Technology can see through, but why infiltrations?

By O.J.George

The joy ride undertaken by Islamist terrorists into India, particularly Mumbai, and the ease with which they permeated the main centres and killed people ruthlessly defies comprehension.

Technology has grown to such proportions that if one eases himself in the toilet, that can be captured without his knowledge using satellite pictures, global positioning system, scanning, radar monitoring and what not.

Where were all the monitoring agencies in India when terrorists came as they pleased and did what they pleased? They struck all the strata of society. They killed billionaires cocooned in luxury hotels, they decimated Jews and they made mincemeant of ordinary people in the CST railway station and the streets. I have fond memories of my daily routine reporting work at Nariman Point, travelling from Thane to CST and from there to the reclamation area. The Gateway of India, the Taj, Trident/Oberoi, Nariman House, CST all present memories of my visits.

We speak about the brutality. But where is the protection? We make tall promises during all these calamities and then forget about the precautions. The policemen are generally engaged in making a pie from motorist and small-time traders, when they are supposed to guard the citizens.

Intelligence received by one agency would be put up as a file for information to others concerned. If at all other agencies see them, it would be after the attack.

Safety on land, sea and air should be ensured as the apple of the eye. Rhetorics or war cries would not be beneficial at all.