Let’s look at the bright side

As the proverb goes, even the darkest cloud has its silver lining. While the heart goes out to the victims and the families of the Mumbai attacks, it must be said a few good things have emerged from the horrific tragedy.

Mumbaikars have smelt the coffee
The usually ultra busy citizens of the city, people who have no time for much else but the pursuit of personal ambitions, have finally woken from their apathy and today, many are desperate to get involved in the running of Mumbai, desperate to jump into public life. From students to housewives to pub crawlers to bank clerks to spot boys to biz tycoons… everyone is brimming with ideas for change. What can be sweeter than that? The one big reason the netas have so far gotten away with incompetence, sloth and corruption is because we have always looked the other way at their crimes and misdemeanours.

The world is with us
Almost all the developed nations today feel a sense of sympathy and solidarity with us. Not just because of the cruelty of it all, but also because this can happen to them tomorrow. Their leaders are on our side, they want to help. And most importantly, the US has come around to accepting that we are the victims and our neighbour the tormentor. The important thing is we must not lose this collective goodwill, we must not lose this moment. We must ask for global help in sorting the terror factories of Pakistan, of preventing it from totally turning into a rogue state.

Sleepy heads have rolled
With many a failed leader being unceremoniously shown the door, and many incapable babus in the line of fire (all this no doubt a direct result of the public outrage), no neta and bureaucrat will take his/her job lightly from hereon. (Watch out, dear Bhujbal!) Especially when it comes to our safety and survival. For the first time we are seeing a degree of accountability in public life. Hopefully this will be the guiding philosophy of all political parties from now: perform or perish.

Raj has become irrelevant
With the cops, soldiers and NSGs from all over the country coming together as one to rescue Mumbai, clearly Raj Thackeray’s anti North Indian campaign is finished. He dare not attack any fellow Indian from hereon. The venom-spewing neta has no choice but to woo voters on the agenda of safety and development. And if he does muster the temerity to restart the hateful propaganda some months later, here’s hoping the city’s Marathi speaking folks will openly reject him. Just as many of the city’s Muslims are openly rejecting the jihadi ideology in the current time.

Fresh faces on TV
On a lighter note, no longer will we have to endure the same publicity hungry, quote hunting pseudo celebs on our television talk shows. The aam aadmi wants to speak out and be heard. And she and he is making a lot of sense. No longer is the common woman and man camera shy. The TRPs of news channels will surely see a vertical swing. And yes, we shan’t have to put up much with young Ritesh Deshmukh in them movies.

Jai Hind!