Terror Is Not The Enemy, Wilful Blindness Is

I suppose it will take something really terrible, something even worse than 26/11 to wake up our government. Maybe something as dramatic as 9/11 attack with thousands dying might stand a better chance, although I can’t be so sure anymore. Nothing else can explain the pussyfooting on terrorism by the Congress. Let me first warn you – those who say “don’t politicise terror, terror has no religion, nation must unite, we will not succumb” are the ones most misleading the nation. The worst of these has to be “bombs don’t know who they kill”. These pearls of wisdom have been so drilled into our minds that people in charge and in the media have even stopped asking the right questions. A larger war is being confused for terrorism. A larger master-plan is being cleverly cloaked by frequently invoking Hindu terror by politicians and the media. The term ‘Islamic Jihad’ has even disappeared from the lexicon of the media and government. Instead, the media wilfully sings the same song as the Congress to spread a fear of Saffron terror. Rahul Gandhi even sets the agenda by suggesting Hindu Terror is more dangerous than LeT. His mentor, Digvijay Singh, takes many steps forward by clouding every terror incident by pointing fingers at Hindu terrorists.

War on terror? Even the media keeps harping - War on terror! Hmmm! You cannot win or wage a war if you don’t even know who your enemy is or refuse to acknowledge the reality of the enemy. And that is Jihad.

In response to the 7/9 Delhi blast the PM stated “it’s a cowardly act”! Seriously, it’s not the jihadis who are cowards anymore. The cowards are those who are wilfully blind to Jihad.  The jihadis are willing to die for their cause just as a soldier in uniform is willing to die for the nation. The Jihadis go back and report to their masters another successful battle. What do our ministers report? They send out messages to the people that are becoming increasingly unbearable to tolerate for us as their bosses. The people, unfortunately, have to tolerate both – the jihadis and an incompetent govt. It’s a lose-lose proposition for all citizens.

For the sake of argument let’s assume Hindu terror is a bigger threat as Rahul Gandhi, Digvijay Singh and P. Chidambaram would have the nation believe. What exactly is the objective of Hindu terrorists? Do they want to conquer India? Do they want to over throw a democratically elected government? At worst, these could be revenge-thirsty elements of the Hindu fringe. In contrast the Jihadis have a long term plan. And terrorism is just one part of their entire plan of action. I repeat, terrorism is just one part of their overall plan.

There are pockets in India like Deganga (Bengal) where Hindus and their temples are being repeatedly attacked and they are being forced out of town. There are places like Miraj (Maha) and Adoni (AP) where Ganesh pandals are frequently attacked. There are places like Ahmedabad where Rath Yatras are frequently stoned. Sure, let’s dismiss all this as mere communal incidents. There is a news item today which reports the Muthoot group, a finance company, which has ordered dress codes and banned wearing of ‘bindis’. How do you explain that? There are pockets in Kerala which administer Sharia justice by chopping off arms. In response to the Batla house encounter some years back there were those who smeared brave police officers. One prominent media favourite even went to suggest muslims are like jews under the Nazis. So on hand you have the politician-media nexus which covers up the jihadi truth and then you have pockets where you have creeping sharia. Why? The motivation is vote bank politics.

It is weird and even absolutely idiotic to think that every nook and corner of a vast country like India can be secured by policing and technology. It is impossible. Security at strategic locations is a must but you don’t win wars by defending. You win wars by taking the offensive to the enemy. It’s as simple as that. So who is the enemy? Terror is a strategy, it is not the enemy by itself. Col. Allen West of the US army (now a Congressman) put it brilliantly when he asked – “How intelligent would it be during second world war if we identified Blitzkreig as the enemy”? Blitzkreig was a strategy, the enemy was Hitler’s Nazi. Similarly, terror is a strategy. You cannot wage a silly war on terror, you have to wage it against the enemy. The enemy here is the Jihadi. And this is where the govt is wilfully blind and repeatedly fools the nation.

