Mumbai (AsiaNews) The attack against the Mumbai suburban railway system, which killed more than 190 people and injured over 700, was "meant to strike at the economic heart of India, split Indians' unity and weaken their morale," said Fr Carlo Torriani, a missionary with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, "but it failed."
"No one has yet claimed responsibility for the blasts but the press has pointed the finger at the usual separatist groupsthe Taliban-like Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, and Kashmir-based Lashkar-e-Taiba," he said, "but there are no definitive proof of their involvement."
"The city reacted calmly. Usually, we can expect a backlash by Hindu extremists against the Muslim minority but so far, nothing. The Stock Exchange responded well and people have gone back to their normal activities," he noted.
The fact that nationalists have not reacted can be attributed to the government's call for calm but also to the population's new sense of unity.
"In this case," Father Torriani explains, "it is in everyone's interest to maintain India's internal unity. The terrorists want to divide the country from within but even rightwing parties have not fallen for the provocation. Many of them have accused the government of unpreparedness and the security services of ineffectiveness but they have not taken to the streets to demonstrate or provoke any kind of violence."
"Public opinion is more inclined to lay blame at the door of Pakistan, which does not control the terrorists," he explained. "It is the same old story. When something happens, it is the other side's fault."
"In the last few months though there has been détente between Delhi and Islamabad. For example, bus services between the two countries have been re-established after 30 years; not to mention other steps that brought the two peoples closer together. I think that this détente is in the interests of both sides, who are allied in the fight against al-Qaeda's terrorism and believe in their struggle."
Finally, for Father Torriani, "the city will easily recover. Whoever put the bombs tried to strike and destroy India's economic heart but failed in its goal".