Terrorism: A shocked nation awakens

The demons that planned and executed the 26/11 attack on Mumbai must have realized that their venture has turned out to be counterproductive despite the mayhem it created. Like never before a nation has awakened to the need to fight terrorism with all its might. The solidarity resolution by the Indian Parliament portrays that resolve more than anything else.

Initially, at least some sceptics might have wondered whether it was wise for India to take the matter to the UN Security Council. Happily, it has resulted in consolidating world opinion against Pakistan. That country stands exposed.

I had published earlier a post The Benazir tragedy: is Pakistan a failed State? Now the world is asking whether Pakistan is a rogue state or terrorist state. In the comity of nations Pakistan stands isolated.

That by itself does not solve our problem. We must realize that the countries which condemn terrorism have their own compulsions and may not walk the full distance with us. India has to fight her own battles.

Attack Pakistan? Certainly not. Any aggression by India at this stage would be playing into the hands of Pakistan as it would divert world attention from the terror factor. We should be ready for war if it becomes inevitable, but cannot afford to be trigger happy and vitiate the unprecedented support that we have from the other nations.

What do we do then? Irrespective of whether the world formally endorses it or not, let us, in our policymaking and actions, accept Pakistan for what it is – a rouge state with nuclear strike capability.

There is nothing Islamic or patriotic about that country’s strategies and convictions. Perpetual conflict with India is a necessity for some key personnel of Pakistan either to stay in power or for other reasons. Possibly, Pakistan has more uniformed millionaires than any other country. As a result, that country has become a haven for terrorists and criminals and remains backward. It is incredible why some Western countries pump money and materials into Pakistan for ‘fighting terrorism’ when it is evident how those funds are utilized.

India should have the toughness to call a spade a spade. Ever since its inception, Pakistan has been spreading untruths about India. What is the point in talking about ‘bhai-bhai’ relationship with such an entity? Let us not waste our time and energy on peace talks. It just does not make sense. If Pakistan has any meaningful peace proposals let them submit those for our consideration.

The biggest buffoonery is Pakistan’s suggestion to have a joint investigation into the 26/11 attack. It does not even deserve a response. Let us do it our way, and quickly too. Let us also not trust Pakistan’s claims about banning terrorist organizations and arresting their leaders. Sufficient time has been given to the culprits to transfer funds to other names.

The suggestion for a Federal Investigating Agency is intrinsically good. But it should not turn out to be another intelligence gathering outfit. We have so many of them, ready to play the blame game at the slightest provocation. Coordination and accountability should be the key words.
There should be clearly defined channels for passing on intelligence and for action taken reports.

Experience from the recent elections to the State Assemblies should deter the political parties from politicising the issue of terrorism. As long as we stand united, there will always be an India, bright and shining.

Also see:
Mumbai: The Last Post and after

Mumbai disaster: a need for centralized and coordinated crisis management

While watching for hours together on TV the latest terrorist attack on Mumbai, I was thinking, on the basis of a study I had done earlier, that the management of the crisis could have been different and more effective if a proper system was in place. This statement is not meant in any way to be critical of the brave and committed efforts by the police, National Security Guards (NSG) and the Defense Forces in fighting the terrorists.

A few years back I had submitted a project profile on National Disaster Management, which also briefly covered terrorism, to the Government of India. The then Cabinet Secretary convened a meeting at Delhi to which I was invited and given the opportunity to speak first. This was followed by discussions.

It was a disappointing exercise for me. Most of the people who attended could only see localized situations, say, like cyclones on the East Coast, and not the total picture. However, I understand that my suggestions including the name for the organization were given due consideration when the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was formed under the Ministry of Home Affairs. I am not aware how effectively the NDMA is operating.

The world runs on meticulously prepared systems, and dedicated and qualified men who implement and run them. Was such procedure available and followed when the terrorists struck Mumbai on November 26? I do not know.

If such a plan was in force, a unified command would have taken over immediately when the magnitude of the attack became evident. The top officials would have been in the War Room to help the crisis management with their experience, expertise and genius.

Perhaps our intelligence system requires a revamp. It seems to be based more on traditional concepts. And there are so many agencies involved, coming under different ministries and states. Sometimes they cooperate with each other and at other times each proceeds alone. A centralized coordinating mechanism seems to be the answer.

