Reactions to the 2008 Mumbai attacks were on the local, national and international levels. Political reactions in Mumbai and throughout India included a range of resignations and political changes. Other reactions included condemnation of the attacks by an Indian Muslim organisation and Naxalites. International reactions to the attacks was widespread, with many countries and international organisations condemning the attacks and expressing their condolences to the civilian victims. Media coverage highlighted the use of new media and internet social-networking tools (including Twitter and Flickr) in spreading information about the attacks, observing that internet coverage was often faster than more-traditional media sources.
In a televised address Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India would "go after" individuals and organisations behind the terrorist attacks, which were "well-planned with external linkages". [1] In addition, the attacks were "intended to create a sense of panic by choosing high-profile targets and indiscriminately killing innocent foreigners", Singh said in a televised address to the nation. [2] Leader of the opposition L K Advani asked the people of India to stay united during the emergency. [3] He also said, "We will take the strongest possible measures to ensure that there is no repetition of such terrorist acts". [4]
Indians criticised their political leaders after the attacks, contending that their bickering and ineptitude were at least partly responsible. The Times of India noted on its front page that "Our politicians fiddle as innocents die". [5] Anger with the political class in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks boiled over with slain NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father shoving Kerala Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan. [6] Public furor was further exacerbated with Achutanandan's statement in a television interview that "if it had not been Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have gone there", [7] which was posted online. [8] [ dubious – discuss ] After this became controversial the chief minister issued a written apology, stating that his remarks were misunderstood.[ original research? ]
On 30 November Minister for Home Affairs Shivraj Patil resigned, taking moral responsibility for the security lapse. After his resignation, P. Chidambaram was made Union Minister for Home Affairs [9] [10] and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took over the Finance Ministry from Chidambaram. India's National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan also offered to resign the same day, but Singh did not accept his resignation. [11]
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh also resigned[ why? ] on 1 December 2008, [12] and was replaced a few days later by Ashok Chavan. On 1 December Deputy CM R. R. Patil resigned when Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar asked him to tender his resignation [13] and he was replaced by Chhagan Bhujbal. Patil was under pressure to resign after commenting on the attacks that "bade bade deshon mein chhote cheez hote rehte hai" (small things happen in big countries).[ citation needed ]
2 years after the attack, UPA leader Digvijaya Singh was criticized and lambasted for attending a book launch which described that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had conspired the attack. [14] The book RSS ki Saazish (meaning Conspiracy by RSS), written by Aziz Burney, was extremely condemned by RSS members and opposition leaders. [15] Furthermore, the Congress party was also slammed for coining the terms of Hindu terrorists and Saffron terror, relating to several terror attacks across the nation before the November 2008 carnage in Mumbai. [16]
NSG commandos based in Mehram Nagar, Palam Airport, Delhi took 10 hours to reach the sites. [17] [18] They were ready at 01:00, but had to wait three hours (until 03:15) for an aircraft to arrive from Chandigarh when the policy was that a plane be at Palam permanently. The NSG commandos landed at Mumbai Airport at 05:15, but had to wait an hour for the Bombay police to arrange BEST buses for them. They reached the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Trident Hotel at 07:00, but initially were not given detailed maps of the buildings. [17] The operations in the Taj Mahal hotel and Nariman House were conducted under the glare of the media, which may have assisted the terrorists by removing the element of surprise. [19]
An Indian Muslim organisation, the Indian Muslim Council, refused to bury the nine attackers in South Mumbai's Marine Lines Bada Qabrastan (Big Graveyard). They also sent messages to other Muslim organisations in India asking them to refrain from burying them. The council said it was trying to send a message to all cemeteries in India that none of the bodies should be buried on Indian soil. [20] [21] [22] [23]
All India Organization of Imams of Mosques expressed solidarity in the aftermath of the attack. [24]
Javed Anand, a writer and activist said, "They (attackers) claim to be doing this in the name of Islam. We have to tell them, 'Not in our name'". [25] The organisation also conducted prayers for peace and harmony. [26]
Many mosques in Gujarat observed silence to remember the attacks. [24]
According to The Washington Post , many Indian Muslims held a more sombre Eid (which occurred on 9 December in 2008) out of respect for the victims of the attacks. [24]
The Mumbai attacks left the corporate sector of India angry; vulnerable sectors wanted to be armed. In addition, a meeting convened by the Karnataka government with industry heads led to demands from industry to be allowed to purchase automatic weapons for their private security firms and the right to bear arms. [27]
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2011) |
Naxalites (who are waging an insurgency in parts of India) gave a gun salute to the victims of Mumbai attack. According to the Times of India, this gesture marked a significant shift in their policy. [28] On 4 December 2008, the week after the attack, a vigil was performed in Mumbai in honour of those killed. [29] On the second anniversary of the attack, a candlelight march was held in Mumbai. [30]
![]() | This section contains too many or overly lengthy quotations .(July 2016) |
The Mumbai attacks elicited political responses from around the world, largely expressing condemnation for the acts of terrorism and condolences for the relatives of those killed. [2] [31] [32]
Many international airlines temporarily discontinued operations to Mumbai amid fears for passenger safety. [108] Delta Air Lines aided employees stranded in Mumbai, working to evacuate them. [109] Several Western countries (including the US, the UK, Australia, France and Canada) advised their citizens to defer travel to Mumbai for the short term (48–72 hours). [110] [111]
The attacks showcased the increased use of social media and citizen journalism in the way events were reported. [112] Many people discussed the unfolding event on websites such as Twitter and Flickr, which were largely clustered under search tags such as "mumbai" and "attack". The day after the attacks, however, the Indian government asked Mumbai citizens to cease updating Twitter with live coverage of police activity. [113] The New York Times and the BBC offered live text coverage online, as did many Indian bloggers. [113] [114] A map of the attacks was also set up, using Google Maps. [115] The attacks were dubbed by some journalists (and Hillary Clinton) as "India's 9/11", a reference to the 2001 11 September attacks in the United States. [116] [117]
A few days after the attacks the Indian news channel CNN-IBN re-aired a programme called Operation Water Rat, which they had initially aired in February 2006 and which revealed lapses in Indian maritime security. The reporters smuggled crates of apples into Mumbai three times from international waters, by landing their cargo on different beaches nearby. [118]
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)