Mumbai under attack

I predicted in Nov 2009 that a terrorist attack with happen in Bombay within a year. I am glad the prediction didn't come true. But ultimately it happened and not too long after the Seige of Bombay

The reason is simple. Because to execute such an attack is simple. There are ample holes in our security apparatus - right from intelligence to disaster management. Even a child (remember how old the 2008 terrorists were) can punch holes through it using rubber pellets, and then shoot real bullets on the innocent Mumbai citizens.

The policitians, bureaucrats, police will continue to be brazen and incompetent.

I know why I don't want to be back in Bombay. But not everyone has the means or willingness to get out.

Slumdog Millionaire

For a Mumbaikar turned radical Mumbai-baiter, Slumdog Millionaire should be such a great mouth piece. Showing Bombay in all its gory, disgusting, repulsive, and obscene glory, it should have made me say to the city loyalist, "Look, is this why you really like the city. Look at this ugly mess of the city you got!".

But somehow, it made it long for the place. Because for some reason, the ugly mess is mine (may be I even contributed to it before shamefully copping out ).

I am glad I didn't have a life anywhere close to Jamal's. I did start out in one of those millions shacks near Golibar road, Santacruz, but thanks to the resilience and grit of my grandmother and my parents, I came out of that pretty quickly. At age 5, I was living in a 1 BHK flat - a place a million worlds apart.

Slumdog Millionaire makes you believe in your heart that even fantastically great things do happen to good people. Most of the poorer folks work incredibly hard to earn a living, without purposely trying to subvert the system or break the rules. I think if most of these guys who keep trying and fighting come out winning. Bombay offers them the opportunities to work. They toil terribly hard, subside on vada-pav, send their kids to school, put money away for the rainy day, and find themselves in substantially better place than where they started. I truly think there are a million Slumdog Millionaire stories out there. And I feel proud that a city that is filthy, cramped, and insensitive is still a place where such inspiring stories bloom.

Mumbai molested - update

After the initial foolish reactions from the police (though this there this late tubelight commentary from Sena to contend with), the police have done a fantastic job in rounding up 14 accused.

Great work from the family members and neighbours who handed over one of the molesters, Ravi Shukla.