Strangely the PM again made a silly statement: “Terrorists are using loopholes in our security”. What the hell is that supposed to mean? That one day you will eliminate all loopholes? Is that even possible? And the media can’t stop screaming that every terror attack is a wake up call that we need ‘fool-proof’ security. Is there really anything like fool-proof security? The dunderheads that the media assembles after every terror attack do more damage to the morale of the nation than reassuring it. “The objective of terrorists is to strike fear” says HM P.Chidambaram. And you didn’t get that in over 20 years of terrorism?

The truth of the matter is that the seeds of the Jihad were sown when the 1971 war ended. Bhutto had then declared a 1000-year holy war against India. What you’re seeing now is that war being prosecuted by the Jihadists. Terror is one of their tools. The jihad started 40 years ago. The one person who has correctly identified this enemy in the media is prominent journalist M.J. Akbar. In July 2010 he wrote an article titled “Only 960 years left”. That’s right, of the 1000-year holy Jihad 960 are left to go. That is when terror will end. When the Jihadists might manage to finally overthrow India’s democracy and establish India as an Islamic Republic. The PM did say “it will be a long war”! It is just that he doesn’t know who the war is against. Terror is not the enemy. Jihadists are.

At the foundation of the 1000 year jihad is Pakistan. One of the finer security experts in the media, Maroof Raza, has correctly analysed our dealings with Pakistan as the cause of the mayhem that is continuing and will continue. There cannot be any peace, any aman (As TOI preaches) with a country that is hell bent on destroying India. You have the violent strategy of terror executed by some warriors. The non-violent warriors are executing things like ‘Love-Jihad’ in Kerala. The govt fears revealing or even dealing with the truth due to electoral concerns. So is terrorism going away soon? Forget it. Someday it might be your turn and mine.

It is a strange irony that the first major security response to the Delhi blast has been to enhance the security of P. Chidambaram. The pussyfooting of the govt over issues of security and terror is best brought out by former CBI Director, Joginder Singh. In his article “The silent invasion of India” he states “Illegal immigration from Pakistan and Bangladesh poses a serious threat to our internal security. Thanks to vote-bank politics, our politicians are indifferent.” That illegal population may have many enemies within. The multiple strategy of the Jihadis – terror, demographics, cultural terror, electoral badgering and playing victim. Before you know  it, these illegals may well be regularised by the UID scheme of the govt. Brilliant strategy! Of these, terror gets the most attention because it is violent, causes death and is dramatic for the media. The other not so visible parts of this Jihad is not so visible on your screens all the time. That is a war that is being prosecuted covertly.

The govt appoints NIA and other such outlets which have been used more to spread the canard of saffron terror. We are yet to see at least 3 visible and result-oriented actions by the govt. It can start by conducting a massive combing to flush out illegals, cutting off all dialogue with Pakistan no matter what the compulsion and declaring an official war against the Jihadis. The war against terror is as much bullshit entertainer as your usual saas-bahu soaps on TV. And most of all, Congress should get rid of a monumental nation-divider like Digvijay Singh. It takes patriots to fight wars, not communal nation-dividers like Digvijay.

If all that is not enough you have a bunch of specially appointed interlocutors for Kashmir who want to restore the state to pre-1953 status. Well, that is precisely what the Jihadis want too, don’t they? They want to restore India centuries back to Islamic rule. Many citizens have woken up to this reality. It is our govt and the compliant media that continues to suppress the reality of the war.

The first step to winning a war is identifying the enemy. The govt and the media will repeatedly carry us through the maze of nonsense like more CCTVs, more beat cops, police reforms, technology … all of that can only be of moderate defence. You don’t need “intelligence” anymore to tell you Islamic Jihadists are your enemy. They have been so for over two decades. Going after them is the only answer. Will the govt do so? I doubt, and so many more will die and acts of terrorism will continue.

The Congress and the govt seem to exist not to serve the nation but the care-taking of the dynasty and to concote election-winning populist measures and vote-banks. The secrecy of Sonia Gandhi’s illness, protecting her from any criticism, protecting Rahul Gandhi from every failure. If that is the chosen agenda where will the govt find the time to even start to fight the terrorists. Tavleen Singh writes: “Dynastic democracy has so derailed democratic processes that we have been ruled by an unelected prime minister since 2004. He was appointed by a lady whose own entry into public life was based wholly on marrying into the right dynasty. In recent weeks, it became blindingly clear that what India needed most was a real prime minister…”.

