RAW-MOSSAD renew propaganda war over Bangladesh

[ramu]

Enlighten me please.

I will willing to shun my ignorance if you give me neutral websites that have nothing to do with media houses in Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Israel, Saudi and ofcourse India.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Enlighten me please.

I will willing to shun my ignorance if you give me neutral websites that have nothing to do with media houses in Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Israel, Saudi and ofcourse India.

So basically you would exclude countries that actually have information on RAW activities. The only RAW operation that did not take place in Asia was the downing of a Canadian passenger flight in the 1980's. Look that up.

 

[Goodperson]

Vow !!! So called popular writer with hands full in cookie jar is back with his famous logic of RAW and MOSSAD even when nothing is there even remotely show the connection.

Idiotic habit of modifying the title of the post should be discouraged.

 

[sab]

If Munsi wants he can be as famous as Dan brown...

 

[eastwatch]

Well we are at the centre of Asia.

BD may not be at the center of the world, but for India BD is sitting inside its stomach dividing that country into two in reality. BD's location also effectively detaches India from other countries of SE asia. This gives India a stomach pain, an headache and a China fear in its NE. Therefore, this kind of jittery makes India to revolve around BD.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Vow !!! So called popular writer with hands full in cookie jar is back with his famous logic of RAW and MOSSAD even when nothing is there even remotely show the connection.

Idiotic habit of modifying the title of the post should be discouraged.

Maybe if you tried to read the two articles you may see the connection. I think we have had this argument before though.

 

[Spring Onion]

RAW and Bangladesh

by Mohammad Zainal Abedin
(Monday, November 28, 2005)

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"The main sources of inspiration for the Indian Intelligence agencies and its foreign policy are ancient Hindu pundit and politician Koutillaya and his book 'Arthshastra' (Economy). Koutillaya is also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta."


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CHAPTER - 1

KOUTILLAYA, RAW AND INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY

The main sources of inspiration for the Indian Intelligence agencies and its foreign policy are ancient Hindu pundit and politician Koutillaya and his book 'Arthshastra' (Economy). Koutillaya is also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta. He was the Prime Minister of Chandra Gupta. He had written his' book 'Arthshastra' between the era 321 and 300 before the birth of Christ.' The book is divided into 15 parts and has 180 chapters. Koutillaya had applied his treacherous diplomacy to subdue and annex other states. As a result the Mourya Empire vastly expanded under his advice and supervision.

For occupation of other states Koutillaya laid down the following guidelines:

a. When your country is weak, pursue the policy of peace.

b. When your country becomes militarily strong, follow the policy of war.

c. When another state seeks your help, apply double standards.

In his book Koutillaya has recommended six principles as the basis for foreign policy.

These are: peace, war, neutrality, military preparedness, formation of alliance and duel policy. He recommends:

a. Peace should be' established with other states through agreements.

b . War should be pursued through relentless attacks on the enemy.

c. Neutrality means complacence and indifference.

d. The 'power of the state should be enhanced by expanding military preparedness.

e. Other states should be lured and forced into formation of alliance or friendship to seek common shelter and security.

f. Duel policy means to make peace (friendship) with one and enmity with the other (The Daily AI Mujadded : November 3, 1994).

Even two thousand three hundred years after theMoyura rule the Indian rulers of today continue to follow the Koutillaya's policy. Koutillaya's dictum 'power is the ultimate truth and the main aim of an organised state should be to obtain power', has been followed by all Indian rulers. Since Koutillaya era till today all Hindu states have been relying mainly on muscle power. In the entire history of the Hindus it is difficult, to find a single Hindu king who had followed the policy of non-violence.

Present day India has also adopted the same policy, though in pursuance of principle of dual policy, Indian rulers keep propagating about following policy of non-violence. This is done with lot of gusto to deceive the outside world about their true motives.

Indira Ghandhi was an ardent follower of 'Koutll1aya doctrine'. She subscribed fully to Koutillaya's policy of waging 'battles of intrigues' and 'secret wars' to achieve her unholy objectives. She created RAW, a secret intelligence agency functioning directly under the Prime Minister, to pursue her ambitious but nefarious agenda particularly in South Asian region.

The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was raised in September 1968 from the skeleton of Foreign Intelligence Desk of Intelligence Bureau (IB). Mr. Rameshwar Nath Kao was appointed as its first head. The new agency(RAW) was assigned the task of collection, collation and analysis of 'intelligence from beyond India's national frontiers. A 'Special Operations Branch' was also included in its organization for conducting secret and covert operations. RAW started its journey with an annual budget of two crore rupees and a staff of 250 persons: The organization grew rapidly and by 1990 its strength of officers 'and staff had exceeded 8 thousand persons while its annual visible budget was above 500 crore rupees. RAW's present budget is estimated to be around Rs 1500 crores. It has its own aircrafts and helicopters. RAW's headquarters is located' in an eleven story building in Lodhi Estate, New Delhi. Mr. A. S. Siyali, a Sikh is its current head (Director as he is officially known).

RAW is not accountable to the Indian parliament i.e. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have no legal right to question its activities. Neither the Public Service Commission nor the Staff Commission has any role in appointing the officers and staff of RAW. As a matter of fact RAW is one of the few organisations in

India which is absolutely sovereign. It also has the power to carry out supervisory functions on othey organisations. Theoretically RAW is accountable to the Prime Minister, but in practice, it is free from any supervisory influence. As a result RAW is known to be following its own agenda particularly concerning neighboring countries.

RAW also has great influence in formulation of external policy of India. Since the last few years RAW has become so powerful and influential that it has emerged as a major player in the internal politics as well. Besides usual functions as intelligence agency, RAW is relentlessly working for attainment of following objectives :

a. To extend Indian sovereignty over unprotected and vulnerable smaller neighbours.

b. To enhance Indian. influence particularly in the Indian Ocean region militarily, politically and culturally, so as to project and develop India as a future super power.

c. To implement the Brahmanic dream of establishment of 'Akhand Bharat'.

RAW's popularity, acceptability and influence increased manifold after its success in disintegration of Pakistan in 1971 and annexation of Sikkim in 1975. However, its image suffered some set backs due to debacle in Sri Lanka during 1987 and failure to enlist Pakistan as a terrorist state. Nevertheless, it has retained its image as the country's premier intelligence agency and still wields lot of influence in policy formulation, particularly in matters relating to foreign affairs and internal security. Some observers believe that in actual fact, the foreign policy ofIndia is conceived and planned by RAW, while Ministry of External Affairs is merely an implementing body. The cardinal principles of RAW inspired foreign policy are:

a. To exert influence on other countries under the cover of friendship and co-operation.

b. To play fake role of friendship while secretly pursuing enmity .

c. To resort to threat and coercion to achieve desired objective if necessity arises.

d. To insist on the policy of bilateralism.

e. To delay resolution of problems when own moral and legal position is weak.

f. To work as a lackey of a powerful country but present itself as a super power to the weaker countries.

g. To keep the South Asian - region free from foreign influence and interference.

Now let us see as to how RAW is working to attain its usual as well as special objectives:

a. Conducting extensive espionage 'activities by the under cover diplomats and staff posted in the Indian Missions abroad.

b. Recruiting leaders and other important persons of enemy countries. The agents include politicians, military officers and personnel, Government officials, lawyers, litterateurs, journalists, cultural workers, trade union leaders, teachers etc. Use of well trained women agents, offering temptations, blackmailing and threatening the 'targets' are 'common tactics for ensuring their allegiance.

c. Putting pressure or luring through incentives to the desired country for entering into unequal and incompatible agreements.

d. Offering training to civilian and military officers of other countries and recruit agents from amongst them..

e. Brain washing the intellectuals of foreign countries by arranging scholarships and study tours for them.

f. Spreading cultural influence through video films, TV and radio programmes, newspapers, magazines and journals etc.

g. Promoting internal clashes and violence in the target countries through tribals, aboroginals and minority communities.

h. Developing and promoting separatist movements and to arrange shelter, money: arms and training to terrorists and separatist elements in target countries.

i. Influencing the Government, members of parliament and Government officials of other countries with a view tQ make them tilt towards India. If some one resists the influence, he is made target of intense pressure exerted through diverse means.

j. Encouraging own agents to form pressure groups and through them organise hartal, strike, seige, gherao etc. to create instability and lawlessness in target countries.

k. Spreading false, baseless and distorted news through local and international news media about the target countries to hurt their economic interests as well as . their general prestige and image.

l. Arranging assassination of important personalities including head of Government or state, if he is considered to be faltering rather excessively. This is done to bring desirable changes in the Government and officials, besides serving as warning to the others.

m. Sponsoring military coups or political agitations etc. to bring down a Government which is considered hostile.

n. Waging intense propaganda warfare to further own interests.

RAW, ever since its inception has been playing a yital role in formulation and implementation of Indian foreign policies. In consonance with Koutillaya's precepts, RAW has been waging relentless secret wars against smaller neighbouring countries. Over the years it has worked assiduously and fulfilled its tasks skillfully and ruthlessly. Nevertheless it has many weaknesses and vulnerabilities too. A detailed knowledge about its objectives, working systems and modus operandi can help in effectively countering its menacing onslaught.

CHAPTER-2

ORGANISATION OF RAW

Director. of RAW,who holds the rank of a Secretary to the Government of India ,works directly under the Prime Minister. He is assisted by an Additional Director of the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India. Office of Special Operations (OSO) is responsible for special covert operations. The Joint Directors Areas have specified desks dealing with different regions' (countries). Area one Pakistan, Area two China and South East Asia, Area three Middle East and Africa and Area four other countries. Another Joint Director is responsible of Electronic/Technical Section and Administration including Internal Security. The Director of Security is responsible for the Aviation Research Centre (ARC) and the Special Services Bureau (SSB) which has field detachments in border areas. Aviation Research Centre (ARC) is responsible for interception, monitoring and jamming of target communication, systems. It has the most sophisticated electronic equipment and also a substantial number of aircrafts equipped with state of the art eavesdropping devices. It was strengthened in mid 1987 by the addition of three new aircrafts, the Gulf Streams-3, at the cost of Rs 50 crores. The aircraft can reportedly fly at an altitude of 52,000 ft and has an operating range of 5000 kms. ARC also controls a number of radar stations located close to the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-China borders. Its aircrafts also carry out oblique reconnaissance along the borders with Pakistan, China and Bangladesh.

CHAPTER 3

RAW'S Handlers, Agents and Operations

RAW is conducting its operations against Bangladesh from diverse places and centres. The prime centres are Indian High Commission at Dhaka and Deputy High Commissions at Chittagong and Rajshahi. A large number of under cover diplomatic and other staff are posted in these missions for pursuing RAW's agenda of operations. Such officers and staff actually belong to RAW but on papers are shown to belong to the Ministry of External Affairs etc.

Besides, RAW has a regional office at Malibagh, Calcutta headed by a senior RAW officer, for supervising conduct of espionage and special operations. This set up works independently of High Commission and Deputy High Commissions and has separate budget stated to be over :as 20 crores annually. The set up has sub offices at Darjeeling, Shillong and Agartala which control operations within their regional domains.

These RAW operatives run and handle a large network of hard core agents. In addition they have a very vast number of supporters, sympathizers and part time agents. RAW agents can be divided into three broad categories:

a. Indian nationals who are sent to Bangladesh after proper training in espionage and. sabotage etc. They settle in Bangladesh under false and assumed identity as journalists, businessmen, students, cultural activists, litterateurs etc. for conducting their assigned tasks.

b. Bangladeshi nationals who get hooked for a variety of motives including financial rewards, business interests, ideological considerations (more so in case of Hindus).

c. Third country nationals i.e. who neither belong to India nor to Bangladesh.

These are usually the officials of multinational organisations, NGOs, business houses, corporations and international companies etc. who happen to be either posted in Bangladesh or concerned with projects of Bangladesh.Tasks assigned to RAW agents include:

a. To supply secret and sensitive information particularly about national defence and national policies.

b. To further Indian economic and other interests.

c. To mount malicious propaganda about founding principles and ideological basis of the country and create favourable public opinion for merger with India.

d. To create political unrest, promote terrorism and lawlessness and impede economic growth of the country by resorting to hartals, bandhs, blockades etc. These are done to ensure that Bangladesh remains dependent and shackled to poverty and hence unable to follow sovereign policies.

e. To spread communal and religious disharmony.

f. To create disturbances in educational institutions to encourage more Bangladeshi students to opt for admission in Indian educational institutions.

g. To encourage and promote separatist and subversive movements in the country.

The Weekly Rashtra wrote in its issue of August 11, 1994. "India very carefully uses its mercenaries to arrange hartals and other tactics to destroy country's economy. It employs stooges like Taslima Nasreen to defame the country. Its agents are at work to turn Bangladesh as a market for Indian goods. Indian agents have also been trying to sabotage Jamuna Bridge project and to hinder exploitation of country's mineral resources in order to promote Indian interests".

National Professor Syed Ali Ahsan said in an article published in the Weekly Bikram, April 19 1993, "A few people desire to establish political affinity with India. They seldom find, any error in India's attitude and behaviour with us. They do not protest against India's activities detrimental for Bangladesh. They utter comments against Islam to prove their modern outlook. In fact, they are working to prepare grounds for Bangladesh's merger with India. It is an irony that activities of such treasonous and treacherous clique are not checked and that they have been allowed unbounded freedom to speak against country's independence and ideology".

