Netizens tired of ‘bouncing back’

A day after serial blasts rocked the city, Mumbaiites said they don’t want to “bounce back”. Zahra Gabuji reports.

A day after serial blasts rocked the city, Mumbaiites said they don’t want to “bounce back”.

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On Thursday, net-savvy citizens across Mumbai created a Facebook page: ‘I refuse to bounce back this time’to condemn the terrorist attacks and encourage possible suggestions to pressurise the government to act.

The page was flooded with suggestions within hours of the blasts. “So far, people are discussing ways in which we can protest. A member suggested writing letters to the chief minister while someone else suggested boycotting movie theatres this weekend,” wrote Ambika Sharma Anavkar, 26, a freelance writer from Chembur who is one of the administrators of the Facebook page.

“After each attack, we talk only about bouncing back. Instead, why don’t be put adequate pressure on the government?”

Sonali Lambe, another page administrator, said they formed the group to bring about a tangible discussion and solutions.

Amar Kapadia, 36, a businessman who joined the group on Thursday morning said, “Most of the people I spoke to at work had a ‘what’s the point of discussing these issues on Facebook?’ attitude. But I think we need to discuss these issues everywhere and all the time. There will be some breakthrough eventually.”

Group members have been posting poems, stories and videos on the group’s home page. The group is also functioning as a makeshift helpline where people are posting their queries about victims, blood donation and hospitals.

Till Thursday night, the group had 100 members.