On November 28th when the NSG operation began about 100 commandoes were standing in the lane in front of my house. They needed Bisleri water. I told my men, Kamal Singh and the others, to get Bisleri from anywhere. So while the NSG operation was on our operation was on to get water.
The men went over to Kohinoor store near Kamal Mansion (a large corner store near Radio Club that caters to many tourists). We called the owner and opened up the shop. We got 20 to 25 boxes of Bisleri from there. We got 200 boxes of biscuits. We gave each commando one bottle and one biscuit packet. They were amused.
But at the end Guptaji told me: 'We have held operations all over India, but the help we got in Colaba from you people and the public, we have not got anywhere else.' There were tears in their (NSG commandos') eyes. They said they would not forget this ever. And that was why they sent the letter.
After 26/11 I have decided that I cannot sit quiet anymore. I am lucky to be alive and telling you my story. Do you know that I made a speech to the public around here (in Colaba) on Independence Day. I told them, then (August) about how we need to be worried about protecting the city from terrorism. I said the terrorists have tasted blood and that tomorrow they can come into our houses in that speech. And do you know two months later they were in our houses!
I now feel that I am ready to die for the country and I would now like to know what I can do for India. This is how I feel and I am 57, 58. All the young people want to do something too. We cannot allow fighting amongst ourselves to keep us from being strong.
The Muslims that I know also want to sacrifice themselves for their country. For 95 per cent of them this dharti (land) is as beloved to them as it is for us and they are ready to die for it. So many of them, who were with me, have the same josh (fervour). They told us: We are with you.
Why cannot the government put certain power in the hands of a few selected citizens who can handle responsibilities so we can have a better society? So we can deal with situations like this. We need a citizen force.
In countries like Israel they train the youth in defence. All I can do is throw a stone. But at least teach me to throw a stone better. We are all supposed to be better off for having studied and been educated. But even after being an educated person the only ability I have is to throw a stone?!
There is so much rot in the system. So much corruption. Corruption has rotted the system through and through. I am fed up of this corruption. We have to do something about it. I cannot sit quiet. I cannot leave this rotting system for the next generation (he points to his young grandson Arin running around the room).
We need to elect people who can serve us. And what has happened over the last month? Has anything changed? The police were scared then and now they are even more scared.
We cannot be worried about Pakistan. That is too far away. We need to root out the evil that exists among us here and that will fix things.
Vijay Surve was aided during those three days by many Colaba boys/residents and senior Sena men: Shripad Hathe, Kamal Singh, Rocky Pereira, Vishal Bhandare, Ashok Hindore, Sharad Wagh, Mukesh Rathore, Narendra Warlikar, Hanif Mamu, Khalid Mamu, J J Sawant, Anthony Joseph, Shekhar Chougule, Vinesh Surve, G G Sawant, Raju Surve, Ramdas Thorat, Ashok Mane, Sandeep Parab, Amit Parab, Ranjit, Praveen Awad, Hari Awad, Janardhan Rakh, Gajanand Shinde, Ganesh Gaekwad, Irshad Khan, Vikash Mayekar, Arunbai Dudwakar, Kailash, Bajirao Malushrai, Prakash Bhaurd, Ramesh Mair.
One month after 26/11 a ceremony was held at the chowk near Nariman House to honor the memory of slain NSG commando Gajendra Singh and to highlight the bravery of those who helped their neighbours and saved lives during those 60 hours. At the memorial Surve said, 'Pakistanwaalon yahan akar dekho. Yahi hai Hindustan. Yahi hai Mumbai. Yahi hai Colaba. Yahan Hindu, Musalman, Sikh, Isayi aur Parsi sab ek hain and sab terrorism ke khilaf ekjut hokar lad rahein hai (All of you in Pakistan, look here. This is Hindustan. This is Mumbai. This is Colaba. Here, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Parsi are unitedly fighting terrorism).'
Surve and other Colaba residents are collecting funds to visit Vineeta Devi, Gajendra Singh's widow, who lived in Ganeshpur, Uttarakhand, to thank her for her husband's sacrifice.
Image: Vijay Surve at his Sena shakha office in Colaba. Behind him stands a memorial to Gajendra Singh. Photograph: Vaihayasi P Daniel.
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On November 28th when the NSG operation began about 100 commandoes were standing in the lane in front of my house. They needed Bisleri water. I told my men, Kamal Singh and the others, to get Bisleri from anywhere. So while the NSG operation was on our operation was on to get water.