I think terror risk in India is plainly exaggerated. I have arrived at this conclusion after observing cricketers from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand who are currently playing in IPL T20 tournament.
Compare the terror risk in Pakistan and in India. A popular view is that terrorists in Pakistan are controlled by the powers in that country. Coincidentally, terrorists in India are also controlled by the same people. This is a view probably shared by all countries except Pakistan. Fittingly, every now and then terrorists and government call a truce in that country that probably goes well with the popular belief.
However, if there is any terror strike in Pakistan those cricketers either won't tour or will pack their bags and go back home. Mind you this is in a country that controls its terror and probably may not like to embarrass itself.
Let us see India's case. Most of the times India does not have much clue about the terror attacks. Its record in solving the past terror cases is even worse and whatever it has done is very superficial. Unlike Pakistan it can't even call a truce with the terrorists.
For me, under these circumstances it is safer to tour Pakistan than to India. However, cricketers from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have more faith in India than Pakistan.
This contradiction drives me to think that majority view need not be the right view. Probably India controls the terrorists than the other way round. Though terrorists may think India is their play ground unbeknown to them they are mere pawns of the powers in India.
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Labels: "To be paranoid doesn't mean..." :D
Anyhow, I was listening some months ago in the radio, when Pakistan was in outmost turmoil, a group of "adventure turists" who went by car to India or Nepal. They mentioned that in all their traject through Pakistan they were under heavy police escort, even at the hotel at Islamabad or Lahore (can't recall exactly). Apparently the Pakistani authorities were very scared about attacks on foreigners.
One of the travellers said it was a pity, that he had been around there before and that people was very nice and all that. But with such armed police escort, they could not make anything normal. They even had to dribble their guards to be able to go shopping for a water bottle or whatever.
Labels: "To be paranoid doesn't mean..." :D
Maju, terrorism is not the point here.
But I am glad to see your transformation from a paranoid "white male" to an authority against paranoia. When you went around the blog world talking about rape and murder of a "white female" in India, I thought you are just like those paranoid hindu males or a white racist males (that you come across over the web) who similarly invoke such incidents.
But I can say you have changed for better even if that aspect came out because of misreading of my post.
people was very nice and all that.
I hope they'll get over that primitive behaviour. They show extreme emotions (probably many in South Asia). Someday, Europeans no longer talk about the hospitality and all that abnormal traditions of South Asia.
Ehm...
I was just joking. I don't have a clear opinion on the issue.
But I am glad to see your transformation from a paranoid "white male" to an authority against paranoia. When you went around the blog world talking about rape and murder of a "white female" in India, I thought you are just like those paranoid hindu males or a white racist males (that you come across over the web) who similarly invoke such incidents.
I vaguely remember to have mentioned it once and in a perfectly meaningful context. Though right now I don't recall if it was to show that rape does exist in India or (most probably) that corruption is strong in Indian police.
In any case I was not going on rampage around the blogosphere on that issue, as you claim, and you may have noticed as well that I didn't even post on it in my blog. The issue just arose in certain discussion as conveniently ilustrative.
But certainly I think it is bad that attitude you seem to show in this comment of trying to hide or minimize thse abuses. There is absolutely no reason to hide the dirt under the carpet: it's a very serious matter affecting possibly many women's lifes, specially Indian women. If someone can rape and kill a girl impunely, with the police not moving a single finger unless under strong mediatic and diplomatic pressure, there is a big problem there and trying to look elsewhere will not solve it at all.
... misreading of my post.
Sometimes you are way too cryptic. And then it's easy to misread you. Or just leave scratching one's head thinking "what on Earth is he talking about this time".
Sometimes.
I hope they'll get over that primitive behaviour. They show extreme emotions (probably many in South Asia). Someday, Europeans no longer talk about the hospitality and all that abnormal traditions of South Asia.
Not just South Asia, I guess. A long-haired old hippy friend of mine that is now living most of the year in India (he has founded a family there, in Uttaranachal) clearly prefers to fly with Qatar Airlines and make a long stop in Doha than to go via Heathrow, just because the people is much nicer (or so he claims).
Modernity changes it all. But it will be a pity if the beautiful traditions of hospitality vanish.
Manja, India has a brand name and the famed democracy with an uppercase 'D'. This perception that the world has makes a big difference.
An American colleague of mine once told me, he would, any day, feel more comfortable in India than in China.
- SHE
SHE:
It is good that they have that perception. I wonder what he would have told his Chinese colleague :-).
I feel very comfortable both in the US and China as democracy or lack of it in these countries are irrelevant to me. But importantly both are open societies(in terms of gender relationship and economics).
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