BOMB BLASTS IN PUNE [MUSLIM TERRORISM]
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
Blasts in India
Dear India-based folks
My condolences to the families affected by the Pune German Bakery
(what appears to be) bombings.
Unfortunately, the geopolitical situation in South Asia has now
turned in Pakistan�s favor, with America agreeing to accept
Pakistan�s primacy in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban.
Indeed, terrorism works!
It is likely that Pakistan has initiated a significant round of
terrorist attacks all throughout India. The attacks are designed to
push India to accommodate Kashmir in Pakistan�s favor.
Pakistan has a well-established network in India to carry out its
nefarious designs.
Prominent public places and businesses, Hindu religious centers, and
even leading educational institutions could be part of the hit list.
Please be careful.
Remember, your family�s safety lies in the safety of your community --
and your nation.
Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
End of forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
uNmaiviLambi
Jai Maharaj) wrote:
> Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>
> Blasts in India
When will Hindus and all true Indians wake up?
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
uNmaiviLambi <tripur...@yahoo.com> posted:
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
> > Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
> >
> When will Hindus and all true Indians wake up?
Let us Hindus make sure that the information and education needed for
the awakening gets out. You wanna do it through popular AV media?
I have two full-length scripts ready to shoot as indies or
commercial.
uNmaiviLambi
Jai Maharaj) wrote:
> In article <9bef59f2-37a1-4b20-bc00-d1ca5adb7...@g17g2000vba.googlegroups.com>,
> uNmaiviLambi <tripurant...@yahoo.com> posted:
> Let us Hindus make sure that the information and education needed for
> the awakening gets out. You wanna do it through popular AV media?
> I have two full-length scripts ready to shoot as indies or
> commercial.
How do you tell the truth in this world? Everything has to be
politically correct which means lies! How do you use media for truth?
fanabba
uNmaiviLambi
Is this legal? Or subject to hate laws?
harmony
and samjauta trains runinng which has brought in millions of pakis so far
into india, and continues to bring in tens of thousands of pakis into india
every week. the hindus have a death wish, and bollywood can make it poetic
too.
<use...@mantra.com and/or www.mantra.com/jai (Dr. Jai Maharaj)> wrote in
message news:20100213LR8iUvExFax23ud2Ksu8MRA@Lco1O...
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
uNmaiviLambi <tripur...@yahoo.com> posted:
If one states the truth then one has a great defense against false prosecution.
Does http://www.citizenwarrior.com publish any falsehoods?
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
the prediction here many years ago) is complete at many levels, and
continues at others.
About "the Hindus have a death wish", I can say that true Hindus have
been reduced to a small minority because of the centuries of genocide
by Muslims and Christians.
However, as long as a spark of true Hinduism remains a revival is
certainly possible. It is this seed that brings about the transition
from one Yug to another.
The buses and trains provide traffic in both directions. As long as
the traffic in the direction beneficial to Hindus is not nullified by
traffic in the opposite direction, the system is acceptable. We
Hindus need a big advantage.
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
In article <4b78522a$0$12417$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
"harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>
> of course, nobody but nobody wonders why we still have lahore-dillie buses
> and samjauta trains runinng which has brought in millions of pakis so far
> into india, and continues to bring in tens of thousands of pakis into india
> every week. the hindus have a death wish, and bollywood can make it poetic
> too.
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
uNmaiviLambi
Jai Maharaj) wrote:
> In article <38bd075f-0bfb-4779-bc39-f9cb29f79...@h12g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
> uNmaiviLambi <tripurant...@yahoo.com> posted:
> If one states the truth then one has a great defense against false prosecution.
> Does http://www.citizenwarrior.com publish any falsehoods?
It is true Maharajji. But is society ready face truth? We live on half
truths and often falsehoods ( as commanded by laws).
This is a very good site, thanks
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
> > In article <38bd075f-0bfb-4779-bc39-f9cb29f79...@h12g2000vbd.googlegroups=
>> ..com>,
> > =A0uNmaiviLambi <tripurant...@yahoo.com> posted:
> > If one states the truth then one has a great defense against false
> > prosecution.
> >
> > Does http://www.citizenwarrior.com publish any falsehoods?
> It is true Maharajji. But is society ready face truth? We live on half
> truths and often falsehoods ( as commanded by laws).
I agree. You bring a valid point about whether society is ready to
face the truth about Muslim terrorism. Based on what I have
observed, yes people have had it with Muslim terrorism and are
anxious to find solutions.
> This is a very good site, thanks
The site was suggested here by "fanabba" <fan...@aol.com>.
It is a very useful site.
bademiyansubhanallah
More options Feb 13, 6:45 pm
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian, alt.fan.jai-maharaj,
alt.religion.hindu, soc.culture.indian.marathi, aus.politics,
rec.arts.movies.local.indian
Followup-To: soc.culture.indian, alt.fan.jai-maharaj,
alt.religion.hindu, soc.culture.indian.marathi, aus.politics,
rec.arts.movies.local.indian
From: use...@mantra.com and/or www.mantra.com/jai (Dr. Jai Maharaj)
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:45:34 GMT
Local: Sat, Feb 13 2010 6:45 pm
Subject: BOMB BLASTS IN PUNE [MUSLIM TERRORISM]
Reply | Reply to author | Forward | Print | Individual message | Show
original | Report this message | Find messages by this author
Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
Blasts in India
Dear India-based folks
My condolences to the families affected by the Pune German Bakery
(what appears to be) bombings.
Unfortunately, the geopolitical situation in South Asia has now
turned in Pakistan’s favor, with America agreeing to accept
Pakistan’s primacy in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban.
Indeed, terrorism works!
It is likely that Pakistan has initiated a significant round of
terrorist attacks all throughout India. The attacks are designed to
push India to accommodate Kashmir in Pakistan’s favor.
Pakistan has a well-established network in India to carry out its
nefarious designs.
Prominent public places and businesses, Hindu religious centers, and
even leading educational institutions could be part of the hit list.
Please be careful.
Remember, your family’s safety lies in the safety of your community
--
and your nation.
Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
End of forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/810eae7dd0a55571#
Anti Naxal offensive: Time to stop sympathy?
34 min 35 sec
Tuesday, Feb 16, 2010 , India
Thirty-six policemen at the Shilda camp in West Midnapore were resting
in their tents when they found themselves surrounded by flames. The
Naxals raided the armory in the camp. Forty guns have been reported
missing.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1201939
JHARKHAND BDO ABDUCTED
Naxals abducting officials is a trivial issue: Soren
CNN-IBN
Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 10:50,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 11:04 in India section
Naxals set conditions for talks with Jharkhand govtNaxal leaders eye
power, contest Jharkhand pollsChidambaram to meet 4 CMs for unity
against Naxals
Photogallery
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has brushed aside the
kidnapping of a Block Development Officer by the Naxals as a trivial
one.
Soren, who is under fire for being soft on Naxals, said that small
incidents like kidnapping of officials keep on happening.
"Such trivial cases keep on happening," replied Soren when asked to
comment on the kidnapping of BDO Prashant Kumar Layek by Naxal group
CPI (Maoist).
Soren had also given tickets to several former Naxals in the recent
Jharkhand elections.
Soren's comment came even as Prashant Kumar Layek's wife threatened
self-immolation if her husband is harmed.
"I request them not to harm my husband as he is innocent," Layek's
wife Julie Bharati said.
Layak was abducted from Dalbumgarh in Jharkhand on Saturday with the
Naxals demanding the release of three of their leaders in return for
the officer's release.
In 2009, West Bengal government had to release tribals arrested from
Lalgarh on charges of aiding the Naxals in return for kidnapped
policeman Atindranath Datta.
Meanwhile, the Naxals extended by 24 hours their deadline which ended
1800 HRS IST pm on Tuesday for fulfillment of demands to set free the
abducted BDO.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/naxals-abducting-officials-a-trivial-issue-soren/110274-3.html?from=tn
Hardcore Maoist held in Orissa
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:14 IST
Paralakhemundi (Orissa): A hardcore Maoist, actively involved in
attacks on government property, was arrested from Orissa's Gajapati
district today, police said.
The ultra, identified as Babula Behera Dalai (29), was picked up
during combing operation by the security forces in Adaba area,
superintendent of police Sanjay Arora told reporters here.
A 'key and active member' of Bansadhara committee of the rebels,
'Babula' was involved in the attack on a forest office building and
burning of a government bus besides the abduction of a girl in the
Naxal-infested district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, police said.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hardcore-maoist-held-in-orissa_1349015
West Bengal govt orders inquiry into Maoist attack on EFR jawans
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 16:48 IST
Kolkata: Two days after 24 EFR jawans were killed in the deadliest
Maoist strike in West Bengal, the state government today ordered an
inquiry into the incident and said action would be taken against
senior officers if they were found wanting.
"An official inquiry has been ordered into the incident," West Bengal
home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters in Kolkata after a high
level meeting which reviewed the situation in the wake of the Maoist
attack.
"It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There was
intelligence report that the Maoists were assembling in the area,
though there was no specific information that they may attack the EFR
camp," he said.
Asked if action would be taken against senior officers if they were
found wanting, Sen said, "Let us complete the probe. A specific charge
against any officer has to be established. If anyone is found guilty,
action will be taken."
On the issue of the state government's inaction when it had possession
of intelligence report of such attacks, Sen said the report had come
into its (the state government's) hand at 2pm only, barely three hours
before the attack, and it had taken time for the information to
percolate down to the lower level.
The sentries at the EFR camp had retaliated in which one Maoist was
killed and some others were injured, he said. "But there was some
lapse no doubt". The home secretary said who would conduct the probe
and what would be the terms ofreference of the inquiry would be
decided soon.
Asked if Maoist leader Kishenji had escaped to Jharkhand, Sen said
that he was very much in Bengal and "we are after him".
Refuting the allegation that the EFR did not have proper training to
combat the Maoists, he said, "It is not correct. They are a highly
motivated, disciplined and well-trained force."
He said the government knew that Shilda was not the suitable place for
location of the EFR camp and it was even planned to shift it, but
ultimately that was not done in view of local people's insistence that
the camp stayed there.
Locals had said that they would feel insecure if the camp was shifted
from Shilda, Sen said, adding the camp was for
area domination.
Further steps had been taken for the fortification of camps of
security forces in the Maoist-hit areas in the state.
The bodies of the slain EFR jawans were on way to their homes in north
Bengal and senior officials, including the DM, would receive them at
Siliguri, he said.
The home secretary dubbed the attempt from "some quarters" to drive a
wedge between the Gorkhas and non-Gorkhas as "irresponsible" and said
it was not correct.
West Bengal governor anguished at jawans' killing in West Midnapore
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 14:02 IST
Kolkata: West Bengal governor MK Narayanan today expressed his "deep
sense of anguish" at the loss of lives of 24 jawans and a civilian in
the Maoist attack on the EFR camp at Shilda in West Midnapore
district.
Referring to February 15 attack, Narayanan conveyed his heart-felt
condolences to the bereaved families and also reiterated the
government's commitment to deal effectively with the problem.
In a statement, the governor expressed confidence that the government
forces, with the help of locals, will be able to defeat the evil
designs of the Maoists and restore normalcy in the areas which are
imperative for socio-economic development of the masses.
Maoist attack has strengthened resolve to fight them: Government
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 12:10 IST
New Delhi: Government today said the "dastardly attack" on Eastern
Frontier Rifle jawans in West Bengal has strengthened its resolve to
fight the Maoist menace.
Pranab Mukherjee
"It is a dastardly attack and I can only tell it has strengthened our
resolve to fight against this menace...," finance minister Pranab
Mukherjee said, when asked about Monday's attack by the Maoists.
Twenty-four jawans of West Bengal's paramilitary force Eastern
Frontier Rifle were killed when the ultras overran their camp at Silda
in West Midnapore district after setting it on fire.
Home minister P Chidambaram has said the attack is "another outrageous
attempt by the banned organisation to overawe the established
authority in the State."
Slain cops were sitting ducks; Centre sore at poor training
Javed M Ansari & Anil Anand / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:51 IST
New Delhi: A day after 24 personnel of the Eastern Frontier Rifles
were killed in a Maoist attack in West Bengal, chinks in the
government’s preparedness against the Left ultras have become evident.
The Centre is in a catch-22 situation as insurgency affected states,
barring Chattisgarh and Maharashtra, are yet to participate in the
inter-state operations for political considerations.
Following Monday’s attack, in which the police personnel were sitting
ducks for the Maoists, the home ministry has decided to dispatch a
high-level official team to Kolkata. The team, besides making an on-
the-spot assessment of the situation, would give the state officials
“lessons” on how the police should behave in such situations.
Describing the attitude of the police personnel in the camp as
“unprofessional”, a senior ministry official said the incident was a
result of lack of training on the part of the state police.
“How could a sentry stand guard without the protection of sandbags,”
the official asked while explaining the Centre’s total disenchantment
with these states.
Meanwhile, an angry home minister has lambasted the intellectual
support for the Maoists. “I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the Maoists. It is only if the whole country
condemns the so-called armed struggle that we can put an end to this
menace,” P Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram, who is a firm votary of strong and coordinated attack on
the insurgents, finds himself handicapped by the attitude of the
states. Political priorities seem to have taken precedence over the
need to take on the Maoists in states such as Bihar and Jharkhand and
to some extent in Orissa and West Bengal where non-Congress
governments are in power.
While Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has maintained a safe distance
from preparing for the proposed inter-state operations as the state
prepares for the assembly elections later this year, his Jharkhand
counterpart Shibu Soren has made no secret of his reluctance to act
against the Maoists. It’s no secret that the Maoists supported Soren’s
party during the elections and also helped facilitate his becoming the
chief minister.
“Certainly, there is this disturbing trend with political overtones.
But everyone must realise that the challenge posed by the Maoists has
to be countered for long-term benefits” the official said.
In West Bengal, the political rivalry between the ruling Left Front
and Mamata Banerjee’s Trinmool Congress has made any strong action
against the insurgents difficult. However, in view of the changing
public mood following such merciless killings, the Trinmool leadership
seems to be having second thoughts. They want the Centre to play a
bigger role than its arch-rival the CPM-led government.
Maoist violence reverberates in Supreme Court
Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:42 IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) shared the Centre’s concern on
Tuesday regarding the growing Maoist menace, but refused relief to
Chhattisgarh Police, accused of killing tribals.
Twelve tribals had gone missing and were suspected to have been
massacred by police after they filed a plea seeking a CBI probe into
the killing of 10 people during an anti-Maoist operation.
After the Raman Singh government produced six of the “missing”
tribals, SC had ordered a Delhi judge on Monday to record their
statements.
On Tuesday, a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar
directed the SC registry to give copies of the statements to the
tribals’ counsel Colin Gonsalves and the central and the state
governments.
Gonsalves said the statements confirmed the massacre but did not
apportion responsibility.
During the hearing, attorney general Goolam E Vahanvati referred to
home minister P Chidambaram’s statement that the government was ready
to talk to Maoists, provided they abjured violence.
“And the answer we have got yesterday [Monday] from Bengal,” Vahanvati
regretted, referring to the killing of securitymen in West Midnapore.
When lawyer Prashant Bhushan pointed out human rights violations by
state agencies in their fight against Maoists in Chhattisgarh,
solicitor general Gopal Subramanium intervened to say “nobody wanted
to go [to fight Maoists] with a death band on the forehead. We do not
want to perpetuate a situation like a civil war”.
The judges pacified the solicitors, saying, “We are not on anything
like war, but for solving the problem (sic).”
Subramanium continued: “The fight against naxals is not based on any
political line and the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government are
equally concerned about human rights.”
To this, the judges said though the court did not go by media reports,
some reports were “really disturbing”.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-violence-reverberates-in-supreme-court_1348830
Maoists unfurl reverse Indian flag on Republic Day in Jharkhand
January 27, 2010
As a mark of protest on Republic Day Maoist rebels unfurled a reversed
national flag in Badkagaon area of Jharkhand.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-violence-reverberates-in-supreme-court_1348830
Maoist movement inspires filmmaker Anant Mahadevan
November 29, 2009
Red Alert-The War Within, a film made by Anant Mahadevan based on the
Maoist movement received accolades at the 40th International Film
Festival of India.
Maoists will now be confronted, warns P Chidambaram
October 7, 2009
Strongly condemning the cold-blooded murder of a cop who was abducted
and killed by the Maoists, Indian Home minister P Chidambaram said the
state governments were geared up to give tit for tat to the Maoists.
Security diversion for My Name Is Khan led to Pune blast: MS Bitta
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:35 IST
Pune: The chairman of All India Anti-Terrorist Front MS Bitta today
alleged that a security diversion to protect the Shah Rukh Khan film
My Name Is Khan offered an opportune moment for the ISI to engineer
the terror attack in Pune.
"The ISI capitalised on the prevailing situation to strike Pune where
security infrastructure was lame," he told a press conference in Pune.
Bitta who visited the blast victims at a city hospital, said Pune is a
big city in India and a leading educational and economic hub and the
masterminds of the German Bakery blast had designs to harm that
status.
"Beefing up security in Pune after the blast is nothing but a farce.
Why the government did not do it earlier in view of the burgeoning
proportions of the city," he asked and blamed politicians for playing
"politics over the dead bodies".
Bitta also criticised Shiv Sena and MNS for their "divisive politics"
and said that was precisely what Pakistan wanted.
He demanded immediate hanging of Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab and
Afzal Guru involved in the Parliament attack and constitution of anti-
terrorist military court to try cases on fast track.
"Afzal is still evading the noose and Kasab is enjoying mutton Biryani
from Mumbai police," he commented.
Pune blast toll climbs to 11
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 16:57 IST
Pune: With one more person succumbing to injuries, the toll in the
blast here has risen to 11, hospital sources said today.
Aditya Mehta, 21, who hailed from Delhi, passed away last night. He
was admitted to Jehangir hospital in a critical condition after the
terror attack on the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February
13.
Mehta was a student of Bharati Vidyapeeth.
Over 50 people were injured in the blast.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_pune-blast-toll-climbs-to-11_1349080
Pune blast: Four taken into custody in Hampi
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 14:48 IST
Bellary: Four Kashmiri youths have been taken into custody from nearby
Hampi in connection with the bomb blast in Pune that claimed 11
lives.
A police team from Pune detained the youths, engaged in selling
artefacts, at Virapura Gadde locality yesterday, police sources said
today.
The sources said a search was on for three more persons in connection
with the blast, but refused to give details.
Over 40 hotels catering to foreign tourists visiting the heritage town
are located in Virapura Gadde.
Many foreign tourists staying in hotels in Virapuram Gadde have
started moving to hotels in other areas of Hampi due to concerns about
their safety in the wake of the Pune blasts, they said.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_pune-blast-four-taken-into-custody-in-hampi_1349005
Lost to a cause
E Raghavan
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 11:28 IST
It is not a comforting thought. Not at all, when you realise that
terrorism is not only at your door step but could well be the
handiwork, not of some unidentifiable alien but that young boy in the
neighbourhood, lost to a cause that believes in turning you into an
enemy in his mind.
It was not a comforting thought even before, because the agents of
death that an LeT, a JuD or a HuJI sent to a market in Delhi or a
bakery in Pune or to the IISc campus in Bangalore, looked exactly like
the neighbourhood kid. The difference was that one thought these
spaced- out youth, spaced out through indoctrination, came from some
other soil. Of course, they always received support from locals who
were most often equally misguided.
That this pattern does not hold good any longer and that there were
other home-grown bent minds, whether it is members of the Indian
Mujahedeen or a faceless individual, was known for a long time but,
somehow, one thought that such instances were more an exception than a
rule.
They probably were. After all, one may point out, the Pune blasts took
place more than a year after 26/11 in Bombay. Try telling that to the
families of those who lost their loved ones and those who were
injured. For them exceptions are as damaging as the rule. The trauma
such events cause is beginning to create fear; it is showing sure
signs of pervading nooks and corners of every community.
For many it is no longer a question of someone flying in or taking a
boat to plant a time bomb or use automatic weapons to cause mayhem in
highly visible targets. It could be the mall or a small eatery or a
vegetable market in one’s own neighbourhood and the perpetrator could
be someone from within. That’s what is really worrisome.
You can, for instance, blame Union home minister P Chidambaram, or the
coast guard for not patrolling the seas well enough to prevent jehadis
from arriving on our shores. But how do you deal with a youngster who
may be from a house four streets away, and has now learnt to think
that you as an individual may be fine and harmless, but you as part of
a community are inimical to him and his beliefs. Not easy to build a
security cordon and fight them.
While these ought to be the issues that should agitate the minds
within the security apparatus in the state, it looks like they have to
combat not sleeper cells of terrorists but overzealous fundamentalists
who vandalise churches and mosques, as was the case recently near
Udupi and Bijapur.
These are instances that fully divert the attention of police from
their real job and show the state in a very poor light. The day after
the Pune blast, for instance, police in Karnataka were busy providing
a security shield to loving couples, instead of giving us the
confidence that another Bhatkal Rizvi was not hiding in Bangalore
waiting to hurl a bomb and that he and his co-conspirators would be
dealt with if they ever tried doing that.
It is such a pity that we have to thank Shankar Bidri for a peaceful
Valentine’s Day much more than we can thank him for greater vigilance
on the terror front. It is as much a sad reflection on the
establishment that it has to be preoccupied with the likes of Pramod
Mutalik rather than David Headley. Sadder still that the Maharashtra
police had to protect theatres screening a Shah Rukh Khan film, rather
than ferret out holed-up terrorists. If it is not preoccupied with a
Mutalik or a Balasaheb, there is something else equally inane to keep
our forces fully occupied.
The establishment, of course, can never make us feel safe enough
unless it has the political will to deal with undesirable
organisations, whether it is the Indian Mujahedeen or the Sri Rama
Sene. The two might be as different as chalk and cheese; one dangerous
and the other psychologically harmful. It takes more than vote-bank
politics, whether of the minority or majority religions, to have the
guts to deal with this.
There is a little bit more that communities within the civic society
can do. Each community, each religious denomination, needs to look
inwards to identify elements that are either outright dangerous or has
the capacity to instil fear through moral policing.
Both need to be ostracised and exposed at the first sign. Just
remember the case of one father in Nigeria, a respected banker, who
alerted authorities about his son’s altered behaviour after being
exposed to a radical rhetoric. Whether his caution saved several lives
on an aircraft his son may have intended to hijack is not the issue.
His concern for the community, even if it was not his own and on
another continent, is the issue. Individuals and communities need to
understand that and clean up their own backyard. That might make us
feel a bit safer.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/comment_lost-to-a-cause_1348914
Revisiting Simi to track terror trail
Rajesh Ahuja / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:56 IST
Mumbai: The Pune blast has forced security agencies to revisit Student
Islamic Movement of India (Simi) files. After his arrest in Indore in
2008, Safdar Nagori, head Simi’s hardliner faction, named more than
200 associates in his confession to security agencies.
Many of Nagori’s associates were apprehended after the confession, but
many more like Adbul Subhan alias Tauqeer and Rahil Sheikh are yet to
be caught. It was with the logistical help provided by Simi cadres
that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Harkatul
Jehad al Islami and Mafia elements like Dawood Ibrahim managed to
strike Indian cities at will. Simi remains the fountainhead of the
Indian jihadist movement, intelligence agencies feel.
Riyaz Bhatkal, considered the prime suspect in the Pune blast case,
was introduced to Simi by his brother-in-law Shafiq Ahmad who later
headed Simi’s Mumbai chapter. At Simi’s Mumbai offices he met Adbul
Subhan alias Tauqeer, Sadiq Sheikh and Rahil Sheikh. These men formed
the top leadership of Indian Mujahideen along with Amir Raza Khan and
Dr Shahnawaz of Azamgarh.
Sadiq Sheikh roped in Azamgarh-based youths like Atif Ameen into the
IM. Sheikh was among the earlier Simi jehadis who went to Pakistan for
training.
Security agencies believe that Riyaz Bhatkal, Dr Shahnawaz and Tauqeer
are in the forefront of efforts to revive the IM.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_revisiting-simi-to-track-terror-trail_1348855
Police cover for vital spots in Maharashtra
Shubhangi Khapre / DNAWednesday, February 17, 2010 0:54 IST
Mumbai: Armed personnel in khaki will become a regular feature atop
large dams and high-rise buildings and at petrol pumps and oil
refineries as Maharashtra government upgrades security to combat the
terrorist threat.
“foolproof” security plan for these installations as also for temples,
oil depots, and tourism centres that have been identified as possible
targets. Patil urged the home department to focus on quickly raising a
force on the lines of the CISF to combat the challenges after the Pune
blast.
Admitting shortcomings in the state’s security policy, he urged his
bureaucrats and top police officers to draw up a comprehensive plan to
plug all gaps.
The meeting emphasised the need to block all ‘illegal’ routes that
have been created for easy access to sensitive installations such as
refineries, oil depots, and petroleum distribution centres. The
minister said boundary walls encircling such installations must be
raised to prevent the premises becoming thoroughfares. Officials also
suggested that the main entrances leading to dams be given round-the-
clock security.
Some of the temples that will get increased security cover are
Siddhivinayak and Mahalaxmi in Mumbai, Sai Baba (Shirdi),
Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), Mahalaxmi (Kolhapur), Vitthal (Pandharpur),
and Bhavani (Tulzapur).
Patil said, “We have to redraw the list of tourist centres frequented
by foreigners. The blast at German Bakery reaffirms that foreigners
are the main targets.” The government also sought greater coordination
with private security agencies at places like the Elephanta, Ajanta,
and Ellora caves.
An order was issued to scale up the security at the residences of the
chief minister and governor as also at the bungalows of ministers and
the residences of elected members.
Poor screening: The Mantralaya was left vulnerable as the baggage-
screening machines failed. With a large stream of visitors entering
the premises, security personnel were unable to check all baggage.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_police-cover-for-vital-spots-in-maharashtra_1348853
...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
Express News Service
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 0321 hrs
New Delhi:
Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati on Tuesday told the Supreme Court
that the Maoist killing of 24 policemen at a camp in West Bengal has
delivered a rude shock to government efforts to initiate dialogue with
the extremists.
“Home Minister P Chidambaram has said over and over again in the past
one month that he is ready for negotiations provided they eschew
violence, but the answer we got was yesterday in West Bengal,” UPA
government’s top law officer said on Tuesday before a Division Bench
of Justices Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar. The remarks from the AG
came after a submission by civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan,
highlighting the plight of tribals of Chhattisgarh, trapped in spurts
of fierce fighting between security forces and the Naxals.
“We do not want to perpetuate a siege or a civil war in the country.
But so far no avenues have been opened by them for talks,” the AG
apprised the court. To this, the court responded with alacrity,
saying, “We are not at war. We are all citizens here.”
Appearing for the Chhattisgarh government, Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium agreed with Vahanvati when he submitted that the state
cannot afford to take a “rigid position” with the Naxals as lives of
tribals were at stake. “The government is not toeing any political
line in this issue. This is plainly a human situation,” the SG
submitted in court.
“Some of the reports that we have read are deeply disturbing. About
two lakh people have been displaced from their natural habitats...
Where will they go? Who will give them employment?” the bench conveyed
its anxiety for tribals.
The court pointed out that though the government has done much in the
way of law enforcement in the Naxal-hit regions, “not a word” is heard
on “developmental work” undertaken in the areas.
The SG acceded that the government does understand that “merely
putting people in a camp and then calling it a refugee camp is not
enough”. “These people have fundamental rights. I assure the court
that if there are ways to improve the situation, we will take all the
steps,” he said.
Meanwhile, the statements of the six tribals — allegedly witnesses to
the killing of nine persons in an encounter at Goompad Village in
Dhantewada district on October 1, 2009 — were produced before the apex
court. They had given their statements to Delhi District Judge G P
Mittal as per the direction of the Supreme Court.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared on the behalf of
activist Himanshu Kumar, summed up the content of the tribals’
statements to the district judge: “They have broadly confirmed there
was a massacre. But did not know who did it.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-strike-setback-to-peace-efforts-ag-to-sc/580823/0
PC plays down terror threats, says no one can dictate terms
ANI
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1008 hrs
Jammu:
Ilyas Kashmir cannot dictate our course of action: PC
Asserting that Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HuJI) operational chief and al-
Qeada commander Iliyas Kashmiri cannot dictate the country, Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday that India is not deterred by
his threats.
“Ilyas Kashmir cannot dictate our course of action. We cannot be
deterred and we are not deterred by what he says”, he told reporters
here. Chidambaram said this when asked about Kashmiri’s threat to
international players that they should not go to India and take part
in IPL and Commonwealth Games.
The home minister, who chaired the Unified Command meeting and
reviewed the security situation and the surrender policy here, said
the Centre will provide full protection to every player, coach and
official who participates in the forthcoming hockey, cricket or any
other sport in the Commonwealth Games.
Kashmiri's warning to India was posted by the 'Asian Times Online'.
The portal said it received Kashmiri's message on Monday morning
shortly after the Pune blast. “We warn the international community not
to send their people in 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth
Games....Nor should their people visit India. “If they do, they will
be responsible for the consequences," said Kashmiri.
Comments (4) |
PC plays down terror threats, says no one can dictate terms
By: Premangsu Chowdry | 17-Feb-2010
No barrier is infallible between ruthless and suicidal terrorists and
their targets. Now is the time for our intelligence to be sharp and
start preparation to identify and eliminate them before they can
strike; and not, God forbid, after an event.
War on pathatic looking men from stone ages
By: DR.LAW | 17-Feb-2010
We stand shoulder to shoulder withg our HM Chidambaram.The Paki based
terrorists and jihadi organisations cannot dictate our life style by
their terrorist threats. The allied forces has already taken the Al-
Qaida number 3 in custody and be rest assured, that the ´rest of paki
based terrorists will be brought to justice as early as possible.
PC plays down terror threats....
By: NRI (Oz) | 17-Feb-2010
My simple answer would be that India DOES NOT take orders from Paki
terror groups! Pakistan should put its own house IN ORDER first before
its myriad terror groups threaten India!! JAI HIND!!
Sleeping PC
By: Chandramohan Shinde | 17-Feb-2010
PC is in his deep slumber. Does he know that Jihadi terrorists, Naxals
and Maoists are already dictating terms ? How many more explosions/
killings are needed to wake him up ?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pc-plays-down-terror-threats-says-no-one-can-dictate-terms/580876/
Pune blast: Mobile pieces strengthen remote control theory
Shishir Gupta
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1045 hrs
New Delhi:
Maharashtra ATS along with NIA sleuths have been able to identify the
Indian Mujahideen module behind the German Bakery carnage.
Presence of pieces of mobile phone among the debris of the Pune bomb
blast site has forced the forensic sleuths to examine whether the RDX-
Ammonium nitrate device was triggered off by remote using the cell
phone.
Till now, the security agencies, who believe that the attack was
sponsored by LeT-Indian Mujahideen terrorists, were looking for pieces
of clock among the debris as initial investigations indicated that the
IED had a clock timer device.
Investigations into the Pune bomb blast have picked up with the
Maharashtra ATS along with the sleuths of the National Investigation
Agency being able to identify the Indian Mujahideen module behind the
German Bakery Carnage.
While government sources in Delhi are tight-lipped at the line of
investigation, the Union Home Ministry has been informed about a
possible breakthrough in the case in the next 48 hours at the highest
levels. At the same time, the Centre has taken the Lashkar-e-Toiba Al
Alami call, claiming responsibility for the Pune bombing, to a
correspondent in Islamabad seriously and have asked the security
agencies to identify its antecedents.
It is learnt that the ATS is honing into I-M chief Riyaz Bhatkal and
bomb maker Subhan Qureshi aka Tauqeer as possible culprits behind the
Pune attack though there is no technical data as of now to support
this claim. The Home Ministry, on its part, is keeping its fingers
crossed whether the prime suspects would be nailed even as there is
mounting pressure on the intelligence agencies to pre-empt another
attack before the Foreign Secretary level talks.
8 Comments |
Never forget
By: Sassy | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 16:19:28 PM
Should we be reminded every morning? Of course not, we need to be
reminded in graphic details the suffering of our fellow countrymen,
every morning evening and night and preferably once in between too.
Otherwise, how long does it take for us Indians to conveniently forget
and move on uncaring? Every Indian should be able to talk about the
history of terror perpetrated on India at the drop of a hat. This is
the least we owe.
Pune Blast
By: Sangat Singh | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 16:12:26 PM
Police keeps on harping "beware of unclaimed/unidentified objects"
adding that such items should immediately be reported to the Police.
In this context, the manager's attitude had, at best, been callous.
Instead of reporting to the police, he asked his men to open and
check. I feel very strongly that THE BLAST COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
pune blast
By: niranjan bakshi | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 15:55:02 PM
it should have dawned on our intelligence agencies that after 26/11
the terror groups from across would encourage disaffected indians to
do their dirty work. we cannot then blame the pakistanis, can we?
News is must for accountability and daily development
By: Prasoon | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 15:40:14 PM
If reader will not get to know daily development on major cases then
it will be like waiting for 20 years to hear something after court
decides on a matter. Daily development is must. It keeps the agencies
running to solve the matter.
IE spare us from the running commentary please
By: Krupa | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 12:59:50 PM
IE spare us from this running commentary please. Please wait for the
investigation to complete and then publish the final findings. My home
has been attacked by sub-humanic barbarians and the last thing I want
is to be reminded about this as the first thing every morning.
Pune blast
By: V. Sreekumar | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 13:36:49 PM
I fully agree with you Krupa. In three sentences, you had conveyed
everything. Thanks
We don't mind waiting
By: Tushar Ranadive | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 13:28:16 PM
I agree, we don't EXPECT you tell us a piece by piece story till
something tangible has been achieved.
What a contradictary name
By: Adab | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 12:55:06 PM
It is unfortunate that murderers are given honorary name like -
Mujahideen-, A murderer shall find his abode in hell. Zakir Hussain,
Moulana Azad were real mujahideen who brought peace, good will,
freedom and security to people.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-mobile-pieces-strengthen-remote-control-theory/580882/
J-K govt working on surrender policy: HM
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1447 hrs
Jammu:
I will request the state government to give us a draft as earlier as
possible: Chidambaram
Jammu and Kashmir government is working on the draft surrender policy
relating to return of Kashmiri militants who had crossed over to PoK,
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday.
"The scheme (surrender policy) has to be worked out. I will request
the state government to give us a draft as earlier as possible," he
told reporters after the Unified Command meeting.
"However, I have identified some points which have to be factored in
like identification, screening, facilitating travel back to Jammu and
Kashmir, de-briefing and rehabilitation.
"This will take time. We will work on the scheme patiently and
carefully," he said.
The Home Minister said the idea was to facilitate youth who have
crossed over to PoK to return to the state and be united with their
families if they shun militancy.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/jk-govt-working-on-surrender-policy-hm/580944/
Indo-Pak talks, Maoist menace, price rise on Parliament agenda
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1406 hrs
Agartala:
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning V Narayanswamy
on Wednesday said Indo-Pak talks, Maoist violence, women reservation
bill and price rise would be discussed in the next session of
Parliament beginning on February 22.
The Women's Reservation Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Woman headed by Jayanti Natarajan and the committee has
submitted its report with recommendation of 33 per cent reservation
for woman, he said. It would now be discussed in the Parliament in the
coming session.
Issues like Indo-Pak talks, Maoist violence and price rise would also
figure in the debates, he said.
11 get bail in Shopian case
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1559 hrs
Srinagar:
As many as 11 people, including doctors and lawyers, on wednesday got
bail in the Shopian case as a Chief Judicial Magistrate here took
cognisance of the CBI chargehseet on drowning of two women who were
alleged to have been raped and murdered.
All the accused except Dr Nighat Shaheen and Dr Nazia Hassan were
present before Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim Wani and the
court asked them to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10,000 each.
The accused were represented by President of Kashmir Bar Council Mian
Abdul Qayoom who moved an application before the court for inclusion
of statements made by some people before the Special Investigating
team of the state police.
The CBI counsel was not present in the court when the bail was being
granted and therefore, there was no opposition. The next date of
hearing has been fixed for April 17.
Life in Shopian town, 51 kms from here, had come to a standstill after
the bodies of 22-year-old Neelofar and 17-year-old Asiya were found in
a stream. Protests were held claiming that the two had been raped and
murdered.
The CBI, which has based its finding on the opinion received from
experts of AIIMS, Central Forensic and Scientific Laboratory and FSL
of Haryana, had told the CJM's court on December 10 that the women
were never raped and had died due to drowning.
The CBI had filed chargesheet against six doctors -- Nighat Shaheen, G
Q Sofi, Maqbool Mir, G M Paul, Bilal Ahmed Dalal and Nazia Hassan --
under Sections 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document) and
section 194 (giving or fabricating evidence with intent to procure
conviction of capital offence) of the Ranbir Penal Code.
The CBI alleged in its chargesheet that the doctors did not carry out
the postmortem properly and gave a false report that the two victims
had been raped before being murdered. The medicos were also charged
for preparing false vaginal slides.
Five lawyers, including two who have worked as public prosecutors
(Mushtaq Ahmed Gattoo and Sheikh Mubarak), were charged with
conspiring and intimidating witnesses to make false submissions before
a magistrate about women's cries being heard from a police van during
the incident.
Besides these two lawyers, others were Abdul Majid Dar, Mohammed Yusuf
Bhat and Altaf Ahmed. They all have been charged under Sections 194,
342 (wrongful confinement) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
The five lawyers have been charged with entering into a criminal
conspiracy with Ali Mohammed Sheikh and Zahoor Ahmed Ahnger in
pressurising two -- Abdul Rashid and G M Lone – to give false
statement under oath before a magistrate that they had heard women's
cries coming from a police vehicle.
The CBI questioned Rashid and Lone who spilt the beans and told the
agency sleuths that they had been pressurised by the lawyers through
Sheikh and Ahnger. The CBI got their fresh confessional statement
registered before a Chief Judicial Magistrate.
A police constable Mohammed Yaseen Ganai has also been chargesheeted
for allegedly giving false information and making false charges with
an intent to injure. He has already secured bail and his case will
come up for hearing on April 19.
CBI findings in the case came as a major embarrassment for the Jammu
and Kashmir government and the one-man Jain Commission appointed by it
as the probe agency found nothing against four policemen --
Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo, Deputy SP Rohit Basgotra,
Station House Officer Shafiq Ahmed and Sub-Inspector Gazi Karim. All
the four were not given bail for nearly two months.
The four had spent two months in jail following orders from the High
Court, which had said it was convinced with the findings of Special
Investigating Team constituted by it to probe the incident that they
allegedly tried to destroy the evidence.
The CBI took over the investigations in the case on September 17.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/11-get-bail-in-shopian-case/580961/0
Blast will hurt tourist flow to city: Rane
Express News Service
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 0222 hrs
Pune:
Narayan Rane at the blast site on Tuesday
State Revenue Minister Narayan Rane visited the German Bakery on
Tuesday and said the blast will certainly affect the inflow of
tourists in the city and foreign investments.
After visiting the blast site, Rane briefed the media at the council
hall where he said the blast had shattered Pune’s peaceful image.
“Only by strengthening the security, investors will feel the
confidence to come to the city,” he said.
When asked about barricades being removed about a month back from
Chabad house and Ohel David synogogue, the minister said they were
removed after complaints from the locals. “Since citizens were asked
to show licences and other documents, they complained of
inconvenience. It forced the authorities to remove the barricades,” he
said.
Pressing for stronger security cover, he said the state government was
deliberating on increasing the police force as well as having more
police chowkies in the city. Rane, who also met the injured at the
four hospitals in the city, said he will ensure that the compensation
announced by the state government for the blast victims was disbursed
on time.
He also appealed to all political parties not to politicise the issue.
When asked about the BJP and Sena demanding the Chief Minister’s
resignation, he said they have no such right. “They should cooperate
in times of crisis. During the saffron regime, attack on Parliament
and the Kandahar hijack incident had taken place,” he said.
On the controversy about the release of the film My Name is Khan and
the Sena’s allegations of diverting all police force, Rane said, “The
Shiv Sena Sena believes in vandalism which forced the state government
to provide adequate security arrangements for the release of the movie
in the state.”
About Sena’s opposition to Australian players in the IPL, he said,
“The Sena had said the same thing about Rahul Gandhi’s visit. He came
to Mumbai and travelled in a local train. They are not sure of what
they want.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/blast-will-hurt-tourist-flow-to-city-rane/580757/0
bademiyansubhanallah
Meanwhile, the statements of the six tribals -- allegedly witnesses to
the killing of nine persons in an encounter at Goompad Village in
Dhantewada district on October 1, 2009 -- were produced before the apex
court. They had given their statements to Delhi District Judge G P
Mittal as per the direction of the Supreme Court.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared on the behalf of
activist Himanshu Kumar, summed up the content of the tribals'
statements to the district judge: "They have broadly confirmed there
was a massacre. But did not know who did it."
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-strike-setback-to-peace-efforts-ag-to-sc/580823/0
SC concerned over plight of naxal affected tribals
2/16/2010
The Supreme Court expressed concern over the plight of over two lakh
tribals uprooted from their homes due to naxalite violence in
Chhattisgarh.
Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramaniam, responding to the query
of the Supreme Court, told a bench headed by Justice B Sudershan Reddy
that the government was making all-out effort to rehabilitate the
tribal's who had to flee from their homes due to the fear of naxals,
particularly in Dantewada district.
Dantewada is a naxal-dominated district of Chhattisgarh and is the
worst affected in the state.
The apex court adjourned the hearing of the case till next week.
Earlier, the district and sessions judge, Delhi submitted the
statement of six tribal's recorded by him yesterday as per the
directions of the Supreme Court. Six out of twelve eyewitnesses to the
alleged massacre of nine villagers by CRPF personnel in 2009 were also
produced before the Supreme Court.
On the previous date of hearing, the Court had directed the state of
Chhattisgarh to produce all the 12 tribal's who were the eyewitnesses
to the alleged massacre. The directions were issued when the
petitioners alleged that all the eyewitnesses have been forced to go
underground by the police so that they do not testify against the
culprits.
UNI
http://www.indlawnews.com/Newsdisplay.aspx?cda2cf73-1157-4c7d-a008-f52530838766
WB orders probe into no action on Naxal alert
Headlines Today Bureau
West Midnapore, February 17, 2010
The West Bengal government on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the
state police's failure to act on an intelligence warning about the
Naxal attack at the Silda camp of the 16 Eastern Frontier Rifles.
Home Secretary Ardendu Sen said that the probe would fix
responsibility for the lapse, which led to the death of 24 jawans in
the Naxal strike.
Headlines Today had reported on Tuesday how the West Midnapore police
was alerted three hours before the Naxal attack but failed to act.
Compensation announced
Meanwhile, state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said that Rs 15 lakh
would be given as compensation to the families of the security
personnel killed in the attack.
"It is the duty of the government to sanction Rs 15 lakh per family of
the deceased and a job to one member in the family. Also, the salary
for the entire period for which the deceased jawans would have worked
should be given to the nearest one," Dasgupta said.
Earlier, Dasgupta faced a protest from 300-400 women in West
Midnapore. Among the protesters were relatives of the deceased jawans.
The minister had gone to offer condolences to the bereaved families,
but they slammed the state government for failing to provide security
to the jawans. The protesters shouted slogans and even resorted to
arson.
'Pune blast will be solved in few days'
Headlines Today Bureau
New Delhi, February 17, 2010
Investigators are confident of cracking the Pune blast case in a few
days, sources in the home ministry have said.
Ministry sources told Headlines Today that the role of Lashkar
operative David Headley was key to the probe. Headley's role in
selection of the blast target - the German Bakery - could not be
ignored, the sources said.
In view of the terror threats to the Hockey World Cup, IPL and
Commonwealth Games, the ministry assured that security for all
sporting events held in India would be made foolproof.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/84493/India/â Pune+blast+will+be+solved+in+few+daysâ .html
Pakistan fostering terror, not helping bilateral ties: India
PTI
New Delhi, February 17, 2010
India today said conscious fostering of terrorism from across the
border was not helping Indo-Pak ties and asked the neighbour to
contain it.
"Fostering of terrorism from across the border (by Pakistan) was not
helping bilateral relations," Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam
Raju told reporters on the sidelines of a CII-sponsored naval seminar
at the ongoing DefExpo.
"I hope the government of Pakistan takes action to contain this
(terrorism)," he said.
Raju was replying to questions on the increased infiltration by
militants into Jammu and Kashmir in the last couple of months and what
impact it could have on bilateral relations with Pakistan.
Describing the situation caused by infiltration and terrorism as
"unfortunate," he said, "Infiltration by militants from across the
border has increased in recent times.
bademiyansubhanallah
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:14 IST
Paralakhemundi (Orissa): A hardcore Maoist, actively involved in
attacks on government property, was arrested from Orissa's Gajapati
district today, police said.
The ultra, identified as Babula Behera Dalai (29), was picked up
during combing operation by the security forces in Adaba area,
superintendent of police Sanjay Arora told reporters here.
A 'key and active member' of Bansadhara committee of the rebels,
'Babula' was involved in the attack on a forest office building and
burning of a government bus besides the abduction of a girl in the
Naxal-infested district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, police said.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hardcore-maoist-held-in-orissa_1349015
Iran seeks arrest of those involved in Pune blast
PTI
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 18:28 IST
New Delhi: Offering its condolences to the family members of the
victims of the Pune bomb blast, in which one Iranian student was also
killed, Iran today asked Indian government to take serious steps to
identify and arrest those involved in the ghastly act.
In a statement issued in New Delhi, the Iran embassy said it "condemns
in the strongest possible words such terrorist acts and calls upon the
government of India to, while ensuring the security of the Iranian
nationals, take serious steps to identify and arrest those involved in
the blast."
It said it was "offering condolence and sympathy to the family members
of the victims of the terrorist act in which one Iranian student was
killed and five others were injured."
In the first major attack after 26/11, terror struck Pune on Saturday
as a powerful bomb ripped apart at a popular bakery-cum-cafe near the
Chabad House, killing ten people, including two foreigners and
injuring 57 others.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_iran-seeks-arrest-of-those-involved-in-pune-blast_1348585
Pune blast: We did it, says obscure Pak outfit
PTI, DNA
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 19:26 IST
Last updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 20:16 IST
New Delhi: Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami, a little-known outfit, has
claimed responsibility for Saturday’s bomb blast in Pune’s German
Bakery.
According to The Hindu, a person, identifying himself as Abu Jindal,
called the newspaper’s office in Islamabad and said his group carried
out the attack as India refused to discuss Kashmir during the
forthcoming talks with Pakistan in Delhi. The foreign secretaries of
the countries are meeting in the capital on February 25.
The claim is intriguing as it runs contrary to the stated position of
jehadi groups on Kashmir.Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami has never figured on
the Indian intelligence radar. But if the claim has any credibility,
it could mean it is the international arm of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
— Al Alami means international literally. But the caller said they
were a splinter group of the LeT, and had split from the parent
organisation because it was listening to Pakistani intelligence agency
ISI.
Abu Jindal, according to the newspaper, claimed to be the spokesman of
the outfit. He also warned against India’s alliance with the US.
“Joh bhi America ka ittehad hoga, hum uskey khilaf jang ladengey,
chahey woh India ho ya Pakistan (we will wage war against any ally of
America, whether it is India or Pakistan),” the newspaper quoted him
as saying.
The telephone number that showed up on the caller identity carried an
area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the
adjoining district in the North-West Frontier Province. When the
paper’s Islamabad correspondent tried calling back the number, a
recorded voice message said the number was temporarily not in use.
The newspaper said the caller sounded like an educated boy in his late
teens or early 20s. He said he was calling from Miramshah in North
Waziristan and declined to divulge the name of the group’s leader.
Asked how the group had carried out the Pune attack, he said it had
its “sources” in India and had activated them to carry out the attack.
Sources in the Indian security establishment said on the face of it
the caller was confused about issues. But they said they wouldn’t rule
out any possibility, given the growing terrorist
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_pune-blast-we-did-it-says-obscure-pak-outfit_1348680
2 Britishers held for 'gazing' at Delhi airport
Anil Anand & Eklavya Atray / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:19 IST
New Delhi: The Delhi police on Monday detained two British nationals
staying at a five star hotel near the Indira Gandhi airport, after
they were found with sophisticated equipment that can interfere with
communication between aircraft and the airport’s communication tower.
Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, were detained after staff
at the Radisson Hotel, which is next to the international airport, got
suspicious about their activities after they had checked in on
February 11.
Home secretary GK Pillai said, “They asked for a room from where they
could have a clear view of the runway. They argued on the issue with
the hotel staff.” He said their conversation then came under the
scanner and raids were conducted. “The gadget they had could interfere
with conversations between the air traffic control and aircraft. It
could have had disastrous consequences,” Pillai said.
Delhi police said their passports have been seized and they are being
questioned. Intelligence agencies are looking at their recent travel
plans to find out if they have been to Pakistan, Bangladesh or any
such locations. “We detained them as they were involved in suspicious
activities,” police commissioner YS Dadhwal said.
Action will be taken against them under the telegraph act and other
rules, if they have violated any laws, police sources said.
According to the Delhi police, the two tracked the arrival and
departure of flights of several major airlines. They had very
sophisticated equipment along with a pair of very powerful
binoculars.
“According to the hotel staff, the two used to spend hours gazing at
the planes with their equipment,” a police official said.
The British high commission has been informed about their detention.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_2-britishers-held-for-gazing-at-delhi-airport_1348833
Centre, Bengal spar over Naxal attack, strategy
Sougata Mukhopadhyay / CNN-IBN
Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 07:41,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 12:01 in India section
Kolkata: The Centre along with the Naxal-affected states has launched
its biggest offensive against the rebels but Monday's attack at a
police camp in West Bengal in which 24 security personnel were killed
showed that the strategy to counter the rebels is not foolproof.
Following the deadly attack West Bengal Police are caught in political
pressure with the Centre saying the state's force is ill-equipped, but
state government has been claiming that Naxal leader Kishanji will be
arrested soon.
Preliminary investigations into the Naxal attack at a camp of Eastern
Frontier Rifle (EFR) jawans in Silda in West Midnapore point to a
security lapse and exposes how unprepared the forces are in dealing
with the menace.
The daring attack has also prompted the Centre to rethink its strategy
to counter the Naxals.
Seven more jawans were injured and are fighting for life in the
attack.
Even West Bengal's top police officials accept that there was very
little resistance that was put up as the jawans were no match for the
biggest, boldest ever operation by the Naxals in West Bengal.
"The jawans could not retaliate because it is a congested area and
there were chances of civilians getting hurt," said West Bengal DGP
Bhupinder Singh.
Forty jawans were manning the camp when over 100 Naxals launched the
assault. The attackers came on motorcycles and cars.
They also looted 50 rifles including AK-47s.
For the first time the Naxals used four-wheelers in such an attack.
They also tried to cover their tracks and burnt the vehicles before
fleeing, on a state highway 20km away from the site of the operation.
The scale of the attack has forced New Delhi to rethink strategies,
just a week after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram met with chief
ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, deputy chief minister of
Jharkhand and top officials from Bihar in Kolkata to draw up a joint
strategy to counter the Naxals.
"We will review the strategy in West Bengal. We need to pay more
emphasis in training, relief and rescue," said Special Secretary,
Internal Security, UK Bansal.
Clearly, there was an intelligence failure.
The attacked camp is located right in middle of a market and evidently
the Naxals were planning the attack for a long time.
Ironically local villagers showed little sympathy for the dead jawans
and without their help, Operation Greenhunt against the Naxals cannot
expect much success.
"During the attack no policemen were around and now they are coming
and beating us up," said a villager.
It took the lives of 24 security personnel for West Bengal Police to
decide that the Silda camp should be rapped up and moved to another
location.
But with no clear retaliatory strategy spelt out even after Monday's
deadly attack, it seems peace in West Bengal's Jangal Mahal area would
remain a far cry.
Union Home Secretary GK Pillai claimed that West Bengal Police was ill-
prepared to tackle the Naxal menace.
"I think the Maoists have basically selected what I would call as soft
target. Because the West Bengal police are possibly the least prepared
for tackling such menace as the Maoists. I don't think the Maoists
would really dare to do this either in Gadchirolli or in Chhattisgarh
where the police forces are far more shall I say battle hardened,"
Pillai told CNN-IBN.
When asked if West Bengal Police were not equipped to take on the
Maoists, Pillai replied in the affirmative.
"Yes! I think they do need far more training. I think the preliminary
indications are that there have been quite some considerable security
lapses and negligence on the part of those who are manning the camp.
That is why they have lost this much of manpower as also the weapons,"
said Pillai.
However, West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said there had been
no security lapses and negligence on the part of West Bengal forces.
"I am sure same type of attacks took place at some other camp or
thana. One has to go into specific situation instead of making general
statements. It's not that West Bengal is not prepared. It's not an
easy task to catch him (Naxal leader Kishanji) but you have seen over
the last month or so repeated attempts have been made and in each
attempt we have got closer to him including the one where we got his
laptop, hearing aid etc. We are countering the attacks. These are
being masterminded by a very small group. It's just a question of
time. We will definitely catch him. Kishanji will be caught very
soon," claimed Sen.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/centre-bengal-spar-over-naxal-attack-strategy/110258-3.html?from=tn
Naxal attack: Chidambaram admits to failure
TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 03.27am IST
NEW DELHI: With Maoists continuing their killings with impunity, Union
home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday accepted that there were
indications of "failure" (on the part of the state police) in some
aspects and appealed to the ultras' sympathisers to condemn such
acts.
"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a
thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength
was overrun, when there was daylight, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said
while condemning the incident of the Silda camp attack in West
Bengal.
Chidambaram, who spoke to state chief minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee, said the attack was "another outrageous attempt by the
banned organisation to overawe the established authority in the
State".
"Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of
the CPI (Maoist)... Their weapon is violence. No organisation or group
in a democratic republic has the right to take to violence to
overpower the established legal authority," he said, criticising a
number of "well meaning organizations" that find "legitimacy" in the
armed struggle by CPI (Maoists).
The home minister said: "I know that the overwhelming majority in this
country will condemn the mindless violence unleashed by the CPI
(Maoist) and will support the careful, controlled and calibrated
efforts being taken by the Central and state governments to put an end
to the violence. However, I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the CPI (Maoist)."
Naxal-hit states see push for joining Army
Express News Service
First Published : 17 Feb 2010 04:16:19 AM IST
Last Updated : 17 Feb 2010 07:49:11 AM IST
BANGALORE: In what might come as a rare silver lining for the
government in its war against Maoist insurgency, the youth belonging
to the Naxal-hit states, who were hitherto adverse to joining the
country's armed forces, are now looking forward to a career in the
Indian Army.
Ravished by the inconsistencies of life and with no future to look
forward, youth in some of the worst Naxalaffected states in the
country like Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand have been turning out
in large numbers at the army recruitment rallies conducted even in
regions where left-wing extremism thrives.
Adjutant General Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal, who was in the city to
attend the 26th annual recruitment seminar of the Indian Army, said
the encouraging response from the youth in these states was
surprising.
“Most of the youth living in these regions have not seen the outside
world. They have been literally living in a cocoon and now they are
coming out which is very good as they not only get employment and a
meaning full life to live but can also back and manage others to join
the army,” he said.
The Recruitment Directorate (Bihar and Jharkhand) witnessed an
overwhelming response at the recruitment rallies held in Nothian and
Jamalpur in which around 8317 and 5982 candidates turned out
respectively.
Similarly at Chhattisgarh the allotted 2 per cent recruitment quota
for the state was completely filled.
“A lot of promotional activity was done by the government in the way
of distributing study materials which has helped us to get the youth
to attend the recruitment rallies at some of the worst affected
regions like Ambikapur, Bastar and Jugdalpur,” said Col JS Gujral,
director, Recruitment, Chhattisgarh.
There is a similar response from the youth in the trouble torn regions
of Jammu and Kashmir and the North East said the Adjutant General.
On Karnataka he expressed satisfaction over the levels of recruitment
in Karnataka but said that the targets were not met under the
technical entry scheme.
On the steps taken to overcome shortage of Officers in the Indian
Army, he said that Army would encourage Short Service Commission
wherein the youth can serve about 10-14 years and then take up other
jobs.
He also said that the involvement of senior officers in the Sukhna
land scam was an aberration which will not have any impact on the
youth in joining the Indian Army.
Naxal couple surrender
Express News Service
First Published : 09 Jun 2009 03:26:00 AM IST
RAYAGADA: Even as the Naxalites struck last night, two of their top
members laid down arms on Monday. One of them, Ghasiram Majhi alias
Akash, was commander of Ghumsar division. He and his wife Jharana were
involved in major Naxal attacks in the State including the Nayagarh
massacre. He is close to Sabyasachi Panda, Orissa State Committee
secretary of CPI(Maoist). The couple surrendered along with their one-
year-old child before Rayagada SP Ashish Singh here today.
Akash and wife Jharana alias Pratima Mutika belong to Gudari in
Rayagada district. Akash was considered No.4 in the rank among the
Oriya leaders after Sabyasachi, Azad and Basant, the SP said. Ghasiram
was called Akash in Bansadhara Divisional Committee, Dora in Ghumsar
Division and Divakar Mallik in Nayagarh.
There are more than 48 cases in all the districts against him. His
wife is also involved in the crimes with him and is No. 2. Akash told
mediapersons about his involvement in different incidents but said the
Lakshamananda Saraswati killing was not discussed. There was just an
order to execute it. Differences are quite common in such
organisations but there was review of each incident.
He said they surrendered because they found that the ideals for which
they embraced Naxalism failed to fulfil the objectives even after 10
to 12 years.
The problems rather increased. This led to disillusionment.
Citing an example, he said land problem could not be solved in the
region. Asked about the killing of BJD leader Jajati Sahoo, Akash said
a person who surrendered should not have been killed.
Naxal menace: Challenge for new government
Express News Service
First Published : 03 Jun 2009 03:21:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Jun 2009 11:17:19 AM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The growing Naxal menace in the State witnessed during
the last three months, particularly in the southern districts, has
emerged as a major challenge before the newly sworn-in Naveen Patnaik
government.
The killing of Sibaram in Narayanpatna block in Koraput district today
is a pointer to what extent the situation has worsened in the area.
The Naxalites have killed at least six persons in the southern
districts during the last two months.
Three of those brutally killed by the Naxals were contractors while
Sibaram was reported to be working as a special police officer (SPO)
in that area.
Naveen Patnaik today took stock of the situation at a high-level
meeting here.
The law and order situation in the State has taken a turn for the
worse during the year. While the activities of the Naxals are on the
rise in various areas of the State, the gangrape of a Dalit girl at
Paikmal was embarrassing to the government.
The rape of the Dalit girl has taken a political colour with the
Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe Welfare and Minorities Development Minister Bijay
Ranjan Singh Bariha for allegedly trying to suppress the case.
On the top of it, the brutal murder of Mauni Baba in Puri has clearly
exposed bad law and order.
The killing of the Malkangiri candidate of Samruddha Odisha in April
had given a clear indication that the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) are
getting bold.
Another cause for worry is the situation in Kandhamal district which
is gradually slipping into the clutches of the Naxals.
The LWEs are suspected to have killed nine persons in the district
during the last one year.
Even though peace prevails in the district on the communal front and
there has been no incident during the last eight months, nobody can
vouch for the safety of the region after the partial withdrawal of the
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Naxal threat takes heavy toll on polling in red zone
A K Mishra
First Published : 17 Apr 2009 04:10:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 17 Apr 2009 08:48:54 AM IST
JEYPORE: Against the backdrop of Naxal mayhem in Damanjodi and
prevailing fear psychosis among voters, the voting was over in the
Naxal zone of Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts today.
But the Naxal threat and fear took a heavy toll on polling as the
areas witnessed one of lowest-ever voter turnout in the election
history.
Police were on their toes to thwart Naxal attack as the rebels blocked
several roads by felling trees and set several polling booths on fire.
As many as ten booths in Balimela and Kudulugumma blocks in Malkangiri
district had no polling on the day due tor Naxal threats. Naxals also
torched polling stations and material in Malmarionda, Kalimela,
Tonkarkota, Badigota, MV 73, MV 75, Andrahall and even burnt a jeep of
a polling team near Andrahall. Polling was also not recorded in five
villages under Kummanur panchayats in Malkangiri as the locals
boycotted the polls demanding tribal status. Despite heavy deployment
of police and paramilitary forces, the Naxals found blocking roads in
Kalimela and Chitrokonda areas. Only 20 percent polling was recorded
in Naxal-infested Malkangiri, Kalimela, Khoiraput, Kudumullugmma and
Padia in the region.
Similarly, Koraput district, which is bearing the brunt of Naxal
violence, also recorded no polling in many areas.
Five villages under Narayanpatna, two in Bandhguam and five in
Boipariguda blocks in the district recorded no polling as locals
boycotted the elections following threat by Naxal. For the first time
in the election history Naxals blocked the roads linked to Jeypore by
chopping trees near Boipariguda, Lamataput, Naryanpatna and Bandhugam
to prevent polling parties from reaching interior areas. After reports
of explosives being planted in the areas were received by the
administration, the roads were cleared for passage. Naxalinfested
Koraput, Narayanpatana, Bandhugam, Laxmipur and Boipariguda recorded
40 percent polling due Naxal threats.
Rayagada, where also Naxal threat loomed large, witnessed low turnout
in Naxalite pockets. Only 35 percent polling was recorded in Maoist-
infested Gunupur, Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Chandrapur and Muniguda
blocks. As many as 12 polling booths - three in Gunupur, four in
Chandraput, three in Bissamcuttack and two in Muniguda - recorded no
polling due to boycott call by Naxals. Over 4000 armed police were
deployed in three Naxal-infested districts of Koraput, Rayagada and
Malkangiri and hide and seek game between police and Maoists was
witnessed in many places. However, no large-scale attack by Naxals was
recorded from anywhere as the police took enough precautionary
measures and pressed into service choppers to keep tabs on Naxals.
‘Soren must brace for Naxal threat’
Express News Service
First Published : 20 Jan 2010 03:09:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 21 Jan 2010 01:19:36 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Indirectly holding Shibu Soren’s soft approach towards
Naxals responsible for Monday’s attack, Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram on Tuesday hoped that the new Government in Jharkhand
would soon give clear directions to the state police and
administration to resolutely face the challenge.
Triggering a landmine blast in the Gumla district of Jharkhand, the
Naxals had killed seven state police personnel and one civilian.
Warning that it was a loud and clear signal to the new government in
Jharkhand by the CPI (Maoist), Chidambaram said, “The new government
would quickly settle down and give clear directions to the state
police and administration to face the challenge of Naxals,".
Condemning the incident, the home minister also urged the state
government, political parties and civil society to understand the true
nature of the Naxal menace and once again resolve to put an end to
Naxalism.
“It is an open secret that under the new Chief Minister Shibu Soren,
the Jharkhand Government has developed cold feet in their fight
against Naxals,” he said.
Over 100 Nalco officers trapped in Naxal attack
Siba Mohanty
First Published : 13 Apr 2009 05:36:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 13 Apr 2009 03:14:25 PM IST
BHUBANESWAR: With barely three days to go for the first phase polls in
Orissa, Left wing extremists on Sunday night mounted a daring attack
on the National Aluminium Company (Nalco)-owned explosive depot atop
Damanjodi hill of Koraput in a bid to seize control of the unit
guarded by the CISF.
Over 100 employees of the aluminium major were stated to be trapped at
the unit situated at a distance of 17 km from Damanjodi town.
Preliminary reports said an about 100 Naxalites attacked the magazine
where a large quantity of explosives, meant for quarrying, are stored.
The extremists were engaged in a fierce fight with a 22-man CISF unit.
According to unconfirmed reports, two security personnel have died in
the fight.
Sources said, the CISF unit is unlikely to hold fort for long with
little reinforcement reaching them. Since the attack was launched
around 9 pm, access to the police and Special Operation Group team was
difficult.
Sources said the steep slope of the hill was such that it was
extremely unfavourable for reinforcement teams to proceed in the dark
because of possibilities of ambush.
Till last reports came in, the CISF unit was retaliating and two of
their members, including an Inspector and a jawan, were believed to
have been grievously hurt in the gun battle. “We cannot confirm yet
but they may have been killed,” sources said.
Official team visits Naxal-hit villages
Express News Service
First Published : 19 Dec 2009 07:24:41 AM IST
ROURKELA: An administrative team today visited some interior villages
under K Balang police limits in the Naxal-infested Bonai sub-division
to assess the developmental needs of the villagers after they pledged
support to the Sundargarh district administration, fed up with Maoist
violence.
More than 300 villagers, including children and women, returned to
their respective places of Sanbalijodi, Langalkata and Relhatu with
security escort provided by the team comprising the Bonai sub-
collector Sarat Mishra among others. Two days back fearing reprisal
from the Maoists they had taken shelter at K Balang ME School.
At a meeting, people from five villages told the team about their
miserable plight with no road communication, lack of infrastructure
development and crumbling education and healthcare system.
Mishra said the government would be apprised of the development needs
of the areas.
Earlier, more than 1,000 people from five villages, threatened by the
Maoists, took shelter at K Balang on December 10 before they returned
home amid tight security. With the help of villagers, police later
recovered nearly dozen landmines and arrested five suspected Maoists.
Meanwhile, around 10 Maoist posters written in Oriya reading ‘stop
police atrocities’ and ‘boycott Jharkhand Assembly polls’ were found
pasted near the railway station at Renjda under K Balang police
limits. Express News Service Rourkela, December 18 AN administrative
team today visited some in¬terior villages under K Balang police
limits in the Naxal-infested Bonai sub-division to assess the
developmental needs of the villagers after they pledged support to the
Sundargarh district administration, fed up with Maoist violence. More
than 300 villagers, including children and women, returned to their
respective places of Sanbalijodi, Langalkata and Relhatu with security
escort provided by the team compris¬ing the Bonai sub-collector Sarat
Mishra among others. Two days back fearing reprisal from the Maoists
they had taken shelter at K Balang ME School. At a meeting, people
from five villages told the team about their miserable plight with no
road communication, lack of infrastructure development and crumbling
education and healthcare system. Mishra said the government would be
ap¬prised of the development needs of the areas. Earlier, more than
1,000 people from five vil¬lages, threatened by the Maoists, took
shelter at K Balang on December 10 before they returned home amid
tight security. With the help of vil¬lagers, police later recovered
nearly dozen land¬mines and arrested five suspected Maoists.
Meanwhile, around 10 Maoist posters written in Oriya reading ‘stop
police atrocities’ and ‘boycott Jharkhand Assembly polls’ were found
pasted near the railway station at Renjda under K Balang police
limits.
Sops for Government staff in Naxal areas
Express News Service
First Published : 08 Jan 2010 09:33:24 AM IST
Last Updated : 07 Jan 2010 10:16:10 PM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The Government today decided in principle to provide
special incentives to public servants other than police working in the
Naxal-affected areas. After a high-level official meeting, Chief
Secretary TK Mishra said that Government servants working in Naxal-
affected areas will be provided insurance cover and compensation will
be paid to the families who fall victim to attacks by the Left wing
ultras. After three years of service in disturbed areas, Government
officials will be transferred on request and if possible they will be
given posting at places of their choice. The Chief Secretary
instructed administrative departments to provide quarters and other
basic facilities to their employees posted in the disturbed areas.
Police personnel posted in the Naxal- stronghold districts have been
enjoying special financial assistance from the Government. The
Government decided to extend similar benefits to other employees to
encourage them to accept posting in the difficult areas. Apart from
the undivided KBK region, Government officials resist posting in Naxal
areas resulting in huge vacancies at the field level. The Government
will formulate a policy to incentivise officials posted in Naxal-
affected districts, Mishra said adding, the Centre had been requested
to assist the State financially.
bademiyansubhanallah
By India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking
News - Times of India
With Maoists continuing their killings with impunity, home minister P
Chidambaram accepted that there were indications of “failure” in some
aspects and appealed to the ultras’ sympathisers to condemn such
acts.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
http://www.waltercassano.com/blog/?p=49913
February 15, 2010
After Poona attack Indians ask again: was David Headley involved?
From The Times Online, London
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7026599.ece
The attack on Poona will again raise questions over the role of David
Coleman Headley, an American who went from being a American government
informer to an alleged reconnaissance agent for the group that carried
out the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Mr Headley, 49, had visited the area of Poona devastated by Saturday’s
blast at least twice while checking out potential terrorist targets –
most recently in March 2009 – Indian officials allege.
He was born in Washington to a Pakistan diplomat father and an
American mother. He was arrested in Chicago in October last year,
accused of reconnoitring targets in India and Europe for Lashkar-e-
Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based terrorist group behind the Mumbai
attacks and of having links to al-Qaeda. He has denied the charges.
Mr Headey came to the attention of the US security services in 1997
when he was arrested for heroin smuggling in New York. He earned a
reduced sentence by working for the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
by infiltrating Pakistan-linked narcotics gangs.
Indian investigators, who have been denied access to Mr Headley,
suspect he remained on the payroll of the US security services, but
switched his allegiance to LeT. "India is looking into whether Headley
worked as a double agent," an Indian home ministry official said in
December.
Mr Headley, who changed his name from Daood Gilani, was in Mumbai
until two weeks before the attacks on the city, which claimed 166
lives in November 2008. It is alleged he spent months checking targets
in India’s commercial capital, using his Western looks and anglicised
name to move in elite social circles, where he rubbed shoulders with
Bollywood actors, and even to pass himself off as Jewish.
Despite being on the radar of the US intelligence agencies, he was
allowed to enter India as recently as March last year, four months
after the Mumbai attacks. Indian officials are furious that their
American counterparts did not share details of that visit at the time.
The Indian media has raised the possibility that Mr Headley was being
protected by his American handlers – a theory that experts say is
credible.
“The feeling in India is that the US has not been transparent,” said
B. Raman, a former counterterrorism chief in the Indian foreign
intelligence service.
“That Headley was an agent for the DEA is known. Whether he was being
used by the CIA as well is a matter of speculation, but it is almost
certain that the CIA was aware of him and his movements across the
subcontinent.”
The CIA denied that Headley worked for them. A spokesman said any
suggestion to that effect was "complete and utter nonsense. It’s flat-
out false."
According to Mr Raman, it is probable that Mr Headley, who was
arrested when the US authorities learned he was about to fly to
Pakistan, was listed on the main database of the US National
Counterterrorism Centre, a facility used by the CIA and several other
American agencies to track terrorist suspects.
Indian officials are concerned that US agencies may have declined to
share intelligence to avoid compromising other secret operations and
to allow them to deny any link with Mr Headley.
Analysts believe that the US may also have been anxious to avoid
sharing information that could further raise tensions between India
and Pakistan, nuclear-armed neighbours that have fought three wars.
According to documents put before a court in Chicago, Mr Headley had
links with the Pakistan Army and thus to al-Qaeda. As well as helping
to co-ordinate the Mumbai atrocity, Mr Headley is accused of planning
attacks on Mumbai’s Bollywood film industry; on the Shiv Sena, a Hindu
extremist group also based in Mumbai; on a major Hindu temple; and on
a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the Prophet
Muhammad.
The US authorities allege he was close to Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a
Pakistani former schoolmate and businessman who also is being charged
with planning to attack the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten.
Mr Rana is accused of having known about the attack on Mumbai in
advance. Gopal Pillai, the Indian Home Secretary, has said that his
Government would seek the extradition of Mr Headley.
Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:45 PM
1 comments:
BENGAL UNDER ATTACK said...
David Headley is an intelligence asset of the USA that did not go
rogue.
As is the case with Ilyas Kashmiri, the al-Qaeda no.2 and ex-SSG
Pakistani commando who was even felicitated by ex-Gen Musharraf with a
bounty of 1 lac for be-heading an Indian soldier. Ilyas Kashmiri and
his Brigade 313 has taken responsibility for the attacks in Pune and
threatened India with more attacks if Kashmir is not sovled (means
handed over a platter to Pakistan). The threat is economic specific -
games (Commonwealth, IPL etc).
With economic of the West dwindling faster than nine pins and Greece
on the verge of going the Iceland way - the Anglo American enterprise
can only look at hyperinflation in China and chaos in India to even
the field.
Look at the larger picture and India has to understand the insidious
deals of CIA with ISI from time immemorial.
February 16, 2010 3:04 AM
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2010/02/after-poona-attack-indians-ask-again.html
16 February, 2010
Comments on Radins Afghan Strategy Article by Major Agha H Amin
(Retired)
16 February 2010
I was recently in Afghanistan in January 2010.I travelled to Camp
Bastion near Nad i Ali,I travelled to Camp Leatherneck near
Khanishin,I travelled to Camp Dwyer near Garmser.All in connection
with a diesel and logistics sub sub contract.My observations are as
following :---
1-The US Forces do not seem to be burning with fire to destroy the
enemy.What they are doing cannot be called decisive warfare.
2-The Taliban are moving freely east to west and north to south all
along from Pakistani border in Quetta Chaghai and Dalbandin Districts
and in between Kandahar and Nimroz.
3-The US Forces have made no attempt to inderdict these talibs
carrying both drugs and logistics.
While all drone attacks are taking place on some 5 % of talibs in FATA
some 95 % of Talibs in Afghanistan are at virtual peace with US Forces
and Pakistani military calls them good Taliban.
Incidentally security was so bad that we had to travel with men who
call themselves talbs and pay taxes to talibs for carrying US supplies
to all the four camps mentioned.
We travelled back straight by GPS from Khanishin to Nushki in
Pakistani Balochistan.
Finally I am glad that my assessment of the Taliban Hoax has been
published for the layman readers by Edwin Mellen Press New York titled
as Development of Taliban Factions in Afghanistan.
The military strategy in Afghanistan
By CJ Radin
Feb 14 2010
Since 2006, the Taliban have made a dramatic comeback in Afghanistan
after being driven from the country in 2002. As security has
deteriorated, they have steadily taken control of more and more
territory. In response, a new strategic plan for Afghanistan has been
formulated by General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of ISAF and US
Forces - Afghanistan. On Dec. 3, 2009, this plan was approved by the
Obama administration. While there are several important aspects of the
strategy, such as political development, economic development, counter
narcotics, and the police and justice system, this article will focus
on the military aspect.
The strategic environment
The US military has identified three major Taliban groups as
representing the primary threat to Afghan security: the Quetta Shura
Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and the Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin.
According to the US military and General McChrystal, These groups
often operate together, coordinating activities loosely, but they do
not share a single formal command and control structure. Nor do they
have a single overarching strategy or campaign plan. Each group has it
own methods of developing and executing plans and each has adapted
over time.
The Taliban groups have made significant inroads in Afghanistan,
especially in the southern and eastern portions of the country.
Violent attacks constitute the most visible part of this insurgency;
targets are the ISAF forces, Afghan security forces, and the civilian
population. These violent attacks are designed to further recruiting
and financing efforts, to provoke reactions from ISAF that further
alienate the population, and to weaken the government by demonstrating
its inability to provide security.
In addition, the Taliban wage a silent war of intimidation and
persuasion to gain control of the population. These efforts make
possible the existence of Taliban shadow governments in virtually
every province that actively seek to control the population and
displace the national and local governments and traditional power
structures.
The Taliban currently have the initiative in Afghanistan. As a result,
the ordinary Afghan civilian's confidence in the Afghan government has
been declining.
In spite of these gains, however, the Taliban have a significant
weakness. They are not supported by a large portion of Afghans. The
core elements of the insurgency have previously held power in
Afghanistan, and popular enthusiasm for them was and is limited.
Traditionally, the main strength of an insurgency comes from its
support among the local population. Without it, insurgents are
vulnerable to being identified and attacked by larger and more capable
regular forces. This fact is of central importance to the new plan.
The overall military strategy
The McChrystal military plan covers the short term, the next 12-18
months. The plan's main goal is to halt the progress of the Taliban,
to reverse it in key areas, and to regain the initiative.
The first part of the strategy de-emphasizes the counterterrorism
strategy and institutes a counterinsurgency strategy. This means
reducing efforts on going after Taliban combatants and increasing
efforts to provide security to the population. While the insurgency
can afford to lose fighters and leaders, it cannot afford to lose
control of the population.
For the short term, the US does not consider it necessary to control
the entire country but rather to secure a few key areas and population
centers. The goal is for the people of Afghanistan to first see an
opportunity for a normal, better future, and then to start to
experience it.
The key areas that General McChrystal has identified are:
• Helmand province, particularly the Helmand River valley
• Kandahar City and the areas surrounding the city
• The provinces of Paktika, Paktia, and Khost
The second part of the strategy is to develop the Afghan National
Security Force into a force that is capable of providing security for
the country. Although ANSF development will not be completed in 18
months, it needs to demonstrate both substantial progress and that the
long term goal of the ANSF providing for security for the entire
country is achievable. A major review will be held in December 2010 to
assess progress.
ISAF and OEF forces
Since its basis rests on providing security for a population,
counterinsurgency is a labor-intensive strategy. A substantial
increase in troop strength has been deemed necessary. On Dec. 3, 2009,
President Obama announced that 30,000 US troops would be added to the
Afghanistan war effort during the course of 2010. This is in fact a
continuation of a buildup that started in January 2009, when 21,000 US
troops began deploying to Afghanistan under the order of President
Bush. An additional 16,000 non-US forces have also been committed to
the force increase by NATO and allied countries. The total number of
ISAF and OEF troops will increase from 80,000 in early 2009 to 150,000
in summer 2010.
The military strategy details
Some details concerning the implementation of the plan have already
been announced. The plan focuses on three strategic regions: the
southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, the traditional
strongholds of the Quetta Shura Taliban, and the eastern provinces of
Paktika, Paktia, and Khost, the bastion of the Haqqani Network.
The Helmand River Valley
The Helmand River Valley is the province's most significant feature
and its strategic center.
• It is a fertile agricultural area where the majority of the
population of the province resides. It contains the provincial capital
of Lashkar Gah and the province's eco¬nomic center of Gereshk.
• It is the center of the Taliban's drug operations. Sixty percent of
the opium production in Afghanistan comes from this area. This
provides substantial financial resources for the Taliban.
• Helmand contains important lines of communication. For the Taliban,
it is a route for the movement of foreign fighters and weapons from
Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan. The Taliban have also
refined and stored narcotics within Helmand and moved them through the
province's southern border to Pakistan. Helmand also facilitates the
refining, storage, and eventual movement of narcot¬ics, again, mainly
through the province's southern border with Pakistan.
• There is a hydroelectric dam at Kajak at the northern end of the
river valley. If it can be put into operation, it could be a major
resource for development for the region.
The main threat in the area is the Quetta Shura Taliban (QST), as
described by Jeffrey Dressler in a report released in early January
2010 at the Institute for the Study of War:
QST is the "intellectual and ideologi¬cal underpinning of the Taliban
insurgency in Afghanistan. The enemy is determined, well-organized,
and entrenched in the province. In recent years, the enemy has shown
its ability to adapt to the evolving conflict by developing and
executing coherent campaign plans.
