A World Gripped by the Cancer of Terror

Ram Puniyani

The current times are very disturbing as so many innocent lives are being lost and social resources being destroyed due to the dastardly phenomenon of terror. To cap it all, this phenomenon has been linked to religion in the popular perception. Just during last two weeks (July 2016) we witnessed with horror the massacre of 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando, US.  This deadly incident had two interpretations, one that it is an act of Jihadi terror and two it was prompted by a man gripped by homophobia. One of the commentators pointed out, “It turns out that he may have been motivated by both homophobia and Islamic radicalism…Terrorism or homophobia? The answer is yes. Both.” 

In another incident 119 people were killed in Baghdad blast by Islamic State. In Bangla Desh on 1^st July 28 people were killed. Those who lost their lives were identified as foreigners. There are some reports that the terrorists belonged to Jamaat Ul Mujahideen and were not affiliated with Islamic State. One commentator points out that ISIS and the Al Qaeda are currently engaged in a fierce competition across our sub-continent aiming to outdo each other in spreading their terror tentacles. But the malignant growth of Islamist extremism in Bangladesh can be easily traced back to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEB) and its militant student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir. 

What connects these diverse destructive phenomena? At the surface it seems these are the manifestations of Islamic terrorism, as the phrase has become popular since 2001 after the 9/11 tragedy. If we go slightly deeper we can discern some clear strands of very different underlying pathologies operating in each of these. The one in Orlando has a lot to do with the prevalent gun culture in US. and this has woken up the law makers to the prevalent norms of possession of the gun. While this may be most horrific of such cases, similar one’s at lesser intensity has been occurring in US off and on unrelated to the Islamic terrorism so to say. In case of Baghdad mostly it is the one related to the Islamic State.  

As far as the case of Bangla Desh terror is concerned this seems to be a continuation of the terrorism which has roots in the fundamentalist streaks in Bangla Desh politics. Such terror acts have been stalking Bangla Desh since quite some time, manifested in the murders of progressive-secular liberal bloggers and Hindus. This has indigenous origin to which the present regime had turned a blind eye and violence came to the fore in this dastardly way due to the failure of the state and society to curb the rising fundamentalist trends in politics. Currently in many countries of South Asia the militancy has origins in fundamentalism-communalism as seen prominently in Pakistan, Bangla Desh and India among others. 

In Pakistan fundamentalist doctrine was given the official status during Zia Ul Haq’s regime. To get the cover for his dictatorial ambitions he resorted to alliance with feudal forces and Mullahs and brought in the doctrines of Maulana Maududi (Deoband Islam). This is what is referred to as Islamization of Pakistan. The focus of this was to push back the civic social norms around the Sharia as interpreted by Maududi; the focus was to bring in feudal conservative values, suppression of women and of civil liberties. In India the politics in the name of religion manifested more in the form of communalism, communal violence, where the religious minorities have been the victim. The extreme form of this ideology manifested in organizations upholding Hindutva ideology which have been alleged to be responsible for the acts of terror in Malegaon, Makka Masjid (Hyderabad), Ajmer and Samjhauta Express. The communal-fundamentalist ideology is an attempt to restore pre-modern, feudal values of birth based hierarchy of caste/class and gender in the garb of Sharia law or glorious traditions of the past, presented as religion. 

Terrorism related to Al Qaeda-Islamic state variety has its roots in the politics of oil control in which the policies of United State has played a major role. It is the policy of US which funded the Madrassas based in Pakistan and brought in the Maulana Wahab’s version of Islam. Here the major focus is killing the infidel (kafir) as a part of jihad. In this variety the central focus is on violence against those differing with these dominant groups. It had a reason; as they wanted to fight communism, Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and so the killing of infidel. If we see the case of Pakistan one can see the Islamization of Pakistan during Zia’s regime getting a continuum through the Al Qaeda variety taking over later, and Al Qaeda in turn laid the ideological foundations of Islamic State. Hillary Clinton clarified the US role very succinctly. There is adequate reference to show that US has been supporting the terrorist groups in more ways than one.      

So two strands of terrorist actions are creating havoc in contemporary times. One has the motive of restoring the pre-modern values as seen in the case of Pakistan (inspired by Maulana Maududi), Bangla Desh (similar variety), India (Hindutva) and in Mynmar and Srilanka as well. The latter have used particular interpretation of Buddhism. The other has its support system derived from the global politics of oil control. The tragedy is that both these varieties draw their foundation and legitimacy in the name of religion, particularly Islam. Religion has many streams, like Islam has Sufi as well as Wahabi tendencies and Hinduism has Bhakti and Brahmanism. US picked up Wahabi version for political goals in West Asia, Zia had picked up Maududi for strengthening dictatorship, Hindu Nationalism-Hindutva has picked up Neo-Brahmanism, for its own political agenda. Various streams of religion do prevail as such but become dominant only when propped up by political forces who can use that cover to enhance their political goals. Recognizing this may be a major step in combating terrorism, and make it clear that it is political agenda masquerading as religion.

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Islamist Terrorism: The Underlying Politics

Ram Puniyani

The World at large has suffered massive inhuman acts of violence, terrorism in the name of Islam. There are many glaring insane, cruel acts which cannot be forgotten and condoned in any way. Be it the killing of nearly three thousand innocent people in the attack of 9/11 (which was upheld by Osama bin Laden), the attack on Peshawar school children, the abduction of schoolgirls by Boko Haram, attack on Charlie Hebdo, the violence by ISIS, all are equally condemnable and global society has to put its head together to stop this insanity. 

Since 9/11 again, a new phrase has been coined, ‘Islamic terrorism’, associating Islam with terror. It is true that this Islamist terror has been very persistent and is a cancerous phenomenon. An impression has been created due to these incidents that this violence has something to do with Islam. The same has been strongly propagated by the US media to begin with and later other media also picked it up. Simply speaking if these acts have anything to do with Islam, why they are occurring more in the oil rich countries? 

Adding to this misconception various writers have come with the thesis that reform in Islam will cure the problem. Some say that there is a need for ‘religious revolution’ to purge Islam of extremist tendencies. It’s pointed out that Islamic fundamentalists, those indulging in terror have come to dominate and so reform in Islam will ensure the end to violence. The question is who gives power to fundamentalists to shoot down the peaceful interpretations of Islam, is it Islam or some politics behind the mask of Islam. One concedes that what is going on is one of the most horrendous phenomena in the history of human kind and it must be condemned and uprooted. 

While Islamist terrorists are holding the humanity to ransom, we need to go beyond the obvious to understand this phenomenon, how it has come up and who is behind it. We need to ponder whether theoretical reform can hold forte in the face of ‘politics of oil’ supported and secretly operated by vested interests to achieve their goals by any means. As such the political context, which gives birth to these violent tendencies in the name of Islam, needs to be unraveled. 

There have been brilliant, humane interpretations of Islam by the likes of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and Asghar Ali Engineer; precisely around the time when the terrorists have been morphing from one area to another, executing one or the other horrendous acts of terror. Why these interpretations of Islam are not in the mainstream? Fundamentalists with their version of Islam have held the sway with inhuman acts and violent versions of Islam is stalking the streets. At the same time the voice of liberal-humane versions of Islam is in the margins. The books elaborating different meanings of the Quran, the movements for rationality are very much there but these are not the one’s which are acknowledged by the terror factories created by the politics, which aims to gobble up the ‘oil wealth’ to quench ‘oil hunger’. What is argued by some is already there in the Islamic domain, the humane version of Islam; question is that this rationalist-reform version has been having insignificant impact due to extraneous economic-political factors. 

