Union Home Minister P Chidambaram repeatedly reminded the people of Mumbai that the July 13 serial bomb blasts at three distinctly crowded spaces in the city came 31 months after the last one at Pune, also in Maharashtra. Mumbai seems to bear the brunt of terror attacks, perhaps because it is the financial capital of the country. Terrorists would want to cripple India’s economy and break the back of its most vibrant metropolis. This is a given. What is not understood is how the Union Government has failed to put in place a better system of intelligence gathering and emergency response system after the 26/11 attack. The general feeling today is one of anger that those who handle the strategic affairs of this country look for alibis after every terror attack and explain away the security lapses and intelligence failure.
Many decisions were taken to beef up security after the major terror attack in 2008 November, but very little of that has been implemented. Maharastra Chief Minister Prithvi Raj Chavan repeatedly observed that his government is much better prepared today than it was three years ago. But that is poor consolation. For the ordinary citizen life is very insecure. Terrorists still choose their targets and can strike at will. People will respond in pretty much the same way. First there will be anger, then candle light vigils followed by media overdrive and discussions galore on television about who is at fault. The decibels will rise as each participant pushes to hear his voice. Then people will brace themselves and move on to another day and another tragedy and yet another with no accountability and no responsibility. And this is supposed to be the resilience of the people of Mumbai! But do they have a choice?
The only difference between this event and 2008 is that the response from the Centre has been quick. Home Minister, Chidambaram landed at Mumbai five hours after the attack in the wee hours of Thursday. This is some consolation for the people of Mumbai particularly for those who lost their kith and kin in the blast. Chidambaram walked the streets where the blasts occurred and briefed himself from ground zero. But is that enough? Is India vulnerable because it is surrounded by theatres of conflict or because it is unable to strengthen its own security apparatus? This query requires an honest answer.