QST sought to target Afghan and coalition units, mobile convoys, and
supply routes, and widened the campaign against diplomatic centers,
high-ranking government officials, members of parliament, defense
officials, and members of the interior and national security
ministries. Furthermore, the Taliban sought to tighten their
encirclement of key coalition centers, particu¬larly Lashkar Gah.
From 2006 to 2009, British forces controlled the main cities of
Lashkar Gah and Geresk and several villages in the northern Helmand
River valley. But these were unconnected islands of security; the
British had too few troops to control all of the province's population
centers or the areas between them.
The plan is to provide security over the entire length of the Helmand
River valley.
• Push the Taliban out of the population centers and agricultural
areas, significantly reducing Taliban influence over the population.
• Reduce opium cultivation and thereby reduce the Taliban's financial
income.
• Currently, the Helmand River Valley contains only isolated pockets
of security.. In addition to being secure in their homes, it is
necessary for the Afghans to be able to move to places that are
important to them, such as to sell farm produce. So an additional goal
is to expand the secure areas and improve the civilian population's
freedom of movement.
• Develop the hydroelectric dam in Kajak to produce electricity, and
begin to distribute it throughout the province.
Prior to 2009, ISAF forces numbered about 7,000 troops and consisted
of:
• one British brigade
• one Danish battalion
By spring 2010, this force will be reinforced to about 24,000 troops
and consist of:
• two British brigades (equivalent)
• two US Marine regiments
• one Danish battalion
• one Georgian battalion
The current ANA force in the province is the 3rd Brigade of the 205th
Corps, about 3,000 troops. This force is to be expanded to a corps of
3 brigades, about 12,000 troops.
Kandahar City and surrounding area
Kandahar City is the strategic center of Kandahar province. It is also
important to the Taliban as their spiritual center. Kandahar City also
sits astride the main logistics route from Kabul to Helmand province
and western Afghanistan. It is the only place [I still have question
whether the words "in Afghanistan" should be inserted here] where the
main ring road passes though a major urban area.
In the eyes of the Pashtun, the situation in Kandahar City will define
their perception of security and their future.
As in Helmand, the main threat in the area is the QST. They have been
steadily increasing their hold on the province, most significantly by
expanding control in the areas surrounding Kandahar City. Their goal
is to set up staging areas there from which to project attacks into
the city itself.
Securing Kandahar City requires securing the approaches to the city:
Arghandab in the north, Zari-Panjwayi in the west, and Dand in the
south. These districts are where the insurgents have their safe havens
that allow them to project power within Kandahar City itself.
In addition to opening up roads that run from Helmand through Kandahar
City and to the town of Spin Boldak on the border with Pakistan, the
Coalition will also work on securing the major highway that links
Kandahar City with Kabul.
Before 2009, the ISAF forces in Kandahar constituted 3,000 troops
total, consisting of:
• two Canadian battalions
• one US battalion
By the spring of 2010, this force will be reinforced to about 7,500
troops, consisting of:
• two Canadian battalions
• one US Stryker brigade
• one US light brigade
The current ANA force in the province is the 1st Brigade of the 205th
Corps, or about 3,000 troops. This brigade will be reinforced to about
4,000 troops, but even the expanded force will still be too small to
secure the area. However, with Helmand province being the higher
priority, further reinforcements may not be available until late 2010.
Paktika, Paktia, and Khost provinces
The eastern provinces of Paktika, Paktia, and Khost are adjacent to
the Taliban-controlled tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan
in Pakistan. The Waziristans are the base from which the Haqqani
Network, the best led and most violent of the Taliban groups, operates
in Afghanistan. North and South Waziristan also are home to three
large Taliban groups that are also active in aiding the Afghan
insurgency and that host al Qaeda and allied foreign fighters.
The Haqqani Network is seeking to regain control of its traditional
base in Afghanistan's Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces. They
currently control some of the key terrain around the city of Khost as
well as Gardez in Paktia. The Haqqanis exert significant influence on
the population in the region.
The McChrystal plan is to secure the region is to protect the cities,
the communication centers, the transportation hubs, and the
surrounding areas essential to the city markets and local farmers
selling their crops.
Prior to 2009, the ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan numbered 3,500
troops and consisted of one US light brigade. By the spring 2010, the
force will be reinforced to about 7,000 troops, or two US light
brigades.
The current ANA forces in the area consist of the three brigades of
the 203rd corps, or about 9,800 troops. The 203rd Corps is one the
best corps in the ANA. By October 2010, the size of the 203rd Corps
will be increased to about 12,000 troops.
ANSF Development
From a long term point of view, developing the ANSF is the most
important strategic goal. If this cannot be accomplished, everything
else is of little use, since the ANSF force must be adequately
strengthened in order for the ISAF to be able to leave. In the short
term, the ISAF needs to provide sufficient security to give the ANSF
time to develop. At the same time, the development of the ANSF has to
make enough progress so that, by July 2011, the ISAF can begin the
process of turning over security responsibility to the ANSF.
Currently the ANSF consists of about 200,000 ANA and ANP troops. The
plan is to accelerate growth so that 240,000 troops could be fielded
by October 2010, rising to 305,000 by October 2011. This is a very
rapid increase in troop size in an extremely short time. To achieve
this goal, significant changes to the original ANSF development plan
have been made.
• Force generation will now concentrate on fielding the maximum number
of light infantry companies and combat service support units. These
units are the most critical to counterinsurgency. They are also the
most straightforward to build.
• Forces that require more extensive training and equipment will be
delayed. This includes artillery, engineers, and motorized
quick-reaction units. The shortage of these units will be made up for
by increasing support from ISAF units.
• Training time for troops and officers will be reduced by about
20-25%. The resulting reduction in expertise will be compensated for
by increasing the number of ISAF mentoring teams.
• Equipment provided will be the minimum combat-essential equipment.
Heavy equipment will be delayed, while light weapons that are "good
enough" for counterinsurgency will get priority. Retirement of older
equipment will be delayed. Facilities will be minimal. Acquisition of
tactical transport helicopters will be accelerated.
Caveats:
This article describes the ISAF strategy for the next 12-18 months;
the longer term strategy is not covered here. Nor does the foregoing
discussion address the entire plan for the next 12-18 months. There
are major aspects that have not been discussed in this article,
including development of the Afghan National Police, counter
narcotics, civilian resources for development, and governance and
information operations.
This plan entails significant risks. Some aspects will work, some will
not. The enemy will adapt, and the plan will have to be adapted
accordingly.
Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear
of punishment and hope of reward after death." --
Albert Einstein !!!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22151765/History-of-Pakistan-Army-from-1757-to-1971
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21686885/TALIBAN-WAR-IN-AFGHANISTAN
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22455178/Letters-to-Command-and-Staff-College-Quetta-Citadel-Journal
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23150027/Pakistan-Army-through-eyes-of-Pakistani-Generals
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23701412/War-of-Independence-of-1857
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22457862/Pakistan-Army-Journal-The-Citadel
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21952758/1971-India-Pakistan-War
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25171703/BOOK-REVIEWS-BY-AGHA-H-AMIN
Posted by Agha H Amin at 2:12 AM
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23701412/War-of-Independence-of-1857
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21686885/TALIBAN-WAR-IN-AFGHANISTAN
bademiyansubhanallah
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 17, 2010, 16:18 IST
The government has planned to pump in over Rs 7,500 crore to set up
1,500 new ITIs and 5,000 skill development centres (SKC) in the
country.
The government would set up each of the 1,500 Industrial Training
Institutes (ITIs) at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore, while it will spend Rs 75
lakh on every SKC.
"We would provide more than Rs 2.5 crore for setting up each of new
1,500 ITIs in the country especially in naxal affected areas,"
Minister of State for Labour Harish Rawat told reporters here at a
Ficci conference.
Since this would be done under the public private partnership (PPP)
mode, other partners, including states and private players would also
chip in funds for the new ITIs and SKCs.
"The government is providing Rs 2.5 crore for each existing ITI to
convert it into a centre of excellence. But, in case of new ITIs,
especially in far flung and disturbed areas, the government would chip
in more funds," he added.
Bearing in mind the acute shortage of ITI teachers, the minister said
the government would provide viability gap funding to private skill
trainers who want to manage the institutes for 20-30 years.
The government is expecting the new 1,500 ITIs to serve about 1,576
blocks where industrial training is not available, particularly the
naxal affected areas.
Bengal admits it had intel warnings on Naxal attack
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 18, 2010, 0:24 IST
The West Bengal government today admitted it had some intelligence
warnings that Naxalites were "assembling" in the area around Shilda
police camp which was attacked in the biggest offensive by Naxals in
the state.
The admission came a day after an outraged Centre slammed the Left
Front government expressing dismay at the "unprofessional,
incompetent, untrained and inadequate" response of the state police
force to the Naxalite attack on Monday evening.
24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles(EFR) were killed in the
deadliest-ever strike by Naxals on their camp at Shilda in West
Midnapore district.
"It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There was
intelligence report that the Naxalites were assembling in the area,
though there was no specific information that they may attack the EFR
camp," West Bengal Home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters after a
high level meeting here today. Asked why no step was taken when the
government had in its possession the intelligence report, Sen said the
report had come to its hand at 2 PM only, a bare three hours before
the attack and it had taken time for the information to percolate down
to the lower level. Refuting the charges by the Centre that the EFR
did not have proper training to combat the Naxalites, he said, "It is
not correct. They are a highly motivated, disciplined and well-trained
force."
Heart-rending scenes were witnessed when bodies of all the 24 jawans
were handed over to their relatives this morning at Salua camp of the
para-military forces near Jhargram for last rites.
...orders inquiry
The West Bengal government on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the
Naxalite attack on the EFR camp and said action would be taken against
senior officers if they were found wanting. "An official inquiry has
been ordered into the incident," West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu
Sen told reporters. Asked if action would be taken against senior
officers if they were found wanting, Sen said, "Let us complete the
probe. A specific charge against any officer has to be established. If
anyone is found guilty, action will be taken."
Bengal Governor M K Narayanan on Wednesday expressed his "deep sense
of anguish" at the loss of lives of 24 jawans and a civilian in the
Maoist attack on the EFR camp at Shilda in West Midnapore district.
Referring to February 15 attack, Narayanan conveyed his heart-felt
condolences to the bereaved families and also reiterated the
government's commitment to deal effectively with the problem.
Meanwhile, a two-member central team today visited the Eastern
Frontier Rifles camp at Shilda in West Bengal's West Midnapore
district. State Home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters here that
the two included a deputy secretary and a Brigadier. They were from
the security advisory department under the Union Home Ministry, he
said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bengal-admits-it-had-intel-warningsnaxal-attack/385996/
Centre upset with bengal for intelligence failure
Rajat Roy / Kolkata February 17, 2010, 0:17 IST
Monday’s Naxalite attack on a joint forces camp in Silda, West
Midnapore, has left the West Bengal government red-faced and the Union
home ministry livid. At least 24 paramilitary jawans of the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed last evening.
Today, state home secretary Ardhendu Sen said: “It is intelligence
failure which caused so much damage to the security forces.”
The Union home ministry has already expressed its displeasure known to
the state administration. According to official sources, the Ministry
has made it clear that “this sort of setbacks are bound to happen in
the absence of a proper intelligence network at the ground level”.
The attack came six days after Home Minister P Chidambaram had held a
meeting in Kolkata with the officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and
West Bengal to launch an inter-state operation against Naxalites.
Silda is located in West Midnapore near Binpur and Belpahari, well
within the operation area of the joint forces. The Jharkhand border is
just 12 kms away. The jawans killed in the attack belonged to the
Eastern Frontier Rifles.
Bhupinder Singh, director-general of police, West Bengal, today made
an assessment of the spot. Information is also reaching the state
headquarters that before attacking the camp, the Naxalites took
precaution of mining the approach roads to Silda to prevent possible
reinforcement by the joint forces. According to intelligence sources,
there were around 45 landmines on the approach roads to Silda, which
they said, must have been laid 24 hours before the attack. They added
that the Naxalites must have mobilized around 150 people, including
local villagers, to dig the roads for mines, and yet the security
forces did not get a whiff of it. “This shows the lack of intelligence
at the ground level,” said a source.
Ever since the anti-Naxalite joint operations began in June last year,
32 jawans and 137 civilians have been killed. The state government and
the Centre have jointly deployed 43 companies of police and
paramilitary forces in the region to combat Naxalites.
The forces consist of CRPF and small detachments of BSF, ITBP, BSF and
IRB. It was also revealed after a series of attacks by the Naxalites
that the jawans deployed there did not undergo even a rudimentary
course on counter-insurgency strategy and tactics.
At the most, they got some weapons training.Meanwhile, hundreds of
family members of the jawans gheraoed five ministers of the state
government who had visited the EFR headquarters at Salua near
Kharagpur this evening.
The ministers, led by state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, went there
to attend the last rites of the 24 jawans who fell to the Naxalite
bullets at the Silda camp.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-upsetbengal-forintelligence-failure/385956/
20 securitymen killed in Naxal attack
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 16, 2010, 0:59 IST
The attack comes a week after the home minister held a meeting on
countering rebels.
At least 20 paramilitary jawans were today killed in the biggest-ever
Naxal attack in West Bengal when the ultras overran their camp at
Silda in West Midnapore after setting it on fire.
The attacks came barely a week after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
had a meeting with chief ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, deputy
chief ministers of Jharkhand and top officials from Bihar here to draw
up a joint strategy to counter the rebels.
“At least 20 jawans of Eastern Frontiers Rifles (EFR) have been killed
in the attack at the Silda camp and the condition of two is stated to
be very critical,” district magistrate N S Nigam said from Midnapore.
The rebels launched another attack on a CRPF camp at Dharampur in the
district tonight. A group of 40 armed Naxals attacked the camp around
8.30 pm in Lalgarh engaging the jawans in an exchange of fire.
Nigam said at least 100 Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons came
on motorcycles and four-wheelers, exploded landmines near the Silda
camp before barging inside with a volley of fire around 5.30 pm.
There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack took
place, sources said. The attack took most of the jawans by surprise as
they were either “whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen cooking”, a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, Naxal leader Kishenji claimed responsibility for the
attack. “We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to
Chidambaram’s ‘Operation Green Hunt’ and unless the Centre stops this
inhuman military operation we are going to answer this way only,”
Kishenji told PTI from an undisclosed location.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/20-securitymen-killed-in-naxal-attack/385840/
14 feared killed in Naxalite ambush on paramilitary camp
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 16, 2010, 0:48 IST
Fourteen jawans were feared killed when armed Naxalites attacked a
paramilitary force camp at Sildha in West Midnapore district this
evening. Top police sources said at least 14 Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) jawans were feared killed in the attack which took place around
5.30 pm. "According to information available here, nine jawans were
burnt to death and five others were shot dead. We are yet to get the
detailed figure of the casualty," a source said.
District Magistrate N S Nigam said at least 50 Maoists on 25
motorcycles and armed with sophisticated weapons swooped down on the
camp.
"There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack
took place," IGP (Law and Order) S Purakayastha said. Nigam said the
Naxalites also planted landmines on the entire stretch of the road
leading to the camp. Meanwhile, Naxalite leader Kishenji claimed
responsibility for the attack. "We have attacked the camp and this is
our answer to Chidambaram's 'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the
Centre stops this inhuman military operation, we are going to answer
this way only," Kishenji said from an undisclosed location.
The attack took most of the jawans by surprise as they were either
"whiling away their time in the camp or were busy in the kitchen," a
senior police officer said. "The Maoists engaged in an initial
exchange of fire with the sentries who repulsed the attack, but then
the ultras outnumbered the jawans and barged into the camp setting it
on fire," the officer said. According to Nigam night vision force with
anti-landmine vehicles have been rushed to the camp from nearby
Binpur.
Kishenji, on the other hand, claimed there were at least 35 Eastern
Frontier jawans who had been liquidated and they had looted
sophisticated arms including AK-47, SLR and mortars from the camp
which they set ablaze. He did not give the number of Maoists who took
part in the attack and threatened to repeat the attacks, if needed.
Intellectuals form a third platform in Bengal
Devjyot Ghoshal & Ishita Ayan Dutt / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:57
IST
Last Tuesday, Home Minister P Chidambaran was at the Writers’ Building
reviewing and planning operations against the Naxalites across four
affected states in the east, including West Bengal. A few hundred
meters away, a section of the Bengal intelligentsia led by Mahasweta
Devi, writer and social activist, burnt effigies of the home minister
and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
The open protest was symbolic of a truth that runs across the
political fault line in the state: that the Bengal intelligentsia that
stood by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee is now
divided on how to resolve the fracas at Lalgarh — a generic name that
represents the Naxal-stricken tribal heartland of West Bengal.
Although it remains undebatable that the major political parties in
the state — the CPI(M) and the TMC — are clearly divided on the way
forward at Lalgarh, there is brewing resentment within Mamata
Banerjee’s cultural camp on how the issue is being handled, more so
with Banerjee now distancing herself from the Naxalites.
The Bengali intelligentsia that had unprecedentedly come together in
support of Banerjee during the altercations at Nandigram and Singur,
and raised the decibel level particularly before the Lok Sabha
elections, is now seemingly fragmented.
In many ways, TMC MP Kabir Suman, singer, composer and former
journalist who, contested his first election last year, is leading the
charge.
“There is an ingrained racism and paternalism, along with a lack of
understanding of the real problem at Lalgarh. Unlike Nandigram, the
people fighting against the administration are not (ethnically)
Bengalis, they are adivasis. These are people who are ready to fight
on their own and for them, the TMC is not the clear alternative,” says
Suman, while explaining why many intellectuals have remained silent on
the issue.
It is his assertion that the perception of the PCPA (People’s
Committee against Police Atrocities) being a frontal organisation for
the ultra-Left rebels is incorrect, but despite this, the very risk of
being labeled a Naxal-sympathiser is prompting “the Bengali
bourgeoisie” to keep Lalgarh at an arms length.
“Some of them (intellectuals), who are now part of lucrative Railways’
committees, stood at the rally at Singur to say they hadn’t come to
join the movement but to take stock of the situation. There were those
who had sided with Buddhdeb (Bhattacharjee), now they have sided with
Mamata (Banerjee). But there is a third-voice and I am part of that,”
he adds.
Despite Suman’s tacit admission that much is unwell in the TMC
intellectual club, filmmaker and journalist Rituparno Ghosh believes
the coming together of a certain political party and independent
thinkers was temporal.
Explaining the support for the TMC at Nandigram and Singur by the
intelligentsia, once the champions of the Left Front, he says, “It was
not a conflict of ideology. It was more of protest against suddenly
blossoming of capitalism. And although it was a citizens’ protest
against the administration, right from the beginning, it became a
movement of one (political) party against the other, rather than an
appeal for justice.”
Ghosh argues that since many who comprise the intellectual community
have disagreed on Lalgarh, it is now coming across as a different
stand.
“They (the intellectual) were misconstrued as a glorified mouthpiece
for a particular party. Now, that they’re expressing their own
opinion, it’s looking like a political rift. They have stayed, the
party has shifted,” he adds.
Mahasweta Devi, who is known to be close to Mamata Banerjee said, “I
don’t have to abide by what Trinamool is saying. I have been
supporting the cause for 42 years.”
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/intellectuals-formthird-platform-in-bengal/385734/
Kishenji calls for boycott of Srikrishna committee
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:35 IST
Naxalites today gave a call for boycott of Justice B N Srikrishna
Committee, entrusted by the Centre to look into Telangana statehood
issue, describing the terms of reference of the panel as "betrayal of
people". "The terms of reference of Srikrishna Committee set up by the
Union government are a betrayal of the Telangana people," Naxalite
leader Kishenji told PTI over phone from an undisclosed location.
After committing to create a separate Telengana state out of Andhra
Pradesh, the central government was now hatching a conspiracy to
backtrack from the promise, the Maoist leader claimed.
"All MPs and MLAs from Telangana should resign immediately and people
of the region should unite for a greater movement to realise creation
of Telegana state," Kishenji said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kishenji-calls-for-boycottsrikrishna-committee/385704/
Cong jittery over Telangana on Naxal concerns
Saubhadra Chatterji / New Delhi February 12, 2010, 0:02 IST
Although the terms of reference of the committee to look into the
creation of a Telangana state may come in the next few days, the
Congress is worried about the ‘political’ price it may have to pay for
moving too fast on the statehood issue.
Latest intelligence inputs suggesting that the outlawed Naxals will be
the sole beneficiaries in a bifurcated Andhra Pradesh has made the
Congress leadership jittery. The Telangana issue was discussed in
detail at the special meeting of the party’s core committee held
Wednesday night. A key member of the committee later told Business
Standard: “Many in the party feel it would be suicidal to form a
separate state of Telangana.”
At the meeting, Home Minister P Chidambaram presented a draft Terms of
Reference (ToR), but the committee felt there was scope for “better”
ToR for the committee on Telangana as it is a very sensitive issue.
The brass decided to hold another meeting before announcing the ToR.
On February 3, the United Progressive Alliance government had
announced the formation of a committee headed by former Supreme Court
judge B N Srikrishna to look into the issue of Telangana.
According to a key member of the core committee, the latest assessment
of the ground situation in Andhra Pradesh shows that the strength of
regional outfits like Praja Rajyam Party and Telugu Desam Party will
shrink considerably and the Congress, too, will lose ground.
And, this political vacuum will be filled by parties floated by Maoist
outfits. The intelligence agencies have already warned the Centre that
Maoists are planning to launch political parties to take advantage of
the fluid situation in Andhra Pradesh.
The concern of the coalition leader was evident at the announcement of
the Srikrishna committee. Delicately balancing itself between strong
pressures in favour of a separate Telangana and a unified Andhra
Pradesh, the home ministry’s announcement simply said: “The central
government has constituted the following committee to hold wide-
ranging consultations with all sections of the people and all
political parties and groups in Andhra Pradesh.”
Headed by retired Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna, the five-member
committee has Ranbir Singh (vice-chancellor, National Law University),
Abusaleh Shariff (senior research fellow, International Food Policy
Research Institute) and Ravinder Kaur, (professor, Department of
Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Delhi), while former Union home
secretary V K Duggal will be member-secretary.
Several top Congress leaders also point out that former Andhra Pradesh
chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy vehemently opposed a separate
Telangana, but managed to retain power at the state and get as many as
33 MPs from Andhra Pradesh that helped the Congress cross the 200-mark
in the Lok Sabha.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/cong-jittery-over-telangananaxal-concerns/385473/
Co-operate more to fight Naxalites: Chidambaram to states
Rajat Roy / Kolkata February 10, 2010, 0:39 IST
Encouraged by the recent success in nabbing some top Naxalite leaders
in UP, Bihar and Orissa, the Centre is urging the states to coordinate
more with each other in their effort to conduct the anti-Naxalite
operations in the eastern states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and
Bihar.
The Union home minister P Chidambaram held a meeting of these states
today at Kolkata where “the inter state issues’ of conducting the anti-
Naxalite operations were discussed at length and “some decisions were
taken” which would be acted upon shortly, said Chidambaram after the
meeting.
The Naxalites responded with landmine blasts in railway tracks in
Jharkhand and Bihar in the last and third day of their bandh in the
three states. Day before yesterday the Naxalites exploded landmine in
railway track in Orissa. But Chidambaram is undeterred by these
events.
He expressed confidence that in the next six months the operation
would be able to “reclaim the areas dominated by the Naxalites.”
Incidentally, at present large forest tracts in Bastar district of
Chhattisgarh has virtually become “liberated zone” of the Naxalites
and they roam freely in the forest corridors in Orissa, Jharkhand and
part of south Bihar. But of late the Naxalites have faced some
setbacks. Chidambaram claimed that in the recent past, there has been
significant progress in inter-state operation and some key Naxalite
leaders have been apprehended in the past few months.
“Contrary to what a section of media and NGOs believed, no massive
carnage took place. We made it clear that the purpose of this
operation is not to kill anyone. They are our own people, we care for
them, for their lives. Our object is not to kill anyone. Our aim is to
reestablish rule of law in areas which are now dominated by the
Naxalites,” he said.
Today’s meeting was attended by two chief ministers Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee and Navin Patnaik of West Bengal and Orissa
respectively, the Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren could not come
as he suddenly fell sick and was admitted in a Ranchi hospital last
night. The Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was also unable to come
as “he had some prior engagement”. Jharkhand was represented in the
meeting by two deputy chief ministers and Bihar was represented by top
police officials.
While talking to the media after the meeting Chidambaram issued an
appeal to the Naxalites to abjure violence. “My appeal to the
Naxalites is that you say a halt to violence, we are not asking you to
do more, then we are prepared to talk to you,” said Chidambaram. At
the same time he indicated that as of now there won’t be any let up in
the operations. He observed that “unfortunately the past appeals have
been spurned. Therefore, we are obliged to continue the operations.”
But at the same time he tried to impress on the civil society the
point that the ongoing operations have been more “controlled,
calibrated and careful” so as to minimise the collateral damages and
it could continue to be so.
Keeping in mind that there has been serious criticism from within the
Union cabinet, Mamata Banerjee went public claiming that their joint
operation has failed to achieve its objectives, Chidambaram commented,
“I think, the progress will be slow but steady. We can’t measure the
progress of the operation as we do in the case of a cricket match over
by over.” Responding to a pointed question he said, “She (Mamata) has
told me that the operations we are doing in West Midnapur are not
yielding the result we hoped to achieve when we started it. She has a
point of view and I have taken note of it. We will try to make it as
effective as possible.” But at the same breath he negated the charge
and counter charges hurled against each other by Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee and Mamata Banerjee of abetting the Naxalites by saying,
“As far as I am concerned, nobody is colluding with the Maoists. The
Maoists are fighting the State. They believe in armed struggle, and
consider the parliamentary system as pig sty. Any political party that
believes in parliamentary system cannot collude with them.”
Naxals blow up tracks; kill police informer during bandh
Press Trust Of India / Jamui/rourkela February 08, 2010, 0:31 IST
Naxals today blew up tracks on the Jhaja-Jasidih section of the East
Central Railway in Bihar’s Jamui district and killed an alleged police
informer in Orissa’s Sundergarh district to enforce a 72-hour bandh in
five states.
About 40 Naxals blew up tracks late last night between Rajla and
Narganjo railway halts near Kahba bridge, affecting movement of
several long-distance and local trains, official sources said.
A 2.5-foot stretch of the up line and five feet of the down line were
damaged in the blast, Additional Director-General of Police
(Headquarters) U S Dutt said in Patna.
A spokesman for the East Central Railway, Dilip Kumar, said the
damaged tracks were repaired this morning facilitating resumption of
train services, the Punjab Mail being the first train to start its
journey on the up track.
No photos please
Business Standard / New Delhi February 05, 2010, 0:46 IST
It’s not just those arrested by the police who want to hide their
faces from the camera. It appears all those interested in joining the
Congress party in the Naxal-affected Bastar region of Chhattisgarh
fall in the same category — indeed, the Congress party’s drive to
induct new members has failed for this very reason. Potential Congress
party members are worried that once their pictures are taken, they
will be identified as members of a political party and will be soft
targets for Naxalites. The matter has been flagged and senior party
leaders in the state are going to take a call on whether to scrap the
condition of attaching photographs.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/no-photos-please/384637/
Chhattisgarh plans to choke funds
R Krishna Das / Kolkata/ Raipur January 29, 2010, 0:54 IST
Chhattisgarh government could consider changing the state's tendupatta
policy in a move to choke the income line of the Naxalites. The
Naxalites, have been amassing fund from the contractors.
The money ran into crores of rupees and had been one of the major
sources of income for the rebels.
Chhattisgarh produces the best quality tendu (Diasporas melonoxylon)
leaves. The state has the potential to produce 2 million standard bags
of tendu leaves that are used as Beedi wrappers.
The state government took a major tendupatta policy decision in 2004.
Instead of selling leaves stored in the godown, the government decided
to introduce forward trading which is selling the leaves in advance to
the purchaser. However, the collection of leaves and the payment of
wages to the pluckers will be done by the primary co-operative society
only.
Sources said that the private purchasers were treating the leaves at
collection centre, transport and store in the godowns in the Naxal-
infested pockets. To avoid damage in the store or during
transportation from the red zone, the rebels were extorting huge money
from the contractors.
"The Chhattisgarh government is ready to change its tendupatta policy
but the neighbouring states should also follow suit to enable a
uniform policy in the Naxal-infested states," Chief Minister Raman
Singh said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chhattisgarh-plans-to-choke-funds/383896/
Naxalites feel 'isolated' in Lalgarh
Rajat Roy / Kolkata January 29, 2010, 0:52 IST
Following a joint police operation against them since September last
year, Naxalites in West Bengal are apparently on the run in Lalgarh,
the centre of police offensive against local tribals.
Recent appeals by senior tribal leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji and
Bikash gave enough indications to that effect. First, Kishenji urged
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to pay a visit to Lalgarh for
initiating a dialogue with them to resolve the crisis. Yesterday, the
Naxalites urged local people not to lend support to the joint force of
state and central police personnel, engaged in combating the rebels at
Lalgarh.
In a letter circulated to the local media, the Naxalites have claimed
that recently the administration started mobilising the local people
against them.
The government has recruited a few thousand villagers from Bankura,
Garbeta, Chandrakona Road, Keshpur and some other places adjoining
Lalgarh.
These villagers have been kept in a number of camps and are being
trained to use firearms by the joint force stationed there.
According to the rebels, the state administration is trying to use
these villagers along with the joint police operation in its effort to
trap the members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
The appeal issued in the name of Bikash, a self-styled commander of
PLGA, said the state administration had adopted a new strategy to
isolate the Naxalites in the ‘Junglemahal’ region, where it is sending
these armed villagers. Junglemahal are the Naxal-hit areas in the
districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.
Desperate to come out of the isolation in Junglemahal, the Naxalites
have turned to Banerjee for a dialogue. In response to her recent call
to the Naxalites to shun arms and come to the discussion table, which
she issued from a mass meeting held on January 15 at Jhargram, the sub-
divisional town near Lalgarh, Kishenji released an open letter to
Banerjee inviting her to Junglemahal for talks.
The rebels have created an ‘information network’ by placing their men
in strategic areas.
Also, the state and central police forces are coordinating with their
counterparts in the neighbouring Jharkhand, another state hit by
Naxalism.
The Naxalite leader claimed that all these attempts to isolate PLGA
from the poor tribals of Lalgarh and the adjoining areas would not
bear fruit.
The latest appeal by the Naxalites to the local villagers asking them
not to join hands with state police personnel reveals the chink in
their armour. Last week, after a joint offensive on a village in
Goaltor near Lalgarh, police recovered a laptop, some documents and
firearms. According to the police, they conducted the raid after
receiving information about Kishenji’s presence in the area. Though
Kishenji slipped through their dragnet, two of his associates were
arrested.
Mentioning about the raid in their statement-cum-appeal, the Naxalites
stated that the arrested leaders were tricked into a trap set up by
the police and later were falsely portrayed as close associates of
Kishenji to gain a psychological advantage.
Anuj Pandey, the superintendent of police of West Midnapore, and one
of the key police officers involved in the joint operation against
Naxals in Lalgarh, said, “Maoists have been trapped in that area and
the forces are closing onto them.”
While the rebels firmly declined to lay down their arms, they showed
eagerness to discuss the problems related to the lack of development
in tribal areas. Banerjee and her party is yet to respond to that.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/naxalites-feel-/isolated/-in-lalgarh/383895/
Jharkhand to be included in operations against Naxalites
R Krishna Das / Kolkata/ Raipur January 23, 2010, 0:32 IST
Jharkhand will be included in the joint operations against the
Naxalites after the Centre discusses the issue with the state
government later next week.
As of now, three states including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Orissa
have been engaged in the joint operation. At a high level meeting held
here today, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren was not invited. The
meeting chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was attended by
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik and Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil.
The government in Jharkhand was new and hence it was not been invited
in the meeting, Chidambaram said after the meeting. The Centre had,
however, invited Soren for a discussion on the issue.
Chidambaram said Soren and top officials would be coming to New Delhi
on January 28. After holding talks and discussion on the issues,
Jharkhand would be included in the on-going anti-Naxal operation,
Chidambaram said.
The development assumes significance as Soren had been allegedly going
soft on the Naxalites. This was underlined by the Jharkhand
government's reported decision of stopping operation against the
extremists.
Regarding the Jharkhand government's decision to stop the offensive
against the Naxalites, Chidambaram said the matter would be discussed
in the proposed meeting with the state Chief Minister and officials.
He said there was no dispute nor it would come as a stumbling block in
the on-going operation against the Naxalites. Andhra Pradesh was also
coordinating in the operation against the Naxalites with the other
affected states, he added.
Andhra Pradesh has a vast experience in dealing with the Naxal menace,
Chidambaram said, adding that there was no dispute between
Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
bademiyansubhanallah
FEBRUARY 17, 2010, 1:38 A.M. ET.
India Official Condemns Deadly Maoist Attack .
By KRISHNA POKHAREL
NEW DELHI—India's home minister Tuesday condemned an attack by Maoist
rebels on a military outpost in eastern India that killed 24 soldiers
and injured three.
Associated Press
Charred remains of the police camp ambushed by suspected Maoist rebels
at Shilda.
.The attack by the Naxalites on a paramilitary outpost near a rural
market in the eastern state of West Bengal inflicted one of the
highest number of casualties in a single-day on the Indian security
forces battling the rebels, officials said. The severity of the attack
underscored the challenges facing the ruling Congress party-led
government in taming the rising insurgency.
The attack Monday was "another outrageous attempt by the banned
organization to overawe the established authority," Indian Home
Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said in a statement. He called on
Indian citizens to condemn the violence and to help end "the menace of
Naxalism, and bring development and progress to the people in the
conflict zones."
In the past, Mr. Chidambaram has said the government is ready for
talks with the rebels should they give up the use of violence.
A top Maoist leader who called local media late Monday to claim
responsibility for the attack, said his group was ready to start talks
with the government if it ended its offensive against the rebels.
The latest attack showed the audacity and change in tactics by the
Naxalites, even as the government has ratcheted up its offensive
against the insurgents over the past year.
"It was the first kind of attack with so much planning and firepower
that we witnessed from them," said Pandey Santosh, additional
superintendent of police for West Medinipur.
A group of 100 armed Maoists in plainclothes mingled with the local
market crowd Monday, then laid siege to the makeshift paramilitary
camp there, where about 60 paramilitary personnel were resting after
the day's patrol.
An officer carries his colleague's belongings from a military outpost
that was attacked by Maoist rebels in Silda village.
."They threw grenades from all sides before the forces could think of
retaliating," Mr. Santosh said. He said the insurgents sped off in
motorcycles and vans before disappearing into a nearby forest.
In recent years, the Naxalites, who advocate the overthrow of the
Indian government, have made significant inroads in the center and
south of the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called
Naxalism the biggest internal-security challenge India faces.
The government has deployed an increasing number of security forces to
fight the Naxalites and regain territory lost to them.
The death toll in the insurgency rose 36% to 1,125 in 2009, compared
with the year earlier, according to India's Ministry of Home Affairs.
Last week, Mr. Chidambaram said it was possible the trend of rising
casualties would continue this year, too.
Medinipur is one of the three districts of West Bengal with a heavy
Naxalite presence. West Bengal is the home to the Naxalites. The
movement derives its name from the Naxalbari village in West Bengal,
where it began as a peasants' uprising in the late 1960s.
Write to Krishna Pokharel at krishna....@wsj.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069361673972680.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Maoists striking despite our sincere efforts: Centre
STAFF WRITER 17:8 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) Drawing flak for its policy on Maoists, the
Centre today told the Supreme Court that despite its sincere efforts
to solve the problems confronting tribals, the rebels are not shunning
violence and carrying on attacks as they did yesterday in West Bengal.
"The home minister (P Chidambaram) has made a public statement that
government is ready to talk to them (Maoists) provided they eschew
violence. And the answer we have got yesterday from West Bengal,"
Attorney General G E Vahanvati told a bench comprising justices B
Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar.
Vahanvati made the statement after advocate Prashant Bhushan spoke
about the alleged human rights violation by state agencies in their
fight against Naxals in Chhattisgarh.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/520221_Maoists-striking-despite-our-sincere-efforts--Centre
Orissa police seizes truckloads of crackers, gunpowder
STAFF WRITER 21:36 HRS IST
Cuttack, Feb 17 (PTI) The police today stumbled upon at least two
truckloads of illegal crackers and gunpowder at Padampur on the
outskirts of the city.
The huge cache of explosives was detected when police conducted raids
in the area in connection with the yesterday's night bomb blast in the
locality.
At least two persons were arrested in connection with the blast as
well as for possession of explosives, said police Inspector Bidyut
Panda.
According to reports, a powerful bomb went off inside the house of
Nirakar Barik in the locality last night.
The market value of the seized explosives would be over Rs two lakh,
police said adding although the area is famous for manufacturing
crackers for Diwali, it could not be ascertained why such a huge
accumulation of gunpowder as made at this time of the year.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/523132_Orissa-police-seizes-truckloads-of-crackers--gunpowder
Orissa CM reviews security arrangement in state; Jagannath Temple in
Puri under security threat
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Email StoryFeedbackPrint Story
Bhubaneswar: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday reviews
security arrangements to combat Naxalism in the state. While reviewing
the security arrangements in the state, Naveen asked the Naxal-
infested districts to keep a close vigilance in border areas adjacent
the Naxal-ravaged states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and
Bihar.
Apart from taking stock of security apparatus in Naxal-hit regions,
the state government even asked the authorities to beef up security in
no-Maoist zones. A high-level review meeting was held under the
chairmanship of Chief Secretary TK Mishra to take stock of the
security cordon around the temple in Puri. Briefing about the meeting,
Temple Chief Administrator Ashok Meena said all the existing 14 Close
Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) installed in the premises of the temple
would be upgraded. It was also decided that all hotels in Puri would
come under a security cover and strict vigil would be maintained on
the movement of the suspicious elements on the Puri beach. Later, the
Puri SP apprised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the security
arrangements at Jagannath temple as it stands amongst the high risk
category shrines in the country.
After reviewing the law and order situation, the chief minister
informed that the massive anti-Naxal operation, which is hanging fire
due to the delay in arrival of Central forces, would start soon in
southern and northern parts in the state. Chief secretary T K Mishra
said at least five battalions of the CPMF were likely to arrive very
soon. The anti-Naxal operation is likely to kick start in end end of
the month, sources said.
Midnapore Naxal attack: Chidambaram's press statement
NDTV Correspondent, Tuesday February 16, 2010, New Delhi
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
PRESS STATEMENT OF SHRI P CHIDAMBARAM, UNION HOME MINISTER
February 16, 2010
The attack by the CPI (Maoist) on a camp of the Eastern Frontier
Rifles of West Bengal is another outrageous attempt by the banned
organisation to overawe the established authority in the State. I
condemn the attack. There has been a massive loss of lives. Besides,
more than 40 weapons are reported to have been looted. The leader of
the CPI (Maoist) has claimed responsibility for the attack and has
threatened to repeat such attacks in the future.
I spoke to the Chief Minister, West Bengal this morning and
conveyed my deep sense of shock. I also conveyed my profound
sympathies on the loss of lives. While there are indications of
failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the
police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day
light, by the CPI (Maoist).
Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of
the CPI (Maoist). Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is
violence. No organisation or group in a democratic republic has the
right to take to violence to overpower the established legal
authority. Unfortunately, this simple truth has escaped a number of
well-meaning organisations that find "legitimacy" in the armed
liberation struggle carried on by the CPI (Maoist).
During the 3-day bandh called by the CPI (Maoist) between February 7
and February 9, 2010, their main targets of attack were railway
property. There were a total of 11 incidents in Bihar (3), Jharkhand
(6) and Orissa (2). Tracks were blown up; railway stations were
attacked; bombs were placed on railway property; and railway officials
were assaulted.
I know that the overwhelming majority in this country will condemn the
mindless violence unleashed by the CPI (Maoist) and will support the
careful, controlled and calibrated efforts being taken by the Central
and State Governments to put an end to the violence. However, I would
like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have,
erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI
(Maoist). It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous
theses of the CPI (Maoist) and condemns the so-called "armed
liberation struggle" that we can put an end to the menace of naxalism
and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict
zones.
I conclude by offering my sincere condolences to the families of the
deceased and injured among the men of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.
(P. Chidambaram)
Posted by Deepp on Feb 17, 2010
Isn't it surprising...in AP when TDP were in power, there was a lot of
naxal menance. Now there is the Congress govt in AP ant not a single
naxal attack. In Bihar, WB, Jharkhand and Orissa also the governments
are non- congress. There are these naxal attacks in plenty there
too!!!!Is this a coincidence or does it point to something????? Also
what has Mamata Bannerjee done to stop or fight back these attacks in
her home state is in question...the people of this country must take
all this into consideration before they blindly start supporting a
political party.....
Posted by Prabhat Sen Sarma on Feb 16, 2010
It is very unfortunate to note that everytime the Maoists create a
massacre, Ms.Mamata Banerjee, a cabinet colleague of Mr.Chidambaram ,
tries to cover the Maoists by passing the responsibility to the
CPI(M). Thus , she is helping the Maoists by overt or covert means.
Posted by Deepp on Feb 17, 2010
Isn't it surprising...in AP when TDP were in power, there was a lot of
naxal menance. Now there is the Congress govt in AP ant not a single
naxal attack. In Bihar, WB, Jharkhand and Orissa also the governments
are non- congress. There are these naxal attacks in plenty there
too!!!!Is this a coincidence or does it point to something????? Also
what has Mamata Bannerjee done to stop or fight back these attacks in
her home state is in question...the people of this country must take
all this into consideration before they blindly start supporting a
political party.....
Posted by Prabhat Sen Sarma on Feb 16, 2010
It is very unfortunate to note that everytime the Maoists create a
massacre, Ms.Mamata Banerjee, a cabinet colleague of Mr.Chidambaram ,
tries to cover the Maoists by passing the responsibility to the
CPI(M). Thus , she is helping the Maoists by overt or covert means.
Posted by Jai on Feb 16, 2010
Stop reacting. Please act.
Posted by Saurabh Kumar,Bangalore on Feb 16, 2010
I wonder how many more incidents like these will be needed to shake
the pathetic approach of Governmant towards the internal security of
the country.This is not happening for the first time (is not the last
time either).We lost 24 of our brave soldiers in the war against
parasites.Yes,they shouldnt be mentioned as extremist or even
terrorist,,they are nothing but the parasites eating us from
inside.Nobody except the government is there to be blamed.Decades old
manual rifles,knives & counted bullets against modern machine
guns,bulletproof vests,grenades etc.Is their any match specially when
the later is in wrong hands??..time to wake up Chidambram sahab..Our
soldiers are not cheap & expendable..Finish this thing once & for all
or you will just end up laughing at our martyrs.(A genuine request on
behalf of 125 crore Indians)
Posted by Pradip Jaitly on Feb 16, 2010
It's high time that Govt. took strong action probably a Military
action against these mindless killers and show them their position.
The more we cajole them, they are taking things for granted. Should be
done with an Iron hand.
Phd scholar with Maoist links held
NDTV Correspondent, Tuesday February 9, 2010, Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh police claims it has made the biggest Maoist catch since
the arrest of Khobad Ghandy last year.
Two top-rung leaders, one of them a PhD scholar from Delhi's
Jawaharlal Nehru University are in custody.
Police said two men, Chintan and Balraj, were among 11 Naxalite
leaders arrested in a night raid at Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Kanpur.
Chintan, 64, has PhD degrees from JNU, police say Balraj, 51, is a
science graduate. Both were close to Ghandy - the Doon School-educated
chartered accountant turned Maoist ideologue who was arrested in
September last year in Delhi.
Posted by Karavadi Raghava Rao on Feb 09, 2010
In the early days of Naxalism mostly there are highly educated
intellectuals including poets,doctors,engineers and so on. But now
mostly it is a mass organization.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/phd_scholar_with_maoist_links_held.php
Mourning, with anger, for 18 policemen massacred
NDTV Correspondent, Friday October 9, 2009, Gadchiroli
The somber bugle and gun salute signals the final rites for the 18
policemen who were killed in the line of duty, ambushed by 200 Naxals
on Thursday in the deep forests of Gadchiroli.
In this part of North Eastern Maharashtra, anger overshadows the pain,
shared equally by families who lost their men, and the villagers who
witnessed the horrific violence. A five-hour gun battle where the
police stood virtually no chance, outnumbered as it was by five
militants for every one of their own.
Constable Nooruddin Hakim was 28, and recently engaged. His uncle
says, "It's the government's weakness, even though they had
information. He is my brother's son. This should not have happened. I
totally blame the state." And then he breaks down.
The policemen were on patrol duty in the area. There were 40 of them.
Then suddenly, the Naxals attacked. "We had seen and heard of families
of martyrs. Now we have one in our family," says Kumudini Dhote, whose
brother-in-law was among those killed. Someone tries to console her by
saying he died for his country. None of that matters, she says, in a
controlled voice.
Joining the families at the state funeral, hundreds of villagers from
the area, many of whom have supported the Naxals. They may not have
changed sides entirely, but today, they say, their respects and
prayers are with the families who've lost lives.
The big challenge for the police is going to be lifting the morale of
a force which has faced three major attacks this year, in which 50
policemen have died.
The Maharashtra government says the Naxals involved in Thursday's
attack crossed into the state from Chhattisgarh. Naxals have been
asking for the state elections to be boycotted, and they planned the
massacre as a show of strength.
Survivors say they will continue their fight. Many of them are tribals
for whom joining anti-Naxal operations was a risk. But disenchanted
with Naxal ideology, they say they won't surrender.
Like constable Rajendra Saiyam who is recovering from Thursday's
encounter in a Nagpur hospital. "I will go back and fight," he says.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/mourning_with_anger_for_18_policemen_massacred.php
Bihar: 5 children killed in Naxal attacks
NDTV Correspondent, Friday October 2, 2009, Khagaria
Just a day after the Indian Air Force asked for permission to fire in
self-defence against the Naxals, they have struck again.
100 men armed with automatic weapons fired indiscriminately at
innocent villagers in Bihar's Khagaria district. 16 people were killed
on the spot including five children.
Ten people, suspected behind the Naxal attack late on Thursday night,
have been arrested by the police.
The attack came after farmers defied a Naxal order of not cultivating
a disputed piece of land. The victims belonged to a backward caste.
"Police and other administrative officers are present at the site. In
a short while the revenue minister and the DGP will visit the area.
The relatives of the victims will be given Rs 1 lakh. Rs 50,000 will
be given to the injured as immediate relief from the state government
and the CM's Relief Fund," said Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
Meanwhile, many people gathered at the spot where the attack took
place. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi was forced to leave the area by
angry crowd.
"The gunmen pulled the victims out of their huts, tied their hands and
feet and fired at them, ADG Headquarters Neelmani said.
"Around 100 people, suspected to be Maoists, armed with automatic
weapons attacked the village and fired indiscriminately late last
night," Inspector General (Operations) S K Bharadwaj said.
Neelmani said the attack was carried out on the villagers by the
suspected Naxalites with the intention of grabbing the land.
The victims had been living in makeshift camps on the land, he said.
Senior police officials, IG Operations and IG Bhagalpur are camping at
the site and Special Task Force has been deployed for combing
operations in the riverine area to nab them, Neelmani said, adding
police patrolling has been increased as tension prevailed in the area.
Bodies have been kept at Morkahi police station from where they would
be sent to a government hospital for post-mortem.
Bihar has seen a few deadly Naxal attacks in the last couple of
months:
On Aug 23, five policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector were
killed and two injured in a Naxal attack in Sono Bazar area of Bihar's
Jamui district.
On April 22, a day before the country went to the polls in the second
phase, four Naxal attacks took place in Bihar's Gaya, Aurangabad and
Motihari. Naxals set on fire three oil tankers and five trucks killing
16 people killed.
According to data compiled by the Union Home Ministry, Naxal strikes
on economic targets have progressively grown across Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal.
In 2006, 71 Naxal attacks were reported. In 2007, the number went up
to 80. In 2008, the figures rose sharply to 109.
In the first half of 2009, 56 Naxal attacks have been reported. (With
PTI inputs)
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/naxal_attack_in_bihar_16_feared_killed.php
bademiyansubhanallah
Open challenge to Govt’s authority
The dastardly killing of 25 personnel in West Bengal by Maoists is
highly condemnable and no democratic republic will ever tolerate at
any cost. But it also an challenge to Govt's police machinery. This
dastardly attack also exposed weakness and lack of determination in
government to deal with Maoists sternly. Though this is not the first
time that Maoists have killed police personnel in West Bengal,
Jharkhand, Orissa , Chatthisgarh and other naxal-affected states in
the country, the governments have always failed to stop their wanton
killings. The CPI (Maoist) is a banned organisation but it carries
muderous act with impunity without any check from the government side.
The killing of 25 policemen and looting of their arms in West Bengal
not only point towards failure of the government but it is its
complete failure, which is also apparent. The Maoists’ killing act was
carried out in daylight but it was the helpness and ill-training of
the police personnel that they fail miserably to counter them
successfully. The police personnel and police stations all over the
country is ill-quipped to fight Maoist menace. Maoists are eqipped
with more sophisticated weapons to strike terror among the policemen.
Their main motive is also of striking fear among the people by
attacking the police stations in their areas of influence. They have
become a great internal threat to the country. It has been often seen
that the growth of naxalism is very fast in poorly-developed areas in
the state. The state government alllocation of money for the
development of tribal areas is gulped by Maoist leaders in connivance
with corrupt government officials. Maoist leadership is financially
well off because the government money alloted for the development in
their areas goes into their pockets. So, there is no financial
constraint carry out their anti-national acts. Maoists want to grab
power at gun point and if the government continued to shirk from
taking stringent steps to halt their onslaught, the day is not far off
when they would run their writ large in all the naxal-affected states
in the country. More than half of the country is in the grip of naxal
violence. The situation urgently demands first on the government to
deal with the banned organisation and to not put forth the view that
if it took to stringent measures the tribal population in the country
will feel alienated because Maoism is most active in tribal areas.
This point of view is generally given by the government only for the
sake of vote bank politics. The government must cast off complacency
and crush Maoist violence first, then they measres for the uplift of
tribal in the Maoist dominated areas.
Posted by Suvashanand Mishra at 6:07 AM
http://suvashanandmishra.blogspot.com/2010/02/open-challenge-to-govts-authority.html
Intelligence failure led to Naxal attack: WB government
February 16th, 2010
PTI
Shilda/Kolkata: Intelligence failure perhaps led to the biggest-ever
Maoist attack in West Bengal, the state government admitted on
Tuesday, as it declared that joint operation by the combined forces
against the Naxals will not be suspended.
Launching a manhunt for the attackers, the state police said
motorcycle-borne Naxals from neighbouring Jharkand sneaked in to
execute the daring strike. Three persons have been arrested, an
official said.
The Home Secretary, Mr Ardhendu Sen, admitted there was some failure
on the part of intelligence and security forces, "May be there was
lapse on their part", he said.
The Union Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, described the attack on
the Eastern Frontier Rifles(ERF) camp in Shilda in West Midnapore
district, 170 km from Kolkata, on Monday evening as outrageous and
accepted there were indications of "failure" in some aspects which
only a detailed review would reveal. 24 jawans, some of them who were
burnt alive, lost their lives.
"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a
thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength
was over-run, when there was day light, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said
in a statement in New Delhi.
The Union Railway Minister and Trinamool chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee,
used the Naxal attack to slam the Left Front government again saying
there was a "total failure" of law and order and demanded a central
probe. "They came along with 70-75 bikes...I don't know why there is
no intelligence of the government," she said.
The West Bengal Chief Secretary, Mr A.M. Chakraborty, ruled out any
suspension of the joint operation. "Joint operation will continue
despite the Maoist offensive", he said, adding three arrests were made
in connection with the attack.
The state director general of police, Mr Bhupinder Singh, who visited
the ravaged camp at Shilda, 75 km from Midnapore town, told reporters,
"Maoists sneaked in from Jharkhand."
"It is a setback. But it will not change our resolve. Operation
against Maoists will continue," Mr Singh said.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/national/intelligence-failure-led-naxal-attack-wb-government-922
Don't treat action against Naxals as war: SC to Govt
Ashok Bagriya / CNN-IBN
Published on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 23:05,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 00:58 in India section
Tags: Naxalism, Internal Security , New Delhi
NAXAL MENANCE: The Naxal gunned down 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier
Rifles on Monday.
New Delhi: A day after 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFT)
were gunned down brutally by the Naxals in West Bengal, Home Minister
P Chidambaram is angry and has taunted the Left leaning intelligentsia
which continues to lend moral support to the Naxal violence.
“I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have,
erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI
(Maoist), “ said Chidambaram
However, Chidambaram's angry outburst came when even Supreme Court
joined the long civil rights chorus that the action against Naxals
should not be treated as a full-fledged war.
“It's not a war. They are just citizens of this country. Some of the
reports appearing in the media are disturbing. Over 2 lakh people have
been displaced in this fight. Where will they go? What will they
grow,” asked The apex court.
The court was hearing a petition on the alleged revenge killings of 12
tribals by security forces in Gompad village of Dantewada district
last year.
The apex court rued there has been very little development in the
Naxal affected areas
“So much is said about the steps taken by the law enforcing agency.
But what about the other steps that are being taken,” observed the
court.
The court's observation seems to have sharpened the attack on the
government by its critics
Human rights activist Colin Gonsalves said, “It’s like a general
marching into battle with tanks and saying lets have peace. How can
you go into battle saying that. You want to lead the country into war,
do that. I am not part of that war from neither side.''
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dont-treat-action-against-naxals-as-war-sc-to-govt/110250-3.html?from=tn
Villagers trapped between rebels and police
By Amy Kazmin in Kanker, India
Published: February 16 2010 19:13 |
Last updated: February 16 2010 19:13
A body is carried away in Sildha, West Bengal, after Monday’s killing
of soldiers by Maoist guerrillas
Nestled against the forest, the bucolic villages of India’s Kanker
district are tidy clusters of mud-walled homes whose inhabitants eke
out an existence by cultivating small patches of land and going to the
forest to collect the tendu leaves used for traditional Indian
cigarettes, known as bidis.
Yet behind the tranquil facade, Kanker’s villagers are living in the
grip of fear, caught between the radical leftwing Naxal guerrilla
movement and government forces intent on quashing a spreading
rebellion that has become one of India’s main security concerns.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
India vows to retaliate against Maoist rebels - Feb-16
Lex: India on the offensive - Feb-14
Editorial: Nailing Naxalites - Feb-14
India fine-tunes fight against Maoists - Feb-09
New Delhi offers to suspend mine deals - Feb-09
That dilemma is being echoed in rural areas across vast swathes of
India, where New Delhi has begun more frequently to use paramilitary
force to challenge the hold of the Naxalites over far-flung corners
long neglected by the state machinery.
The government launched Operation Green Hunt last year, sending battle-
hardened paramilitary forces from Kashmir to bolster beleaguered and
poorly trained police forces trying to dislodge the guerrillas.
On Monday, Maoists proved what tough adversaries they are when they
attacked a paramilitary police camp in West Bengal, killing about 24
soldiers and injuring seven others. Bhupinder Singh, West Bengal’s
police chief, blamed residents for failing to warn security forces of
the attack.
“As security operations expand across several affected states, we will
find more and more villagers caught between security forces and the
Naxals,” says Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. “In this kind
of situation, there is never a middle. People are forced to take
sides.”
The Naxalites, named after Naxalbari, the village in West Bengal where
their movement was born in 1967, have established a firm hold over
Kanker district and the thickly forested, sparsely populated swathe of
mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state in which it lies.
They have established groups of supportive villagers, called sanghams,
to serve as their eyes and ears. At covert public meetings, the
rebels, from the Communist Party of India (Maoist), denounce New
Delhi’s policies – especially plans to expand mining – and warn
villagers against joining the police forces.
Each month, the Maoists, who have carried out detailed socio-economic
surveys of the villages and their inhabitants, demand monthly payments
and food from each family, requiring those with public sector jobs,
such as school teachers, to give the most. Some teachers pay as much
as Rs1,500 ($32, €24, £21).
Beatings of dissenters, rumoured killings of suspected police
informers and fear that children will be forcibly taken to be Maoist
cadres help keep Kanker’s villagers compliant. Yet there is little
doubt that the rebels’ denunciations of New Delhi and its policies
also resonate with many.
“Some of what they said is right,” says one villager, who has attended
two recent meetings, in which the Maoists attacked the Steel Authority
of India Ltd and its huge steel plant in Chhattisgarh for “cheating”
local people and criticised plans to expand mining in the state. “We
should not sell our iron ore to other countries.”
As the Maoists woo villages with their potent messages, police are
stepping up their own surveillance of Kanker, visiting villages more
often and offering to solve local problems. Yet rather than instilling
confidence in state power, the visits merely create anxiety.
“We do not allow the police to sit in anyone’s house,” says one
villager, who, like others interviewed, so feared retribution from one
side or the other that he requested that neither he nor his village be
identified. “We make them sit in the square, so nobody can be blamed
for being a police informer.”
The Naxalites have expanded their footprint across remote,
inaccessible parts of rural India over several decades, taking
advantage of local grievances and the vacuum left by a detached state
architecture. The so-called “Red Corridor” now stretches from West
Bengal – the site of Monday’s assault – across Jharkhand, Bihar,
mineral-rich Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra. Many of
the guerrilla movement’s university-educated leaders come from Andhra
Pradesh, which was a Maoist stronghold in the 1990s before an
aggressive state offensive pushed them out.
Today, no place is as crucial to the guerrillas as their so-called
liberated area in the forests of Chhattisgarh, where authorities say
leftist cadres from all over India are trained in hidden jungle bases.
The first rebels to enter the region’s forests in the 1980s won
popular support by protecting residents against aggressive government
forest guards and helping them secure better prices for the tendu
leaves they sold to the bidi industry. Many villagers later joined –
or were forced to join – the movement as full-time cadres.
But over the years, unhappy at the Maoists’ efforts to halt the
traditional animist spiritual practices of local tribes, and at
mounting violence against traditional leaders and other dissenters,
many locals have turned sour towards the guerrillas.
Security forces are slowly pushing into Maoist-held areas to battle
the rebels, though local human rights groups accuse them of
slaughtering innocent civilians then branding them as Naxal rebels.
Security forces deny any intentional wrongdoing. But the allegations
have risen all the way to New Delhi and India’s Supreme Court, where a
group of tribal villagers from Chhattisgarh were brought this week to
testify in a case accusing security forces of massacring nine
civilians in Gompad village in October.
Standing barefoot outside the courtroom, the illiterate villagers,
including one who had been shot in the leg, looked stunned by the roar
of Delhi’s traffic and the swirl of black-robed lawyers. Inside,
lawyers bickered over who should translate the accounts of the
villagers, who speak only a tribal language called Gondi.
Himanshu Kumar, the activist behind the case, argued that the
interpreter offered by the government was too close to the police. Mr
Kumar, who speaks Gondi, was proposed, but state lawyers called him a
Maoist sympathiser.
When the villagers were finally asked about the events of October,
they said they had no idea who killed their relatives.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6df076d8-1b24-11df-953f-00144feab49a.html
Centre to send security experts to Midnapore
Published on : Tuesday 16 Feb 2010 18:16 - by ANI
By Shreeraj Gudi
New Delhi, Feb 16 : Union Home Ministry will send security experts to
West Bengals West Midnapore District on Wednesday to probe the killing
of over 25 policemen by Maoists on Monday evening.
The attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp in Sealdah is
being seen as the deadliest form of Naxal violence.
The team will review the current counter-Maoist strategy in West
Bengal and seek to assist the state in keeping the morale of the
forces intact.
Sources acknowledged the EFR unit was not fully trained to handle this
kind of attack.
This morning, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said: Every attack of
this kind exposes the true nature and character of the CPI (Maoist).
Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is violence. No
organisation or group in a democratic republic has the right to take
to violence to overpower the established legal authority.
Unfortunately, this simple truth has escaped a number of well-meaning
organisations that find legitimacy in the armed liberation struggle
carried on by the CPI (Maoist), he added.
In his statement Chidambaram said While there are indications of
failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the
police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day
light, by the CPI (Maoist).
On Monday, in an unusually frank statement on the predicament of
security forces doing duty in Naxal-hit areas, Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium told the Supreme Court that police officers leave for duty
every day with a death band around their heads.
Gopal Subramanium described the challenges faced by a police officer
working in the tough terrain of Naxal areas, sandwiched between
helpless tribals and people who take law into their hands and
terrorise villagers.
Copyright Asian News International (ANI)
http://www.littleabout.com/news/70565,centre-send-security-experts-midnapore.html
NAXAL / MAOISTS threats and movements
Naxalite or Naxalvadis (name from the village of Naxalbari in the
Indian state of West Bengal where the movement originated), are a
group of far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political
sentiment and ideology. Their origin can be traced to the split in
1967 of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), leading to formation
of Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist). Initially the
movement had its centre in West Bengal. In recent years, they have
spread into less developed areas of rural central and eastern India,
such as Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh through the activities of
underground groups like the Communist Party of India (Maoist).They
lead the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. As of 2009, Naxalites are active
across approximately 220 districts in twenty states of India
accounting for about 40 percent of India's geographical area, They are
especially concentrated in an area known as the "Red corridor", where
they control 92,000 square kilometers. According to India's
intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, 20,000 armed
cadre Naxalites were operating apart from 50,000 regular cadres
working in their various mass organizations and millions of
sympathisers, and their growing influence prompted Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh to declare them as the most serious internal
threat to India's national security. The Naxalites are opposed by
virtually all mainstream Indian political groups. In February 2009,
Central government announced its plans for simultaneous, co-ordinated
counter-operations in all Left-wing extremism-hit states—Chhattisgarh,
Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
and West Bengal, to plug all possible escape routes of Naxalites.
India is divided in many ways: by caste, religion, language, and
region. But recently it has become to look as though the most visible
divide in the days ahead will be marked by the Maoists movement, which
according to media reports, has spread to nearly 40% of the country's
geographical area and is a major political force in poor tribal states
such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkand and Orissa.
The insurgency is gaining momentum to the dismay of the India, who is
riding on the high waters of the economy, and analysts say, the Indian
government is concerned over the possible spillover of Maoist problem
in contagious states like UP, Bihar, Uttaranchal and Assam.
In practice, the 40-year-old insurgency is thought to have a presence
in as many as half of India's 28 states and to make the matter worse,
the movement also benefits some support in rural villages, making
curbing its activities difficult for the Indian government.
“Naxalites control 92,000 square kilometers of the country, and the
"red corridor" runs along some of India's poorest parts and through
areas inhabited mainly by tribal peoples,” according to the media
sources.
The death from violent movement is estimated to be around 6000 in last
20 years.
Violence has peaked in India from Maoist or Naxalite separatist.
From the Ministry of Home Affairs it has been stated that:
1996: 156 deaths
1997: 428 deaths
1998: 270 deaths
1999: 363 deaths
2000: 50 deaths
2001: 100+ deaths
2002: 140 deaths
2003: 451 deaths
2004: 500+ deaths
2005: 700+ deaths
2006: 750 deaths
2007: 650 deaths
2008: 794 deaths
2009: 1134 deaths
According to BBC, More than 6,000 people have died during the rebels'
20-year fight
Naxals are getting more sophisticated now.
The detail information may be traced from several sources.
1. Naxalite Movement
2. Global Politician - Rising Maoists Insurgency in India
3. Naxal problem
More updates will follow.
Fighter
Sab Kehtay Hain Mujh Say Mehfil Main, Moqay Kay Muttabiq Baat Kaho
Or Hum Nay Yeh Dil Main Thaani Hai, Ya Dil Ki Kahai'n Ya Kuch Na
Kahai'n
http://www.defence.pk/forums/india-defence/47405-naxal-maoists-threats-movements.html
Early polls of panchayat will solve Naxals problem, says retired DGP
Retired DGP R.R. Prasad has opined that ‘Green Hunt’ operation will
not solve Naxalities activities in Jharkhand. State government should
take action for early elections of Gram Panchayat, which will solve
Naxal problem. The youths and unemployed people will remain engage in
development work and will not join Naxals group.
Read 22 times
http://ranchiexpress.com/25675.php
319 Naxals surrendered in four years in Maharashtra
PTI
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 12:58 IST
NAGPUR: As many as 319 Naxalites have laid down their arms before
authorities in the Naxal-infested Gadchiroli district in eastern part
of Maharashtra, official sources have said.
"The Maharashtra government, after examining Naxal surrender policies
of other affected states, also came out with a identical scheme on
August 29, 2005 and this has helped both the Naxals and the police in
implementing it. The response has been good so far," additional
district superintendent of police, Manoj Sharma told PTI.
He said the state government has given periodical extension to the
scheme. "It has certainly helped the misguided poor tribals who took
to arms struggle to avail an opportunity to give up violence and
isolated life and miserable living conditions."
The scheme has also helped the police to provide a chance for those
Naxals who want to return to main stream and spend rest of the life
under security cover and enjoy the freedom, Sharma said.
Giving details of surrendered Naxalites, Sharma said one sub zonal
committee member is the top Naxal leader followed by six dalam
commanders and nine deputy dalam commanders.
Sharma said, In Naxal movement, the Area Rakshak Dal and Gram Rakshak
Dal (ARD and GRD) also play an important role
since they are like second rung leaders and provide logistics
and communication also. As many as 200 ARD and GRD have also
surrendered during this period.
There are 10 couples who are a part of 319 surrendered Naxalites
during the last four years.
Maharashtra govenment has so far extended financial assistance to the
tune of Rs 1.38 crore and another Rs 30.20 lakh from the centrally
sponsored Security Related Expenditure (SRE), Sharma said.
As per the laid down scheme, whenever Naxals surrender, they are
produced before a committee headed by district collector which include
superintendent of police and other officials to accept their surrender
and accordingly the cash reward is decided as per their rank and
involvement in offences.
Police have recovered from them 81 rifles, mostly 303 and self
loading, 110 cartridges, one hand grenade and other explosives besides
Naxal printed materials about their ideology, he said.
Six Naxals had surrendered during the Republic Day Parade in
Gadchiroli where Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil unfurled the tri-
colour. He welcomed them into the main stream.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_319-naxals-surrendered-in-four-years-in-maharashtra_1348440
Govt offers rehabilitation for Naxals
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 20:48 IST
Jammu: Government today offered to rehabilitate Naxalites if they give
up arms and surrender.
Union home minister P Chidambaram
"If Naxals give up arms and surrender, they would also be
rehabilitated," home minister P Chidambaram told a press conference in
Jammu.
His comments on the issue came at a press conference in Jammu when he
was explaining the policy being drafted by the Jammu and Kashmir
government for the rehabilitation of militants returning from Pak-
occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_govt-offers-rehabilitation-for-naxals_1349187
Midnapore carnage a setback for Operation Green Hunt: Bengal DGP
Sumanta Ray Chaudhuri / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:11 IST
Kolkata: The massacre of policemen by Maoists at Shilda in West
Midnapore district of West Bengal is a great setback for Operation
Green Hunt, state DGP Bhupinder Singh said on Tuesday. “But we are
determined to continue the operation,” he told reporters after
visiting the devastated Eastern Frontier Rifles camp.
The Bengal government admitted that the onslaught on policemen
happened because of intelligence failure and a security lapse. It also
said the attack would hit the morale of the combined forces personnel
working to flush out Maoists from the state.
“We will have to review the situation and identify the lapses,” state
chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakroborty said. The state will submit a
report to the Centre on Wednesday. A high-level central team will
visit Shilda on Thursday to take stock.
After questioning eyewitnesses, police have come to know that the 60
Maoists who attacked the camp were led by a woman. Police suspect she
is top Maoist leader Jagori Baske, who had also led the Sankrail
operation in October 2009, kidnapping police inspector Atindranath
Datta.
...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
B Vijay Murty, Hindustan Times
Ghatsila, February 15, 2010
First Published: 23:44 IST(15/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:51 IST(15/2/2010)
Jharkhand Maoists on Monday demanded the release of three women cadres
and some tribals in return for the abducted block development officer,
Prashant Kumar Layak.
Layak was kidnapped on Saturday from his office in Dhalbhumgarh,
around 180-km southeast of capital Ranchi.
The CPI Maoist rebels have threatened to kill Layak if their demands
are not met in 72 hours. The deadline expires on Tuesday.
“Free our comrades and we will hand over the BDO to media personnel,”
Naxal commander Mangal alias Kanu told a press conference at one of
their hideouts near the Jharkhand-Orissa border.
In Ranchi, Chief Minister Sibu Soren said his government was ready for
talks and would consider all their demands, provided they released the
BDO. “I am yet to receive any of their demands in writing,” Soren
said.
The BDO’s wife Julie Bharati has appealed to the Maoists not to hurt
her husband. “The chief minister has assured he will address all your
grievances and demands,” she said.
Senior police personnel, led by director general Neyaz Ahmad, are
carrying out combining operations in the rebels' suspected hideouts
along the Jharkhand-Orissa and Jharkhand-West Bengal borders.
Dhalbhumgarh shares its borders with both the states, which is
surrounded by hills and dense forests. The Maoists’ hotbed Lalgarh is
barely 60 km away.
Maoists, who control 18 of Jharkhand’s 24 districts, have killed 340
policemen in the last eight years.
On October 6 last year, they killed a special branch inspector Francis
Induwar. Layak is the first senior administrative officer the rebels
have abducted in the last two years.
Maoists trigger explosion in Howrah-Mumbai train route
Press Trust Of India
Rourkela, February 08, 2010
First Published: 09:37 IST(8/2/2010)
Last Updated: 14:32 IST(8/2/2010)
Suspected Maoists blew away a portion of railway tracks in the wee
hours on Monday near Rourkela causing derailment of a goods train and
disruption of train services on the Howrah-Mumbai route.
A portion of the railway track at a place between Bhalulata and
Jareikela, about 30 km from Rourkela, was blown up by suspected
Maoists at 1 am leading to derailment of two wagons of a goods train,
Rourkela railway station manager S K Panda said.
However, there have been no reports of injury or casualty in the
incident.
Following the blast, all trains on the Howrah-Mumbai route have been
held up at different stations, Panda said, adding that explosives
might also have been planted on the up-line of the route.
Maoists had on Sunday called a 72-hour bandh in Bihar, Jharkhand,
Orissa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh to protest against a proposed all-
out offensive “Operation Green Hunt” against them by the Centre.
Chidambaram reviews anti-Naxal plans of five states
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, December 24, 2009
First Published: 19:52 IST(24/12/2009)
Last Updated: 19:53 IST(24/12/2009)
Ahead of the full-fledged operations against Naxals, Home Minister P
Chidambaram on Thursday took stock of the security situation in five
Maoists-affected states and favoured coordinated efforts to deal with
the extremists.
Chidambaram had a lengthy meeting with Chief Secretaries and Directors
General of Police of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and
Maharashtra, where the officials briefed him on the steps being taken
to deal with the Maoists.
Sources said the meeting reviewed the states' preparedness,
availability of forces and other operational aspects.
The meeting stressed on the need for immediate launching of full-
fledged operations in these states, they said.
Chidambaram also took stock of development programmes to be carried
out by the state governments in the Maoist-dominated areas once they
are cleared from the clutches of Naxals through the operations.
The meeting bears significance as it comes immediately after the
Jharkhand Assembly elections, which delayed the much-awaited large-
scale coordinated anti-Naxal operations spanning across five states.
Sources said the Centre has already made available about 50,000
central paramilitary forces to these states and Chidambaram reviewed
their deployment plans with the state government officials.
Halt violence for talks, Chidambaram tells Maoists
Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, February 09, 2010
First Published: 14:37 IST(9/2/2010)
Last Updated: 17:29 IST(9/2/2010)
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government would be
ready to talk to Maoist guerrillas if they called a halt to their
violence.
"If you abjure violence, that is if you call a halt to violence, we
are not asking you do anything more, we are prepared to talk to you on
any (subject)," the minister told reporters after a meeting of top
officials of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar in Kolkata.
Chidambaram said that since such an offer had been spurned earlier,
the government was obliged to continue with its anti-Maoist
operations. "As long as the Naxals indulge in violence, these
operations will continue."
Taking part in the meeting to discuss the Maoist threat were the chief
ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, the two deputy chief ministers of
Jharkhand and top officials of all four states.
Chidamabaram said the anti-Maoist crackdown in all these states had
seen "slow but steady" progress, and cited the arrests of several key
leaders of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist to back his
assertion.
"And contrary to what sections of the media and NGOs propagated a few
months ago that there would be a massive carnage, no such thing has
happened. We have made it very clear that the purpose of these
operations is not to kill anyone.
"These are our own people, we care for them, we care for their lives.
The object is to re-establish civil administration in areas now
dominated by Naxalites. I think progress will be slow but steady," he
said.
He added: "You cannot measure the progress of the operation like a
scoreboard in a cricket match. Progress is steady and slow. We will
continue to make progress. In fact considerable progress has been
made..."
The minister admitted that there were inadequacies in the security
offensive but added that these would be overcome.
So many lives but little value
Hindustan Times
February 16, 2010
First Published: 21:57 IST(16/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:58 IST(16/2/2010)
How much value does the Indian State put on the lives of its soldiers
and law-enforcers? The answer to that question is connected not only
to the country’s ability to defend itself against its internal enemies
but also provides a jarring clue to why the battle against Maoist
terror is far from being fought on a war-footing. The attack on an
Eastern Frontiers Rifles (EFR) camp in West Bengal on Monday was a
blatant warning that Maoist violence has no intention of stalling and
going into a huddle while the central and state governments firm up
strategic and logistic details of countering the menace.
Maoist guerrilla wing chief Kishenji subsequently stated that more
such attacks would take place unless the Centre refrained from
launching its proposed anti-Maoist surge. We simply can’t afford to
remain unprepared each and every time. On February 7 at the chief
ministers’ meet on internal security, both Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram emphasised the need for an
adequate armed force to take on the Maoists. The PM pointed to home
ministry figures — till September 2009, about 394,000 posts — about 20
per cent of the sanctioned posts — in the state police forces are
lying vacant. You need numbers to fight. But along with firming up the
numbers comes the quality of training. The Maoists work along a
specific asymmetrical terrain and using the old Maoist tactic of
‘moving among people as a fish swims in the sea’. Thus, the extra
need, as the PM underlined, to ensure “good infrastructure for our
police forces to be effective and efficient”. If around 80 per cent of
the police budget in all states is used for salaries, allowances and
pensions, the only way to ensure proper training is to up the budgets
earmarked for infrastructure and training.
The Multi-Agency Centre in the Intelligence Bureau now shares
intelligence with state agencies. Such intelligence has to percolate
further down so that action — both in terms of policy as well as law
and order — is taken. Referring to Maoist intercepts gathered, the
Solicitor General of India told the Supreme Court on Monday that
police officers virtually carry “a death band” when they enter the
Maoist-territory. That is a sad reflection on how the Indian State is
equipped to take on its enemies. It is also a sad state of how it
values the lives of its own men.
Talk, and talk firmly
Hindustan Times
February 15, 2010
First Published: 22:18 IST(15/2/2010)
Last Updated: 22:35 IST(15/2/2010)
It’s been more than two days since the terrorist attack in Pune and
the aftermath is painfully familiar. There’s the post-mortem outcry
about ‘intelligence failure’ and the need to teach Pakistan, the usual
suspect, a lesson. Apart from charting this usual trajectory, the Pune
blast comes just after the Indian government’s announcement of holding
foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in Delhi later this month.
The attack provides a strong ballast to those who think that holding
talks with Pakistan at this stage is a strategic and diplomatic
mistake. And the Opposition isn’t alone to think along this line. We,
however, strongly believe otherwise. If holding India-Pakistan talks
were indeed the direct cause of Pakistani-sponsored terrorism, New
Delhi would have been only too happy to maintain a permanent silence
with Islamabad. This is, as far too many past tragedies have shown,
not the case. Thus, not only does the Pune attack make it imperative
for New Delhi to talk to Islamabad, but it also gives it the moral and
diplomatic right to talk to the Pakistani leadership firmly and
specifically.
Dennis Blair, Director of the United States National Intelligence,
recently told the US Senate Intelligence Committee that Islamabad
continues to use militant groups as “part of its strategic arsenal to
counter India”. India, as a victim of these militant attacks, quite
obviously has known this for some time. But to have the US —
Pakistan’s major ally in countering the jihadi menace gnawing away at
Pakistan from inside the country — make such an observation provides
India the opportunity to demand that Islamabad give some objective
answers to some objective questions. The reported rallies in
Muzaffarabad and Lahore by jihadis condemning India after the talks
were announced may have been part and parcel of the usual rabble-
rousing. But the tacit support shown to these anti-India diatribes by
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza invites an explanation. As does
the issue of the continued well-being of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT).
The LeT is the only terrorist organisation that Pakistan’s
intelligence agency still controls to leverage its attacks on India.
Islamabad’s refusal to equate the LeT with the other jihadi groups
attacking Pakistan should be challenged by India. New Delhi needs to
use the same rhetoric that Islamabad has devised, honed and utilised
to its advantage all this while: we are also victims of terrorism. In
our case, the LeT is the particular viral that we suffer from and that
needs to be eradicated. A concerted fight against terrorism in all its
forms and against all operators of terror should be on top of the
agenda on February 25.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/edits/Talk-and-talk-firmly/Article1-509183.aspx
Strong and silent
February 01, 2010
First Published: 23:43 IST(1/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:45 IST(1/2/2010)
I would have liked to have met Jyoti babu. Among the Indian
politicians of our times, he possessed a charisma that was quite
uniquely his own. He was laconic in a world where verbosity is the
norm. He had a reputation for being a good listener, whereas the
average Indian politician feels unfulfilled, it seems, unless he has
three conversations going at the same time.
He was famous for his silence. People who came to him expecting to be
embraced or attacked, would go away wondering why he had not said a
word. His speeches, at least the few times I heard him, lacked the
rhetorical flourishes that many of his colleagues were famous for. He
had a dry wit, but used it sparingly. He smiled little, and avoided
patting people on the back. He was neither a film star nor a poet
manqué. There was nothing in his past — no extreme poverty, no act of
renunciation, no personal tragedy — that could invest his present with
a sense of romance. Yet for over 30 years (and especially for the last
20), he remained, durably, one of the most admired and loved
politicians in India.
