An Extra Ordinary Situation: No Rhetoric Please!

The post Taj situation demands radical determination on the part of political establishment and civil society to bring into effect the required anti-terror mechanism in the country along with blowing up external networks responsible for the recent menace in Mumbai. The mere rhetorical statements from all shades of ideologies and parts of formal establishment will serve no purpose to achieve the end goal. The unity shown by people, which compelled political parties to put up united face, during the terror attacks and counter terror operation demonstrates high democratic consciousness of this country. Now people want assurance from government in terms of concrete action to eliminate scourge of terrorism. The nation awaits response from the responsibles.

In this light, Congress Working Committee's move to make Union Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil to resign from the Cabinet is a welcome development. Maharashtra’s Home Minister Mr. R. R. Patil also left with no other option but to quit, particularly after his casual comment that ‘such small things keep on happening in big cities’. However, the resignations are merely a step to own up moral responsibility or are they really admission of neglect of the duty? The resignations carry no meaning if the latter intention is not part of it. If intelligence agencies' claims that government had been adequately warned about possibility of attack bear truth, a quick cleansing operation must take place at the highest level of bureaucracy to get rid of non functioning officials by dismissing them from the service. Cabinet members and Secretary level Babus must be made to pay for the gross neglect of threat to the nation as they are the one who enjoy far better security and facilities than others.

Resignation of one of the most incompetent ministers of UPA government should be followed with attempt to form cohesive and inclusive strategy on a war footing. In the present scenario, the internal measures and the external processes must go hand in hand. People expect the establishment to correctly identify perpetrators of terror attacks residing beyond the borders and teach them the capital lesson, by hook or by crook. The internal political situation in Pakistan as well as possession of nuclear weapons by Islamabad pose real challenge for the policy makers to decide about the ways to eliminate anti-India terror cells there. Caliber of the government will be at test and nation can neither afford that the executives fail on this count nor will it forgive any shortcoming with this regard. The international environment, although, favours justice for India, the outgoing US presidency still wish to dictate terms to it. As Washington does not want diversion of Pakistan's state forces from FATA, it will not permit Manmohan Singh to compel Zardari-Gilani duo to react to Indian demands and actions. Its real time for the Indian Prime Minister to demonstrate independence of country's foreign and strategic policy.

At home, priority remains raising proper security infrastructure throughout the country within a timeframe along with sharpening of intelligence network. Without this combination in place, any new law or agency will be equally inefficient. The domestic work must begin without delay by eliminating any and all kinds of criminal gangs operating in different cities to destroy support and logistical base of terrorists in the country. Amidst all the war-like activities, what we don’t afford is any politicking targeting communities. On the other hand, requirement of the time is fair hearing to the human rights groups. A tough but one of the essential tasks to win the internal battle. Above all, India wants a leader who can rally behind him/her people across region, caste and religion by enthusing among them confidence of safe and free future.