India completed one month of the Mumbai terror attack on friday last. Being shaken out of its slumber by public uproar;the government has taken 'all steps' to warn the perpeterators of terror from across the border, activated its diplomatic channels to arrange a visit of Condoleza Rice to the subcontinent, sacked few persons in 'responsible' positions, so on and so forth. One of the minister is still keeping the public delusion alive of taking 'action' and of 'options open'.
The biggest misfortune of our country is the intellectual mediocrity of our beaurocracy, non committal attitude of the political leadership and most importantly the short memory of the public. India is perhaps most vulnerable to such terror attacks in future due to its vast coastline. The goverment has not decided on any additional measures to safeguard its maritime boundaries. In my previous post, the requirement of coming up with a BIGGER solutions for LARGER issues was highlighted. The government has done 'too little and too late'. Though the vulnerability of having a large coastline hardly requires over emphasis, the meeting on coastline security at central level is slated in the first week of January. By the time any 'concrete measures' of this important meeting will be 'implemented', the country will probably celebrating the victory of the new government and everything on terror will be forgotten till another terror attack grabs the headlines... 
A newspaper cutting from 'The Hindu' on the measures taken by government on coastal security
3 comments:
That is why it is said that the public memory is painfully small, even when it was the public that suffered. The rhetoric is big, from those who matter and yet mean nothing.
I was too disoriented to reply to your comments on my earlier post on the mumbai incident... I still somehow feel that offence is the best defence. Our political leadership, intelligencia and all those in decision making postions are scared to even call Pakistan a terrorist state and are pinning their hopes of mediation by US,UK. Diplomacy for the white man means 'righteousness' but not at the cost of loss.
The treatment meeted out to the forces also needs a positive change. Contrary to the common misconception,the Indian army solidier does not want just the pay-hike but a sense of dignity from the citizens. The Indian army owes its legacy to the British time where the army was integrated in the overall structure of the administration. In the last 60 years,the civilian lobby has totally compartmentalised and marginalised the services and have promoted their own interests.
In Britain, the SP (Superintendent of Police) still wears the rank badges of a Captain but his counterpart in our country has been elevated to wear the rank badges of a Colonel.
What a shame.
Post a Comment