From the above, it is apparent that the nature of RAW's operations and activities go much beyond the usual interests of an intelligence agency. No wonder that RAW's agents have Infiltrated everywhere like swarms of locusts.

CHAPTER 4

RAW'S OBJECTIVES

A section of people in Bangladesh preaches that menace of India is a baseless and communalistic propaganda. They argue, why should India over-burden herself by swallowing a problematic and poverty-stricken country ? For their kind information I can note that India has already set several examples of swallowing weak and tiny territories. The world is well aware how treacherously India annexed Hyderabad, Manvadhar, Goa, Daman, Diu, Kashmir etc. How can one forget the illegal and conspiratorial annexation of Sikkim, a tiny and rocky mountainous kingdom of the Himalayas. Thus how can one be naive enough to believe that India is not interested in capturing a strategically important country like Bangladesh.

Merging Bangladesh with India is RAW's ultimate goal. It is considered necessary to suppress the ongoing liberation struggles in North-eastern Indian states bordering Bangladesh. Thus constant efforts are being made on multiple' fronts to weaken and cripple Bangladesh to facilitate its swallowing. RAW's policy makers have taken it as their historical responsibility to materialise the dream of Nehru and other leaders for a united India i.e. 'Ram Raj'. It may be mentioned that the Hindu leaders had accepted partition of India in the hope that one day it would be undone. An independent and sovereign Bangladesh remains a thorn in the eyes of Indian leaders which has to be uprooted at the earliest.

People of the then East Bengal (today's Bangladesh) had struggled for establishment of an independent Muslim state to get dd of communal mentality and master-like attitude of the Hindu leaders. Muslims apprehended that their interests and even existence may be in jeopardy in Hindu majority India. This led to wide scale popularity of Two' Nation Theory which became the basis for creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of East Bengal.

It is to be noted that the then Muslim leaders had tried their utmost to avoid partition of Bengal and to form an independent and unified Bengal state outside the framework of India and Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the undisputed Muslim leader of that time was in favour of undivided and independent Bengal, but Hindu leaders, specially Jawaharlal Nehru and his followers opposed the idea. Nehru demanded that if India was to be divided to create. Pakistan, Bengal and Punjab were also to be divided so that their Hindu majority areas could merge with India. Nehru's motive for dividing Bengal and Punjab was to expedite the annulment of partition of India as explained in his letter to Mr. Ashraf-ud-Din, a Congress leader from Comilla.

'The Congress has stood for the union of India and still stands for it. But w~ have previously stated that we are not going to compel any part against its will. If that unfortunately leads to a division then we accept it. But inevitably such a division must mean a division also of Bengal and Punjab. That is the only way to have a united India soon after. If we can have a united India straight way without such division that will of course be. very welcome'.

The objective of Indian assistance to the Bengalis during the war of liberation of 1971 was to boost the process of reuniting India, a cherished dream of Nehru and other Hindu leaders. An impartial view of the treaty signed during 1971 war of liberation by India and the Provisional Government of Bangladesh, make it evidently. clear that India actually wanted a crippled Bangladesh, which should . not be able to come out of the claws of Indian grasp.

The 7-point secret treaty which our Provisional Government was compelled to sign in October 1971 states :

a. After establishment of Bangladesh, the administrative officers who actively participated in the war of liberation would remain in their posts. The rest would be terminated and vacant posts would be filled up by the Indian administrative officers.

b. After the liberation of Bangladesh the required number of Indian soldiers would remain in Bangladesh(No time limit was laid down).

c. Bangladesh would not form and maintain any formal Indian regular Armed Forces.

d. To maintain internal security and law and order a militia would be formed comprisin of the freedom fighters.

e. The chief of staff of the Indian Armed Forces would lead the probable war with Pakistan. The Mukti Bahini (freedom fighters) would work under the command of Indian Armed Forces.

f. Trade transactions between the two countries would be free and open. The volume of trade would be calculated once in a year and the price would be paid in pound-starlings.

g. The Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh would maintain a close liaison with External Affairs of Ministry of India and the latter would assist the former as far as possible( Excerpts from interview of Mr. Humayun Rashid Chowdhury: by Masudul Haque : 'RAW and CIA in the Liberation war of Bangladesh)

Mr. Humayun Rashid Chowdhury, who was the Chief of Mission of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in New Delhi disclosed during the interview that late Syed N azrul Islam, the Acting President of Provisional Bangladesh Government fainted after signing the accord. It is intriguing that the text of this' treaty has not been published till today neither by the Government of Bangladesh nor by that of India.

In pursuance of above accord, provisional Government of Bangladesh had to agree to the following arrangements:

a. Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora was appointed as the Commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces instead of General Ataul Ghani Osmani.

b. Surrender of Pakistani soldiers to Lt. General Aurora.

c. Arrival of Indian civil servants in Dhaka to take over the responsibility of civil administration.

d. Continued stay of Indian soldiers in Bangladesh even after surrender of Pak Army on December 16, 1971. .

e. Formation of Rakkhi Bahini.

India intended to keep its troops in Bangladesh for an indefinite period but it was forced to withdraw the troops due to return of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10, 1972, who publically asked India to withdraw its troops from Bangladesh. Ex-President of India Late Zail Singh exposed Indian plans during an interview. Mr Singh said that the decision of withdrawing Indian troops was not judicious as it hampered India’s interests.This interview was published in Indian newspapers on July 27, 1987.

The original RAW plan to keep Indian troops permanently in Bangladesh having failed, efforts were initiated on other fronts to cripple sovereignty of the new state. RA. W policy makers were well aware that it was no longer easy to swallow a country by force. The traditional method of occupying a country is neither appreciable nor practicable. Now-a-days no occupation army gets world recognition. Rather it has to face world-wide condemnation and defamation.

But it does not mean that an expansionist bully will leave its aggressive zeal in the New World Order. Now to over run a country an aggressor cripples its citizens psychologically and reduces its economy to shambles to create such a situation that its citizens no longer possess mental strength and inspiration to be self-reliant. That country becomes a market of foreign goods having failed to develop its own resources. And ultimately the country becomes bankrupt and overburdened with foreign debt. The spontaneity, vigour and vitality of the people are wiped out and they loose their spirit to resist an invader. Though the country seems to be independent outwardly but psychologically and culturally its people are made subservient. They become imitative. Their cultural identity and exclusiveness and their spirit of nationalism gradually die down. A day then comes when they fail to perceive the significance and necessity of protecting independence and sovereignty. RAW relentlessly has been endeavouring to create such a situation in Bangladesh.

With this end in view India wants to turn Bangladesh into a desert by withdrawing water of forty international rivers. The Chakmas are instigated to snatch away Chittagong Hill Tracts, the soul of Bangladesh. Efforts are made to infiltrate Indian secret agents .under the cover of 'Bangabhumi' and 'push back'. Educational institutions are made to cease work in order to drive away students to Indian educational institutions. Agents are engaged to help close the local mills and factories in the name of trade union movements. To create psychological insecurity Talpatti, Muhurir char, Nirmal Char and many other areas of Bangladeshi territory have already been taken away illegally and forcibly.

BSF and Indian killers are infiltrated into Bangladesh to hijack or kill Bangladeshi citizens and plunder their belongings. Above all cultural and religious identity of 90% people of Bangladesh is being eroded out by systematic attacks on Islamic values.

RAW side by side creates political instability and unrest through its agents. In such a situation people become reluctant, irritated, disgusted and disrespectful to the leadership of the country as they fail to ascertain the real friend and foe of the country. When this situation goes from bad to worse and the national leaders fail to ensure the security of life and property of the common people they themselves may invite foreign power on their soil as their saviour. Sikkim, a Himalayan Kingdom, went underthe domination of India through this process.

RAW is applying above technique in Bangladesh more aggressively and systematically. RAW plans to throw Bangladesh to the brink of such uncertainty and destruction by wiping out its cultural identity, crippling its economy, creating political impasse ,and instability so that the demand for Indian intervention should rise from within Bangladesh. To respond to such a so-called invitation India has prepared before hand the legal ground by compelling Bangladesh to sign the 25 years Peace and Friendship Treaty. In. the meantime, RAW agents like Taslima Nasreen are propagating to wipe out the border of Bangladesh in order to merge with India. Indian intellectuals also do not feel ashamed to plead for re-unification of Bangladesh with India. For RAW Bangladesh is a test case to materialise its blue print of United India.

CHAPTER-5

THE PARTITION OF BENGAL:TRUTH AND FALLACY

A dispassionate analysis of historical events prior to 1947 clearly indicates that Nehru and other Hindu leaders were responsible for the partition of India, specially Bengal. The division of Bengal took place consequent upon decision of Hindu majority districts legislators of the then Bengal Legislative Assembly who at Nehru's behest voted on June 20, 1946, in favour o(partition of Bengal by 58-21 votes. On the other hand the Muslim legislators voted in favour of undivided "Bengal by 106-35 votes.

Nehru had created an apprehension in the minds of the Bengali Hindus that administration of undivided independent Bengal would be controlled by the Muslims as they were 6% more than the Hindus. To preclude the possibility of Bengal emerging as a powerful and viable unit and to make it easy for him or his successors to take weak East Bengal back into India's fold as soon as possible, Nehru insisted on the partition of Bengal which he later confessed:"Bengal was divided in a manner that it could easily be merged into India again"( The Weekly Jhanda: May 13, 1992).

However, despite above historical facts, Hindus keep accusing Muslim leaders for partition !Jf Bengal. They hold Mr. Jinnah in particular responsible for Bengal's partition. Hindus call Muslim leaders as communal for propagating Two Nation Theory. However, old press reports clearly indicate that neither Mr. Jinnah was communal nor he wanted partition of Bengal. A Deccan Daily 'The Hindu' in its May 9, 1947, issue reported that Mr. Jinnah had no objection to allowing Bengal to 'participate in -the Constituent Assembly if Pakistan was allowed to be created on the western part of the Indian Sub-continent. He virtually had no objection if Bengal would remain outside Pakistan(1. Mahatma Ghandi: The Last Phase: Vol.-II.P-178. Quoted by Badruddin Umar in Partition of Bengal And Communal Politics.)

On the other hand Nehru's demand was that Bengal would have to be divided if India was to be partitioned. Lord Mount Baton, the last Viceroy of the British India, explained how Mr. Jinnah Was compelled to swallow the partition of Bengal as a last resort.He (Jinnah) presented very strong arguments as to why these provinces (Bengal and Punjab) should not be partitioned. He conveyed' that these provinces have common cultural characteristics and that partition would be disastrous. Nehru re-iterated that why not the same considerations be applied to the partition of entire India. Mr. Jinnah did not agree and started explaining why India had to be partitioned. However, finally Mr. Jinnah realized that the Hindus and British would either have a united

India or a divided India with partitioned Punjab and Bengal. Resultantly Jinnah was left with no option but to accept the proposed partition"( Kamruddin Ahmed: A Social- Political History of Bengal: P-83).The proceeding para clearly proves that Bengal and Punjab were partitioned as a pre-condition set by the Hindu leaders for partitioning India. So the sub-continent was not divided according to Jinnah's plan. Jinnah wanted that India should be partitioned into India and Pakistan keeping Bengal and Punjab intact. He also favoured an undivided Bengal outside Pakistan. However, when Mr. Jinnah realized that if Bengal and Punjab were not partitioned to meet the obstinacy of Nehru, the sub-continent itself would not be'divided and in that case Muslims would be deprived of any homeland at all, he reluctantly agreed to the partition of the two provinces(Punjab and Bengal). In fact Mr. Jinnah had been left with no option but to accept the partition scheme because Lord Mount Batton had told him that if he (Jinnah) did not accept the 3rd June proposal, British would transfer power to the largest political party i.e., Indian National Congress.

RAW has now taken upon itself to distort the history to suit its ulterior motives. Accordingly RAW's agents keep propagating that only Mr. Jinnah was responsible for the partition of Bengal. This is being done to support RAW's bigger game plan i.e., to wipe out the boundary lines separating Bangladesh from India. RAW wants to project the boundary lines as reminiscent of Mr. Jinnah and others so called 'communal' Muslim leaders. The next phase is to make case for undoing these' unholy' lines.

CHAPTER-6

Attack On Existence, Ideology and Culture OF Bangladesh

The Ananda Bazar Patrika of Calcutta recently published a long feature on the so-called crippled economy and political instability of Bangladesh and shamelessly advised Bangladeshis in the following way: Realizing the cruel truth Bangladeshis should rather raise the demand to merge with India'. Getting similar message from her masters in RAW Taslima Nasreen, a derailed writer, wrote in a poem:

'A thorn has been pricked
In my throat in 1947
I do not want to swallow it
Rather I desire to extort it
To reclaim the undivided soil of my ancestors'

(1. Quoted in the Weekly Muslim Jahan, January 3, 1995.)

Taslima Nasreen has been rewarded by conferring many awards by India for her so-called literary works.Going back to history we find that our forefathers never willingly accepted being part of undivided India. The people of this region never whole heartedly accepted the authority of Delhi-the capital of undivided India. They raised flag of independence and even fought against the exploiters and administrators of Delhi again and again. However, RAW seems to have learnt nothing from history and continues to strive for realization of its dream of an undivided India. Propounding the same thoughts in a seminar about regional cooperation of South Asia held at Dhaka on February 28, 1992, Mr. Mayaram Surgeon, a leader of Indian National Congress and the editor of the 'Daily Ajkal' said:"If Europe can be united, why can't we return to pre-partition India of 1947 ?"

