Big money makes no difference to security

SS Why did the July 13 bomb strikes go undetected despite the government spending millions on the country’s counterterrorism capabilities?

Good question that. More so considering India’s defence budget for 2011-2012 is a whopping $36.28 billion, up 11 per cent since last year. This is almost six times the country’s health budget ($5.9 million) and over three times its education budget of $11.50 billion. Of late, India has also garnered sophisticated surveillance helicopters, transport aircraft and submarines to beef up its security in the air, on ground and in the Indian Ocean.

Then why is this stupendous outflow not translating into better security for its citizens? Especially the residents of Mumbai, the country’s financial hub which generates 6.16% of the India’s total GDP, 25% of its industrial output and a whopping 33% of income tax collections? Nearly 40% of India’s foreign trade also transpires in Mumbai. Surely,

Mumbai residents or Mumbaikars deserve better.

Forget about pre-emptive action against terrorists, two-and-a-half years after 26/11, there’s no preventive detention of suspects by the Maharashtra state police which has an abysmal strike rate against terrorists. The state cops have managed to 
kill only 15 terrorists in the last decade.

Similarly, despite repeated terror strikes, the Mumbai police force does not even have an official spokesperson, or a crisis control room that quickly kick-starts in such instances - failings one would have expected to have been corrected at least after 2008.

The city’s residents are thus extremely frustrated with the government and the police. They say they are resigned to the fact that “the police will neither be able to prevent terrorism nor catch those responsible”.

“If the authorities do arrest someone, it would take years to prosecute the suspects. There will be an investigation, committees will meet and the police will scurry around,” said Mukesh Shah, a 65-year-old trader. “But nothing will come out of it. And in another three years, we’ll have another attack.”

Residents also resent the fact that the government has not been able to carry out the death sentences against two terrorists, including one who was directly involved in the 2008 attacks. Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks is now awaiting his convicted death sentence in Arthur Road Jail in central Mumbai.

Apparently, the Indian government has spent millions on Kasab’s upkeep and security till date. Last year, while Rs 5.25 crore was spent on a bomb-proof barrack and tunnel for the 24-year-old terrorist, another Rs 11 crore was shelled out for his security.

The government clearly needs to focus on securing the country’s citizens first. “What’s the purpose of this economic development if we don’t have security?” said Shah.