A non-Bombay Bombayite

Mumbai just doesn't come that naturally to people I guess, especially those born before 1995 and have grown up always referring the city as Bombay. Mumbai always takes an intented effort...
The nomenclature besides the point, in the plethora of articles published today, this more or less sums up the state of mind.

A month...

Dozens of newspapers, so many supplements talking about the people involved, their families, how life has yet again moved on. Some, rightfully appreciating the people who were actually there then.
But, the numerous rallies, campaigns,blame games, dismissals, replacements later, the main question is Are we Prepared even today?...

But there has definitely been an evident change I've noticed post November 26. People have just stopped referring to and making comments based on religion! It is quite noticeable, how even the slightest hints are no more dropped. I do hope this effect remains forever!

A Question

A question to every country including India:
" Do we really need terror attacks to happen to take action?
Is there not enough evidence already of terrorist activity throughout the world ?
Isn't it something that ought to have started as a consistent and stern effort already?"

A short film

A section of Bollywood in a short film against terrorism.

Elitist?

Just having read another angry message, questioning the Taj being a national icon, the argument rises yet again- Has the response by the public been stronger because the elite class was affected this time?

Partially, yes. Till date, the targets were comman place . This is the first time, people who thought were immune are being targeted. But one look at the protests and you know it sweeps one and all: religion, age, class - no bar.

So coming back to the Taj- is it an icon? For me, it is. The Taj burning is the most horrendous sight I've seen and avoid looking at any more of such pictures.

It is awe-inspiring. For the uber-rich, it is a regular- a statement of luxury. For the upper middle it is an occasional indulgence. For the normal middle class and beyond it is a dream- it holds very, very high aspirational value.

It is an icon. For a Mumbaikar, it is pride, it is one place everyone would like to save up for-so that just once, they would be able to just have a peek. For every tourist, as they gaze at it from their mid-sea ferry ride, it inspires awe and a million pictures are clicked with the Old Taj as the background.

Yes, the outrage is more and made evident because a certain section is affected for the first time. But, the outrage is unanimous because what everyone feels for this city and its icons is beyond classes.

And as the legend goes, Jamshedji Tata was not allowed entry to the only elite hotel in Mumbai, then- The Watson as he was an Indian. The Taj is what he built as an answer. That I'm sure is more reason for the Taj being a symbol of National pride and not just an awe-inspiring icon.

Outpour

Across the country univocal peaceful marches

Overwhelming

This is one of the gestures that has definitely been reassuring and proud
Anti-terror march at the Gateway- A video

Live broadcasts

A small change
A petition by musician Vishal Dadlani for self-censorship on news channels for broadcast of live events without discretion of sensitive information.

Chronology

Even though the events were covered 24/7, the events are understood gradually, as the blur clears up... :The Timeline

No rallies in Mumbai : security reasons stated

The Mumbai police have banned rallies and processions for nearly two weeks between December 5 and 19.

The police have issued a high alert during that period and more than five people will not be allowed to assemble for any procession. Peace marches will be allowed but they cannot be described as protests.

According to the police, the ban will not apply to weddings, funerals or other family ceremonies.

Credentials: P. Chidambaram

Palaniappan Chidambaram ( (born 16th September, 1945) is an Indian politician and present Union Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of India.

Chidambaram was born to L. Ct. L. Palaniappa Chettiar and Mrs. Lakshmi Achi in Kandanur in the Sivaganga District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He was born into the royal family of Chettinad and well affluent business family.

• Chidambaram did his schooling from the Madras Christian College Hr.Sec.School, Chennai.
• After graduating with a B.Sc. degree in Statistics from The Presidency College, he completed his Bachelor of Law (B.L.) from the Madras Law College,
  
• He is a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School,Harvard University.

In 1969, he enrolled as an Advocate in the Madras High Court. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in 1984. He has chambers in Delhi and Madras and practices in the Supreme Court and in various High Courts in India.

He was inducted into the Union (Indian federal) Council of Ministers in the socialist government headed by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 21 September 1985 as a Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Commerce and then in the Ministry of Personnel.

In June 1991, Chidambaram was inducted as a Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce, a post he held till July, 1992. He was later re-appointed Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce in February 1995 and held the post until April 1996 .

Chidambaram became Minister of Finance again in the Congress party-Communist Party United Progressive Alliance government on 24 May 2004.

On November 30 2008, he was appointed the Home Minister following the resignation of Shivraj Patil who had come under excessive pressure to tender his resignation.

Ministry of Home Affairs

A refresher in civics: The first step was the replacement of the Union Minister of Home affairs.

The ministry has been headed by some of the most influential names of Indian politics, such as Sardar Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Lal Krishna Advani.

Here is why it matters:

The Ministry of Home Affairs consists of the following departments.

• Departments
  • Department of Internal Security
    
  • Department of States : manages relations between the Union Government states as well as relations between states; administers the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme 1980 (Freedom Fighters' Pension) to those imprisoned by the British during the Indian independence movement
  • Department of Official Language
    
  • Department of Home - "notifications relating to assumption of office of President and Vice-President, appointment of Prime Minister/Ministers, etc."
  • Department of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs
    
  • Department of Border Management - Monitors coastal borders as well as land borders.
  
  

Voices

At such times, I only wish I had a voice which could be taken seriously. When it comes to calling Mumbai their own in good times, why is the whole of Bollywood mainly, shying away from expressing their opinions?
But here are some famous voices that have, mainly thoroughbreds and quite bluntly:
Rajdeep Sardesai
Shobha De
Suhel Seth

Thankyou

To all of the NSG, army, navy, hotel officials, citizens, police . Sadly, the political parties still want to build their castles by singing praises out of the 3 important police officials.
The illegal hoardings paying tribute line footpaths at every 5 meters .It is something which should be the last means to express -extremely disheartening and cold.

Ghastly

These are a few photo galleries of the events
REUTERS
IBN

Intention

As a citizen, it is always easy to forget important events that I ought to follow. Everybody is very angry and rather hopeless. There are a million opinions, outrage against the government. But, even from my end, I have never made an effort to keep track of what happens after the sensationalism is over.
This blog is for me, to exclusively keep track of what happened and what follows as far as I can...