Pakistan - A state of denial

The events of the last month have amazed the global community. Post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, when ten armed terrorists of Pakistani origin, the intelligence agencies of the countries whose nationals were targetted agreed that these ten Pakistani men were trained, armed and provided technical and logistical support by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or the Jamat-ul-Dawa (JuD) as it is now called. They were aided and abetted by the ISI and to a limited extent by the Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who virtually operates as a Guest of the Pakistani establishment, residing a few hundred meters from the President's bungalow in Clifton area of Karachi.

The Pakistani media is largely irrelevant in the current scenario since we can not be sure of its objectivity. The establishment has reduced the once independent media to a mere propaganda arm of the state apparatus. Some good stories do emerge from time to time that provide a ray of hope like the story on the surviving terrorist's home, family and village elders etc and the Nawaz Sharif interview where he accepted that the surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasav was a Pakistani national and his family was in isolation and their village cordoned off and out of bounds of world media.

One has just to see the glaring anomalies in the state's positions which have shifted faster than sand dunes in a desert storm. Any self-respecting and truly patriotic Pakistani must be hanging his head in shame at the brazenness of the Pakistani establishment.

One day the Pakistan government wants evidence of Pakistani nationals' involvement from India. The evidence that results in the JuD being branded a terrorist organisation by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and banned worldwide also forces Pakistan government to claim arrest of the JuD leader, sealing of their offices and freezing of their bank accounts. But to them that is still not evidence enough.

When Ajmal's father acknowledges to the media that Ajmal is indeed his son even that is not evidence enough. Zardari and Gilani and their assorted lackeys go to extremely untenable positions saying one thing one day and contradicting themselves, and many times other spokesmen, the next day.

No sensible observer of world events has any doubt whatsoever that the ISI is deeply involved in the affairs of LeT / JuD and its personnel are manning these organisations to wage a low cost war on India while the Pakistan government continues to hide behind the fig leag of non-state actors may be involved.

I think the time has come to call Pakistan's bluff. If India does not act decisively now this menace would not die. The Indian politician must stop playing the Muslim card. I sincerely hope the likes of A.R.Antulay get a well deserved kick on the back. Such guys need to understand that this is the time to play the India card.

Uncle Sam needs to ensure that denial does not become an instrument of foreign policy of the Pakistan state. If that happens, then the government of Pakistan would be responsible for the ensuing destruction and for denying its citizens the right to life and liberty since they would be pitted against the might of the civilized forces of the world who at this juncture seem well and truly behind India.

The aftermath of terrorism

The events of the last ten days since the terror attacks in prime south Mumbai locations, which left the nation dazed and extremely angry, have seen a huge amount of writing in the print media and blogosphere. A vast amount of air time has also been spent in discussions on various aspects of the issue on TV and radio.

However the following thoughts emerge after having religiously followed the discussions:

1. That ten terrorists arrived unhindered and managed to land at the Gateway of India shows without any doubt that somewhere someone who was supposed to guard our shores goofed up. We need to identify and hold accountable the people concerned and if there is an iota of doubt about their motives they should be penalized.
2. The Taj & Oberoi Trident staff have shown remarkable courage in extremely trying times. We must appreciate that they were not trained to handle this kind of a situation and hence must be recognized and suitably rewarded.
3. This attack and its aftermath have shown to us the true character of our politicians. Some of the placards which one has seen at various rallies in Mumbai and around the country show the utter contempt that a vast majority of the Indian people have for this class. It should goad the political parties to introspect. They must try to make amends in the general elections that are fast approaching by fielding men of a nationalistic fibre who would rise above partisan politics in times of national crisis and refrain from politiking in calamities.
4. Some renowned columnists have written about their childhood memories of the grandeur of The Taj. Many have gone to great lengths bragging about how they discovered the joys of 'The Wasabi', 'The Tiffin', 'The Ocean Bar', 'The Zodiac Grill' and so on. One columnist went on to write about an unsubstantiated story of a waiter offering the appropriate wine glasses to a white guest who when hostage inside the hotel whisked away some rare wine for consumption when the hotel was burning. Can one say anything to these trivia mongers disguised as celebrity columnists who I guess are just trying to earn some brownie points with the owners of the two hotels so that they can wrangle some invites when these hotels re-open. All of this so that these celebrity trivial writers can get sloshed on some expensive and prized spirits and wines for free.
5. That we lost our top cops just as the battle of Mumbai started shows we need to ask serious questions about hierarchy and line of command in our armed forces. It is akin to losing the army chief in the first half hour of a war. Why should they have visited the site so soon. That the inferior equipment used by them offered no protection is a national shame. It is a sin that we can not wash away in a million years.
6. There are technologies, such as 'Snifex' available, that can detect even a millionth of a gram of almost all known types of explosives. Why were these systems not in place in The Taj & The Oberoi hotels should be investigated? These hotels are known to charge upwards of Rs. 25,000 per room night and over Rs. 2,000 per head for a meal sans liquor. If they can't afford it for their top customers it is unreasonable to expect the Government of India to install it in public places ?

If a serious effort is made to find answers which have so far evaded public eye, I am sure we may be able to prepare better and see terrorism being thwarted in future.

Yeh Jo Desh Hai Mera !!

