VINUTHA MALLYA writes: After the ‘blasted’ weekend in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, electricity transformers, unmanned bicycles and parked cars are drawing suspicious looks… until the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ invents its next bomb.
As we wait for the next attack, the State and central governments, the state and central intelligence agencies, are cutting a sorry figure in the eyes of the citizens. They continue to assure us that “all steps are being taken”.
One wonders: do these chaps giving these assurances even know what they are talking about?
Perhaps it is time for our governments and intelligence agencies to hire some PR expertise? Even if only to market messages that can build confidence among citizens that “all steps are being taken”— even if they are only platitudes.
Despite facing years of unrest in various parts of the country, our authorities show up on the crime scene looking like lost babes in the woods. The squad which was looking over the debris and muted bombs on Friday in Bangalore had no protective gear, and in Ahmedabad what was on, didn’t look very safe.
When one looked at the footage pouring in (thanks to TV9 which other channels were borrowing from), the method of cordoning off the area was itself so unscientific that one wonders if we are indeed a rapidly developing country.
Between Mumbai (7/11), Lucknow, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bangalore (25/7), Ahmedabad and Surat, we don’t seem to have got our act anywhere near together.
Do we now need a deal with the FBI, CIA, and what have you, to help us with our internal security?
Or a Hollywood director of a film like Independence Day maybe?
The statements which were given out by the many secretaries, ministers, opposition leaders can now be scripted by a high school student.
Citizens deserve more than this. They deserve a concerted effort at combating 21st century hi-tech terrorism. We need the intelligence agencies to be more than intelligent. We need them to be smart and savvy. And we need this not just to boost confidence in our agencies, we need this to stop the targetting of innocents and entire communities which are typically the fallout of events like the ones in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
This would mean a radical shift in the system. It means allocating resources, enhancing skills sets, R&D, whatever it takes. It would also mean that the government, the intelligence and the police will have to work together, understand the nature of this phenomenon, roll up their sleeves and socks and put their hands into the deep mud.
We need this to happen, and we need it now.
Tags: Ahmedabad Blasts, Bangalore Blasts, BJP, Bombay Blasts, CBI, Churumuri, Congress, Hyderabad Blasts, Jaipur Blasts, NDA, TV9, UPA
28 July 2008 at 4:21 pm
I blogged about the lack of protective gear and the incredibly stupid way in which the bomb disposal squad was working in Ahmedabad, here:
http://pdileepa.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/incredible-india-still-in-stone-age-come-visit-us/
It’s terrifying to see how clueless our security and intelligence agencies are. It’s more terrifying than the acts of terror, in a way!
28 July 2008 at 4:34 pm
More than all these things you have mentioned here, there is another thing that is required – political will that rises beyond vote-bank politics. The rest will follow once that is place.
28 July 2008 at 4:49 pm
Cant agree more ):
28 July 2008 at 4:53 pm
Its awareness in its infant stages….sometimes the whole scenario with this makes me wonder if there is safety in believing what is on the media…
The cordoned off areas bore a very sorry look….the ones near my sons school was so sad, that the kids were actually laughing and makign a mockery out of the whole thing…and we call it safety!
28 July 2008 at 5:11 pm
On a more serious note here are my views:
As a practioner of public relations my view is that a good pr adviser can only do so much help communicate…he / she can advise on how to communicate effectively, how to handle sensitivities invpolved, how to reach out to media and to people throught the media etc.
The pr adviser can help client spin..meaning, the client needs to have enough credibility and something substantial for the commuciation to succeed and sound credible.
In this case, if the government has not taken any action or has done nothing substantial to address the issue of terrosim + if the Union Home Minister is seen as a joke..nothing much can be achieved by getting a bright pr adviser.
If you get a pr agency to advise the officials in the present scenario, the results will be cosmetic and the resultant facade will come done faster than officials / politicians realise and worse, cause more damage to image of person concerned !
28 July 2008 at 5:30 pm
The way security works in (say) NYC, London cannot work in India. Visit Mumbai, Howrah railstations, markets…….. once to see how 10s of millions of people pass thro’ during the peak hours. Its impossible to let everybody enter thro’ metal gate, or physically scan it.
Public, media, Govt, mass media like Bollywood ….shd join hands against this evil and spread awareness.
Unfortunately the role played by Bollywood has justified terrorism to a degree. Media is filled with people who knows very little abt what is Islamism, terrorism and their real goal. Politicians are unable to confront it for short term votebank politics. One even proposed to follow Gandhiji’s fasting yesterday :)-
Public is in dire state. Anger is brewing.
One thing Govt of India MUST DO ASAP IS TO PAY BACK PAKISTAN IN THE SAME COIN- ENSURE THEY UNDERSTAND IT HAS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT. Will that happen?
