Reality hits home
Muzamil Jaleel
UP, Bihar weren’t recruiting grounds for Kashmir jihad. Why is it different for Mumbai?
Security agencies are unable to find a Kashmir link to the Mumbai serial train bombs, unlike the past. The arrests of three suspects — two from Bihar, and a third from Navi Mumbai — made on Friday, in fact, hint at a new phase of terror that is autonomous and perpetrated by a network of home-grown foot soldiers. J&K Director General of Police Gopal Sharma only underlined this when he told the media recently that the pattern of the Mumbai serial blasts is new. No clues have led to groups operating in the state.
This apparent lack of a link between the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai with the epicentre of militancy has thrown up a new challenge for security agencies, especially as it substantiates the viewpoint that an autonomous network has finally come up in the country outside the borders of J&K. And although security agencies here do not rule out the ‘outside hand’ in these blasts, they insist that this time there is the “worrisome involvement” of a local cell made up of “men with normal lives and a clean crime slate” which “masterminded the attack, chose the target and then executed it with precision”.
Terror as a domestic phenomenon is, of course, not new to Mumbai. In 1993, when the metro was rocked by a series of blasts, investigations became easy once the involvement of the D-Company was established. But as the investigations into the 7/11 blasts progresses, the Kashmir link as well as an underworld connection is being ruled out. This may come as a bitter reality check for the country. The emergence of indigenous terror cells among Indian Muslims is certainly a culmination of a process of alienation that has its roots in anti-Muslim riots and subsequent communal polarization. There is also every likelihood that the timing and the targets of these attacks, too, are aimed at sharpening the existing communal division and thus creating an atmosphere conducive to future recruitments.
Notice how recent terror targets have been religiously sensitive places like Varanasi, or timed to coincide with religious occasions — like the Delhi blasts occurring on the eve of the Diwali and Id festivals. Why this apparent objective to trigger communal riots? Ordinary Indian Muslims — outside J&K — had never been attracted to Kashmiri militancy even though they share a common faith with Kashmiri Muslims and Pakistanis. Security agencies in J&K put the number of Indian Muslims who came to join various Kashmiri militant groups over the past 16 years of insurgency at a negligible 50.
Why didn’t Muslim youth from UP, Bihar or Gujarat — unlike youth from Pakistan — not join militant outfits in Kashmir, even though they had no Line of Control to cross, no mountains to negotiate, no army to hide from to reach the Valley? In fact, for them it is just a short journey by train or bus. Thousands of Indian Muslims do come to work as manual labourers in the state, but their inclination to join forces with Kashmiri militants is altogether absent.
Nothing explains this phenomenon more than the case of the Jamat-e-Islami — a cadre-based Islamist party founded by Maulana Abul Ala Moududi in 1941. With partition, it had its Indian and Pakistani chapters. When the Jamat-e-Islami was introduced in Kashmir in 1951, its affinity was always with the Pakistan chapter rather than with the Jamat-e-Islami (Hind). Unlike the Jamat in Pakistan and Kashmir, the Jamat-e-Islami (Hind) has remained an apolitical organisation, with unflinching loyalty to the Indian motherland. In any case, if radical Islam had been a motivation to turn to militancy, then the Al Qaida would certainly have had considerable recruits from among India’s 130 million Muslims. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently boasted that the Al Qaida has not managed a single recruit from India, and he was absolutely right.
Most senior police officers in J&K agree that areas where communal violence is rampant become easy recruitment grounds for militants. Security agencies in Kashmir are currently investigating the presence of some ten Gujarati Muslims taking arms training in the mountains of Tral, where a former seminary student from Maharashtra was killed in an encounter recently.
There are other examples too. Chand Khan — the man who ferried fidayeens from South Kashmir to Akshardham — had told his interrogators in Srinagar that he joined the jihadi group only after Gujarat riots. Azam Ghauri’s evolution in becoming one of India’s most wanted militants has its roots in communal riots. According to the investigations, Ghauri — who had a Naxal past — was present at a meeting organised in Bhiwandi soon after communal violence had ripped it apart in 1985. Ten years later, Ghauri, a young man from a Hyderabadi Muslim family, and his close associate Karim ‘Tunda’ (handicapped), set up a proper terror network for the Lashkar but their main motivation remained avenging the communal riots and their recruits were invariably victims of riots. Gauri was killed in an encounter in 2000.
Then there is Jalees Ansari — a doctor who was arrested in 1994. He decided to leave his job and plant bombs on December 6, 1992 — the day of the Babri demolition. Ansari joined the Tehreek-Islahul-Muslimeen (Movement for Reform among Muslims) — an extremist group founded in Mominpura (Mumbai) to “avenge communal violence against Muslims”.