The dominant political forces pick up and discard interpretations of religion to suit their political-economic agenda. The verses of Koran have to be seen in the particular context, as putting the text out of context is what the critics do. We refuse to see the political motives which are lying not so hidden under the mask of Islam. Thus while some Muslims may be living in denial mode for sure; the problem is not within religion. Problem is use of religion for the sake of power and wealth. The core point is to understand ‘the genesis and enfoldment’ of fundamentalism-terrorism in the name of Islam. Today how come ‘killing the kafirs’ is the buzzword while Islam’s ‘All men are brothers’ and ‘Islam means Peace’ lies in the by lanes of Islamic domain. 

Today’s terror acts have their genesis not too far ago in the politics of control over oil wealth of West (Central) Asia. While US supported-encouraged the creation of Al Qaeda, the Wahabi version of Islam came in handy for the Madrassas set up in Pakistan to create the ‘Jihadis’, to ally with armies taking on the Russians occupying Afghanistan. US equipped the Al Qaeda with 8000 million Dollars and 7000 tons of armaments, which also included the latest Stinger missiles. It was the progenitors of Al Qaeda who were presented by US President Ronald Reagan as the moral equivalents of America’s founding fathers, in a press meet in White House. The overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Mossadegh (Iran 1953) led to the chain of events which paved the way for the violent interpretations of Islam being brought to the forefront and the liberal human versions being undermined. In the area; where Maulana Rumi put forward; ‘Peace and Love’ as the central doctrines of Islam (Sufi version), how come the Wahabi version is ruling the roost? The Salafi versions of Islam was put forward nearly two centuries ago; how come it was picked up as the Islam in these Madrassas just few decades ago? The version of Islam used by those involved in the business of killing and mindless violence was deliberately brought in for political goals to be sure. 

If we have a slight peep into history we can see that religion has been used as a mask for goals of power throughout history. Kings doing Crusade, Jihad or Dharmayudh abound. During colonial period it was the declining sections of Landlords-Kings (Hindu and Muslims) in India which came together to form United India Patriotic Association (1888), the parent organization from which Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha emerged in due course. These communal formations resorted to hate propaganda which led to intensification of communal violence. The Nawab of Dhaka and Raja of Kashi were the founders of these organizations. So do we attribute ‘religion-Hinduism and Islam’ as causative factor for the formation of these communal organizations or should we attribute it to the political context where the feudal lord-kings were declining and resorted to versions of Islam and Hinduism to safeguard their political interests? Currently in South Asia, we can see similar use of Buddhism in Myanmar and Srilanka where violent groups are formed in the name of Buddhism. 

In current times if we see a bit closely; the Islamist terrorists came up primarily in the oil zone and not in the most populous areas of Muslims say Indonesia for example. The cancerous seeds of terrorism were planted with the motivation of the economic goals of the superpower thirsting for oil, and not by any religious preacher. In present case Maulana Wahabb’s interpretation which was already there dormant in the deserts of Saudi Arabia was refurbished and ‘used’ to create the present dread. The primacy of political context can be missed only at our own peril. It is the political powers and vested interests who choose which version of religion to pick, which will suit their goals the best. We should see that there are those opening girls’ schools citing the importance of knowledge in Koran, and there are those gunning for the girls going to schools in the name of Islam again. The terrorist groups don’t debate on the versions of their religions, the few phrases put in to their heads during the process of indoctrination is what converts a sensitive human being into the gun or bomb wielding beast. 

The likes of Anders Behring Breivik, who shot 86 youth in Norway, are also not inspired by the teachings of Christ. Similarly belonging to same religion, a Gandhi will go out and make non violence as the central creed of his teachings while another Hindu Godse will pump in three bullets into his chest, in the name of the same religion. Where is religion involved in the process? The present set of Islamist terrorist is the outcome of the indoctrination done in the madrassas supported by the superpower, United States. The initial implants have gone on to spread in the whole area, where the innocent human lives are being sacrificed at the altar of political goals of maintaining hegemony in West Asia. There have been reports which show the role of US behind the ISIS militants also. The offshoots of this type of political outfits do spread here and there, but the center of gravity of the terror factory remains in the West Asia and motive being oil wealth. During colonial period the politics came in the label of religions; different religions. In these areas the colonial powers chose to let the feudal powers persist even when industries were coming up. Now since the major inhabitants of the oil rich zones are Muslims, Islam has been used for the political goals and paradoxically Muslims have become the victim of their own wealth, the black gold!

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Swami Aseemanand and Art of ‘Statement Withdrawal’

Ram Puniyani

Swami Aseemanand emerged as the alleged kingpin in the series of blasts, starting from Malegaon, Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, Ajmer Dargaah and Samjhauta express blasts, which rocked the nation from 2006 onwards. Just to recall, the initial investigations into series of blasts allegedly done by Hindutva groups, were led by Hemant Karkare, who was later killed in 26/11 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Later Rajasthan ATS took over and the long trail of investigation led to the unearthing the network of the Hindutva activists inspired by the ideology of Hindutva and working for different groups close to or associated with RSS. Many of them are currently in jails. Recently Swami and three others have been formally charged (Jan 25, 2014) in Samjhauta Express blast, Swami being accused number one.

After his arrest he confessed to his crimes in front of a metropolitan Magistrate The confession was voluntary was recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code before Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Dabas at Tis Hazari courts on December 18.  Swami had refused legal assistance and the statement was recorded after 48 hours of judicial custody, to ensure that no sort of pressure or intimidation is working on the mind of the confessor. In this statement he confessed that he and other Hindu activists were involved in bombings at Muslim religious places because they wanted to answer every Islamist terror act with “a bomb for bomb’’ policy.  This was a 42 page confession and was widely reported in the media.

A bit later he retracted the statement saying that this was given under coercion. It came as a lot of surprise as one knows that the statements given in front of police authorities can be under pressure or coercion but in front of a judge it is another matter. His 48 hours judicial custody was a time enough to consider all aspects of the issues involved. It seems more of a turning around, an afterthought to protect his associates and the parent organization. It reminds one, of the statement of Nathuram Godse in the trial of Gandhi murder that he had no links with RSS. Later his brother Gopal Godse in an interview said that the denial of their links with RSS was deliberate to protect their colleagues in that organization (http://www.frontline.in/books/the-bjp-and-nathuram-godse/article4328688.ece ). Swami after accepting the legal assistance; retracted the statement.  

There seems to be a repeat performance from his side. Once his interviews were published in Caravan, a lot of turmoil was created. Immediately Swami went on to retract his content of the interviews he gave to the reporter. The reporter and the editor of Magazine have stood to their version and have also released the parts of the audio tapes to authenticate the interview’s contents. This Caravan story not only reconfirmed most of what Swami had confessed in the Court but added other dimensions also. The said article is very explosive as it takes the terror link right to the top of the RSS organization head. Caravan report points out “..[A]seemanand’s description of the plot in which he was involved became increasingly detailed. In our third and fourth interviews, he told me that his terrorist acts were sanctioned by the highest levels of the RSS—all the way up to Mohan Bhagwat, the current RSS chief, who was the organization’s general secretary at the time. Aseemanand told me that Bhagwat said of the violence, “It’s very important that it be done. But you should not link it to the Sangh…

Aseemanand told me about a meeting that allegedly took place, in July 2005. ..In a tent pitched by a river several kilometers away from the temple, Bhagwat and Kumar met with Aseemanand and his accomplice Sunil Joshi. Joshi informed Bhagwat of a plan to bomb several Muslim targets around India. According to Aseemanand, both RSS leaders approved, and Bhagwat told him, “You can work on this with Sunil. We will not be involved, but if you are doing this, you can consider us to be with you.”