28 July 2008 at 5:36 pm
Governments never conduct interactive sessions with citizen…Like brainstorming sessions in IT cos or Samvada by TN Sitaram… such discussions bring out the best…
28 July 2008 at 7:19 pm
Are you suggesting Mr Mukerjee that we attack a country with nuclear arms and a totally unaccountable/ trigger happy army leadership – and on what evidence that could be substantiated in an International court of Law!!
28 July 2008 at 8:35 pm
Gaby,
Sovereign nations do not have to justify anything in the so called International Court of Law. Have you seen the US or any of the NATO nations justifying their acts in Iraq anywhere?
I think Mukherjee did not mean nuking anybody. There are other ways of teaching Pakistan.
For example, let the government give instructions & money to RAW to create trouble for Pakistan by covertly supporting the different groups in Pakistan that want their own independent country; Pay for an influential lobbying group in the US to constantly highlight Pakistan’s support to terror; Reduce diplomatic relations and unnecessary people-to-people contacts; Stop playing cricket with Pakistan.
I am sure if the government is determined, it can do a lot.
28 July 2008 at 9:11 pm
Aah Chet my friend, that is exactly what the Pakistan Government complains of India doing in Baluchistan. I am not saying Mr Mukherjee wants to nuke Pakistan – I am saying attacking ( pay back in his words) a highly unstable country with Nuclear capacity is not the best of ideas.
Yes soveriegn countries do not have to justify anything to Institutions of international law- but countries which flout that attitude happen to be ones like North Korea, Iran , Serbia ( in the past)and the American and British adminstrations.
But like alsways we are deviating from the point ( to the eternal joy of our poiliticians, media and terrorists) – the point that Mr Bhamy wanted to make I suppose is a fast as a matter of protest- not for terrorists to stop killing- but for civil adminstrations to be more accountable on these massive failings that lead to such enormous losses- please dont tell me even that is a laughable issue!!
29 July 2008 at 12:08 am
@Gaby
Some evidence of pak’s unprovoked attacks against India…. http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/28jk1.htm
29 July 2008 at 1:53 am
Gaby,
Looking at some comments, it seems the terrorists have succeeded in their objective of provoking hatred and blind revenge. And encouraging people who had these thoughts to come out and play. Basically bringing out the hidden terrorist in others. Which is something our inept governments will love to pursue instead of proper long term planning and coordinated action – anyway besides our defence forces, the government is not really used to having definite goals or being accountable for anything.
29 July 2008 at 3:50 am
@AG
From next time on, whenever these ghastly blasts happen and innocent victims die, we will resolve not to
a) raise our voices
b) give our opinion
c) demand better accountability from govt
d) expect the govt to do its duty towards security
e) condemn the acts and terrorists
f) bring up facts (however in-our-face-glaring they may be)
g) show sympathy with the victims
If you term actions a-g as bringing out the “inner terrorist” in us (whatever it means) then either you are in denial about reality or just hypocrite (advising only the “inner terrorists” to follow peace and not the other…oh, never mind.. )
29 July 2008 at 3:55 am
Gaby
I don’t understand why you assumed attack means only military attack. It should be
a) withdrawing the MFN status to pak
b) cut-off the indo-pak talks and train service
c) no trade relations with pak
d) no cultural/sports with pak
e) stepping up security and pressure in border areas
f) more lobbying against pak (as someone above rightly said)
I guess it is you who are always looking out to twist meanings of even innocuous statements and your friend AG calls “us” as “inner terrorists”…hmmm, joker calling batman a villain!
29 July 2008 at 4:51 am
pradeep,
hmmm, more like whiner who thinks he is the dark knight himself.
29 July 2008 at 4:56 am
Raring to have a go at any villian around you batman?
29 July 2008 at 5:01 am
Gaby,
Ramakrishna Paramhansa used to tell a story to his disciples what happened to a snake when it became “Dharmic”, vegetarian. Everybody used to throw stones to that snake, it never protested, and as a result it almost died. The Guru (who brought the change in the snake in the first place) saw the snake in a bad shape and said: did I tell you NOT to make “hiss” to scare people?
Its this approach (“on what evidence that could be substantiated in an International court of Law!!”) that made Nehru go to UN on Kashmir and we are still bleeding.
Even after surrendering to Jinnah in the face of terrorism – there is no difference between today’s terrorism and “great calcutta massacre”/”call for direct action” , its this attitude of our leaders that made one after another blunder.
Northern areas of J&K shd have been cleared of occupation which would have enabled India having direct access with Central Asia. Also, it would have cut off direct link between Pakistan and China.
Even much venerated Lalbahadur Shahtri surrendered to two peaks during course of Taskhent talks even after winning them in 1964 war.
Indira could not force Kashmir solution even after hold 33% of Pakistani Army hostage/
Nehru thought he was a great ‘world leader’, however fact remains hardly anybody protested in NAM when China attacked India.
There have been two exception to this: PV Narshima Rao and AB Vajpayee.
