India lives in many dimensions. As we hurtle towards attaining “superpower” status, we are confronted with serious security issues, both internal and external. We see this in the increased violence in Jammu and Kashmir and in yet another daring and deadly attack by the Maoists.
Over the past three weeks, security forces in J&K have come under immense pressure from those with vested interests. It is very sad that while 53 Central Reserve Police Force jawans were injured in the clashes, civilian casualties have risen to 11. Given the fact that hardline separatists and anti-national elements have their own agenda, and are linked to the fragmented power politics in Islamabad, we cannot consider these incidents in isolation. Though home minister P. Chidambaram has made a successful visit to Pakistan, voicing concern about the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the fact is that the extreme elements within Pakistan are completely isolated and will make their presence felt through violence.  
Jammu and Kashmir needs a great deal of political attention. The people of J&K have done their bit by coming out in large numbers to vote in the Assembly elections. Now it is the turn of both the Central and the state government to deliver. Besides the National Conference, it is vital for the Congress to spread its wings in the Valley. The Centre must engage with the People’s Democratic Party’s Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti on current and other issues.
For the past five decades, the most difficult thing in Kashmir has been to segregate issues as there is a very thin line between internal political issues and claims raised by anti-national elements. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah needs assistance at all levels as the situation might get worse before there is an improvement. The theory of effective and good governance seems easy when written or spoken about but the ground reality can be very different. We have to rally all our resources to battle this menace and the Centre has an important part to play in this process.

THOUGH THERE has been fresh violence in Chhattisgarh where Maoists killed 27 paramilitary troopers in Bastar region, from media reports we see that a great deal of progress has been made in gathering intelligence. The arrest and detention of Maoist cadres, along with raids that have led to seizures of arms and ammunition, are indications that effective governance is beginning to take shape in Naxal-infested states. This, by itself, will be a warning to those casually associated with this extreme violence.
There are also measures to provide basic facilities in the tribal areas of several states. This needs to be highlighted by performance on the ground by both the Central and the state governments. We have seen images of those arrested for the train blasts and other crimes and it’s clear that we are dealing with a different kind of extremism, one that requires a different approach. Hopefully, saner elements on all sides will find a way to put an end to this violence. Non-governmental organisations, social activists and intellectuals, all have an important role to play. Anyone with human sensitivity and feelings cannot but be moved by the poverty levels in these areas. Whilst this is no excuse for killing innocent civilians, it would be a pity if the voice of reason was lost in the sound of gunfire. There are many in these states who have experience of these situations and we must listen to them, especially since we know that a small militant minority with strong financial vested interests can keep all sides in a state of prolonged conflict.
I have written several times about the political system being held captive by financial criminal interests. What we are witnessing today in the mining sector is a deliberate and systematic loot of national resources. Little can happen without the active participation of the state. We have a crisis in Karnataka where the Reddy brothers hold the Bharatiya Janata Party to ransom. But is the situation any different in Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh?
The “mafia” is able to hold the political system hostage as it is a source of political funding. That’s why little will change beyond the immediate crisis as almost everyone, cutting across party lines, is involved in one form or another. For example, look at the Madhu Koda scam which dominated media headlines where Rs 4,000 crores was looted from the state. But has anything happened beyond the ritual statements?
The political system is also being held to ransom by caste and religious votebanks and I do not know in which category we can put the khap panchayats. While law minister M. Veerappa Moily has agreed to amend the law on honour killings, the fact is that many politicians favour khap panchayats. This is true in the issue of a caste census, which is before various committees — there is reason to believe that it has significant support in Parliament.
Good governance is about legislating for the future needs of society but we have still not reached that stage of decision-making. We only react when disaster strikes.

THE GROUP OF TWENTY meet on the global economy was a good indicator of the power pattern emerging in the immediate future and it is good to see India playing an important role in this decision-making body. The immediate problem is Europe as a single entity and the situation in the United Kingdom is far from encouraging. All former colonial powers — stripped of their colonies and their commercial advantages over the past 50 years — are struggling with economic issues associated with the Third World. It would be rather unfortunate if they devised immigration controls that are racial in nature. I think it is time that the external affairs ministry urgently looked into these issues. Reciprocal action is necessary on many issues as many nations live in the distant past instead of paying attention to the global realities.
We need not worry too much about the gloom and doom theory being propounded in certain countries in Europe. The past month has indicated there can be no decoupling in global trade but the impact will vary from nation to nation. We have much to do as we strive towards a possible nine per cent gross domestic product growth for the current year.

Arun Nehru is a former Union Minister