Mumbai public anger swells
2008-12-03 21:18
Mumbai - Movie stars and sportsmen joined thousands of Mumbai citizens on Wednesday in a protest organised through text messages and Facebook to protest against last week's attacks and the government's failure to prevent them.
The protests were the biggest outpouring of public anger and frustration since Wednesday's attacks by Islamist militants that killed more than 170 people.
At least 10 000 protesters, many holding candles and flowers, marched from all over Mumbai and congregated at the Gateway of India, close to the Taj Mahal hotel, scene of a 60-hour siege.
"You can see how angry people are and how hurt everyone is," said Mahesh Patel, a middle-aged trader who walked with a huge slogan-shouting crowd of students.
"I have come with my friends because we cannot take it any more. The politicians must act; they must stop taking us for granted."
Holding placards and banners condemning terrorism, the emotionally charged crowd raised slogans against Pakistan and Indian politicians.
"Down down Pakistan, attack Pakistan," they shouted angrily. "Hail India, shame shame politicians."
Mumbai has seen a slew of protests this week, as its largely middle-class civil society becomes more vocal in demanding accountability from politicians already under fire for failing to prevent militant attacks.
For years, Islamist militants have bombed Indian cities, killing thousands of people, but public outrage has died down within days of every attack.
But this time, social scientists say, is different.
"The latest attacks affected some of the richest sections of the population, and since they have greater access to power and the media, their voices are being amplified," S Parasuraman, director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences said.
"So together with the poorer sections of the society it is possible to crystallise this anger into a process that will exert pressure on the government to clear up the mess."
Text messages ridiculing politicians are circulating fast. One read: "Don't worry about terrorists coming by boat, they will end up dead. Worry more about those who come by your vote."
A steel-making company even brought out a full page advertisement on Wednesday mourning the dead while also urging people to vote out corrupt politicians.
"Learn to differentiate between good and bad politicians," the advertisement read.
"They want to see incompetent, corrupt and ineffectual representatives go," Rahul Srivastava of Pukar, a Mumbai-based social organisation, wrote in the Mumbai Mirror newspaper.
"Today, the middle classes and upper middle classes are waking up to the fact that they have to deal with politicians up front."
Public anger was being vented as much through the internet as on the streets of Mumbai.
Internet-savvy students and activists set up websites and blogs to encourage demonstrations. Websites spread the word about demonstrations and urge participation, while bloggers and social networking sites like Twitter and Flickr were buzzing.
Advertising executive Sunil Agarwal, 42, said India's intelligence apparatus should be disbanded.
"We lost our heroes," said Anamika Sharma, a housewife who came with her two college-going children. "This is the chance to find them in us. This is the time to show the politicians what people power is."