By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
The efficiency of global media in churning out analyses in connivance and tune with the views intelligence and government authorities is proved whenever a terrorist makes news. These vibrant media have a lot of stuff cooked up and cut to the needs of the state machinery to feed the public and mould their opinion and mindset. The full cooperation and complete obedience are taken for granted by global governments and intelligence. Mumbai terrorism has once again given another opportunity to prove their anti-Islamic credentials.
The intelligence wings of Indo-US have been harping on ‘gathering” information about the Mumbai terrorism to fix, if not Pakistan , at east one of the Islamic groups or random individuals for the terror attacks and close the files. Indian agencies are churning out new materials for that. New details have been slowly emerging about the early stages of the Mumbai terror attacks. The story of the Mumbai terror attacks likely began when a private fishing trawler with five crew members set sail on the Arabian Sea off the coast of Porbandar in India ’s western Gujarat state on 13 November.
Pressed by Indian intelligence and media to go for a war with “little” Pakistan , India has begun provocative maneuvers on Pakistan air space. Pakistan has said two Indian warplanes violated its airspace on 13 Dec and they flew up to 7.4km into the Lahore and Azad Kashmir sectors, sources said. Indian Air Force spokesman denied the allegation and perhaps it does not want a real war with Pakistan , a nuclear power and a major non-NATO ally because NATO would take steps to protect its ally by all means. India ’s foreign minister denied making a "threatening" phone call that prompted Pakistan to put its forces on alert, the call was a hoax. Pakistan Information Minister Sherry Rehman said Pakistan ’s air force remained "on alert and ready to face any eventuality, but we do not expect this to escalate. There is no need for alarm." Pakistani jets had responded, forcing the Indian aircraft to turn back.
Pakistan, under cross border compulsions, got sucked into the Afghan trouble back in December 1979 when the Red Army and Soviet troops occupied that country. Pakistan often, obediently, offers its mercenary services to Western countries, but this one has, by now, gone on for an atrocious three decades. Pakistan ’s US services have, by now, brought Pakistan to ruin and put a question mark on its very existence. The US had dubbed that fight against Soviets as “Islamic jihad,” but in fact it was a war between two superpowers Washington and Moscow . Hindu terror attack in Pakistan received no mention in Indian media. Three Pakistanis died in Peshawar and Lahore during violent street protests against Danish cartoons that had satirized the Prophet Muhammad. More such mass protests followed weeks later. But more Pakistanis die to defend their own lands from foreign invaders.
Mumbai Nov26 was a disastrous act of terror and did affect the international community psyche. India is quite eager to compare the domestic terrorist actions with Sept11 and take mileage for its notorious actions domestically. The international community was looking at the issue of own home grown Indian terrorists. The Indian government is trying its best to get maximum benefit and advantage on Mumbai Nov26 from the international community as well as create a nationalistic fervor towards itself. Why India is employing all propaganda tactics to get attention and help from the West and US. Immediately the attention is diverted by the intelligence controlled Indian medial from the Army officers and men involved in terrorism. The bad name and negative image of the army was creating problems as the people were becoming aware of realities. The morale of Indian army was also low. The Indian political parties are going to cash on the issue of terrorism. The Government will try to derive full mileage in this context.
Islamabadhas been blamed as a "non-state actor" for the attacks and has vowed to cooperate with investigations, but has also repeatedly said anyone caught in Pakistan would be tried in Pakistan . Singh later said India wanted good relations with Pakistan but again urged Islamabad to do more to stamp out militant groups operating on its soil. But he is reluctant talk about homebred terrorism by Hindus.
Indiaquickly announced to go far a war with Pakistan , but a war would be counterproductive by strengthening the hands of hawks and extremists in India and Pakistan . There was clear cut evidence of hawala funds coming to pro-Hindutva 9elements who were involved in planning terrorist acts. The RDX which was used in these incidents was stolen from Indian army depots. Those who understand the various aspects of terrorism and are up-to-date about how the Indian print and electronic media is constantly revealing stories of Hindu extremists and their militants who are involved in terrorist activities in Gujarat, Orissa, Kandhamal, Maharastra.