The irony is that nobody in the seminar objected to Mr. Myaram's malicious suggestion. Rather some of the RAW agents hailed him for his wisdom. In another seminar organised by the' Center for Developing the Spirit of Bengali Nationalism' to welcome the 15th century of the Bengali Calendar Mr. Hasan Imam, a self- styled champion of the spirit of liberation war supported the call of Mr. Mayaram. He said:'The vast sub-continent was fragmented to pieces, though we wanted to remain united. It cannot be believed that we cannot be united once again in future'( The Daily Inqilab : April 30, 1994)

Mr. Hasan Imam is a member of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee (The committee for elimination of collaborators of 1971). The, above statement, evidently proves for whom Hasan Imam and his colleagues work.Why don't these so-called ardent advocates of Bengali spirit encourage the people of West Bengal to secede from India and reunite with Bangladesh? Why do they advise Bangladeshis to merge with India? We in Bangladesh fought and laid down lives for upholding Bengali language and to nurse and highlight distinct Bengali identity. Our merging with India will amount to undoing these achievements. On the contrary they do not advise that West Bengal should break away from India and merge with us, given their love for Bengali spirit and culture. Mr. Mayaram and host of others like him see only the reunification of Germany but they are blind enough not to see what has happened to the defunct Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

RAW certainly is aware of the fact that religion and religion-based culture are the prime obstacles in the way of reunification of so-called undivided India. A true Muslim can never relinquish his religion, culture and life-style. Every step of a Muslim is governed and guided by his religion because Islam is a complete code of life. For this reason Bengali speaking Muslims and Hindus though live in the same territory and eat rice-fish-dal, they can never become a. homogenous community. There fore, despite living in the same country they have separate and distinct identities. RAW's objective is to undermine Islam in the lives of Bangladeshi Muslims so that their blending with Hindus is facilitated. For the purpose RAW is trying to erode the Muslim culture and replace it by Hindu culture under the pretext of Bengali culture.

It may be noted that Muslims have preserved and protected their separate cultural identity despite living alongside their Hindu neighbours for centuries. Although language of both. Muslims and Hindus is the same yet a clear-cut distinction is visible in their way of using idioms. In many cases Hindus use words of Sanskrit origin, While Muslims use words of Arabic and Persian origin. For 'water' Hindus and Muslims use two separate words: 'Jol and 'pani' respectively. To refer to blessing, Hindus say 'Ashirbad ' while Muslims say 'Doa'.For the word 'Pardon', Hindus use 'Khama' (kshma) but the Muslims use the word 'Maaf. Thousands of examples of this kind of differences can be cited. Hindus sound 'Ulu' (sound uttered by Hindu Women on festive or religious occasions) at birth, marriage and 'Puja'(religion worship of the Hindus).

This custom is not in vogue among Muslims. Married Hindu women use vermilion in their hairparting. Muslim women do not use it. Hjndus are cremated after their ,death while Muslims are buried. The customs of the two religious communities are totally different and sometimes poles apart. Neither of them relinquished their own customs nor accepted and developed a common one to show their devotion to Bengalee culture or Bengalee spirit. Each of them is glued to its own faith and culture. When any Hindu child is born, Hindus utter b. sound 'Ulu', but when a child is born in a Muslim family, 'Azan' (Muezzin's call to the Muslims for prayer) is articulated in the new born's ears. Muslim boys are circumcised in their early boyhood, whereas Hindu boys are not. Hindus consider and venerate the water of the Ganges as the most sacred (even though it is highly polluted and impure) but Muslims do not think so. Hindus believe in 33 crores of deities and worship idols. Muslims believe in only one Allah. So Muslims and Hindus, though live in the same region, speak the same language and eat almost the same food; they have different customs and developed different cultures. Neither of the two faiths could get over the religious boundaries to create common life style and culture. Each of them belong to a distinct faith and culture and has different historical background.

RAW backed intellectuals take infinite pains to prove to the new generation that the liberation war of 1971 disproved the validity of the Two Nation Theory and generated the spirit of secularism. However, this is totally wrong. The war of liberation was directed against the then West Pakistani domination and exploitation and not against Islam and our Muslim identity. None of the leaders of the liberation war ever relinquished Islam, Muslim identity and Muslim culture.

One of the main characteristics of Islam is that it wants the new converts to set aside all the tenets, rituals, customs and life-style of their previous religion and to accept and practise what is enjoined and approved, by Islam. Our forefathers when they converted from Hinduism to Islam, not only relinquished Hindu :religion but also Hindu rites, customs, culture, norms and way of living. They committed themselves ,totally to Islam. After becoming Muslims they did not continue following their previous (Hindu) practices, such as, uttering 'Ulu', lighting 'Mongol pradep' (an auspicious lamp used by the Hindus, specially, at a religious ceremony), positioning 'Mongal Ghot' (a consecrated pitcher placed in a house to win divine favour). They gave up blowing the conch, sounding the bell-metal disc, cremation of a widow" on her dead husband's funeral pyre, use of vermilion in hair-parting etc.; and began to practise what is granted by Islam. For these reasons, Bengali, speal,ring Hindus and Muslims did not and could not develop a conimon cultural heritage.

In recent years RAW hirelings have been assiduously trying to introduce Hindu practices, labeling them as integrai part of Bengalee culture. They kindle Mongal pradepi sound bell-pletal" disc and utter. 'Ulu' in various furictions. Their aim is to promote Hindu culture; in the name of Bengalee culture.' 'But history testifies that the custom of kindling Mongal pradep or sounding bell-metal,or blowing conch shell was not very common, even among the Hindus in any part of Bengal, leave alone the Muslims.
Thus these are pot part of Beng-alee tradition or culture at all.

No reference to these practices (kindling Mongal pradip, ringing be~l-metal Or blowing conch shell) is found in,the ancient Bengali religious lYrics 'CHARJAPAD' which were composed during the reign of the Paul Dynasty that ruled Bengal from the 8th to the 12th century. After the fall of the Paul Dynasty in the 12th century the Sens from Karnataka became the rulers or Bengal. The Sens were Hindus and they introduced Karnataki Hindu practices in the temples of Bengal. The customs of kindling auspicious lflmp at time of worshipping the deities, blowing conch"shell and beating bell-metal were introduced by Sens. So, the culture the urban-based RAW hirelings try to introduce in Bangladesh in the name of Bengalee culture is not even the culture of the original Hindus of this region. However, the RAW-inspired intellectuals have been pleading for introduction of the said rituals in our important national functions. In this context the comments of the renowned national professor Syed Ali Ahsan are worth mentioning. He writes:

"A group of parasitic and invertebrate people who are totally devoid of historical facts, kindle Mongal pradeep and blow bell-metal in the cultural functions. In pursuance of historical evidence I want to say that auspicious lamp and bell-metal are totaIly,idolatrous and communal. Moreover they are by no means related to,the life-style of the people of this region"(The Weekly Bikram : April 19-25 : 1993).

"According to the dictionary published by Bangla Academy one of the meanings of the word 'Mongol' is poem or lyrics or song praising deities: viz Manasa Mongol (epic in honour of the Hindu snake goddess Manasa), Chandi Mongal (eulogistic literature about Hindu goddess Chandi). Mongal Gnatmeans earthen or any other kind of pot placed with festivities to win the favour of Hindu deities.So Mangol Ghat and Mongal pradep are part and parcel of Hin'du customs and culture"(The Weekly Jhanda: April 30, 1992).

These practices never entered into the religious, social or family life of the Bengali speaking Muslims. Yet since 1990 a familiar group of so-called intellectuals has shamelessly started to indulge in these idolatrous practices on our new year's day in the name of Bengalee culture. To display so called Bengali culture this group and their followers dance in the, streets wearing masks of deities,(ghosts, apparition, jackal, monkey and hanuman (the name of the monkey chief who was an ally of the Hindu deity Ramchandra in his expedition to Lanka).

Even the Hindus, let alone the Muslims of our country,were never seen before in our streets with such beast-like appearances. If we look into the bistory of British India when Hindus were dominant ip this region we do not get any evidence of celebrating Bengali New year's Day in such a way. Let us again see what professor: Ali Ashan says about this exotic culture:

"The truth which history reveals is that these beastly masks and decorations are related to the festivals of Gajan held in connection with the worship of the Hindu deity 'Shiva' (Sri Krishna /Narayan, Vishnu, Shiva, all are Hindu deities)of the untouchable Hindus. In the 'Gajan fair' untouchable Hindus like 'Dom' (a Hindu caste who are assigned duty of burning the dead and looking after the crematorium), sweeper, chandal (one of the lowest caste of the Hindus usually entrusted with the execution of criminals) etc. used to dress up as clowns in multiforms to celebrate".I expect my learned readers to realize how tactfully RAW has been instilling the culture of lower caste Hindus among the Muslims of Bangladesh in the name of Bengalee cuUure. It should be noted here that Bengali-speaking Hindus never recognised Muslims as Bengalees. They considered 'Bengali-speaking Muslims lower even than the untouchables like cobblers,sweepers, fishermen barbers, washermen etc.

There is not even a single instance in the history of the Bengali speaking Muslims to prove that such practices were in vogue during the united Bengal days or even thereafter. However, now the so-called progressive elements at the behest of RAW, have become votaries of alien culture. RAW wants to make inroads in the bastion of the Bengali speaking Muslim's faith, with the ultimate object of making the Muslims of Bangladesh to repudiate Islam and its values and disdain their cultural heritage. Perhaps a day may come when RAW's stooges will emerge in our streets dressed as Kali, Lakshmi, Sarswati,Radha-Krishna, Aurjun or Shiva (all are hindu deities) or parade the ,streets in procession as devotees of these Hindu deities. They may start wearing thread (worn by the upper class Hindus) round their necks or decorate their foreheads' or the bridges of noses with sandal wood paste (as painted by vaishnavas worshippers of Vishnu, a Hindu deity or followers of Sri Chaitanya reformer of modern Hinduism) or'carry a trident in their hands (used by Hindu deity Shiva and now-a-days by Hindu ascetics). Some of them have already started making an exhibition of their Bengaleeism by wearing 'Dhoti' (a lion cloth worn by Hindus).

The people of this region had not seen such efforts for revival of Hindu culture in the name of Bengalee culture before 1990. Sheikh Mujib, the founder of Bangladesh and a Bengalee par excellence, celebrated 4 Martyr Days, 4 Independence Days, 4 New year's Days and 3 Victory' Days after the emergence of Bangladesh. But they never made any attempt to introduce auspicious lamp, bell-metal, conch shell or 'Ulu' in these celebrations in the name of Bengalee culture. Masked demon of Ram's devotee Hanuman was not seen in the streets on Bengali New Year's day. Not a sing (entrance is found in Sheikh Mujib's,thousands of speeches and statements which could indicate that he encouraged the introduction of Hindu culture in the name of Bengali culture.

But since 1990 RAW hirelings have started a campaign to promote Hindu culture. After all what is their motive? Scrutiny of background of ardent supporters of Hindu culture reveals that these people are the new converts and hence are acting more holier than the Pope. Here are some details about a few of them. '

Sufia Kamal was an exponent of Islamic values; brotherhood and the territorial integrity of Pakistan till the sixties. She also composed a number of poems in praise of the Quaid-e-Azam and Pakistan. In the later part of the sixties when disintegration of Pakistan seemed inevitable she allied herself with the pro-Moscow elements. During the n~ne months' of liberation war she stayed in Dhaka quite comfortably. Belfltedly she, emerged as a champion and symbol of independence and the apostle of the spirit of liberation war. She once headed the infamous' Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee.

Mr.' Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, another ostentatious exponent of the spirit of liberation war has become a supporter of Pakistan's ideology. During Ayub regime he wrote a book for school students named 'Pakistan: The country and her culture' in which he advocated Pakistani nationalism and cultural unity of the then Pakistan.Mr. Shamsur Rehman is yet another ardent preacher of the so-called Bengalee culture. However, till December 16, 1971 Mr, Shamsur Rehman had employed his efforts and talent to safeguard the unity and solidarity of the then Pakistan. His writings in erstwhile 'The Dainik Pakistan' are clear proof of his allegiance to the then Pakistan.

These people are turn-coats and opportunists. They now claim themselves to be the custodians of the spirit of liberation war to draw personal benefits. They shamelessly try to introduce alien culture i:l1 Bangladesh the culture which Sheikh Mujib, the architect of liberation struggle himself never prescribed. They think that the more they glorify Hindu culture, the more will they be regarded as pure Bengalees and thus will be able to conceal their past record and gain material benefits. However, the truth of the matter is that these people were neither sincere and loyal to Pakistan in the past, nor are they sincere and loyal to Bengalee spirit at present. They are mere mercenaries doing RAW's bidding' for their personal gains.

