As I browsed the net for news from my country , I came across an unsettling news that somehow made me realize the perfection of my life in contrast. The devastating news of the High Court bomb blast was plastered throughout the screen with the most unorganized rescue operation in swing on one hand and the Home Ministry defending itself, saying that we Indians at the time of catastrophe join hands to blame the government. The evidence of the innocence of which was heard in Sheila Dixit, the honorary chief minister of Delhi's response to the situation, "I'm shocked", as she had no idea of the intelligence report sent in July, well in advance, the inquiry commission will most certainly look into it. So for now, all ministers joined hands in one common gesture refraining vehemently from taking responsibility of the bomb blast, while the opposition was not left behind with L.K. Advani's reassuring words, "puree duniya ko atankvaad ke khilaf dhyaan rakhna chahiye, bharat toh rakh hi raha hai" (the world should take care against terrorism, India is 'obviously' doing so). That was few hours after the final bomb blast at the High Court. I add 'final' as to demarcate the reference to the previous one at High Court in July the same year. Now the terrorists have found their comfort zone in India to such an extent that they can actually plan a dress-rehearsal before the final showdown.
Let's for a change stop the blame game instigated further by media and concentrate on how instead of generating a hype and panic amongst the people we could solve the situation at hand by asking the right questions. We are usually so engrossed in the situation as it is not without considering the next logical step to be taken - like a quick justice system, which could boost the morale of the citizens. Finally giving justice to the long forgotten cases that remain pending forever. From the minister to the reporter depends on the sentimental reaction of every Indian which is the selling point of every news. Instead of following the system, let's start by asking the right questions. For example, instead of spending time on footage covering the first people who saw the blast claiming their 15 secs of fame, who had the time and guts to stand there taking pictures from his mobile cameras with missing arms and amputated limbs. Instead of each news channel hogging TRPs by competing who can show more grotesque pictures of the disaster than the next on you flip on to, let's use the medium of communication as it should be used- constructively and more responsibly.
To remind ourselves, so hooked to the television, who are more engrossed in watching the event than participating to make a difference, that once television way back in early 90's used to be a medium of information. Doordarshan, before it was bullied into passivity sounding like the voice of the straight 'A' child being scolded repeatedly for not performing well, had this slot for 'Gumshuda Talash Kendra', where the missing people were reported. How about doing the same at the time of crisis now? How about the news channels standing united for the Indian people by running a helpline that works and reaches out to those in distress. Let's flash on screen helpline information that is required. As a common Indian with no VIP status, such information would be a blessing and a relief for many who would be unable to use the phones right after the incident as all networks were blocked.
The position of the Home Minister on bomb related events have been to increase VIP security and for the Delhi Police to harass couples sitting or strolling in park after dark, in the name of 'national security'. The police in the name of security targets the common man for checking that borders on harassment. While the security measures in this country seems to be for the VIP and works against the common Indian as more of harassment than protection. The discussion about security of the common Indian raises only when few hundred are killed. The only voice of reason about this matter was raised by IPS officer Mr.Lal, who pointed out that security measures for the VIPs should be reduced while common person dies like a fish.
Everyone accepting the fact that ministry always sleeps and proposals take long time. In this particular case there seemed to be no 'specific' information by intelligence given to the police to act upon. Could this be prevented? Yes, only if we realize that protection does not begin at the spot. It begins even before the target has been set. It starts with minimal intelligence report that we receive and building upon it to make a strategy to prevent the attack from happening. It is not about defending when the bomb goes off, but committing to use the minimum intelligence picked up that must have risked lives of many to get that. Delhi cannot be protected in Delhi, it has to start from outside by the intelligence, which currently seems to be ludicrous.
After Nov. 2008, there has been nothing done to improve preventive capability and police force on the ground. The excuse of CCTV cameras that were supposed to be installed became the blame game central target. The budget or proposal for CCTV cameras were not passed due to government protocol that needs to be followed. The solution to prevent such inefficient and time consuming checking could be installation of X-Ray machines at the court as we have at the airports, but that might be another rational solution that needs to pass a proposal that might take another ten years and few more bomb blasts and many more innocent lives.