Strategy expert Brahma Chellaney  tweets: "When a nation fails to execute for years a man sentenced to death for attacking its Parliament, it will only make its courts a terror target." Those are targets they managed to hit. Many others may very well be on their table.

Terror is not the enemy. It’s a strategic tactic, the Jihadists are the enemies. Will the govt have the courage to acknowledge that and begin the real war? If they don’t, we will just have to grow up or die! 

"Don't Worry, Relax"! Rahul G Understands Terror

"I understand terrorism... it has killed my father, my grandmother. I am no stranger to it." That’s what Rahul Gandhi stated at Gorakhpur on July 21 as reported by NDTV.

I must admit when Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister I was a big admirer of his. His “clean” image held out a great promise. All that came to nothing when he first killed the SC’s Shah Bano judgement and then Bofors brought him down. Bofors coupled with the Italian connections in the background brought Rajiv down. Rajiv’s Italian connections destroyed him through Bofors. Now the Italian connection is destroying India itself. In contrast Rahul Gandhi, at an older age, neither comes across as “clean” nor half as bright as his father. I do recall the funeral of Rajiv Gandhi and watching Sonia, Priyanka and Rahul, I had nothing but sympathy for them apart from the anger at seeing a former and would-be PM being assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber. The killing of Indira Gandhi was worse because I saw it as an attack on our nation. She was in office and was killed by people she trusted her life with, her own bodyguards. In both cases these were highly protected individuals unlike the helpless and unprotected innocent ones who are slaughtered in terrorist attacks. Can you tell the difference, RG?

So I can sense Rahul Gandhi’s loss. It’s our nation’s loss too. But does that mean he really understands terrorism? For a start there are certain features to terrorism that are different from pre-meditated murder of a person or targeted assassination of a political leader. Can RG tell the difference? In case of Indira Gandhi the Sikh bodyguards were kept on despite advice to the contrary by security heads. Indira, as a right-thinking PM, didn’t discriminate against the Sikh guards. Rajiv Gandhi, despite advice from his security personnel, allowed the lone suicide bomber to get close and kneel in front of him out of respect. The outcome was a national tragedy. Lately, is Rahul Gandhi not accused of flouting security norms frequently? In both cases the incidents are different from “terrorism” as we know it. Someone should tell Rahul Gandhi that.

Anyway, RG has done a discover India tour but it doesn’t look like he reads too much or understands history. That is why I doubt he really understands anything other than making populist statements or tutored statements, let alone understand something as complex and serious as terrorism.

I wonder if Rahul Gandhi has ever read the Jain Commission report. This commission was set up to inquire into the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The inquiry was started in 1991 and the report submitted in 1997. Some of its contents reported in November 1997 by India Today, here and here, may help in educating Rahul Gandhi. Here are some excerpts from India Today (in blue):

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his DMK responsible for abetting Rajiv Gandhi's murderers. Also blamed are two former prime ministers, V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar, for their laxity in assessing the threat to Rajiv

The report has made uncharitable remarks about Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, criticising him for supping with the devil in the cause of political expediency.

The report is replete with examples of the DMK's proximity to the leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), whose cadres killed Rajiv…..

"They (LTTE) sent personal emissaries to Karunanidhi for seeking his active support in their battle against the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). These overtures of the LTTE towards the DMK started a chain of events which led to LTTE's survival and growth in Tamil Nadu even after the attitude of the Government of India had changed towards the LTTE after the hostilities between the IPKF and LTTE in Sri Lanka.'' The Jain report also concludes that the LTTE "was getting its supplies, including arms, ammunition, explosives, fuel and other essential items for its war against the IPKF from Tamil Nadu.

