TERRROR AND HORROR IN SERIAL BOMB BLASTS

On 26th July ’08, Ahmedabadis experienced the worst terror and horror in their hustle and bustle life. The serial bomb blast at 21 different places of eastern Ahmedabad, including the Civil and L.G. Hospital turned it as a ghost city. The scattered dead bodies of innocent people and injured screaming for help, and wailing relatives made a frightening and horrific scene. It was an unexpected attack on the people in a most brutal manner, as they were not aware what was in offing for them. In fact it happened in a State, where its Chief Minister quite often assured the people that bomb blasts by terrorists is a remote possibility in view of the strict vigil of the Police and other Intelligence Agencies. However, the worst strike by the terrorists in recent memory of the State shell hocked the common man with dismay and disbelief. The impact of the blasts left more than 50 people dead and three times more injured many amongst them maimed to live a pathetic life during the rest of their lives. The bombings were not an isolated incident, it was well planned and executed and intended to create chaos and fear psychosis amongst the common man. This is because of the fact that on the subsequent days Surtis had to spend sleepless nights and anxious moments due to the findings of 28 live bombs in different localities on different days in the City of Surat. Not only the unexploded bombs marred the normal life in Surat, the hoax calls and terror mail put the police on tenterhooks in Baroda city. And as such that the people living in three main cities of the State and its surrounding areas for the first time felt in secured and vulnerable to threats.


The responsibility of the bomb explosions was purportedly claimed by ‘Indian Mujahedeen’, and their terror mail before the explosions to the media has made an embarrassing situation for the Government, as the same questioned the credibility and preparedness to meet their open challenge. We can not neglect the fact that the serial bomb blasts took place after the bomb blasts in Jaipur and Bangalore, and also the serial blasts in Mumbai and bomb explosions in Hyderabad, New Delhi and other parts of the country with varying intensities in the recent past. Our investigating agencies could not make a break through to pin point the real culprits and their purpose for launching these inhuman acts of bloodshed in different parts of the country. Further, the repeated bomb blasts on innocent people highlighted the failure of the Central and State Governments to formulate a fool proof preventive measures against the periodical onslaughts by the terrorist outfits. As a matter of fact, the prestige of our country has shaken at international level in view of its inability to protect the lives and property of the citizens and finding the hide outs and local networks of terrorist organizations in different parts of the country.


Amit Shah, Minister of State for Home of Gujarat State has rightly termed that the attacks in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bangalore and elsewhere are a part of international conspiracy against our country and without the local involvements, the terrorist acts would not have been possible. However, the alertness on the part of the people of the State, specially in the City of Surat prevented further bloodshed and large scale destruction, and the timely action on the parts of Police and Bomb disposal squads in diffusing the live bombs found in different parts of the City saved the situation going out of control.


Though the Government has announced certain relief measures to the victims, it is now high time to think about the permanent rehabilitation of the kin and the dependents of the dead and injured. This is because of the fact that such a strong resolve on the part of the Government will show the world as how we are serious and compassionate towards the welfare and sufferings of our citizens.


Even though the first act of rescue and spontaneous action towards their fellow beings came from the people from the vicinity of the blast sites by providing all the required possible helps in the critical first hour, the people of the State expect some concrete action from Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority to formulate emergency response plans in case of terrorists strikes too, over and above their normal functions of handling man made and natural disasters.


As regards the fixing up of blame for this dastardly and inhuman act, the general tendency is to accuse the minority community for harboring the criminals and supporting the terror outfits. However, after the serial bomb blast, the political parties and religious organizations kept maximum restraint as nobody wanted to aggravate the volatile and surcharged situation and make the things more complex and unmanageable. The Chief Minister of the State also deserves appreciation for his emotional appeal to the people of the State in maintaining peace and harmony and declaring the attackers as enemies of the nation. Further, he was also quick in requisitioning the army for flag march in the affected areas of Ahmedabad and announcing a red alert in the entire state against as a precautionary measure by exhorting the law enforcing machinery and intelligence agencies to work shoulder to shoulder in this hour of crisis, so as to instill a sense of faith and confidence amongst the shell shocked people of his State.


However, the repercussions of the blast has to be analysed by the Government with a view to take more pragmatic measures to make good of the loss of its image as a safe place for investment and peaceful living and also a good destination for the tourists to move freely anywhere in the State without feat and threat to their safety and security. In addition, the authorities concerned should also calculate the loss of production and loss of earning during the chaos after the serial bomb blasts, as the Police warned the people that they would stay indoors for their safety and closure of business and other establishments in the affected areas. Therefore, it is the onerous duty of the Government to bring out a white paper regarding the actual loss during the turmoil and also the future plan of action entailing the details of beefing up the security and intelligence networks so as to refurbish its lost image and activate one and all with a resolve to see that such terror plots may not be possible so easily in future.


At last, a silver line is appearing amongst the thick clouds. This silver line is the spontaneous and organized protests of the Muslim community in certain parts of the state against the cruel and mad acts of terrorist organizations and thus showing the world that they would never support any terror outfits in the name of religion or revenge. The way they expressed their sympathy, kindness and solidarity with their suffering brethren of bomb blasts has in real sense made a direct impact in soothing the tempers and feelings of a section of the society who always thought that the Muslims played a hidden role in the bomb blasts.

Although the Gujarat Police claimed to have busted the terror module of Student's Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and arrested 10 persons including the master mind behind the bomb blast from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bharuch, Azamgadh in U.P., the investigation is only the tip on the iceberg and more coordinated and joint effort in the investigation is required with the support of all State Governments and Central Government to find out the larger conspiracy, involvement of international terror outfits, their strategy to destablise our country including the funding and plans for terror activities in various parts of the country. This is a herculean task and thus the Government and the people of the country should not be complacent and there is a need of continuous vigil and alertness so that such tragic and terrific acts by the enemies of our beloved nation may not be possible or easy to carryout in future.
Let us hope that a new awakening of solidarity and brotherhood may emerge very soon between the two major communities which in turn will isolate the enemies of our nation and thus they may have to pack up their bags and leave the country due to the vigil and anger of the general public and a united society against any sort of violence and terror in the name of religion or ideology!