Attacks in Mumbai shock Indian students

Last week’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai have hit close to home for several Indian students at the University and have generated discussion throughought the community.

“I have friends that had both of their parents killed in the attacks,” Mumbai native Nikhil Seth ’11 said.

Seth added that that he is “more shocked than most” because he worked in a building near one of the hotels struck by the terrorists.

“I would go and eat lunch at the hotel and spend time in the coffee shop, and it was right there where so many people were killed,” he said.

For some Indian students, last week’s attacks added to fear and frustration over the growing number of terror-related incidents in their country.

“I think these attacks were the final straw,” Jahnabi Barooah ’11 said in an e-mail.

Seth noted that though there have been numerous smaller attacks in India, “these attacks felt like they were on a greater scale because they encompassed so large an area.”

Barooah noted that she is fortunate not to have had any members of her family injured or killed in the attacks. She added, however, that she has family friends who were not as lucky. “Being an Indian citizen, the blasts are definitely more personal to me,” she said.

As the University community tries to recover from last week’s events, some are concerned that there will be repercussions for Muslims worldwide. Indian officials have suggested that the attacks were staged by Pakistani-based organizations, according to The New York Times.

“Within our own community, we need to make sure that these feelings don’t bleed into indiscriminate anger against other Muslims who had no connection to the attacks,” University Coordinator for Hindu Life Vineet Chander said.

“We are shocked and dismayed and horrified, and we are still processing everything,” he added.

University Coordinator for Muslim life Sohaib Sultan noted in an e-mail that the terrorists, if they were Muslim, have acted against Islamic teaching.

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“The terrorists may have acted in the name of Islam, but Islam is completely opposed to murder, spreading of fear, and vigilantism,” Sultan explained.

Barooah said that she is concerned that the attacks will increase tension between India and Pakistan. “It bothers me because that is what the terrorists want to do: foment hatred and disunity,” she explained.

The relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims within India, likewise, could suffer as a result of the attacks, Seth said.

“I’m worried about violence against Muslims,” he said, noting that there have been retaliations against Muslims in the past. “I definitely don’t want to see that happen again, but it is a very real possibility.”

Chander said that after allowing “the dust to settle,” he hopes to help organize the Hindu community to look at the tragedy from the theological framework of Hinduism.

“Where is God in all of this? What are the roots of this? These are sticky issues, not neat discussions,” he said. “Yet, we are blessed to have a community that shows respect for various cultures and religions and enables us to engage in these types of conversations.”

He added that the Hindu community will look to engage other faiths on campus to speak out against the violence.

“We are united in our belief that this kind of violence needs to be stopped. It’s in violation of human decency and in violation of every religion’s moral principles,” he explained.

Student groups are also taking action. Seth noted that the South Asian Student Association, of which he is a member, is organizing a memorial service. He added that he thinks it would be worthwhile to raise money to help affected families.

Princeton Hindu Satsangam (PHS) held a group prayer and discussion Sunday night.

Barooah, a member of PHS, said she wants to organize an academic panel on terrorism in India and its causes for next semester.