Mumbai is the Financial Capital of India - "its not a place made by politicians, but the Aam Aadmi working endlessly to make money."
Post the terrorism in Mumbai on the unfortunate night of 26th November 2008, 'Me Mumbaikar' seems anguished and disappointed at the same time. Crores of people working day in and day out, keeping and making the city what it is today. It's you and me that hold Mumbai in the pride that we do. It's not the politicians - they look at capitalizing on the Mumbaikars hard work. What happened last week left us all shocked, hurt and disappointed. More than the terror attacks, it was the attitude of the system - The Govt - that broke down the spirit of the city of dreams.
I am ususally not a person who gets into politics or what politicians say. Infact I am too careless to even bother about my voting card and my voting rights (this would tell you I have never voted). Out of laziness and lack of clarity of who am I gonna vote for. For me all the politicians are the same - I don't trust anyone of them. This attack on Mumbai has for the first time got me to listen to what the politicians have to say. And they have said the most disappointing things I could ever imagine in my life. With all this I do plan to exercise my right of not voting. Let them know that of all the people voting there is someone out there, who is NOT voting for anyone. Does this help?? I don't know. So why am I doing this. Maybe because it's time I do something, own some responsibility for the state of affairs in Mumbai.
I never expected anything of this magnitude to happen in the city. As we took a quiet little stroll outside the Oberoi - Trident hotel, I kept wondering, what kind of a night would that have been. What went on the inside of the walls of one of Mumbai's old legendary places. We could see broken windows, big black marks from the blast, and I was trying to imagine what would it be looking like on the inside on Saturday morning after the massacre was brought to an end.
Do I blame anyone? Yes, I do. I blame the lack of attention that was paid to the innumerable warnings issued. I wonder WHY, WHY on earth would someone ignore it. Ignore something of that high significance. Do I have an answer to it?? No I don't and I might probably never get answers to my questions just like all other people in Mumbai.
At times, I dont even know what is this whole thing about, religion, terror, politics?!!! Lost - once again in the vicious circle of things unknown.
There is a lot of debate and differed opinions on the spirit of the city. Will it ever come back to the way it was. Yes it will!! It will bounce back, and with always the big black scar that the terror attacks left on us. The average Mumbaikar may return to the usual way of life, love the city like he always did, do the same things he always did in Mumbai, still call Mumbai much safer than other places in India, still the most happening place. The charm of the place shall always stay - stay with a big black scar. Only now it would be with a big black scar, a lump in our throat, and praying everyday for peace.
