In protest...

This blog is in protest....

In protest against the terrorists who have made my home, Mumbai, their playground. Hundreds dead and wounded in the barbaric violence along the western line.

In protest against a stupid Indian government machinery that has banned access to all blogs since they got received information (belatedly, of course .... what else did you think??? Haven't you seen hindi movies? The cops always come after everything is over!) that the terror agencies are using blogs to communicate.

Mumbai was hit by a series of terrible bomb blasts on an eleventh ... of the seventh month! 7/11 is now a date to be remembered ... for the death and mayhem that was caused. And what mayhem it was ... all within a span of 11 minutes. You had to see the mashed bodies lying on the tracks to realize the barbarism of the terrorists. And Mumbaikars were back on their feet ... all thanks to their spirit! So said the news channels to anyone who cared to watch them. Mumbaikars, me included, did not care about what they said. 'coz we simply didn't have the time to. We had to get on with our work.... 'n no; it has nothing to do with our soul or spirit! Its just that we have to work, some guys need the day's money than maybe even I do. I salute them ... coz they simply don't have the time to care ... one day lost is one day of hunger ... one less penny saved. And it is not that Mumbaikars are not scared .... every time a son leaves the house, the mother has a prayer on her fearful lips, the wife bids a fearful goodbye to her husband, who cares for her as much when she leaves for work. (Yes, both of them have to work; they live in Mumbai remember? Who will pay their rents otherwise?)

Now for our good government ... these fellows decided that Mumbai and Mumbaikars need to be protected. So what do they do? Block the blogs! Did they even realize that it was the blogs and we bloggers that helped numerous anxious relatives keep in touch with their loved ones when the cell networks were down? It were these blogs and online communities that gave accurate information about the dead and the wounded? It were these blogs that galvanized people to donate blood that was so much needed??? And just one more point, we need to be ahead of our enemies in this battle .... 'n in cyberspace, we can be ahead only by embracing better technology ... not by banning blogs ... keep your bans for the physical world, we will find out ways to counter your ban in cyberspace (like I did now!) ... and so will the terrorists!

Yet at the end of all this, we Mumbaikars know one thing for sure; that nothing is going to change. Terrorists will attack again, the government will blame the Centre; the Centre, Pakistan. There will committees to decide on beefing up security in the metropolis, and then everything will be back to normal again. We will pay exhorbitant taxes to feed the country, and get overflowing drains, floods, bombs in return! Yes, life will be normal again ... overflowing, stinking local train compartments, dirty platforms and inaudible announcements! And yeah, the rush for the 8:10 CST local...