In your opinion, what has contributed to the maintenance of peace after the blasts?
Responses received on What has retained Communal Harmony after blasts?
– as compiled onâ 20th Sept. 06
Continued from- Responses(Part 1)-
21.
My thoughts on the subject of communal harmony after the blasts-
I presume that political parties have restrained from fuelling the fire of
anger, specially of youth.
Police has acted promptly & mohalla committees have remain active the
adverse reaction of public.
Nalini Chhugani.
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22.
Manipulation of the common man, has long been figured out by the common man.
You cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
– Atrocities committed on any side have nothing to do with the common man – is truly understood.
( the cab driver says, the politicians are no different and we are all fed up )
– the terrorists divisive aim is no secret – violence played too often, looses validity
– the terrorists failed to work out the after bomb strategy – lacking inciters to get people worked up ?
Showing that the common man is ….. a changed force !!
Neesha
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23.
There are two inter related reasons.
Firstly, thanks to the media reports showing pictures of, and reporting on violent mobs indulging in arson and creating chaos; people have become sympathetic towards the community under attack, no matter which community they belong to. Sympathy does not change to anger unless diverted and ignited.
Secondly, political parties and interested groups have understood the futility of inciting trouble.
Both these factors have contributed to greater harmony among communities.
Administration is doing a good job of tracking down the culprits. However, we must remember that public memory is proverbially short. Administration must continue to remain proactive not only in watching the trouble making groups and sensitive areas before the elections and anniversaries of “events”; but they need to adopt a positive policy to keep up the spirit of harmony by encouraging mingling of people on festivals, educating and highlighting the good things about different religions etc.
Judiciary can contribute vastly by ensuring quick disposal of cases and awarding strict punishments to those against whom charges of disturbing peace and inciting violence are made and proved.
sincerely,
C.C. Dayal.
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24.
As regards your question on what kept the violence out after the train blasts I am of the opinion that the Mumbai residents are fed up of violence and have realised that the price of violence is too high and avoidable. Whatever it be, it is good for the city and country.
It is high time the govt and the people in power realise that violence does not pay, nor does it help their cause by shielding rouges in the name of religion/ethnicity. These rogues are spoiling the image of the community not only in
Regards,
Nayan Shah
nayansh@yahoo.com
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25.
This system is getting good. Finally we are moving towards getting and seeing action/interaction rather than words.
Thanks for the updates
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26.
I am currently not in Mumbai, so I donât feel that I am necessarily qualified to respond, however I do get the impression that there has been strong efforts for people in both communities to work together on the project of safety and patrolling which is a fundamental shift in the attitude prevailing. Team work in other words.
Thanks!
Gabriel
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27.
Well this time communal harmony is physical but I donât think it is still well ingrained in the psyche of people. just because there has been no big incident of outright violence, we must not assume that all is well with the social fabric and now it cant tear. religious hatred still simmers in the minds of people, but is is not erupting. it is true that an outburst has not happened which is by it self a good thing, but not good enough.
we have remained by and large peaceful because this time the main trigger for violence , that is provocative rhetoric by political personalities is missing. there were damaging headlines in some news papers and the words used were outright abusive. but this time they did not ignite the kind of hysteria because people are in a way used to misery. the mean world syndrome as they call it is more or less playing on people’s psychology. as a result they have taken mass death and destruction as another leaf in a miserable life. getting used to terror is the worst effect of repeated violence. but this is not a progressive effect, as it can later prove to have been just the calm before the storm.
people from both communities are no less bitter that what they were in the times when they used to react to terror. and this internal bitterness is manifesting itself like slow poison. we see more and more educated, economically well to do families preferring to live in ghettos. Entire areas, housing societies are making and implementing unwritten rules of not allowing other communities to settle in their neighbourhoods. People donât confront people form the other community, rather they just stop dealing with them. these trends can be more damaging than for the future as against the present peace. Harmony means different instruments play together to create music. No music is not harmony.
regards
prachi
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28.
A lot of thanks to provide me opportunity to participate in the debit of communal harmony. I want to express my opinion about this.
Every time after this type of blast our administrator say very easily that this is a part of terrorism but as I know This type of planning need very big resources. It mean big Investment.. My question is Who is funding for all this type of events? No doubt. who can get benefit for all this events. Just look all of this event economically.
Mumbai Bomb blast in train. All the victim was first class passenger. means all are from upper middle class. The event could increase the sale of small cars in Mumbai.
The main culprit is the connecting link between these But our administration cannot resolve this problem because they all are a part of this problem the basic problem is no body like to look the bell then who can tie the bell in the neck of cat?
Thanks
AKHILESH KUMAR SHARMA
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29.
