Are we more secure today than on 26/11/2008??

You can click here to watch the documentary ‘Terror in Mumbai’

"During the first anniversary of the terror attack, I was on a TV show along with a prominent politician. I asked him what the government was doing to catch the real perpetrators of the attack. He turned around and asked me what I would do about it. If a politician in one of the highest offices can ask an emotionally rattled survivor what he was doing to catch the terrorists, it shows a great deal of distaste for public accountancy," said Bhisham Mansukhani who survived the siege at the Taj.

This was a comment which to me was the proverbial last straw. I lost faith in the government, congress party and the channel. This was on prime time television with a young audience. The host sat there without interjecting or insisting that a more satisfactory reply to the question was needed.

Last year the solemn day was observed more as a celebration than a day for homage. This time round, I have not watched Television since morning. I am not aware if we have again had that ritual of parading the equipment as a scarecrow.

We are aware that it is humanly impossible to guarantee a terror free existence in the environment that is prevailing. However we do not even get the feeling that we are safe. The NSG hub or The Force one.This is the video link to Force or farce one? may have been created but they will only come into action once there is an incident. Our concern is on a daily basis and that area has not been addressed the police at local level is as it was.

Now another year has gone by and I am back to square one. We had submitted a citizens charter soon after 26/11/2008 with much fanfare what happened to that? Below are a few questions which come to mind my answers are mentioned. I am hoping readers would come to their own conclusions as per their perceptions and feelings. Will not be surprised if most would concur with me!

As a citizen have I contributed?...................NO

Has my perception changed?.......................NO

How do I feel today?.................................Betrayed, helpless, vulnerable, and hopeless.

Has the government done anything significant in this regard?...........NO

Have we achieved what we set out?...............................NO

Have new policies, practices been formulated and implemented?.........Unaware.

Is there a perceptible change in policing?....................NO

Have we rearmed and retrained the police force?..............NO

Is the state machinery geared up to face the threat better?...............Unaware

Are we being too critical of our government?.............................NO

Is there a definite policy for terror related issues vis a vis Pakistan?...................NO

Have we identified and punished officials for their ineptitude or dereliction of duty?..........NO

Has the mystery of 26/11 been unraveled in full?.....................NO

Why is the terrorist caught in action still not punished? ………..This is something that the government should answer on an urgent basis. Along with this why the convicted terrorist who is on the death row still there? If the mercy petition is to be allowed then it should be done and if not then that also should be done.

Why has the Ram Pradhan Committee report on 26/11 not been placed in public domain?

To view 26/11as a terror attack would be the biggest travesty. It was a well planned behind the line commando type operation which is an open act of war. Have we responded suitably to that? Unfortunately No is the reply. Tough on terror, coercive diplomacy are all catchy slogan which ensured votes during the 2009 general election, beyond that they have achieved Zilch.

This morning out off curiosity  I used to Google to see what the results would be thrown up with this search “Articles on David Coleman Headley 26/11 Mumbai terror attack links in Indian publication”……………………………………. 51,300…India pages

“Articles on David Coleman Headley 26/11 Mumbai terror attack links in other publication”……………………………………………. 725,000……World pages.

Not surprised at all imagine the quantum of information that is in the public domain, and I cannot even imagine how much more must be with the Government of India and USA. Then why is it that we have still not been able to bring a closure to 26/11? Is it lack of political will power? Geopolitical reasons! Or is it that we just do not want to.

Contrast this with the Times Square failed bombing earlier this year. The suspect was apprehended, interrogated, charged produced before the court of Law and punished. We are still grappling with 1 terrorist caught red handed. It has been turned into a spectacle instead of justice for the victims he has become a sharp knife who pierces the hearts of the kin of victims and martyrs everyday. Two years we have not been able to close this chapter.

We have exchanged dossiers with Pakistan is that how we intend to bring perpetrators to justice? It is not going to happen. Have we exercised all our options? Again the answer is No. We have heard enough and more statements from our Union Home Minister they are repetitive in nature and shall yield no results. People of this country are waiting for past 2 years, and our government instead has tried to enter into a dialogue with Pakistan, as if cross border terror can be eliminated by this process. Government had to beat a hasty retreat from this path in the face of intense public pressure against this approach.

