Unmask the attacker

It’s like rewinding to March 12, 1993, when calibrated bomb blasts changed Mumbai forever. Once again has the brave megapolis, which had seldom allowed itself to be fazed by adversity, been grievously attacked and in a manner that is so despicable, so cowardly, that it is difficult to find the words to condemn the brutality, the senseless horror of it all. By making unsuspecting citizens hostage to their agenda of terror, the attackers have shown themselves to be nothing but brutes — beyond human reason or compassion. They must be unmasked. Mumbai cannot, must not, be held hostage to the insane diabolism of the faceless terrorist.

As the families of the dead mourn their loss, the nation mourns with them. This, we recognise, is an attack not just on individuals, or a city, or a state, but on the nation. The time has come to squarely confront the terror in our midst. The fact that Monday’s incidents — the worst since the serial blasts of 1993 — constitute the sixth such attack in the megapolis since last December points to a grave and systemic failure on the part of the Maharashtra government to address the threat. It also indicates that intelligence gathering at a national level is proving inadequate to the monumental task at hand. This is no firecracker bursting in a tin can. Calibrated serial blasts of this nature indicate careful planning and meticulous execution, which points in turn to powerful forces working to destabilise what is arguably the country’s most important city given the fact that Mumbai constitutes its commercial hub. To secure it is therefore an imperative, not just for the local government alone but for the nation. But ensuring that this is done in a city of 18 million is, of course, notoriously difficult given the ease with which bombs and IEDs can be planted in public places and transport systems. To make matters worse, Mumbai’s police have shown themselves to be inadequate to the task.

This means that the time for desultory, uncoordinated action is over. It means that there has to be a holistic plan meticulously conceived that addresses the threat at every level, from ensuring the safety of citizens going about their lives, to intelligence gathering at the mohalla, city, national and international levels. It means that political parties lay aside their differences and work towards fighting a common enemy. It means that ordinary citizens have to display a high degree of alertness, unity and, yes, courage, because life must go on. The next few days are especially crucial, because they will see major festivals involving mass participation. The situation is tense and worrisome. Both Mumbai and India must rise up to the challenge.