The drill was gone through after Tuesday's bomb blasts in Mumbai too. So much so, that day before yesterday flights from Delhi were inordinately delayed consequent to unprecedented security checks.
Yesterday, there was a news item on wire services that Delhi airport had returned to normal. It wasn’t clear whether those elaborate preemptive security drills had all been give up. Looked like.
This is classically referred to as ‘knee-jerk reaction’. How absurd it is, if security is tightened only after major attacks, and, presumably, lax at all other times.
What US did; what we did
The explosions in Mumbai were among the worst terrorist attacks in India. True, India has grown up with terrorism. Only difference is, earlier we wept alone; today we have Bush, Blair and the rest of the world to weep along with us.
After 9/11, the US totally overhauled its security apparatus, at the risk of even going overboard. It's better to err on the right side, they thought. Loopholes were plugged. Security drills, in fact, became so invasive that people grumbled at first, but gradually came to terms with their inevitability. The US hasn't slackened one bit since then.
After our 7/11, it's déjà vu. Copy-book, stereotype reactions. Pakistan, SIMI, Lashkar, Kashmir, Nepal, Bangladesh, blame game, the arrests, unearthing of plots and circumstantial evidences... it's the same old stories all over again.
Not quite surprising. Our planning and strategizing aren't so much different from the way we have been trying to remove poverty ever since we got Independence; or the way we have been trying to uplift the downtrodden and discriminated. So clichéd.
When a man-made calamity of this magnitude takes place, besides the relief and succor for the victims, what is of paramount importance is for the Government of India to stamp its authority. There were emergency cabinet meetings and an address to the nation by the PM day before yesterday. With all due respects to the intellectual eminence of Dr Manmohan Singh, I must say that if one watched his body language, it was anything but one that conveyed the Stamp of the State's Authority.
Politics of terror
One reason for this seeming lassitude, perhaps, is a certain amount of weariness brought about by our prolonged exposure to terror of various magnitudes. Lack of civility, discourtesy, rudeness, corruption, constant disruptions to law and order in our society: we are cohabitants of terror.
Among the post-blast stories are how our politicians occupying positions of power have been acquiescing radicalism, militancy and fundamentalism. As shocking as Tuesday's explosions is our governmental inertia. Firstly, political flirtations with fundamentalism have to stop forthwith. A thin stream of oxygen it may be at best, but political nod for violent militancy is what sustains disruptive ideologies.
This is where our pride of being a great democracy falls flat. If you ask anyone why day before yesterday, our former defence minister and present chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav exculpated SIMI, that is currently under security official’s scanner, pat comes the reply: for votes. Even if Yadav has his soft corner for the arraigned outfit, doesn't discretion warrant that at least he keep his mouth shut. Quite expectedly, yesterday, he says he never referred to SIMI in that manner.
Our style of bravado
It’s three days since the tragedy. Yet there is no relook at our national security apparatus; no meeting of chief ministers or state police chiefs to review policing methods; no new strategic initiatives to make the common persons’ lives safe; no move to outlaw parties or politicians proclaiming sympathy to terror outfits. (Incidentally, a week or so back, a new hi-tech equipment was installed at Karnataka chief minister's official residence to scan incoming vehicles for explosives.)
It is fine to talk of Pakistan's involvement. We show our bravado by telling Pakistan that we won't talk until they smash the terror network operating there. I don’t think the foreign secretaries’ meeting will take place. That's fine. But that is only a part of the solution. What are we ourselves doing to make our lives safer? Pretty little.
Our intelligence gathering network has to be strengthened and the authority should ruthlessly come down on suspects. SIMI has been implicated but not one person has been charged, much less convicted. Most of our convictions are on confessions rather than incontrovertible evidence. Where are our detectives and undercover agents?
Unless the State exercises its authority in no uncertain manner, chances of luck favouring us always are all too bleak. Pessimistic, perhaps; but realistic, I believe.
U cudnt have said it better..
ReplyDeleteRose: Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHaven't read a more persuasive summation of current locus standi than this one, both in print and on the net in the aftermath. I second Rose.. perfectly detached yet full of feeling..
ReplyDeletePradeep Sir, As usual a comprehensive well thought out analysis. It was like reading an editorial.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the foot ball post, I was reading up on similar incidents and looks like it is a tactic employed to psyche out opponents called sledging!
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sledging_(cricket)
Rony: Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteByju: Thank you so much. On the football post, yes, i guess it is true.
wht can ordinary citizens like us do about other than grumping abt the sad state of affair. its like the song called steal by the indian band thermal and a quarter..
ReplyDeleteIt’s a weird, weird world
Said the spider to the fly
Nobody knows the enemy
But everybody knows the lie
The terrorists are well aware that they need to kill only half their estimated victims, rest, they are sure, will be done by the state machiney.
ReplyDeleteBlast are only a reason for the police to shoot down innocent victims there by fulfiling the estimate of the terrorrists.
Let me tell you sir, state prophylactis are useless. Bombs are not blasted any where else is not due to the fact our security is strong, but due to the fact that terrorists haven't tought abut it. If you are alive it is because someone doesnot wish to kill you or you are not numbered. the day someone wisheth to do so our fate is doomed.
i hope you get what i mean.
Prevention is just a pseudo feeling which keeps you going.
Pradeep,here for the first time..one thing I liked abt the posts are - they are genuine,without exaggerations.
ReplyDeleteOne thing we are missing here is,there is very less we know about the inner workings of the intelligence.We dont care when stories like police seized rdx or encounter killings or pakistan crackdown on terror infra.India and Pakistan are doing a lot to prevent these things from happening,if we look at it from a non-ring side view.Think we need to appreciate that,if not atleast take note.
Agree completely on Manmohan's body language....felt really bad when banta had to read from a notebook to propose a toast to Bush during his visit to India.Sure he is an intellectual,but a chief executive is lot more than that.
ReplyDelete