Terrorism

Terrorism is the biggest challenge of our times. No nation can claim to be free from this menace. India, for a major part of the past two decades, been fighting terrorism- be it the insurgencies in Kashmir and the Northeast or Naxalism. State sponsored terrorism has hurt our country to the maximum extent. It is therefore a pity that the West has come to terms with the magnitude of the problem only after 9/11 and 7/7.
India is unique in its diversity. There exist many different cultures, religions, languages and traditions. The sentiments of those in one part of the country can vary vastly from those in another part of the country. For long we have been praised for our unity, a common desire running through every Indian- to take the country forward; to eliminate poverty and to see that there is not a single person who has to suffer from want of basic needs. It is this unity, which is danger of being destroyed. Kashmir, the Northeast and the naxal-affected areas are a pointer. Differences among people on trivial accounts are being exploited accounts are being exploited by selfish individuals to serve their selfish needs. Naxalism, to quote the Prime Minister, is a socio- economic issue. Globalisation and liberalisation post-1991 hast left in its wake a section of distressed who are hurt by competition. The naxalites claim to protect to protect these distressed, dismissing the obvious fact that poverty can only be eliminated by faster growth, and growth can be attained only by the reforms practiced by various Governments, post- 1991. The irony is that these distressed, exploited by an ineffective bureaucracy and hypocoristic politicians are most vulnerable to naxalite activities. Then, we have Kashmir and the Northeast, where the militancy is supported across the border, by de facto failed states like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Instead of setting their own problems right, these countries seek to destroy the fabric of our country. The basis for their hate campaign against our great country is a mentality stuck in the middle ages, where religions fought each other in their quest for dominance. These countries cannot conduct free and fair elections, talk of a democracy where the Chief of Army Staff is more important than the Prime Minister, cannot provide adequate security to leading politicians, and yet they talk of “delivering freedom”. It is unfortunate that our brethren have fallen prey to this vitriolic propaganda. This tells us that mistakes have been made, for the logical reason that a huge section of people will not harbour extensive hatred against their countrymen an the whim of a few.
So what is the solution to this problem? The quagmire in Iraq has proved that only military means will not give us a permanent solution. A multi pronged strategy is needed to fight terrorism. Whilst keeping the military option open, we need to strike where it hurts the most- the support base of these terrorists. We need to convince our people that in our unity lies our greatest strength; we can solve all our problems if we stay united. A hawkish approach, as advocated by L.K. Advani and other sections of the right, will not work. Most importantly, we need to accept and apoligize for past mistakes and act keeping in mind the sentiments of the local populace. The trust of the people has to be earned in this fight against terrorism. The growth story seen of late proves that India is in for great things. We cannot allow a heartless band of murderers and those who seek solace in a failed ideology spoil our tryst with destiny. The Elephant is here to shine. It is ours to make or break.