RAW has realized that the sovereign existence of Bangladesh can't be annulled so long Islam exists, as a living force among the bulk of her people and her cultural boundary remains intact. Therefore, RAW has mounted a multi-pronged attack to distort cultural heritage of Bangladesh. It has engaged so called-Muslim pseudo intellectuals to spearhead attacks on Muslim values and traditions and to introduce Hindu culture in the name of Bengalee culture. RAW has recently adopted a novel way to contact and recruit important, religious and political leaders of Bangladesh. They send some of their Indian, Muslim stooges to Bangladesh to approach high religious and political personalities of Bangladesh. Moulana Asad Madni of Deoband, Alhaj Kashani Baba of Dargah Nizam Uddin Aulia and ulema from Ajmer Sharif have been visiting Bangladesh for the purpose. They invite top Bangladeshi leaders to their hotel or place of residence and try to pass RAW's covert message to include:

a. Partition of India has not proved good for Muslims. Hence Muslims should try for re-unification of India.

b. Indian Muslims and their religious places are well protected and looked after by Indian Government (not withstanding the plight of Babri Masjid). , '

c. It is propagated that Pakistan and Bangladesh do not have Islamic laws i.e., Family Laws in Pakistan as well as Bang~adesh are unislamic, while in India Muslim personal laws are being followed. Example of Shah Bano case is often cited to propagate their point.

d. Bangladeshi leaders are urged to stop criticism of India.

e. Invitation is extended to Bangladeshi leaders to visit India on their expenses. The offers for joint business ventures are also made to lure in the Bangladeshi leaders.

RAW's ultimate aim is to affect minds of people particularly of new generation in such a manner so that they forget Muslim traditions, values and culture and adopt Hindu culture similar to that of India. Thereafter it will become easier for RAW to launch the next phase of 'Annex Bangladesh' operation.

CHAPTER-7

TASLIMA NASREEN

Taslima Nasreen, the blasphemous and controversial writer from Bangladesh owes her sudden rise to fame and prominece to RAW. On instigation from RAW she has been writing novels and poems against Islam, morality and independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. Since many years RAW has been using her for spreading poisonous and preposterous material against Muslim culture. RAW's " love for Taslima N areen is indicated by conferring of an award by the Anandabazar Group of Calcutta, India, for her book 'Nirbichito Column'.

Knowledgeable circles disclosed that although the book on its merit did not deserve such recognition, the award was conferred on her due to RAW's recommendations. Some critics pointed out that Taslima in her said book had extensively copied from Sukumari Bhattacharjee's book 'Prachin Bharat: Samaj 0 Shahitya' (old Indian Society and Literature). At places Taslima even used similar words which were written by Sukumari Bhattacharjee. But instead of taking action against Taslima Nasreen for piracy, the Anadabazer Group honoured her by the award.

Many poets, writers and literary figures of West Bengal have vehemently protested against awarding Taslima Nasreen for her plagiarism. But the Anandabazer Group continues to patronize her. Obviously it would not have been possible without official patronage. The RAW's aim of doing the same was to establish Taslima Nasreen as a prolific writer to a literary person of substance so that her writings carry greater appeal.Taslima has been frequently writing against existence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country. She openly preaches for merger of Bangladesh in India.

In many of her poems and other writings she unabashedly appeals for doing away with artificial boundaries of 1947 and regain the glory of undivided motherland.Her infamous novel 'Lajjya' was aimed at castigating Is1am and Muslim values in Bangladesh: The novel narrates the so saIled sufferings of an imaginary Hindu family in Bangladesh in the wake of demolition of Babri Mosque. It is intriguing. that she ignored plight of thousands of Muslims who were killed in riots in India. Instead she mlide false allegations against Muslims of Bangladesh, who have a good record of treatment of minorities. Infact, RAW had a deeper conspiracy in view while proposing to her to write the, said novel. Beside suggesting to her the novel's plot and characters,' RAW also provided her distorted 'statistics' for building up the story. The novel which was
completed within two months was printed imd distributed under RAW's arrangements.

Many quartrers refuse to acknowledge that it is a genuine solo work of Taslima. They claim on the authority of inside sources that the final manuscript of the novel was shaped by some ghost Indian writers under supervision of RAW which was later published in the name of Taslima Nasreen.

The RAW's objectives for publishing 'Lajjya' are listed below:

a. To create hatred against Bangladeshi Muslims by projecting'them as fanatics. Also to paint Bangladesh as a Muslim fundamentalist state.

b. To bring disrepute.to Islamic values and culture.

c. To raise the' demand for obliterating the map of Bangladesh and merge it with India on the ground that minority community (Hindu) is not safe in the country.

d. To hit economic interest of Bangladesh by presenting her as a Muslim fundamentalists country where rights of minorities are not safe. RAW hoped that after such adverse 'propaganda' donor countries may cut or reduce econoJllic aid to Bangladesh.

e. To promote civil unrest by creatftlg polarisation in the society. RAW knew that TasIima's uttering will be resented by Muslfm masses and will lead to establishment of two camps, one in favour of Taslima and ,the other against her. The ones who support her will be termed as anti-religious by the other group. The polarisation between the two groups will lead to severe unrest and law and order situation in

Bangladesh which may de-stabilize the Qovernment and the democratic system.After storm of protests all over the country the novel was banned in Bangladesh. However, its sale and distribution continued in West Bengal and other Indian states under patronage of RA W.,.BJP and other communal parties of India have been using the novel as an ammunition in their anti-Muslim campaign. Although RAW partially succeeded in achieving its other objectives, the economic assistance to Bangladesh was not affected due' to timely counter measures by Bangladesh Government.

Mr. Ashoke A. Biswas, a noted Indian analyst and research scholar commenting on RAW's involvement with Taslima said, "The latest examples of RAW's mischief has been the notorious discovery of Taslima Nasreen. This immoral, third rate writer was initially lionized by Calcutta media and then financed by RAW. Taslima's literary mentors in Calcutta encouraged her to challenge the fundamental tenets of Islam, knowing fully well that it would have an adverse reaction among devout Muslims. Here the plan of RAW was to create internal turmoil in Bangladesh as well as to arouse the western feminist and anti-fundamentalist lobby against Islam".

Taslima Nasreen is also notorious for immoral utterings. She preaches free sex and does not recognize the institution of marriage. She displays contempt for social values and cultural traditions on the ground that these hinder personal freedom. She argues in one of her writings that why should a woman be expected to bear the child of her husband alone. Why should she not conceive child of a man whom she loves even while married to another man? t'9bviously such writings, besides being provocative are against the tenets of Islam.

However, RAW undertakes to propagate and spread her works to spoil the moral fiber of Bangladesh's Muslim society. Taslima Nasreeneven dared to directly utter blasphemous words for The Quarn and its teachings. She stated il) an interview with a Calcutta daily in 1994, "The Quran should be re-written to suit the changed present day world" (Nauzubillah). Obviously the devout Muslims of Bangladesh, could not take this direct assault on Islam. Soon the entire country was up against her. In many places of the country protest meetings and demonstrations were held against her utterings demanding severe punishment for her. Some secular and pro-Indian elements tried to defend her initially but seeing public's fury, went quiet after a while. Sensing danger Taslima went under ground. On public's demand Government instituted a case against her under relevant law of the land.

RAW's game to earn Taslima fame and prominence was successful. Many organizations and governments of the western countries came forward to defend Taslimsa's right to freedom. of speech and expression. Even the US President Mr. Clinton spoke in favour of Taslima. The Government under international pressure was obliged to allow her to leave the country after staging bail from a court. She is now comfortably lodged in Europe from where she keeps uttering blasphemous statements with impunity.

The case of Taslima Nasreen provides good insight about RAW's modus operanda and overall objectives. A person of mediocre literary potentials and dubious personal morals was helped to jockey to fame and riches as reward for furthering their cause.

However, RAW made a fundamental, rather fatal mistake in their assessment.They failed to correctly gauge the reaction of Bangladeshi masses-the common Muslims. Indeed the blasphemy issue helped Muslim forces in uniting on one platform to thwart Indian sponsored onslaught against Islam and Muslim values. Such unity could not have been possible in the ordinary course. Thus thanks to RAW and Taslima Nasreen, today's Bangladeshi Muslims are better prepared, united and determined than ever in the past, to fight conspiracies against Muslim identity of Bangladesh.

CHAPTER-8

BANGLADESHI NATIONALISM VERSUS BENGALEE NATIONALISM

RAW strategists have cleverly created disagreement and division even over the issue of national ideology. A debate has been going on whether the country should adopt Bangladeshi nationalism or Bengalee nationalism. Unfortunately RAW has succeeded in making this fundamental issue an aging controversy. Bangladeshi nationalism relates to all the people living in Bangladesh. It is a description of the fee1ing of political cohesion, which inspires Bangladeshis to be proud of their separateness. Since Muslims constitute more than 85% of the country's population., therefore, Bangladeshi nationalism in fact, means nationalism of majority of its population. As French nationalism implies not the nationalism of Algerian immigrants settled i~ France but the national feelings of those Frenchrllen who once were affiliated to the Catholic Church. Bangladeshi nationalism also reflects aspirations of majority community i.e. Muslims. The term Bangladeshi nationalism was adopted by President Ziaur Rahman as a compromise between those secularists who would not favour any description which savoured of religion and those who wanted that the nationalism should reflect aspirations and sentiments of majority community. However, even this secular expression which only indirectly points at Bangladesh's character as a Muslim country with Muslim traditions in art, literature and social life, is not to the liking of RAW influenced intellectuals. They abhor the use of word Bangladeshi nationalism calling it communal and insist on adoption of Bengalee nationalism. Much of this campaign is being waged on wink from RAW.

Bengali nationalism encompasses all the Bengali speaking people irrespective of where they live. Going by this definition all Bengali speaking people form one nation.d HOwever, the concept of forming nations on the basis of language has become redundant. If language was the only factor for making of a nation, all Arabic speaking people of the Middle East should have formed one state instead of 22. Going by the logic of language, India has no right to function as a single country as it has 171 languages and 544 sub-languages (RuhulAmin: Our Nationalism: page, 20). Thus the concept of nationhood based on language alone is not in vogue.

Besides Bangladesh, the Bengali speaking people are inhabited in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Orissa and Behar states of India. In the first two states they are the predominant ethnic group. They belong to the same Bengali stock as people of Bangladesh and- in some cases have similar social and cultural behavior. But still they are distinctly different from Bangladeshis in matters of national identity, history, faith, hopes and aspirations. This difference is due to religion. In fact, the difference was created the day Islam came in this region. The advent of Islam brought in a new social culture which gave a new identity. to those who embraced Islam. The Bengali speaking Muslims and Hindus became two separate religious and cultural groups. These differences gradually became the reason for pronouncement of Two Nation. Theory and eventual division of India into Pakistan and India. East Pakistan, after separation from Pakistan in December 1971, became Bangladesh.

The basic differences between the two communities (Hindus and Muslims) are as evident today as these were thousands of years ago. Common cultural identity. and common nationalism could never grow between the two communities. British writer John Marshall while discussing the peculiarities of ancient Indian culture of the Hindus and the Muslims wrote. "It was never seen before in human history that the two religions and cultures coexisted side by side while one could not swallow the other(quote from John Marshal:by Abdul Mobin: Cultural Mischief, page 80).

The separate cultural identities of Bengali speaking Hindus and Muslims remained intact for ages despite conflicts and clashes. Such conflicts rather hardened their separate identities and religious beliefs.The Hindu poets, litterateurs and intellectuals Bever, accepted the Bengali speaking Muslims as Bengalee. They used the term Bengalee only for Benga.li speaking Hindus. The Muslims were not considered Bengalees. Instead they used to be referred as Muslims. On the other hand, the Bengali speaking Muslims did not care much about their' Bangaleeness. They took pride in their Muslim identity and culture. Being a Bengaleecame only after their Muslim identity.

Religion based cultural identity in course of time created political conflicts. The differences on political issues specially since the advent of British rule in Bengal led the Bengali speaking Muslims of this region to think that their interests and goals are not the same as of their Hindu neighbours. The Muslims of Bengal opposed the rule of the British East India Company while the Hindus welcomed it and cooperated with the foreign rulers. In return the East India Company allotted vast'lands of Bengal to the Hindus who emerged as Zamind-ars. The anti-British struggle of Titunrir, Haji Sharlat Ullah and the 1857 War of Independence, all ended in smoke due to the non-cooperation and opposition of the Hindus.

The Hindus of Bengal once again prov~d in 1905 at the time of partition of Bengal that their interest and that of the Muslims are not the same. Not a single Hindu political.leader or intellectual rose above his communal feelings and interests to support the partition of Bengal in 1905. Rather, inspired by Hindu nationalism., they vowed to fight for annulment of partition. The very inimical attitude of the Hindus towards Muslims gave them a chance to unearth the real face of Hindus. They realized the necessity of preserving their own religious, cultural, economic and political interests.

The Bengalee Hindus had shown more affinity with the non-Bengalee Hindus and developed Hindu nationalism. The anti-Muslim attitude of the Hindus made the Muslims of Bengal to welcome the Two Nation Theory of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Based On this theory the resolution for partition of India to create separate home-land for the Muslims was adopted in 1940 in the All India Muslim League's annual session at Lahore.

Just before the partition of India in 1947, some Muslim leaders of the then Bengal like Suhrawardy, Abul Hashem and lone Hindu Leader Sarat Bose worked for a united'.Independent Bengal. Bq.t the Hindus, led by Ghandhi and Nehru, vetoed the scheme and thus neutralized the last chance of keeping Bengal united. Had it materialized, it could have formed the basis for emergence of Bengalee nationalism. But the Hindus, who preferred Hindu nationalism, themselves gave final burial to the. Bengali nationalism.

