We shall overcome

NAKED EYE

A security litmus test

Starting February 28, a very crucial period in India's history begins.The Hero Honda hockey World Cup which begins on Sunday will be ashowcase for the world at large that India can hold an internationalsporting event without its security apparatus being compromised. Inmany ways 2010 will be the year of living dangerously. It can decidewhether India will teeter on the edge or surmount everything that thePakistani terror machine can throw at us. The sequence of events iscritical - the hockey World Cup is followed immediately by the 45 dayIPL. This begins on March 12 with the last couple of days overlappingwith the World Cup. Delhi has virtually been turned into a fortress.The Meridien near Janpath is swarming with security personnel as theteams are satying at the hotel. The Government realises the import ofsafe conduct of the World Cup and then IPL.
While the Meridien has been sanitised, just as the Dhyan ChandNational Stadium (venue of the World Cup) and a short bus ride fromMeridien, it is the IPL which will pose the biggest challenge to thesecurity establishment. Since multiple venues across the land areinvolved, the risk perception to an event of that magnitude aredifferent. But it is the government's imperative to ensure that itdisplays a zero tolerance to terror. Sadly, the Pune blast so close tothe hockey World Cup and after a hiatus of almost 14 months has almosteveryone in a tizzy. Both the World Cup and the IPL are major testcases as India goes on to host the Commonwealth Games in October.Anything untoward, the slightest problem, a whiff or hint of terrorduring the conduct of these events can have a gigantic impact on theCWG.
Ever since P Chidambaram took over as home minister, India has more orless been trouble free. Though the Maoist menace is increasing itspresence with the passing of each day, it is the terror modules whopresent a bigger threat percept in the short term. The alacrity andderring do that Maoists have shown is of course equally a cause forconcern. But they still haven't gathered courage to attack urbanagglomerates yet. And hopefully this won't happen. They pick on softrural targets after careful planning instead. However, the nature ofthe terror beast is different, it will constantly up the ante and seekout places where it can do maximum damage. It will seek soft, but highvalue and high profile targets which cause consternation in the mindsof the western world.
The modus operandi seems to have changed since 26/11. High valuewestern targets are now being sought. Attacks on iconic hospitalitytargets, Chabad House in Mumbai, German Bakery in the up marketKoregaon Park in Pune confirm this new tactic. That is why India needsto be vigilant, that much more careful. In Delhi over the last coupleof days, police and other security personnel have been carrying outchecks, holding up and hauling suspicious looking cargo and people. Itpays to be careful. If we don't, we run the risk of turning intoanother Pakistan. A nation which nobody would want to travel to.Terror mastermind Hafeez Saeed's call for jihad against India andinflamatory speeches given by those gethered at the Kashmir SolidarityDay conclave in Muzzafarabad recently are definite causes for worry.
Tourism has finally begun to pick up, while average room rates haven'tmoved up concurrently, occupancies are a lot better. India expectsmany visitors during the Commonwealth Games. Visitors from manydisparate nations. We need to protect these people, safeguard theirlives and generally provide a sanitised environment. The problem ishow do you police populous areas? It is extremely difficult. How doyou protect the citenzry? Elaborate security plans have been put inplace for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, it will have to deliver.But before that we need to secure the hockey World Cup and IPLmatches.
This is the biggest task before the nation's security apparatus,otherwise India will degenerate into a no safe zone. It is up toChidamabaram to deliver in conjunction with the organisers of theseevents. Any mishap will be injurious and dangerous. It will lead toIndia Dangerous. Something that a vibrant democracy cannot afford.India will not be cowed down by these threats, which unfortunately aswe have seen over time are not empty anymore. They are veiled andextremely live and credible. They cannot be allowed to win. They haveto be overcome and resisted with force. Let Indian sport show the wayhand in hand with Chidambaram's security blanket. Securing the IPLwill be a bigger ask, though. But it can be done.