"First World Policing With Third World Money"

Watching a televised debate on NDTV on the "New Face Of Terrorism", I came across this delicious quote, attacking the inexplicable expectations of a population which fails to make public safety in this country a major election issue. The orator pondered over how we, as Indians,  expect thorough-bred policemen at our service, inspite of the obvious shortfalls in funding and equipment. Post-independence, every terrorist attack that has rocked the nation has been blamed on 2 major "culprits" : a) the ISI and the Pakistan Government which, in the past, promoted cross-border infiltration, and today, perhaps, have lost all control over the extremist elements which they bred in the hopes of promoting the "freedom struggle" of the state of J&K b) Inefficient policing and a grave lapse on the part of the intelligence agencies. 

Let us analyse both these causes. a)The fact that Pakistan for years has been a breeding ground for extremists is a known fact, and even though the world has been presented evidence on numerous occasions, they have chosen to ignore India's warnings until now. The dictatorship of Gen. Musharraf has come to an end, and the newly-elected democratic government in Pakistan faces a tough task in garnering complete control over the Pakistan Army. Pakistan has never truly had a single seat of power : rather, it has had an assortment of power players each wielding their own clout among separate departments of the government, or even among the armed forces. The new government will require our patience and understanding if it is to turn good intentions into positive results on the ground. Though the casualties are mounting, a disruption in the peace process will have far greater consequences for the stability of the region! While we must stress that the Pakistan government understand its responsibilities, we must not pressure them to breaking point, as the eyes of the world are already on Pakistan!

b)The most concrete step that we can take to ensure that the carnage we have witnessed over the past 2 weeks in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, and a few months ago in Jaipur is not repeated is to bolster the protectors of this country's laws. The police force have long been condemned as being corrupt,inefficent and ill-equipped, and with terrorism looming large, it is high time we enhance our funding to the nation's police force. The script of modern-day tragedies reads along familiar lines : every attack is followed by a lecture on how each state is responsible for its own police force, and how the Centre provides help only if asked. Lame-duck excuses are conjured out of thin air to explain our obvious vulnerability. India is a nation, and not merely a union of states : perhaps its time we demand greater efforts from the Central government in ensuring the safety and security of our citizens. The need for greater legislation is dwarfed by the need for stricter enforcement of existing laws! Our ratio of citizens to policemen is among the lowest in the world. The failure of the services to draw able bodied young men is the lack of technical assistance, along with financial support which is far too meagre compared to the dangers they now face. Service to the nation cannot come at the cost of tending to your family. Training facilities are inadequate and forensic labs are in short supply. Facing foes and threats which are technologically superior, it's no wonder that our policemen are found wanting. None of the blasts in the past 3 and a half years have yielded results even after prolonged investigations. The demand for better funding for our security must be voiced loud and clear, and made a priority before the coming General Elections. Only then will the elected government heed our call. How long can we ignore the problem inspite of having identified it decades ago? Along with the emphasis on policing, the public itself must be educated on the need to stay alert. Neighbourhood watch programmes, which encourage citizens to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station, can prove HIGHLY effective in preventing attacks. It is political will as well as the will of the public which will determine our success in eliminating the threat of terrorism! We've met with success in the past, wiping out the Khalistani separatists who'd terrorized Punjab for decades. It was political will that enabled our victory back then, and it is political will which will help counter the fresh threat of terrorism we face today!