| Source: News Bharati |
Is Government missing out on real security challenges?
At least 231 of the country’s 608 Districts are currently affected, at differing intensities, by various insurgent and terrorist movements. Terrorism in all Districts of Jammu & Kashmir & the Northeast and Left Wing extremism affecting at least 165 Districts in 14 States, continue to pose serious challenges to the country’s security framework.Taking into account the dismal security situation, has the central & state government addressed the core issue? Do they have any action plan for security of common man? Is there a common minimum program for national security? There are four dangers to the territorial integrity that bedevil the nation. Naxals control 40% of country. Proxy war in J&K is going on since 1988.
The security forces, primarily the Indian army, have held the state of Jammu and Kashmir physically since independence. Bangladeshization/Islamization of North East is on increase. More than 3.5 crore Bangla Deshi have infiltrated into India. ISI is abetting Terrorism in hinterland & bleeding India by 1000 cuts.
Nearly three years after the unparalleled Mumbai terrorist assaults, India has returned to business as usual. It has shied away from the hard decisions it needed to take, yet it set up a new organization-the National Investigative Agency. What has been its output for last eight months? Mumbai may have become a terrorist example globally, but in India, there is little evidence it has changed its thinking and policy fundamentally. India has suffered more acts of major terror than any other nation in the 21st century. India till date is unable to shed its blinkers, let alone initiate any concrete counteraction to stem a rising existential threat. What India needs is a comprehensive approach that blends different key elements to form a credible counter-terror, Counter Naxal , Counter Proxy War & Counter BanglaDeshization strategy.
Excessive emphasis on defensive measures
An excessive emphasis on defensive measures only plays into the designs of terrorists and their masters by instilling a siege mentality, underlined by the Government’s refusal to take Naxalism Head On. The strength of police, paramilitary forces is more than 24 Lakhs but the Home Ministry is not able to find adequate CRPF/BSF/CISF Battalions for Anti Naxal operations. The siege mentality is also evident from the Government’s focus on trying to prevent a repeat of the last attack, rather than seeking to forestall the next innovative strike. The Home Ministry keeps on issuing warnings of threat to VIPs. Not even one VIPs has been killed since last 20 years while 1000 ordinary Indians have died up till now in 2011. The likelihood of terrorists arriving again in Mumbai and striking luxury hotels is very low. Yet the response to Mumbai has been to set up security cordons around luxury hotels.
Pak PM a ‘man of Peace’?
On Mumbai, India lost when ten Pakistani terrorists held its commercial capital hostage for almost three days. We are losing every day thereafter. Last eight months the battle for terror is being fought on TV Channels & news papers instead of fighting with the terrorists & Pakistan. We even invited Gen Mushharaf for a discussion on terrorism. The latest drama on Prime Ministers statement on Pak PM being man of peace is fresh in our memory. India’s response is akin to impotent fury.
Many of the “same critical flaws” in the security apparatus, including dismotivated police and laid back senior leadership remain."The nature of India's slow moving bureaucracy will greatly hinder our ability to overhaul the country's internal security network effectively.
Militancy: Internal and External forces
The country still provide Pakistani-based militants a good occasion to target the usual soft targets like crowded market places, movie theatres, hotels or religious sites. Militants are directly and indirectly encouraged by pseudo secularist in India and these people may even justify militant attacks in future given the past trends. We are yet to tackle front organizations like Huriyat Conference in J&K. It is a sad reality that our Home Ministry cannot respond to multifarious threats such as fake currency, subversion in the society & many other security threats adequately.
2400 people died in terrorism-related violence in India during year 2009. 2500 died in 2010. The number injured is four times the number dead. Infect the violence has escalated exponentially in J&K, North East, Naxal areas since last one month. The Home Ministry seems incapable of controlling Naxalite violence. It is high time the situation is handed over to army.
Bangladeshization of the North East
It is astonishing that the Congress& Left front do not talk about the illegal infiltration of 3.5 crore Bangladeshis from Bangladesh The unabated migration have led to rise in criminal activities, unemployment & easy recruitment to terrorism all over the country. The government was rapped by the Supreme Court for failing to address the problem of illegal migration that was described by the court nothing less than external aggression.
Left Wing extremism, a real threat
Left Wing extremism constitutes what Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh rightly described as the single biggest internal security challenge. The Communist Party of India-Maoist, today, exercises dominance over a large swathe of the country’s territory & has now overtaken all other insurgencies in the country. The strength of CPOS, PMFs, and Police has increased to more than 24 Lakh but will they ever be able to control this challenge. Past & present record does not suggest so.
Coastal Security
Defense Ministry has forwarded a whopping Rs 15000 crore plan for setting a Coastal Command seven months back. Building infra structure; various ships will take 10-15 years. How will the security of coastline be ensured during the intervening period?
Police Reforms
Will the government accelerate the process of police reforms? How about qualitative improvement of Police? The police men on administrative and VIP duties should be used for protecting common People. The focus on creating a fortress mentality of guarding few favorite spots like police HQ’s, VIPs, cricketers leaving common man as vulnerable as before should be curbed. All politicians misusing security at the cost of common man need to be boycotted.
Lack of Political Will Power
At present there is a lack of Political will and leadership to take on terrorism/national security problems head on. A section of political class is subverted and unwilling to act because of vote bank politics. A lot of tax payer’s money has been spent in modernizing police, the PMFs, CPOs without increasing the security. The financial support to the terrorist organization continues unhindered. Despite being an IT super power the intelligence agencies have not been able to break in to terrorist web sites, E-mails and communications network to get actionable intelligence. NARCO terrorism is on the increase. Sub version in the society is serious cause of concern. All these aspects should be considered by the government.
After all can we afford unabated killing of 2500 Indians every year?
About Brig. Hemant Mahajan
Brigadier Heman Mahajan (YSM) joined armed forces since 1973. Started his military life as an officer with the ‘7 Maratha Light Infantry’. Brig. Mahajan has served in the most sensitive areas like Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, North Eastern states. Importantly Brig. Mahajan had an experience of serving his duty in highest and tough warzone like Kargil, handling peace situation in furious Punjab after the ‘Operational Blue Star’ and the Ayodhya region. Along with ‘Youth Seva Medal’, Brig. Mahajan is recipient of various Military awards for his excellent track record.
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