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Public anger against politicians reflects helplessness
Tue-Dec 02, 2008
/ Darshan Desai (Indo-Asian News Service)
The unprecedented public outrage against politicians of all hues after the daring 60-hour terror atrocity on Mumbai's landmarks spawned from the sinking feeling that they had been left in the lurch.
"The anger was against the failure to prevent the terrorists and it was aggravated by the cavalier behaviour of the politicians," eminent historian Ramachandra Guha said.
Guha told IANS: "People felt exploited, as if left in the lurch, as they watched 60 hours of live action - scared, helpless and frustrated."
The strikes began on November 26 and security forces battled with a dozen-odd terrorists for nearly three days. Over 180 people lost their lives and 300 were injured.
The outrage was out of frustration over the scale of the attack though there were many warnings with the government, said Sudha Pai, professor at the Central for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
"Coupled with this was the politicking by all the parties, the people felt they have no other alternative at all. They were in a way left to fend for themselves," Pai told IANS. "All this happened in the backdrop of repeated bombings in the country."
From people gathering outside the hotels under siege in India's commercial and film capital and the man on the street to those watching the action from the comfort of their homes far away, everyone focused their ire on politicians, whether from the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"What a shame! Maharashtra's Home Minister R R Patil said such small things happen in big cities," Guha said.
"The NSG (National Security Guard) should be applauded. The media should be praised. Certain politicians should be bashed," noted filmmaker Karan Johar posted on his blog.
"Politicians, soulless and emotionless, were addressing the country while reading off of tele-prompters. Can you not feel anything? Can you say nothing to make us feel just a little more secure in your hands?" Johar wrote.
Punctured sense of security
Guha said: "Narendra Modi (Gujarat chief minister), who called (Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant) Karkare anti-India a week ago, went to offer his widow a crore of rupees; Raj Thackeray who swore by Mumbai's pride went missing on the city's day of reckoning. Pathetic."
Modi, the BJP's Hindutva poster boy, went to Mumbai when the attacks were continuing and made political speeches. He went to offer compensation of Rs 10 million to the widow of Karkare and families of policemen killed during the attack. Karkare's family refused any help.
Modi had a week earlier called Karkare anti-India for his investigation in the role of Hindu religious leaders in the Malegaon bombings in Maharashtra.
Similarly, the father of 31-year-old Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando killed while fighting the terrorists, snubbed and shouted at Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan who had gone to offer him condolences.
His father K Unnikrishnan and mother Dhanalakshmi refused to meet the chief minister and shut the door on him.
People also reacted strongly when Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh took with him his actor son Riteish Deshmukh and Bollywood filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to the ravaged Taj Palace and Tower Hotel. This was the chief minister's official visit.
"The anger is out of anxiety and fear coming from the people's punctured sense of security," said clinical psychologist Shobna Sonpar. She was a psychologist at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, from 1987 to 2000.
"In an attack like this, it is natural the outburst will be directed against the politicians for it is an anger against governance," Sonpar said.
Contempt against politicians
Sociologist Satish Deshpande said the people felt the attack was preventable.
"The drama was so long drawn out that the common man would think it could have been prevented; So, the feeling that somebody somewhere was not doing his job," said Deshpande, who is with the Delhi School of Economics.
He said this was the first time that the elite were affected by a terrorist strike.
"Blaming politicians is easy for them. Their anger is the normal contempt the elite have against politicians," Deshpande argued.
However, he agreed the politicians had left one and all disgusted. "All of them are the same. Look at the BJP, it is so visibly happy. They see a chance to return to power."
The political parties stooped very low.
"L K Advani (senior BJP leader) decided against attending the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the Mumbai tragedy. And what a reason to cite? That he is busy electioneering in Rajasthan," said an angry Guha.
But he, like others, was happy that some heads did roll. After Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R R Patil quit and Deshmukh offered his resignation.
"I don't remember politicians accepting responsibility for something and resigning. Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned as railway minister after a major train accident in Maharashtra decades ago. The public outcry now has at least made them leave," Guha said.
"The anger was against the failure to prevent the terrorists and it was aggravated by the cavalier behaviour of the politicians," eminent historian Ramachandra Guha said.
Guha told IANS: "People felt exploited, as if left in the lurch, as they watched 60 hours of live action - scared, helpless and frustrated."
The strikes began on November 26 and security forces battled with a dozen-odd terrorists for nearly three days. Over 180 people lost their lives and 300 were injured.
The outrage was out of frustration over the scale of the attack though there were many warnings with the government, said Sudha Pai, professor at the Central for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
"Coupled with this was the politicking by all the parties, the people felt they have no other alternative at all. They were in a way left to fend for themselves," Pai told IANS. "All this happened in the backdrop of repeated bombings in the country."
