Will you be cancelling your coming holidays to India?

machadinha · Nov 30th, 2008, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Wanderer

Those of us who are of the nationalities targeted

I appreciate all your sentiments and so on, really, but like I said before shall we please not forget most of the afflicted now are Indians, and again none of the assailants ever asked them about their particular affiliation, whether Hindu or Muslim or indifferent or this or that political party or whatever? Some 22 foreigners of 174 casualties are now said to be dead (numbers still being reviewed no doubt, and these are Wikipedia numbers, I'm sure there'll be others elsewhere, I've certainly seen much higher. I just mean it to give a sense of perspective.) 15 Foreigners are counted among the 239 injured. Of all the 8-10 targets attacked mind, it wasn't just about two high-end hotels.

(The Taj and extremely expensive as it is is very popular among UAE bigwigs and so on btw, I mean hardly all of its "foreign" guests will have been "westerners." Many of them will have adhered to a certain religion even! I mean think about it.)

(We could take this a step further even and note that many of them are not exactly popular with these fanatics for their irreligious ways. This was the case for Saddam Hussein, a secular person who was renowned [or infamous, as the case may be] for his debauchery. Whatever religious links he forged were clearly just to establish a base there. So whatever points you may hold against him, and I certainly do, being an avid supporter of fundamentalist Islam isn't one of them. You'd think this should be public knowledge -- but it somehow doesn't seem to be.)

I'm getting a little nervous with this "It's India's 9/11" and "Foreigners have been targeted" frankly. When will the West finally learn that maybe people elsewhere have other calibration points to go by, that that one unmentionable date didn't mean very much to them at all, and that they have their own ff'ing terror to deal with and have for a very long time, thank you very much?

googer · Nov 30th, 2008, 14:05

Will be leaving for India on Jan. 5 for 7 weeks. This will not stop us. Condolences to all those who have been injured and to the families of those who have suffered loss. Onward. Le Googer

rahulmeg · Nov 30th, 2008, 14:16

Being born & brought up in Bombay, I can still vouch for it as one of the safest places in the world.
I can hangout with foreigners, so called "provocatively-dressed" women or anyone else at any time in the night/day and never feel unsafe in this city. Terrorist attacks can happen anywhere in world.

sannna · Nov 30th, 2008, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha

I appreciate all your sentiments and so on, really, but like I said before shall we please not forget most of the afflicted now are Indians, and again none of the assailants ever asked them about their particular affiliation, whether Hindu or Muslim or indifferent or this or that political party or whatever? Some 22 foreigners of 174 casualties are now said to be dead (numbers still being reviewed no doubt, and these are Wikipedia numbers, I'm sure there'll be others elsewhere, I've certainly seen much higher. I just mean it to give a sense of perspective.) 15 Foreigners are counted among the 239 injured. Of all the 8-10 targets attacked mind, it wasn't just about two high-end hotels.

(The Taj and extremely expensive as it is is very popular among UAE bigwigs and so on btw, I mean hardly all of its "foreign" guests will have been "westerners." Many of them will have adhered to a certain religion even! I mean think about it.)

(We could take this a step further even and note that many of them are not exactly popular with these fanatics for their irreligious ways. This was the case for Saddam Hussein, a secular person who was renowned [or infamous, as the case may be] for his debauchery. Whatever religious links he forged were clearly just to establish a base there. So whatever points you may hold against him, and I certainly do, being an avid supporter of fundamentalist Islam isn't one of them. You'd think this should be public knowledge -- but it somehow doesn't seem to be.)

I'm getting a little nervous with this "It's India's 9/11" and "Foreigners have been targeted" frankly. When will the West finally learn that maybe people elsewhere have other calibration points to go by, that that one unmentionable date didn't mean very much to them at all, and that they have their own ff'ing terror to deal with and have for a very long time, thank you very much?

