As I was casually walking along the empty roads after dinner today, my friend exclaimed "Today is 26th June. Exactly 7 months back, 26/11 happened. Do you think anything has changed in the last seven months?? Are we safer than before??"
I soon got lost in thoughts. Looking back at what happened 7 months back and all the events that have taken place in succession, I still am not confident about where we have headed. The roots of our financial capital were shaken, many lives were lost, a few important heads were rolled, a big inquiry was initiated, the lone terrorist caught alive was tried in the court. But still nothing major has really happened. Some laws were passed in the Parliament against terrorism.
But lets analyse the situation today. Life in Mumbai, which people claim, has this indomitable fighting spirit, where trains will still be running on parallel tracks even if a bomb blast occurs on one, has just moved on. Some gallantry medals have been bestowed on the dead warriors and they too have been forgotten. Diplomatic pressure was mounted on the Pakistan Govt for a few days and then God alone knows the status. We still do not know whats happening with the Kasab trial. The Chief Minister who lost his job, is now a minister at the centre. So nothing major has really happened.
The other day, I was shocked to read an article in the newspaper which said out of 44 X Ray scanners in the Mumbai International airport, 34 failed to detect arms. Isnt that shocking? Thats not all. All the security checks wherever they happen, are only for the sake of formality. The metal detectors generally beep for every passing person and nobody really bothers about the intensity of the beep. There was a case in a mall in Hyderabad, where an armed civilian, crossed 11 metal detectors before being caught. In a posh 5 star hotel in Delhi, one person carried ammunition inside his car, just to check how prepared are we for any such emergencies. If you really want to check, then do a thorough check. What use is all these tamashas for?
Having said that, do we as responsible citizens, co-operate while a check is being done? We crib if we are asked to pass through a metal detector. We get angry if someone asks us to open our car. We get freaked up when someone wants to frisk us. "How can someone doubt a well educated and a civilised person like that?" is the general reaction. But we fail to realise that anyone intending to do any crime, will of course not portray himself like a terrorist with masks and guns. When he wants to plant a bomb or an explosive, he will come in the outfit which makes him as close to the "civilised and educated" person. As citizens, we should realise this and co-operate whenever some security check is going on. We need to understand that it is for our benefit only.
All said and done, two wrongs do not make a right. The Govt. cannot blame the civilians and have to do something about national security. Unless something is done about that, we will continue to see the 9/11's and the 7/7's and the 26/11's.
I soon got lost in thoughts. Looking back at what happened 7 months back and all the events that have taken place in succession, I still am not confident about where we have headed. The roots of our financial capital were shaken, many lives were lost, a few important heads were rolled, a big inquiry was initiated, the lone terrorist caught alive was tried in the court. But still nothing major has really happened. Some laws were passed in the Parliament against terrorism.
But lets analyse the situation today. Life in Mumbai, which people claim, has this indomitable fighting spirit, where trains will still be running on parallel tracks even if a bomb blast occurs on one, has just moved on. Some gallantry medals have been bestowed on the dead warriors and they too have been forgotten. Diplomatic pressure was mounted on the Pakistan Govt for a few days and then God alone knows the status. We still do not know whats happening with the Kasab trial. The Chief Minister who lost his job, is now a minister at the centre. So nothing major has really happened.
The other day, I was shocked to read an article in the newspaper which said out of 44 X Ray scanners in the Mumbai International airport, 34 failed to detect arms. Isnt that shocking? Thats not all. All the security checks wherever they happen, are only for the sake of formality. The metal detectors generally beep for every passing person and nobody really bothers about the intensity of the beep. There was a case in a mall in Hyderabad, where an armed civilian, crossed 11 metal detectors before being caught. In a posh 5 star hotel in Delhi, one person carried ammunition inside his car, just to check how prepared are we for any such emergencies. If you really want to check, then do a thorough check. What use is all these tamashas for?
Having said that, do we as responsible citizens, co-operate while a check is being done? We crib if we are asked to pass through a metal detector. We get angry if someone asks us to open our car. We get freaked up when someone wants to frisk us. "How can someone doubt a well educated and a civilised person like that?" is the general reaction. But we fail to realise that anyone intending to do any crime, will of course not portray himself like a terrorist with masks and guns. When he wants to plant a bomb or an explosive, he will come in the outfit which makes him as close to the "civilised and educated" person. As citizens, we should realise this and co-operate whenever some security check is going on. We need to understand that it is for our benefit only.
All said and done, two wrongs do not make a right. The Govt. cannot blame the civilians and have to do something about national security. Unless something is done about that, we will continue to see the 9/11's and the 7/7's and the 26/11's.
2 comments:
yeah security chks here are a big joke! Just after 26/11 somehting got into these multiplex-walas. Now seven months down the line, even when we volunteer to get our bags checked these ppl yawn right in our faces.
and ya..once my mom happened to carry 2 scissors in her hand bag while travelling. The xray machine could detect only one of them. Similarly, next time my dad happened to carry matchbox with him. again it missed the ever sleepy eyes of the authority!!
Not that they meant to carry or even wanted to test them... but no one was bothered...
Prevention is better than cure ... stopping a person from being a terrorist would help ..
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