In his article, “Capitalising on Calamity: 26/11 and Jingoist Politics” (EPW, 12 December 2009), Anand Teltumbde raises several pertinent issues in relation to 26/11 and India’s response.

Some of the criticism, even if valid, demands further scrutiny. Teltumbde has three main contentions: class bias of the media, ineptitude of the government, and conferring of martyrdom on those for whom fighting for national security is a duty or mere occupational hazard.