Now comes the trickiest part of the whole deal- who is accountable? As most of our angst and grievance seem to be directed towards the police, then how about sacking the police commissioner if that solves the problem. When a terrorist attack happens we unite to attack the government. If the ministers would have been so impervious to attacks then no PM would have been assassinated. The solution to this dilemma lies in achieving bureaucratic and political unity of the country; to uphold responsibility by politicians who are elected with this faith that they shall protect us. In such circumstances where the safety of the Indian citizen has been breached and has been threatened, they owe the people an explanation not an excuse of shifting responsibility.
The epitome of disaster control in history in my opinion would be 9/11. After the 9/11 thanks to the US vigilance there has been not a single instance of terrorism despite US being the number one target for Islamic terrorists. Thanks to their luck they do not have a neighbour like we do. The Indian borders are vulnerable from all sides. Over ruling the humanitarian watchfulness of the world over Indian political measures, maybe for once we should take a stance, if not to attack them but atleast to defend us. One way to say enough is enough would be to cancel Samjhauta Express, to give Pakistan a jolt of realism.
As the argument stands to be defeated by our ever considerate politicians, it almost becomes a global phenomenon, it is a justification of terror with the 'we are sorry, but...' attitude of the politicians. We are sorry for the loss of innocent lives, but the police was busy controlling the crowd at the Anna Hazare gathering, we are sorry about your loss, but we were not informed about 'specific' intelligence report, we are sorry about the attacks but did not have enough ground staff to prevent the bombers, we are sorry for your loss, but we have to follow protocol to pass tenders for installing CCTV cameras, we are sorry for the damages caused by the terrorist group but we are still going to be friends with our neighbours and letting them get away with it, every single time, we are sorry we denied justice to the victims, but you see the case is being tried in court and you might hear about it in another ten years.
There could be no more vainer excuses made for the security of the citizens and no more explanation could be enough. How could the government use the Anna Hazare movement as an excuse for the Delhi Police to be 'under strain' to contain the crowd, hence failing to take precautions for blast at the High Court. It seems like the choice is yours to make - you can either contain terrorism or public events. It is not the job of citizens who are the tax payers from which the police draw their legible salaries and other 'expenses', to protect themselves. For it is our right as tax paying citizens to be protected from predators. This 'either-or' situation would not be acceptable. Security of the country is the responsibility of the police not the common man. Just because the Delhi Police was busy holding up the crowd at Anna's gathering does not make them excusable of the fact that they could not find enough man power for bomb protection.
The irony of the entire argument is that by the time we have switched channels, the news of this terrorist attack would have been history in the memory of the audiences. This short attention span that we have acquired of a five year old toddler, who forgets his scrap on the knee once he sees a lollipop, defines our attitude today. The recurring terrorist attacks have become a news for just and just that, to escape the unpleasantness of which we switch channels. Perhaps we should switch off the television and actually turn on our brains to see some change happening around us, not the other way round.
Let's for a change stop the blame game instigated further by media and concentrate on how instead of generating a hype and panic amongst the people we could solve the situation at hand by asking the right questions. We are usually so engrossed in the situation as it is not without considering the next logical step to be taken - like a quick justice system, which could boost the morale of the citizens. Finally giving justice to the long forgotten cases that remain pending forever. From the minister to the reporter depends on the sentimental reaction of every Indian which is the selling point of every news. Instead of following the system, let's start by asking the right questions. For example, instead of spending time on footage covering the first people who saw the blast claiming their 15 secs of fame, who had the time and guts to stand there taking pictures from his mobile cameras with missing arms and amputated limbs. Instead of each news channel hogging TRPs by competing who can show more grotesque pictures of the disaster than the next on you flip on to, let's use the medium of communication as it should be used- constructively and more responsibly.
To remind ourselves, so hooked to the television, who are more engrossed in watching the event than participating to make a difference, that once television way back in early 90's used to be a medium of information. Doordarshan, before it was bullied into passivity sounding like the voice of the straight 'A' child being scolded repeatedly for not performing well, had this slot for 'Gumshuda Talash Kendra', where the missing people were reported. How about doing the same at the time of crisis now? How about the news channels standing united for the Indian people by running a helpline that works and reaches out to those in distress. Let's flash on screen helpline information that is required. As a common Indian with no VIP status, such information would be a blessing and a relief for many who would be unable to use the phones right after the incident as all networks were blocked.
