mAvErIck spEAks

Monday, October 31, 2005

What war is it.


The terror was still in air…almost 24 hours have passed by since that devastating blast at Sarojini Nagar, which claimed many more lives than just the number of casualties. And same as other two blasts sites – Paharganj and Govindpuri.

I was still at my office in Gurgaon when my phone rang and my father informed me about the blast. He, my mother and my sister were in the Sarojini Nagar market at the time of blast and just 5 minutes away from the spot where the unfortunate blast occurred. Since we live in the same area, this market is a part of our lives. Every weekend, in the evenings, strolling down to it and spend time till late night, in the bustling zigzag streets, with my friend Aditya is fun. But yesterday evening was different. The streets which remained flooded all through the year were near empty. The parking lot, in which finding a parking space was a kind of privilege, had OB Vans from the TV channels. The market, which I had seen always seen bathing in the colors of lights, was today shoved in the darkest corner.

The air still smelt of Saturday’s fateful incident. A mix of DDT powder, which was spread to sanitize the place, and burnt bodies, welcomed me as soon as I reached the very spot. It was the place where only last weekend, I and Adtiya had our glasses of juice. I don’t want to think even what must have happened to those who were present there when the blast occurred. TV cameras leave nothing to imagination.

There were few people on the streets – some of them were trying to wrap up their shopping as soon as they could and some were there just as mere spectators – mute spectators to a battery of camera persons and microphones, which were being thrust to their faces for a quick sound byte. Police men on duty were either busy in just hanging around or were trying to regulate crowd, which actually wasn’t much. They had not much of an option to do…

In a park, in the market, a blood donation camp was being organized. Thoughtful indeed…

It was ground zero, after the devastation and an earthen lamp pays tribute to those who lost lives…

All this for a war. A war against whom… a war in which innocent lives got killed…a war which claimed not only the casualties but families. Someone’s father… someone’s mother…someone’s only young son…someone’s daughter…the sole bread winner of some family…someone who got married recently…someone…

The war always kills innocents. The soldier at the front is an innocent who picks up the rifle to kill another soldier who is equally innocent. Then, who is the culprit…who is waging this war against whom…and why this war…what needs to be achieved out of it…

What war is it…