Don’t give terrorists easy targets

While security agencies will have to be more alert, it makes no sense for politicians to travel by road to attend rallies. This thins out the security net and inconveniences people. In no developed country do VIPs travel on road. Rather, VIPs should maximise use of teleconferencing facilities and of helicopters. Helicopters seem expensive. But they don’t involve extensive security arrangements and, so, work out cheaper. Terrorism can not be wished away, we have to live with it. If we don’t expose our VIPs unnecessarily, it will frustrate terrorists and make life easy for security agencies.

Using Mumbai’s experience

While on security, let’s examine how we can use some of our most experienced hands. The Home Ministry has a special secretary post responsible for internal security and it is always filled by either retired or about to retire IPS officers. The candidates preferred are commissioners of Delhi police or DGPs of neighbouring states like UP or Haryana.

Mumbai is the city most affected by ISI-sponsored terrorism and underworld. It is India’s business capital, has a cosmopolitan matrix and is home to Bollywood. It has everything to make it a terrorist target. No wonder the men in charge of safeguarding it are the most informed when it comes to combating subversive elements, underworld movers and economic offenders. Perhaps the time has come for Home Ministry to experiment with a commissioner of police from Mumbai as special secretary, internal security.

We must realise the importance of UAE, not only in terms of business potential but also underworld movement within its boundaries. Strategically, the UAE is no less crucial for India than say US or Canada. While our ambassador to UAE is stationed in Abu Dhabi, we should elevate the post of consul general in Dubai to deputy ambassador and put a retired Mumbai police commissioner or CBI director there. Experience counts.

Cricket’s hidden talent

Our cricket selectors have a problem of plenty. So much so that the camp at Bangalore’s National Cricket Academy generated hype usually associated to with international matches. What we have is a pool of 36 young cricketers, rich in potential and fiercely competitive. The BCCI’s talent resource development officers (TRDOs) have worked wonders in their first year itself. As per plan, each state’s cricket association sent out spotters in search of new faces and brought them to their state academies for fine-tuning. In a year, TRDOs found about 4,000 promising cricketers across the country. Sample Munaf Patel. At 145-150 km per hour, he can be India’s answer to Brett Lee. He may get picked for the national team even before his Ranji debut. And when you think he was found in Ikhar, a village in Gujarat, you can appreciate TRDOs’ effort.

I feel other sports bodies should adopt similar schemes. It can work wonders for hockey and football. Rural India must be tapped for hidden sporting resources.

(The author is a Congress MP)