Mumbai was devastated, so was every Indian. 60 hours of horror and then it ceased… with many questions left unanswered.
The attack and India’s response to it put on forefront a number of lapses in the security measures as well as institutions. A year has passed, but the terror threat still lingers.
In an e-mail interview to Biplob Ghosal and Kamna Arora of Zeenews.com, super cop Kiran Bedi discusses India’s security system after Mumbai terror attacks.
Kiran Bedi is India’s first and highest ranking (retired in 2007) woman officer and recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Q. Army Chief Deepak Kapoor has warned of another 26/11-type attack. Do you think India is prepared to tackle such an attack?
Kiran: Well, what can be said is that India is much more alert than it has been in the past. And so is the perpetrator more aware that he is under a searchlight. The response system is better placed. I am not sure of improved prevention systems yet, as there is a huge variance across the country.
Q. Mumbai police is still to acquire most of the weaponry and equipment they had sought to tackle 26/11-style attacks in the future. Why have we failed to learn a lesson from such gruesome incident even after a year?
Kiran: We fail because we do not have systematic approach to our work. We are not professionally coordinated. We also are deficient on integrity quotient.
Q. What should be done to strengthen Indian security system? Do you think India’s billion plus population is an obstacle in meeting the objective of strengthening the security measures?
Kiran: Of course, the scale of demand is a big pressure, but then these also have their own strengths, which is the people and the community systems, which if tapped can generate support. But these call for trust building practices, which begins with political and organisational leadership.
Q. What changes should be made in the criminal legal system, so that terrorists could be brought to justice quickly?
Kiran: Legal process reforms have to become an absolute priority and the reasons are known. Changing them hits vested interests. Courage is needed to take them on and to drive change.
Q. How can common people contribute in combating terror?
Kiran: By trusting and respecting the system and becoming law abiding themselves.
First Published: Saturday, November 28, 2009, 16:13