As Mumbai grieves, India urges Pakistan to act ‘decisively’

Indian FM turns to neighbour on third anniversary of the 2008 terror attacks.

NEW DELHI: Birds twittered as they always do; waves broke and washed the shore as they always do.

But Saturday morning Mumbaikars (as the residents of Mumbai are popularly referred to) were torn between anger, sadness and tears — nostalgia ran across the city marking the third anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Solemn promises were repeated, as were threats. Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna said India is waiting for Pakistan to act “decisively” after providing it with evidence on alleged perpetrators who are living in Pakistan and the evidence provided was “sufficient” to prosecute those behind the “inhuman act”.

Meanwhile, Ajmal Kasab – the lone gunman caught alive after the attack and kept in a high-security egg-shaped prison cell in a jail in Mumbai – woke up to a regular morning.

He was made aware of the third death anniversary of the people he had killed.

Oblivious to the importance of the day, he ate potato curry for lunch and pohe (beaten rice) for breakfast — a day like any other for him, but a day that changed lives of hundreds of families in India.

‘India is still waiting’

While remembering the lost ones with a heavy heart, India urged Pakistan to take strong action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 people, three years ago.

The Indian foreign minister said that the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy has no place in today’s world and is self-destructive.

“We are still waiting for Pakistan to act decisively to bring to justice the perpetrators of the mindless violence that was unleashed on Mumbai. We are still waiting,” Krishna told reporters.

“I think the evidence provided by the ministry of home affairs would be sufficient for any normal civilian court to prosecute the people involved in the conspiracy and the perpetrators of this crime,” asserted Krishna.

“We call upon all our neighbours to join us in this endeavour of building a better future for our peoples,” he said.

Mumbai grieves

Meanwhile, in the homes of victims of the horrific attack, sadness lay like heavy fog. Relatives went to the police memorial and laid flowers and wreaths. Many donated blood. But many were outraged that they had not received justice.

“Why has Kasab not been hanged yet? Are we waiting for another 26/11-type horrific attack?” 13-year-old Devika Rotwan asked.

On November 26, 2008, Devika’s father Natwarlal was waiting at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) with her and son Akash when two terrorists opened fire at the railway station. Shot in the right leg, Devika was the youngest eyewitness to depose in the court.

For Kalpana Shah, who lost her husband Pankaj in the attack at the Oberoi Hotel, it has not been easy to forget the ordeal. “It has been three years...justice has not been served... Kasab is still alive,” she said with a heavy heart.

Wearing white shirts, the bold and the beautiful of Mumbai – from Bollywood stars to item girls, from film singers to the denizens of Bigg Boss – walked to the Nariman Point to mark the third anniversary.

Media networks were torn in two: While Sachin Tendulkar was playing in his home ground at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to earn his elusive hundredth ton, tears of the 26/11 victims’ widows made for great visuals too.

On Saturday, India paid homage to the victims and martyrs with hope and courage.

“We also salute the courage and fortitude of the families who lost their loved ones in that senseless act of violence,” said Krishna.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2011.