One thing that clearly impressed people was his aura of authority. His
obvious intelligence, his unwillingness to waste words, and avoidance
of all histrionics, gave him a gravitas that is rare in Indian
politics. His dignity, that he never complained in public about ‘the
Party’ even when it clearly got in the way of things he wanted, the
fact that he almost never went back on what he said (even when he
clearly should have), gave the impression of a man who knew exactly
what he wanted and where he was going. People thought twice about
getting in his way. His orders were meant to be carried out.
What is striking, given the authority that he enjoyed, is how little
got achieved in West Bengal during the 23 years of his tenure. The
main policy achievements of that period — the establishment of
panchayati raj in the villages, a package of agrarian reforms
including Operation Barga, some land redistribution, some investment
in small-scale irrigation and the promotion of high-yielding varieties
of rice — were all launched right after the Left Front came to power
in 1977.
Indeed, I have been told by a reliable Party source (and a great
admirer of Jyoti babu’s) that the urgency that we see clearly, in the
early years of the regime, came from a conviction that they would be
thrown out of power soon, as they had been in 1967 and 1969. They
wanted to leave their imprint on the system before that happened. They
had not figured in the fact that the politics of India had changed
fundamentally in 1977. Multi-party competition was in and dismissing
elected state governments was (mostly) out.
This is, apparently also why, they rushed to empower government
employee unions — teachers, health workers and hospital staff, and the
rest. As with the other reforms, the idea was to create centres of
left support that would outlast the government.
I have written elsewhere about the productivity effects of the
agrarian reforms, which were substantial and positive. Indeed, one
might claim that these reforms (and earlier land reforms) did much to
move Bengal beyond the long, tragic shadow of the zamindari system —
that particular hatchet, at least, seems to have been buried. The
strengthening of local governance was necessary, though it stopped
short of where it should have gone. The empowering of the government
unions was a disaster — it may be reasonably argued that these are the
true ‘class enemies’ to use an old-fashioned Marxist term — no one
hurts the interests of the poor more, day in and day out, than
teachers and health workers who do not do their jobs.
However, what is clear is that, all of that, good and bad, was mostly
done by the mid-1980s. For the next 15 or so years of Jyoti babu’s
rule, there is very little that can be counted as a significant new
direction in policy terms. There is some toning down of the
revolutionary rhetoric and gradual cosying up with the entrepreneurial
class — though not enough to attract back the big players — but no
clear new directions.
It would take a better historian than I to piece together what went
wrong. Let me just throw out a couple of thoughts. One is lack of
competition. By the mid-1980s it was increasingly clear that the
Congress in West Bengal had no credible leadership to speak of — the
Siddhartha Shankar Ray regime had packed the party with local thugs in
order to combat the twin challenges from the Left and the old
Congresswalas, and the party was now paying the price. The electoral
pressure, at least in the short-run, was off.
The other is that the Left seems to have convinced itself that it
needed the public sector unions to survive politically in the long-
run. Given that as a Leftist party its natural agenda should have been
to improve the delivery of public services, there was really very
little for it to do, if taking on the unions were off-limit. All that
remained was to coast.
Abhijit Banerjee is Ford Foundation International Professor of
Economics and Director,
Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, MIT
The views expressed by the author are personal
http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/opeds/Strong-and-silent/Article1-504182.aspx
chhotemianinshallah
Sanjay Ojha, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 09.18pm IST
RANCHI: The state government's decision to release 15 Red rebels to
ensure safe release of Dalbhumgarh BDO Prasant Kumar Layak, has irked
the entire police administration of the move will jeoparadise the
future anti-Naxal operations.
Cops right from the rank of constable to senior IPS officers are
peeved over the decision of the state government, as it will break the
moral of those who are risking their lives to crush Maoist movement.
Everyone is of the opinion that by releasing the Maoists, the state is
risking the lives of security personnel, who have ventured deep into
the forests and spend days and months away from their family.
The state government has already moved a petition in the court to
ensure release of 15 chargesheeted Maoists.
Security personnel know for sure that the moment these Maoists will
come out, they will attack patrol parties and police pickets.
The only option left before policemen posted in remote areas is not to
carry anti-Naxal operation. "We will start ignoring the orders of the
government even if it is serious after some months or years. We will
never venture out of police station and camps. We will allow Maoists
to strengthen their base and extract levy at will even if it is at the
cost of development or by killing businessmen and wait till the time
they throw the government and grab power," said a police officer.
Let some minister or his family member be killed in a landmine blast
triggered by Maoist only then they will realize the pain and suffering
of widow and children of a slain police officer. "The ministers will
then realize that they should not release hardcore Maoists and break
the moral of policemen posted in anti-Naxal operation," said an
officer.
Why the policemen are so peeved? Are they not sympathetic with the
abducted BDO and his family? A senior officer says they have empathy
with the victim and his kin. A similar incident can even happen with
them.
The way government is handling the case is not correct and is only
going to break the moral of police department. "Our officer Francis
Indwar was also abducted by the Maoists and he was finally beheaded.
At that time the government did not act so promptly to ensure his safe
recovery," said an officer of special branch adding, "They are quite
at the moment only on humanitarian grounds."
Diplomatic talks not composite dialogue: India to Pak
PTI, Feb 17, 2010, 08.35pm IST
NEW DELHI: A week ahead of the Indo-Pak Foreign Secretaries' meeting,
India on Wednesday said these parleys should not be "mistaken" for
resumption of the composite dialogue as these were "exploratory"
talks.
Asserting that the composite dialogue was "suspended", foreign
minister S M Krishna said, "Let the nation not be under mistaken
inference that composite dialogue is being renewed... The issue that
we raised remained to be addressed by Pakistan with a degree of
seriousness."
The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on February 25
in New Delhi with the government here maintaining that the focus of
the talks will be terrorism.
"These are exploratory talks. All that I am saying is that we are
going to concentrate on terror which is emanating from Pakistan and
the terror activities and terror infrastructure which is there which
is yet to be dismantled.
"So our concern, our core concern is going to be terror," Krishna told
TV channels.
On Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and other jehadi leaders freely
addressing rallies against India, Krishna said, "It is the way the
Pakistan functions. The government perhaps is not capable of
restraining these jehadis from continuing with their vituperative
statements against India, showing their hostility openly against
India."
The minister also emphasised the need to have talks, saying, "... in
order to carry forward the core issue as far as India is concerned
about terror and terror driven activities emanating from Pakistan, we
thought that it is necessary to engage Pakistan in this very critical
area of terror."
Reader's opinions (2)
sv pune 17/02/2010 at 09:06 pm
Is Pakistan eligible for this parley?
Because it itself is teared out by fanatics
sarvadeosingh Mughalsarai.Chandauli.U.P. 17/02/2010 at 09:24 pm
The statement of foreign S.M.Krishna that India would only talk on the
core issue 'terrorism'and this would be an exploratory talk is not
convincing.The people of this country have not mistaken the government
but fully aware that this government would not abide by its
commitment.
Fawning over Pak military, US undermines New Delhi talks
Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 11.54am IST
WASHINGTON: India may be wasting its time and energy engaging
Pakistan’s civilian set-up in the upcoming talks on February 25, going
by the way Washington is primarily dealing with the country’s military
and intelligence leadership in Rawalpindi and leaving Islamabad’s
democratically-elected government in the lurch over sensitive parleys
on terrorism.
US recognition of Pakistan’s military as the real power behind the
civilian façade has been evident for some time, with American
interlocutors, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
spending more time with the army brass in Rawalpindi than with the
civilian leadership in Islamabad. But it has become glaringly evident
this past week when Islamabad was left largely clueless about a CIA-
ISI move to engage the Taliban in a move dressed up as the ''capture''
of Taliban No.2, Mullah Birather, in a joint operation.
While Washington was agog with the story of Birather’s ''capture'' and
its consequences for Taliban and the US war in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s
civilian leadership was caught flatfooted by the developments. The
country’s interior minister Rehman Malik revealed the government’s
ignorance when he insisted there had been no such operation, even as
analysts in Washington were taking stock of the development.
''If the New York Times gives information, it is not a divine truth,
it can be wrong. We have joint intelligence sharing and no joint
investigation, nor joint raids,'' Malik told reporters about the story
first reported by the US paper. ''We are a sovereign state and hence
will not allow anybody to come and do any operation. And we will not
allow that. So this (report) is propaganda,'' he added.
But US officials, while declining to go into details of the alleged
''capture'' citing ''sensitive intelligence matters,'' appeared
pleased with the breakthrough they hope will lead to a convenient exit
from Afghanistan. Birather’s ''capture'' was credited by some to
Pakistan’s army chief Pervez Ashraf Kiyani’s desire to ensure a key
role of his country in the any attempt to mediate with the Taliban.
While details of how and why Birather was ''captured'' in Karachi are
still murky, regional experts are already suggesting that the story is
just a cover for Pakistan facilitating US contacts with the Taliban or
interposing itself in US-Taliban engagement. Pakistani intelligence
agencies have known his whereabouts for a long time, according to
Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid.
Others are suggesting that the military-ISI combine has ''sacrificed''
Birather to the Americans to win Washington’s trust and secure for
itself a role in Afghanistan. ''I think their realization of what was
happening within their own country and the threat that it posed also
played a big part in changing their actions,'' White House spokesman
Robert Gibbs said cryptically, indicating the Pakistanis had brought
in Birather to reflect a change in policy.
Still others believe US agencies had cornered Birather in Karachi and
the joint operation story is just a cover-up to save Pakistan from
embarrassment, while some are of the view that the US and/or Pakistan
have engaged Birather for a long time and the capture story was
drummed up after news of the secret parlays leaked.
No matter which explanation is correct, it shows Pakistan's civilian
dispensation in poor light. In fact, locked in a confrontation with
the country’s judiciary, the civilian quartet of President Zardari,
Prime Minister Gilani, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
interior minister Malik have ceded foreign policy to the country’s
pugnacious military. This raises the question as to how seriously
India should take the upcoming foreign secretary level talks on
February 25, an engagement that is credited to Washington’s persuasive
hand.
While the Islamabad quartet has largely acted as stooges for
Rawalpindi brass, which cracks the whip whenever the four step out of
line, US recognition of the military’s primacy appears to have
undermined not just Pakistan’s civilian government, but also this
engagement with New Delhi. During her last visit to the country,
Hillary Clinton spent three hours with General Kayani, for more than
any of her engagements with the civilian leadership. The attention did
not go unnoticed. Other US interlocutors have also invariably called
on Kiyani.
Meanwhile, Birather’s presence in Karachi has also focused attention
on the gradual dispersal of extremist elements from the region’s
badlands, now under the scrutiny of drones and other US ''eyes in the
sky,'' to Pakistan’s urban centers, home to the India-centric jihadi
crowd. Last week, the much-wanted extremist Hakimullah Mehsud was
reported to have died in Multan in Southern Punjab, where he was
reportedly brought for treatment for injuries suffered in a drone
attack. ISI elements, possibly renegades, are thought to facilitate
such movements into urban centers as US pressure on the border regions
make it unsafe for terrorists. Pakistan’s civilian government appears
to have little control over all this and Washington keeping Islamabad
in the dark over its dealing with the Army-ISI isn’t helping.
Jia Level 5
Will diplomacy ever work between India and Pakistan?
Description And why is India being so patient with Pakistan?Are we so
spineless that the only thing we can do is hold bilateral talks?
Views: 7320 | Answers: 33 | Overall Rating
kanbir...
I think it is futile exercise for India to start a joint secratory
level meeting with Pakistan. Currently Pakistan in the true sense is
being led by its millitary. Millitary and ISI nexus makes important
decisions pertaining to relations with India. Most of the terrorist
organizations working from POK are getting tacit support of the
Pakistani Millitary & ISI. So, in this scenario, what India would
achieve by starting talk with Pakistani government who are spineless
and can't take any decision? Only thing India could achieve at the
most will be showing the world that they are in discussion. This only
shows the Indian Government limited mindset who wants to avoid
confrontation at the cost of receiving continuos bleeding of their
people at the hands Pakistani terrorists. I understand India can not
go for full fledged war as then both countries would bleed and
development process will get hindered. But, I don't understand what is
stopping Indian government to take covert actions like Israel to send
their agents to destroy Pakistani terrorist camps. If few Indian
commandos will die, they may feel proud as martyr rather then just
protecting some corrupt politician
vennie...
stop Bilateral talks. Involve US in talks, because Pakistan gets her
every day bread and butter from US.
Why are we wasting our itme in devloping relationsship with Pakistan?
There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.It will a futile
attempt if we are tying to restore the secular fabric of our
constituition with a country whose future is already finished. This
cross boarder attacks, terrorisim and attocities to Muslims will be
alwyas the buzz word for these some self claimed grop having no other
work. Best is to stop the bilateral relation ship in every aspect with
Pakistan and raise tall strong boarder wall on the Pak-India boarder
line with watch towers to check the infiltrators.Satelte supervision
is also more accessible to control over the activities going around
the boarderline. At least we can assure our Muslim brothers in India
and stop suspecting them for evry bomb attack in India.I know nothing
will happen as the elected people representatives are already sold
out.
http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=104453
raja Level 8
Should We Call Off Talks With Pakistan ??
Description
Views: 48 | Answers: 6 | Overall Rating
Enigma
Nope. That is not the solution. We shall talk to them to sort out the
issues like terrorism and ask them what the hell they are doing to
control and eliminate it. Based on the outcome, we shall take the next
step. Time is running out and nobody would indefinitely wait for India
in the days to come. The world knows that India is a laggard in taking
decisions to protect its own interests.
nsbchd
We should stop talking with Pakistan unless and until they do more to
stop terror against us which is bent upon creating a lot of
insecurity. We must convince them that they are not doing good at
holding hands and guns at the same time.
zenith...
It's a farce of the first grade.
Navroz...
Weather we talk or do not talk the out come is always impotent.
Certainly India is satisfying the Paki ego by sitting opposite to
them.
abu
politics wise, BJP opposes. reason wise,nothing has come out of
it.economics wise, we have to please america by talking to them.
considering all this,unfortunately...NO.
No we should not stop talks with Pakistan. We must pressure them to
stop terrorist activities in POK.
http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=333201
Naxal leader sets terms for peace talks with govt
Mohua Chatterjee, TNN, Feb 10, 2010, 12.03am IST
NEW DELHI: Even as home minister P Chidambaram met chief ministers of
naxal-affected states in Kolkata to strategise on anti-Maoist
operations, the ultras made a renewed pitch for peace talks on the
condition that some of their top jailed leaders be released to
facilitate the process.
In what may be an indication that the Left extremists are feeling the
heat of concerted Centre-state operations in areas like Lalgarh and
Jangalmahal in West Bengal and in Chhattisgarh, Maoists have sent out
fresh feelers for "talks" to the government.
CPI (Maoist) general secretary Ganapathy said on Tuesday his party is
ready for talks with one of the pre-conditions being Maoist leaders
like Narayan Sanyal, Amitabha Bagchi, Sushil Roy and Kobad Gandhi be
released from custody. Though the "offer" can be read as a bid to earn
a respite from the ongoing crackdown, the bid for talks also marks a
climbdown of sorts.
While Trinamool Congress chief and railway minister Mamata Banerjee
has also suggested talks and even the possibility of mediation,
Ganapathy told TOI, "This (anti-Maoist operation) is a brutal campaign
of repression aimed at suppression of the political movement of people
and exploitation of minerals."
The Maoist leader said talks would mean a halt to the crackdown and
that would be in the interest of the people. "The longer the gap (in
operations) better for the people. But while holding the gun in one
hand, one cannot talk ...The main point the party has placed before
the government is -- all-out war has to be withdrawn, ban on the party
and its mass organisations has to be lifted and `illegal' detention
and torture of comrades have to be stopped and they be immediately
released," said Ganapathy.
Ganapathy argued that if the demand for release of leaders is met they
would lead and represent the party in the talks.
The party has been gravely hit by the arrest of its top leaders.
Politburo members like Sanyal, Bagchi, Roy and Gandhi are frontline
leaders and there are some other central committee members who are
also in custody.
Ganapathy did admit that the Maoists may be losing intellectual
support its claim to fight for the truly dispossed once enjoyed. Asked
if the support in the early days of the Lalgarh movement had worn off,
Ganapathy said, "Initially there was a lot of support among urban
intelligentsia. Now depending on the enemy's onslaught and nature of
struggle, there could be changes in the support base. Some people may
also go over to the opposition in the Lalgarh movement."
Elaborating on the limitations to Maoist appeal, he said, "In Bengal,
our influence with civil liberty groups and in urban areas is not
strong. We need to do more... A lot would depend on our work there and
the development of Lalgarh movement. There is a lot of difference
between working among masses and intellectuals."
Those who cannot directly support the violent phases of the movement
can come together on other issues such as opposing tough anti-terror
laws, he pointed out, indicating that Maoists would continue to look
to co-opt and engage any movement or campaign which might benefit
them.
Romantic... Level 5
Is there any peaceful solution to the Naxal problem?
Description
Views: 376 | Answers: 12 | Overall Rating
Best Answer
prakas...
stop the injustices meted out to them and start treating them like
human beings...give them better education, medical facilities etc and
treat tehm like brothers...this is the only solution...war is not the
solution
Prakas...
Yes,eliminate Poverty and educate bakward masses,problem solved.
ash_kr...
Arrange peaceful and fruitful dialogues.
K J Pr...
Only less than 15 paise of every rupee spent by the government is
reaching the target group. If it can be raised to 75 paise, we can put
an end to the problem of naxalism.
Ramu
Naxal problem could be solved if forces are used without political
intervention.Administration is helpless because of politicians.This is
created problem mainly to get political gain.
Fake K...
Kill them all
Sparta...
Yes, there is...if you want
BuMex
I think this problem can be solved peacefully
Harry
It can be peacefully solved, Remove the ban on Naxals, Ask them to
contest in Elections, Give them a fair share of money looted from
People of India
Desh P...
Yes, but it all depends on the government.
raja
For every problem there is solution. Peacful or otherwise it depend
upon the people who negotiate.
Ask_Me
No. It has grown to such an extent, that it can not be solved
peacefully, now. That time has been lost by our various State and
Union Governments, playing the 'blame game'. The naxalites have begun
extortions from the corrupt politicians, the Govt. Babus, the
contractors entrusted the developmental construction works in those
areas, and the likes. The tiger has already tasted Human Blood. It
needs to be shot down, now.
http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=286383
Can the rebel naxals be called terrorists?
Description
Views: 834 | Answers: 12 |
Best Answer
Raga
The 'Cambridge Advanced Dictionary' defines the word 'Terrorist' as
"someone who uses violent action, or threats of violent action, for
political purposes". Now, tell me are not they?
ANSHUL...
Well, What actually happened should not be looked from a narrow
perspective, that most of us tend to do. Behind the scenes there is
bigger more intricate problem. Since decades the voices of those
people living in tribal areas have been gone unheard. Hence they have
to find these silly means like blocking a Rajdhani!! What to solve
these problems... start seeing things at large... No power in this
world, can stop the militancy (if m allowed to use the word in
specific sense..) but the power of empathy. We need to understand that
we are committing huge amount of crime against humanity.Corrupt
police, Jamidars, judges, social organizations etc. are the root
cause. These things are not new in any social framework but the extent
and potency of these elements are a grave concern in affected and
finally revolting tribal areas..... And upon the question of calling
nexals, terrorists:: First you have to define- Terrorists? ... Then
what about those, who are actually harming this country and its system
in more heavy terms (be they: Politicians, bureaucrats etc), Why not
they too fit into this definition? Why not every that person does not
fit into the definition .... who many a time is the maker/creator of
this definition !!!! ... Rubbish....
somyah...
Icondemn maoists attacks. But the police atrocities are worst. There
was train accident near Gauchari on 8.10.2009. the reports said only 1
dead and few dozens injured! I am from the narayanpur village near
thana bihpur. I recently went to the village for chhatth puja. What i
have learnt about accident rescue operation fromthe villagers is
horrible. The police rescue team beat up the injured passengers to
death in order to save money for treatment. And 22 days still the
major trains run on solitary track. And run late by as much as 6
hours! I request TIMES team to investigate.. caue this is not be the
only case. No points for guessing who is more brutal and barbaric ??
ash_kr...
Yes
atheis...
I dont understand what kind of DEVELOPMENT the Government wants to do
after taking lives of so many native inhabitants. Planning an army
attack on its own people. Is this called development ? Media has lost
its conciousness. I question : Do you think the politicians behind the
government are terrorists ? The non sense issue of Ram mandir and the
riots following it in various places throughout India. Just for votes.
Atleast the Naxalites are fighting for a cause that seems a little
justified. They didnt harm the passangers in the trains. They would
have if they were terrorist. They demanded release of the common
people in return of the inspector whom they kidnapped recently. TOI
took the photographs. Are your photograpghers retarded ? Dont you
people have brains that works. You know the news better than us, who
only read what you write ? You say the story the way you like it and
ask for our comments, to know if we are brainwashed. How
professional ?
avidit...
Terrorism as has been displayed by ISLAMIC Organisations is the worst
in its form, whereas that by the NAXALS is a little mild, even
armoured with modern arms they are with the intent not to harm PUBLIC
in general. The recent Train Hijack of RAJDHANI where they could have
damaged a lot is an example, it is way of expression of resentment,
what I feel is that they should be brought to the main stream
(DEMOCRACY) to express their views if they suceed by public opinion
they may put the existing POLITICAL PARTIES to introspection on
CORRUPT PRACTICES.
D.Subr...
If there is any word that is more better than terrorists I will use
that
atheis... argues to D.Subr..
.
typical... an uneducated opinion without any supporting logic !!
raja
Better than late
Rihana
Yes they should be
Sparta...
I wonder why they are not called terrorists?
ermaan...
The outfits which are formed with the objective of causing destruction
and mass killings can no better be termed than terrorist .
rajeev...
Any person harming the lives and property should be labeled as a
terrorist and delt with accordingly.
http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=262975
Bank winds up ops after Naxal attack
Sanjay Ojha, TNN, Feb 3, 2010, 03.42am IST
KARA (JHARKHAND): In a first in Jharkhand, suspected Maoists forced a
nationalized bank to close a branch in a remote village in the
guerrilla-infested jungles reportedly after it refused to oblige
applicants seeking loan for purchasing arms.
The Birda branch of Bank of India was shifted 10 km away and merged
with the branch at the block headquarters at Kara in Khunti district
after four Maoists forcefully entered the Birda premises and thrashed
the staff. The incident took place in October last year.
However, the information trickled out this week after authorities at
the bank’s zonal office at Ranchi took the decision after Birda branch
manager B P Singh and four other staff pleaded to them to save their
lives.
‘‘The Maoists mercilessly assaulted one of our employees, Som Manjhi.
He fell unconscious. They then ordered the branch manager to disburse
the loans if he cared for his life,’’ a senior bank official told TOI
on Tuesday.
Manjhi is still scared. ‘‘I don’t know what transpired between the
manager and the Maoists. I had fallen unconscious after I was beaten
by the Maoists,’’ said Manjhi who now works at the bank’s Kara
branch.
Another bank officer, preferring anonymity, said around 25 villagers
applied for loan to purchase arms for self defence. ‘‘We suspect they
were prompted by Maoists so that they could supply at least cartridges
to the guerrillas,’’ he said.
17000 more troops for anti-Naxal operations
Vishwa Mohan , TNN, Dec 19, 2009, 04.58am IST
NEW DELHI: With Jharkhand assembly polls coming to an end on Friday,
the Centre is set to send an additional 17,000 paramilitary personnel
to states to step up their anti-Naxalite operations under its plan of
a “major offensive” against Red ultras in all affected states.
Though the operation is underway in Chhattisgarh, the idea is to
extend it simultaneously at the junctions and tri-junctions of the
affected states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and
Maharashtra. A senior home ministry official said the states already
had 58,000 paramilitary personnel — drawn from CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB
and CoBRA — at their command. The additional deployment would increase
the strength of central forces for the anti-Naxalite operation to
nearly 75,000.
Stating that there is nothing called a “Green Hunt” as such, which
could have possibly been coined by some state police for some local
operation, the official said the home ministry was already on track to
pursue its plan of a “major offensive” against the ultras. The
Jharkhand polls, which saw the deployment of nearly 40,000
paramilitary personnel, made the Centre postpone the simultaneous
operation for a couple of months, but there was hardly any period when
the forces were not after Naxals in one or the other affected state,
he added.
“Operations are supposed to be launched secretly so that the forces
can catch the ultras offguard. We are on the job and we will expand
the area of operation gradually,” said a senior CRPF official, adding
its a “long haul”.
Naxal violence claims 2,600 lives in three years
PTI, Oct 11, 2009, 11.29am IST
NEW DELHI: The Naxalites, who have become the gravest internal
security threat forcing the Centre to plan an all-out offensive
against them, have killed more than 2,600 people, including civilians,
in the last three years.
The highest number of incidents of violence has taken place in four
worst-affected states -- Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa --
where 2,212 people lost their lives from January 2006 to August this
year.
"We have witnessed more than 5,800 incidents of Naxal violence across
the country during the period forcing the government to announce a new
strategy to deal with the menace which is growing at an alarming pace
in many states," a home ministry official said.
In Chhattisgarh, 388 people were killed by the Maoists in 715
incidents in 2006. While 369 lost their lives in 2007, another 242
were killed in 2008. In 2009 till August, about 180 people lost their
lives in the state.
Altogether 124 people were killed by Maoists in 2006 in Jharkhand, 157
people in 2007 while another 207 lost their lives in 2008. In 2009
till August, about 150 people were killed by the Naxals.
With nearly 40,000 para-military personnel, the Centre has readied its
anti-Naxal plan which also includes a Rs 7,300-crore package for
developmental works in areas cleared off the Left-wing extremists.
The Naxalite movement started when an extremist section of CPI(M)) led
by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal attacked the police on May 25, 1967
in Naxalbari village in North Bengal after a farmer was killed by
miscreants over a land dispute.
The same year the Naxalites organised the All India Coordination
Committee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR), and later broke away
from CPI(M).
Today the Maoists are active in Lalgarh, Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum
districts in West Bengal.
From 2002 onwards Maoists have been infiltrating from Jharkhand and
Orissa to West Midnapore particularly in areas like Belpahari,
Kantapahari and Banspahari.
In Orissa, 17 0f 30 districts are Maoist hit, in Jharkhand 20 of the
24 districts while in Bihar 30 out of 38 districts, according to
official sources.
In Bihar on February 9 this year, ten policemen, including some from
the special auxiliary police, were killed in an ambush in Nawada
district.
More recently on August 22, four policemen including an assistant sub-
inspector were killed by Maoists in Jamui district.
It was the same in Orissa where 10 CISF personnel were killed in an
attack by Maoists at NALCO's bauxite mines in Damanjodi on April 12,
while 11 other security personnel died in a landmine explosion in the
third week of June this year in Narayanpatna in Koraput district.
A top former Jharkhand police officer, who did not wish to be named
was sceptical about the Centre's plans to tackle Maoists with the IAF
given permission to retaliate if attacked.
"Unnecessary needling may result in spurt in Naxal violence," he
said.
A former DGP of Orissa, S N Tiwari, echoed him. "The situation is
grim. Day by day it is becoming difficult," he said.
Naxals gun down 18 policemen, one police informer beheaded
AGENCIES, Oct 8, 2009, 09.24pm IST
GADCHIROLI (Maharashtra): Naxals on Thursday struck with impunity
killing 18 policemen when they ambushed a police patrol in dense
forests in this district ignoring stern warnings by Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram asking them to give up violence or face action.
( Watch Video )
In a rerun of the beheading of a Jharkhand police intelligence officer
by the Maoists near Ranchi in a Taliban-type action early this week, a
police informer identified as Suresh Alami met a similar fate in
Gadchiroli just before the third major naxal strike in this district.
( Watch Video )
The daring attack occured when a police party of nearly 40 personnel
came under heavy fire from 150 to 200 naxals at about 1 PM near Laheri
police station of the district when it was returning after undertaking
search operations following an intelligence input that Maoists had
assembled in the area.
The policemen, who were outnumbered by the heavily armed naxals,
retaliated and their encounter lasted for nearly three to four hours
in an area adjoining the Maoist infested Bijapur district of
Chattisgarh.
At least 18 policemen including sub-inspector C S Deshmukh were gunned
down and several injured after they were attacked indiscriminately,
police said. About 15 naxals were also killed, they said. The attack
took place five days before the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
The encounter came barely hours after the Maoists set on fire a gram
panchayat office in Gadchiroli district.
The attack coincided the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) meeting
presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi to discuss the
rise in Naxal violence.
District Collector Atul Patne told PTI that Alami's severed head was
found near his body as naxals had suspected him to be a police
informer.
Patne said the Left-wing extremists used sophisticated weapons on the
police party which was completely outnumbered.
"As many as two platoons of BSF (50 personnel) and additional police
force was rushed to the spot and they could manage to save the rest of
the policemen caught in the heavy fire," he said. The killing took
place two km from Lahiri police post in Bhamragad tehsil of the
district.
In February, 15 policemen were killed in Naxal attacks and in May, 16
police personnel, including five women, lost their lives in another
Naxal strike in the district.
Taking stock of the situation, the Centre rushed additional
paramilitary forces to the area, Home Secretary G K Pillai said in New
Delhi.
Inspector General of Police, Nagpur Surendra Kumar said combing
operation were underway but said the terrain was very difficult.
"We could send some relief parties there and they have secured the
area," District Superintendent of Police S Jaya Kumar said adding
efforts were being made to airlift the injured.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said, the state government will not be
cowed down by the naxal strikes. "We will repel any attack. We will
return the fire."
IG (Nagpur) Surendra Kumar said two policemen received bullet injuries
in hand and leg and were out of danger but the bodies of those slain
were yet to be recovered.
"The retreating naxalites have felled trees to block the advance of
reinforcements. A combing operation is underway to track down the
fleeing naxalites and retrieve the bodies, but the task is difficult
given the difficult terrain and the night," he said.
Bihar cops thrash Jamia professor, brand him 'Naxal'
Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN, Dec 26, 2009, 12.40am IST
PATNA: Associate professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, Rahul Ramagundam,
was assaulted, abused and branded a Naxalite by Bihar police for
daring to ask the cops why the hutments belonging to Musahars -- among
the most backward of Scheduled Castes -- were being demolished.
Ramagundam, who teaches at Dr K R Narayanan Centre for Dalit and
Minorities Studies at JMI, was thrashed and abused and called a
Naxalite by Khagaria police at Amausi village. His local companion was
also manhandled and beaten up by lathi-wielding police constables and
officers. The incident took place on December 22.
"How could asking just one question lead to such physical violence?
How can one be called a Naxalite and assaulted and humiliated like
this," asked Ramagundam.
Amausi had hit headlines on October 1 when 16 villagers, mostly OBCs
(Kurmi), were killed allegedly by Musahars. The village has some 300
Musahar families who live in thatched huts.
"On December 22, I rode pillion on the motorbike of Varun Choudhry, a
grassroots activist with Khagaria-based NGO Samta, to go to Amausi.
When we reached, the village was in turmoil. The cops were breaking
thatched houses of people who were said to be absconding. Shankar
Sada, whom Varun met in the village, took us to the place where the
police party had camped before taking up the rip-and-strip job,"
Ramagundam said.
"Just as we spoke, a police party arrived and pulled down the thatched
roof and walls of a hut. I couldn't control myself. I asked the cops
if they had any written orders to pull down the houses of the
absconding accused.
"A tall uniformed man stared at me. Instead of answering, he asked me
my identity. I teach in Delhi, I told him. 'Name?' I told him.
'Father's name?' I told him. But even before I could take out my
identity card, he turned hostile. By then, I was surrounded by the
rest of the cops. They roughed me up and thrashed my colleague, Varun,
who suffered a fracture," said Ramagundam.
"They had guns. A constable in green fatigues called me a Naxalite and
moved menacingly to break the cordon around me," he said.
After meeting Khagaria SP Anusya Rannsingh Sodhi, Ramagundam lodged a
complaint asking whether people had the right to ask police for
written orders before dismantling houses of the "poorest of the
poor".
The Khagaria SP said she would conduct an inquiry and take appropriate
action. She added that she would not take action against anyone merely
on the basis of Ramagundam's statement. Ramagundam is author of two
books, 'Defeated Innocence' on the Adivasi struggle for land rights in
Madhya Pradesh in 2001 and 'Gandhi's Khadi: A History of Contention
and Conciliation'.
Four killed in Naxal blast in Orissa
IANS, Jan 23, 2010, 04.59pm IST
BHUBANESWAR: Maoists on Saturday blew up a jeep carrying policemen and
some civilians in Orissa's Koraput district, killing four people and
injuring eight others, police said.
The rebels triggered a landmine blast under a jeep carrying 14 people,
including 10 policemen, near Pallur village in Koraput, about 500 km
from Bhubaneswar. The policemen were returning to their camp after
conducting search operations in the area.
"The Maoists triggered the landmine blast around 7am. Four civilians
were killed. All policemen are safe, although eight of them have
sustained minor injuries," deputy inspector general of police Sanjeev
Panda said.
The vehicle was damaged in the blast.
The attack came a day after central home minister P Chidambaram held a
meeting at Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on anti-Maoist operations.
Naxal 'scientist couple' had video of slain cop: Police
IANS, Oct 17, 2009, 12.14pm IST
RANCHI: A laptop and CD belonging to an arrested scientist who is
alleged to be a top ranking Maoist contain videos and newspaper
clippings of Jharkhand inspector Francis Induwar who was abducted and
beheaded by the rebels, police has claimed.
Ravi Sharma, 49, and his wife B. Anuradha, 45, were arrested by
Hazaribagh police on Wednesday. Police seized a laptop, CDs and other
material from the couple. On Friday, they were taken into three days
police remand for interrogation.
"The laptop and CDs have visuals shown by some news channels of the
abduction and killing of slain cop Induwar. Scans of newspaper reports
in local and national dailies have also been found in the laptop and
CDs," Pankaj Kamboj, the Hazaribagh superintendent of police, told
IANS.
He said the videos and newspaper clippings relate to Induwar's
abduction, killing and subsequent reactions to the incident. Police
say this indicates Sharma was involved in his killing.
According to police sources, Sharma has admitted that the Communist
Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) extorts money worth Rs.25 crore per
annum.
The couple arrived in Jharkhand when it was still part of undivided
Bihar in 1997. Sharma is known by different aliases like Arjun,
Mahesh, Ashok. He is a member of the Bihar Jharkhand Special Action
Committee (BJSAC), say police. He is also allegedly linked to the
central monitoring committee of the CPI-Maoist.
chhotemianinshallah
fe Bureau
Posted: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 at 2142 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 at 2142 hrs IST
Mumbai: GIC Re, the country's official re-insurer, is looking at
options to provide reinsurance cover to the properties damaged by the
recent Maoist attacks. Till now, the Maoist offensives do not fall
under any kind of terror cover in the country. However, domestic
insurers are considering treating such events as acts of terrorism and
extend the existing terror cover.
The issue is likely to come up during the forthcoming meeting of the
terrorism pool committee. It is likely to be held in New Delhi during
the first week of March.
Talking to FE on the sidelines of an insurance summit, which was held
by Asia Insurance Post in Mumbai on Wednesday, Yogesh Lohiya, chairman
and managing director of GIC Re, said: “Basically, the terrorism cover
is not applicable for this type of contingencies’. But, keeping in
view the increasing number of Maoist attacks, we are planning to
discuss the issue during the forthcoming meeting of terrorism pool.”
GIC Re will organise the event.
PK Bhagat, deputy general manager, reinsurance-operation group, GIC
Re, said the company had paid claims for Alfa terrorist attacks in
Assam some six years ago. However, in the recent attack by the Maoists
in West Bengal where 24 jawans were killed, would not warrant any
claims as no properties have been damaged, said Bhagat.
Talking about the claims to be paid for Taj and Oberai Hotels that
were devastated by 26/11 terror attacks, Lohiya said GIC Re is waiting
for the final assessment report before paying the balance amount of Rs
335 crore.
The company has already paid a sum of Rs 165 crore for the same. The
report is likely to be submitted by the month-end. However, the
assessment report on the Hilton portion would be submitted later, said
Lohiya.
Meanwhile, the country’s largest state-owned non-life insurer, New
India Assurance (NIA), is looking at an overall premium growth of 10%
on y-o-y basis during the current fiscal. M Ramadoss, CMD, said the
company would earn a total premium income of Rs 6,000 crore within the
country and an additional Rs 1200 crore from its international
operations in the current fiscal.
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Reinsurance-cover-likely-for-Naxal-damaged-properties/581006/
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Maoist militancy takes heavy toll on school education
Published on : Wednesday 17 Feb 2010 11:33 - by Sujeet Kumar
Dornapal (Chhattisgarh), Feb 17 : By bombing hundreds of schools since
2005, Maoist militants have taken a heavy toll on education in
Chhattisgarh, officials say.
"Education and children's life have been severely hit in Bastar's
interiors, militancy has virtually destroyed school education in vast
areas where schools were either blown up or a majority of teachers
refused to attend schools due to risks to their lives," Raja Toram, a
teacher based in this small town in Dantewada district, some 500 km
south of capital Raipur, told IANS.
The mineral-rich Bastar region spread over about 40,000 sq km in the
south of the state has witnessed over 1,500 casualties in Maoist
violence since 2005 and at least 440 school buildings have been bombed
by Maoist rebels after the government started to use the buildings as
temporary shelters for securitymen.
Officials estimate that Maoist militancy has denied at least 100,000
children access to primary education since 2005 in Bastar, especially
after a government-backed controversial civil militia movement, Salwa
Judum, started against the guerrillas in June 2005.
Bastar -- termed the nerve centre of Maoist militancy in India -- has
five districts, Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Kanker.
After the birth of Salwa Judum, a large number of troopers occupied
the school buildings for anti-Maoist drives and the rebels retaliated
by targeting schools.
School teacher Toram said that Maoists were making the most of
children's lack of access to education by forcibly recruiting into
their ranks those who had dropped out. The outlawed Communist Party of
India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has a children's unit called Bal Sangham.
Dantewada district Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra said:
"Militancy has surely affected education. Dozens of schools based in
forest areas were blown off by militants though schools that come
under the 'war zone' are being relocated to Salwa Judum base camps or
areas where schools can be protected by forces. But attendance has
dropped heavily."
Om Prakash, sub-divisional police officer at Dornapal -- an area which
witnessed a string of deadly attacks by Maoists since 2005 --
remarked: "Children's life and their education have been really the
worst hit since 2005; the primary school students are not enjoying
education at relief camps under security cover as they earlier were in
their villages."
He added: "The whole educational system in interiors has been
devastated; Maoists are taking advantage of the situation and
persuading parents to send their kids to Bal Sangham for which
recruitment age starts at six."
The NGO Human Rights Watch released a book in July 2008, titled "Being
Neutral Is Our Biggest Crime". It had two chapters - one called
"Recruitment and Use of Children" and the other "Impact of the
Conflict on Education".
The book says: "Naxalites (Maoists) usually enlist children between
ages six and 12 into Bal Sanghams, the village level children's
association where children learn Maoist ideology. Most children who
are part of Bal Sanghams also work as informers and are trained in the
use of non-lethal weapons such as sticks..."
"In some cases, Naxalites approach parents and pressure them to send
their children to join the 'people's war'. In other cases, Naxalites
visit schools and ask children to join them."
Quoting a former Maoist leader, Subha Atish, the book said: "They go
to school and ask children to join a dalam (unit). This has happened
in the Jagargonda area."
Jagargonda, in Dantewada district, is near Dornapal, where the state's
most populous Salwa Judum camp houses over 10,000 residents who have
fled their villages, plus a Central Reserve Police Force company to
guard them.
Authorities deny that the presence of troopers is affecting studies.
"At present, there are security forces staying in around 40 schools.
Of them, 18 are schools where classes are going on at the same time.
The other 22 are school buildings that had already been damaged after
being bombed by Maoists and no classes could be held there any way," a
Dantewada district official said.
(Sujeet Kumar can be contacted at suje...@ians.in)
Copyright Indo Asian News
Posted by Naxal Watch at 10:56 PM
India Official Condemns Deadly Maoist Attack
By KRISHNA POKHAREL
NEW DELHI—India's home minister Tuesday condemned an attack by Maoist
rebels on a military outpost in eastern India that killed 24 soldiers
and injured three.
View Full Image
Associated Press
Charred remains of the police camp ambushed by suspected Maoist rebels
at Shilda.
The attack by the Naxalites on a paramilitary outpost near a rural
View Full Image
Reuters
An officer carries his colleague's belongings from a military outpost
that was attacked by Maoist rebels in Silda village.
"They threw grenades from all sides before the forces could think of
retaliating," Mr. Santosh said. He said the insurgents sped off in
motorcycles and vans before disappearing into a nearby forest.
In recent years, the Naxalites, who advocate the overthrow of the
Indian government, have made significant inroads in the center and
south of the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called
Naxalism the biggest internal-security challenge India faces.
The government has deployed an increasing number of security forces to
fight the Naxalites and regain territory lost to them.
The death toll in the insurgency rose 36% to 1,125 in 2009, compared
with the year earlier, according to India's Ministry of Home Affairs.
Last week, Mr. Chidambaram said it was possible the trend of rising
casualties would continue this year, too.
Medinipur is one of the three districts of West Bengal with a heavy
Naxalite presence. West Bengal is the home to the Naxalites. The
movement derives its name from the Naxalbari village in West Bengal,
where it began as a peasants' uprising in the late 1960s.
Write to Krishna Pokharel at krishna....@wsj.com
Posted by Naxal Watch at 10:30 PM
Silda ambush: Unprofessional jawans were sitting ducks for Naxals
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 02.04am IST
NEW DELHI: While most Naxal-affected states are getting their act
together, West Bengal seems to lack political will and a professional
force to face a determined foe with the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp
in west Midnapore having presented rampaging Left ultras with
virtually no resistance.
The 24 jawans of the West Bengal paramilitary force died on Monday
without a fight as they were swamped by 100-odd Maoists who struck the
camp with grenades and automatic fire. The easy entry to the camp and
total surprise are explained by a pervasive lack of security at its
boundaries and absence of any lookouts. ( Watch Video )
There was, shockingly, just one sentry on duty and the camp had no
watch towers or sand bags. It is not clear whether there were any
efforts to tap locals in the area, particularly adjoining the camp, to
provide a warning about any threatening presence in a district known
to be highly unsafe and trouble-prone.
According to the incident's preliminary report and officers familiar
with the events, the weapons were not in reach of the jawans, who were
pretty much cannon fodder. Inquiries have been initiated about when
the camp was last visited by a senior officer and if a security audit
was conducted.
Armed with sophisticated weapons, Maoists came on motorcycles and four-
wheelers including a Bolero, triggered explosions near the Silda camp
and barged in. There were over 50 jawans who were either "whiling away
their time in the camp or busy in the kitchen". This may have been
routine activity, but their weapons were not in reach and there were
almost no sentries.
An official wondered how use of four-wheelers by Naxals — noticed for
the first time in the area — and the clear evidence of some planning
could have been missed by the local intelligence. In this context,
central officials are also mystified by the free run enjoyed by top
Maoist commander Kishenji in West Bengal. On at least two occasions,
raiding parties have been called off at the last minute.
It is being felt that the political resolve in countering Maoists is
still missing and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's
preoccupations may not allow sufficient time for details of law and
order. The CM also holds the home portfolio.
In Kishanji's case, his frequent use of phones to speak to media makes
his presence even more puzzling. While the West Bengal government has
shed its earlier view that Maoists are not really the same as
terrorists or militants, a pervasive lack of professionalism seems to
be at the root of continued slackness even as the ultras have hardly
disguised their deadly intent.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) not being followed, poor training
and absence of senior officers in dangerous areas were amply on
display at Silda. The incident report shows the arms were neither
secured nor were they accessible.
At the time of the attack, the camp leader — a sub-inspector rank
officer — was not even present.
The number of casualties among security personnel jumped substantially
in 2009 when as many as 317 personnel — mostly jawans — were killed in
various incidents in as many as seven states.
Calling it a case of pure "unprofessionalism", officials in the home
ministry pointed out that though the area was quite vulnerable to such
attacks, the state police did not show any care in deployment.
"There was no proper guard, the camp was not adequately barricaded,
and even their toilets were used by general public. All this was
against basic police norms and SOPs meant for them in Naxal-infested
zones," said a senior official.
"We need 10,000 to 15,000 additional paramilitary personnel for
deployment in the four states," the official said. Currently, nearly
75,000 personnel are deployed in seven states for anti-Naxal
operations.
Violation of SOP is, however, not the states' feature only. Central
paramilitary forces too had lost lives due to their mistakes. The BSF
had lost its jawans in Jharkhand during parliamentary election last
year when they had used heavy vehicles to cross areas prone to
landmines.
Similarly, the CRPF had to lose a number of lives four years ago in
Chhattisgarh where the personnel overcrowded the Mine-Proof Vehicle
leading to over 20 casualties in a landmine blast. Most of the jawans
were killed as they did not wear helmets, disregarding the SOP.
Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:55 PM
Indian villagers trapped between rebels and police
By Amy Kazmin in Kanker, India
Published: February 17 2010 02:00 |
Last updated: February 17 2010 02:00
Nestled against the forest, the bucolic villages of India's Kanker
district are tidy clusters of mud-walled homes whose inhabitants eke
out an existence by cultivating small patches of land and going to the
forest to collect the tendu leaves used for traditional Indian
cigarettes, known as bidis .
Yet behind the tranquil facade, Kanker's villagers are living in the
grip of fear, caught between the radical leftwing Naxal guerrilla
movement and government forces intent on quashing a spreading
rebellion that has become one of India's main security -concerns.
That dilemma is being echoed in rural areas across vast swathes of
India, where New Delhi has begun more frequently to use para-military
force to challenge the hold of the Naxalites over far-flung corners
long neglected by the state machinery.
The government launched Operation Green Hunt last year, sending battle-
hardened paramilitary forces from Kashmir to bolster beleaguered and
poorly trained police forces trying to dislodge the guerrillas.
On Monday, Maoists proved what tough adversaries they are when they
attacked a paramilitary police camp in West Bengal, killing about 24
soldiers and injuring seven others. Bhupinder Singh, West Bengal's
police chief, blamed residents for failing to warn security forces of
the attack.
"As security operations expand across several affected states, we will
find more and more villagers caught between security forces and the
Naxals," says Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. "In this kind
of situation, there is never a middle. People are forced to take
sides."
The Naxalites, named after Naxalbari, the village in West Bengal where
their movement was born in 1967, have established a firm hold over
Kanker district and the thickly forested, sparsely populated swathe of
mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state in which it lies.
They have established groups of supportive villagers, called
sanghams , to serve as their eyes and ears. At covert public meetings,
the rebels, from the Communist Party of India (Maoist), denounce New
Delhi's policies - especially plans to expand mining - and warn
villagers against joining the police forces.
Each month, the Maoists, who have carried out detailed socio-economic
surveys of the villages and their inhabitants, demand monthly payments
and food from each family, requiring those with public sector jobs,
such as school teachers, to give the most. Some teachers pay as much
as Rs1,500 ($32, €24, £21).
Beatings of dissenters, rumoured killings of suspected police
informers and fear that children will be forcibly taken to be Maoist
cadres help keep Kanker's villagers compliant. Yet there is little
doubt that the rebels' denunciations of New Delhi and its policies
also resonate with many.
"Some of what they said is right," says one villager, who has attended
two recent meetings, in which the Maoists attacked the Steel Authority
of India Ltd and its huge steel plant in Chhattisgarh for "cheating"
local people and criticised plans to expand mining in the state. "We
should not sell our iron ore to other countries."
As the Maoists woo villages with their potent messages, police are
stepping up their own surveillance of Kanker, visiting villages more
often and offering to solve local problems. Yet rather than instilling
confidence in state power, the visits merely create anxiety.
"We do not allow the police to sit in anyone's house," says one
villager, who, like others interviewed, so feared retribution from one
side or the other that he requested that neither he nor his village be
identified. "We make them sit in the square, so nobody can be blamed
for being a police informer."
The Naxalites have expanded their footprint across remote,
inaccessible parts of rural India over several decades, taking
advantage of local grievances and the vacuum left by a detached state
architecture. The so-called "Red Corridor" now stretches from West
Bengal - the site of Monday's assault - across Jharkhand, Bihar,
mineral-rich Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra. Many of
the guerrilla movement's university-educated leaders come from Andhra
Pradesh, which was a Maoist stronghold in the 1990s before an
aggressive state offensive pushed them out.
Today, no place is as crucial to the guerrillas as their so-called
liberated area in the forests of Chhattisgarh, where autho-rities say
leftist cadres from all over India are trained in hidden jungle bases.
The first rebels to enter the region's forests in the 1980s won
popular support by protecting residents against aggressive government
forest guards and helping them secure better prices for the tendu
leaves they sold to the bidi industry. Many villagers later joined -
or were forced to join - the movement as full-time cadres.
But over the years, unhappy at the Maoists' efforts to halt the
traditional animist spiritual practices of local tribes, and at
mounting violence against traditional leaders and other dissenters,
many locals have turned sour towards the guerrillas.
Security forces are slowly pushing into Maoist-held areas to battle
the rebels, though local human rights groups accuse them of
slaughtering innocent civilians then branding them as Naxal rebels.
Security forces deny any intentional wrongdoing. But the allegations
have risen all the way to New Delhi and India's Supreme Court, where a
group of tribal villagers from Chhattisgarh were brought this week to
testify in a case accusing security forces of massacring nine
civilians in Gompad village in October.
Standing barefoot outside the courtroom, the illiterate villagers,
including one who had been shot in the leg, looked stunned by the roar
of Delhi's traffic and the swirl of black-robed lawyers. Inside,
lawyers bickered over who should translate the accounts of the
villagers, who speak only a tribal language called Gondi.
Himanshu Kumar, the activist behind the case, argued that the
interpreter offered by the government was too close to the police. Mr
Kumar, who speaks Gondi, was proposed, but state lawyers called him a
Maoist sympathiser.
When the villagers were finally asked about the events of October,
they said they had no idea who killed their relatives.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010.
Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:54 PM
What did Chidambaram do in Kolkata?
17 Feb 2010, 0653 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Centre and Congress appear to be perfecting the art of
buck passing. While the Centre said that the Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR)
was not adequately trained or prepared to meet the Maoist challenge,
Congress said since law and order is a state subject, it was West
Bengal’s responsibility.
The two explanations are unlikely to wash as it was only on February 9
that home minister P Chidambaram travelled to Kolkata to review the
Lalgarh as well as inter-state operations across four states including
West Bengal. The preparedness of the forces was obviously the key
issue at the meeting. Given this, it is quite bizarre that the Centre
did not point out EFR’s inadequacies in taking on Naxals. Anxious to
fend off charges that the Centre is not in control of the situation,
the home ministry gave several explanations for the massacre at
Midnapore.
Congress, which followed suit, said law and order was a state subject.
“The state government should be more vigilant as law and order is
their primary responsibility,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
Congress also said the state and the Centre should work in tandem to
meet the Maoist threat.
Meanwhile, Mr Chidambaram lashed out at the benefactors of Naxalites
in the ‘civil rights’ corner and said it was time that they broke
silence over terror unleashed by Red thugs. “I know that the
overwhelming majority in this country will condemn the mindless
violence unleashed by CPI (Maoist) and will support the careful,
controlled and calibrated efforts being taken by the central and state
governments to put an end to the violence.
However, I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who
have, erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to CPI
(Maoist). It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous
thesis of the CPI (Maoist) and condemns the so-called “armed
liberation struggle” that we can put an end to the menace of Naxalism
and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict
zones,” Mr Chidambaram said in a statement.
Mr Chidambaram is not off the mark as not a peep has been heard from
the civil rights alarmists who flood TV studios and other available
fora to vent their anger against the police. On his part, the home
minister described the attack as yet another attempt banned
organisation to “overawe the established authority in the state”.
Naxalism is pure and simple TERRORISM, which disguises itself with
terms like "class struggle" and "social justice"
Home Ministry Reports
http://naxalwatch.blogspot.com/
chhotemianinshallah
The notion that a Naxalite is someone who hates his country is naive
and idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes this country more than
the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he
sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a
good citizen fighting for justice and equality’.
Red Alert - The War Within - Releasing sometime in early 2010
Posted by Abhay On 1/06/2010 09:31:00 PM 1 comments
Red Alert- The War Within is based on the true story of Narsimha, a
farm laborer, who desperately needed money to fund the education of
his children. He finds himself in the midst of Naxalites where his
mission becomes a mere subset of a greater cause that the militant's
pursue.
From being a mere cook to actually training in weapons to being
involved in shootouts and kidnapping, Narsimha himself in the thick of
life he had never bargained for. A confrontation with the group
leaders turns his life upside down; he is now on the run from both law
and the militants.
Narsimha has to take one vital decision that could make or break him.
But the decision ends in creating a conflicting situation that has him
torn between conscience and survival. Red Alert– The War Within
hurtles towards a cathartic end that blows apart a few myths about
life and the complicated systems that engulfs it. Red Alert– The War
Within is a volatile account of today's times…culled straight from
today's torrid headlines.
Know more about the movie - http://redalertmovie.blogspot.com/
Red Alert - Trailer
Link to Video
Anant Mahadevan, Red Alert, War Within | Links to this post |
Naxal Revolution Archives
Posted by Abhay On 5/29/2009 05:25:00 AM
Given below are some randomly chosen articles from this blog
more information can be accessed by clicking on the categories above
or you can use the search function to dig really deep into this
archive for
there are more than 1300 posts in this blog.
Partial Index of Important Documents ( Randomly chosen )
Interviews with Com Ganapathy, Currently
General Secretary of the CPI(Maoist)
Unification is the only way to advance the cause of the Indian
revolution'
as General Secretary of CPI(M-L)Peoples War
(1998 - Rediff.com)
The People's War always repay's its blood debt
(2000 Rediff.com )
Reply to letter by Independent Citizen's Initiative
on Dantewada
(2006 cgnet.in)
Interview with Ganapathy, General Secretary, CPI(Maoist)-
(2007 Peoplesmarch )
Other Interviews
Interview with Com. Janaki (Anuradha Gandhy) -
March 2001 issue of Poru Mahila, the organ of Krantikari
Adivasi Mahila Sanghatan, DK.
"India: A Catastrophe or a Break with Imperialism" -Interview with
GN Saibaba of the RDF (Interview by Lars Akerhaug ,Norway, December
2007)
Inside Look at Maoist Strategy in India Part 1 , Part 2 (2008 March)
Interview with G.N Saibaba by Norwegian revolutionary
socialist party Rødt [Red!]
Interview with Naxal Leader Ganesh Ueike
(2006 NDTV )
Exclusive interview with CPI(Maoist) Spokesperson Comrade Azad on
Nepal Developments
(2006 Peoplesmarch)
Naxal Revolution Exclusive - Interview with Mr P Govindan
Kutty ,Editor of Peoplesmarch(Voice of the Indian Revolution) - An
magazine considered sympathetic to the CPI(Maoist)(2006
Naxalrevolution.blogspot.com)
Chat Transcripts with Vara Vara Rao - A revolutionary writer
based in Andhra Pradesh
(1997 Rediff.com)
"All revolutionary ranks must unite" - Interview with Prasad , CCM of
PW
(1998 Rediff.com )
Polemics
CPI(Maoist) Reply to break away faction in Karnataka - The Karnataka
Maoist Swatantra Kendra
(2007 Peoplesmarch )
‘ Maoism or Mao Thought ? ’ - A booklet on ideological debate
published by Janamuktikami Prakashani .
Press Releases of the CPI(Maoist)
Recieved via email from unknown individuals
Press releases of CPI(Maoist)
CPI (Maoist) review of the book "Red Sun" and
author Sudeep Chakravarthi's response
Kranthi Patha - Kannada magazine
Porali - Tamil Magazine - June 2008
Porali - Tamil Magazine - May 2009
Press releases of CPI(Maoist)Karnataka State Committee
History of the Naxalite Movement in India.
Economic and Political Weekly Articles
July 22, 2006
Beyond Naxalbari
Learning from Experience and Analysis
Maoism in India
On Armed Resistance
The Spring and it's Thunder
Maoist Movement in Andhra Pradesh
Response of Comrade AZAD the official
spokesperson of the CPI(Maoist) to EPW articles.
Maoists in India : A Rejoinder
The Naxalite Movement in Central Bihar- By Bela Bhatia
Peasants Speak
Becoming a Naxalite in rural Bihar: Class struggle and its
contradictions
George J. Kunnath
Through the Eyes of the Police Naxalites in Calcutta in the 1970s
Naxalite Movement and Cultural Resistance
Experience of Janakiya Samskarika Vedi in Kerala (1980-82)
Andhra Pradesh: Women's Rights and Naxalite Groups
Fatalities : State and Maoist Violence for the years 2005 and 2006
Class Analysis of Indian Agriculture
Naxalites Today
Communist Parties of India List on Wikipedia
The economist-India's Naxalites : A spectre haunting India
Guardian Article Inside India's hidden war - Mineral rights are behind
clashes between leftwing guerrillas and state-backed militias
Vice Magazine-In the name of Mao, India pick's up the slaughter
A State at War With its People Anything goes against the Maoist
insurgency in Central India
Student Politics
The Life and Struggle in Regional Engineering College, Durgapur
1966 to 1970
Summer of '69 in St Stephen's
Shining Path
Urban Guerillas
Criticisms of Maoists by other Groups/People
SUCI's criticism of the Naxalites
What threatens the State - Arms or Ideology
(springthunder.wordpress.com)
RCP Karnataka Documents
Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) was formed by a section of
the members of CPI (Maoist) Karnataka state unit.
RCP Karnataka - Lessons from the experiences of the past 25 years
RCP Karnata -Lessons from the Urban Work Document
A Critique on the Theory and Practice of CPI (Maoist)(Cpiml Red Flag)
Other Articles
A compilation of articles on the History of the Naxalite Movement in
India
from various journals by Harsh Thakor
Legacy of Indian Maoism-A Tribute to Tarimala Nagi Reddy’s 30th death
anniversary and the 60 th anniversary of the launching of the
Telengana Armed Struggle. - By Harsh Thankor
Commemorating 10th death Anniversary of Comrade Ashok Janaradhan
24th JUly1998)-A tribute to Andhra Pradesh Radical Students Union.
In commemoration of 30 years since founding of C.P.I.(M.L) Unity
Organisation
- -formed in November 1978. In memory of Comrade Ajoy. (Parimal Sen)
Significance of formation of the Communist Party Reorganization
Centre of India (Marxist Leninist) or the C.P.R.C.I. (M.L)
Burning punjab : A history of communist revolutionaries in punjab
- Compiled from revolutionary Journal the 'Comrade" and from
publications of the 'Surkh Rekha' a democratic journal of Punjab
as well as reports of Lok Morcha , Punjab.
Declaration to reaffirm the significance and relevance of the
anti revisionist struggleand the GPCR - May 2007
25th anniversary year of the founding conference of the
All India Federation of Organizations for Democratic Rights.
Reflections on Revolutionary Violence - Aditya Nigam
Important Web Links
A brief History of the Pro-Maoist Presence on the Internet
Incomplete but comprehensive list of Socialist/Maoist
groups from all over the World
Peoplesmarch
Peoplesmarch Archives on Banned Thought
Peoples-Truth
Maoist Information Bulletin on Banned Thought
Archives of Documents, Statements, and Interviews of Leaders
of CPI(Maoist) on Banned Thought
http://rcpkarnataka.blogspot.com/
http://tamilporali.blogspot.com/
http://rdf-2005.blogspot.com/
http://rpfkerala.blogspot.com/
http://parisar.wordpress.com/
http://redbarricade.blogspot.com/
http://pmsgindia.blogspot.com/
http://dsujnu.blogspot.com/
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/
http://maoistresistance.blogspot.com/
Books
Making History I - By Saki(Saketh Rajan)
Making History II - By Saki
Some Questions regarding Modern Revisionist
literature in the Soviet Union by peking press.
Memories Of a Father - Prof T V Eachara Varier.
A book on slain naxalite sympathizer P Rajan
Liberation archives
http://sanhati.com/liberation/
About Liberation
Liberation, the monthly central organ of the undivided Communist Party
of India (Marxist - Leninist) (CPIML), was first published in November
1967. Through intense state repression and terror perpetrated by
various political parties, the monthly continued to be published
except for a brief hiatus in the early 1970s.
Issues of the monthly will be archived here till 1972.
While studies of the Naxalbari movement have continued over the
decades, there has been a conspicuous lack of widespread availability
of the literature of its main protagonist, the CPIML. Through this
archive, we hope to fill this lacuna, thus enriching the debate for
scholars and activists alike.
The archival material has been sourced from the personal collection of
Suniti Ghosh, Central Committee member of pre-split CPI(ML).
**************************************************************
Right click on the below link and "Save as" or "Save link as"
Click here to read Liberation, 1967, 1st Issue [PDF, English, 13 MB] »
**************************************************************
For more issues -- http://sanhati.com/liberation/
Naxalrevolution Archives | Links to this post |
http://naxalrevolution.blogspot.com/
Publication: Times of India Mumbai; Date: Nov 10, 2009; Section:
Bombay Times; Page: 23
‘Naxalites are not bad guys’
...says Suniel Shetty, who won an international Best Actor award for
his role as one in Ananth Mahadevan’s film
MEENA IYER Times News Network
Suniel Shetty woke up to a pleasant surprise last week. The macho
Bollywood actor bagged the Best Actor Award at the South Asian
International Film Festival held in New York for Star Entertainment’s
Red Alert — The War Within. The film, produced by T P Agarwal and
Rahul Agarwal, is a gritty mainstream realistic film borne out of
today’s headlines on the sensitive Naxalite movement and Suniel feels
it is very important from the world cinema perspective because
“Governments in countries like India and Nepal are dealing with
Naxalites and Maoists currently.”
Red Alert is a delicately handled film of a true account of the
reality about Naxalism based on Siaram Kavalsingh (Suniel Shetty) who
finds himself in the midst of the movement and forced to make
difficult, morally questionable choices. About his winning the Best
Actor award, Suniel said, “I was surprised at this honour and humbled
too.” Candidly he admitted that a majority of the Bollywood critics
label him “wooden” and he is often subject to disparaging remarks in
reviews. “I dread opening the paper on a Friday when my film
releases,” said the actor. He is, however, kicked about Red Alert and
feels that besides him all his co-stars including senior actors like
Vinod Khanna and Naseeruddin Shah have also turned in great
performances. “It just makes all the hard work and effort seem so much
pleasurable,” said the actor. Of Naxalism, Suniel added, “There is a
very thin line between being a revolutionary and being labelled a
terrorist. Naxalites have nothing against their mother country, their
fight is against the administration. And so Naxalites aren’t bad guys.
They believe in a certain ideology that is different from yours and
mine, but that doesn’t make them enemies of the country.”
The film, written by filmmaker Aruna Raje, premiered at Stuttgart
and was bestowed with a five star rating by German critics and also
won The Director’s Vision Award for its sensitive treatment of the
Naxal movement. A New York critic said the film was admirable in its
effort to inform of this tragic tide of violence. Suniel Shetty feels
that perhaps the film’s brutal honesty is what got the attention of
international film critics. After the world premiere, the film will
also have an Asian premiere at the prestigious International Film
Festival of India to be held in Goa soon.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Suniel Shetty
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA5LzExLzEwI0FyMDIzMDE=
chhotemianinshallah
Brutal and Media Friendly. The New Face of Naxalism?
Posted in Analysis, Comment, Guerilla Warfare, Indian Media,
Insurgency, West Bengal by Michael on January 1, 2010
One of the most underreported developments in Naxalism in 2009 has
been the emergence of a new leadership cadre that is guiding the CPI
(Maoist) in an entirely new tactical direction. Less conservative and
reclusive than has historically been the case, the new West Bengal-
based group has chosen to undertake bold (and brutal) actions
calculated to garner media attention. This has included the beheading
of a captured police inspector in October and a dramatic train hijack
during India’s election campaign. This was preceded by the capture of
Lalgarh in West Bengal, a move seemingly calculated to demonstrate to
India and the world that the Maoists were a force to be reckoned with.
All of this suggests a dramatic re-orientation in Naxalite tactics.
Historically, the Maoists have been a tactically conservative force.
Rather than court media attention, they preferred to work quietly,
expanding their reach and power methodically and patiently. Their
leadership has been notoriously recalcitrant and media shy. What has
changed? Significant numbers of party leaders, most notably Kobad
Gandhi, were arrested in 2009 as the Indian government has improved
its counter-insurgency intel apparatus. As a result, a new crop of
people with different tactical ideas has emerged. This new face of
Maoism has been best personified in Kishenji, the Andhra born, West
Bengal-based rebel.
Kishenji is a new kind of Naxalite leader. He has actively courted
media attention- holding numerous press conferences and maintaining
regular correspondence with prominent journalists. He has demonstrated
a flair for the theatrical:
Kishenji had a seven-minute telephone conversation with West Bengal
Principal Secretary (Environment) Madan Lal Meena complaining about
polluting mines earlier this week, the Chief Minister was forced to
accept the state intelligence machinery’s failure to locate the Maoist
leader, who is on the run.
It remains to be seen how effective this tactic will be. While
Kishenji has succeeded in garnering interest in the Maoist movement
(and perhaps gained the support of segments of the urban population),
much of the Naxalite’s strength stems precisely from their patient
expansion. By refusing to draw attention to themselves, the
government of India has felt little public pressure to respond,
creating a space for he gradual expansion of Maoist territory. A new
strategy centred around engagement with the press and audacious
assaults against the state carries a great deal of risk.
Tagged with: Analysis, Comment, Delhi, Guerilla Warfare, India, Indian
Election, Indian Media, Insurgency, Lalgarh, Maoist, Maoists,
Naxalite, Terrorism, West Bengal
leave a comment
The Forgotten War
Posted in MSM by Michael on January 1, 2010
Time Magazine has declared India’s Maoist insurgency to be the 3rd
most under-reported story of 2009. I’m surprised that they even
noticed. While media coverage internationally and domestically has
been sparse, this has started to slowly change. For too long, the
Naxalites could be ignored by the urban-based Indian elite as a
problem which affected only small segments of the largely invisible
rural poor. While events such as the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008
threatened the safety and security of the countries chattering
classes, what happened in the dusty forests of rural Chhattisgarh
could easily be ignored. This has started to change. Perhaps, 2010
will bring increased coverage not only to the insurgency, but also to
the scandalous conditions in which India’s rural poor exist. One can
only hope.
Tagged with: Comment, Commentary, Counter Terrorism, Delhi, Guerilla
Warfare, India, Indian Media, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite,
Violence
leave a comment
Telangana as Farce
Posted in Andhra Pradesh, Diplomacy, Telangana by Michael on January
1, 2010
Since my last post on the ongoing battle for an independent Telangana
the story has taken a turn for the absurd. In early December, the
central government unilaterally (and suddenly) declared their support
for the creation of a new state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh,
leading to anger and sporadic violence. Opponents of the decision were
particularly concerned with the status of Andhra’s capital, the
wealthy technology hub Hyderabad situated deep inside Telangana. After
the resignations of a number of Congress politicians in protest at the
decision, the central government backtracked and announced that
Telangana would only come into being after a process of talks
involving all of the local political parties. Again, this lead to
violence and resignations, only this time by disappointed Telangana
activists. The talks are scheduled to begin on 5 January.
The central government’s handling of the issue has been inept and
farcical. First, by rushing through a unilateral decision on the
creation of a new state, the government alienated much of the
population of Andhra. Then, by backtracking on their decision, they
effectively alienated and angered all of those who had supported the
initial decision. It’s a mess. Furthermore, the decisions of the
government have greatly strengthened the hand of the Maoists. As this
(excessively pessimistic) piece in Pragati states:
Telangana is not only being formed with the support of the Naxalites,
but will be encompassing the districts that are their stronghold. The
security situation is bound to worsen further.
Not only is the creation of Telangana a potential boon for the
Maoists, the muddled process that has so far marked its birth is
tailor-made for strengthening their position. The Maoists have
strongly supported calls for an independent Telangana. The central
government’s moves have created a volatile situation in the state
marked by a high degree of political mobilisation. By supporting the
pro-Telangana forces, the Maoists have positioned themselves as an
armed and disciplined force which can help a popular movement struggle
against the central government’s duplicity. They have, for example,
already called for a general strike for the 2 January.
If the Maoists play their hand well, they will be in position to gain
a tremendous goodwill and popular support by acting as a force which
is willing to fight for the sentiments and aspirations of the local
population. They will be in an even stronger position to capture the
newly independent state once it is created. Delhi could not have
created conditions more beneficial for the Naxalites had it been
closely collaborating with the Maoist leadership.
Tagged with: Analysis, Andhra Pradesh, Comment, Commentary, Delhi,
India, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, Telangana
5 comments
Holiday Hiatus
Posted in Uncategorized by Michael on December 27, 2009
I’ve been busy spending time over the Christmas holidays with my
family leaving me little time to blog. It’s been great, but I’m about
ready to get back to work. There is a lot to write about- the
unbelievably inept ‘handling’ (if you can even call it that) of the
Telangana issue, the emergence of a more media savy (and brutal) West
Bengal-based leadership clique after the arrest of key Maoist leaders,
the latest propsal for peace negotiations between the government and
the rebels and my (perhaps idle) speculation as to what 2010 might
bring.
Stay tuned….
Tagged with: Comment, India, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, West Bengal
leave a comment
Are the Naxalites Winning?
Posted in Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Insurgency by Michael on
December 9, 2009
The Indian government just released the official figures for combat
deaths across all of the country’s insurgencies. I haven’t yet been
able to track down the official report (if there is one), but, from
what’s being reported in the media, it doesn’t look good for the
government:
In Naxal affected States, the number of the number of Civilians and
Security Forces personnel killed upto Oct.31, 2009 was 742 while it
was 721 in 2008. However, the number of Naxalites killed during the
same time is 170 (till Oct.31, 2009), which stood at 199 in 2008.
An approximate 4:1 ratio is not an indication of anything
approximating victory. India The Indian government should be worried.
Tagged with: Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Delhi, India, Insurgency,
Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, Terrorism, War
leave a comment
Telangana- The New Chhattisgarh?
Posted in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Comment, Telangana by Michael
on December 9, 2009
The central government has given into the demand for a separate
Telangana state. Telangana, currently part of Andhra Pradesh state,
has had an active independence movement since the late 1960s.
Considering India’s proclivity for linguistic and cultural separation,
the decision is not at all unexpected.
Far be it for me to disparage the aspirations of the people of the
region,but I do think it’s important to note that Telangana is the
traditional Naxalite heartland of Andhra, if not of the entire
country. Their grip has weakened in recent years largely because of
the state government’s effective deployment of the Greyhound para-
police coupled with a policy of generous rehabilitation for
surrendered rebels. Will this now change? I think that there is a very
real risk of the new state becoming as insurgent affected as
Chhattisgarh (which itself was created recently from a part of Madhya
Pradesh). There are parallels. The new Telangana, like Chhattisgarh,
will have fewer resources at its disposal than does Andhra. They will
also need time to set-up an effective system of governance- time which
they will not have in the Naxalite’s surge. Finally, what of the
Greyhounds and the broader (and largely successful) Andhra counter-
insurgency programme. Are we witnessing the beginning of India’s
newest failed state?
UPDATE:
An interesting piece on how the Andhra police claimed the Maoists had
infiltrated the recent protests for Telangana independence at Osmania
University in Hyderabad. While the police may just be making this
claim for political expediency, it wouldn’t surprise me if it were
true.
Tagged with: Analysis, Andhra Pradesh, Comment, Commentary, Delhi,
India, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Telangana
1 comment
Pre-Emptive International Concern
Posted in Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency, International
Relations by Michael on November 19, 2009
An interesting little piece of news today. The European Commission’s
Humanitarian Office, which funds relief efforts in Chhattisgarh’s
Bastar region, has cautioned the Indian government against undertaking
an anti-Maoist offensive that would jeopardise its work:
“It can become too dangerous, because of ongoing fighting, for our
partners to access and reach out to the villages,” Maria Joao Ralha,
ECHO’s desk officer for India, told AlertNet by phone from Brussels.
“It can also limit access as parties involved in the conflict may
become too nervous and may not want humanitarians working there so
villagers would not be able to receive the healthcare that our
partners are providing them.”
Aside from the increased international dimension which this story
demonstrates, it’s important to note that, according to the piece,
over 100,000 civilians have been displaced by the conflict. The very
real suffering that the so-called ‘Naxal-problem’ has caused for some
of India’s most marginalised populations is far in excess of what
might be inferred by merely tracking total annual deaths. It’s
important to think about. I’ve been to Bastar and visited illegal re-
settlement villages in the forests. And the suffering I saw was
horrendous. The government needs to be cautious.
Tagged with: Chhattisgarh, Commentary, Counter-Insurgency, Human
Rights, India, International Relations, Naxalism, Naxalite, Violence
leave a comment
Hearts and Minds
Posted in Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Indian Media,
West Bengal by Michael on November 16, 2009
While the Calcutta Telegraph is an virulent anti-Leftwing newspaper,
in spite of its overt bias, it is one of the most solid sources of
journalism in the country. And, as a creature of West Bengal, it has
consistent coverage of Naxalism.
According to the Telegraph, Chidambaram, the Union Home Minister, will
be attending a meeting sponsored by civil society groups in Dantewada.
The Telegraph:
Chidambaram’s assent is being interpreted by civil society groups
wanting to avert armed confrontation as a “victory against hawks in
government” who have been pushing a military response to the recent
Maoist surge in parts of central and eastern India.
Two things come to mind: 1) the visit seems to be a sensible strategy
for a broader ‘hearts and minds’ counter-insurgency strategy and, 2)
it’s going to be a hell of a security nightmare.
Tagged with: Chhattisgarh, Comment, Commentary, Counter-Insurgency,
Delhi, India, Indian Media, Insurgency, Naxalism, Naxalite, West
Bengal
leave a comment
Countering the Counter-Insurgency
Posted in Analysis, Chhattisgarh, Comment by Michael on November 16,
2009
If, as I argued in my last post, Operation Green Hunt needs to be a
holistic counter-insurgency campaign- stories like this don’t help:
In the remote rural expanse that could soon be gobbled up by a Rs
19,500 crore steel plant, there is the clang of an iron-cast
protest.“We will not give our land to Tata,” says 60-year-old Sankar
Das, the frail dhoti-clad Hindu priest, even as he pokes round in the
cloth bag when a passing journalist stops by at a meeting of village
elders. Das promptly produces a letter written by residents of his
Bedanji village to the district administrator of Jagdalpur in
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, home to some of the world’s richest iron
ore.
Tata Steel, India’s largest private sector steelmaker, plans to invest
Rs 19,500 crores in a steel plant across 5,000 acres that will create
5.5 million tones of steel per year. Ten villages have to be emptied
out.
“The Kakatiya kings brought and settled us here from Warangal 22
generations ago to worship the goddess and supervise sacrifices on
Dussehra,” says the letter handwritten by Bedanji residents in Hindi.
“We shall not move.”
It would be almost funny if it weren’t so sad. What this does is a)
fuel the grievances of the Adivasi whose support is both crucial to
the Maoists and the government and, b) provides the Maoists with a new
source of revenue. The Maoists operate a vast illicit taxation network
which relies on the exploitation of tribal lands by industry and
mining companies.
So, in effect, the government, by authorising this project is
providing the Maoists with both a revenue stream and a support base
which they can use in their war against the state. Umm… yeah. Good
thinking.
Tagged with: Analysis, Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency,
Guerilla Warfare, Human Rights, Insurgency, Maoists, Naxalism,
Naxalite, Networks
1 comment
Operation Green Hunt
Posted in Analysis, Counter-Insurgency by Michael on November 16,
2009
Now that the beginnings of Operation Green Hunt, the central
government’s anti-Naxalite offensive, have unfolded, a lot remains
unclear. According to government spokespeople, it will not take the
form of massive assault against the Maoist zones:
I wouldn’t like to call it a war. A war is fought against the enemy,
not against our own people.
— Vijay Raman, Special Director General, Central Reserve Police Force
and commandant of joint Centre-states anti-Naxalite operation Green
Hunt.
Rather Green Hunt will, according to Raman:
facilitate, assist and secure the process of development that the
government will hasten in these areas than go bang-bang hitting the
Naxal targets. It can take any number of years. All I would say is, it
would be a very calculated security exercise with human face,
So, what we have is a long-term and sustained counter-insurgency
campaign that, in some ways, mirrors the US project in Afghanistan.
Fair enough. I have often argued that the Naxalites are not primarily
a police ‘problem’. They are the consequence of a complex array of
failures in the contemporary Indian state, ranging from weak
institutions to persistent social and exploitation of marginal groups
in the deprived parts of the country.
In order for this strategy to work, however, the Indian government
must improve the training, pay and equipment of the para-military
police. Steps have been taken, including the establishment of a jungle
warfare centre. However, this is not nearly enough. Reports continue
to come in from parts of Chhattisgarh of troops selling their weapons
to the rebels in exchange for food. Time and again, the CRPF has also
showed that it is being out-fought, out-thought and out-gunned by the
Naxalites. This needs to change.
The Indian government is currently testing the deployment of drones in
the Naxalite areas. Use of advanced technology will only be effective
in conjunction with a concerted, long-term effort to improve the
capabilities of the para-police. Drones are no replacement for solid,
human intelligence gathered by disciplined and motivated forces who
have developed the trust of local communities.
As I said, I’m happy to see that the Indian government has not chosen
to undertake a spectacular, if fruitless, massive counterstrike into
the Naxal heartland. It remains to be seen, however, if the more
complex strategy chosen can be undertaken effectively.
http://naxalwar.wordpress.com/
chhotemianinshallah
On March 13, 2006, the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil tabled in
Parliament a Status Paper on the problem of Left-wing extremism in
India. Presented below is the full text of the Paper:
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1The Naxalite movement continues to persist in terms of spatial
spread, intensity of violence, mlitarisation and consolidation,
ominous linkages with subversive/secessionist groups and increased
efforts to elicit mass support. The naxalites operate in vacuum
created by absence of administrative and political institutions,
espouse the local demands and take advantage of the disenchantment
prevalent among the exploited segments of the population and seek to
offer an alternative system of governance which promises emancipation
of these segments from the clutches of ‘exploiter’ classes through the
barrel of a gun.
2. VIOLENCE PROFILE
2.1 Naxalite menace remains an area of serious concern. In 2005,
naxalite violence has claimed 669 lives including 153 police personnel
in 1594 incidents as against 556 casualties in 1533 incidents in 2004.
The quantum of naxal violence has shown a marginal increase of about
4% in 2005, over by 2004, while resultant casualties have however,
gone up by 18.1%.
2.2 In the current year (till February) while the number of incidents
of naxal violence has decreased by 29% over the corresponding period
of 2005 (246 incidents as against 347 in 2005). Civilian and security
forces casualties have, however, increased by 11.4% (116 as against
104 in 2005).
