A year after 26/11. Has anything changed?

Today evening at a public forum, I was asked to say few words on the occasion of first anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks. The ‘mother of all attacks’, which had kept Mumbai awake for three whole days.
And I flatly refused to speak. I did not want be a hypocrite and speak on where our government lacked and what they should do or not do etc
In fact the last whole week I was sick of watching the rat race of different channels trying to show “how differently this tragedy can be revisited and presented”. These TV channels went to the actual affected sites, interviewed each and every person related to that event and did not even spare the family members (of dead ones) to grieve in peace. Or gave them some solitude to mourn their personal loss. The whole idea of such TV networks was to make family members cry and create or gain artificial sympathy. It was as if the networks were not caring how low they were going, to catch the eyeballs. In fact, the race for TRP was getting so ridiculous that I wondered what next? Are the journalists now going to try the last trick of the book i.e by going to heaven and taking interviews of the persons who died on that day? Perhaps in future they would find a way to do that also!!

Add to that, the most appalling part was the peace walks, morchas, demonstrations, candlelight marches, seminars, exhibitions, talk shows, debates, so on and so on. It looked like every NGO, social organization, political party was trying to take advantage of that day by trying to portray ‘how concerned we are’ for India and how we empathies with the dead ones. Everyone had a punch line that ‘how their supreme sacrifices should not go waste’.
In the afternoon also, when I had gone to VT, Nariman Point and other parts of town, it seems that the marches, slogans, demonstrations, street exhibitions etc were here, there, everywhere. Everyone wanted to be part of this façade and all of them wanted to appear on TV or media. In fact more then the actual issue, the bottom line was about getting noticed. That is, appearing on media and TV to get personal mileage for themselves or their organization.
But why am I angry at all these publicity seeking pathetic attempts? Why do I think that all this is hypocrisy at its best? And the answer is not hard to seek. Last year after the terror attacks, everyone and every NGO including citizen association of elite areas (Cuffe Parade N. Point, Malabar hill) took to streets. They occupied prominent place in newspapers and TV networks for more then a month. They screamed, protested, created uproar, gave opinions about what is wrong with India, the government its citizens etc. And also whose fault it was and what should be done. Many suggested of changes in policy, government and anything they could think of blaming. The uproar was so huge that it seemed like finally the elite class was being concerned with what is happening with non-elite common public. There also emerged a feeling that average citizens will now be more aware and proactive in matter of governance and their rights.

But all that proved to be a illusion. Hopes rose only to be dashed. All these so called social reformers talked about participative governance. But when the need for voting came, it was back to the old habits. The voting in those elite areas was mere forty percent in both LS and VS elections. Now everyone knows that base of successful democracy is in participation of voting process by all and thereby ensuring election of an effective government. But what we observed was all talk and no action by these so called elite citizens and their elite social organizations. That made me so bugged and angry at them. Only talk and no action. These were people who occupy important positions in corporate and were symbol of wealth and power. They had an genuine opportunity to make the difference but they really squandered their chance away by not coming down to vote. What right they have to question the government or give suggestions? Hence I refused to talk and be a part of ‘all words and no action’
to be continued......