Terror Tourism

Terror Tourism

After poverty tourism at places like Dharavi, the latest ‘In Thing’ is Terror Tourism. It’s so popular with our elected or non elected politicians, that it needs no introduction.

All of us saw our then chief minister visiting The Taj after 26/11 with Ram Gopal Verma (God knows how Mr Verma was a part of the bevy). This time it’s the turn of the cultural capital of the state, Pune. Otherwise quiet, Pune suddenly came in news for a terror attack at German Bakery on Feb 13th’ 2010. And there the tourism hit its peak. Within minutes, politicians from various parties flooded the scene & continue to do so even now. The tourism just does not stop at the site of attack but reaches up to the hospital where the injured are being treated. At such an event where we have lost our loved ones & trying to save the rest, do we really want to see someone who feels nothing about us or the dead? Do we really want to see someone whom we never get to see otherwise but at such deadly ghastly occasions? Do we really want to be seen on the national or regional TV in the most vulnerable way or we would like to cope up with the grief it in private?

If any elected / non-elected member is really so considerate, why do we never see them without media? What is achieved from this visit apart from cheap publicity? Why does Media support such visits? Does the rest of the nation really want to see who all visited the spot or do they want to see what proactive & reactive actions are taken & what are the lessons learnt the hard way?
Why are cops not equipped to stop such entourage at least until the site is cleared of all the evidence? Such large untrained teams, touring the site damages the forensic evidence.
If someone is so concerned why does he not help the injured through cash & kind. If someone is so concerned, he/she can proactively educate the people of their constituency for such terror attacks so that no one touches or opens unidentified baggage, people are vigilant of the strangers in the area & their activities. Every popular or crowded area has hidden surveillance cameras etc.

There are ways & means to help & be concerned. Hence it’s high time we should put a stop to such Terror Tourism shading crocodile tears wasting us tax payer’s money.