CITIZEN INTELLIGENCE NETWORK

A story published on "TIMES OF INDIA" carried the observations of India's National Security Adviser , wherein , he emphasised the need of creating a "CITIZEN INTELLIGENCE NETWORK"

"NSA: Intel from aam admi will help terror fight
(Sachin Parashar, TNN 22 July 2009)

NEW DELHI: If national security adviser M K Narayanan has his way, India will soon have a Citizen Intelligence Network (CIN) allowing residents to participate actively in the intelligence gathering mechanism to help prevent terrorist strikes in the country. Narayanan, sources said, is the force behind the proposal, which is currently being examined by the CCS, to induct ordinary citizens to coordinate with not just the cops but also Intelligence Bureau officials. Once the proposal, which aims to revamp human intelligence, gets the go-ahead from CCS, which can be as early as a month from now, the police and IB will actively go about interviewing residents, initially only in the metro cities but gradually all over the country, to select men and women who could play the role of ‘special intelligence officers’ in their areas. To keep their motivation high, these officers will also be provided with mobile phones and the government will foot the bill.

While police have in the past asked people to become more aware of their surroundings, this is the first time that even IB would involve people in intelligence gathering. The proposal first came up in a report prepared by a joint task force on intelligence, a Narayanan brainchild, headed by former JIC chief S D Pradhan and comprising former IB chief P C Haldar and scientist Roddam Narasimha as members. The NSA is now said to be burning the midnight oil to get the implementation right. ‘‘We will have one or more intelligence units in each residential area and these will be linked to the local police station. There is a perception that human intelligence or HUMINT is weakening and this is an attempt to address the concern,’’ said an official source. Earlier this year, in January, the Centre had sent a note to all chief ministers asking them to focus again on human intelligence without compromising on technical intelligence. In fact, it stated that technical intelligence, even though extremely important and crucial in the fight against terrorism, cannot be a substitute for human intelligence.

It’s perhaps also proper that at a time when the functioning of central intelligence agencies like IB and RAW is being marred by shortage of staff, the government is seeking help from common man. According to an internal study carried out by the same task force, IB needs to increase its staff intake by more than 10% in the next 5 years to meet its requirements."

Dear Mr Narayanan

Pls tell your JIC,IB,RAW and all those committees to stop wasting public money in such wastefull exercises. Anyway for your kind information , we already have a concept of HOME & HEARTH battalions at J & K & NE region under the umbrella of TERRITORIAL ARMY.These battalions are akin to the CIN & have performed with outstanding merit ; much better , than the regular army battalions.

"Territorial Army is an organisation of gainfully employed Indian citizens who are not professional soldiers but civilians eager to do their bit towards the country's defence.Territorial Army provides an ideal opportunity to the youth of the country to receive military training in their spare time; so that, in the event of a national emergency , they might be called upon to meet the needs of country's defence and internal security ."

It is also known as the CITIZENS' ARMY.

The TERRITORIAL serves only two months in a year during the embodiment period & for the rest of the period ,they perform their civilian role. And for your kind information sir , this military organisation is existing in our country since seventeenth century.The US has NATIONAL GUARDS akin to this.

DEDUCTIONS

1.Are we really aware of this fact at the policy making level?

2.Does our police even has the data of Territorial during disembodied state or have they ever tried to liase with military authorities on this subject?

3.Whether we have learned any lessons from HOME & HEARTH or not?

4. Have we really thought of utilising the services of disembodied TERRITORIAL during terrorist strikes anywhere in India?

5.Or do we really know that we have a CITIZENS' ARMY in India?

I dont really have to guess the answer sir,therefore, let us stop fooling the nation once for all & let us do justice to our present security mechanism.

Photo concept: Maj Surender Singh / Graphics: Samson Robert, extreme left:Lt Sanjeev Kaura (Politician BSP), extreme right:Capt Rajpal (Jt Director FICCI), Netaji & Panditji ,Ex Territorial Army cadets at Calcutta & UK respectively during college days & Gandhiji, an Ex TA Sergent during the BOER WAR at SOUTH AFRICA, where, he even won a gallantry award which is preserved at GANDHI archives at Delhi.

SERVE THE COUNTRY BETTER BY BEING A RELIGIOUS LEADER/SPOUSE/SON IN LAW OF A VIP

A story published on TIMES OF INDIA dt july 22,2009 stated as under,

"NEW DELHI: Aviation authorities have sought an FIR against Continental for making Kalam take off his shoes and undergo a humiliating security check at Delhi airport before being allowed to board flight CO 083 to Newark on April 21.

