Recent attacks on Mumbai

After the recent attacks on Mumbai we have started doing what we are best at, which is passing the buck and blaming others for their incompetence. Also, frantic decisions have started being taken. Gujarat government has announced to upgrade its fire power, NSG has been sanctioned their own air fleet so that there are no delays.

When will all this happen? How much time will it take for execution?
As we know the pace at which things move in our country, by the time these decisions are acted upon and our forces get the much deserved tools for their operations crores of rupees would have already changed hands. Many pockets would have been filled. The terrorists would have got even more sophisticated weponary and we will still be a sitting duck agianst them.

Will we ever learn to implement and act before events occur? Sometime back Dad and me were going back home from office and he saw a traffic cop stop a bike rider for jumping the red light. We started a discussion and my dad say "We have the habit of taking pro-active measures rather than preventive measures". The cops wait for you to make a mistake and fine you. The question here is how many measures are taken so that people don't break rules. Well, its not always the authorities. The citizens are also equally responsible. I have been fined a few times for jumping red lights. That was completely unintentional.

While driving I try to abide by the rules as far as possible but what would one do during peak hour traffic. Watch the road, the car in front, one on your left, one on your right, a speeding fellow sticking at the bumper of the car taking a tow to cross alongwith you or the traffic signal. If thats not enough there are pedestrians crossing, some fellow on a bike thinking himself as Valentino Rossi waiting to jump the light. I have only 2 eyes which can only see in one direction at a time. The solution to the problem is very simple. Install a traffic light on the opposite side of the junction as well so that people can have a look at it easily. I've seen it in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan etc all the countries I've been to. But no one understands that. It is that simple but no.. we need to fine people who break the law and not stop people from breaking them.

Similarly on larger issues. Terror strikes, some frantic decisions are taken to make the people feel that the government is acting. We need preventive measures. I was watching CNBC a couple of days back where business community was invited for discussions. One of them said that after the cycle bomb exploded outside The Taj Mahal hotel, couple of them got together and wanted to meet the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra with a proposal for security of the city. The minister turned down to meet them and were guided to a subordinate. The proposal was that they would collect funds from the business houses and finance the training of troops and their weapons. All the government had to do is to select the right people for the job. This group of people will be for the city of Mumbai only and will not be allowed to guard ministers and VIP's. The response as usual was, that Maharashtra had enough task force to tackle any situation and they would revert back if need be.

I'm not saying that the force would have stopped it from happening but its about initiative. The government should be the one who should take such initiatives. On the contrary even when people are ready to fund, the government is unwilling to take initiative for the safety and security of the citizens.
I wish this time it will change and fear that nothing is going to change at all.