In the game of Chess, a pawn is considered as the one who's least powerful and its main intention is to serve the King's orders (metaphorically, of course). After the requirement is fulfilled, pawn usually dies. For a better good of the team. The opposition seldom considers this as victory.
On 21st November 2012, Ajmal Kasab was hanged. Rightfully so, I may add. The operation was secretly done to avoid any hostage like situation and backlash from human rights activists. But the bigger question here is, "Did we defeat terrorism?" and "Did we actually win?". The answer is a plain and simple NO!
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| Image: Kind courtesy hillpost.in |
Let's get the "apparent" victory in perspective. This is truly, and humbly, a victory for all those people who suffered on 26th November 2008 and are still suffering. Many soldiers of our country stood up to face terrorists and went down fighting. Its a victory for their families. Many survived to live the tale but are still not out of the trauma. Its a victory for them. Mumbai witnessed in shock as our city was taken hostage by terrorists and innocent citizens were brutally killed. Its a victory for Mumbai. Its also a victory for our country as we showed the world that despite what these terrorists did to us, we still allowed them a fair trial. We didn't respond to terrorism by terrorism. We showed the world that despite Ajmal Kasab's country didn't come forward to claim his body, we gave him a proper burial in our own soil. This is the country I live in.
However, I am concerned about the 'victory' some people are proclaiming. We still have a long way to go to bring the original perpetrators to justice. Terrorists are hiding in their own land and nothing is being done to catch hold of them. I don't blame the people of that land. They are victims of terrorism too! Unless, we get hold of the 26/11 mastermind and lay appropriate punishment as decided by our legal framework, victory is not ours. As I mentioned previously, this incident is just killing a pawn in the game of Chess. We have responded to our oppositions' moves. We have responded to terrorism. We have shown we are not tolerant and Mumbai spirit has a limit.
We have won the battle, but the war is still there to be won..
we are nowhere near victory. this was an execution that needed to be done once the trial was over. 4 years on is late enough... then comes the issue that he is a nobody.. a punkass kid given a gun and told to shoot.
ReplyDeletestrict measures should be in place to make sure any such plan gets nipped in the bud.
Trial done and now execution done. We are observing 4 yrs of Mumbai terror attacks and still the master-minds are shielded from us.
DeleteCouldn't agree more Binu. I mean yes very importantly this is definetely some sort of a closure for those who were actually affected on that day, but this is not victory. Your last sums up everything cleanly, we have a long long way to go. The Mahabharat has just started.
ReplyDeleteFor some its little bit of justice at last. For some, we are still long way to go.
Deletewell u said it in the last line .. THe war is still on .. and we will ONLY win if our leaders actually had the balls to do something for the nation for ONCE
ReplyDeleteBikram's
Infact leaders from both the countries can contribute. But that's not happening due to many reasons!
Deleteaccording to me, it should have been done long back and gotten over with it... what if he had been shot down at the spot where he was caught?
ReplyDeletelike you said war is just on...
You have a point Deeps. It should have been dealt with in the same year itself. The fact that he was caught alive somewhat helped us track the original masterminds. Unfortunately, they are being shielded and protected in their own homeland.
DeleteTrue. The big war is still very much on with the king still very much alive, all we can do is play our parts responsibly and hope that small steps like these pave the way to win the ultimate war someday.
ReplyDeleteThese are small steps - signs of moving forward in the war against terrorism. We still have a long way to go.
DeleteTrue Binu, we have not got the victory we all desired for. But yet India has sent a message to the world. "We didn't respond to terrorism by terrorism" and we have not surrendered to terrorism as well.
ReplyDeleteA step in the right direction, but only a step after all.
DeleteWe surely have a long way to go. Hope it's not as long as it happens in India!
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DeleteSomething bizarre happened to the comments on some of my posts. My apologies.
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