O J's Corner : Reflections

Relying on hard evidence
will not help us nab terrorists

The US has reportedly advised India to rely on hard evidence before pointing an accusing finger against Pakistan for acts of terrorism carried out in various parts of the country.

The suggestion is borne out of the good intention of the Americans to see that a rapprochement is brought about between India and Pakistan. The intention is fair enough, provided Pakistan does not conduct a proxy war, if not direct conflict.

We have no uncertainty about the source of terrorist acts executed in the country hundreds of times after partition. Pakistan had waged a war against India three times. It has been itching for fomenting trouble.

It had  futilely supported the movement to establish Khalistan in Punjab territory, to take revenge on India for the dismemberment of erstwhile East Pakistan, which is the present Bangladesh.

All the while, Pakistan has been infiltrating fidayeens into Jammu and Kashmir. All the troubles caused in J and K had not discouraged India from taking terrorism head-on.

In fact, India had gone through the travails of terrorism umpteen  decades before the US tasted terrorists’ cruelty.Alas, for the perpetrators, terrorism is an act which is propitious in the eye of God.

The US had lost no time in confronting the roots of terrorism. Iraq got dissipated at the hands of the Americans, even without relying on hard evidence. Weapons of mass destruction were simply mouthfuls of verbal vengeance spouted by Saddam Hussein, Tariq Anwar and their team.

What is in a name ? A rose is a rose by whatever name it is called. Evil is also the same. Terrorists of various hues received sustenance in Pakistan. If one outfit of a particular nomenclature is immobilised, its elements emerge out in a different gown.

Common sense judgement prevails upon the fact that all these elements are inter-connected one way or another. Lately, outfits in Bangladesh were as or more potent in their destructive activities than those in Pakistan.

Taliban, al-Qaeda, Lashkar, Jaish, Hamas, Hizbullah or ABCD terrorists, all get rejuvenated by the flush of funds being secured from the oil rich countries.

These extremist elements were not there to condemn Saddam Hussein when he captured Kuwait in 1990. With the help of Saudi Arabia, the Americans got back the kingdom for the Kuwait Emir. Earlier, Saddam was fighting against Iran, which has always been inimical to the US after the Shah of Iran had fled under pressure.

At the present juncture, America is really interested in getting India out of the quagmire of terrorist invasions. First of all, the US has to create conditions in which India can be brought under its umbrella of support. It is creditworthy that the US has gone out of the way a long distance in assisting India in the matter of nuclear co-operation.

With this, India is being brought under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime not as a de jure nuclear-weapon State, but as a de facto entity. India’s history in the matter of proliferation has been worthy of credit.

It would be futile to expect special treatment for India by Iran, Syria and other fundamentalist-Islamist conglomerates. In that context, we need help from America. Even Russia is getting assistance  from the Americans. Let the US help us, in all possible ways, so that we can deal with terrorists effectively.