(The Believer: Swami Aseemanand’s radical service to the Sangh, by LEENA GITA REGHUNATH | 1 February 2014, Caravan Magazine, http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/believer)

  

In this report the writer, Leena Gita Reghunath tells us that she met Swami for four times over a period of last two years and talked to him at length. This detailed account elaborates about the activities of Swami Aseemanand, who was part of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which is a RSS associate organization. Aseemanand is a trained RSS swayamsevak who undertook the work in the Adivasi areas, was the main person to organize Shabri Kumbh in Dangs. He makes his agenda clear in a very explicit way. His goal was to bring Adivasis into Hindu fold through a process of Ghar Vapasi. He was not interested about their real issues as such. The issues of Adivasis, those related to their welfare, their rights did not matter at all. I too recall that as a member of concerned citizens group, while visiting Swami’s Ashram, one could see the malnourished-semi clothed Adivasi children shouting Jai Shir Ram to our team which was studying the phenomenon of planned Shabri Kumbh.  Some parts of the story carried by Caravan, related to his work in Adivasi areas and his being core organizer of Shabri Kumbh has earlier been reported through section of media and the inquiry reports which went in to investigate the attacks on Christians in the area of Dangs. Many of these facts are spilling out from the horse’s mouth now.

  

The other highlight of the Caravan story is the pride with which Swami tells that all this is a part of his political agenda. He is also proud that he is in the same jail cell in which Nathuram Godse was lodged before his hanging. During the course of his interview he also tells that he hosted planning sessions, selected targets, provided funds for the construction of IEDs, and sheltered and otherwise aided those who planted the bombs. This was part of his confession to the Metropolitan magistrate as well. 

As per Aseemanand “Bhagwat said of the violence… If you do it, then people won’t say that we did a crime for the sake of committing a crime. It will be connected to the ideology. This is very important for Hindus. Please do this. You have our blessings.”

Now the whole thing will lapse in the quagmire of the authenticity of the interview, the forensic test of the tapes and what not. If Swami could retract the statement given to the Magistrate, disowning the interview is no big game. This aspect of alleged RSS related activities need to be thoroughly and professionally investigated irrespective of the stature of those directly or indirectly involved in the acts of terror.  

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Formal versus Substantive Justice: Shinde’s Letter on Harassment of innocent Muslims

Ram Puniyani

In his letter to all the Chief Ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde’s Centre’s Home Minster (30, 09, 2013), wrote that Government has been receiving complaints of harassment of innocent Muslim youth by Law enforcement agencies. He asked the state authorities to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth should be arrested or wrongfully detained in the name of terror. The letter also suggests that if such wrongful act has been done it should be duly compensated.

Terrorism has been one of the major phenomenons of recent global scene. Globally the politics of controlling oil wells used the radical versions of Islam for creating the Al Qaeda series of terrorist groups, where the words Kafir and Jehad were totally manipulated, and that’s what resulted in the word “Islamic Terrorism’. With the coining of this term the catchy phrases were built by the vested elements. The currently popular one is, ‘All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims’. This has become not only the part of ‘social common sense’ but also the policy base for investigating police officers.

Sushil Kumar Shinde

There might have been many other factors due to which police behaved like the way it did, a quick and reckless arrest of Muslim youth. For first few years of these arrests, only a handful of activists raised their voice against the biased attitude of the authorities. There were couple of people’s tribunals which heard the voices of the victims of biased behavior of the state machinery. There were painful narrations by the youth and their relatives about these youth having to abandon their studies half way through, many medical students, technology students amongst others, suffered due to the biased non professional attitude guided by the prevalent communal stereotypes in the society.

With the Malegaon blast (2008) investigation done by Maharashtra ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, his professionalism took the better of the prevalent biases of the system and he was able to nab the real culprits, starting from Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Dayanand Pandey to Swami Assemanad, many of who are currently in jails. The confession of Swami Aseemanand turned the tide of investigation and now those involved in acts of terror got nabbed by police.

Notwithstanding this, the acts of terror at one level came down but after a bit of a pause they came up again and many an offshoot of Al Qaeda raised their nasty head once again. While a professional attitude can lead the authorities to the culprits, the biased attitude kept leading the police to many a Muslim youth over and over again. It is no body’s case that many a Muslim was not involved in the acts of terror, they were. The Al Qaeda and its stinking ideology it brought up kept circulating like a cancer and not only in India, but more so in Pakistan the acts of terror kept occurring.

So where do we stand. One, Terrorism has nothing to do with religion. On one hand it is the cancerous spread of the Al Qaeda, a dangerous outcome of the policies pursued by US in setting up Madrassas in Pakistan. These insane acts of terror have been tormenting South Asia in particular. Second, as Swami Aseemanand confessed in front of a magistrate and the ideology enunciated in Sanatan Sanstha web site, these acts of terror are for creation of Hindu Nation. As per the ideology of Sanatan Sanstha, in this kaliyug (dark age) the Muslims and Christians are demons who need to be dealt with. So in the series of blasts starting from Malegaon to Ajmer to Samjhauta blast to Mecca Masjid the bombs were made to explode at the times when large number of Muslims congregates at one time. Samjhauta Express was targeted as the major passengers are Muslims.

So we are dealing with two streams of terror, the Al Qaeda variety and Swami Aseemanand variety. Both these shades of terror wear the cloak of religion. Both have nothing to do with religion, both are motivated by politics. The question comes here if there are both the types of terror, how come youth only from one community are arrested left, right and center. Highlighting these issues, Ashish Khetan, a journalist with commitment to truth has started his web portal Gulail (slingshot), exposing many an acts of biased investigations and Muslims being the victims of that. Currently in Lucknow, Rihai Manch started a long lasting Dhrana to demand the release of innocent Muslims arrested for being terrorists, with no substance in the so called evidence. Many a Muslim groups took out a peace march from Malegaon to Mumbai to demand for the release of innocent Muslim youth who were in jails despite the fact that Swami Aseemanand had given the legally valid confession as per which his groups was the one behind Malegaon blast. Despite this, the innocent Muslims youth continued to be in jails without any evidence whatsoever. Since then they have now been released.

It is in this background that Sushil Kumar Shinde’s letter to the state Chief Ministers has to be seen. BJP, as is its wont is communalizing the issue by saying that it is another act of appeasement on the part of the Government. As per BJP it is an attempt to divide the nation and that the letter should be taken back. This attitude of BJP is in pursuance of its agenda of Hindu Rashtra, one which benefits the elite of majority community. BJP can never understand that the unequal people cannot be treated equally in a democracy. The concept of affirmative action, the concept of the state a guardian of the weak cannot be the part of this communal party’s ideology.

At one level they argue on the grounds of Constitution that all should be treated equally. So why is there provisions like Anti-Dalit Atrocities act, why is there a law against domestic violence for safeguarding women? A sensitive humane democratic society realizes that weak of the society need extra protection, extra provisions so that they don’t get trampled under the wheels of ‘Formal Equality’. As such the process of democracy is a march from formal equality to substantive equality. BJP cannot understand this journey and logic of democracy as they want a status quo of caste and gender hierarchy; they want supremacy of Hindu elite. So such actions which are meant to protect the weak are seen by them as dividing the society.

