Beyond the blame game
Nazia Nazar
India is a volcano of unrest where myriad separatist and secessionist movements have deep roots often creating turbulent situation in the country. Apart from that, the rise of Hindu fundamentalism and its influence in politics has posed a serious danger not only to the security of all the minorities living there for centuries, but also to the national interests of the so-called biggest democracy of the world. Unfortunately, India has the proclivity to blame Pakistan for every terrorist attack instead of looking inwardly and paying attention to the contradictions and conflicts that originate from its own soil. This year three important incidents took place in India before Mumbai attacks which compelled even the veteran analysts to conclude that India must address the root causes of violence and unrest the country has been going through for decades.
For instance, instead of realising the importance of resolving decades-old Kashmir issue amicably, India has always found an easy solution to point its finger towards Pakistan whenever any violent situation emerged in Kashmir due to its policy of repression. However, this year the freedom struggle in Kashmir took a new turn when Sheikh Abdul Aziz, a leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), together with hundreds of Kashmiri civilians were martyred by Indian security forces over the Amarnath land dispute. The agonies of Kashmiris got multiplied when the extremists Hindu made an economic blockade of Kashmiri Muslims which unleashed massive unrest in the entire region. Despite the fact that seven lakh India troops are deployed in Kashmir to suppress their peaceful movement, the situation is out of control. Now the international community even the Indian writers opine that the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue is inevitable to create peace and harmony in the region.
While the unrest in Kashmir was in full swing, the anti-Christian riots erupted in India’s Orissa district resulting in the deaths of scores of Christian men, women and children who were targeted by some Hindu fanatics. After the Gujarat pogrom when 2,000 Muslims were killed mercilessly by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) supported Hindu fundamentalists, anti-Christian riots in Orissa once again put a question mark on the visage of India’s secularism increasing the sense of insecurity among all the minorities. The need is to understand that with the bloodbath of the minorities in Gujarat or Orissa how could peace and harmony be created in Mumbai or elsewhere in India? To root out the menace of terrorism, India should address the communal problems and ensure the fundamental rights of the minorities, failing which the country would face civil-war like situation if not civil war.
Third important development, which has sent shivers down everybody’s spine in India, occurred a month ago when the shocking revelation was made that some officers of Indian army and intelligence were involved in many bloody episodes of bomb blasts in India, including Samjhuta Express bomb explosion that killed 68 people mostly Pakistanis. Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) branch of India arrested Lt. Colonel and military intelligence officer Karat Purohit, and another army officer in this regard. According to the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), “Col Purohit has been clandestinely working with terror networks, organising funds, ammunition and training for Sangh Parivar activists to carry out bomb blasts.”
Pakistan-bashing and bringing both the countries to the brink of war were the real intentions of the culprits involved in gruesome acts of terrorism in India. Col Purohit and the Hindu terrorists who were involved in Samjhuta Express were largely successful in their objective since the blame of the incident was placed on Pakistan. However, with this revelation one thing is clear that the elements who want to sabotage the peace process between the two countries are not only active in India, but they are also getting stronger just because after every gory incident the blame is put on Pakistan while the real culprits go scot-free. After Mumbai attacks, the Indian leadership in keeping with its traditions has again started pointing finger of accusation towards Pakistan without any concrete evidence. However, the undeniable fact is that some ‘elements’ in India were furious over the trial of Col Purohit and other army officers. Before the investigation could lead to some more shocking revelations, the Mumbai attacks took place resulting in the killings of the most competent officers of the ATS, including Hermat Kurkary who were investigating the matter impartially.
Meanwhile, Col Purohit has also been granted bail despite the fact that the provincial government had claimed that it has incontrovertible evidence of his involvement in terrorists’ activities. In this regard, the article published in countercurrent.com under the caption of “Mumbai terror attack: further evidence of the Anglo-American-Mossad-RSS nexus” by Ameresh Mishra – an Indian writer, historian and poet – is also of worth reading. In this article he analyses Mumbai attacks as a “joint operation by RSS and Mossad” by emphasising that “the attackers would not have come from the sea route without some kind of a connivance of Gujarat and Maharashtra governments with the terrorists and the connivance of RSS type Hindutva elements…” India is basking in the glow of the sympathies of the world community after the Mumbai carnage, and is in a position to pressurise Pakistan as much as it can. So, it has embarked upon the task of lashing out at Pakistan which is already in a mess due to its internal problems. Nevertheless, the need is to realise that Mumbai attacks are as much disastrous for Pakistan as these are for India. So, it is quite clear that whoever has masterminded and carried out Mumbai attacks wanted to bring Pakistan in disrepute, and India is now trying to get Pakistan declared as a terrorist state. By pointing the fingers towards Pakistan, India is trying to divert the attention of the world community and its own people from the real issue – the issue of the rise of Hindu fundamentalism under the shadow of political approval and army support. However, in the long-term it could have resulted in strengthening the Hindu fanaticism while weakening of the progressive elements in India.
Pakistan is also suffering from religious extremism but fortunately those elements could never get the political support. What is the most dangerous trend in India is the fact that Hindu fundamentalism has penetrated into organised political elements who have been indulging in pre-planned anti-minority riots such as Gujarat pogrom or Christians’ killings in Orissa. It would not be an exaggeration to say that India is going to be hijacked by Hindu fundamentalists who in pursuance of the objective of ‘Akhand Bharat’ and desire for Pakistan-bashing could even lead India on the path of destruction. Despite fighting propaganda war against Pakistan, India should realise the gravity of situation before the situation spins out of control.
—The writer is a freelance columnist based in Lahore
