Parting thought for 2009
Why do terror incidents in India that are counted refer only to Pakistan-backed Islamist terrorist attacks in major urban centres outside Jammu & Kashmir?
An error is simply a failure to adjust immediately from a preconception to an actuality.~John Cage
At the turn of the year, Ajai Sahni critically examines the hugely publicised statement — “no terror incident” in India during 2009 — and places it in true perspective.
There is of course a certain semantic opportunism in the claim that there has been “no terror attack” in India for more than a year after 26/11. The South Asia Terrorism Portal database tells us that there have been at least 2,197 terrorism-related fatalities across the country through year 2009 (till December 28) — with the bulk of these coming from the Maoist conflict, accounting for 977; Manipur, 415; Assam, 389; and Jammu & Kashmir, 373. Obviously, “terror attack” in this interpretation refers narrowly to Pakistan-backed Islamist terrorist attacks in major urban centres outside Jammu & Kashmir — an interpretation that provides a window into the minds of those who rule India, and their attitudes to what they regard as the country’s `periphery’. Nevertheless, there is cause to appreciate Home Minister P Chidambaram’s candour in admitting that the absence of even such a `terror attack’ must be credited largely to “dame luck” rather than any extraordinary initiatives by India’s security establishment.[Pioneer]
The enormity of internal security challenges facing the country should be a sobering thought at the start of a brand new year: 2010.
A thrust in the right direction. Is there a way to quantify the achievment of the DRDO. Has it made right use of money??
“The enormity of internal security challenges facing the country should be a sobering thought at the start of a brand new year: 2010″
One of the fringe benefits the state is discovering in the quest for better internal security is tighter controls and perhaps power.(Ofcourse no bureuacrat, politician or cop would dream of harrassment if one files say an RTI or writes a revealing article on the Emperors new clothes): [1] The database or card on every citizen. [2] A firm grip and record on every financial transaction a citizen makes for anything [3] Giving powers to utilities like the water supply or electricity department to jail a citizen for 2 months or six months respectively for cribbing on bills [4] And what takes the cake ? Herr Sheela Dixit’s order published in the papers this week that every citizen will have to agree to get his home videographed. (Read) the privacy of his home exposed to Govt Goons. But then the US Police can get you jailed for 99 years and a day for persisting in not paying a library fine.
Freedom and internal security is good for all of us. When or Venn ?