2.3 State–wise naxalite incidents/resultant deaths of civilians and
security personnel in the years 2003 to 2006 (till February) are at
Annexure – 1.
2.4 The substantial increase in naxal violence and deaths in Andhra
Pradesh can be attributed to the unilateral withdrawal by naxalites
from the peace talks in January, 2005 and consequent stepped up
violence by them. In Chhattisgarh, resistance being put up by the
Salva Judum (anti- naxal movement by people) activists and the efforts
of the security forces to dislodge the naxalites from their
strongholds are the main reasons for increased violence and resultant
deaths. While the States of Bihar and Jharkhand have recorded decrease
in naxal violence in 2005, a few high profile incidents like looting
of weapons from the Giridih Home Guard training center on 11-11-2005
in Jharkhand and the jailbreak on 13-11-2005 in Jehanabad, Bihar, have
taken place in recent months.
2.5 The first two months of the current year have witnessed some major
naxalite attacks in Chhattisgarh. These include killing of 9 personnel
of Naga Armed Battalion on 6.2.2006, looting of weapons and a large
quantity of explosives from NMDC Magazine at Hiroli on 9.2.2006 and
killing of 28 civilians in Konta Block of Dantewada district on
28.2.2006. These incidents have exposed the gaps in the States
security and intelligence apparatus.
3. RECENT TRENDS/DEVELOPMENTS
3.1 Spatial spread
3.1.1 In 2005, naxal violence has been reported from 509 police
stations in 11 states which works out to 5.8% of the total number of
police station in these states. Statewise spread of naxal violence in
terms of the police station affected is at Annexure- II
3.1.2 Available reports, however, suggest that CPI (Maoists) have been
trying to increase their influence and act in parts of Kamataka,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttranchal and also in new areas in some of the
already affected states.
3.2 Consolidation
After the merger of CPML–PW and MCCI into CPI (Maoist) in September,
2004, they are reported to be trying to woo other splinter groups and
have also consolidated their front organizations into ‘Revolution
Democratic Front’ (RDF) to intensify their mass contact programme.
Fresh recruitment of cadres is also reported. Indian naxalite groups
continue to sustain their fraternal and logistic links with Nepalese
Maoists, though there are no strategic and operational likes between
the two.
3.3 Naxalite Ideology of armed struggle and militarisation
The naxalite leadership continues to pursue their plan to wage
protracted people’s war through the armed struggle to capture
political power. In the recent past, naxalite groups seem to lay
greater focus on organising along military lines. They are also
acquiring contemporary weapons. Their constant effort is to upgrade
technology and sophistication of their weaponry and techniques.
3.4 Simultaneous attacks
The latest tactics adopted by the naxal outfits are to engage in
simultaneous multiple attacks in large numbers particularly against
police forces and police establishments. This has led to increased
casualties of police personnel in 2005 mainly due to IED/landmine
blasts by the naxalites. A total of 153 police personnel have laid
down their lives in 2005 in 194 attacks by naxalites on the police as
against 100 in 232 such attacks in 2004.
4. POLICY TO DEAL WITH THE NAXALITE MENACE
The Government has a clearly defined policy to combat the challenge
posed by the naxalite menace. This policy comprises the following
components:-
(i) The Government will deal sternly with the naxlites indulging in
violence.
(ii) Keeping in view that naxalism is not merely a law & order
problem, the policy of the Govt. is to address this menace
simultaneously on political security, development and public
perception management fronts in a holistic manner.
(iii) Naxalism being an inter–state problem, the states will adopt a
collective approach and pursue a coordinated response to counter it.
(iv) The states will need to further improve police response and
pursue effective and sustained police action against naxalites and
their infrastructure individually and jointly.
(v) There will be no peace dialogue by the affected states with the
naxal groups unless the latter agree to give up violence and arms.
(vi) Political parties must strengthen their cadre base in naxsal
affected areas so that the potential youth there can be weaned away
from the path of naxal ideology.
(vii) The states from where naxal activity/influence, and not naxal
violence, is reported should have a different approach with special
focus on accelerated sociw-economic development of the backward areas
and regular inter action with NGOs, intelligencia, civil liberties
groups etc. to minimize over ground support for the naxalite ideology
and activity.
(viii) Efforts will continue to be made to promote local resistance
groups against naxalites but in a manner that the villagers are
provided adequate security cover and provided adequate secutrity cover
and the area is effectively dominated by the security forces.
(ix) Mass media should also be extensively used to highlight the
futility of naxal violence and loss of life and property caused by it
and developmental schemes of the Government in the affected areas so
as to restore people’s faith and confidence in the Government
machinery.
(x) The states should announce a suitable transfer policy for the
naxal affected districts. Willing, committed and competent officers
will need to be posted with a stable tenure in the naxal affected
districts, These officers will also need to be given greater
delegation and flexibility to deliver better and step up Government
presence in these areas.
(xi) The Government of Andhra Pradesh has an effective surrender and
rehabilitation policy for naxalites and has produced good results over
the years. The other states should adopt a similar policy.
(xii) The State Governments will need to accord a higher priority in
their annual plans to ensure faster socio- economic development of the
naxal affected areas. The focus areas should be to distribute land to
the landless poor as part of the speedy implementation of the land
reforms, ensure development of physical infrastructure like roads,
communication, power etc. and provide employment opportunities to the
youth in these areas.
(xiii) Another related issue is that development activities are not
undertaken in some of the naxalite affected areas mainly due to
extortion, threat or fear from the naxalite cadres. In these areas,
even contractors are not coming forward to take up developmental work.
Adequate security and other measures would need to be taken to
facilitate uninterrupted developmental activities in the naxal
affected areas.
(xiv) The Central Government will continue to supplement the efforts
and resources of the affected states on both security and development
fronts and bring greater coordination between the states to
successfully tackle the problem.
5. COUNTER MEASURES
5.1 While the overall counter action by the affected states in terms
of naxalites killed, arrested, surrendered and arms recovered from
them has shown much better results in 2005, there is an urgent need to
further improve and strengthen police response particularly by the
states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Maharashtra by improving
actionable intelligence collection and sharing mechanisms and
strengthening their police forces on the pattern of Greyhounds in
Andhra Pradesh. Even as the states of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
to some extent, need to sustain their present momentum of effective
counter action against the naxalites and their infrastructure.
5.2 The Government has taken the following measures to control the
naxal problem.
5.2.1 Modernization of State Police
Funds are given to the States under the Police Modernization Scheme to
modernize their police forces in terms of modern weaponry, latest
communication equipment, mobility and other infrastructure. The naxal
affected States have also been asked to identify vulnerable police
stations and outposts in the naxal areas and take up their
fortification under the Scheme. However, some of the States need to
improve the level of utilization of funds under the Scheme.
5.2.2 Revision of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme in
February, 2005.
The level of reimbursement under the Scheme has been raised from 50%
to 100% and new items like insurance scheme for police personnel,
community policing, rehabilitation of surrendered naxalites,
expenditure incurred on publicity to counter propaganda of naxalites,
other security related items not covered under the Police
Modernization Scheme etc., have been covered. The Scheme also allows
release of funds to the naxal affected States as advance. It is hoped
that the revised scheme will enable higher level of utilization of
funds under this Scheme.
5.2.3 Supply of Mine Protected Vehicles
Keeping in view the increased casualties of police personnel due to
IED/land mine blasts, the naxal affected States have been provided
Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) under the Police Modernization Scheme.
Their supply has been streamlined by taking up the matter with the
Chairman, Ordinance Factory Board.
5.2.4 Long–term deployment of Central Para Military Forces
In order to supplement the efforts of the States in providing an
effective response to the naxal violence, Central Para Military Forces
have been deployed on a long-term basis as requested by the affected
States. The Central Government has also exempted the states from the
payment of cost of deployment of these forces for a period of three
years from 1-7-2004 involving an amount of nearly Rs. 1,100 crores.
5.2.5 India Reserve Battalions
The naxal affected States have been sanctioned India Reserve (IR)
battalions mainly to strengthen security apparatus at their level as
also to enable the States to provide gainful employment to the youth,
particularly in the naxal areas. Recently, additional IR battalions
have also been approved for the naxal affected States. The Central
Government will now provide Rs. 20.75 crores per IR battalion as
against the earlier amount of Rs. 13 crores per battalion. The States
have been asked to expedite raising of these battalions.
5.2.6 Deployment of SSB along Indo-Nepal Border
In order to ensure that there is no spillover effect of the activities
of Nepalese Maoists to our territory, SSB has been given the
responsibility to guard Indo-Nepal Border. The Government has also
recently sanctioned new raisings for the SSB to further improve
management of borders in these areas. A modernization plan involving
an outlay of Rs.444 crores has also been sanctioned for the SSB.
5.2.7 Recruitment in Central Para Military Forces
In order to wean away the potential youth from the path to militancy
or naxalism, recruitment guidelines have been revised to permit 40%
recruitment in Central Para Military Forces from the border areas and
areas affected by militancy or naxalism.
5.2.8 Backward Districts Initiative (BDI)
Since the naxalite menace has to be addressed on the developmental
front also, the Central Government has provided financial assistance
of Rs. 2,475 crores for 55 naxal affected districts in the 9 States of
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal under the Backward
Districts Initiative (BDI) component of the Rsahtriya Sam Vikas Yojana
(RSVY). Under this Scheme, an amount of Rs. 15 crores per year has
been given to each of the districts for three years so as to fill in
the critical gaps in physical and social development in the naxal
affected areas. The Planning Commission has been requested to include
other naxal affected areas under their proposed Scheme of Backward
Regions Grant Funds (BRGF) for which an outlay of Rs. 5,000 crores has
been set apart from this fiscal year (2005-06) onwards.
5.2.9 Tribal and Forest elated issues
In order to address the areas of disaffection among the tribals, the
Government has introduced the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Bill, 2005, in Parliament on 13.12.2005. Further, to
facilitate social and physical infrastructure in the forest areas,
Ministry of Environment and Forests has, as requested by the MHA,
issued general approval to allow such infrastructure by utilising upto
1 hectare of forest land for non-forest purposes. That Ministry has
also permitted upgradation of kutcha roads constructed prior to
01.09.1980 into pucca roads.
5.2.10 Effective implementation of land reforms and creation of
employment opportunities in the naxal areas
Naxal groups have been raising mainly land and livelihood related
issues. If land reforms are taken up on priority and the landless and
the poor in the naxal areas are allotted surplus land, this would go a
long way in tackling the developmental aspects of the naxal problem.
The States have been requested to focus greater attention on this area
as also accelerate developmental activities and create employment
opportunities in the naxal affected areas with special focus on
creation of physical infrastructure in terms of roads, communication,
power as also social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals etc.
6. MONITORING MECHANISMS
6.1 The Central Government accords a very high priority to review and
monitor the naxal situation and the measures being taken by the states
on both security and development fronts to control it. Several
monitoring mechanisms have been set up at the Center to do so. These
include a periodical review by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)
Of the naxal situation, Standing Committee of the Chief Ministers of
the naxal affected states chaired by the Union Home Minister,
Quarterly Coordination Center meetings chaired by the Union Home
Secretary with the Chief Secretaries and the Directors General of
Police of the affected states and the monthly Task Force meetings of
Nodal Officers of naxal affected states/Central agencies chaired by
Special Secretary (IS), MHA. The states have also been asked to hold a
monthly review by the DGP and the naxal situation and the measures and
strategies to contain the naxal problem .
7. CONCLUSION
The Central Government views the naxalite menace as an area of serious
concern. The Government remains firmly committed and determined to
address the problem. The current strategy is (i) to strengthen
intelligence set-up at the state level; (ii) pursue effective and
sustained intelligence driven police action against naxalites and
their infrastructure individually and jointly by the states and (iii)
accelerate development in the naxal affected areas. The Central
Government will continue to coordinate and supplement the efforts to
the state governments on both security and development fronts to meet
the challenge posed by the naxal problem.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/document/papers/06Mar13_Naxal%20Problem%20.htm
chhotemianinshallah
Chhattisgarh continues to be the epicenter of the conflict
(Vol No.II, Issue No.III)
Emabargoed for 03 October 2007
PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-II-III.htm
At least 384 persons including 129 civilians, 162 security forces and
93 alleged Naxalites have been killed in the Naxal conflict during
January to September 2007. The highest number of killings were
reported from Chhattisgarh (208), followed by Andhra Pradesh (59),
Jharkhand (44) and Bihar (28). The Naxal conflict has serious
implications on the enjoyment of human rights ....Read more
Killings decrease, conflict intensifies
(Vol No.II, Issue No.II)
Embargoed for 4 July 2007
PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-02-02.pdf
There has been 45% decrease in the number of killings in comparison to
the same period in 2006 which saw the killing of at least 460 persons.
However, the conflict is intensifying as reflected from the killing of
113 security forces ...Read more
Evaluate anti-Naxal policies of the Chhattisgarh government
(Vol No.II, Issue No.I)
Emabargoed for 11 April 2007
PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-II-I.htm
A total of 144 persons including 27 civilians, 80 security forces and
37 alleged Naxalites were killed between January and March 2007 in 10
Naxal affected States of India. Out of these, 101 persons or 70% of
the total victims were killed in Chhattisgarh, followed by killing of
25 persons in Andhra Pradesh. Read more
Naxal Conflict in 2006, 10 January 2007
The Naxal Conflict in 2006 is the first such report prepared by any
organisation in India. The provides the most comprehensive analysis of
the Naxalite conflict and its implications on human rights and
fundamental freedoms during 2006. A total of 749 persons were killed
in 2006 which included 285 civilians, 135 security personnel and 329
alleged Naxalites. Chhattisgarh accounted for 48.5% of the total
killings as a direct consequence of the anti-Naxalite Salwa Judum
campaign. The conflict unfolds. >>> read more
Armed Opposition Groups
■Private Armies: The Ranvir Senas and the politics of ban
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/ranvir-sena.htm
■Major banned Naxal outfits
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/major_banned.htm
Counter-Insurgency
■Salwa Judum
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/salwa-judums.htm
■Vigilante groups: Of the Tiger & Cobras
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/vigilante.htm
States' Response to Naxalism
■Union Government
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/union_govt.htm
■State Government
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/states_govt.htm
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/ncm.htm
chhotemianinshallah
appeared in this newsgroup.
It is directly related to Dr Jai Maharaj's article on [Muslim
Terrorism]
This idiot sees mountain in the molehill. Nay, this nefarious
nincompoop, posts articles to malign Christians, Muslims, and anything
and everything that does not have a Hinduttva merit.
chhotemianinshallah
It is directly related to Dr Jai Maharaj's article on
[Muslim Terrorism]
This idiot sees mountain in the molehill. Nay, this nefarious
nincompoop, posts articles to malign Christians, Muslims, and anything
and everything that does not have a Hinduttva merit.
Sid Harth
IANS, Feb 18, 2010, 09.09am IST
PATNA: At least six people were killed in a Maoist attack in Bihar's
Jamui district, police said on Thursday.
According to a police official, more than 100 armed Maoists late
Wednesday attacked Phulwaria village in Jamui, about 150 km from
Patna, and shot dead six villagers. The rebels also set several houses
in the village ablaze and abducted more than half a dozen villagers.
Police suspect the incident was related to the alleged killing of
eight Maoist guerrillas on February 1.
A strike was called by Maoists on Wednesday in five Bihar districts,
including Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger and Lakhisarai, to denounce
the alleged killing of guerrillas by police with the help of
villagers.
The guerrillas alleged that eight Maoists were killed by police and
their bodies dumped at an unknown place.
Naxal menace: Doublespeak on intel reveals rot in Bengal
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay & Sukumar Mahato, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.44am
IST
KOLKATA/MIDNAPORE: A well-armed force of 4,500 against a rag-tag
outfit of 200. Hardly any odds to bet on. But in Jangalmahal, not
everything is what it seems. The state government does not know what
to do with the paramilitary forces at its disposal, or the funds it
has earmarked for development in Maoist-hit areas.
A day after the Union home ministry expressed displeasure over lapses
that led to the Silda attack and the lack of preparedness of the state
forces in a battle zone, it became embarrassingly evident that there
is no coordination even among Bengal’s top officials. On Wednesday,
home secretary Ardhendu Sen said his department had indeed received
intelligence on the Silda attack at 2pm, almost three hours before the
firing began — enough time to issue an alert and organize defences.
But DGP Bhupinder Singh refuted this, saying there was no input.
Also, since every reporter on the Naxal beat can easily contact the
area’s top commander Kishanji over phone, it doesn’t stand to reason
why the security forces didn’t try to intercept the Naxal combatants
of whom he was a part of. Battered in recent elections, the Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee government seems scared of taking strong decisions, be
it the Maoist menace or the Gorkhaland agitation. Worse still, there
is absolute lack of accountability in the administration.
No one has yet been held responsible for the ambush on October 2009
Sankrail police station in which two policemen were gunned down while
taking an afternoon nap and the OC abducted without a semblance of a
fightback. No one is hauled up for why NREGS wages do not reach the
poor in Lalgarh. Or why the Maoists can kill at will even seven months
after the biggest security operation in Bengal.
No lessons have been learnt from the Silda massacre as well. At least
10 more police/EFR camps in Belpahari, Jamboni, Nayagram and
Gopiballavpur are in crowded areas, with locals loitering in every now
and then. The administration is yet to decide whether to move these
camps out. This indecision is making things dangerous for paramilitary
jawans loaned to the state — exposing them to attacks that can be
prevented with a little bit of coordination and intelligence sharing.
A month ago, a CRPF platoon had surrounded an armed Maoist squad in
Mohultoli forest of Goaltore — set to spring an ambush. But for the
firing order, the CRPF commander had to call up the Goaltore OC, who
called up the SP. Finally, when the order came, it was to retreat.
‘‘Such incidents have demoralized the forces,’’ said a CRPF officer.
In October last year, CRPF were barely 200 yards from Kishanji and his
core group when they were told to stand down. The Maoist leader had
forced the government to call off the forces by threatening to kill
the Sankrail OC.
The state keeps asking for more funds and more forces from Delhi, when
it cannot manage the anti-Maoist assets at its disposal. The same goes
for development plans meant to woo locals away from Maoists. The home
secretary says there are ups and downs in the fight between Maoists
and the state. For now, everything seems to be going downhill for
Bengal.
Naxals lash out at Mamata, accuse her of betrayal
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.55am IST
KOLKATA: Maoists on Tuesday severely criticized Trinamool Congress
chief and Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee, equating her with CM
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Union home minister P Chidambaram and
terming the trio as an unholy alliance.
The red rebels, who had been muted in their criticism of Mamata in the
past, are believed to have raised the ante following her recent jibes
alleging that the Maoists were hand-in-glove with the CPM.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Maoist state committee
leader Kanchan also warned of a bigger assault to obliterate Operation
Green Hunt and demanded immediate withdrawal of joint forces from
Jangalmahal.
‘‘Let us make it clear that we won’t sit idle and watch the joint
forces and CPM goons attack innocent people, rape women and loot
villagers. In the name of Operation Green Hunt, the government has
announced a war against people. Buddha, Mamata and Chidambaram are
jointly waging this war. We are ready to thwart this state-sponsored
terrorism and will strike back,’’ the statement said.
The Maoist leader accused Mamata of playing ‘‘dirty rail politics’’
for proposing a railway line through Jangalmahal. Ridiculing the spate
of inaugurations that Mamata has indulged in since taking over as
railway minister, he said: ‘‘Mamata has been inaugurating at least one
platform a day. She has been playing this cheap politics just to
capture power. She has already inaugurated Jangalmahal Express and
Birsa Express on February 13.’’ Pointing out that farmers of Singur
did not get back their land but were handed a dolly by way of a local
train called Andolan, the Maoist leader also accused Mamata of
backstabbing the people’s movement in Nandigram by bringing in the
CRPF.
With locals on their side, Maoists now striking at will
Sukumar Mahato & Arnab Ganguly, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 04.02am IST
JHARGRAM/SILDA: Five attacks on security forces in six months. Thirty-
two jawans killed, scores injured, arms looted, police patrols cowed.
On the flip side, three crackdowns on Maoist dens. Just three
suspected guerrillas killed, 190 arrested — 23 of them released to
secure the freedom of abducted Sankrail OC Atindranath Dutta.
And the biggest fish — Maoist military strategist Kishenji — still at
large.
It’s clear how the scales are tipped in the tussle between Maoists and
security forces in the tribal belt of Jangalmahal. The side that has
the locals’ support has the edge.
The Maoists started winning one battle after another after November
2008, when the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) was
formed. In January 2009, they started a police boycott in Lalgarh.
With this began a systematic elimination of police informers.
When the killing spree began, there were just 36 policemen in Lalgarh
to police 300,000 people in 300 villages. It was the local information
network that helped police in this impossible task. The guerrillas
started targeting this system. Now, police stations are under lock-and-
key and policemen don’t dare to venture out after dark even if there
is a murder.
The killings created a fear psychosis among the villagers, who
retreated into a shell, refusing to share information with police.
Occasional torture of villagers by police also turned people away from
the lawkeepers.
This strategy helped Maoists create a “liberated zone”, which
gradually spread beyond West Midnapore, to Purulia and Bankura.
The guerrillas also wooed villagers by digging wells, building roads
and setting up health centres in this underdeveloped region. This
helped them build a strong information system of their own that the
forces do not have at the moment.
The forces take a share of the blame, as well. After nine months in
the region, they are still to come to grips with the terrain. They are
not aware of the village paths that crisscross jungles. Till the first
week of February, they didn’t even venture into the jungles, say
sources, sticking to the roads for their 10 am to 3 pm patrols. In the
past two weeks, they have started going into forests.
A CRPF jawan said the situation is getting worse. “We marched into
Silda last night around 8.30 pm. Since then till this afternoon we
couldn’t even get water to drink. This is how we have been working
every day,” he said.
But there are other equally worrisome questions that remain
unanswered. Why were most of the jawans without arms? Why were the men
and women who lurked in the area for more than an hour not challenged?
Some sources claim that Kishenji himself had been keeping watch on the
Silda camp for two months.
According to a CID official, it is high time the forces went for an
“intelligence-backed guerrilla operation”. “You can beat guerrillas by
fighting like a guerrilla. It’s an ideal situation for Cobra operation
under the direct command and control of CRPF.”
vallabh india 17 Feb, 2010 04:00 PM
The government has been ignoring the problem posed by Maoists to the
internal security of the country for many years now. When the
government hs identified this problem, it is using half hearted
efforts to contain the issue from going out of hand. Weak political
will should change first.Krish India 17 Feb, 2010 03:50 PM
Naxalites are challenging Republic of India through an armed struggle
to overthrow a democratic system. There should be no statements like
"Violence should be strongly condemned but ..."pradeepganu hyderabad
17 Feb, 2010 09:28 PM
the republic of india was formed to protect basic human rights you
deny them and this is the result please wake upraghu kolkata 17 Feb,
2010 03:47 PM
As long as maoist killing the villager and threadening them,
politicians media not raised any voice and blame the ruling government
inability. At the same time when a police officer killed any maoist
then same politician making huge cry and calling public bandh and
removing the officer.hortense vaughan AusTRALIA 17 Feb, 2010 02:56 PM
it is obvious that the Maoists have won the hearts and minds of the
locals and that is why they are so successful. The police like all
Indian police are across between thugs gangsters and babus and are
being murdered because they are not liked or respected.sam petrosa 17
Feb, 2010 02:21 PM
The reporting has made Maoists villians of the society. When their
movement started, they were really peasants begging for their rights.
Now, if you keep ignoring the requests, they become demands, if you
continue to ignore demands, they become revolts. So, please address
the issues!Narendra mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 08:14 PM
i agree with uSayandip Hyderabad 17 Feb, 2010 02:14 PM
They are the desi version of L-e-T trying to destroy the harmony
within people and creating a panic in the society by their ruthless
killing of innocent police and paramilitary personels in the name of
humanity and development of the society.Sajid Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010
02:13 PM
I can't understand why the media, govt., BJP, RSS, and the common
people, don't give enough attention to the Maoist terrorism?Sai Mumbai
17 Feb, 2010 12:17 PM
Why is naxals problem a top national security threat, if so, why isn't
elite military forces are chasing naxals? If central government is
doing its job, it should have eradicated naxals problem by now. How
long we want to live with third world policies while making false
economic claims?kshitij mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 12:06 PM
the govt needs to take it seriously and give proper infrastructure to
police and CRPF to fight the naxals. Without the help of locals and
necessary political will ,the situation will get worse.Indian Kuwait
17 Feb, 2010 11:59 AM
MOIST ARE BIGGER TERRORIST THAN ANY OTHER TERRORIST ORGANISATION ???
AM
I RIGHT OR NOT ? ? ? ? ? ? THINK ?? MEDIA THINKPriya Priya 17 Feb,
2010 11:37 AM
The CPI maoists ideology should be changed according to the change in
time. The ideology is seems as it is against the development. If such
threats exists further developments in our nation will not take
placeindian del 17 Feb, 2010 11:17 AM
whipe out these maoist, dont just arrest themNAYEEM BHARAT 17 Feb,
2010 10:53 AM
Now the Policemen might be feeling the pain of the innocent people
they kill in the name of so called "Encounters"john delhi 17 Feb, 2010
10:50 AM
this is bound to happen in India. As corrouption is rampant from
politics, police, IAS, etc etc. nothing is being done by the PM,
prsident, or any political parties to stop this.
Govt tightens security to tackle Maoist bandh
TNN, Feb 6, 2010, 09.28pm IST
RANCHI/JAMSHEDPUR: The state machinery has been put on high alert in
the wake of the 72-hour bandh called by the Maoists from around
Saturday midnight in the four states of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal
and Orissa.
Over half-a-dozen trains have been cancelled while many had their
routes changed. Three trains from Ranchi division, including the New
Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, were diverted. The others were Hatia-
Jammu Tawi, Howrah-Jabalpur Shaktipunj Express and Ranchi-Banaras
Intercity Express.
To prevent any untoward incident on the Coal India Chord (CIC)
section, these trains will now go via Gomoh. Around seven passenger
trains passing through the CIC section, including Palamu Express,
Garhwa-Mughalsarai, Gomo-Barkakana and Dehri-on-Sone have been
cancelled.
Meanwhile, police claimed that foolproof security bandobast had been
made to tackle the bandh. The Maoists have called a bandh in protest
against the joint police operations being launched against them by the
four states.
"We have made necessary security arrangements to thwart any untoward
incident in the state," said Neyaz Ahmed, director-general of police.
"Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been formed while assistance has
been sought from the Railway Protection Force as railways are usually
targeted by the Maoists during bandhs called by them," he added.
"Besides, specific instructions have been issued to every district SP
while paramilitary forces will be moving deep into the jungles to
conduct long-range patrolling," said Ahmed.
In East Singhbhum district, the largely effective Maoist bandh on
Friday has forced the Kolhan administration to tighten vigil for the
next three days. The security cover includes additional deployment of
paramilitary forces, JAP commandos and district police with forces
standing guard on NH-33, connecting Jamshedpur with Ranchi, from
Friday itself.
As the authorities do not wish to take chances, the district
administration has asked the security personnel to stick to their
areas of operation for the next three days. More so as life in the
Maoist-dominated Ghatshila subdivision was completely paralyzed during
the 24-hour bandh called on Friday.
"Police patrolling on NH-33 has been intensified and paramilitary
forces asked to maintain surveillance in the vulnerable areas," said
Ashutosh Sahay, superintendent of police in-charge of Seraikela-
Kharsawan.
The areas that are likely to be hit by the bandh have been taken care
of and whatever measures were required from the point of +view of
security have been initiated to prevent violence, reiterated Anup
Virtheray, ASP of East Singhbhum.
"The GRP, along with special commandos of the railway police, will be
on board the trains passing through the Chakradharpur division and
pilot trains will guide all important trains," said Amol V Homkar,
railway SP, Tatanagar.
Cruel killer? Not me, says Maoist leader Kishenji
Caesar Mandal, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 03.56am IST
A natural leader, a shrewd fighter, a marksman, and a ruthless killer.
Kishenji, the 53-year-old media friendly guerrilla, is also the Bengal
government's worst nightmare.
Born Koteswar Rao in an Andhra village, Kishenji has spent 34 years of
his life in hiding, waging a relentless, bloody war against the state.
Giving an interview to TOI — his first in Bengal — he had claimed to
have killed 93 people. And that was a year ago. He is the mastermind
of Monday’s massacre at Silda as well. But in a soft-spoken, almost
effeminate voice, he would tell you that he isn't a cruel killer.
He describes himself as a “soft-hearted person, willing to forgive”.
“I don’t kill easily,” he tells reporters. It sounds strange coming
from someone who has an AK-56 slung across his shoulders 24x7 and
doesn't blink when pulling the trigger. It’s stranger still when you
know that he is the son of a freedom fighter.
The rebel went underground a year after the Emergency and came in
contact with CPIM(L) leaders. In 1980, he co-founded People’s War in
Andhra Pradesh, rose to being politburo member and was put in charge
of organising movements in the Telangana region — from where he hails
— and Dandakaranya.
In the early 1990s, he moved into Bihar, then a Maoist Communist
Centre of India (MCCI) stronghold.
Kishenji set about orchestrating a merger of the two radical forces.
In spite of strong differences, he succeeded in unifying PW and MCC in
2004. This brought him to the tribal belt of Bengal, where he soon
showed his aggressiveness and hunger for power.
He is accused of sidelining Maoist leaders in Bengal and expelled
several senior leaders who fell out with him. Now, he is the
undisputed Number 2 in the eastern region behind Ganpati.
Insiders say he always gets what he wants. Once, he had assaulted
Manik da, a Maoist state secretary, during a conference. He has proved
adept in using the media. He readily takes calls from journalists and
poses for the camera — face covered and with his back to the lens. On
a few occasions, journalists have heard gunshots in the background
when they caught him in the middle of an encounter.
Maoist killing spree consequence of Left's cult of violence: Congress
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.59am IST
NEW DELHI: Congress has ascribed the Maoist killing spree in Bengal to
the `cult of violence institutionalised' by the mainstream Left over
the past 30 years of its rule in the state.
"If anybody is responsible for what is happening in West Bengal it is
the communists; they institutionalised violence during the long years
of its rule," party spokesman Manish Tiwari said at a media briefing
on Wednesday.
He accused the Left of setting the `blood trail' and said there was no
way the ruling communists could run away from the `burden' of
responsibility.
Condemning the massacre of the jawans at a camp of para-military
forces in Midnapore by the armed Naxalite cadres, Tiwari traced the
genesis of ultra-Left violence to promotion of a `foreign ideology'
based on a violent programme by the communists in India.
Rejecting the recent CPM appeal to Congress to chuck Trinamool
Congress as an ally for closer ties with the Left, he said, "This view
is a reflection of an inherent insecurity within the Left; they know
their rule in Bengal is coming to an end." The state under Left rule
since 1977, is on the threshold of change, he said.
He, however, sidetracked Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's demand for
a central probe into the Maoist attack saying it was for her to
explain her stand.
At the same time, Tiwari assailed a section of the intelligentsia for
their sympathising with the ultras and finding virtue in their cause.
"We appeal to civil society to isolate those who romanticise Maoist
violence and in the process lend credibility to their barbaric act,"
he said.
Another Maoist leader arrested in Gorakhpur
TNN, Feb 15, 2010, 06.22am IST
LUCKNOW: The special task force (STF) of UP Police on Sunday morning
arrested another member of the banned outfit Communist Party of India
- Maoists (CPIM) from Gorakhpur. Loads of Maoist literature and
detailed notings of Maoists related activities were recovered from his
possession.
Additional director general of police (ADG) STF Brij Lal on Sunday
said that the arrest was made on the basis of the interrogation of 11
maoists arrested by the STF since February 6 onwards from Gorakhpur
and Allahabad. Most of the arrested accused had told the police about
one Rajendra Munda - a native of Katihar in Bihar and his movements
across Uttar Pradesh in general and districts of Gorakhpur and
Allahabad. Rajendra turned out to be the real brother of Asha, the
member incharge of central Mahila sub committee (SMSC) of CPIM who was
arrested from Gorakhpur on February 6 last.
"We recieved a tip-off that Rajendra was to meet his sister Asha -
presently lodged at Gorakhpur jail - on Sunday and thereafter leave
for Bihar. We also got collected some specifics about his background
and discovered that he was holed up in a rented accomodation somewhere
in Kanpur and the premises was also being used as a Den by the band
outfit," Brij Lal said.
On the basis of the tip-off, two STF teams were activated and they
managed to track him down on Saturday night itself. The sleuths
initially trailed him and finally picked him up on Sunday morning,
from near the Shani temple situated next to the Cantonment Railway
Halt of Gorakhpur. During sustained interrogation, Rajendra revealed
that he was slated to meet Asha at the Gorakhpur district jail on
Saturday itself but somehow the meeting did not materialised.
Rajendra also told interrogators that his Kanpur connection came into
being about a year and a half ago when Asha herself provided him a
rented house to stay. Whenever Asha or her husband Balraj (also
arrested by the STF from Allahabad recently and his seen as a senior
office bearer of Maoist's national body as well that covering four
estates including Uttranchal and Uttar Pradesh).
He also told the police that the accomodation in Kanpur was being used
as a den - the place of stay for underground naxals as referred to in
the Maoist parlance. A formal case about his arrest was lodged with
the Cantonment police station in Gorakhpur and Rajendra was sent to
jail after he was remanded to judicial custody for the next 14 days by
a Gorakhpur district court where he was produced on Sunday afternoon,
STF sources said
Cops seize Maoist documents from Red camps
TNN, Feb 6, 2010, 09.44pm IST
JAMSHEDPUR: The West Singhbhum police have seized important documents
from the CPI(Maoist) transit camps in the hilly areas of Chaibasa
subdivision on Saturday.
Paramilitary forces, together with officials of Jeraikela and
Bandhgaon police stations, busted Maoist hideouts and destroyed two
transit camps at Nuagaon village under Jeraikela police station in
Chaibasa subdivision of West Singhbhum district.
Police informed that during long range patrolling (LRP), security
personnel stumbled upon the hideouts and transit camps and immediately
called upon additional forces for the operation.
"Police were on routine LRP when they encountered the transit camps.
However, we have destroyed those and found important documents
containing Maoist information," said Shambu Kumar, additional SP, in
charge of operations in West Singhbhum.
He further informed that security personnel have also seized a pistol,
two cartridges, Maoist literature and some food stuff, besides other
documents relating to the Left-wing ultras from the site.
"No one has been arrested yet and police are atill at the site," said
the ASP.
Six killed in Maoist attack in Bihar
IANS, Feb 18, 2010, 09.09am IST
PATNA: At least six people were killed in a Maoist attack in Bihar's
Jamui district, police said on Thursday.
According to a police official, more than 100 armed Maoists late
Wednesday attacked Phulwaria village in Jamui, about 150 km from
Patna, and shot dead six villagers. The rebels also set several houses
in the village ablaze and abducted more than half a dozen villagers.
Police suspect the incident was related to the alleged killing of
eight Maoist guerrillas on February 1.
A strike was called by Maoists on Wednesday in five Bihar districts,
including Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger and Lakhisarai, to denounce
the alleged killing of guerrillas by police with the help of
villagers.
The guerrillas alleged that eight Maoists were killed by police and
their bodies dumped at an unknown place.
Govt to reassert authority in Maoist areas: Chidambaram
IANS, Jan 22, 2010, 09.16pm IST
RAIPUR: Home minister P Chidambaram declared on Friday that states had
agreed to coordinate actions against Maoist guerrillas and that the
government's goal was to reassert authority in rebel bastions.
"(Our aim is) to reassert the civil administration to be followed
immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites (Maoists)
for quite some years," Chidambaram said after a meeting with top
officials of Orissa, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh here.
"The meeting was successful. We identified progress we made... We
identified steps to be taken," the minister told reporters.
"The (anti-Maoist) operations will continue. Our goal is not to kill
anyone but to reassert the civil administration to be followed
immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites for quite
some years," he said.
Chidambaram chaired a two-hour meeting at the state secretariat with
chief ministers Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh and Navin Patnaik of
Orissa, Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil and officials of
paramilitary forces.
He said the central government was offering troops and technology to
states to take on the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-
Maoist).
"My approach to the CPI-Maoist and other such banned organisations is
that you will suspend violence and we will talk. But they are killing
people. Even yesterday they killed two boys in Chhattisgarh who
belonged to primitive tribes as they wanted to get recruited in (the
Indian) army," he said.
"The coordinated operation (against Maoists) is just a few weeks old.
The progress is satisfactory and in future it will be more
satisfactory. In many places Naxalites are retreating and we welcome
it. But in some areas they are engaged in battle," Chidambaram said.
When asked to comment on reports saying the Shibu Soren government in
Jharkhand has decided to go slow on anti-Maoist drives, he said:
"There is a new government in Jharkhand, the chief minister and other
senior officials are coming to Delhi Jan 28 to meet me on the Naxal
issue."
Chidambaram said the Indian government had no evidence of Naxals
getting external monetary help. "(There is) no evidence of Naxals
getting external monetary help though they are getting smuggled arms,"
the minister commented when asked about foreign help to Maoists.
The special meet focussed on devising strategies to fine-tune anti-
Maoist operations and take the battle to rebel hideouts in forests.
Many of the hiseouts have been protected by landmines for almost three
decades.
Government sources informed that the meet discussed "operational and
deployment details" of security forces and devised strategy so that
rebels don't manage to infiltrate neighbouring states to escape
police.
In recent months rebels from Chhattisgarh managed to sneak into
Maharashtra and Orissa and even returned to their bases once police
operations in a particular area stopped.
Chidambaram renews offer for talks with Maoists if they halt violence
IANS, Feb 9, 2010, 02.36pm IST
KOLKATA: Reiterating his offer for talks if Maoists halted violence,
home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government was forced
to continue its operations in Maoist insurgency-hit states as the
rebels had spurned previous such appeals.
"The government was forced to continue with its operation. These
operations will continue and will be followed by development of the
areas (dominated by Maoists)," Chidambaram told reporters here.
"My appeal to Naxals (as the leftwing guerrillas are known) is if you
abjure violence, that is if you call a halt to violence, we are not
asking you do anything more, we are prepared to talk to you," the
minister said.
He was in Kolkata for a meeting with top officials of West Bengal,
Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. Taking part in the meeting to discuss the
Maoist threat were the chief ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, the
two deputy chief ministers of Jharkhand and top officials of all four
states.
The home minister said the progress of the operation against
guerrillas had been "slow but steady" and cited the arrest of some key
leaders of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist to back his
claim.
"The progress is slow and steady. You cannot measure it like a cricket
match score board. In fact considerable progress has been made... We
will continue to make progress.
"Many key leaders (of Maoists) have been apprehended in the past few
months... We'll reclaim the areas dominated by Naxalites," he said.
Chidambaram said the operations had been "measured and calibrated"
with no collateral damage.
"And contrary to what sections of the media and NGOs propagated a few
months ago that there would be a massive carnage, no such thing has
happened. We have made it very clear that the purpose of these
operations is not to kill anyone.
"These are our own people, we care for them, we care for their lives.
The object is to re-establish civil administration in areas now
dominated by Naxalites. I think progress will be slow but steady," he
said.
The minister admitted that there were inadequacies in the security
offensive but added that these would be overcome.
Maoist held for Induwar killing
TNN, Feb 4, 2010, 10.19pm IST
RANCHI: Gobardhan Munda, a Maoist and wanted for the gruesome murder
of special branch inspector Francis Induwar, was arrested following a
joint operation by Khunti and Ranchi police on Wednesday night.
He was arrested with four others, including two women CPI(Maoist)
cadres, who were holed up in Munda's house at Surakocha under Arki
police station of Khunti district. Police called the arrest a major
breakthrough as Munda confessed to being part of the plot to kill
Induwar. The SB inspector was abducted and beheaded on September 30,
last year.
"He was part of the Maoist team, which decided to execute Induwar
after the latter's abduction and was responsible in shifting bases as
the police teams were zeroing in on them," said Khunti superintendent
of police Asim Vikrant Minz.
"Munda had even offered food to Induwar when he was in their custody
and on the evening the group, led by Kundan Pahan, decided to execute
him, he was there to give his approval," said the SP.
The others arrested included Madhav Munda, Birsa Munda and female
Maoists, Kurwani and Jayanti. Police found Naxalite literature and
CPI(Maoist) recruitment receipts from Munda's house, too.
During interrogation, Munda confessed to several other crimes executed
by the Kundan Pahan-led group, provided important information about
the group and also named several Maoists, who were part of the group.
Sources said the Maoist even admitted that due to mounting police
pressure on the Kundan Pahan-led group of the CPI(Maoist) on the
Ranchi-Khunti border, the group has shifted base to the border areas
of Ranchi and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.
Sid Harth
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 02.33am IST
NEW DELHI: Investigators on Wednesday dismissed claims made by two
obscure groups — Lashkar-e-Taiba al Alami (International) and Indian
Mujahideen Kashmir — claiming responsibility for the blast at German
Bakery in Pune.
Referring to the claims, a top security official said, “We have
verified all the relevant details. It has no value”.
While the first claim was made through an SMS to a media house from a
Pakistani phone number attributing the blast to Indian Mujahideen
Kashmir, the second was made by one Abu Jindal, who introduced himself
as the spokesperson of LeT al Alami.
Jindal had called the Islamabad correspondent of an Indian newspaper,
claiming that the Pune attack was carried out by sleeper cells of the
group in India in protest against India’s refusal to put J&K on the
agenda of the coming talks with Pakistan and its “alliance” with the
United States.
The official said, “Such claims have no value from investigation point
of view. It could be a red herring to distract attention from the
actual perpetrators.”
Meanwhile, nearly 40 persons have been detained and are being
questioned in different cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and
Hampi in connection with the blast.
Although investigators remained tight-lipped about the probe, a home
ministry official on Wednesday hinted that sleuths expected a major
“breakthrough” “very soon” as they were on the “right track”.
“Outcome of the ongoing investigation continues to hint at the role of
groups initially suspected for the terror incident — Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT)-Indian Mujahideen (IM) combo with American jihadi David Coleman
Headley’s footprints under their ‘Karachi Project’ plot”, said the
official.
All the detentions, including of four Kashmiri youth in Hampi in
Karnataka, have been made on the basis of local intelligence, calls
records as well as whatever “little information” sleuths could get
from the CCTV footage having images of activities on North Main Road,
the German Bakery’s entrance.
Technical teams of security agencies have so far examined around 1.10
lakh calls traced from cell towers near the Bakery in Koregaon Park
area.
Headley — who has been in jail since October last year — had twice
visited Osho Ashram near German Bakery during 2008-09, once before the
26/11 attacks in 2008 and then in March, 2009.
His interrogation report, shared by FBI with India, mentioned an ISI-
sponsored ‘Karachi Project’ aimed at involving fugitive Indian jihadis
and serving and retired officers of Pakistan army for carrying out
attacks against India.
Officials strongly suspect the Pune incident to be part of the same
design, carried out by LeT through IM comprising local people.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-rubbishes-Pune-blast-claims/articleshow/5585897.cms
India4 Kashmiris among 40 detained in Pune probe
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.20am IST
BELLARY/BANGALORE: Four Kashmiri youths have been taken into custody
in Hampi in connection with the February 13 explosion in Pune that
left 11 persons dead. The detention was made by a team of the
Maharashtra police near Virupapura Gaddi locality.
The Pune blast site was littered with handicrafts items, leading the
Mumbai police to Hampi. The four Kashmiris are sellers of handicrafts.
The police are looking for three other persons, according to sources.
Dozens of other detentions have been made in Bangalore, Mumbai and
Pune on the basis of intelligence, call records and whatever ‘little
information’ sleuths could glean from the CCTV footage containing
images of activities on North Main Road, where the German Bakery’s
entrance is located.
But superintendent of police Seemanth Kumar Singh denied the arrest of
anybody in connection with the Pune blast. Another SP, Ishwarchandra
Vidyasagar, told TOI no arrest or detentions had been made. “Neither
we nor any other state police force has arrested or detained
anyone.’’
The Maharashtra police team inspected various cyber cafes in Hampi, a
popular haunt for foreign tourists. They questioned some foreigners,
and enquired with the local police and hotel owners about people who
had booked rooms for a week and left in a hurry. The police have
visited some of the villages surrounding Hampi. More than 40 hotels
catering to foreign tourists are located in Hampi.
Three years ago, a suspected terrorist, Bilal, from Kashmir, was
arrested in Bangalore. An LeT operative, he had planned to attack the
Bengaluru International Airport and Wipro and Infosys offices.
Omer Farooq Khan, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 02.40am IST
PESHAWAR: The claim by unknown outfit — Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Alami —
from Waziristan in Pakistan’s lawless tribal northwest that it carried
the Pune attack may have added a sinister al-Qaida dimension to
Saturday’s attack, Pakistani observers say.
‘‘There are a number of Punjabi militants in the area (Waziristan).
They are following an al-Qaida agenda of targeting the US and its
allies, such as Israel and India,’’ a North Waziristan-based
intelligence official said. ‘‘But the name Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Alami
(international) had never surfaced before.’’
The al-Alami group has, in fact, come as a surprise for local
intelligence agencies, who have so far failed to trace the group in
the volatile tribal region.
The purported al-Alami spokesman from Miranshah in North Waziristan
had also insisted that the outfit had splintered from the LeT because
it took orders from Pakistan’s intelligence agency — the ISI.
Pakistan’s lawless tribal northwest, including Waziristan, have over
the years served as a sanctuary for different militants outfits. Many
former LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders joined hands with the
Pakistani Taliban and found safe heaven in the region after former
Pakistan president cracked down on these outfits after the Parliament
attack.
Jaish founder Maulana Masood Azhar was believed to have fled to the
tribal areas after the 26/11 attacks when Pakistan arrested several
LeT operatives and put Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief and alleged 26/11
mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, under house arrest.
India must accept Kashmir as 'core dispute': Hafiz Saeed
PTI, Feb 17, 2010, 06.11pm IST
ISLAMABAD: JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, on
Wednesday said India must accept Kashmir as a "core dispute" if it
wants to restore confidence in the dialogue with Pakistan.
"India has never had a sincere interest in opening dialogue. When they
do, it is because of national interest. If India wants to restore
confidence in opening dialogue with Pakistan, then India must accept
Kashmir as a core dispute," Saeed told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news
channel.
Jamaat-ud-Dawah is the front organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is
accused by India of executing the 26/11 strikes that killed 166
people, including foreigners.
He also said allegations against him of plotting attacks in India are
"baseless".
On Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the Mumbai carnage,
Saeed claimed he had never seen him. "I never saw him [Kasab]. In
fact, it was from media in India that I discovered he was a Pakistani
national.”
"I have never met Kasab nor have I ever known him and I have said this
on many occasions. This is baseless propaganda without an iota of
truth," he said.
sundeep nigeria 17 Feb, 2010 07:10 PM
Kashmir is integral part of india. The H.M has cleared this in last
statement, if people from POK want to come india to leave miserable
life and join india with non violence is always welcome. you may not
know kasab, but you know ISI and Laqvi the mind behind mumbai
carnage.Ram Bkr 17 Feb, 2010 07:09 PM
It's really a waste of time engaging in talks with Pakistan if Kashmir
is the topic.Kashmir is a closed chapter it's been a year after the
26/11 attack and Pakistan has done nothing to improve ties.India
should deal with Pakistan gun for gun that's only policy Pakistan will
understand.M.Murli UAE 17 Feb, 2010 07:05 PM
Tell him to get lost and vacate POK.India considers the whole of
Kashmir as Indian territory everSach Uk 17 Feb, 2010 08:32 PM
Agree! They can't manage their own bloody country Pakistan. I suggest,
take half Pakistan too on basis of human rights violation of innocent
people getting pulled into jihad. Best idea, get 1/4 of India's
population migrated there, problem solved.Shaikh Srinagar 17 Feb, 2010
08:06 PM
what makes u believe that whole kashmir is your ancestral property.
your govt has never been serious in getting back "PoK"Indian India 17
Feb, 2010 09:31 PM
Kashmir is the cradleUmesh USA 17 Feb, 2010 10:56 PM
That exactly is the problem - Indian government has been too weak and
impotent about getting back PoK. But that does not mean PoK is part of
Pakistan.ashish patna 17 Feb, 2010 10:01 PM
india never showed seriousness in taking PoK by terrorism (though
india has enough means to do so). This only shows that India is honest
country. It does not want to disturb other people, but make life happy
for its own.ashish patna 17 Feb, 2010 09:54 PM
it was ruled by a hindu ruler, and all names r hindu names : for
example srinagar , does not have urdu or arabic origin. hence kashmir
is ancestral property of all hindus living in india. sufism only came
later on. so if we go by ancestry, yes, it belongs to india.Ripon
Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:03 PM
Hats off to U Hafees Sayed. U have the gutsrocky usa 17 Feb, 2010
08:58 PM
ripon where are u from pakistan then please leave bangaloreSRK
bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:03 PM
With what authority does Hafiz Sayeed make such comments? Is he an
official spokesperson for Pakistan? In either case India does not talk
nor is interested in having a dialog with terrorists.asd asd 17 Feb,
2010 07:02 PM
We don't we assassinate him???RAJAT DELHI 17 Feb, 2010 07:01 PM
This is a good development for India. Now we see Hafiz has started
talking like PM/president of pakistan.jude pakistan 17 Feb, 2010 06:58
PM
This is Fantastic. A knowm terrorist talking about peace. Why does't
he realize that terrorism doesn't really translate into peace. He
should be ashamed of calling himself a muslim firstly and secondly
denounce terrorism for even pakistan to acknowledge what he has to
say.Mahi Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 06:57 PM
What JuD chief Hafiz Saeed saying is correct, but can he guarantee
that they will stop attacks on India if we accept dialogue with
Pakistan. Why is he not talking about that? Please do not talk on
endless issues with media.Amit Bombay 17 Feb, 2010 06:54 PM
I agree India must accept Kashmir as a core dispute. But what after
that? Does Hafeez Saeed have any solution of Kashmir issue except his
whining for liberation of Kashmir from India? Does he really aware of
demographics of Jammu and Kashmir?Manoj Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 06:47 PM
Who the hell this moron is and what is his locas standy on India Pak
Matters?indian India 17 Feb, 2010 06:43 PMA Bullet Should be shot
right at his forehead.rossi mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 06:36 PM
Terrorists like hafiz saeed, illiyaz kashmiri and others are like
dogs.They know they cant bite, for fear of castration and eventual
annihilation, that is precisely why they just keep barking, because
barking doesn't do them any harm.These dogs cant fight it out in the
open and hence this propogandaharry Birmingham 17 Feb, 2010 08:50 PM
India should not waste any time to enter daalogue with Pakistan
Government as they are not in controland Ignore the terrorist
Hafeez.pa Pune 17 Feb, 2010 08:49 PM
Core of dispute is Mr. Hafiz Sayeed, the moment he is handed over lot
of ice between two country will melt.artt bglr 17 Feb, 2010 08:45 PM
why is pakistan not honouring the UN ceasefire resolultion of vacating
POK?AD Sydney 17 Feb, 2010 08:39 PM
This fellow Hafiz Saeed can only point finger against India or make
some anti India comment. One side they are sending some intruders and
other side you are talking about disputes. These people never come up
with solutions. TOI stop covering this kind of news. Just waste of
time hearing all this.Kumar Singapore 17 Feb, 2010 08:34 PM
I humbly request TOI not to publish such articles/ interviews.... He
is neither the PM/ President nor any minister in the Pak Government to
get any attention.He has himself claimed he is running a charitable
organization.Let him concentrate on it and stop meddling on our
Internal affairs.Subramanian Canada 17 Feb, 2010 08:28 PM
This type of threatining messages or empty talks are baseless and
Kashmir will never be surrendered to Pakistan and is an integral part
of India.Sahil Qatar 17 Feb, 2010 08:27 PM
I dont know why TOI gives so much importance to this Hafeez Sayeed by
puting his stupid comments on the net.Ritvik Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 08:27
PM
lol
Indian india 17 Feb, 2010 08:26 PM
To me he is an idiot and our news channels are even worse who are
covering his news.Kalki SEA 17 Feb, 2010 08:21 PM
This is a looney terrorist making demands and suggestions. The Indian
army should shoot this lunatic like a dog. JuD and Pakistan better
know that Kashmir belongs to India and they better believe.
AP Toronto 17 Feb, 2010 08:21 PM
Look at this. TOI is putting what the terrorist leader says on the
front page. The message is it does not matter what the Pakistan Govt
says...India has to deal with the terrorists!anindian USA 17 Feb, 2010
08:20 PM
Why should we have this as headline, such media news make these
killers a hero and youth tend to follow them. Wake up Indian media,
you have the power use it responsibily.CARETAKER World 17 Feb, 2010
08:19 PM
India must NOT accept Kashmir as the "core dispute"mann India 17 Feb,
2010 08:52 PM
Beaware this time Pakistan is playing in a very planned and
intelligent way.. On one hand they are saying they want peace and want
to talk with India... and on the other hand they are asking there
brother terrorist to attack on India and claim the reponsibilities
publicly...chanks sindh 17 Feb, 2010 08:15 PM
Wrong. The issue is between religious fanaticism VERSUS secularism.
The former (country for muslims - Sunni only??? - to exclusion of all
others) having already failed in Pakistan.Devesh India 17 Feb, 2010
08:14 PM
The illegal occupation of POK by Pakistan is a cause of concern to the
whole world, as it is used by Pakistan to aid and abate terrorism. POK
should be integrated with India for world peace and regional
prosperity. It's time to formulate a strategy for the release of POK
from Pakistan.sonu Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 08:12 PM
Come on India, pick up some honesty for the sake of a people that has
lived under the shadow of gun for last 4 decades. May God grant us
some honesty.Manik Kenya 17 Feb, 2010 08:12 PM
India is one. There is no existence of Afganistan, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Burma in the divine map of the world.vj London 17 Feb,
2010 08:09 PM
All india needs is a strong policy on its geographical matters, if we
say that Kashmir is our own, when are we going to take it back?after
its rotten?minds drainded??? Russia can kick georgia and liberate the
provinces even it wasn't their own. why can't we kick some and get our
land.Rajiv Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 08:07 PM
IGNORE THEMAnil Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 08:07 PMAnd what will they do
with Kashmir, make it another Waziristan? They should accept, their
own ability to govern is hopeless. Anytime the army chief has a change
of mind, the country is thrown in turmoil. They negotiate US for
education and infrastructure in return of getting hunting
terrorists.Ramachandra Australia 17 Feb, 2010 08:06 PM
Tell this do-koudi-ka terrorist to get lost..Brahmos Mumbai 17 Feb,
2010 08:05 PM
Though the talks about terrorist attacks bring no proper response and
talks about Kashmir is irrelevent, India can still engage in talks
about another matter. i.e about new films from sharukh, Salman and
Saif ali khans. Certainly this will help in managing somewhat good
status with the rogue Pak.Rajib Kolkata 17 Feb, 2010 08:04 PM
Neither Pakistan nor any Paki like Hafiz merits attention of Indian
people. This fellow is an insignificant creature just to grab
attraction.V uk 17 Feb, 2010 08:04 PM
It is indeed a core issues for India as well. We really need to take
PoK back.Puroorva Montreal 17 Feb, 2010 08:01 PM
If India is a secular state then why should its right only extend to
hindu majority states only ?mahesh bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:59 PM
Israel will help us in killing this (Hafiz sayeed) the unofficial PM/
President of Pakistan.This guy deserves a Kick Jotendra India 17 Feb,
2010 07:58 PM
Probably government of India wants the pakistan government honor
nishan-e-pakistan and hence proposing for talks even though pakistan
bombs us day in and day out.Amazing country we are. Our press too will
compete for the award nishan-e-pakistan for their support to pakistani
crickters for IPL.Arun Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 07:54 PM
No point listening to such non-sense. India should close all business/
cultural/sports ties with them. India should close all Samjhauta
Express kind of trains and Buses because these are the vehicles of
smuggling of arms, drugs and counterfeit currency.Jagdish Mumbai 17
Feb, 2010 07:54 PM
What to say about law and order just hang KasabCitiizen Bangalore 17
Feb, 2010 07:52 PM
Oh man... what a pathetic state. Now we have listen to this killer
godly advice.Shaji India 17 Feb, 2010 07:52 PM
It seems that Pakistan has appointed him the spokesperson. By the way
who he is.sridhar Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:49 PM
is he represents pakistan, I am not surprisedkundan Mumbai 17 Feb,
2010 07:42 PM
Now a terrorist will direct a country !!!Naveed India 17 Feb, 2010
07:35 PM
Yes, India must include Kashmir issue with Pakistan in their dialogue
this time. Our country must make it clear that this talks are final to
the Kashmir issue and Pakistan must stop interfering or let the Azad
Kashmir merge with Jjotendra Indai 17 Feb, 2010 07:33 PM
we are more concerned about Pakistani welfare than our welfare. We are
more supportive if PAkistani cricketers are not in IPL and care a damn
for our hockey players.Our press, government is supportive for
Pakistani players than our players. surrender to pakistan for more
happinessIndian India 17 Feb, 2010 09:09 PM
Learn something from Mossad and covertly assassinate all this poison
tongued, double speaking, unethical terrorists responsible for 26/11,
IC-814, Parliament attack, Mumbai 7/11 blast and Kashmir insurgency.
As the saying goes in Hindi "Laatoon ke bhoot Baatoon se nahin
maantey."maheshB Pennsylvania 17 Feb, 2010 07:32 PM
I am not as sure as this hate-monger is, however, it is absolutely
imperative that the government of India better get this Kashmir thorn
out of the way. I say so, so that Indians could continue progression
boldly and peacefully. Prime Minister Singh, are you listening?Indian
India 17 Feb, 2010 07:32 PM
Why doesnt the govt launch covert operations to finish off these
terrorists?Lets pay them back in the same coin but the pseudo secular
Congress will never do that.After all India is ruled by an
Italianrajesh nigeria 17 Feb, 2010 07:29 PM
now the whole world will recognise the official spokesperson of the
democratcially selected pakistani govt.PSV USA 17 Feb, 2010 07:23 PM
Ha! They can barely manage what they got begging from India in 1947
and forget about managing anything in POK and now they want more!Rocky
usa 17 Feb, 2010 09:06 PM
I think this is never ending war. the people like laskhar and jud are
high school bullies who have power . they will be never be happy
wether kashmir is with india or pak. THis people are like cancer which
will never have peace for the poor and innocent people of kashmir. we
just have to kill themkarim Dubai 17 Feb, 2010 08:59 PM
Where on earth do these people come from and who gives them the
authority to decide about issues of another country.sanjay chennai 17
Feb, 2010 08:55 PM
wht Saeed has said is d truth.Kashmir is d core issue of dispute. If
it is our integral part, den why d hell every1 is beating around d
bush on disSA Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 09:18 PM
Nothing more left than to read what a terrorist says thinks and
wants....Indian India 17 Feb, 2010 09:32 PM
I completely agree with Hafiz Saeed that Kashmir is the "core
dispute"Ramamurthi India 17 Feb, 2010 09:36 PM
It is now very clear and confirmed from the statement of Saeed, that
the government in Pakistan is run by terrorists backed by the ISI. I
think India should talk to the ISI and the representatives of
terorrists, Mr.R.mallik of the government,and one from its army. This
will be more fruitful.
Sid Harth
Bachi Karkaria, 17 February 2010, 07:18 PM IST
Poo-nah became Pu-nay. Along the way, the hobbling pensioner town
turned into a dancing, trancing, blond sanyasin, and then a preening
IT girl.
Getting on the map now also means getting into the jihadi's
crosshairs. Pune recently learnt that there are many ways of being
global. Just as Mumbai did, or Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, or any in
that bloodied litany.
In the simpler 'Poonah' times, if you were a Parsi growing up in
Bombay, you treated this salubrious little town as your 'monsoon
capital' much as the Presidency colonials had done. You played amidst
the ancient trees in your getaway bungalow, pigged out on high teas at
the Club, or later, in as obligatory rite of passage, varroomed up the
ghats on daredevil motorcycles.
But even in faraway Calcutta, the loveliest mothers of my friends had
all been 'Poona girls'. Little did we know of its Peshwa glory, its
literary fame. Less did we care. 'Poonah' was a state of mind before
the big C's of commerce and concrete ate into the idyll with
carcinogenic greed. And ruined the climate too.
Saturday's terrorists targeted German Bakery for obvious reasons. But
the choice went deeper than they realized. Biscuits and bread are the
one surviving link between Poona and Pune. They have held their own in
balmy town, in font of instant nirvana and, arguably, even in the
global hub of IT.
In 1988, German Bakery had risen like a nine-grain loaf, and made a
lot of dough for the Teutonic 'Woody' and his Indian partner, 'Nanu',
who earlier sold cigarettes outside the nearby Rajneesh ashram. But
right since 1955, Poona had meant Shrewsbury biscuits from Kayani's.
It still does, provided its crusty owner is in the mood to sell you
some.
Call it cantankerous Irani eccentricity or shrewd marketing move,
limited supply means unlimited yearning. A mythology has grown around
these sugary, buttery discs. Like Tarun Tahiliani's annual Sale, so
with Kayani's daily sales, it is rumoured that you had to queue up at
dawn, because the coveted confections are sold out within minutes.
The current Mr Irani ticked off a friend who couldn't get his order of
five kilos. He grumpily told him, "If you don't eat my Shrewsbury's
biscuits, you'll die or what?"
German Bakery too became a must-have not only among the multinational
ashramites in multiple shades of maroon, but also among the newly
sprouted Indian acolytes of moong-bean salads. It catalysed another
avatar of Pune, as a health-food cornucopia, dispensing everything
from Trikaya Farms' broccoli to Karen Anand's persimmon and passion-
fruit preserves.
Yes, German Bakery grew to be as legendary as Kayani. Or as Leo's was
in Mumbai, and with the same cachet of scruffy global.
We had descended on it early last year in a boisterous and incongruous
horde. In our flamboyant silks, we had stood out - and elbowed out -
the beads-and-batik regulars. We had driven up to Pune for our
colleague Nina's wedding, and had decided to propitiate this local
icon in the free hour between the church ceremony and the reception at
the nearby Don Bosco Youth Centre.
Nina now lives in Tennessee, but her parents stay across the road in
Koregaon Park. Last Saturday night, i called them in trepidation.
Mercifully, Anne and Dominic had suffered nothing more traumatic than
blown-out window panes.
Pune, like a generation, has moved from hippie to yuppie. My nieces,
both BPO babes, prefer to hang out at Hard Rock Café. Osho's ashram
was never the same after his departure to California (which he always
said was 'more spiritual than the Himalaya'). And the German Bakery's
celebrated bread was never the same after the departure of the German
Woody.
But the blast could reinstate the cafe in a way no one would have
wanted. Fame, as we keep finding out, is a four-letter word.
Alec Smart said: "Civil society has come into its own. Now let's have
civil individuals."
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/erratica/entry/pune-on-my-mind
bademiyansubhanallah
Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 15:22 IST
Zeenews Bureau
Kolkata: Admitting serious security lapses, West Bengal Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Thursday appointed a panel to probe into
the recent Naxal attack on Shilda police camp in the West Midnapore
district of the state.
Addressing a press conference in the state capital, the Chief Minister
said, “There was a security lapse, I must say. There was breach in
preparedness and lack of alertness that led to the killing of 24
Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) jawans by Maoists in West Midnapore
district.”
Although the Chief Minister refused to make further comments on the
incident, he informed that a high-level commission has been appointed
by the government to find the loopholes.
“I shall and I must not comment on the incident till the inquiry is
over. I decided to order an enquiry since we want to know the whole
truth. We have appointed a commission to probe every aspect of the
Naxal attack that occurred recently, ” he added.
“We need to know if there was an intelligence failure ahead of the
attack. We also need to know what the security forces were doing when
the camp was attacked. We will conduct an inquiry and check if we had
prior intelligence input on the Naxal attack,” he added.
Elaborating on the issue, Buddhadeb said, “The commission will find
out as to what was their (Naxals) modus operandi. How they reached the
area and what was our response to them.”
He also assured that appropriate "action" would be taken against
senior officers if they were found lax.
While welcoming the central investigating teams for a fact finding
mission to West Bengal, the Chief Minister said, “We have absolutely
no problem in working with the teams constituted by the Ministry of
Home Affairs. The central teams are most welcome in Shilda.”
The West Bengal government has come under Centre’s scanner for failing
to prevent what could be termed as the worst and biggest ever
offensive by the banned ultras.
The admission by the state government came a day after an outraged
Centre slammed the Left Front government expressing dismay at the
"unprofessional, incompetent, untrained and inadequate" response of
the state police force to the Maoist attack on Monday evening.
At least 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed in
a deadly strike by Naxals on their camp at Shilda in West Midnapore
district.
http://www.zeenews.com/news605063.html
Rahul Gandhi's 'poor NREGA performer' generates maximum jobs
Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 13:22 IST
Purulia: Purulia district in West Bengal, where Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi had said, people are worse off than those in Orissa's poorest
Kalahandi area, has since turned the corner.
The district has provided maximum jobs under NREGA in West Bengal
making a dramatic turnaround ever since Rahul ticked it off as the
worst NREGA performer.
Purulia has provided the highest number of 39 days of employment to
1.49 lakh families till December last year. A total of 1319 families
have got 100 days of jobs, district administration officials said.
"Around Rs 70.19 crore has been spent behind wage and durable assets
creation. It was achieved by a team work of administrative officials,
political functionaries and demand for work by the villagers,"
district magistrate of Purulia Avanindra Singh told a news agency.
"Planning, fast payment of wages, transparency, regular monitoring,
awareness building among villagers by government and civil society
groups and innovation has brought the achievement," he said.
Purulia is chronically plagued with poverty, Maoist insurgency and its
high percentage of backward and tribal population is prone to
migration of people for work.
Gandhi had visited the district in April 2009 for an election
campaign.
PTI
http://www.zeenews.com/news605044.html
Poor police leadership enabled Maoist attack in Bengal
Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 10:02 IST
Kolkata: Weak intelligence and communication networks, lack of
alertness, and poor security made the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR)
camp at Silda in West Bengal a sitting duck for Maoist attacks, say
security experts.
Two days after the daring Maoist attack on the West Midnapore district
camp left 24 EFR personnel and a civilian dead, questions were being
asked about the role of the camp commandant and the top officials
responsible for planning the security details.
"It is not a failure of the jawans. The question that should be asked
is why there was no fencing around the camp? And why there was no
check post or adequate number of well-armed guards?" asked retired
intelligence chief of West Bengal police Amiya Samanta.
"Those responsible for the planning should take the blame. The top
officials should have visited the camp earlier to see the conditions
in which the 50 jawans lived. Proper electricity and putting up
adequate number of check posts are the basic infrastructural and
security requirements," Samanta told a news agency.
"It's a leadership failure. The camp was set up in a sensitive area,
yet even the normal security measures were not there," he said.
Commenting on the lack of coordination, he said the force should have
been alerted when the authorities received inputs on chances of a
terrorist attack and people gathering in areas close to the camp.
"They should have set up a proper communication and intelligence
network. Gathering inputs is one thing, and using it to pre-empt such
actions on the part of the enemy is another. For this, you need a good
communication network."
"But the intelligence network was weak. Plus, there was no
coordination between the intelligence agencies and the forces,"
Samanta said.
He said the officers had also failed to build a network of common
people who would have supplied information.
"We are not working in enemy territory. We are in our own territory.
There should have been a proper network of commoners for receiving
intelligence," he said.
Pointing to the fact that the EFR troopers were not locals of Silda,
Samanta said: "Some of them may not even know the local language. So
local officers should be there. They can collect information and guide
the forces."
Chayan Mukherjee, a retired additional director general of the state
police, wondered how so many Maoists could gather at a particular spot
in the daytime.
"I don't know how so many of the ultras could gather there. Was there
any alert issued? What is more important is that there was no counter
attack though the forces got two-three hours for it," Mukherjee, also
a former top officer of the police intelligence wing, told the
agency.
However, he did not agree that the choice of the site for the camp was
wrong. "It is strategically connected to Bankura, Binpur and Barikul.
Maoists had also killed people in the area."
But he felt the officers should have conducted a recce of the camp and
enhanced its protection.
Another former senior police officer said that the commandant of the
camp should have taken up the issue of his men's security with the
higher officers.
IANS
Kolkata: Weak intelligence and communication networks, lack of
alertness, and poor security made the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR)
camp at Silda in West Bengal a sitting duck for Maoist attacks, say
security experts.
Two days after the daring Maoist attack on the West Midnapore district
camp left 24 EFR personnel and a civilian dead, questions were being
asked about the role of the camp commandant and the top officials
responsible for planning the security details.
"It is not a failure of the jawans. The question that should be asked
is why there was no fencing around the camp? And why there was no
check post or adequate number of well-armed guards?" asked retired
intelligence chief of West Bengal police Amiya Samanta.
"Those responsible for the planning should take the blame. The top
officials should have visited the camp earlier to see the conditions
in which the 50 jawans lived. Proper electricity and putting up
adequate number of check posts are the basic infrastructural and
security requirements," Samanta told a news agency.
"It's a leadership failure. The camp was set up in a sensitive area,
yet even the normal security measures were not there," he said.
Commenting on the lack of coordination, he said the force should have
been alerted when the authorities received inputs on chances of a
terrorist attack and people gathering in areas close to the camp.
"They should have set up a proper communication and intelligence
network. Gathering inputs is one thing, and using it to pre-empt such
actions on the part of the enemy is another. For this, you need a good
communication network."
"But the intelligence network was weak. Plus, there was no
coordination between the intelligence agencies and the forces,"
Samanta said.
He said the officers had also failed to build a network of common
people who would have supplied information.
"We are not working in enemy territory. We are in our own territory.
There should have been a proper network of commoners for receiving
intelligence," he said.
Pointing to the fact that the EFR troopers were not locals of Silda,
Samanta said: "Some of them may not even know the local language. So
local officers should be there. They can collect information and guide
the forces."
Chayan Mukherjee, a retired additional director general of the state
police, wondered how so many Maoists could gather at a particular spot
in the daytime.
"I don't know how so many of the ultras could gather there. Was there
any alert issued? What is more important is that there was no counter
attack though the forces got two-three hours for it," Mukherjee, also
a former top officer of the police intelligence wing, told the
agency.
However, he did not agree that the choice of the site for the camp was
wrong. "It is strategically connected to Bankura, Binpur and Barikul.
Maoists had also killed people in the area."
But he felt the officers should have conducted a recce of the camp and
enhanced its protection.
Another former senior police officer said that the commandant of the
camp should have taken up the issue of his men's security with the
higher officers.
IANS
http://www.zeenews.com/news604991.html
Bodies of slain EFR jawans handed over to relatives
Updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 15:56 IST
Midnapore (WB): Heart-rending scenes were witnessed when bodies of the
24 EFR jawans, killed in Monday's deadly Maoist strike, were handed
over to their relatives for last rites Wednesday at Salua camp, near
Jhargram in West Bengal.
Earlier, Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) battalions gave a gun salute to
the slain jawans late last night in the presence of five ministers
from the West Bengal Government
Wreaths were placed on the coffins wrapped in the Tricolour at the
Salua camp of the state force.
State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, who along with four other
ministers faced angry demonstration by relatives of the deceased
jawans last night, announced compensation of Rs 15 lakh for each of
the families of the dead, a job for a family member and salary due for
the remaining part of their service period.
Dasgupta pacified the agitated crowd by assuring that steps would be
taken to strengthen security of the Salua camp by erecting high
boundary walls and barbed wire fencing.
Meanwhile, forensic experts today collected samples of splinters and
cartridges from the burnt camp at Shilda. A bomb disposal squad also
visited the site which was still being cleared of rubble.
Anti-Naxal strategy to be reworked post Bengal attack The condition of
one of the four injured EFR jawans admitted to hospital was still
critical, police said.
All shops and markets, schools and colleges remained closed and no
transport was seen on the roads.
PTI
Anti-Naxal strategy to be reworked post Bengal attack
Updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 10:29 IST
New Delhi/Kolkata: With circumstances pointing to the fact that the
latest Maoist attack in West Bengal – that led to the killing of 24
jawans - was all but waiting to happen, the Centre and the state
government seem to have woken up to the need to review their anti-
Naxal strategy.
It has emerged that the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda, West
Midnapore had no sentries to guard the entrances; there were no
watchtowers; the surrounding fence had one entire side missing; was
located in the premises of a health centre in a crowded marketplace;
and even had a toilet meant for use by the public – a perfect recipe
for the Maoists to come and over-run the camp.
The 24 jawans of the paramilitary force had perished without giving a
fight as 100-odd Maoists, who came on motorcycles and four-wheelers,
swamped the camp with grenades and automatic fire.
The jawans were only sitting ducks for the attackers, as their weapons
were not in reach and some of them were not even in uniform.
According to officials, most of the over 50 jawans present at the camp
were either "whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen" at the time of the attack. What made matters worse was the
fact that the jawans had not been taught the basics of guerrilla
warfare.
The camp’s leader, a sub-inspector rank officer, was also away when
his colleagues came under attack.
Even Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has expressed shock at the
lapses, telling a newspaper: “If a police camp becomes a picnic spot,
such a thing is bound to happen.”
Related StoriesWB govt orders inquiry into deadly Maoist attackBodies
of slain EFR jawans handed over to relativesMaoist attack has
strengthened resolve to fight them: PranabOfficials in the Home
Ministry described the entire incident as a case of pure
"unprofessionalism", saying the state police failed to secure the camp
while fully knowing it was vulnerable to such attacks.
Home Minister P Chidambaram too yesterday admitted that there had been
lapses in the Silda camp attack
West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has already admitted that
there was an “intelligence failure”. State DGP Bhupinder Singh too
acknowledged there were “lapses”.
The state government is also due to submit a detailed report on the
attack to the Centre today.
“The Union Home Secretary has asked for a detailed report from us. We
will send it by Wednesday. There might be an intelligence failure on
the part of the police,” Sen said.
Meanwhile, investigations so far into the attack have hinted that the
Maoists who attacked the camp came from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,
while Lalgarh units gave them “local support”. There are also reports
of the attack squad consisting of women fighters.
The final toll in the attack stands at 25 as a villager also died
after being caught in the cross-fire during Monday’s attack.
Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi/Kolkata: With circumstances pointing to the fact that the
latest Maoist attack in West Bengal – that led to the killing of 24
jawans - was all but waiting to happen, the Centre and the state
government seem to have woken up to the need to review their anti-
Naxal strategy.
It has emerged that the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda, West
Midnapore had no sentries to guard the entrances; there were no
watchtowers; the surrounding fence had one entire side missing; was
located in the premises of a health centre in a crowded marketplace;
and even had a toilet meant for use by the public – a perfect recipe
for the Maoists to come and over-run the camp.
The 24 jawans of the paramilitary force had perished without giving a
fight as 100-odd Maoists, who came on motorcycles and four-wheelers,
swamped the camp with grenades and automatic fire.
The jawans were only sitting ducks for the attackers, as their weapons
were not in reach and some of them were not even in uniform.
According to officials, most of the over 50 jawans present at the camp
were either "whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen" at the time of the attack. What made matters worse was the
fact that the jawans had not been taught the basics of guerrilla
warfare.
The camp’s leader, a sub-inspector rank officer, was also away when
his colleagues came under attack.
Even Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has expressed shock at the
lapses, telling a newspaper: “If a police camp becomes a picnic spot,
such a thing is bound to happen.”
Maoist attack has strengthened resolve to fight them: PranabOfficials
in the Home Ministry described the entire incident as a case of pure
"unprofessionalism", saying the state police failed to secure the camp
while fully knowing it was vulnerable to such attacks.
Home Minister P Chidambaram too yesterday admitted that there had been
lapses in the Silda camp attack
West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has already admitted that
there was an “intelligence failure”. State DGP Bhupinder Singh too
acknowledged there were “lapses”.
The state government is also due to submit a detailed report on the
attack to the Centre today.
“The Union Home Secretary has asked for a detailed report from us. We
will send it by Wednesday. There might be an intelligence failure on
the part of the police,” Sen said.
Meanwhile, investigations so far into the attack have hinted that the
Maoists who attacked the camp came from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,
while Lalgarh units gave them “local support”. There are also reports
of the attack squad consisting of women fighters.
The final toll in the attack stands at 25 as a villager also died
after being caught in the cross-fire during Monday’s attack.
Your comment(s) on this article
The maoist supporting intellectuals has fully supported the grusome
act of killing unarmed security personals by maoist. So tomorrow the
same people should not complain of ``FAKE ENCOUNTER`` by security
personals of maoist sympthaiser or its cader because if this is right
that is also right, at that time it should not adopt double standards
and complain about goverment or security personals. -National Uprising
-
Chandigarh
FIRST OF ALL I FEEL VERY SAD WHEN THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENS.NOW WE
ALL GET TOGETHER AND FIGHT AGAINST EVILFORCES THIS IS A CHALLANGE FOR
OUR SECURITH FORCES. -PRITHVIRAJ - KOLKATA
Is it political circus! Halfstarved unemployed youths are employed
from tribal and poor community to resist political unrest in certain
area and further being halftrained novice utilised to curb another
halfstarved misguided poors fighting. Both are abolisihing from
unemployment list, shuting up voices! Oh! Best cruel policy of narrow
politics! -Jony -
How May Times sam Mistake in Chattisgarh many times People had been
Killed like this.?? when Goverment will wake Up. -Aviansh - Mumbai
http://www.zeenews.com/news604706.html
Maoists attack Bihar village, kill eleven people
Arun Kumar, Hindustan Times
Jamui (Bihar), February 18, 2010
First Published: 08:26 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 13:49 IST(18/2/2010)
Suspected Maoist rebels raided Korasi village in Jamui district,
around 210 km from Patna, early Thursday and killed at least 11
people. The attack was apparently carried out to avenge the suspected
killing of eight Naxals by the villagers. Police have so far denied
any arrest in the case.
Over 150 Moists attacked the village on suspicion that the villagers
were police informers and they were involved in the killing of eight
of their cadres, who have gone missing. They started indiscriminate
firing and set fire to several thatched huts, said IG (Headquarters)
US Dutt.
The attack took place during the 24-hour bandh call given by the CPI-
Maoist Jamui- Munger-Bhagalpur-Banka sub-committee against the alleged
disappearance of eight of their cadres, including platoon commander
and section commanders, passed off peacefully.
CPI-Maoist spokesperson Avinash said that eight cadres of the Maoists
had gone missing since January 31 from Korasi village.
This is the second biggest Maoist attack attack during the Nitish
regime. Last year, 14 persons were killed by Maoists at a village
under Alauli block of Khagaria district. Police have started massive
combing operation in the area. The village is located at remote place.