(This country of mine, this line is inspired by the famous song of the hindi film 'Swades' by Ashutosh Gowarikar starring Shahrukh Khan)

India is a land of culture and strong democratic traditions. Since times immemorial it has been recognized as a land of learning and wisdom. But the events of the last few days in Mumbai when hundreds of innocent people were massacred by islamist jihadis with links to Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Tayebba (LeT ; army of the pure) force me to abandon my cosmopolitan and democratic heritage and values and seek vengeance.

The memory of the dead is not served well by our politicians. Mouthing platitudinous comments like ‘we have provided incontrovertible evidence of LeT’s involvement to the government of Pakistan’ is of little significance. In the past too, India has provided the international community with ample evidence of the involvement of LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed and the like in similar terror strikes. It is naïve, rather stupid of us to believe that the rogue elements within the fast-Talibanizing society in Pakistan, spearheaded by the demonic ISI will call a halt to their nefarious designs to destabilize India.

It is high time we wake up and smell the coffee. We need to first understand what we are up against before we can declare a war on terror. We are up against a failed state, which under the garb of democracy propagates feudalism, which in the last 60 years of its independence has failed on all parameters of development, which is woefully devoid of industry and economically so weak that it can not even pay for two weeks of its imports and now seeks to confuse its citizens with the ultimate opiate “even India is no better” so that they do not revolt and the ruling elite continues its dynastic rule for generations to come.

It is time we decided enough is enough and gave hot pursuit to the rogues who cause death and destruction in Indian cities including those behind the recent Mumbai attacks. We need to show that the benign sleeping giant has awakened. That India of today is a mighty and self-respecting nation, who refuses to allow the likes of ISI, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed to kill even one Indian and all efforts of disrupting our lives will be dealt with firmly. They would only understand strong and decisive action, not mild and veiled threats. Only a strong adversary gets respect in present times and we need to show we are strong and capable. If we do not act decisively now we would forever be consigned to living our lives in fear.

The political leadership knows all that needs to be done. Any more advice is meaningless. Any effort by them of obfuscating matters by appointing empowered teams of experts to help in deciding the government’s response will meet with a terrible backlash from Indian society. Rahul Gandhi was spot on when he said he did not want India to be seen as a nation of Wimps.

Sh. Man Mohan Singh should disregard the advice of Sh. Pranab Mukherjee, India’s External Affairs Minister who said a war between two nuclear states can be catastrophic. It just goes to show how out of sync with India of today he is. The youth of India would be willing to die in a do-or-die nuclear war with Pakistan if need be but hate to die meaningless death at the hands of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

The message of the youth of India is clear. Either carry the battle to Pakistan’s backyard or make way for a leadership that understands the youth of today. The ruling party needs to pick up the signals fast or else the young people of India would speak in a deafening roar at the next elections.

That politicians like Shiv Raj Patil, India’s Home Minister and R. R. Patil, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who tried to pretend that the Mumbai attacks were ‘one of those things that happen in a big city’ have been shown the door are good omens. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh must also be cashiered for his insensitivity in trivializing this national calamity and taking his family and friends on a conducted tour of The Taj Mahal Hotel and The Oberoi on Saturday. You cannot trample on the society’s sentiments so ruthlessly and hope to remain in a seat of power. It would be suicidal for Congress in Maharashtra if he is allowed to stay even for a day.

Mumbai must be the last Indian city to be attacked by terrorists backed by Pakistani authorities. My motherland must never be held to ransom by these or similar elements. Anyone who tramples on my fellow countrymen must never go free. He must be made to pay dearly. I am sure the whole world would stand by India should such an act recur.

Mumbai under siege

The dastardly terrorist attacks on innocent civilians by an organisation that calls itself "Deccan Mujahideen" at 12 or so crowded locations in Mumbai that started last night and continues as I write must be condemned by all right thinking Indians.

This is the time for all political parties to take a non-partisan view and rally behind the Maharashtra and Central Governmental agencies who are engaged in fighting the radicals. A large number of high-profile foreign visitors are hapless victims to this scrouge. The Governments of the countries whose citizens are affected have reposed their trust in our security agencies. As per latest reports from the TV and media, 14 brave policemen have laid down their lives in this valiant battle and more are even at present fighting the battle at grave personal risk.

I continue to hold my belief that guns don't resolve issues and that all weapons must necesarily be in governmental control. Civilians must be emboldened to never need a weapon and our policing and intelligence gathering systems must be strengthened.

We must not fall victim to the usual civil liberties groups who are quiet today but once the heat and dust settle will come out clamouring for the rights of the radicals and their supporters. However the authorities must also make a conscious effort not to give them any reason to, by not picking up and detaining people without and strong evidence etc. This is the time when civil rights can be foresaken in larger public interest. I would be more than willing to foresake mine. What does the average Indian think ? I invite comments.

Official media briefings suggest that nearly 130 people have died in these attacks. May God grant peace to the departed souls and courage to those they leave in mourning to bear the irreparable loss. This loss of precious human lives was totally unjustified and deserves to be condemned. Such reprehensible action can not have sanction of any faith or religion.

I am sure my countrymen would conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and not fall prey to the nefarious designs of the terrorists. I am certain those killed were killed because they were where they were and not because of their faith.

image courtesy : www.Reutersindia.com