslim can never go back to Hiduism..coz no one like darkness after seeing light..
Waseem when will you ever get it, that you are already living in darkness. You are blindly espousing a faith and think you have seen light? you cannot even see the paradox you are living in and call it the truth? You see politics everywhere but cannot see the political nature of religion?can’t see the difference between religion intoxicated masses and a flock of sheep. Wake up , get to know yourself first and you will know where the light is.Till then good luck to you and your faith
To all Indians
Vande Mataram, Sujalam Suphalam, Malayaja Shitalam, Shasya Shyamalam Matarm. Subhrajyotsna Pulakitayaminim, Phulakusumita Drumadala Shobhinim. Suhasinim, Sumadhura Bhashinim. Sukadam Varadam Mataram. JAI HIND.
Hi F
You are going to give your readers two examples and a newspaper clipping to justify this statement
“But what disturbs me is this premature hubris and desperation to be recognized a power over night”.
Are you serious?
Its called “the media” and it may distort the truth. What is printed may not be felt by the people of a country.
Also…can you do us, your readers, a favor…can you put in a line in between paragraphs…just makes it easier on the eyes man…thanks.
You know you are important when other praise you rather than you going on and praising yourself that may be true in case of india which world recorgnises to be growing economic hub and has every business and country floking to do business in can that be said about pakistan i don’t think so. Our companies are buying big assets oversees and you are asking for IMF loans to fund basic government expenditures I think people in pakistan need sole searching and focus on development rather than just sitting down and chating about useless theories due to lack of work. just grow up and ask you representatives to focus on growth rather than bullshit they keep their people occupied with. I do not even consider pakistan a worhty opponent forget fighting with it. Jut get a life for urself and let civilized worl live. Thanx hope you get the point though it is rude.
Justacomment there is plenty of evidence that India speaks a premature language of power. I honestly believe India deserves to be recognized as a major power. Yet right from India’s 1998 nuclear detonations which led Advani ji use hubris filled language towards Pakistan, to celebrating the destruction of a presumed pirate ship in ocean as a sign of India as an international power there are umpteen examples. But that is India’s problem. My problem is that India still is using the neocon language. Globally we have opposed that language and now India the hope of the poor will use the same language? I thought India since the days of Non Aligned Movement was a believer in multilateralism. What happened to those lofty ideals?
Vishal, perhaps you need to vent this anger on a fundamentalist website. You are jumping on the wrong toe man for I believe civilization.
Justacomment there is plenty of evidence that India speaks a premature language of power. I honestly believe India deserves to be recognized as a major power. Yet right from India’s 1998 nuclear detonations which led to Advani ji use hubris filled language towards Pakistan, to celebrating the destruction of a presumed pirate ship in ocean as a sign of India as an international power there are umpteen examples. But that is India’s problem. My problem is that India still is using the neocon language. Globally we have opposed that language and now India the hope of the poor will use the same language? I thought India since the days of Non Aligned Movement was a believer in multilateralism. What happened to those lofty ideals?
Vishal, perhaps you need to vent this anger on a fundamentalist website. You are jumping on the wrong toe man for I believe civilization.
Farrukh,
Appreciate your attempt to maintain objectivity and moderation in an emotive situation like this.But where from did you get the idea that India has any pretense to be s super power? Inferring these pretensions from the ranting and raving of few individuals or even media is masking your view of what many Indians think.Most of our successful businessmen and veteran leaders have a firm grip on reality. They have their metrics and blocks towards progress quite figured out and know it is a long way off. One undeniable block to the progress is an unstable and hostile neighbour.
Farrukh,
Thats my whole point…all the examples you quote are either a bunch of politicians mouthing off in front of the TV to incite passions for their own use….or…trigger happy media houses which jump on every opportunity to portray India as the next saviour. The general populace who walks through potholed roads and sees overflowing sewers everyday scoffs at the notion that India is a superpower. India is not just the politicians and the media man. Last time I checked, there were more of us common men than either of the former two. Just because our point is not covered by the media, please don’t lump us with those who proclaim India as the next superpower.
Also, to all Indians who are spitting venom on this blog…you need to understand that people who terrorise are neither Pakistani nor Muslims nor Indian nor Kashmiri. That is why they have a whole seperate category to themselves - Its called Terrorists. This category includes all who even provide support to those who kill - be they the ISI or RAW or the very conveniently forgotten elements from Mumbai’s criminal underbelly (and maybe even its politicians!! who knows). I guess we need to learn this differentiation.