We just seem to be going around in circles with no end in sight. Justice for victims does not seem to be a high priority. Given the levels of corruption that we have unearthed recently in the present setup there is not much hope that we are well protected and safe in our own country from any and every marauding merchant of death.  

I would like to conclude with a wishful thought. I want to see that day in India when our political class is moving around without its accompaniment of Black Cat Commandos or roads being blocked to ensure their unhindered passage. That is the day when I would be able to say yes I am safe in my country. 

This link is for views from People of Pakistan on 26/11

Twitter @ sandybansal This is why I dont support Indo-Pak dialogue.Just look at what people of Pakistan have say regarding 26/11



Other recommended readings from this blogpost:

Is war with Pakistan a viable option?

I would like to share what I wrote on 28th December 2008 in response to debate on NDTV "Why War is not an option?"

Has anything changed after 26/11/2008?

What does America have to hide?

Do we have it in us??

Require a Large Domestic Constituency for Peace with Pakistan

This is in response to Peace cannot be built on Pak’s lies in the Hindustan Times Dated July 31st 2010.

The subject of India-Pakistan relationship cannot be addressed in piecemeal or fragmented manner. We are dealing with a hostile neighbor whose raison d’être is our destruction. We must review this subject keeping in mind the complete history of last 63 years. It bears testimony to our complete lack of policy towards this nation, we more often than not suffer cerebral seizure; Two events standout where we could have resolved the outstanding issues conclusively with Pakistan.

1. 1971 when we held more than 90,000 Prisoners of War.

2. 1999 Bus ride to Lahore by Mr. Vajpayee.

Unfortunately documents pertaining to 1971 need to be de-classified before a final judgment can be passed on what went wrong and why we missed that opportunity? 1999 is something which unfolded before our eyes, is comparatively recent, betrayal or should one say the reciprocal action from Pakistan of foisting Kargil on us has scarred our psyche to a great extent. Public hostility was limited even after this, since our well trained and capable Men in Uniform reclaimed the areas that were surreptitiously occupied by infiltrators from Pakistan.

Attack on Parliament, mobilization of troops a long stand off, followed by bomb blasts on a regular basis across India, routine statements of condemnation, usual suspects we accepted from the authorities in India, were treated with the skepticism that they deserved. The scope for improving relations with Pakistan was still very highly and the public support was there for this exercise.

Post 26/11 all this has changed decisively. The phantom of numerous bomb blasts, were visible in flesh and blood to all in India and overseas for the first time and over a period of nearly 72hours when not just Mumbai, the whole country was held hostage. Denials of Pakistan have been blown away with a firm finality. Relations with Pakistan will be bench marked henceforth with the severity of punishment, the time taken by that country to punish the culprits in its custody, as also those who remain free.

Disconnect between the people and UPA Government headed by Congress is self inflicted, this is not restricted to just the educated class. Congress took a very strident stance towards Pakistan and Terror during the general elections 2009, tough on terror and no dialogue without cession of terror from Pakistan, coercive diplomacy, paid due dividends and ensured victory at the hustings, yet it also engendered an extremely rigid public opinion, absence of retribution has further hardened the sentiments of the Indian public.
The other faux pas committed by the Government of Indian are.

1. Alacrity displayed for acceptance of Non State Actors nomenclature for the participants of 26/11.

2. Joint Terror mechanism.

3. Victim of terror tag for Pakistan is the result of generosity from our UPA Government.

4. Fiasco at Sharm-el-Shaik.

5. Introduction of Baluchistan.

6. Dialogue only way forward.

7. The latest discourse of inability to attain great power status due to hostile relationship with a small nation.

The above stated reasons are sufficient for sustaining the disconnect between the people and the Government of India.

Wikileaks have not come as a surprise to us, have we not been shouting this ad nauseum, at best it reveals the murky dealing of USA and Pakistan in Afghanistan. The latest incident in Islamabad cannot be pushed aside by either pointing a finger at Pakistan or at Mr. G.K. Pillai, this exercise in futility should never have been initiated.
UPA government has not till date come up with any confident and complete response as to what they hope to achieve thru these dialogues with Pakistan.

