ON TAJ HOTEL & MUMBAI TERRORISM
As per the historical information, over a century back when the founder of Tata Busines Empire went to London and tried to check in one of the posh hotels there, he was refused entry because he was an Indian and not a white skinned man. In Britain some die-hard British were still believing in and practicing apartheid if not officially then at least in a disguise manner. When Tata asked the real reason for this negative answer, the Hotel management said Indians are not fit to stay in such a luxurious hotel. In an ensuing heated argument, Tata banged his hand on the Counter Table and demanded from the hotel management to quote him then and there the price of that hotel to purchase it outright. Annoyed by Tata’s demand and financial might, the hotel management to humiliate Tata in particular and Indians and blacks in general, put a board at the entrance of their hotel saying “Indians and Dogs Are Not Allowed”
Humiliated by this insult, Tata after returning to India, decided to retaliate and towards this direction constructed a beautiful and most luxurious Hotel in Bombay and named it as Taj Mahal. Then exactly in a retaliatory manner put a big name plate at the entrance of his new hotel saying “Dogs and British are Not Allowed”. The colonialists British irked by this move by the owner of Bombay Taj tried to bring pressure on Tata to change his attitude even approaching Nehru to impress upon Tata to change his mind but Tata remained firm even by suffering heavy losses due to the absence of British and Western clientele.
Bombay Taj was like a home for many of the Goan employees whom Taj management had unique affection for their dedication to hard work faithfully and diligently. Many of the high and low grade employees of Bombay Taj since its inception were Goans and it was they who put a strong base to Bombay Taj a century back. Best of the Goan musicians who played beautiful music were engaged by the Taj. Chef Mascharenhas from Anjuna and Pastry Chef Pasku from Sangolda were the two pillars of Taj and they both worked for a longer period there inspite of attaining the retirement age. It is these two finest Chefs who helped Taj to attain the highest standard that finally made Taj what it was. As a matter of fact, Chef Mascharenhas was never retired, instead he was retained till his last days not only as an employee with all the facilities but kept as a guest of Taj. Both these two stalwarts were not graduates of any Cateering College but they were graduates of the cooking skills they inherited from their parents. They were the real geniuses in their professions and both good hearted persons having lot of compassion befitting the tradition of Tatas.
The love for Goans by the Tatas can be well described in the following paragraph:
Sinquerim Taj in the jurisdiction of Candolim Panchayat was the first 5 Star Hotel of Goa. When it was made operational in early seventies, Sinquerimg Taj management contrary to the assurances given to the locals and Goans for preferential treatment in the matter of employment, gave preference for outsiders. I as a young revolutionary of my locality and still reading for Post Graduation at Panaji, and along with my colleague, during his maiden visit to Goa to step his foot on his Goa Taj, stopped JRD Tata’s Mercedes at Sinquerimg and disclosed to him how Goans were denied jobs in his newly opened Sinquerim Taj by his unGoan and anti-local management. Knowing this, JRD Tata the Chairman of Taj Hotels Co. was infuriated and shocked to know that Goans were denied jobs and immediately on the same night called an emergency meeting of his top personnel and set the things right for Goans in employment. And as a mark of protest against his lop sided management, abruptly left for Bombay instead of spending his holiday in Goa for a few days. This was the love and affection Taj shown to Goans. In appreciation of my boldness to fight for justice for the locals, I was offered a good job at Taj Sinquerim but I politely turned down this offer.
During those days, employing at Taj means a great honour. Many of my friends were engaged at Taj and I always used to make a point to go and meet them during their working hours. In this way, I was familiar with Taj not only with its delicious food but also many of its staff. According to information available at least 3 Goan employees of Taj were killed by the bullets of the terrorists in the current hijacking of Taj Hotel Mumbai. All of them were Christians. Besides them there must have been some more Christians who laid down their precious lives in this war on terror and still more must have been involved in one way or the other in helping to overcome the current trauma faced in Mumbai. I am proud of their sacrifices and efforts they put in for the sake of Mumbai and India. Once again they proved to everyone that for the sake of India they are ready to do supreme sacrifices. Those Indians who were killing Christians and doubting their patriotism should know that Christians are also as great patriots of India as any other greatest patriot.
