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.