The noted Journalist Mr M J Akbar writes in one of his articles, “…Many people forget that India is a tough nation. Toothless leaders have turned India into a soft nation. People forget that India has fought back Muslim terrorism in Kashmir; Sikh terrorism in Punjab, Christian terrorism in Nagaland and Hindu terrorism in Assam, and amongst the Naxalites.

We have had everything thrown at the Indian nation State. Still, we have stood up. The people of India have shown the courage and ability to believe in their nation and to fight back. But the completely impotent leadership of five years have turned a tough country into a soft State. ..”.

I disagree partially with Mr Akbar. We did not have impotent leadership for the past five years, in fact we have been having them for decades since independence baring a few like Lal Bahadur Shastri. There is no difference whatsoever between NDA or UPA leaders.

Even after so many days of deliberation, we cann’t decide who would be the new Chief Minister in Maharashtra? So, the state of Maharashtra ,the key target of all acts of terrorism is now left with a Chief Minister who has resigned and uncertain .

We ask Pakistan to hand over Dawood Ibrahim , but can we not first of all freeze all his assets and operations here in Mumbai ? If a sovereign state of the size of India cannot do this , how do we expect Pakistan to hand over Dawood since they are even more vulnerable.

We have forgotten the fact that Prabhakaran of LTTE killed our very dear Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Now, instead of asking for extradition of Prabhakaran and further intensifying attack on LTTE , the UPA Government is now sending its External Affairs Minister to Sri Lanka to ensure a ceasefire in Sri Lanka when the SriLankan army has almost come very close to capturing all LTTE influenced territories .Why do we take two different stands in Sri Lanka and Pakistan ?

We have not been able to hang Afzal Guru so far .Our leaders don’t have the guts. So how do we expect the current Pakistani Leadership to extradite the “ the most wanted list of terrorists” to India? After all they also need to survive !

Now you have seen the statements of Kerala Chief Minister Achutanandan and also the Ex Dy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr R R Patil. Most of our political leaders don’t show respect to our own heros or for that matter show very little respect to sanctity of life .Then on top of it you have the leaders like Raj Thakre of MNS. Where has he disappeared now ? While the MNS was driving away the non Marathas from Mharashtra , it was brave soldiers from North and South who gave their lives so that Mumbaikars can sleep peacefully .

Come next Lok Sabha election , it is time to chose our leaders carefully.