I have been very proud of this city. If there is a place in this country where I have been most peaceful and happy, it was here – in Mumbai. I used to vociferously advocate Mumbai’s cause with everyone. But like all good things, my awe of this city has come to an end. I now despise not only this city, but everything that led to a disaster called 26th November 2008. And interesting turn of events ensured I was there in the city as the drama unfolded.

I did not see these terrorists myself; I was not shot at and did not lose any belongings. Hell, I was having a good dinner even as I was watching the TV. So I cannot and will not comment on how the situation was handled – I have no right to that and I am not qualified to do that.

But the circumstances leading to that? Yes, that is something I can comment on.

1) Government: It is a pity that a land once ruled by the great Vikramaditya, Ashoka, Akbar & Shivaji can be so spineless and toothless. The state CM was away in Kerala enjoying an undeserved (look at the status of roads, security, electricity & economy – Deshmukh shouldn’t have got leave for the rest of his damned life) holiday and other ministers (including the so-called, self-portrayed saviours of the Marathas, Bal & Raj Thackeray) underground, a lone and inefficient Dy. CM & Home Minister was left to defend the financial capital of India – needless to say, “bade bade sheheron me, choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai” (a popular SRK line from DDLJ), as is his stature. And what did we get? A globally acknowledged disaster! Well done Patil – you finally have put Mumbai on the Global map; how does it matter if it was for a major act of terror and not for good roads, quality of life or bang for the buck? And Manmohan, Sonia, Advani, Modi & Rahul were really busy – they had to calculate carefully their own security risks and the mileage they could eventually milk from such an event. I pray they are not hoping that such attacks should happen more often.

2) Security Forces: According to Ratan Tata three guys from Mumbai Police tried to fight the terrorists when the Taj management informed Mumbai Police that terrorists had entered the Taj. Result? One dead, second in hospital and one left to tackle (at least) 4 terrorists armed to the tooth. The weapons our forces had were a mockery – it was like David fighting the proverbial Goliath, except that Goliath had an entire arsenal to David’s sling. And anyways, how do the sacrifices of a few brave men matter? Even in movies the Police is depicted as losers. Tata’s revelation on red tapism to release the navy seals and commando forces is heart warming – at least the law is common for everyone! I am sure the Government would not allow any scrutiny into the tactics or plans adopted by the forces over those three days; and if it does, am sure there would be a few revelations.

3) Media: They had a home run with this stuff. From the ever-irritating Barkha Dutt to the usually sober Srinivasan, all had field days. This was literally lottery – a war-time coverage opportunity to every journalist in the city. And how do the channels ensure there is enough to cover for all their recruits? By revealing important details about the operation so that the terrorists can go on for long enough. “Maut ka aatank“, “Taj me Bomb” and several such c-grade titles made their way into our dressing rooms. Of course important stuff should be left alone on Government insistence – for example, how did officers of the caliber of Salaskar, Karkare & Kamte die all at one go at the hands of two terrorists? Did they not take enough precautions? What exactly happened at the location? Or for that matter, why does the combing operations of the commando force take more time than the entire operation itself? Why did Deshmukh put the number of terrorists at 20-25? If that is true, what happened to the remaining? Ok. Let’s not ask.

4) Us, the people: What is wrong with us? How do we let asses to be our representatives? Do we realise we pay for our (and their) security? If we argue for value delivered by the bhajiwala (bhaiyya 10 rupai ka maal hai 12 kyun bolte ho), why do we forget the road tax, income tax, service tax and all such evils? Do we know how to react in the event of a terror attack? Or for that matter, how to handle any calamity?

It point 4 that has disappointed me the most. How many of us pay our taxes in time? How many of us vote? How many of us would elect a “good politician” (if such a species does exist)? Hell, how many of us do our job properly?

I worked in an educational services company – but the service offered by the company did not really benefit about 95% of its customers; what did I do about it? Nothing. At best, I just told myself that this was the way of the world, that after all, everyone had to survive and that the competitors were doing no good either! How can I complain that MLAs, MPs, other Politicians, Police, Intelligence Agencies, Clerical Staff, CM, PM, HM, Hotel Staff or anybody for that matter was not doing their job properly? Of course they won’t! It is a bloody vicious cycle; and that is good for all sorts of calamities – with no one doing their job properly, hell with everyone agreeing to not doing their jobs properly as a way of life, calamities are bound to happen.

Reliance Communications rounds off Rs. 85.14 to Rs. 86 – isn’t that crazy? Especially since I can pay 85.14 through net banking (it’s not as if I can’t find the change) and even if it is to be rounded, 85.14 should be rounded to 85? It’s not just Reliance – you name any company, this is what they do. Haven’t you had Rs. 99.98 or Rs. 99.97 worth of Petrol filled for your vehicle when you paid Rs. 100 (why did they not get digital pumps – aren’t they mandatory?)? Or did you not get a chocolate that you hate as replacement for Rs. 2 change at a toll booth (if they can religiously purchase packets of chocolates, why the hell can’t they get change? Or for that matter, make the toll fee a round amount?)?

Some of you may want to read this. Not that I consider the results sacrosanct, but it is a decent indicator of the mess we are in. If a terror attack of this scale can be perpetrated in the best constituency amongst 534 others in the country, imagine what could happen elsewhere? So is the ranking wrong? No, I would rather say that the parameters were wrong; who cares about poverty ratio, female literacy, primary to upper primary school transition, marginal workers, immunisation of children, weight for age, household electrification, households with telephones and areas connected by pucca roads when the basis of life is threatened with such ferocity? Isn’t it a joke?

And how do we react? We write lengthy blogs (such as this), we particpate in peace marches (and stall traffic), we abuse politicians (forgetting that we elected them in the first place), we blame Pakistan (when we have the full right to defend ourselves), we blame the police (and yet refuse to cooperate with simple things such as walking through metal detectors at the CST or not rent premises to people without rental agreements and local police clearings) and we stereotype Muslims (isn’t that like a given?).

And Police. What can they do? After all, aren’t they just supposed to do only the Bandobast Duty and collect Hafta for seniors? The living conditions of Police Quarters are equivalent to a slum and their salaries won’t even get their households till the 15th of a month, given today’s inflation levels. And they have ACPs, DGPs, CPs, DCPs and god knows what many alphabets to answer to. What is authorised by someone is junked by the person sitting right in the next cabin.

Why am I ranting about all this? In summation, let me put forth my conclusion – NO ONE CAN & WILL CHANGE INDIA FOR THE BETTER; Period. Why would anyone even try, so long as “life goes on” comfortably as such? I can’t change this country, I don’t have the time to change its people and I neither have the responsibility to – after all, I strive to give my best at my work place, pay my taxes and walk through all metal detectors!

I will choose the easiest option – I will say that no one can save India and forget about it, knowing that India and Indians will continue to suffer even after my time. Somethings are just so bloody obvious that we need to accept them as a truth of this world and move on.