Pakistan was created on the basis of Two Nation Theory.Partition of India also led to partition of Bengal on the insistence of Congress. Bengal's Muslim majority area i.e.East Bengal joined Pakistan as its province named East Pakistan, while West Bengal, the Hindu majority area,went with India. Thus there remained no chance for a nationalism based on language to take roots.The Bengali nationalism, however, did find currencyduring movement against Pakistani ruling junta. But in actual fact the separatism was an expression of regionalism; phenomenon also noticeable elsewhere. The people of East Pakistan felt deprived due to the exp)oitation and usurpation of their rights by an administration dominated by West Pakistanis. Their demand for emancipation found expression in Bengalee nationalism. This was purely in the context of Pakistan and at no stage the people intended to part with the Two Nation Theory. The emergence of Bangladesh is in consonance with Lahore Resolution of 1940. The resolution says, "It is the considered opinion of this session of the All India Muslim League that no constitutional arrangement would be workable or acceptable to the Muslims unless they would be based on the following principles viz. (a) that the contiguous geographic areas have to be demarcated as a region. (b) that the territorial adjustments should be such that the Muslim majority areas in the north-west and Eastern India should constitute independent states and © that the states should be autonomous and sovereign".

After the emergence of Bangladesh, RAW and its stooges have been relentlessly preaching that dismemberment of Pakistan has proved that the Two Nation Theory has failed. Once renunciation of Two Nation Theory is accepted reunification of India becomes obvious.

Indians advise that Bangladesh should give up its Muslim identity and adopt so called Bengalee nationalism. RAW's aim In promoting Bengalee nationalism is to pave way for merger of Bangladesh into West Bengal. One may ask that why Hindus of West Bengal do nqt support Bengalee nationalism against Indian (Hindu) nationalism. Why the idea is being drummed to people of Bangladesh only? .During the Pakistan period we used to be known as Bengalees on the b1Jsis qf race and language as we did not then have an independent country named Bangladesh. After the establishment of Bangladesh our territorial identity and sovereignty overrode the linguistic and racial identity. Bengali speaking Hindus and the Muslims could never become one nation in the past. Now that the ideological, cultural and political differences between the two have grown further, how can 'there be any rationale for a common BEmgalee nationalism.

Basant Chatterje, an Indian journalist said in his book 'Inside Bangladesh', "The Bengali language had been used as political weapon in the struggle against Pakistan and with the establishment of Bangladesh its usefulness had been exhausted. The Muslims had made no contribution to the culture called Bengalee culture which was essentially an upper caste Hindu culture. It would be impossible for Bangladesh to preserve its sovereignty by insisting on the Bengaliness of its political chara1ter".Another problem with Bengalee nationalism is that it excludes those citizens of Bangladesh whose mother tongue is not Bengali. When Sheikh Mujib insisted' on tribal leaders of Chlttagong Hill Tracts, (CHT) to accept Bengalee nationalism, it back fired. RAW capitalized the issue and helped Chakmas to form Shanti Bahini which is continuing to wage armed movement for separation of CHT from Bangladesh.

RAW's propagation and promotion of Bengalism is a conspiracy against the very foundations of Bangladesh which must be snubbed and neutralized with the contempt it deserves.

CHAPTER-9

CULTURAL AGGRESSION

It is now well known that RAW is working for unifying Indian sub-continent by disproving the validity of historic Two Nation Theory and by wiping off the independent states that the Muslims carved out for themselves out of the map of sub-continent. With this end in view RAW has mounted a relentless cultural offensive against Bangladesh to influence minds of the people and to create conducive conditions for Bangladesh's merger into India. Here are a few glimpses of the said cultural offensive.

RAW is patronizing a number of so called intellectuals and scholars from Bangladesh who claim to be free thinkers and boast of having thrown of the shackles of religious beliefs. They uphold and propagate a culture which traces its origin to yoga, tuntric and sankhya systems of philosophy (adoration of Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi etc), discarding everything that has any connection with Islam. Though born of Muslim parents and brought up in Muslim families these intellectuals have devoted themselves to deflecting our new generation from Islamic way of thinking and life style in the name of Bangalee culture. Their sole purpose is to make our youth pro-Hindu and pro-India.

RAW keenly monitors the established and rising litterateurs, journalists and cultural activists and allures them through its local network. If the desired person responds positively RAW arranges for him or her to go for a trip to India under the disguise of attending a function arranged by some Indian literary or cultural organization. In India such visitors are introduced to renowned personalities who eulogize them in superlative terms. They are given grand receptions and prizes and decorated with medals. Naturally these persons are so filled with gratitude to the organization concerned and the Indian Government that they become bonded slaves to that country and start danning to their tunes. In addition monetary rewards, cash prizes and monthly allowances are also arranged for persons considered being more useful. In some cases beautiful women are also provided as guides and companions. The alluring of Bangladeshi literary persons and cultural activists on behest of RAW is being arranged by many organizations who confer drama society medal, Michael medal, Ananda Award etc. These organizations actively assist RAW in talent hunting and tapping.

These hired scholars, poets, intellectuals, journalists, artists etc. are assigned to open different kinds of organizations on return to Bangladesh. RAW bears the expenses of these organizations and determines their policies and chalks out their programs. These organizations preach secularism, seek to mould public' opinion in favour of India: conceal her expansionist policy, infiltrate Hindu culture among the Muslims in the name of Bengalee culture, create law and order situation whenever and wherever possible to prevent Bangladesh from achieving prosperity, issue statements in favour of pro-Indian organizations and above all, recruit new faces for RAW. One of the major obligations of these organisatiol1R is to invite those Indian poets, singers, actors and other cultural activists who are recommended by RAW. These organizations arrange receptions in honour of these personalities. They are made chief guests to grace various functions to popularize and familiarize them in Bangladesh. With this end in view RAW sponsored organizations also arrange musical soirees, dramatic performances, dance programs etc.

These artists and cultural activists from India win new converts for RAW by using various methods. They instruct and instigate RAW hirelings here to create political disturbance, instability and law and order situation. In most cases these guests from India tour Bangladesh freely and deliver lectures at cultural shows and seminars. Some of them make such statements and put foward such suggestions which are contrary to the ideology and even detrimental to the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. But surprisingly enough, no protest is made against these objectionable and undesirable statements by the so-called custodians of the spirit of the liberation war and national consciousness. Nor do they object to the invitation and the tour ofthe Indian citizens to Bangladesh.Rather these tours of I RAW sponsored Indian artists, scholars and intellectuals are increasing day by day. To give an idea of the intensity of such cultural invasion I quote from a local weekly. It states "Within five and half months, i.e., from August 25, 1991 to Febuary 16, 1992, sixteen cultural teams from India visited Bangladesh. The delegates of most of these teams spoke against Bangladesh's sovereignty and incited anti-Bangladeshi spirit in one way or the other (The Weekly Bikram: January 9~15, 1995).

Most of these artists from India have no position or even minimum recognition in that country yet they are acclaimed as the greatest figures or personalities in their respective fields by RAW hirelings. They are given grand receptions and wide publicity during their visits to Bangladesh by RAW sponsored organizations. Colored embellished with their photos ar~ seen pasted on the walls. News media projects and highlights their activities. The RAW-sponsored dailies and weeklies publish their exclusive interviews. Dances, drama and musical soirees are arranged in the most expensive venues like the ball room of Hotel Sonargaon, the auditorium of Shilpakala Academy or of' the National Museum. Flatterers posing as great connoisseurs, laud these petty artists, obscure poets and so called men of letters to the skies in order to make the audience believe what they (the guests from India) tell as gospel truth. These so-called honourable' guests say things which amount to direct attacks on the sovereignty of Bangladesh. They urge people to repudiate the 'accursed two-nation theory, seek to prove that there is no Bangladeshi culture as distinct from the culture of India and insinuate that to adhere to Islamic tenets is to be back dated and odious. They also use this opportunity to enlist new recruits for RAW. Recently the frequency of visits to Bangladesh by so called Indian scholars and intellectuals has increased manifold. Apparently the RAW's cultural offensive against Bangladesh has entered a crucial phase.

CHAPTER-1O

BANGLA ACADEMY

Bangla Academy is an organization financed with the people's money. It was established to promote the Bengali language and literature (of Bangladesh). However, due to dominance of pro-Indian elements BangIa Academy is in effect working for revival of Indian culture. It has. been promoting books written by Hindu and secular minded 'Muslim' writers. BangIa Academy is allergic to anything Islamic. Its doors are shut for all Muslim nationalist writers while works of even third grade pro-Indian writers who claim to be secular are published. In other words, one needs the blessings of RAW to earn attention of Bangla Academy.

The Daily Inqilab commenting about the activities of Bangla Academy wrote, "One could easily realize who are preferred by BangIa Academy after casting a look at the list of writers whose books were displayed in the Bangla Academy stall of the International Book Fair 95, held in Calcutta. There were only 8 or 9 kinds of books in the Bangla Academy Stall. Books written by Jatin Sarkar,Sharsiz Sarkar, Devpreya Boruya, Topankar Chatterjee, Sukumar Biswas, Korunanda Vikku, Mamen Chandra,Kaliprosonna etc occupied most of the space in the Bangla Academy stall.

By projecting Hindu writers Bangla Academy desired to convey the impression that only Hindus dominate the field of Bengali literature and that although the Muslims of Bangladesh have advanced in education during the last fifty odd years, their contribution to the literature of their country is insignificant and hence not worth showing.Bangla Academy has been playing down the sacrifices of Muslim Bangalees who .laid down their lives to win for Bengali language its rightful place. The irony is that BangIa Academy which is the direct product of historical language movement patronizes such intellectuals and scholars who were not in any way connected with the said movement.

It in fact, ignores and neglects those who took part in the movement and who seek to uphold the separate indentity and culture of Bangladesh. The late Abul Kashem, the architect of Bangla Academy itself, was not seen in the BangIa Academy premises during later years of his life. BangIa Academy did not show proper respect to him even after his death. Another pioneer of language movement was late Justice Abdur Rahman Chowdhury. He died as the sitting Chairman of Bangla Academy. But the Academy did not feel any moral obligation to hold even a condolence meeting at his death. Other pioneers of the language movement like Dr. Nural Islam (First Convenor of the Language Movement Action Committee), Advocate Kazi Golam Mahbub (Convenor of the All Parties Language Movement Action Committee), Professor Abdul Ghafur (Editor of the Sainik, the revolutionary mouth-piece of the language movement) Mr. Oli Ahad, Professor Shahed Ali, etc, are all persona-non-grata to Bangla Academy because of their opposition to the expansionist designs of India.

If such is the fate of the organizers and pioneers of the language movement, it can easily be imagined what the position of those writers and intellectuals would be who did not participate in it and at the same time do not belong to the pro-Indian lobby. On the other hand Bangla Academy never feels any compunction in publishing writings by such atheists and controversial persons as Ahmed Sharif. The irony is that printing of secular work is undertaken with Government money which is collected in form of taxes from the people, 90 per cent of whom are Muslims.

Bangla Academy has also honoured many secular and anti-Islamic, pro-Indian writers by conferring its awards. However, it seldom recognises the servi'ces of pro-Islamic writers, scholars and intellectuals. Thus it is no surprise that BangIa Academy has not published a single book by the renowned writer, philosopher and Muslim nationalist, Dewan Mohammad Azraf.The yearly calendar of the pioneers and litterateurs that BangIa Academy published in the past, explicity proves its pro-India affinity. Among the writers mentioned in that list about 65% are Hindus of India. Among the Bangladeshi writers who are lucky enougb to find a place in this list, 70% are known for their pro-India bias. The names of many prominent Muslim poets and writers of medieval and modern times are not included in the list. The one-sided list was prepared intentionally to give the impression that Bengali language and literature have been developed and enriched almost wholly by Hindus, though histroy tells us a different story. BangIa Academy ignored the names of many Muslim poets, litterateursand scholars who not onlydid much to enrich Bengali literature but also played a vital role in its sruggle for survival.

In fact, the Muslims freed the Bengali language from the clutches, of Sanskrit and established it as a modern language., But out of tens of thousands of Muslim poets and writers of the middle ages,the list of Bangla Acadeiny contains names of a few of them only and that too merely to camouflage its real colour. Commenting about the said calendar a weekly of Dhaka'wrote, 'This calendar publsihed by BangIa Academy'better be called 'The pocket-calendar of The Ananda Bazar Publications, 'Calcutta"(The Weekly Jhanda :' May 13, 1992).

Bangla Academy has published a number of books on Bengalee nationalism but one does not find even a single book on Bangladeshi nationalism-one of the fundamental principles enshrined in the constitution of Bangladesh. The people of the USA and Australia use English as their nationallariguage but they call themselves Americans and Australians. Same is the case with different Arab countries who speak the same language, follow the same religion and culture and even have similar heritage and history, but are identified as Saudi, Omani, Iraqi, Syrian, Libyan, Egyptian etc. in reference to their respective countries. Similarly we who belqng to Bangladesh are Bangladeshis. Bengalee nationalism, if there was one, was given a final burial by the Hindu legislators of West Bengal when they rejected the Bose Suhrawardy formula and opted for India. Then for twenty three odd years were Pakistanis and since the emergence of Bangladesh as a
sovereign, independentstate we have become Bangladeshis.

