Mumbai Again!

After a lull of nearly three years, terrorists struck again to pulverise India’s commercial capital, Mumbai. The toll of human lives was mercifully much less than the attack by Pakistani terrorists in November 2008, but that was probably accidental. The terrorists had chosen busy areas and the peak evening hour, both of which indicate that the intention was to take maximum number of lives.

The sense of outrage felt in the country and particularly Mumbai is understandable. Even if it is accepted that it is virtually impossible to eliminate the chances of deadly strikes by terrorists, this much is clear that the country has done poorly to streamline its anti-terror machine which could at least minimise these attacks. The assertion that 99 per cent of terror attacks are foiled means nothing to those who have lost their loved ones. It will only make them more angry.

While various experts point out where in their opinion the authorities have slipped in tackling terrorism, certain other related matters also demand urgent discussion. These are matters relating to external relations as well as internal affairs.

A deplorable spectacle that surfaces the moment a terrorist attack is reported is the scramble among politicians to start the blame game. The police and investigative agencies issue contradictory and confusing statements. If they do so under pressure from the media they must rediscover the virtues of discretion so as to not say things that will complicate investigations.

After overturning its stance of no talks with Pakistan till it brings the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks on Mumbai to justice, the government has become very cautious in pointing fingers at Islamabad. That may be diplomatically correct but does anyone in India really think that Pakistan will have no direct or indirect link to terror attacks in India?

Indian Mujahideen has been mentioned in many reports as the likely perpetrator of the latest terror attacks in Mumbai. It is a ‘home grown’ outfit. But can it be doubted that it owes its growth and expansion to overt and covert help from Pakistan? Almost every ‘home grown’ terrorist that the police have managed to nab so far has been found to have some Pakistani link—trained and aided by Pakistan agencies.

The government need not go to town in pointing towards Pakistan, but it must not hesitate to convey to Islamabad at every opportunity that its intentions will be judged by its willingness to sever all links with the jihadis and terrorists who are trained to attack Indian targets directly or through their Indian proxies like IM. Pakistan’s godfather, the United States of America, should be told that it must end its superfluous chiding of Pakistan for maintaining links with India-specific terror groups, or else be ready to see the sub-continent get more tense.

Internally, the first priority has to be removing the flaws in intelligence gathering, surveillance and preparing an effective force that can neutralise terror attacks in double quick time. This is where politicians and the ‘civil society’ come in.

It strikes one as rather odd that while the ‘civil society’ can create a country-wide stir for the appointment of a Jan Lokpal of questionable utility in a land where corruption has taken deep roots, there is nothing more than angry outbursts after successive terror attacks. Will Anna Hazare and his team of ‘civil society’ leaders go on fast to press the government to build a more reassuring anti-terror machinery for the country?

Merely sitting on a fast will not do. The so-called ‘civil society’ may have to be ready to shed a bit of its liberal mask. Those who are fond of asking how it is that the US has not been attacked by terrorists after 9/11 should ponder over the following:

The US goes ruthlessly after terror ‘suspects’, unmindful of home protests (that look more ritualistic than substantive or serious) from their so-called liberals. Third degree methods, whatever be their name in the US (water-boarding and so on), are as rampant in the US as they are in India. Taunts of double standards do not bother the US administration.

The US is quick to prosecute the terrorists or suspects; no dragging of cases for decades; no consideration for political or diplomatic fall-out.

If an extreme penalty has been given to a terrorist his punishment is not put off indefinitely.

Investigations into terror cases are focused, mostly undertaken by keeping the media at bay. In any case, no ‘running commentary’ on investigation is available for the Press.

The surveillance methods in the US invite protests—eaves dropping on phone conversations, hacking mail, racial profiling, body search and patting down at points of entry. There is no dilution in these practices for visitors and diplomats even when protests become louder.

Citizens report to the police on people they ‘think’ mean harm to the US.

A system of vigilantism seems to operate, obviously with clandestine state support that is directed at brown-skinned foreigners. Plane flights are delayed merely because a Caucasian passenger (who is promptly off-loaded) thinks the next seat occupant looks like a terrorist. Even if the suspicion turns out to be baseless, no apology is offered.

Not that the police and security forces in India are angles in comparison; they have been accused of worse things. But there is a vital difference. It has been seen that while there are protests from the liberal lobby and ‘civil society’ leaders against ill-treatment of other criminals, the case of investigations into terrorism cases becomes a political issue, dragging in the obnoxious vote-bank fac
tor. The blame-game quickly reaches the top. As a result often the suspects escape punishment that should be justly awarded to them.

It cannot be said that in such circumstances even a more efficient anti-terror machinery in the country will be able to minimise, much less eliminate, future attacks. There is no short cut to removal of scourge of terrorism and a single –minded pursuit of the goal is the only way out.

-By Atul Cowshish

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