Dialogue October - December, 2001 , Volume 3 No. 2
Editorial Perspective
The Terror Strikes!
Yes, the terror strikes the mightiest. It brought the USA to a halt. The nerve-centres of the American economy, the World Trade Centre; the US military command and control, the Pentagon; and the executive, the state department have been assaulted. The residence of the mightiest person of the World, the President of the USA, the White House, was temporarily evacuated. The skyline of the Manhattan stands altered. The twin towers of the World Trade Centre are no more. The attack on the most impregnable fortress of the democratic world was most meticulously and thoroughly executed with utmost precision using most novel weapon of destruction - two very heavy high speed airplanes with 70 thousand litres of highly inflammable gasoline. The explosive inflammation led to rising of the temperature upto 1500° c leading to melting of the steel structure and ultimate collapse of the buildings. The Americans are deadly afraid of the future terrorist attacks and the ongoing bio-terrorism, the spread of Anthrax.
About 6000 persons lost their lives on September11, 2001 (called 9-11 in the USA). This included more than 300 Indians. The property worth billions of dollars was destroyed. The incident affected the world economy adversely. It was a new experience for America. The attack on the symbols of the American economic and military might and the attempts to assault its symbols of democracy have broken its complacency; unnerved and angered it. The humiliated US vowed to punish the culprit, Osama bin Laden and its terrorist network, Al-Qaeda. It asked Taliban to hand over bin Laden and as the former refused America retaliated.
In the aftermath of terrorist attack, America pleasantly behaved like a mature nation and a mature democracy. There
was, undoubtedly, a major intelligence failure. But, the American Opposition did not behave as our opposition did during Kargil War. The Republicans and the Democrats of America have united at this hour of their national crisis. In India, the Opposition, the Congress, was blaming the Central Government, not Pakistan, during the Kargil. The role of the American media, unlike ours during Agra Summit, remained exemplary. Unlike what was to happen in India, not a single TV channel of the US tried to parade even a single opposition leader to criticise Bush administration for its security and intelligence lapses. The American print-media is not allowing its take-over by the spokespersons of bin Laden and Taliban.The terrorist attack on America has shocked and angered not only the US, but also the entire world. This was especially so in the case of India, as no other country has suffered more than India from the menace of terrorism. This was the reason that 95% of the Indians participating in an opinion poll wanted India to make common cause with America in the fight against terrorism. But, there were people for whom "9-11" was not a human tragedy. They rejoiced; distributed sweats; were happy. There were others who maintained utter silence. The cruelest act of terror failed to sensitize them; they did not condemn it. Surprisingly, and suddenly, the same people became conscious of the human sufferings when US started the war against terrorism. They started organizing peace rallies and anti-US demonstrations, burning American flags and the effigies of President Bush. A section of them were so much outraged by the American action that they killed Christians in Pakistan and Nigeria, started riots in India. Needless to say that they have a very parochial view of the humans and the humanity; practice selective humanism; have compartmentalized sensitivity. For them, the victims of "9-11" are not human beings, but that of the American bombings are.
The events have taken full circle after WTC incident. The US has become the victim of the very forces it strengthened to fight the Soviets. It is now fighting to eliminate them. The country knows its interest and works accordingly. US asked Pakistan’s help in the fight, as the Taliban was the creation of Pakistan and its ISI. Musharraf was forced to submit. Pakistan has become the frontline
state in the fight against terrorism and a part of 6+2. It is also rewarded financially. But, Pakistan continues to show its terrorist face to India. India’s terrorists continue to be its freedom fighters. Pakistan runs 163 terrorist training centres; 72 in Pakistan, 91 in PoK. India has informed US about the same. Pak army masks terror camps. Gruesome acts of terror, as in J&K Assembly, continue even after WTC incident. But, US has also banned some terrorist organizations operating in J&K.US wants India to show restraint and to talk. Bombing when attacked; advising restraint when others are attacked. America wants India to talk to Pakistan. How many times to talk? We had 49 summits starting from 29 August 1948 uptil now. The repetition of the same stale story of one way concessions and stalemates frustrates and angers. Again, what to talk when India’s terrorists are Pakistan’s freedom fighters? India is hurt on the show of differential sensitivity and double standard in dealing with the problem of terrorism. But it should also understand the compulsions of the US at this hour of crisis. As Jaswant Singh has rightly said, the quality of relationship between India and US has transformed. This is a welcome development. Further steps should be taken to improve Indo-American relation. Today, there is better understanding about the India’s problems in the US and the world. The America and India may jointly work to solve their problems. But the country should also keep itself ready to fight its battle alone.