As Kalam was about to board his flight to New York around 10pm, he was put through ladder point security under which the former President was frisked completely. He was also asked to take off his shoes, despite accompanying CISF personnel protesting to the airline staff that Kalam was an ex-President and exempt from such checks. While the airline did not budge, the unassuming Kalam went through the process without any fuss.

On its part, the airline said US rules stipulate all passengers flying to the country must be checked just before entering the aircraft again and that there are no exceptions for VVIPs. The CISF sent a report of this protocol violation to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. The airline was issued a showcause notice on July 9 and asked to respond within a week, something they have not done till date."

Whereas, the act of US Airline is unpardonable,it is interesting to see the list of people who are exempted from security checks in India .Apart from many VIPs, it also includes:

1. HIGH COMMISSIONERS & THEIR SPOUSES
2. DALAI LAMA
3. SPG PROTECTEES & ROBERT VADRA

It is pertinent to mention that even the CHIEF OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES were not exempted from this check about an year back when the spouses(of our VIPs) , Mr Dalai Lama & Mr Robert Vadra(son in law of a VIP) were enjoying this exemption.In fact it was only when the media carried stories,they were included in the list.But the irony is that all military officers even of the rank of Lt Generals ,still have to undergo the security checks ,whereas our SPOUSES,Mr DALAI LAMA & Mr ROBERT VADRA are enjoying the exemption.

I have nothing against the above categories but the larger question still looms large;when these officers can be trusted to defend the entire nation;why cant they be trusted to board a flight.Are they inferior in any manner to the above category?

Let us have a debate on this all over again.

photo courtsey: google

PART TIME FORCES

World over, the current international military trend is to develop the Reserve Force (active part-time components). Fulltime professional forces are becoming prohibitively expensive and the swing is towards part-time elements with professional standards. These formations can, with training and motivation, be honed to a very high standard and it is not unknown for the part-time components to achieve the highest obtainable level during training exercises. Rising Defence costs have resulted in more attention being given to the part-time forces, and in this respect it is interesting to note that the 600 000 members of the US Army Reserve, which provides 24 per cent of the ‘Total Army’ absorbs just slightly more than four per cent of the Army’s budget

French Part-Time Forces: More than Two Thousand Officers are Staff Qualified

The French have a unique system which enables them to sort out the goats from the sheep before their conscripts begin their 10 month period of military service. The conscripts have the opportunity, after they have passed the military medical inspection and psychological test, of volunteering for a 15 day Military Preparation (PMT) period. This PMT can prepare the volunteer for admission for NCO training and after 5 months conscript training, he can become a sergeant. Likewise the pre-training period can prepare a volunteer after 12 days and four jumps for enlistment as a recruit in a para-troop regiment.
The system that provides the French Army with its Officers Corps Reserve Officers works on a different system. The Superior Military Preparation (PMS) consists of a 30 day pre-military service volunteer period. The PMS is open to volunteers who have obtained their ’baccalaureate’ and consists of intensive military training. If satisfactory completed, the conscript is considered to have the potential of becoming an officer and is inducted for officer training.
Both successful PMT and PMS candidates are allowed to choose their branch of the service and there are other benefits that they are entitled to, such as extended periods of service and becoming a permanent force member.
The French Table of Battle requires that a maximum of 300,000 Reservists will be activated and it is interesting to note that in nineties the French Defence Ministry launched a publicity campaign to inform the public of the country’s need and the value of the Reservists with the slogan – “Reservists – the spirit of liberty”.
To encourage the “one force” attitude,more than 1,000 cadet reserve officers are trained each year, together with their professional counterparts at the Military Academy Saint-Cyr. The French require that there is a very high degree of mutual understanding and respect between the fulltime and part-time officers and do everything to foster cross-pollination.
In the French Army there are over 2,000 Reservists filling posts on the Staff with an annual intake of approximately 12. To qualify, a French Reservists has to undertake two years of study by attending a four-hour lecture session every second week for two years followed by a three-week course at the Paris Military School, the Headquarters of CRSEM.

This high degree of military education prepares the Reservists to serve together with their fulltime colleagues and serves as a link between the two cultures the –civilian and the military. Experience over the years has shown that, similar to the Swiss system, the senior Reserve Officer generally holds a position of authority and respect in the civil environment.

Picture: Lt Sanjeev Kaura,social worker/politician/part time officer, Indian Territorial Army.

(Concept: Maj Surender Singh / Graphics: Samson Robert)