Mostly sensible and well to do citizens donât get so wildly disturbed even by communal disturbances to even think of taking revenge in such cases. It is mostly the lower rung of citizenry and unemployed youth who rouse the passion of others to indulge in the acts of retaliation. But present times are such that every body or at least a vast majority of them are so preoccupied with earning two square meals a day for their families that their thoughts donât wander towards indulging in anti social activities which donât bring them even 2 loafs of bread. They, if they indulge in wrong doings, mostly land in police custody or even physical injury in lathi charge etc. not fetching them anything substantial.
Ram
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30.
Some one has remarked that the present communal peace is indicative of cowardice and self centeredness. Ok, lets accept that.
There is in fact, and has never been, any unrest or uprising in defence of any religious belief. There are only struggles for scarce resources. It is always acceptable to clothe the need to protect/grab resources in religious garments.
If we accept that and then we get together, Hindus and Muslims and Christians and say, look we all need to trade, go to work, send the kids to school, care for the elders, so let us not argue about whose beliefs are valid, lets just get on with our lives — I see no cowardice in that. Quite the contrary, it argues a measure of maturity and self restraint.
If this attitude is partnered with a deeply felt contempt for politicians of all persuasions, so much the better.
I agree that real lasting peace can only flow from deep understanding of the various paths to the Source, but while we work towards that position, let us be grateful for cowardice or whatever that keeps the guns silent.
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31.
I feel the reason for peace was the joint appeals made by the local
religious leaders to the general public. I feel that that the Muslim
community has a much bigger bent of mind when it comes to religion than any
other religion. Hence the appeals made by their local religious leaders had
a strong effect on these people. Hats off to the positive and pro-active
police action in involving the religious leaders and also a personal salute
to these leaders to come out and support the police in doing their jobs.
Secondly, the population of
communities have been staying in the same neighbourhood for long; hence there
was a greater personal equation than the faceless cities where attacks have
taken place recently. I think these two factors have played an important
role in ensuring peace in this troubled area.
Regards
Bhupinder Grewal
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32.
I think people have realized that its useless and futile to fight over religious matters, given the fact that the socio economic background of the communities remain constant and more or less similar. Its the matters of livelihood and basic needs that preoccupy people 24*7 so where are the resources or the efforts to fight. Especially when they know that its an unknown enemy who has struck and not someone out of their own. This realization has happened at the level of the commoner on the streets. It may be a case of class winning over religion.
Binti
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33.
Probably more and more people are seeing through the game of the political parties. So they are just carrying on on the principle live and let live.
Everybody, especially in Mumbai, seems to be on a treadmill as far as surviving is concerned. The moment you stop you are flat on your face. Not really enviable but better than finding time for being pawns of political dons.
P M Ravindran
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34.
I think ordinary people have realised that the terrorists and the politicians both are there to harm the peace and harmony of the country. I feel proud of the fact that none of them could incite violence as both these groups need to understand that people cannot be fooled all the time. Basically who are we hurting by reacting to acts of terrorists, not the terrorists or the politicians who incite the reprisal but ourselves, the citizens of
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35.
According to me the reasons are that this was the handiwork of outside forces who want to destabilise the country and its economy. The people of
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36.
The people have begun to realise that it is the work of trouble-mongers and by reacting violently or by communal riots will only mean doing what these trouble mongers desire. The explosions KILL/ INJURE everyone in the vicinity and does not distinguish between communities.
The people cannot expect much from the Government or Police or any other state authority. Riots and violence are destructive and futile. It will only spread more bitterness and burden the common man more, by way of more tax, cause more damage and hurt, and result in extra expenditure on restoring the damaged infrastructure.
There is very little one can do at the personal level, to counter terrorism, so one needs to be cautious, help the unfortunate victims to the extent possible and get on with life.
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37.
What could be achieved in Mumbai after the bomb blast ,was not achieved in Gujarat specially in
Why not this message in the
Phiroz
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38.
Dear Sir/Madam
It is only politicians who have started segregating people according to their religion. This has created the backlash leading to communal violence. When one is hurt then the eye for an eye takes the course. This should be brought out to create awareness among the people that religion only shows the path of truth and love. Love for ones neighbour and then only can one say he does love God.
Yes there are lot of proponents who misuse parts of religion to mislead people.
We must begin in schools cultivating good moral behaviour among the children who today are made to cram a lot of stuff which later on in life has no meaning. More focus is being put on tuitions and coaching classes. Those who draw up the syllabus are least concerned about the future of a child except in the angle he has been brought up to see the future. They should devote more time to inculcate politeness, value for fellow humans, that there is a life after death. Not that this is the life to make the best of which actually leads people to think that crime pays; making more money pays; high status livelihood pays; fame – whether it is at some else’s expense or not – pays.
Joseph Fonseca
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