Mumbai Meri Jaan

It took close to 60 hours to wrest Bombay back from terror. But it took barely 5 hours after that to circulate this SMS …

“The tragic events in Mumbai remind us how precious life is. We r with u always. SMS FG to 567678 for Total Insurance Solutions or claims if any. Future Generali”

Is it me or is it actually perverted that people take advantage of a tragedy of this scale to market themselves? In the first place, I find a total lack of professionalism to use SMS lingo in such corporate marketing, ala “We r with u always.”

I’m sure many of you have been bombarded with similar pitches for a virtual garage sale. For all I know, bullet proof vests, guns (machine or otherwise), grenades, will be hawked side-by-side with all sorts of insurances – life, property, hospital, general etc.

Somebody will make a video game; while someone will sell debris from the site online as mementos. Toy companies will make commando figurines and cellphone operators will make a killing from disgusting forwarded messages.

Facebook and Orkut will create patriotic/sympathy groups and bloggers will add their two-pence worth views. Some photographer will peddle his photos, while the media will do just about anything to get their TRPs.

Speaking of the media, it is amazing how they gain access to places where seemingly even the NSG and the marines can’t go. To get their ‘breaking news,’ they will broadcast any rumor that is doing the rounds. For a soundbite, they will shove their mikes into the faces of anyone who looks remotely, pardon the expression, terrorized.

And how can I forget … I am waiting for the beloved leaders of our country to shamelessly bellow their take on the horror. One party will fall all over itself blaming the other, while one will cry itself hoarse that this is a time for national unity.

National unity my a**. Those goddamn terrorists are more united than us, more fearless than us, more devoted to a cause than us. I give them that much.

Let’s take a leaf out of their book and learn from them the values of honesty, loyalty and sacrifice and use it for a better reason.

15 comments:

Vivek Abraham said...

wow......man! you summed it up perfectly! everyone is out there just to make a profit!.....


wonder if this incident too will be lost in the mad river of life! i hope not!

Zeddy said...

u said it man!
i just hope this incident will finally wake everyone up.
we want action. and we want it sooner rather than later.

Ace of Spades said...

@ THUDL and Rohith - like i was telling a friend earlier, i believe that this time even bombay can't just up and about.

this incident begs action. but it remains to be seen, if the action is worthwhile or just a knee-jerk reaction.

Shuv said...

u think? 'THIS' time its enough? haha..i beg to differ..just wait till we have a new 'breaking news'..all will be forgotten..till 26th nov next year..when some people will light candles in front of the taj.

Ace of Spades said...

@ Shuv - there are groups on Facebook some of which are "In memory of all those who died in the 26th-27th november MUMBAI massacre.." and "Can u please take BARKHA off air!"
does that not say that people are voicing their opinion even though through unconventional mediums. although i would also agree if you say this was a fad, but i would also point out Patil's ouster.

S said...

i got the same goddamn msg!! i couldn't believe my eyes man!

Ace of Spades said...

did you get the other message on how all major tragedies (natural or man orchestrated) have happened on 26th or 27th?

ghetufool said...

salute to you sir!

Kalyan Karmakar said...

Its been more than a month since now. Memories remain in terms of naka bandis, bunkers and the odd gun toting police guy.

Increments, marriages, housing society woes, overrated films, outrage at attacks on Hamas, delight at attacks on Hamas, marriages, holiday plans...everyone has moved on to what matters to them

Except those who lost people. And they still got their 8 minutes of remambrance. Guwahati didn't even get 8 seconds.

The only problem with moving on is that it became very obvious how fragile life can be. Imagine that you slog all your life for what matters to you, you reach your 80s, and are then killed by a 15 yr old who is riding a bike he doesn't know how to drive

Ace of Spades said...

you know knife - i seriously though that this time it would be different given the public reaction.

but what do i know? its the same old same old.

and you are so right about Guwahati, betcha half of the people who went on the gateway dharna have no idea of the blasts.

Kalyan Karmakar said...

or of Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Karol Bagh, the daily blasta at Kashmir and of course the Bombay train blasts.

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