Terror cannot be contained by a dialogue process. Great Power status cannot be held hostage to relationship with a neighbor, it flies in the face of logic, our progress so far has not been because of assistance rendered by Pakistan. The umbilical cord was cut in 1947 or as your colleague in HT says we were “Separated at Birth” Great Power status is not defined solely in terms of economic growth, there is Military might which contributes significantly, the ability and will to exercise this might judiciously, finally the political will to propagate and view all relations thru the prism of Supreme National interest.

Improving relations with Pakistan will have to wait; in the meantime we will need to devise a comprehensive policy for this. Unfortunately this cannot come from the serving bureaucrats as most are subservient to the governing dispensation. The Political class in our perception is not equipped to formulate the foreign policy given the levels of education that they have. We need a group of individual well versed in foreign relations they could be superannuated diplomats who somehow seem to find their voice once free of the Government control to name a few Mr. Kanwar Sibal, Mr.K.C Singh, Mr.G. Parthasarthy and Mr. Lalit Manshing. In conjunction with defence analysts like Mr. Raja Mohan, Mr. Bramha Chellany, Mr. Maruf Raza and a few retired Generals and High Rank officers from Indian Air Force and Navy could come up with a policy document which could be implemented by this government, foreign policy is a continuous process and not something that can be changed by the future Governments, they may change tack or focus the substance cannot change.

Finally the domestic political discourse also must be moderated; the shrillness, the viciousness and the Secular Vs Communal debate must end for it does not contribute to our unity at all. To become a great power we require Rule of Law, higher level rating on Human development indices, eradicate corruption, education, health and infrastructure. GDP growth alone will not be the correct measure of Great Power we have 500 million Indians whose status is below the poorest of the poor on the African continent.

Entry to Parliament and Primer Minster’s post is possible sans popular support; peace with Pakistan would require that ingredient in a very wholesome measure. Hoping for a pragmatic rather, than a dogmatic approach from the UPA and its media brigade!

Hope for peace

“Aman Ki Asha” we can approach this with optimism, pessimism, cynicism, skepticism most certainly cannot ignore this attempt.

Nobody on this mother earth is more acutely aware and desirous of peace than the solider himself. We will not be able to turn a blind eye to the history of the last 62years. India and it complete neighborhood would have to be taken into account, and only then can we make a realistic assessment of the relationship with Pakistan in particular.

Our neighbors are Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, China and Pakistan. Size wise India is second to China! rest of them all are smaller nations. Our relations with most barring Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar have had their swings from very positive to cold and negative, with the sole exception of Pakistan with whom we seem to have been in a perpetual state of war since 1947. None of our neighbors are as fixated about us as Pakistan has been, India has not displayed the same intensive negativity towards China, as Pakistan has maintained towards India.

India has often been accused of being coveting the territory of Pakistan. The charge of wanting and exercising hegemony over the entire region is heard exclusively from Pakistan and no other quarter. The issues between India and Pakistan are not going to be resolved by undertaking such exercises even though they do present an opportunity to the people of our two countries to express ourselves and also demonstrate to our Governments that we seek peace and friendship. The establishments are often stated to be the main hurdles on both sides of the border. Yet the different forms of government in these two countries are the first obstacle, we are a robust democracy, free society with its own faults and short comings, Pakistan on the other hand has had to live under the Jackboots for best part of its existence. Our civil society has a definite constituencies for peace with Pakistan and this is growing larger, do we have the same from the other side is the question? If there is a constituency for peace with India then how large and how vocal is it? The question of terrorism cannot be wished away nor can it be glossed over. A 1000 years war with India for Kashmir or bleeding India thru a 1000 cuts are stated positions of the political class and the defence establishment in Pakistan, can these be denied? juxtapose this between India and China, we have no such stated policy or continuous narrative towards China despite the 1962 armed conflict.

Pakistan has been singularly obsessed with possessing Kashmir and has sought parity with India on all counts for last 62 years, yet the disparity between the two neighbors is a stark contrast. India has progressed despite all wars with Pakistan, and the expenditure on the Armament that we have acquired and continue to acquire. Compare this with India and China, this trend is missing, we compete and cooperate as is suitable, yet there is no obsession on display.

