We all live in a time whenever, irrespective of the day, you either pick up a newspaper or switch on the TV, it is almost impossible to not come across a news about violence or terror strikes. The whole world appears to be a place which is plagued by terror or such violent acts against humanity.One of such acts that shook the whole nation took place on 26/11, Mumbai terror attacks when a group of Pakistani gunmen sprayed bullets around the city killing at least 166 people and leaving hundreds injured. The ghastly attacks continued for three days till all the terrorists were either killed or captured.
It was, and remains, the ghastliest act of terror on Indian soil. We needed to group as a nation and work towards preventing such attacks as well as think on why such things happen. Media, here, is a tool which, if acting responsibly, can influence the nation's thought process on a multitude of issues.
However, of late, in the run to grab eyeballs, it has been engaging itself in various agenda driven non-issues. There are times when issues of larger importance are pushed aside as media gets a 'new issue'to talk about. As a result, we don't ever reach a solution.
But, should that not be our topic of debate every day till we find the solutions for it?
Coming to the 26/11, the anniversary of Mumbai terror attacks, one will definitely find this headline in every newspaper today: 'Seventh anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks'. The attacks, which claimed 166 lives and left hundreds injured, has been reduced to just another story of 'bravery' in the country where you dedicate a day and forget about it till the next time.
After the Mumbai terror attacks, the entire country came together and proclaimed to the rest of the world, and the terror outfits, that we were resilient and we would fight back to normalcy.
Just one thing about the above statement, to now wonder about, is that didn't it represent India's tolerance and capabilities of avenging the pain strategically, rather than becoming vogue and going on an armed rampage?
Anyways, at this point in time the debate about India being tolerant or intolerant is probably not the biggest agenda at hand; rather it should not be one.
One is left wondering about the actual effect of this incident on Indians. Even after the seven years that have gone by after the 26/11, all we been able to achieve out of those roaring slogans that we all related to is that one can come and attack, and we will 'show' our tolerance and keep living the life as the day before yesterday.
The most used catchphrase was "enough is enough" but where has this supposed intolerant statement gone now?
In true sense, 26/11 has now become a mere symbol of a Mumbaikars' resilience. Since then, several movies have been made on the incident, the so-called elites who were vocal about it, have gone back to being the celebrities they were.
That day had babies crying, men running roundabouts, women grappling to the tiniest shards to save lives and then, there were the ones who were trying to kill all of them.
But Mumbai woke up to a morning as normal as possible, if not less.
It's not only the tragedy to ponder upon but also the reflection of the flaws so that it never occurs again.
What the citizens of India are to deliberate upon is, are we being intolerant for the right reasons or our focus has diverted to an unnecessary propaganda?
This country seems to be more tolerant than required. With no groundbreaking steps been taken in the past 7 years to assure the citizens that an incident of this magnitude would never occur again, and the common mass along with media, being entangled in statements by eminent people, where is the logical prioritising of issues in this country going?
Is India really intolerant or rather, it is unexpectedly the opposite?
The country needs to introspect and figure out the right reasons to be intolerant rather than ranting about tolerance or intolerance as a matter of fundamental right.