Media disillusioned

All journals, 24/7 news channels and websites scream on Mumbai massacre with stories meticulously detailing about the terror, fishing out clues and its impact on commoners. They exclusively did their best to provide information to awaken the sleeping masses.

Mumbai under siege; The war continues; Mumbai in terror; The recent audacious attack has broken ‘the spirit of Mumbai’ (now a cliché); India is leaderless, the country leaders don’t have the guts and the vision to handle, to stop or tackle such catastrophe; there were logistic support; Dawood Ibrahim boats were used; politicians are baking their food on this tragedy et al, write leading dailies, but they utterly fail to chalk out realistic remedies to avoid such kind of brazen tragedy, new strategies to handle the situation. They are doing their best and are on their smooth track yet are struck in the ‘Breaking News’ soap opera and TRP and readership fight.

They forget that it was through journals Mahatma Gandhi and many leaders awaken the masses and made India free from British rule. They forget that it’s their responsibility and they are accountable for it. They forget that they are one of the pillars of the democratic system of government. They failed to realise that it’s a war and India is in war zone. They coin new words and phrases, they rush on the spot, they find some exclusive shots and stories, but they forget what they are basically made for?

“I was on the spot. I managed to get a shot of NSG commandos’ para gliding on the roof of the Nariman House. If I hadn’t got I would have been sacked,” said one of my friend, who works in a leading news channel.

“Things are not fine here. Blood is spilled over everywhere and commandos are stilling looking for terrorist at Taj hotel. I have to report to my boss and discuss a story. I will call you later,” said another friend, who works for a leading English journal.

One of the know figure of electronic media was seen pushing his mike in front of traumatised hostages. The army chief had to request media persons to stop telecasting the scenes as the terrorists were viewing television.

Being a journo I feel the pain and the pressure my peers used to go through as news channels and journals can't be blank. They have to show or write about the incidents. They do their best to provide information to the masses. I salute them as I salute to Indian Police force and Indian Army, but things remain to point zero.
After the operation was over, everyone was busy doing post-mortem and investigation of the assault. But none thought to use their so-called journo aptitude to provide logistic and realistic solution of the problem to the failed-government of India.

They have to or else ten years down the line, media will be a brothel house and journo a pimp. Apart from keeping the eyes, the ears and mouth open, they have to intensely speak their mind.

Wake Up! Lets fight terror

“I took the child, I just grabbed the baby and ran out,” Sandra Samuel, 44, told The New York Post. Samuel rescued a traumatised, two-year-old from the clutches of rampaging terrorists at Nariman House Jewish centre in Mumbai.
“As soon as Karkare sir heard that terrorists were opening fire he went in. He wore a bullet-proof jacket before going in but the bullets got him anyway,” a cop said. The martyrs Hemant Karkare, head of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad, additional CP Ashok Kamthe and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, laid their life without giving a second thought. Without knowing what they were dealing with, they rushed to the spot to flush out the AK-47-and-AK-56-armed-terrorists, with just revolvers. Not only they, 11 more ATS heroes were killed.
A cop badly hit with a bullet did not stop. The indefatigable cop chased the terrorists, who were killing innocents, with his bastion till his colleagues stopped him and sent him to hospitals.

The National Security Guard commandoes battled the terrorists holed up at the landmark Taj and Oberoi-Trident hotels and the Nariman House till their last breath Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, a 30-year- old officer who was on deputation to the NSG from the 51 Special Operations Group of the armed forces, showed exceptional courage by laying down his life to save the lives of his fellow colleagues at Taj. Havildar Gajendra Singh, who was para-dropped on the terrace of Nariman House laid his life to save the hostages there. “He was given the task to clear and secure the top floor of Nariman House. He did that perfectly well but chose to go down further. There was nothing wrong in his coming back but he knew that the impact on the enemy is much better when you move swiftly in early stages and he chose just that,” said the senior NSG officer.
The police force have been on duty for more than 50 hours.
These people never thought what would be the consequences. They went, they faced and fought. India had never seen this. The assault was particularly brazen in scale and execution.
It’s clear like crystal that the terrorists can strike any city in the world. This strike signifies that it is second level of terrorism.
“It’s not a terrorist strike but a war,” a very close friend Manish Sharma said, while having a chat
“They can strike at their will and anywhere in India,” said Deepti Bansal, Sharma’s fiancée, while we were at Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan premises at Kasturba Gandhi Road in New adding, “Over 195, 350 injured and 400 NSG commandoes fighting. What it is? The country's financial capital is under siege. It’s a war!”
We have to accept that we are on war! It has begun. We don’t know when and where the enemy would strike. We are not equipped enough to win this. Though our country has third largest army in the world, we are still not capable to fight with the enemies.
Now, there is fear on everyone face. I am not exaggerating the situation, its fact.
The basalt arch of the “Gateway of India”, which greets seaborne visitors to Mumbai and symbolises the departure of British rulers on November 26 witnessed the siege. Only twelve young men aged 20-30 year hold the city for three days. They remorselessly spilled blood everywhere but our honourary Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who attempted to give a blow-by-blow account of the terror attack, said the terrorists "left" the scene of crime before he reached Mumbai. “Before I could reach there, the terrorists who had attacked one of the hospitals, the Cama Hospital, had left. Those who attacked the railway station had also left,” Patil also draw comfort from the fact that not many foreigners lost their lives. “Fortunately, not many foreigners have been targeted,” he said.
Leave aside him for a while, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said “such small incidents happen” with reference to terror attacks in Mumbai. “Bade shahron mein aise ek adh hadse hote rahte hain. Woh 5,000 logon ko marne aye the lekin humne kitna kum nuksan hone diya . (Such small incidents happen in big cities. They (terrorists) came to kill 5,000 people but we ensured minimal damage),” he said. He does not mind if 5,000 people were killed.
These men are worst than a prostitute. The prostitutes sell their body to feed themselves or their family. They are honest in their approach but these men sell their country for their comfort and pleasure. They will not mind if any nation invades India.
But I see its not they are at fault. It’s us. We choose them. And if any crisis happens we too start talking like The war has begun and we know that and to win this war we have to be on forefront like Sandra Samuel, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamthe, Vijay Salaskar, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajendra Singh
Wake up and start acting. Throw this heartedness out of our nation. Lets join hand and walk together. The solution lies in us. In you and me.

