Mumbai Rocked by Seven Bomb Blasts

When I returned to India in 2004 I was pleasantly surprised to find that at last Mumbai local ticket counters had got rid of the concept of separate queue for women. But they have retained separate queue for first class. So when a burqa clad girl approached counter I told her to join the queue at tail end. She said ``first class``. And I was surprised when she bought first class ticket for Vile Parle from Andheri. She must be really rich. I (and people like me) often debate whether they need first class monthly/quarterly ticket because I use locals only once a week and I have bought quarterly 1st class ticket just to avoid standing in the queue. A single or return ticket is far away too costly but is okay for infrequent commuters. If she was doing this regularly and frequent commuter then she must be wife of somebody really rich. Muslims *do* use first class. Their numbers are proportionate to their numbers in population. Not less. May be they have earned good money working in gulf. I am pretty sure there were many muslims in those who died. I was in a Borivali train which is scheduled to arrive in Malad at 6:20. It was stopped after Kandivali station. Probably the previous train had blast. I let it pass because I thought it was too crowded. I did see a couple of Muslims in my own compartment. They had mullah type appearance. There may be others who did not have mullah type look.

echoboom #38

{{I unequivocally condemn one every & all such crimes which results in the death of those who were most-likely not a party to any crime.}}

and stuka #42

Here is a quote from book by a distinguished thinker from Pakistan:

{{“In war our main objective is the opponent’s heart or soul, our main weapon of offence against this objective is the strength of our own souls, and to launch such an attack, we have to keep terror away from our own hearts… Terror struck into the hearts of the enemies is not only a means, it is the end itself. Once a condition of terror into the opponent’s heart is obtained, hardly anything is left to be achieved. It is the point where the means and the end meet and merge. Terror is not a means of imposing decision on the enemy; it is the decision we wish to impose on him.”}}

Re: # 98

``Terror is not a means of imposing decision on the enemy; it is the decision we wish to impose on him``

Terrorism as a state policy!! That is the correct description of the Pakistani dictatorship. Even their civilian leader have been so terrorized that they do not have the guts to come back from foreign lands.

Re: # 96 Ally

(May God bless these Shaheed)

No offence sir, but i don`t think calling these people shaheed is correct. As per my understanding, people who are called shaheed are those people who give their lives willingly for some cause.

i`m not sure if any of the people who died wanted to give their lives. these people were innocent citizens going about their daily routine. these people alive were more important to their families.

rgds,

devkant.

ballukhan #99:

Ballu sahib, FWIW, that was an extract from Brigadier S K Malik’s The Quranic Concept of War - a book which I gather was commissioned by General Zia and has a foreword by him.

The Government, the Politics is a very vicious circle which keeps the civilians very insecure.

I believe, the recent Mumbai Bombing is to cover the failure of the Missile which had to reach the target of 3500 Km but didn`t even cross 15. As the issue had been up, the people who pioneered in technology had to save their faces, were over claiming for the past many days before the test.

After the test, which resulted in failure, and giving many a reasons to Chinese lobbies something to laugh upon at the tea-table, had to be covered up as the Missile was not prepared using peanuts. It takes in the whole tax sweat poured in by the common man albeit the rich get an easy escape always. Missile would have usurped in billions to say the least to be developed.

The Government and the military then planted these plans in the commuting trains which is the only source of commuting for the Mumbai people of all classes and age groups, as they knew the scapegoat would easily be found in ISI, Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden, Lashkar e Toiba.

The conspiracy served a two pronged approach of deviling the current peace process running at a snail`s pace between Pakistan and India. It has insiduously injured it, surely, as politicians would be crying foul again. Democracy is a nice belly-dancing tool of the whites to manipulate the South Asians.

Indeed it has been tragic. Let`s hope pragmatism is observed in investigating the issue. The media shows the way, the common man rushes through that passage. Media is painting the story otherwise.
Media is the Dog tamed by politicians and politicians are the disciples of Democracy.

``the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan have also strongly condemned this terrorist attack and have expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives.``

Meanwhile, (from rediff.com)

After condemning the Mumbai train blasts, Pakistan has said the `best way` of dealing with extremism in South Asia is to tackle `real issue` of Jammu and Kashmir.

Noting that there has been progress in Indo-Pak composite dialogue process to resolve bilateral issues, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri, however, said not much progress has been made on Kashmir problem.

``If you look at it positively, there has been more progress in the second round than in the first round. But on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir we have not made much progress. There have been some confidence-building measures but even those are half-hearted,`` he said.

