India : The Ticking Time Bomb: Op Sindhoor to Red Fort and Beyond

1947 saw the emergence to two nations. Partition as it is generally known , left  families torn apart, some opting to stay on one side and others in the opposite side even though they were from different religion. Kashmir opted for India.

The issue of Minorities has been the subject of many studies , reports rendered on the issue of Minorities, compulsion of Political Parties, Vote Banks. The preamble was amended only once on 18 December 1976. During the Emergency in India, the Indira Gandhi government pushed through several changes in the Forty-second Amendment of the constitution perhaps, keeping in mind the need for religious freedom. Through this amendment, the words "socialist" and "secular" were added between the words "Sovereign" and "Democratic" and the words "unity of the Nation" were changed to "unity and integrity of the Nation". What is alarming is the fact that India has not been able to properly assimilate religion into the National Culture in entirety. Freedom of religion is being exploited by the Politicians as well as Religious Leaders to polarize society  for votes.  

We are today the worlds largest population ,  in terms of muslim figures, we are the third largest after Indonesia and Pakistan and on the way to becoming the second largest in the foreseeable future. Some studies have reflected on the changing dynamics in Demography, raising  the question of unbalancing  the equation between the existing majority and the largest minority community, leading to the majority itself feeling threatened! Is there a cause for India to retain the pro rata ratio between Majority and Minority Communities? Are there questions as to how we are addressing the problem of ‘Subversion and Radicalization’ in our efforts to contain and control terrorism?

We flaunt our being the largest  youngest population base and rightly claim that as our Nations strength. Somewhere , the fact that the two areas i.e. Rapidly changing dynamics of our demography where a particular minority is growing faster than the majority and the even faster expansion of the Nations  over all population combined with poor skills /education are a ticking time bomb waiting to be triggered! Add to this poverty , disillusionment and we have a ready recipe for subversion. 

What is perceptively missing?

A Policy for Population Control. Unless promulgated in right earnest, we will find ourselves in turmoil and difficult to control. Three policies need to be promulgated in right earnest:-

● Uniform civil code with a focus on limiting the number of marriages and promoting a small family.

● An education and skilling policy aimed at removing corruption and greed for money.

● Skilling at International Standards with spoken languages of Countries our youth can go to work in.

● A Government to Government arrangement for providing such skilled workers at different levels as required by them.

● Promoting citizens responsibility in Nation Building.

Public utterances by leaders which raise aspirations and lead to disillusionment when such promises are not met. Jobs for all is a slogan to be avoided simply because Industrial growth is slower than the number of graduates being churned out each year! Not to mention the poor quality of such graduates!

National Will.

Europe has also a population based on multi religions and to an extent can be called secular? The immigrant population  in many countries threaten to  surpass the Christian population, sending messages of alarm. Media is full of efforts to contain the change in demography and at the same time get the Immigrants to adhere to National Policies, Burka, Namaz on Road sides and many other issues are being taken care of through legislation. The message ' if you want to live in our country follow our rules! ' Have we as a Nation the National Will to take tough measures? Can we inculcate a sense of Belongingness amongst all communities? It can be said that this is an aspect worth our focus.

Counter Terrorism 

A terrorist is to the  population like fish to water , a splintered population is fertile soil for breeding terrorists. We need to take lessons from the West to tackle this scourge. Discussed in brief below are a few examples. 

The US and UK in Brief . In the USA a National Consortium for the Studies of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) was established under the University of Maryland. It is a single window with approximately 50 partners, 65 researchers and institutes across the globe who research about 3 crores topics. In addition they have responded with citizens Policing and Response Program. Citizen’s involvement is also encouraged through the “Ready Campaign”. Whatever one might have to say about US policies, post 9/11 they have effectively kept away any terrorist attack in the mainland. 

• A neighborhood watch (also called a crime watchor neighborhood crime watch) is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime- and vandalism-prevention within a neighborhood. It builds on the concept of a town watch from Colonial America.

• A neighborhood watch may be organized as its own group or may simply be a function of a neighborhood association or other community association.

• Neighborhood watches are not vigilante organizations. When suspecting criminal activities, members are encouraged not to intervene but to contact authorities.The current American system of neighborhood watches began developing in the late 1960s as a response to the rape and murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York. People became outraged after reports that a dozen witnesses did nothing to save Genovese or to apprehend her killer. Some locals formed groups to watch over their neighborhoods and to look out for any suspicious activity in their areas. Shortly thereafter, the National Sheriffs' Association began a concerted effort in 1972 to revitalize the "watch group" effort nationwide

UK. The UK responded post 7/7 with a comprehensive policy and strategies of their own under the CONTEST program of pursue, prevent, protect and prepare.

The Home Ministry, M1-5, Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) have taken the lead to initiate Public-Private Partnership between Police, Communities and Citizens. Built upon Trust, Intelligence, Offensive Action, Education, Hardening of targets and building resilience, they too have prevented many attacks through this synergised approach.

Conclusion

Op Sindhoor( which according to official sources is still on) the underlying statement was that any future act of terror would be taken to be an act of war. Yet,there have been many such acts to terrorism and our forces  have been at it,neutralizing Infiltrators or Terrorists! The latest such act which appears to have shaken the Nation was the Bomb Blast at Red Fort. Media is full of reports of the success stories of J& K Police and the NIA picking up trails, FIRs and so forth. The fact remains that it was an Intelligence failure at all levels. Success can only be claimed if the  perpetrators are prevented for detonating the bomb, once it  has been detonated, we can only investigate as a follow up! Attention of the readers is drawn to the Center Page of Opinion of December 1st “ Red Fort Blast-Some Questions” and another on page 10 of the Tribune dated 02 December titled "69 Launch Pads across the LoC, 120 Militants waiting to infiltrate : BSF."

The Bottom Line being that unlike Israel, India does not have the wherewithal to hit and hurt Pakistan in a manner that would bring to halt Pakistan Sponsoring terrorism. The support from China being unquestionable , we are on the back foot. Support to India from USA or Russia is far distant when compared to the Pakistan –China Relations. The dynamics need to change in our favour and that is where our energies must focus , both at the Government and Public levels.

Internally, as a Nation we continue to be strife torn between politics, religion, languages and region. This needs to end.

Last Word. When will India become a force to reckon with?  What has been stated by Gen Sir John Heckett a NATO Commander in his book ‘The Third World War’ The disintegration federation  of Indian States will be kept so embroiled amongst themselves so as to prevent India from being a power to reckon with’ needs attention and action to prevent such a thing from happening.

Is it time for all citizens to wake up to this call?