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Laluji! They are ultras not kulhars
POLITICIANS, BY now, should be known for throwing bizarre ideas more than brilliant ones to solve serious problems plaguing the country, from power crisis to terrorism. One such weird idea has come from our very own ?brightest of all? Union Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav, who till now was busy replacing undesirable plastic cups with the delicate ?earthen cups?. His ambitious plan got derailed faster than it could be implemented in the Railways.
POLITICIANS, BY now, should be known for throwing bizarre ideas more than brilliant ones to solve serious problems plaguing the country, from power crisis to terrorism.
One such weird idea has come from our very own ‘brightest of all’ Union Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav, who till now was busy replacing undesirable plastic cups with the delicate ‘earthen cups’. His ambitious plan got derailed faster than it could be implemented in the Railways.
Perhaps triggered by Mumbai blasts, Lalu has now come with a terror shield -- ban entry of visitors on railway platforms. The other day the minister said, “ We are now seriously contemplating banning visitors who come to see off their near and dear ones. By just purchasing a Rs 3e platform ticket, they can place objectionable objects in the trains”.
In other words only people with valid travel tickets would be, henceforth, allowed to enter stations, like at the airports. Yes, the minister’s novel idea can certainly help reduce congestion on railway platforms, but how far it would help check blasts in today’s era of human bombs, moving like anyone and everyone on the street, is certainly doubtful.
Otherwise also, one would have certainly hailed the brilliant proposal if the railway platforms had not become homes for lakhs and lakhs of homeless across the country. May be the minister has never suffered the discomfort of jumping over people to catch a train or reach the platform. Several drives, launched by the railway authorities, have so far failed.
The railway minister has also overlooked the simple fact that a terrorist can easily buy tickets, even though at the risk of leaving a trail of evidence for our very intelligent Intelligence sleuths. As for Mumbai’s lifeline locals buying tickets is hardly an issue.
Mr Yadav, such impotent ideas can hardly help foil terrorists’ missions. Perhaps, the need is for more concrete suggestions or steps that seem so elusive.
Agreed, the Intelligence agencies and the citizens will have to be more alert.
But, is it not true that alert citizens can only identify unaccounted baggage not the terrorist travelling in the same coach. After all, it’s not written on their faces. Otherwise also some of them could be too smart to create any doubts, whatsoever, by their behavior. Indeed for the time being the Mumbai blasts have alerted the citizens, albeit only in the first class, may be because there is some room for one to see a lying object. In over-crowded second-class coaches, it is next to impossible. Neither there is space nor time for the commuter to look beyond himself or herself. Otherwise also, if terrorists targeted trains this time, what guarantee is there that it won’t be airlines or some vital installation somewhere in the country?
Such political gimmicks only make light of such serious issues that need a defter handling than throwing bizarre solutions. And our politicians have none barring strengthening security arrangements in and around the sensitive temples and spots that too for a few days or weeks after every terrorist strike in the country. Thereafter their approach and action gets lackadaisical till there is another blast.
Perhaps as a country we need to check their penetration among us -- from the borders to cities and our homes. After all the top LeT man Abdul Karim Tunda lived in Ghaziabad, where he even lost one arm while making bombs. Tunda stayed somewhere in Lucknow also. Got his passport issued from the office here.
How is it he still escaped? He must have stayed with someone in some locality.
Perhaps maintenance of family registers by the Civil Defence could be of some help in checking the infiltration of undesirable elements into our society.
As per the Civil Defence Act of 1968, the sector wardens are expected to maintain family registers in their respective areas. Though the politicians may not find it a valuable suggestion but some social organisations like Veteran Family Swayam Sahayta Manch in Lucknow are presently fighting hard to get it implemented. Their mission is to check shelter to undesirable elements in cities.
Their other two demands are also relevant. First, citizens should register themselves with the sector wardens, failing which police, municipal corporations and other agencies should not issue any certificate. Second, the family register should be made a legal document to prove antecedents of bonafide citizens. And here the senior citizens can also play an effective role.
Though these may not sound high-profile proposals to check terrorism, but they are certainly valuable suggestions worth implementation, especially after the alarming news from Delhi about two LeT men joining the Indian Air Force.
So Mr Yadav, it’s high time you took some concrete steps to check the growth of criminals on platforms and the growing accidents as suggestions like banning visitors sound as short-lived as use of earthen cups instead of plastic ones for tea and coffee in trains. They sound good for nothing.