From people gathering outside the hotels under siege in India's commercial and film capital and the man on the street to those watching the action from the comfort of their homes far away, everyone focused their ire on politicians, whether from the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"What a shame! Maharashtra's Home Minister R R Patil said such small things happen in big cities," Guha said.
"The NSG (National Security Guard) should be applauded. The media should be praised. Certain politicians should be bashed," noted filmmaker Karan Johar posted on his blog.
"Politicians, soulless and emotionless, were addressing the country while reading off of tele-prompters. Can you not feel anything? Can you say nothing to make us feel just a little more secure in your hands?" Johar wrote.
Punctured sense of security
Guha said: "Narendra Modi (Gujarat chief minister), who called (Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant) Karkare anti-India a week ago, went to offer his widow a crore of rupees; Raj Thackeray who swore by Mumbai's pride went missing on the city's day of reckoning. Pathetic."
Modi, the BJP's Hindutva poster boy, went to Mumbai when the attacks were continuing and made political speeches. He went to offer compensation of Rs 10 million to the widow of Karkare and families of policemen killed during the attack. Karkare's family refused any help.
Modi had a week earlier called Karkare anti-India for his investigation in the role of Hindu religious leaders in the Malegaon bombings in Maharashtra.
Similarly, the father of 31-year-old Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando killed while fighting the terrorists, snubbed and shouted at Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan who had gone to offer him condolences.
His father K Unnikrishnan and mother Dhanalakshmi refused to meet the chief minister and shut the door on him.
People also reacted strongly when Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh took with him his actor son Riteish Deshmukh and Bollywood filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to the ravaged Taj Palace and Tower Hotel. This was the chief minister's official visit.
"The anger is out of anxiety and fear coming from the people's punctured sense of security," said clinical psychologist Shobna Sonpar. She was a psychologist at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, from 1987 to 2000.
"In an attack like this, it is natural the outburst will be directed against the politicians for it is an anger against governance," Sonpar said.
Contempt against politicians
Sociologist Satish Deshpande said the people felt the attack was preventable.
"The drama was so long drawn out that the common man would think it could have been prevented; So, the feeling that somebody somewhere was not doing his job," said Deshpande, who is with the Delhi School of Economics.
He said this was the first time that the elite were affected by a terrorist strike.
"Blaming politicians is easy for them. Their anger is the normal contempt the elite have against politicians," Deshpande argued.
However, he agreed the politicians had left one and all disgusted. "All of them are the same. Look at the BJP, it is so visibly happy. They see a chance to return to power."
The political parties stooped very low.
"L K Advani (senior BJP leader) decided against attending the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the Mumbai tragedy. And what a reason to cite? That he is busy electioneering in Rajasthan," said an angry Guha.
But he, like others, was happy that some heads did roll. After Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R R Patil quit and Deshmukh offered his resignation.
"I don't remember politicians accepting responsibility for something and resigning. Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned as railway minister after a major train accident in Maharashtra decades ago. The public outcry now has at least made them leave," Guha said.
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Comments For This Post
A South American novelist wrote that the wily leaders of newly freed colonies paint a rosy picture about the future and demand the voters to make sacrifices for the same!The unsuspecting voters do so and in that process they become 'poorer' and the leaders 'richer!Hence, he chides them and says,"you know well that only the 'crying'child gets the milk!" So learn first to "cry" properly!"If he were here and observed the people's reaction to the recent "Mumbai in siege",he would have said, "learn to display your 'angst' appropriately!"
The people are the real 'monarchs' of the nation! Through their votes they give their representatives the "general power of attorney" to govern the state.The ministers emerge as the real rulers and the monarchs become helpless!Now has the time come" to make a real 'awakening' and show the usurpers their rightful place!"
It is the foolishness of our people that we just shout at politicians which was systematically and deliberately carried out by the news channels to save UPA.How many of these people know that the congress Government in Assam bypassed military's orders and went ahead to have a ceasefire with ULFA for pure political gains, see the result of this appeasement politics in Assam and other parts of India.
If the politicians are hypocrites(BJP/Congress/Any Tom,Dick&Harry) then these news channels are perverts but I waon't accuse News'X' of the same since they accepted their mistake of not doing enough when terror strikes happened earlier.The greatness of a person can be seen only when they accept mistakes and people who are shouting at the politicians should have the capacity to understand what is right and what is wrong.
As far as Indian Politician is concern these guys are Jokers. Now tt’s our responsibility to take care of country otherwise they will sale it for vote bank.
It’s very good that Gundhi had been died otherwise; these jokers compel him for suicide in such situation. God save this county because we should not trust on these Politicians.
I have a different note on what was said on Modi. Of course, you cannot expect a person like Ramachandra Guha, a leftist to the core, to glorify Modi.
