Coffins to choppers: No end to scam plague

Even as an Italian investigation is bringing out damning information on the VVIP helicopter deal, the Indian response has been divided. Defence minister and patron saint of clean politics ‘St Antony’ has realised (though a few years late) that “something happened somewhere”, which also threatens the image he has painstakingly built for himself — thereby meriting cancellation of the deal.

However, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid is not keen to “overreact” because it would affect our “defence preparedness”. But the venerable mantri doesn’t elaborate what role helicopters transporting VVIPs are going to contribute to defence preparedness.

Khurshid has stressed that Letters Rogatory, which request a foreign government’s or government institution’s cooperation for an investigation, will allow India to get to the bottom of the alleged scam. However, the charade of investigation into the Bofors scam has amply demonstrated to us how the government can sabotage such processes from within.

Though Khurshid vouches for the capabilities of Augusta Westland helicopters, the claim is difficult to stomach when it has emerged that performance requirements were tweaked to benefit the company.

AK Antony is clean and honest, but has always demonstrated to be spineless when it comes to dealing with filth in his team. His terms as chief minister of Kerala saw some of the biggest scams and criminal activities of party leaders, coalition partners and ministers (of course, all alleged and never proven). Even when a senior Cabinet colleague was under investigation for sexual misconduct (Ice cream Parlour Sex Scandal), Antony would not ask him to stay out of ministry till he is cleared. The minister has been acquitted by all trial courts and the Supreme Court. There are plenty more, but this one is the crown jewel.

The inevitable presence of middlemen and ‘consultant’ companies (where many top military officials find employment after their service) in defence deals is a clear demonstration of the lack of willingness of the government to put national interests first. From coffins to choppers, rations to munitions, those tasked with protecting the country (service personnel, bureaucrats and political leaders) are looting it or facilitating the plunder.

The anger and tirade of the defence minister will play to domestic galleries but need not translate into actions of consequence, especially when the investigations involve other countries. Their judicial process follows due procedure of law and usually does not cater to requirements of “public conscience”.

Unless there is conviction and policy decision that national interests will come first, these investigations will take the usual long and winding road to nowhere, bleed the exchequer and finally peter out.

There was a time when military had a good standing in the public eye, but it is no longer the case. There are stains that need to be removed and creases that have to be smoothened before the uniform can return to its former glory.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on February 20, 2013.)

Stabbing the cause from the front

Closely after the Raising Day of the National Security Guard (NSG), several national dailies reported a rather disturbing story of discrimination of women. No. This time it’s not the male chauvinists, but the women leaders who have done their bit.

The NSG has raised a women’s division, given the same training as its men. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and BSP supremo Mayawati have reportedly refused to be protected by these women commandos.

Ironically, both are often cited as examples of women power triumphing in a male-dominated society. Both had towering male mentors and overcame challenges to their authority and consolidated power. As party bosses whose MPs’ support decides the fate of the government, they are also symbols of well-earned power that inspires thousands of women across the country.

However, their refusal to trust the security cover provided by women commandos has damaged the very foundation of the call for equality of women in all professions. Mayawati and Jayalalithaa have indirectly hinted that they don’t consider women commandos as competent as their male counterparts.

Not only have these politicians insulted these brave soldiers, but also they have undermined their own competence to be in positions of power.

Now how can one say Jayalalithaa is as capable as the No 2 in the party or the ministry? How can she be trusted to handle the political and administrative leadership of a crucial southern state?

For Mayawati, the questions would be even more difficult. She is not just a political leader. She is also considered by many as a symbol of empowerment for Dalits (though her biggest project was self-glorification through statues, parks and memorials). How can the Dalit community put its trust in a party and its leader, whose competence is in question because of her gender?

Even worse is the predicament of the premier security agency, whose ‘black cats’ are the most reassuring sight for the VIPs. They have put together a squad of talented, committed and well-trained women. With the VIPs refusing their services and the government policy not permitting their deployment in counter-terrorism operations, they will be reduced to mere showpieces.

Any professional who has spent substantial time ‘on the bench’ will vouch for the crushing feeling of boredom and self-doubt. So, imagine the plight of these brilliant women who have been trained for the most risky field operations, but forced to stay put at their base.

We hear ridiculous comments that degrade women from obsolete institutions like khaps and fringe groups that call themselves moral police. And we attribute little significance to their takes due to their dubious backgrounds and illegal activities.

