It's official

We are now a television accredited franchisee of of brand 9/11. 26/11, better known as India's 9/11 on NDTV. Oh sorry - didn't get the branding quite right: 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH': INDIA'S 9/11. Jesus fucking Christ. What is wrong with us? Are we saying that the hundreds of innocent Indians who have been victim to terrorist attacks over the years no longer matter because we've finally got a prime time slot on CNN and BBC? Or has the proximity of so much ammunition limited the supply of oxygen to the non original part of the brain - I seem to remember the media going to town with 7/11 as well? Remember that one? Shock, horror. But never so many, and co-ordinated like this..... Here, have a random sampling from our 2008 figures:
30 October, Assam: Explosions kill at least 64
13 & 27 September, Delhi: Bomb blasts kills 19
26 July, Ahmedabad: 22 small bombs over the city. 49 dead
25 July, Bangalore: 7 bombs go off in Bangalore. 2 dead. 12 injured
13 May, Jaipur: 7 bombs hit markets and crowded streets in Jaipur killing 63
7 seems to be the number of choice for 2008.

Sophisticated, well funded and high profile you say? No, we haven't seen it in Mumbai. It was Bombay in those days. Ring a bell? The 1993 Bomb Blasts. 13 blasts across Bombay. 257 dead. 713 injured. Choice of targets: Bombay Stock Exchange * Sea Rock, Bandra * Air India Building * Centaur, Juhu * Plaza Theatre, Dadar * Zaveri Bazaar * Sena Bhavan (pity they didn't get saheb and his spawn) * Passport Office * Sahar Airport * Centaur, Santa Cruz * Century Bazarish

No? Just Mumbai in general then? Fancy a table? Ah - I can't copy and paste.... No worries, it's not like I'm going to bed anytime soon.
July 11, 2006 - 7 blasts, 7 locations in 11 minutes on the Western railway. 181 dead. 890 injured.
August 25, 2003 - Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar. 50 dead. 150 injured
July 29, 2003 - Ghatkopar. 3 dead. 34 injured
April 14, 2003 - Bandra. 1 dead.
March 13, 2003 - Mulund Railway Station. 11 dead. 80 injured
January 27, 2003 - Vile Parle. 1 dead. 25 injured
December 6, 2002 - Mumbai Central railway station. 25 injured
December 2, 2002 - Ghatokpar. 3 dead. 31 injured
February 27, 1998 - Virar. 9 dead.
January 24, 1998 - Malad. 1 injured
August 28, 1997 - near Jama Masjid. 3 injured

9/11? We'd sweep the Olympics if this was a medal event. Yes, I do have a problem. This is not India's 9/11, but enough is enough. Bombay still doesn't have an emergency reponse management team, or even the emergency service infrastructure. Her politicians only interested in maximum mileage. The Taj is now billowing thick, black smoke, and the ground floor is in flames. Well, I suppose that's one way to build a business case for an all out refurb.