India’s financial capital of Mumbai has now been targeted by terror attacks for the fourth time in eight years. There is obvious frustration for people of Mumbai in particular who have been made to suffer at the hands of the faceless enemy whether they are home grown or from across the border. And as would be expected, whenever such breach in internal security takes place, there will be political mudslinging, most times without any positive outcome, only adding to the unhealthy state of affairs that India as a country has come to inherit. Unless politicians learn to sometimes work for a common cause and for once forget about power struggle, India as a country and society will not improve. Rather than stand together in the face of terror, our politicians it seems are getting ready for the next elections, trying to argue on their respective party positions. Noteworthy is the argument of senior BJP leader LK Advani who viewed the repeated attacks on Mumbai as a ‘policy failure’ and not as an ‘intelligence failure’. As part of his argument he demanded that the Centre move to have the ISI declared as a terrorist organization. Off course the question is why Advani, when he was the country’s Home Minister, did not implement what he is demanding now from the Congress led UPA government. Advani has however made a valid argument that India can learn from the US pointing out that nothing has happened in America since 9/11 despite them being the No 1 enemy of the jihadis. Hopefully the opposition parties, ought to also learn from countries like the United States and United Kingdom, that policy matters are long term and for the interest of the country and the government of the day should be trusted and allowed to lead the initiative to confront challenges faced from time to time like the Mumbai terror attack. We saw this in the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks where everyone, burying political differences, stood behind the country’s leadership (the US President). In times of crisis a country and its people should stand together. This is a lesson for India to learn.
At a deeper level, maybe this is a good time to actually introspect on how India as a country is moving towards the future. And here, this column would like to raise the often disregarded question, not of our security preparedness or intelligence gathering, but the fundamental concern about the health and well being of the country. It is here that we should find some of the missing link or answers to the question of why India is a soft State to be targeted at will without any hesitation on the part of the perpetrators. A very apt SMS is doing the rounds in the aftermath of the latest terror attack in Mumbai. “Is terrorism an external threat only? No blasts possible until some officer, politician sold the security of country for money. Corruption kills!! And this is precisely what this column is trying to relay—that a country of over a billion people must undergo its own transformation by shaking off the curse of corruption, unresolved internal conflicts, poverty, disease, intolerance and the other ills that continue to take its toll on the strength and vitality of India. A country carrying such a heavy load of worries is bound to easily fall down and will forever remain vulnerable to inimical forces. India as an emerging power in its own right cannot afford to remain as it is. Those who run the country, the political establishment and the supporting government system, must start looking for solutions to the many troubles that it is carrying—whether it is Kashmir, the Northeast or even the Naga issue, the Hindu-Muslim divide, corrupt system, continuing poverty etc. A less worrisome India with the load off its back will also be a stronger India to confront the concerns and challenges of the 21st Century.
At a deeper level, maybe this is a good time to actually introspect on how India as a country is moving towards the future. And here, this column would like to raise the often disregarded question, not of our security preparedness or intelligence gathering, but the fundamental concern about the health and well being of the country. It is here that we should find some of the missing link or answers to the question of why India is a soft State to be targeted at will without any hesitation on the part of the perpetrators. A very apt SMS is doing the rounds in the aftermath of the latest terror attack in Mumbai. “Is terrorism an external threat only? No blasts possible until some officer, politician sold the security of country for money. Corruption kills!! And this is precisely what this column is trying to relay—that a country of over a billion people must undergo its own transformation by shaking off the curse of corruption, unresolved internal conflicts, poverty, disease, intolerance and the other ills that continue to take its toll on the strength and vitality of India. A country carrying such a heavy load of worries is bound to easily fall down and will forever remain vulnerable to inimical forces. India as an emerging power in its own right cannot afford to remain as it is. Those who run the country, the political establishment and the supporting government system, must start looking for solutions to the many troubles that it is carrying—whether it is Kashmir, the Northeast or even the Naga issue, the Hindu-Muslim divide, corrupt system, continuing poverty etc. A less worrisome India with the load off its back will also be a stronger India to confront the concerns and challenges of the 21st Century.
