Adil Najam
I, too, am a Mumbaikar today.
I wish I could reach out and for just one moment hold the hands of the woman in this AP photograph. Maybe shed some tears on her shoulder. But I do not know what I would say to her. I do not think she would want me to say much. The expression on her face matches the feeling I have at the pit of my stomach and in the depth of my heart. I think – I hope – that she would understand how I feel. I can only imagine what she is going through.
And so, in prayer and in solidarity, I stand today with Mumbaikars everywhere. In shock at what has happened. In fear of what might happen yet. In anger at those who would be so calculated in their inhuman massacre. In sympathy with those whose pain so hurts my own heart but whose tears I cannot touch, whose wounds I cannot heal, and whose grief I cannot relieve.
The solidarity I feel with Mumbaikars is deep and personal.
The first time I ever visited the Taj Mahal Hotel was with my wife. We had been married just weeks and were not staying at the Taj but went to the historic “Sea Lounge” at the hotel for tea and snacks during a short visit to Mumbai. We went to the Oberoi Hotel the same visit in the naive and mistaken belief that we would find Bollywood bigwigs hanging out there. In later years I would come back and stay at the old wing of the Taj – down the corridor from where Ruttie Bai Jinnah and stayed – I would even present in the grand ballroom whose pillars, supposedly, had been brought from her father’s estate. Each time I passed through Victoria Terminus I stood in awe of the pace as well as its presence. In awe of the architectural structure, but also of the sea of humanity around me. I cannot hear of terrorists attacking these places without my own muscles twitching in anger.
But my feeling of solidarity with Mumbaikars is much much more personal than these few fleeting visits over many years. Deeply etched into me are the horrific echoes of 9/11 in New York and the string of terrorist attacks on Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and all over Pakistan whose reports have become all too familiar – but never bearable – on this blog. I know what living with terror feels like. I have thought too much and too deeply about what it feels like to be the target of violence propelled by hatred. I know the pain of helplessness one feels as one stands stunned in grief, wanting so desperately to do something – anything – but not knowing what to do. This is why I identify with the expression on the face of the woman in this picture. This is why, like so many others in the world, today I too am a Mumbaikar.
This is why I stand with Mumbaikars everywhere, in prayer and in solidarity. At a loss for words but with an urge to speak out. My words of condemnation will not change the actions of those who have committed such heinous murder and mayhem. Nor will my words of sympathy diminish the agony of the victims. But speak out I must. In condemnation as well as in sympathy. To speak against the inhumanity of hatred and violence. To speak for the humanity in all of us that we all must hold on to; especially in the testing moments of grave stress.
But, today, I have no words of analysis. What words can make sense of the patently senseless? I do not know who did this. Nor can I imagine any cause that would justify this. But this I know: No matter who did this, no matter why, the terror that has been wrought in Mumbai is vile and inhuman and unjustifiable. And, for the sake of our own humanness, we must speak out against it.
And, so, to any Mumbaikar who might be listening, I say: “I stand with you today. In prayer and in solidarity.”
I completely sympathize with our Indian Brethren and offers my deep condolences to the innocents that were killed.
There is no justification for this act.
I love my Indian brothers and I hope this act wil not derail the peace process.
But I must say that the killing of Hemant KarKare is really suspicious and I see the Maharastra Govt. somehow involved in it. I don’t trust the politicians any where and I know BJP has gained from this act. And people like Narender Modi will also get stronger.
I think the India congress party should do an independent inquiry.
Justice should prevail and these murderers should be identified.
Jiye Hind and Pakistan Zindabad!!!!
Most people in the two countries want to be left alone to live in peace.
Why are the moderate majority in the two countries so utterly ineffective and unable to navigate their destinies? I guess, it is because the majority is indifferent to the moral abyss that the two nations have fallen into. They are forced to make compromises to deal with the harsh realities of life on a daily basis. It is the same majority that chooses the worst among us as our leaders and the cycle perpetuates.
Unless and until there is a grass root effort to get out of this rut, such violence will continue. The will of a people is the most effective weapon. Where is that will?
@ Tariq Sayeed Khan. Then you agree with me. I am glad. The original question was to provide motive for the attacks.
You have proved that the motive has been given and is working.
Adil ji,
thanks for your kind words. When I first saw the news on tv channels the very first word that came to my mind was ” Marriott Hotel”. The tragedy was similar, only the place had changed.
A few points and requests to our Pakistani friends:
1. Please do NOT believes what the our TV channels are saying about Pakistan in relation to Mumbai terror attacks. Believe ONLY what the official , named sources say and are shown saying it on camera and read the full text. TV channels are looking at TRPs and saying whatever they can conceive/ imagine/ conclude. I am a Mumbaiite and I can recount hundreds of rumors that have been reported as “news” in the past 5 days. One example was “breaking news” on Friday afternoon reporting that there has been fresh firing on 4-5 spots in Mumbai. The tv channels named a hospital, railway station, some other places and senior anchors went berserk yelling how bad the situation was and how it was utter failure of intelligence agencies. It’s another matter that within 5 minutes it was clear that nothing of the sort had happened. Let me tell you, those 5 minutes were more horrible than the real attack.
2. Indian government’s official statements are different than what TV channels are reporting them to be. Example: the very first public statement by our foreign minister Mr. Pranav Mukherjee. TV channels quoted him saying ” Pak involved in Mumbai attacks.” What I saw on their screen and heard from Mr. Mukherjee’s mouth was -” some elements in Pakistan are using the Pakistani territory for anti- India activities and Pakistan should fulfill its promise of stopping them.” He repeated these words many times, that Pakistan should fulfill its promise. NEVER saying that “Pakistan” was involved.
3. There were some reports in media that India is mobilizing its force along the Pakistani border. Duly denied by defense ministry and the Foreign Minister.
4. On Saturday, after the operations were over, one tv reporter showed footage of the crowd gathered at the Taj, talked to them and uttered these words-” There could have been shouts of Pakistan Hai- Hai, but people are instead shouting ” Politicians Hai- Hai.” This is the reality. When the security operations were over, people in Mumbai were baying for politician’s blood. They still are. One popular sms doing the rounds is ” those terrorists came by boat, what about those who come by vote.” People have said on camera that they are not bothered where the terrorists came from, they want an answer why the politicians failed to protect us.
5. This evening, Mumbai’s police commissioner said in a press conference . ” There is no evidence so far about Pakistan’s involvement in Mumbai attacks.” He gave the information that yes, the terrorist had come from Karachi and one of the terrorists who has been caught alive seems to be Pakistani citizen. The exact words of our Police commissioner were -“. He is saying that he is from Pakistan, but we need to establish it.” Very careful words, never making assumptions, never saying that Pakistan was involved. But the tv channels flashed- Terrorist came from Karachi
The root causes must be addressed to achieve a true end to violence.
“A Jihad Grows in Kashmir” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/opinion/27mishra .html?n=Top/News/World/Countries%20and%20Territori es/Kashmir