Another day, another bomb blast. Another blame game, another high vigil.

Another f utile assurance that this will not be allowed to happen again. The sequence of eve nts after every terror attack on Mumbai which have now become monotonously and f righteningly routine has become like a well-rehearsed play and eminently predict able. Mumbaikars weep for their city; the politicians shed voluminous crocodile tears. After the latest series of bomb blasts, Mumbaikars are once again angrily asking why this could not have been anticipated and prevented. Intelligence failure is the common scapegoat, but this is a facile assumption. In most cases, intellige nce about possible terrorist strikes is picked up from chatter gleaned from cell p hone conversations and social networks. The terrorists know this and therefore a re not stupid enough to openly bruit about specific dates and locations that can be intercepted. Intelligence warnings are usually general in nature; and it is then up to the local police to pursue human intelligence sources and gather spec ific information. And this is where we fail. As elsewhere in the country, the Mumbai police are decidedly predictable and uni maginative while setting their priorities. They go roughly in this order: collec ting hafta, providing security to politicians and VIPs; and catching common crimin als. Interrogating suspected sources for terrorist links enters their consciousn ess only after the event; and peters out soon after. To be fair to the police, they are rarely given a free hand by their political m asters, who often hinder, rather than help them perform their professional dutie s. For example, the Mumbai police complain that they are understaffed; and yet h undreds if not thousands of policemen are wasted acting as bodyguards for self-i mportant politicians who dont really need them. There was a glimmer of hope recen tly, when the Maharashtra CM announced plans for a strict security review of pol iticians who have been provided protection. However, the latest news is that thi s plan has been put on hold; for reasons that should be obvious to everyone. Our politicians have no problem with setting priorities; they have only one themsel ves. Apart from quantity, the major problem is the quality of police personnel. This becomes painfully at the frequent nakabandis, where the cops are proficient at c atching traffic offenders, but clueless about identifying suspicious activity. T his should be expected when the selection is based not so much on merit as how m uch the potential recruit can pay. Compounding this felony are politicians who p ush through their favourites, in anticipation of some future quid pro quo. A day after the bomb blasts, the city is apparently back to normal. This much-va unted spirit of Mumbai is a two way street. The resilience of Mumbaikars is to be applauded, of course, but it also gives a free pass to those responsible for our safety. Sure, a few citizens will complain loudly on television, but they are o bviously more interested in their one minute of fame rather than expressing genu ine outrage. The CM and Police Commissioner will put on a show of sympathy and d ogged determination, but only till public interest fade. Why should they do more ? We the people cannot really penalise them until the next election and, anyway, we have notoriously limited attention spans. The next sensation is just around the corner and if not, our obliging media will manufacture one. Dont cry for us, Mumbai. Im not sure we deserve it.