Breaking news. There has been another terrorist attack in India. The reason you may not be hearing about this anywhere else in the world is because it was carried out by Indians against another Indian. I wonder why Pakistan needs to even bother carrying out its terrorist acts against India when we are so good at doing it to our own people? Anyone remember the 1984 terrorist attack against the Sikhs? Anyone remember the Gujrat riots? We dont have anyone else to blame for these acts of terror but ourselves, hence we are content to sweep them under the carpet while at the same time cry ourselves hoarse about how Pakistan has attacked our way of life. Yup, the way of life where the Chief Minister of a state found it necessary to raise crores of rupees forcibly from the public for a birthday celebration in the same week that saw 16 poor, debt-ridden farmers in Vidharba commit suicide.
Of course, this does not mean that I think Pakistan needs to be let off the hook either. They keep behaving as if they are the country that’s been attacked and have milked the current situation to get out of their commitments to the US to wipe out the Taliban (they are pretty much blackmailing the US). In the bargain, the Taliban has been wooed into promising help Pakistan in the event of war against India. The Pakistan govt has denied all the evidence provided to them and in fact have moved their armed forces to the Indian border despite no troop mobilization by India. In fact, they’ve now taken on the role of wounded nation, while we’re painstakingly trying to rebuild our lives in the wake of the Mumbai attack. It’s a demonstration of remarkable sleight of hand, the tables have neatly turned, suddenly we find ourselves the aggressor.
I have never believed that war or military confrontations solve any issues, but their continued belligerence in the entire matter makes me wonder if the time for diplomacy has ended.
…in a bus fire. News like this is barely a blip on the Indian radar, lost in the excitement of celebrity marriages/gaffes/page 3 news. 63 people killed…yawn.
We’re so indignant about the manner in which the people at the Taj died, not the actual death toll.
No wonder the terrorists targeted foreigners. Hum log ka bharosa nahin - we may decide not to be outraged after all. An ignored fidayeen is an unfulfilled fidayeen. No virgin for you!
We’re trying to rent out our flat in Bangalore, and a week ago a Muslim family inquired about it. I mentioned this to a friend and it became clear that we would be ill-advised to rent to them. Seemed illogical, but I’m the air-head NRI, out of touch with ground reality, so I asked around.
Every single person I talked to advised me against renting to Muslims.
“Why take a chance?”
“They may be decent folk but some mama/chacha/cousin will come from Karachi and they won’t even know what he’s up to”
“When they find any hanky panky they catch the homeowner first. You’ll be charged with harbouring a terrorist”
“You guys aren’t here, they’ll catch your family and put them in jail. Log mahino tak gaayab ho jaate hain (people disappear for months)”
“I’ve heard that no one will rent to Muslims, some people are even refusing to sell to them”
“How would you feel knowing a bomb was made in your beautiful new house?”
Imagine how the Muslim community must feel, denied accommodation (and God knows what else) on the sole basis of their religion. Is it any wonder they live in ghettos, embittered, feeling like second-class citizens? They’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with other Indians in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack. Yet we have trouble trusting them.
And what of me the “educated” intellectual? What am I to do? It’s true that the majority of terrorist incidents are Muslim-perpetrated. It’s true that the landlords are harassed when subversive activity takes place in a home. It’s very possible that in my absence my family will be targeted by law enforcement. I know theoretically it shouldn’t happen, but it does. If POTA comes back civil rights will be even more curtailed.
So I can stand by my liberal ideals and risk the comfort and dignity of the people I love. Or I can turn hypocrite and bigot - preaching tolerance, practicing discrimination.
I’m not sure what my decision will be in this case, but it’s unfair that this is my choice.
I have been reading articles about the rallies happening in Bombay, and even though the cynic in me wonders how long we can keep this newly-found unity and nationalism going, reading about the emotions in B’bay did instill some hope, and definitely struck a chord.
A couple of the articles that caught my eye:
The heartbeat of a wounded city that will bleed, but will not bend
Quit India, Mumbai says again
I wish I was back in Bombay for this rally.