And We Bleed…..Again….!!!

Around 9.30 pm last night as I was surfing the net, just coming back from office, and unaware of anything that had happened; a journalist friend’s message on a social networking site brought me back to earth; it read, “People in Mumbai don’t crowd areas, so do people in Delhi and Kolkata.. Don’t go out much”… Something didn’t seem right about this, and as I hurried to check the news websites, my worst fears were confirmed on reading the headlines - “17 dead in serial blasts in Mumbai” ; the first thought that escaped my mind was “Not again…!!” I did what a normal person would do at that situation; contacted my relatives in Mumbai, confirmed their safety, breathed a sigh of relief and came back to ponder over the situation.


Actually there wasn’t much to think about really.. The usual frustration, depression and anger after seeing gory images of the bloodstained bodies of the victims, cursing the Govt. and then going back to my routine life. And that is exactly how millions across our nation would have behaved, except for the unlucky few who lost their dear ones in the blast. We do not have much of an option either; the ‘aam aadmi’ has to get into his daily endeavors to earn his bread and butter. And I don’t even want get into the ‘things that should have been done’ and ‘things that we should do to protect us better’ or any tips on the sprucing up of our defense and intelligence bits. Frankly, we are all quite fed up and irritated with the same old banter from our ministers after each and every blast. It has become sort of a routine process, wherein some of our noted ministers would read out ‘consolidatory’ statements and visit relief camps (with the TV cameras in tow) to give the victims unnecessary false hope.


This morning our notable Home Minister droned away incessantly on the more intricate details of the blast, and while politicians from round the globe sent their condolences, (including our beloved little neighbour who strongly ‘condemn’ the blasts); our Prime Minister was absent from the media view. We can however be rest assured that soon enough we will get to hear his customary speeches like “Stringent actions will be taken against the perpetrators” or “We will keep fighting” or something on similar lines. What exactly I feel for this man would be beyond what is allowed in print. However, that isn’t quite necessary at the moment.


What is important though is that we have been slashed again. We have been made to bleed again. All of us, deep down inside know who is behind this, we all know who backs these terror groups, who has made the pledge of ‘making India bleed’ quite openly and yet the hand of friendship never ceases to extend. The bleeding would continue without doubt in the very near future too, the TV channels,rest assured, would keep going into overdrive, the powers that be will continue shrugging their shoulders and we will continue with our normal lives. Isnt it?? If an Almighty really is out there, I don’t know what exactly he is waiting for….


At this juncture, I don’t want to give lectures on what should and what should not be done. Our authorities are much more capable than me to understand all that. I write this not just as a journalist but an Indian, a frustrated Indian, who still doesn’t want to give up hope.


I don’t believe in giving out ‘ condolences’ , as I think those people whose lives have been ripped apart would hardly be bothered about what we say, and our sympathies would surely not help them, would not soothe their blistering pain. Only strong, genuine action might perhaps bring some justice. Our country owes it to them, and a million others like them. It is said that actions speak louder than words and boy is it time for action!! People who still want to say that only dialogue would change the situation be damned… To hell with 'Aman ki Aasha'..It is time for revenge.. It is time for War ….. Jai Hind….!!!