It was a Tuesday, a black Tuesday called so rightly by the
Americans. On this very day in September, 2001, they got an unfortunate feel of
the terror of worst kind, a catastrophic one by all standards. It was something
the Indians have been facing, confronting and tolerating for more than two
decades, first in Punjab and currently, to utter grief and discomfort in
Jammu& Kashmir and parts of North East and central India. The saga of
terrorism, judging by its current trends, patterns and mammoth manifestations,
it appears, is going to give sleepless nights for quite some time to come.
2. It may not be out of place to mention that in the recent
past, emergence as also unflinching, consistent and regular support to at least
three monstrous Frankensteins, namely, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale,
Pirbhakaran and Osama Bin Laden has played a kind of havoc with the very
existence of humanity. They, alongwith their blind but highly motivated,
vociferous and extra aggressive supporters, followers and brethren, have been,
in a position to sow the seeds of hatred and revenge in several vulnerable
parts of the world. In more than one location, healthy sprouting process has
been ensured due to deep-rooted indoctrination in what is termed, ’pockets of
poverty’. Moves are also afoot to carry out further augmentation, proliferation
and strengthening of a sort of religious war (Jehad). Ever rising number of
senseless suicide bomb squads may not have any parallel nor will it have any
solution in the immediate future.
3. Owing to such anti-humanity developments, the sacrificial
goats have been education, culture, a healthy way of life, objectivity and
rationality, what to talk of severe loss to the feeling and urge for universal
peace, stability and brotherhood. Consequently, what matters is an unsatiable
lust for power and authority with ensured support of narcotic drugs,
psychotropic substances and above all, small but lethal arms. Acute
drug-addiction among the warring factions in Afghanistan is by now, a well
established and known phenomenon.
4. The battle-hardened, ’unemployed’ warriors of Afghanistan
first tried to a considerable success, their hand in ‘fertile’ Jammu &
Kashmir. Due to sudden turn of events, they had, perhaps, no option but to
return to their motherland to defend their Taliban brothers against an
Occidental attack led by an extremely powerful & revengeful USA, a nation,
herself responsible for perpetuating and perpetrating the cult of shameless and
senseless killings in several parts of the world.
5. Their tentacles are growing swiftly and rapidly and
sometimes in a manifold fashion, all over.
In their endeavour to combat, not only UN is lending an
unconditional assistance but India owing to its vast miseries of the recent
past and historical compulsions vis-à-vis Pakistan, has also ensured all
support at this crucial juncture. Commitment to check the menace of terrorism
at last, appears to have gathered momentum. There, is perhaps, nothing to look
back and ponder over.
6. Coming to the live theatre of the ongoing war, the
military objective of capturing Kabul and other cities of Afghanistan seems to
have been side-lined in favour of finding a ‘suitable’ replacement for the
Taliban regime. It is an irony that the populace of the devastated land, instead
of having a say in their domestic affairs have to be dependent once again on
the whims and fancies of the super powers. These very forces were instrumental
in installing the Talibans as also their predecessors responsible for
overthrowing monarchy in once ‘liberal’, yet Islamic country.
7. The history has shown that the Afghans have seldom permitted
the outsiders to have any hegemony over them. It is, therefore, sad that on
account of such an attitude and approach, Afghanistan, instead of catching up
with the fast moving universe, has been relegated to the medieval times. There
is no institution worth its name, nor is there any urge or desire on the part
of the citizens to look forward. All that matters is to target and strike
vehemently in the name of ’Jehad’.
8. It would be significant to note that subsequent to almost
a month of consistent and forceful attack with most sophisticated arms, weapons
and newly developed bomb-lets, the US Defence Secretary is on record to have
said that not enough has been achieved and that the US led forces may not be in
a position to nab Osama-bin-Laden. Equally disturbing are the developments relating to killings,
allegedly by the Talibans of once expected alternate leaders, such as, Ahmed
Shah Masood, Haquani and Abdul Huq. The former king, Zahir Shah may also be out
of reckoning sooner than expected in view of recent diplomatic setbacks.
9. In view of above, it may perhaps be pertinent, prudent and
appropriate to submit that it is an advantage India situation which she must
and has to capitalize at any cost. This is the time when India should
decisively display and share its expertise in intelligence gathering and
counter-terrorism measures followed by steps with cautious optimism in order to
further expose its hostile and unfriendly neighbour. In the ultimate analysis,
she should seek to emerge as a force to reckon with.
10. It may not be forgotten and undermined that America’s
loss or blow of immediate past may be India’s significant gain ever. We, nevertheless,
need to do our home task with a certain degree of caution and care, coupled
with a more polished, shrewd and refined diplomacy, especially , during our
future deliberations with the emissaries of the super powers and the
forthcoming UN General Assembly session, wherein main and dominant theme of
discussions is likely to be global terrorism.
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