26th January, 2009

Continuing the series.

How to assess the progress made in addressing the the November attacks on Bombay? There have been a lot of stories across the month from newspapers and magazines (IMO, they have been doing a good job of reporting related stories). However, finding this information in one place, say on a newspaper's site, is very difficult. I wonder if someone has a blog or webpage chronicling some of the serious reports and opinions to come out. If not, someone should. This Wikipedia article is the best we have now.

*** A quick wonder as to whether the people who said they would keep returning to the Gateway of India until concrete steps have been taken, are doing so? Or if they are reasonably satisfied that things are changing for the better. Hard to tell.

*** Several police and security personnel who died in the fighting that day have received India's highest peace time gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra. There were the inevitable bureaucratic murmurs - how do they really assess someone's contribution, how could they leave one out if a similar other was included, and so on. That these honours are awarded only to individuals and not to groups is a pity. Isn't an NSG commando who is fortunate to successfully finish the operation and to come out alive also worthy of great praise? Is bravery only determined by certain kinds of circumstances? The good thing has been that for a change, these men have become household names. We don't do enough to highlight the rest's contribution in non-glamorous situations. *** The TOI reports that funds allocated to the Maharashtra police were "diverted" to housing and vehicle issues rather than buying equipment. Buying sleek vehicles is obviously a luxury that can be postponed, but I'm not sure housing should necessarily be considered a lower priority as the article claims. Policemen at lower ranks and their families don't always live comfortable lives; these are issues of morale and economics that have as much impact on a policeman's likelihood of avoiding the temptation of corruption and be mentally available for a demanding job. *** A minor step in improving the NSG's response times comes from them now being allow to requisition private aircraft if necessary. And there's a new RAW chief. *** In an interesting conversation with Shekhar Gupta, the Home Minister says he is working as per a 150 day plan, mentions an acronym-filled (almost Yes Ministerial) project called the National Population Register, and made this important point:

SG: And citizens also learn that there is a price to pay for security.
PC: There is a price to pay. You have to accept some inconveniences. The same citizen who goes to the US and willingly removes his jacket, shoes etc. shouldn’t complain if he is frisked here. I think we must get over some of the bad habits that we have allowed to grow in the last few years[...]
People complain when they are frisked, people complain if they are stopped at the check post, people still jump red lights at night. All that must go.

Made me think: we go hoarse demanding politicians, police, customs et al. do their duties. So that they protect our right to break a traffic signal in the middle of the day. *** On the Pakistan front, Indians would have been happy to see the new White House go all bellicose on the issue of unilateral strikes. Almost immediately followed by conciliatory statements from Islamabad. *** In the New Indian Express, Joydeep Nayak says the IPS has no standard operating procedures for different situations. *** Finally, wondering if the Assam blasts earlier this month got a lot of mind space, or if it was 'business as usual' for the rest of us?