The argument put forward by the then Director General of Bangla Academy, Mr. Harun-ur-Rasheed for not publishing any book on Bangladeshi nationalism was indeed offensive. He argued, "No book had been published on Bangladeshi Nationalism as, it was a controversial theory"(The Daily Dinkal and The daily Meillat :January 10, 1994). Bangla Academy had been pursuing a pro-India policy not only by publishing writings of RAW agents and hirelings but also by promoting Hindu culture in its functions. Bangla Academy succeeded in making Sheikh Hasina-the leader of the opposition in the then Bangladesh Parliament, ring a metal bell to inaugurate a function in connection with the Bengali New Year of 1398.

Sounding a metal bell (an integral part of Puja or Hidnu form of worship) was unprecedented not only In any function of BangIa Academy but also in the history of indepen4ent Bangladesh. Now link it with kindling of the Mongal Pradeep-first of its kind in the Shilpakala Academy premises by Sufia Kamal and you will easily discoverwhere the reigns of these two organisations actually lay. The sponsors of such practices claim that these practices are only ceremonial. But let me ask them will a Hindu start his work with recitation of 'Bismillah'?The latest evidence of Bangla Academy's honeymoon with India is its Bangla-English Dictionary. It serves to show how some of the intellectuals as well as some officials of our national institutions work for their foreign masters.The fact is that each and every branch of BangIa Academy (more or less) is controlled by -RAW hirelings and henchmen.

Therefore, there is no possibility in sight of the writings of those who are still out of RAW's orbit being published by BangIa Academy. In conclusion one can quote Weekly Jhanda which had summed up the BangIa Academy's affairs in the following words: "The BangIa Academy has been suffering from Brahministic and atheistic diseases for the last two decades. It has pre-dominant left-leanings and pro-Indian symptoms"(The Weekly Jhanda : May 13, 1992).

CHAPTER-11

SHILPAKALA ACADEMY

Shilpakala Academy is one such organization where RAW seems to have struck deep roots. This organization has been set up to promote our art and culture and encourage those Bangladeshis who are engaged 'in creative work. But a careful analysis reveals the fact that this organisation has become a toot in the hands of RAW and has been serving the cause of India. In many cases this organisation is seen to favour Indian' artists more than those of Bangladeshi with higher standing. Spending -our hard earned currency, Shilpakala Academy invites Indian cultural activists and seeks to popularize their songs, dance and drama. Does it not amount to squandering our public money to serve the purpose of India? It is beyond our understanding how the patronage of cultural activists from India promotes our culture? In 1991 this organization arranged Rabindra Sangaet Sammaylon (Conference of Rabindranath Tagore"s songs) where 'Mongal Pradeep'was lit up for the first time to introduce a new trend in Bangladesl1 at the beginning of any function. This outrageous and despicable act was' performed by an aged poetess born of MusUm parents.

The same act was repeated in 1991 at Bisha Sahitya Kendra to inaugurate the program of the 20th Victory Day. On this occasion a daughter of a martyred intellectual was made to light the Mongal Pradeep. .Since then the clique has made ft a custom to inaugurate every function arranged by them with the lighting of Mongal Pradeep which is a Hindu practice connected with the worship of gods and godesses. This practice has been introduced and given currency with the obvious' purpose of instilling Hindu culture into Bangladesh and leading our young Muslim into Hinduism. Shilpakala Academy organised a national Jatra (open-air, opera, especially popular in rural Bangladesh) festival in 1993. Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia inaugurated this festival on January 4, 1993. A reliable source says that this festival incurred a cost around two million Takas'. Fifteen Jatra parties i took part in it. Its sponsors, actors, actresses and audience were all Bangladeshis. But out of eleven writers of this Jatra ten were Indians. Naturally the dress, decoration and dialogues of these Jatras reflected Indian culture and social values. Muslim characters were very few in all ten Jatras staged during the festival and they were of very minor importance. .

A good number of reports published in the national dailies suspected that some of the high officials of Shilpakala Academy were hand in glove with-RAW. Some of them who had been transferred from other departments to Sh.ilpakala Academy were alleged to have close relations with RAW. Inspite of grave allegations, no inquiry committee was instituted to look into their activities, rather they were promoted and entrusted with more responsible duties in the Academy. As a result RAW's influence in this organisation has increased leading to it being a resort,for those who are connected to RAW and work freely for spreading of Indian ideas, ideologies and culture. But the microscopic number of artists and performers who are still out of RAW's paw are, in fact, persona-nan-grata to the Shilpakala Academy. It seldom extends patronage and encouragement to this section of artists and intellectuals leave alone recognizing their talents.

Home / Headlines / RAW and Bangladesh :: One :: - Media Monitors Network (MMN)

 

[Contrarian]

BD may not be at the center of the world, but for India BD is sitting inside its stomach dividing that country into two in reality. BD's location also effectively detaches India from other countries of SE asia. This gives India a stomach pain, an headache and a China fear in its NE. Therefore, this kind of jittery makes India to revolve around BD.

You guys really over estimate BD's importance to India.

 

[sarthak]

So basically you would exclude countries that actually have information on RAW activities. The only RAW operation that did not take place in Asia was the downing of a Canadian passenger flight in the 1980's. Look that up.

Are you serious? Dude , get this straight. You are not more intelligent than the the canadian agencies. The flight you are talking about was blown up by sikh militants ( i hope this cheers u up ). Those peope have already been tried and punished. Btw , that was not a canadian passenger flight, it was an Air India Aircraft.

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

dont tell me Bangladesh has nukes too ...!

 

[footmarks]

BD is the most important country in the world. No country can ignore BD. All have their strategic interests in BD. Thats why Intelligence countries from all over the world are operating in BD. RAW and MOSSAD are behind everthing that happens in South asia. They are master agencies, but they have been busted in BD because everyone in BD is a fan of James Bond type spy movies and hence cant be fooled by RAW. RAW is so much involved in BD that even the water flowing from Indian side to BD is called RAW water and industrial imports from India into BD are called RAW MATERIALS.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Are you serious? Dude , get this straight. You are not more intelligent than the the canadian agencies. The flight you are talking about was blown up by sikh militants ( i hope this cheers u up ). Those peope have already been tried and punished. Btw , that was not a canadian passenger flight, it was an Air India Aircraft.

Exorcising the Ghost of Kanishka

Gurtej Singh

The Sikhs have neglected to enquire into the causes of the June 1984 Indian Army attack on the Guru’s Darbar at Amritsar and other forty shrines. They have so far failed as a people to draw up the list of those violently killed by the government agencies during the ‘bloody decade’ and since. This negligence has thrown them back into history by at least one full century. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.

Periodic decimation is not a prospect to be visualised with equanimity, but it is the sure consequence of neglecting to expose the tyrant. The documentation of atrocities is absolutely necessary. Other governments that have gone into the causes of conflict and unrest have given us an inkling of the entire scheme which led to the shedding of so much of Sikh blood. Evidence of what actually happened in that period is fast vanishing. If the Sikhs want to survive as a people, they must not let it become extinct. It is hoped that they will wake up to the needs of future generations and make a concerted effort to preserve their recent past from which, it appears, will flow their future greatness should they still be interested in their own welfare and the fulfilment of their destiny so carefully sculpted for them by their incomparable Guru.

If one major reason for the failure of the Sikhs to articulate themselves on the various issues vital to their interest were to be identified, it would appear to be lack of machinery to understand, to analyse and to provide for meeting the challenges at the collective level. They urgently need to put together a group of able people to perform these functions. -Author

For a long time now nothing has disturbed the minds of the Indian politicians and of those connected with the particular variety of Indian print Media than the acquittal of wrongly accused Sikhs in the Kaniska destruction case. For anyone searching for the seamier side of the soul of ‘world’s largest democracy’ and the proportion of dark hatred in the cultural content of ‘world’s most ancient civilisation,’ the search appears to end here. Everyone who considers himself a ‘patriotic Indian’ of the latest Hindutava brand is crying hoarse for a pound of the Sikh flesh and an ounce of Sikh blood. A variety of reasons, attuned to pseudo human right consideration are being churned out in the name of outraged conscience and phoney concern for skewed justice. One look at the daily papers indicates that everyone around is emphatically emphasising the slogan of the queen of hearts in Alice in Wonderland, ‘punishment first: trial later.’ If someone thinks these are strong words, that person will be struck by their extreme moderation by the time all facts connected with the ghastly and most condemnable events of June 23, 1985, have been related.

Let all the cards be put on the table before proceeding any further. The facts recalled here have been drawn mostly from the Canadian government sponsored Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) report (quoted here as the ‘Report’). This research was conducted by a team of five competent researchers who painstakingly worked for one full year from October 1991 to September 1992 on more than 61,129 pages of original government reports, investigation files and documents connected with the incident. It is classified by the Canadian government as “Top Secret.” Soft Target by two very responsible journalists, Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew (James Lorimer & Company, Toronto, 1989, quoted here as Soft Target.) has been used.

Most of the material connected with the plane disaster available to the public has been kept in mind. The judgment delivered (that is the version made available to the public) by Mr. Justice Josephson in R v Malik and Bagri 2005 BCSC350 (henceforth Judgment) was extremely useful for an insight into the constraints of Canada. It is this March 16, 2005, judgment which has caused distress to a section of the ultra-patriotic Indians. Maloy Krishna Dhar’s Open Secrets (Manas Publications, New Delhi, 2005) is not so open on the main issues with which it is concerned, but has been seen. An attempt has been made to understand the context in which all this has happened. Death of Air India Flight 182 was, regrettably, not available.

The other plane prepared for similar fate that day, landed at the Narita airport on time and explosion in its baggage hold took place while the luggage was being taken out. Two baggage handlers were killed. Air India flight number 182, the main subject of study, was scheduled to leave at 6:30 it actually took off at 8:15 p.m. one hour and forty-five minutes late (or one hour an fifty nine minutes late according to the Judgement, paragraph 37). The bomb explosion in its baggage hold took place when it was just an hour away (at 12:14 am – Judgment, paragraph 39) from London where it was to stop for re-fuelling. Had it been on time the bomb would have exploded exactly when baggage of those getting off at Heathrow would have been in the process of being removed from the compartment. That is, exactly a repetition of what had happened at Narita airport. The propaganda value of the event would have been immense and the loss of life minimal under the circumstances.

It may be recalled that on August 2, 1984 (10:52 pm), two suitcases meant for similar use had exploded at the Madras (now Chennai) airport. Twenty-nine people had died and another thirty-eight had been injured. The suitcases were meant for loading on Paris and London bound Sri Lanka planes. Had they been loaded on the designated planes, the explosions would have taken place after the planes had landed at destination. The incident was blamed on the Tamil Tigers fighting for independence in Sri Lanka. This was condemned all around the world as it should have been and it justified the massacre of Tamil freedom fighters by the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka. That it eventually led to the assassination of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is another matter. The modus operandi in all three cases is the same. This alone tells a complete tale to a forensic expert and one well versed with police investigation. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) later came to know that the Madras explosion was caused by the secret agencies of the government of India, particularly the Third Agency[1]. The purpose was to come down heavily upon the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

Those for whom the information is insufficient to honestly apportion blame where it appears to belong, may just wait a while before passing judgment and may be requested to read on.

‘Why did the air India Flight 182 leave late?’ it may be asked. It left late because it had to fit a spare aeroplane engine in its luggage hold. It was to be carried to India for repairs. It took inordinately long time to load it. The door had to be unhinged and the hinges had again to be put on. This delayed the plane by one hour and forty-five (or fifty-nine) minutes[2]. To say the least, this threw the perpetrator out of gear or completely unhinged him. Extra load of the engine further slowed down the flight. What he did in the circumstances was what has always been done in criminal history and would constitute a text-book approach in criminal jurisprudence. He tried to mislead the investigators and succeeded. Before even the initial numbness caused by the extreme callousness of the act was gone, before even the airport computer had been scrutinised, that someone announced in an anonymous short article in the Globe and Mail that this explosion had been caused by two Sikhs who had bought tickets in the names of Amand (M.) Singh and Lal (L.) Singh. This article appeared within 15 hours of the fatal explosion. An investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) revealed the name of the Indian Ambassador as the author of that short article[3].

It also suggested that the line of investigation which the confused RCMP and the CSIS adopted to all outward appearances and for all practical purposes. The line of investigation he suggested was that two persons had checked in the luggage and had not boarded the flight and that this crime was the handiwork of ‘Sikh terrorists[4].’ There is no doubt that this Indian official was a highly perceptive person with yogic abilities to tell the future and to influence it. His wife, children and a couple of friends were to travel on the ill-fated plane and he had all the tickets cancelled just in time to save them all[5]. Consul General J. K. Sharma of the Indian Consulate at Vancouver had similarly changed his wife’s travel plans at the last minute. She too was to travel by the same plane.

Very soon the topmost security agency of India, (not) so very subtly, suggested the same line of investigation in the form of five questions it put to the RCMP. The Indian agencies worked overtime to ensure fulfilment of the prophecy, so confidently made by the country’s Consul. They arrested every Lal Singh and M. Singh who landed on the ports of India. One Lal Singh was confined to jail for two decades so as to be available at the time of giving evidence. He was promised freedom and a lot of money to give evidence when the trial was about to start. Another person in Germany was approached for the same purpose and on as generous terms. This blow for ‘justice’ was a joint Indo-Canadian venture involving also the RCMP. These two grossly wronged good men bowed to the dictates of their conscience and declined to perjure themselves thus putting to shame two democratic countries swearing by the rule of law. Later proceedings indicate that other attempts at creating false evidence were slightly more successful.

