STARTING 28th February, a very crucial period in India’s history begins. The Hero Honda hockey World Cup which begins on Sunday will be a showcase for the world at large that India can hold an international sporting event without its security apparatus being compromised. In many ways 2010 will be the year of living dangerously.
It can decide whether India will teeter on the edge or surmount everything that the Pakistani terror machine can throw at us. The sequence of events is critical – the hockey World Cup is followed immediately by the 45-day IPL. This begins on 12 March with the last couple of days overlapping with the World Cup. Delhi has virtually been turned into a fortress. The Meridien near Janpath is swarming with security personnel as the teams are staying at the hotel. The government realises the import of safe conduct of the World Cup and then IPL.
While the Meridien has been sanitised, just as the Dhyan Chand National Stadium (venue of the World Cup) and a short bus ride from Meridien, it is the IPL which will pose the biggest challenge to the security establishment. Since multiple venues across the land are involved, the risk perception to an event of that magnitude are different. But it is the government’s imperative to ensure that it displays a zero tolerance to terror.
Sadly, the Pune blast so close to the hockey World Cup and after a hiatus of almost 14 months has almost everyone in a tizzy. Both the World Cup and the IPL are major test cases as India goes on to host the Commonwealth Games in October. Anything untoward, the slightest problem, a whiff or hint of terror during the conduct of these events can have a gigantic impact on the CWG.
Ever since P Chidambaram took over as home minister, India has more or less been trouble free. Though the Maoist menace is increasing its presence with the passing of each day, it is the terror modules who present a bigger threat percept in the short term. The alacrity and derring do that Maoists have shown is of course equally a cause for concern. But they still haven’t gathered courage to attack urban agglomerates yet. And hopefully this won’t happen. They pick on soft rural targets after careful planning instead. However, the nature of the terror beast is different, it will constantly up the ante and seek out places where it can do maximum damage. It will seek soft, but high value and high profile targets which cause consternation in the minds of the western world.
The modus operandi seems to have changed since 26/11. High value western targets are now being sought. Attacks on iconic hospitality targets, Chabad House in Mumbai, German Bakery in the up market Koregaon Park in Pune confirm this new tactic. That is why India needs to be vigilant, that much more careful. In Delhi over the last couple of days, police and other security personnel have been carrying out checks, holding up and hauling suspicious looking cargo and people. It pays to be careful. If we don’t, we run the risk of turning into another Pakistan. A nation which nobody would want to travel to. Terror mastermind Hafeez Saeed’s call for jihad against India and inflamatory speeches given by those gathered at the Kashmir Solidarity Day conclave in Muzzafarabad recently are definite causes for worry.
Tourism has finally begun to pick up, while average room rates haven’t moved up concurrently, occupancies are a lot better. India expects many visitors during the Commonwealth Games. Visitors from many disparate nations. We need to protect these people, safeguard their lives and generally provide a sanitised environment. The problem is how do you police populous areas? It is extremely difficult. How do you protect the citizenry? Elaborate security plans have been put in place for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, it will have to deliver. But before that we need to secure the hockey World Cup and IPL matches.
This is the biggest task before the nation’s security apparatus, otherwise India will degenerate into a no safe zone. It is up to Chidamabaram to deliver in conjunction with the organisers of these events. Any mishap will be injurious and dangerous. It will lead to India Dangerous. Something that a vibrant democracy cannot afford. India will not be cowed down by these threats, which unfortunately as we have seen over time are not empty anymore. They are veiled and extremely live and credible. They cannot be allowed to win. They have to be overcome and resisted with force. Let Indian sport show the way hand in hand with Chidambaram’s security blanket. Securing the IPL will be a bigger ask, though. But it can be done.