As a matter of fact the efforts of Mr. Shinde are coming too late in the day. Years ago once the citizens inquiries, the tribunals, the dharnas brought forward the plight of Muslim youth in the wake of acts of terror, such a letter should have been issued. Not only that there is a need to train the police to overcome its biased behavior against religious minorities and other weaker sections of society. Mr. Shinde must take the process forward and call the convention of the top police officers and discuss the roots of terrorism, they should be made to understand the plight of marginalized people, and they should be made to go through the reports of these tribunals. As human beings, as officers, and as those who can be important conduit to bring justice to society, the police needs to be trained in a delicate social issue. Many a BJP leaders had been supping with the likes of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Swami Aseemanand. In those cases they had even approached the Prime Minister to go soft on them! What a hypocrisy or is it? It is the part of their politics to protect Sadhvis and Swamis exploding bombs and to merrily oversee the torture of Muslim youth in the name of terrorism. That’s what communalism is, the ideology which is the base of this party!

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Bodh Gaya Blasts: Terrorist Violence and Political Agenda

Ram Puniyani

Since last two decades terrorist violence has been added on to the weapons for polarizing communities along religious lines. In Mumbai for example, we first witnessed the major blasts in the wake of 92-93 post demolition violence, then blasts in the aftermath of Gujarat carnage of 2002 and then 26/11 2008 attack from Kasab and company. This shows the multifaceted nature, many causative factors, of terrorist violence. In the similar vein, the country as a whole witnessed regular repeated violence with loss of lots of lives. In the all India chain of terror attacks, starting from attack on Sankat Mochan temple, Malegaon, blasts, Ajmer, Mecca masjid etc. so many incidents shook the country. The investigation of these attacks is another story mostly it has been guided by biases. Also since the investigation is mired in mystery, many a kite flying about the etiology, the causative factors and the identity of terrorists involved has become a routines story by now. Each commentator and political tendency riding on their own hobby horses as far as the identity of the personnel involved in acts of terror is concerned.

Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya
Courtesy: Wikipedia

Nine blasts hit the Bodh Gaya holy shrine (8th July 2013). Fortunately the damage to lives was not there; only two monks incurred some injury. Immediately after the blasts the statement came that these blasts have been done by Indian Mujahidin operatives to take revenge of atrocities by Buddhists on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. This is by now a routine pattern that after every blast such statements have been made about involvement of some Pakistan based or group with Muslin identity and later some other truth, involvement of the ilk of Swami Aseemanand for example, has regularly emerged. There was a strong suspicion amongst those who have been following the acts of terror from critical angle that Bodh Gaya terror act might have something to do with Neetish Kumar walking out of NDA since Modi was appointed as the campaign committee chief by BJP for 2014 parliamentary elections. In an address to Bihar BJP workers Modi did talk of ‘teaching Neetish Kumar a lesson’. One knows that Modi is likely to be projected as the next Prime Ministerial candidate from the BJP side. As far as Indian Mujahideen, which is the first organization to be named by some investigation agencies and immediately lapped up by BJP family, is concerned many doubts have been raised about its role, its controllers and so on. Same way SIMI has been the major whipping horse so far, from the side of investigation agencies. SIMI was banned also. But when the ban was challenged, Justice Lata Mittal Tribunal found no reason to ban it. In popular perception this has been sunk deeply that SIMI is a terror outfit. The operatives of the type of Kasab have been different cup of poison, dancing to the tune of Pakistan army and Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda itself was a product of US policies to counter the Russian occupation in Afghanistan.

This Al Qaeda impact on the investigation agencies had been so strong that the American media’s coining of the phrase ‘Islamic Terrorism’, in the wake of 9/11 WTC attack was converted into the dictum, ‘All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims’ by communal forces and part of the media. This was the leading understanding of Indian investigation agencies in the wake of most of the terror blasts in India. Starting from the Nanded blast of April 2006 to the blasts in Malegaon, Mecca’s Masjid, Ajmer and Samjhauta Express, the same principle was applied by the biased investigation agencies and led to the arrests of hundreds of innocent Muslims ruining their careers for good and demonizing the community as a whole. This also led to the process, which is still on, fake encounters of Muslim youth, on different pretexts. BJP ruled Gujarat led the pack in this direction and youth like Ishrat Jahan were killed in cold blood; the alibi given was these terrorists, associated with Pakistan based terror groups have come to kill the Gujarat Chief Minister Narnedra Modi. Many a youth were done to death and lately with some investigations taking a proper direction, many a police officers, who are acolytes of Modi are currently cooling their heals in jails. Hemant Karkare played a very crucial role in partly reversing this trend, when during the course of Malegaon blast he could successfully catch the culprits, despite great opposition from the leaders of Hindutva stable, the likes of Bal Thackeray and Narendra Modi labeling Karkare as Deshdrohi (Anti National).

In case of Bodh Gaya tragedy the association of this blast with Myanmar incidents seems to be a deliberate propaganda to polarize the communities. More so this is also aimed to pitch the Buddhists against Muslims. It has already been propagated loudly and section of media is making this as the base of their banner stories.  From BJP camp, many of whose associates are currently in jail for allegedly being involved in acts of terror, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that “The media is saying that they (the perpetrators in the bakery case) had done recce of the temple at Bodh Gaya. There were warnings but no precaution was taken.” And that Bihar Government failed to take any preventing action. Here, there is a clear hint to link the blasts with Mynmar tragic events. In contrast Congress spokesperson Digvijaya Singh says that such statements are an attempt to polarize the communities and the non BJP Governments have to be more careful, more so Niteesh Kumar.

It is true that BJP has in mind the forthcoming elections.  By projecting Modi as the main contender to lead the party, it has already alienated many an allies. So it has to ensure that it should get more seats. It also knows that communal polarization is the best ladder for it to ascend to the seat of power. So far communal violence has been the major polarizing factor. As communal violence went up, the electoral strength of BJP also went up. With the rise of terrorist violence, BJP has also used terrorist violence to polarize the communities along religious lines, leading to further the good harvest in the electoral fields. Why can’t we wait till the investigations lead to some conclusions about ‘who did it’? The early speculations are fraught with dangers. Linking it up with atrocities on Rohingiya Muslims’ will further alienate them and make them more vulnerable. We have seen such speculations have tormented the Muslim community to no end in the wake of so many terror attacks in different parts of the country. One concedes that there has to be a working hypothesis in investigations. Such working hypothesis when biased and probably ‘non professional’ leads to the vulnerable sections being subjected to atrocities of the highest order. One major aspect which is being underplayed is the person Vinod Mistry, a carpenter, whose ID card and bag were found on the spot. In the bag was the robe of a Buddhist monk. What is the inference of this? Rihai Manch a Forum for release of innocent Muslims in jails on the charges of terror attacks, points out "the manner in which one finds mention of a name called Vinod Mistry in this case and the way in which we are finding that clothes normally worn by Buddhist monks were discovered from his possession and the manner in which letters in Urdu were discovered from the temple, it rather vindicates that it was an attempt to stage 'Malegaon' in Bodhgaya where fake beard was found out and where due to wrong/biased inputs many innocent Muslims were lodged in jail for quite some time till real culprits belonging to RSS were discovered"

In Indian political chessboard, the organizations taking inspiration from the ‘Hindu nation’ ideology; have been at the forefront in so many acts of terror, Swami Aseemanand, Swami Dayanand, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and company. The mistaken hypothesis, ‘All Terrorists are Muslims’ kept protecting them and deflecting the line to investigation in wrong directions. What is needed is an unbiased objective approach. While it is unfortunate that the holy place associated with Lord Gautama Buddha has been targeted, one also feels that a professional unbiased investigation should be undertaken and guilty punished. What is also needed that the baseless linking of this terror attack to Rohingya Muslims be shunned till the investigations reveal something substantive. 

