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Journalism of Courage
The BJP now plans to do what all smart opposition parties must: make the ruling UPA alliance squirm over its abject failure to prevent the serial horror of Mumbai 7/11. But, even as it does this, some self-analysis may not be a bad thing for party that has ruled the country for six years and which has, undoubtedly, ambitions to do so in the future as well. Such an exercise is all the more valuable when one considers that terrorism threatens not just ruling parties but the nation itself.
The BJP must look at its own record of fighting terrorism while in power as part of the NDA coalition. While nobody can fault it on its rhetoric of fighting terrorism 8212; in fact such rhetoric became something of a political signifier for its brand of activism 8212; performance on the ground was rather less spectacular. Its six years saw various terrorist strikes, including the storming of Parliament in 2001, the attacks on the Akshardham and Raghunath temples and, of course, that abject surrender at Kandahar. In response it came up with anti-terror legislation in the form of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2003. But a law is at best a statement of intent. Despite a home minister portrayed as the 8220;iron man of Indian politics8221; presiding over South Block for six uninterrupted years, precious little was done to usher in lasting reform of the country8217;s multi-layered security system, and generally bring it up to scratch.