By the way, when this war was going on against terrorists, I was surprised to see total silence from Thackerys and their Shiv Senas. Where have the Siv Sainiks gone during this crisis in Mumbai? Why the Thackarys and their armies of Sainiks could not come out openly and face the bullets of the terrorists? Why could they not challenge the brute might of the Pakistani Muslim terrorists? They know to challenge only the Indian Muslims, like cowards. It is the North Indians, South Indians and Christians who faced the bullets of the terrorists and became martyrs for the sake of India. Where are the fanatic Hindus who were telling Christians that they are an-tiindians? The patriotism of Shiv Senas and their Sainiks and that of those who were killing Christians proved to be nothing but bogus patriotism.
With this terrorist attack, will such incidents come to an end? Never! As long as our political administration is in the hands of politicians with dubious character nothing will change in India for the good of the people. I will not be surprised to know at a later date that the recent terrorists who came from Pakistan were supported by some of our own politicians who do not care for India and Indians. The security of India will always remain vulnerable as long as crook politicians are at the helm of affairs. The biggest anti-nationals are some of the Indian politicians. What a shame it is for the Indian political system to allow politicians who were earlier convicted for crimes, anti-social activities and other illegal activities such as killings, smuggling, looting and robbing to contest the elections? How can these rogues give upright and judicious governance? Unless there is a change in this system thru constitutional amendment, if required, India will be ruled by rascals only who will remain hand in gloves with the terrorists.
Blaming Pakistan for these terrorist acts is not enough. Even though we have diplomatic relations with Pakistan at governmental level but still innumerable common Pakistanis are not friends of India. These Pakistanis will always love to damage India and Indians. They have hurt feelings. They still remember the trauma Pakistanis and Muslims in the Indian sub-continent were made to suffer during the partition of India in 1947. The wound was healed but mark will never. They still remember the humiliation they suffered because India dismembered Pakistan and created Bangladesh from East Pakistan. Pakistani Muslims feel that their Muslim brothers and sisters in India are persecuted. Babri Masjid incident is very fresh in their minds. Gujarat torturing of Muslim under Modi is yet another incident that hurt the ego of Muslims. These and many more such incidents create hatred into the minds of many Pakistanis for India and Indians. The result of this hatred is what we saw in Mumbai where we nor those Hindu fanatics who harass Muslims could do nothing to prevent. Those who were responsible for demolishing Babri Masjid and harassing Indian Muslims were turned silent spectators and remained hidden under the petticoats of their wives when Pakistani terrorist attacked Mumbai where none of the Hindu Shiv Sainiks nor BJP’s prominent personnel was killed. On the contrary Goan Christians were killed when they were innocent in order to save Thackerys “amchi” Mumbai.
The Pakistani Muslim terrorists do not care for dying. They made total mockery of Indian intelligence system. They are brain washed to die in the name of their religion by their false religious gurus. Islam does not accept killing of innocent people. Homicide and suicide are not accepted, they are both against the will of God. But militants are made to believe that their religion accept these cruelties. By committing such anti religious acts my Muslim brothers are creating a bad image of their Muslim religion which is otherwise really a great and compassionate religion. Islam has its greatness and beauty. Those Muslims who are upright in their belief must in unison condemn such barbaric acts of terrorists and declare such acts of terrorism are the sinful acts and against Islam.
Meantime, Hindu fanatics must stop acting like dadas of India and stop harassing Indian Muslims and other minorities and also stop retaliating against Muslims though Indian Muslims are not always right. Indian Muslims feel insecure under the brute majority of fanatic Hindus where Hindu fanatics like Thackerys and BJP feel India belongs to Hindus only. However, in the process of defending Indian Mumbai from the hands of Pakistani terrorists, along with others, Indian Christians, Sikhs, Muslims and other minorities too fought bravely. It is proved now thru this process that Indian minorities are also great patriots.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
.