``Incremental approach is good but now we must tackle real issues. And this is the best way of tackling extremism in South Asia,`` Kasuri, who is on a visit to US, told an audience at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace on Tuesday.

``We need to take steps in which extremism is discouraged. Extremism in one religion leads to extremism in the other,`` he said.

Kasuri said the Pakistan government had already condemned in the strongest possible language the `ghastly` Mumbai train blasts, which left at least 190 people dead and over 600 injured, and he was `adding his voice` to that.

In spite of the two rounds of composite dialogue process and some progress registered, there was `perpetual tension` over Kashmir issue, he said.

Kasuri argued that the international community has for too long been focussed on conflict management in South Asia.

``Now is the time to shift the paradigm and work for conflict resolution,`` the minister said while welcoming US President George W Bush`s `commitment of US support for a Kashmir solution acceptable to all sides..

Re: # 102 kaptain

( believe, the recent Mumbai Bombing is to cover the failure of the Missile which had to reach the target of 3500 Km but didn`t even cross 15. As the issue had been up, the people who pioneered in technology had to save their faces, were over claiming for the past many days before the test.

After the test, which resulted in failure, and giving many a reasons to Chinese lobbies something to laugh upon at the tea-table, had to be covered up as the Missile was not prepared using peanuts. It takes in the whole tax sweat poured in by the common man albeit the rich get an easy escape always. Missile would have usurped in billions to say the least to be developed.

The Government and the military then planted these plans in the commuting trains which is the only source of commuting for the Mumbai people of all classes and age groups, as they knew the scapegoat would easily be found in ISI, Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden, Lashkar e Toiba. )

Unbelievable stuff. Don`t have words to respond!!!

rgds,

devkant.

Re: # 102

``believe, the recent Mumbai Bombing is to cover the failure of the Missile which had to reach the target of 3500 Km but didn`t even cross 15. ``

Mr. Bootlicker you would certainly hear the boom you so desire to hear inside your rat hole soon!

Re: # 102,
Idiots like you are the ones who enable the terrorists.

It`s a great shame that such tactics are still succeeding in India. While the investigations will hopefully lead to the culprits, the stupidity of paki establishment is that they are linking it to ``unresolved issue of kashmir``. Talk about axing your own foot.
I hope the response to this act is so ruthless that any terrorist anywhere in the world thinks twice before doing such a thing again. This is the only way to avoid future happenings.
Well, not to mention the fact that some spineless leading members of the UPA government need to be exiled from the country permanently before that.

Re: # 106

These are not idiots but well `educated` people who cannot live without making war........these are the real people who believe in ``metaphysic of war``( to take Asadi`s jargon)........they have ``Normalized`` War as a `reality` and is inscribed as the holy jihad in their text books since Zia`s Rule..........for them Pakistan is in a constant state of war with India and 1971 war was NEVER lost .....they only lost a minor battle and the real WAR is still going on and they are trying to make it appear to their people that they are winning.........characters like the Kaptain reveal the sickness of the phenomenon called the Pakistani army which is actually a band of vipers that needs to be exterminated!!!!

#95 by devkant

Actually that post was intended towards #92 by irfanhamid. But nevertheless, since you have presented a balanced response to this outrage, the question remains ... what can be done to resolve the problem of terror-warfare?

I term it terror-warfare rather than terrorism because it is not the work of some looneys beating the fast track to 72 virgins or to score brownie points with Allah as many many people actually believe it is. Nothing could be dumber than that. This type of warfare was neither invented by Muslims nor were they the practitioners of it before the fiasco of the aftermath of the Afghan Jihad. It was promoted by stateless fighters who had nothing to lose, and along the way found appeal amongst the disenfrenchised amongst many nations as a potent tool to battle their own as well as other states. It quickly caught on because they found hitting soft targets was not only easier, but actually much more effrective than hitting hard targets because it impacted entire psyche` and economies rather than only the military which is trained for it anyway. That`s where it stands. Moralising on death of innocents will lead to nowhere.

So the question remains, what can be done about it? Some people have suggested Israel type measures of disproportionate response, but they forget that Israel is going nowhere in bliss in living happily ever-after anytime soon. They remain constantly under threat and mental stress. If people believe these terrorists accomplished a technical marvel like 9/11, how long does anyone think it`ll take them to develop WMD?

So, the disenfrachised of the world will need to engaged in the mainstream. A lot of people will need to dismount from their high horses. That, in my view, is the only durable solution.

#102 by kaptain

Kaptain Saheb ... adab arz .... nice joke ... You don`t really mean it do you? Just stirring up things here I guess ... :)

Mantolives,

.. we do know of a person who divided humanity along caste, race and color lines... his name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
aka Mahatma ... Gandhi believed that INTERDINING between people of different Castes and religions was EVIL and WRONG. ..