I want to break free/ being kids once again

I was in the clouds, madly dancing, running, jumping and shouting; trying to breathe, feel life as it should be, free. The world around me was soaked in misty droplets. I gazed at the green pastures and mountain peaks till my eyes had had their fill. A sense of absolute bliss started soaking in, my mind calmed down. This was Mussoorie's magic effect.
After a year-long cubicle life, I was desperately searching for a break. The concrete, the walled society and the chaos of the urban life were taking their toll. Luckily, two of my school pals came down and we decided to "break free." A quick brain storming session revealed we all wanted fresh air, some adventure and lots of water! The answer, which could logistically fit into our weekend schedule, was Mussoorie.
Early on Saturday morning we took a cab and headed towards the Gateway to the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines. By noon, we had crossed the sprawling Doon valley and the picturesque city of Dehradun, en-route to Mussoorie. The first glimpse of Mussoorie, the Queen of all hill stations, stunned us into silence. The Raj-era town lazily snuggled in the green paradise of the Shivalik peaks — white roofed houses creating little polka dots on the olive background. It promised a welcome break.
We took to the ascending zigzag road with new gusto towards the honeymoon capital of India. "Mussoorie welcomes you. Have a happy journey," said a signboard as we entered the city limits.
Our first stop was the Mussoorie Lake — a picnic spot situated on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road. The lake, which also has a park with lots of trees, is the favourite haunt of honeymooning couples. A visit here will convince you about eternal wedded bliss.
After that we headed towards Mall Road — the famous shopping paradise. Reaching there, we checked into a hotel and came out for a stroll. A boisterous holiday crowd thronged the shops, buying knick-knacks and woollies. Many were enjoying the glorious views of the mighty Himalayan peaks. It could have been the shopping plaza of any other city except for the soft coverlet of cloud that gave it a dreamlike appearance.
A local pointed out the Camel's Back Road — a must-see — where we went for picturesque views of the Himalayan panorama and its life-like resemblance to a sitting camel. Long walks and a joyride on a horse later, we were ready for our next stop, Gun Hill, the second highest peak in Mussoorie. And how did we reach it? Through the clouds! An exhilarating ropeway ride took us to Gun Hill, where the skies meet the hills. I screamed my till lungs out, my voice reverberating amid the rolling hills. I felt one with nature.
After loitering for an hour, purging our lungs with the fresh air, we started off for the tourists' delight, Kempty Falls. Situated on the Yamunotri Road, Kempty is among the most beautiful and famous falls in northern India. But the magic begins much before you reach the water cascade, right from the moment you curve into the green valley that leads to the fall. The lush green carpet streaked by the silvery fall was hypnotic. There is a ropeway ride to the fall but we opted to walk down, staying as close to nature as we could.
As we were going down, the sound of the waterfall called out, wooing us to hurry up. We couldn't hold ourselves back. We ran down the last few paces till we stood just a few metres away from the water curtain, its drizzle soaking us.
It didn't take much goading for us to tear off our clothes and jump into the small pool that holds the water from the fall for a while before it rushes down with a thundering roar.
The water was chilling. For an hour we frolicked around in the water, splashing, soaking each other, trying to swim, letting go of all adult inhibitions and being kids once again. September, 23, 2008