The incidents that rocked Bangalore on July 25 2008 shook everyone who calls Bangalore their home.
This I feel was more so because Bangalore has been a really safe place to live for many years even while it is trying to catch up with bigger cities in terms of infrastructure and cosmopolitan lifestyle. I am proud to be a Bangalorean and it pains me a lot to see this happen to my city. Of course, it is painful when it happens to anyone. Any city in India or outside has potentially become a target. No place is safe anymore. It is indeed sad how my mentality works. As long as it was not my city I felt pity for the victims but now when it is my city it is more of seething anger against the people who are causing mayhem and spreading terror.
I begin to think is there a solution at all? The greatest of minds have been working tirelessly to keep the common man safe and find ways to bring such people to justice but it just seems to me to be an impossible task, a tall order, one that might just not be achievable unless all of us have a strong resolve to make the justice system work for us.
It indeed is difficult for the intelligence to foretell who is up to what and how to avoid a disaster waiting to happen. With cities like Bangalore you are dealing with a huge number of floating population and keeping a tab becomes not only difficult but an impossible one. I guess the common man can only help by being on his guard all the time (and I mean all the time) and look our for any suspicious behavior or objects left unattended and inform the police straightaway. Its best to be safe than sorry.
The government on the other hand has to start recruiting people who are appointed and are dedicated to protect the common man in such situations. I mean not deploy police forces as they are already have their hands full with a lot of things (what with providing security to our ministers who are good for nothing).
It is time they beef up security measures at local market places, malls, Bus/Railway stations. CCTV cameras with dedicated personnel keeping a tab 24/7. If this is what it takes to reinforce faith in the system and for people to live in the city with a peace of mind then this is what needs to be done.
I know i have repeated a lot of solutions which have been put across by a lot of people before. I strongly believe the governments of the past as well as the present lack a strong resolve to face situations head-on and deal with it. They are always playing the game of pleasing all parties and all religions and all castes and what not. If you have been elected and placed in the seat of authority where your decisions matter you should be bold and strong enough to make a decision - of course, after consulting well informed minds - and stick to it. There is no point going around asking for vote of confidence everytime!!! It just shows how weak you are and that you don't believe in your own decision making skills.
Just a few hours ago, similar incidents were reported in Ahmedabad. It is indeed sad for a country which is already grappling with a lot of issues at hand the least of which seems for its own downfall the Safety and Security of its people.
A strong resolve from its people and Governments alike to fight terrorism in its roots to make sure the people of its cities go on with their life as usual is the only mantra to fight terrorism and bring such people to justice.
Peace.
