Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
13.10.2008 - Just another date in the annals of history?
The Delhi blasts happened hours ago, and once again humanity has taken a backseat in the entire quagmire of terror, politics and ideologies. As innocent people pay the price for the acts of a particular set of people with a particular mind-set, the politicians seem to have no qualms about fanning the flames of hatred merely to bolster their vote bank. At the end of the day, what are you achieving if you’re in power or not when the country is reeling under a series of blasts and terror attacks?
It’s amazing that the Center is spending its time debating over whether or not a stringent anti-terror law is required. In the wake of the Gujarat blasts, the Gujarat government had been pushing for a state anti-terrorism law in order to combat the problem. Even the National security advisor had advised the Centre to allow the law but the Centre of course thought otherwise. According to them the proposed law was too similar to the POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) which was previously in force in the country. Since there were gross human rights violations on the pretext of that Act until it was eventually repealed, the Centre thinks it prudent for the law not to be allowed. This reasoning is fundamentally flawed because it smack of the Executive’s lack of confidence in the enforcement of a legislation which ultimately is the responsibility of the executive itself. If judges are wary of the enforcement of legislation, it is still excusable. But the executive itself throwing its arms up in helplessness at its own corruption is the end of an efficient government. If that is their attitude, how do they expect the country to have any confidence in them?
But also apparent is the politics that the UPA is trying to play. Opposing the anti-terrorism law would earn them brownie points with huge pockets of Islamic voters in the country. Also, the Gujarat government is headed by the opposition and hence it is almost a given that the government would oppose anything productive that is sought to be done by them. Of course the BJP too is not losing the opportunity to make the UPA look bad saying that all the blasts are because of their lack of efficiency.
I think its high time we set aside our differences at least in order to avert such catastrophes. At the end of the day, human life is lost and that cant be another cause for our leaders to play the blame game. If stringent laws have to be passed to combat the situation, so be it. Ensuring that such laws are not misused is the prerogative of the government and the possibility of such misuse cannot be an excuse for meekly letting terrorists get away. I hope this day does not merely pass us by as another day in the annals of history.
It’s amazing that the Center is spending its time debating over whether or not a stringent anti-terror law is required. In the wake of the Gujarat blasts, the Gujarat government had been pushing for a state anti-terrorism law in order to combat the problem. Even the National security advisor had advised the Centre to allow the law but the Centre of course thought otherwise. According to them the proposed law was too similar to the POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) which was previously in force in the country. Since there were gross human rights violations on the pretext of that Act until it was eventually repealed, the Centre thinks it prudent for the law not to be allowed. This reasoning is fundamentally flawed because it smack of the Executive’s lack of confidence in the enforcement of a legislation which ultimately is the responsibility of the executive itself. If judges are wary of the enforcement of legislation, it is still excusable. But the executive itself throwing its arms up in helplessness at its own corruption is the end of an efficient government. If that is their attitude, how do they expect the country to have any confidence in them?
But also apparent is the politics that the UPA is trying to play. Opposing the anti-terrorism law would earn them brownie points with huge pockets of Islamic voters in the country. Also, the Gujarat government is headed by the opposition and hence it is almost a given that the government would oppose anything productive that is sought to be done by them. Of course the BJP too is not losing the opportunity to make the UPA look bad saying that all the blasts are because of their lack of efficiency.
I think its high time we set aside our differences at least in order to avert such catastrophes. At the end of the day, human life is lost and that cant be another cause for our leaders to play the blame game. If stringent laws have to be passed to combat the situation, so be it. Ensuring that such laws are not misused is the prerogative of the government and the possibility of such misuse cannot be an excuse for meekly letting terrorists get away. I hope this day does not merely pass us by as another day in the annals of history.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Random insights
It’s the season of rains and turncoats. As lightening strikes and illuminates the deceit and its minions and sardonic laughter thunders around us, we worry about the world. But those flashes also reveal the deceit in the dark night. But the days progress and the rains do too. Slowly I stop cringing at the lightening and begin to see that its merely a sign of the times. There is no malice and no ill-will. All there is, is a primal instinct to support oneself stripped of all altruism. One must look for greener pastures, and that’s what they are all doing. In purely innocent selfishness. How can there be turncoats when there is no loyalty anymore? How can there be seasons when the rains have turned perennial?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)