India makes it easier to get visas on arrival

As usual habit of reading the News at the time I have some space to do so, I stumbled on the article that India extended the Visa on Arrival (VoA) to 9 of its International airports from existing 4. This has been done with the purpose of enhancing tourism industry. This had already brought success in past with an increased influx by 63%.  But will this be the only measure that would increase the influx of tourists?  The certain answer is "No" as there is a lack of Security Attribute for the visiting tourists. And this is not just my own concern, this is the concern of the readers of that article on Time of India.  It is imperative for the Government to enhance the Overall security measures to secure the tourists visiting India and at the same time train the Inland Security Forces (read Police Force) to NOT harass the Foreigners as they otherwise carry negative image of India and Indians with them creating Negative Publicity for India and thus hitting the Tourism Programs.

Another aspect that Indian Government needs to ensure is to enhance Additional Security Measures at the Airports with inclusion of Biometric measures to verify the identity of the foreign nationals as well as the citizens.  This is nothing new as the major countries in EU as well as USA and Canada have this implemented where they do collect the Finger prints and at times the iris patterns for identity establishment.  This by far is the best known solution and certainly least abusable one.  There can be counter points on how this can be bypassed, but please note that if someone tries to fake finger prints, the devices can highlight that pretty easily (if implemented in the correct fashion).  For I have been involved with Biometric device implementation studies and the corrective measures that can be brought in, I can vouch for the technology.  

(My Sincere thanks to Rajveer Singh - A fellow Reader on Times of India, to have ignited the idea on this side. Full credits to him).

So, as I conclude, I would like to summarize as two steps must be taken by the GOI - 

1. Ramp us the overall Inland Security Posture in the country
2. Implement the Biometric Technologies at the airports

Well and ensure that the Visa officers deployed at the Airports are NOT Corrupt...the most vital step for that matter.

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Just to add - "The group VoA facility has been extended to all countries excluding Afghanistan, China, Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Pakistan and foreigners of Pakistani origin." so that's a welcome step :)

How one News Overrides Another

News is very volatile and one news overrides the other very fast. More-so with the convenience to politicians where they love to use one incident as the burning incident to cover up another news where their folly is being highlighted.  Media Houses on the other hand love to play with the public emotions more so to increase their own reader base and they love to highlight the controversies more so in their business. 

The glaring example of the recent time had been the way two cases happened simultaneously, but one glaring hole was covered by the massive response to the other one.  The two incidents that I am talking about are - 

1. Attack on Sarabjeet Singh in Pakistan followed by his death with body returning to India sans vital organs
2. Incursion of Chinese troops - 19 Kilometers inside Indian Territory in Laddakh and then setting up their tents there and demanding India to retreat and take down the temporary structures.

Here the Incident 2 is more alarming and a serious threat to the Nation and the National Interest. However, it was downplayed by the Honorable Foreign Minister as a Localized incident and then GA orders issued for the Govt officials to make any statement. Army was put on hold made to be waiting to take next steps on this side. Interesting huh....

Incident 1 which certainly had been dragging in the news for almost 22 years and now comes at the forefront with the Death of Sarabjeet Singh Succumbing to the injuries sustained in the attack on him by the Prison inmates in Lahore.  This certainly is a sad news.  But both the Opposition as well as the Ruling Party have pretty well used this to cover up the folly they made in Laddakh.  Media too conveniently shifted from the case in Laddakh to air/publish the news around Sarabjeet Singh's death.  Not sure why??? And well I am not downplaying the injustice and sufferings of Sarabjeet Singh, but trying to highlight the case where we may have more of it due to the Border dispute with China.

The Case in Laddakh is more alarming than the death of Pakistan because there can certainly be far reaching implications as they had been in case of the act by Chinese in 1987 in Arunachal.  We can also not take a step that would lead to a situation like 1962 or the case where we lost many brave hearts in Kargil. The politicians need to get to serious business leaving aside their politics on Sarabjeet's case.  Sarabjeet's case haunted us for these many years, but we certainly don't want the Laddakh case to haunt us or our successors in years to come.

The Case one is the case of mistaken identity and suffering of one person, but the case two is the case of threatened solidarity and challenge to national security.  I would leave it at the audience to decide which one should take priority for the Government.

I totally understand the sentiments involved in with the death of Sarabjeet and am totally praying for his soul to rest in peace for he at last achieved that freedom from his sufferings (though with brutality).  I also understand that the case happened in Pakistan and hence the public outcry would be more in this case.  But, please for god's sake, the Case 2 is happening right inside our borders and we can't let that happen to us and our country.

As I conclude - Please note that the incident 2 has happened just a month or so before Chinese Premiere visits India and just before when Indian Foreign Minister is to visit China.  So if some political B.S, is given to us that we can't take actions in this case and we need to be Patient enough for the thriving Indo-Sino relations, then please that is all Farce.  If only China was serious about this, they would not have done that idiotic act of incursion.