Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Resilient Mumbaikar

Seven blasts in 19 minutes would have terrorised and demoralised anyone. But not the Mumbaikars. After coming to terms with the situation, they got into the act of revival. Even before police and fire force personnel arrived on the scene, they commenced rescue operations, transported the stranded to their homes, and provided food, water, and shelter to the needy. They exhibited courage, presence of mind, concern for fellow beings, and human spirit under adverse conditions.

Ramesh Joshi,
Bangalore

No words can give expression to the valiant, never-say-die attitude of Mumbaikars. Without depending on the sluggish government machinery to attend to their woes, they have proved they have no match. The rest of India should feel proud of them and emulate the spirit they display every time the city is under siege.

K. Venkitasubramanian,
Chennai

After the blasts, the people were out on the streets saving lives and helping victims reach the hospital without waiting for the police and ambulances. They queued up to donate blood. In the past few days, the city has been devastated by rains and came under a brief spell of arson by the Shiv Sena. Yet the people reached out to help others without sitting in the safety of their homes.

G. Satyanarayana,
Bangalore

The report "Mumbai back on track" (July 13), ironically, has a picture above of a distraught woman, wailing over the death of her husband in the bomb blasts. Which Mumbai is back on track? Certainly not the one that lost its family members to the blast or is still searching the city for its missing family members. Why does life go on in Mumbai? As it did after the terrible floods last year when people drowned on the streets, suffocated to death in their cars, and were swept down manholes and into open sewers?

In crisis after crisis, the spirit and courage of the Mumbaikars are saluted, but for how long can they rely on one another? Why should they? Isn't the Government supposed to do anything? As a Mumbaikar, I urge my fellow citizens to question their Councillors, MLAs, and MPs. Don't get on with life as usual. Stop and think for a while. Mumbaikars deserve better.

Geeta D'Souza,
Chennai

The portrayal of Mumbaikars as courageous and on the move on the second day of the tragedy, is one-sided. The local train is the lifeline of Mumbai. People travel on trains because they have no other option. The need of the hour is not to glorify them but to make their travel by trains safer. I am sure the people of Mumbai too fear for their lives.

Mayur Garg,
Chandigarh

It was shocking to see the people get back to business. Such numbing of emotions is serious. `Mumbai shocked,' `Mumbai stunned,' `Mumbai bombed,' `Mumbai back on track,' `Mumbai bounces back' are some media headlines. But we do need headlines such as `India mourns' to learn our lessons and vow to never let such things happen again.

Anil Thomas,
Chennai

The bouncing back was simply because business or monetary interests of most people would have suffered had they not gone to work. While praising their never-say-die spirit, let us not forget that the citizenry should display adequate shock so that it can maintain alertness to thwart such attacks in future.

In dealing with elusive enemies such as terrorists, especially in a country where they have local networks almost everywhere, the state alone cannot succeed.

Dinesh Antil,
New Delhi

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