Agree with your post, 100%. I found myself saying the same thing to sweet concerned Indians in the street today who were apparently suprised to see me in their city "as foreigners were attacked". I asked whether, had the attacks been random and not to "foreigners", there would be less or more foreign casualities? Probably not. It would have been exactly the same. In any case, many more Indians lost their lifes, and.. when I think of it... even that doesn't matter as all lifes have the same value, whether that of an Indian or a foreigner, right?

It might interest you to know that it was one of the Indian TV channels that coined the term "India's 9/11" and brought all the updates under that heading. (Am not really sure which of the channels it was exactly.)

sannna · Nov 30th, 2008, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilBoy BigTown

I think this incident is being taken very very seriously in India. The Home Minister has already been sacked.

Sorry to be a hair-splitter /nit picker (what is the right word - I am looking for the Dutch "mierenneuker"), but the Home Minister has submitted his resignation in a letter to the PM. It has not yet been accepted. Thus he is not "sacked".(But I think it would be political suicide if they'd refuse his "wish"of course...)

LilBoy BigTown · Nov 30th, 2008, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by sannna

Sorry to be a hair-splitter /nit picker (what is the right word - I am looking for the Dutch "mierenneuker"), but the Home Minister has submitted his resignation in a letter to the PM. It has not yet been accepted. Thus he is not "sacked".(But I think it would be political suicide if they'd refuse his "wish"of course...)

You really do hold Indian politicians in high regard if you think they would quit without being pushed.

They are bl***y parasites who wouldn't hesitate in sucking the last drop of blood out of the people who put them into office in the 1st place.

mridula · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:23

Shivraj Patil's (former Home Minister now) resignation has been accepted and P. Chidambaram (former Finance Minister) is the new HM. PM Manmohan Singh has finance too now.

puchoo · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:24

the home ministry is an additional charge..

Quote:

Originally Posted by mridula

P. Chidambaram (former Finance Minister) is

wim · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:39

I was planning on travelling Central Maharashtra for two-weeks-and-a-half this month, sometimes going to slightly off-track places.
It does seem like a state that has its communal problems, I guess moreso than other states.
Would it be better to avoid the region for some time, due to the possible backlash after the attacks ?

I'm sorry if this question sounds a bit harsh or scare-monger-ish.

mridula · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

the home ministry is an additional charge..

I saw many news channels reporting that PM has Finance now. might be wrong.

fivesilver · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:45

Another lurker here...

We're planning to spend 5-6 months seeing as much of the country as possible and doing lots of photos and stories.
We're not due to arrive into Mumbai until early next autumn, and a lot may have happened by then, but right now, absolutely no intention of cancelling or compromising a moment of our time among the people of India because of these benighted cretins who think violence can be a solution to anything.

Stay strong, India, and stay tolerant.

Ali-Monbeam · Nov 30th, 2008, 18:45

No way am I canceling our trip...but we are only passing through Mumbai from Delhi.

Like others tho I wouldnt want to give them the satisfaction !!

Silmaril · Nov 30th, 2008, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cardamom

Well it looks like my company cancelled my trip. I understand why they're doing it, but it is a real let down. I've been looking forward to this trip since last January. Also, I was going to my friend's wedding in Chennai and catch some sights for 2 weeks. Good thing I got travel insurance

I am super bummed. This also means I now have to spend Christmas with my family

I need to go get some whiskey and some dosa to ease my pain.

-C

Hi, just an idea, but you said you were doing a week of business plus two of holiday? Why not still go for the holiday? Flights are looking quite cheap at the moment (at least from the UK). You could maybe even make it a 3 week holiday?

trustindia · Nov 30th, 2008, 19:13

Just be safe when you go, minimum time at train stations etc, avoiding big crowds and keeping your eyes open.

