The IM is either a phantom outfit or our ATS is staffed with the most incompetent officers (IM-Printed, Aug 1). In either case, it looks like terrorism will continue to haunt India for a long time. There is a need for hard graft here, in gathering intelligence, pursuing leads etc to prevent such attacks in the future. The home department has to be held accountable. If the leadership cannot provide a proactive mode of vigilance, it should simply stand aside. It looks terrible that the intelligence community knew nothing before the incident while it quickly points fingers at the IM after. The IM can’t be such a formidable group that it can thwart the efforts of an emergent power like India.
Sajid Khan, Providence, US
Outlook’s attempt to equate philosophy with jehad (or dharmayudh if you are obsessed with Hinduism) is baffling to say the least. As a philosophy teacher to degree students for over 39 years, I must say such an equation will do more harm than good to the discipline, which anyway is on ventilation for survival in Indian varsities.
M.R. Nandan, Mandya
In your story itself, there are references to how impressionable Muslim boys look up to these terrorists as heroes. Can the beat constable be faulted if he calls one of these sympathisers for questioning? The police are fighting an unequal battle here. That said, these incidents can be ‘minimised’. The state must provide compensation to all the victims. As for the lament about a lack of concern from the majority community, isn’t it enough that media organisations like Tehelka, Outlook and the Hindu have been in the forefront in minority rights reporting?
Sudharshan, Chennai
It’s time we took our heads out of the sand and faced the reality—our law and order system is broken and it’s pretty much a jungle out there.
Om P., Laguna Beach, US
The media doesn’t care a damn about the plight of the ‘common man’, they just play to the gallery and to the tunes of the powerful.
Rajiv Malhotra, Aligarh
The home department has no clue and no clear picture about how the IM operates. We’ll just have to wait until another blast takes place and hope they make a mistake.
B.V.G. Rao, Warangal