The attack has come just a day after Bihar police said it would not
like to carry out aggressive police operation against the Maoists.
However, the Naxals have been reportedly upset with the arrest of
nearly 50 top-ranking Naxal leaders and recovery of huge cache of arms
and ammunition in Bihar in the last 12 months.
In Bihar 33 of the 40 police districts are Naxal-infested, with 20 of
them categorized in A-category due to higher vulnerability. In the
wake of Naxal attack at West Midnapur district in West Bengal, which
claimed the lives of 24 policemen, Dutt had on Wednesday said that the
police was on maximum alert.
Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
veena 0 minutes ago
Its a tragic incidenent for our soceity at this stage when whole world
is moving so fast & competing.Really we cannot rely & expect our
politicans to come forward & join hands together to fight with these
kind of unwanted elements because they are too busy in playing blame
game with different parties & destroying our own natioal property with
violence just to show their nonsense anger.Now i request everybody to
raise voice by any means or by any effort & participate in awreness
rather than be a "spectator".Govt should not be mum for naxal movement
& shld start quentioning some of our great leaders.We expect a media's
responsible role in this regard by regularly covering this issue so
that everybody keeps aware.
goutamhaldersiliguri 34 minutes ago
india can give army on the Maoists area of Bengal,
Jharkhand ,Orrissa,& Bihar . Then that will be like Srilanka.
manoj 1 hour ago
1 person liked this.
What a shame on government of India and Government of Bihar!! Unless
it was published in the newspapers around the country, this incident
would have gone unnoticed as if it was so trivial issue. Nobody seems
to be worried about such a complex problem India and Indians are
facing on day to day basis. Started with the wide spread corruption
and redtapism, the problem further aggraveted with extreme poverty in
some pockets of society. Government seems like confused and still
searching for the root cause of growing naxal movement, but everyone
apart of the government officials know clearly. Who is not aware that
India could get nobel prize in corruption, if anything like this
exists. I do not wish to offend a handful of good police officers,
however most of the police officers are shining examples of
corruption. Problem further aggraved by these civil servents who are
working as parasites and eating our national resources with both
hands. Needless to write here about our wonderful politicians who
wouldn't hesitate to sell the country for little bit of money. Hope
people would realise this one day if they want to provide a safe and
prosperous future to the next generation.
Goutam Roy Biswas 0 minutes ago in reply to manoj
Corruption is a deep-rooted problem in any human society- be it
Indian, American or Europian.It is always facile to put the blame on
some politicians and policemen.We often overlook the fact that it is
we who tepmt these socalled shining examples of corruption to bend
rules to facilitate our undue material needs. So, before embarking
upon criticising others , we must introspect and see how many examples
of being upright and honest we have created in our own lives.We always
justify our own folly by falling back on some negative examples.How
many times did we advise our progeny to become a politician instead of
a doctor, engg and or CA? So, our worry about next gen must not be
confined to being only a critique, but should be translated into
creating some positive examples ourselves.
Naxalite killed in police encounter in Gaya
Press Trust Of India
Gaya (Bihar), February 13, 2010
First Published: 21:18 IST(13/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:19 IST(13/2/2010)
A hardcore Naxalite was killed and a police official critically
injured in an encounter between Maoists and police at Majhiawa in Gaya
district tonight.
SP S Khopade said acting on a tip-off; a police team raided a place at
Majhiawa where Naxalites had assembled.
On seeing policemen, the ultras fired and in the ensuing encounter one
CPI (Maoist) was killed.
Police official Mithilesh Prasad suffered gunshot injury and was being
treated at a nearby hospital in critical condition.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Naxalite-killed-in-police-encounter-in-Gaya/H1-Article1-508536.aspx
NSG team in Pune for Bakery blast probe
Press Trust Of India
Pune, February 18, 2010
First Published: 12:50 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 12:51 IST(18/2/2010)
A National Security Guard team has collected samples from the site of
the blast here that claimed 11 lives.
The four-member research team of NSG's National Bomb Data Centre
arrived here last night and collected samples from the blast site at
Koregaon Park area where the German Bakery was located.
Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said while the investigators
were yet to establish the nature of trigger
mechanism, the evidence collected so far did not rule out the use of
remote control device in the blast.
Force not prepared: Bengal
HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times
West Midnapore/Kolkata, February 18, 2010
First Published: 00:22 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:23 IST(18/2/2010)
The West Bengal government till Wednesday continued to be the target
of the families of the 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles jawans who died in
Monday’s Maoist attack.
Angry men and women blocked the roads for nearly two hours near the
headquarters of the state paramilitary force, EFR, near Kharagpur,
about 120 km west of Kolkata.
On Monday afternoon, a band of about 80 Maoist guerrillas overran a
EFR camp at West Midnapore’s Silda, about 170 km west of Kolkata,
killing 24 jawans and looting weapons.
The relatives — mainly wives of the jawans — said, “We want the chief
minister to come here. He has to take responsibility.” On Tuesday, a
team of six state ministers had visited the area.
“We have given the ministers two months to fulfill our demands. Or, we
will start agitations all over again,” said Kamala Dani, whose husband
is an EFR jawan.
On Wednesday, a central government team led by DS Daduwal met West
Midnapore district magistrate NS Nigam, and SP NK Verma. The team will
make an assessment of the training needs of the state police
personnel.
Dadwal was deputed to the home ministry last year to make a similar
assessment for central forces last year.
The team came amid tight security in a Border Security Force
helicopter. They prepared an initial report on the security loopholes
and inspected the location of the camp before leaving for Kolkata. The
officials refused to talk to the media.
West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh said, “We receive regular information
about Maoist threats. But we did not have any specific information
about the Silda camp attack.”
But state home secretary Ardhendu Sen said the incident was not a case
of intelligence failure, though he admitted lack of battle
preparedness on the EFR’s part.
Sen said, “We will conduct a departmental inquiry to find out who are
responsible for the incident. It is easy to say that there has been a
security lapse, but it’s not enough for taking action.”
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kolkata/Force-not-prepared-Bengal/Article1-509997.aspx
After attack, spotlight on weaknesses of EFR
Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
Kolkata, February 18, 2010
First Published: 00:24 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:25 IST(18/2/2010)
Monday’s Maoist attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) in West
Midnapore exposed the weaknesses of the force.
“The average age of EFR personnel is more than 45 while that of a
central paramilitary soldier is between 30 and 35,” said a police
official not willing to be quoted.
The Eastern Frontier Rifles is a unit of the West Bengal government
and functions under the state armed police department. Twenty-four
troopers died in the attack.
“I am 52 now. Will my reflex match that of young (Maoist) fighters?
I’m here only to increase the headcount,” said an assistant sub-
inspector in a camp in Lalgarh, 160 km south-west of Kolkata.
Most of the EFR troopers join their jobs as jawans (equivalent of a
constable) and retire in the same position.
“Without infrastructure development and appropriate training, we can
hardly put up resistance,” said Bijitaswa Raut, general secretary of
the West Bengal Police Association.
Policemen here are overburdened with work. For two and a half years
they have been working for 12-14 hours a day, thanks to about 10,000
vacancies in the Bengal police.
“Very few of us have even the experience of taking part in street
fights with local criminals. How can we take on Maoists? Women
constables wielding INSAS rifles have used only sticks for most of
their career,” said a sub-inspector.
INSAS is the acronym for ‘Indian small arms system’ and consists of an
assault rifle, a light machine gun and a carbine.
There are about 1,200 police persons in the Maoist-affected areas now.
Silda planned over days
Debdutta Ghosh, Hindustan Times
Silda, February 17, 2010
First Published: 00:20 IST(17/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:22 IST(17/2/2010)
The Silda killers planned well.
The sudden Maoist attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp at
WestMidnapore’s Sidla, about 170 km west of Kolkata, was preceded by
days of planning and several reconnaissance missions.
According to locals and police sources, the Maoists, for the first
time in the state, used two cars for the attack. They carried
sophisticated weapons, including self-loading rifles and pistols.
The attack was carried out at around 5.00 pm, when most of the
personnel were
vulnerable, preparing their dinner in the kitchen area. Police sources
said very few of the jawans were carrying their weapons.
The Maoist action plan clearly indicates that knew everything about
the life in the Silda camp. Locals also confirmed that they monitored
the camp for several days before the attack.
The locals said some time before the attack, a few men were seen
around the camp. And just before the attack, they scared away the
locals.
First, the Maoists drove a pick-up van into the camp area through the
southern gate and opened fire. Initially, a few jawans tried to
retaliate.
But the attackers also positioned themselves on the eastern and
northern walls.
It is not known how many rounds were exchanged, but it is clear that
the jawans, caught unawares, were in no position to put up a fight.
“I was going to pick up my rifle. But when I saw two friends of mine
getting hit with bullets, I was too scared to fight back. I managed to
escape the camp and hid inside a tea stall till the Maoists left,”
said Sishu Chettry, a jawan.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jharkhand/Silda-planned-over-days/Article1-509613.aspx
Man arrested for assisting Naxals in Chhattisgarh
Press Trust Of India
Raipur, February 18, 2010
First Published: 13:05 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 13:07 IST(18/2/2010)
A man was today arrested for allegedly assisting Naxalites after some
explosives and Naxal literature used by the outlaws were seized from
his house in Dhamtari district, police said.
Police raided a house in Dhaurabaitha village belonging to one Charan
Singh and seized a Cyclostyle printing press, Naxal literature, tiffin
bomb, gun-powder besides a diary and a map during a raid,
Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif Hussain said.
Singh was arrested for allegedly helping the Naxalites, he said adding
that further investigations are on.
Obama calls Manmohan Singh to condemns Pune blast
Thursday, February 18, 2010,7:23 [IST]
New Delhi, Feb 18 (ANI): US President Barack Obama called Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh this morning to condemn the blast that
took place in Pune.
In a brief conversation, the two leaders took the opportunity to
review developments in Indo-US relations.
Pune blast, which killed eleven people and wounded at least 57, is
seen as the first major attack on India since the 2008 Mumbai terror
attack. (ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/obamacalls-manmohan-singh-to-condemns-puneblast.html
Man arrested for assisting Naxals in Chhattisgarh
STAFF WRITER 0:7 HRS IST
Raipur, Feb 17 (PTI) A man was today arrested for allegedly assisting
Naxalites after some explosives and Naxal literature were seized from
his house in Dhamtari district, police said.
Police raided Charan Singh's house in Dhaurabaitha village and seized
a cyclostyle machine, Naxal literature, crude bomb, gun-powder besides
a diary and a map from there, Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif
Hussain said.
Singh was arrested for allegedly helping the Naxalites, he said,
adding further investigation is on.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/523291_Man-arrested-for-assisting-Naxals-in-Chhattisgarh
Fresh Maoist attack in West Midnapore
STAFF WRITER 14:9 HRS IST
Jhargram (WB), Feb 18 (PTI) In fresh Maoist violence in West Bengal, a
patrolling party of the joint security forces came under fire in West
Midnapore district today.
The attack came three days after the ultras stormed the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp at Shilda in the district leaving 24 jawans
dead.
The attack took place when securitymen were on a search operation at a
forested area in Banisole near Dharampur this morning where a camp of
the joint security forces is situated, police sources said. The
security forces retaliated.
At least three landmines also exploded in the area, the sources said,
adding there was no report of any casualty.
Meanwhile, a CID team visited the Shilda camp where 24 EFR jawans were
killed by Maoists on February 15 and collected samples. The team
included CID Additional Director General Raj Kanojia and IG Neeraj
Pande.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/523847_Fresh-Maoist-attack-in-West-Midnapore
CPI(M) supporter shot dead
STAFF WRITER 12:48 HRS IST
Purulia (WB), Feb 18 (PTI) Suspected Maoists shot dead a CPI(M)
supporter in Naxalite-affected Bandwan area of Purulia district, the
police said today.
The ultras raided Parra village last night and abducted two CPI(M)
supporters.
The body of one of them, Nakul Singh (32) was found in a nearby
jungle. However, there is no trace of the other man, they said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/523848_CPI-M--supporter-shot-dead
bademiyansubhanallah
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.12am IST
KOLKATA: A tussle has broken out at the very top over Monday’s Maoist
attack at the Silda camp. Home secretary Ardhendu Sen and director-
general of police Bhupinder Singh are having serious differences of
opinion over probing what led to the daring assault that left 24
Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) jawans dead.
Sen announced on Wednesday that a departmental inquiry would be
conducted to pinpoint the lapses despite specific intelligence inputs
three hours before the incident.
But Singh contradicted him, saying no disciplinary inquiry was being
conducted. The differences between the two top officers cropped up
while finalising what would go into the report to be sent to the
Centre on the Silda attack.
Sen maintained that there were specific intelligence inputs on people
gathering in the area around 2 pm and an improvised explosive device
(IED) being planted at Silda Bazar hours before the attack.
“One should have put two and two together and realised that the Silda
camp was under threat. But that did not happen. We have to find out
who was responsible for this and punish them,” Sen said. “The field-
level officers have to take the greatest responsibility. Information
is also passed on to the DGP and me, but as the distance increases,
the remoteness increases too.”
The DGP, on the other hand, was more in favour of protecting his men
and was not willing to hold only some officials responsible. “The
personnel at the camps should be able to counter-attack. They cannot
be told every day to be alert, so they paid with their lives,” Singh
said.
He added: “There are regular inputs coming in and the camps are always
vulnerable. But there was no specific information.”
But according to Sen, “it is easy to say there has been a lapse, but
that is not enough for taking action”. He claimed that EFR jawans had
retaliated at Silda, in which one Maoist was killed and several
injured. “They were taken away and are being treated privately.”
Singh is clearly not happy with the reaction of the jawans. He said
that during an earlier attack on a Pirakata camp, the forces had
retaliated and beaten back Maoists, but this could not be done at
Silda.
The problem was the camp’s location, Singh conceded, saying that the
crowded locality was “technically not the right place for the camp”.
But it had been set up in the marketplace after locals said it would
make them feel safe. “We have to balance security concerns with local
sentiments,” Singh said.
For the DGP, the biggest worry was that the looted arms would be used
in later attacks on security forces. “But we’ll launch an offensive to
counter the Maoists,” he said.
Naxal menace: All vulnerable camps to be relocated
Swati Sengupta & Krishnendu Bandopadhyay, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.17am
IST
KOLKATA: The Silda massacre has sent the state government back to the
drawing board to redraft its battleplan against the Maoists. It has no
option but to go ahead with Operation Green Hunt as soon as central
forces are available, but before that it has to free the dense jungles
of landmines, fathom the treacherous terrain and rework the location
of the forces’ camps.
On Wednesday, the state top brass decided to wind up and relocate
camps in Jangalmahal that were perceived to be vulnerable. These
include camps in Gidhni, Dharampur and Jamtolgora (in remote jungles),
Banspahari and Baishnabpur (on the bank of Tarapheni river and Ghagra
forest) and 11 others in Belpahari.
Formation of a specialised force like Greyhounds requires time. And it
will be some days before additional central forces arrive. So, for the
time being, the government has to prioritise its strategies that can
be immediately implemented to tide over the crisis.
Home secretary Ardhendu Sen said a list of vulnerable camps had
already been prepared. Some would be wound up, others relocated. The
Maoists had taken advantage of the Silda camp’s location in a busy
marketplace to launch the deadly attack that left 24 EFR jawans dead.
Two Union home ministry officials — Sunil Singh and D S Dadwal —
visited the Silda camp and Belpahari on Wednesday. They met police
superintendent Manoj Varma in Midnapore town and are expected to
submit a report to the Centre by Thursday.
A senior police officer said all camps in Jangalmahal had been alerted
following the attack and several measures taken to improve security.
Till larger contingent of forces move in, these camps will be
fortified further.
Governor keeps track of anti-Naxal operations
Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay
Posted: Thursday , Feb 18, 2010 at 0228 hrs
Kolkata:
The day M K Narayanan took over as Governor of West Bengal, he said he
would, as a former National Security Adviser, provide his advice to
the state government on issues related to security.
And a day after the attack on Silda EFR camp, the Governor today
called up top officials of the state government, including Home
Secretary Ardhendu Sen, Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh and
Additional Director General (IB) Noparajit Mukherje, and discussed the
Naxalite threat and how it could be tackled.
This is the first major meeting the Governor had with senior officials
of the state to discuss as serious an issue as the Naxalite problem.
“The Governor wanted to know what had actually happened and what
actions we have taken. We have given him all the details. I cannot
tell you anything more,” the DGP told The Indian Express.
According to sources, the Governor is in constant touch with the top
brass of the state police inquiring about the operations going on
against the Naxalites.
Earlier in the day the Governor had issued a statement condemning the
attack on Silda camp and offering his condolences to the bereaved
families.
“The Governor reiterates the commitment of the government to deal
effectively with the problems existing in this belt and to restore
normalcy which is essential for the socio-economic development of the
masses. He is confident that the government forces, with the help of
the locals, can defeat the evil intentions of the Left wing
extremists,” the statement said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/governor-keeps-track-of-antinaxal-operations/581217/
Mamata Banerjee is UPA's Soren
18 Feb 2010, 0330 hrs IST, Devesh Kumar, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: Railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday forced the
Union Cabinet to drop from the presidential address to the joint
session of Parliament a condemnation of the Maoist attack on the EFR
camp at Silda in the West Midnapore district on Monday, which left 24
jawans dead and several others injured. At the insistence of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, the Cabinet nevertheless agreed to include a
general condemnation of Maoist attacks all over the country in recent
months.
The turn of events at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, held to approve the
draft of the presidential speech, underscored the Trinamool Congress
leader’s persistent efforts to come to the defence of the Maoists
simply to run down West Bengal’s ruling Left Front regime. It also
highlighted the difficulties encountered by the Centre’s internal
security managers in facilitating a co-ordinated assault on Maoists.
The episode surfaced when a group of ministers, taking a cue from the
agreement reached earlier at the meeting among the members to include
in the speech a reference condemning the latest terror attack in Pune
and the role played by Pak-based outfits in the mayhem, while
supporting, at the same time, the proposed foreign secretary-level
talks between India and Islamabad, wanted the Cabinet to include a
paragraph with a similar reference to the latest act of Naxal
violence.
A section of the ministers wanted the Cabinet to include as part of
the speech a paragraph condemning the Maoist attack at the Shilda EFR
camp They also insisted on the inclusion of the Cabinet’s offer of
condolences to the relatives of those had fallen victim to the Naxal
attack.
Ms Banerjee, who has often been accused by CPM and its alliance
partners of taking up cudgels on behalf of Maoists, much to the
detriment of the state’s interests, intervened at this juncture:
``What is the proof that the attack was carried out by Maoists? If at
all, it appears to be the handiwork of CPM. I would urge the prime
minister to first order an inquiry into the incident,’’ she told her
Cabinet colleagues.
She then proceeded to explain how the Left Front government had driven
out those villagers who were perceived to be hostile to their cause.
``These villagers were now being targeted by the Left Front goons, but
the blame was put on Maoists,’’ she contended.
The prime minister, who too appeared to be unconvinced by the
Trinamool Congress chief’s line of thinking, intervened at this stage,
arguing that the speech could include condemnation of all Maoist
attacks that had taken place in various parts of the country in the
past few months. It was also agreed that the President, in her speech,
would offer her condolences to the victims of the Shilda Naxal
attack.
bademiyansubhanallah
Mamata, UPA can't agree on fight against Naxals
CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 13:01,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 13:28 in Politics section
PLAYING POLITICS: Sources say Mamata's soft line towards Naxals is a
part of her plan to get ready for Assembly polls.
New Delhi: Differences have cropped up within the United Progressive
Alliance Government on how to deal with the Naxal menace.
While Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has been advocating a tough
stand against the Naxals, his Cabinet colleague and Railway Minister
Mamata Banerjee wants the Government to tow a soft line on the rebels.
Mamata is reportedly insisting that President Pratibha Patil's speech
to Parliament at the start of the Budget session should not strongly
condemn violence by the Naxals.
Sources say the Cabinet has decided to go slow on condemning Naxal
violence especially in West Bengal because of pressure from Mamata.
Instead Mamata wants state government to be held responsible for the
violence.
Soren bows before Naxals for officer's release
Under her pressure the Government is likely to insist that state
governments should do more to control Naxals and economic development
is one of the solutions being offered.
Mamata's soft stand in favour of Naxals has often put the Centre in a
bind and has been preventing it from launching a stronger and move
aggressive anti-Naxal operation.
Her insistence on adopting a soft line towards the Naxals is also seen
as a part of her plan to get ready for the West Bengal Assembly
elections which are scheduled to take place in 2011.
The Centre is facing the dilemma even as the Naxals have launched two
major strikes in the last four days.
On Monday, a group of about 50 Naxals attacked a security camp in West
Bengal's Sila killing 24 Eastern Frontier Rifle (EFR) jawans while
late on Wednesday night another group of rebels surrounded a village
in Bihar's Jamui district killing 10 villagers.
The Naxals have also kidnapped a Block Development Officer, Prashant
Kumar Layek, in Jharkhand and have demanded the release of some
villagers who they claim have been falsely implicated by the police
and arrested.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mamata-upa-cant-agree-on-fight-against-naxals/110338-37.html?from=tn
SOREN SOFT ON NAXALS?
Soren bows before Naxals for abducted officer's release
CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 08:16,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 09:45 in India section
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren is succumbing to the
demands of Naxals to secure the release of a kidnapped state
government officer.
Soren says legal process is on to free some jailed villagers who
Naxals claim are innocent in exchange for the safe release of
kidnapped Block Development Officer Prashant Kumar Layek.
"Naxals have set some conditions to set free Dalbhumgarh BDO Prasant
Kumar Layek. Their chief demand is to release innocent villagers now
lodged in Dalbhumgarh jail. All the cases are pending in the court.
The legal process to release them has already begun," said Soren.
Layek was abducted on Saturday from Dalbumgarh in Jharkhand.
Layek's wife Julie Bharati has threatened to immolate herself and her
four-year old daughter in front of Soren's residence if Naxals harm
him.
Soren had on Wednesday shockingly said that abductions by Naxals are
trivial issues and such incidents keep on happening.
The Jharkhand Chief Minister has in the past faced flak for being soft
on Naxals and has taken the line that security forces won't succeed
against Naxals.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/soren-bows-before-naxals-for-abducted-officers-release/110315-3.html
CNN-IBN EXCLUSIVE
Bengal govt was warned twice of Maoist attack
Sumon K Chakrabarti / CNN-IBN
Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 18:01,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 09:45 in India section
AFTER THE STORM: A policeman holds a burnt weapon at the police camp
in Silda.
New Delhi/ Kolkata: The West Bengal government admits that it had been
given intelligence warning about a possible Maoist attack in Sildah
where rebels struck at a police camp on Monday and killed 24 people.
CNN-IBN learns that the intelligence input was specific and could have
prevented the attack. The state intelligence sent two specific alerts
to the government on November 23, 2009 and February 13, 2010
“Mobile squad of Maoists is planning to attack Sildah camp of the
joint forces,” said one alert.
Another intelligence alert warned that Maoists were infiltrating among
students in Sildah College. All joint forces camps required to have
two local police officers present at all times. However, the local
police officers posted in Sildah camp left just 30 minutes before the
attack
The interrogation of local police officers has revealed discrepancies
in their statements. Bullets fired by Maoists during the attack were
those that are used by the state police, leading officials to suspect
that ammunition from the district police armoury reached Maoists.
FTN: Jawans' lives of little value to politicians
Meanwhile, West Bengal's home secretary Ardhendu Sen said, "There had
been some intelligence inputs and the troops should have been more
alert. However, the exact site of the attack was not known. It is not
true that the EFR jawans did not retaliate but it cannot be denied
that there were several security lapses and a departmental inquiry is
going to be held."
The home secretary's statement comes a day after Bengal's top cop said
that there was an intelligence failure.
West Bengal Director General of Police B bhupinder Singh had said,
"Because it is not expected that inside the town the Naxals would
enter in the numbers that they did and attacked."
Twenty-four men from the Eastern Frontier Rifles were killed in the
attack. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said there were “signs
of failure” in how police were caught off-guard in a camp described as
a "picnic spot."
Even as farewell gun salute were given to the departed jawans and
their bodies handed over to relatives, questions have been raised on
the preparedness of the joint forces to combat the Naxals. Reports
suggest that women Naxal cadres visited the camps several times in
disguise to do a thorough recce of the spot.
(With inputs from Saugato Mukhopadhyay from Silda)
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bengal-govt-was-warned-twice-of-maoist-attack/110297-3.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110310/ftn-jawans-life-of-little-value-to-politicians.html
Naxal attack: CM of Indian state of Bengal admits lapse
ISLAMABAD, Feb 18 (APP):
Admitting serious security lapses, Chief Minister of Indian West
Bengal state Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Thursday appointed a panel to
probe into the recent Naxal attack on Shilda police camp in the West
Midnapore district of the state in which at least 24 Jawans of Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed on Monday evening. “There was a
security lapse, I must say. There was breach in preparedness and lack
of alertness that led to the killing of 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) jawans by Maoists in West Midnapore district”, quoting
Bhattacharjee an Indian television channel reported.
Although the Chief Minister refused to make further comments on the
incident, he informed that a high-level commission has been appointed
by the government to find the loopholes.
“I shall and I must not comment on the incident till the inquiry is
over.I decided to order an enquiry since we want to know the whole
truth. We have appointed a commission to probe every aspect of the
Naxal attack that occurred recently, “ he added.
“We need to know if there was an intelligence failure ahead of the
attack.
We also need to know what the security forces were doing when the camp
was attacked. We will conduct an inquiry and check if we had prior
intelligence input on the Naxal attack,” he added.
Elaborating on the issue, Buddhadeb said, “The commission will find
out as to what was their (Naxals) modus operandi. How they reached the
area and what was our response to them.”
He also assured that appropriate “action” would be taken against
senior officers if they were found lax.
http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96661&Itemid=2
Silda naxal attack: Anger in Darjeeling hills as families await the
dead
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.58am IST
DARJEELING: The mood swung between grief and anger as thousands of
Gorkha men, women and children lined the streets of Darjeeling in the
biting evening cold on Wednesday, waiting for the bodies of 13 of the
EFR jawans slain in the Silda Naxal attack.
For 24 hours, the state withheld names of those killed, putting
thousands of families, whose kin are in EFR, through torment. On
Wednesday, families knew who died but no one was telling them when the
bodies would come back.
Of the 24 EFR jawans killed, most were Nepali-speaking residents of
Darjeeling, from where the Frontier Rifles are mostly drawn.
At 9pm, the bodies were still an hour’s drive away from Siliguri,
which meant it would be midnight by the time they reached Darjeeling.
This delay scuppered GJM’s plan to keep the bodies for public
viewing.
GJM has called a bandh on February 19 in memory of the dead. But the
Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti has vowed to oppose the bandh.
Naxal or jihadi?
Samar Halarnkar, Hindustan Times
February 17, 2010
First Published: 23:37 IST(17/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:40 IST(17/2/2010)
Who do you think is more dangerous, the Naxal or the jihadi?
I just counted the total number of people killed by both groups of
extremists between January 2007 and February 17, 2010. The results:
Jihadi attacks claimed 436 lives (this figure includes Pakistanis who
died during the firebombing of the Samjhauta Express in 2007).
The Maoists claimed 1,524 lives, more than three times the number
killed in urban, jihadi bombings.
The modern, Indian jihadi is young, educated and highly motivated,
communicating by coded e-mail and phone conversations, merging
seamlessly into the society around him. He is likely to have access to
training and assistance from Pakistan, using this expertise to launch
frontal attacks on populated areas. He is, almost always, likely to be
a ‘he’.
The modern Indian Maoist could be young or middle-aged, perhaps
educated, perhaps semi-literate, adept at guerrilla warfare, handling
arms and living a life of hardship. He is likely to use old-fashioned
communication like letters, couriers and face-to-face contact (the
last only when necessary), using largely homegrown expertise to launch
devastating attacks against security forces in the vast Indian
countryside. He is, equally, likely to be a ‘she’.
As Monday’s slaughter of 25 paramilitary soldiers in West Bengal
indicates, the Maoist attack is usually frontal and brazen, aimed at
overawing the Indian State, knowing the deaths of paramilitary
soldiers and policemen — mostly from poorer, rural families — get
little play in the media or our imaginations. The Maoist game plan,
according to intelligence officers, is to physically occupy the
countryside (swathes of land in seven states have already slipped
beyond State control) and surround the cities until they can force
regime change.
Implausible?
“There is clearly a (Naxal) grand design,” an official who closely
tracks Maoist working in urban areas told me. He said Maoist
ideologues in cities are so independent and careful that they will not
even try to contact their comrades, a step above the jihadi sleeper
cells who, even if they do not know of another cell’s presence, are
controlled by handlers. Intelligence agencies say they have uncovered
worrying signs of some Marxist organisations crossing the line into
Maoism, which believes in violent revolution.
There is now a centralised command in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, against
the Maoist rebellion with up to 60 paramilitary battalions (about
60,000 soldiers). The growing Naxal attacks are forcing more media
coverage. But it is inadequate in depth and perspective to turn public
focus on the greater threat.
Last week’s Pune attack by jihadis was the first since the horror of
26/11 in Mumbai. In the intervening
14-and-a-half months, India has seen a period of calm unprecedented
since urban terrorism came of age on March 12, 1993, with 13 scooter
and car bombs killing 257 in what was then Bombay.
The relative peace was the result of a) the dismantling of terror
cells; many still exist, keeping security agencies on edge, b) a
preoccupation in Pakistan with events in its western provinces and
Afghanistan, c) a fading in the appeal of global jihad, and d) the
small size of the radicalised Islamic community.
The last factor is particularly important. Every police and
intelligence official I’ve spoken to agrees that Indian Muslims
radicalised enough to set off bombs may not number more than 1,000,
still enough to cause great damage. But it is an infinitesimal number
when it comes to tarring a community of 140 million with the same
brush and causing immense damage to India and the idea of India.
Though the Indian jihadi causes serious damage, both physical and
psychological, he pales in comparison with the Maoist. The furtive
jihadi attack aims at: revenge of some sort; the cleaving of Indian
society; sometimes, to stop talks between India and Pakistan. The
jihadi feeds off the grief and anger middle-class Indians feel when
their own perish, and so the jihadi, and his Pakistani backers, are a
clearer, more obvious enemy.
Two days ago, I faced a barrage of criticism on my Twitter feed when I
posted a trend that police charge sheets and interrogators of domestic
jihadi suspects repeatedly point to: nine years after the event, these
radicals still flag the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat as either direct
motivation or a stimulus provided by jihadi trainers who show them
gruesome images of Muslims killed in the riots.
There are other inspirations, from a general sense of grievance and
injustice to the feeling of alienation that arises in trying to rent a
home when Muslim or being freely hauled in for rough questioning. Rage
against the US, and the situation in Palestine may be boosting
factors, but as jihadi confessions (whether voluntary or beaten out of
them) reveal, never has global jihad ever directly driven an Indian to
plant a bomb in his own country. The big brother of the primary Indian
jihadi group, the Indian Mujahideen, is indeed the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba,
the Pakistani terror group that carried out the 26/11 attack and is
now firmly one of the umbrella terror organisations arrayed against
the United States.
But you can count on your fingertips the number of Indian Muslims
who’ve joined the so-called civilisational war against the West. At
last count, it’s less than 10.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Naxal-or-jihadi/H1-Article1-509974.aspx
Maoists set new demands for release of kidnapped official
Indo-Asian News Service
Ranchi, February 18, 2010
First Published: 18:29 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 18:34 IST(18/2/2010)
The Jharkhand government on Thursday suffered a major setback in its
effort to free its official kidnapped by Maoists when the rebels made
fresh demands that villagers branded Maoists be released from jails
and a civil defence group chief be arrested immediately.
The Maoists had earlier put through the wife of the abducted block
development officer Prashant Layak their demand for release of their
three comrades from a jail, and then insisted on release of 11
others.
While the government late on Wednesday night agreed to move the court
to "re-investigate" the cases of the 14 Maoists, the rebels on
Thursday came up with two new demands.
The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), besides
seeking freedom for a large number of villagers jailed for being
Maoists or their sympathisers, now also insists on arrest of Nagrik
Suraksha Samiti (NSS) president Shankar Hembrom and others. The NSS
was formed to fight Maoists at the village level.
"We have considered the demands of Maoists to free abducted official.
The main demand is to release people lodged in Dhalbhumgarh jail of
Jamshedpur. Legal process has been initiated to ensure their release.
We appeal to them (Maoists) to release the officer," Soren said on
Wednesday night.
The operation against Maoists to rescue Layak has also been stopped
since Tuesday night, on the Maoists' insistence.
Layak was abducted on Saturday by four armed men of the CPI-Maoist
from Dalbhumgarh block of East Singhbhum district.
More camps waiting to be hit
Debdutta Ghosh and Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
Silda/Kharagpur, February 18, 2010
First Published: 00:27 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:58 IST(18/2/2010)
If inconvenient location and lack of battle preparedness resulted in
the killing of 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles personnel at Silda on
Monday, there are at least seven more camps in the Maoist-hit area
waiting to be overrun.
On Monday, around 80 Maoist guerrillas attacked West Midna-pore’s
Silda camp, about 170 km west of Kolkata, indulging in reckless
killing and loot.
Director General of West Bengal Police Bhupinder Singh admitted the
camp could not retaliate, as it was in the middle of a thickly
populated area.
On Wednesday, HT took a tour of the troubled zone across three
districts — West Midnap-ore, Bankura, Purulia — to find out the state
of the other camps.
There are four camps in West Midnapore — Satpati, Moupal, Kantapahari
and Ramgarh — that are located within striking distance from the
roads. In adjacent Bankura, there are two — Raspal and Jhilimili —
that are dangerously close to populated areas.
But the Bakshi camp takes the cake. The camp is right in the heart of
the village. The jawans, however, have stopped being friendly to
villagers and hoot away whoever comes close.
Although bunkers have been built in the camp with sand bags — as was
done at Silda too — sentries do not have the advantage of a clear view
of the area because of big trees all around the bunkers.
“We here are in constant fear after the (Silda) incident,” said an EFR
jawan at the camp, who refused to be named.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/westbengal/More-camps-waiting-to-be-hit/Article1-510001.aspx
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110261/step-towards-peace-400-militants-surrender-in-assam.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110258/centre-bengal-spar-over-naxal-attack-strategy.html
chhotemianinshallah
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 18, 2010
First Published: 01:16 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:16 IST(18/2/2010)
Pakistan-born, American citizen, David Headley, had identified Pune’s
German Bakery as a potential target during his visits to city Pune,
investigators have confirmed.
The police also hope to get a breakthrough in the case “very soon”.
“Investigations are on the right track, in the right direction,” a
senior home ministry official said, emphasising that the security
agencies had broadly identified the people who were involved.
On Wednesday, Home ministry officials said it was increasingly
becoming clear that plans for Saturday evening’s blast that killed 11
people were made on the basis of Headley’s recce.
An alleged Lashkar-e-Tayyeba operative, Headley had visited the Osho
Ashram located near German Bakery in Koregaon Park twice, in 2008 and
2009.
Home Secretary G.K. Pillai had recently acknowledged that Headley’s
two visits to Pune may not be a coincidence.
Sources said a local terror module executed the operation, which was
planned by the Lashkar leadership in Pakistan.
Sources said Headley and the men who planted the bomb had not been
briefed about closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the hotel
opposite the bakery.
There was a CCTV camera in the bakery too but it was positioned to
watch people manning the cash counter.
A government source said Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad has even
positioned its men in “sensitive locations”— places that suspects may
have visited.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/Probe-confirms-Headley-link/510107/H1-Article1-510049.aspx
Terrorism in India
On a short fuse
South Asia’s big rivals prepare to talk. Another bomb goes off
Feb 18th 2010 | DELHI | From The Economist print edition
AFP
Pune mourns and hopesIN THE 15 months since Pakistani militants
launched a three-day assault on Mumbai, India has been largely terror-
free. This has enabled its prime minister, Manmohan Singh, despite
much domestic opposition, to start rethreading the diplomatic ties
that India cut after that outrage. Senior diplomats from India and
Pakistan are due to meet in Delhi on February 25th. Yet on February
13th—the day after that meeting was announced—a bomb blast ripped
through a café in Pune, in western Maharashtra, killing 11.
Almost as fast, Indian fingers pointed to Pakistan, which has an ugly
record of launching terrorism in India. Most Indians with a view of
the matter believe Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or
ISI, was behind the Mumbai attack, though this is unproven. Many,
including Indian politicians of all stripes, struggle to imagine any
rapprochement with their old enemy. “Not talking is an option,” says
Arun Jaitley, a hawkish leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata
Party. Yet the government’s response to the blast was restrained. It
said the talks would go ahead—while stressing that its concerns over
terrorism would dominate them.
This is a tribute to Mr Singh’s dogged—and rather lonely—search for
peace. A growing fear in India that America, in its haste to leave
Afghanistan, may allow Pakistan an influential role there may also
have spurred re-engagement. Yet the promised dialogue is hardly
inspiring. At best, it may lead to a cautious resumption of the former
diplomatic process, but at a much less promising stage than before.
Progress in the talks had slowed sharply, but the four-year effort had
nonetheless yielded outlines to the solutions for many of the
countries’ disputes, including the thorniest, the status of the
divided region of Kashmir. The most many Indians now hope for is a
dialogue serious enough to prevent war in the event of another
Pakistan-linked atrocity on Indian soil.
The attack in Pune was claimed by a previously unheard of, possibly
non-existent, Pakistani militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba Al Alami. But
it may be home-grown. It looks similar to blasts carried out in four
Indian cities in 2008 by a local terrorist group, the Indian
Mujahideen (IM). As an opening salvo, or so the group claimed, on
behalf of India’s much-maligned but previously pacific Muslim
community, the IM spread fear. Yet most of its leaders have been
arrested, and it has been quiet.
A connection has also been drawn between the blast and an intriguing
terrorism suspect, David Headley, a Pakistani-born American arrested
in America in October. A former agent of America’s Drug Enforcement
Agency, Mr Headley is believed to have come under the influence of
Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani militant group accused of the Mumbai
attacks, while working for the DEA in Pakistan. He has been accused,
among other crimes, of carrying out reconnaissance for the group in
Mumbai. Indian officials say he also cased targets in Pune, close to
the blasted café.
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15546317
Indo-Pak talks
Your editorial, “Indo-Pak talks” (Feb. 17) is completely off the mark.
It is completely devoid of the commentary on the current situation on
the ground.
The idea of Indian intelligence services infiltrated by Hindu
nationalists had me in gales of laughter. It’s great to have balance
in an article but it requires more credible arguments than that.
India has not offered a “composite dialogue” to Pakistan. It’s the
start of a secretary-level dialogue. India is a victim of Pakistan-
based terrorist networks. To say both countries are victims of
terrorism is ignoring the fountainhead and the source of terrorism.
The argument that the solution to the Kashmir problem will deny
terrorists any reason is an implicit admission that “terrorists have
been carefully created to help resolve the Kashmir problem under
coercion” — something that is not likely to happen in our lifetime.
The Kashmir issue will only be resolved if Indian public opinion turns
in favor of Kashmiris.
At the best, this talk offer does not appear anything more than
tactical positioning by India.
The Indo-Pak dialogue process is already undermined by the fact that
the US and other Western countries are again dealing more with the
Pakistani military than with the civilian government, which is busy
fighting for survival or trying to find its place in the power
struggle with the establishment. The convenient and timed arrest of
Mullah Baradar, the Taleban’s second-in-command in Karachi is too
significant to ignore. The entire Western media believe the set of
events explained are not at all credible. It shows that the Taleban
are still groomed or primed for talks by the ISI and convenient
arrests (Mullah Bardar had fallen out with Mullah Omar) will be used
as bargaining chips.
It also shows that the entire Taleban gang are living in safe houses
and will be used or uncovered by the ISI as and when required. An
intelligence agency emboldened by sudden demands is unlikely to
understand dialogue or compromise.
No wonder “banned terrorist” such as Ilyas Kashmiri are threatening
international teams for participating in IPL or Commonwealth games, a
certain sign of the jealousy and desperation within the Pakistani
establishment.
This so-called dialogue process is a non-starter. Its timing is
suspect and it has nothing to do with conflict resolution. It’s more
about juvenile posturing by all parties and it will be forgotten
pretty quickly as soon as events in Afghanistan begin to unfold.
“Dialogue not war” has no place in this.
Posted by
MANISH PANDEY NEW DELHI
Feb 17, 2010 10:13 PM
Comments1
Dr. Athar P. Shah
Feb 18, 2010 6:42 PM
Report abuse This dialogue is not going to make any difference. It
might become something similar to the famous "Road Map" for peace in
the middle-east
http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article18646.ece?comments=all
Voice samples of 26/11 accused to figure in India-Pakistan talks
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, February 18, 2010
First Published: 20:00 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 20:15 IST(18/2/2010)
India will make a strong pitch for the voice samples of the Mumbai
terror attack accused in custody in Pakistan during the upcoming
foreign secretary-level talks Feb 25, highly-placed sources said on
Thursday.
"The voice samples are crucial to 26/11 investigations as they will
help ascertain if those in custody in Pakistan are the ones who were
guiding the Mumbai assault team during the attacks," said a top
security official.
There are strong indications that one of the people guiding the 26/11
attackers including Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive, was
an Indian.
India has repeatedly asked Pakistan for voice prints of Laskhar-e-
Taiba founding member Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhwi, his deputy Mazhar Iqbal
alias Abu al-Qama and Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah, who face charges
in Pakistan for the 26/11 attacks.
But this request has not been accepted.
Recently, Home Minister P. Chidamabarm hinted that the 10 Pakistani
terrorists who attacked Mumbai could have been guided by an Indian
handler and whose true identity is yet to be ascertained.
"When we say he could be an Indian, he could be somebody who acquired
Indian characteristics. He could have been infiltrated into India and
lived here long enough to acquire an Indian accent, familiarity with
Hindi words or could be somebody who went to Pakistan and was adopted
by the militants there," Chidambaram had said.
"We know him as Abu Jindal for many many months now... but he is not
Abu Jindal. That is
Feb 25 talks with Pak still on
Jayanth Jacob & Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 14, 2010
First Published: 20:42 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:41 IST(15/2/2010)
India will not allow Saturday’s terrorist attack in Pune to come in
the way of the foreign secretary-level talks with Islamabad, slated
for February 25.
“The talks will go on,” a source in the Prime Minister’s Office told
Hindustan Times.
Government officials said withdrawing the dialogue proposal at this
stage would be a “knee-jerk reaction”. Officials conceded that
terrorist incidents like the one in Pune did not help the dialogue
process, but said they should not be allowed to harm it either.
India had suspended its composite dialogue with Pakistan after the
26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.
In Chennai, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said he wanted the
probe to be completed before committing himself.
“If a very strong link emerges between the Pune strike and elements
across the border, the situation can change,” said a senior official.
“We have maintained that any dialogue with Pakistan should be in an
atmosphere free of terror.”
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Feb-25-talks-with-Pak-still-on/Article1-508805.aspx
No comment on fate of Indo-Pak talks: Krishna
Press Trust Of India
Chennai, February 14, 2010
First Published: 15:39 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 15:47 IST(14/2/2010)
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Sunday declined to comment on
the fate of the February 25 Foreign Secretary-level talks between
India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pune bomb blast.
"I am not going to talk about the talks right now. Let us wait for
the report (of the investigative agencies) first,"
Krishna told reportersin Chennai when asked whether the Pune blast
would have any impact on the dialogue.
Terming the blast as "most tragic and unfortunate", Krishna said, "We
will resist the forces of terrorism
resolutely and with firmness and determination."
He said, "We are well aware that the dark forces of terrorism are
against peace and amity between nations. It is most tragic and
unfortunate that they have struck again leading to a loss of innocent
lives."
An improvised explosive device, kept in a packet outside the kitchen
of the popular German bakery in Pune, exploded at around 1930 hours
last night when a waiter attempted to open it, killing nine persons
and injuring 57 others.
Pune blast to cause difficulties for India on Feb 25 talks
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, February 14, 2010
First Published: 20:19 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 20:21 IST(14/2/2010)
The Pune bomb attack is expected to cast a shadow on the upcoming
Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan as the
incident is likely to create difficulties for the government on going
ahead with the dialogue considering the mounting opposition.
Ahead of the February 25 talks, the government is expected to take
stock of the situation and consider all pros and cons once the
investigators reach some conclusion about who was behind the blast.
For the moment, government sources say the talks schedule remains
unchanged and the completion of probe should be awaited before
anything could be said on it.
However, it is pointed out that the government would discuss the issue
of the attack in the context of the upcoming talks when the
investigations are completed.
India, which had refused to hold any dialogue with Pakistan after the
26/11 attacks, offered to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks only
about two weeks back.
Significantly, the date for the talks was finalised a day ahead of the
blast at German bakery in Pune.
"It is premature to talk about the talks now as there is no clarity
yet about who is involved. Let the investigators complete the probe,
then we can talk about the talks," a source said.
At the same time, the sources noted that such incidents are not ruled
out in Indo-Pak affairs and these are factored in when any decision is
taken.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/Probe-confirms-Headley-link/510107/H1-Article1-510049.aspx
Terror and talks cannot co-exist: BJP
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, February 14, 2010
First Published: 14:57 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 12:30 IST(15/2/2010)
Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has attacked the UPA government
for a "weak" Kashmir policy and blamed that "intelligence failure" of
Maharashtra government and the central government led to terror attack
in Pune on Saturday.
He also said, 'terror and talks' cannot go on simultaneously and urged
the UPA government to come clean on is Kashmir policy.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari who was to come to Lucknow on Sunday
cancelled his plans at the last minute and air dashed to Pune, he
said.
Joshi, the BJP MP from Varanasi was in Lucknow to take part in the
wedding of party MP Kalraj Mishra's son.
He slammed the government for its recent decision to "welcome" youths
from Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and demanded that the government
should take the Parliament in confidence on the Kashmir issue. "We
believe that the government has by passed the Parliament and changed
its Kashmir policy on the sly. We want to know why the policy has been
changed," he said.
On being told that senior BJP leader Arun Shourie had praised the
union home minister P Chidambaram, he said, "When he was taking the
right steps, we praised him. But, we won't praise him all the time for
all the things."
On the Shiv-Sena-BJP standoff on the Mumbai-for-Marathis issue, he
said, "We differ with the Shiv Sena on it as we believe that all
Indians have full freedom to go anywhere in the country. The Rashtriya
Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) has even offered to provide security to those
who feel insecure.
Though he said that the language and regionalism cannot be the basis
for division, he was evasive when asked if the BJP-Shiv Sena ties were
strained after the Mumbai-for-Marathis alone issue.
When reminded that the BJP national general secretary Vinay Katiyar
had demanded that the party should snap its ties with the Shiv Sena,
he said, "His views too would be considered but at this moment there
is no cause for reviewing the ties. We have made our differences with
the Shiv Sena very clear on this."
New Delhi, February 18, 2010
India to seek voice samples of seven accused in Mumbai attacks
PTI
India will ask for voice samples of seven Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives
accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks during next week’s Foreign
Secretary-level talks with Pakistan to help in the ongoing probe.
Highly placed sources said India will seek the voice samples of Zaki-
ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu Al Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Hamad
Amin Sadiq, Younus Anjum and Jamil Ahmed.
The voice samples would be matched with the telephonic intercepts
available with Indian security agencies that were recorded during the
Mumbai attacks by 10 Pakistani terrorists on November 26, 2008, the
sources said.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will hold talks with her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir here on February 25 during which India is
expected to convey its serious concerns over cross-border terrorism.
The seven accused were chargesheeted by a Pakistani court on November
25 last year and India now feels Pakistan can share their voice
samples to assist in the ongoing investigations.
The arms training of some youth under the banner of Indian Mujahideen
in Karachi, will also be conveyed to Pakistan, the sources said.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article108926.ece
No consensus on agenda for Feb.25 Indo-Pak talks as yet
Thursday, February 18, 2010,10:09 [IST]
New Delhi, Feb.18 (ANI): With just a week left for the Foreign
Secretary level talks the agenda of discussions still looks unclear.
Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna has categorically said that
Terrorism will remain the core of discussion and Pakistan is free to
take up any issue of concern. But message is not clear to Islamabad,
which is seeking more clarity on the statement and is adamantly
advocating the inclusion of Kashmir and Water in the talks.
Clearing the mist, Government sources here explain that it is not a
'monologue' but a dialogue therefore terrorism should not be expected
to be the focal point of discussion, However India's focus will remain
on terrorism and Pakistan will raise issues of its concern they said.
Sources have told ANI that India is also likely to handover evidence
of previous attacks and also recent attack on German bakery in Poone.
Indian Foreign Minister has also clarified its stand that foreign
secretary-level talks should not be seen as a resumption of composite
dialogue, has further confounded Islamabad and diplomatic sources here
have told ANI that Pakistan is viewing the resumption of formal talks
at the foreign secretary level as the first step to the resumption of
composite dialogue.
Government sources here explain that composite dialogue is not just
confined to Foreign Secretary level talks but it has many more arms at
different levels.
The composite dialogue process, begun after the Islamabad SAARC (South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in 2004 comprised
eight key components including Jammu and Kashmir, confidence-building
measures, defence, trade and water-related issues that have plagued
bilateralelations for decades.
Section of Experts and commentators here believe that If no framework
of dialogue is composed before talks it will be difficult to achieve
anything out of talks whereas others are viewing it as a good start to
open the logjam in the stalled relationship.(ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/noconsensus-on-agenda-for-feb25-indo-pak-talks-asyet.html
'The message has gone out that in India it's always business as usual'
Last updated on: February 17, 2010 12:32 IST
Archana Masih
With another Pakistan-based terror outfit, the hither-to-unheard-of
Lashkar e Tayiba al Alami, the role of non-State actors ensconced in
India's western neighbour in fomenting terror has once again come into
focus.
There have been other links to terror groups in Pakistan as well.
After each trip to India, for instance, Laskhar-e-Tayiba operative
David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-origin US citizen charged with
criminal conspiracy in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, returned to
Pakistan to meet other co-conspirators and provided results of his
surveillance, including oral descriptions of various locations.
A retired Pakistani Army major was also arrested for his links with
Headley and Pakistan-born-Candian Tawwahur Rehman, another 26/11
accused. These developments yet again bring into focus Pakistan-based
terror operatives for targeting India in deadly ways.
Maroof Raza, a former Indian Army officer and well-known security and
defence analyst, gives a detailed view of the Pakistani
establishment's response to the Mumbai attacks and describes how the
Pakistan Army controls the country's national identity.
The author of three books on India' security concerns, his latest book
Confronting Terrorism was released last month. In a candid
conversation with Archana Masih, he discussed how terror had become an
industry in Pakistan, the pre-eminence of the Pakistan Army in the
State, and how India diplomatically lost the plot after 26/11.
The prime minister recently said that Pakistan hasn't done enough on
26/11 and India doesn't even know who to speak to since real power
rests with the Army -- what options does this leave for India?
The long term agenda of the international community is to depoliticise
Pakistan. It will take 10-20 years, till one or two generations of
young officers grow up recognising the fact that there is a civilian
leadership that they must respect.
The reason why the Pakistan military became pre-eminent is because at
its creation the civilian leadership was unable to take interest in
matters of foreign policy and strategy. Hence, the military became
actively involved in defence purchases. India, China, the US and
nuclear issues became their domain. They really call the shots on key
issues that are part of Pakistan's national identity. Even when the
military is not in power, issues like India, China, Afghanistan, the
US, nuclear strategy are in their domain.
Civilians have repeatedly been given chances by history and they've
failed to deliver in Pakistan. Asif Zardari is no better and his time
is limited. In India at the time of Independence, Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru and other leaders commanded the respect of the military. The
military did not feel the need to get into a confrontation with
Panditji on foreign policy even after the Nehru and Krishna Menon's
[then foreign minister] China blunder in 1962.
Dr Singh is a great economist, he is honest but is rather naive and
misdirected on foreign policy. He got away with the nuclear deal
because it was good for the country -- let's not talk about the
Nuclear Supplier's Group -- the deal gave us access to technology that
was denied to us in spite of us being a law-abiding country. But Dr
Singh got Sharm-el-Sheikh [where India and Pakistan gave a joint
statement delinking action on terror with the composite dialogue]
completely wrong.
In Pakistan even on a happy day its prime minister does not have the
decision-making powers as ours. In all talks with Pakistan, you must
involve the army chief and the ISI, only then can you get a rubber
stamp of respectability. Dr Singh should speak to all the
establishment, you can't talk to one man.
In spite of international acknowledgement of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba's
role in 26/11 and Pakistan's own admission of Lashkar's involvement,
its leader Hafiz Sayeed still roams free?
Diplomatically we've lost the plot. With world opinion in our favour,
we haven't achieved anything. Pakistan's smirk has changed into a
smile ever since we have been making all concessions to them in Sharm-
el-Sheikh and elsewhere. The message that's gone out to the world is
that with India it will always be business as usual.
If India had effectively used all its diplomatic leverage, the
goodwill of the international community and our politicians had not
got very busy in trying to win the next election, we had lots in our
favour but we abandoned it. The world thinks we are not serious about
handling terror.
Image: Police escort Hafiz Sayeed, head of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa
and founder of Lashkar-e-Tayiba, as he leaves after an appearance in
court in Lahore
Photographs: Mohsin Raza/Reuters
chhotemianinshallah
Editorial
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Irrespective of their political affiliations and differences over most
of the issues relating to governance and policy matters the Chief
Ministers of all the Indian states have shown a rare unity by fully
backing the Central government over the issue of internal security.
The has clearly sent out a signal not only to country’s estranged
neighbours particularly Pakistan but also to those armed rebels who
have been waging war against the state that India can never compromise
with the threat to its sovereignty and would defeat both external and
internal forces, who are out to dismantle it.
It was a unique display of oneness among all the Chief Ministers who
had gathered to attend a meeting called by the Union home minister the
other day to evolve a common strategy to deal with the threat to
country’s internal security, when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi, a hardcore opponent of ruling United Progress Alliance
government on almost all the issues, declared that his government is
committed to fully back the Central government’s efforts to counter
terrorism and Maoist rebellion. What was most surprising was that Modi
who had a day before lamented the UPA government for failing to
contain spiraling food prices had full praise for the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram for the manner in which
both have been handling issues relating to internal security. Under
the Manmohan Singh regime, the opposition-ruled states did not face
any discrimination in the matter of internal security, Modi said in
his address to the day-long conference. The response of the Home
Minister and Home Secretary is swift and positive whenever there is a
demand from the states on internal security, he added. Even Chief
Ministers of other opposition ruled states agreed with Modi.
In the conference on internal security, which deliberated upon all
aspects of the subject Prime Minister Singh said that hostile groups
and elements were operating from across the border to perpetrate
terrorist acts in our country, and Jammu and Kashmir bears the brunt
of such acts from these groups. There was a marked decline in the
number of terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir from 2008 to 2009.
Singh however, expressed concern at the increase in the number of
infiltration bids.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram described the Pakistan-based terror
groups as dark forces, which were opposed to India. They would be
defeated whenever confronted, he said. In his opening statement, he
said such militant groups as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Hizbul
Mujahideen held a meeting at Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir on Thursday. Their weapons were on display, and their goal is
forcible annexation of Kashmir. Let me make it clear that these dark
forces will not succeed in their designs, Chidambaram said.
The observations of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister assume
significance because they have come at a time when India has offered
to resume talks with Pakistan, which remained suspended after the
Mumbai terror attacks.
The outcome of the conference on internal security could be considered
as a warning to Pakistan that India would bargain hard as and when
dialogue between the two starts. It is also quite clear that during
the course of peace talks India would leave no stone unturned to force
Pakistan to put in place a mechanism to dismantle the terror
infrastructure present on its soil. New Delhi is also mulling to
propose a new mechanism under which Islamabad is held responsible if
any Mumbai type terror strike is repeated. Unlike, its first term in
the government, the UPA seems taking the issue of internal security
more seriously in its second term as the Home Minister Chidambaram has
initiated a sustained dialogue with the governments of all the states
irrespective of parties ruling there to evolve a common strategy to
deal with the insurgency within the country be it Maoists or various
armed insurgent groups in north eastern region.
The recent effort in this direction is an offer made by Chidambaram to
Maoists that the government is prepared to talk to them provided they
lay down arms and come forward for dialogue. However, it is very
difficult to predict whether or not the armed guerrillas would pay
heed to Centre”s overture. They might do so to use the ceasefire
period to consolidate their strength that has been reduced in the
recent past by the massive combat operations launched by the para-
military forces and police in Maoist-hit states. Currently, 13 Indian
states are in the grip of Maoist insurgency that began from a small
place called Naxalbari in West Bengal state in early 1960s. Despite
various steps taken by the successive governments at the Centre and
states, India has failed to wipe out this menace that has taken the
lives of thousands of policemen and security personnel over the years.
Neelam Jeena, NPA
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27359
Paramount changes in Indo-Pak dialogue: Jaitley
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
By Adhir Kumar Saxena
Indore, Feb 18:
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun
Jetiley has said that the UPA rule at the Centre has witnessed the
gradual weakening of India's internal security and the undermining of
strategic concerns. Speaking on the draft resolution on National
Security and Jammu and Kashmir, Jetiley said some neighboring
countries have made no secret of their aggressive designs on India.
National as well as internal security is diminishing day by day, while
the Union Government is succumbing to American pressures in Indo-Pak
talks. He said erratic decisions by the government on internal
security issues have made thing go worse. Terrorists from outside the
country have developed local modules inside India and most of the
recent terrorist attacks have exposed the true picture. Still the
Delhi government is not taking the issue on priority. The shabby state
of affairs in the Union Government speaks of shady deals.
Paramount changes creped in the Indo-Pak dialogue. Earlier when Atal
Behari Vajpayee was prime minister, it was decided that talks with
Pakistan could only commence when PoK was not used for insurgency.
Vajpayee clearly marked and penned the dialogue document, mentioning
talks without terror. Today the union government is initiating the
dialogue with terror. Even with Pune blast, talks continue.
Today China is putting pressures from all ends, America is
pressurizing on all activities that weaken internal security. Jetiley
proposed the resolution on National Security and Jammu and Kashmir.
He said Kashmir is the sole property of India and the debate with
Pakistan started with a separate status for Kashmir and has now taken
the course of separatism
He accused the UPA government of deliberately diluting army presence
in the Valley, under a vote politics plan. He also said that the
government is diluting the Line of Control area.
Supporting the motion, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said that
UPA claims mature politics, then why the opposition is kept in the
dark in the Indo-Pak dialogue issue. He queried that every time a
major decision on security is taken, American diplomats come on secret
missions to India, is national security being monitored or looked
after by Washington. Modi said Pakistan has never lost and opportunity
to raise Kashmir issue weather it is an international forum on
environment, water, climate etc.
Modi accused the UPA government of playing foul with internal
security. There is a definite discrimination between UPA andnon UPA
ruled states. He said Gujarat prepared a stringent POTA law. The law
was passed in the Assembly and sent to New Delhi. The UPA government
turned down the draft even after a similar law existing in
Maharashtra.
The UPA government has recently released a circular for shooting
practice of police forces once in three years. Meanwhile terrorists,
Maoists and naxals are practicing firing three times a day. This way
how could our forces combat these anti-nationals.
Lashing out at UPA government, he said we had demanded intensified
security of coastal areas. A draft was also sent to the then NDA
government at Delhi. LK Advani had approaved it but the government
changed. Till date, even after 26/11 and Pune terror attack, the UPA
government is not taking it seriously. He cautioned the UPA government
to fight terror united and not discriminated in policies state wise.
He called it a matter of shame that Andhra Pradesh government started
a dialogue with Maoists who came with arms to negotiate. The first
condition for talks should have been dialogue sans arms.
Supporting the motion, Modi said we should have a Rashtra Neeti, that
enables us to fight for every inch of Indian Territory and this should
be much above vote neeti.
Supporting the move, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said that
Maoists and naxals have spread tentacles in almost all parts of the
country and are striking at will. The UPA government claims to be
worried but has no standing solution to the worsening problem.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27409
Govt's clean chit to Thackeray, Raj, Rane
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Mumbai, Feb 18:
The government on Thursday told the Bombay High Court there was no
evidence against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, MNS president Raj
Thackeray and Congress leader Narayan Rane in four separate incidents
of political vandalism last year.
Political workers of Sena, MNS and Congress had allegedly indulged in
violence and damaged public and private property in all these
incidents.
On the last occasion, the high court had asked if any action had been
taken against top leaders.
In an affidavit filed on Thursday, additional chief secretary (home)
Chandra Iyengar has said that "during the investigation of these four
cases, it was not revealed that top leaders of the parties instigated
their followers or aided and abetted...since no involvement of top
leaders or conspiracy was revealed, no action of arrest or prosecution
could be taken."
Former IPS officer Julio Rebeiro had written a letter to the high
court, mentioning these four incidents, and demanding that
compensation be recovered from those guilty. The letter was treated as
a PIL.
First incident took place last January where Shiv Sena workers, led by
MP Sanjay Raut, attacked hotel Inter Continental near Mumbai airport
over some labour dispute. In the same month, supporters of Narayan
Rane allegedly ransacked the office of daily 'Nava Kal', angered by an
editorial critical of him.
In the third incident, on January 28, MNS workers vandalised the
office of registrar of Mumbai University to protest the rumour that
Marathi would be made an optional subject for arts stream
examination.
Then in February, MNS workers ransacked a beauty parlour in
neighbouring Thane, suspecting that it was a prostitution hub.
On the last occasion, court had specifically asked whether action was
taken against Bal Thackeray, Raj, and Rane.
But according to Iyengar, none of them was found to be involved, and
attacks were carried out by local workers "on their own".
Government pleader Niranjan Pandit told the division bench of Chief
Justice Anil Dave and S C Dharmadhikari that charge sheet have been
filed in all the cases, and compensation has been recovered in three
cases.
The court has now asked the government to submit a proposal for
creation of office of "claims commissioner" -- as contemplated by
Supreme Court in an earlier case.
The claims commissioner will assess the damage caused to public and
private property due to violent political protests, and fix monetary
liability of the guilty persons.
The proposal is to be submitted to high court in six weeks.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27405
Maoist Kill 12 in Bihar
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Patna, Feb 18:
Striking for the second time this week, heavily-armed Maoists swooped
down on Kasari village in Bihar's Jamui district, set afire thatched
houses and fired a hail of bullets, leaving 12 tribals dead and eight
others injured last night.
Around 125 heavily-armed ultras stormed the village last night, set
afire houses and then opened fire, Deputy Inspector General of Police
(Bhagalpur range) Amit Kumar, said.
Four of a family were charred to death in a blazing hut while others
died of gunshot injuries. The deceased belonged to the Kora tribe.
The attack was said to be in retaliation against the recent killings
of eight activists of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) allegedly by the
villagers, according to leaflets left by the ultras at the spot.
Nearly 100 Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons had exploded
landmines near the Silda camp before barging inside with a volley of
fire on 15th February.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered the state home department's
Principal Secretary Amir Subhani and Director General of Police Anand
Shankar to visit the spot and submit a report soon.
He announced that the state government would provide Rs one lakh
compensation to the dependents of each of the deceased, while the
injured persons would receive Rs 20,000 or Rs 50,000 depending on the
nature of their injury.
The injured have been admitted to hospitals at Sikandra and Jamui,
where the condition of five persons was stated to be critical.
Maoists had given a three-day bandh call in eastern part of Bihar to
protest the killing of their activists. The bandh ended last night.
Set demands for release of official
Ranchi, Feb 18:
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27404
Pak wants resumption of composite dialogue: Gilani
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Islamabad, Feb 18:
Pakistan wants resumption of the stalled composite dialogue with India
but "the vibes emanating from the other side have not been
encouraging," Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday.
Gilani made the remarks while discussing the state of Indo-Pak
relations and the forthcoming foreign secretary-level talks with
visiting US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan,
Richard Holbrooke.
Pakistan is committed to peace in the region and the government is
"making sincere efforts for resumption of the composite dialogue
process with India," Gilani said.
However, he "regretted that the vibes emanating from the other side
have not been encouraging."
Relations between India and Pakistan "should not become hostage to the
activities of terrorists," who are the common enemy, Gilani was quoted
as saying in a statement issued by his office.
He said both countries "must address core issues, including Kashmir
and water disputes," for lasting peace in the region.
Gilani and Holbrooke also held wide-ranging discussions on various
issues, including the major offensive against the Taliban launched by
the US-led forces in Afghanistan and proposed US-Pakistan strategic
dialogue.
The premier hoped that the strategic dialogue would be "scheduled
expeditiously to discuss agreed components during the first half of
2010" as had been agreed during US secretary of state Hillary
Clinton's visit to the country last year.
Gilani "underlined the imperative of the strategic dialogue for
building trust to remove misperceptions or misgivings prevalent on
both sides."
On being briefed by Holbrooke and his team on 'Operation Mushtarik',
the new campaign launched by the US in Afghanistan, Gilani expressed
concerns about the "spill-over of refugees and militants" from
Afghanistan's Helmand region into Balochistan and North West Frontier
Province in Pakistan.
He hoped these concerns will be kept in mind by US and ISAF
(International Security Assistance Force) troops and there would be
enhanced coordination and cooperation with Pakistani armed forces in
this regard.
Referring to Pakistan's burgeoning energy needs, Gilani called for
fast-tracking of dialogue in this sector to mitigate the power
shortage in the country.
He hoped that projects identified in the US strategy for regional
stabilisation would be implemented on a priority basis.
Gilani also expressed concern about delay in disbursement of money
from the Coalition Support Fund and in the release of aid to Pakistan
under the Kerry-Lugar Act, saying this was adversely affecting the
economy.
Holbrooke, who arrived in Islamabad after visiting Kabul, briefed
Gilani on the political situation in Afghanistan and the operation
against militants in Helmand province.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27402
JeM militants killed in Kashmir
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
United News Of India
Srinagar, Feb 18:
Security forces today gunned down both the militants of Jaish-e-
Mohammad (JeM) who remained holed up in a house in south Kashmir
district of Pulwama since last night.
Official sources said the forces launched a massive offensive this
afternoon and killed both the militants, who were firing from the
house.
They were identified as Altaf Ahmad Baba and Javid Ahmad.
Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
The residents alleged that the forces blasted the house, killing both
the JeM militants.
A Defence ministry spokesman said the operation was on to neutralise
the holed up militants, who refused to surrender.
Giving details about the incident, he said, a tip-off was received
that a group of militants were hiding in a village in Pulwama
district.
Immediately, Army, state police and Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) launched a joint operation. However, when the area was being
sealed, The militants hiding in the house opened fire with automatic
weapons.
The militants were repeatedly being asked to surrender.
He said the residents in the nearby houses were immediately shifted to
safer places. However, no final assault could be launched because of
the darkness, he said, adding the cordon around the area was further
tightened to foil any attempt by the militants to escape.
He said intermittent firing was going on during the night which has
intensified since first light today.
Though the exact number of militants inside the house was not
immediately known, the spokesman said, adding the number could be two.
This was the third such incident in the Kashmir valley during the past
four days.
Two militants were gunned down by the security forces in Baramulla
yesterday while as many others were killed in Kulgam district
recently.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27401
Strictly adhere to visa norms
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
United News Of India
New Delhi, Fen 18
In view of heightened threat perceptions following the Pune blast, the
Home Ministry today asked all Central Ministries and departments and
Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and UTs to strictly adhere
to the revised procedure for grant of Conference Visa to foreign
participants coming to India for attending international conferences,
seminars and workshops.
The detailed guidelines in this regard were earlier put in place on
July 15, last year.
The Ministry reiterated that those coming to participate in
conferences in India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan and foreigners of Pakistan origin and
stateless persons are required to get security clearance from the
Ministry only.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27400
INDORE, February 18, 2010
BJP criticises move to resume talks with Pak
Special Correspondent
The Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday launched a no-holds barred
attack on the government’s security policies, criticising the move to
resume the stalled dialogue with Pakistan and charging it with an
intention to dilute India’s administrative control over Jammu and
Kashmir.
In a resolution adopted by the party’s National Council here, it said
the government was confused and could not respond adequately to the
worsening internal security situation racked not only by terrorism but
also the violence of Maoist-led groups. It charged the government with
following a weak-kneed policy towards China which was showing a “new
belligerence” with regard to its claims in Arunachal Pradesh.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley drafted and
moved the security resolution while chief ministers Narendra Modi and
Raman Singh supported it. Mr. Jaitley’s charge was that the UPA
policies would once again “internationalise” the Kashmir issue.
The resolution asked the government to “re-visit” its decision to
resume the dialogue with Pakistan, and said if it is held, it must be
terrorism-centric, not focused on Kashmir. The party also pointed out
“no dialogue is a legitimate… diplomatic option.”
“Nehruvian blunder”
The party said special status for Kashmir was a “Nehruvian blunder”
that had created a “psychological barrier” preventing the full
integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. It criticised regional
parties which had recently raised the autonomy cry, as if lack of
adequate power with the State government was the problem responsible
for terrorism.
Mr. Modi, who had reportedly praised Home Minister Chidambaram’s
handling of security recently, described the Centre as the “Delhi
Sultanate,” an expression perhaps intended to emphasise the party’s
charge of “appeasement” of minorities as a part of the UPA’s anti-
terrorism policy.
He charged the UPA with finding no time to talk to the Opposition on
security issues but having all the time to re-start a dialogue with
Pakistan. He warned that India’s response to security issues cannot
succeed unless the Centre and the States act in coordination and speak
in one voice.
Mr. Raman Singh defended Chhattisgarh’s record and said it was a
misconception to think the tribals support Maoist groups. He claimed
they were voluntarily coming forward to fight naxalism, which posed
the most important security threat to the country.
Speaking later, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made the most
serious charge, saying “Congress ke haath atankwad ke saath” — the
Congress hand is with terrorism. He also wondered how and why the Al
Qaeda had found roots in India under the UPA when it was not present
during the Vajpayee regime.
The Congress, he said, has identified Muslims with Dawoods and Haji
Mastaans while the BJP had projected the former President, Abdul
Kalam, as the Muslim role model.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article109205.ece
chhotemianinshallah
By India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking
News - Times of India
As Maoists continued to strike at will, the Centre is planning to
deploy around 15,000 additional paramilitary personnel by April in the
Naxal-affected states to deal with the extremists.
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
http://www.waltercassano.com/blog/?p=50252
LIBERAL FASCISM IN INDIA
February 15th, 2010 | 4 Comments | Posted in Great Hindu Liberal
fascism is actually a mental disease that strikes the English educated
youths in India – who are cut off from reality.
They will swear by liberalism but will fly into a rage whenever
somebody proposes a different point of view.
Even if there are… n… number of Islamic terrorist attacks, they will
say that Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood.
Even if there are unprovoked attacks from those terrorists, they will
continue to harass the State and police on the charges of human
rights.
Even if the truth is presented to them, they will deny those evidence
on false charges of fabrication.
Even if you show them the terror verses in Koran, they will say that
it is wrong translation.
Even if you show them the terror lines in Hadiths, they will say that
Muslims don’t beleive in it although terrorists do.
In the face of unprovoked Islamic terror attacks, they will say that
the oh-so-poor terrorists only reacted to “Hindu fundamentalism”.
Even after conviction of n number of Islamic terrorists, they will say
that terrorists have no religion.
However, they will gleefully brand Hindus as “terrorists” even though
not a single Hindu has been convicted by the Court on charges of
terrorism.
In short, the liberal fascists in India will always stand by the
Naxal, Christian and Islamic terrorists in the face of evidence.
And when the poor Hindus strikes back against terrorism, they will
photograph and display to the world what they call “Hindu Terrorism”.
The entire Indian media is filled with Liberal Fascists. There is
only one solution to this problem. Hindus should have their own media
with a commitment to Truth. And this is what the Liberal Fascists
lack — Commitment to Truth.
views, 27 so far today |
Can Naxals Be Defeated?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Title of the post could also have been do we want to defeat
naxals?.Naxals killed 24 of eastern rifle personnel few days back and
again killed 9 villagers in what they call as revenge act. The fault
of those villagers was that they informed police about naxals.
Home Ministry had already hinted about lack of preparedness of police
in case of 24 eastern rifle killing.
Naxal problem is not just bunch of rebels but bit deeper than that.
Here paramilitary and police have to deal with armed rebels who have
disillusioned tribals too. Naxals use fear as their mode of operation.
Beheading police officers to induce fears among police ranks. Brutally
killing of villagers who inform police , inducing fears among
informers and inducing fear of survival among tribals to get manpower.
They have intellectual supports from sympathizers. These sympathizers
feel tribals , poorest being harmed by development and support naxal
cause against what they call as police atrocity.
But what adds to difficulty of center to act tough against Naxals is
lack of consences among political parties. Mamta who is seen coming
state election as golden opportunity to nail cpm in its strong hold,
wants center to go soft of naxals. Mamta is biggest ally of upa . Sibu
Soren who recently became chief minister of jharkhand again also
favors talks and going slow on naxals. Sibu Soren gave tickets to
former naxalites and is alleged to have used naxal help to win some
seats in state election. Nitish kumar too has come under criticism in
handling of naxals. Sibu and Nitesh are BJP's allies.
The biggest challenge in defeating naxals is politics. Till all
political parties decide of no using naxal for their advantage , how
can their be strong national will to crush naxals. Secondly defeating
naxal is first step which has to be followed by rapid development or
else naxals would come back.
Can Naxals Be Defeated?. Answer is No , in present circumstances. It
can be defeated only when political parties stop dirty politics ,
police's preparedness is enhanced , police makes sure operation takes
care of human rights and intellectuals understand that development can
only bring tribals to main stream.
at 12:29 AM
http://indiansawaal.blogspot.com/2010/02/can-naxals-be-defeated.html
Ashfaqulla Khan-Tribute To Less Known Freedom Fighters
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Ashfaqulla Khan is one of great freedom fighters of India. Youngest
among siblings ashfaqulla was born to shafiqur rahman who was in
police department of British India.
Dejected by gandhiji's withdrawal of non cooperation moment ashfaqulla
joined revolutionaries.
Devot Muslim , ashfaqulla had close relationship with pandit ram
bismil. Another example of communal harmony seen during freedom
struggle in 1920s.
Convinced that non violence wont make Britishers give India ,its long
due freedom ashfaqulla and his revolutionary friends like azad ,
lahiri, bismil decided to use weapons to challenge might of british
empire.
Revolutionary movement required money to sustain and Bismil planned to
loot government teasury.
On 9 August 1925 Ashfaqulla and other revolutionaries, namely Pandit
Ram Prasad Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Thakur Roshan Singh, Sachindra
Bakshi, Chandrashekar Azad, Keshab Chakravarthy, Banwari Lal, Mukundi
Lal, Manmathnath Gupta looted the train carrying British government
money in Kakori near Lucknow.
Bismil was captured by police 15 days after the loot but ashfaq
remained uncaught. He went to banaras where he worked in a engineering
company. He remained there for 10 months. Good in engineering ,
ashfaqulla decided to pursue engineering going out of India and assist
in freedom struggle with help of engineering knowledge.
Asfaqullah went to his friend in Delhi. But his friend , pathan
betrayed him and informed police about his where abouts.
He was arrested. To create communal divides among revolutionaries and
get asfaqullah's support to crush the movement , ashfaqullah was tried
to be wooed by tasadruk khan , police superintendent. Tasadruk tried
to convince ashfaqullah that if britisher go , hindu India would not
be good for Muslims of subcontinent.
Asfaqullah is said to have replied that he was sure that hindu India
will be much better than british India for all communities.
On 19 december 1927 ashfaqullah was hanged by britishers.
Ashfaqullah , Bhagat singh , bismil , azad , sukhdev were
revolutionary freedom fighters who gave their lives for India.
Undivided whole India with vision of having a country which would give
better lives to all its citizen irrespective of their caste , creed
and religion.
India later got divided into India and Pakistan , Pakistan later got
divided into pakistan and bangladesh.
These legends but fought for entire subcontinent and are heros of
entire subcontinent.
at 12:44 AM
http://indiansawaal.blogspot.com/2010/02/ashfaqulla-khan-tribute-to-less-known.html
KISHENJI WAS JUST 3 KM AWAY FROM ATTACK SITE
West Bengal cops let off Naxal chief Kishenji
Sumon K Chakrabarti / CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 20:57,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 23:25 in India section
TARDY ACT? Intelligence was able to track down Kishneji by tracking
his phone calls to journalists.
New Delhi: Days after the most violent Naxal attack in a police camp
in West Bengal’s Silda village, where 24 jawans of the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed, an exclusive intelligence report to
which CNN-IBN has access to, reveals that the dreaded Naxal leader
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji could have been let off by the West
Bengal government.
Intelligence sources in New Delhi have told CNN-IBN that Kishenji was
in Sirsi village, just 3 kilometers away from the Midnapore town when
the Naxal attack was going on in Silda on Monday, February 15.
The intelligence traced his mobile tower and passed on his
(Kishenji’s) coordinates to the state police, which surprisingly chose
not to act on the intelligence information.
Intelligence was able to track down Kishneji by tracking his phone
calls to journalists, claiming the attack.
Earlier CNN-IBN had reported of the intelligence warning about a
possible Naxal attack in Sildah to the West Bengal government.
The intelligence input was specific and could have prevented the
attack. The state intelligence had sent two specific alerts to the
government on November 23, 2009 and February 13, 2010
“Mobile squad of Maoists is planning to attack Sildah camp of the
joint forces,” said one alert.
Another intelligence alert warned that Naxals were infiltrating among
students in Sildah College. All joint forces camps required to have
two local police officers present at all times. However, the local
police officers posted in Sildah camp left just 30 minutes before the
attack
The interrogation of local police officers has revealed discrepancies
in their statements. Bullets fired by Naxals during the attack were
those that are used by the state police, leading officials to suspect
that ammunition from the district police armoury reached Naxals.
Meanwhile, West Bengal's home secretary Ardhendu Sen said, "There had
been some intelligence inputs and the troops should have been more
alert. However, the exact site of the attack was not known. It is not
true that the EFR jawans did not retaliate but it cannot be denied
that there were several security lapses and a departmental inquiry is
going to be held."
The home secretary's statement comes a day after Bengal's top cop said
that there was an intelligence failure.
West Bengal Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh had said,
"Because it is not expected that inside the town the Naxals would
enter in the numbers that they did and attacked."
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has
admitted lapses and has ordered an enquiry, after former National
Security Advisor, now West Bengal governor M K Narayanan has also
pointed out the lapses in a meeting called on Wednesday.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said, “There are two versions in the newspapers
today that of the DGP and that of the chief secretary, I have told
them that this cannot happen and they have to be on the same page.”