Going by these recent developments, we can spot new faultlines on the terror map. Violence is no longer limited to the Hindi belt or to Gujarat and Maharashtra, but has travelled all the way to Kerala too. The emergence of National Democratic Front — a 50,000-strong outfit that came up as a reaction to the Babri Masjid demolition — has put this state that prides itself on having the highest literacy rate in the country on the boil.
At a time when Mumbai’s Black Tuesday is being used as political capital by various political parties, it is important not to lose sight of the internal dimension of the latest terror attacks. This, in turn, raises crucial issues. Issues like justice delivery for the victims of the Gujarat riots, and the dangers inherent in blaming the entire Muslim community in India for the acts of a few alienated elements intent on pursuing their politics of revenge.muzamil.jaleel@expressindia.co
Reality hits home?
What is new in this article? Any new findings? Does the reality really hit home? NO.
This is merely an attempt to repeat the hollow excuses often offered to justify the Islamic violence against humanity. Same old thesis of Muslims alleged alienation, sufferings (perceived or real) etc. Every time a bomb explodes anywhere the same old false hood is offered. A Poverty is forcing the Muslims to take to terrorism. B Others (in India Hindus) have alienated the Muslims, some of whom have taken to terrorism out of frustration. C All and every act of terrorism is invariably linked to Gujarat riots, often described as anti Muslims, as if this is justification for the killing of innocent Man, women and children. No serious attempt is ever made to find the truth. Jaleel too has just gone through the usual mundane exercise there for Reality Does Not Hit Home.
What Jaleel should have focused was the inherent faults in the community itself, which is at loggerheads with almost everyone across the globe. To understand this better let us reexamine the theories one by one…
A Poverty: Two things need to be said regarding poverty as an apology.1.Muslims are not the only one who are poor. There are many more Hindus, Sikhs, Christian or others who are equally poor if not more. How many of them are terrorists? 2.Of late many educated and well to do Muslims were behind the worst acts of terrorism. Twin Tower Bombings, London metro bombings, Parliament attack etc .All the terrorist involved were not uneducated poor Muslims. There stand this excuse, Repudated.
B Alleged Alienation of Muslims: This too does not hold any water. In India Kashmiri Pundits are the one who can rightly claim to be alienated. They are worst sufferes, thrown out from their homes, brusied with the memories of rape, loot, aroson, selective killings of their family members. Ethnecially cleansed from the valley. Mr. Jaleel how many of them are terrorists? In every society be it, USA, UK, Russia, Taimor, Spain, France, India everywhere Muslims complain of alienation whereas other communities JewsHindus, Sikhs, Chinese-they live in harmony and are more prosperous. They do not complain alienation. These communities have assimilated themselves with the culture of adopted nations while maintaining their religious and ethnic identities. Why have they not taken to terrorism?
C Gujarat Riots: Here too he is off the mark. The writer suggests that Prior to Gujarat riots there were not any terrorist strikes in India. Every thing was cool and calm and we all were happy and secure. Am I right Mr.Jaleel? Blamining Gujarat riots (I condemn the riots and has no justification for the killings of any body) for all the ills is extremely dangerous argument. What Mr. Jaleel says, if I am correct, is that since Muslims were killed therefore they have taken to terrorism to avenge the killings. He conveniently forgets to mention Godhra Train as if those killed in S4 were dispensiable, any where in his long write up, Godhra and those killed fail to get even a passing reference. How convenient Mr. Jaleel this is a shining example of your objectivity.
I call this argument dangerous because by applying the same logic then Kashmiri Pundits has the strongest case for joining terrorist outfits and they should have taken to arms long ago. By now they should have killed each and every one who killed their family members, raped their sisters and mothers, threw them out of their homes. Would you have given the same argument to justify this terrorism as passionately? Are you suggesting Mr.Jaleel that post Anti Sikh Riots of 1984,all members of the victim’s family should start avenging by killing the members of the political party alleged to have played the role then? If, No? Then what is that you are suggesting?
Mr. Jaleel, respectfully, I beg to differ with you. When I started reading you article I had expectations of an objective analysis (as I always expect from IE) but am disappointed. More than me it is betrayal of truth and objectivity at the altar of political correctness. Worst, it is for the community of Muslims.
Few last words
1.I share your concern for delivering justice for Gujarat Riot victims, however do you still not find Godhra Victims as Humans crying for justice????
2.Please use the platform of IE judiciously, lest we readers are disillusioned totally with this institution.
Regards,
Prudent Indian
