India is considered to be one of the softest states in the world. It is mired in innumerable laws, rules, regulations and policies divided by castes, classes and religions. Unity in diversity is more a slogan than a fact. There is no political will to implement any law in its letter and spirit. Nationalism, patriotism, development etc., have been relegated to the background. Main reason for all the malaise that the country is facing today is the vote bank politics. It has led our political leadership to the ocean of corruption. The moment anybody speaks for framing of the tougher laws or even proper implementation, the corrupt forces orchestrate to thwart any such move. So, corruption is hand in glove with vote bank politics. It has vicious relationship, actively aided and abetted by the bureaucracy, which is also neck deep in corruption. It has gradually spread its tentacles to judiciary and media also.
Anybody who is honest and talks of corruption-free society is dubbed as a crazy person. Not only that, s (he) is also defamed as nincompoop and inefficient person. How to get rid of this fortified cobweb is a million dollar question. What is more distressing is that the so-called intellectuals allow themselves to be played into the hands of the corrupt forces and the sane voice coming from any quarters is deliberately drowned into the cacophony and obfuscation created by these intellectuals of vested interests.
These corrupt forces firstly encourage the law breakers to break the law and take advantage out of that regardless of the bad consequences on the society. Any demand for the stringent punishment for the violators is opposed with double force. Take the example of POTA, which was replaced by TADA. POTA was meant for tackling the menace of terrorism, which is fast spreading and engulfing the country. It was repealed by the present government on the specious ground that it was indiscriminately being misused and that too against a particular community i.e. Muslims. The leaders, with their eyes on votes denounced POTA as a draconian law forgetting the fact that terrorism is the scourge of the society, which can be effectively dealt with only by adopting the draconian measures. Extraordinary problems cannot be solved by ordinary methods.
Now when the monster of terrorism is again raising its hoods in frightening manner by causing bomb blasts in various cities of the country, the people have started demanding for the Acts like POTA. The assemblies of Gujarat Rajasthan have already passed for enactment of laws on the lines of POTA but he Central Government is sitting tight over it, because both states are ruled by the party, which is in opposition at the centre. The opponents of the POTA type laws say that terrorism could not be controlled even when such laws were in existence. So laws are meaningless, as they say, existing laws are enough to deal with terrorism. But nobody asks the devils of doom if present laws are adequate, why then terrorists are hitting the targets without slightest fear? True, the terrorists were attacking their targets even during POTA days, yet nobody can deny the fact that the fear of POTA was there at least among those who have been fearlessly harbouring and providing support to terrorists. Recruitment of youngsters towards terrorism had considerably declined during POTA days.
Now when the National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and the chairman of the Administrative Reports Commission M. Veerappa Moily have suggested that stringent anti-terror law must be introduced, the government seems to have stirred. The Prime Minister also wants any effective law but the dye-in-wool politician, who are adroit and expert in capitalising the vote bank may not allow this to be done. They may certainly go for cosmetic changes but not for this type of laws. Country may go to dogs but they must survive and enjoy, this is their policy. It is the height of their myopia as they forget that they would have no role if the country is not safe.
They must know that any law is India is not religion centric; our forces do not consist of any particular religion. But what can the forces do it the belonging to any particular religion are found indulging in anti national activities? Are these forces expected to arrest some innocent persons from other religions just to maintain religious balance in dealing with terrorism? This mentality is dangerous and must be castigated. The need of the hour is to have drastic law, which should have adequate mechanism to stop its misuse and abuse.