At 2 pm (IST) on Monday, the day of the attack, the state intelligence
had again warned that Maoist mobilisation was taking place at Silda.
The Naxals struck at 5 pm (IST).
Even if the EFR jawans had known, they would have been helpless
because their rifles did not work. It did not fire after the first
bullet.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/west-bengal-cops-let-off-naxal-chief-kishenji/110360-3.html?from=tn
18/02/2010
Naxal attacks: Who failed- intelligence or state govt.?
File photo of an Indian police officer Atindranath Dutta (C), wearing
a placard that reads 'Prisoner of War' (POW), stands along with armed
Maoists activists as he is being released in Bholagara village of the
eastern Indian state of West Bengal on October 22, 2009. Photo
Courtesy: Reuters
* 150 Maoists attack a village, kill 10 on Wednesday
* Same week, on Monday about 100 ultras attacked police camp, killed
24
* Chidambaram, Bengal govt admit lapses
So the question remains, who is to be blamed -- the Home Ministry or
the State Governments?
Is it the intelligence input that failed or was state government
caught unaware? Whatever the case, the audacity of the attacks by
naxals is increasing by the day.Kidnapping and beheading of Francis
Induwar was the worse ever instance of how maoists are getting back at
the law and order machinery.
Revenge attack
As Centre and State governments were playing all gung ho over the
enquiry into the biggest ever Maoist attack in West Bengal that
included assaulting Silda paramilitary camp, looting firearms, killing
24 jawans and setting the camp on fire, naxals struck again, this time
targeting a village in Bihar, killing 10 and declaring it a 'revenge
attack'.
As soon as there was an attack involving abduction and killing of
people and officials, all political establishments and leaders, first,
make a point to condemn the attack, second, order or demand an
enquiry. And then another attack happens and same procedures are
repeated.
Three decade old, Naxal movement, has come a long way establishing
itself as one of the serious internal security threats that needs to
be curbed for a peaceful eastern India. Recent years has witnessed a
surge in Maoist violence targeting key police officials, civil
servants and commoners alike.
As per the figures by police department 235 persons fell victim to
Naxal violence between January and November 2009. They include 99
policemen, two undercover police, 11 government officials, 21 special
police officers and 102 commoners, a PTI report said.
File photo of Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram (L) addressing the
media as West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Chattacharjee looks on
after a meeting to discuss strategy to deal with Maoists. Photo
Courtesy: AFP
The brutal strike
The gravity of Naxal menace can be understood from the brutal
beheading of Jharkhand police inspector Francis Induwar by Maoists in
September 2009 amid all other killings and abductions by them. This
way, Induwar became the 339th policeman to be killed in Naxal violence
in Jharkhand between January 2003 and October 2009. The State's 20 of
the 24 districts are Maoist-infested.
Back then, the Union government had condemned the killing and termed
it unacceptable.
Another 'bloody' decade?
This year saw a violent three-day shutdown, from 7 to 9 February, by
the Maoists across Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. According to a IANS
report, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that Maoists main targets
of attack were railway property and there were a total of 11 incidents
in the three states.
"Tracks were blown up, railway stations were attacked, bombs were
placed on railway property and railway officials were assaulted," he
had added.
Today, once again, India has around 34 dead including 24 policemen and
10 civilians, in a week's time in Naxal violence in West Bengal,
Chidambaram condemning the attack, state police promising to continue
fighting the ultras, state government ordering an enquiry into the
incident and left-wing extremists proudly claiming the attack.
File photo of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Top
Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict against the
Maoists till even 2008. Photo Courtesy: PTI
Naxals challenging Chidambaram
Ironically, the attack comes barely a week after Chidambaram met
officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal in Kolkata to
launch an inter-state operation against the Maoists.
What makes it even worse is the fact that the West Bengal government
had intelligence warnings that Maoists were 'assembling' in the area
around Shilda police camp and there could be a possible attack. They
now say that police needs to be trained better to face such
situations, that is after having a long history of losing policemen to
Naxal violence.
The blame game
This gave Centre a reason to blame the Bengal government and express
dismay at the 'unprofessional, incompetent, untrained and inadequate'
response of the state police force to the Maoist attack on Monday.
There were 'indications of failure' in a police camp with 'adequate
strength' being overrun by Maoists, home minister P Chidambaram said
on Tuesday.
Top Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict
against the Maoists till even 2008 and the Left government's policy of
tackling these ultra-Left through political process has taken a toll
on the effectiveness of the police forces against the Maoists.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M), the ruling coalition leader in Bengal, is not
in a mood to accept the criticisms easily and raised questions about
the Centre's responsibility on bringing various states on board in
fighting the Maoist menace.
"Home Minister announced just a couple of weeks ago that all states
have agreed to fight the Naxalites. If that is so, why did Bihar chief
minister Nitish Kumar and Jharkhand CM skip the meeting in Kolkata to
discuss strategies of anti-Maoist operations?" a Central Committee
member of the CPI(M) told Business Standard on Thursday.
Rescue workers carry the body of a policeman at a police camp attacked
by Maoist rebels in Silda village, Midnapore district of West Bengal.
On Monday, about 24 jawans were killed in the biggest-ever Maoist
assault when the rebels caught the troops unaware. Photo Courtesy:
Reuters
Politics behind the war
Even as it accepts the failure of the police forces privately, the
CPI(M) leadership is seeking strengthened operations against the
Maoists from other states as well.
"Jharkhand government has almost stopped action against Maoists.
Chidambaram must ensure the newly elected Shibu Soren government in
Jhrakhand resumes the full-fledged operations. Otherwise, Bengal will
bear the burn," said a CPI(M) leader in Delhi.
Amid all the mess, a highly optimistic prominent member of the
CPI(M)'s Central Committee Nilotpal Basu said, "The violence of the
Maoists will never succeed. We will never surrender to them."
Haven't we heard it enough? Don't we know that the Naxal violence,
killing of innocents, leaders condemning attacks, ordering enquiries
and the pushing the blame is all a part of three decade old blame game
---- where ultras are blaming the authority, State's blaming the
Centre, Centre blaming the State, the Opposition blaming the
government and commoners like us blame them all. Is there an end to
it? If yes, then isn't it time for us to identify the beginning of
that end at least?
Source: India Syndicate
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3637832&page=0
chhotemianinshallah
internal security threat making its presence felt in the public arena.
The Naxals not only extended their area of influence beyond the Red
Corridor but also shook the centres of power with their changing
tactics.
Move to Year 2010 and little has changed on the ground. The three-
decade-old Naxal movement, more brazen than ever before, is still
keeping states on the edge.
Through this photofeature, we revisit the bloody trail of Naxalism in
India.(NDTV photo)
ebruary 18, 2010: In what is being called a 'revenge' attack, 10
people in Jamui district of Bihar were killed and 25 houses were set
on fire as over 120 heavily-armed Maoists swooped down on Kasari
village.(NDTV photo)
The attack was reportedly in retaliation to police arresting eight
Maoists from this area, with help from villagers. After the incident,
the Maoists had in fact threatened to retaliate.(NDTV photo)
February 16, 2010: A truckload of Naxals, men and women, surrounded
the Shilda camp in West Midnapore, located in a busy market. As many
as thirty-six policemen were resting in their tents, oblivious to the
deadly fate in store for them.(NDTV photo)
From across the low walls of the camp, petrol bombs and grenades
landed with fury. Twenty-four policemen died, some of them burnt
inside their tents. Another seven were injured as nearly a hundred
Naxals, who burst in with sophisticated firearms and separated the
camp with bullets. (NDTV photo)
Maoist leader Kishenji claimed responsibility for the attack.
"We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to Chidambaram's
'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the Centre stops this inhuman
military operation we are going to answer this way only," Kishenji
said from an undisclosed location.
The Centre was outraged by the brazen attack on policemen. In his
statement, Home Minister P Chidambaram hit out at intellectual
sympathisers of Maoists. "I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the CPI (Maoist)."(NDTV photo)
The massacre of 24 jawans by the Maoists saw an outpouring of grief as
families grieved the loss of their loved ones at the funeral that saw
a gun salute by their colleagues of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.(NDTV
photo)
November 20, 2009: One person was killed and nearly 60 injured as
Maoists struck by blowing up a railway track in Jharkhand just as a
train was passing by.
Eight coaches of the Tata-Bilaspur passenger train were derailed near
Posaita station, 120 km from Jamshedpur, close to the Jharkhand-Orissa
border. (NDTV Photo)
Three coaches, carrying central forces, were badly damaged. The train
was on its way from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand to Bilaspur in
Chhattisgarh.
This was the first time that the Maoists blew up the tracks while the
train was passing by. They usually blow up tracks hours before the
scheduled passing of a train. (NDTV Photo)
The guard of the train said there was a strong jerk as the train was
moving and stone chips went flying in all directions. There was a
cloud of dust as the train came to a halt. (NDTV Photo)
The trigger- Maoists had called for a 24-hour bandh in Jharkhand,
protesting against the assembly elections. (NDTV Photo)
October 27, 2009: This was perhaps the most brazen attacks of them
all. The Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express screeched to a halt at the
Banshtala stop near Jhargram in West Midnapore district after its two
drivers were taken hostage by Maoist-backed People's Committee against
Police Atrocities. Their demand- release our leader Chhatradhar
Mahato. (PTI Photo)
The entire drama began at about 2.45 pm. As the train chugged along
the tracks on its way to Delhi from Bhubaneswar, hundreds of armed men
appeared on the tracks, waving red flags. (NDTV Photo)
The driver and his assistant were then taken hostage. The armed men
asked passengers to get out of the train. Officers of the Railway
Protection Force who were on the train began exchanging fire with
them. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
Amid reports that the PCPA was demanding the release of its leader
Chhatradhar Mahato, the activists painted graffitti on the sides of
the train in praise of him. Their demands had been laid bare-- Set
free our leader. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
Speaking to NDTV, top Naxal leader denied that his men were involved
with the attack on the train. It was he who first said the PCPA was
responsible. The PCPA is believed to be a front for the Naxals in the
Lalgarh area. (NDTV Photo)
Naxal leader Kishenji warned the government not to send police forces
into the area and asked Railway Minister Mamata Banerjie to visit the
area to negotiate with them. Mamata said she was ready to talk to
anyone, but the passengers should be released. (NDTV Photo)
Though traumatised, the passengers said they had been treated rather
well by the activists. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)
Total of 45 gruesome pictures...
chhotemianinshallah
BS Reporter / New Delhi February 18, 2010, 0:26 IST
The fatal Maoist attack in West Bengal’s Silda on Monday has spurred a
new war of words between the Congress-led Centre and the Left ruled
state government. The Central government, notwithstanding the pressure
of its key ally Trinamool Congress, has been supportive of the anti-
Naxal operations in Bengal.
But now, the top brass of the government is extremely upset over the
“unpreparedness” and “callous” attitude of the state force while
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, once again, got an opportunity
to raise questions about the effectiveness of the Centre-state joint
operations.
The CPI(M), the ruling coalition leader in Bengal, is not in a mood to
accept the criticisms easily. It has also raised questions about the
Centre’s responsibility on bringing various states on board in
fighting the Maoist menace.
“Home Minister announced just a couple of weeks ago that all states
have agreed to fight the Naxalites. If that is so, why did Bihar chief
minister Nitish Kumar and Jharkhand CM skip the meeting in Kolkata to
discuss strategies of anti-Maoist operations?” A Central Committee
member of the CPI(M) told Business Standard today.
A top minister of the UPA felt “shocked” after getting the reports of
the unpreparedness of the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda where
24 security personnel were killed.
“There was no guard at the gates of the camp. Some personnel were
playing cards, some were busy eating and most of them didn’t take the
situation seriously despite the fact that they were in hotbed of
Maoist territory. This incident and the previous one where a senior
police officer was abducted shows that the state government has not
prepared its forces properly to combat this menace.”
Top Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict
against the Maoists till even 2008 and the Left government’s policy of
tackling these ultra-Left through political process has taken a toll
on the effectiveness of the police forces against the Maoists.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram also spoke about “indications of
failure” in a police camp despite the “adequate strength” of the
security forces in his initial statement on Tuesday.
According to top sources, Chidambaram delivered a strong message to
West Bengal CM on Tuesday when he called the later after the incident.
Even the Central leadership of the CPI(M) expressed its shock and
surprise on how the police camp can be attacked in this manner.
Even as it accepts the failure of the police forces privately, the
CPI(M) leadership is seeking strengthened operations against the
Maoists from other states as well.
“Jharkhand government has almost stopped action against Maoists.
Chidambaram must ensure the newly elected Shibu Soren government in
Jhrakhand resumes the full-fledged operations. Otherwise, Bengal will
bear the burn,” said a CPI(M) leader in Delhi.
“The violence of the Maoists will never succeed. We will never
surrender to them,” said Nilotpal Basu, a prominent member of the
CPI(M)’s Central Committee—the highest decision making body of the red
party.
“It is a dastardly attack and I can only say it has strengthened our
resolve to fight this menace,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said
today.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-left-engage-in-warwordscountering-naxals/386084/
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/intellectuals-formthird-platform-in-bengal/00/28/385734/
Kishenji calls for boycott of Srikrishna committee
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:35 IST
Naxalites today gave a call for boycott of Justice B N Srikrishna
Committee, entrusted by the Centre to look into Telangana statehood
issue, describing the terms of reference of the panel as "betrayal of
people". "The terms of reference of Srikrishna Committee set up by the
Union government are a betrayal of the Telangana people," Naxalite
leader Kishenji told PTI over phone from an undisclosed location.
After committing to create a separate Telengana state out of Andhra
Pradesh, the central government was now hatching a conspiracy to
backtrack from the promise, the Maoist leader claimed.
"All MPs and MLAs from Telangana should resign immediately and people
of the region should unite for a greater movement to realise creation
of Telegana state," Kishenji said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chhattisgarh-plans-to-choke-funds/21/36/383896/
chhotemianinshallah
Thursday, February 18, 2010 0:14 IST
The massacre of policemen by Maoists in the Midnapore district of West
Bengal points once again to the apparent collapse of the
administration in that state. That the policemen were ambushed was bad
enough but that they were without adequate means to defend themselves
is inexcusable.
But the bigger question for the Left Front government is why and how
the Naxal menace has reappeared in West Bengal, more than three
decades after it was apparently not just wiped out but solid land
reforms were undertaken. When the Left came to power in 1977, it was
Bengal’s rural areas that it concentrated on, while neglecting
Calcutta and other cities. The message at that time was clear:
equitable distribution of land was needed to set right the class and
caste discriminations of the past. The concerns of the bourgeoisie
were unimportant and best ignored.
But revelations of the past few years — especially since the protests
of Nandigram and Singur — suggest that 33 years of communist rule not
only drove industry out of Bengal but also neglected the villages.
Complacency and arrogance became the hallmarks of the communist cadre
as election after election seemed to prove that the Left was
inviolable in Bengal. They took longevity and continuity as an excuse
for lack of action. In some sense, there is a parallel here with the
first few decades of Congress rule in India, where the party started
to believe that it was greater than the country itself. It took a few
electoral jolts and some years in the wilderness for the party to get
back on track.
It was the agitations by farmers against industrial takeover of their
lands — with the full collusion of the government — which turned
India’s eye to the real story of the years of neglect that the people
of Bengal have suffered from. The state has not managed to do well on
too many social and human development indicators and surely part of
this Maoist resurgence comes from widespread social dissatisfaction
and despair. In its arrogance or even its apathy, the government has
not managed to join the counter attack on Maoists launched by the
Centre, even though it has faced the brunt of Maoist attacks. For
years, the refrain in Bengal was that although its own village of
Naxalbari was the font of the movement, Naxalites no longer had any
traction in that state. That is no longer true. And a beleaguered
government does not seem to have the answers or the determination to
deal with this renewed threat.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_red-terror_1349229
No terror link charges against 2 Britons established: Police
Thursday, February 18, 2010 17:45 IST
New Delhi: Delhi police has not established any terror link against
two Britons detained for allegedly recording conversation between
pilots and the Air Traffic Control.
"We have not pressed charges against them till now. No terror link has
been established. We are exploring whether they could be booked under
the Indian Telegraph Act and Aircraft Rule," a senior police official
said.
Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, whose movements were
restricted by police to a posh hotel, were detained by The Foreigner
Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) yesterday.
Authorities are considering booking the duo under Section 25 of Indian
Telegraph Act which prohibits interception. If convicted, the duo may
have to undergo imprisonment for a maximum of three years, or with
fine or with both, the official said.
The Britons, employed with railways in UK, were confined to Radisson
Hotel near international airport here from Monday night after the
hotel staff reported about their "suspicious" activities.
The duo, who were in possession of sophisticated equipment, claimed
they were into plane-spotting and it was their hobby.
"The Britons were taken to Lampur detention centre and they will stay
there till verification is complete. Various agencies, including
National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and Delhi police
have interrogated them," he said.
The Union home ministry had on Tuesday asked Delhi police to examine
whether the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act be invoked against
them.
Besides examining the sophisticated equipment, investigators checked
hard disks of their laptops and e-mails sent by them.
Sources said the British nationals had called up the hotel from London
before their trip, specifically demanding a room overlooking the
international airport.
This is the second incident of a foreign national being detained in
the capital in past one week. An American citizen Winston Marshall
Carmichael was detained at the airport here on February nine after
security personnel detected a knife in his hand baggage.
Sunset of religious fascism
Amulya Ganguli
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:35 IST
India can be a useful field of study for students of fascism
considering the suddengrowth and acrimonious splintering of the far-
right elements. For anyone interested in finding out how the ultra-
nationalists can prosper and then fall apart, the latest rumpus
involving the BJP and the two parochial outfits of the Shiv Sena and
MNS should provide valuable material.
There is another angle, too, that of religion, which is somewhat
unusual where the xenophobes are concerned. But more of that later.
For the present, what is important is that India provides a unique
opportunity to study how fascism functions, and falters, in a
democracy considering that, till now, the doctrine has mainly been
associated with autocratic regimes.
Its lifespan, too, is rather limited, compared to a dogma like
Marxism. As an article in Contemporary Political Ideologies notes,
“the term ‘fascism’ was coined in 1919 at the time of the founding of
the Italian Fascist movement” and then the doctrine reached its
“post-1945 pariah status” when the defeat of Germany and Italy rang
its death-knell. However, the term has been loosely applied to almost
any kind of authoritarianism, whether the Pinochet-type dictatorships
or the apartheid regime, adding to the difficulty of a close
analysis.
Some of its basic features, however, are obvious. These are the
identification of a community as an enemy, contempt for democracy, the
propagation of a myth about the superiority of the Chosen People, an
unapologetic preference for violence, and so on. Of these, the marking
out of a section of people as the adversary is undoubtedly the main
feature. In India, the minorities fall in this category where the BJP
and the two Senas are concerned. But what is of interest is how and
why the targeting of such a group can change.
In a sense, this multiple choice of adversaries can be said to be the
distinctive characteristic of Indian fascism unlike what happened in,
say, Nazi Germany, where Jews were the primary hate objects although
there were others like gypsies and non-whites. If the targets of the
Shiv Sena and the MNS have been changing from “Madrasis” to Muslims to
north Indians, then the explanation lies in, first, the rupture among
the far-right parties, forcing each one of them to take a distinctive
stand to highlight its separateness and, secondly, the diminishing
political gains from a continuous focus on a single community.
That does not mean, of course, that the other targets are embraced as
brothers. For the two Senas, the south Indians and the Muslims remain
the enemies although the spotlight for these parties has shifted at
present to the north Indians. Besides, the problem with attacking
Muslims is that it entails the possibility of widespread riots because
of their larger numbers, which forces the government to clamp down
with curfews and harsh police action. This, in turn, can have damaging
political and legal consequences for the instigators, as Narendra Modi
is finding out.
While these aspects of extreme right-wing politics are confined to
Maharashtra at the moment, a look at the BJP’s rise and fall can
provide a wider perspective. Its spectacular growth in the Nineties
underlines yet another distinct characteristic of Indian fascism, viz
the cynical intermingling of nationalism and religion. It has to be
remembered, of course, that in the lexicon of fascists, nationalism is
synonymous with the love of the majority for their homeland. The
minorities are second class citizens in this context, as in a
theocracy like Iran.
The BJP’s success in the Nineties was based on merging its
longstanding anti-Muslim outlook with history and myth. The historical
aspect sought to revive memories of medieval atrocities of the Muslim
invaders and linked them with the destruction of a mythical temple by
Babur on the Hindu deity Ram’s putative birthplace in Ayodhya, which
was a legend. It was this highly combustible combination of present-
day animus against Muslims with the events of a real as well as
shadowy past, which boosted the BJP’s electoral fortunes.
But it didn’t take long for the people to see through this game of
mixing religion and politics. But even before the BJP’s advance had
tapered off, the party had shifted gears (as the Shiv Sena and MNS
have done in Maharashtra) to target the Christians. If the Muslims had
remained unpatriotic “invaders”, the Christians were guilty of
conversions, which threatened to reduce Hindus to a minority, as well
as cultural dominance, which were cutting them off from their native
roots. For all these nimble-footed tactics, however, it is Indian
democracy which has been the saviour as the BJP’s declining fortunes
at the national level show. In Maharashtra, too, the two parochial
outfits can never have anything more than nuisance value.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/main-article_sunset-of-religious-fascism_1348785
Sid Harth
Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN, Feb 19, 2010, 02.55am IST
PATNA: Bihar police had failed to react to central intelligence inputs
that Maoists were planning a revenge attack at Phulwari in Jamui
district after eight of their cadre were lynched last month, said
sources in the state security set-up. Police gave chase to a group of
11 Maoists on January 31 in a dense forest within a rebel-dominated
area. While three of them were caught, others were killed by the
villagers. Immediately after the incident, central intelligence had
alerted police about a possible retaliation by Maoists, sources said.
Within a fortnight, around 200 Maoists attacked the village and burnt
40 houses during a two-hour rampage. The attack left at least 12
people dead, including a woman and her child. The entire region,
including Giddhaur, Bhimbandh and Parswanath (now in Jharkhand) have
become a hotbed of Maoist activities.
Intelligence sources said some of the Maoist training centres are
located in the foothills of Giddhaur, Bhimbandh and Parswanath. More
than 1,500 Maoists are active in major parts of the state. Of the 40
districts (including two police districts) in Bihar, 31 have been
declared Maoist-hit.
Thiry one of Bihar’s 38 districts are Maoist-affected. The worst-hit
16 have been categorised by Centre as Security Related Expenditure
districts. These are: Arwal, Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Bhojpur,
East Champaran, West Champaran, Jamui, Munger, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna,
Rohtas, Sitamarhi, Kaimur and Bagaha. The government has divided the
Maoist-hit districts into A, B and C based on the number of violent
incidents over the last four years. A districts are those where more
than 10 incidents took place; B where five to nine incidents occurred
and C where less than five incidents took place.
The 20 A category districts are: Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Jamui,
Munger, Kaimur, Bhojpur, Nawada, Jehanabad, Arwal, East Champaran,
Patna, Sitamarhi, Bagaha, West Champaran, Banka, Sheohar, Lakhisarai,
Vaishali and Begusarai. The five B category districts are Buxar,
Khagaria, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa and Nalanda. The six C category
districts are Siwan, Sheikhpura, Saran, Katihar, Purnia and
Darbhanga.
Naxal menace: Women cadre more ferocious
Dipak Mishra & Sanjeev Kumar Verma, TNN, Feb 19, 2010, 03.00am IST
JAMUI/PATNA: Naxals struck Phulwari village in Bihar’s Jamui district,
killing 11 villagers and kidnapping 12 others apart from gutting 30
houses late on Wednesday night.
‘‘They held me and two others captive and asked us to tell villagers
to come out of their houses,’’ Chiku Tudu, who was used as the bait to
get the Koras tribals out, said. When frightened villagers refused,
the Maoists warned them of dire consequences over a public address
system. ‘‘They specifically asked the Koras to come out. When none
emerged, they blew up two concrete houses with dynamites and set 30
thatched houses on fire,’’ Tudu said. The women cadre were more
ferocious than men, he said.
The whereabouts of Lakhan, who is said to have played a key role in
getting three top Maoists arrested from Khaira village in Jamui
district on January 31, are not known. While the police say he
survived the attack, this could not be confirmed from local sources.
None of Lakhan’s relatives were spared. A Maoist spokesman Avinash had
recently called media offices in Patna and said the outfit would
observe February 18 and 19 as protest days against the killing of
eight Maoists. The police said they would investigate this. ‘‘Only
three Maoists were arrested from Khaira village and all of them are in
judicial custody,’’ Bhagalpur DIG Amit Kumar told TOI.
Govt machinery has no control over Maoists : Cong
STAFF WRITER 20:50 HRS IST
Patna, Feb 18 (PTI) Lambasting the NDA government in Bihar, Congress
today said the killing of 12 people at Phulwaria Korasi village in
Jamui district has proved beyond doubt that Maoists were ruling the
roost in rural areas and the state machinery had no control over them.
Bihar PCC president Anil Kumar Sharma said the Nitish Kumar government
had failing to initiate adequate measures against the ultras killing
innocent persons in rural parts of the state.
The chief minister should provide compensation and a government job to
one member of the family of each person killed by the Naxalites, he
said.
Sharma also charged the state government with not utilising the
central fund made available to the state to counter the naxal menace.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/524914_Govt-machinery-has-no-control-over-Maoists---Cong
bademiyansubhanallah
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:55 .
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the
Chhattisgarh government to file a status report on the follow-up
action on National Human Rights Commission recommendations relating to
protection of the rights of innocent triabals caught in cross fire of
the security forces.
The top court, however, refused to issue a direction relating to
allowing some social activists, including Nandni Sundar to visit naxal
affected area of Chhattisgarh.
Refusing to entertain such a plea by Sundar’s counsel Ashok Desai, a
Bench, headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said, "if something
untoward happens they (government) will be held responsible." The NHRC
had though given the report in October 2008, an application was moved
before the top court on Thursday by Sundar. Her counsel Desai alleged
that the state had not followed the recommendations in letter and
spirit.
But this was strongly refuted by Chhattisghar counsel K.K. Venugopal
and Mukul Rohtagi, who accused the social activists of raking up the
issue "just to hit the headlines" of the newspapers.
State’s lawyer said that arms were only provided by the state to
special police officers recruited from among the locals to assist the
security forces.
The state’s lawyer drew the top court’s attention towards the
sacrifice of security force personnel.
Age Correspondent
Gilani: No positive vibes from India for talks .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:10 .
Islamabad, Feb. 18: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on
Thursday said that India is not giving positive response for talks to
ensure peace in the region.
"The vibes emanating from the other side (India) have not been
encouraging," Mr Gilani was quoted in an official statement as telling
Richard Holbrooke, special US representative for Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
Mr Holbrooke called on the Prime Minister here along with a
delegation.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is committed to peace in the
region and in this context his government is making sincere efforts
for resumption of the Composite Dialogue Process with India but "the
other side" as not been that sincere.
The relations between India and Pakistan, he added, should not become
hostage to the activities of terrorists who were a common enemy. He
stressed upon the need that for lasting peace in the region, both
countries must address core issues, including Kashmir and water
disputes.
He underlined the expeditious initiation of the Pakistan-United States
strategic dialogue for building trust to remove the misgivings between
Pakistan and the US. Mr Gilani hoped the dialogue between Pakistan and
the US would be scheduled expeditiously to discuss agreed components
during the first half of 2010.
He said the holding of the dialogue was agreed during US secretary of
state’s visit to Pakistan in October last year. The Prime Minister
expressed the hope that Pakistan’s concerns regarding spill over of
refugees and militants from Helmand into Balochistan and NWFP will be
kept in view by the US and ISAF forces and there would be enhanced
coordination and cooperation with Pakistan armed forces in this
regard.
Shafqat Ali
‘Revisit Kashmir policy’ .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:12 .
INDORE, Feb. 18: Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Arun Jaitley on
Thursday not only sought a guarantee from the Prime Minister that not
a single square inch of Indian territory in Kashmir would be
surrendered in the planned talks with Pakistan, but also asked him to
"revisit" his government’s Kashmir policy in toto.
Moving the resolution on terrorism at the BJP national convention on
Thursday, Mr Jaitley said there had been a paradigm change in the
security situation since 2004 when the NDA lost power. "All adverse".
Whereas the terror threat during the NDA years was largely external,
multiple terror modules had now sprung up in the country. The criteria
behind Indo-Pakistan relations had undergone a sea change. While talks
with Pakistan during the NDA years were conditional on assurances from
the then president, Pervez Musharraf, that his country’s territory
would not be used for insurgency operations in India, talks in the
post Sharm-al-Sheikh era was being guaranteed "with or without
terror". Pakistan was back to its old game of trying to
"internationalise" Kashmir.
Adding to the travails was the pressure from China, and their home
grown brethren, the Maoists whose activities had seeped into 170
districts. Small wonder there was a new found "assertiveness" in
China’s utterances. The whole thrust was to dilute Indian presence in
the valley.
Age Correspondent
Govt: Taslima visa not beyond Aug. Skip to content.Govt: Taslima visa
not beyond Aug. .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:11 .
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The government on Thursday made it clear that the
visa of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen could not be
extended beyond August this year. Besides, the government is yet to
take a view on her plea for permanent residency in India.
The visa of Taslima Nasreen was recently extended till August 17 and
she was conveyed that this would be the last extension. Swedish
passport-holder Nasreen had sought visa under miscellaneous category
in 2005 and it has since been extended initially for a year and later
for six months. Sources said that the visa under this category could
not be extended beyond five years. The writer had earlier expressed
her desire to visit Kolkata, which has been turned down on the ground
that radical elements may try and harm her.
Taslima has lived in exile in many countries including France, Sweden,
the US and India. During her stay in India in the last five years, she
has periodically travelled abroad with the last trip being in August
2009.
Age Correspondent
Islamabad may embarrass govt Skip to content.Islamabad may embarrass
govt .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:08 .
New Delhi, Feb. 18: Although India has taken a calculated risk and
chosen to override domestic political apprehensions on the viability
of holding official talks with Pakistan at this stage, Islamabad’s
response can make the position sticky for the Manmohan Singh
government and lead to uncertainties.
Addressing the home constituency on television on Wednesday, external
affairs minister S.M. Krishna noted that the "composite dialogue"
process between the two countries still remained "suspended" and that
the February 25 foreign secretary talks would be "exploratory" in
nature. Islamabad has lashed out against this, alleging bad faith.
On Thursday, Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir has said that
not proceeding to the composite dialogue stage was against the agenda
(of the foreign secretaries meet presumably discussed between the two
governments).
Even if this is nothing more than propagandistic noise aimed at the
Pakistan domestic constituency (much to India’s distress, Prime
Minister Gilani and foreign minister Qureshi have already been
publicly saying that their country’s principled stand had forced India
to beseech Pakistan for talks), the move puts the Indian government on
the backfoot in relation to the Opposition, which could seek to
exploit the situation in Parliament next week.
In the light of the Pakistan foreign secretary’s reported observation,
the government’s opponents could ask if it had kept the country in the
dark, and whether it had quietly agreed to a renewal of composite
dialogue while publicly pretending it had not.
While this is an example of the domestic difficulty the government
could face, Islamabad — if it is actually not keen on talks while it
pretends to be for reasons of international politics — could
potentially exploit the Indian public stance of "no composite
dialogue" to demur from the proposed foreign secretary talks at the
last minute. The Americans, of course, are likely to seek to provide
cover against such an eventuality. In Washington’s understanding, in
the event of India-Pakistan talks and a semblance of normality between
them, Islamabad can be pressured to do more to fight the Taliban and
other terrorist groups that fight the US and Nato forces in
Afghanistan.
Pakistan would like to avoid being so pressured. From all indications
so far, the government has committed itself to proceeding with talks
in the belief that not talking makes matters worse. This appears to be
emerging as something of an article of faith.
Anand K. Sahay
Shy’ Kishenji becomes nightmare for security .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:03 .
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The CPI(M) politburo member, Kishenji alias
Mallojula Koteswara Rao has emerged as a major cause of concern for
security forces and administration in the Maoist-infested eastern
Indian states.
Fifty-six-year-old Kishenji, who shot to limelight with the Maoist
operations in West Bengal’s Lalgarh area, is in-charge of all the
Maoist activites in eastern region. Kishenji, who hailed from Andhra
Pradesh had earlier been active in the Chattisgarh region.
A few years back he was shifted to the eastern region and given charge
of Maoist operations in Bihar, Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. "It was
quite some years back, I shifted base from Chhattisgarh," Kishenji
told this correspondent in a telephonic conversation.
Taking advantage of the Nandigram agitation led by the Trinamul
Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee in 2006, Kishenji started building up
the Maoist base in Bengal. While he remained in the background, the
movement was led by the Maoist’ frontal women’s wing, Matangini Mahila
Samity, sources disclosed. He finally entered and set base in Bengal,
the same year at Lalgarh, through the arrested Maoist sympathiser,
Chhatradhar Mahato, police sources said.
Kishenji a soft-spoken, Maoist leader, whose profile describe him as
"shy", is fierecly committed to the Maoist cause and reported to have
a "violent streak." Most of the major offensives against the security
forces in Orissa and Jharkhand was reportedly planned by this elusive
insurgent.
Though he "regretted" the beheading of a police officer at Jharkhand
by the Maoists, some feel that "no action could be taken without his
green signal." Though the police claimed to have launched a massive
manhunt for the Maoist leader, he continues to call up and speak to
the media with impunity. As usual., there are no fixed numbers, which
he uses. Even though the police claimed that he has not been able to
get out of Lalgarh, some feel that he has been travelling across
Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa. And Kishenji has been calling not merely
the scribes, but political leaders and ministers too.
Senior RSP leader, Mr Manoj Bhattacharya told this correspondent: "I
don’t know how he got my mobile number. He suddenly called and
identified himself and Kishenji and started talking about their
demands."
He had also called some bureaucrats and Bengal ministers to make their
demands public.
That the Maoist leader believed in "annihilation of enemies" became
clear during an interview with this correspondent. When asked why were
the Maoists killing ordinary policemen, he came up with a cold reason:
"If we let them go, these policemen will return with a bigger force.
Moreover, they had identified us and our areas."
Apart from spreading terror, Kishenji has also been trying to blend
the Maoist movement with burning issues like price rise. Recently he
gave a bandh call in protest against the price rise.
Sanjay Basak
Maoists may not release BDO, call bandh instead .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:01 .
Patna, Feb. 18: Prospects of the safe return of the Block Development
Officer in Jharkhand abducted by Maoists six days ago became uncertain
once again on Thursday, even after the Shibu Soren government agreed
to some of the demands put forth by the rebels.
Instead of releasing the Dhalbhumgarh BDO, Prashant Kumar Layek, the
Maoists called for a daylong shutdown in East Singhbhum district on
Friday, thus making police officials unsure of their plans about his
release.
Sources said the rebels were undecided over whether to accept the
state government’s promises in response to their demands and release
Mr Layek, who is believed to be confined somewhere in the Maoist
stronghold of Chatra district. Mr Soren’s government, considered
sympathetic to the Maoists, sidestepped the rebels’ demand for
releasing 14 villagers arrested for alleged Maoist links in exchange
for the BDO’s safe release apparently for fear of a political backlash
likely to arise from such action.
The government instead promised to withdraw cases lodged against two
of the villagers and reinvestigate the cases against all the others,
apart from putting on hold a police search for the BDO. However, the
home ministry officials indicated that it has been conveyed to the
state government that the Centre was not exactly "averse" to swapping
of the villagers with the BDO.
ANAND S.T. DAS
Anti-Naxal ops to be intensified .
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:46 .
NEW DELHI, Feb. 18: In its bid to intensify the anti-Naxals offensive
in the Naxal-affected states, Centre is now planning to deploy around
15,000 additional paramilitary personnel by April, 2010, to deal with
the extremists.
According to a high ranking official of the Union home ministry, these
forces will be in addition to the 60,000 Central security personnel
currently deplo-yed to assist the state governments to counter the
Naxals.
The security personnel, who are now being acquired from Central forces
like Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and the Indo-
Tibetan Border Police, will first get a six-week training on jungle
warfare before being deployed on the ground, said the official. The
Centre is planning to launch operation in the West Bengal-Orissa
border.
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Cops to scrutinise telephone calls .
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:53 .
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The security agencies, engaged in the
investigation of Pune blast, are set to scrutiny the details of all
calls made within one kilometre radius of Germany Bakery on last
Saturday two hours before and two hours after the incident.
A team is likely to be constituted by the anti-terrorist squad of the
Mumbai police to check all the phone calls made around the German
Bakery areas from certain places just before and after the blast, said
the source adding that the Gujarat police followed the same pattern of
investigation and cracked the serial blast in Ahmedabad, 2008.
"Thorough scrutiny of phone call details may provide certain clues to
the investigators. Besides, agencies are planning to constitute a
separate team of local police officials, which will meet their
informers and collect whatever little leads are available with them.
Crime branch of Ahmedabad police had formed 11 teams to handle the
investigation of 2008 serial bombings in the city," said the source.
Besides, the prime suspect arrested in the Ahmedabad blast and
currently languishing in the Sabarmati Jail, Ahmad Choudhary, is
likely to be questioned by the ATS officials.
Pramod Kumar
bademiyansubhanallah
.Oct.29 : By staging the cop drama in West Bengal, the Maoists have
shown that apart from holding territory and causing mayhem, they can
take on the government in the game of public relations. For weeks, the
Union home minister, P. Chidambaram, has been spreading one message,
that Maoists are murderers and the sympathy the urban intelligentsia
has for the Maoist cause is misplaced.
Even as the government was wrestling with the Maoists’ new tack, they
administered another blow: the hijacking of the Rajdhani train. As if
on cue, they freed the briefly detained drivers and the passengers
were left unharmed. The Maoists were saying louder than words that
they were making a political point, that they were fighting for a
cause and were not always bloodthirsty.
Mr Chidambaran’s mission has been to take head on the theory that
rural development and tackling Maoists can go hand in hand, dismissing
it as a romantic concept. His point is stark and simple: How can you
build roads and dig wells when the state does not control the
territory? On the other hand, the Maoists often subvert the system by
taking cuts from contractors on development schemes.
The Maoists perhaps went overboard in parading the kidnapped cop as a
prisoner of war, seeking to place their guerrilla movement on par with
the military and police authority of the state. But the West Bengal
chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, had mud on his face by
swapping the cop for alleged Maoist sympathisers in a murky deal,
which, he later explained, was an exception, not the rule.
The muddled thinking of the Maoists was in full display by their
representative mouthing all the clichés in the 20th century handbook
of the Communists — railing against the straw men of corporations,
alleging that India is playing a subservient role to the American
establishment. Mr Bhattacharjee says he will continue to fight the
Maoists, but the irony is that his party, the Communist Party of India
(Marxist), is itself living in a time warp, often regurgitating the
clichés of a bygone age abandoned by much of the Communist world.
How the Indian Communists of various stripes can reconcile themselves
to the successors of the fathers of the revolution, the Russians,
having abandoned the creed and the Chinese becoming the most avid
capitalists by flaunting the images of Stalin in one case and of Mao
Zedong in the other is best left to them to explain. The Maoists, of
course, aim to emulate the example of their Nepalese confreres to
achieve power, first by sharing it and then proclaiming their goal of
a one-party state.
Putting aside recent dramatic developments, the important point to
debate is: How did the Indian state find itself in its present
predicament, with large areas in the country, particularly those
inhabited by tribals and backward classes, under Maoist control?
Several factors have gone into the making of the Maoist menace,
characterised by the Prime Minister as the greatest internal threat to
the country. They range from the erosion of the credibility and
integrity of the civil service, the neglect of large parts of the
country denied basic development, schooling and healthcare and the
compulsions of industrialisation, often at the cost of the poorest and
the most deprived.
There are no simple answers because good governance cannot be suddenly
produced on order and the political system in the states, particularly
in the Hindi belt, has been plunging such low depths of mendacity and
politicking that law and order functions are often reduced to
selective justice. What offers some hope for the future is Mr
Chidambaram’s clear enunciation of the problem, his efforts to give
police and paramilitary forces the equipment and training they need
and seeking better co-ordination between the Centre and the states and
among the states themselves.
The West Bengal decision to do a deal with the Maoists to secure the
release of the kidnapped cop has been a setback to the Centre’s
efforts because they undercut the philosophy behind New Delhi’s new
resolve. Instead of painting Maoists into a corner by exposing them as
ruthless men and women seeking power by the force of guns, they were
given prime-time television news channels’ exposure to demand further
concessions of the authorities as equal actors in the drama.
Mr Chidambaram has let it be known that he does not expect the Maoists
to give up their arms; his only condition to holding talks with them
is that they desist from using force either to murder people or to
destroy state property. There is little expectation of the Maoists
accepting these terms and they seem set to exploit the weaknesses of
the authorities. They give primacy to incidents of wrong and
scandalous conduct of the police forces, often poorly trained and
equipped and still psychologically living in the era of the British
Raj.
Among the great failures of successive governments has been the
inability to undertake serious police reform. Mr Chidambaram complains
that police officials are treated as a political football. Indeed, one
of the most depressing aspects of a new chief minister taking office
is to witness the callousness with which he or she undertakes the
wholesale transfer of police, and civil service.
It is well recognised that force alone cannot resolve the Maoist
problem. Indeed, the success or otherwise of Mr Chidambaram’s new
initiatives will lie in a judicious mix of force with persuading the
Maoists and the wider public to create a climate for meaningful talks.
The new government offensive to depict the Maoists in their true
colours as murderers of civilian and security personnel is one aspect
of the programme. The other is effectively to confront Maoists in
their strongholds by expanding the successful Andhra model.
Human rights activists and dissenters are the lifeblood of a democracy
and it is right that voices should be raised against high-handed acts
of the authorities. But their contention that the government must talk
to Maoists on their terms is impractical and would be demeaning for
any self-respecting government. While there might be some idealists
joining the Maoists today, the bulk of their members are men and women
seeking power through the destruction of the state.
S. Nihal Singh
To hear the terms in which Maoists proclaim their ideal state is to
revert to the Utopia promised by Lenin and destroyed in the very act
of applying it to one relatively backward state, instead of initiating
it in a highly industrialised country. Stalin proved that the
Communist creed could be effectively used as a ruthless instrument of
ruling a one-party state.
bademiyansubhanallah
.Feb.19 : Union home minister P. Chidambaram might be a better and
dynamic captain of the ship at the North Block compared to his dour
and uninspiring predecessors, but I am sure even he would agree that
the back-to-back strikes — bomb blast in Pune and the Maoist
destruction of a security force camp in West Bengal’s Paschim Mednipur
district, have some connection. It would do the country much good if
he views these issues as connected — planned together as part of a
larger conspiracy to destroy India.
The timing of the two operations is significant. According to media
reports, an unknown Pakistan-based jihadi group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba al-
Almi has claimed responsibility for the Pune attack. It is clear that
Pakistan’s military-mosque combine (a phrase used by Pakistani policy
expert Dr Husain Haqqani in his book Pakistan Between Mosque And
Military, he is now Islamabad’s envoy to Washington) inspired the
blast in Pune. This combine has now got a shot in the arm for its
mission to target India from the outcome of the recently-concluded
London Conference.
The West is now weary of its war in Afghanistan and even the Obama
administration is dithering in its goal of eliminating terrorism and
Islamic fundamentalism. This is happening when the Karzai government
in Kabul, wracked by corruption as narco-dollars are generated from
the widespread poppy cultivation, is unsure of itself. As the
confidence of the Afghans in their government begins to shake, the
surge of Taliban extremism would gain more ground. The Pakistan
military is now telling the Obama administration to leave Afghanistan
to it, force India to cede Kashmir to it and take a guarantee against
the Al Qaeda targeting the US. And the US President, facing
precipitous fall in his popularity, a budget deficit of $2 trillion is
considering the proposition.
No policy towards Pakistan should be formulated without understanding
the analysis in Mr Haqqani’s book. He says that it is not the devotion
of ordinary citizens to Islam that has driven the development of
Pakistan’s state ideology but rather the “military’s desire to
dominate the political system and define Pakistan’s national security
priorities”. This ideology conferred legitimacy on the military’s
right to rule Pakistan. This also explains why democracy in that
country has always been fragile and been repeatedly challenged by the
military.
Even after democracy was restored, its fragility has remained a
distinct feature of Pakistan’s politics. When politicians quarrelled,
the present Pakistan Army Chief General Kayani warned them of dire
consequences if they did not patch up. Also, whenever tough decisions
were to be taken, the US — without whose support Pakistan cannot
survive financially even for a second — had to talk to General Kayani
rather than Pakistani President or Prime Minister.
The question then arises why is our government reviving talks with the
political establishment of Pakistan when we know that the Army and
extremist, organisations that are its extension, are the final
arbiter. At a recent conference of extremists and militants organised
openly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, specific threats were hurled at
India. The hand of Pakistan’s Army behind this show was evident. The
Pune incident shows how the Pakistani military-mosque combination is
using its fifth column, Indian Mujahideen (IM), in India rather than
sending its own people to wreak havoc in India. This fifth column was
allowed to grow under the Centre’s votebank politics, by the Congress
governments in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and the Left governments
in Kerala and West Bengal. The exposure of the ramification of this
policy, in Kerala’s Kannur district, in Hyderabad and elsewhere, is
proof of this flourishing fifth column.
The LeT is using its sleeper cells for carrying out mayhem. How is it
that Mr Chidambaram’s National Investigation Agency is unable to round
up all the existing sleeper cells? Who are the protesters whenever a
suspected fifth column is picked up? Didn’t the Congress general
secretary Digvijay Singh’s visit and statements in Azamgarh after a
specific lead led the anti-terrorism squad to one Azamgarh resident,
an IM activist, act as an encouragement to the fifth column? Pakistan
must be enjoying such activities by our leaders as it helps Islamabad
to claim that terrorist activities that take place in India are home-
grown.
The Naxalites hacking into the security forces camp in West Bengal is
another example of the patronage they are getting from the Left
government of West Bengal. The Left, particularly the Communist Party
of India (Marxist), claims it has a powerful network of cadres
throughout the state. How is it then that this cadre seems unable to
smell out Naxals’ conspiracy? The attack comes barely a few days after
Union home minister held a four-state chief ministers conference in
Kolkata to revamp the anti-Naxal strategy. Senior Naxal leader
Kishanji has openly said that this attack is his answer to Mr
Chidambaram’s anti-Naxal strategy.
After it was admitted both by Maoist leaders in India and Nepal that
they have mutual links, the Centre should have known that the grand
strategy of both Islamabad and Beijing is to weaken and destroy India.
This is an undeclared war, nothing else. Recall how once again the
Nepal Maoists renewed their anti-India campaign and Beijing was giving
pinpricks to India at every international meeting. Altogether there is
little doubt that an international conspiracy is brewing with India as
the target. So far the Central government has treated the series of
bomb attacks, supply of sophisticated arms to Naxalites and explosive
material to the IM, as localised events. It never felt the need to cry
foul over the international conspiracy involving Pakistan and China or
acquaint our own people of the nature and dimensions of this
conspiracy.
The debate in New Delhi’s government and political circles is whether
India should resume talks with Pakistan or not. Sensitising people
about all sides of his debate, within the country and on the
international level, should be a top priority for the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Sadly it cannot do so because
of the demand to placate votebanks and the influence of some human
rights activists.
When Indian Navy Chief spoke about China’s growing naval power that
was aimed at surrounding India, he was asked to shut up. When our Army
Chief expressed concern over China’s ability to reach out troops
across the border, he was silenced. The UPA government’s repeated
attempt to underplay the conspiratorial nature of the threat of
jihadis, Naxals and others may be its political strategy. But it is an
exercise in self-defeat perhaps borne out of the delusion that the
Congress has suffered from the days of “Hindi-Chini bhai bhai”.
Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at pun...@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it
Balbir K. Punj
Jammu and Kashmir: A tale of two flags .
.The contrast between the agitators in Jammu, holding the Tricolour
and shouting "Bharat Mata ki jai," and the separatists in Kashmir
Valley, marching across the LoC to Pakistan, with the Pakistani flag,
sums up the crisis in a way which will remain in the nation’s
consciousness for years to come. The clash is not between two regions,
but two value systems. The character of the two groups of agitators is
defined by their respective flags: The Tricolour represents the spirit
of India — respect for diversity in all its multitudes, be it faith or
language; The Pakistani flag denotes an exclusivist character devoid
of the right to dissent in all avenues of life.
It’s not that the separatists merely wave the Pakistani flag. They
have soaked in its spirit. Following in the footsteps of Pakistan,
Kashmiri separatists had cleansed the Valley of all the Hindus
(Kashmiri Pandits), kafirs in their parlance. In spite of India being
a vibrant democracy and a secular state (biased against the majority
community), the separatists hate India. Because its demography is
Hindu? They love Pakistan. Because it is an Islamic state?
The "secular" camp in the rest of India has not condemned this brazen
display of strength in the Valley against India. Of course, there have
been subtle allegations against the BJP of politicising the Amarnath
shrine board issue. To extend support to those hoisting the Tricolour
is "communalism" and to find rationale for the ones seeking a
theocratic state is serving the cause of "secularism". Could there be
a bigger irony?
The claim of the Valley agitators that they were only asking for the
removal of the blockade on the highway from Srinagar to the rest of
India flies in the face of facts. It was the separatists’ agitation,
later joined by some other parties, against the Shri Amarnathji Shrine
Board that sparked the present situation. Agitation leaders were
provoking the people of the Valley to join the anti-national stream
that separatists have always fuelled in Srinagar and the Valley. The
government, both in Srinagar and the Centre, capitulated without even
an attempt to drive some reason into the general public already
incited by anti-India and Islam-in-danger propaganda.
For all the claims of Valley politician like Omar Abdullah, that local
Muslims have been taking care of the pilgrims for ages, they have
failed to take into account the fact that a sea change had taken place
in the annual pilgrimage to the shrine. First, the number of pilgrims
has increased manifold. The management of facilities for pilgrims
could no longer be in a laissez faire manner, in the hands of private,
small-time enthusiasts. Only a government-supported modernisation
would have assured the pilgrims amenities they are entitled to,
considering the terrain, weather conditions and the age-profile of the
pilgrims.
Those opposing lease of the property to the board were, in fact, not
interested in the land transfer itself. Their purpose was to send a
message that wherever Muslims are in majority, people from other
religions will not get a foothold. It is significant that the Jammu
and Kashmir legislature had passed the law creating the Amarnath Board
and the structure of administration for the Vaishno Devi shrine of
Jammu, laying down specific duties for both the boards. Most political
parties had supported the legislation. It is clear, therefore, that
the anti-Amarnath Board agitation was a recent phenomenon and its link
with separatists and militants cannot be ignored. The militants have
always tried to disturb the pilgrimage, leading to deaths of many
pilgrims.
Even if the demand of the fruit-growers and transporters of the Valley
about their products rotting due to the blockade were true, the way
out was not another agitation — clearly meant to provoke police
firing. The Valley separatists were clearly giving warnings that any
accommodation with the Jammu agitators would bring them back on
Srinagar streets. At the drop of a hat, the separatists organise
hartals in Srinagar but have no word of sympathy for the people of
Jammu who too have the right to raise their demands.
The clear division of public opinion, between the Valley Muslims and
the Jammu Hindus, is the result of mishandling of Jammu and Kashmir
affairs for over five decades by the Congress and the National
Conference (NC). For decades, the Congress allowed NC to dominate
Valley politics without any hindrance. People of the state, as a
result, watched helplessly as the government, led by a single party,
the NC, became a hotbed of corruption.
For a while, the NC leadership was sought to be built outside the
influence of the Sheikh Abdullah family. But Indira Gandhi entered
into an agreement with Sheikh Abdullah and handed the state back to
the NC, and the Abdullah family, as if it was his jagir. The failure
to build alternate leadership in Kashmir has cost the country dear.
The uncontrolled dominance of one family over the resources of
Kashmir, and growing public anger against this swelled the support
base of separatists. The jihadi found a fertile ground and provided
the Pakistani establishment yet another opportunity to pursue its
agenda.
The Congress-led government in New Delhi cannot escape responsibility
for what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir. In many ways, it is a
result of the Congress’ continuing selfish and family-oriented
approach to the Kashmir problem. And its myopic vote-bank politics in
kowtowing to the irredentist demands of one community.
The Central government remained unmoved when thousands of Pandits were
driven out of their ancestral land and forced to take refuge in Delhi
and elsewhere in India. It was only during the six-year rule of the
BJP-led NDA that things began to change in the Valley. The first truly
free general elections in 1999, and the goodwill it created for the
Central government, even among some of the separatists; the determined
peace initiative of the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that
split the separatists and narrowed the support base of militants — all
this was bringing the state closer to a peaceful settlement. But the
Central government changed and with it the momentum of earlier moves
was lost. Now, the manner in which the government has handled the
agitations in Jammu and Kashmir has enabled the two separatist
factions to come together, that too with the injection of more pan-
Islamic sentiments. The tipping point almost seems to have achieved.
The sins of omission and commission on the part of Congress in Jammu
and Kashmir will cost the country dear.
— The writer can be contacted at pun...@gmail.com This e-mail address
is being protected from spambots.
Balbir K. Punj
Madrasas: A two-school theory Skip to content.Madrasas: A two-school
theory .
.Oct.09 : The Muslim community in India has rejected the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s proposal to have a centralised
madrasa board to oversee the education of Muslims through these
religious schools.
The government is keen to give official recognition to madrasa
education and accept madrasa certificates as equivalent to the
secondary board certificates. It is now waiting for a suitable law
draft from the community. By giving a veneer of science and general
knowledge to the religious education that is imparted to poor Muslim
students in these so-called schools, is it possible to get the
community to progress?
In the last few years, thousands of madrasas have sprung up throughout
the country, especially in areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Most
of these are allegedly funded by the orthodox Wahabi kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. In Wahabi teaching, all other religions are downgraded, and
what is taught as history are not necessarily facts.
Why should sections of poor Muslims go only to these archaic madrasas
for education when there are several government and private
educational institutions for schooling and most of them are free.
However, it is true that two meals a day serve as an attraction for
these impoverished Muslim boys. Though the story is the same among
other religious groups, they send their wards to secular schools
recognised by the government.
The argument that Muslims want to go only to a Muslim school as the
emphasis there is strictly on religious education and secondary school
subjects (not the nationally or state-adopted curricula) are just an
add on is illogical. If the government thoughtlessly concedes this, as
it is all set to do, soon education in India will be torn into
isolated ghettos organised along communal lines, and only for communal
education, with secular vanilla on top.
If young Muslim men and women do not get jobs, they blame "others".
They don’t realise that they were not sent to schools where the
"others" were educated.
We may concede that there are more poor people among Muslims in India
than among other communities. But is that a justification to tear the
education system into two recognised streams?
The reason why a central madarasa board is being resisted is simply
because they do not want the government to find out what is being
taught in these madarasas. Is the government turning a blind eye to
the repercussions of such thinking?
This communal division in education will amount to destroying the idea
of a united India. It amounts to giving one particular community the
privilege to teach anything it likes with just a thin layer of science
and general education added on. Should this kind of education be
considered equivalent to 10 to 12 years of secular education? Also it
is expected to fetch this community government jobs. This narrowed
down "education", in fact, is restricted to proficiency in Arabic and
the religious texts in that language.
True, there are also schools of other denominations. But do they make
religious education, and a curricula based on it, the heart of their
teaching? No. They do impart religious instruction to the children of
their community, but it is just two or three classes in a week and 90
per cent of the time they teach science, mathematics, general
knowledge, history, geography etc with the same or similar texts
written along internationally-accepted rules.
If political parties fail to read the writing on the wall just because
they want to play votebank politics, civil society should not ignore
this planting of a time bomb in our national educational field.
The government cannot convince anyone that Muslims have a right to
education of their choice, ignoring the general education available to
all others. Such a claim is another form of the two-nation theory that
brought vivisection to India: it has promoted ghettoism, separatist
thinking and led to jihadi groups finding shelter and inspiration
among them. It congeals what the orthodox leadership of the Muslim
community wants.
Just to play votebank politics, the Congress is going ahead with
tearing the coming generation into two separate camps of Muslims and
non-Muslims, and that too on a permanent basis.
Is it blind to the fact that madarasa-educated people will have a
perception totally different from that of others? Is it blind to the
fact that those who are educated in madrasas will not be able to
compete with the rest in matters of general and technical knowledge
and skills? Has it ever considered that this approach would create a
permanent "victim mentality" in one community as they lose out on
technical skills?
In Pakistan, madarasas have been recognised as a breeding ground for
terrorism. It has ripped their society apart and weakened civil
government.
Right from the days of Pervez Musharraf’s presidency, attempts were
made to get these communal cauldrons registered and brought under some
control. Little success has been achieved, as noted in all US
congressional reports about Pakistan.
In fact, the open confrontation that Mr Musharraf’s government had in
Lahore over madarasas as breeding grounds for terror should be a
reminder to civil society here too. Union human resources development
minister Kapil Sibal must read the real meaning of the rejection of
his proposal to set up a board to regulate these religious schools. If
he refuses for political reasons, civil society must force him to read
it and save India before his move does permanent and irrevocable
damage to the fabric of our nation.
n Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at pun...@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it
Oct.09 : The Muslim community in India has rejected the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s proposal to have a centralised
madrasa board to oversee the education of Muslims through these
religious schools.
The government is keen to give official recognition to madrasa
education and accept madrasa certificates as equivalent to the
secondary board certificates. It is now waiting for a suitable law
draft from the community. By giving a veneer of science and general
knowledge to the religious education that is imparted to poor Muslim
students in these so-called schools, is it possible to get the
community to progress?
In the last few years, thousands of madrasas have sprung up throughout
the country, especially in areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Most
of these are allegedly funded by the orthodox Wahabi kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. In Wahabi teaching, all other religions are downgraded, and
what is taught as history are not necessarily facts.
Why should sections of poor Muslims go only to these archaic madrasas
for education when there are several government and private
educational institutions for schooling and most of them are free.
However, it is true that two meals a day serve as an attraction for
these impoverished Muslim boys. Though the story is the same among
other religious groups, they send their wards to secular schools
recognised by the government.
The argument that Muslims want to go only to a Muslim school as the
emphasis there is strictly on religious education and secondary school
subjects (not the nationally or state-adopted curricula) are just an
add on is illogical. If the government thoughtlessly concedes this, as
it is all set to do, soon education in India will be torn into
isolated ghettos organised along communal lines, and only for communal
education, with secular vanilla on top.
If young Muslim men and women do not get jobs, they blame "others".
They don’t realise that they were not sent to schools where the
"others" were educated.
We may concede that there are more poor people among Muslims in India
than among other communities. But is that a justification to tear the
education system into two recognised streams?
The reason why a central madarasa board is being resisted is simply
because they do not want the government to find out what is being
taught in these madarasas. Is the government turning a blind eye to
the repercussions of such thinking?
This communal division in education will amount to destroying the idea
of a united India. It amounts to giving one particular community the
privilege to teach anything it likes with just a thin layer of science
and general education added on. Should this kind of education be
considered equivalent to 10 to 12 years of secular education? Also it
is expected to fetch this community government jobs. This narrowed
down "education", in fact, is restricted to proficiency in Arabic and
the religious texts in that language.
True, there are also schools of other denominations. But do they make
religious education, and a curricula based on it, the heart of their
teaching? No. They do impart religious instruction to the children of
their community, but it is just two or three classes in a week and 90
per cent of the time they teach science, mathematics, general
knowledge, history, geography etc with the same or similar texts
written along internationally-accepted rules.
If political parties fail to read the writing on the wall just because
they want to play votebank politics, civil society should not ignore
this planting of a time bomb in our national educational field.
The government cannot convince anyone that Muslims have a right to
education of their choice, ignoring the general education available to
all others. Such a claim is another form of the two-nation theory that
brought vivisection to India: it has promoted ghettoism, separatist
thinking and led to jihadi groups finding shelter and inspiration
among them. It congeals what the orthodox leadership of the Muslim
community wants.
Just to play votebank politics, the Congress is going ahead with
tearing the coming generation into two separate camps of Muslims and
non-Muslims, and that too on a permanent basis.
Is it blind to the fact that madarasa-educated people will have a
perception totally different from that of others? Is it blind to the
fact that those who are educated in madrasas will not be able to
compete with the rest in matters of general and technical knowledge
and skills? Has it ever considered that this approach would create a
permanent "victim mentality" in one community as they lose out on
technical skills?
In Pakistan, madarasas have been recognised as a breeding ground for
terrorism. It has ripped their society apart and weakened civil
government.
Right from the days of Pervez Musharraf’s presidency, attempts were
made to get these communal cauldrons registered and brought under some
control. Little success has been achieved, as noted in all US
congressional reports about Pakistan.
In fact, the open confrontation that Mr Musharraf’s government had in
Lahore over madarasas as breeding grounds for terror should be a
reminder to civil society here too. Union human resources development
minister Kapil Sibal must read the real meaning of the rejection of
his proposal to set up a board to regulate these religious schools. If
he refuses for political reasons, civil society must force him to read
it and save India before his move does permanent and irrevocable
damage to the fabric of our nation.
n Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at pun...@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it
Balbir K. Punj
Maoists talk only to the power of a gun .
.Nov.06 : Normally, we would have welcomed home minister P.
Chidambaram's offer to the Maoists to discuss problems like land
acquisition, forest rights of tribals, discrimination et cetera.
However, our home minister - though quite intelligent and dynamic
(especially when compared to his predecessor) - seems to have not read
his full brief on the Maoists. He says that he is not asking them to
give up arms but to only eschew violence as a means of redressing
their grievances since the government is willing to talk to them.
Mr Chidambaram said at a press conference on October 30: "The Centre
had never asked the Maoists to lay down arms since it was not a
realistic expectation. We have always asked them to halt violence…
They should come forward for talks if they consider themselves serious
champions of the poor".
Such an approach presupposes that the Maoists are interested in
solving the problems of the tribals and other neglected sections of
society, and that they have taken up arms mainly because the
democratic machinery refused to talk about these problems, much less
solve them. But Mr Chidambaram errs. For all his tough talk and
devising (at last) a national anti-Naxal strategy, he should be aware
of what happened when the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S.
Rajasekhar Reddy made a similar offer in 2004 and allowed Naxal
leaders and cadres to go around freely, with their arms on display.
It is futile to ask the Maoists to give up their arms or engage them
in talks. Maoists do not believe in dialogue. Lenin, who laid down the
guidelines for the proletarian revolution, urged his cadres to use all
types of deceit and arms to capture power. And once in power, they
should eliminate their "class enemies", including other political
parties. The state apparatus is to be used without mercy for this
purpose. No other criteria for political morality exist in the Marxist-
Maoist book.
The history of the Communist movement in the former Soviet Union, in
China, in Vietnam, in Cambodia and elsewhere is replete with such
instances. Lenin used violence, deception and treachery first to gain
ascendance over the Mensheviks and then over his colleagues. Stalin
used the state apparatus first to eliminate the Mensheviks and other
Opposition political forces and then to finish his own colleagues one
by one, starting with Trotsky. The Stalinist trials of the 1930s give
a graphic insight into Communist tactics.
In eastern Europe just before the end of World War II, the Communists
who were then in minority managed to come to power by collaborating
with others. But soon they destroyed their allies from within, one by
one, in a policy nicknamed "Salami tactics".
In China, Mao Zedong turned against his revolutionary colleague Liu
Shao-chi and then Mao's wife formed the "Gang of Four" that sent
several Communist leaders, including the most famous among them, Deng
Xiaoping, packing to hard labour.
In Cambodia, the most gruesome killing spree in human history took
place under a maniacal Communist leader. Poor peasants who found their
land taken away for the collectivisation died in all these countries.
India, either under the Maoists or Marxists, will have no different
fate.
The ideological paradigm of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-
M) and the Maoists is one. Look at the Marxists who are in power in
West Bengal and Kerala. They are no different from the Maoists in
dealing with their political opponents. Having state power in their
hand, the Marxists threaten and blackmail to smother political
dissent. How the Communists succeeded in entrenching themselves in
West Bengal over 30 long years has been exposed. Their unions hold
several top-level Bengali newspapers under their thumb, so it is not
easy to carry anti-Marxist news stories in prominent newspapers and
television channels. The fearless among Bengal's journalists have been
publicly beaten up by Marxist goondas.
In Marxist-ruled Kerala complete dominance is not possible as the
state has been governed by the Congress-led United Democratic Front
and Communist-led Left Democratic Front with the non-Communist
political forces also gaining strength. Yet the Marxists seek to make
up for this weakness by targeting newspapers and journalists at every
turn.
In effect, there is little to choose between the Marxists and the
Maoists - the former use violence under the cover of the state
government while the latter use armed violence in their attempt to
seize power.
If the Marxists appear to be working within the constitutional
framework, it is because they have tried and failed to seize the state
apparatus through violence. Now they are working to wreck the system
from within.
The Maoists are convinced that they can seize the state apparatus
through armed attacks on the state. There is hardly any doubt that if
the Maoists succeed, the bulk of the Communist cadre would shift their
allegiance to the Maoist leadership.
Communists of all hues believe in a proletarian takeover of the state
through whatever means available. Such a takeover, according to the
Leninist-Maoist line, should be followed by imposing the dictatorship
of the Communist Party and ruthless suppression of all dissent, even
internal, among the Communist leadership.
In this framework of faith in violence and dictatorship, does it serve
any purpose to ask the Maoists to give up violence and open talks with
the government?
Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at pun...@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it
Balbir K. Punj
bademiyansubhanallah
Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1633 hrs
New Delhi:
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said the Naxal and
terrorism menace afflicting the country was far worse than expected,
but added that the government is more than determined to root out the
threat through various counter-measures.
Interacting with women journalists on a host of domestic and security-
related issues, Chidambaram said: “The Naxal menace was far worse than
we (the government) expected. As long as we did not engage with them,
they were happy. For doing all this (anti-Naxal operations, other
counter-insurgency measures), one needs a strong head, a stronger
heart and staying power.”
He also said it was important to understand that apart from proper
administration and security, attention needed to be paid to “regional
aspirations, language and caste-related issues, because these are
important.”
“It is a difficult period on many issues. We have been in a state of
denial. This makes my task (as Home Minister) all the more difficult,
but there is a general silver lining,” said Chidambaram during his
interaction with the Women’s Press Corps in the capital.
When asked specifically how the Naxals were still being able to
sustain themselves in spite of the central and state governments
coordinated approach towards tackling them head-on, Chidambaram said:
“The Naxals (or Maoists) are getting their intellectual and material
support from unsuspecting NGOs (non-government organizations) and
civil society, and this makes state jurisdiction very difficult.”
When asked to respond to the oft-repeated Naxal view that the
government was not doing enough on the development front, especially
in areas where people were backward, socially underprivileged and
poor, the Union Home Minister said: “”How can there be development
without effective civil administration and policing.”
“Policing, civic administration and development have to take place
side by side. Without civilian administration in place, how can there
be development. We must first have in place civil administration,
proper policing and security, only then can we think of development,
schools and hospitals etc.,” he added.
“Which doctor will want to go back to an area, or such areas where
there is a threat to life, family,” he said.
Responding to another question on security forces and paramilitary
forces attracting criticism for allegedly evacuating and occupying
schools and other buildings in Maoist-infested areas forcibly,
Chidambaram rejected it outright.
“There is always criticism of the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).
The fact is that no schools or buildings are being forcibly evacuated.
The schools that they are occupying are not in use. The Maoists are
not speaking the truth when they spread this sort of news. The Maoists
are the ones who are blowing up schools. They have blown up 350
schools,” he said.
The Union Home Minister also rejected suggestions of security forces
undertaking a carnage of Maoists.
He said: “There is no carnage, no carpet bombing (of Maoist-affected
areas). The security forces have been told to retaliate only if
attacked. They have been told give a controlled and calibrated
response.”
“Now, in three out of six states, we are in confrontation (with Naxals/
Maoists). Unless we challenge and confront them, there will be more
incidents such as what took place in Sealdah (24 policemen killed) in
West Bengal and in Bihar (12 villagers killed in Phulwariya). They
will try every trick in their bag – civil society support, seduce the
media, unleash false charges in court. They will try to pull all
strings and widen the circle of their influence. In all this
cacophony, the (Maoist) aim is to overthrow the parliamentary system
of government,” Chidambaram said.
“There is no half-measure house in dealing with Naxalism, terrorism,”
the Home Minister said.
Asked if the government was at war with the Naxals, Chidambaram said:
“We are not at war with them. They are our countrymen. Even if I get
72 hours of peace, I can talk to them, but they don’t want it.”
He also said that the case of the kidnapped block development officer,
Prashant Kumar Layek, is an issue that has to be decided by the
Jharkhand Government.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-menace-far-worse-than-what-govt-expected-pc/581951/0
26/11 investigation to be taken up during FS-level talks: PC
Pak still pushing militants from across the border: Kapoor
Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1236 hrs
New Delhi:
Gen Kapoor said militants were being pushed into the border state from
the South of Pir Panjal areas.
Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor on Friday said Pakistan was continuing to
push in militants from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir but
the armed forces deployed there were capable of tackling it.
"Our neighbour is continuing infiltration of militants from across the
border into Jammu and Kashmir. It (infiltration) will continue. Forces
are deployed in the border and they will make all efforts to stop the
infiltrators there. If some militants do come in, our forces will
tackle them," he told reporters on the sidelines of an army function.
Asked why infiltration was continuing despite the border passes being
closed due to snowfall, he said the militants were being pushed into
the border state from the South of Pir Panjal areas.
On the Home Ministry's rehabilitation plan for Kashmiri youths who
want to return from Pakistan-occupied- Kashmir, the Army chief said,
"I am sure the Home Minister and the Government will look at all
aspects before a final decision is taken".
"A decision is taken and they are looking into it. I am sure they will
take views of all ministries including the Defence Ministry and
whenever a decision is taken it will be good for every one," he
added.
7 Comments |
Don't this general have any other task
By: satan | Friday , 19 Feb '10 15:08:23 PM
There is nothing new in infiltration so why Mr. Kapoor instead of
wasting time in press do some useful stuff. One day he says we can
take on China and Pak both other other day he says we're night blind.
What rubbish.
Shame on UPA
By: bharat | Friday , 19 Feb '10 15:01:58 PM
Shame on all the people who voted for UPA..these guys need to be sent
to live with their brothers in POK. Only someone like Modi can save
India now!!
Indian Army and RAW should also make a seperate cell to counter the
ISI
By: Umesh | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:37:52 PM
Whatever you say and do, Pakistan will never come to its age, it wont
give up the proxy war against India unless it is wiped out from the
earth. ISI making special projects to unleash atack in India and India
still want to engage them with talks? Is there a single instance,
which one could say, a good one from the Pkistani side for India to go
for talks? There is an increase in infiltration, increase in
threatening from various organisation based in Pakistan and still
Pakistan dont arrest them, who sitting in their soil keep threatening
India on a daily basis? Whats the point in engaging them with "Talks
for the sake of Talks" as mentioned by Gilani? Or is it just to
appease the US that we are still friendly wtih Pakistan?
SO WHAT , IT IS NOT P.M. - PRESIDENT NOR MINISTERS SON GETS KILLED
By: n.r.i | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:32:02 PM
ALL THE POLITICIANS ARE FULLY GUARDED SO DOES THEIR FAMILY AND IF FEW
THOUSAND JAWANS ARE KILLED , SO WHAT .IT IS WAY TO CUT POPULATION OF
INDIA .AFTER THE DEATH OF A JAWAN THROW FEW BREAD CUMBS TO KEEP THEM
QUITE . INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY IS DETECTED BY AMERICANS AND 10 JAN
PATH .THIS KILLINGS WILL CONTINUE AS FAR AS THIS GHADHARS RUNS THE
COUNTRY . WATCH " AASHTHA " AND RAM DEVJI MAHARAJ SERMON ON BHARAT
SWABHIMAN . SUPPORT HIM IN MILLIONS AND BRING CHANGE IN INDIA .
PAK sending Terrorists
By: Varind | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:14:34 PM
What's new or surprising in this statement of Gen.Kapoor? Our
government is going to talk in a few days, and all will be well
asusual. Unfortunately General's concern is right but this is the way
our Politcians play with the lives of JAWANS.
What are you doing Kapoor?
By: Avinash Baranwal | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:01:17 PM
And Indian officials are still making ONLY statements: an Indian.
statements
By: naresh | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:59:47 PM
US has told the indian govt to make statements,thats what our govt is
doing.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/26-11-investigation-to-be-taken-up-during-fslevel-talks-pc/581953/
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-still-pushing-militants-from-across-the-border-kapoor/581906/
Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1658 hrs
New Delhi:
Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that 26/11 investigation will be
discussed during Indo-Pak meet.
Just a week ahead of the meeting between Foreign Secretaries of India
and Pakistan, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said issues
relating to the probe into 26/11 attacks will be taken up during the
parleys.
Noting that the "specific issues" to be taken up during the
discussions were being finalised by the Indian side, he said the
ministry would like "pending issues" concerning the 26/11 case and
investigation also to be part of it.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will be meeting her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir here on February 25 with India making it
clear that terror will be on top of its agenda.
In an interaction with women journalists, the Home Minister also said
his ministry would go through the legal process to seek access to
Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley, now lodged in a
Chicago jail.
Asked if FBI was holding back some crucial information from the Indian
government as was being suggested by some reports, Chidambaram said,
"Well, I don't know. All I can say is FBI has shared vital
information. If they are holding back any information, there is no way
my knowing that they are holding back any information.
"And as far as access to Headley is concerned. Our position remains
the same that we will go through legal process to seek access to David
headley."
Asked if he favoured the talks between India and Pakistan despite the
fact that Islamabad was yet to fulfil the demand of dismantling the
terror infrastructure, the Home Minister said it is government's
decision of which he is a part.
"The government has decided that the two Foreign Secretaries of the
two countries will meet on February 25 and I am part of the
government.....all of us have decided that the Secretaries will meet,"
he said.
And as the External Affairs Minister has said, "these talks are for
talks," Chidambaram said.
bademiyansubhanallah
Posted On: 19-Feb-2010 17:11:29
By: Soumya Sharma
New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram today denied that there was any
pressure on the Government from allies like Trinamool Congress leader
and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to go soft on the Naxals, and
asserted that she has no truck with the Maoists.
"She has not been soft on the Maoists. She has made it clear that she
has no truck with the Maoists. Her argument is that Marxists and
Maoists have collaborated in the past. That is what she says," he told
mediapersons during an interaction at the Indian Women's Press Corps
here.
Asserting that her argument does not in any way affect Government's
policy, Mr Chidambaram said she is not opposed to the Centre's
decision to provide funds and resources to the affected states or its
offer of talks to the Maoists.
On Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's decision to swap arrested
Maoists for release of a Block Development Officer kidnapped by them,
Mr Chidambaram said it was upto the government of the state to decide
what needs to be done to secure the release of the officer.
"These issues are best resolved at the local level. The state in its
judgement has decided to release three low-level Maoist cadres and
some villagers--the Centre must leave it to the state governemnt to
deal with it," he said.
Stressing on the Government's willingness to talk to Maoists, the Home
Minister said they must abjure violence and give the Government 72
hours to carry out the modalities for talks.
''We never said lay down arms or disband your organisation. Let there
be no violence for 72 hours and we are willing to sit down to discuss
the issues."
http://www.mynews.in/News/Chidambaram_denies_rift_in_government_over_Naxal_issue_N38572.html
Not an option
The Indian Express
Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 0153 hrs
The attack on the Silda camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles in West
Bengal happened in a context of cynical political laziness. For
allowing a climate in which Maoists can overrun a camp with such
brazenness, West Bengal’s political forces are primarily responsible.
But concern and anger should also be focussed next door, on the state
of Jharkhand, and on Shibu Soren’s new government. There is a strong
likelihood that the Silda
attackers emerged from across the Bengal-Jharkhand border — and that,
after their raid was done, they headed back over the border to what
they probably have come to think of as something of a safe haven.
The government in Jharkhand, run by Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and
by the Bharatiya Janata Party, has already worried those following
anti-Maoist operations. Their lack of enthusiasm for coordinated
operation has been marked: most notably, the government has opted out
of several chief minister-level meetings to discuss the problem. And
reports that the government ended patrolling and left the Special Task
Force, intended to take on Naxals, cooling its heels in its barracks,
add up to a very disturbing picture: that the ruling coalition in
Jharkhand has chosen to step back, and be obstructive, in India’s
fight against left-wing extremism. Now has come confirmatory evidence
that Jharkhand is turning into the soft underbelly of the Indian
state: Soren gave in to demands from the CPI (Maoist) that 14
villagers in Dalbhumgarh jail be freed; in return, he wanted the
Maoists to safely release the
abducted block development officer for the area, Prasant Kumar Layek.
Whether or not the 14 villagers in question — yet to be tried in a
court of law — turn out to have been Maoist cadre, sympathisers of
some sort, or completely unrelated victims of an over-zealous police
is quite
beside the point. The problem is that, once again, the Jharkhand
government has chosen to give in, to embolden the Maoist leadership.
(Naturally, they reportedly responded with a fresh set of demands.)
There can be no passengers in the fight against the Naxalites. The
paramount lesson of the past few years has been that disparate
jurisdictions need to be willing to work together. The Jharkhand
government cannot let whatever mistaken political calculation is
causing this softness to impede an all-India
effort. And the BJP, currently meeting in Indore, must take the lead.
Surely it will be difficult for India’s primary opposition party to
claim that the Central government is lax on internal security when one
of its own governments is conspicuously opting out of the effort.
8 Comments |
Extremism of politics
By: Ved Guliani, Lagos (Nigeria) | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:53:35 PM
Sir, Whatever be the admission of the Union Home Minister on
Intelligence failure or the 'angry silence' of the WB governemnt, the
Maoist attack on EFR camp, killing 24 personnel and taking ammunition,
was neither unexpected nor shocking when the neighbouring Jharkhand is
extending support to the left-wing extremism. Ironically the naxalites
are gaining ground and making the very existent of the State almost
redundant. The question is how long can we allow the leadership to
ignore, if not sacrifice, the security of the masses in their vested
calculations and vicious battle of the ballot. After every such
debilitating attack of the extremists, would people be convinced of
Govt. sincerity of protecting them and 'crushing the guilty
mercilessly'? For God's sake let us not befool the people with word
jugglery and our dubious political interests of vote-banks and should
devote our time and energy to delivering an effective administration.
Ved Guliani.
