61 truckloads of explosives missing in Central India
Headlines Friday, August 27th, 2010Indian media has reported that over the weekend, 61 trucks loaded with over 300 tons of explosives have gone missing in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The trucks were sent from a state-owned factory, Rajasthan Explosives and Chemicals Limited, in Dholpur to a private company called Ganesh Explosives in the state’s Sagar district. But they never reached their destination. A massive search has been on to track down the trucks as fear is mounting that if the explosives, including detonators and gelatin sticks, reach the wrong hands it could be devastating.
The most likely suspects being cited as responsible for the heist are Naxalites, who are based in Madhya Pradesh. Indian intelligence agencies had earlier forwarded possibilities of pre-emptive hijack attempts by Indian separatist movements by the Naxalites and also some elements of the ULFA who will spare no attempt in taking revenge against the Congress Government as it had directed the Indian military to take full-on action against the rebels in their areas, killing hundreds and torturing countless. The Naxalites in particular are upset and angry over the Bhopal Gas incident of 1984, in which countless Naxal workers were killed and several injured when gas exploded at the Union Carbide plant. The Naxal separatist elements are based in Madhya Pradesh. The Naxalite insurgency has crippled India to the extent that nearly 50 % of its geographical area is affected comprising approximately 220 districts in twenty states of India. They are especially concentrated in an area known as the “Red Corridor”, where they control 92,000 square kilometers and even pose a threat to India’s nuclear assets in the region. According to India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, 20,000 armed cadre Naxalites were operating in addition to 50,000 regular cadres and their growing influence prompted Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare them to be the most serious internal threat to India’s national security.
The missing 300 tons of explosives, which can blow up a major city, can pose a serious threat to the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010, which India is hosting at New Delhi. Over 10,000 athletes from 71 countries and 5, 00,000 spectators are expected at the Games to be held from October 3-14. A number of participants have expressed reservations in their participation, quoting security threats. Although the Naxalite movement, which comprises far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political sentiment and ideology, who came into being because of deprivation and poverty, may not actually be targeting the CWG. The Indian Government has come under spotlight for corruption charges and mishandling of CWG funds as reported by the Indian media. Indian media has already commented on the sleazy methods of the contractors and officials and the millions they have pocketed. Even the British media took up the campaign to expose and name the corrupt officials swindling in the name of the games. Expressing concern at the allegations, CWG Federation chief Mike Fennell made a surprise inspection of the venue at New Delhi and stated that all allegations of corruption against Delhi CWG organizers should be probed immediately.
Officials of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), India’s government watchdog agency have brought to light that construction quality certificates scrutinized in 16 Games-related projects had turned out to be “fake or suspect”. Fake certificates were routinely issued to pass substandard work and material, which have led to very big gains for vendors and contractors. The Indian High Commission in UK is also steeped in the mire of corruption. It has no system of calling for quotations from its empanelled contractors and excess payments have been made in the past. A quick audit reveals that out of the eight firms bidding on one contract, five are owned by two business groups. This subverts the process of inviting three contractors for a bid as the entire contract is awarded to a single bidder. Besides that, the audit also shows that the High Commission doesn’t have a mechanism to check the quality of work. A firm even received cheque for the work done by another firm. The controversy surrounding financial irregularities during Queen’s Baton Relay came to light when it was learnt that huge amount of money was forked out to a firm in London by the Commission for hiring taxis.
Another corruption scandal pertains to being transferred from the CWG account to a little-known film company based in London. A M Films, an obscure event management firm in London received bulky amount of money from the Games Organizing Committee through Royal Bank of Scotland. The British Government has raised questions over this. Adding to the woes of the CWG Organizing Committee, the roof of the weightlifting auditorium, in New Delhi Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which was inaugurated on Sunday, August 01 started leaking due to heavy showers.
India, which tries to keep up with China, in a mad frenzy of “keeping up with the Joneses” syndrome, was driven by the desire of demonstrating India’s strength before the world by hosting the CWG, as China did in the Olympics. However, even before the kick off function, India is being forced to hide its face in shame. The lack of security itself is going to be a major factor for most countries to cancel their participation.
It appears that India has a very sinister plan up its sleeves. It wants to kill many birds with one stone. Firstly, not being able to meet the deadlines for completing the venue and having been caught with its hand in the till with its corruption cases, India would prefer to have the games postponed or better still cancelled quoting security concerns. Secondly, readers may recall that in the near past, India had tried to depict a nexus between the Naxalites and ISI. Earlier it had drawn links between the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Naxalites. Now it will try and pin the blame of the missing 300 tons of explosives on ISI and the Naxalites and use the plea to put pressure on Pakistan. Its nefarious designs need to be exposed.
Sultan M Hali
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on Aug 27 2010. Filed under