>>One remarkable thing that I have noticed is that quite unlike the past the Indian media has been very restrained and careful in blaming the names which India has been obssessed with like Pakistan’s ISI or international priah Al Qaeda.
I hope pakistanis media will do that more often. india blame ‘elements in paksitan’(not pakistani goverment) because its true. you & I need not be foreign policy and security expert to understand that. If you are not willing to believe india’s claim is true (about links to pakistan) then its your ignorance either willfully or otherwise.
also its important to understand that in the past only india/indians were victims but now-a-days pakistanis is victim too. pakistani goverment failure to stand against such bad elements is very distressing and even more distressing is to see pakistani citizens are turned against india in the name of patriotism.
as someone commented here “people who terrorise are neither Pakistani nor Muslims nor Indian nor Kashmiri. That is why they have a whole seperate category to themselves - Its called Terrorists.” if such terrorists exists in paksitan then it is shamefully to accept but by deny it the problem can worst by the day.
my prays, with pakistani who are living thru the same.
and by-the-ways, this is no means define moment for us. mid-2009 we have election and likes looks new government might be in place. and that power transfer will & will have peacefully. that what define india. and even with worst economy crisis- India will grow 7% next year and will not go bankrupt. and if unlikely event of india goes war with pakistan it neither impact india’s reputation nor its economy. none of these would be true for pakistan.
india doesnt need to show strength to anyone. as imperfect it may be..its evolving to be fine country in every aspect.
>>”the agency has been repeatedly cleansed of the fundamentalist elements and whatever remains is considerably different in nature.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503746.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/may/25/pakistan.india
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/05/opinion/main4650069.shtml
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-pakistan-militants_barkerdec07,0,706488.story
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/world/asia/04pstan.html?fta=y
do you very honesty believe that ISI is now clean and working under goverment control? just wondering, how you can be sure of that.!
and finally, iam no fan or US foreign policy (which includes supporting miltary goverment in pakistan since i believe even a good dictator is not replacement for bad democracy) and to be US and pakistan has been friends for decades. even the all-for-you nuclear deal with US went thru hell in our country because our policy think-tank doesnt want to be close with US at any cost.
If I replace the term Indians with Idiot than this would not be so inaccurate to do so. They don’t see the true picture, and they are really do not see the truth. Pakistan, the nation of great religion, has been many times accused of being sponsoring and supporting the Kashmiri freedom fighter, Afghan defense against soviet invasion and on many failures of indian defense for protecting its people, but no viable evidences has ever been given either to Pakistan, United Nation. Many people from Pakistan have been accused of links with many riots in india but why no evidence has been provided or Interpol being contacted? Recently they establish that the detained terrorist belongs to Pakistan, however the truth is that, which being hidden by Indian media is that all such details provided by india pertains to a person who have died 15 years ago - just ask yourself why indian or supporters of indian media are not showing the relatives of detained suspect, why not showing the videos of villagers who said that they knew that detained person - We all know that Indian media - Indian govt. is lying and lies don’t live and speak for long.
A person who had seen his mother, wife, sister, daughter being raped by soldiers, knives being put into their sensitive body organs, infants being burnt alive, killing for no reason - this all happen in indian occupied Kashmir, indian Gujrat, and even mumbai - what do you expect him to do - he’ll fight for his defense - and will be termed by cowards as terrorist - yes he is a terrorist to those who made him to become one.
Previously they were showing photos in which so-called terrorist was wearing the thread band on his right hand - now they are showing the same picture without that band - isn’t it their effort to hide the truth that those persons were infact Hindu and actually planted by indians themselves. How can they simply said that there exist no evidence of any indian support - nobody would believe that only idiots can and they have accepted that as truth.
Do you want to refine RAW, ISI, CIA, KGB etc etc to instantly become MOTHER TERESA or POPE, thats not happening, its like saying to MC Donald or pizza hut or Kentucy fried chicken franchize to become a grocery store, whats the point, all these agencies safeguard national security qoute un quote in any means possible, maybe ban all of them and that might bring peace globally.I dont get the point Iamyuva and Mrneutrablog read all that religous muntras in a temple instead here which is hard to understand, otherwise people might recomend you some psychiatric medications.