Why you should join the Indian Youth Congress

Mumbai – 26/11

Pune – 13/02

What next.

Twitter and its users in India came into its own following the terror attacks in Mumbai on 26th Nov 2008. The tweeple tweeted, raved, ranted, lit candles and were even able to organize, if I may say, a peaceful gathering of all Mumbaikars at the Gateway of India within a week of 26/11 happening.

The reaction to this outrage felt by the average Mumbaikars was that there was a change of guard in the state of Maharashtra. The Chief Minister & the Deputy Chief Minister were replaced. Even the Union Home Minister of India was replaced. People squarely laid the blame on the politicians this time round.

Come Lok Sabha Election time, we had a few high profile independent candidates. Ms Meera Sanyal, country head of ABN Amro bank and Dr Mona Shah, a consultant eye surgeon stood for the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat (site of the 26/11 terror attacks) and their candidature did somewhat create a mild scare in the existing dispensation. Unfortunately, the experiment failed miserably. Both the candidates lost their deposit.

Come the 2009 assembly elections, the Cong-NCP combine is voted back to power. Terror or Security is not a major issue, sons of the soil is. The booted are back in the corridors of power. Ex-CM Deshmukh is a Union Cabinet minister, R.R. Patil is back as state home minister. We have come back a full circle.

High profile individuals (Meera Sanyal) or non-mainstream political parties (Professional Party of India) have not created the desired impact. Middle class participation in the political process has to take place.

A good opportunity is being created by Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Gen Secretary of the Indian National Congress. The youth (18 – 35 years) are being wooed to join the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and are also being encouraged to participate in organization elections, either by standing for positions, or by voting for people standing for various positions.

It’s an opportunity not to be missed. Please grab it with both hands!

-@R113

Tukaram Ombale - the true hero of 26/11

It was the night of 26^th November 2008

Panic had struck the city of Mumbai. TV channels were carrying visuals of terrorists firing at bystanders from a Police vehicle. Policemen were conducting naka bandis with revolvers in hand ready to fire. Such was the state of shock everyone, the police included, was in.

Shots had been fired at Leopold. Terrorists had entered the Taj and Trident hotels, and a nondescript building in Colaba called The Shadab House or the Nariman House. Bombs had gone off in taxis in Vile Parle and Parel and unconfirmed reports said bombs had gone off in Malabar Hill and god knows where. Senior IPS officers had been grievously injured. How many of them were there, where, what next, no one had a clue !!

One definite piece of info that the police had was that the police vehicle from which the terrorists had shot at the public at Metro junction and been abandoned and there were 2 terrorists who had then taken a Skoda at gun point and were heading towards Girgaum Chowpatty. Men from the V.P. Marg police (Lamington Road), under whose jurisdiction Girgaum Chowpatty falls, had erected a barricade and were waiting, guns ready.

The Skoda came, crashed through the barricade and a volley of firing followed. One terrorist was killed. The second one came charging out. A cop shouted; take him alive, he’s evidence…. The rest of the story we should all know.

A heroic Asst Sub Inspector (One rung above what we aam janta call havaldar or constable) named Tukaram Ombale jumped on the Terrorist, caught his AK-47 by hand, held it against his chest, thereby shielding his fellow policemen from the bullets, and pinned the terrorist down. The other policemen were thus able to capture the terrorist, whom we now know as Ajmal Kasab, alive.

We read about the heroic death of ASI Ombale in the next days newpapers. We also read of his many humane qualities, which probably were instrumental in him deciding to take the brave step of certain death to enable the Mumbai Police and our nation in not only unmasking the true face of terror, but also parading him before the world to nullify the many negative voices emanating from our neighbour hood.Out of all the martyr's of 26/11, I would hail ASI Tukaram Ombale’s martyrdom as a heroic one

And now we read that this great man has indeed passed on his samskars, his qualities to his offspring. His daughter, Varsha Ombale, proved herself to be her father’s daughter. She declined to accept money collected by school children at a function held to honour her father. She instead asked that the money be used to help the needy school children itself and that her father would not have liked it if she had accepted that money.

O true hero of 26/11, we salute you with all our heart and soul.