BJP
By: M K Keswani | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:36:14 PM Reply | Forward
I will not go into the merit of supporting Sibhu Soren by BJP. It can
be turned for good cause, if BJP plays the role of Big Brother. BJP
should watch every step Soren takes and put pressure on him for
correction. BJP knows too well that Soren has only Jharkhand to loose,
but BJP is being watched by entire nation and BJP has the opportunity
to prove to nation that they are care first for country ane then for
power. If Soren does not fall in line, better withdraw support rather
than hang on with him.
Failure to tackle naxalism
By: Santhanam | Friday , 19 Feb '10 13:57:46 PM
I fail to understand what is that Home Minister is trying to do
against Naxalism in India concretly. Is our Indian defence such
incapable that they cannot wipe out this menance. Naxalites may have
local public support that their demands are legitimate, but it does
not mean that the means of fighting against it is correct. What do
they want, a seperate state or what? By killing security forces they
are infact weakening the defence of the country further. It is not
going to effect the politicians or the system which they are fighting
against. Instead it is the common person who is suffering who is
living in times of uncertain security of his life. It is not the
politician or state head who dies in a bomb blast or naxal attack. It
is the common man or security people. What is their fault? Fighting
for any cause with arms and weapons can never be justified. Jai Hind.
SOREN AND NAXALS
By: Prof. Ramesh Sinha, Freelancer | Friday , 19 Feb '10 13:40:35 PM
During early seventies Soren used forest hide outs in Giridh/Dhanbad
districts to evade judicial actions for his alleged violent approaches
towards rural or sub urban landlords. A reign of terror ruled the
roost those days that continued till Soren opted politics and
contested assembly elections. Meaning thereby, he is well versed with
naxal mentality, motive, modus operandi and grievances. Now as he is
ruling the state, infamous for naxal dominance during last three and
half decades, he must initiate honest steps in collaboration of much
hyped 'Operation Green Hunt' in view of paving bilateral talk
opportunities to negotiate with the hard cores. To me this is high
time for quick, practical and amicable solution to naxalism problem in
Jharkhand and other infested states.
Gadkari should put pressure on Soren
By: K.C. Sharma | Friday , 19 Feb '10 11:07:37 AM
BJP being a nationalist party, not like Digvijay Singh's Congress
should put national interest before self-interest and put pressure on
Soren to co-operate with Central Govt. Also, the Jharkhand Govt should
put pressure on Centre to grant more money for development of the area
so that this menace is countered effectively.
Media and Mr. Gupta , Winner by either way
By: Arun Panigrahy | Friday , 19 Feb '10 9:51:15 AM
an absurd article. why do u blame a particular political party,
internal security is not a theme or slogan of political parties but a
legitimate right of all citizens. do u want the abducted officer to be
killed???? why don't you advise Jharkand govt. how to tackkel this
tricky situation or waiting to do what you did in the kandhahar
episode.when Chandrababu Naidu was fighting Naxals and whole congress
lead by YSR collaborating with them to win the election.That time
where was Mr. PC,whether he was busy with his business or too small a
leader to raise concerns...when PM,then HM Patil,Sibals and Shanghvis
were delivering their sermons in managed TV shows to tackle this
menance by democraticaly and with out use of force, you people were
gaga over them. Surprise, how you people could not visualise the
danger ahead.Advise your pet HM, either use brute force or engage
alinated people to end this menance once for all at the earliest or it
will be too late.
Quite right Mr Panigrahy
By: Bhanu | Friday , 19 Feb '10 11:52:03 AM
I agree with you Mr Panigrahy. The same media went ballistic and
forced the BJP to release Masood Azhar to save the lives of the AI
passengers in Kandahar is now turning around and pointing fingers at
Soren for agreeing to the demands of the Maoists in order to free the
BDO.Media cannot have its cake and eat it too.
BJP India whining
By: Shekhar Naik | Friday , 19 Feb '10 8:47:03 AM
BJP our great Jan sangh party now goes prostate in front of Bala Saheb
and nex Shibu Soren, what depths will they fall to just to be a
national shame.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/not-an-option/581682/0
bademiyansubhanallah
STAFF WRITER 16:25 HRS IST
Pratapgarh (UP), Feb 19 (PTI) Eight persons were arrested and 30
quintal of ganja worth over Rs one crore in the international market
was recovered from their possession, police said here today.
A truck carrying the contraband was intercepted on Lucknow-Varanasi
national highway near Babhanmai area and eight smugglers travelling in
the vehicle and an accompanying car were arrested yesterday, SP Mahesh
Misra said.
The arrested belong to Malkangiri district in Orissa and surrounding
areas in the Naxal-hit region on Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border, the SP
said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/525864_8-drug-peddlers-held-in-UP
Dialogue process should focus on Kashmir issue: PDP
STAFF WRITER 19:24 HRS IST
Srinagar, Feb 19 (PTI) Appreciating the Centre's decision to resume
official contact with Pakistan, the PDP today said sustained talks
between the two countries are needed with a focus on Kashmir apart
from other issues.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti met Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today and requested him to
address both external and internal dimensions of the Kashmir issue.
She appreciated the decision to resume official contact with Pakistan
and stressed the need for a sustained dialogue between the two
countries which must focus on Kashmir apart from other problems
between the two nations.
The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming foreign secretary level talks
between India and Pakistan.
Expressing concern at the rising instances of "innocent killings" in
Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba told the Prime Minister that these
incidents have a negative fall out on the thought process of the
people.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/526482_Dialogue-process-should-focus-on-Kashmir-issue--PDP
Maoists free kidnapped Dalbhumgarh BDO
STAFF WRITER 19:14 HRS IST
Ranchi, Feb 19 (PTI) Maoists set free Dalbhumgarh BDO Prashant Kumar
Layek today, a week after they kidnapped him from East Singhbhum
district.
"He was set free at 6.35 pm. Now the BDO is with the administration,"
Home Secretary J B Tudbid told PTI here.
Layek's release comes two days after Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu
Soren accepted a key demand of CPI-Maoist to initiate legal process to
free some persons who were allegedly been put in jail at Dalbhumgarh.
Layek was abducted by four armed Maoists on Saturday soon after he
completed a hearing of public grievances at Dalbhumgarh in East
Singhbhum.
Last October, Maoists had beheaded Special Branch Officer Francis
Induwar after abducting him.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/526443_Maoists-free-kidnapped-Dalbhumgarh-BDO
Indo-Pak goodwill due to cricket no longer there: Imran
STAFF WRITER 18:44 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Legendary fast bowler Imran Khan rued that the
goodwill built by cricketing ties between India and Pakistan a few
years back was lost due to "political reasons".
"... a few years back, there was a chance that the (two) countries
were moving closer. We had cricket matches between the two countries
and Pakistan lost in Pakistan. And you saw Indian flags on Pakistani
cricket grounds (in 2004), which I thought I would never see in my
lifetime. Things were getting better," he said at a CNN programme
'Connect the World'.
"And then suddenly Mumbai happened. And, sadly, we are back to square
one. So I think people of both countries are desperate that we live
like normal neighbours, we have peace.
The problem is political," he added.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/526317_Indo-Pak-goodwill-due-to-cricket-no-longer-there--Imran
Hurriyat moderates against talks without Kashmir
STAFF WRITER 18:32 HRS IST
Srinagar, Feb 19 (PTI) Rejecting the propsoed secretary level talks
between India and Pakistan minus Kashmir, Moderate faction of Hurriyat
Conference today said its leadership will meet Pakistan Foreign
Secretary Salman Bashir ahead of his meeting with his Indian
counterpart to press for inclusion of the issue in the negotiations.
"A high level delegation of Hurriyat is visiting Delhi to meet the
Pakistan Foreign Secretary ahead of his scheduled meeting with
Nirupama Rao in Delhi on February 25 to press for inclusion of core
issue of Kashmir in the talks," Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq
told a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.
The Mirwaiz said he is himself heading the delegation and will brief
Bashir about the prevailing political situation and the stand and
viewpoint of the Hurriyat.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/526287_Hurriyat-moderates-against-talks-without-Kashmir
Nothing wrong in talking with Pakistan: Antony
STAFF WRITER 16:27 HRS IST
Ajit K Dubey
Dabolim (Goa), Feb 19 (PTI) India today said there was "nothing wrong"
in holding Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan though
terrorist camps along the borders in that country were "still active".
"It is a considered decision of the government to have Foreign
Secretary-level talks with Pakistan. There is nothing wrong in that.
Everything will now depend on the outcome of the talks," Defence
Minister A K Antony told reporters here when asked why talks were
being held with Pakistan when it had not stopped aiding terrorists
targeting India.
To a question about what will be the outcome of the talks, he said,
"What will be the outcome, I can't say. I am not an astrologer."
Antony said, "All the 32 (terrorist camps in Pakistan) near their
border are active even now.
"This year, the number of infiltration attempts has also gone up.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/525871_Nothing-wrong-in-talking-with-Pakistan--Antony
Modi, Jaitley attack govt on security
19 Feb 2010, 0336 hrs IST, Devesh Kumar, ET Bureau
INDORE: After holding fire for a while, BJP on Thursday launched an
attack on the Manmohan Singh government’s handling of the internal
security situation, alleging that its entire effort was to weaken the
police and the nation’s fight against terrorism and Naxalism, and
asked the Centre to call off the proposed Indo-Pak foreign secretary-
level talks.
The Pune terror assault and the spurt in Maoist depredations across
the red corridor, its latest manifestation being the savage gunning
down of 24 EFR jawans at Shilda in the West Midnapore district of West
Bengal, has prompted BJP to ratchet up its assault on the Congress-led
alliance at the Centre. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi led the
attack, after the party’s Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley moved a
resolution on the country’s internal security situation on the
inaugural day of the BJP’s national council meeting here on Thursday.
Referring to his interactions with the Centre on issues pertaining to
anti-terror strategy and other security matters, Mr Modi alleged that
the government neither had any will nor any design to fight extremism.
``We need to educate the people against the Centre’s soft-on-terror
and fickle policies,’’ he said.
Mr Modi spoke about the outcome of the deliberations at the recent
chief ministers’ conclave on internal security. ``It was decided that
the residents of all border villages will be given identity cards. I
asked them whether the Centre had evolved any mechanism to verify the
antecedents of those who would be provided with these cards. Once a
person procures an I-card, he will be free to create mayhem. As things
stand, a certificate from the village sarpanch is enough to facilitate
a person’s task of receiving the I-card. This is not a full-proof
method,’’ the Gujarat chief minister said. “What is the hurry in
providing these I-cards ? Is there any way to verify their
credentials? Just imagine the consequences of such a policy in the
border states,’’ he said.
The BJP leader questioned UPA government’s anti-Naxal strategy. ``The
Naxalites carry out their shooting practice thrice a day. Their
endeavour is to maximise the impact of their acts. But a recent
circular issued by the Centre, while citing financial constraint, has
asked the security forces to restrict their target practice to once in
three years. The government says it doesn’t have the funds to buy
ammunition. I am ready to pay for the explosives. But in the absence
of adequate training, how can my police fight the Naxalites,’’ Mr Modi
said in his sarcastic style.
The Gujarat government had presented a blueprint for coastal security
way back when the NDA government was in power at the Centre. ``It was
duly approved by the then home minister, Mr L K Advani. The BJP lost
power soon after, and UPA came to power at the Centre. Our coastal
security blueprint has been put in the cold storage since then,’’ he
alleged.
Mr Modi alleged that the UPA government effected a major shift in its
foreign policy strategy every time after a senior US administration
dignitary came visiting. ``Secretary parleys are held, and important
decisions announced soon after. We need to ask whether our internal
security decisions will be taken under American pressure and guided by
vote-bank considerations.’’
Introducing the resolution, Mr Jaitley alleged that adverse changes
were noticed in internal security policies after the UPA came to power
at the Centre. He then proceeded to list out these changes:
The sphere of influence of the Maoists (or the red corridor) increased
considerably since then.
Till May, 2004, when the UPA-I came to power, we used to say that
terror attacks were orchestrated from across the border. Now local
modules have mushroomed, which provide support to their handlers in
Pakistan.
There has been a paradigm change in the entire dialogue process with
Pakistan. The January 2004 resolution, signed during the Vajpayee
regime, made it clear that peace talks could resume only if Islamabad
accepted that it will not allow its soil to be used by it for stoking
insurgency against India. The earlier position, in short, was talks-
without-terror. It’s now talks-inspite-of-terror or talks-without-
terror.
Internationalisation of the Kashmir conflict is back on Pakistan’s
agenda.
Increased assertiveness by China.
Use of vote-bank politics for deciding internal security reflexes.
bademiyansubhanallah
IANS
Published on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 19:11,
Updated on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 02:28 in India section
RELEASED: The Maoists, who kidnapped Layek on Saturday had demanded a
ransom of Rs 10 lakh for his release.
New Delhi: A Jharkhand government official, abducted by Maoists last
week, was released on Friday evening, police said.
Block Development Officer (BDO) Prasant Layak "was released near
Haryan village in East Singhbhum district," Jharkhand police spokesman
VH Deshmukh said here. The official has been brought to the Ghatshila
police station, Deshmukh added.
layak was abducted Saturday by four armed men of the outlawed
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) from Dalbhumgarh block of
East Singhbhum district.
The Maoists had, through Layak's wife, voiced their demand for the
release of three of their comrades from a jail, and then insisted on
the release of 11 others.
While the government late Wednesday agreed to move court to "re-
investigate" the cases of the 14 Maoists, the rebels Thursday came up
with two new demands.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/naxals-free-abducted-jharkhand-official/110409-3.html?from=tn
CRPF heat behind BDO release?
B Sridhar, TNN, Feb 20, 2010, 03.01am IST
JAMSHEDPUR: Six days after he was abducted by Maoists, Jharkhand block
development officer (BDO) Prashant Kumar Layak walked free.
The release of suspected Maoists in Ghatshila sub-jail is yet to
materialize although the government has promised to re-open the cases
which could lead to some of the 14 accused being released. In the case
of West Bengal, the government had clearly capitulated by saying that
they would not contest the accused’s bail plea.
The CRPF is said to have played an important role by maintaining
pressure on the Maoists during the abduction drama. ‘‘We believe our
strategy ensured the release of the officer. Our boys gave their best
during the week-long exercise,’’ said CRPF commandant Sanjay Kumar
Singh, who led ‘Operation Cobra’ for the BDO’s release. Senior state
government officials appeared jubilant upon the release of the BDO.
‘‘We’re happy to have our officer back,’’ said DC Ravinder Kumar
Agarwal, while zonal IG Rezi Dungdung claimed it was the weeklong
exercise of his officers that had borne fruit.
Layak’s wife Julie, who had threatened to immolate herself along with
her daughter before the Jharkhand CM’s house, was overjoyed. ‘‘I thank
media, the police and the government for doing the needful in ensuring
my husband’s release,’’ she said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CRPF-heat-behind-BDO-release/articleshow/5594778.cms
BDO set free as Soren buckles
Manoj Prasad
Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0211 hrs
Ranchi:
Six days after he was abducted by Maoists, a BDO was released on
Friday evening as the Shibu Soren government accepted some of their
demands.
Prashant Layek, a Jharkhand Administrative Service Officer who was
posted as Block development Officer at Dhalbhumgarh block in East
Singhbhum district, was abducted by two motorcycle-borne CPI(Maoist)
cadres at gunpoint on February 13.
For his safe return, the Maoists had listed their demands. These were:
halt anti-Naxal operations; arrest Nagrik Suraksha Samiti president
Shankar Chandra Hembrom who has mobilised tribals of the district
against the Maoists; pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the family of
one of their comrades, Sanjiv Munda, who was killed by the security
forces in a “false encounter”; a statement from the Chief Minister
promising “no police atrocities on innocent people”; and release of 14
“innocent villagers arrested on false charges”.
Except for the arrest of Hembrom, the remaining demands were met as
the anti-Naxalite operation was stopped, Rs 10 lakh was paid to the
next of kin of Sanjiv Munda, and IG Rezi Dungdung initiated the
process of releasing the 14 villagers, though none of them was
released as their cases were being heard by the courts concerned.
“Their main demand is connected with the release of villagers. Since
the move to get them out of jail has been initiated, I appeal to them
to release our officer safely,” Soren had said in a statement on
Wednesday night.
Announcing his release, DGP Neyaz Ahmad said, “We are very happy that
he has come out safely.”
The security forces led by East Singhbhum SP Naveen Kumar Singh had
zeroed in on the BDO location after the CPI(Maoist) cadres made Layek
speak to his wife Julie on cellphone on Wednesday morning. “After we
cut off the supply line, the abductors deemed it fit to release him to
keep the public opinion in their favour,” said Singh.
To release the BDO, the Maoists called a group of journalists led by
Anuj Kumar Sinha, resident editor of local Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar,
to the jungle and handed Layek over to them. “We wanted to hand him
over to senior police officers. But the police did not let us do so,”
said Sinha.
Since January 1,1999, the Maoists have killed more than 350 police
personnel. After this state was created almost a decade ago, Naval
Kishore Prasad Sinha, BDO of Gidaur block in Chatra district, was
abducted by the Maoists. Later, they chopped off his hands and shot
him dead on December 12, 2000. Again, they kidnapped Francis Induwar,
Inspector of the state’s Special Branch, and beheaded him on September
30, 2009.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bdo-set-free-as-soren-buckles/582138/0
Twin encounters in Jammu, Pak militant killed
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0915 hrs
Jammu/Srinagar:
A Pakistani militant was killed in a gunbattle with security forces in
Reasi district in which two special police officers were injured,
police said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip off, troops cordoned off an area in Arnaf in the
district, 130 kms from here, late last night.
Militants fired on a party of Rashtriya Rifles troops who retaliated.
In the encounter, a Pakistani militant Abu Bakr was killed and an AK
rifle and two grenades were recovered from him.
In the encounter, two SPOs Ashraf and Murtaza were injured.
Sopore village cordoned off
In another incident a massive combing operation was launched this
morning to flush out militants in a village in Sopore district after
gun shots were heard in the area.
Warpora Sopore, 55 kms from here, was sealed by police and security
forces after firing in the village.
Sopore has witnessed a sudden spurt in militant violence in the past
one month with attacks on policemen and militants lobbing grenades and
planting IEDs.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/twin-encounters-in-jammu-pak-militant-killed/582220/
Before talks, Pak raises n-bogey: India can make 100 nukes a year
Pranab Dhal Samanta
Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0248 hrs
New Delhi:
Barely a week before the Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks here,
Pakistan has, surprisingly, upped the ante against India in the
Conference of Disarmament (CD) at Geneva with its representative
saying that New Delhi’s nuclear and strategic weapons programme posed
a “clear and present danger” to Islamabad. And making a bizarre claim
that after the nuclear deal, India could now make up to 100 nuclear
warheads a year.
India intervened to make the point that Pakistan should not raise
bilateral issues in a multilateral forum but the Pakistani
representative had already delivered a setback to the CD with an eight-
page statement on its perceived threat from India.
Citing this as the prime reason for being unable to give a go-ahead to
discussions on a Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty, Pakistani
representative Zamir Akram said Islamabad needed a clear assurance
that FMCT would not just mean freezing future production of fissile
material for weapons but would also cater to reduction of existing
stockpiles.
He strongly came out against the Indo-US nuclear deal and the civil
nuclear cooperation agreements between India and other countries.
According to Akram, this freed up India’s domestic fissile material to
advance its nuclear weapon capabilities.
“The carte blanche that has been offered to our neighbour along with
the commitments to build up its strategic and conventional
capabilities has encouraged its hegemonic ambitions which are aimed at
charting a course of dangerous adventurism whose consequences can be
both unintended and uncontrollable. This includes their advocacy of
fighting a limited war under a nuclear overhang or environment which
has been termed as the Cold Start doctrine,” said Akram on Thursday in
a statement before the CD.
He also brought up Indian plans to be prepared for war on two fronts.
“This confronts Pakistan with a clear and present danger. Therefore,
the National Command Authority (NCA) of Pakistan, the highest decision
making body on strategic issues...on January 13, 2010, concluded that
Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments in our
neighbourhood,” he added.
Underlining that Pakistan’s NCA decided not to support any approach or
measure that would be “prejudicial to its legitimate national security
interest”, Akram spelled out four specific concerns:
* Transfer of “unlimited amounts of fissile material to our
neighbouring country will enable it to build up its strategic
reserves” and that will allow it to “divert own indigenous stocks” of
fissile material to making nuclear weapons. Pakistan estimates that
India can produce “fifty to sixty nuclear weapons a year” this way.
* Claiming that the safeguards arrangements with India were “not
foolproof”, Akram said there was a danger of material being “secretly
diverted” and in such a situation the annual production will go up to
“a hundred weapons per year”.
* Such a situation in the future, according to Pakistan, would
“increase existing asymmetry in fissile material stockpiles” and will
be “accentuating Pakistan’s security concerns for maintaining a
credible deterrence capability”.
* The FMCT being currently proposed, Pakistan said, was only a non-
proliferation move as it banned future production and not a
disarmament move aimed at reducing stockpiles. “Accordingly, such a
treaty would be selective, discriminatory and derogate from the
objectives of nuclear disarmament. For these reasons, it is
unacceptable to Pakistan.”
Pakistan didn’t spare the Barack Obama Administration. Akram observed
that Pakistan had hoped for a change of heart in Washington after the
leadership changed but the “optimism was shortlived”. He pointed out
to India’s recent efforts at building ICBMs and submarine launched
missiles, and added: “More ominously, by June 2009, it became clear
that the deal was part of a larger strategic design.”
Coming down hard on Russia, France and US for signing nuclear
cooperation agreements with India, Pakistan said most of the
“vociferous champions of non-proliferation” had also “jumped most
enthusiastically on this gravy train”.
In the broad sweep that Akram made, he took on the 45-member Nuclear
Suppliers group. Pointing out that this group was set up as a
consequence of India’s first nuclear test in 1974, he termed as
“ironic” that the group had “decided unanimously to reward the
perpetrator of such proliferation”.
Comments (1) |
pak complaining about indian nuclear programme in multiforum
By: bala srinivasan | 20-Feb-2010
The INDIAN passive approach is misconstrued by Pakistan.INDIA has to
show its clarity&firmness by letting the Western paki supporters this
misperception and let them know in no uncertain terms that this is NOT
ACCEPTABLE.Until INDIA starts with surefooted declaration the
PAKISTANIS will get away with murder&then we can't blame any one but
ourselves.
bademiyansubhanallah
Can Baklava, Spielberg and Mossad solve India’s woes?
Saturday , February 20, 2010 at 09 : 55
Amid all these threats, terror and Naxal attacks, does India need its
own version of Mossad? Or does India even have the guts like Israel to
take the bull by its horns? Well the answer to first one is difficult
but latter is a matter of approach that we plan to adopt.
Knowing situation in Pak closely since 26/11, I have realised that
getting access to the likes of PM is simpler than even roaming around
the den of dreaded terrorists like Hafiz Saeed. Imagine in a country
where PM's car can be stopped in the middle of the road for a mere
reaction and entering Saeed's house is like taking Cinderella on a
date! One has a little difficulty in understanding why Pak finds it
difficult to contain terrorists in its own hole and 26/11s are like
daily soap operas.
From inauguration of a bank's new branch to the petty dispute, their
top govt officials can be seen everywhere. In fact if the number of
events exceeds than the number of hours in a day than the symbolic
inauguration takes place at the govt. office in the presence of full
media contingent. It is a place where not only the govt faces the coup
but perhaps a comparatively more powerful force, no, not the army but
the media that faces similar incidents. It just takes a fortnight to
demote director news of a channel to a bureau or converting a channel
from English to Urdu. Despite all this my sympathy and love for
friends across the border remains unchanged.
Pak government's double speak is clearly visible, on one hand they
want talks but on the other hand we have reports of Karachi project,
Pak's objection to Indo-US nuke deal and timings of Mullah Baradar's
arrest. Analysts inside Afghan say that Baradar's arrest is nothing
but a ploy to reduce India's influence in Afghanistan because Baradar
is believed to be chum of Karzai's brother.
Moving to our very own country, I realise that we are no better than
our neighbours, akhir bhai competition ka sawal hai! If Pak has its
own brand of 26/11s, we have the recession proof home production of
Maoists. From loose talks by senior govt officials who have little
shame in equating Kasab with a hero to top politicians like Mamta and
Soren who have a well known policy of appeasement of naxals. Reports
of Bengal govt ignoring specific, actionable inputs is a minor
addition to an already woeful list.
So, running a country where we have to take everybody on board and yet
wanting to have our names in right side of the history, what is an
ideal way to come out of this mess? Perhaps one of the ways could be
by offering Baklava (a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo
dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey) to
those who want to talk and Mossad to those who don't and Spielberg for
those who are confused. I think Spielberg , Mossad and Baklava will
help us in deciding whether it is gong to be 'Aman ki asha or aman ke
saath bhaag gayi aasha' !. Age old differences between Palestine and
Israel are complex but after looking at Stephen Spielberg's film,
Munich, I am left wondering if Israel can kill Ali Hasan Salameh after
Munich ordeal then why can't India do the same?
Posted by Kshitiz Singhal
SC: AP home secy responsible Skip to content.SC: AP home secy
responsible .
Saturday, 20 February 2010 02:49 .
New Delhi, Feb. 19: After Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan had
advised the Andhra Pradesh government a day earlier about finding some
solution to the stationing of the paramilitary forces within the
Osmania University campus, the Supreme Court on
Friday made the state home secretary personally accountable for
monitoring their every day activities while staying the state high
court order for eviction of the forces.
"The high court order of February 16 will remain stayed till February
23. However, the home secretary of Andhra Pradesh is directed to
ensure that the forces are deployed within and outside the Osmania
University campus under his strict supervision. None of them will
misbehave with the students. The home secretary will review the
deployment of the forces every day," a bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi
and T.S. Thakur said in an interim order. Making it clear that the
interim order will operate till February 23 when the petition of the
Andhra Pradesh government would come up for hearing on merits, the
bench issued notice to the registrar of the university and four
students on whose petition, the high court had passed the eviction
order after some violent incidents.
The registrar and the petitioner students were directed to submit
their affidavits in reply the state’s petition by February 23. The
stay was granted after heated exchanges between lawyers for the state
and the students during the arguments.
While the state’s counsel Harish Salve and Mukul Rohtagi alleged that
the "Naxal elements" had entered the university, students’ lawyer
Prashant Bhushan strongly refuted the charge and said it has become
"fashionable" for the government these days to rake up the Naxal issue
in every incident of violence.
But Mr Salve persisted with the allegation and said, "There are video
evidence and statements that the agitators are not students. We have
strong belief that Naxalites have a role in the agitation."
The government lawyer described the situation inside the campus as
"volatile" and said that there is apprehensions of disturbances when
the state legislature meets on February 22 meets for the Budget
Session.
S.S. NEGI
bademiyansubhanallah
Saturday, 20 February 2010 02:50 .
New Delhi, Feb. 19: Union home minister P. Chidambaram admitted that
the overall security situation in the country has deteriorated in the
last two years. "The country has been going through a difficult
period. The Naxalite problem has worsened. In
Orissa they were operating in three districts, now they have spread to
six districts," the home minister stated in the course of a tough-
speaking interaction with women journalists at the Indian Women’s
Press Corps.
Arguing that the sudden spurt in Naxal violence was due to the
government’s decision to crack down on them, he said, "As long as we
didn’t engage them, they were happy, they kept on expanding their
base. They will continue to expand unless we challenge them."
He said Maoists will try every trick in the book to gain support among
the people. "They will seduce the media, unleash false charges and
widen their circle of influence. Most people think there is a
compromise or a mid-way approach. That is most naive. The most
difficult challenge is finding well-trained and well-equipped police
personnel," he said.
The home minister denied that Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee
was soft on Maoists. "She has not been soft on Maoists. Her anger is
that Maoists and Marxists have been collaborators in the past," he
said, insisting, "She condemns their violence and does not support
their burning of trains."
Admitting that there were police excesses in certain areas of Maoist
dominance, he said, "I will hold the state government accountable if
they commit excesses."
The states do not have the adequate force to take them on," he said,
describing the state police forces as being both "poorly equipped and
poorly trained".
"There are 300,000 vacancies in the constabulary, vacancies in the IPS
and an equal number in the state government. The police suffers from
poor equipment, poor training and their average age is rising to 40.
This has been a cumulative effect in the last 20 years and the
situation cannot be changed in two years," he said.
"In Maoist-dominated districts, they have demolished 350 school
buildings and the kids are being forced to study in Maoist-run
schools. The answer is to establish civil administration and this can
only happen when the state government provide adequate security," he
said.
When asked to comment on chief minister Shibu Soren’s decision to
exchange arrested Naxalite for the kidnapped BDO, he said, "The
question should be put to him. I should not be seen second guessing on
their decision."
He added, "The Bengal government also released some (Maoists) by
exchanging them for some low-level Maoist women cadre. That is the
judgment of the state government."
Rashme Sehgal
Govt pins hopes on CRPF to fight Naxals
Ravik Bhattacharya
Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0425 hrs
Kolkata:
Days after the deadly Naxal attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) camp at Silda in which 24 jawans lost their lives, the state
government is planning to withdraw the state para-military force from
the Maoist stronghold of the Lalgarh-Jhargram belt and replace it with
the CRPF in a phased manner.
Police sources said the EFR camp at Silda was identified as a soft
target after the Naxal attack on Gidhni camp, in which four jawans
were killed on November 9 last year.
They said the West Midnapore police had then called for withdrawal of
EFR jawans, especially those above 35, for reasons of agility but the
state government turned down the request. West Bengal is still
awaiting six companies of CRPF promised by the Union Home Ministry and
has asked for another 10 companies of the Central paramilitary force.
On Friday, CRPF IG Nageshwar Rao, accompanied by state police
officers, visited the battered Silda camp.
“It is up to the state government to decide when and where our force
will be deployed. If they want us to man Silda camp, we will. This is
all I can say,” Rao said.
Senior state police officers, meanwhile, today inspected a number of
sites under Binpur police station area, near Silda, for an alternate
camp site for EFR.
These sites included the ground near Kansabati irrigation project and
Nilkantodanga area, where police camps existed earlier.
Unlike Silda Bazar site which was situated on high ground and had an
open area around it, these spots are away from markets and residential
areas.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-pins-hopes-on-CRPF-to-fight-Naxals/582202
Kids’ induction follows Naxal raid?
DIPAK MISHRA, TNN, Feb 20, 2010, 01.36am IST
JAMUI: If Operation Green Hunt is launched, security forces may have
to contend with a phalanx of boys and girls, all in their teens and
armed to the teeth. For, Maoists have been recruiting and training
them in handling arms and guerrilla warfare. And, once trained, these
young fighters are licensed to kill.
In fact, this is the reason why teenagers, both boys and girls, have
fled Phulwaria-Kodasi village, that was attacked by Maoists late on
Wednesday night, on Thursday evening. ‘‘They (the Maoists) often come
to the village, asking for 15-year-old boys and girls to train them in
handling arms. But we have refused to hand over our boys and girls,’’
said Ratni Devi, one of the survivors.
The Maoist carnage, incidentally, made it clear that teenaged boys and
girls and even tribal children were being recruited by Maoists. ‘‘So
many of our tormentors were children. They torched the thatched huts
and even pointed guns at us,’’ said Birendra Kora, whose house was
burnt down by the Maoists. He added that the marauders included at
least 25 teenaged girls.
‘‘Many of them appeared to be children. We caught some of them with
torches. But we had to leave them as a volley of bullets was showered
on us,’’ said Ajay Kora, a 21-year-old youth, who offered resistance
with bow and arrow. ‘‘Tribal children are ace archers and can use it
with deadly precision,’’ said Vinay Kumar, Bhagalpur IG.
The ruthlessness of this teen brigade has left the villagers shell-
shocked. ‘‘The girls were all armed and more cruel than the boys. Even
as a partyman requested a girl to spare me, she lifted her gun and
threatened to kill me if I remained outside. They abused us in filthy
language,’’ said Lalki Devi, who stayed indoors till Thursday
morning.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kids-induction-follows-Naxal-raid/articleshow/5594619.cms
Catch-22
Pushkal Shivam
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Saga of Mahato: Scapegoats of Naxal Violence
“Mahato, these bastards have besieged us. They have enough ammunition
to keep us engaged for another hour” said one of the CPI(Maoists)
cadres. “Hmm, it seems that the Salwa Judum is waiting for the
reinforcements to arrive before they carry out the final assault,”
Mahato said in a serious tone.
“I’ll make them taste the dust” said the cadre firing indiscriminately
at the vigilante militia. He went to the forefront all guns blazing.
He shouted, “You rogues, you can not stop us from championing our
cause.” Just then, a bullet pierced his chest leaving him dead. Things
were falling apart for the Maoists.
“Mahato, look, the forces are marching towards us, we are trapped.”
said one of the comrades. “We’ll have to leave this place. I’ll ambush
the forces from behind, give me cover fire” said a tense Mahato.
Amidst intense gun battle between vigilante militia and the Maoists,
it dawned upon Mahato that if he manages to elude the security
personnel, who had an upper hand in the battle, he will be a cat with
nine lives. While attempting to flee, Mahato was shot down. He laid
under a tree in a semi-conscious state. As his imminent death is
approaching him, he reminisces about his past.
I
Destiny: Change or Choice
Mahato knelt down before the landlord beseeching him not to
appropriate his land. The landlord had turned a land grabber. The
ingenuous Mahato, unaware of the legal nitty-gritty, had mortgaged his
land against a debt, which was given at an exorbitant interest rate.
Mahato could not discharge the interest. He pleaded to the landlord,
“Malik, please don’t do this grave injustice to me, my family will die
of starvation. This land is the only source of livelihood for us”. His
plea fell on deaf years as the landlord turned it down inhumanely.
Circumstances forced Mahato into taking up arms. He joined the
Maoists, but, as a mercenary, not a cadre. Along with other comrades,
he murdered the landlord. His entry into the world of terrorism was
marked by landlord’s blood in his hand.
II
The Vicious Cycle
The Salwa Judum had surfaced in Mahato’s village Dantewada forcing him
to flee. The tussle between the Maoists and the Salwa Judum was
getting intense. Mahato had no inkling that his family would be
attacked. His sister was gang-raped and burnt alive. The vigilante
carried out arson attacks. His wife and children providentially and
covertly escaped to one of the camps set up for locals who were
displaced from their places due to clashes between Naxals and Salwa
Judum. Mahato had no clue about their whereabouts before he bumped
into them at the camp while carrying out an attack on the military
forces. His wife and children were living in sub-human conditions.
Food and water were scarce. The children in the camp were malnourished
and deprived of basic care. Mahato had no option but leave them in
that miserable place. Perhaps, nothing can pinch someone’s conscience
more than the inability to help their near and dear ones. But human
part in Mahato had died when he donned the robe of a proponent of
violence.
In the end there was an uncanny lull and darkness. Among all the
battles Mahato had fought, this one proved out to be penultimate and
fatal. The triumph of the army echoed with the death of the Maoist
leader Ramlal Mahato. The red corridor had gone pale. Dantewada had
been rid of the Maoist control. But the victory of the authorities had
come at the cost of lives of several civilians who became the
scapegoats. Their lives will never be the same again.
Posted by Pushkal Shivam at 9:30 AM
http://pushkalshivam.blogspot.com/2010/02/saga-of-mahato-scapegoats-of-naxal.html
http://www.telugustudio.net/2010/02/top-naxal-leader-to-lead-telangana.html
`A strong head, a stronger heart and staying power needed to tackle
Naxals’: Chidambaram
February 19th, 2010 SindhToday
New Delhi, Feb.19 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday
Jharkhand Government. (ANI)
http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/107218.htm
Maoists threaten police officials in Kashipur
February 19th, 2010 mat
BERHAMPUR: Maoist posters threatening some police officials to leave
police force or to depart from the area have appeared in Kashipur area
of naxal infested Rayagada district of south Orissa on Thursday.
According to sources these posters were found near the block office
square of Kashipur. The posters targeted at the Inspector incharge
(IIC) of Kashipur police station P.C.Mohanty, a home guard Somanath
Nayak and a gramrakshi Ganapati Nayak. The Maoists intimidated the IIC
to leave Kashipur area and the other two subordinates were threatened
to leave the police force within next 15 days. The Maoists threatened
of dire consequences if the policemen failed to obey them.
Anti-naxal operation
These threats come at a time when the State government is thinking of
starting strong anti-naxal operation in the State from south Orissa.
The Centre has agreed to provide an additional eight battalions of
central paramilitary forces for the joint operation against the Left-
wing extremists. While five battalions of paramilitary forces will be
deployed in south Orissa, another three battalions will be allotted
for northern and western parts of the State.
When contacted the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of
Rayagada, P.K.Bhoi said investigation was on regarding the origin of
these posters.
It may be noted that for the first time Maoists have claimed their
presence in Kashipur block of Rayagada district through these posters.
Kashipur block is known for the continuing anti-alumina project
protests. It is felt that naxals may try to use this anti-
industrialisation agitation for their gains. They have already tried
it in Kalinganagar area.
Naxal threats to policemen are not new to Rayagada district. In
November 2009, naxals had murdered four persons at Pandratala village
under Chandili police station area. One of them was Anand Mandangi a
newly appointed Special Police Officer (SPO) for the anti-naxal
operations. The Maoists had left posters in Telugu and Oriya
threatening people to refrain from joining police force or to have any
links with police and administration.
During his tenure in Rayagada district the former SP of the district,
Ashis Kumar Singh had also received threats from Maoists through a
press release after a series of arrests and surrenders of Maoist
cadres in the area. In 2006, the leftist vagrants had killed a
homeguard at Gudari.
Services protest – angry residents blockade offices
February 19th, 2010 mat
ANGRY residents of Mogwadi, formerly Dendron, outside Polokwane lined
the street leading to the Molemole municipal offices in a protest
against poor service delivery.
The residents called for the immediate resignation of the mayor Monica
Mohale, speaker Wilhemina Manthata, ch ief whip Erica Kataka and
acting municipal manager Sam Raselae.
T he disgruntled residents barricaded the main road, blockaded the
municipal offices gates and littered the area with garbage .
Acting manager Raselae allegedly left the meeting with residents
yesterday at a community hall when they demanded answers.
Mohale, the mayor, had reportedly promised to address the protesters
but failed to arrive.
By late yesterday there was no sign of her and the protest continued
in spite of the light rain that fell in the area.
Among other demands, the residents want the municipality to reduce
service rates because they claim they do not receive value for their
money.
The residents also protested against the renting of toilets for 400
households.
The municipality pays R86000 a month for the toilets, which the
residents say was excessive.
They also accuse the municipality of failing to provide water for the
past 18 months.
“We travel long distances to buy water from those with boreholes at
exorbitant prices.
“Those who do not have money are forced to share the water from wells,
rivers and fountains with animals,” protest organiser Derrick Mothudi.
said
He said some villages had not had water since 2008 and that the roads
were in a bad condition. He added that some villages were still in the
dark because of the slo w pace of electrifying their homes.
Timothy Molopa, the spokesperson for the municipality, said the
council had appointed a new company to provide steel toilets until
they find money to build new pit toilets.
He said complaints about water, roads and electricity were genuine and
undertook to raise these with the relevant departments and report back
to the community.
DRDO’s UAVs, new weapons systems to fight Maoists
February 19th, 2010 mat
DRDO has set up a stall at the DEFEXPO focusing on equipments used in
low intensity conflicts for the first time.
Defence Research and Development Organisation is providing unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs), micro air vehicles (MAVs), ground penetration
radars, foliage penetration radars and other weapons to the
paramilitary forces and the state police forces to fight against the
Maoists and other extremists.
“Focus of warfare has shifted towards low intensity conflict, what we
have been observing for last few years. So we thought that DRDO should
focus on supporting the role of paramilitary forces in strengthening
their cause in fighting internal conflicts,” said Dr. K Sekhar, DRDO’s
Chief Controller research and development for low intensity conflict
technologies.
Dr. Sekhar said on Thursday that a core team has been framed by DRDO,
which will develop technologies in next 1-4 years to meet the
requirements of security forces in fighting counter insurgency and the
Maoists.
“We are looking at developing ground penetration radars to located the
IEDs (improvised explosive devices) used by the naxalites and also
develop a very high power laser to destroy these IEDs.
“We are also looking at developing foliage penetration radar so that
movement of vehicles and people moving around in jungles can be easily
tracked. Apart from it UAVs and MAVs fitted with sensors will also
help to keep a track on movement of people,” said Dr. Sekhar.
DRDO has also developed a modern sub-machinegun (SMG) that will be
extremely useful in anti-terror operations as its ammunition is
capable of piercing bulletproof jackets.
DRDO is also offering mobile jammers, night vision devices, chilli
bombs, surveillance systems and radars which can see through the wall
and map things going behind it.
There are 11 outdoor exhibits and nearly 220 indoor exhibits in this
year DEFEXPO from DRDO.
The outdoor exhibit of the DRDO includes PINAKA multi barrel launcher,
Unmaned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Nishant, DAKSH-ROVs and NETRA UAV,Main
Battle Tank (MBT) ARJUN, Rohini Radar, Data Center Vehicle, NBC Water
Purification System on ALS, Shourya, PAD with launcher, AKASH
launcher, Group Control Center. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/drdosuavs-new-weapons-systems-to-fight-maoists.html
Prisons put on alert after intel warning
February 19th, 2010 mat No comments
TNN, Feb 19
KOLKATA: Security has been beefed up in all state jails where Maoists
and PCPA activists are lodged following a jailbreak threat. An
intelligence report available with the state prisons department
indicates possible jailbreak attempts in prisons with many Maoist
prisoners.
Midnapore central jail has the maximum number of Maoists — 196 men and
seven women — and hence the focus of the state prisons department is
on this jail. All of these are undertrial prisoners (UTPs), some being
PCPA activists but going by the charges, they have all been clubbed
together.
After Monday’s massacre, Midnapore jail authorities are making it sure
that the 203 UTPs should not spend too much time together. Chhatradhar
Mahato, the former PCPA chief, is one of the inmates.
Among the other “hardened” Maoists here are Sunil Mahato,
Chhatradhar’s trusted lieutenant, his wife Dipali, Sukhshanti Baske,
former PCPA treasurer, and Prasun Chatterjee and Raja Sarkhel, two
intellectuals of the Lalgarh Sanhati Mancha who had been arrested from
Kolkata as Maoist sympathisers.
Chhatradhar reportedly spends most of his time reading newspapers and
talking to other UTP “comrades”. The group of “senior” Maoist leaders
have asked for the Communist Manifesto and some books by Lenin.
Chhatradhar had officially put in a request to allow him to smoke
which has been rejected.
The other Maoist “masterminds” who had been arrested are all in
central jails in the city or in Krishnagar. Of these, only three have
been convicted — Sushil Ray, Patit Paban Halder, and Santosh Debnath.
Halder is in Presidency jail. Ray and Halder had been arrested from
Belpahari for masterminding several killings and attacks.
Gour Chakraborty, the CPI (Maoist) party spokesperson till his arrest
in the city, awaits trial in several murder charges in West Midnapore.
He too has been kept in Presidency jail for security reasons.
Sushil Ray, the founder member of CPI (Maoist) and the “most
dangerous” according to state jail department records, is presently in
Jharkhand because he has been “requisitioned” by the Jharkhand police
and he faces trial in several killings there. The state police will
wait till the trail is over there and then he will be brought back for
trial in cases in Bengal.
Among the other “senior” Maoist leaders, who await trial are, are
Himadri Sen Roy alias Soumen who is in Alipore central jail. Animesh
and Shampa Sengupta are in Krishnagar while Sabyasachi is in Dumdum
central jail.
The UTPs are under special surveillance because unlike convicts, they
cannot be assigned prison duties and hence while away their time
chatting. “Since they have to leave the prison every now and then to
appear in court for trail, we have instructed all the jails that house
them to frisk them well to ensure that they are neither leaving or
coming back with any chits of paper because these could be their ways
of communicating with the outside world,” said B D Sharma additional
director general, prisons. The wards of all the undertrials are also
being changed frequently.
http://signalfire.org/?tag=maoist
bademiyansubhanallah
Sumit Saxena
New Delhi, February 19, 2010
First Published: 23:48 IST(19/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:20 IST(20/2/2010)
The Delhi Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against top Naxal
leader Kobad Ghandy in a city court, accusing him of having close
links with Maoist organisations across the globe and organising funds
for the banned CPI (Maoist) in India.
According to the chargesheet, Ghandy had visited Belgium, Peru,
Germany, Brussels, Netherlands and Iran, and forged alliances with the
respective communist parties of the region.
He carried out his operations under 12 fake names, including 12 fake
aliases like Kamal, Kishore, Katif, Arvind, Akbar, Prashant, Dilip,
Suman, Gupta, Saleem and Narsi.
The 700-page chargesheet — filed in the court of Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Kaveri Baweja —alleged he was the head of international
department of Communist Party India (Maoist) and worked to generate
revenue form Maoist organisations across the world.
Ghandy has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
for working for a banned organisation and certain provisions of the
Indian Penal Code for cheating, forgery and impersonation. The court
will consider it on March 4.
The Delhi Police claimed to have recovered an open letter from the
Italian Maoist offering multi dimensional support for all kinds of
Maoist activities in the Indian sub-continent.
Ghandy had attended the 9th congress committee of Maoist at an
undisclosed location in 2008.
Subsequently in 2008, he became head of South Western Regional Bureau
(SWRB).
Ghandy visited Nepal in 2006 to attend an international conference of
Maoists in Kathmandu. After the meet, he was elected head of the newly
formed international department. He met Prachanda and other leaders of
People's Liberation Army.
Association with top Maoists The chargesheet claimed Ghandy named 30
top members of Communist Party of India (CPI) (Maoist) during his
interrogation and he was in direct touch with G.N. Sai Baba, who is in
control of tactical counter offensive campaign of Maoists.
The police claimed Maoists wanted to trade inspector Francis Induwar
of Jharkhand in exchange of Ghandy but they beheaded him as the
government declined their demand.
The literature contained in pen-drives, DVDs and computers folders
recovered from him indicated that the Sub-Committee on Mass
Organisation formed by Maoists have been sub-divided in three groups:
Group A, Group B and Group C separately having its hierarchy.
The main aim of this committee was formulate a strategy to kill
political leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharyya and other top leaders of West Bengal, and police
officials posted in areas dominated by Maoists.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Ghandy-had-links-with-Maoists-across-globe/H1-Article1-510741.aspx
Strict vigil in UP areas bordering Naxal-affected states
STAFF WRITER 18:51 HRS IST
Lucknow, Feb 19 (PTI) A round-the-clock vigil is being maintained in
the areas bordering Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in view of the
recent Naxal attacks in various parts of the country.
ADG law and order, Brij Lal, told reporters here that in the three
Naxal infested districts of the state -- Sonebhandra, Chandauli and
Mirzapur-- six companies of CRPF (around 600 jawans) and 13 of PAC
(around 1300 jawans) besides the civil police are maintaining strict
vigil.
A new chowki in Pasuhari in Sonebhadra district has been made
operational and state police is working in coordination with the other
Naxal-affected states, with whom a meeting would soon be organised, he
said.
Last year, we had meetings with officials of four Naxal-affected
states to strike a coordination in dealing with the menace, the ADG
added.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/526343_Strict-vigil-in-UP-areas-bordering-Naxal-affected-states
bademiyansubhanallah
Aman Sethi
In Chhattisgarh village, chilling accounts of a massacre
— Photo: Aman Sethi
Remains of the day: Nothing is left of Madavi’s house at Gompad
village in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.
GOMPAD: A charred wooden stake and three graves are all that remain of
the Madavi family in this remote village in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada
district.
“Madavi Kanni was lying face down in front of the burnt house,” said
an eyewitness. “She had been slashed with a sword and shot in the
chest.” The bodies of her father, Madavi Bajar, her mother Madavi
Subbhi and her 12-year-old sister Madavi Mutti, were found under a
tree, 50 metres away.
Testimonies collected by The Hindu from Gompad allege that a composite
force of Adivasi special police officers and security force regulars
appeared on the outskirts of the village in the early hours of October
1, 2009. “We ran away when we saw the force,” said the witness,
speaking on condition of anonymity. “We found the bodies when we
returned.”
“The police killed my brother, Soyam Subaiah, and fatally stabbed his
wife, Soyam Jogi,” said Soyam Bhadra, pointing to the courtyard where
the bodies were found, “They also killed Madavi Venka and burnt two
houses.”
The Hindu interviewed Madavi Laccha, son of Madavi Venka, in January
this year. Lachcha claims he saw uniformed men shoot his father in
their cowshed, as he ran into the forests.
In all, nine Adivasi villagers, including two visitors from Bandarpet,
were killed at Gompad that morning. The villagers’ testimonies
corroborate statements filed by 12 villagers and Himanshu Kumar in a
writ petition filed in the Supreme Court. The petition accuses the
security forces of killing two villagers from the neighbouring
villages of Velpocha and Nalkathong, along with the nine at Gompad, on
October 1, 2009, and holds them responsible for the deaths of six
villagers at Gachanpalli on September 17, 2009.
In an interview on February 3, Director-General of Police of
Chhattisgarh Viswaranjan denied all accusations and emphasised the
willingness of the Chhattisgarh police to investigate the case.
Police sources in Raipur told The Hindu that security forces had
entered the forests surrounding Gompad on September 30 2009 , a day
preceding the massacre. The source could not confirm when the forces
returned to their barracks. The source’s information is lent credence
by an IANS report that quotes Dantewada SP Amresh Mishra as saying two
Maoists were killed on October 1, 2009, Nalkathong, — an area not far
from Gompad.
Scattered details of the Gompad massacre have circulated across the
thickly forested region of the Konta block in Dantewada district.
Details of the post mortem, conducted by the police on January 23,
have flashed from village to village — particularly the extraction of
bone samples from the corpses. “Why are the police removing the
bones?” asked a villager from Maitha. The samples were extracted to
establish the identities of the victims.
Adivasis from the villages of Gompad, Velpocha, Nalkathong and Maitha
admit that the area is a stomping ground for naxals and the security
forces alike. Unverifiable information from local journalists claims
that naxals were present in the vicinity of Gompad the night before
the massacre, but left before the forces arrived.
A naxal flyer signed by the South Bastar Regional Committee, picked up
by this correspondent in Bijapur district in February, refers to the
Gompad killings and demands that the CRPF and the Koya Commandos be
brought before a people’s court.
As reported in The Hindu, the police have assumed total control of the
movements of at least three of the 12 petitioners of writ filed in the
Supreme Court: Sodi Sambho, who was shot in the leg at Gompad, was
picked up by the police on January 3 this year. The other petitioners,
Soyam Dulla and Soyam Rama, were picked up from a public hearing
organised by an NGO in Dantewada on January 6 and have not been seen
at the village since.
Madavi Kanni’s husband, Kattam Dulle, and her infant son, Kattam
Suresh, were also present at the hearing, as was Sodi Sambho’s husband
— Sodi Bhadra. They have not returned to Gompad as of date. “My
father, Soyam Dulla, is a petitioner in that case,” confirmed Soyam
Bhadra. “We have not seen him since he was picked up the police on
January 6 in Dantewada.”
On February 15, the Chhattisgarh police produced the three petitioners
in court in New Delhi. Solicitor-General Gopal Subramanium de facto
admitted that the petitioners had been under police control, when he
stated that the petitioners faced threats as they were perceived as
police informers, and the police had made efforts to protect them.
Villagers in Gompad disputed police claims that Soyam Rama, Soyam
Dulla and Sodi Sambo were perceived as police informants. “No one has
issued any threat,” said a villager, speaking on the condition of
anonymity.
Surgical glove wrappers litter the graveyard on the outskirts of
Gompad, evidence of the post mortem conducted last month. Scraps of
discarded clothing hang on a tree overlooking the graves of the Madavi
family. “When the doctors exhumed the bodies, they removed the clothes
and left them on the tree,” a villager said. The clothes, which could
contain evidence of bullet holes or DNA samples, have been exposed to
the elements for over a month.
The Madavi family has proved inseparable even in death. Their graves
lie side by side: Subbi and her husband Bajar were buried in the same
grave, as were Kanni and her sister Mutti. In an adjacent grave lies
Madavi Venka.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154981000.htm
Mamata giving patronage to Maoists: Brinda Karat
Raktima Bose
KOLKATA: Accusing Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata
Banerjee of being “quid pro quo” with the Maoists, Brinda Karat,
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member, said here on
Saturday that it was “unprecedented in the country’s history where a
member of the Union Cabinet is utilising her position to give
patronage to a banned outfit.”
Ms. Karat added that the CPI(M) would raise the issue in the coming
Parliament session.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the National Convention of
Platform for Rights of Disabled, she said the question raised by Ms.
Banerjee about the identity of the Silda camp attackers pointed to the
understanding between the Trinamool and the Maoists, since it was
clear that left-wing extremists had staged it.
Twenty-four Eastern Frontier Rifles jawans were killed when Maoists
raided the Silda camp in the State’s Paschim Medinipur district on
February. Maoist leader Kishanji later claimed responsibility for the
attack.
“When you are directly or indirectly asking for the withdrawal of
security forces, when you are openly supporting a Maoist front like
the one Chhatradhar Mahato leads, when your party MPs glorify violence
against poor CPI(M) victims, the message is clear that you are in quid
pro quo with the Maoists,” Ms. Karat said.
‘Odd and strange’
She described Ms. Banerjee’s attitude as “odd and strange,” especially
since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced that the Maoists are
the biggest internal security threat.
On the effectiveness of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s offer of
talks with Maoists if the latter halted violence for 72 hours, Ms.
Karat said he should first “work out” the issue with his
“colleague” (Ms. Banerjee) since she was stressing on unconditional
talks.
Criticising the rising prices of essential commodities and the
Centre’s recent decision to decontrol the price of fertilizers and
initiate a nutrient-based subsidy scheme, Ms. Karat said the political
message sent out by the Centre through these actions “could be
summarised in four words — We Couldn’t Care Less.”
Referring to the continuation of future trading in food grains, she
said that instead of banning it, the Centre did not even mention it in
its note to the Chief Ministers regarding controlling price rise.
“This shows the refusal of the Centre to make a cost correction…does
any government raise the price of fertilizers during a period of
inflation? These issues will also be raised in the Parliament session
and we are in touch with the other political parties [regarding the
issues],” Ms. Karat said.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154880800.htm
Poverty triggers Maoist problems: Baba Ramdev
Indrani Dutta
KOLKATA: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev feels that poverty leads to unrest like
the one triggered by Maoists in the country now.
“Where wealth is not present, there problems crop up. ‘Anartha’ like
Maoist problems result if too much poverty is there,” Baba Ramdev said
at a gathering of corporates, which included the chairmen of at least
three major public sector units and the chairman of one of the first
families of Indian business.
The recent attack on a security camp at Silda in West Bengal by
Maoists cast its shadow over a national meet of human resource
professionals, with the ultra-Left extremism problem being linked to
skewed development in the country.
Baba Ramdev delivered the inaugural address at the meet in which
Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla was the key-note
speaker.
The Yoga guru’s statement echoed the observation made by P.S.
Bhattacharjee, chairman of Coal India Ltd., who said the attack at
Silda was a “symptom of a malaise that is rooted in poverty.”.
“Let us accept the responsibility of not delivering to our fellowmen
the fruits of development…Youth today are very discontented and large
parts of the population do not even have access to the basic needs of
a decent living. This is the dark side of development — as 250 million
people crowd the malls, 550 million do not have a roof over their
heads,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said.
‘Little has changed’
Baba Ramdev, in his nearly 40-minute-long speech, said it was queer
that India clocked high levels of growth in its gross domestic
product, but fared badly in international well-being indices like the
Human Development Index. “Little has changed with independence other
than the fact that we can now fly the ‘tiranga’ freely,” he said,
adding that whether it was the health system, the education system or
the legal system, old legacies persisted.
He called for a total overhaul of the system. “Only this will bring
true independence to India.”
The Yoga guru also called for a ban on the use of products
manufactured and marketed by multinationals, asking the corporates
present at the congregation to think of the country first and then
their businesses.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154900900.htm
Pune Police denies reports of German Bakery blast evidence being lost
ANI
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1056 hrs
Pune:
The evidences required have been collected and no evidence is lost:
Pune Police
Pune Police Commissioner Satpal Singh dismissed all reports that said
the crucial evidences were lost in the case of the blast that ripped
the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February 13.
Addressing the media, Singh termed this as sheer rumours and spelt out
the latest developments in the blast that rocked the city a week ago.
Singh was commenting on the reports that said initially it was assumed
to be an LPG cylinder explosion, following which the police called in
the fire brigade and asked them to wash the site with an aim to
prevent further damage.
Singh said, "I want to tell you and say forcefully that there is no
truth in this (about clues being lost). The evidences required have
been collected and no evidence is lost." Further, he reiterated that
the investigation in the case was on the right track. "As I have said
our investigation is on the right track, I can only say this as of
now," added Singh.
The blast that ripped the German Bakery claimed 13 lives so far and
left around 57 others injured. The blast is seen as the first big
attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
BSF cop who shot schoolboy got gun records fudged
Muzamil Jaleel
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 0319 hrs
Srinagar:
Lakhwinder in custody
When the Border Security Force initiated an investigation into the
killing of a 16-year-old school boy, Zahid Farooq, in the outskirts of
the city earlier this month under pressure from the Union Home
ministry, the elaborate cover-up operation was exposed because a
constable refused to play along.
Immediately after arriving at the battalion headquarters after the
killing, Constable Lakhwinder Singh, who allegedly shot Farooq, had
managed to get the AK 47 rifle, which was used to fire and kill the
schoolboy, deposited and show the time of depositing half an hour
before the BSF cavalcade had left the camp that morning.
Instead, Lakhwinder had got an INSAS 5.56 rifle issued to him.
Sources reveal that soon after the killing on February 5, the BSF top
brass asked the 68 battalion—headquartered at Shalimar, a few miles
from the spot where the schoolboy was shot—to conduct a thorough arms
and ammunition check of its men. The Union Home Ministry was keen on
ascertaining the truth behind the killing especially as the J-K
government had insisted that there was strong evidence suggesting the
involvement of BSF men.
An Arms Inspector of Sector Headquarter, Pantha Chowk, along with his
team was sent by the BSF’s Frontier headquarters for the probe.
Sources say every weapon issued was thoroughly checked and the team
found no ammunition missing or fired from the weapons. This, sources
reveal, added to the confusion especially as the Commandant of the
battalion, R K Birdi, had denied any knowledge about the shooting.
Sources say the operation to hide that the bullets that killed Zahid
Farooq were fired from constable Lakhwinder’s AK rifle was exposed by
Constable S Govinda Swami, the non-commissioned officer (NCO) in
charge of ammunition in 68 battalion.
After returning to the camp, Constable Lakhwinder had contacted the
Kote (arms) NCO Head Constable Ram Singh and requested him to issue an
INSAS 5.56 rifle instead of his AK 47 but show the time of depositing
of the AK rifle half an hour prior to their movement out of the camp
that morning. “Thus when the weapons issued to the men were checked,
there was nothing there. Lakhwinder had replaced AK 47 with INSAS and
thus hid that he had fired any rounds that day,” a source told The
Sunday Express.
Sources reveal that Lakhwinder had also managed the two missing rounds
of ammunition of AK 47 for the rounds he had fired that day but these
replaced rounds did not match the lot number. Fearing detection during
an ammo check, Lakhwinder contacted the ammunition NCO of the
battalion S Govinda Swami to get two rounds of ammunition with a
matching lot number for his INSAS. Constable Swami didn’t play
along.
Sources reveal that Ram Singh—who was also the guard commander of
Commandant Birdi’s cavalcade on the day of the incident—has alleged a
cover-up ordered by the Commandant while deposing before the court
here. Sources reveal that Singh, who is a witness to the shooting, not
only corroborated the allegations made by constable Lakhwinder that CO
Birdi ordered the shooting but went a step ahead saying that he fudged
the arms records under the instructions of the Commandant. Sources say
that Singh accused CO Birdi of pressurising him and the Adjutant
(Rakesh Dabral) to fudge the records and ordered all the men to remain
silent.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bsf-cop-who-shot-schoolboy-got-gun-records-fudged/582448/0
Bakery flouted security tips it got in October: police chief
Express News Service
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 2330 hrs
Pune: Flo
Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh on Saturday said German Bakery
management failed to follow the security guidelines issued to them on
October 9, 2009.
The copy of guidelines — which was made available to the media on
Saturday — provided to the bakery management mentioned 23
precautionary measures, one of which is regarding steps to be taken in
case any abandoned bag or suspicious object is found. The guideline
says police should be immediately informed on spotting any abandoned
bag or suspicious object. The guideline also says in case a bag is
spotted it should be covered with sand bags and the area should be
vacated immediately. Nobody should touch any such bag. Singh said
German Bakery management failed to follow these guidelines.
Singh said Pravin Ramkumar Pant, the cashier of German Bakery, had
accepted the copy of guidelines, about two and a half pages, that was
issued to several hotels and other establishments in Koregaon Park
area on October 9. Incidentally, Pant was injured in the blast. Also,
he is the one who lodged the first information report in the bomb
blast case.
The copy speaks about the precautionary measures to be taken by hotels
and other establishments in areas that are potential terror targets.
In the wake of alerts received from the intelligence agencies, police
had issued the security guidelines to various establishments in
Koregaon Park and Camp area, especially around Chabad House and the
Ohal David Synagogue.
According to Singh, another guideline that German Bakery did not
follow was installing doorframe metal detectors (DFMD) and hand metal
detectors (HMD). Singh, however, agreed that a CCTV camera was
installed in the German Bakery, which was focused at the cash
counter.
Singh refused to comment, when asked if police would book anybody from
German Bakery management under Section 188 of the IPC (Disobedience to
order duly promulgated by public servant) for not following the
guidelines.
German Bakery owner Smita Kharose said since she was “busy”, the
bakery cashier will speak on the issue. Pant said he would not speak
as he has received a severe shock due to the bomb blast and the
doctors have advised him rest.
bademiyansubhanallah
TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 03.08am IST
JAMSHEDPUR: As a part of the swap deal between Maoists and Jharkhand
government leading to release of the abducted BDO, a man and his
daughter were released on bail by a Ghatshila court on Saturday.
In a thanks-giving message to Maoists, Ranchi zone IG Rezi Dungdung
said, "They (Maoists) did their work. Now it's our turn to
reciprocate."
As part of the compromise deal for releasing abducted Dhalbhumgarh
BDO, the rebels had sought the release of 14 villagers lodged in
Ghatshila jail. Jasmine Mardi (24), who was married to police
constable Ramrai Hembram three years back, was sent to jail along with
her father Bahadur Mardi (47) on charges of being Maoists.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Swap-deal-Man-daughter-freed/articleshow/5598312.cms
Camps not fit for dogs: EFR
TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 03.07am IST
JHARGRAM: After the spat between the DGP and home secretary, now it's
the turn of senior police officers in the Maoist-affected districts to
cross swords over the attack on the Silda Eastern Frontier Rifles camp
that killed 24 policemen.
Speaking for the first time since the attack, EFR special inspector
general Binoy Krishna Chakraborty accused district SP Manoj Verma of
ignoring his requests to visit the camps.
Chakraborty heads the Eastern Frontier Rifles in the terror zone.
"The places where camps are set up and jawans are forced to stay put
for months were not even fit for dogs," said the local EFR commander,
his face masked by a black bandana. "In which camp would one have a
sentry standing guard barely five feet away from a public toilet?"
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Camps-not-fit-for-dogs-EFR/articleshow/5598305.cms
Kobad aide held, plan to strike Delhi found
Rahul Tripathi, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.47am IST
NEW DELHI: Arvind Joshi, an MCom student and alleged accomplice of top
Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy, has been arrested along with seven
others by Uttar Pradesh STF at Kanpur. Delhi Police will now seek
remand of Joshi who they believe holds vital information regarding
Naxalite activities in Delhi and NCR. The UP police also claimed to
have seized two hard disks and Maoist literature from Joshi and his
accomplices.
Joshi, police said, is a member of the central committee of CPI
(Maoist) and also secretary of northern regional committee. He is
alleged to have fled from Badarpur in Delhi, along with hard disks and
other documents, after the arrest of Ghandy in September last year.
Sources also claimed the hard disks contain the plan to carry out
strikes in Delhi and NCR, and also substantial information about
Naxalite contacts of Ghandy. The emails sent and received by Kobad and
Joshi to their contacts is of vital importance, police said. The
Andhra police, which is assisting Delhi Police with the
investigations, says it has information that Naxalites want to make a
‘‘big impression’’ by carrying out a strike in Delhi or NCR. ‘‘They
are desperate to strike and this can also be gauged from the recent
strikes they have carried out in Bihar and West Bengal,’’ said an
Andhra Pradesh police officer.
Additional director general (Law and Order) Brij Lal said, ‘‘We have
nabbed a man named Arvind. He is believed to be an accomplice of Kobad
Ghandy. We have also seized literature from him, which was written by
Ghandy. Two hard disks were seized, which are being examined. Arvind
was arrested along with seven others and all of them are in police
custody.’’ Delhi Police also said Ghandy is not suffering from
prostate cancer, a claim made by the Maoist ideologue at the time of
his arrest. ‘‘We have put him through various medical tests. The
reports have revealed that he was not suffering from cancer. However,
due to his age, doctors say he is suffering from a mild heart ailment
and prostate problems,’’ said a senior police officer.
Ghandy’s counsel Vishal Gohain too said, ‘‘He was not diagnosed with
cancer. He is only suffering from a prostate problem, which we thought
could be serious.’’ Because of his old age and ill health, Delhi HC
turned down cop’s plea to conduct a narco test on Ghandy. In their 700-
page chargesheet filed in a Delhi court, police said that after
Ghandy’s arrest, state-wise bandhs were announced by Maoists in
Chhattisgarh and Andhra on October 1 and 3 last year, and that they
were in possession of the pamphlets distributed by Maoists regarding
the bandhs. Police claimed Ghandy was in the know of the Naxalites’
plot to abduct and behead police inspector Francis Induwar in
Jharkhand last year.
Following the threat of urban terrorism, Delhi Police officers are
also being made to undergo a training programme in Naxalite strategy
and urban terrorism at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad. ‘‘The
decision was taken by home ministry. Senior police officers from
Naxalite infested areas are sensitized about the ultras’ modus
operandi. The training was started last year and Delhi cops are also
being made part of the module due to increasing movement of Naxalites
in the capital,’’ said an official from the ministry.
Pune pays tribute to victims
Laxmi Birajdar, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.38am IST
PUNE: They had gathered to share each other’s grief. At 6.55pm — the
time when the blast ripped through German Bakery last Saturday — over
300 people paid tributes to the victims by lighting candles outside a
coffee shop, located next to the eatery. The condolence meeting was
organised jointly by Maharashtra Education and Training (MET) and a
dental clinic. Residents of Koregaon Park, friends of the deceased and
injured paid their tributed to departed souls.
Owner of the bakery Smita Kharose was present with her family and so
was Smita Jauhri, the aunt of Abhishek Saxena, who died in the blast.
Actors Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor also lit candles and left shortly
thereafter.
‘‘We have plans to start a rehabilitation fund for the victims. We are
in talks with the bakery owners as the MET students are doing the
groundwork on getting detailed information on all the victims being
treated in the city hospitals currently. The fund will be used to meet
the medical expenses of these victims. Efforts are also on to spread
awareness among our friends, families and acquaintances through social
networking sites,’’ said Anish Mahajan, director of MET.
Most of the citizens who turned up were regular visitors to the
bakery. ‘‘I had been hanging out at the bakery every day for the last
10 years. I even knew the waiters well,’’ said an individual.
Friends of Sayyed Syed Khani, the Iranian student who died in the
blast, were scared. ‘‘My Iranian friends are scared. We’ve been
getting frantic calls from our families back home in Iran about our
safety. But we are all sticking together and helping each other to
cope with the trauma,’’ said Sara Sabory, one of the several Iranian
students studying in Pune.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pune-pays-tribute-to-victims/articleshow/5597951.cms
'Terrorism cannot be allowed to win’
Preetu Venugopalan Nair, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.42am IST
PANAJI: The Valentine’s Day eve blast in Pune’s German Bakery
shattered Klaus Gutzeit’s calm in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. The
64-year-old immediately packed his bags and set off for the terror-
struck city.
"I was shocked and it was important for me to be there,’’ said the
nomadic German who set up the Pune landmark in 1989 at the request of
his friends who had joined Osho’s fold. ‘‘On the first day we opened
German bakery in Pune, there was a mad rush. After that we have never
looked back,’’ he recalled in an interview to TOI.
‘‘I thought it would help them a little on seeing me, being with them
in their moment of grief...also I thought I should give them my
support,” said Gutzeit, who is now in Goa, the place where he learnt
he had it in him to be a successful baker. He was shocked by the
devastation he saw but says terrorism can’t be allowed to win. ‘‘When
I think about it, I’m filled with anger and sorrow. But we have to
live with it and look forward with optimism. We can’t let terrorism
win, the human will is much stronger than that,’’ he said.
The establishment is now run by a local family, the Kharoses, but
Gutzeit got to meet his old Nepalese friend Gopal, who has been in the
bakery for 20 years. ‘‘I gave him my moral support. I am too old now
to be of any real help to him,’’ said Gutzeit, lovingly called Woody
by his friends. ‘‘I hope there will be a new German Bakery soon. There
is so much moral support and demand for it.’’ Woody, a school drop-out
who describes himself as a ‘‘simple traveller, doing writing,
painting, photography’’, arrived in India in 1970 at the end of a road
trip that took him one and half years.
‘‘I loved India and the Himalayas. But there was only one thing
missing: good German (north-European) bread!’’ he said. So he took to
baking, although he knew nothing about it ‘‘since in Germany even the
smallest village has a bakery’’. The first bread he baked was in a
clay pot over a kerosene stove, and he says it was delicious. ‘‘Maybe
I was a baker in my previous birth,’’ he joked. The word soon spread
and his western friends pushed him to bake and sell his bread
commercially. “So in the late 70s, I started to sell bread in the flea
market in Anjuna every Wednesday.” It was an instant hit among
foreigners.
The first year, he made his merchandise at a local bakery in Chapora.
‘‘It was great to work together with the local bakers. Those days, we
would come to the flea market on a bullock cart. By sunset, we would
be all stoned and drunk. It was such a great time.’’
However, Woody was finding the humid climate of Goa difficult to bear.
And since he always liked the Himalayas, he jumped at the offer to
open a baking unit in Kathmandu. He stayed there for eight years
before coming down to Pune in the late eighties.
Osho had then come back from the US and a lot of foreigners thronged
his ashram. ‘‘Half of my friends had become his sanyasis,’’ he says of
the people who egged him to open Pune’s German bakery.
Woody, however, didn’t like city life and left Pune sometime in the
nineties. ‘‘I would always fall ill in Pune. So I returned to Goa to
set up a German bakery at Anjuna,’’ says Woody. Friends helped with
the finances and with economic liberalisation it was possible to form
a company and start something legally in Goa, he said. Goa has at
least seven German bakeries, all run either by locals or Nepalese
people. There have been imitators in other parts of the country as
well.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terrorism-cannot-be-allowed-to-win/articleshow/5597943.cms
bademiyansubhanallah
IN A sensational disclosure Bihar Police said on Saturday that the
massacre carried out by Maoists in a village in Jamui was carried out
by young children, enrolled in the Naxal ranks.
CJ: Mineguruji Sat, Feb 20, 2010 12:35:53 IST
IN A sensational disclosure Bihar Police said on Saturday that the
massacre carried out by Maoists in a village in Jamui was carried out
by young children, enrolled in the Naxal ranks. Twelve people were
killed and several others were injured when a group of Naxals attacked
the village on Wednesday night.
Bihar police claims that there were at least 50 children in the Naxal
gang comprising 200 members, which carried out the rampage. This
attack is being seen as a retaliatory attack by the ultras after 8 of
their comrades were killed in the same village a fortnight earlier.
Senior police officials admitted that this attack was carried out to
take revenge and put pressure on the security forces to lessen the
pressure. This is one of the biggest naxal attacks in Bihar in last
couple of years. Large parts of the state are affected by the Maoists,
who have declared a war against the state.
http://www.merinews.com/article/bihar-police-claims-naxal-attackers-included-children/15798792.shtml
Govt calls three CMs for meet over Naxal violence
IANS
Published on Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 10:53 in India section
NEW STRATEGIES: The home minister said the government had reached
"tentative conclusions" to combat Naxalism.
New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram has written to chief ministers
of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal inviting them to a meeting in New
Delhi following the recent spurt in Maoist violence.
In his letter, the home minister said the government had reached
"tentative conclusions" to combat Left wing extremism and wanted all
state governments to endorse the government's plan for an inter-state
operation against the rebels, officials said Saturday.
Ministry officials pointed out that the letter was an outcome of two
daring attacks staged by the rebels this week.
In West Bengal, over 100 Maoist rebels overran a Eastern Frontier
Rifles camp in West Midnapore district Monday, killing 24 troopers. In
another attack Wednesday night, Maoists killed 11 villagers in Kodasi
Phulwaria village in Jamui District of Bihar.
Sources said Chidambaram wanted to be reassured that the chief
ministers of Jharkhand and Bihar endorse the plans presented by the
government.
On Friday, the home minister admitted that finding trained and well-
equipped security forces in states is the most difficult challenge in
tackling the Maoists, who had created a parallel administration in
many districts in the country.
"The most difficult element is trained, well-equipped state police
force to take on the challenge of the Maoists. The situation on the
Naxal (Maoist) front is worse. For, we did not engage them (earlier)
and they will continue to expand unless we challenge them,"
Chidambaram told reporters in an interaction at the Indian Women's
Press Corps.
In Chidambaram's reckoning, security forces needed to regain control
over Maoist-controlled areas first and the state governments should
then rush with developmental measures.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/govt-calls-three-cms-for-meet-over-naxal-violence/110459-3.html
EFR top cop suspended after he blames Bengal govt for Naxal attack
Press Trust Of India
Midnapore, February 21, 2010
First Published: 10:33 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 10:52 IST(21/2/2010)
The senior official of Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), Benoy
Chakraborty, has been suspended by the West Bengal government on
Sunday for accusing the state government and charging it with
"misusing and utterly ignoring" the force. EFR's 24 personnel were
killed by Maoists in West Midnapore district.
Special EFR IG Benoy Chakraborty accused the district police chief
Manoj Verma of being "fully responsible" for the incident which took
place on February 15.
"The Silda camp was most unprofessionally set up at a crowded place
making it extremely difficult for the EFR jawans to function,"
Chakraborty told mediapersons at Salua camp.
He charged that "over the years, the basic needs of EFR personnel were
overlooked and hey were inhumanly treated by the authorities".
Chakraborty said there was "total lack of security at the EFR camp and
the jawans were subjected to negligence by the authorities."
There was no visit by the authorities to camps like the one at Silda,
he alleged adding "no sympathy was shown to the
EFR jawans and rather their role was criticised during the Maoist
attack at the camp.
"On a number of occasions, we drew attention of the state government
and the SP to the state of affairs of EFR camps and its jawans but
their grievances were not redressed," he alleged.
Kolkata youth succumbs, Pune blast toll 14
Indo-Asian News Service
Pune, February 21, 2010
First Published: 11:23 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 11:25 IST(21/2/2010)
A 23-year-old student from Kolkata, who was injured in the February 13
terror blast, died in a hospital in Pune early Sunday, taking the toll
to 14.
Rajeev Agarwal was a student of the Symbiosis group of institutions.
He breathed his last in Jehangir Hospital in Pune, said an official
from the Pune police control room.
Another five patients continue to be in critical condition in
different city hospitals and 33 more are undergoing treatment.
Two men are suspected to have carried RDX in their backpacks and left
them inside the crowded German Bakery Feb 13. The blast triggered
thereafter has so far killed 14 people besides injuring 57.
‘Request to shift EFR camp ignored’
HT Correspondents/PTI, Hindustan Times
West Midnapore/Jamshedpur/ Patna, February 20, 2010
First Published: 23:50 IST(20/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:51 IST(20/2/2010)
A senior official of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) blamed the
district police and administration for the Maoist attack on an EFR
camp in West Midnapore on Monday.
Covering his face with a black bandana as he faced TV cameras at the
EFR headquarters at Salua, West Midnapore, Special Inspector General
(EFR) Benoy Chakraborty vented his ire at the district police and
administration.
It is not clear why he had masked himself.
On Monday, 25 people were killed by Maoists in an attack on an EFR
camp at Silda in West Midnapore, about 170 km west of Kolkata.
“Higher officials in charge of the district knew that the camp was not
safe. The SP, West Midnapore, was repeatedly told that the camp should
be shifted, but he paid no heed,” said Chakraborty.
“Several radio messages requesting the SP to shift the camps went
unanswered.”
However, another Inspector General of the state police said on
condition of anonymity: “How can an officer criticise his own
colleague in front of the media when the government had ordered an
inquiry into the massacre?”
Meanwhile, two of the 14 people whose release the Maoists asked for as
a condition for letting go Dalbhumgarh Block Development Officer
Prashant Layek were on Saturday granted bail by a court in Ghatsila.
Additional District Judge M.M. Singh granted bail to Jasmi Mardi and
her father, Bahadur Mardi.
A police outpost, with additional forces, has been set up at Phulwaria-
Korasi village in Naxal-affected Jamui district in Bihar. At least 12
persons were killed and an equal number injured in a Maoist attack on
Thursday morning.
Take the battle into the enemy’s camp
Vir Sanghvi
February 20, 2010
First Published: 22:44 IST(20/2/2010)
Last Updated: 08:45 IST(21/2/2010)
Last month an 11-member hit team dispatched by Israel’s Mossad
travelled to Dubai and assassinated Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a Hamas
military commander and number one on Israel’s list of most wanted
terrorists.
Al-Mabhouh was clearly an unsavoury character, one of the founders of
Hamas’s military wing, an abductor and murderer of Israeli soldiers
and an organiser of terrorist attacks on civilians.
Few tears were shed in Israel over his death but there has been a
minor uproar in England over the use of cloned British passports by
the Israeli hit team. Normally, the Israelis just fake passports. But
on this occasion, they cloned the real passports of Britons who have
settled in Israel. The Brits say this is unacceptable. Why couldn’t
Mossad have just faked the passports as usual?
What’s interesting is that very little of the outrage focuses on the
assassination itself. By now, the West has accepted that Israelis will
track down and assassinate terrorists no matter where in the world
they hide. And, in the post 9/11 era, few people seem to mind. It is
widely accepted that terrorists can rarely be brought to justice and
convicted by courts of law. So, an assassination often seems like the
most effective option.
All this has lessons for India. There are, broadly, four ways of
fighting terrorism. The first is that you guard every likely target.
This is nearly impossible to do and no matter how many men you deploy,
terrorists will slip through the cracks. The second is that you use
intelligence to discover terrorist plots and then foil them. This too,
is hardly a fool-proof strategy.
