:: Balbir Punj

Islamic terror is not new

Balbir K. Punj

What after 26/11? Hopefully, a recess of few weeks and then gory repeat of what keeps happening periodically in Mumbai, Delhi, Assam, Ahmedabad and so on…

26/11 is to India what 9/11 was to the United States. But in the US there has not been a single terrorism related incident after the collapse of New York’s Twin Towers in 2001. In the aftermath of 9/11, the security scenario underwent a sea change in the US. Everything else, including human rights, were made subordinate to the goal of crushing terror and ensuring public safety. Can India’s response to the menace of terrorism be like that of the US?

The answer to this question will be determined by how we as a nation look at the phenomenon of terrorism. Is it not a fact that after every terrorist strike the "secularists" who control the establishment and dominate a large section of the media get busy in finding rationale for the conduct of the perpetrators? In most cases, violent strikes are attributed by the "secularists" to the demolition of the Babri structure, "persecution" of Muslims or their other grievances. While the security forces are painted as villains, the terrorists are described as hapless, aggrieved persons wronged by the Hindu-dominated system, who need to be treated with compassion.

Except for the accused in the Malegaon blast case, "secularists" have always stood by suspected terrorists and against the security agencies. One telling example was the unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly seeking the release of Abdul Nasser Madni, a prime accused in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast which claimed 60 lives and whose main target was BJP leader L.K. Advani.

After the UPA came to power, Pota was abolished and all initiatives of BJP-run governments to bring in similar laws have since been scuttled successfully.

Since 2005 there have been several terrorist strikes in the country. Except for the recent Batla House encounter, there has hardly been any tangible retaliatory action by the security agencies. And we all know about the stink the "secularists" raised against the Delhi Police in the wake of the Batla House operation.

The terrorist strike of November 26/27 in Mumbai has come while investigations by the Maharashtra ATS into the recent Malegaon blasts were on. A day before he fell to terrorists’ bullets, ATS chief Hemant Karkare had told a news channel that 90 per cent of the ATS’ time and energy was being consumed by the Malegoan case. It was an admission of the fact that ATS’ focus was not in the right place. The ATS was concentrating on framing Sadhvi Pragya, Lt. Col. Purohit and others and to build the myth of "Hindu terror" to meet the "secular" agenda of its political masters. Is it not a fact that the bogey of "Hindu terror" was created to placate Muslim sentiments? But at what cost?

Islamic terrorism may be a new phenomenon for the US and the UK. For India, the mayhem started with Mohammed Bin Kasim in the 8th century. Repeated ransacking of holy towns and temples by various Islamic invaders up to 18th century, and India’s bloody Partition in 1947 are just footnotes in this blood-soaked saga. 26/11 is one more such footnote. Is it the last one?

Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at punjbk@gmail.com