New Delhi, November 29 : From strengthening intelligence apparatus to most importantly ensuring coordination among the security agencies to prevent the nightmare of another Mumbai- type attack, Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram has made a seamless transition from Finance Ministry in the last one year.
Sixty-four-year old Chidambaram, who assumed charge of the Home Ministry on December one reluctantly — as he had himself said — after Shivraj Patil’s resignation in the wake of the November 26 attacks, had invested a lot of his time and efforts to overhaul the security establishment.
He made decision-making process fast, transparent and accountable.
The image of a tough taskmaster helped him aptly in the ministry where critics felt approach was lackadaisical under previous incumbents during whose tenure there were a number of attacks, capped by the Mumbai violence.
Chidambaram reorganised the intelligence network that included revamping the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and Subsidiary MAC, tightened the provisions in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and got amended the CISF Act, which allowed the central paramilitary force to guard private installations.
Sending a clear message that he means business, the Harvard-educated lawyer was quick to set up a federal investigating agency through a parliamentary law, just within a month of assuming charge.
Chidambaram himself feels the task is tough. Asked if he has nightmares, he said, “I live with intelligence reports everyday. I do not forget my responsibility that I have to deal with intelligence reports that come in everyday.
“My successor and his successor, if they are conscientious ministers, I believe they will be, will learn to deal with the situation. There is no need for panic or knee-jerk reactions. We have to deal with an evolving situation coolly, calmly and with confidence,” he said.
However, his critics differ. BJP spokesman Prakash Javedkar claimed that the UPA government lacked political will to fight the terror.
“UPA government lacks political will, legal framework, diplomatic offensive and politics of consensus. These are hallmarks of UPA government,” Javedkar said.
Executive Director of Institute for Conflict Management Ajai Sahni feels performance of the Home Ministry in the last one year was immensely better than previous years.
“The Home Ministry’s performance in last one year was immensely better. There has been major initiatives to improve the security situation of the country.
“But as the Home Minister has himself said, whatever steps have been taken are not enough and vulnerability of terror attacks still exists,” Sahni said.
CPI national secretary D Raja said one year is too short a period to judge any minister but Chidambaram should be more realistic in dealing with security issues.
“He must be realistic and has to prove his mettle over the years. He must take political parties into confidence before making major decisions,” Raja said.
Chidambaram said in the last one year of his tenure, there has not been a 26/11 like attack on India and that itself was the achievement of sorts.
“I think the vulnerability of India, given our geo-political situation remains as high as it was a year ago. Yet, there has not been an attack like 26/11.
“Secondly, states have woken up to the fact that years of neglect has reduced their police forces to a state where they cannot respond. I think all of them have come on board; many are quite prompt responding to our suggestions,” he said.
Chidambaram established four NSG hubs (each with operational strength of around 250 personnel) at Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai to enable quick response to terrorist attacks which may occur in any part of the country.
As the terrorists who attacked Mumbai last year came through sea route, coastal security has been reviewed comprehensively at various levels and measures to strengthen it were taken by incorporating of vessel tracking and monitoring systems, issuing identity cards to fishermen and intensifying patrolling on the seas.
After years of ambivalence, Chidambaram also brought in some vigour in the Centre’s Naxal policy under which it was decided to take on the Maoists head on by making it clear to them that either they abjure violence and come for talks or face the security forces.
The Home Minister persuaded the Cabinet Committee to give approval to an anti-Naxal plan which includes tough police action followed by development work in affected areas — approximately 40,000 sq km covering 20 states.
During the last one year, the number of incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir has gone down considerably. Up to October in 2009, 436 incidents were reported as compared to 575 during the corresponding period in 2008.
Besides, a large number of infiltration attempts by terrorists from across the border were foiled by security forces. 212 terrorists were killed till October 2009.
Chidambaram has held two conferences of Chief Ministers — on January 6 and August 17 — to discuss threats to internal security and ways to meet them effectively.
At both these conferences, among other things, the Centre impressed upon the states the need to fill up vacancies at various levels in the police force and procure arms and ammunition. Considerable progress has since been made in this direction.
Due to close coordination among intelligence agencies of the Centre and state security and intelligence agencies, a number of sleeper cells have been broken up, key LeT operatives arrested, terror incidents averted and a large number of cases solved.
“It is expected that with the new measures in place, the nefarious designs of subversive elements would be effectively put to check,” a Home Ministry official said.
—Agencies