One of the points that I had stressed in my report to the Government of India was that VIPs should stay away from disaster sites. Their visits distract people who are engaged in critical assignments and overburden the police with their security concerns.

And lastly – the people who are agitating to keep non-Maharashtrians out of Mumbai would be doing a great service if they instead focus their energy and efforts to sanitize this great city from terrorists. Those who are so bravely fighting the invaders include many non-Maharashtrians. They come from several parts of the country and belong to different castes and communities.

Ends.

Also see:

Religion, terrorism, and politics

Life without computer

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Let us spare a minute to pray for the victims of the latest horror episode in Mumbai – the dead, the injured and the hostages, and their families. There is nothing communal about those who are suffering, those beyond suffering – all human beings like you and me.

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‘No work on the computer’ was the medical advice after a plaster cast was put on my left foot which had a fracture. That was earlier this month. The leg, I was told, had to be kept up all the time.

I was quite upset about this. Felt that the doctors were making unnecessary fuss. But they had a point. At the age of 75 one has to be careful about such things.

The first impact of the restriction was that I realized I could still write with hand after depending on computers for about ten years. I acquired a writing board which can be kept on the armrest of my easy chair. I could keep my feet up and write. My daughter keys in my handwritten manuscripts.

In that manner I could keep my blog going, concentrating on posts that did not require research. But emails pose a problem. Don’t know how long it would take me to catch up with the backlog. Hope that no one would be offended by the delayed response from me.

One good thing that came out of my enforced computer holiday was that I could get on with my reading. Currently I am on to Empires of the Indus – The Story of a River by Alice Albinia. It had earned Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for work in progress.

This fascinating book combines history with the experiences and observations of the British born author’s travels along the Indus River. Considerable amount of research has gone into the beautifully written work. It is good reading as well as a reference book.

The next one lined up is India’s Unending Journey by MarkTully who had a long stint in India with the BBC. He is a world famous radio personality. You might have read his earlier work, No Full Stops in India.

I was also able to watch some good movies, mostly Malayalam. It is amazing how the two actors, Mammootty and Mohanlal, continue to dominate the Malayalam cinema, something that they have been doing for quarter of a century. At one time Prem Nazeer was known as the evergreen hero. Now it is the turn of these two versatile artists.

But the best thing that has come out of the enforced rest is that I spent more time with my family, particularly my little granddaughter. She tells me about her school, friends, ideas and so on. That is great.

The plaster cast on my foot was taken off yesterday and a bandaged applied in its place. Two more weeks of rest. But I am starting selective use of the computer. In fact this post is done all by myself.

Also see: How I write Blog posts

Religion, terrorism, and politics

Recently I had a discussion with an eminent CPI (M) think tank. He seemed confident that in the next general elections the Left parties would emerge stronger than they are now. His rationale is simple.

The Muslims are against the US. By pushing the 123 Nuclear Agreement with America, the Congress has alienated the Muslims. Since BJP too is anathema, this minority community is likely to vote for the Left. Combined with this would be the Dalit factor. Generally speaking, the low castes are not happy with the Congress or the high caste dominated BJP. We will have to wait and see how correct this assessment is.

The BJP and the UPA need to rise above petty politics and stand together on issues that affect national security, both internal and external. Any number of stringent laws can be enacted but the important thing is to use the available tools effectively.

The atrocities against minorities by extremists, with or without the support of the politicians, are as bad as the terrorist activities of the fundamentalists. Both the Central and State Governments have failed to tackle the menace.

There are enough provisions in our laws to prevent forced conversions. Attacking churches and eminent educational institutions at random is not the civilized way to handle alleged complaints. They should be reported to the appropriate authorities so that the law can take its course.

It is the duty of the government to ensure that no individual or organization, whether Christian or not, receives foreign funds for illegal activities. It is also the responsibility of the authorities to prevent individuals or organizations from taking the law into their own hands by attacking citizens and disrupting the peace within the country.

The Christianity I know does not tolerate forced conversions. If any missionary does that, he is not only breaking the law of the land but that of the Church as well.

One problem in India is the mushrooming of neo churches, ashrams and god men without any sanctity. They do not, often, conform to accepted or acceptable practices. In many cases, making money seems to be the major objective. This too has to be controlled by the government. There should be effective registration procedures.

The established Churches have clear organizational pattern and strict operational guidelines. Their priests are taught and trained for almost a decade in several relevant fields including philosophy and theology. There may be erring priests like in any society, but by and large they are competent and committed to serving others.