It is often stated that the religion is another basis for the bad relations between our two countries, nothing could be further from truth than this, India has a very large section of the society which practices Islam and we are not in a constant state of internal war amongst the believers and the non- believers, on the contrary we do co-exist in complete harmony, yes there have been incidents in the past which should not have happened.
The wounds and scars of the partition have not yet complete healed, more so in North India.We would need a generational change in the political establishments on both sides of the border, before we can reach that state of PEACE which is very much desirable and need of the hour. The process would hasten if the civil society in Pakistan was to take the lead and become vocal in that country and impress upon its policy makers and other wings of the establishment that peace be given a fair chance.

The romanticists should have their space and they can pursue this dream of “Aman” let us all hope and pray that this Asha someday will translate into a reality.

Has anything changed after 26/11/2008

One year later! How do I feel? Betrayed, helpless, vulnerable, hopeless! Yes all these emotions are true and part of me. Nothing has changed, the Government is still moving as directionless as it has always been.

The outward calm is deceptive. We are just as angry, hurt and outraged even after one year. The most significant aspect of 26/11/2008 was that the Phantom had come alive amidst us in flesh and blood and was causing mayhem at will.

His choice of route was audacious yet predictable, since this was where he presumed was least likely to be detected and apprehended. Previously IEDs were the favored mode of attack, the political parties, twisted facts, painted them in suitable colors, shades which we were compelled to accept, since there was no counter argument that we could have made to the thesis presented.

The outrage and frustration was that our nation had been attacked in a commando style operation. Our reaction was not in keeping with the gravity of the situation. We were facing systemic shortcoming and comparing those with the large retinue of men clad in black, armed to teeth protecting an elected MP or a MLA. The Aam adami woke up to realize the false hood that he was important in the scheme of things. He did not count for much he was expendable.

The 5 star hotels are not the preserve of the middle class yet this was the class which was most vocal, enhanced sense of betrayal, inability to contribute and an extended siege added to a sense of vulnerability as also an acute awareness that terrorism had been upgraded qualitatively in terms of target selections, man power employed and the duration. If he was fortunate not be a victim this time, he had no guarantee that next time he would be equally lucky. Our previous experience of collecting body parts and ferrying the injured to hospitals for a couple of hours after every explosion, this attack did not follow the set pattern, the future became absolutely uncertain, with nothing on the horizon to occupy ourselves with, which could help us to cover our grief and helplessness.

The system is rotten to the core, disenchantment with the political parties is a fact, the change can only come about, if and when we attack the fiefdoms that have been carved out across the country, urban areas do not and cannot dent the fortunes of the political parties enough to unseat them from power, since the larger share of seats are in the rural areas.

Country with the 3rd largest Army in the world, has been made to surrender its right to retaliate and exact a price for the attack on its sovereignty. The space between war at one end and composite dialogue at the opposite end of the spectrum, offers many other options which have not been explored leave alone being implemented. The overeager and prompt acceptance of the terrorist being “Non State Actors” flies in the face of logic.

The confused state of the government in the immediate aftermath of the attack did nothing to reassure the population of this country. If it was all options open one moment, the next was war is not an option and yet in the following breath we were back to the former.

A nation of vast resource and potential, which has pretensions of marching towards a global power Status, is being perceived as a pygmy state by the neighbors and the world at large.

No purposeful, focused investigation was done, lest it bring forth awkward questions, leading to adverse electoral results in the General Elections which were due in May 2009.

Hurried closer was need of the hour, which was accomplished by projecting the capture of 1 terrorist alive in the course of the attack. This became the symbol of a strong resolute government at the centre, sufficient to ensure victory in the Elections. All lacunae were papered over, having secured the mandate from the people this was a convenient stick to beat anyone and everyone who dared to questioned the failures and the inept handling of the crisis on 26/11/2008.

Nothing has changed on the ground, accountability is still missing! The cry for justice is getting louder by the day. Due heed should be paid to this cry, the society needs it urgently. The framers of laws must also be seen to be within the ambit of the same laws.


Updated on 26th Nov 2013

My Twitter coverage of the 26/11 attacks Sachin Kalbag

I was with Mail Today in Delhi during the November 26, 2008 terror attack on Mumbai. On Nov 27, the editor sent me to Mumbai. While filing stories for the paper, I suddenly remembered my Twitter account (on Nov 28). Twitter was new to us. Some may look abrupt as I was filing stories all the time.