PM warns of going tougher

IN her post-election Suhrawardy Uddyan speech on Friday Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned against political violence and attacks on minorities vowing to 'act as tough as it takes' to save lives and properties of the people. In a strongly worded riposte she blurted, 'Awami League knows very well how to deal with troublemakers', an authoritarian streak showing up there.
Of course, the Prime Minister has many things to be tough about, especially against Jamaat-Shibir terrorisation and mayhem campaigns and the sweeping attacks on minority households, not sparing even their religious places. Take by all means the toughest of measures against the perpetrators of violence including arson and ransacking property of vulnerable communities and victimisation of the innocents. Ironically, however, most them elude the grip of law while opposition leaders are implicated in some alleged acts of criminality not consistent with their stature.
Most of all, wasn't the government obliged to protect the lives and properties of the citizens? So, there's an element of administrative failure which hopefully the Prime Minister is now trying to reverse.
Prior to the elections, her government's heavy-handed dealing with the opposition resulted in virtual confinement of Khaleda Zia, arrest of senior BNP leaders, taking some of them on remand, and forcing others into hiding. The party was effectively preempted and subdued. It was a clear case of taking “tough” action against the opposition while taking no action to protect the minorities. Taking “tough” action now hopefully will not be in the same mould.   
Though re-elected to power in a one-sided and blemished election, one would expect her toughness to be used fairly and judiciously and not certainly vindictively.