It is also the time for us to ponder over our own weaknesses and mistakes. The Communism spread in Asia and Europe like wild fire after World War II. Soviet Union itself annexed 2,64,000 sq. miles of land with a population of 2,40,00,000. Eleven countries of Eastern Europe became communists its satellite states. She acquired as satellite parts to the extent of more than 5 million sq. miles. According to the official census of 1939, Russians comprised only 58% of the population of Soviet Union. In Eastern Europe, only Finland, Greece and Turkey could escape communist shackles. In Asia, China, North Korea and Vietnam became communists. The Western countries viewed Communism as a bigger threat than colonialism. They felt the threat of soviet imperialism, which gave rise to the Cold War, and the proliferation of anti-Communist
alignments. India did not agree to this view. Having been a victim of over a thousand years of colonialism, India decided to oppose all forms of colonialism and imperialism.According to Nehru, the real question in Asia was that of ‘Colonialism vs. anti-colonialism’. But at the Bandung conference in 1955 where 29 countries had assembled, Nehru denied that there was such a thing as Soviet colonialism. It is pertinent to note that Ceylon, Turkey, Pakistan, Thailand and Iraq had voiced apprehensions concerning Soviet imperialism. Nehru failed to address to the American apprehensions; he also failed to observe strict neutrality. India was caught up in cold war politics. Pakistan gained. Post-independent India paid heavy price for its mismanaged foreign policy. Fortunately, situation is taking a better turn. Indo-American relation is improving. The US President’s assertion that he was committed to build a fundamentally different relationship with India based on mutual ‘trust’ needs positive reciprocation. A Congress leader was unhappy over the two countries being ‘natural allies’; he was even angry of India’s apparent jettisoning of Non-alignment. There is no dearth of such an advice: "Do not play second fiddle to US tunes. India must not provide military facilities to the US." A communist leader says. "It is time for the backward countries to unite" This country should simply ignore their statements, as they have, already, amply, harmed this country.
India is bleeding. We are losing average ten persons per day due to terrorism. We have lost 53,000 lives uptil now; including 30,000 lives in Kashmir. 5,000 persons on security duty have sacrificed their lives. We lost our two Prime Ministers. Terrorism has cost India Rs 165 billions uptil now. Really a very huge sum for a country like India. The danger of the nuclear weapons falling in the hands of the fundamentalists and the terrorists is real. India is nearest to the epicentre of terror. But India does not seem to be serious about the problem. Politics takes precedence over the national security. The countries with lesser security problems have very stringent laws to tackle the problem. The US has enacted law, as stringent as TADA, after September 11. But, in India, TADA was allowed to lapse; POTO (Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance) is being opposed.
The Congress Party is opposing POTO. But, the Congress run states - Karnataka and Maharashtra - were forced to seek remedies beyond those available in the IPC. The same was the case with the states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. West Bengal cabinet felt the need of the stringent laws and approved it, but the politburo of the party opposed it due to political reason. The laws enacted in the above-mentioned states to combat terrorism and organised crime are similar to POTO. The Congress, being the main opposition and the CPM should explain to the people of India as to how some stringent laws may be useful in some states and harmful in the rest of the country? Moreover, it was the Congress which felt the need of even more stringent laws and enacted TADA in the past. The Narasimha Rao Government, due to inner politics of the Congress and the pressure exerted by C.K.Jaffer Sharif and Ghulam Nabi Azad, allowed it to lapse. It needs mention that the percentage of Muslims arrested under TADA in India except in J&K was less than 15%. If we exclude Gujarat also, then it comes down to six percent only. In J&K, the terrorists are only Muslims, and therefore, the question of arresting others does not arise.
It is true that TADA, like any other law, was misused, and the Congress government of Chimanbhai Patel in Gujarat to suppress farmers’ agitation did its maximum misuse. 19,000 agitators of Bharatiya Kisan Union, a front-organization of BJP, were arrested in the same. POTO has taken care of the weaknesses of the former act. There is provision for punishment for its misuse. The ordinance was necessary due to terrorist attack on J&K Assembly Terrorism is gradually pushing this country towards anarchy; it is catalyzing administrative fatigue. It is becoming the greatest destabilizing factor. The security forces urgently need to be equipped with appropriate law to enable them to combat terrorism.
The Indian liberals are in the habit of shrugging off the massacres by the terrorists. Assured of their personal safety, they are very liberal when other’s blood is shed. They liberally forgive if the victims are others. Their habit is not going to die. Given to them, they would like America also to shrug off the massacre there. But America is not India. Unlike India, that country very well knows its national interest, and responsibilities.
Many Indian intellectuals were ready with their sermons, such
as, "Sanity demands an end to conflict", "No war. Eye for an eye shall make us blind", "US should know that bringing justice by war is worse than terrorism itself". Others with their explanations and prescriptions are also not lagging behind. "Though all religions preach love but when criticised they also preach hate against their critics", opines an old columnist. Some justified it on the basis of Muslim suffering in Palestne and other places and the American role in the same. George Fernandege was clever enough to advise to "fight terrorism on the economic front."Muslim Anguish
Rafiq Zakaria has expressed his anguish over the suppression of moderate Muslim views and the encouragement given to the fundamentalist voices by the Indian media. His views came out in an article on the edit page of the Times of India (November 12, 2001; the title of this write-up has been borrowed from the same). He has cited some cases in support of his statement. While concluding, he has quoted Shabana Azmi: "Since Babri masjid, the moderate Muslim voice has recognised that it must be heard, I would say that the battle today is not between Hindus and Muslims. It is between the moderate, sane voice of Muslims and fundamentalist, rabid voice. And it’s very important to give prominence to the moderate voice." In response to a call by Imam of Jama Masjid for Jehad in support of Taliban, she suggested that he be airdropped in Kandahar to fight for Ta