British premier Gordon Brown rushed to India and Pakistan to arrange for the trial of those caught. In Islamabad , Brown proposed a new British-Pakistan "pact against terror," saying "three-quarters of the most serious terrorist plots investigated by the British authorities have links to al Qaeda in Pakistan ." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown blamed banned Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for last month's deadly Mumbai attacksas tension between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan simmered Brown also offered India help with forensic investigation, stepping up airport security and offered to cooperate on dealing with security at major sporting events. Brown said Britain would expand its counter-terrorism assistance program to Pakistan , offering help with bomb disposal, bomb scanning equipment and airport security. He also announced Britain would fund a six million pound program to tackle the causes of radicalization, using educational materials.
Terrorism & Poll
Nov26 Mumbai terrorism, no matter by whom and how it was attempted, has taken place just on the eve of the polls and the polls verdicts were expected to be influenced by the horrors of terror. Much before the Indian government decided to use the opportunity to fix Pakistan and escape global criticism of its handling of the crisis and security lapses, etc, the Indian media declared war on Pakistan within minutes of the carnage.
Recent poll results in 5 Indian states reveal one important factor about emerging political polarizations in the country. It looks Nov26 Mumbai terrorism has helped in some measure to resolve the three party or block choices. India wants to decimate the number of Political platforms and reduce them into two blocks and leaving the so-called third front insignificant. The 5 state polls have done that following the Mumbai terrorism, people were given two choices on terrorism issue to choose from.
In a crucial electoral contest ahead of the parliamentary elections early next year, India ’s ruling Congress bested the BJP in three out of five states that went to the polls in staggered elections that ended on December 4. Although the Congress outsmarted the BJP, the party is not all happy about the outcome. The outcome of the staggered elections between November 14 and December 4 sparked off speculation about early Lok Sabha elections"Mr Clean" image has helped the parties to win the polls. Leaders blamed the loss on infighting in party ranks. Delhi, as was expected, brought back Dikshit government more convincingly than other wise. The hopes of the BJP have been badly shattered now and now looking to newer strategies to outsmart Congress. While the Congress retained power for a record third five-year term in Delhi , wrested Mizoram and ousted the BJP in Rajasthan, but losing to it decisively in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in assembly elections that were the last popularity test ahead of the Lok Sabha battle.
In Rajasthan's 200-member legislature, the Congress emerged the largest party winning 96 seats and was set to form the government taking help from among 25 independents including rebels from its own ranks. And in north-eastern Mizoram, the Congress ended the Mizo National Front's (MNF) 10-year reign marred by corruption, sweeping 37 of the 40 assembly seats. In Madhya Pradesh, former chief minister and Bharatiya Jan Shakti (BJS) founder president Uma Bharati, a fire brand anti-Muslim lost from the Tikamgarh seat, her home turf.
Even as BJP supporters celebrated in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, party leaders admitted that the results were disappointing, especially the rout in Delhi , where they had been confident of ending 10 years of Congress rule, more so since voting in all states barring Chhattisgarh took place in the shadow of the Mumbai terror carnage.BJP sources admitted that if they had won even three of the four northern states, they would have pressed for early parliamentary polls. The issue of terrorism they had raked against the Congress government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks and the arrests of Hindu activists following the earlier Malegaon bombings had failed to pay dividends. But the timely resignations by Home minister and Maharastra chief minister have saved Congress in some measure.
The Congress' most exciting victory came in Delhi where Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, 70, crushed the BJP, winning 40 seats in the 70-member house with results yet to be declared from four constituencies. The biggest hero turned out to be Dikshit, a grandmother who became the first woman in India to lead a party to an assembly election victory for a third term. Even Congress leaders who are normally used to hailing only Sonia Gandhi after every electoral victory gave due credit to Dikshit.
One could say that the Congress bests BJP in ‘semi-final’ battle. But the result will set a momentum for the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May. In summary, it is a surprise that the Congress party gained from the Mumbai terrorism in the polls held in 5 states as “rehearsal” for general elections - and not the opposition BJP as it is generally expected. More glaringly, the terrorism has sped up the process of dismantling the chances for any third front emerging in Indian national scene.
The author is Delhi based Research Scholar in International Studies and can be reached at
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