Lethargic agencies

Are our security agencies equal to the task of fighting this new scourge of frequent serial bomb blasts...

8226; Are our security agencies equal to the task of fighting this new scourge of frequent serial bomb blasts by the outfit that calls itself 8220;Indian Mujahideen8221; 8216;Again, in capital8217; ? Their archaic investigative methods, primarily based on arresting suspects without evidence, and then interrogation using strong-arm techniques 8212; and in some cases through their new fad, narco-analysis 8212; seem to be leading them only to small fry here and there while the real masterminds continue to remain free and capable of planning and executing fresh terror attacks at will and with impunity. The level of die-hard commitment and daring that this terrorist group has shown is truly scary, especially because our security agencies have continued to remain in a 8220;reactive mould8221; even now, when the need of the hour is for them to develop fool-proof investigating networks in a professional manner. Instead of re-introducing laws such as the much abused and discredited POTA, what we truly need is to revamp, rejuvenate and convert our security agencies at the Centre and the police at the state level into truly competent forces. Offering them draconian laws will mean that the incompetent, lethargic, and politically partisan amongst them can immediately start misusing such laws by arresting scores that are either innocent or are political dissenters against their own political masters.

8212; Shahabuddin Nadeem

Bangalore

BAD job

8226; After Bangalore and Ahmedabad, it was Delhi constituting operation BAD. The recurring terrorist strikes all over the country have demonstrated beyond any doubt that equally if not more BAD is the performance of our security agencies. A logical question is that if our investigative agencies are on the right track, why is there such an augmentation in the terror strikes? And if they are on the wrong track what steps are being taken after this blast to punish the actual, and not the perceived, perpetrators?

8212; Khan Yasir

New Delhi

Centre8217;s egotism

8226; Your editorial 8216;What8217;s changed?8217; has correctly summed up the home ministry8217;s practice of putting old wine in a new bottle when it promises action against terror outfits. Another display of the Centre8217;s egotism on terrorism is that, despite having received a tip off from the ultras nabbed by the Gujarat police that Delhi would be the next potential target, no red alert was sounded by the Delhi administration.

8212; Deepak Chikramane

Mumbai

General8217;s watching

8226; I refer to your very important editorial 8216;Line of no control8217; . It is important that the Bush administration open a dialogue with the Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari, and ensure his cooperation against the Taliban. That will prevent the possibility of the army chief, General Kayani, becoming a hero in Pakistan. It is in the interest of both the US and India that the civilian government in Pakistan be given a chance to survive, and honourably.

8212; Parimal Y. Mehta

Mumbai