Nowadays, a peace-loving nation among the comity of nations, unfortunately, is very rare. But it is always the hawkish rulers and a minority of anti-social elements, ‘TERRORISTS’ in the international parlance are always the trouble makers. Insurgents, pirates, thugs, religious fanatics- in short the violent and destructive tendencies of these elements- all come in the category of terrorists.
---In this early half of the 21st century, the number of countries cherishing territorial ambitions are abnormally increasing. Be it China, Pakistan, Israel, Russia, Ethiopia, Sudan, -African nations are in the forefront of the list- genocide, poverty, malnutrition, innocent civilians fleeing their homes owing to frequent fighting among the ethnic groups, for example, Darfur in Sudan, Somalia- the Horn of Africa, the two ethnic groups of Rwanda and recently even in the developed countries like Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and USA on account of the unprecedented financial-meltdown resulting in recession, and its repercussions like unemployment among the educated youth, massive retrenchment due to the losses suffered by world famous companies ,banks and other institutions owned by business tycoons- those who have lost their jobs are running in millions, lack of health-care, poverty – ‘the sons of the soil policy’ is gaining momentum( even in a developing nation like India). After the unexpected plummeting of oil prices ,the oil-rich Gulf countries are sacking employees of countries like India, Pakistan and many other East-Asian and South-East Asian countries and deporting them. This ruthless massive retrenchment has inflicted a trauma among the returned employees and their respective countries are forced to carry the additional burden once considered assets of our nation, the deported employees have turned into liabilities. A pathetic situation indeed.
Sorry for the digression.
Let us come to the heart of the matter. India is always considered to be a peace-loving country. Aberrations are there due to the inefficiency and apathy of our rulers, the peace-loving nature of the country is always applauded by other nations across the Globe. If our rulers and bureaucrats were more vigilant and careful frequent terrorist attacks across various parts of our nation causing large-scale violent deaths and destruction of properties could have been avoided. Recall the 9/11. After that explosive terrorist attack , USA took all the precautions to prevent such a dastardly attack again by empowering the Intelligence agencies, beefing up security avoiding the over-confident complacency, thus eliminating the possibility of further attacks. Even then the arrogant attitude of ‘World Police’ has not been shed.
Even now, the people across our nation are pulling on with their daily routine always fearing a terrorist attack anywhere and hence a fear-psychosis is always in the air. It is a tragic truth that, our citizens have least confidence in the sense of responsibility and efficiency of our rulers. Imagine the plight of a nation renowned for its peace-loving nature!
The recent carnage perpetrated by LET (Lashkar-E-Taiba) militants in the financial capital of Mumbai and the subsequent responses by our leaders are worth thinking about. The leaders could immediately ascertain the militant organization which committed such a massacre and destruction of famous landmarks and the epicenter of the terrorist organization. It was meticulously planned and executed by the LET elements with the connivance of intelligence agencies of that nation. Pakistan was and still is a thorn in the flesh of India, and will continue to be so, whoever is in the saddle.
After India pointed an accusing finger at Pakistan, the rulers, military and even the Pakistani civilians raised a hue and cry against India and the hullabaloo shook the whole World. The spectre of a war with India was feared by peace-loving nations as that nation within no time deployed their Jawans along the LOC ready to confront an “attack from the Indian side”. Their fear is largely due to the possession of nuclear weapons in the arsenals of both countries. The Pak rulers were playing innocence. Simultaneously they were hiding from the World the secret of their connivance and encouragement to the dreaded organization- LET –to commit the carnage in our financial capital. It is pertinent to note here that even while Retd Gen.Musharaff was ruling that nation, LET was the blue-eyed organization of ISI and the military. Hence, LET leaders were aware of the fact that, in the event of a ban and the arrest of militants, they would remain untouched.
The help provided by FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to India in tracing out the origin and the identity of the culprits, their native place as per the direction of former American President George W Bush, ( the parting gift of the former President to India) it was confirmed beyond doubt that our assumptions were correct. They handed over the dossiers to the leaders of both countries. The argument of Pak President Asif Ali Sardari that the culprits were non-State actors had to be dropped by that country ultimately (the month of March 2009 is going to be critical for the civilian government of Pakistan on the issue of the demand for reinstatement of former sacked Chief Justice Iftikar Chowdary as the lawyers across the country are up in arms and have decided to hold a long march to the parliament house for an indefinite period. The possibility of an army takeover is not ruled out, according to media reports.)
After repeated demands of the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherji and also due to the international pressure, Rehman Malik, the head of Interior Ministry of the Pak Govt. finally agreed the Indian accusation that the militants were Pakistanis including the one surviving assassin, Muhammed Ajmal Kasab who is in Indian custody. Rehman Malik formally conveyed to the Indian official all the details regarding the attack and the militants and also in the presence of press persons. The gentleman even went to the extent of revealing the logistics provided by other elements elsewhere in that country.
On officially, accepting their admission of crime, our Govt. was satisfied.
Certain gentlemen holding high positions at the top echelons some even from the media developed a mellow (or soft?) attitude towards Pakistan. All of us have heard about carrot and stick policy. According to Siddharth Varadarajan, holding an important position in a National Daily, through his ‘News Analysis’ , after the admission of their crime by the Pak rulers, till then we were carrying only a stick (‘coercive diplomatic steps taken by India), now it is time for us to extent a carrot also to Pakistan side- meaning an approach of co-operation in the further investigation. The Pak investigation took time and hence the delay in arriving at a conclusion. According to him, now it is for Indian rulers to co-operate in the investigation by carrying on a search whether local elements were involved in the carnage as demanded by Pakistan. Pakistan might be feeling proud of the BJP leader, Narendra Modi, as he was the first person to demand such an investigation.
India’s immense patience and peace-loving nature should never be construed as a weakness by any nation. But the neighbouring country always have a mistaken notion that even if undeclared wars are carried out against India, the response from the Indian side would always be ‘verbal attacks’ and ‘empty threats’. Such a mistaken notion they are still having and hence, even while preaching for a smoother relationship between the two countries even while implementing some positive steps like travel by trains and buses across the border by the citizens of both countries, trade across the border and such umpteen platitudes, they can very well carry out stealth operations to undermine the very stability of the country. Kargil was one among hundreds of tragic incidents.
Time is running fast. Nations’ approach to Nations also is changing fast. Whenever Mumbai model terror strikes happen with the connivance of a nation, sitting around a round-table- diplomats, other intellectuals, political leaders (they are representatives of ‘Am Admi’ and therefore need not be intellectuals) gently, calmly and with dignity are unanimous in advising against “knee-jerk” reactions by the Govt., because they love peace and normalcy in relations. Very tender-hearted! Really!
May I ask these gentlemen one simple question?- How long the citizens- crores of them suffer terrorist attacks, deaths and fear-psychosis?
Sorry, I am also a peace-loving citizen…A Dove.
Joke of the year: George Walker Bush should be conferred with “Bharat Ratna”- by another intellectual and permanent spokesman appointed by a ruling+ Party Chief.
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