What Modi said about Karkare a week before the incident was absolutely right, as far as what was going on in the Malegaon case. A young saint, accused (framed) in the case was tortured beyond all extremes to make her 'confess', as per her affidafit in the court. (Please note that none of the 'Human Rights' activists were interested in this case. They will come up only for the actual terrorists, as it is they who fund them!).
When the same man, althought he allegedly committed the atrocities on Sadhvi in the earlier case, was lauded by Modi, when he laid down his life, fighting the terrorists. It is only but natural for a true patriot like Modi, to keep differences away under such circumstances. He was absolutely right in the latter case too.
This is not just an outbust of anger, there are more to it.People of this country has seen Enough of this politician for the last 20 years. Let it be from any party. They all play divide and rule politics. Politics of Caste and Region. This is the time for the common man to rise and ask question. Remember Every BIG change comes after Big LOSS. I urge to to all to come out and FIND OUR OBAMA and say Yes we can Change.
Last Night iam shoked and pained in helpless with some of the Comments that Our Bastared Politician MADE.One said we our ladies tried to show off their solidarity, putting Lipsstick and Powder and Other one said Had it be not the Major Not even a DoG WOULD HAVE staired in that House. I wonder Who is a DOG, is it the one who laid his life Fighting the BASTARED which is the menifestaion of Our Bastared Potiticial Directly or indirectly,OR the stray DOG is the One Smelled Political gain in the death of a brave Soilder. People of Kerla and India at large Knows it Well. Let Us catch All the stay DoG from the country and GIFT to Mr. Chief minister of Kerla to Remind him of the Who is DOG AND WHO need to keeps the company of the DOG.
some time i wonder Is this the sentiment that our Minister carries of our soilder? Wish Our defence Minister SAY SORRY ON behalf THE GOVT. to tall the soilder and the countryman. If Not, then all our soilder sould resign, no matter which wing they belong to.
Another thing that Pained me is inspite of such a tragedy Our politician are still busy in Election Rally. Mr.Advani did get time to come to all party meet, as ELECTION WAS most important for him and not the country, and BJP probably be Celebrating this Tragedy hoping their chance to come to Power. Congress, sacking Minister Hoping to change the immage well in before in General election next year. But the BIG question is Just resignation justify their illmanagement and are they free from any resonsibility Now? This same set of people would come up again in Next election and probably would take up the same position. Should not the criminal Charges be leived on them for Not been able to protect the citizen, and causing huge Loss to the country financialy and emotionally? Should not there be any Law that Stop them from any holding any public position for alteats 10years directly or indirectley, for illmanagement and charges which most of them are in???
Also does it take this tragedy for our Govt. to talk tough to pakisthan? Where was their will before this tragic incident? Who are they follong around? Every time such thing happen they blame Pakisthan and Play emotional politics with peole and getrid of their mistake. Heard the same resonse again and again be it be attack on parliament or on balst in delhi,mumbai, jaipur oand any more? Its time to see Result and Not Action and speches.
Where are RAJ thakaray, and his Bastard GANG..wHY CANT THEY COME UP NOW TO SAVE THE MARATI MANOOS. Probably hiding in his Wife dupatta for this anger to Kool Down.
Get Up countryman.... Shows This Bastared DOG thier Palce.
Hi,
It is with deep sadness that I write this. I feel very ashamed to be calling myself a Malayali. Yes I have felt the same many a time in the past, but this I should say has made me feel the worst as a Malayali.
Even before hand being informed that the family of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan did not want the Kerala CM nor anybody from the Kerala government to visit his house in Bangalore, VS Achuthanandan(even the use of "Mr." won’t be appropriate) had made the visit and faced the strong protest from the family of slain NSG Commander's family. I truly support the strong reaction of Major Unnikrishana's family. The Kerala CM, who did not even remember the first few letter of the condolence letter he sent to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s family, deserved the same in every true respect. A father who had lost his only son and later ignored, had every right to be so.
Much more painful is the way in which Kerala CM has acted upon even after the incident. The very remark of "If it had not been (Major) Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have glanced that way,” is not want even a school going kid would use at the moment of time.
Changing the way our politician act and react is not what I believe will happen in the near future. But one thing I am sure to happen next time is that the very place which VS Achuthanandan had termed as a place where even a dog would not have glanced will be the very place where he and his colleagues will go and ask for votes in the next election. I hope then, the people of Kerala will ask the Kerala CM "Is the place he is standing now, the same place which he once said, not even a dog would glance".
All I can say to VS is this "Hope you get well soon" and opened not only your eyes but your heart to the people around you.
I truly hope this won’t fade from our memory as long as VS apologise to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's family, so that the Kerala CM can restore some pride in an Indian and as a Malayali like me stand with our heads held high.
i am surprised people haven't caught hold of these politicians and thrased them. if there is any need, i'll be sure to join.
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