However, what Mayawati and Jayalalithaa have done is not something that can be ignored that easily. Both must apologise, and accept protection from women commandos.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on October 17, 2012)

India’s independent, but Bharat’s still a mess

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

— Robert Frost

Another Inde­pendence Day has come, actually the 65th one, and as usual the nation has been served its regular dose of an inspiring speech by its prime minister. However, the questions remain about what it has done for the countrymen.

At least Manmohan Singh has shown enough sense in not bragging about 'India Shining' like his NDA predecessors and has been realistic in saying that true independence will come only when we “banish poverty, illiteracy, hunger and backwardness”.

I wouldn't show the audacity to advise the economist on how to steer the economy through these turbulent times of Eurozone crisis, but I definitely know his team should do more to keep my food and fuel bills down.

True that poor monsoons have played truant so far and it will impact the food stocks. But that doesn't justify close to 40 per cent of foodgrains rotting away due to lack of storage infrastructure. Unless this massive hole is plugged, the effect of all subsidies and special packages will be negated.

While rapid economic growth is being encouraged, little is being done to check the irreversible damage it is doing to the ecology and the people. Special Economic Zones on farmland; hydel projects drowning swathes of forest; toxic emissions that pollute and the millions who are displaced, deprived of dignity and condemned to lives of penury. Those who champion people's causes and come to power turn even worse oppressors and exploiters.

Corruption is endemic. Central ministers to office attendants in villages; Generals to traffic cops; judiciary, bureaucrats, doctors and scientists... there is no end to the list. And, of course, the 'enterprising' politicians who turn multi-billionaires in few years by 'serving the people'. Anti-corruption crusaders have fallen to the lure of political power and a 'guru' with dubious credentials is hogging the limelight.

Society is in tatters. Caste system continues to condemn hundreds of millions to sub-human conditions. Caste kangaroo courts run their writ of murders, gangrapes and ostracism campaigns, and the official machinery only pays lip service to protection of human rights. Reservations that were instituted to promote integration have turned into a major divisive factor. Sex crimes against women and minors are skyrocketing while thousands of female foetuses are killed through selective abortion. Manual scavenging continues and a majority of villages still don't have toilets. Unless these fundamental issues are resolved, whatever progress we claim to make will remain tall claims.

The GDP share for healthcare remains dismal and social security a distant dream. Dozens of key legislations including Women's Reservation Bill, Lokpal Bill and Whistleblowers Bill have not been passed as politicians continue to squabble and waste the time of Parliament.

Security remains a major concern. A substantial part of the country is literally under Maoist control and separatist insurgencies continue to take toll on lives in several states. The latest spell of violence in Assam shows fundamental flaws are yet to be rectified. Terrorist attacks continue across the country even as plan after plan and agency after agency are announced to tackle the menace.

All we ask of the leaders of this country is to show some real commitment to the original purpose for which the people put their faith in them and the institution of democracy.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on August 15, 2012)