The report emphasises the political antagonism between the DMK government in the state and the Rajiv Gandhi government at the Centre. Karunanidhi took over as chief minister in January 1989 after his party's decisive victory over the Congress and the AIADMK. According to the report, 1989 signified "the perpetuation of the general political trend of indulging the Tamil militants on Indian soil and tolerance of their wide-ranging criminal and anti-national activities ... LTTE activities of arms smuggling, abduction of Indian citizens and officials and intimidation of the law enforcement machinery were tolerated". Citing the brutal murder of EPRLF leader K. Padmanabha, along with 15 others in Madras on June 19, 1990, Jain has resurrected memories of "the impunity with which the LTTE could operate in India"

For example, Kasi Anandan, a senior member of the 10-member central committee of the LTTE's political wing, admitted in his deposition on September 11, 1996, that "the LTTE had very friendly relations with Karunanidhi. In the days of Karunanidhi as CM, movement of LTTE was more free. Local administration was also friendly in Tamil Nadu"

The evidence against the Karunanidhi Government appears to be quite damning, particularly since the commission has been rather dismissive of the DMK's protestations of innocence. Deposing before the commission on January 17 this year, Karunanidhi asserted: "I had supported the LTTE along with other parties, but after the murder of Padmanabha, I withdrew my support." Jain is, however, disinclined to accept this denial: "It cannot be found that after June 19, 1990, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu gave no support to the LTTE."

Given Sonia Gandhi's divine status in the party, it is certain Congressmen will delight in competitive DMK-bashing, if only to impress 10 Janpath. There is the possibility that G.K. Moopanar's Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) will see the report as an excuse to detach itself from the DMK. Even so, the TMC will have to suffer the embarrassment of Jain's strictures against Chidambaram.

It may be stated that Chidambaram was there in the government of P.V. Narasimha Rao and besides that, he was also given additional charge relating to matters connected with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi ... It was expected from P. Chidambaram that he would place all material and adduce all ... evidence with regard to the facts and accusations mentioned and levelled by him in his speech ... on 25.2.1991 ... Why he did not choose to act, is best known to him.

Congress functionaries, including the local Lok Sabha candidate Maragatham Chandrashekhar, had, said Verma, been party to a security lapse. The Congress workers "exhibited a total lack of awareness of their obligation to co-operate with the police force ... and their intransigence created impediments in effective access control, necessary for Rajiv's security". The Congress ignored recommendations to initiate disciplinary action against them.

It’s a pretty damning report against the DMK and also against P. Chidambaram. What is amazing is that the report suggests that the then DMK government had actually supported LTTE against our own forces (IPKF). Now, the same DMK is a coalition partner with Congress. The very same P. Chidambaram is the Home Minister. How do you explain that Rahul Gandhi? Understanding terror also requires a strong principled policy and stand against it. In the case of Rajiv Gandhi, despite the Jain Commission report,  not a single person from DMK or any other political LTTE-sympathiser has been prosecuted. Thirteen years later the DMK as Congress partner was rewarded with key ministries. The outcome? Outrageous loot of the nation through various scams, particularly in the telecom sector. Well, shall we say “coalition compulsions” can wipe out even the deadliest sins?

So by all evidence RG not only doesn’t really understand terrorism but the report at NDTV further states:  The Congress General Secretary referred to December 1999 when the BJP was in power and freed three terrorists in exchange for 178 passengers who had been taken hostage on flight IC-814 from Kathmandu to Delhi. Among those released from prison was Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Mazood Azhar. "They released the terrorists. With folded hands, they freed the biggest terrorists in our prison……That man then went on to plan 26/11. And these people are trying to teach us about how to tackle terrorism. We don't bow down before anyone." Well, someone has to tell RG that the more he opens his mouth the more ignorance he displays. The 26/11 attacks are attributed to LeT and other individuals and not the ones released in 1999. But never mind that, there is something more important.

I would like to hear from Rahul Gandhi, or any Congress member who keep harping on the Kandahar issue, what exactly he would have done if he were PM and were handling the Kandahar hijack. If RG really comes up with an answer to that question then it would reflect his policy thinking on terrorism and show us how much he really understands terrorism. You never know, given our "intelligence", it could happen all over again. Of course, our friendly-fire media, will never ask RG that question. Till then we will have to contend with the bullshit of “intelligence” by the Home Minister, RG’s crap about “99%”  and using Kandahar as a defence and excuse for an absence of policy or action on prevention of terrorism. Innocent men, women and children being killed through acts of terrorism are quite different from targeted political assassinations.

