The greatest need today is to influence both the polity and policy. Influencing it in a fashion that when the politicians go scoring brownie points, which they always will, they go and make statements or perform acts, they are always the same when it comes to issues which relate to domestic security.
It is not so much about the external hand or a neighbouring country. That our security agencies can manage. They have a proven track record. Remember Kargil? It is about the legislative and the bureaucracy - the speed at which it works and their intent. They too have a track record which is completely lax. I recall Mr. Manmohan Singh giving a 100 days for states to sort out policing. Dont misinterpret me, I admire him, but this seemingly is not what he is best at. Did he say a 100 days. Well Mr. Singh, look what they can do to a nation in less than 100 hours. For alacrity's sake, it is time we empower our forces.
One thing that fortunately has happened is that as a nation we have moved to a stage where we state confidently that "We will not negotiate". That is because we have security agencies that we are proud of.
It is horrifying to see that we are still so short on political maturity. It was despicable to see Mr. Narendra Modi posing for the cameras in front of the Oberoi, Mr. Naqvi lampooning protestors and press, Mr. Achuthananadan ridiculing a martyr's family, Mr. RR Patil downplaying the massacre or Mr. Deshmukh parading around with bollywood. How they change character to suit the occassion is evident when a CM offers money to the family of an officer whom he and his party members were abusing not so long ago and that too even at a time when the massacre was on.
It is sad when we have a politician pointing finger at security agencies just because they are questioning someone who wears saffron, or another questions another martyr because those who died represented green. Well our flag carries both the colours and we cannot afford to have any politicians choosing just one of them.
Need of the hour is manifold.
First, "we the people" need to be the most accountable.
Follow rules. Even if it is as small as sticking to your lane while driving, or waiting at a red light, even at a green light when you know the road ahead is jammed and just following a green signal will end up choking the crossing. Sounds stupid but be the change.
Set examples. In case stopped for challan, dont think of bribing but get the challan processed at the court on the due date.
Vote. This is a democratic country and I hope it continues to remain the same. Autocracy, always has led to genocides be it Nazi Germany of Vietnam war. Communism has seen its downfall across USSR and Eastern Europe and all that came out of that showed its pitfall. So politicians are a necessary element (I wont say evil). Onus is on us to ensure they dont turn out to be evil. Stay involved.
Read. Read between the lines. Think responsibly. Think how it has been historically and what can be future repercussions. Then believe in your interpretation and act. Vote. Vote to become relevant to them. Unfortunately most of the educated middle and upper middle class or even the upper class, who're not so small in size and have the capacities to interpret, understand do not vote and are thus not relevant.
This is a long haul will not happen over night, so be patient. Smile and remind each other.
Secondly, as for the ruling parties - Act.
Invest in health and education.
Reform police force. There is a need to segregate investigation, prevention and policing. Terror is not a state issue, nor is crime. A crime as simple as car theft today is somewhere linked to terrorism so is money laundering.
This needs a federal agency. There is a need to create a federal force, answerable only to the cabinet at centre. A need to isolate police and security agencies from the influence of politicians at local level. Today an SHO can be influenced even by a small time corporator. (Do we need corporations?)
Build a policy to ensure politicians behave. When they create scenes in assemblies and parliaments they should be chargeable under defamation as their acts defame a whole nation.
There is also a need ensure that no politician is allowed to make a mockery of a martyr by going public with rewards.
Thirdly, opposition has a responsibility too.
Attend, do not walkout. If we had minimum attendance rules while in college, parliamentarians too need to have such a rule. 70% of each parties MP to attend everyday when parliament is in session (Applies to small parties and independent MPS). Each MP to attend minimum 70% of days when parliament is in session.
Opposition does not mean to oppose alone. So lets stop playing to the gallery especially when it is to do with internal security. When it comes to questioning the agencies performance on issues related to internal security the oppositions needs to be a little more responsible and non public. How important is it for the leader of opposition to speculat in public if a sadhvi is rightfully arrested or not, unless the leader of opposition has convinced himself otherwise.
Fourthly, the bureaucracy needs to get its act together.
They should be accountable for allowing purchase of life jackets which cannot withstand a bullet. Or for sitting on decisions which would have saved lives, enabled and equipped forces.
Fifthly, the intelligence and security agencies need to complement each other.
Its been them who have saved the day for the country by making supreme sacrifices time and again. Hope to see them working together and smarter. They just need to stand up to the bureaucracy to ensure their teams are equipped as well.
Sixthly, judicial reforms and accountability.
We cannot afford to have judges who are above the law themselves. Corruption needs to go from there as well. And the sword needs to swing faster when it is the most powerful acting irresponsibly.
Am sure there are a million other things that can be corrected, which only means there is so much we can do.
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