First Cut

The Indian ethos, coupled with its spirit of tolerance, by and large, instills values which are repugnant to the cult of violence. However, the modern world, is intensely violence prone. The countries bordering India, notably Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mynmar and Nepal, with whom India has porus borders, are breeding grounds for terrorism, trafficking in arms and drugs and counterfeiting and laundering of money. The extent of crime and its proliferation, are at an all time high, because of lack of initiative and enthusiasm among citizens to find remedial measures, as well as a virtually non-existent homeland security. Our counter-crime mechanics, must be more tech savvy and we should not be hesitate to keep abreast with the latest advances in this area. As far as city crime goes, armed desperados, have learnt from experience, that post the crime, which are committed with complete lack of fear and total impunity, they can vanish into thin air, even before the police can come within their sniffing reach.

Read Tarun Tejpal's The Story of My Assassins and any illusions about 'spirit of tolerance' will shatter. Truly heartbreaking. We continue to live in a make-belief world.

I generally, like to avoid getting embroiled in cross-blog controversies. However. I was proved by the above blog from Sumita. Tarun Tejpal's experiences are sad, but they are no reflection of how the vast majority of people in India ( cutting across religious and regional barriers, relate to each other. Let us not overlook the fact, that India's demographic profile is a molotov cocktail ( petrol and explosive mix bomb ) sort. And such a mix, should, in any other nation have set the nation on flames, but is this happening in India ? Clearly No. Look at Pakistan, it is the worst kind of theocracy. Fundamentalists have, since its creation intermittantly raised the bogey " Islam is in danger and therefore the government of the day, needs unreserved and uneqivocal support. Yet the ruling governments of the day have got anything , but such support. Look at Banladesh, the radicals , or the ultra-liberals, the likes of Taslima Nasreem , are being hounded. Look at the coup , in that nation, which is making the ruling dispensation to helplessly relent to the unreasonable and irrational demands of BDR. Look at Nepal, which has dispensed with the monarchy, but its vast majotity of population both in towns and villages has still not reconciled with the Maoists. Ditto for Myanmar, where the Nobel Laurate Ang san Suchi, is unable to dislodge the military dictatorship. Sumita, let me tell you India has survived with democracy, only due to its " spirit of tolerance " If you need any further proof of this, please see a story on Page 8 of the Times of India of Feb 28, 2009- covered in the Times City page with the caption reading " Hindu girl brought luck to Muslim parents. The history of post-independent India , right from the days of the partition, is replete with such emotive occurances. Conceded, we most certainly, need to improve our shabby track record relating to the lack of cohesiveness within our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic , multi lingual melting pot

Delhi Gurgaon Expressway