We have read this earlier – another incident (can it be called so ?) – it can send shock waves and shiver to everyone – people running helter skelter not knowing what to do, blood splattered on the road, documents and belongings strewn everywhere, walls tainted with blood, people writhing in pain, some critically lying down, not much of help coming from any quarter, some dismembered and some dead – what a ghastly scene it would be..
This time the arena was Delhi High Court and the incident made lawyers, litigants and others horror-struck running directionless trying to get away from the scene. At about 10.14 am a high intensity blast occurred between gate no. 4 and 5 of the Delhi High Court.
When bombs went off in Mumbai, there were irresponsible statements that security cannot be 100% proof and a stray incident could always occur. When it affects those on road and those die are common man, none really cares !. India
The terrible explosion and the subsequent heavy smoke was withering away – the Home Minister made a statement in the House that it is with profound sorrow and regret that he informs the House of the bombblast that took place the morning. The statement read that “ a high intensity blast occurred between gate no.4 and gate no.5 of the Delhi High Court. There is a reception centre between the two gates where passes are issued. The bomb blast took place just outside the reception centre. It is suspected that the bomb was placed in a briefcase. According to last reports, 9 people have died and 47 have been injured. Most of the injured have been removed to Dr. RML Hospital. Some have been removed to AIIMS and other nearby hospitals. Some of the injured have suffered serious injuries. A few others with minor injuries are being treated at the dispensary of the High Court. The scene of the incident was cordoned off immediately. Ambulances reached the scene and removed the injured within 20 minutes”
When will the Government ever take any strong action to prevent a recurrence is the vexatious Questions – it occurs with regularity – only the places differ – Varanasi, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai all have borne the brunt – people have died. This time the site Delhi High Court was chosen purposefully by the bombers for maximum casualties, it would seem. It is the day of the week that is fixed for filing public interest litigations, and Gate No. 5 is the place where the litigants crowd to enter the court premises. The day was fixed for hearing PILs to make it convenient for both petitioners and respondents. Earlier, varying days were given for the hearings which caused a lot of chaos, a lawyer said.
Either the Intelligence wing had no clue or failed to act on whatever could be gathered – both ways an abject failure by all the Organisations. Exactly 111 days ago, on May 25, there was a low-intensity blast at Gate No. 7 of Delhi
Most of the casualties on Wednesday were among litigants, some as distinguished as Commander Ronald Nagar, who was once Rajiv Gandhi's co-pilot in Indian Airlines, and some as nondescript as a band of hawkers who had come to the court in appeal for a licence to sell their wares. It does not matter as to how big or small they were – all Indian citizens, dozen of innocent lives lost to terror attack that should provoke anger, anguish and outrage. The frequency with which they occur perhaps make people not realize the seriousness and not respond in the manner that they should !
The occurrence of a brutal carnage of our brethren ends up as a mere news in the headlines of channels and papers for a day and forgotten easily. Deaths just become a number. This is an attitude of non-feeling, non-realisation, routine behaviour, brutalization of consciousness !!. People, Police, Politicians, Adminsitrators and Government all display indifference and it is a news of blast elsewhere with nothing happening to prevent a recurrence. Have people become so composed to maintain normalcy in any situation ? The general reaction is to check whether family and then friends are okay – once you do that mechanically, then people who are not affected are back to their routine business. There is sense of alienation, indifference and rank neglect..
You can read any official release condemning blast as stating that ‘the blast occurred outside the Delhi High Court claiming lives of … and injuring … - a cowardly act and We strongly condemn this heinous crime”. Remember this is a blast occurring so close to the Indian Parliament. A Senior leader wondered whether it had anything to do with the 10th anniversary of 9/11 attack. In reflection of public ire, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad, who visited RML Hospital Dhaka and was soon at the hospital, was met with hostility.
The Government must have a strong policy and take concerted attempt in tackling the menace of terrorism – that is the need of the hour and there cannot be any compromises on that..
Putting up a brave face, Secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association D.K. Sharma said work was resumed to send across a message. 'We are functioning normally so that a clear message goes to the public at large that we are not bogged down by the terror attack,' said Sharma. 'It is the only the symbolic hearing that is happening in the courts. I hope that the government should learn some lesson on beefing up security outside court premises,' he said.
Sad and expressing anguish at the occurrence as a citizen of this land
Regards – S. Sampathkumar.
Shame. Such incidents will continue to occur. P Chidambaram is perhaps the worst HM, India ever had. Meantime, Tamilnadu continues to agitate for release of Rajiv killers. The posters say that they are innocent ! after proclaimed and sent to gallows by Courts. Would the same Tamils who advocate abrogation of capital punishment, speak of the same to Rajapakshe ? - Palani
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