The position of the Home Minister on bomb related events have been to increase VIP security and for the Delhi Police to harass couples sitting or strolling in park after dark, in the name of 'national security'. The police in the name of security targets the common man for checking that borders on harassment. While the security measures in this country seems to be for the VIP and works against the common Indian as more of harassment than protection. The discussion about security of the common Indian raises only when few hundred are killed. The only voice of reason about this matter was raised by IPS officer Mr.Lal, who pointed out that security measures for the VIPs should be reduced while common person dies like a fish.
Everyone accepting the fact that ministry always sleeps and proposals take long time. In this particular case there seemed to be no 'specific' information by intelligence given to the police to act upon. Could this be prevented? Yes, only if we realize that protection does not begin at the spot. It begins even before the target has been set. It starts with minimal intelligence report that we receive and building upon it to make a strategy to prevent the attack from happening. It is not about defending when the bomb goes off, but committing to use the minimum intelligence picked up that must have risked lives of many to get that. Delhi cannot be protected in Delhi, it has to start from outside by the intelligence, which currently seems to be ludicrous.
After Nov. 2008, there has been nothing done to improve preventive capability and police force on the ground. The excuse of CCTV cameras that were supposed to be installed became the blame game central target. The budget or proposal for CCTV cameras were not passed due to government protocol that needs to be followed. The solution to prevent such inefficient and time consuming checking could be installation of X-Ray machines at the court as we have at the airports, but that might be another rational solution that needs to pass a proposal that might take another ten years and few more bomb blasts and many more innocent lives.
Now comes the trickiest part of the whole deal- who is accountable? As most of our angst and grievance seem to be directed towards the police, then how about sacking the police commissioner if that solves the problem. When a terrorist attack happens we unite to attack the government. If the ministers would have been so impervious to attacks then no PM would have been assassinated. The solution to this dilemma lies in achieving bureaucratic and political unity of the country; to uphold responsibility by politicians who are elected with this faith that they shall protect us. In such circumstances where the safety of the Indian citizen has been breached and has been threatened, they owe the people an explanation not an excuse of shifting responsibility.
The epitome of disaster control in history in my opinion would be 9/11. After the 9/11 thanks to the US vigilance there has been not a single instance of terrorism despite US being the number one target for Islamic terrorists. Thanks to their luck they do not have a neighbour like we do. The Indian borders are vulnerable from all sides. Over ruling the humanitarian watchfulness of the world over Indian political measures, maybe for once we should take a stance, if not to attack them but atleast to defend us. One way to say enough is enough would be to cancel Samjhauta Express, to give Pakistan a jolt of realism.
As the argument stands to be defeated by our ever considerate politicians, it almost becomes a global phenomenon, it is a justification of terror with the 'we are sorry, but...' attitude of the politicians. We are sorry for the loss of innocent lives, but the police was busy controlling the crowd at the Anna Hazare gathering, we are sorry about your loss, but we were not informed about 'specific' intelligence report, we are sorry about the attacks but did not have enough ground staff to prevent the bombers, we are sorry for your loss, but we have to follow protocol to pass tenders for installing CCTV cameras, we are sorry for the damages caused by the terrorist group but we are still going to be friends with our neighbours and letting them get away with it, every single time, we are sorry we denied justice to the victims, but you see the case is being tried in court and you might hear about it in another ten years.
There could be no more vainer excuses made for the security of the citizens and no more explanation could be enough. How could the government use the Anna Hazare movement as an excuse for the Delhi Police to be 'under strain' to contain the crowd, hence failing to take precautions for blast at the High Court. It seems like the choice is yours to make - you can either contain terrorism or public events. It is not the job of citizens who are the tax payers from which the police draw their legible salaries and other 'expenses', to protect themselves. For it is our right as tax paying citizens to be protected from predators. This 'either-or' situation would not be acceptable. Security of the country is the responsibility of the police not the common man. Just because the Delhi Police was busy holding up the crowd at Anna's gathering does not make them excusable of the fact that they could not find enough man power for bomb protection.
The irony of the entire argument is that by the time we have switched channels, the news of this terrorist attack would have been history in the memory of the audiences. This short attention span that we have acquired of a five year old toddler, who forgets his scrap on the knee once he sees a lollipop, defines our attitude today. The recurring terrorist attacks have become a news for just and just that, to escape the unpleasantness of which we switch channels. Perhaps we should switch off the television and actually turn on our brains to see some change happening around us, not the other way round.
