Establishing National Security Guard

While claims are being made of bringing about huge changes in fields of education, law, urban development, and national food security within 100 days, the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has shown that where there is a will, there is a way by establishing National Security Guard (NSG) hubs in the country's four metros. This is one noteworthy initiative of the Manmohan Singh Government after coming to power for a second term.

After taking charge as Union Home Minister following the Mumbai terror attack on 26 November 2008, Chidambaram promised that by July 1, 2009 he would establish NSG hubs in Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, along with Mumbai. By fulfilling this important promise in time, he has reassured people that the Government would not let security operations to be delayed, if the need arises.

Positive Step
The NSG hub getting active in four metros of the country is an important step in the fight against terrorism. The first phase of the announcement made by the Government to set up NSG hubs in the country, after the November 26, 2008 terror attack in Mumbai, has been completed within the time limit of six months.

There are two things necessary in the war against terror -- first, every possible preparation to deal with the attack and second, immediate retaliatory action in the event of an attack. This fulfills both requirements. While inaugurating the Mumbai hub and then the Chennai NSG hub, Chidambaram announced that the task of appointment of commandos for these centers is complete, and reassured people in a way that in the event of a terrorist attack in any part of the country, the NSG could start its operation within a few hours now.

Lessons from Mumbai Attacks
There was more destruction during the Mumbai terror attack only because NSG commandos arrived late. Learning a lesson, the Government took several steps that also include setting up NSG hubs at several places in the country and keeping them ready at all times with necessary resources. In fact, looking at the threat of terrorism, our preparations were quite lax. Apart from NSG hubs, the Government has taken several other steps that have eliminated the security weakness to a great extent.

It is obvious that, once bitten, the Government is now twice shy. In the matter of security, this kind of vigil and preparation are essential. This is why the Government has now become ready to provide helicopter service to the NSG commandos, if necessary to avoid traffic jams. NSG is a force that acts in the event of terrorist incidents and plane hijacks, and the Mumbai incident has shown that decentralization of its units is as necessary as its central importance. Only by decentralized network of the security will the central control become strong, and it will be able to secure the vast country with its long coastline and borders.

There had been delay in Mumbai of 10 hours, owing to which NSG commandos could not do their work as skillfully as expected from them. Getting them ready for action at the lone NSG center at Manesar near Delhi and flying them to Mumbai, and then taking them to the spot in a bus was a harrowing experience, which has been criticized from all sides.

Building Confidence in Citizens
The Government is striving toward preparing more and more forces to fight terror. This expansion of the NSG is certainly an important part of it, but there are other plans before us of setting up special forces of the Army hub at Bengaluru, and Border Security Force (BSF) hubs at Jodhpur and Guwahati. Looking at all this, we can now believe that the terrorists will not be able to wreak as much havoc as they wrought in Mumbai. Usually it is the police that deal with terrorist attacks first even now and there is need to increase their capability along with removing the paucity of the resources. The NSG commandos would provide similar training to the police as they have received. The efficiency of the police forces of all big cities would certainly improve after they get helicopters.

The way terrorist attacks took place at regular intervals in the previous term of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, and the Government could not bring about any concrete changes except making announcements had shaken the confidence of people. We know that you cannot end the threat of terrorism by merely strengthening your security system. The confidence of common people plays an important role in it. Let us hope that these steps would not only bring back the shaken confidence of people, adequate steps would also be taken at the Government level to create public awareness.

The Government is not going to keep expansion of the NSG limited to these five metros. In the next phase, this network would encompass Bengaluru and Jodhpur. This expansion is certainly welcome, but it will become effective only when it gets necessary information inputs and continuous active cooperation from other institutions of the state, and this force, which is made for the country's security, is used less for personal security.