After Ahmedabad blasts: What India needs to do?

It's clear now that India is one of the worst victims of terrorism. Two major cities have been targeted in consecutive days--I don't remember this happening in any other country ever except Iraq or Afghanistan.

When 17 explosions occur in 70 minutes, it is clear that Indian government, intelligence agencies, the State government of Gujarat and the local police and intelligence have all proved to be a colossal failure. It's childish to blame any party or either the centre or state. Everybody has failed.

Even a layman can think how much of groundwork would have been done by the terrorists in engineering so many blasts in just a day. Huge money and manpower must have been used. The police were simply caught napping, even when a day ago Bangalore had been hit by similar serial blasts. Would these real culprits be caught! Have they ever been! Do you believe that such a big network would be busted?

Equally foolish is the assertion that POTA would have stopped it. When we don't catch the real culprits, what's the use of any law. After the blasts, its usual to see mass roudings-up in which dozens of poor people of slums are caught, forced to make confessional statements and some are brought to books.

Do we remember when was the last time the real culprits were caught. Have we ever felt that this particular case has been solved and justice has been done. From Hyderabad to Mumbai Train Bombings or anyother such terror attack in India, the story is similar after every blast.

Jingoists get into anger and claim we are a Soft state. So what a hard state is? What we need to do? The truth is that we are not a soft state, we are an INEFFICIENT STATE with one of the most inefficient police force and intelligence agencies. The need of the hour is a drastic overhaul of Indian police system, as the harsh truth is that Indian policeman is perfect in everything except investigation.

People who say India is a soft state don't understand a bit about society and security. They are the ones who would love to get a passport made through bribe to a policeman or any similar law-breaking activity that damages the system.

We have one of the most inefficient police forces in the world. Right from the beat constable, (BTW do you know who is your beat cop and have you ever met him or has he ever said a Hi to you) who is all the time busy in getting 'hafta' from vendors, extort money from bootleggers, satorias, thieves etc, to the top officers whose aim is always a good posting and keeping the politicians in good humour.

And they are even lacking in skills to do the most basic 'Scene of crime investigation'. Yes they know which person can be detained for a week and who can be let off on just a phone call from a minister's house.

The Indian cop is busy in security of political masters, the VIP visits and tackling dharnas and demonstrations. He is never made to learn investigation, leave alone the kind of training and bent of mind required from the policeman in a country that is now fighting terrorism.

The cop is just a babu, dressed in khaki, who is interested in making money, as he is the worst paid government employee who hardly gets a day's off. (The cops don't get weekly offs, like most of us do). The crimes in India are solved by default or due to major slips of criminals, not because of cops' intelligence or tact.

Despite media glare, a high-profile case like Arushi murder case was botched up. Do we seriously expect this police force to track the terrorists! BJP claims that POTA can deter terrorism. Really!

Why don't the BJP ruled governments implement the Police Reforms despite Supreme Court's direction, so that the cops don't have to handle the issue of VIP security and can focus on investigations.

We all know what kind of police force we have in our country. Politicians have done their best to damage it. They use cops to take care of their works, legal or illegal, and love to have them around, to flaunt their status (just like landlords).

Whatever. The situation is critical. India needs a really drastic overhaul of our policing system. But it won't happen. Politicians don't want police to be independent (and efficient). Neither the Congress, nor the BJP. Transfers have to be done by politicians.

A couple of days later, everybody will forget and things will unfortunately be the same. Alas!

Of political opportunism and Indo-US Nuclear deal

Shahid Siddiqui, who till the other day, was defending Samajwadi Party, in TV debates, suddenly switched sides and joined Mayawati.

Call it opportunism but this is politics. Coming from Shahid Siddiqui, it shouldn't be a bit of surprise. Siddiqui, the editor of the fiery Nai Dunia Urdu weekly, was always more a politician, less a journalist.

Not many remember that in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition when Muslims were angry with Congress and Arjun Singh had left the party, the same Shahid Siddiqui was the head of the Propaganda and Publicity Cell of the Congress. It was unimaginable but not many knew it even then and he continued befooling everybody, right from his readers to the electorate.

That's why he wouldn't have given a thought to it once how readers of Nai Dunia will digest it all of a sudden. After all, the paper that was pro-Samajwadi Party for almost a decade, will now have to take a different position.

In the last issue, when the paper had published a poll that 70% Indian Muslims were against the deal, most of us were surprised. Whatever may be the mood of the Indian Muslims, I was certain that it was a desktop poll. Khair.

He owns a newspaper that has a fair circulation but is on the decline due to the editor's interest in politics rather than paper. He needs a Rajya Sabha seat, which Mayawati may have promised her.

In the past, many Muslim leaders from Arif Mohammad Khan to Akbar Ahmad Dumpy and Rashid Alvi to poet Malikzada Manzoor Ahmad, joined the BSP. But none could stay there for long.

Just like SP that centres around Mulayam Singh Yadav's personality, BSP is also one-woman show. But Behenji hardly gives the space, which even second rung leaders in other parties get.

Siddiqui now says that Mayawati's Dalit vote is transferable. He says that for a Muslim candidate of BSP, the Dalits enthusiastically vote while the Yadavas don't vote for the Muslim candidate of SP.

It is true to only some extent. But the reality is that Yadavas constitute barely 7% of UP's population while Dalits are now 21%. Muslims account for 19% and most of them went with SP or the winning Muslim candidate. The fact is that Siddiqui succeeded in making a noise though he doesn't even have a vote (he is a Rajya Sabha member).

