I was flabbergasted when I read the cosmetic moves made by Pakistan, so that it is not declared as a terrorist state, being referred as a ‘crackdown on Jamat-ud-Dawah’ in a leading daily.If sealing a number of offices excluding Muridke, the JuD headquarters and letting the cadres clear out is a ‘tough action’, I wonder what a soft action could have been. It’s leader Hafiz Mohammed Saeed has been placed under house arrest for 3 months. Is that a way to deal with a terrorist? It seems as if he is participating in Bigg Boss.
Just freezing assets and proscribing organizations, as we have done in the past for Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-eTaiba, won’t help. Until the think-tanks of such organizations are held, such attacks will continue in the name of different organizations.
Its been 7 years when terrorists attacked Indian Parliament. Masood Azhar,the JeM chief was arrested for a year in Pakistan and then released. We cannot meet the expense of another 26th nov or 13th dec. I, a citizen of India, don’t want to wake up and read ‘no force is strong enough to challenge the idea of India’. I am fed up with the statements, I want action. I am not asking for a war but a substantive action be it an economic one along with the support of international community. Its time for New Delhi to wake up and make some conclusive moves so that perpetrators of such wanton acts are extradited to India before its too late and it tumbles into the usual languor.
We the people of India also need to play our part in the battle. I was moved by numerous rallies and declarations in the newspapers for the past ten days by muslim organizations such as Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind etc. to condemn terrorism and to protest against the attacks in Mumbai. I felt fortunate and joyous when the barbaric attacks didn’t lead to another communal violence and riots but at the same time I was disappointed by the fact that the minority had to come out and prove its loyalty to the nation. I, a Hindu, part of the so called majority group feel responsible, ashamed and accountable for the prevailing sense of insecurity amongst the minority. We have to stop treating our own muslim community as ‘The Other’. Everyone of us by visiting mosques, temples, gurudwaras and churches once in a while irrespective of our religion, by trying to look at the other side, can play one’s role against terrorism and demonization of any particular community.
It’s time, we act.