Many people do not seem to realize that Christianity is not a Western religion. And, it has been in India for two thousand years, coexisting smoothly with Hinduism. Monarchs and men much wiser than the troublemakers of today had accepted that symbiosis which proved beneficial for the country.

A great service the Church provides is in uplifting the poor and the underprivileged that have been, in many cases, neglected by society and the elected authorities. It would be a great step forward if the energy and money spent on mobilizing movements against minorities are utilized for the benefit of the underprivileged. Surely, the more fortunate citizens of our society owe that much to the lesser entities who have suffered by the misuse of the caste system for a very, very long time.

We must understand that a country is as strong as its weakest social link.

Ends.

Also see:

History of conversions to Christianity in Kerala – an overview

Kerala: Kudallur Mana and ‘Nazrani Thampuran’

Caste System: Is Kerala still a madhouse?

Nightmare on a train

[Due to certain problems I could not post for a week. Hope to restart regular postings. I thank the readers for being patient.]

Last Saturday (19^th) I boarded the Chennai-Trivandrum Mail, for Cochin. This is a fast train (they call it ‘super fast’) by Indian standards. Leaving Chennai at 8p.m., it normally reaches Cochin at 6.45a.m. Each time I travel by this train, there seems to be some improvement in the quality of the rake and standards of cleanliness particularly of the toilets.

I had an early dinner and went to sleep. At about 2 a.m. I woke up, disturbed by the sound of people moving around. The train had stopped. A lady official and a policeman were next to my berth. They asked me to identify my baggage. On asking what was the problem, I was told that an important bag was misplaced and they were looking for it.

I expected the train to restart soon, but the wait continued and I could not get back to sleep. After a couple of hours I went outside and found that the train was parked on a sideline at Podannur Station near Coimbatore. Some people who were standing around in groups told me that there was a bomb scare and expert squads were checking the train.

My first thought was that the officials should have, as a precautionary step, asked the passengers to vacate the train. That of course would have created panic at a time when the passengers were deep asleep. And without any trained person around to guide them, there would have been chaos and people could have got hurt.

Whoever was in charge of the operation took a difficult decision to carry out the search with least disturbance to the travelers. When the train finally resumed the journey after a three-hour stoppage, some people were criticizing the inefficiency of the Railways. Most of them would have realized the reason for the delay only when they read about the bomb scare in the next day’s newspapers.

We certainly have to congratulate and thank the personnel of the bomb squads all over the world. These brave men and women put their lives on line almost every day to save the lives of others.

Ends.

Also see: The romance of railways

The Benazir tragedy: is Pakistan a failed State?

Benazir Bhutto, 52, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan was shockingly assassinated yesterday at the same venue where that country’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was shot dead in 1951. During the 56-year span between the two tragic incidents, what has happened to Pakistan? Has it stood still or gone backwards?

India too had its share of assassinations and terrorists attacks. But so far the country has managed to absorb shocks and tragedies and carry on. In spite of the looming threats and vicissitudes, India has stuck with democracy. The divisive forces that are becoming increasingly active have not yet succeeded in severely disrupting that yet.

What went wrong with Pakistan? It followed the wrong path of India-centric hate, allowed the army to hold sway, and nurtured the ground for dictators who claimed to know what is good for their country better than anyone else. Well, that is the hallmark of a dictator. History is full of them. Some change from uniform to civilian suits or vice versa, but that is usually just cosmetic.

Pakistan too has elections. But how much conviction do they, like the present one, carry? The duly appointed Chief Justice is under house arrest, judges are changed at will, the Constitution is amended by executive orders, opposition candidates who could be inconvenient are disqualified, and so on.

Are only the Pakistanis to be blamed for this sad state of affairs? What about that country’s staunchest supporter, the United States? Since the Second World War that country seems to have been backing the wrong horses.

The Americans pour money and material on Pakistan to fight terrorism, which is undoubtedly the biggest threat to the world today. But does Pakistan have the right credentials to be a bulwark against the menace? Perhaps the Americans are convinced that their ally is fighting terrorism on its Western border. At the same time Pakistan seems to unleash terror across its Eastern border. Hate India appears to be the only policy that country follows consistently.

Will Benazir’s martyrdom open the eyes of the lotus eaters?

Ends.

Also see: Obituary: Common Sense