Meanwhile, SP has its own set of problems. It arose out of anti-Congressism but its core constituency are Muslims and thus can't align with BJP. When it thwarted Congress' bid to form government at centre, it was alleged that Mulayam had a secret deal with BJP.

Even with nearly 40 MPs, the party has failed to wield any influence on national politics. However, Mulayam should have realised that when they failed to get any mileage during the first four years of this government, they should have taken the lead in opposing it.

Now if the government falls, Mulayam Singh will get nothing. In case it survives, Amar Singh and Anil Ambani will be the chief beneficiaries. Whatever, it's unfortunate for Indian politics that opportunism has become order of the day and horse-trading is on.

Ajit Singh has got the Lucknow airport named after his father, but now needs more, perhaps the Food Ministery. Devegowda and his son, Chautala, Omar Abdullah, Shibu Soren and every other guy with a vote in Lok Sabha, is being sought after.

And this drama will go on for another two days.

Roadroller, King among vehicles: Nobody dares mess with Road roller on Indian roads

Nobody dares to mess up with Ram Sanehi on the roads.

He doesn't move fast but still he rules over the road. The rash drivers are also cautious when they see him.

They just don't take the risk of trying to overtake him unless he allows them to do so.

After all, can anybody who has a sane mind dare challenge the mighty road roller?

Even those who don't care much about getting dents on their cars from the tempos and loading autos that have sharp edges jutting out of them, get careful.

The sight of the huge road roller moving on the big metal wheels, can humble even the man in Mercedez or any new SUV.

The road roller doesn't move fast. It has its own speed. It barely exceeds 20 kmph. But those owning the most expensive automobiles lose confidence on a narrow road with a road-roller ahead of them. 


And this gives the driver, Ram Sanehi, a kick, the sort of high.

He doesn't earn much but has the satisfaction that he can drive at his own pace.

He stands no chance of being the victim of accident or road rage on Indian roads.

The traffic keeps getting nasty day by day. People are more carefree, impatient and reckless.

Yet  nobody behind him is honking or daring to graze past him. He calls it 'Sadak ka Raja'.

The Road Roller that moves graciously like an elephant is a good option for Indian roads, if you like solitude and don't need to hurry.

Given the scary figure of accidents on Indian roads. Think of it.

Seriously!

An Advertisement in Urdu

This advertisement that shows a small boy wearing a skull cap, caught my eye, naturally.

It feels nice to see our language (or script) in places we don't expect. Doesn't this happens to most of us?

It is rare to find any corporate group advertisement in Urdu, anywhere. Even in cities where Urdu speakers comprise 25-50% of populace, hoardings in Urdu are rare.

One reason is that Urdu-speaking population in India is scattered, not concentrated in a particular state and the Urdu speakers (euphemism for Muslims) were never considered a 'big market'.

That's why the 'Kaise ho' written on the top, struck a chord. If creating impact is one of the aims of advertising, the surely such ad succeeds in reaching its target.

Muslims favouring Hindu stand on Amarnath Shrine Board issue

On the left is a photograph of Muslims in Delhi protesting the J&K government's decision to take back the transferred land from the Shrine Board.

The placards have messages like 'Gilani hosh mein aao' and messages urging the government to return the land to the Board.

The news didn't appear anywhere else. At least, I couldn't find it. In other cities of North India also many Muslims came out on their own and expressed their solidarity with Hindus of Jammu and Kashmir.

Even in Jammu, the Muslim Federation criticized the government for reversing the decision. The point is that the issue arose out of the Kashmiri distrust of New Delhi because of the past 'betrayals' and may be Governor's excessive zeal, turned it into an issue.

It was a Kashmiri leadership Vs Governor dispute that acquired a Kashmir Vs Jammu Colour and later turned into a Hindu Vs Muslim battle. (Read my earlier post.) How easy it is to divide us!

Not just protesting Muslims on the streets of Srinagar, but every Muslim of this country was seen as an 'enemy'. The BJP, RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal again raised the pitch, and the same old statements about 'appeasement' were heard everywhere.

In the cacophony, the sane voices are lost. The news about Muslims in the valley taking care of stranded Hindu pilgrims or that of Hindus in riot-hit areas of Indore taking care of Muslims, are simply forgotten.

Unfortunately the photographs and images we see on TV and newspapers are only that of aggressive Hindu protestors of Jammu and the hordes of Muslims in Srinagar. How can VHP dare say that they will stop Muslims from going to Ajmer Sharif.

It was such a pathetic statement, which I don't believe any practising Hindu can make. And this organisation claims to speak on behalf of Hindus. As an outsider I don't understand the politics of Kashmir.

But personally I feel that if Hindus feel hurt, then the land should be given to them. There may be Muslims and Hindus, who have every right to feel for and against this. It is a democratic nation.

The aim of the post (and especially the photo) is that things can't be generalised. Elections are nearer. BJP leaders openly say that they have got an issue for the election and still we don't understand. How long will this keep happening?

It is disgusting to see Hindus and Muslims shown are shown as pitted against each other, which is absolutely false. Just like Hurriyat or any Kashmiri group alone is not representative of entire Muslim population and the opinion of Indian Muslims, how can Bajrang Dal, VHP or any other organisation hijack the voice entire Hindu community?

[The photo by Mr Biplab Mukherjee appeared in the Asian Age.]