26/11, 26/12, 26/1… I hope, I’m right!

I shall wait with utmost verve for the emails and comments from my readers on this post.
The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai might have shaken the foundations of our biggest buildings, but I bet, they cannot touch the strong Indian foundation. These acts might have shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of Indian resolve. It’s the resolve that’s keeping us together despite a diverse society divided by caste, creed, culture, cuisine, and conviction, costume, custom but still united around a democratic consensus. Many editorials, news reports, political commentators might have stated their opinion on this incident in all possible panache. So, why then, should I have urge write this, and that too after a fortnight? Although, the sounds of gunfire and grenades have died down, the dust has settled down, shards of glass and plaster are cleared, the blood is washed away, and the eerie silence has given way once again to the reassuring urban life, the reverberations of those cries didn’t die down in my heart, so as with many of my fellow Indians...
The city might not be strange to terror attacks, but the scale, audacity and planning of these blasts shook the international community including many Islamic communities the world over. I wonder, why only these assassins - who were anonymous and not hooded managed to draw so many international audience? In contrast the previous blasts in cities of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi remained in headline for not more than 100 hours. The recent blasts have provoked serious questions and in fact many hysterical prescriptions were offered in the electronic media. For the first time in the Indian history, the home minister, defense minister and even the prime minister offered to resign taking the moral responsibility for the massacre. Of course, some say, it’s just a political hype. But the so called political drama was never witness in the past.
So, what makes these blasts so unusual? One segment said, the terror attacks targeted the rich and the elite, and hence the reaction. In India, tragedy of rich always fascinates and compels the society. Remember the media’s attention to the kidnap of Adobe Vice president’s son? May be, even in death, hierarchy rules. Many cameras followed ATS chief Hament Karkare’s funeral, but what about the six constables who laid down their lives? Do they go into the list of unsung heroes? The above arguments cannot be gainsaid, but it's only to an extent.
Mumbai on 26th November became the fountainhead. It triggered lots of emotions, and I wish they do not die down as mere impulses. On that awful day, we witnessed something distinctly Indian: ordinary citizens rising to the occasion, and responding with extraordinary acts of courage. But, a small question before those approbations. Since 1971, India faced more than four thousand attacks. And since 2001 we have had more than 70, but in contrast, the US faced none after 9/11. So, can the largest democracy on the planet afford to remain inert anymore?
Today, callousness is insanity and apathy is sinful.. Lighting candles, singing mellifluous patriotic songs with emotion, writing strong and articulate articles for the national magazines and newspapers will leave a very strong message but alas! They are not the solutions. If we really decide to change something - many of us promised the change in the blogs, in the TV shows, while reading the first few lines of a powerful article, we should be prepared to start the count with us. And once this change occurs, the next superpower is inevitable. Let 26/1 stand out, and pave way for that inevitability...
And I hope I'll be right, very soon..!
(Mumbai Blasts occurred on 26/11, while the tsumani occurred on 26/12)