The attack at the IISc does not appear to have been targeted at any scientist but generally at the IT industry for which Bangalore is best known. If, as is suspected, a jihadi group is involved, it could be, besides political and religious reasons, with an economic angle. Perhaps, the attack is symbolic — at an important source of foreign exchange earnings, keep foreign IT companies away from India and impact the stock market, which attracts considerable overseas funds.
It is a symbol of the success of Indian science and technology, of our emergence as a knowledge power that the symbols and temples of our knowledge society, are today being targeted by terrorists
The question is not what needs to be done in IISc or other such strategic or symbolic places in India. The question is does India have a comprehensive Counter Terrorist policy in place. All arms of the government needs to co-ordinate and appropriate measures taken, this will include our diplomatic efforts, our intelligence gathering policy, intelligence sharing, and communication to non-government agencies, apart from stricter measures in security. Counter Terrorism is to be viewed as a whole, and not as a function that is to be discharged by mere security agencies.
Why did the persons responsible for the December 28 incident target the scientists attending an international conference? It does not appear to have been a targeted attempt to kill any particular scientist though media reports speak of the presence of some space scientists at the conference. South India, in general, and Bangalore, in particular, not only have a large concentration of IT experts, but also famous scientists.
The attacks show that Bangalore, Hyderabad & Chennai are the prime targets of the attackers because they are the symbols of the India’s technological might.
The country is waking up to a new reality - its success in IT and concomitant economic boom has excited malice in certain quarters, who would like to attack symbols of that success.
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