26/11 - Awaken from thy slumber.

Friday morning, had been similar and usual morning like other week days. Listening to radio station, they reminded me of the red letter day. But still The Date, was significant than this day. Lives are still not back to normalcy. Blame Games are still on, passing the bucks to each other. Government is concerned only today for security reasons and rest of the days are in the shackles of slumber. City is being set to high alert. The anniversary had completed 2 years. 


Only 35 days were left for the year to end, that the normal life was disrupted by 8 consecutive sea-borne terrorist attacks at South Mumbai by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET). News channels were flashing with the Breaking News. A panic was there. Today is 26/11. After this event, the attacks are commonly referred to in India as "26/11", after the date in 2008 that they began. But has this attack brought any changes to our nation? What mechanism or actions have been done to prevent the attack of this magnitude? A great deal of noise was made post-26/11 for upgrading internal security structures, both at the Centre and in the States. But if we actually analyze one year later, the situation is still vulnerable and Mumbaikars, worried and far from secure. The grandeur Taj Mahal Palace, which was destroyed in the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, has finally restored its heritage suites and opens for its guest. So, Tata kept their words, but how about the leaders? They showed their concerns to threatened lives only till the times vote banks were filled. Some relief was attained with the decision of death sentence to the Pakistani terrorist, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab. 


But some good has also been done against seaborne terror i.e., it is guarded by a new network of 73 coastal police stations (Kochi). On the whole, the attack is still alive in our minds, raising many questions for the progresses made so far and what better could be done besides expecting some support from supreme power US, to take care of the menace carried by Pakistan and talks with the neighbouring country. Thus, like everyone, I pay homage to the jawans, citizens, foreign officials and tourists, Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare,  Additional Commissioner of Police: Ashok Kamte, Encounter specialist: Vijay Salaskar, Sourav Mishra, a Reuters journalist who lost their lives. May their souls rest in peace.