Anti-terror ideas for the BJP

When asked to comment on India conducting a joint terror investigation with the ISI, Arun Jaitley quipped "why not with the Lashkar?". Exactly!

Anyway, here's my list of anti-terror ideas for the people who matter. Hope BJP gets these things done.

Chains of command:

1. Create a post called National Police Chief or something. Find a Bezu Fache to head it! Just as Cabinet Secretary is the highest ranked IAS officer in the country, this Police chief will be the highest ranked IPS officer.
2. He/she will be the Commander-in-chief of the all central police forces. CRPF, CISF, RAF, NSG, SPG etc. The directors of CBI and the national narcotics control board will also report to him/her.
3. This post essentially takes the home secretary out of the police operations. I cannot imagine a uniformed officer taking orders from a babu.
4. Create zonal police commands similar to the Army commands. All the state DGP's will report to the zonal commander, in addition to the state government.
5. State governments cannot appoint or remove any IPS officer without the recommendation of an appointments committe comprising Chief Secretary, state DGP and the zonal C-in-C. Zonal C-in-C can veto any appointment.
6. Just like BSF and Coast guard can be placed under Army command during a war, all the state police forces can be placed under the command of the Central Police Chiefs. During terror attacks, riots, elections etc.
7. All the above will put Law and Order in the concurrent list instead of the state list. Thats the way it should be.

Force restructuring:

1. CBI should be the nodal agency to investigate all terrorist attacks. State governments should have no jurisdiction over what cases CBI can and cannot investigate. No more dowry cases to the CBI please.
2. Merge RPF with CISF, ITBP and SSB with BSF and all remaining quasi-military wings like Rashtriya Rifles, Assam Rifles etc with the Army.
3. Every officer in the state police forces should be given a Short Service Commission style opportunity to serve in any of the central police forces. Presently only the IPS officers go on deputation.
4. Remove NSG from VIP security, but SPG (a part of NSG) can continue to protect the Prime Minister. Each police force in the country must have a commando unit. CRPF shall protect central ministers, CISF for business and sports people and state commandos for politicians.

Legal reforms:

1. Bring back POTA by all means. And make it stronger. Lie detector and narco analysis tests should be admissible in a court as secondary evidence. Anyone who retracts a confession given to the police in a court should be additionally charged with perjury.
2. Create a Central Prosecution Commission. This will be similar to the vigilance and information commissions we already have. This CPC will scrutinize the work of all public prosecutors in the country and recommend punitive measures against incompetent and unwilling prosecutors.
3. Establish the National Judicial Commission ofcourse. This body besides appointing judges will take more bureaucratic work away from Chief Justices. Summer court holidays must be abolished. Each Judge can go on a month long sabbatical every few years. NJC will handle such scheduling.