There have been many Pakistan sponsored terrorist attacks over Mumbai, but the November 2008 attack was perhaps the most shameful. In an unforgettable episode, we watched with horror how our cops tried to pacify armed terrorists with bare hands, wooden sticks and even by throwing chairs at them. There were instances where terrorist’s bullets had pierced the bullet-proof-jackets of our anti-terror-squad members. (Perhaps these were the reasons why the state govt had leadership decided to hide the Pradhan Committee report). After the dust settled, the state government and Mumbai Police took some ‘strong’ measures to prevent such attacks from happening again. It was politically obvious that the measures had to be 'visible'; otherwise how would they regain voters’ support? So a lot of 'visible' measures were taken and our CM, HM, PM and the real M made a lot of 'audible' noises about how they had used this unprecedented setback for setting their houses in order. It seemed they were really working, when I saw some closed circuit cameras installed in the BEST buses (Mumbai’s city bus service).
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These were supposed to be ‘spy cams’. Cameras had come in ‘fashion’ in terror-stricken Mumbai after we had watched almost all of the terror attacks on the live cameras and video footages of CCTVs. So the bus wallas also decided to install the cameras. But I wonder if the cameras were installed for gathering intelligence and prevention of crime, or to do effective 'post-mortems' and making better documentaries? My cynicism is because of what I saw some days afterwards…
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These were supposed to be ‘spy cams’. Cameras had come in ‘fashion’ in terror-stricken Mumbai after we had watched almost all of the terror attacks on the live cameras and video footages of CCTVs. So the bus wallas also decided to install the cameras. But I wonder if the cameras were installed for gathering intelligence and prevention of crime, or to do effective 'post-mortems' and making better documentaries? My cynicism is because of what I saw some days afterwards…
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Many of BEST buses had installed flat screen TV sets which used to show some pre-recorded programs and advertisements. This was for entertainment as well as for extra revenues from advertisements. Now one fine morning, I found that the TV screen in my bus was telecasting live coverage of what the spy camera was recording! It showed us the people who were getting into the bus and were settling in. Within next 10 minutes, I could naively understand the 'range' of the intelligent camera and could know exactly which portion of the bus it didn’t cover! I wondered why they were 'giving away' their secrets. Are not spy cameras to remain a secret? I thought it was happening by mistake! But the next day again the same thing was happening! TV screens telecasted what the spy camera was recording! I witnessed this about a month ago. This Sunday again, I saw the same thing! I wonder what the ‘plan’ is!
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Is it not that terrorists and criminals 'plan' their adventures? Of course they do; and if any one of them decided to board a public bus for some bomb blast, they would now be able to know the manner in which to board the bus so as to avoid the spy camera! With TV set telecasting the recordings live, the spy cameras have become useless! After realising this, I became too ashamed at Mumbai Police, or at whoever was responsible for the decision to 'train' the terrorists on 'how to avoid' spy cameras…
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Or is it some other design? Is it that the Police wanted us to 'know' that they had installed 'spy cameras' and if they didn't telecast what the camera was recording in front of us, perhaps we would never know that they had installed a camera? This is more logical. Of course this realisation is worse. What do we expect next? Another terror attack and another ‘post-mortem’? I realise now…
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A vote is more precious than the voter’s life.
(Rahul)
(Rahul)
