The terrible triple terrorism attack in Mumbai has again raised demands for increase in counter-terrorism measures. Why do we fail to control it again and again?

THE TERRIBLE triple terrorism attack in Mumbai has again raised demands for increase in counter-terrorism measures. Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress General Secretary (PM in waiting) Rahul Gandhi’s declaration that no place in India is safe and there is no perfect protection against terrorism left unpleasant taste in the mouths of all citizens. If we see, a country like North Korea has never faced terrorist attack. The US government has also been able to deliver what it promised its citizens after the 9/11 attack and there have been no significant, successful attacks on their soil in a decade. In case of India, we are still searching for reliable security measures. Each terrorist attack is followed by public outrage, compensations and condolences, promises of tight security etc. and after few months citizens are left to the mercy of God. This cycle continues until next terror strike. Why do we fail to control it again and again?

“India is banana republic, our leaders will never wake up until their relatives get killed in such attacks,’ said an angry college student.

“We Indian are banking on their false promise; it is time to handle our security ourselves. Government must privatize it,” added an engineering executive.

The Natgrid is brainchild of P.Chidambaram, the project is motionless and non-started. Its aim is to link existing databases of individuals, including banking information, land records, Internets logs, phone records, guns record, driving license, property records etc. These databases will be used to evaluate the actions of people and see if they indicate prospects of terrorist activity, its planning or support. It could help to eliminate the risk of terrorist attack on domestic front.

But the project is still awaiting approval from Cabinet Committee on Security.

Question arises: will it help to provide us infallible security? First the project is hanging due to private activists as it is based on a faulty principle which raises serious privacy concerns of citizens. The Indian constitution gives rights of privacy; besides, there must be a balance of power between the government and the citizens it serves. This should be solved before the government tries to make it operational. Secondly, police reform is another issue that needs attention. Finally, there is a possibility that some minister or a government agency might use the information to blackmail someone for personal gains. It raises public debate about how they are going to control it?  How the system is going to manage so much of population data, including migrants. Our security system is old and India inherited it from British Raj. It would be best if instead of Natgrid , India forms the US style panel, which has a human intelligence system and efficient sharing of investigative information on controlling attacks.