Despite some playing down the fact that tourists were targeted, if the intention was to target foreign tourist either because their part in this so called war on terror (Brits and Americans) or just to deny India tourist revenue and destabalise it's image on the world front. The fact remains this ushers in a new era in Indian terrorism.
the foreiegn tourists killed in the Oberoi and Taj could have been just been caught in the crossfire, the attacks on Leopolds and The Jewish Center can only be seen as deliberate attacks on foreigners.

Think about that please, the choice is yours and I'll certainly be going but I know my six sense will be more highly tuned this time around.

fnm500 · Nov 30th, 2008, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by wim

I was planning on travelling Central Maharashtra for two-weeks-and-a-half this month, sometimes going to slightly off-track places.
It does seem like a state that has its communal problems, I guess moreso than other states.
Would it be better to avoid the region for some time, due to the possible backlash after the attacks ?

I'm sorry if this question sounds a bit harsh or scare-monger-ish.

Others might have a different opinion, but I think Maharashtra state on the whole is quite safe. Mumbai has seen some terrible rioting in the past, but especially in the rural off the beaten path places, it should be quite safe. The worst riots always happen in the big crowded cities.

Nov 30th, 2008, 18:23	#112
mridula Sair Kar Duniya Ki Galib , Jindagani Fir Kahan ... Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 2,586	Shivraj Patil's (former Home Minister now) resignation has been accepted and P. Chidambaram (former Finance Minister) is the new HM. PM Manmohan Singh has finance too now. __________________ Mridula Travel Tales from India

Nov 30th, 2008, 18:39	#114
wim Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 38	I was planning on travelling Central Maharashtra for two-weeks-and-a-half this month, sometimes going to slightly off-track places. It does seem like a state that has its communal problems, I guess moreso than other states. Would it be better to avoid the region for some time, due to the possible backlash after the attacks ? I'm sorry if this question sounds a bit harsh or scare-monger-ish. __________________ http://www.slenterendebuffel.com/?cat=13 Pictures of Indian trip 1995/96

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Nov 30th, 2008, 14:05	#107
googer Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Inverness, CA USA Posts: 15	Will be leaving for India on Jan. 5 for 7 weeks. This will not stop us. Condolences to all those who have been injured and to the families of those who have suffered loss. Onward. Le Googer

Nov 30th, 2008, 14:16	#108
rahulmeg Freek Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 69	Being born & brought up in Bombay, I can still vouch for it as one of the safest places in the world. I can hangout with foreigners, so called "provocatively-dressed" women or anyone else at any time in the night/day and never feel unsafe in this city. Terrorist attacks can happen anywhere in world.

Nov 30th, 2008, 18:45	#116
fivesilver Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dublin Posts: 2	Another lurker here... We're planning to spend 5-6 months seeing as much of the country as possible and doing lots of photos and stories. We're not due to arrive into Mumbai until early next autumn, and a lot may have happened by then, but right now, absolutely no intention of cancelling or compromising a moment of our time among the people of India because of these benighted cretins who think violence can be a solution to anything. Stay strong, India, and stay tolerant.

Nov 30th, 2008, 18:45	#117
Ali-Monbeam Less of the 'Senior' member! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bradford Posts: 879	No way am I canceling our trip...but we are only passing through Mumbai from Delhi. Like others tho I wouldnt want to give them the satisfaction !!

Nov 30th, 2008, 19:13	#119
trustindia Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Gt Britain Posts: 362	Just be safe when you go, minimum time at train stations etc, avoiding big crowds and keeping your eyes open. Despite some playing down the fact that tourists were targeted, if the intention was to target foreign tourist either because their part in this so called war on terror (Brits and Americans) or just to deny India tourist revenue and destabalise it's image on the world front. The fact remains this ushers in a new era in Indian terrorism. the foreiegn tourists killed in the Oberoi and Taj could have been just been caught in the crossfire, the attacks on Leopolds and The Jewish Center can only be seen as deliberate attacks on foreigners. Think about that please, the choice is yours and I'll certainly be going but I know my six sense will be more highly tuned this time around.