Terrorism should be subject
of study in schools: Kiran Bedi
By
Nabeel A. Khan
New
Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Terrorism should be taught as a subject
in schools so that Indian youth become more aware of the scourge,
says Kiran Bedi, celebrated former police officer Kiran Bedi.
As
the country continues to debate the larger ramifications of
terror attacks in many cities, Bedi, the first woman officer
in the Indian Police Service and a Magsaysay Award winner
for her jail reforms, told IANS in an interview: "Terrorism
should be introduced in schools as a subject; it is very important
that our youth be aware of it. NSS, NCC and Scout & Guide
should dedicate special sessions on terrorism awareness."
NSS
is the National Service Scheme and NCC the National Cadet
Corps, both co-curricular activities in high schools and colleges
around India.
Bedi
was worried that people tended to forget about terror attacks
soon after they occurred. Apart from introducing the subject
in schools, "society should come forward and start participating
through team policing", she said. "Only state police,
without civilian support, cannot easily stop or prevent acts
of terror and for this we need to make our society aware."
In
the political spectrum, there is bipartisan support for the
idea.
Bharatiya
Janata Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said that primarily
it was the duty of police to protect the lives of citizens,
but added that public help in combating terrorism was equally
necessary.
"The
people on street, like small shopowners, vendors and parking
attendants should be trained and sensitised against such incidents.
Such people can also contribute to providing information to
the intelligence," Javadekar told IANS.
His
party's youth wing "may start a campaign to spread awareness
and alertness among the people through a scientific and logical
approach", he added.
Congress
party leader Salman Khurshid said fortifying communication
between people and agencies was very important.
"Network
of information between people and police is very important
in combating terrorism and for this we need to remove people's
cynicism towards police. Everywhere some people are good and
some people are bad; the same goes for police," Khurshid
said.
Both
the political leaders felt NGOs should come forward and create
awareness in different communities about the evils of terrorism.
Academics
also favoured the idea of NGOs and social organisations creating
awareness and alertness against terrorism.
"People
are still not alert against terrorism and for this reason
social organisations and NGOs should start massive awareness
campaigns," Alok Puranik, writer and lecturer in Delhi
University, said.
Social
activist Harsh Dobhal said targeting any particular community
after a terror attack only makes matters worse. Government
agencies should work in an unbiased manner to ensure equality
is maintained among the people of all religions, castes and
creeds, he added.
"Government
agencies should act in a responsible manner. Innocent people
or a particular community should not be falsely implicated.
The police bring a new mastermind every day (following a terror
attack). Their statements are contradictory, which is bound
to raise doubts. The police need to build faith in the people's
minds."
Shabnam
Hashmi, another social activist, wanted the media too to act
in a more responsible manner.
"The
media is trying to be judgmental, they announce their verdict
even before the judiciary does that. More often the media
is acting as a mouthpiece of police and polarising the opinion.
That is very irresponsible," she said.
While
the thinkers debate, terrorism appears to have receded to
the back of the mind of the man on the street.
"I
don't care about terrorism, I think I am too young to think
about it," said 18-year-old student Pallov.
Dietician
Vandana Sekhawat said: "I never thought about how I can
help in such a tragedy, but the recent events have definitely
given me a shock."
"I
don't have time to think of such things; I just know that
I have not been harmed by it," said Sonu, a garage owner
in south Delhi.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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