| The Mumbai terror attack of 26/11 has been | | | | the FBI visiting the terror attack sites. The US |
| described as the worst one to hit India. The | | | | President-elect Barack Obama promised to stamp |
| unique operative style, the high profile targets, the | | | | out global terror. Israel was also seething to act |
| continued siege over three days, the media | | | | as six Israeli hostages were killed at Nariman |
| overdrive are some of the factors that made the | | | | House siege. Pakistan against whom evidence was |
| impact of this strike devastatingly felt suffered | | | | growing by the day came under duress and |
| and agonized. With public anger growing to | | | | mounting international pressure compelled it to |
| revolutionary proportions upheavals are bound to | | | | start operations against the suspect organizations |
| follow. | | | | and linked individuals. The United Nations named a |
| The Upheavals : The unprecedented spontaneous | | | | frontline Pakistani organization as a terrorist outfit. |
| public show of tremendous anger was bound to | | | | Revolutionary Changes? : For the first time in |
| effect changes in the way rulers and politicians | | | | Indian parliamentary history all political parties |
| thought and acted. Political upheavals started. | | | | came together on the floor of the Parliament on |
| Within days the Indian Home Minister resigned and | | | | December 11, 2008 to fight terrorism. The |
| the Maharashtra state government (Mumbai is the | | | | opposition offered all support for any kind of |
| capital of Maharashtra) was put under extreme | | | | tough decisions taken by the ruling coalition |
| pressure. So, more followed. The state Home | | | | government related to fighting terror. The Indian |
| Minister tendered his resignation and the Chief | | | | government promised a complete overhaul of the |
| Minister offered to resign. Old habits die hard. | | | | police system, the defense system and the |
| Intense politicking unfolded and finally the Chief | | | | intelligence system. A federal investigative agency |
| Minister's resignation was accepted. With two | | | | in the style of FBI is also being planned. The Prime |
| more days of hard bargaining a new ministry was | | | | Minister publicly apologized in a national address for |
| installed in Maharashtra with a new leader. Nothing | | | | the lapse in Mumbai. |
| escaped public gaze. They raised the question as | | | | Change the System : The people are definitely |
| to how a state could be without a government | | | | not in mood to relent. Their message is loud and |
| for several days after such a national crisis. The | | | | clear -CHANGE THE SYSTEM. To change the |
| bureaucracy was also not off the hook and many | | | | system the politicians will eventually have to |
| heads are slated to roll with the new initiative. | | | | change themselves. |
| At the international level too things were moving. | | | | Let not the sufferings and agony of Mumbai |
| The US came forward offering all help with its | | | | Terror 26/11 go in vain. Let it be the first positive |
| Secretary of State visiting India and Pakistan and | | | | step forward to rooting out global terror. |