Guest post from T.R.Ramaswami
I write with reference to media reports that the High-level probe team into 26/11 events have asked the various senior oficers to explain where they were during the shootout. In this regard I had already sent you a letter a month ago which is below. It is also stated that the bureaucrats are hatching a conspiracy to fudge their whereabouts by supporting each other. I would reqeust the probe-team to also get transcripts of their residential, office and mobile phones for those 60 hours and the location of the mobiles to get to the truth.
I write with reference to the article “Wanted: A minute by minute account” by Govindraj Ethiraj (BS 23rd. December 2008). He has raised very interesting points – could the media tell us in a tabular format, say on a 3-hour basis as to where the top functionaries (?) of the state and the city were during the crucial 60 hours? I recall from media photographs, that one senior lady bureaucrat in a blue sari, was in fact rescued from the Taj. Where did she go thereafter and what role did she play?
Mr. Ethiraj states that news television pressed all resources immediately and stayed there. Would they have stayed if even one stray bullet had hit anyone? Who would have been responsible for such an accident? In fact nowhere in the world would the security forces responsible for the outer perimeter – in this case the Mumbai Police – would have allowed the media so close to the scene of action and broadcast on a real time basis with a shot-by-shot commentary.
– T.R.Ramaswami
Tag: Mumbai Police
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INTELLIGENCE SNAFUS
Now we are told that intelligence info is not shared with those who should be in the loop. Where does the root of this problem lie? It lies with the netas who have converted intelligence agencies into a party-cum-personal protection agency. Intelligence officers have to keep a track on opposition netas, engineer defections and even provide the cash for this. Read the book “Khakhi” By Mr. E. Rammohan, a former police chief. That’s why the budgets of the intelligence agencies are a big secret. The quality of intelligence shared also depends on factors like whether the state is ruled by the opposition and also the personal equations of various officers in Delhi and the state if they are from the state cadre. Information is also watered down semantically or sent too late so that the other person looks like a fool. Multiple dotted line reporting structures also add to the confusion. Later the excuse of “systemic failure” is trotted out. But these systems are humanly created.
Even now the Mumbai Police has not learnt from 26/11. There was severe criticism whether the DGP or the Commissioner was responsible. Now we have a DG (Operations) in the DGP’s office and the ATS Chief now has to report to him and the Commissioner Mumbai Police. More confusion. The Government has also pulled the wool over the eyes of the public and the Courts by appointing the DGP who failed on 26/11 as Acting DG. Now there is very little difference and he may continue “acting” till his date of retirement in a few months. Now how long can someone “act” – is this the police or Bollywood? Perhaps the media needs to also look at the various police top officials in the Mumbai Police who have nothing to do. There is a DG Home Guards who also has an ADG under him. They have no other officers and only part time factory workers etc who function as guards. Why a DG and an ADG here?
– T.R.Ramaswami