The Road Ahead after INVASION of INDIA-26/11

We hear a great deal of political noise - a cabinet rejig: a new Home Miniser who is definitely more professionally competent. Would he get the go ahead from the HQ at Race Course Road to do what is needed to meet the developing situation? (i) The first is a comprehensive law to be even more effective than POTA - such deficiencies as may have been noticed in its implementation for three years (the NDA had taken almost two years in drafting it) to be rectified. (ii) An NSG like organization as a wing of ATS having crack policemen from state para-military organizations, (not at all from the army who are already manning the central NSG) at the state level by no further creation of posts for senior state police officers. (iii) A Federal Intelligence Co-ordination Mechanism (not a Federal Intelligence Agency advocated by PM for the last few years and opposed by the states, which would in any case be filled up by the henchmen of the ruling combine at the centre) as part and function of IB which already has state-level-units to do their bidding in the states (why should the PM be advocating vociferously for a Federal Intelligence Agency when IB was already charged with this responsibility for the last 60 years, really beats common sense). If IB is not doing its job properly it should be streamlined to do its assigned job instead of it being used for collection of political intelligence relating to the other political parties. (iv) A proper assessment of Muslim Terrorism which is not the same as Islamic Terrorism, realizing fully that the Wahabi sect of Islam (which is the state religion of Pakistan) advocates terrorism as a legitimate means to extend the domain of Islam. Only the Bareilly School of Islamic Clerics have termed the Wahabi sect as non- Islamic, all others while denouncing terrorism as un-Islamic are at heart in sympathy with the Wahabi sect. (v) Any other issues which those who are in the line of fire would know better. Let us see if any of this gets decided by the system of governance at New Delhi in the months to come before the LOK SABHA polls.

How are terrorists made?

It appears that the criminals of a few religions in the world have decided to adopt terrorism as a convenient means to carry on their trade under the garb of the "Name of God" ie religion which gives them great respectability in their community and they are never short of funds. At the same time they can satisfy their sadistic delight in innocent people getting killed and they can go down in history as martyrs in the rare event of their getting killed. The police which is usually busy guarding the VIPs has no clue of what is going on. The usual review of law and order mostly deals with offenses covered by the IPC or CrPC and terrorism does not figure there. So we have a wonderful situation of the criminals and the police never meeting and since the secure VIPs do not need to be too concerned about the innocent people getting butchered we have the well known stand of the government that "the guilty shall not go unpunished" and in the event of some expedient arrests being made, a declaration "Law will take its own course" seems to dispose off an episode of terrorism.

Hindu Terrorism-Is it a fact or fiction?

If it is a fact it is alarming enough, but if it is a fiction and this media adventure-ism is only a political gimmick to frighten the minorities, then it is still worse because what is at present a fiction is likely to become a fact with passage of time. That cannot be a pleasing prospect! There is really no way a citizen can know what is really going on, the credibility of the police not being at its best. The neutral citizen can do his or her best to with-hold judgment till the forth-comming Lok Sabha elections are over. There is no doubt that the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution are of eternal validity and all people of India, it is hoped would continue to cherish them.