Let’s not go the Beirut way
Appalling as the events of the last 24 hours may be, what is most disturbing is the way many of us have become cynical about such events. Years ago, while studying in the US, a Lebanese friend of mine told me that in Beirut as kids, they would walk to school while gunfights and shelling would go on in the adjacent streets. And he used to say that they were not too worried, taking the whole thing in their stride. I always felt that it was insensitive of him.
After watching the TV coverage of what happened in Mumbai, I went out for dinner at around 11.45pm on Wednesday. And my biggest irritation, tragically, was not the mayhem but that my favourite diners were ordered closed by the police (I did not know about the firing inside Cafe Leopold). I wonder whether we are becoming insensitive enough to be going the Beirut way.
Madhur Kotharay
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Officers and gentlemen
As I try and make sense of all these thoughts, I have spoken to several police and paramilitary officers across the country. One opinion came across clearly. The Mumbai Police has shone brightly in this hour of crisis. While the police in other cities and states watched while their cities burnt, the Mumbai Police led from the front.
I wonder if you can recall two powerful movies, ‘Black Hawk Down’ and ‘SWAT’. In both these movies, you can see the officers sitting in control rooms watching the action on several video screens while the men put their lives in danger. Indian police officers have always led from the front—and Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Sadanand Date and Vijay Salaskar were epitomes of the idea of an officer.
Illustration: Jayachandran / Mint
They led from the front. They, along with their colleagues, placed themselves in harm’s way instead of sitting in the control room. And they paid for their commitment with their lives. They swore to serve and to protect, and they did just that.
I think this episode also reflects on the politicians whom we love to hate. Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil ensured that the best team was at the helm of Mumbai Police: Hassan Gafoor, K.L. Prasad and Hemant Karkare. As much as we like to revile politicians, in this one case, they put in place the best team available for Mumbai.
When the history of this dark hour is written, let it not be forgotten that this was the Mumbai Police force’s finest hour.
When you go about your daily life, spare a thought and a prayer for the brave men who laid down their lives so that we may all sleep safely tonight. God bless them all.
Raj Khalid
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Politicians, rise to the occasion
How many more lives will be sacrificed? How many more innocent people will we let die without any reason? It is time political parties stopped vote bank politics and the war of allegations against each other. It’s time to act for the safety of the nation.