I hate to write on politics. The recent developments in the global politics using religion for some selfish motives has long influenced me to stay away from them. Many youngsters opt to stay away from politics and that has only helped the politicians to continue their dirty game.
The November-26th-Mumbai-Mayhem bears a testimony to the negligent attitude of our politicians. As if that wasn't enough, politicians have spelt it out clearly in their press meet that immediately followed the worst ever terror attack on the Independent India. Mr. R.R.Patil, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra openly displayed his irresponsible attitude that forced him to his resignation. He said, “In a big city such as Mumbai, incidents likes these keep happening.” What a shame on our democracy!
On 13th May 2008 a series of nine blasts rocked Jaipur claiming 63 innocent lives and leaving more than 200 people injured. Two days after the incident, Mr. Shivraj Patil, the Home Minister of the Republic of India visits the places and remarks, "The nefarious designs of terrorists will be thwarted boldly and their attempts will be foiled," Mr. Patil said, falsely assuring the public that India was ready to tackle the acts of terrorism of any magnitude. Just see what happened over the next six months. There were serial blasts in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, two separate blasts in Delhi, high intensity blasts in Assam and now the Mumbai Massacre. India is not ready to face terrorism; only her politicians are ready to give the same statements after each blast. Here are some examples.
After the Delhi blasts on 29th October 2005, here's how the Prime Minister reacted. "We are resolute in our commitment to fighting terror in all forms. I am confident that the people of India have the will, capacity and resolution to win the war against terrorism."
Over 200 people were killed and more than 700 were injured in the Mumbai train bombings carried out on 11th July 2006 and this is how the Prime Minister reacted. "No-one can make India kneel. The wheels of our economy will move on. India will continue to walk tall, and with confidence. Mumbai, stands tall once again as the symbol of a united India. An inclusive India. We will win this war against terror. Nothing will break our resolve."
Ahmedabad witnessed a series of 21 bomb blasts on 26th July 2008 that killed 56 people and injured more than 200. Here's how the Home Minister, Shivraj Patil reacted. "This is a time when we should not feel frightened and we should assess the situation correctly and try to help the people, who have suffered and plan to see that these things do not happen afterwards." Mr. Patil, what plan did you do to see that it would not repeat?
Three months later, Assam was attacked and death toll rose to 84, with injury toll close to 500. Mr. Shivraj Patil was ready with a statement this time also. "We shall nab the culprits involved in the blasts. Investigations are on and we should be able to come out with something concrete."
And to top it all, R.R.Patil made that nasty remark on the Mumbai attack. Mr. Patil, have seen on TV or the Internet how bad the situation was? If not, Click here to see some of the pictures [Warning: Some of the images are disturbing] and ask your conscience, if at all you have one. Don't make it another forgotten terror attack. Every life counts. To all you politicians, I shall quote my Swamiji's words. "Death of a million is but statistics, unless one of them is your relative!" -Swami Atmashraddhananda. [Swami Atmashraddhananda is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order and is currently serving as the Editor of the Vedanta Kesari, a spiritual monthly magazine published from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai].
Even before terrorism influenced the Indian Democracy, even before Hiroshima and Nagasaki witnessed the most powerful bombs on Earth, even before London was stunned with the 7/7 tube train blasts, even before the World Wars I and II were fought, exactly 108 years before the 9/11 blasts, one Indian wished to prevent all the bloodshed. Yes, it was Swami Vivekanada, who made an impressive remark at the World Parliament of Religions on 11th September 1893 at Chicago. "Sectarianism, bigotry, and it's horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful Earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.
"But their time has come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.
Yes, friends, the time has come to toll another bell and begin the fight against terrorism. Surely, our politicians won't ring that bell. It needs brave men like Hemanth Karkare, Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Gajendra Singh and other brave commandos who risked their lives to liberate Mumbai from the most atrocious terror attack. We need another movement, a second freedom struggle, this time against terrorism. But the question is, how many Karkares do we need to sacrifice?
