VARNASI BLASTS-MUTED RESPONSE

We have become used to everything in life. Nothing shakes us. Our tolerance should get a Noble prize. The death of numerous ordinary citizens at Varnasi has been accepted without much fuss. I am not talking of political mileage but the intellectual debate and action required. The print media has also not come forth with editorials demanding tougher stance from the government.
We are projecting a very soft government and our inability to punish the culprits gives courage to the miscreants. Let us look at the recent terrorist attacks. In August 2003, two bomb blasts in Bombay killed more than 50 people. In September 2004, around 30 people died in a gun attack on a temple in Gujarat. And last October, more than 60 were killed in a series of bomb blasts in Delhi. In Hyderabad last October, a suicide bomber blew himself up 200 yards from the Andhra Pradesh state Chief Minister's office, killing only himself. And in Bangalore in December, a man ran into a conference at the Indian Institute of Technology and hurled several grenades which failed to explode, before firing a AK-47, killing a professor.
Our apathy is completely opposite to what the Americans have done. I do not agree with the Bush governments antics but he has been able to curb acts of terrorism at least on American soil.
It is high time we took a tough stance and send a strong message to every one concerned. Our pseudo secular leaders are making this country impotent.
To begin with we need to weed out the corrupt officials within the government. It is hard to imagine that these criminals can exist without the support of the government machinery in one form or the other.