The security personnel around Rajiv Gandhi advised him against allowing that LTTE woman close to garland him. Rajiv’s famous last words were “Don’t worry, relax”! He paid with his life for it. Now his son is saying he “understands” terror almost telling the whole nation don’t worry, relax!

Seema Mustafa V Subramanian Swamy

Subramanian Swamy in his true insightful but provocative style has written an article in DNA July 14: ‘How to wipe out Islamic Terror’. Much of the article is on Islamic terrorism and how it threatens Hindus in India. In response Seema Mustafa, a noted journalist, has responded with another article in DNA July 19 titled ‘Dr Subramanian Swamy has inflamed passions through blatant falsehoods’. I have read only a few of Mustafa’s articles which have come across as good, sensible pieces of journalism. This particular piece of hers in response to Swamy stands out in some ways. Falsehoods she says. Okay, so before I come back to her article let’s try and understand what Swamy has said.

Swamy’s strongly worded article revolves around 5 goals that he attributes to the Islamists or the ‘unfinished’ Islamic business for India if you like. I believe these being central to his article would constitute the falsehoods that Seema Mustafa is talking about.

Goal 1 (Falsehood 1) : Overawe India on Kashmir.

I need not go into the history of Pak-funding of militants, frequent incursions, Kargil war and all that. They never happened. Lakhs of Hindu Pandits displaced violently from their homes and are refugees in their own country. Falsehood, never happened. SmitaPrakash, another prominent journalist writes chillingly about how teenagers and youths were paid money in the stone pelting exercise. Oops, falsehood again! Geelani and company go around the country  with inflammatory speeches. Falsehood! Again! Hoisting Pakistani flags at Lal Chowk on Republic Day. Falsehood, never happened. There you go, Mustafa disproves Swamy’s goal no.1

Goal 2 (Falsehood 2): Blast temples, kill Hindu devotees.

Blasts at Varanasi this year. Oops, that wasn’t a temple, that was some Sulabh Sauchalay. Daring attack on Akshardham in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) in 2002. Again Akshardham is hardly a Hindu temple. Sai Baba temple blast in 2002. Misreported. Sankat Mochan temple blast. What a lie! All these are falsehoods because Muslims and Christians may have died in these temple blasts too. There might be more and I guess all of those are falsehoods too. Mustafa exposes Swamy’s lie on this one too.

Goal 3 (Falsehood 3): Turn India into Darul Islam.

That’s a blatant lie by Swamy. This statement by the Imam Bukhari of Delhi was falsely reported by media all over. “We were rulers here for 800 years. Inshaallah, we shall return to powerhere once again”" and threatens “this country is in for another partition,so let us be prepared for nation- wide riots and violence. ” I would recommend readers to go through the post ‘Life,Liberty and the pursuit of Sharia’. Swamy is a liar. It is not just India, this particular falsehood is for the whole world and not just India. Mustafa, once again, brilliantly exposes the falsehood.

Goal 4 (Falsehood 4): Change India’s demography by illegal immigration, conversion, and refusal to adopt family planning.

Read my post ‘Make Mumbai aseparate state’. There isn’t still a handle on the number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan or other places in Mumbai, Assam, Bengal and other places. The vote-bank hugging ‘secular’ government simply loves this. And when was the last time you ever heard of population control, family planning etc.? Those terms died in the late seventies. Mustafa doesn’t have much to say on this so her silence proves it to be an absolute falsehood. Bravo!

Goal 5 (Falsehood5): Denigrate Hinduism through vulgar writings and preaching in mosques, madrassas, and churches to create loss of self-respect amongst Hindus and make them fit for capitulation.

Well, I suppose at all mosques and madrasas they are only preaching love for humanity. I guess the FBI in the USA is stupid to be keeping a close vigil on all major mosques. The UK does it now too. Some mosques in Germany have even been shut down. It is only in India that Swamy is stupid to peddle this lie. Once again Seema Mustafa has nothing to say on this. So once again her silence on this proves it to be a falsehood. We would never get to know what goes on in mosques and madrasas because our ‘secular’ government considers that too important a sentiment to offend.

