26/11 - In India one would read that as 26th November. A day marred by unfortunate chain of events. Terror attacks inside our courtyard rudely jerked us out from the state of slumber we so comfortably were in. Was it slumber or the unfailing belief of each one of us -"Nothing can happen to us... we are not so UNLUCKY!” I fail to envision a country of more than a billion people living their life hanging by the mercy of LUCK. What a progressive state of mind we have!
Simultaneous attacks in Taj, Cafe Leopold, Oberoi and many other places in Mumbai left all of us wondering - Who next?? Where next?? Why Us?? How Us?? And a thousand more questions... All unanswered till date. First question first - Do all of these questions have enough strength behind them to deserve answers? Or are we going to be back to our state of unquestioned living? In a sincere attempt to start the process - I try to answer these questions from my understanding and take on the whole issue. However much inertia we possess, it’s time we do something more than lapsing into the oblivion in due course of time. We have been ATTACKED... How long will this take to sink in?? It is no longer a matter of concern (read votes) to white kurta donning Netas or Security forces fighting for our security. Thousands have been killed since we started talking about terrorism in India.. Will it take one from each family to make us realise what has been done to us? Terrorism as we know it, knows no religion, region, language or creed. It is the most cowardly attempt to sabotage humanism and all in the name of COURAGE. How ironical! It’s time the so called terrorists are made answerable for all the injustice they are inflicting upon thousands of people not only in India but throughout the world. Before we start this fight, we have to realize that THE BATTLE HAS BEGUN and we have to take sides. We can no longer afford to be a silent observer on the sidelines.
Having questions in our heads doesn’t automatically ensure answers. We have to probe deeper to understand and to analyse the current state of terrorism in India, Its probable causes- its history, its possible solutions and the proactive measures that need to be taken to ensure that no Indian suffers the way we have till now.
Terrorism as we have known it in India:
Researches done on the history of terrorism reveal that ‘terrorist’ in the modern sense dates to 1947, especially in reference to Jewish tactics against the British in Palestine – while earlier it was used for extremist revolutionaries in Russia (1866). The tendency of one party’s terrorism said to be another’s guerrilla war or fight for freedom was noted in reference to the anti-British actions in India (1857), Cyprus (1956) and the war in Rhodesia (1973). The word terrorist was applied, at least retroactively, to the Marquis resistance in occupied France during the World War II. In India, the first major terror attacks were the result of militancy in the state of Punjab. During the 1970s, an age old fear in the Sikh community - that of being absorbed into the Hindu fold led to the rise of Sikh militants. The insurgency intensified during 1980s when the movement turned violent and the name Khalistan resurfaced and the state sought independence from the Indian Union. Led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who, though not in favour of the creation of Khalistan but also was not against it, began using militancy to stress the movement's demands. Soon things turned bloody with India alleging that neighbouring Pakistan supported these militants, who, by 1983-84, had begun to enjoy widespread support among Sikhs. This led to the infamous operation Blue Star followed by the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Sikh Riots in northern India. The ending of overt Sikh militancy in 1993 led to a period of relative calm, punctuated by militant acts (i.e. the assassination of Punjab CM, Beant Singh in 1995) attributed to half a dozen or so operating Sikh militant organisations. These organisations include Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan Liberation Force and Khalistan Zindabad Force. Support for Khalistan is still supposed to be widespread among Sikh communities in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Apart from Punjab, the nation faced militancy in remote areas of North Eastern India. The first and perhaps most significant insurgency was in Nagaland during the 1950s up till 1980s. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), demands an independent Nagaland and has carried out several attacks on Indian military installations in the region. According to government officials, 599 civilians, 235 security forces and 862 terrorists have lost their lives between 1992 and 2000. Assam with high presence of organizations such as ULFA and BODO faces almost same kind of separatist movement which border on terrorism. Assam remains the only state in the northeast where terrorism is still a major issue. The Indian Military was successful in dismantling terrorist outfits in other areas, but have been criticized by human rights groups for allegedly using harsh methods when dealing with terrorists.
Terrorism in Kashmir purported by Pakistan is no news to any Indian.
Other states like Bihar and Orissa face outfits like Naxalites and Ranvir Sena, which run a parallel government in the state based on terror. States of southern India face Naxalites supported by Nepalese Naxalite outfits and LTTE which is reportedly supported by Sri Lankan LTTE.
In recent times, states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra have been hit by Islamic terrorism start of which can be traced to 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai which was followed by a serious rioting in 1992-93 in the city.
Now terrorism in an international issue and the most recent attack in Mumbai has shown not only our vulnerability but also the higher probability of occurrence of such kind of gruesome acts in future.
26/11 – What happened?
Innocent people were targeted right in the most happening places in the financial capital of the country. Hundreds of people were killed or injured and many security personnel lost their lives saving others. The failure of us as citizens, Government as a provider and guaranteer of security to the public, media as the responsible and mature voice of the intelligentsia and not to say the least- the whole system glared at us in its ugliest form.
Failures as I see it:
- The failure of intelligence agencies in the form of adequate warning
- The failure of costal guards and security services to identify and stop the militants from entering through sea
- The failure of local security personals to identify suspicious behaviour of militants
- The failure of state government to contain the situation with a quick response
- The failure of central government in providing means to mitigate the danger in a quick and efficient manner
- The failure of our politicians who in such time of distress could not rise beyond petty politics and for a change think about the nation undergoing a tragic moment
- The failure of state and central government to identify the need to set up a separate group/service to counter terrorism in as crucial and vulnerable place as Mumbai
- The failure of Media as a responsible and mature channel causing innumerable delays and probable loss of lives due to inconsiderate reporting to garner TRP ratings
- The failure of the system which allows freedom of movement and scheming against the country by all miscreants, which as a responsible citizen of the nation we neither question nor try to improve upon
- The failure of us as nation loving citizens. Thankfully this failure is something not incorrigible. With our grit and determination, we have lots of scope to change this failure into our strength forever.
What can we do:
· Probable root causes of increasing terrorism : Disillusionment with the system; Lack of proper education; Lack of respectable means of living; Vulnerability of being mind washed by perpetrators of crimes; Lack of strict measures to trace and identify trouble causing foreign elements; Lack of a tough stand by the central government towards total intolerance of any kind of terrorism; Lack of commitment from our own chosen politicians towards making the country more secure and letting every attack seem just another event to gain political mileage.... the list goes on.
· Need of the hour : Overhauling of the system by conscious decision of its citizens; Responsible voting; Greater transparency in the system; Education systems imbibing into students, not only wage earning techniques but also integrity and a passion for the country; Greater coherence between planned and real actions; greater accountability and responsibility not only by the government but also by all the committees, groups, communities as well as individual towards the fulfilment of the goal of a more secure nation.. the list goes on and has to be added upon by each individuals effort.
Last but not the least, we have to be more answerable to ourselves and our future generations. Are we prepared to look into their eyes and proudly claim that we did what we could to ensure the sanctity and security of our nation? Are we prepared to teach them that level of patriotism that requires self awareness and a burning desire to make a difference? Are we prepared to say ENOUGH to all those inhuman cowards??
I wish that time to come soon..... with hope and courage in my and fellow countrymen’s (countrywomen’s) hearts.
