TIME FOR SORROW & TIME FOR CHANGE

My emotions are ranging from helplessness to shock, incapacitation, anger and a sense of being let down by my government by the recent turn of events at Mumbai. I am horrified at our lack of preparedness and response to a tragedy of the magnitude of the tragedy at Mumbai.

One shudders to think that were it not for the Marcos and the NSG Commandos the extent of tragedy would have been much greater. Prior to the NSG moving in and taking charge the  so called elite Anti Terrorist Squad was practically incapacitated owing to the killing of its top cop, an ACP and encounter specialist.

Add to it a bumbling ineffective sycophant heading the Home Ministry who sucks up big time to his political masters. An utterly incompetent man who robbed the NSG operation of a critical element of surprise by disclosing their movement plans. Not to forget the wonderful coverage by our TV Channels getting us live coverage and exclusive stories in a bid to give us first hand information, live and breaking news as it happened even at the cost of risking their lives.

The finest coverage, however, was provided by ace journalist Barkha Dutt who wanted to take the lead and ensured a few more innocent civilian casualties. Those who missed it live may please read http://ckunte.com/archives/shoddy-journalism. Even at the time of the Kargil war she did manage to goof up big time by helping the enemy in learning of the positions of our troops. She’s an old hand at it! Hats off to her journalistic wisdom.

Truly wonderful has been the ever vocal Mr. RR Patil who goes on record to say that it cannot be called a total intelligence failure since one or two incidents such as this can happen in a big city. Only to clarify later that he has perhaps been misinterpreted.

The UPA Government has failed us in more ways than one and the common man is the biggest casualty of this blundering governance.

Narendra Modi is accused of politicising the issue when he says that the government has failed. I think it is perfectly justified and more such questions must be asked and the Government and the UPA Chairperson must answer them. Bear it in mind that be it Mr. Modi or any other opposition leader, they are also democratically  elected representatives of the people and all questions asked by them are also on behalf of the common man. The answers must be given. It is time that the government must be held accountable.

 

It is time that the ruling party comes out with some honest answers to some very direct, blunt and uncomfortable questions. What has it done to safeguard the common man’s constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right: the right to life?

While we applaud and pay the highest tributes to the men who laid down their lives in keeping us safe let us spare a thought for all the unsung heroes of this tragedy as well.

I salute all the heroes who didn’t wear khakhi or battle fatigues like the maintence engineer in the Taj who took a bullet trying to save a couple, the General Manager of the Taj Hotel who stood outside the hotel with a bottle of water for the released hostages despite having lost his entire family, to the waiters and the hotel staff who were operating by their credo of guests first, the Nanny of the Rabbi’s Kid who saved him and the many more such unsung heroes whose names or identity will never be plastered across the televisions screens and national dailies.

Having said all of the above, it is time that we sat down and equipped ourselves better to handle more such situations. They are an inescapable part of our contemporary reality. The government must get out of its mode of denial, complacence and laid back lackadaisical functioning, forget the vote banks and look after the nation. It is elected to do so after spending huge amounts of the tax payers' money. It runs on the same too and must be held accountable for its acts of omissions and commission at all times. We do not need a parliament that is marked by not work and all pay/perks. They must perform.

 

In the same vein, we must prepare our road map for the future and implement it. It is time that we had a unified federal agency that handles counterinsurgency/counter terrorist operations. It is most essential.

 

Each state must have its own Crisis Response Team or SWAT Team. This team must have a free hand and must be liberated of political clutches. They must be answerable to the political leadership at the Centre but operating under the Commissioner Police or the DGP.  We cannot have them looking after the politicians.

We need to equip and train our police forces in more ways than one. The World War II discarded 303 rifles and the SLR’s must go. We need to provide them state of the art weapon systems like the AK Series or INSAS assault rifles, night vision glasses, Kevlar Bullet Proof Vests, rigorous training in intelligence gathering, search and seizure operations, covert operations, counter insurgency/counter terrorist measures, hostage situations. We need to learn from Israel, from the US, UK, France and other nations that are dealing a little more successfully with the problem. 

Our NSG and the Marcos should also be provided better weapon systems like the M4 A1, MP5K A4, TAVOR 21, HECKLER AND KOCH MAchine Pistols and Assault RIFLES, MINIMI M249 PARA, CORNERSHOT, WEAPON SYSTEMS FROM STEYR MANNLICHER and such like, Thermal Sensors, Night Vision Goggles,  Designated Aircraft/ Choppers,  and other means of transport. If need be they may be sent for further information sharing and training with the SAS, SOF, SEALS, GIPN, GSG 9, ISAYERET, SWAT and such like.

Last but not the least, we must now prepare to have SWAT team in practically all metropolitan cities and other high risk establishments to begin with.

We must also train the civilian population in crisis management and providing paramedical assistance in case of any such eventuality. The information gathering must also be improved by coordinating closely with the local population.

It is high time we did it. We must do it no matter what it takes. If today we fail, then our society and the greater future society will fail. Whatever it costs, the price of failure will be greater than the price of freedom. Let us not let our kids live in fear and under the shadow of a terrorist’s gun. Our nation is worth it. And our children are worth it.  

 PS. In case you are wondering about my knowledge of weapon systems, it helps being a defence officer’s son who likes to watch Discovery Channel’s Future Weapons.