Corporate Citizens fire back at terror

PUNE: What follows the sad and shocking three days of Mumbai terror is a no-brainer.

It's easy to assume that short-term consolations and anger is all that would come out from the corporate denizens.

But wait, this time we saw our top-notch business insignia being attacked in the financial capital called Mumbai. And so this could well be just the last straw on India's corporate camel's back. It indeed is because reactions are not shallow anymore. They are deep, scarred and boiling with a resolute hunger for action.

The business denizen is not just a denizen anymore. Get set to meet the business citizen.

Yes.

A citizen, because this time his reaction shows combines two lethal ingredients- anger, and action.

Anger:

For Arun Nathani, CEO and MD, Cybage it is the stage where anger has aged to frustration. So are the sentiments for Ganesh Subramanian, head-SAS, Ramco Systems.

"It's a very sad time. I knew some people who were inside when the siege happened. I wonder is this the city, the country we live in? Look how vulnerable we are! How our dedication compares to the same force driving the terrorists who can put our lives at halt so easily?"

It is different but equally grave now, as Subramanian adds, that this time they attacked our financial hotspots. "It's clearly an attempt to destabilize India financially."

There are no hysterical reactions so far whether from the business counterparts or US shores.

But highlighting the fact that the target this time were Americans as per the news reports, Prafull Mokashi, executive secretary, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, West India Council, says, "I do feel however that this ghastly act may affect business visits as accommodation and programs in Five-Stars are highly suspected now, at least for a couple of months."

What is the Citizen doing?

The citizen inside India's corpocrats can be seen waking up and this time won't lull back so easily.

So while Jitendra Tanna, vice president, Fujitsu Consulting India Pvt Ltd, is holding a community gathering to make sure that children of the colony get the right message about what happened, Subramanian would be taking up action with his Alumni meetings where they would discuss, plan, sync up with relevant NGOs or do some online mailer action etc.

Every effort, small or big, counts, as long as every citizen wakes up, be it community meets, lobbying pressure or blood donation camps at offices.

"It's easy to overlook kids when we are busy watching the drama unfold on TV etc. But these are the minds that would be the foundation of our youth tomorrow. Specially the seven to 15 year olds need to be explained everything pragmatically and positively while adding tips on vigilance and precautions," says Tanna who also cites how his office made its small bit with 80 bottles in an hour in a quick office blood donation camp during the terror attack.

And while we are fighting terror with these efforts at the ground-level, change would be too much to expect unless the broader level system is cleaned up.

Instead of blaming politicians, for instance, why not have able corporate leaders like Narayana Murthy or Ratan Tata entering the political system and help India with the much-needed change, asks Nathani.

"Blaming the system is easy but things would change only if it is corrected at the fundamental roots. Why not a Presidential way of government like America? Today Barack Obama can hand-pick ace staff in economic and security areas only because he can function un-interrupted free from coalition horse-trading."

Mokashi from IACC stresses that in focus now would be efforts from the business community that we are on our way to fast recovery and better equipped than before. It is business as usual, is the message that would make the difference, it seems.

And in some way, it won't be business as usual anymore.

"Commandos have done their part, it's time for our part," Says one CXO rightly.

Won't it be great to see the India Inc. up in arms against terror, with precautions, without panic, as more vocal and responsible vote banks and even as political leaders?

What say?