Author: V Sundaram
Publication: News Today
Date: July 13, 2006
URL: http://www.newstodaynet.com/2006sud/06jul/1307ss1.htm
With high-tech precision, eight explosions
in rapid succession struck a busy commuter railway in the city of Mumbai on
11th July evening, killing 190 people, injuring many more, and turning the
rush hour into a grisly tableau of carnage. This is the seventh major instance
of a terrorist attack in the city of Mumbai during the last 13 years. On March
12, 1993 a series of Bomb blasts ripped through 13 places in the city killing
257 people and injuring over 700 people. On December 2, 2002, two persons
were killed and 31 injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a Municipal Bus
outside Ghatkopar suburban Railway Station. On December 6, 2002, 25 people
were injured when a bomb exploded in a Food Plaza at Mumbai Central Railway
Station. On January 27, 2003, 30 people were injured when a crude bomb exploded
outside Vile Parle Railway Station. On March 13, 2003, 11 people were killed
and 66 injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a Ladies Train when it was
entering Mulund Railway Station in the peak hours. On August 25, 2003, two
blasts occurred one after the other at the Gate Way of India and Saveri Bazar
killing 46 people and injuring more than 160. Adding to the misery, thousands
of commuters found themselves stranded, unable to find a way home or even
to call their families to say they were all right, because phone lines were
jammed or run down.
Our helplessly hopeless Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh has won for himself an immortal place in world history by describing
the public response in Mumbai and elsewhere as 'the people's relilience and
resolve to triumph over the evil designs of the merchants of death and destruction'.
By coming out with such pious nonsense, he and the UPA Government have lost
the battle against Islamic terrorism even in the first round.
The Daily Pioneer in a historic Editorial
has rightly commented: 'Does the UPA regime have the courage to confront them?
Only an effete and irresolute Government will simply suggest that the people
must fight and win the battle against Islamist terrorism while those in power
wring their hands in abject despair or, worse, refuse to act in any manner
that may be seen as not being in consonance with an astounding policy of appeasement
whose scary contour has now come to include pandering to radical Islamism'.
I was listening to Dr. Manmohan Singh over
the Television talking to the nation after the truly secular, non-communal,
non-saffronized Mumbai bomb blasts. Within two minutes I switched off the
television. Our Prime Minister can put an army of one million to sleep in
a matter of seconds. In this context, I recalled what stirring message the
US President George Bush gave to his nation over the television on the evening
of September 11, 2001 in a measured and forthright manner: 'We will make no
distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who
harbour them.' In India, terrorists who commit these acts enjoy minority rights
and those Muslims who harbour the terrorists have the Government incentive
of Haj subsidies. Whereas, Bush was not worried about losing his Muslim votes
in America in the next elections while making his heroic declaration.
The UPA Government decided to put on a mock
show of official sympathy when they made a royal visit to Mumbai yesterday.
I cannot resist quoting the brilliant words of Saisuresh Sivaswamy in this
context: 'On the streets of Mahim, close to where we work, the MAJESTY OF
THE INDIAN STATE was on full display as Congress president Sonia Gandhi accompanied
by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Railway Minister Lalu Yadav drove past,
en route to the blast site. My colleague counted 38+ cars in the motorcade
that swept past, as other traffic on the road was kept frozen in place by
the security phalanx. It was truly an impressive sight - only, I couldn't
help thinking, it was put on for someone who doesn't hold an office of authority.
While the man who does, simply reviewed the security situation in the face
of the Srinagar and Mumbai blasts, and directed that New Delhi's security
be beefed up. This was the majesty of the Indian State on display yesterday.
I could have wept.'
Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena supremo, has
rightly stated that the pusillanimous policy of the Congress-led Central Government
towards Pakistan is solely responsible for these bomb blasts against the innocent
people of India. He has added: 'The Centre is busy operating bus services
to Pakistan and Islamabad, on its part, is busy pushing terrorists into India.
