It is over. people dead. symbols destroyed. and a people stunned. 26/11 is going to be a date etched in our memory for ever – much like 9/11.
I am at home watching three funerals that TV channels are broadcasting. Those of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan in Bangalore, ATS Chief Hemant Karkare in Mumbai, and Havildar Gajendra Singh in Delhi.
And i find the stoicism of the last two days slipping away. There is something primeval within me that wants war and blood.
But, let me explain: This is not just about crossing the borders (Pakistan and Bangladesh) and flushing out the terrorists -it is about that too – and i hope that the Government has the balls to do that. But, it is more than that.
it is about bringing to book all the enemies within our borders as well
– Rajnath Singh – who threatened civil war when that cow of a ‘sadhvi’ and the traitor of a ‘Colonel’ was arrested, and who cast aspersions on the men of the ATS
– L.K.Advani – see above
– Bal Thakeray & family – see above and causing divisions in the nation
– Shivraj Patil – for doing nothing. criminal negligence anyone ?
– state CM’s – who have consistently opposed the Federal Anti Terror Agency
– Amar Singh – for supporting terrorists
– Mulayam Singh – see above
It is also about other things:
– seal our borders
– send illegal immigrants home or legalise them.
– Get in a comprehensive anti terror law that covers everything from rioting to bombings
And finally,
Legalise Drugs. All terror operations are using money from drugs to fund operations.
The United Nations reports that the illegal drug trade is worth $400 Billion a year – more than the U.S. Department of Defense budget. Indeed, illegal drugs make up 8% of all international trade while textiles make up 7.5% and motor vehicles just 5.3%. This mass traffic in illegal drugs has greatly contributed to violence across the globe.
You want to win the war on terror. cut off the money supply. and the best way to cut off the money supply is to legalise drugs, tax it and monitor it.
For Gods Sake, let these people not have died in vain. We owe it to their memories and their lives to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. And, to make sure that it doesn’t happen again lessons don’t just have to be learnt, they have to be taught ! the time for posturing is over. It is time for action. We are at war. Not Mumbai. Not Colaba. But India.
‘who have consistently opposed the Federal Anti Terror Agency’.
this is a deceptive proposal- a political angle. none of the states have any good computerized database of offenders of any kind on their books. neither does the centre. that’d be the first step before we start talking about any federal agency. the state of our police stations is pathetic. we’ve less than the world average of policemen/per million population. we don’t have enough judges, prosecutors and courts. a great majority of our penal laws are archaic. support systems like forensic investigation infrastructure and personnel is pathetic. other necessary databases like land records, road transport records, residential records etc., are poorly maintained and unreliable.
now, what’s a federal agency supposed to do? take more powers away from the states? the idea of one agency to collect and co-ordinate investigation, share information on criminals, especially terrorists, is good but both the political parties at the centre aren’t really prepared to do the hard work. neither will they be allowed to in a country where more than half the chattering classes hate the word ‘reforms’ itself (be it of any kind).
kufr – don’t throw the baby away with the bath water.
set up a central system – computerised and all to share information.
Set up a clear cut demarcation between what the state and federal agencies do.
and, finally set up a system where the new system is not used to violate the rights of ordinary citizens