Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'India’s security system not up to the mark' that was published in Newsband

India’s security system not up to the mark

Our politicians made a lot of noise about the train-bombing in Chennai. Lost in the noise was the issue that really matters: why citizens remain so much at danger when they travel, are at their workplaces, or when they are just walking down a crowded market street.

According to the United States State Department, India’s internal security infrastructure is severely anaemic. In spite of the massive expansion of police manpower and large investments in technology after 26/11, training standards and personnel skills are well behind minimal acceptable standards. In areas involving specialist skills, like forensics, acute staffing deficits are evident. The intelligence services, the cutting edge of the country’s counter-terrorism efforts, were yet to fill staffing deficits a full five years after the Mumbai carnage. The Railway Protection Force, tasked with protecting trains and tracks along with the State government-controlled Government Railway Police, are not adequately equipped.

The situation won’t change until citizens start holding those in office to higher standards of accountability. There is one sure way of putting down any kind of terrorism in our country. The sure way is to withdraw security to all the so-called VIPs. That is the only way for them to understand what it means by safety and security.

India may be the largest democracy but democracy and freedom without rule of law is anarchy that we experience in India. It is all a question of attitude. Many have huge egos and want to be above law. While the 'netas' and so called VVIP's and VIPs continue to live within protective bubbles they have no idea of the security situation for the common man. Roads are cleared, traffic waved away before even a minor functionary makes his or her way down the road. All this takes money and there is little left for 'policing' as the developed world knows it. In most developed country this sort of security is maintained for a very select few - serving Presidents, PMs etc. Until this mindset is changed there is no hope for common security to be improved.

The thing is we do not learn from mistakes. We have got short memory. Security agencies turn up only after the incident. There is no prevention in India.

To avoid such bombings, much is desired in providing infrastructural requirements both in hardware development and personnel in the internal security operations. CCTVs at all stations or busy junctions, no doubt would expose the likely culprit, for investigations. RDX vapour detecting kits should be developed; it would be more feasible in confined places like say in every coach of a train. The present level of technology may be inadequate; the need of the hour is to develop a kit that could detect RDX or other chemical explosives and activate an alarm.

The truth is that the state of India's security is to do directly with the state of mind - state of mind of Indian Politicians, state of mind of Indian Voters.