so, you think you can exist?

It's been amazing the amount of anger that's just refusing to die down. The fact it's keeping us boiling right over to the periphery, is convincing enough that everyone cares. The political heads have started to roll. People no longer are willing to pay for a ticket to the political jugglery and the charade of shuffling portfolios, which does not distract eyes away from the failure in Mumbai. I am glad the media gnawed at ad campaigns that were aimed at getting our vote in the state elections.

I wish I join in the political arena someday, like my father did, but had to retreat from the dirt. But, I certainly hope that being a journalist translates into bigger, better acts of courage, which may not seem possible now, but they might sometime.

As I was recalling the night at Colaba, where a drunk navy man eveteased my friend, and we got him arrested. Or, the evening at my hostel at Marine Drive, where I aruged with a policeman, who threatened to arrest me, and a warden who wagged her finger saying, she'd have me expelled from college. But, I'm glad my Dean stood by me, though she did add a few words of wisdom as topping : "they don't like Northies here, so be careful". And, this is much before a Raj Thackeray had popped from his window to hurl stones at the likes of me.

They talk about resilience, and spirit of the city. When the July rains happened, when the blasts ripped across trains, I don't think there was an outcry, as loud as this one. This fire has charred the paint off those faces, who were the kings and queens of Mumbai.

The common man deserves to point a finger at those privileged, who have eaten off more than their share in Mumbai, and were hurt in the carnage.

I have few words for the media. I have not yet come across stories that were compiled from CST, of people acting in rare moments of courage. It's because CST is a symbol without Gucci. It has those ubiquitous chappals, and blood. A sight of Taj burning is forceful, given the heritage tag. Isn't CST heritage? The media needs to account for its way and pattern of disseminating. Cafe Leopold is more popular, and this terror strike had to attact the heart of Mumbai, and it did. Only time will tell whether those hearts ever belonged to Mumbai.