By Bir Devinder Singh
In view of the specific security threat to Punjab and spurt in anti India activities among the cross border terrorists outfits sponsored by ISI of Pakistan, Punjab need to set up its own institute for strategic studies to examine the threat to its security in view of the geo-political developments in the region.
Terrorists strike on the Police Station at Dina Nagar, Gurdaspur should not be measured as an isolated incident. It should be deliberated upon with great alacrity and precision as part of larger game plan of Pakistan. The K-2 strategic advances of the ISI (Pakistan) undoubtedly envisage destabilizing Punjab region, after Jammu & Kashmir. With the reports emanating from the US security and Intelligence agencies that the Islamic Fundamentalist Organization, Islamic State (ISIS) is strategizing its attacks on the selective targets in India, Punjab Government must review its security apparatus with immense hurriedness and urgency .The preparedness paradigm should be calibrated in terms of the dexterity of its forces to defend and strike if the situation so demand.
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal should immediately approach the Prime Minister and The Home minister of India for a structured meeting to discuss the enhancement of the capacities of the security apparatus of Punjab to combat the cross border terrorism, before it’s too late. Punjab should also meticulously work out its demand plan to acquire sophisticated weaponry and related logistic support to deal with the challenges from across the border with befitting response and adequacy.
In view of the Dine Nagar incident, Punjab’s political dispensation should also wake up now out of slumbers and revisit the capabilities of its incumbent Ministers. Heavily loaded Father and the Son duo, Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, must rid themselves of the heavy load of the unfairly large number of portfolios and pass it on to the trusted comrades. Situation warrants that Punjab should have an Independent minister who could exclusive dedicate his ability and time to look after the responsibility of Home Affairs department, with no burden of the extracurricular activities, here and there.
I am of the firm view with no malice and prejudice against anybody whatsoever; that Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister, who is heavily burdened with more than half a dozen heavily loaded departments, too should share his load of multiple responsibilities, with some trustworthy capable persons in the Akali Legislator party and focus his attention to the home affairs alone. After all there is always a limit to the working capacity and ability of an individual, more over you cannot expand the span of the day and night more than 24 Hours. You have to work within the constraints of time. More so I’m pretty sure that Sukhbir Singh Badal is certainly not the ‘Spiderman’.
Punjab cannot afford the slack and moveable governance anymore in view of the very specific security requirements and threats to its peace; immediate corrective measures are the need of the hour.