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Hanging of Conscience: Case of Afzal Guru

Ram Puniyani

The semi secretive hanging of Afzal Guru (Feb 2013) has come as a shock to some and as a feeling of triumphalism for many. Afzal Guru was hanged in early hours of morning and was buried in the prison yard. His mercy petition, which was pending with the President for long was finally rejected and even before the family of Afzal Guru could get a chance to appeal against the turning down of plea for clemency, Guru was hanged. While the ethical questions pertaining to death penalty are heavy on the conscience of many in the society, this is not regarded as the part of ‘collective conscience’ which has guided the judgment of Supreme Court and later the President turning down his petition for clemency. The section of society which thought that Guru’s sentence itself needs to be questioned also does not seem to form the’ conscience’ of the nation!

Kashmir valley was totally insulated from the news and TV channels gagged. The restive mood of the people led to the death of some. In the absence of the proper information, rumours are doing rounds and what disastrous consequences it can have needs a serious thought from the rulers in the corridors of power.

 Many a questions have been raised due to this hanging. Why hanging and why at this time?  Guru was one of the accused in the case of assault on the Parliament on 13 December 2001, in which, eight security personnel and one gardener were killed. Guru was not found to be part of any terrorist outfit, nor did he play any direct role in this attack. Supreme Court noted that there is no direct evidence of Guru’s involvement. The evidence was mainly circumstantial. All three courts including Supreme Court had acquitted him of the charges under POTA of belonging to either a terrorist organization or a terrorist gang. Court also noted that the evidence was fabricated.

At worst Guru was facilitator in the crime and not a part of directly perpetrating the crime, and the evidence against him was mere circumstantial and that the police lied about the time and place of arrest, fabricated evidence including arrest memos and extracted false confessions. Court noted that Guru was not a member of any banned organization, Court ruled "The conviction under section 3 (2) of POTA is set aside. The conviction under section 3 (5) of POTA is also set aside because there is no evidence that he is a member of a terrorist organization, once the confessional statement is excluded. Incidentally, we may mention that even going by confessional statement, it is doubtful whether the membership of a terrorist gang or organization is established." Further that since "The incident, which resulted in heavy casualties, had shaken the entire nation and the collective conscience of the society will only be satisfied if capital punishment is awarded to the offender." So does it mean that the punishment is being given to assuage the collective national conscience? One must add what is presented as this conscience is the consciousness of the section of dominant sections of society, the assertive social-political groups in particular. The conscience manufactured by the likes of VHP, Bajrang Dal and company, have come to be labelled and accepted as national ‘collective conscience’ by many, It is these groups who are who are celebrating the death of Guru, exhibiting their triumphalism.

In their petition to the President of India, many social activists and academics point out “The fact that the Court appointed as amicus curiae (friend of the court) a lawyer in whom Afzal had expressed no faith; the fact that he went legally unrepresented from the time of his arrest till his so-called confession, the fact that the court asked him to either accept the lawyer appointed by the Court or cross examine the witness himself should surely have concerned you while considering his mercy petition.”

His personal history of being a surrendered militant, victim of harassment and torture at the hands of STF, as well as his statement in open court that he had indeed helped Mohammad, one of the attackers on the Parliament, find a house and obtain a car, the same car used in the attack, but at the orders of his STF handlers, should have spurred a full-scale investigation into the allegations. The citizens of this country do not know if one was ordered at all.”

 The base on which Supreme Court gave the judgment was built by the police with methods which are questionable, which have also been reprimanded by the court in this case. The argument on the other side was that if Guru is not hanged it will be an insult to those who have laid their lives for defending the parliament

While Supreme Court deserves all the respect, one has to see that the primary investigation done by the police, with all its flaws formed the base of the judgment. When that investigation itself had holes in it, should it be accepted as it is presented? When the primary culprits are either dead are some of them absconding, can 'the whole truth be out'? Or is it that somebody has anyway to be punished to quench the thirst for revenge, and who better than the one who has a Muslim name and happens to be from Kashmir. The whole trial of Afzal needed to be relooked; the flaws of the investigation, the weakness of and deliberate violation of norms by police authorities in particular.

The question which comes is why the other assassins, the one’s of Rajiv Gandhi and the Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh are being given a different treatment? The assemblies of Punjab and Tamil Nadu have passed resolutions against death penalties for these people, who were directly involved with the acts of assassination. The whole issue boils down to as to how Indian state has treated the Kashmir issue and how terrorism and Muslims have been associated in the popular thinking. This thinking has been deliberately promoted by the communal forces in the country. A section of media has played a very negative role in promoting the divisive thinking in the society. Section of media has acted as spokespersons for the police versions of investigation. So the ‘collective conscience’ is the common sense asserted by communal forces and imbibed by the others. It does reflect the state of our democracy overall. Can we call ourselves as a democracy and indulge in minority bashing; being high handed in matters of justice and citizenship rights in cases of the vulnerable minorities.

Kashmir had been limping towards better situation during last few years. While alienation amongst large section of Kashmiris remains deep set, there have been indications that people may reconcile to new situation, if democratization process in Kashmir is strengthened by and by. This hanging of Afzal Guru reminds one of the hanging of Maqbul Butt in 1984, which set the trail for a phase of enhanced militancy. One hopes that such an adverse thing should not happen this time. But still we need to take the issue of protest in Kashmir in a more balanced way. Congress should not join the game of aggressive jingoism launched by BJP and its affiliates. Such cases of yielding to the religious nationalism, promoted by BJP and company will surely be a recipe for disaster for the process of normalization and democratization in Kashmir. The communal mind set should not be allowed to rule the roost.  

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Shinde on Hindutva Terror: Terminological Confusions

Ram Puniyani

Protests are being organized and threats to stall the proceedings of next Lok Sabha session are being dished out to oppose the Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s statement about the Hindu terrorism, its links with BJP and RSS. (23 Jan 2013). There are two major components of this statement. One is the use of the prefix Hindu for terrorism, and two about RSS-BJP links with terror training camps. What Shinde called Hindu terrorism has also been called Saffron terrorism or Hindutva terrorism. This prefix is to point out to acts of terror indulged in by the likes of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Aseemanand, Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Kalsangara, Sunil Joshi and many like them who were either actively associated with the deology of Hindutva, or even were organizationally associated with RSS. Others were at that time or previously linked with some progeny of RSS like ABVP, Bajrang Dal etc. Many of them were part of organizations like Sanatan Sanstha, Abhinav Bhararat, who again aim at the goal of Hindu Nation or are ideologically inspired by the agenda of RSS.

Sushilkumar Shinde

The home minister’s remarks are based on investigations done Anti Terror Squads of different states and by National Investigation Agency. Earlier the announcement was made by the former Union home minister P. Chidambaram, in July 2010, to Parliament that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the terrorist attacks on the Samjhauta Express and examine the conspiracy behind the attack, including the links of the accused in terrorist attacks at Malegaon (September 8, 2006), Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad (May 18, 2007) and at the Ajmer dargah (October 11, 2007). He had used the word Saffron terror.

