Terrorist attacks in India - first impression

How did I get to know about the situation?

I am working out of client side just like yet another software developer in US and decided to take off early since it was early closing due to Thanks Giving. I just reached home and a dear friend of mine caught me online to sensitize me about the hostage situation in Mumbai.

First reaction and thoughts…

I was numb for a moment. Didn’t know what / how to respond to my friend? She was equally upset herself!... A set of severe and mixed feelings - helplessness, anger, rage and frustration - took over me in no time. It was a sentimental moment for me while I watched the news on internet (At lack of subscription to Indian channels in the US) For a moment I wanted to book the flight ticket and rush to India / decorate myself in military fashion to kill a few of those terrorist SOBs personally!

I was equally worried (call me selfish – but friends and family DO matter to me a lot) bout my friends and families in Mumbai. I started dialing the numbers and waking people up if they were asleep. I breathed relief when I figured “all well” at my end. It was late evening by the time I could accept the fact!

What kind people were deputed on the scene?

There was an absolute lack of the leadership and experience in handling such situations. It’s mournful and equally foolish to learn that ATC Chief himself decides to enter in the place that too with a few of his best men? Not only had he lost his life, but also of the others who he dragged into the process. That is not it. He missed on the fact that if he is gone – probably there is none to run the show and many lives will be lost when commandos / policemen will be asked to jump into jaws of death – as if asking them rightfully to commit a suicide.

I couldn't resist to notice that p/ commandos entering the building didn't quite know how to hold a rifle - are we ready to fight, forget about hostage situations and tactical warfare. We are still living in a stone age when it comes to dealing with terrorism.

Some rants:

What these Terrorists have done is absolutely humiliating. I wonder how thick skinned our leaders are who fail to buy a few hours of airtime from these many TV channels and address the nation? If the Prime Minister is incapacitated to take a call - why doesn't he have guts to accept / acknowledge the fact and resign? Isn’t it even more humiliating to see the leaders of the nations are devoiding of national security?

I am still struggling to get an answer how can someone turn out to be such a selfish bastard to think of vote bank instead of the sabotage and massacre midst mayhem.

When news channels approached the chief minister of the state asking him to provide an update - he was reading out casualty statistics as if he is illiterate or reading something written in foreign language. I could have spelled out the details in way too better fashion just by watching the news for after 10 minutes.

It’s shameful for us to have taken forever to have recovered couple of Hotels... 30+ commandos killed in gun battle with 5 terrorists. It’s so easy for stone hearted politicians to get away stating that the terrorists were "highly skilled" - I being a loyal tax payer of the country have a right to ask where in the world you are wasting tax payers' money actually when you take it under the name of commando training camp contributions.
What would you attribute this act of banning the news broadcast? Such a royal CYA attitude is rare to find.

Net net…

1. I wished it stronger than ever to serve the nation I belong to. Living a mediocre life as a decorated army officer would be well worth viz. having luxuries in life at the expense of self esteem and painful process of getting over the humiliation
2. My heart goes out to those who lost their lives fighting a war (as good as committing a suicide) on their own - esp. the men in Uniform
3. The leaders of this nation - are giving lack of foresight (“Probably India never anticipated a situation like this”) as an excuse to get away with taking responsibility of what happened and people all over the world witnessed scene to scene?

If I sound upset and frustrated – hell yes, I am. And how can I not feel so? Please grant me for this strong blog – I will re-consider updating the content as someone proves above otherwise!

Jai Hind!!!

PS: Please excuse my lanugage / typo and very strong personal opinion if you have found it offending.