Had the RCMP been more trusting right from the beginning, perhaps a different judgment could have been obtained. The official agencies of the government of India did offer to try its trusted methods of obtaining sure conviction –regardless of the guilt of the accused. They offered to torture the accused and their relatives, to buy witnesses and to intimidate them by available means. Had Canada, like India been able to post a few pliable judges with easy conscience, a Sikhs could have been hanged by every lamppost in Toronto. This method had worked to perfection in India. Kehar Singh, whom no system of jurisprudence could have pronounced guilty, was hanged while the whole world looked on with dismay and the prominent judicial officers in India pronounced it a “judicial murder.” What more proof could Canada want of the success of the Indian methods? Again and again the Indian authorities reminded Canada that it was being “too soft” on the Sikhs. The attempt to get a clue to the identities of the suspects by asking a further set of nineteen questions[6] was ignored by Canada. India, again and again banged its wise, aging head against the rock of such sticklers for law that the new fangled society in Canada had come to acquire.

Had Canada played ball, there was nothing easier than securing conviction in the Kaniska case. India had worked hard to arrange matters that way. It had taken many concrete steps to make the Sikhs blame-worthy in the Canadian mind. It had launched an operation to penetrate the Sikh society, with the object of making the Sikhs quarrel among themselves in their places of worship and with the Hindus outside them. Seamy stories were planted regularly in the Media. Had Canadian authorities not understood the manipulation trick, the Canadian society would have hated the Sikhs to the depth of its being.

A vigorous campaign of disinformation had been launched. During about a year prior to June 23, 1985, the Indian authorities had delivered more than eighty-seven warnings which mentioned Indian aeroplanes, June 1985, bomb explosions, assassination of the ambassador, hijacks and the imaginary Sikh ‘terrorists.’ Main object of the exercise was to indicate ominously that something horrendous was about to happen and that Canada should make advance preparations, in the classical Indian mode, to hang a couple of Sikhs for it. The secondary objective was to ‘tire out[7]’ the Canadian police force by crying wolf once too often so that it would be too confused to think for itself when the deed was done and would be eating out of India’s hands at that moment of crisis.

By way of abundant precaution, measures befitting a mature civilisation had been taken well in advance to make the events happen to clock like precision. India would have had no face to show to the world had the event not happened even after world wide propaganda to establish all Sikhs as terrorists. So everything was arranged well in advance[8]. The people to be blamed had been mentioned in the warnings delivered by India. Some like Ajaib Singh Bagri had been fattened like goats before the bakarid slaughter. One was given a two million dollars loan from an Indian government bank in Canada. Another person had been built up as “the most dangerous terrorist” and a sworn enemy of India. He was accused of crimes that took place in India even when he was abroad. A regular contact with him was maintained by the Indian government. His family was well looked after. Then all of a sudden he was arrested in Germany, when the master plan required his presence elsewhere.

So the head of a prestigious Indian secret agency, advisor to the Indian Prime Minister, travelled all the way to Germany and had him released[9] to be available for accusing when the mega-event happened. After the event he ostensibly refused to support the official version. So in the style of KGB and the Gestapo of the earlier part of the century, he was lured to India, arrested and eventually executed while in police custody. He became another one literally of hundreds of thousands of Sikhs to have been disposed of by mera Bharat mahan (my great India) as the slogan goes.

Those of the new generation, not conversant with the long established traditions of Hindutava, may ask why was the Indian government interested in destroying its own plane and killing its own people to blame its own citizens. They are entitled to ask such questions as even the burning of the Third Reich, the fake discovery of the Jewish plot to kill all Christians and the mass graves of Stalinist Russia in Mangolia and elsewhere have become a distant memory. Who remembers what has been happening to the Jews and Gypsies in Europe from times immemorial? So how could they be expected to remember that from the beginning of history, the Indian state has instinctively found a violent solution to every vital problem it was confronted with? Who remembers the fate of Buddhists in ancient India when even the violent partition of the country in 1947 (costing more than half a million lives where a simple exchange of population could have been a more effective solution) is hardly ever recalled for learning a lesson?

If a comprehensive list of governments which have destroyed their own populations were to be drawn up, it would perhaps be many yards long. Such selectively self-destroying states would be seen to belong to all ages, all continents and (almost) all cultures. And yet the gullibility of rabidly patriotic elements among the population of any given country continues to promote the myth that such a thing could never happen. The large scale killing of Sikhs in almost all the north Indian cities, in early November 1984 was witnessed by journalists from all over the world who had come to record the funeral of Indira Gandhi. The reports filed by them concealed every vital detail of the event of Sikh massacre that they partly covered. Joe Clark the Canadian Foreign Minister, who also witnessed it all, never opened his mouth to register even legitimate human right concerns. Nations that have high economic and political expectations live in glass houses; they do not cast stones.

Why was a plan to decimate the Sikhs ever conceived? It is an easy question to answer. Indira Gandhi of the notorious Nehru-Gandhi dynasty was an easily alarmed person. She had been thrown out of power for almost three years before her return in February 1980; she perceived the Indian politics to be tending that way again because of rising Hindu fundamentalism. She wanted to exploit the situation to her own political advantage while still retaining the fig leaf of being a secular person heading a non-communal political party in a democratic tradition. This was quite a tight rope walk but she performed it to perfection[10].

The ground was prepared for her by the ongoing Akali political agitation for autonomy and for retention of Punjab’s river water for internal use. In international terms the Sikhs were a defenceless people, just perfect sitting ducks. She created a “shadowy outfit known as the Third Agency – in the early 1980s. – This top secret organisation, -- to encourage extremist activity by Sikh radicals in Punjab. The aim was to rally support for the government throughout the country. The countermeasures it inflicted upon Punjab in reaction to Sikh violence made the government appear to be acting from strength and with leadership.” She was brutal to the Sikhs, clamped inhuman laws upon the Punjab, denied the democratic processes to the state, drained it of its river water, destroyed the holiest Sikh shrines and killed the Sikhs in hundreds of thousands. No one wanted to be caught on the side of fair play and justice for the sake of a miniscule Sikh minority. From ultra-Hindu leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to the Communists anyone who was someone supported her measures against the Sikhs. Her dwindling electoral support was restored and her Congress party won an unprecedented majority at the polls after her assassination. She obtained the object of her striving although she herself was killed in the process.

The propaganda blitz launched against the Sikhs to paint them as terrorists and to malign the whole community as violence prone, was not limited to India. It was a campaign that was conducted all over the world. Agents inciting Sikhs to react violently were everywhere performing their duties efficiently. News of violence from one place was used to sow suspicion in all lands and to condemn the Sikhs everywhere. Foreign governments were prevented from looking at the Sikh freedom struggle in India with sympathy. It was in this context that the propaganda value of blowing up an Air India plane was realised and the plot executed. It cannot be denied that the gamble paid off and almost the entire world was misled. Those who knew the truth preferred to keep quiet for the fear of being considered freaks. What was the point of speaking up for the Sikhs who were a miniscule minority in every society? Wisdom dictated toeing the party line. Nations were persuaded to look the other way because India was perceived to be a country with a large middle class of prospective consumers of goods every country was keen to export.

Now that everything is over, the concern of the grieving relatives of those who perished in the plane crash and that of the assiduously benumbed lovers of truth may perhaps be addressed. It is a harsh reality that investigation in the case was not done with the view to arriving at the truth. It is a tribute to the Canadian system of justice that make-belief did not pass muster with its courts. It is time also to pay a tribute to the acumen of the RCMP, the CSIS, that in spite of the severe constraints, they kept the truth somewhere at the back of their minds and made only some half-hearted attempts at manufacturing evidence, that too under Indian influence. The FBI appears to have been more loyal than the king in the matter of crafting evidence for the trial.


II

Without immediately going into the factors responsible for the public stance of the Canadian investigating agencies, an attempt may be made to know whether they discovered the truth about the destruction of the plane or not. On going through the Security Intelligence Review Committee Report, one will be convinced that not only did the security agencies have a clear idea of those responsible for the disaster but that they were fully aware of the modus operandi and had kept an eye on every move made by the real criminal. To begin with, Canadians had correctly identified the basic nature of the conflict between the Sikh people and the Indian government. The Sikhs were perceived as being disturbed over the “increasing political power of the Hindu majority” and the government refusal to “provide the desired territory and autonomy[11].” The assessment about the government of India was that it was “frustrated over the activities of the Sikh nationalists[12]” and resorted to large scale violence against the Sikh religion and the people. Sikhs all over the world responded to these conditions prevailing in their original homeland[13]. The Director General was not misled by the emotional upsurge and in an early assessment he was sure that the protests would not constitute a “threat to national security in Canada[14].”

Canada fully understood the measures being adopted by the government of India to discredit the Sikhs all over the world. The Third Agency had been created for the purpose and the foreign lands including Canada had been inundated by spies working as agents de provocateur under the garb of diplomats[15]. Their main assignment was to discredit the Sikhs by projecting them as violence prone[16], promoting internecine conflict in the Sikh society, fomenting Hindu-Sikh conflict[17] and spreading disinformation about the Sikh people[18]. The aim of the government of India was to control and monitor the Sikh movement abroad[19] and has been well documented by the authors of the Soft Target who had this information straight from the horse’s mouth[20]. To keep in touch with reality, the Canadian police continuously monitored the management of the foreign print and the visual Media by the government of India officials[21].

In its threat perceptions conveyed to the Canadian security agencies the Indian government tried to project their own agents as most dangerous terrorists. Just as it had done in innumerable cases in India, it fattened the goose by attributing violent activity to them in India and by projecting their potential for violence abroad. This served the purpose of establishing their own agents as vocal Sikh nationalist. They could thus penetrate the group of real freedom fighters for the purpose of sabotaging the movement from within. They could also be relied upon to vouchsafe for the government at a crucial time. They would at least be the obvious targets of blame in the public eye. Talwinder Singh Parmar was one individual who was carefully built up by the Indian government to perform the designated purpose[22]. He was accused of having killed two policemen at Daheru. The main source of this information was an affidavit by another policeman.

The CSIS had come to know that according to reliable evidence he was in Nepal at the time of the alleged encounter with the police at Daheru[23]. It discovered that he was well known to a friend of the ex-President of India,[24] was meeting Indian government officials[25] and that his family was being helped and economically promoted by government officials[26]. He himself was perhaps being heavily financed by the Indian mission abroad[27]. He did not eventually toe the government line and had to be eliminated while in the custody of the Indian police[28] in the same manner as thousands of other Sikhs had been eliminated. This agent of the government of India was posthumously acknowledged as having been guilty. (Judgment paragraph 1256).

The above does not leave anyone in doubt that the Canadian authorities were very well informed about the situation of the Sikhs in India and abroad. They knew full well the attempts being made by the government to destroy them by all the means at its disposal. But does it also mean that Canada suspected the Indian government’s hand in blowing up the plane? Initially, it appeared reluctant to believe that such an action by a responsible government was possible.[29] Then they discovered the Indian government’s proneness to violence at every possible opportunity. India offered to use torture as tool of investigation in behalf of Canada law enforcing agencies.[30] Indian Counsel General was discovered destroying his own office to blame it on the Sikhs[31].

An Indian diplomat who could plot the murder of seventeen Sikhs on foreign land[32] and who could plan to inflict violence upon a foreign journalist he did not like[33], could obviously go to any length. Direct evidence was soon forth coming[34]. More the investigating agencies thought about it the more suspicious they grew.[35] And the further they probed, more enlightened they became. Finally they became fully convinced, that blowing up the plane was indeed the handiwork of the government of India’s secret services.[36] (Is it now possible to suggest that political Canada had been intimidated into permitting the plane to be blown up?)

By and by the Canadian security agencies had unearthed the entire plan in as much detail as was possible without interrogating the real perpetrators. The person who had bought the tickets was identified with reasonable certainty. He was an associate of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in British Columbia.[37] It almost certainly knew who had planted the bomb. At one time it was seriously suspected that the diplomatic “bags may have contained the bomb[38].” In the circumstances a call by an “East Indian male” calling ostensibly from the Indian embassy on the evening of June 22, 1985, became significant. He had enquired whether the diplomatic bags had been placed on flight 182.[39] Perhaps it was no coincidence that M. Singh whom the Indian ambassador had identified as one of the persons who had checked in the lethal luggage, was also discovered to have been a “prosperous East Indian businessman[40].” It is again significant that when the RCMP wanted to investigate the diplomatic mail issue, it was effectively prevented from doing so, obviously on political directions.[41] It is easy to guess why this spanner was thrown into the wheels of investigation.

Independence of the investigating agencies had been compromised right from the beginning by the desires and dictates of the External Affairs Ministry,[42] particularly those of Joe Clark the External Affairs minister. They had made known Canadian government’s anxiety to keep India on its right side for economic and political reasons[43]. Unwritten instructions to investigating agencies apparently required compromises with attempts to discover facts. On reading the SIRC report in this context, one is struck by the helplessness of the secret agencies which feel completely gagged on account of effective political interference.

In spite of it all they need a word of praise for having still expressed themselves in favour of the truth in the fashion of medieval Sufi saints who braved the ruling orthodox Muslim establishments’ concern for the shariat while still giving full expression to their innermost thoughts. With remarkable candour they brought it on record that ‘although the disaster was not a terrorist act, they are under orders to investigate it only as such[44].’ They also recorded the name of the actual culprit without investigating any further in that direction[45]. The report frankly admits that there is not a shred of evidence to accuse Ripudaman Singh Malik and yet the RCMP hauled him up before the court[46].

