Even after two months of 26/11, except for diplomatic offensive and tightening internal security, we haven?t done much. It will motivate the Jehadis to launch an even more daring operation against India from the Pakistani soil in future.

WHAT FOUR thousand Indian lives lost in the 25 terror bomb attacks in last four years of the current UPA government rule could not achieve, the recent Pakistani sponsored Mumbai terror attack and the resultant public outcry has accomplished. Finally the government has decided to opt for a central investigative agency and tough anti terror laws. We, however, should not be complacent because this is still not the final solution.

 
Rand Corporation, a leading American think tank is very right in its recently published analysis of Mumbai terror strike that the Jehadi State and non state actors located on Pakistani soil are keenly watching the Indian response to the Mumbai carnage. More than two months have gone by. Except for taking up a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan and verbal rhetoric, we have done nothing. As per this think tank, if India does nothing than these Jehadis will be motivated to launch an even more daring operation against India from the Pakistani soil in future.
 

The brief here is not that we should go headlong into a full scale war with Pakistan but the way the current UPA government is dealing with the issue, it appears as if it is depending too much on diplomacy and help from foreign powers to pull its chestnuts out of fire. We are continuing to have normal diplomatic relations with Pakistan despite Indian prime minister making an official statement that Pakistani state actors are involved in the Mumbai carnage.
 
The trains and buses are running between the two countries. People are coming over to visit from Pakistan. Trade and commerce also continues. By all these are we not giving Pakistani state actors a clean chit? If they are involved then how is that we are maintaining normal relations with that country?
 
What message are we giving to world at large? If we ourselves are carrying on as if nothing has happened with the country whose state actors have blood of our countrymen in their hands, then how do we expect other countries to be strict with Pakistan? It is time our leaders select better security advisors. What will go wrong if we break relations with Pakistan? Why are we worried that it will jeopardize the existence of the newly elected civilian government of Pakistan? This is at best a Pakistani problem. If it is vote bank politics then it is really sad.
 
It is time we start building our armed forces in a time bound programme to their full potential. Whether we fight or not we should build the capability of our armed forces to take on Pakistan in an all out war and not a limited war as of now. Thanks to our past neglect it will take a few years but the message will go home that we are gearing up for action. We must shed this phobia of Pakistan using nuclear weapons at the drop of hat. They are not fools. We must speed up our nuclear submarine building programme as also anti missile defense programme. This must go along with tightening of our internal security and police reforms. Most important we must build political will to deal with this Jehadi terror with iron hand. Self help is the best help.