I have been calling for a tough policy towards Pakistan, but I was ridiculed'.
In his context he also said 'Now another dimension (of terrorism) has been
opened in the form of illegal immigration from Bangladesh'.
There is reliable documentary evidence to
show that the criticism of Bal Thackeray is well-founded. Recently, Amir Mir,
a former editor of the Weekly Independent and now bureau chief of Gulf News
in Lahore has written: 'Pakistan's relationship with radical Islamic terrorism
remains dangerously ambiguous. Historically, military leaders, including General
Musharraf (have) openly used the Taliban and terrorist groups in Kashmir to
advance Pakistan's strategic objectives'. This dangerous trend has to be carefully
monitored and dealt with an iron hand. What the media needs to be reminded
of is the statement made by Mohammad Amir Shakeel Ahmed as long ago as 1999
at a conference of Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) that his nation
is not India, but Islam.
The logic of effective governance lies in
this: When an enemy directs terror at any nation-State, it is expected to
hit back with maximum force and carry the fight into the enemy camp. Just
to be in possession of overweening power by itself is not enough. But it has
to be deployed strategically against all the enemies known and unknown. All
our nuclear weapons, our missiles, our tanks, come to nought when we don't
have the steel in our soul to defend ourselves and our subjects at any cost,
in spite of all terror and however long and hard the road may be. Has the
Indian State ever shown this type of political courage and will after independence?
The answer is a categorical 'NO'.
The Nation-soul destroying UPA Government
in authority today is all the time engaged in a peace process with the very
neighbour who is out to dismember India through any and every means available
to it. It is not therefore surprising that terrorists continue to attack India
with impunity? I would appeal to the UPA Government to take the following
steps immediately on a war footing to defend the people of India against the
forces of Pak-sponsored terrorism.
a) To immediately recall the Indian High Commissioner
in Pakistan as a mark of protest against the continued help and patronage
being extended by President Musharaff to all the Islamic terrorists in India;
b) To summon the American Ambassador in New
Delhi and to make it clear to him that India is not North Korea or Iraq to
be toyed with immunity by the United States;
c) To take immediate action to reintroduce
the POTA as demanded by L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition;
d) To take immediate action for declaring
India as 'HINDUSTAN'. Hindustan will be as legitimate as Pakistan. If Pakistan
is not legitimate, then Gandhi and Nehru should not have agreed to the partition
of India and the creation of Pakistan.
I fully endorse the views of Dr. Babu Suseelan
that 'Jihad terrorism is not over the policies of US, Israel, and India, or
due to globalization, social change, poverty, economic deprivation or lack
of self-esteem, but rather the ideology, the cognitive-behavior processes
of Jihad Muslims. Terrorism, bombing, beheading and suicide murder are symptoms
of a deep-rooted pathology stemming from their 'addictive thinking' on Islam.
The Islamic 'addictive thinking' convinces jihad terrorists that attack on
infidel would restore Islamic pride and prove to the infidel world that Jihad
warriors are full of confidence and Islamic pride. The root cause of jihad
terrorism is to be found in the defective, dangerous dogma that binds Jihad
Muslims around the world together. The Jihad Muslim's thinking process and
behaviours are sanctioned in Islam. What is less understandable is how and
why mindless liberals fall prey to so much distorted thought.'
Terrorism can be tackled only by a resolute
retaliation, a retaliation so decisive and swift that a powerful message which
can be understood can be transmitted everywhere. The key component in the
war against terrorism lies in the response of counter-violence. For, violence
or force is the only language terror perpetrators and terror cuddlers understand.
To dither in impotence and inaction will be folly, historic blunder if the
recurrence of such events has to be prevented. A Government is not legitimate
merely because it exists. We must try to find ways to starve the terrorists
of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend. If a government is not capable
of protecting the lives of innocent citizens, it has no right to govern.
(The writer is a retired IAS officer)
e-mail the writer at vsundaram@newstodaynet.com