Patriotic Indians may hold their heads high for India appears to have asserted itself over Canada in the grand manner of a colonial power imposing its will on a slave nation. It wanted to establish that as a sovereign it had done no wrong even when it had killed 329 human beings. This ‘nehklank’ (blemishless) status of India was accepted by Canada with a bowed head and lowered gaze. But that does not mean that it gave in without coercion. India had to quite seriously threaten breaking off relations[47]. Canada knew that the Sikh people were being persecuted without a cause[48] but patiently accepted censures by Indian bureaucrats about being “too soft” with them[49]. Such admonitions as vocal Indian contempt for Canadian law were accepted without a murmur[50].

The Canadian government bore insults and continued to share information at the instance of Joe Clark although it knew that it was being used to torture innocent people in India and to spread canards against the Sikh people world wide. A stop to it was put only at the initiative of conscientious individuals[51]. The plight of the poor beleaguered Sikhs of Canada was nobody’s concern[52]. Canada as well as India appeared to believe that they owned the Sikhs in the fashion of slaves of days gone by and asserted their right to make them as miserable as they could in this age.

The hour in which Canada was forced to proceed with the trial against two Sikhs whom it knew very well to have been innocent, was the hour of India’s triumph. Judgment is the triumph of Canada’s love for justice but the behaviour of the prosecution in asking for the trial and inventing almost every piece of evidence produced in the court is enough to make one feel that it was acting on promptings by a hidden force. Almost every one of the witnesses was, in the Indian terms, ‘procured.’ All of them were untrustworthy and lied to the court after taking an oath to tell the truth. One openly confessed to having received US$ 500,000. He was the American find. (India’s triumph appears to have known no borders).

Uncle Sam, the only superman in today’s world also bent over backwards to please India. The Honourable Judge’s assessment of the witnesses is revealing. Going by the strong words used, it must have disgusted him no end. One is described as an “unmitigated liar under oath” (paragraphs 225 & 1282) whose evidence “was patently and pathetically fabricated” (Paragraph 1284). The oft repeated “memory refreshing exercise” (Judgment paragraph 1107) of the witnesses by the prosecution appears to have amused him. Of another witness he writes (in paragraph 1141) “His credibility has been examined and found wanting to a very significant degree.” Citing of Reyat as witness and all the preparation that went into enabling him to be so cited, appears to be a very murky judicial scandal. Maybe some day someone will go into it to the benefit of justice and fair play.

“Mehr licht!” – (let there be) more light

The concerns of Indian politician and the sanguine section of Indian Media are still the same. They want the Sikhs to hang for the crimes of mother India’s devilish daughter and her son, so that her garments remain unsoiled for record. They have full-throated praise for the despoilers of God’s house and killers of hundreds of thousands of innocent Sikhs whom the authorities were duty bound to protect. They do not know that dame history is more powerful than minions and charlatans masquerading as leaders of a great people. There must be sufficient number of lovers of truth all around the world to point out to them that ‘all the Neptune’s oceans will not wash this blood ` from that little hand. An Urdu poet has said well, ‘the day of reckoning is near. The blood of the brutally murdered can be concealed no more. Even if the dagger’s tongue remains silent, blood on the sleeve will proclaim the guilt.” (karib hai yaro roze mahashar chhupega kushton ka khoon kuonkar. Jo chup rahegi zubane khanjar to lahu pukarega asteen ka).


Exorcising the ghost of Kanishka

 

[Parashuram1]

Dear dear...I thought this obsession with Jews and Indians was only limited to Pakistan section.. Now why would Bangladesh consider such an obsession?

 

[sarthak]

@ MBI Munshi.

Try finding a credible source to prove your point , not the views of a lame seperatist.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

I have over several years studied the writings of Dr. Habib Siddiqui and am of the opinion that he holds strong pro-Indian sympathies. His recent write-ups on political assassination are both revealing and disturbing as they disclose an underlying Indian obsession with the issue. Interesting that Dr. Siddiqui fails to discuss India’s role in BD which has often involved political assassination, subversion and sabotage. Dr. Siddiqui’s article is also timely with the alleged MOSSAD hit in Dubai against a Hamas leader. It is always advisable when reading articles from pro-Indian writers to never take their stated positions too seriously. They are the masters of manipulation and are firm believers in the teachings of Kautilya on statecraft.


The Curse of Political Assassination must be Removed

by Habib Siddiqui

(Saturday, February 20, 2010)

"Political assassination has almost never solved the problems which often were cited to justify such heinous crimes. It is wrong and must be shun and condemned by all conscientious human beings."



Political assassination of rulers is neither justifiable nor desirable. Islam is against assassination of any individual, even an autocratic ruler.[1] And yet, the Muslim history was not spared of this curse. The Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (R) was assassinated while leading the Morning Prayer (Fajr) in Madinah by a Zoroastrian. Uthman ibn Affan (R), the third Caliph, was killed in his home by rioters who were dissatisfied with his government. Ali ibn Abi Talib (R), the fourth Caliph and the son-in-law of the Prophet (S), was mortally wounded by a member of an extremist group, al-Khawarij, when he stood up for Fajr prayer in the mosque of Kufa (in Iraq). Citing the verse, “No rule but God’s,” the Khawarij believed that Ali (R) had committed a grave sin (kabirah) whence he agreed on the arbitration to settle dispute in the Battle of Siffin and, thus, rejected Ali’s claim as a legitimate caliph. They believed: obedience to the caliph is obligatory as long as he is managing the affairs with justice and consultation, but if he deviates, then it becomes obligatory to confront him, demote him and even murder him.

It goes without saying that many of the Muslim extremists that consider political assassination as a necessary means towards overthrowing an autocratic and/or corrupt regime draw their cues from the kharijite doctrines, which, I may add, have overwhelmingly been rejected by vast majority of Muslims – Sunnis and Shi’as alike. The terrorism of the Hashishyyin sect of the Isma’ili branch of Shi’ism that paralyzed the Muslim world for nearly 166 years (1090-1256 C.E.) with assassination attempts on its leaders is now only a matter of distant memory.[2]

When it comes to political assassination, the record of other religions has not been any better. In modern times, we have plenty of such examples from Abraham Lincoln to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike to Yitzhak Rabin.[3] Nine American Presidents - Andrew Jackson in 1835, Abraham Lincoln in 1865, James Garfield in 1881, William McKinley in 1901 Harry S. Truman in 1950, John F. Kennedy in 1963, Richard Nixon in 1974, Gerald Ford twice in 1975, and Ronald Reagan in 1981 - have been the targets of assassination. In addition, eight governors, seven U.S. Senators, nine U.S. Congressmen, eleven mayors, 17 state legislators, and eleven judges have been violently attacked. No other country with a population of over 50 million has had as high a number of political assassinations or attempted assassinations.[4]

Lincoln has consistently been ranked by scholars as one of the greatest of all U.S. Presidents. However, to the assassin John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and a Confederate spy from Maryland, Lincoln was a tyrant. After shooting the President, he shouted “Sic semper tyrannis (Latin for: Thus always to tyrants).” While much of the nation mourned the assassination of Lincoln whom they considered as the savior of the United States, Copperheads – the vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates -- celebrated the death of a man they considered a tyrant.

In his self-prepared defense in the court, Nathuram Godse, a devotional Hindu Brahmin belonging to the extremist Hindu Mahasabha and editor of a Marathi newspaper Hindu Rashtra, who killed M.K. Gandhi said, “I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had brought rack and ruin and destruction to millions of Hindus. There was no legal machinery by which such an offender could be brought to book and for this reason I fired those fatal shots.”[5] Godse was unapologetic for his crime.[6]

Talduwe Somarama who shot and killed Bandarnaike, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon), in 1959 was a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist monk. He was drafted in to the conspiracy by the Venerable Mapitigama Buddharakkitha, the Chief Incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, to assassinate the Prime Minister “for the greater good of his country, race and religion”.[7]

Yigal Amir, a right-wing religious Zionist and an ex-IDF member born to an Orthodox Jewish family, upon hearing that the Israeli Prime Minister Rabin was dead from his semi-automatic pistol shots, told the police that he was “satisfied.” According to CNN, Amir told police that he had “no regrets” and was acting on the “orders of God.”[8] To him and the hard line Likudniks, who provided the necessary backdrop for the assassination plot, Rabin was a traitor who had betrayed Israeli interest by signing the Oslo Peace Accord.[9] Before leaving the stage on the night of the assassination, Rabin had been singing Shir LaShalom (literally Song for Peace), along with Israeli singer Miri Aloni. After he died, a sheet of paper with the lyrics was found in his pocket, stained with blood.[10]

The cold-blooded murderers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman killed 32 individuals, almost everyone that was close to his family living inside Bangladesh on that fateful day of August 15, 1975. They did not spare the lives of his two pregnant daughters-in-law Sultana and Parveen, and the youngest son, a nine-year old Russell, who had begged not to be killed.[11] The perpetrators of this heinous crime were some disgruntled army officers within the Bangladesh Army, including those who had joined the liberation war towards the last days of the struggle, who were still wedded to the idea of a united Pakistan.[12] They thought that the country was heading in the wrong direction.[13] The killers alleged that Mujib was trying to bring about a dictatorship, subordinate Army to the Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini - the government militia force, and that he was making Bangladesh an Indian colony.[14] As later evidences have sufficiently demonstrated none of these allegations was true. It took another 17 years for Bangladesh to get rid of the curse of the military rule that followed soon after the Mujib-killing when corruption got institutionalized surpassing several fold the records of the Mujib-era, and yet another 18 years to hang five of the convicted killers.[15]

It is, however, true that Bangabandhu’s popularity had suffered somewhat since the (US-engineered) famine of 1974, when the US government punished the Mujib government by diverting food-carrying ships from reaching the ports in Bangladesh, which was a clear case of using food as a weapon of war.[16] He had also tarnished his democratic credential by imposing a one-party system. (Still, on a popularity contest he was by far the most popular politician in Bangladesh.) It is widely believed that some foreign spy agencies were deeply involved in the conspiracy to kill him.[17] As noted by journalist Lawrence Lifschultz in a JSTOR article “Bangladesh: Anatomy of a Coup”, for the United States, “the civil war in East Pakistan was an annoying distraction (an even more minor ‘sideshow’ than Cambodia) when it was engaged, via Pakistan’s good offices, in establishing the first links with China; and the US never forgave Mujibur Rahman for prevailing, with Indian and Soviet help, over US annoyance.” According to him, “Mujib too invited the coup” by failing to “fulfill the expectations he had demagogically raised.”[18]

Sheikh Hasina, the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh and daughter of Bangabandhu, is a survivor who has miraculously survived multiple attempts of assassination on her life. She was in Germany when Bangabandhu was assassinated in 1975. A recently available report from Sri Lanka showed how some of the absconding murderers of Bangabandhu (including Lt Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid) had tried to recruit a French contract killer, Alain Deloin, who demanded $5 million for the job to assassinate Sk. Hasina.[19] When the French deal fell apart, a second plan to kill her was put in place in 1999 which included payment of $10 million to LTTE terrorists. The report says that LTTE backed off from the operation when the “money”, thanks to RAW, did not reach them. As a backup plan, the conspirators were, however, able to engage the Harkat-ul-Jehad (believed to be funded by the Mossad), which planted 76 kg of RDX only 100 yards from a dais from which Sk. Hasina was supposed to address a public meeting at Kotalipara in Gopalgunj district in August of 2000. But the bomb was discovered by the public an hour and a half before the meeting. The rest is history! Sk. Hasina miraculously survived the 2004 attempt also that killed many of her party leaders and workers.

What motivates political assassins? The answer will depend on the culture of the people where they reside. For example, in a country like the USA where firearms are readily available, most assassins were disgruntled or mentally deranged individuals who suffered from a paranoid or schizophrenic style of thinking, and only a small number of assassination attempts have been motivated by ideology; only in two cases the assassination plot was part of an organized conspiracy.[20] Even in these instances, there was no plan to seize control of the government or alter government policies - the traditional goals of a political conspiracy.

However, in countries where firearms are not readily available, bulk of the political assassinations has ideological reasons behind why they happen, and even succeed. Some elements within the society, often a small minority, don’t like the direction in which the state is heading when the organized few within such disgruntled groups conspire to assassinate the very symbol of leadership. Their justification for the crime remains the same, echoed some six decades ago by Nathuram Godse, “There was no legal machinery by which such an offender could be brought to book…”

Have assassinations altered the course of history? When political assassinations are part of a military coup, powerful foreign sponsorship or being carried out by a highly organized armed group within a disgruntled group, they can alter the course of history, at least, for a short term. Bangladesh with her share of political assassinations is a good example here. In the last 39 years of its existence, two presidents were killed, and the current Prime Minister Sk. Hasina had survived multiple attempts on her life, dating back to the 1990s. But Bangladesh is more of an exception than the norm. Rarely has the assassin’s political goal been realized. Sirhan Sirhan – a Palestinian-American Christian - murdered Robert Kennedy to protest the Democrat’s support for Israel, but Richard Nixon who was elected to office was himself a loyal supporter of the Jewish state and provided indispensable aid to Israel to win the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. failed to derail the civil rights movement.

Political assassination has almost never solved the problems which often were cited to justify such heinous crimes. It is wrong and must be shun and condemned by all conscientious human beings.