Black Friday... and now Saturday, too...

Terror has raised its ugly head again. In Bangalore on Friday, and today again in Ahmedabad. And once again, the usual reactions are doing the rounds. The top politicians from the Prime Minister to the Hon'ble Minister for Home (and anybody who's somebody) have condemned the blasts and appealed for peace. At the same time they are proclaiming that they will leave no stone unturned in finding out the perpetrators and punishing them. Commando teams have been dispatched to the affected areas (talk about locking the stable door after the horse has bolted). The television channels are 'Breaking News' of the blasts and bringing viewers images that they would rather not see. The same images are being flashed across television screens over and over again. The Intelligence Bureau will claim that it had warned about the states about possible attacks. And after a few days, after the dust has settled down, it will be life as usual for all. Till the next spate of attacks, that is.

Does anybody really care if a few people here and there lose their life? Do we care? Yes, we all scramble for our phones and check on our friends, relatives, and colleagues. But do we spare a thought at least for the families who lose their loved ones? It is said that a people gets the kind of leaders it deserves. If we are apathetic to our countrymen, is it any surprise that our netas are just a reflection on the society?! Our netas are only concerned when there is an attack on Parliament. After all, it is an attack on the very foundation of democracy in India! And what about the attacks in the temple in Varanasi, the blasts in the market in Jaipur, or the blasts that brought a lasting darkness in the Delhi blast victims and their kin on Diwali eve? Oh well, now that is not an attack on democracy. Never mind the fact that the very edifice on which democracy is based - we, the people - is being targeted!

After every blast, some knee jerk reactions are seen. There is flurry of activity, with intelligence reports being cited, opposition parties blaming the government (even calling it a failure, and demanding President's Rule!) and the top police brass being summoned by the political masters. But do we see any policy changes? Do we see the powers that be taking a holistic view of the problem and bringing in measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated? Intelligence reports are still more like the Weatherman's reports. There is no actionable intelligence, that is, precise intelligence which the agencies can use to foil such an attempt.

How long will this continue? How long will India bleed through such a 'thousand cuts'? How long will it be before the policy makers wake up and take concrete measures? Till then, terrorists will continue to strike at will. Till then we will always live under a constant shadow of fear. Yes, you may not even realize it, because so numb have we become, that we do not realize this fear till such an incident triggers it! No doubt, the task at hand is challenging. It is not easy to police a nation of a billion people. But impossible is nothing... Not if you have the will... Not if you have the burning desire.. But above all, not if you have empathy for your fellow humans...

May God be with the families of the victims... May the souls of the departed rest in peace...