Discordant Conformance - The way ahead

This blog was meant to air my views about things I consider important - for myself, people around me, my world, my country, the world. These were meant to be topics that are generally not discussed in the office pantry, or for that matter with friends over a beer, because of the need to maintain political correctness as also driven by the fact that not many people would actually be interested enough in them to exchange views or they may just simply not wish to discuss them.

A number of times over the past year, I have started creating blogposts - after major events noticed by all or even after events that I thought deserved more column-space in the dailies that what they got on the 6th page besides the Festival Sale advertisement or just happenings in my life that are nowhere in the dailies (and rightly so). However, most of the times, I have given up on it after writing a few lines. The reasons have been numerous including laziness about doing some research, thinking and expressing myself coherently, maintaining a 'correct' facade as also time constraints. Leaving apart the laziness part, one other reason being that I found it quite a challenge to pull together a multitude of threads of thoughts on the topic into an ordered assembly of arguments. Essay writing was one of my fortes in school, clearly that isn't the case now. Additionally, there was always the niggling fear of putting in the public domain my thoughts which, as I mentioned previously, aren't necessarily the most 'hep' or politically correct way of thinking in these times in my circles. Lastly, but not the least, there is the constraint of time to devote to this apart from work and life. But the last one is just an excuse and not a reason, I guess.

Anyways, I have finally decided to try to give vent to my thoughts and opinions, which I'm sure are not worth a penny to anyone besides me - why should they be anyway. Regardless of this, I believe this would give me a chance to arrange my thoughts and look at them in an orderly fashion rather than the mess that they create in my mind. Moreover, this will at the very least allow me to record my thoughts at different points in time and hold myself accountable for any subconscious/gradual perceptible shifts in my opinions or viewpoints.

So here goes the resolution: try to devote at least half an hour every day for jotting down my thoughts, opinions and views (all a load of horsecrap, frankly) on paper or rather on Discordant Conformance.

Fresh Terror Attacks in Mumbai...again

Around 11:00 pm
NDTV started reporting on a shooting incident near Colaba and VT station. These locations were "very far apart in the city". VT station was repeatedly described as one of the largest railway stations in mumbai which gets local as well as outstation trains.

It was funny seeing the anchors with absolutely no idea of Mumbai geography stumbling with the locations, their distance and giving repeated descriptions of the locations.

Around 11:15 pm
"There have been several shooting incidents in Mumbai"
There has been blast at Oberoi hotel.
Shooting inside the VT station.

It wasn’t funny any more.

Around 11:20 pm
People have been evacuated from the VT station. All trains on the Central line have been stopped.

A shooting incident is also reported in Vile Parle.
Shooting also at the Trident Hotel, previously called the Hilton Hotel.

11:20 pm

A Mr. Sharma of the railways says “2 people have been killed by shooting inside the VT station”

Around 11:25 pm
Shooting happening at the VT station. There is news of terrorists holed up inside the station.
There is also news of shooting at the Taj Hotel.

Police are out on the streets of the city with weapons drawn.

Around 11: 30 pm
Abu Azmi – of all people: TV, irony thy name – is brought on the line saying "this is an obvious intelligence failure"

11:40 pm

There is news of terrorists having held up people at Oberoi hotel and the VT station.

There is news of a bomb explosion at the Oberoi hotel as well. Flames are seen at the hotel.

11:45 pm

There has been shooting outside the airport and near Santa Cruz.

Around 11: 50 pm
Milind Deora, MP from South Mumbai comes on camera on NDTV. Says "I am going around South Mumbai. This is clearly not a bomb attack." He almost sounded relieved. People are dying, but hey, it isn't a bomb attack.

"The main message your channel should convey is that people shouldn't panic." Reminded me of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Whatever happens, the solution is DON'T PANIC. And I'm sure in a few days our esteemed Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil will come in an impeccably dressed safari suit to say that people should maintain peace and communal harmony.

11:55 pm

PM’s office confirms news of incidents in Mumbai

Around 11:57 pm
News coming in of gun shots being fired at Cama and GT hospitals where the injured are being brought in.

12:00 midnight
Correspondent: “Home ministry has sprung into action. They are confirming reports of 5 incidents in Mumbai. There is going to be something at the Home Minister’s house”

News Anchor: There are clearly more than 5 incidents. Probably 6 or 7.

00:02 am

Anurag (Correspondent): I have seen 20-25 dead bodies with my own eyes at Saint George’s hospital. There was a horrible explosion at a taxi with parts of the taxi being flung up to 4^th floor of neighbouring buildings.

00:06 am

City is under an unprecedented scale of attack from north to south of the city. We can confirm at least 25 killed.

00:08 am

A DGP of Maharashtra: “Unknown terrorists have opened fire indiscriminately. There have also been grenade blasts. At least 7-8 places. At least 2 places, terrorists are holed up – Taj and Oberoi Hotel.”

00:13 am

Policemen shown in position outside the famous Taj hotel. “Operation is on in the 2^nd floor of the hotel. Commandos and a senior level hotel are inside”

A fire shown raging at the Trident Hotel.

00:15 am

Very serious explosion at Bori Bandar at Victoria Terminus.

“A team of black cat commandos being sent in to help the police engaged in the encounter”

00:17 am

Reports of an explosion inside the Taj hotel as well.

Ibnlive website lists 10 dead at VT station shooting, 10 more by an explosion at a petrol station, 3 dead in a bomb explosion in a taxi at Mazgaon docks and 3 more at the Taj Hotel.

00:24 am

Advani has called up PM and asked about what has happened. Sonia Gandhi calls up CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and asks for a report on the incidents.

It just goes on and on….