It is strange to see the above in this board..

I don`t know how reliable is that ``translation of yours`` from Gandhi.. One thing for sure is that he married his son Devadas Gandhi outside his caste to one Lakshmi daughter of Rajaji.. in 1933.. Check your facts..

Written by Mohan Rajan in response to an email from his client in the U.s. asking if they are safe in Mumbai.

Your concern makes my eyes moist as I sit on the computer myself this morning at 5am IST, the early riser that I am. It`s a concern that has traversed many miles and from so many diverse cultures. We accept it with love and with all humility.

I`ve just taken my Spitz for a walk. The Gateway of India bay was quiet but there were some of the usual walkers despite the gory night before.

Today the TV announcer smiles and justifies it by saying a smile, after the concatenation of events, may look out of place, but that he is doing so because of the spirit of the city.

I am fortunate to live next to the office, so physically there was no effect. But my 10 colleagues who all use the local train system, which ferries the population of Australia daily to and fro to the linear city of Bombay were definitely put to horrible strain.

Having learnt from previous episodes, we asked all to stay put in the office. The good news is that all are safe. Some were intrepid (and foolish) to use the still partly functional train system and reach suburbia. Others wise enoug to stay with colleagues/friends in safety zones. Others wiser to stay in the humble office itself. But, and Praise the Lord, all are safe.

``No milk today, my love has gone away, the bottle stands forlorn, a symbol of the dawn...`` was the refrain of the Beetles. Bombayites are more fortunate. Today, early morning, the administration has delivered the milk to our doorsteps. My Spitz is licking herself clean having licked her bowl clean of her share of the milk. As we sip our coffee, the papers (all 30 of them) are trickling in in the many deliveries. 30? Yes 30, please don`t forget we are a PR agency!

The city has bounced back. Despite the blood and gore. Despite the statistical tom foolery of the politicians. Despite the missing and the dead.

People are going to work this morning. To show the dastardly terrorists they are not cowed down. The administration and police are doing a better job this time than they did on similar tragedies. Maybe it`s just growing expertise with the passage of time or cumulative experience gleaned over tragedies. The politicians are there sooner, maybe because of more helicopters or faster King Lear jets. OR MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOBS!!!

My perspective? Here it is from a 52 year old, cynic, secular, Indian, Hindu, pacifist, never mind the contradictions. Bernard Nossiter was right to call India a soft state. Pakistan`s Musharraf criticised last night`s mayhem on Bombay , yet harbours terrorists on his soil enjoying the protective mantle of Bush and Blair.

A strong message needs to be sent out to terrorists. They need to be humbled. Hit them where it hurts the most: The Lashkar e Toiba terrorist network, flush them out, even if it means a quick military operation on Pak soil.

However unpalatable it may be to the educated elite, the fact remains that of all the followers of all religions today, the followers of Islam spew the most vitriol against civilization. Anybody missing this point is just being diplomatic or unable to see things in perspective. So followers of Islam need to do some serious self introspection for change. As they say Islam is the best of all religions with the worst of all followers.

People are lovely. The people of Bombay who were cleaning up the mess and blood and bones last night, giving more hands and muscle and much needed blood to the creaking administration and injured. People like Brian and Matt, who from many miles and cultures away, are enquiring about our well being. People,who despite the sleight of hands of their Houdini politicians, are living and practicing examples of their religious and cultural teachers ... Christ, Ram, and Allah.

We wonder how the police intelligence could not anticipate the acts when the terrorists have in broad daylight managed to plant 8 bombs in 8 different train compartments. Have they squandered the taxpayer`s monies instead of equipping trains with CCTV networks. On Sunday just 3 days before this blast, the Shiv Sena, so called protectors of Hindutva, who fight Valentine`s Day celebrations saying they are negative Western influences on Hindu society, held the whole city and state to ransom, burnt public transport buses and pelted stones at people, forced shops to down shutters. They showed all this political muscle just because the statue of the deceased wife of their rabble rousing leader was desecrated. One wonders where they are today when the real desecration and abuse of their city and its human wealth has occured?

Politics is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

It`s a bright sunny day bang in the middle of the Bombay monsoon, I`m off to work with a black emotional band of protest. Like the Japs, we will work harder today to show more productivity and earn more goodwill, to logistically upset the terrorist`s calculations and applecart and place a surfeit of goods on the shopfloor so that the terrorist wont be able to handle the surplus!

So help me GOD!


Mohan Rajan
BOMBAY
INDIA