Various such acts of terror in which these people have been involved have been coming to light from last ten years or so. In 2003, in Parbani, Jalna and Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra; in 2005, in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh; in 2006, in Nanded; in January 2008, at the RSS office in Tenkasi, Tirunelveli; in August 2008, in Kanpur etc. Few of the details of some of these acts are very revealing.

1. On 6th April 2006 two Bajrang Dalworkers died when making the bombs.The place where they died belonged to the RSS worker and saffron flag was hoisted atop the hose. There was also a board of Bajrang Dal Nanded Branch on the wall of the house.
2. In Thane on 4th June 2008, two Hindu Jagran Samiti workers were arrested for planting the bombs in the basement of Gadkari Rangayatan, due to which 7 people got injured. The same group was involved in the blasts in Vashi, Panvel also.
3.  In Goa a bomb kept in a scooter went off on the eve of Divali (17th Oct 2009) in Margao. It killed Malgonda Patil and seriously injured Yogesh Naik.
4. Another bomb was detected in Sancoale in a truck carrying 40 youth for Narkasur competition. Both the activists belonged to Sanatan Sanstha. The second aim of this blast was to create communal tension in Margao, which has a history of communal violence. This group takes inspiration from Savarkar (Hindu Mahasabha) and Hedgewar (RSS) and indoctrinates its members into hating Christians and Muslims.
5. On 24th August 2008 two Bajrang Dal activists died in Kanpur, while making bombs. The Kanpur zone IGP S.N. Singh stated that their investigations have revealed that this group was planning massive explosions all over the state.
6. Indian Express, 23 Oct 2008 reports that those involved in the bomb blast in Malegaon and Modasa (Sept 2008) had links with Akhil BhartiyaVidyarthi Parishad. Similarly in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu pipe bomb attack on RSS office (Jan.2008) was projected to have been done by Jehadi Muslims.

The common pattern of these acts of terror has been twofold. One, that in few of such cases the activists related to Bajrang Dal or fellow travelers were killed while making the bombs. Second these acts of terror were targeted to kill the Muslims, so these acts were organized at times when the Muslims congregations take place, at the time of namaz or festivals like Shab-e-Barat in Malegaon, or in Ajmer Sharif where they come in large numbers or Samjhauta express where the major number of travellers is Muslims.

While in the initial phase police authorities working under the prejudice that ‘all terrorists are Muslims’ misdirected their probe, the probe came on the proper track after the Malegaon blasts when the motor cycle of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the former activist of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a wing of RSS, came under the scanner and her links with many of those who have been named above and are currently in jail, came to the surface. These facts came to light due to the initiative and immaculate investigation done by the then chief of Maharashtra ATS, Hemant Karkare. Karkare pursued the investigation professionally putting together the threads due to which today most of them are in jails. While pursuing these investigations Karkare came under immense pressure from the politicians belonging to BJP and its close cousin, Shiv Sena. During this time Narendra Modi said that Hemant Karkare is an anti National, (*Deshdrohi*) and Bal Thackeray in his Saamana wrote that’ we spit on the face of Karkare.’ Later Karkare got killed in the Mumbai terror attack of 26/11, 2006.

The people involved in some way were associated to the affiliates of RSS or RSS itself. Mr. Singh, Home secretary has given some of the names from RSS stable who have been allegedly involved in acts of terror.

1. Sunil Joshi (dead), he was an “activist of RSS” in dewas and Mhow from
   1990s to 2003.
2. Sandeep Dange (absconding), He was “RSS pracharak” in Mhow, Indore,
   Uttarkashi and Sajhapur from 1990s to 2006.
3. Lokesh Sharma (arrested) He was RSS ‘nagar karyavahak’ in Deogarh.
4. Swami Assemanand (arrested), He was “associated with RSS wing Vanavashi
   Kalyan Parishad” in Dang, Gujarat in 1990s to 2007.
5. Rajender alias Samunder (arrested), He was “RSS Varg Vistarak.”
6. Mukesh Vasani (arrested), He was an “activist of RSS” in Godhra
7. Devender Gupta (arrested), was a “RSS pracharak” in Mhow and Indore.
8. Chandrasekhar Leve (arrested), was a “RSS pracharak” in Shajhanpur in
   2007.
9. Kamal Chouhan (arrested), was a “RSS activist.”
10. Ramji Kalsangra (absconding), was a “RSS associate”.

This is in addition to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Dayanand Pandey, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Retd Major Upadhyay, who have been close to
them.

While some beans were spilled by many of these accused the whole picture was pieced together by Swami Aseemanand, when he decided to confess in front of the magistrate. In his confession Swami gave the details of the whole set up raised under his coordination and involving many RSS workers and their associates. The major reason for this whole planning as per him was to counter the Islamic terrorism as witnessed in Sankat Mochan templeetc. and second goal of theirs’ was to pave the path of Hindu nation.

The later investigation of ATS and now NIA has unearthed the linkages due to which these activists are cooling their heels in jails. Meanwhile in the wake of most of these terror blasts many a Muslim youth were arrested, some of whom were later released for the lack of any credible evidence. So this whole series of terrorists are Hindus. Does this then justify to label this type of terrorism as Hindu terrorism? By no means! Shinde is wrong to label this terrorism as Hindu terrorism.

Is the term ‘saffron terrorism’ correct? No way. This term was used by many including the then Home minister P. Chidambaram in the wake of the investigations done by Hemant Karkar in the case of Malegaon blasts. While one does not approve the term Hindu terrorism or saffron terrorism at all, one will like to see the background in which this term came to be used.

The RSS routinely adopts resolutions seeking to “curb Islamic terrorism with an iron hand”. The term Islamic terrorism was first coined by American media in the light of 9/11 act of terror. This was the first major attempt to label an act of terror with religion. This became the most popular word and all and sundry resorted to this word time and over again. This was a deliberate mischief by US to target the Muslims and thereby get legitimacy to launch attacks in the West Asia to control over the oil resources. In India also large section of media picked it up. RSS and its progeny in particular highlighted the religious nature of this terrorism, and the word Jehadi terrorism was the common one to be used. In a way associating terrorism with religion became a dominant norm and it became part ofpopular perception.

In this backdrop when the acts of terror done by many Hindus came to light, it somehow came to be labelled with prefix Hindu or Saffron. Term Islamic terrorism and Jehadi terrorism is as much wrong as the term Hindu or saffron terror. The right word for first one may be Al Qaeda type of terrorism and for the second, Hindutva terrorism. Here again using Hindutva terrorism is fraught with some misunderstanding. As such Hindutva is a politics aiming at creation of a Hindu nation but due to its containing the word Hindu in it, it is also taken to be a religion in popular understanding. So the dilemma for Shinde! How to label this group of terror deeds? Probably one will like to make it clear that it is Hindutva terrorism, it has nothing to do with Hindu religion and the difference between the terms Hindu (a religion) and Hindutva (a politics) needs to be made clear in popular parlance.

So it’s hypocritical to make the intense noise while the word Hindu-saffron terrorism is used. Same set of people are using the word Islamic terrorism, Jehadi terrorism and propagating that all terrorists are Muslims. One has to know that the phenomenon of terror has been promoted in the Madrassas specially set up by America in Pakistan to indoctrinate the Muslim youth and bring up Al Qaeda type formations. So why demonize Islam, Muslims and use the term Jehadi terrorism? Both such abuses of religion run parallel to each other.

