Upload
ddevarshi
View
216
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/14/2019 Who Should Be Home Minister
1/5
Who should be Home Minister?
Indian experience after repeated terrorist attacks
(Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, etc.)
and demands for resignations especially after 26/11
attacks on Mumbai
version 1
A part of
'Preparedness for Terrorist attacks'
by D. Devarshi
8/14/2019 Who Should Be Home Minister
2/5
Introduction
Every time the country faces a terrorist attack people, opposition,
media etc. demand resignations of Union and/or State Home Ministers. I am
not making any comment on whether this is justified or correct response as it
has to be taken on case to case basis and also in view of context of each
demand. I feel majority of people will agree that as far as issue of Home
Minister is concerned two broad things that count are Person and Policy. ( I
am avoiding details that prove that in spite of clear and distinct policies a
person counts and assuming that everybody accepts this fact). Thus the
important issues is - What qualifications should a person have to be a Home
Minister? In my opinion the following may be important criteria -
Experience/Background
Educational Qualifications
Age
1. Experience/BackgroundFor last many years India has trusted politicians, who may come from
any background theoretically but usually have no specialized training.
Internal security has gradually become a complex and technical issue. It may
be said that a person without a particular training or background is quite
likely to fail in delivering goods. I suggest that the following options may be
tried - Designating a Defense Personnel (Officer), in service or retired
as Home Minister.
Designating a Senior Police Officer, who has done commendable
work, as Home Minister.
8/14/2019 Who Should Be Home Minister
3/5
Designating an IT, or other technical expert as Home minister.
Politicians who come from technical or Defense background
(retired Army/Navy /Air Force/Police/Para Military officers.
Politicians who have successfully handled Ministries in the past.
Advisors or Senior Secretaries who have shown excellence in
this ministry.
Justification
It is a known fact that any MP or MLA can be given duty of
Finance Minister but over the years we have realized that a person
with solid training in Economics & Finance can do justice with the work
(in spite of availability of all sorts of advisors). Similarly Handling
internal security is also a complex issue. Any senior faculty member
who deserves to be a minister may not be right choice for this ministry
(unfortunately for other ministries as well, but right now our concern is
Home Ministry). When ministers and miniseries are conceptually weak
we need a huge parallel structures in form of task forces, advisory
bodies, boards etc.
Problems
It is quite likely that a leading political party will not find a person of
this background so what is the use of this impractical suggestion. The
counter arguments are-
If parties think that they have potential to rule a country of 1
billion people and that they represent majority that they should
certainly have such a person with them. It may be that they have not
promoted him/her. May be s/he is down in the cadre.
8/14/2019 Who Should Be Home Minister
4/5
If such a person is no where they should create space and scope
for person of this description. A party who is likely to rule the nation
should ideally have a cross section of all professions and people in its
representatives, otherwise this party is not true representative of
people.
May be it will take some years to build parties on the lines
suggested so for the meanwhile persons may be inducted from other
services/sections and be designated as Home Minister as we have done
in case of -
Shri Man Mohan Singh as FM and Prime Minister ( Mr. Singh was
Economist by profession as served as Lecturer (1957-59),
reader(1959-63) and Professor (1963-65) at Punjab University,
Chandigarh, as Director Reserve Bank of India (1976-80) but has never
won a seat of MLA or MP.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as President of India (An Aeronautical
Engineer from Madras Institute of Technology, Chief Executive
IGMDP)
2. Educational Qualifications
The person should be a graduate if s/he comes from technical
fields or post graduate otherwise.
3. Age.
The person should not be too old (I recommend 65 as upper limit).
His/her appearance also matters (although it is not about casting for
a feature film but just think about impression of an extra obese or
pot bellied person on forces and criminals).
8/14/2019 Who Should Be Home Minister
5/5
I am fully aware that the prescription needs a great improvisation. I
know I am no one to suggest the recipe but as a citizen of India I have right
to express my idea and I have a firm belief that ideas that I have expressed
here may be to naive but if all of us continue brain-storming like this we will
arrive at better solutions and in the process we shall also improve our mental
faculty.
Apology for any wrong information and I request you to post your
views.