Another blast, another round of bloodshed and again some deaths. This has become a regular feature for India. We face serial blast at least twice a year in one or other city. On every such occasion government makes statement that this is the price India is paying for fighting terrorism. Then comes another usual statement about the zero tolerance policy to fight terrorism. Every time we hear the same names, HUJI, LeT, SIMI etc. Excuse for such incident is also same - Intelligence failure. Now, even citizens of the country have become immune to such incidents and they are not surprised over them. They know that such incidents will keep on happening and government won't do anything except issuing the routine statements.
Look at the statements issued by different terrorist organizations, we will find that America is on the top of their hit list. But despite being on top, it has not faced any terrorist attack after 9/11. Even other countries of the world which are higher than India on that list, have not faced such attacks with so much regularity. This regularity of terrorist attack in India clearly points towards our policy failure at different fronts.
A large population in this country, whose loyalty towards the country comes after their loyalty towards their religion, caste, sect, language or region. Indian state tolerates all types of nonsense from different pressure groups due to vote bank politics. It is allowed in the name of freedom of expression. This freedom is given at the expense of sovereignty and integrity of the country. This is a country where crores of illegal immigrants are given legality by politicians, not bothered about the security of the country but bothered only about votes. It is a country which allows all types of sectarian activities and doesn't demand unwavering allegiance to the nation. It is a state where the governance of around 20% area and population is not controlled by the government and still the home minister of the nation doesn't call it number one internal security problem. Almost every country of the world has specific law to fight with terrorism except India. On the contrary, India is a country which has repealed such law twice. In India votes are above the national security and sovereignty. Ours is the country with a judicial system, which can't punish terrorists within a reasonable time frame and later on such terrorists become headache for the state. Such a country deserves such violence and nothing else. We ask other countries to follow zero tolerance policy but we bear all type of nonsense. There was a time when India used to request every country to name Pakistan as terrorist state, but it never did so itself. Due to such soft behaviour, India has lost all the credibility and is seen as soft state.
Compare India with America as both are democratic countries. America is the oldest democracy of the world and definitely much free country than India. It is the country which goes to the absurd heights as far as individual rights are concerned. It has people from many countries, of many religions and civilizations. But once they reside in America, their first loyalty is towards that country. Despite giving all the freedom to practice their beliefs according to their religion, sect or civilization, it has zero tolerance policy as far as loyalty towards nation is concerned. State comes down heavily on anti-national elements and no political party can afford to annoy an American voter on this count. It can go to any extent to protect its citizens. It knows that freedom of expression comes only when the country is safe and citizens are protected.
There is another point of too. Why Gujarat, despite being a communally sensitive state, has not had any major terror attack in last five years. There must be something in the governance of that state which deters terrorists to strike there. It is a state whose head is on the top of all terrorists' lists; still no one dares to target that state, why? Can't we learn something from the governance of such state? Even the ruling part of Gujarat is not following this type of governance in other states where it is in power.
Basically it is the will and will power of the state and the citizens, which make any state safe from terrorism. Till we lack such will we are bound to suffer. When other selfish interests are more important to us than nationhood, such acts will keep on happening. For last 250 years we are being taught that we were never a united country and have nothing to feel pride about. We are being continuously reminded of our divisions and those divisions are being widened. So we have this feeling of division and worthlessness as the citizen of this country and we are not bothered when we suffer as nation. These feelings keep us aloof from the affairs of the nation. Till the politicians of the country keep selling the nation in their lust of power and public remains mute spectator to their acts, innocent citizens will keep losing their lives like this only.
Vivek Maheshwari, mvivek.bpl@gmail.com
Print This Page
Terms
and Conditions