viewpoint

For the first time I got up at 4.30 am today, not to watch a match. I switched on the TV, keeping the volume low lest I disturb the entire household. I was keen to know how far security forces had succeeded in flushing out terrorists from key buildings in Mumbai.

Mumbai has been in the news till recently for all the wrong reasons. More than the Bihari vs Marathi tussle, Mumbai today is at the crux of the largest terror strike ever on India. Thankfully both the ruling as well as opposition parties are talking in unison.

One only hopes these are not mere words as they have been throug the umpteen terror attacks in the last few years.

The terrorists know fully well that India is an easy and soft target. Till now we had the foreign hand triggering blasts, with a few active sympathisers. But of late, we have full-fledged terrorist organisations that are active.

It is time the politicians stop condemning such attacks or blaming it on ISI. Even if ISI is behind this, what are we doing to preempt terrorist activity. We have hardly any intelligence to stall surprises. Add to it the state-centre spat. The blame game continues for a few days with the Home Minister announcing that the state government (which controls the state police) was forewarned. And the nothing is done.