Friday, November 28, 2008

Letter to Prime Minister

Dear Honorable Prime Minister


Like the other citizens of the country, I show my support in this mix of good and ugly natured attacks on Mumbai event and its resolution by our armed forces and security groups.

But Sir, the ugliness far outshines the feeling of relief now that the situation has almost been resolved. There’ve been people like me who feel angry that the terrorists and criminals can take the entire country hostage and do bomb blasts at their will whenever and wherever they please! We boast of the best of the armies and police forces in the world, a pile of nuclear weapons, intelligence and other strength showing signs but bow before such situations. We do a show of strength on our national holidays down the Rajpath but when the real need is felt, become helpless.

The resilience laden strength that we try to show features only in our words and fails to reflect in our actions. The political talks and analyses reach dead-ends and we continue to bleed in various parts of the country at different times. The empty talks and we-will-not-pardon statements that you give out through media to all of us have lost all meaning and are seen as a wrapping up exercise rather than a commitment, a promise of delivery. I am sure we are going to hear the same things this time as well; but for whoever’s sake, please, DO SOMETHING after talking it out and promising it to 120 crore of us.

Please
1. take responsibility of the mistakes that were made before and during the whole exercise (since that’s the only way they can be rectified);
2. investigate the current crime scenes and leads very keenly to book the culprits;
be affirmative and assertive in blaming whoever is responsible – from Pakistan to the likes of Sadhvi Pragya;
3. give very good compensation to the families of security personnel who lost their lives; and
4. put the defense, warning and reaction systems in place to tackle such situations in future.

Please do not take the mood of the country “restored” as it is far from it. If after this letter I do not write you any; or if every Mr Joshi goes to office tomorrow, it doesn’t mean everything is normal. I humbly remind you of the only two important words I have written above – DO SOMETHING.