This refers to the editorial, “A disturbing incident” (January 5). The controversy over the interception of a Pakistani fishing boat by the Indian Coast Guard is unfortunate. The Congress seems to have found in it an opportunity to draw political mileage. The National Technical Research Organisation had reportedly alerted the Coast Guard after electronic chatter intercepts showed that two Pakistani fishing boats sailing in the Arabian Sea were in frequent touch with the Pakistan Army and maritime security agencies there through a ‘contact'.
Intelligence agencies and the Coast Guard would have been blamed for their failure in foiling the plan, had a terror attack actually taken place. Tackling terror is a sensitive matter. Security forces have to take intelligence inputs seriously and act accordingly. Raising questions on the Coast Guard's action is not proper, until the investigation is completed and facts come out that conclusively prove the boat was not on a terror mission.