The day has come back to haunt me
so many times in two decades with one
question- What if again??
It was an ordinary cold morning
in Delhi on that day. Three years out of college and back home for a vacation
during MBA, the day promised nothing new. Being a BJP Govt in time, we were
discussing the birthday of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee next day and
boom, it happened. With no social media, by late evening its was confirmed that
our Indian Airlines was hijacked. We joined a global club of people attacked again
by terrorists!
Despite a super cold evening, the
atmosphere was charged up. People on the road
were in a hurry to go home and check the news.
Every face carried the same
expression –of agony, anger, puzzlement and most of all, a strong sense of disbelief. How could it happen to us? What did we do to deserve this? Let’s
consider the fact that it was almost after
a decade of end of terrorism in Punjab. So who could? Immediately after
getting the news, not for once could we link it to people who , subsequently
took the responsibility.
While growing up, I had often been told about
two Air related incidents – 1982 crash of Air India Kanishka over Mid Atlantic
which saw everyone aboard die within matter of minutes. In fact, Kanishka
Crash went on to become a case study for aviation security worldwide.
The Second incident was the
hijack of Pan Am Flight from Mumbai to US. The same flight where the young brave
heart Neerja Bhanot gave her life to help people escape, thus giving her life
in the process. This was carried out by Abu Nidal’s organization. For the
uninitiated, Abu Nidal was a dreaded Palestine terrorist and founder of Fatah
(not copying pasting from Wikipedia here )…I recall his name because he was a
major feature on newspapers at regular interval in 90’s. Eventually, he was
killed, I believe in Libya. That’s for another day.
So growing up on the anecdotal
legacy of the above two incidents, it was natural to recall it again on that
ghastly cold night of 24th December 1999, a night India barely slept.
By next day, the whole country
was embroiled in a major debate, be it at inner sanctums of home or at chai
shop. What next? Disbelief of the previous day slowly paved way to a national
debate at every nook n corner. Once the demands of hijackers were known, the
debate was on the recourse of the government.
Our thoughts were every moment
with the hostages? What are they eating? How are they sleeping. Are they being
beaten? Even as crass it may sound, how are the toilet conditions. And, as if
it was not enough, the whole country was greeted with the nerve wrecking sight of hijackers
throwing the body of newly wed Rupin Katyal.
It was the last fodder to put fuel into fire. Suddenly, the country
wanted to have back the hostages.
Some of us advocated the zero
tolerance policy of US as a reference point but by and large, especially in
Delhi, I could see a thought of reconciliation to the terrorists’ demands,
peeving in. after all, we are the country, who showed the world the “value of
humanity and spirit of universal brotherhood”. Come few more days, a mood of desperation came
over many people with ‘
Leke deke Ktam karo yaar yeh drama. Bahut ho gaya’.
The channels were full of visuals
of a tense government, an ‘empathizing’ opposition giving full support to
Government and yet demanding release of hostages and livid public. And thus it
went on for 7 long days for India and then the announcement came in intending to
return the terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar.
Was it a moment to heave a sigh
of relief. Of course for many and especially for families of the hostages but
at what cost? Didn’t we end up paying too heavy a price, as future will unravel
for us.
The news brought in a feeling of
deep agony and despair amongst lot of us, including me. Suddenly, we were very
angry at the government but I feel what else could have the hapless government do?
A question that ought to have been asked that
day and maybe for years later is – Did we as people stand firmly behind the Government?
Had the Government not relented to the pressure of families of hostages and
resolved NOT to release the terrorists, would we have completely supported it.
Unless, we can garner the
emotional and mental strength to give unsolicited support to Government , in
wake of such dastardly incidents, I feel it is a collective responsibility and
the Onus lies on all of us.
Today on 9th March
with days to go for General Election 2019, Opposition leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi asked
a question to Government to the effect of why did BJP Government of the time,
release the terrorists.
I would urge whoever chooses to read this article to take the effort to read an article by eminent Journalist Mr. Kanchan Gupta, who was there that time. It should be read. Like they, direct from horse's mouth...
I would urge whoever chooses to read this article to take the effort to read an article by eminent Journalist Mr. Kanchan Gupta, who was there that time. It should be read. Like they, direct from horse's mouth...
While Plane hijack is a rare occurrence
now , thanks to strict security rules, but these incidents can change its
contours, its target. And hence, we need to answer the the question I posed at
the beginning of the article – What if again? Wise men have said that History
should never be repeated and maybe we should believe them.
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