What about the statement that training camps run by RSS and BJP? In all fairness one conceded that the training camps run by RSS have gone to give the training in rifles but the training centres of bomb making and use are not directly conducted by RSS-BJP. Surely these activities are done by those associated with RSS-BJP. One can’t take lightly the picture making rounds on social media, which shows Rajnath Singh and Shivrajsingh Chowhan with Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. One also can’t dismiss the fact that Lal Krishna Advani and Sushma Swaraj had gone to see the prime minister to plead the case of Pragya Singh Thakur in particular. One cant ignore that those running these training camps had or were associated with RSS in some way, actively at that time or in the past.

So all this protests and threats of BJP, threats to disrupt the session of Parliament are their usual political tactics and do not have any meaning, as their indirect or direct association with the terrorists is so much obvious. What Shinde is stating is factual but terminology is confused, and that’s not due to his own fault. We as a society have not been able to come to coin correct terminologies for different acts of terror anyway, so why get away with using the word Jehadi terrorism and haul Mr. Shinde to the coals for such a use of the term.?

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Lt. Col Purohit: Acts of Terror and Finding Escape Route

Ram Puniyani

In the wake of the various acts of terror and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s motor cycle being traced, it became clear that the investigating agencies are acting on the wrong thesis that ‘all terrorists are Muslims’. A Pandora’s box opened and the link of ex-ABVP activist, Pragya Thakur, Swami Dayanand Pandey, retired Major Upadhayay, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit and Swami Aseemanand came to surface, Role of two organizations inspired by the ideology of ‘Hindu nation’, Abhinav Bharat and Santana Sanstha also came to light. The investigations led by Hemant Karkare, by the Rajasthan ATS and National Investigation Agency (NIA) made it clear that there is a deeper nexus of elements like Purohit &Co., those who have been part of terror groups or have been supporting them in various ways. The confessions of Swami Aseemanand, named many more activists belonging to RSS combine, who are currently cooling their heels in jails and are facing investigations for acts of terror.

Lt. Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit

Lt. Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit came to be identified as one of the major player in the whole episode. He is the core person of extremist Hindutva group Abhinav Bharat. He was arrested on 5^th November 2008 by Maharashtra ATS for his role in Malegaon blast. It was the investigation of Malegaon blast, particularly under the leadership of Hemant Karkare, which unearthed the whole terror network, which later on came to be termed as Saffron terror by P.Chidmabaram, the Union Home minister. For Purohit and other army officers, the army instituted a court of inquiry.

During the inquiry what Col Purohit said is very revealing. Purohit claimed that he was part of the network as an infiltrator and was keeping his superiors in the loop, keeping them informed. He claims that he infiltrated the terror network to keep a tab on the same. But his statement leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The major question is if he was doing all this for army, why did army hand him over to Anti Terrorism Squad?

The whole investigation seems to be mired in mystery and lots of facts need a further probe. Tehelka had also published investigative reports naming several ex-military men from the Bhosala Military School and their involvement in the Malegaon and other blasts, which was later confirmed by the ATS. The involvement of other army officers needs to be brought to surface as the whole matter seems to be much serious than just a case of few officers keeping a tab of these terrorist groups.

The blasts taking place in front of mosques and similar places where Muslims congregate for prayers, at the time when they are leaving the congregation was a clear indication of involvement of ‘other’ groups than the usual suspects, in which many a Muslim youth had been arrested and later released due to lack of any evidence whatsoever.

In the light of many a military officers role in these acts, it did not therefore, come as a surprise that Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Chief used the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Bhosala Military school (BMS) say that “military schools run under the aegis of Hindutva institutions are the need of the hour,”.

Looking at the key role played by Bhosala Military School, which is run by a group of people whose sympathies with the RSS is no secret, one fails to understand why the chief bosses of the school were not investigated for their role in the acts of terror? Very few people even know that BMS is one of those rare schools who impart training on service pattern to the students along with regular courses which is aimed at encouraging and preparing them for entry into National Defense Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA) etc and other defense services.

Bhosala Military School has a long history. It was set up by Dr. B.S. Munje, the mentor of RSS Sarsanghclak, Dr. K.B. Hedgewar. Dr. Munje was inspired by Benito Mussolini’s fascist methods and believed that one who controls army rules the country. His statue in the Nagpur, where RSS was founded, has this phrase written on the plaque. With this perspective in mind this school was set up to act as a feeder for Indian army. The school was set up with the assistance of British and it supplied officers to the British army. Its training is meant to supply officers for Indian army. Now it emerges from different confessions and statements that the groups involved in terror had deeper connection with this school. What ideology it teaches and what it aims is very clear from some of the statements of the accused.

The phenomenon of Hindutva terror allegedly revolves around the likes of Lt. Col Purohit and Swami Aseemanand of RSS to name the two central characters. After Swami Aseemanand’s confession the total picture and their agenda becomes clear. Aseemanand had said that 'bomb is the answer to bomb'. He also wanted to pave the way for the goal of Hindu nation through such terror outfits and their goal was larger than just a blast here and a blast there, they aimed at Hindu nation. Purohit in his statements during interrogation has said that their effort was to fight the Indian Constitution for (Hindu) Nation, “We will fight the Constitution to fight for our nation.” The RSS propaganda that Hindu religion is in danger and it needs to be defended was also stated by Purohit. He also says “many things are wrong in the country and need to be rectified. Hindu religion is in danger. It is our duty to defend Hinduism.” And finally “We have to establish this country in accordance with the Vedic procedures; we want the Sanatan Dharma, the Vedic Dharma.”

The la affair Purohit is getting murkier and murkier. The agenda of Hindu nation, the role of Bhosala military school and other army officers in the whole chain of command cannot be accepted at the face value. It needs a deeper probe and investigation of the whole terror network and the role of army officers, as it is clear that Col Purohit’s statement that he was keeping other army officers in the loop for an operation which was not the part of the army intelligence work, is a matter of worry. The role played by Bhosla Military School also needs to be probed. The ideology which such people are harboring to fight Indian Constitution to build Hindu nation is a clear danger to our Constitution, the democratic values and the plural character of the country. How does one save the values of India’s Constitution, the values of India’s freedom movement?

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United Colors of Fundamentalisms

Terror Attack Hits Norway

Ram Puniyani

India hardly recovered from the ghastly terror attack of 13^th July, 2011 Mumbai that terrorism struck in Norway. In Norway on 22^nd July, Friday, around 3.20 PM in the afternoon the high-rise, where Prime Minister’s office is located in central Oslo, was targeted resulting in blowing out windows and facades of close by buildings; just few hours later a gunman putting the dress of a police officer opened fire on youngsters at a summer camp of ruling Labor Party, in Uloya Island. The twin acts of terror killed 93 innocent lives.



Mourners in Oslo 25 July 2011
(Courtesy: Wikipedia)



Even before the horror of the act was registered, the verdict about ‘who did it’ was out, and the usual suspects in acts of terror were named, all around, by media and experts. The ‘experts’, ideologically motivated commentators and section of media revolved their discussion around Al Qaeda chief Ayman-al Jawahitri, saying that he is the culprit of the act. It was commented that the Al Qaeda, the dreaded Islamic terrorists have done this. Incidentally Norway is also involved in the war in Afghanistan.

