Who should be Home Minister?

Indian experience after repeated terrorist attacks

(Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, etc.)

and demands for resignations especially after 26/11

attacks on Mumbai

version 1

A part of

'Preparedness for Terrorist attacks'

by D. Devarshi
Introduction
Every time the country faces a terrorist attack people, opposition,

media etc. demand resignations of Union and/or State Home Ministers. I am

not making any comment on whether this is justified or correct response as it

has to be taken on case to case basis and also in view of context of each

demand. I feel majority of people will agree that as far as issue of Home

Minister is concerned two broad things that count are Person and Policy. ( I

am avoiding details that prove that in spite of clear and distinct policies a

person counts and assuming that everybody accepts this fact). Thus the

important issues is - What qualifications should a person have to be a Home

Minister? In my opinion the following may be important criteria -

● Experience/Background

● Educational Qualifications

● Age

1. Experience/Background

For last many years India has trusted politicians, who may come from

any background theoretically but usually have no specialized training.

Internal security has gradually become a complex and technical issue. It may

be said that a person without a particular training or background is quite

likely to fail in delivering goods. I suggest that the following options may be

tried -

● Designating a Defense Personnel (Officer), in service or retired

as Home Minister.

● Designating a Senior Police Officer, who has done commendable

work, as Home Minister.

 ● Designating an IT, or other technical expert as Home minister.

● Politicians who come from technical or Defense background

(retired Army/Navy /Air Force/Police/Para Military officers.

● Politicians who have successfully handled Ministries in the past.

● Advisors or Senior Secretaries who have shown excellence in

this ministry.

Justification

● It is a known fact that any MP or MLA can be given duty of

Finance Minister but over the years we have realized that a person

with solid training in Economics & Finance can do justice with the work

(in spite of availability of all sorts of advisors). Similarly Handling

internal security is also a complex issue. Any senior faculty member

who deserves to be a minister may not be right choice for this ministry

(unfortunately for other ministries as well, but right now our concern is

Home Ministry). When ministers and miniseries are conceptually weak

we need a huge parallel structures in form of task forces, advisory

bodies, boards etc.

Problems

It is quite likely that a leading political party will not find a person of

this background so what is the use of this impractical suggestion. The

counter arguments are-

● If parties think that they have potential to rule a country of 1

billion people and that they represent majority that they should

certainly have such a person with them. It may be that they have not

promoted him/her. May be s/he is down in the cadre.

 ● If such a person is no where they should create space and scope

for person of this description. A party who is likely to rule the nation

should ideally have a cross section of all professions and people in its

representatives, otherwise this party is not true representative of

people.

● May be it will take some years to build parties on the lines

suggested so for the meanwhile persons may be inducted from other

services/sections and be designated as Home Minister as we have done

in case of -

● Shri Man Mohan Singh as FM and Prime Minister ( Mr. Singh was

Economist by profession as served as Lecturer (1957-59),

reader(1959-63) and Professor (1963-65) at Punjab University,

Chandigarh, as Director Reserve Bank of India (1976-80) but has never

won a seat of MLA or MP.

● Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as President of India (An Aeronautical

Engineer from Madras Institute of Technology, Chief Executive

IGMDP)

2. Educational Qualifications

The person should be a graduate if s/he comes from technical

fields or post graduate otherwise.

3. Age.

The person should not be too old (I recommend 65 as upper limit).

His/her appearance also matters (although it is not about casting for

a feature film but just think about impression of an extra obese or

pot bellied person on forces and criminals).

 I am fully aware that the prescription needs a great improvisation. I

know I am no one to suggest the recipe but as a citizen of India I have right

to express my idea and I have a firm belief that ideas that I have expressed

here may be to naive but if all of us continue brain-storming like this we will

arrive at better solutions and in the process we shall also improve our mental

faculty.

Apology for any wrong information and I request you to post your

views.