8 lilliputian blasts in 30 minutes....
6 hours of fear and uncertainty in India's Tech city....
24 hours of media led confusion worldwide........
That, my friends, is what the serial bomb blasts that supposedly 'rocked' Bangalore city yesterday, was all about. A lot of noise, some hot air and almost zero impact. What else could one expect from crude bombs composed of nuts, bolts and poorly concealed gelatin sticks that were of much lower intensity than even those used for quarrying stone? It would seem, as one of my readers suggested, that inflation had indeed taken its toll on the 'wanna-be' terrorists, forcing them to resort to using any which materials they could lay their hands on rather than what was actually needed to trigger a high impact explosion.
The blasts would have perhaps earned the hype generated by the over enthusiastic media, if it had occured in strategic locations. However, the lackadaisical and almost random planting of explosives in landscaped islands, under trees in vacant lots and on the roadsides only ensured the redundancy of all, save one which took the life of an innocent woman and inflicted injuries on a few.
Although my heart goes out to Ravi, the wounded husband of the victim Sudha who is in a trance and still unaware of his spouse's demise, I could not help but wonder why the culprits even bothered?
A sentiment which perhaps the agents of terror also echoed in retrospect. Because just 24 hours later, the nation watched in horror and shock as 16 low intensity bombs ripped through Ahmedabad and tore a part of its society asunder. This time, bombs containing lethal ball bearings were planted strategically in crowded market places and hospitals with clear intent to kill in multitudes. And the effect: 30 dead and close to 100 injured at the time of publishing this post.
While the explosions did not take a serious toll on Bangalore, it has catapulted Ahmedabad into the ranks of Hyderabad*, Malegoan* and Varanasi*; though not into the big league where the Mumbai*, Jaipur* and the Samjotha* explosions rest.
Over the past 2 years, India's experiences of terrorist aggression seem to average 3 episodes annually, which is indeed quite a battering for any nation to take. But withstand it she does, despite the ineffectual fumbling of its political guardians. The irrepressible resilience that we Indians posses and our ability to bounce back in the face of any calamity has, undoubtedly, played a key role in the continued existence of the great Indian democracy. I mean where else in the world can you find men blithely urinating on the roadside the morning after a serious explosion or women squatting on the pavements nonchalently sipping steaming cups of chai without worrying about the possibility of a bomb exploding beneath them? But it remains to be seen just how much more the people of this nation can be pushed.
For me, India is like the Elephant, once an acknowledged symbol of imperial power and an animal possessed of remarkable intelligence and the wisdom of the ages. It is said that the elephant is slow to anger but once roused, can set forth on a rampage leaving in its wake destruction unimagined. I await the day when the little flames of anger flickering across my country today grow into a raging blaze and India, like its more resolute western counterparts, responds to even the smallest act of terrorist aggression firmly, swiftly, decisively and so ruthlessly that any aggresor would think not just twice, but a gazillion times before taking a second shot at us.
* Chronology of major bomb attacks in India 2006-2008
(Courtesy: Economic Times)
May 2008 Jaipur: 9 explosions, 60 dead & over 200 injured
Nov 2007: Serial blasts outside courts in 3 north Indian cities; 40 people wounded
Oct 2007, Rajasthan [ Ajmer Sheriff]: 2 explosions, 2 dead & 15 injured
Aug 2007, Hyderabad: 2 explosions, 43 dead & over 70 injured
May 2007 Hyderabad [Mecca Mosque]: Single explosion, 10 dead & over a dozen injured
Feb 2007 Samjhauta Express: 4 explosions, 68 dead & several injured
Sept 2006, Malegoan[Maharashtra]: 3 explosions, 38 people dead & over 100 injured
July 2006, Mumbai: 7 explosions, 186 dead & over 800 injured
Apr 2006, New Delhi [ Jama Masjid]: 2 explosions, 14 dead injured
Mar 2006, Varanasi: 3 explosions, 28 dead & 62 injured.
Oct 2005, New Delhi: 3 explosions, over 60 dead & 200 injured
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14 comments:
I found ur comparison of india with elephant as pretty correct...These act of terror r crossing the limit!! I m very pissed of coz of these incidents and so u would be!!
www.anuragarch.blogspot.com
good post
keep it up
Thanks Rakesh and Anurag...
The footage from Ahmedabad kept me up all of Saturday night...and yes, like so many other Indians, I am livid about the state of affairs in our country touday...The anger increases with each new newsreport about bumbling politicians and negligient officials
Terrorism seems to be an entity not used to being ignored..the moment you go back to your life sidelining it..pretending it doesnt exist..lo..boom!
Its eerie to think that seemingly(and seemingly is as important as actually) nothing and absolutely nothing is being done to combat what might as well be called an exercise in mass slaughter!
The post is well written and analysed..
wow...an apt time for a post of this kind...true to the last letter...the streak continues as i go on readin this post. The best lines were the comparison, "For me, India is like the Elephant, once an acknowledged symbol of imperial power and an animal possessed of remarkable intelligence and the wisdom of the ages. It is said that the elephant is slow to anger but once roused, can set forth on a rampage leaving in its wake destruction unimagined. "...we all wait for the day..we all do. The chronology of blasts sent a shower down my spine..such alarming regularity! keep it coming yar!
well gud post dear
bomb blasts n terrorism is a major issue found in almost all of the countries now. but we should play our part to offend the terrorists and to protect our country.though we can't do much but a drop can make a whole sea..
good luck.. happy writing..
cheerz!
Truth...
this recent rampant act of the elephants has not only terrorised ppl but has also affected the daily activies very much....
Guys, thank you for visiting and for your comments....I think Action Against Terrorism is something a lot of us feel very strongly about and I really wish there was something concrete I/We could do to help make life safer!!!...
Nice analogy with the elephant :)
But the way our politicians run this country, dont see the awakening happening in the near future. After every blast, they make statements, we need to do this and that but all the josh goes thanda within a week. About time we had a federal agency like the FBI, as the PM said. There needs to be much better coordination between intelligence agencies and the government.
Nice post! Keep posting
It is a beautiful simile, and quite apt too. and did India actually go through that many blasts?? The impact is kind of blunted when you are away, I guess. When will we ever wake up? Or will we?
This has been like the 10th or 11th post I'm reading on terrorism in no huge time. It is uncontrollable. Unavoidable!
Just pray that you and your loved ones manage to stay safe
Cheers!
amen to that sister.
hi just drifted by..
and what you have mentioned in the blog is so true..
so times one has to just sit back and wonder what is the whole aim of trying to make so much chaos.. because it doesnt seem to lead to any purpose.. but then again.. is chaos the main purpose??
and there isn't much that ppl are doing to curb it.. atleast try to tighten the security ( if there is anything like that in our country in the first place )
:D nice one chechi.. :)
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