Distributing Security Responsibilities

By Moorthy Muthuswamy, May 2000

The other day, Mr. Advani, the Indian Home Minister, voiced grave concerns about the worsening internal security situation. Pakistan has shown its determination to crush the Indian economy by pushing counterfeit currency into the country. Selected attacks in future on multi-national companies in the strategic software industry will lead to their flight. This will spell death for any chance of a meaningful economic growth and may permanently retard India’s efforts to move ahead its sworn enemy, Pakistan.

India will go bankrupt if it tries to defend its every nook and cranny. Even with over 500,000 troops, infiltration and attacks in Kashmir has escalated. Hence, it is not a viable option. It is about time the Indian State goes after the Indian supporters of Pak’s proxy war. Scores of Kashmiries at every level are collaborating with Pakistan to maim India. We know who they are. Without making these people and their families pay a high price, it is not just Kashmir, the day of reckoning for the Indian economy is not too far away.

Yet another example is the Samjhota Express that runs between the two countries. Every law enforcement agency is crying to have it stopped, as it remains the primary mode of pushing terrorists, fake currency and drugs. Many Indian passengers are used by Pak’s ISI for these purposes. The Indian Muslims are putting pressure on the government that this train is the only mode of cheap transportation that makes possible "people-to-people contact". They must be pointed out that it is Pak that is misusing the train service. The government should turn the tables on Indian Muslims by demanding that they contact their Islamic brethren in Pak to ensure that the trains are not misused.

In other words, the onus should be on communities from whom Pak recruits its supporters and saboteurs. This is idea of distributed responsibility. Entire communities must be held responsible for acts of terrorism and made accountable severely if they turn the other cheek to acts of subversion. In this context, the release of the White Paper on ISI needs to be emphasized. It should be one of the first crucial steps in distributing security responsibility to its citizens by making them aware of the details of Pak’s game plan. This should also help the communities that are selectively targeted by Islamic terrorists shore up their and nation's defense.