How do you react to the modern Bombay blasts? Outrage obviously at the audacity and deliberate targets spread across all strata of society. Foreigners killed, resulting in international repercussions; innocent and middle class at the train station and the rich also have no safe haven in the streets and movie hotels.
Fear – because this could escalate into a full scale war based on the PM’s “will take up strongly with our neighbors” and the referrals to the Indian army’s brutality in Kashmir by people claiming to be the gunmen. Fear also that Hindu extremist groups will retaliate with similarly mind boggling attacks on the Muslim community, a situation not dissimilar to Gujarat a few years ago.
Irony – since we feel utter outrage at these attacks but Sri Lankans have faced this situation for decades now. The same mindless killing and attempts to strike at crucial targets which have the maximum casualties.
Helplessness – since in such situations it is always the rich and famous who get protection. The weirdest thing (not related to the previous line) is that every time we enter a shopping mall like Shoppers’ stop in Hyderabad, there is a metal detector and security checking your friend’s purse but we dont take such measures at the train stations where thousands of people pass through everyday.
