Advertisement
Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » News » Columnists » B Raman
  Advertisement
Get news updates:What's this?
   
  Advertisement
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
  Discuss  |    Share with friends  |    Print  
  Ask a question  |    Get latest news on your desktop

26/11: Questions that need to be posed and answered

B Raman
Related Articles
Coverage: 26/11 - A year later

The NSG commando's quiet widow

'Karkare was not shot on his bulletproof vest'

The real plot behind Italian arrests

Mumbai Police should have led 26/11 ops: Gill

November 24, 2009
Strategic expert B Raman on the 17 critical question that he wants answered on the Mumbai terror attacks [Images].

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were the most well-planned, well-organised and well-executed terrorist attack since 9/11 in the US. The National Commission appointed in the US made a detailed inquiry into the sins of commission and omission, which made 9/11 possible. Its report was debated in the US Congress and made available to the public. The relatives of US citizens killed by the 9/11 terrorist strikes mobilised themselves to ensure that there would be no cover-up, that the truth would be brought out and that follow-up action would be taken to identify and remove the deficiencies in the intelligence and physical security agencies.

The government of India, by taking advantage of the apathy and confusion  in the Bharatiya  Janata Party, has skilfully avoided any inquiry into the 26/11 terrorist attacks and diverted public attention away from its sins of commission and omission. The government of Maharashtra did appoint an inquiry committee headed by S D Pradhan, former home secretary, but its report has been classified and not shared with the legislative assembly and the public on the unconvincing ground that releasing it could affect the ongoing prosecution.

The relatives of the security forces officers and civilians, who were killed by the terrorists, should emulate the relatives of those killed on 9/11 in the US, mobilise themselves and campaign for the constitution of a national commission to enquire into the terrorist strikes.

Kavita Karkare [Images], the widow of Hemant Karkare [Images], the brave head of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad who was brutally killed by the terrorists, should take the lead in the matter.

I had known Hemant personally. I met him for the first time at a seminar in Bengaluru [Images] in February last year. I subsequently met him again in Jaipur [Images] in May last year after the explosions caused by the Indian Mujahideen [Images]. We were in telephonic contact with each other off and on. He never failed to return my calls -- whether they were professional or personal. He was an extremely sincere officer who, like the other officers killed by the terrorists, sacrificed his life in the fight against terrorism. Their sacrifice and the sacrifice of the civilians who were killed should not be allowed to go in vain.



B Raman
  Discuss  |    Share with friends  |    Print   |    Ask a question  |    Get latest news on your desktop

© 2009 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback