29.11.08

Our Zeroes


Politicians’ platitudes, which have poured forth thick and fast, have been like salt rubbed into the wounds of a battered city. As always, words like “heinous’’ and “dastardly’’ are being used by everyone, from the Prime Minister to the leader of the opposition to the home minster. There are also assurances that no stone will be left unturned to protect citizens and punish the perpetrators. But, no one is buying the cardboard rhetoric any more. “Our PM sounds like an economist even when giving political quotes,’’ said director Feroz Abbas Khan who made ‘Gandhi, My Father’. “You almost know what he’s going to say before he speaks.’’ Criticism of Manmohan Singh’s unimpassioned delivery is mild compared to the torching that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has got on the SMS network. Mocking messages have been doing the rounds all day, tearing into Thackeray for his anti-north Indian campaign which had the city in an upheaval a month ago. One message read: ‘Where is Raj Thackeray and his ‘brave’ Sena? Tell him that 200 NSG commandos form Delhi (No Marathi manoos, all south and north Indians) have been sent to Mumbai to fight the terrorists so that he can sleep peacefully. Pls forward this so that it finally reaches the coward bully.’ Another said: ‘Please forward Raj Thackeray’s number if you have it. Want him to go and save aamchi Mumbai along with his MNS goondas, the sons of the soil. Army and NSG commandos are not Marathi manoos, so why should they lay down their lives for Mumbaikars? Jaago Mumbaikars!’ Social worker Rajkumar Janagam was among those who happily forwarded the SMS. Said the 20-year-old, “Custodians who stake claim to every square centimetre of Maharashtra’s land are happily letting others die as they have vada pav and kanda pohe in the comfort of their own homes.’’ Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, thinks it’s not worth it to waste SMSes on Raj. “He needs to wriggle back into the hole he came from,’’ Gandhi said. “Our home ministry is a joke. I don’t think our politicians have any moral right to condemn these attacks. While our police and commandos are fighting terrorists, ministers are coming in and taking up valuable manpower so that they can make their speeches.’’ Gujarat’s chief minister Narendra Modi, who positioned himself outside the Oberoi, announced a purse of Rs 1 crore for the Maharashtra government to fight terror. Reeta Gupta, a PR professional, said, “Narendra Modi says he is disappointed with the PM’s address. I am disappointed with Narendra Modi. Is this the time to fight amongst each other?’’ Add to that an SMS from the BJP Yuva Manch, which reads: ‘We need not worry about those who have come through boat, but must worry about those who have come from vote. Vande Mataram!’ Divisive politics seems to be thriving even in the midst of the terror attack. “They were calling Hemant Karkare names last week. Now he is a hero so they can cash in on his death,’’ Gandhi said. Khan added, “We are giving the message to the world that we are an economic giant with an extremely weak foundation.’’

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I guess Hemand Karkare, Salaskar, Kamte and their MARATHI colleagues should have first counted how many marathis are trapped inside the buildings, and then only decided whether to risk their lives. Coz even though so many marathi cops have died to save Mumbai, marathis are now being told that 'north indian army' has saved them. There are so many marathi soldiers who hv died for this country..and are still at the border as I type this..I guess their sacrifices are in vain. General ArunKumar Vaidya who led the country during the Punjab Khalistan war, and who was killed by Khalistani terrorists was a marathi. He must hv been a fool to die for 'north indians', right?
Besides, what exactly was Raj supposed to do? You are talking as if all other politicians were battling it out at the Taj and taking bullets, while only Raj Thackeray was missing.He quietly went to meet the cops' families, his party arranged medical assistance camps..but he didn't exploit this in front of media. He didnt cause unnecessary extra pressure on d already stressed cops, unlike PM, Advani, Sonia who caused more pressure to d cops, and whose 'visits' were useless and unnecessary. Why didn't rahul gandhi go to save Taj, for example!
Unlike NORTH INDIAN leaders like lalu, abu azmi, amar singh, RAJ has never supported SIMI, Afzal guru etc.
It is due to the these north indian leaders n their idiot supporters in Mumbai, that terrorism has become so rampant.