The Progress: 6 years on

Yesterday was a fateful day for India six years ago. On 13th December, 2001, India's parliament was under attack from terrorists. The main mastermind is either in hiding or is presumed dead (To be checked). Several conspirators have been arrested, and some of their detention has been questioned by human rights activists and by the media.

It is also important to analyze what has happened on India's security front. Has the Parliament attack made us more aware of the threats that exist? Has the government become more pro-active on combatting terrorism?

The answer to both those questions is a NO. There have been continued attacks against the Indian population ever since. The Mumbai Car Bomb attacks in 2003, the Train bombs in the city on 7/11, attacks in Hyderabad, Ajmer, the Samjhautha express blast and recently incidences in Uttar Pradesh all reinforce the fact that India is still on the terror radar and that intelligence agencies, along with the government, have been a failure.

It is important to know that there is no clear method to fight terrorism. In India, the attacks are carried out by Sleeper cells. These cells are operated within the country, remain inactive for some time and then attack when least expected. To trace the sleeper cells is virtually impossible, as they blend with the population. It thus sounds unfair to critique the government on not being pro-active. But, this is not to suggest that they should sit back to let another attack happen.

India has not made any progress in the fight on terrorism, but at the same time, no nation around the world has. If Terrorism has to be liquidated, then methods employed by Stalin or Hitler may have to be implemented. But, nowadays, this results in multiple blowbacks and bitterness, thus implementing it is not only irrational but also counter-productive.

Terrorism being a vague entity, this approach cannot be implemented. The fact might be that Terrorism is a battle within the mind. If reforms in society and mainstreaming is achieved, then the influence can be curbed. But, this is easier said than done, because even reforms are vague.

I have said in previous posts that the burden to combat terrorism unfairly falls on the common man. But, when terrorism and reforms are two vague items, only man stands out as a concrete entity. The vigilance begins with him, and to cleanse the mind of fanaticism also begins with him.