Terror Visits Again

The statement by the union Home Minister Mr. P Chidambaram that we are living in the “most troubled neighbourhood in the world” would have been more realistic if the phrase “and in a troubled country” were to be added.
In the backdrop of Chidambaram’s statement that followed the Mumbai serial blasts are the fragile conditions of law and order in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both the countries are victims of both internal and external terrorism that put the lives of the citizens there at stake. A person going out of home in the morning wonders if he/she is nearing death with every advancing step.
In India, though we are an established democracy with law and order, we are not living in a far better condition than Pakistanis and Afghans, when safety of lives and properties is considered. Just some days back, we were targeted in Mumbai. The tall claims of the politicians that every possible steps were taken to enhance security measures fell short. Not only the Mumbaikars but all Indians are concerned about security.
If our leaders state that one per cent blasts would take place (just recall the statement of our prospective PM Mr. Rahul Gandhi that only 99% blasts can be contained) then who can be sure that this one 1% will not target him/her?
The 13/7 Mumbai blasts caught the intelligence agencies unaware. Since there was no intelligence input about the blasts it should not be termed an intelligence failure, claims Mr. Chidambaram, the man assigned to protect us.
Such leaders will say they did not have intelligence inputs that Pramod Muthalik was going to stage riots, so they cannot be held responsible for failing to contain riots. Though it a is well-known fact to them that Muthalik has been training hundreds of youth whose aim would be to create terror among minority communities living in India through riots. Muthalik and his goons serve as a permanent threat to the safety of everyone who believes in a cosmopolitan India. Tragedy is that the government is ignoring them on its own peril. Communalism and communal riots are the biggest threat to the safety of Indians.
Besides terrorism and riots we have many more things to which our precious lives would be sacrificed. Police torture, either while dealing with protesting lots or when in custody, off and on results in Indians losing their lives. Nitish government’s police butchered as many as five citizens in Araria district of Bihar. The killers are yet to face any action. The death of Faiz Usmani whom the Mumbai police interrogated as a suspect in 13/7 blasts was killed, the family alleges because of police torture; a claim as usual denied by the police. The wife Zubeida Usmani told media that when Usmani left home he was completely healthy, so the death must have been due to police torture during investigation. We have a long list of custodial deaths; one that of Khwaja Yunus got media attention and is being probed.
“I want justice. Strict action should be taken and the guilty should be punished,” Zubeida has demanded.
Though India is comparatively far more secure than its neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the looming sword of a terror attack, a communal riots and police torture always threatens the lives of Indians. They can only sit back and watch as India is made another Pakistan. The way big politicians are safe and are not killed either in riots or terror strikes; the life of the common man too should get equal security cover. But too sum it up, “Does anybody really care?”