Pakistan thinks they have a demand over India because of long Islamic rule and they are out to achieve it by any means. Why not pay back Pakistan in the same coin as that land belongs to India since antiquity?
What would have happened had the nationalist warrior saint Guru Govind Singhji not raised the sword? Or no Shivaji Maharaj? Or Vidyaranya not established Vijaynagaram empire? There would have been no India today.
29 July 2008 at 7:01 am
Yesterday I was going to 100 feet road in my scooter and as usual I was wearing my helmet. I was stopped near the Lakshmipuram police station to check me for any hidden bombs. The police were really suspicious as I had a helmet on. They advised me not to use the helmet for some time. I told them it is not possible.
For this I heard them say “Boddimakkalu namage illada kasta kodatare. Nodu avanu helmet illade hogodilvante. Sule maga!” I went back and thanked them for the compliment.
29 July 2008 at 12:37 pm
It doesnt need hitech methods to prevent such acts.
I have simple suggestions.
Cleanup all dustbins regularly.
Cleanup all dirt on roads, and make them clean.
You can spot suspicious objects easily.
At present there are many “holes” in the road, side of roads, where there are piles of stones etc, garbage neatly packed in “plastic covers” and thrown on foot paths(wherever they exist)
If they are cleaned up, people will spot suspicious objects easily, they will use footpaths, contribute to free flow of traffic.
Believe me, this will work…
29 July 2008 at 3:54 pm
Srikanta Great! Well said.
29 July 2008 at 5:08 pm
I wont argue with you Mr Mukherjee. I value my sanity you see. However the only thing I can tell you as a very proud Kannadathi is this- it’s VijayanagarA my friend and Vidyaaranya was the moral guide to Hakka and Bukka who established what became the empire of VijayanagarA.
Whether India would have existed today if Vijayanagara had not nearly 500 years ago is a matter for fictionalised history ( whay you presumably read everyday) and science fiction( which my nephew loves)!
Pradeep for a simple person the word attack comes with all its belligerent implications. However with your subtle sophistry you come up with osctracising a nation as a form of attack- wow.
Srikanta- yours is the only useful comment I ve read till now-
29 July 2008 at 11:12 pm
Remember a couple of years back, when an inspector went to arrest a person charged of murder in an area of Mysore which is inhabited by Muslims, police were stoned, wounded and pushed out of the locality by the people. Even now police themselves say that many a serious case of affray or even homicide goes unreported in some of these areas. It is allegedly a safe haven for criminals and they also said to have harboured even the mafia from Mumbai underworld.
When a respected Muslim academic(also a minister now) who also appreciates Vivekananda’s teachings requests Islamic clergy to either “lower” the volume of the speakers/broadcast the prayer through radio(to which an NGO offered technical expertise to build and negotiate with govt. to allow it), religious leaders flatly refused and the man was branded Communal!
Guess what would happen to people of a locality who are predominantly employed in factories which have shifts from noon to midnight, do not they deserve a few winks of sleep? Those are the people, whom the gentleman represented.
So I am not surprised if someone keeps the meat of a prohibited animal in front of a mosque. Does retaliating to that misdemeanor(given as a reason by a news channel) justify the blasts!?
30 July 2008 at 1:16 am
“Pakistan being a nuclear weapon state, we have to be careful not to provoke the Pakis.” But, the Pakis don’t give a damn about India’s nuclear capabilities! With impunity they train, fund and regularly despatch loads of jihadis to fight the Paki proxy war on Indian soil. Pakis perhaps think India to be a paper tiger and nuclear non-entity.
30 July 2008 at 5:15 am
Jaitley on Pota:
Lots of people demanded POTA, special law. And there are some cynics too. I refer here a small reporting that appeared in the Tribune where Arun Jaitley, the sharpest BJP leader, has explaied. Hope it will explain TWO MAIN POINTS WHERE POTA DIFFER.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080730/nation.htm#17
Gaby: Vijaynagaram was a typo, agreed. As far as Vidyaaranya goes, both spellings are acceptable. I do have a habit of dropping letter and almost never use spell-checker. Hope it clarifies.
As far as the ‘fictionalized’ history is concerned, that luxury of thought of possible in a society where free speech, secularization has taken root. However, with growing menace of islamism, jehadism – we are about to loose that. Just look at any of the 55 odd islamic countries and you will realize.
An author of the stature of Naguib Mahfouz had to take permission from Al Azhar before publishing his book. Taslima Nasreen was banished from Bangladesh (and also from Calcutta).
Sir, Wake up before its too late.
30 July 2008 at 5:44 am
Srikanth,
How right you are!
31 July 2008 at 1:57 am
Gaby
If you can’t understand an issue properly and want to jump to hasty conclusions (and give a flimsy excuse like “i am a simple person”..) better to restrain yourself from commenting
Or we should be spending our time just explaining to you…..a waste of time!