So now that Seema Mustafa has clearly established the falsehoods in Swamy’s article let’s see what she actually had to say in her piece. Much or almost all of her article is an ad hominem attack on Swamy and is basically an opinion piece. It neither confronts the basic premise of Swamy’s central arguments nor does it offer a solid, logical and factual rebuttal of his contentions. Needless to mention, Swamy’s article also contains quite a bit of his opinions and his solutions to the goals are basically his opinions, some of which are also impractical. But a response basically requires disproving the theories stated in an article. To that end, Swamy’s article contains nothing but commonly known facts which he outlines in the 5 goals. None of that is a big secret to anyone, anywhere in the world.

“Swamy’s article has drawn absolutely excellent responses from the people of this country, mostly non-Muslims, to put him and his exhortations in their place” says Seema. Oh yeah? How do you know? Did you carry out a survey? Did you research all the respondents in all forms of media? This is the typical defence of the secularist. Everyone says so, so it must be balderdash. Since when is that childish logic the foundation of mature debate?

“The Hindus, he keeps insisting, are the targets. But when blasts take place in crowded market places in Mumbai or any other part of India, the targets are the people of India, Dr Swamy. Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs and Christians and Parsis and Jains and Brahmins and Dalits and all those who are at the spot die because the bomb cannot differentiate among religions and castes. India, as we have grown up to understand it, is a secular, democratic country belonging to all who are its citizens” writes Mustafa. First note how cleverly and significantly she segregates Hindus, Brahmins, Dalits as three distinct entities. Isn’t that a common secular strategy? That’s the first line of attack of secularists. Separate Hindus into different groups.Wouldn't it be funny to suggest bombs kill Shias, Sunnis, Protestants and Catholics? Well, only in case of Hindus the bombs know the segregation I suppose..

There is a saying in Goa: “If you throw a stone it will invariably land on a bar”. But, of course, there is a tiny chance it can also land on a church. Same is true for people dying from bomb blasts I suppose. The bombs aimed at Hindus invariably land on other religious groups.

Yeah, bombs don’t know who they kill – brilliant. I don’t walk backwards ‘cuz I don’t have eyes in my ass! But those who plant bombs do know who their intended target is. I suppose those who planted bombs at Zaveri Bazar didn’t know there might be Muslims and Christians in the area. Of course, they also didn’t know that bazar is a predominantly Hindu and Jain bazar or a majority are Gujaratis. Of course, secularists conveniently forget that people have been dragged out of buses in Kashmir, Hindus have been sorted out and lined up separately and killed. So when terrorists have the opportunity they would indeed choose their specific targets. It’s only when it is not possible or inevitable that some collateral damage has to be accepted. How intelligent would it be to suggest that the 9/11 attack wasn’t Islamic terror because Muslims also died in those towers? Yeah, sure, we are so convinced of this line being churned out by politicians, now we have to be reminded repeatedly by journalists, that’s all.

Does anyone remember the Israeli raid on Entebbe airport in 1976. An Air-France airline was hijacked by terrorists and landed at Entebbe airport in Uganda. The terrorists allowed all to go except Jews. Does that explain that when the chance is available terrorists do choose who they wish to target or kill?  I can believe politicians can make silly statements but can’t believe journalists too expect people to be so naïve.

Seema suggests Swamy may even face charges of hate speech or some law-violation. Well, I suppose he has no right to air his views some of which are based on facts but the likes of Digvijay Singh delight our secularists. I have yet to see one really strong piece in any major media outlet that questions the utterances of that man. Never mind that either. Let’s see some more brilliance from Mustafa.

“It (India) is home to all religions, and it is a vibrant democracy that thrives on plurality and diversity. The terrorists, al-Qaeda, Lashkar or the Aseemanands…” Hahahhaha! That really takes the cake! You win Seema! Aseemanand, whose arrest is full of controversy and still not convicted of anything, is sweepingly bracketed with Al-qaeeda and LeT. So fools like me finally realise now, through the wisdom of the likes of Seema Mustafa, that Aseemanand is as big a threat to India and Hindus as are Al-Qaeeda and LeT. I guess that is what RG meant by 99% terror stopped!

There, the falsehoods of Subramanian Swamy stand thoroughly exposed. On behalf of Seema Mustafa should I say, ‘QED’?