Satinder Bhui was at work when she first heard about the terrorist attack in Mumbai. A call centre worker in Surrey, she grew anxious as soon as the TV news mentioned the siege of the city’s luxurious Oberoi Hotel where Satinder’s niece, Jasmine Bhurji, worked as a manager trainee.
She immediately called home to find out if her beloved Jasmine was okay. It was not long before the very worst was confirmed – Jasmine was at the reception desk of the hotel when the terrorists fired indiscriminately into the lobby. The 21-year-old young died en route to hospital.
This is how the tragedy in the financial capital of India left one family in Metro Vancouver devastated. Many other Indo-Canadians across Canada lost distant relatives or friends in the bloodbath last week.
Two Canadian tourists – Dr. Michael Moss and companion Elizabeth Russell – were among the dead, a grim tally of 183 fatalities, including 22 foreigners.
The attackers reportedly came on a boat from Pakistan to the Mumbai harbour and later seized several parts of the city, including two luxurious hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and the Trident Oberoi Hotel. The Indian government has already lodged its protest with Pakistan.
Young, brimming with potential, Jasmine was the daughter of Satinder’s brother Maninder Singh Bhurji, a senior officer with the Indo Tibetan Border Police.
Satinder is leaving for India this week to support her bereaved brother, though Jasmine’s funeral has passed.
She told the South Asian Post that Jasmine was very close to her and would frequently e-mail her with news and tales from Mumbai.
“She grew up in my hands,” said Satinder, who remembers a “bubbly girl,” who was fond of traveling and always sent her auntie pictures from wherever she went.
“She had just sent me some pictures from Mumbai,” Satinder recalls.
In her last e-mail to her aunt, Jasmine had written that she would be working at the Oberoi until March to complete her training. She shared her excitement over being in Mumbai - a big city compared to Chandigarh, where she studied.
“I am very lucky to be staying here,” she wrote, listing the major Mumbai landmarks she visited after coming to the city, and how she liked the seafood of Mumbai.
“Whenever I get off anytime I will keep updating about my explorations. Keep in touch.’’
Those were the last words Jasmine wrote to her aunt.
Reacting to the whole Mumbai episode, Satinder said that terrorism can affect anyone, anywhere in the world, unless politicians unite to control this international menace.
The General Manager of the Taj hotel, Karanbir Singh Kang, lost his wife and two sons aged 14 and five in the attack. Some of his relatives live in B.C.
While a distraught Kang is not in a position to talk to the media, his first cousin, Ravneet Singh, told the South Asian Post from India that his cousin’s entire family has been lost in one stroke.
“They all died of burns and asphyxiation as they were holed up in their suite of the hotel, while my cousin was away to attend a meeting,” he said.
Their suite caught fire during the hostage crisis, and there was no escape.
Sensing the mood of the Indo-Canadian community, Vikram Bajwa, leader of the Metro Vancouver branch of the Hindu nationalist BJP - the main opposition party of India - has started gathering signatures in a book of condolence he is planning to send to the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and BJP party president Rajnath Singh.
“We wish to tell our brothers and sisters in India that we are with them,” Bajwa told the South Asian Post. He denied that his party is politicizing the issue back home.
But the attacks last Thursday have stirred latent emotions and opened old wounds in India and abroad.
The Indo Canadian Workers’ Association (ICWA) has condemned the attack while sharply criticizing the BJP.
ICWA President, Surinder Sangha warned: “The BJP is trying to vitiate the secular environment of India by taking advantage of the attack and blaming Pakistan and the Muslims whereas terrorists have no religion.”
The Vancouver-based, South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy agreed.
Its leader, Hari Sharma, expressed his concern that this tragic event “does not become an excuse for organized attacks on Muslims by the forces of Hindutva (ultra Hindu nationalism).”
He added that irrespective of the attack, the process of normalization of India-Pakistan relations should not be allowed to be derailed.
Sudagar Singh Sandhu, President of the Dashmesh Durbar Sikh Temple in Surrey, also condemned the attack.
He however blamed the “current Indian political system” for these activities. He explained that such incidents occur only because Indian politicians “play with the religious sentiments” of the people.
He pointed out that the Muslim minority has been repeatedly attacked in India.
Through a post-9/11 lens, mainstream Canadian politicians also took notice of the Mumbai attack.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement: “On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to express our deep and profound sympathy and condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured by these heinous acts of violence, including many in Canada.
“These attacks targeted people from India and around the world. As a fellow democracy, Canada stands firmly with the Government and people of India in your fight against terror and as you face with resolve one of the darkest times a country can ever experience.”
Locally, Surrey-Tynehead Liberal MLA Dave Hayer also made a statement in the B.C. legislature.
In recognition of over a quarter of a million British Columbians of Indian origin, he said: “All of us around the world must stand up and must speak out against extremists and terrorists who target innocent people to gain their political aims.”
As a sad side note to the tragedy that rocked the world, Hayer raised the name of a family torn apart by the senseless violence. The House nodded gravely as he shared the despair of the Surrey family of Jasmine Bhurji.
Mumbai by the numbers
Hours of operation: 60
Total people killed: 183
Civilians (Indians): 141
Security forces: 20
Foreign tourists:
· Killed: 22
(Three each from Israel and Germany; two from Canada and one each from US, Italy, China, Thailand, Mauritius, Singapore, Britain, Japan and Australia. Five are yet to be identified)
Total Injured: 239
Indians: 216
Foreigners: 23
NSG commandos:
· In operation: 477
· Killed: 2
· Injured: 8
· Policemen killed: 18
Terrorists
· Total: 10
· Killed: 9
· Arrested: 1
By Gurpreet Singh
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