POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 27 November, 2009

Netas’ 26/11 Anniversary Tamasha

PLASTIC GRIEF SANS ACCOUNTABILITY

By Poonam I Kaushish

There were public tributes and private moments of grief, solemn reflections, candles lighted and avid debates as India paused to remember the traumatic night of Nov 26 last year and the 60 bloody hours of terror that followed leaving 166 dead and over 1000 injured. But the fear, helplessness and wounds are still wide open. The aam aadmi has neither forgotten nor forgiven, continuing .

But for our netagan nothing has changed as they go through the motions of fake manufactured political grief. Wherein instead of sobriety and serenity, they turned the occasion into a tamasha. Barely had the Lok Sabha passed a resolution to “unitedly fight and defeat the forces of terrorism and never again allow them to spill the blood of innocent people," that the House witnessed ugly scenes as MPs’ made political capital over compensations paid to victims by the Government. As Opposition Leader Advani reeled out figures of promises unfulfilled, the Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee hit back accusing the BJP of “making politics out of this.”

 As the common man recoiled from this unseemly nauseating spectacle, more unsightly was that only 40 Right Honourables showed up to donate blood at a camp held in Parliament. A sure give-away that our leaders don’t care a damn having made a habit of continuing as before as if nothing has happened. Sadly, this is on display every single day. There is no answerability only plastic grief.

Think. NCP’s RR Patil is back as Maharashtra Home Minister and former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil awaits appointment as Governor of a State. Ironically, while our polity was busy preparing for the razzmatazz, it was the FBI which came out with the Headley disclosures and his links to the Lashkar-e-Taiba . One can count on the thumb of one hand the people held accountable for 26/11. Worse, the cash-strapped Democratic Front government in Maharashtra has so far spent a staggering Rs 31 crore, or nearly Rs 85 lakh per day, to keep the 21-year-old Pakistani terrorist Kasab safe and secure.

True, the paramilitary troops in Mumbai and elsewhere suggest a higher level of security, but it may all be a mirage as the country still remains very vulnerable given our chaotic cities and billion-plus people which make it almost impossible to plug all security loopholes. Shockingly, the parade of the new elite Force One in Mumbai took place with borrowed plumes --- Ak 47s  from the CRPF, no amphibious vehicles, 12 Anti-Terrorist  squads without any Chiefs,  leaking coastal security, a 48,000 police with their World War II-era rifles and faulty flak jackets,  et al --- exposing the shoddy and slack prepardness.

Worse, the challenges Mumbai faces in preventing militant attacks are echoed in other cities crippled by an underpaid and under-trained police force and a bureaucracy unable to respond quickly to the new threats.  Asserted a senior security analyst at New Delhi Institute for Conflict Management, “Nothing has changed. We are no better off than we were on 26/11.The fact that there hasn't been another major attack in the last year has nothing do with how good we have become; it's about the greater pressure on Pakistan."

At the risk of sounding horrible, I derive no comfort from asserting that our war against terrorist has so far totalled a big zero. Over the years there has been enough proof against Islamabad but New Delhi does not seem to mean business. Its so-called policy to tackle terrorism is such a hotchpotch that none has a clue where it begins and where it ends. Both domestically and internationally.

The reason? We are much too soft and are prone to becoming sentimental and be carried away by our own rhetoric. Consequently, we tend to shy away from confrontation. And, when we do respond our first concern is to cover up our failures, lest we are accused of arrogance. We continue to fantasies even as Islamabad continues its diabolical game. The three Indo-Pak wars and the Kargil confrontation bear eloquent testimony to it.

New Delhi’s increasing frustration stems also from the fact that till date it has only reacted instead of acted. Continuing to treat terrorism as routine and business as usual. A lot of hot air. Forgetting that in the case of nationalism, self respect and war, it is incumbent of the Government to be perceived as taking tough action and not empty rhetoric which cuts no ice and instead leads to the country becoming a laughing stock.

The tragedy of India is that instead of true democracy: by the people, of the people, for the people we have reverted back to a feudal democracy. Of  narcissicist netas afflicted by the I-me-myself disorder made worse by the Orwellian syndrome of ‘some are more equal than others’ are the new rajas. Surrounded by AK-47 toting gunmen in their red beacon cars our paper-tigers push people, cars jump red lights, throw their weight around et al to exhibit their ‘power’ might.  Barricading themselves from growing public anger with more security.

Imagine over Rs.108 crore worth of security paraphernalia has been installed at Parliament House to protect our netagan (sic). Ironically, from those who voted them in. Shockingly, the entrance to this high temple of democracy has been segregated: one for the jan sevaks, one for the aam aadmi. But, we are a democracy, sic!

But it doesn’t end just there. During the last session the Lok Sabha witnessed an ugly scramble for VIP status. A livid Mulayam, Lalu and Mayawati’s BSP cohorts yelled blue murder over the down-grading of the security cover. Who dare strip them off the elite NSG cover? “The leaders are vital for the country… you will have blood on your hands…,” they yelled. Really?

Also look at the absurdity. Even VIPs who face no threat to their life are given minimal security of four PSOs round the clock. Bringing things to such a ridiculous pass that one sees fat waddly wannabes walking in Delhi’s Lodi garden chest puffed-up to show-off their VIP status and cars. Forget tabaars of President, PM, ex-Presidents, PMs’, Ministers, Chief Ministers, judges, MPs and MLAs, down to son-in-laws, father-in-laws, samdhi-samdhan, beta-bahu etc. In sharp contrast, in the US, UK and other developing nation the list is kept to a minimal of ruling leaders.

Time is far gone for the (un) concerned authorities to slumber when they are supposed to be wide awake. We cannot stand by and do nothing while dangers gather. We must choose between a world of fear and a world of progress.

Clearly, if India is to be seen as a potential great power which can tackle terror, our leaders have to go beyond symbolism. Given the dichotomy between Power India and Asli Bharat. One which raves and rants about life sans frills, the other lives in a starched-starved morbid reality where men are down to selling their wives and children to satiate their hungry bellies. The tragedy is that tokenism and tyaag' have become a motto for all seasons wherein our netagan continue to woo the aam aadmi with pipe dreams of secure India.

In the ultimate analysis, New Delhi alone has to carry the cross. Shouting won’t help A revolutionary change is the need of the hour. Merely mouthing platitudes will no longer work. The Centre needs to think beyond the headlines, smell the coffee and get real. The bottom line is clear. When push comes to a shove there is no easy option.  The Government has to tackle the basic issue first --- There is no place for a live Kasab. Else we will continue to wallow in words like: badhe, badhe shairoin mein choti choti batein hothi rahtein hain!  ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)