Interestingly  the perpetrators  selected months of September and October in 7 out of 20 (including the latest) incident.

India ranks fairly high on World’s Terror Index  (Rank 18 – Extreme Caution, Somalia is #1) maintained by Maplecroft that tracks Business Risk Globally

While the investigations are in full swing, one positive sign, emerging lately, is that the Government is keeping an open mind by not rushing to point its finger across the border.  It is investigating a possibility that the culprits could have been rouge elements operating from within the country. 

We can only improve our security once we remove the old blinkers and are out of denial!!

Keeping the House in order

India is not a stranger to acts of domestic terrorism.  Even before the country suffered violence from terrorists acting in the name of Khalistan separatist movement, we were experiencing Maoist movement (some of you may have heard of Naxalite movement back in early ‘70s). This movement later on morphed into MCC and People War Group.

For years, this spreading cancer was hidden from the general view, and, was regarded as just a sign of class struggle in the Rural India.  Of late, this militant group has spread to several states and has become strong enough to engage Para Military forces.  Somewhere along the line we treated this malignant tumor as a mere irritant, and, did not control this menace, either politically or with administartive measures.  We failed to develop effective strategy and operational readiness required to eradicate domestic acts of terror emnating from Maoist separatist movement.

The data above has been taken from the Global Database Maintained by University of Michigan. Note the sharp rise in the terror incidents since 2007! Most of the incidents are from Maoist movement. Why doesn't someone in India maintain terror DB, and publish those to keep it high on the national agenda? 

The high profile blasts (like the ones in Delhi and Mumbai) create knee jerk reaction all around, and then the things revert to normal! 

How many cases of conviction for acts of terrorism have been highlighted in the past? Note that lack of punishment is not due to paucity of  legal teeth. We have had some of the strongest laws on anti terrorism (heard of POTA?).

Has this failure to convict emboldended groups like Indian Mujahadeen?