As it turned out the culprit was a Norwegian, Anders Behrig Breivik, a 32 year old Christian farmer who has been part of right wing ideology, a neo Nazi racist, opposed to multiculturalism, Islam; Muslims and immigration of Muslims, seething with anti Muslim sentiments. His blogs are reflective of his ideology whereby in the name of tradition he opposes the development of European Union and Multiculturalism. Also he profiles Muslims as being supporters of Al Qaeda and so of terrorism. It seemed through this act he was opposing the liberal policies related to immigration of the Norwegian Prime Minister.

Despite this being true, the common perceptions have been manufactured to hate Muslims and Islam by projecting them as the terrorists. Whenever the word terrorist is said the image of a bearded Muslim flashes up. This is mainly due to the machinations of US-CIA through the media. Same way in India, the Muslims are projected as terrorists and the perception here is that all terrorists are Muslims. Some commentators go further to say that while Muslims are terrorists due to religion’s preaching’s, those from other religions have political goals. All this is a total distortion of facts. Going to the depth of reality will unearth the role of US in creating the whole ‘Jihadi terror’ phenomenon, and it is US again which has played the worst role in doctoring the mass consciousness against Islam and Muslim.

2011 Norway attacks flower march
(Courtesy: Wikipedia)

The tragedy of this bomb attack reminds us of various phenomena in the society. To begin with the first and major suspicion for any attack on terror in India and at global level is put on the so called Jihadi groups, thereby on the Muslims. By now some of the verses of Koran have been taken out of context and misinterpreted to create Islamophobia. One recalls that the promotion of right wing Al Qaeda-Taliban was promoted by United States in its goal to throw away Russian armies from Afghanistan, which was occupied by them on the request from the local Communist Government. US planned to turn Russia’s Afghan occupation in to its Vietnam, as US had to bite the dust when it had attacked Vietnam.

Since US armies were totally demoralized due to the humiliating defeat in Vietnam, US- CIA planned to set up Madrassas in Pakistan in collusion with ISI. In these madrassas the radical version of Islam was taught to the young Muslim boys.  The verses of Koran exhorting the Muslims to kill the infidels attacking them were taken out of context to indoctrinate the young Muslim boys. As a matter of fact these verses were meant for the war situation to protect the Muslims as a last resort.  When seen in isolation it seems as if the advice to followers is to kill recklessly, when seen in the context, it is clear that these verses were said during the war and it was a defensive struggle for new converts to Islam.

A special syllabus was developed in Washington to be used in these Madrassas. These Madrassas produced the Al Qaeda breed. Osama, again a US creation was brought in as leader of Al Qaeda and was provided with 8000 million dollars and 7000 tons of armaments. The indoctrination of Al Qaeda-Taliban recruits was aimed to make them join anti Russian forces to defeat Russian army.

It is after 9/11 2001 that US media popularized the term ‘Islamic terrorism’, it was a deliberate propaganda to demonize Islam and Muslims to prepare the ground to attack Afghanistan and then Iraq. In India the likes of Osama, Swami Dayanand Pandey; Assemanand and Company, were bred and brought up in the organizations with the goal of Hindu Rashtra and these terror suspects were determined to show their ‘bravery’ by following the dictum of ‘Bomb for Bomb’. The association of Islam and Muslims with terrorism became firm in poplar mind and Indian investigation agencies have been recklessly arresting Muslim youth, even when the blasts have taken place in front of Mosques and other places of Muslim congregation. Even after 13/7 2011Mumbai attack, the similar theories have been put out by the agencies and one hopes that these authorities will start delinking their biases from professionalism.

As far as Europe-US are concerned we have seen in the past also that there have been terrorists and terror groups which have indulged in acts of terror. Irish Republican Army declared few years ago that they will not indulge in acts of terror. Timothy McWay bombed Oklahoma in 1995 killing nearly 165 people. The current rise of intolerant, right wing ideology in Europe and partly all over the World has a lot to do with the global changes, post the rise of US as the sole superpower. US has been dictating the world, for the sake of its economic interests, particularly those related to control over oil resources.  The attack in Norway shows very interestingly as to how the economic problems, which are plaguing the World, are being diverted to the issues related to xenophobic, intolerant view of society. The Norwegian terrorist is not an isolated person voicing these views. In Europe there are various trends which promote hatred for Islam and Muslims and oppose the immigration of Muslims.

Swedish daily Expo claims that Anders is a part of group called Nordisk, which is a Neo Nazi group and focuses on political terrorism. He has leaning towards Christian Fundamentalism. Since at the moment Breivik’s fundamentalist ideas are focused against Islam-Muslims, he finds himself close to the Hindutva fundamentalism, no wonder as RSS led Hindutva fundamentalism is currently targeting Muslims in particular. Breivik may be unaware that these Hindu fundamentalists are also on the spree to kill and intimidate the Christians in Adivasi areas. As such the Breivik’s Manifesto seems to have derived lot of inspiration form the RSS Combine. He appreciates the acts done by Hindutva groups of targeting Islam and Muslims. Breivik has quoted from the Hindutva ideologues criticism of Islam and Muslims. No wonder B.P.Singhal of VHP, a RSS affiliate said the Breivik’s cause is correct but method is wrong.

Terror trends are so parallel all over the World, here a person inspired by Christian Fundamentalism is taking to terror, in Afghanistan-Pakistan Al Qaeda type of groups are fed on the diet of Islamic fundamentalism and the likes of Aseemanand and Pragya Singh Thakur base themselves on Hindu Fundamentalism. The culture of liberal values and ideology of struggle for dignity and rights of people are being substituted by the fundamentalist ideas all around. Fundamentalism generates Hate against ‘other’ religious communities leading to heinous crimes, witnessed in different parts of the World, particularly in South Asia and occasionally the one like this in Europe.

There is a deeper unity in the ideologies of all fundamentalisms. Globally there are two major factors promoting Fundamentalism in the name of this or that religion. One, when a privileged section of society feels threatened by the rise of assertion for equality by the deprived classes, women included. Two, when a superpower promotes it proactively to use the products of fundamentalist mind set for its economic-political goals. These trends come up in the wake of social changes where the weaker sections of society are trying to come up and assert their rights. In such situations the entrenched social groups resort to the politics in the language of religion. This in turn co-opts and uses the marginalizing section of people, those getting marginalized due to social processes, and unleashes an identity politics which ensure the status quo. At superficial level they target the people of other religions. At the deeper level this fundamentalist related political ideologies are opposed to the values of Democracy, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. They inherently believe in the birth based hierarchy of caste-class and gender. This is where Breivik will appreciate what Hindu Fundamentalists are doing in India. India must have been mentioned by him because it is here that ideological sophistry of Hindutva elements against Islam-Muslims is a so aggressive and visible from last few decades.

The tragedy is, one fundamentalism feeds another. Promotion of Al Qaeda and accompanying radical version of Islam is used as a pretext by other fundamentalist tendencies to strengthen them. The Norway tragedy should wake up the World to the reality of this dastardly economic-political reason of terrorism. Religion should be for moral values, terrorism is a political phenomenon. Like in Norway the economic crisis is leading to the rise of intolerant views. It is time we address the deeper political issues, we should work for global democratic system, we should also aim for global peace movement so that this aberration in the understanding about terrorism is overcome, so that we can really engage with the deeper issues related to the deprivations of society. This is what will help us eradicate the phenomenon of terrorism.

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