So on 3rd December 2008, people walked like never before, the traffic halted but slogans subdued impatient horns; people peeped out of buses and walked out of their cars. The crowd technically, as I gathered, was meant to gather at the Gateway of India. Mostly, people got stuck at Regal and to make matters worse, network of most mobile operators was pathetic and the gateway to the gateway was jammed with a cross movement of the mob!

The next day, the only slogans that were seemingly remembered were those that called for Justice, Action, Solidarity, Accountability and transparency! Well, I was there from around 5 45 to around 8 pm and the most often heard slogan was -"Pakistan chor hain"! Either I was hallucinating for no reason I can fathom, or people just did not want to mention such stuff to GP on his first lecture!

My idea of going there was never debated before but pondered and badgered later. I just went there because I did not want to see the glorified version of the march on the Television. I was angry at what happened on the 26th but I did not go there, not in the slightest, to express that... I did not think shouting of a few slogans could make a difference. In fact, my primary concern was that such a public gathering could be a soft target, a not so open jalianwallah to be precise, especially with bombs replacing the rifles, the same impact. For reasons I thank, the night was only fuelled by anger.

But anger to imply what? I was reminded of Birbal's fabel where he tries to cook with the pot hanging up above and the burning hearth below. I'd heard Shobha De say in one of television programs that the chief minister should resign, the home minister should resign...we need accountability (they did, of course)! I think that when the defence and security of a country is at stake, resignation should have been a secondary issue -mandamus should have been the first. If you have not done your job well, then here's the show cause, do it...there is no 'if you don't' because we did not elect you for that. Perhaps 03/12 was an attempt at a mandamus but was somewhere lacking in one voice. Yes, we are angry and we want you to do blah blah blah like, may be include compulsory practical disaster/terror management in our curriculam (frankly, i presume casualities increased to such numbers also becuase people really did not know what to do...whether it be CST, Taj or Oberoi), have regional NSG groups; like in times of emergency, have a unified body to take the decision....something like that! But there was not one placard telling us a practical solution to vent our anger.

Well the pak part. I do not think that we have any right to comment about pakistan's credibility when we ourselves do not have a credible governmnet. Secondly, I do not think that Pakistan, if it is, the only haven for terrorists. Thirdly, I quite agree with what the pak foreign min said that those fuckers don't have any religion, any nationality. Thoughts apart, if ISI indeed is conspiring against India then, our job is to ensure we are safe. I think it would be more economical to secure your house rather than have the robber killed!

The fire brigade cannot fight fire with fire.