NCTC split will cripple counter-terror ops

‘United to protect’ is the motto of the National Counterterrorism Center of the United States which was formed in 2003 to co-ordinate national and international counter-terrorism efforts of the country in the wake of 9/11.
However, ‘united’ would be an oxymoron if used in the motto for its Indian counterpart of the same name — thanks to the states which put their ‘autonomy’ before a threat that does not discriminate between the Union or states.
The contention of the states is that a Central body that operates independently and to which all official machinery of the states have to extend co-operation is an infringement on their longstanding monopoly on the ‘law and order’ segment. In their rush to preserve their autonomy, the states are forgetting that trying to put terrorism under law and order is like trying to control a tyrannosaurus rex with a dog leash.
Whether the ever-politically-correct intelligentsia of the country agrees to call them terrorists or not, we are faced with dozens of forms of terrorism across the country.
From the Maoists who have killed thousands of civilians and security personnel to religious/ cultural fundamentalists who kill, maim and strip people of their dignity, the population is being subject to terrorism that takes away the Constitution-guaranteed rights of the citizens.
Over the years, the states have shown a continuing trend of forgetting the bigger picture of national security and giving in to populism — usually based on vote-bank politics.
Though the activists who campaign against death penalty may differ, the sheer lack of political cojones to execute terrorists who have been convicted of role in plots to assassinate national/ state leaders and facilitating attack on Parliament may die of old age if the present indecisiveness continues.
If it is coalition concerns from the south that extends life for some, it’s minority vote bank that proves the saviour for another, a third is being kept alive owing to resurgence in his community’s new-found belief in his innocence.
One way or the other, regional sentiments have proven detrimental to sending out a clear message on perpetrators of terrorism. Despite national counter-terror and investigation agencies unearthing evidence of Hidutva outfits in terror attacks, the political leaders are too scared to call it ‘saffron terror’ for fear of alienating their vote bank. The lack of spine to call a spade a spade is an inherent disgusting feature of our leaders who are more concerned about attaining and sustaining power than national interests.
After the 26/11 attacks the country’s security apparatus went into an overhaul, especially the coastal security. In a recently-held security drill to test the preparedness of the system, three ‘terrorist teams’ managed to evade all the preventive mechanisms and reach their ‘targets’. This clearly shows that we have miles to go before claiming to have a foolproof system in place.
One major reason for the limited success of counter-terror measures is the time lost in the maze of procedures and clearances. When more parties are involved in intelligence sharing, the likelihood of leaks and failed operations too increase.
For example, Maoists have deeply penetrated several states’ administrative cadre and police forces. If information on planned operations is shared with the administration in advance, the result would be jeopardising the mission with the inevitable result of massive loss of life for the security forces.
Across the world, the security interests of the country are given priority over the autonomy of the federating units and it should be no different in the case of India too. The current rebellion of dissenting chief ministers is like limbs seeking a consultative process on action when someone’s about to smash the head.
(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on April 18, 2012)

Iran-Israel imbroglio in Indraprastha

With Iran being blamed for the simultaneous magnetic bomb attacks on Israel embassy personnel across different parts of the globe, India finds itself in a particularly difficult diplomatic fix where it has to make some hard choices.
India imports 12 per cent of its crude from Iran and has continued to do so despite immense pressure from the EU and US to stop it and choke Iran’s finances, which they say, is funding its covert nuclear weapon programme.
Iran has been a friend of India and has honoured its commitments on supply of oil and bilateral trade despite India voting against it in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meetings, siding with the US and its allies.
However, with more evidence emerging about the similarity in the modus operandi of the attackers in using ditto style that was used to assassinate key Iranian nuclear scientists and the coincidence with the anniversary of killing of Hezbollah leaders, India would find it difficult to believe the Persian republic’s story.
Since the end of the cold war, India has been slowly but steadily strengthening its ties with Israel. Counter-terrorism and defence are areas of shared interest for both countries, bordered by hostile neighbours and constant targets of terrorist attacks.
Co-operation in these fields has grown multi-fold in the last two decades. Today India is the largest customer of Israeli military hardware and sources a substantial chunk of its high-end weapon platforms from the Jewish state.
Israel has also emerged as India’s second largest military supplier after the Russian federation. Israel has gone out of its way to persuade the US to allow it to sell sophisticated weapons systems it developed with American collaboration.
The attack on Israeli diplomatic personnel on Indian soil has been a first and comes close to the two countries celebrating establishment of diplomatic ties in January 1992. The ease with which the attack was carried out in broad daylight very close to the prime minister’s official residence has also exposed an embarrassing hole in the radar of the dozen-odd security agencies tasked with keeping the Capital secure.
Tensions are high in West Asia. Israel is preparing for a unilateral pre-emptive air/missile strike on Iran, with or without the US support. A cornered Iran, feeling the economic crunch of harsher EU-US sanctions, is threatening to cut off oil supplies to Europe and close the Straits of Hormuz — a vital route for international oil trade.
The US has responded by sending its carrier group to international waters close to Iran and has vowed to defeat any attempt to block oil routes. Iran responded by testing additional land-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles and unveiling two indigenously built submarines.
The current dicey situation is also a wake-up call for Indian planners and the need to diversify from the country’s over dependence on import of oil and military hardware.
Another key area that needs addressing is intelligence gathering. Despite all the gung ho about overhaul of security apparatus after 26/11, several terrorist attacks have taken place in the country — the Delhi incident being the latest feather in the cap of intelligence failures. A conflict is looming and the ripples of the tensions have reached Indian shores.
It is time for India to man up and tell its squabbling West Asian friends to stop dirtying its backyard.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on February 15, 2012)