Day 1: Terror strikes Delhi!
Day 2: Resilient Delhi returns to normal; people flock to markets that were attacked.
Many people, Indian and world leaders included, have praised Indians for maintaining calm and showing restraint. Many talk about how the India has shown to the world how response to terror attacks should be, defiant, one that tells the terrorists that they will not succeed in their devious plans.
Is it really so? Are we resilient or are we complacent? Is is our defiance or our lack of value for lives that causes us to return to normal? In a country of our size, the value of life is little. For many sixty five dead is not a big deal, more die in road accidents. Terrorists attacks are viewed as an ordinary happening and as long as its not happening in one's own backyard, it is not too much of a problem. The PM says that terror will not defeat us. But with the kind of 'mature' response which both the government and the people have given what needs to be asked is whether we will ever defeat terror. It is said that a stronger response will derail the peace process, but of what use is a 'peace process' when such attacks continue to take place. When the source of this attack is well known, why does the Indian government hesitate to name its aiders and abbetors. Why does embarrassment about the identity of the attackers emerge from the government when outrage about their continuance and support should be expressed?
Maybe I've asked too many questions, may be I've left most unanswered. But in this world when everyone is praising the passivity that's being passed off for calm and restraint, one has to speak out. That we are viewed as a soft state is a known fact, but to celebrate it, that too when such dastardly acts take place is untenable. If we want to change things, we need to change ourselves first.
Day 2: Resilient Delhi returns to normal; people flock to markets that were attacked.
Many people, Indian and world leaders included, have praised Indians for maintaining calm and showing restraint. Many talk about how the India has shown to the world how response to terror attacks should be, defiant, one that tells the terrorists that they will not succeed in their devious plans.
Is it really so? Are we resilient or are we complacent? Is is our defiance or our lack of value for lives that causes us to return to normal? In a country of our size, the value of life is little. For many sixty five dead is not a big deal, more die in road accidents. Terrorists attacks are viewed as an ordinary happening and as long as its not happening in one's own backyard, it is not too much of a problem. The PM says that terror will not defeat us. But with the kind of 'mature' response which both the government and the people have given what needs to be asked is whether we will ever defeat terror. It is said that a stronger response will derail the peace process, but of what use is a 'peace process' when such attacks continue to take place. When the source of this attack is well known, why does the Indian government hesitate to name its aiders and abbetors. Why does embarrassment about the identity of the attackers emerge from the government when outrage about their continuance and support should be expressed?
Maybe I've asked too many questions, may be I've left most unanswered. But in this world when everyone is praising the passivity that's being passed off for calm and restraint, one has to speak out. That we are viewed as a soft state is a known fact, but to celebrate it, that too when such dastardly acts take place is untenable. If we want to change things, we need to change ourselves first.
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