The third is that after terrorist attacks are committed you spare no
effort in going after the perpetrators so that you deter would-be
terrorists. The Israelis travelled the world in the aftermath of the
Munich attacks in 1972 and killed every one of the terrorist
masterminds.
And the fourth is covert action: you take the battle into the enemy’s
camp. You infiltrate terrorist organisations, you kill terrorists
before they can strike, and you dabble in the internal affairs of your
opponents, financing and arming those groups that are likely to create
trouble for your enemies.
Pakistan has always shown a willingness to use covert operations
against India. Even if you take the line that the 26/11 terrorists did
not have official sanction, nobody can deny that the Pakistanis have
used assassination as an element of State policy. In Kashmir, for
instance, important leaders have been bumped off by the Pakistanis
when they refused to follow Islamabad’s line.
Equally, Islamabad has traditionally funded groups that are inimical
to Delhi. Till the creation of Bangladesh, East Pakistan was used to
provide arms and support to the Mizos and the Nagas. Since then,
Pakistan has funded Sikh separatists, local jihadis and, of course,
Kashmiri militants.
India’s record on covert operations has been lacklustre. We have
preferred to fight terrorism either by relying on intelligence or by
heightening security. When it comes to retribution, we prefer to go
through legal channels rather than take direct action. We will wait
for the Pakistanis to prosecute Hafiz Sayeed rather than eliminate him
ourselves. And while we have funded Pakistani separatists in the past,
this assistance has been feeble and more or less dried up after Inder
Gujral made Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) roll up its operations
in Pakistan when he was PM.
It is now increasingly clear that Pakistan either cannot (the view of
the doves) act against powerful terrorist groups or will not (the view
of the hawks) prevent terrorists from attacking Indian targets. A
similar lack of strength or willingness is reflected in its failure to
effectively prosecute the likes of Hafiz Sayeed.
So what is India to do? Are we to rely on increased security and
better intelligence? Or are we to step up our covert operations?
Till recently, many Indians would have been appalled by the idea of
covert operations. We reject the idea of moral equivalence with
Pakistan and cannot see ourselves financing militants who engage in
violence.
I once asked Manmohan Singh why we rejected the covert option and his
answer summed up the mood in government: because of the manner in
which it would brutalise the Indian State and damage our moral psyche.
Indians simply do not do such things.
But I am now coming around to the view that it is time to reconsider.
There are two kinds of covert operations. The first is the Pakistani
style, whereby jihadis travel to India and kill women and children.
The other is the approach increasingly favoured by the West (and
pioneered by Israel) in the aftermath of 9/11.
Western nations do not finance terrorism. But equally, they do not
consider themselves restricted by the niceties of the law. America
infiltrates terror groups, encourages them to fight with each other,
kidnaps and whisks away important terrorists (‘rendition’) and sub-
contracts the job of executing terrorists to friendly secret services.
There is a strong case for us in India to follow that example. Let’s
take the instance of the three terrorists who were freed in Kandahar
in exchange for the passengers on IC-814. They traveled to Pakistan
where they were welcomed as heroes. Should we not have pursued them
and taken them out? Would this not have served as a warning to other
terrorists?
Similarly, we know who many of the 26/11 masterminds are and where
they live. Should we wait for the Pakistanis to move against them —
assuming that Pakistan is so inclined? Or should we just send a hit
team? We know where Dawood Ibrahim, the man behind the Bombay blasts,
lives. Should we mount a large-scale operation to eliminate him?
Similarly, should we not consider doing to Pakistan what it does to
us? There are many Sindhis, Mohajirs, and yes, Baluchis, who have no
affection for the Punjabi elite which runs Pakistan. Should we not
finance them so that they can more forcefully express their
discontentment? The more trouble there is for Pakistan from within,
the more distracted the government in Islamabad will be.
Our answer to all these questions, so far, has been an unequivocal
‘no’. When Manmohan Singh agreed to include a reference to Baluchistan
in the Sharm el-Sheikh statement, we were appalled because the thought
of any Indian involvement in Baluchistan was repugnant to us. We did
not object on pragmatic grounds: why surrender the Baluchistan option
when we can use it to create trouble for Pakistan?
As the Poona attack demonstrates, the terrorism is not going to stop.
Pakistan is going to step up its efforts to radicalise and arm Indian
Muslim groups so that it can then argue that the terrorism is
indigenous. Should we just sit back and wait for this to happen while
placing our faith in the power of dialogue? Or should we re-think our
approach to the battle against terror?
I’m not sure what the answers to these questions are. But the time has
come to open the debate on covert operations.
n counte...@hindustantimes.com
The views expressed by the author are personal.
IPS crisis: 16 paramilitary officers sent to Naxal-hit states
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, February 21, 2010
First Published: 10:01 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 10:11 IST(21/2/2010)
Facing acute shortage of IPS cadres, the Home Ministry has dispatched
16 paramilitary officers on probation to Naxal-affected states to work
as additional superintendents of police.
The second-in-command and deputy commandant rank officers have been
drawn from CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB and sent to Maoist-hit
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar.
"The officers have been sent on deputation when the states told the
Home Ministry that they don't have enough IPS officers to be posted as
ASP in many districts," a senior officer said.
All the 16 officers have put in more than 10 years of service in their
respective organisations and have handled sensitive assignments and
worked in hostile environments, including in Jammu and Kashmir and the
Northeast.
The officers had undergone a brief special training on jungle warfare
before heading for the designated states and places of postings.
"The officers will be fully under the command, control and disposal of
the respective state governments and work as the ASPs of that state,"
the officer said.
The dispatching of the paramilitary officers to the states also bears
significance in view of the fact that the Centre has already deployed
around 60,000 central paramilitary personnel in all Naxal-affected
states and these officers would help them coordinate at the grass-root
level.
Naxal menace can be tackled through Yoga: Baba Ramdev
Keywords: India , Naxal menace , Baba Ramdev , Yoga ,
Posted On: 21-Feb-2010 11:33:17
By: Shalini Pandey
Saharsa: Internationally-acclaimed yoga guru Baba Ramdev today said
the Naxal menace could be tackled only through Yoga therapy.
Speaking to newsmen in this North Bihar district headquaters on his
arrival to preside over a Yoga conclave, Baba Ramdev expressed serious
concern at the recent spate of violence let loose by the ultras in
different states and felt that the 'disturbed mind' of these
insurgents could only be tackled succesfully through Yoga.
''By practising yoga one could have a complete control over his mind
and body apart from moving towards leading a non-violent life,'' the
Yoga guru said and urged the youth to shun violence for the all-round
development of the country.
Asked about the possibility of floating a political outfit and
contesting the coming elections, Baba Ramdev categorically denied any
such plan.
He said the Patanjali organisation under his guidance might extend
support to the honest and capable leaders during elections. He,
however, did not elaborate.
Tomorrow, the yoga guru would lead two yoga conclaves here and at
Madhepura where thousands of followers from across the state and
elsewhere would gather to participate.
http://www.mynews.in/News/Naxal_menace_can_be_tackled_through_Yoga_Baba_Ramdev_N38740.html
bademiyansubhanallah
Sunday, 21 February 2010 02:54 .
Kolkata, Feb. 20: In what is likely to cause more embarrassment to
railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, her
Jadavpu MP Kabir Suman on Saturday threatened to sit on a dharna
outside Parliament to protest the proposed crackdown against the
Maoists, Operation Green Hunt.
Mr Suman has written to Ms Banerjee seeking her permission. "But even
if I don’t get the permission from my party. I am firm in my resolve
to raise my voice against Operation Green Hunt. For this, if my party
even expels me, I will not budge from my stand," he said.
Mr Kabir has already put Ms Banerjee in a tight spot by releasing a CD
of songs praising Chattradhar Mahato, the leader of Maoist-backed
People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities. He also suggested Ms
Banerjee should have opposed when Central forces were sent to Lalgarh.
Age Correspondent
bademiyansubhanallah
Ravik Bhattacharya
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0714 hrs
Kolkata:
IG Chakraborty faces action
His accusations against the state government for the Naxal attack on
the Silda camp invited government wrath. But this was not the first
time, the Special IG of Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) has landed
himself in trouble.
Benoy Krishna Chakraborty created headlines by holding a press
conference with his face-covered on Saturday in which he accused the
state government of “misusing and utterly ignoring” the force.
Thereafter, rumours made the rounds that Chakraborty has been
suspended. But on Sunday, DGP Bhupinder Singh denied the media
reports.
“I have not received any complaints against him,” said Singh.
Throughout his career, Chakraborty had a good share of controversies.
He had not only been removed from poll duty by the Election
Commissionfor partisan approach, he also once tried to assault his
senior officer.
Other than that, Chakraborty has been known for being a sincere and an
efficient field officer.
“He is a very efficient and able officer. As a senior officer, I could
trust and depend on him,” said Rachpal Singh, under whom Chakraborty
served as ASP when he was the North 24-Parganas SP. “During a meeting,
I was scolding a few OCs under him for deterioration of law and order
situation. Chakraborty suddenly lost his cool and tried to hit me.
Later, he apologised and we became very good friends,” said Singh.
“But I really do not know why he hid his face. He also violated the
rule of conduct by criticising his colleague in public,” he added. The
biggest controversy in Chakraborty’s career came in 2004, when he was
the SP of Nadia district. Just before the parliamentary elections,
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had gone to Nadia for a series
of election campaigns.
During one such campaign, Chakraborty had unofficially met
Bhattacharjee at the state guest house in Krishnagar, where had held
an hour-long meeting with the chief minister.
This had not gone down well with the Opposition, who alleged that
Chakraborty was colluding with the CPM to give the party advantage
during the elections. Thereafter, the Election Commission had removed
Chakraborty from the poll process.
In another incident, while he was the Barasat ASP in North 24-
Parganas, Chakraborty had entered into a brawl with the then SP.
Before joining the EFR, Chakrabroty was the DIG of the Bureau of
Immigration. He is a promotee IPS, who has also served as the Special
Superintendent of CID.
On one occasion, he had suspended a junior officer, who was late in
providing a car to his wife. After the incident was reported in the
media, the suspension was revoked.
“He sometimes does things that one would think a thousand times before
doing. It was perhaps his tendency for theatrics that he decided to
hold the press conference and make direct allegations against the
state government,” said a senior IPS officer posted in Kolkata.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/efficient-efr-officer-no-stranger-to-controversies/582763/0
Three Sikhs beheaded by Pak Taliban
Express news service
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0454 hrs
New Delhi:
Pak Taliban targeted Sikhs in 2009 too
Three Sikh men were said to have been beheaded by Taliban groups in
the FATA area of Pakistan and their heads sent to a gurudwara in
Peshawar.
According to information available with India late this evening, one
of the Sikhs has been identified as Jaspal Singh. He and his two
friends were residents of Badi near Peshawar.
(Late tonight, a PTI report from Pakistan quoted sources as saying
there was confusion on the exact numbers, that two men had been
beheaded and others were being held hostage. It said the body of
Jaspal Singh was found in Khyber while that of Mahal Singh was found
in Orakzai Agency. Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh, the sources said,
were among those being held captive.)
The men had gone to the FATA area for some work but were held by
Taliban groups who apparently asked them to convert to Islam. Sources
said the information so far suggests that the men resisted the order
and were then beheaded.
Later, their heads were sent to Bhai Joga Singh Gurudwara in Peshawar.
The incident has shocked the small Sikh community in Peshawar.
This attack, sources said, comes in the backdrop of repeated threats
to the Sikh community there to convert if they wanted to stay on.
India has in the past taken up the issue of security of Hindus and
Sikhs in Pakistan. While the Pakistan government has been committed to
providing security to minority groups, this incident has certainly
made matters far more dangerous and sensitive.
The Haqqani group and factions of the Quetta Shura along with the
Pakistan Taliban are active in these parts of Pakistan which border
Afghanistan.
Last year, Taliban militants took over shops and homes of 35 Sikh
families and arrested community leaders in Ferozkhel, Orakzai Agency.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/three-sikhs-beheaded-by-pak-taliban/582704/0
Yasin Bhatkal is IM bombmaker, now in Karachi: Probe team
Johnson TA
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0444 hrs
Bangalore:
One name has been a recurring figure during investigations into every
major bomb blast linked to the Indian Mujahideen in India over the
past three years. Identified after the September 13, 2008 Delhi blasts
as ‘Shah Rukh’, he is believed to be involved — directly or indirectly
— in the process of making bombs. Investigators now believe ‘Shah
Rukh’ is Yasin Bhatkal alias Mohammed Yasin alias Ahmed, a 27-year-old
member of the inner circle of Indian Mujahideen founder Riyaz Bhatkal,
now believed to be in Karachi, Pakistan.
Significantly, Yasin has been named in accounts provided to the police
by Pune resident Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chaudhry, a key accused in the
August 2007 Hyderabad twin blasts who is also the brother of Mohsin
Chaudhry — the man now being sought by the Maharashtra ATS in
connection with the February 13 Pune blast.
According to information provided to the police by over half a dozen
IM men arrested since September 2008 — when the last major IM attack
occurred — Yasin supplied explosives, held training sessions in bomb
making and even assembled bombs in a few cases. He is believed to have
also supplied the ammonium nitrate used in the September 2008 Delhi
blasts.
With much of the attention around the IM focused on organisers like
Bhatkal, Sadiq Sheikh or Atif Amin, the real identity of ‘Shah Rukh’
had so far eluded investigators.
Hailing from the coastal Karnataka town of Bhatkal, Yasin was not in
India for nearly two years prior to 2007. His family told
investigators in late 2008 that he was working in Dubai and
subsequently travelled to China. On the run from the police in October
2008, the Bhatkal brothers and Yasin Bhatkal are believed to have
travelled through different parts of Karnataka and gone to Pune, which
was frequently used as a base, and then dispersed.
Like Riyaz, Yasin is believed to be in Karachi. Mohammed Khaja, a
Hyderabadi resident recently arrested by Indian agencies, has
identified Yasin in pictures shown to him and said he had seen him in
the Pakistani city recently, sources said.
After his arrest in late 2008 by the Mumbai Crime Branch, Ismail
Chaudhry had told police that ahead of the August 2007 Hyderabad
blasts, he and an associate, Anique Shaikh — also arrested by the
Mumbai Crime Branch — travelled to Bangalore and met Yasin, who was
also known as Ahmed. The duo were then taken to a remote farmhouse
near Kopa in Chikamagalur in Karnataka, where Riyaz was present, and
given training in the use of explosives and bomb materials.
Chaudhry told the police Yasin used a laptop to familiarise him and
Anique with different kinds of explosives while also training them to
create circuits and assemble timers. The trainees were shown videos of
Iraq and other countries, Chaudhry said. After the training, Yasin
asked Chaudhry and Shaikh to return to Bangalore since a new batch of
trainees was expected, he said.
Ahead of the August 25 blasts in Hyderabad, Chaudhry, Anique and Riyaz
camped at a hotel room in the city where Anique reportedly assembled
the bombs using explosives provided by Yasin and timers bought locally
from different shops by the others.
Akbar Ali, Ahmed Bava and Naushad — all alleged IM operatives who are
said to have also trained at the Kopa safe house and who were arrested
from different parts of Karnataka — have given similar accounts of
Yasin’s role in the blasts.
Akbar Ali, who escaped with Riyaz, Yasin and Riyaz’s brother Iqbal
Bhatkal ahead of a botched police raid in October 2008 on the Kopa
safe house but was later caught, has told the police he once saw Yasin
supervising the loading of a truck with bags of explosives.
Bava, arrested in the course of the Delhi blasts investigation, has
told investigators it was Yasin who supplied explosives at Udupi in
Karnataka, around August 29, 2008, to Mohammed Saif, the September 13
Delhi blast accused.
Syed Noushad, arrested in October 2008 from Mangalore in the aftermath
of the Delhi blasts, has told the police that Yasin was involved in
the assembly of the failed integrated circuit chip timer-operated
bombs attempted to be used in Surat in July 2008. These bombs were
assembled in a Pune safe house with material brought from Kerala and
Karnataka.
Mohammed Saif, among those arrested after the Batla House encounter of
September 19, 2008, has said he received the explosives in Udupi from
a man called ‘Shah Rukh’.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yasin-bhatkal-is-im-bombmaker-now-in-karachi-probe-team/582699/0
Pune blast: State police clueless, probe may go to NIA
Shishir Gupta
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0418 hrs
New Delhi:
While P Chidambaram is personally monitoring the probe, the Centre is
not very happy with the pace of
As the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has been unable to provide a
breakthrough, the Centre is seriously considering handing over
investigations into the German Bakery blast to the National
Investigation Agency (NIA).
Sources told The Indian Express that the issue had already been
discussed at the highest levels in the Home Ministry and a decision to
hand over investigations to NIA could be taken this week “if the ATS
was not able to identify the vital clues” that could identify the
group behind the blast.
While Home Minister P Chidambaram is personally monitoring the probe,
the Centre is not very happy with the pace of investigations,
considering that all resources have been put at the disposal of the
Maharashtra Police. Since the NIA sleuths have been camping in Pune
from day one, the agency would not have to begin the probe from the
scratch.
The ATS is reportedly trying to identify the three persons in the CCTV
footage recorded by a camera at Hotel O, which is located near German
Bakery, minutes before the blast. German Bakery’s CCTV was focused at
the cashier and has only records of customers paying their bills. Much
to the chagrin of the security agencies, the waiter at the table under
which the IED was kept doesn’t remember the customers who sat there.
Though the ATS has been checking call data records and technical
intelligence, it is still not clear whether the IED had a timer device
or was set off by a remote control. Pieces of mobile phone were found
on the blast debris but it is not clear whether it was part of the IED
or belonged to a victim.
The one thing clear about the explosive is that it was a mixture of
RDX and ammonium nitrate. Forensic labs of Andhra Pradesh Police in
Hyderabad, Maharashtra Police and the NSG have confirmed this. Since
ammonium nitrate has a low kindling temperature than RDX, a timer is
used to ignite it, which then triggers off the high intensity RDX.
Sources in the government said forensic tests conducted by Gujarat
Police showed no presence of ammonium nitrate but the report was
trashed by investigators as Andhra Police and NSG labs were the best
in the country.
Meanwhile, in view of the Pune blast, New Delhi will seek access to
David Coleman Headley after a fresh chargesheet is filed in the 26/11
case. Work on the chargesheet is already underway and the document is
expected to be filed in the court in a fortnight.
Comments (1) |
Easy to complete the probe
By: Ram | 22-Feb-2010
The Home Minister could easily close down the probe in similar lines
to that of 26/11. Let us blame Pakistan and militants there, so that
it will be left to Pakistan to bring the unknown culprits to justice.
There could be no local assitance or connection to the militants as
India is a saints filled country, where no one will help the other in
carrying out a blast. We do know names like Bin Laden, David Coleman
Headley, Hafiz Saeed and Rana etc., so why worry about naming someone
for the blasts. If no one agrees, let us blame it on Hindu terror and
the remaining Sadhus and Sanatans could be easily brought into the
case by excessive torturing.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-state-police-clueless-probe-may-go-to-nia/582682/0
Foreign tenants? Stony looks in tony Mumbai
Shalini Nair
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0412 hrs
Mumbai:
In the wake of terror attacks, especially after the one in Pune, some
housing societies and flatowners in Mumbai have put an embargo on
renting apartments to foreigners.
While in some cases homeowners have proactively started registering
tenants with the police as required, there are others who have opted
for the extreme step of not letting out homes to foreign nationals.
When urgent personal work brought 36-year-old Alex Lutostanska,
creative director of a London-based event management firm, to Mumbai
on short notice, she was relieved to find paying guest accommodation
at a Matunga apartment through a friend. A week into her stay there,
the Pune blast took place and she was curtly told to pack her bags.
“Even when I was staying there, they were unfriendly and suspicious of
me. Immediately after the blast, I was asked to leave the house and
contact my high commission. They said that they were concerned about
their safety and mine,” said Lutostanska who says that had her safety
been of real concern, her landlady wouldn’t have thrown her belongings
out of her room even before she could arrange an alternate
accommodation.
The seeds of this new fear were sown ever since word got out that
American national and terror suspect David Headley stayed as a paying
guest in the Shyam Nivas Co-operative Housing Society in Breach Candy
during 2007-08. The society, which had no clue about Headley living
under their roof, has had a notice for three months now, asking
members to inform the society if they have any guest of foreign or
Indian nationality or even a relative who has come over.
Though Shyam Nivas has not imposed any blanket ban on foreigners,
there is general panic in societies in Breach Candy, Napean Sea Road,
Cuffe Parade and Colaba where foreigners are being barred.
Cuffe Castle, an upmarket housing society in Cuffe Parade, has asked
its members not to rent their homes to foreigners anymore. When the
lease of a foreign couple living in a two-bedroom apartment in the
building got over a month ago, the landlord had to scout for Indians.
Indrani Malkani from the Malabar Hill Residents Association said that
three months ago a housing society in her area lodged a police
complaint against a member who had not registered their French paying
guests with the police. “You never know what the person’s antecedents
are even if he or she has been referred by someone known to you.
Today, it is natural for everyone to be alert and exercise extreme
caution,” Malkani said.
Several brokers said that while landlords do not mind letting out
their homes to foreigners coming through consulates or multinational
companies, those searching for a home on their own are not welcome.
“Most landlords have their biases. It is mostly against tenants who
are Muslims, non-vegetarians, single women, bachelors. Recently this
intolerance and exclusion has extended to foreigners too,” said broker
Yashwant Dalal who is president of the Estate Agents Association of
India.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/foreign-tenants-stony-looks-in-tony-mumbai/582677/0
Body found in lake may be of missing CPM leader WR
Express news service
Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0446 hrs
Chennai:
A body fished out from a lake on the outskirts of Chennai on February
13 could be that of senior CPM leader W R Varadarajan, who has been
missing for the past 10 days.
While wife Saraswati has recognised the highly decomposed body as his,
his sisters, son and some party leaders have expressed their doubts.
The party has decided to wait for a confirmation, including DNA test,
before officially announcing Varadarajan’s death.
Known to all as WR, Varadarajan was removed from the Central Committee
of the CPM at a meeting in Kolkata earlier this month for undisclosed
reasons. A few days later, he had walked out of his home in Chennai,
leaving behind two letters that indicated he was going to end his life
and that personal strife was behind his action. The letters directed
that his body be donated for research and his personal belongings be
given to the party.
After receiving a formal complaint about his disappearance on February
14, the city police had issued a statewide alert and formed special
teams to trace him.
On Sunday, Saraswati identified an unclaimed body lying at the
government hospital mortuary since February 13 as that of Varadarajan,
based on a mark on his stomach and another on his finger.
It is still not clear what prompted the CPM to move Varadarajan from
elected posts, including central and state committees. The party
maintains it was an act not befitting his stature, while insiders say
his wife had complained to the leadership about his relationship with
another woman. “He was removed after proper inquiry, and after giving
him an opportunity to defend himself,” a source said.
Once he was ousted from the posts, Varadarajan was reduced to being an
ordinary member of Chennai South district CPM, though he remained one
of the secretaries of CITU.
A chartered accountant, WR had joined the party in 1963 when he was an
RBI employee. A quintessential trade unionist, he resigned from his
job and became a full-time worker in the early ‘80s.
According to sources, he even got married on the instruction of
seniors. Saraswati, who also worked in RBI and was a party member, was
a divorcee. When WR’s mentor V P Chintan asked him if he was ready to
marry her, he said yes.
In the 1989 Assembly elections, Varadarajan was chosen as a candidate
for the Villivakkam constituency and won convincingly.
Proficient in both English and Hindi, Varadarajan was sent to Delhi as
a CITU secretary in the late ‘90s. For the next eight years, he
continued there, returning to Tamil Nadu as a Central Committee member
of the CPM three years ago.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/body-found-in-lake-may-be-of-missing-cpm-leader-wr/582700/0
Headley was an absolute monster, a terror jackal: Rahul Bhatt
Agencies
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1718 hrs
Mumbai:
This incident has shaken me terribly. I have lost faith in everyone:
Rahul Bhatt
Four months after the involvement of American terror suspect David
Headley in 26/11 attacks came to light, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son
Rahul Bhatt is still to come to terms with the ‘betrayal of faith’ by
the US national whom he now calls a "terror jackal" and an ‘absolute
monster’.
"This incident has shaken me terribly. I have lost faith in everyone.
I don't even trust my girlfriend now. I have started suspecting people
in my family. I can't trust anymore. I have become like a typical
policeman who looks at everyone with suspicion...Its paranoia," says
28-year-old Bhatt.
Bhatt, who is a nutritionist and a fitness professional, said the
Headley incident has made him "xenophobic" and he has lost faith in
all human relationships. Whatever has happened of late has also made
him ‘wiser’, he said.
"I have become a xenophobic... I have stopped trusting people and I am
extremely suspicious of foreigners ...It is xenophobia that I have
developed. So now, my guard is up and I am in a constant state of
awareness and alertness because of the bizarre incident," said Bhatt
who was questioned by security agencies after it emerged that Headley
had known him during his stay in Mumbai.
To a question about his association with Headley, a sudden agitation
is quite evident in Bhatt's voice. "Did I know Headley? The answer is
a yes and a no. The David Headley that I knew then was a different man
and the David who has now emerged now is a different man...The
absolute monster."
Bhatt, a budding actor, said during his conversations with Headley,
there was no chance that he could have been doubted of having had any
terror links. "My father was making a film on terrorism and I was
getting an American perspective from him (Headley).
“He was not just any American. He was an intelligent man. He was a
well-informed man. A man with high IQ. And like I said in my dreams I
still find it tough to believe that he was not only a terrorist but a
terror jackal...and you imagine the betrayal... he turns out to be the
terrorist jackal. An absolute monster.”
Bhatt, who has been questioned more than twice by
National Investigation Agency, probing the role of Headley and his
Pakistani-Canadian associate Tahawwur Rana, said that Headley had
called him a month after the 26/11 attack.
"A month after 26/11 when he had called me and sounded very concerned.
He was a great actor. I would say, imagine the way he fooled
me...acting very concerned whether me and my family members and Vilas
(Varak) and his family members are all okay and everything is
safe...Yeah, that was one month after 26/11. He made a phone call,"
recalled Bhatt.
Headley, who was arrested in Chicago on October three last, has been
charged by the FBI with conspiracy of 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai.
Comments (4) |
Bhatt- Nam hi kafi he
By: Dee | 22-Feb-2010
I thought they were best friend and may be cousins or even half
brothers.. Everyone knows the character of Mahesh Bhatt!!
Rahul Bhat
By: Nalla Brahmin | 21-Feb-2010
all these confessions of Rahul should not be taken verbatom - Like our
congress parry no Pakistan sympathizer expressed shock at the Pune
blast - SRK, who has misused India's kindness for his recent film, did
not condemn the Pune blast
Finally Rahul came out of Headley maya-jaal!
By: Shyamal | 21-Feb-2010
Just 10 days ago, in an interview with NDTV, Rahul appeared to be
still mesmerised with David Headley's charming personality, and
suddenly such turnaround. I think the public heat on David Headley
after the Pune blast finally made Rahul come out of Headley's Maya-
Jaal!
Let Rahul mistrust his own father
By: Anand | 21-Feb-2010
It took almost an year for Rahul Bhatt to realise that Headley was a
monstor or terror jackal .He should also put his infamous father
Mahesh Bhatt also in the same catogory as he is seen more at ease with
pakisthanis and Mullahs rather than with any Indian counterparts.He
alone jumps to conclusion when any minor incidents happens in
Karnataka or Gujarat and paint the enitire Hindu nationalists as
terrorist.Rahul should first mistrust his own father before taking
anyone into confidence.What a shame on these cassanovas who court
anyone who is an anti Hindu.
Pune blast death toll rises to 15
ANI
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1130 hrs
Pune:
The toll in the Pune blast on Sunday rose to 15, with two students
succumbing to their injuries. 24-year-old Vikas Tulsiyani, hailing
from Pune, breathed his last on Sunday morning at the Jehangir
hospital, police said.
Symbiosis college student Rajeev Agarwal (23), who was also admitted
to Jehangir hospital on the night of February 13 when a bomb exploded
in the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area, died last night.
A bomb exploded in the German Bakery in Pune injuring up to 53
persons. Foreigners were among the casualties including an Italian
woman and two students hailing from Sudan and Iran.
It’s been a week since the blast and different investigating agencies
have involved themselves in the probe. The blast is seen as the first
big attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Comments (2) |
What should be the solution of kashmir , and of pakistan ?
By: sanjay | 22-Feb-2010
why Pakistan is bother about Kashmir , why Indian leaders do talk
about Kashmir ,once side they confirms Kashmir is part of India so
what is there to talk about , why India itself always creates this
issue Is there no leader in India who can come into the front and
answer boldly to Pakistan? There is nothing to talk about, what we
need:- 1) Can India bring to just those who are coved by Pakistan and
are harming continuously to India. At present the way India is
handling seems India is still weak and poor in many ways
What should be the solution of kashmir , and of pakistan ?
By: vicky | 21-Feb-2010
This is a kind of blackmail from pakistan. They are saying
straightforward , either talk and give kashmir or we will send terrist
and bleed india in 1000 places. So what should be the solution?.. One
the govt of india is displaying. Sending staff for talks and scumbing
to pakistani demands. Second.. What the govt of USA or israel would
have done. Fight terror with terror. If india is bleeded in 1000
places , then pakistan should get back it in 1000000 places and
unstopable. Let india too see what pakistan will do then .There should
be such a fear in pakistan of proxy war with india.. that it should
really think about 1000 times before even spelling the word kashmir
from it's mouth..Otherwise as usual india wll talk and pakistan will
blackmail , first for kashmir, than for punjab, gujrat. then china
will do for northeast. Srilanka will demand south india... ..India
should respond now.. or it would be never.. Jai hind
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-death-toll-rises-to-15/582459/
Pune Police denies reports of German Bakery blast evidence being lost
ANI
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1056 hrs
Pune:
The evidences required have been collected and no evidence is lost:
Pune Police
Pune Police Commissioner Satpal Singh dismissed all reports that said
the crucial evidences were lost in the case of the blast that ripped
the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February 13.
Addressing the media, Singh termed this as sheer rumours and spelt out
the latest developments in the blast that rocked the city a week ago.
Singh was commenting on the reports that said initially it was assumed
to be an LPG cylinder explosion, following which the police called in
the fire brigade and asked them to wash the site with an aim to
prevent further damage.
Singh said, "I want to tell you and say forcefully that there is no
truth in this (about clues being lost). The evidences required have
been collected and no evidence is lost." Further, he reiterated that
the investigation in the case was on the right track. "As I have said
our investigation is on the right track, I can only say this as of
now," added Singh.
The blast that ripped the German Bakery claimed 13 lives so far and
left around 57 others injured. The blast is seen as the first big
attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Comments (1) |
Stupid corrupt policemen are just like the wathmen
By: n.krishna | 22-Feb-2010 Reply | Forward
We have the stupidest corrupt police force in the world.
chhotemianinshallah
By ANI
February 22nd, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has severely condemned
the beheading of two Sikh youths in Peshawar and criticized the Centre
for its coldhearted attitude for not putting diplomatic pressure on
Pakistan to get the abducted Sikhs released.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “BJP strongly condemns this
dastardly massacre of minority Sikh community in Pakistan. This shows
how minorities are treated with contempt in Pakistan. They were not
given any security.”
“What is truly worrisome is the callous attitude of the Government of
India. These Sikhs were abducted for sometime. What kind of diplomatic
pressure did India bring on Pakistan to secure their release,” added
Prasad.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the
highest decision-making body of Sikhs has also condemned the act and
asked the Pakistan government to provide full security to minorities
in the country.
Chief of the Akal Takht Gurbachan Singh said India must raise the
issue with Pakistan in the United Nations to prevent such ghastly
acts.
“It becomes the responsibility of the centre that it takes up the
matter with Pakistan in the United Nations, so that no community
suffers in any country. The government should take the step at the
earliest, so that such incidents are not repeated in the future,” said
Gurbachan in Amritsar.
“There have been reports on the television that Taliban have executed
Sikhs and sent their bodies to Bhai Joga Singh Gurudwara. This is a
very heart rending news and is highly condemnable,” former Akal Takht
chief Joginder Singh said.
In a gruesome incident that once again highlighted the cruelty of the
Taliban, the banned extremist outfit beheaded two Sikhs in Peshawar,
the capital city of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
The shocking incident came to light late on Sunday when the mutilated
heads of the two Sikh youths were found in a Gurudwara in Peshawar.
The two men, identified as Jaspal Singh and Mahal Singh were kidnapped
along with two others by the Pakistani Taliban a month ago from Bara
in the Khyber Agency, and a ransom of 30 million rupees were demanded
for their safe return.
According to sources, all the four men had shifted to Peshawar to
escape the extremist fury in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
(FATA).
The other two men, Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh are still said to
be in the custody of the militants.
There has been no reaction from the Pakistan government over the
incident, but New Delhi has reacted sharply over the horrific
incident.
Describing the incident as ’shocking’, the External Affairs Ministry
said it has contacted the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and has
directed it to get the details of the incident.
Members of Pakistan’s tiny Sikh community joined an exodus of hundreds
of thousands of people fleeing fighting in a Taliban stronghold when
the army launched an offensive in May last year as a peace pact with
the Taliban in the Swat valley broke down.
Many of the Sikhs took shelter in Peshawar and the adjoining areas.
(ANI)
Sid Harth
February 22, 2010 19:43 IST
The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the Chhattisgarh government for
raising the "bogey" of Naxalism to discredit those raising issues of
human rights violations even as the Centre said it has evolved a Rs
7,300 crore package to develop Naxal-affected regions of the country.
The apex court also expressed displeasure at the Chattisgarh
government's decision to exhume bodies of 10 tribals allegedly killed
by the local police in a village of Dantewada district for fresh
postmortem without its permission.
"Suppose somebody fights their (victims) case, so what does that
imply? First you say they are Naxals, then you say they are
sympathisers, then you say they are sympathisers of sympathisers why
all these innuendos," a bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S
Nijjar asked senior counsel Ranjit Kumar appearing for the state.
The bench made the remarks after the counsel sought to infer that
human rights activist Himanshu Kumar, who moved the apex court for
protection to eyewitness of alleged police killings, was a sympathiser
of Naxalites [ Images ].
"What do you mean by sympathisers? "Sympathy is fighting for their
cause (victims). Nobody is advocating their cause. They are not saying
their action should be condoned.
"You mean to say they (human rights activists) should not be concerned
with human rights and fundamental rights. Don't keep bringing this
Naxal issue. The only issue before this court is whether any such
incident has happened or not," the bench snapped at the counsel.
The senior counsel's contention that the petitioners and others were
trying to discredit the government by presenting a misleading picture
in the media and court failed to convinced the bench.
"Naxals are not before us. Why is the issue being repeatedly raised
before us about those who are not before us? Is it your case that the
petitioners are Naxals," the bench asked, to which the counsel said
there was "some degree of sympathy for Naxals in them."
"What do you mean by it," the bench shot back.
The apex court said it was primarily concerned whether the alleged
killing of 10 tribals, said to be sympathisers of Naxals, by security
personnel was true or not.
"We are concerned with the short question whether security forces had
conducted themselves in such a fashion. If prima facie there is
something... even if there is slightest suspicion we have to examine,"
the bench said.
The apex court also wondered how the state police could exhume the
bodies for a post mortem when the petition seeking a probe by CBI or
any other independent investigation agency was pending before it.
"When the matter is pending before this court, whatever you do, you
should have taken this court into confidence", the bench said,
pointing out that it was senior counsel Colin Gonzalves who informed
the bench about the exhumation of the bodies.
(c) Copyright 2010 PTI.
http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/22/naxal-bogey-earns-chhattisgarh-govt-sc-wrath.htm
Senior Naxal cadre netted from city
NAGPUR: Anti-Naxal operation squad, guided by intelligence agencies,
conducted a dramatic operation at Gaddigodam to round up an alleged
senior Naxalite on Sunday. Bandu Meshram, alias Bhanu, who was working
as tailor in city and is also learnt to be a member of the Maharashtra
Rajya State Committee of rebels, was picked up from a bus-stop.
He was operating undercover in the city and elsewhere in the state
including Gadchiroli and adjoining Madhya Pradesh. Sources said more
arrests were likely later. Following the interrogation of the Surya
Prabhakar, a state committee member, Bhanu was under surveillance for
some time. Prabhakar had thrown light on the activities of Bhanu whose
base was in Vidarbha.
It is learnt that Bhanu was inducted into the elite committee
following the arrests of the senior cadres like Shreedhar Shrinivasan,
alias Vishnu, and Vernon Gonsalves by ATS Mumbai and Arun Thomas
Ferreira and Murli Ashok Satya Reddy by Nagpur police.
Bhanu was arrested on an earlier occasion in Chandrapur. Sources
revealed that some cadres of Deshbhakti Yuva Manch, who have been
rounded up in Chandrapur, had told the cops about Bhanu's role in the
movement. It is learnt that Bhanu was part of the Chandrapur area
committee. He has been taken to Chandrapur from Nagpur for
identification.
Security agencies claimed that cops have found some photographs and
other evidence of Bhanu's involvement with the rebels.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Senior-Naxal-cadre-netted...
http://www.nagpurpulse.com/news/senior-naxal-cadre-netted-city
February 22, 2010 Naxal hit states to get Rs.7,300 crore: Center
New Delhi, Feb 22: Amidst reports of growing Maoists mayhem, the
Center has informed the Supreme Court about its plan to envisaged Rs.
7,300 crore package for the development of Naxal-affected States in
the country.Citing the Center's approval of the
http://oindianews.posterous.com/naxal-hit-states-to-get-rs7300-crore-center
Editorial: Maoist- Naxal Menace Haunts the Nation
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:15
In the year 732 Muslims rode their horses across the Pyrenees, and
into France. In a daylong battle fought in western France, the Muslim
horsemen tried repeatedly to rout the French but failed each time.
After night had fallen they withdrew from France. This Muslim failure
was a turning point for Europe and Islam. From then onwards Europe
grew too strong and a few centuries later Christians drove Muslims
from Iberia.1268 years later French are again taking initiative to
stem the tide of Islam. The French Parliament is set to ban the Muslim
Burqa and the French Ambassador in India has openly declared that
Burqa-clad Muslim women are not welcome in France.It is quite a
different story in India. Even as a 2009 IPL Pakistani cricketer,
Sohail Tanvir, uses derogatory language against Hindus, actor Shah
Rukh Khan and Home Minister Chidambram want to welcome Pakistani
Muslim cricketers to India. In fact Chidambram has gone a step ahead
and wants the Muslim terrorists, who had gone for training to
Pakistan, to return to Indian Kashmir. Why not?
http://hindu.theuniversalwisdom.org/editorial-maoist-naxal-menace-haunts-nation
INNOCENTS KILLED BY FORCES?
Agencies
Published on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 17:11,
Updated on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 17:30 in India section
TRAGIC LOSS: Bodies of EFR jawans, who died in Maoist attack at Sildah
camp, covered with National Flag.
Related Stories
Don't treat action against Naxals as war: SC to GovtSeries of security
lapses led to Dantewada jailbreakNaxal violence mars polling, 17
killed in four states
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday severely criticised the Union
Government for the recent killings of tribals in Dantewada allegedly
by security forces in the name of fighting Naxals.
"Should everything ordered in the name of operations? Is there no
concern for human or Fundamental Rights? We want to know why such
incidents took place and how the security forces conducted
themselves," a two-member bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS
Nijjar observed.
"If someone is fighting or sympathising with Naxals so what? First you
say that operations are conducted against Naxals, then Naxal
sympathisers and then sympathisers of such sympathisers. What is all
this?" the court asked while hearing a petition on killing of over 10
tribals in Chhattisgarh.
At least 10 tribals, all residents of Gompad village in Chhattisgarh's
Dantewada district, were allegedly by security personnel for
reportedly acting as Naxal sympathisers.
The Centre also told the Supreme Court that it has envisaged a Rs
7,300 crore package for the development of Naxal-affected states in
the country.
Attorney General GE Vahanvati submitted that the Union Cabinet has
accorded approval for the package but said the government was only
sceptical about its implementation because of the Naxals interference
in such schemes.
He, however, said the government would soon place details of the
package before the apex court in the form of an affidavit.
The Attorney General made the submissions while appearing before a
bench of Justices Reddy and S Nijjar.
The Union Home Ministry had recently asked sympathisers to condemn the
Naxals and help win the war against the rebels.
President talks tough on Naxalism
Mon-Feb 22, 2010
New Delhi / Press Trust of India
Terming the recent Maoist strike on a paramilitary camp in West Bengal
as a "cowardly" act, President Pratibha Patil on Monday made it clear
that such "senseless violence" would strengthen the government's
resolve to tackle it with "added vigour".
Addressing both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Budget
session, she said Left wing extremists are continuing to indulge in
violence.
"Left wing extremists continue to indulge in senseless violence, as
seen in their recent attacks in West Bengal where a large number of
innocent lives have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our
resolve to meet with added vigour the challenge posed by such
violence," Patil said.
She said the government has given an offer to Naxal groups to abjure
violence and come for talks.
Speaking on the overall security scenario of the country, the
President said though the security situation has improved
significantly in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the North East, Left
wing extremism continues to be a significant cause of concern.
However, she noted that infiltration of terrorists from across the
Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up. Condoling the
February 13 Pune blast, she said, "We have to keep constant watch and
innovate against global terrorist groups."
The overall internal security, law and order, and the communal
situation, she said, remained largely under control during 2009.
Priority to modernisation of armed forces
The President said that the government would accord the highest
priority to modernisation of the country's defence by providing its
armed forces with the latest weaponry, equipment and platforms.
"Government is fully committed to the modernisation of the armed
forces. We will accord the highest priority to modernisation
programmes to equip our armed forces with the required weaponry,
equipment and platforms," she told Parliament.
In her customary address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the
Rajya Sabha to mark the beginning of the Budget session, she hailed
the recent successful test of Agni-III missile and the induction of
the indigenous Arjun main battle tank into the Army as examples of
capability demonstration and self-reliance.
"The successful launch of the Agni-III missile is a shining example of
the capabilities of our scientists and engineers who deserve full
praise.
"Efforts to enhance our technological self-reliance received a new
impetus with the commencement of the handing over of the main battle
tank, Arjun to the Indian Army," she added.
Naxals nexus with NE worries MHA
Guwahati, February 21 (Asian Age):
The home ministry is worried over the growing nexus of Maoist leaders
with Northeast rebel groups as a huge of cache of sophisticated
weapons in possession of Northeast insurgent groups, particularly the
Ulfa, PLA and NSCN (IM), is feared to have been finding route to
Maoists in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.
Disclosing that Maoists are enhancing their striking power by adding
sophisticated weapons like AK-47, SLR and mortars in their arsenal to
combat government offensives, security sources in the home ministry
told this newspaper that Maoist military strategist Kishenji's
inclination towards the Northeast insurgent group was aimed at
procuring sophisticated weapons available in abundant quantity with
Northeast insurgent groups.
In fact, Maoist leaders who had a meeting with the leaders of
Manipur's Peoples Liberation Army in Burma went against their declared
principals and signed a written agreement wherein Maoist committed all
support to the PLA and agreed to "work together in the struggle to
overthrow Indian government from Manipur".
The move was aimed at to woo the Northeast rebel groups in
strengthening the striking power of Maoist. The NSCN (IM) leaders who
also attended a meeting of Maoists in Chhattisgarh have also offered
to give military training to Maoists to strengthen their army wing.
Referring intelligence inputs, security sources said that this move of
Maoists to procure arms from Northeast rebels was also helping each
other in their mode of operations.
Pointing out that there has been a visible change in pattern of
violence at both the places, security sources pointed out that
Northeast rebel outfits have modified their tactics and resorting to
safest mode of offensive by planting improvised explosive devices and
causing massive damages on public places. At the same time, the
Maoists are found to have been using sophisticated weapons like AK-47,
SLR and mortars, instead of old weapons, in their strikes to incur
damages on security forces.
Moreover, sustained counter-insurgency operations in the north-eastern
states have pushed many of the rebel groups to wall and they are short
of manpower to launch offensives with sophisticated weapons in which a
lot of risk factor is also involved. In contrast the Maoists have no
scarcity of cadres and need sophisticated weapons to combat offensives
of the security forces.
Security sources said that the home ministry was also worried over the
Maoist plan to spread their organisation in the trouble-torn north-
eastern states as they identify farmers and farm workers, especially
tea garden workers, as their potential target. Refusing to divulge the
routes being used to smuggle arms from north-eastern states, security
sources said that there are militant outfits which has piled up the
stocks of sophisticated weapons even more than the actual strength of
its cadres.
http://www.morungexpress.com/frontpage/43838.html
Railway Budget: Passengers safety is a key issue
New Delhi: Indian Railway is the largest rail transportation in the
world. Indian Railway always claims to provide you the most
spectacular and unforgettable rail journeys in the world. Where you
can experience a simple way to find out everything you need to know in
one easy place.
The million dollar question is remained unanswered. Whether the above
claimed statement justifies the present scenario, when it comes to
security of passengers or not.
Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee will table the Rail Budget
2010-11 on February 24, 2010. The expectations of crores of people,
who prefer rail journey over air and road, are at stake this time.
The increasing number of accidents, naxal attacks and robbery in
trains are major issues this year. The Minister for Railways should
remember that people want safe journey with comfort and pleasure. Hike
in fare is okay but there should be no compromise with safety of
passengers.
At present, the reality is different from peoples' expectations. The
security system in the trains is in very poor state. In other words,
the entire security system has depended on just few security
personnel. In other words "Rail Ki Suraksha hai Ram Ke Bharose" (God
look after the security in trains)
After every miss-happenings, the loopholes in the security system
surfaced and it ends with setting up a commission to probe the
incident.
We can't blame on Commissions because they recommend various safety
measurements but rail officials don't bother to implement it. All the
recommendations are put inside the files.
Top Railways officials call a series of meetings after every accident
but when it comes to implement the safety measurement, the speed is
very very slow.
There is a need of speedy implementations of safety measurement. The
situation could not be controlled through a meeting inside a air-
conditioned chamber.
Passengers, who were traveling with Delhi-bound Bhuvneshwar Rajdhani
express, could not forget the trauma of naxal hostage. Naxals made
entire Rajdhani Express captive in West Bengal.
After the investigations, the probe team revealed that there was just
few security personnel were deployed for premium train's security.
The security in the other Mail/Express and passenger trains is in
measurable condition. However, Railway Protection Force and Government
Railway Police are given responsibility of security. But the situation
becomes very grim due to poor communication and lack of cooperation
between RPF and GRP.
Apart from naxal threat and security concerns, Mamata Banerjee will
have to look into the issues related to train accidents. Within few
months after she took the charge of Railways Minister, several people
were killed in the several train mishap.
Didi should have to look into the matter. There is an urgent need of
total revamp in the train movement system. New safety devices should
be used to reduce the train mishap.
People are expecting safe rail journey from Mamata Banerjee in Railway
Budget 2010-11.
Sid Harth
STAFF WRITER 23:0 HRS IST
Raipur, Feb 22 (PTI)
A Naxalite was killed in police firing in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada
district today, police said.
According to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra, a joint
team of police, and special officers had left for patrol from the
Bhejji station area. When they reached near Mailasur village, Naxals
opened fire on them, to which they retaliated, he said adding a Naxal
was killed and his body was found.
A rifle and other explosives were recovered from his possession,
Mishra said.
Many other Naxalites are suspected to have been killed in the firing,
he added.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/531318_Naxalite-killed-in-police-firing-in-Dantewada
Kishenji offers 72-day ceasefire from Feb 25- May 7
STAFF WRITER 21:8 HRS IST
Kolkata, Feb 22 (PTI)
The Maoists tonight made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the
government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days and involve
mediators for talks.
"State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence
between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal
areas which will be reciprocrated by Maoists, " top Maoist leader
Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.
He was responding to Union Home minister P Chidamabaram's statement
last week that if the Maoists halted violence for 72 hours the
government would be ready for talks with them.
In New Delhi, a Union Home Ministry official said the Government was
"studying" the Maoist offer and will come with a response at an
"appropriate time". .
http://www.ptinews.com/news/531139_Kishenji-offers-72-day-ceasefire-from-Feb-25--May-7
Fingerprints confirm it is Varadarajan's body
STAFF WRITER 19:43 HRS IST
Chennai, Feb 22 (PTI)
A day after the body of CPI-M leader W R Varadarajan, whose sudden
disappearance was shrouded in mystery, was identified by his wife,
police today said the fingerprints have tallied.
"It is confirmed (that it is Varadarajan). The fingerprints tallied,"
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shakeel Akhtar told
PTI.
Asked if DNA test would be carried out despite the fingerprints proof,
he said a requisition has been made but "any one scientific proof" was
enough as part of the probe.
A post mortem was conducted today and the report would be available
after a few days, he said, adding investigation would, however, go on.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530868_Fingerprints-confirm-it-is-Varadarajan-s-body
Suspected LeT militant held in J-K, arms seized
STAFF WRITER 17:54 HRS IST
Srinagar, Feb 22 (PTI)
A suspected LeT militant was arrested when he along with his two
accomplices barged into a bank manager's house to extort money at gun-
point in Baramulla district, a police spokesman said today.
Based on specific inputs, police last night swooped down on the house
of Punjab National Bank Manager Mohammad Syed Ontoo in Tarzoo village
of Sopore, 55 kms from here, and arrested Ghulam Nabi Lone when he was
demanding Rs one lakh from him at gun-point.
60 rounds of ammunition, two magazines and a Ak 47 rifle were
recovered from his possession, he said, adding two of his accomplices
- Abdul Samad Naikoo and Ashiq Hussain Mir - managed to escape.
Lone was a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and the recovered arms
and ammunition was believed to be of the four CRPF jawans killed by
militants at Janwara in Sopore on December 30, the spokesman said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530400_Suspected-LeT-militant-held-in-J-K--arms-seized
India condemns killing of two Sikhs by Pak Taliban
STAFF WRITER 16:9 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI)
India today condemned the killing of two Sikhs by Taliban in North-
West province of Pakistan and said such "barbaric acts" will take "us
back to the medieval times."
"Government of India condemn this barbaric act," External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna told reporters here when asked about the killing
of two Sikhs, who were kidnapped a month ago for ransom.
"We condemn this barbaric act of Taliban who have taken into custody
three of the Indian nationals. The message that I have received which
needs to be updated is that one has been done aways with and other two
are kept under captivation," he said.
Though the minister described these Sikhs as "Indian nationals", the
reports from Pakistan have been maintaining that they were locals
living in that area.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530031_India-condemns-killing-of-two-Sikhs-by-Pak-Taliban
'All issues of Indo-Pak relations to figure in talks'
STAFF WRITER 17:10 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI)
Ahead of the February 25 Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks, India
today said all issues concerning the relations between the two
countries will be taken up during the parleys.
"All issues concerning the relations between the two countries
depending upon time permitting will be taken up," External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna told reporters here.
He was asked if India will take up the killing of two Sikhs by Taliban
in North-West province of Pakistan.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart
Salman Bashir on Thursday with the government here maintaining that
the focus of the talks will be terrorism.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530228_-All-issues-of-Indo-Pak-relations-to-figure-in-talks-
26/11 accused to examine NIA chief,Bhatt as witness
STAFF WRITER 14:54 HRS IST
Mumbai, Feb 22 (PTI)
A accused in the 26/11 terror attack case today sought permission from
the trial court to examine NIA Chief S C Sinha, Gujarat DGP S S
Khandwawala, Rahul Bhatt--son of film maker Mahesh Bhatt, and Fitness
Instructor Vilas Warak as defence witnesses.
The accused Sabahuddin Ahmed's lawyer Ejaz Naqvi told the court that
he wants to examine these four witness to establish that terror
suspect David Headley had conducted the reece of Mumbai before the
26/11 attack and not Sabahuddin as alleged by the prosecution.
"David Headley was staying at Malabar Hill in Mumbai and had conducted
recce of the entire city and had passed on information to the 26/11
perpetrators. Then what is the need for Sabahuddin to prepare the
sketches?" Naqvi asked.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/529868_26-11-accused-to-examine-NIA-chief-Bhatt-as-witness
MEA refuses passport to don Dawood Ibrahim's brother
STAFF WRITER 14:13 HRS IST
Mumbai, Feb 22 (PTI)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to issue a new
passport to Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of fugitive gangster Dawood
Ibrahim.
The MEA order says that passport cannot be issued to Iqbal, as he "is
likely to use it to aid and abet Dawood Ibrahim".
Kaskar's original passport was confiscated when he was deported from
Dubai some years ago. He was an accused in Sara-Sahara land grabbing
case, but was acquitted by the lower court.
He had filed petition in the Bombay High Court last year complaining
that his application for fresh passport had been rejected for no
reasons.
High Court had then asked the MEA to give him a hearing and decide the
case.
As the MEA rejected his application last month after hearing him, High
Court today said that he was free to file a fresh petition challenging
MEA's decision.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/529782_MEA-refuses-passport-to-don-Dawood-Ibrahim-s-brother
Batala curfew relaxed, situation under control: cops
STAFF WRITER 13:2 HRS IST
Batala (Punjab), Feb 22 (PTI)
Curfew was today relaxed by the authorities for some time as no
untoward incident was reported in this industrial town, which
witnessed violence over publication of a picture of Jesus Christ in an
allegedly objectionable manner.
The curfew was relaxed for about one and a half hours to facilitate
people buy essential commodities, police said, adding that the
situation was peaceful and under control.
Meanwhile, several Hindu organisations, including Shiv Sena, Bajrang
Dal and VHP, took out a march from Kila Mandir to Nehru Gate in the
town, officials said here.
Curfew was imposed in the town on Saturday after two communities
clashed and indulged in vandalising public property over publication
of a picture of Jesus Christ allegedly in an objectionable manner.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/529665_Batala-curfew-relaxed--situation-under-control--cops
File photo of Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at a meeting in New
Delhi. PTI Photo Photograph (1)
'India disturbed by call for jihad by Pak elements'
STAFF WRITER 17:55 HRS IST
H S Rao
London, Feb 22 (PTI)
India today said it is "disturbed" by the call for jihad by certain
elements in Pakistan and made it clear that terrorism would dominate
the forthcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here that India has consistently
maintained that Pakistan should bring perpetrators of the Mumbai
terror attacks to trial (rpt) trial expeditiously.
"We have been telling them that they should dismantle terror
infrastructure on their soil and it was in this connection that
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary (Salman Bashir) has been invited for
talks in New Delhi on February 25 for a dialogue," she said.
She was delivering the key note address at the 3rd International
Institute for Strategic Studies-MEA Dialogue, Perspectives on Foreign
Policy for a 21st Century India.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530404_-India-disturbed-by-call-for-jihad-by-Pak-elements-
Suicide bomber kills 7 in Pakistan's Swat district
STAFF WRITER 18:37 HRS IST
Rezaul H Laskar and A Muhammad
Peshawar/Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI)
Taliban struck with renewed fury in the Swat valley in Pakistan's
unruly northwest as a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy near a
crowded market killing seven people and wounding 32 others, months
after Army claimed to have flushed out the militants.
The bomber detonated his explosives when the security force convoy was
passing though Nishat Chowk, a congested square in Mingora, the main
city in Swat district and two security personnel were among the dead.
Officials at a state-run hospital said they had received 32 injured.
TV footage showed a car enveloped in flames as casualties lay on the
ground in blood soked cloths.
Soldiers rushed to the spot and ferried away wounded. Minutes after
the blast women and children could be seen scurrying to safety.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530650_Suicide-bomber-kills-7-in-Pakistan-s-Swat-district
Take effective action against anti-India groups:Rao
STAFF WRITER 19:29 HRS IST
H S Rao
London, Feb 22 (PTI)
Ahead of the Indo-Pak talks this week, India today made it clear that
process of normalisation of ties with Pakistan can be sustained only
by effective action against groups there calling for 'jihad' against
India.
"...calls of jihad, hostility and aggression continue to be made
openly against India. This reflects the real and tangible difficulties
that we face in dealing with Pakistan," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao
said, delivering the key note address at the 3rd International
Institute of Strategic Studies-MEA Dialogue here.
She also emphasised that "effective action against such groups" by
Pakistan is an "absolute must" if the process of normalisation that
India desires with Pakistan was to happen.
Referring to the talks in New Delhi on Thursday with her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir, Rao said India is making "another sincere
attempt" to initiate dialogue with Pakistan.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530809_Take-effective-action-against-anti-India-groups-Rao
Zardari condemns beheading of Sikhs
STAFF WRITER 19:53 HRS IST
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI)
President Asif Ali Zardari today condemned the "beheading of a
kidnapped Sikh" in Pakistan?s tribal belt and directed authorities to
take "stern action" against the abductors and to prevent the
recurrence of such incidents.
An official statement said the President had "denounced the beheading
of a kidnapped Sikh in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency after his
relatives reportedly failed to pay ransom money to the abductors".? ?
While strongly condemning the incident, Zardari asked authorities to
"investigate and take stern action against the kidnappers in
accordance with the law".
He also said effective measures should be taken to "stop the
recurrence of such incidents in the future".?
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530903_Zardari-condemns-beheading-of-Sikhs
Pak Sikh leaders condemn beheading of Sikhs
STAFF WRITER 17:5 HRS IST
M Zulqernain
Lahore, Feb 22 (PTI) Leaders of Pakistan's minority Sikh community
today called on the government to negotiate with the Taliban for the
safe release of other Sikh traders kidnapped by militants following
the beheading of two captives.
Pakistan Minority Council chairman Sardar Bishon Singh and Pakistan
Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Sardar Sham Singh said the federal
and North West Frontier Province governments should hold talks with
the Taliban for the release of abducted Sikhs.
They also called on authorities to provide security to Sikhs,
especially those living in the troubled northwestern city of Peshawar.
"The Taliban had demanded Rs 30 million from the families of the
abducted men and they killed Jaspal Singh after they did not get the
ransom," Sardar Bishon Singh told PTI.
He said the Sikhs had secured the release of another member of the
community who was kidnapped about six months ago by paying Rs 1.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/530216_Pak-Sikh-leaders-condemn-beheading-of-Sikhs
Step up Sikhs' security: Pak Minority welfare official
STAFF WRITER 14:49 HRS IST
M Zulqernain
Lahore, Feb 22 (PTI) A minority welfare official today asked the
Pakistan government to provide security to the Sikhs living in the
country's restive tribal belt following the abduction and brutal
killing of some members of the community.
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman Syed Asif Hashmi asked
the Interior Ministry to provide adequate security to members of the
Sikh community living in the Khyber tribal region.
"Even these minorities are Pakistanis," Hashmi told PTI.
Two Sikhs who were kidnapped for ransom by the Taliban were found
beheaded in the country's unruly tribal belt yesterday.
Some more members of the minority community are still believed to be
in the custody of the rebels.
Hashmi said he so far had no information about the Taliban's
involvement in the abduction and killing of Sikhs and this aspect of
the issue could be confirmed only after an investigation is complete.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/529862_Step-up-Sikhs--security--Pak-Minority-welfare-official
harmony
(99pct) mommedan. millions of pakis stay behind, they now don't even care to
report to police station beause the police can not monitor millions of
pakis. result: thousands of terror cells in india.
this can not be the idea of reunification.
pm mmsingh: muslims have first right to national resources.
<use...@mantra.com and/or www.mantra.com/jai (Dr. Jai Maharaj)> wrote in
message news:20100214Sisp3S34ikZcHl8Nmfa4Fx7@WZUWj...
> The reunification of Bharat and Pakistan, and others, (I published
> the prediction here many years ago) is complete at many levels, and
> continues at others.
>
> About "the Hindus have a death wish", I can say that true Hindus have
> been reduced to a small minority because of the centuries of genocide
> by Muslims and Christians.
>
> However, as long as a spark of true Hinduism remains a revival is
> certainly possible. It is this seed that brings about the transition
> from one Yug to another.
>
> The buses and trains provide traffic in both directions. As long as
> the traffic in the direction beneficial to Hindus is not nullified by
> traffic in the opposite direction, the system is acceptable. We
> Hindus need a big advantage.
>
> Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
> Om Shanti
>
> In article <4b78522a$0$12417$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
> "harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>>
>> of course, nobody but nobody wonders why we still have lahore-dillie
>> buses
>> and samjauta trains runinng which has brought in millions of pakis so far
>> into india, and continues to bring in tens of thousands of pakis into
>> india
>> every week. the hindus have a death wish, and bollywood can make it
>> poetic
>> too.
>
>> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
>>
>> > Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >
>> > Blasts in India
>> >
>> > Dear India-based folks
>> >
>> > My condolences to the families affected by the Pune German Bakery
>> > (what appears to be) bombings.
>> >
>> > Unfortunately, the geopolitical situation in South Asia has now
>> > turned in Pakistan's favor, with America agreeing to accept
>> > Pakistan's primacy in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban.
>> >
>> > Indeed, terrorism works!
>> >
>> > It is likely that Pakistan has initiated a significant round of
>> > terrorist attacks all throughout India. The attacks are designed to
>> > push India to accommodate Kashmir in Pakistan's favor.
>> >
>> > Pakistan has a well-established network in India to carry out its
>> > nefarious designs.
>> >
>> > Prominent public places and businesses, Hindu religious centers, and
>> > even leading educational institutions could be part of the hit list.
>> >
>> > Please be careful.
>> >
>> > Remember, your family's safety lies in the safety of your community --
>> > and your nation.
>> >
>> > Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >
>> > End of forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >
>> > Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
>> > Om Shanti
>> >
>> > o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
>> > educational
>> > purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may
>> > not
>> > have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of
>> > the
>> > poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption
>> > for
>> > fair use of copyrighted works.
>> > o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
>> > considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
>> > current
>> > e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
>> > o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
>> > are
>> > not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
>> > article.
>> >
>> > FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use
>> > of
>> > which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
>> > owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
>> > understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
>> > democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is
>> > believed
>> > that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
>> > provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
>> > Title
>> > 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
>> > profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
>> > included
>> > information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes
>> > by
>> > subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
>> > information
>> > go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
>> > If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes
>> > of
>> > your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
>> > copyright owner.
>> >
>> > Since newsgroup posts are being removed
>> > by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
>> > this post may be reposted several times.
>> >
>>
>>
>
> o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
> educational
> purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may
> not
> have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
> poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
> fair use of copyrighted works.
> o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
> considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
> current
> e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
> o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
> are
> not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
> article.
>
> FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
> which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
> owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
> understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
> democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
> that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
> provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
> Title
> 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
> profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
> included
> information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
> subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
> information
> go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
> your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
> copyright owner.
>
> Since newsgroup posts are being removed
> by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
> this post may be reposted several times.
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
process. Muslim and Christian terrorism must be stopped. Who is
going to do the job? We Hindus can if we follow the advice of Shree
Krshn to Arjun.
A note on predictions: many people assume that a Jyotishi's
predictions reflect his or her desires, which of course is not
necessarily true. I received a lot of hate mail when I publicly
predicted that O. J. Simpson would be acquitted in the criminal
trial after the double murder.
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
In article <4b8318e9$0$12454$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
"harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>
> jai maharaj ji, my sources inform me that the traffick is predominantly
> (99pct) mommedan. millions of pakis stay behind, they now don't even care to
> report to police station beause the police can not monitor millions of
> pakis. result: thousands of terror cells in india.
> this can not be the idea of reunification.
>
> pm mmsingh: muslims have first right to national resources.
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
bademiyansubhanallah
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the government understood
the situation in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue and would
deal with the problem appropriately.He conveyed this to a group of 11
Congress Lok Sabha members from Telangana who met him in Parliament
House and sought stopping of police repression on students on the
Osmania University campus, withdrawal of cases filed against them and
an early solution to the issue as the people were pressuring the
elected representatives to quit their posts.
The MPs expressed their disappointment over non-mention of the
Telangana issue in the President’s address to Parliament.According to
the Peddapalli MP, G. Vivekanand, Dr. Singh said: “I can understand
the situation in Telangana. We will deal with the situation.”Concern
over deaths.Madhu Yaski (Nizamabad) said Dr. Singh told them that the
government was working out a solution and also expressed concern over
the deaths of people during the agitation.
Earlier, during the President’s address, some Telangana MPs wore black
shirts and waved placards — which read “Jai Telangana, Jai Congress” —
demanding the creation of a separate State. They staged a protest near
the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex and mourned student
Yadaiah, who immolated himself recently in Hyderabad pressing for a
separate State.The MPs claimed that after the President’s address they
observed a two-minute silence in the Central Hall in memory of those
who laid down their lives for the cause of Telangana.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said it was not
necessary for the President to comment on every issue. Non-mention of
an issue did not mean it had been left out of the policy of the
government and the Cabinet.He denied that the government was not
according priority to the Telangana issue. “It has got so much
priority that it has now gone on the process of a committee.”
Christian group demands jobs, protection for riot victims
By IANS
February 23rd, 2010
BHUBANESWAR - A Christian group Tuesday demanded adequate jobs and
protection for riot victims in Orissa’s Kandhamal district where at
least 38 people were killed during communal violence in 2008.
“Hundreds of riot victims continue to live under fear as justice
eluded them,” Sajan K. George, president of Bangalore-based Global
Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), told reporters here.
Although the district officials denied the claims and said adequate
steps have been taken to rehabilitate the victims and to ensure their
security, George said he has come across a large number of cases and
found that no jobs were given to many of the victims.
Citing examples he alleged that people living in at least 14 villages
have no means of livelihood and their children are not able to go to
schools due to fear.
“The people living in 14 villages from Bakinga to Behragao Khari Sahi
have no means of livelihood. No jobs were given to them. Their
children are not able to go to school fearing safety,” George said.
“GCIC demands the government ensure employment to all the victims
under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and protection to
their families,” he said.
“Though the riot victims had filed 3,232 complaints in different
police stations in Kandhamal district, only 832 cases were registered;
while 89 people were convicted, 251 were acquitted due to lack of
evidence,” he said.
“A special investigation team under National Human Rights Commission
should investigate the role of the district officials including the
collector, block and tehsil officers,” he said.
“It is strange that officers in whose presence the violence took place
and thousands of houses were burnt are still in office and are
declaring that there is peace in the district,” he said.
Kandhamal, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread violence after
the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda
Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram Aug 23, 2008.
More than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after
their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs, which held Christians
responsible for Saraswati’s killing, although police blamed the
Maoists.
LS, RS adjourned over price rise
TNN, Feb 23, 2010, 11.29am IST
Both houses of Parliament adjourned over price riseNEW DELHI: Both the
houses of the Parliament were adjourned on Tuesday, the second day of
the budget session, as the opposition parties cornered the ruling UPA
over price rise.
With opposition sticking to its demand, there was an uproar in Lok
Sabha with government insisting that the problem of price rise was
"more a failure" of the state governments than the Centre.
Meira Kumar adjourned the house till noon after opposition MPs
including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) demanded that their
adjournment motion be accepted and all other businesses of the house
postponed to discuss the skyrocketing prices of essential
commodities.
The house witnessed noisy scenes soon after the speaker introduced
Sushma Swaraj of the BJP as the new Leader of Opposition welcoming
her.
"I extend warm welcome to her," she said.
Meira Kumar also thanked former leader of the opposition L.K. Advani
for his support in running the house.
Swaraj returned the compliment to the speaker but said she was
compelled to move an adjournment motion "because the government has
been sleeping over the price rise issue".
"I am sorry but the people are suffering. We want discussion on top
priority basis. All the businesses should be delayed. The price rise
is the most important issue," Swaraj said.
"Please accept my adjournment motion. We will allow the house to
function but price rise should be discussed first."
Other opposition members shouted slogans against the government
forcing the speaker to adjourn the house.
Earlier, BJP had insisted on bringing an adjournment motion in the Lok
Sabha to discuss the issue of price rise as previous debates have
yielded no results.
"We want to bring an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the
burning issue of price rise. Previous debates under Rule 193 (short
duration discussion) have yielded no results," party's Deputy Leader
in the Lower House Gopinath Munde told reporters here after the
Parliamentary Party's meeting this morning.
The BJP had already given a notice for adjournment motion and said the
government should not make it an ego issue.
A discussion under an adjournment motion entails voting. Similarly in
Rajya Sabha, BJP wanted a debate on price rise under Rule 167 which
allows voting.
BJP MLA & son face arrest in land-grabbing case
Nikunj Soni / DNA
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:30 IST
Ahmedabad: Babu Jamana Patel, a powerful MLA of the BJP, is likely to
face arrest in an alleged land grabbing case. In a recent hearing in
Gujarat high court, the state government has shown willingness to
arrest and interrogate Babu.
One Pravin Patel had earlier lodged a complaint against Babu Patel,
his son Ketan and their accomplices after Pravin and his family
members were beaten up in 2008 by men allegedly hired by the MLA.
The dispute was over a land owned by Pravin in Nidhrad village in
Sanand. Pravin has alleged that the MLA was threatening him in
connection with some inter-connected cases of land grabbing in Ambli
and Nidhrad village of Sanand.
He has also alleged that the MLA and his henchmen have tried to grab
lands in Ambli and Nidhrad using fake documents and creating legal
disputes. However, during the investigation, which was first carried
out by the Sanand police and then state CID, the charge-sheet did not
make a mention of the MLA and his son.
Pravin then moved an application for further investigation under
various charges, which was granted by the court. But when the MLA got
an anticipatory bail from the Ahmedabad rural court, he challenged it
in the high court.
During the hearing in the high court, Devang Vyas, assistant public
prosecutor appearing for the state, supported the petition moved by
Pravin.
Vyas submitted that the state supported the petition with the
submission that Babu and his son were indeed required to be arrested
and subjected to custodial interrogation, so as to bring out full
facts of the case and unearth the missing links in the case.
He further said that the state had not moved the court for
cancellation of anticipatory bail, but had proposed to make an
appropriate application for their police custody.
On the other hand, counsels on behalf of the MLA and his son said that
Pravin was unduly expanding the scope of investigation as an after-
thought to harass and malign Babu and his son. After the hearing,
justice DH Waghela upheld the order of the lower court for further
investigation as sought by the state.
It should be noted that Pravin has also moved a petition in the high
court seeking investigation by the CBI in the case
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bjp-mla-and-son-face-arrest-in-land-grabbing-case_1351444
SC directs AP govt to furnish proof on involvement of Maoists
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:08 IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today directed the Andhra Pradesh
government to furnish "proof" of the reported intelligence inputs to
establish that Maoists have infiltrated the Osmania University, the
hotbed of the ongoing Telangana agitation.
"Where is the input of the infiltration inside the campus? What is the
proof available? We would like to have it," a bench of justice GS
Singhvi and justice Asok Kumar Ganguly observed while passing the
direction.
The apex court posted the matter for further hearing for February 25
after senior counsel Harish Salve said inputs would be furnished
before the bench either tomorrow or the day after.
The apex court passed the direction after Salve repeated the state's
arguments that deployment of paramilitary forces was indispensable as
the movement is instigated by the Maoists.
The bench also extended till February 25 the stay imposed on the AP
high court order directing withdrawal of the paramilitary forces from
the university campus.
Maoists should not lay pre-conditions for talks: Chidambaram
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:14 IST
Last updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:04 IST
New Delhi: Responding to the ceasefire offer by Maoists, the
government today made it clear that it will not accept any pre-
conditions for talks with "ifs and buts" and asked the militants to
come out with a simple statement saying they will abjure violence.
"I would like no ifs, no buts and no conditions," home minister P
Chidambaram said in a statement, a day after the CPI(Maoists) made a
conditional ceasefire offer asking the government to halt the
offensive against them for 72 days and involve mediators for talks.
He said the government has seen many versions of a statement by the
leaders of the CPI (Maoist). "In the absence of an authentic
statement, Government is unable to respond to these versions," the
statement said.
Nevertheless, in order to clear the air, the home minister said, "I
would like a short, simple statement from the CPI (Maoist) saying 'We
will abjure violence and we are prepared for talks'".
Chidambaram said he would like the statement to be faxed to home
ministry number 011-23093155.
"Once I receive the statement, I shall consult the prime minister and
other colleagues and respond promptly," he said.
Yesterday night, top Maoist leader Kishenji told the media over the
phone from an undisclosed place that "State governments and the Centre
should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7 and
concentrate on development of tribal areas which will be reciprocated
by Maoists".
He was responding to Chidamabaram's statement last week that if the
Maoists halted violence for 72 hours, the government would be ready
for talks with them.
Hours after announcing ceasefire, Maoist attack security camp in West
Midnapore
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:33 IST
Midnapore: Hours after offering a conditional 72-day ceasefire to the
Centre and West Bengal government, Maoists attacked the Kantapahari
camp of the security forces in West Midnapore district, leaving one
person dead.
The attack took place late last night in the Naxalite stronghold of
Kantapahari.
Superintendent of police, Manoj Verma said Maoist-backed People's
Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) members assembled near the
Kantapahari camp of the forces and fired, prompting the jawans to
challenge them.
In the ensuing gunbattle, one person, believed to be a PCPA member,
was killed.
"The PCPA members, with a number of Maoists among them, obviously had
plans to attack the Kantapahari camp but the jawans were alert and
repulsed them," Verma said.
More forces have been despatched to the area.
Unconfirmed reports said the deceased has been identified as Lalmohan
Tudu, a PCPA activist.
The attack came hours after Maoists made a conditional ceasefire offer
asking the government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days
and involve mediators for talks.
"State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence
between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal
areas which will be reciprocated by Maoists," top Maoist leader
Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.
Kobad Ghandy remanded in two-day police custody
PTI
Monday, February 22, 2010 20:45 IST
Patiala: A local court today remanded Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy to
two-day police custody.
Ghandy was brought here by Patiala police on production warrants from
Delhi today in connection with an FIR registered against him on
January 25 at the sadar police station here under Anti National
Prevention Act 2008.
Police has "sufficient details" to prove that the Maoist leader stayed
at Patiala university under a fake name Kishore, SSP RS Khatra said.
The police told the court that they wanted to investigate whether
Ghandy did anything to spread Naxalism in Punjab.
During his brief stay here, Ghandy may have established some hidden
and active links which the police are trying to ascertain, Khatra
said.
"Ghandy had managed to procure an identity card of Punjabi University
here. We are trying to locate his accomplice, Manoj alias Rajesh, who
may also be a member of the banned CPI-Maoist," he said, adding that
the police are investigating if the extremist leader has links with
any student leaders or other staff members of the university.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_kobad-ghandy-remanded-in-two-day-police-custody_1351282
Maoists will now be confronted, warns P Chidambaram
October 7, 2009
Strongly condemning the cold-blooded murder of a cop who was abducted
and killed by the Maoists, Indian Home minister P Chidambaram said the
state governments were geared up to give tit for tat to the Maoists.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_kobad-ghandy-remanded-in-two-day-police-custody_1351282
Villages score when it comes to sex
Ipsita Bhattacharya / DNA
Monday, February 22, 2010 11:32 IST
Bangalore: When it comes to premarital sex, India’s rural youth score
more than their urban counterparts. According to a study done by the
International Institute of Population Sciences, 17% of men in rural
areas engaged in pre-marital sex compared to 10% in cities while four
percent women in rural areas engaged in sex before marriage against
two per cent in cities.
The study, which was released by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and Union
health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday, was conducted in six
states—Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and
Tamil Nadu—between 2006 and 2008, involving over 58,000 youths in the
age group of 15-29 years.
But there also a cause for concern. “Almost all sexually active young
people in both cities and villages had unsafe sex with multiple
partners,” Azad said.
“Data shows more than 8 per cent people below 19 have experimented
with sex,” said Azad. There is also some disturbing statistics that
the study has thrown up. Almost 58% of women surveyed believe that
wife-beating is justified and a huge chunk of this number comes from
southern states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
In Tamil Nadu, 56% accepted wife-beating as a part of life and a
shocking 88% from Andhra Pradesh was okay with it.
The study also found that detailed awareness of contraceptive methods
was limited, particularly among sexually active young women.
“Awareness of HIV/AIDS was limited among sexually experienced youth
with majority of women unaware of it,” the study said.
With agency inputs
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_villages-score-when-it-comes-to-sex_1351016
Young India fails to mix sex and safety
Vineeta Pandey / DNA
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:56 IST
New Delhi: More and more Indians may be shedding their inhibitions
about sex and getting more ‘physical’ than generations gone by, but
they seem poor at managing libido and protection together.
Despite huge campaigns focusing on safe sex, a majority of Indians
engage in unprotected sex. Condom use in premarital sexual
relationships is almost non-existent.
According to a study, only 13% of men and 3% of women used condoms
during sex. Intriguingly, most of those who were surveyed were aware
of the benefits of contraception.
The recklessness could have a reason. The study reveals that a large
chunk of the youth surveyed felt uncomfortable buying contraceptives,
including condoms, from a healthcare provider or pharmacy.
The study, Youth In India: Situation And Need, by the Mumbai-based
International Institute of Population Sciences, says that not only
were a substantial number of youngsters getting involved in premarital
romance and sexual relationships, most also indulged in high-risk
sexual behaviour, including having multiple partners and using condoms
inconsistently.
The survey involved 50,848 married and unmarried young men and women.
Incidentally, 25% men had sex with two or more partners while 21%
young women reported multiple partners — all this without using
condoms. But urban young men were more likely than their rural
counterparts to report consistent condom use (21% versus 11%).
Only 43% young men and 59%young women who were sexually experienced
before marriage knew that a woman can get pregnant because of just one
unprotected sexual encounter. This reveals a pathetic level of
awareness about the reproductive system and human anatomy.
This casual and unsafe sex often took place in the shadow of fear as a
majority of young women feared pregnancy or infection at the time of
first or unprotected sex. As many as 62% of unmarried young women
reported fear of both pregnancy and infection, compared to 55% of men.
Condoms and contraceptives became part of the sexual encounters only
at a subsequent stage as the relationship progressed.
Similarly, in-depth awareness of contraceptive methods was limited
among youngsters as 15% men and 39% women did not know that one condom
can be used for only one sexual act. Awareness of HIV/Aids was also
limited among such sexually experienced youth.
The study was commissioned by the Union ministry of health and family
welfare. Its findings break the widespread perception that the youth
in India do not find opportunities to mix and form romantic
relationships and that the incidence of premarital sex is negligible.
It found that 23% of young men and 21% of young women had either been
approached by or had approached a person of the opposite sex for a
romantic liaison and it happened before marriage for many.
The study, for the first time, looked at key transitions experienced
by young people in six states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. These states were selected to
represent the different geographic and socio-cultural regions within
the country, and they together represent two-fifths of the country’s
population.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_young-india-fails-to-mix-sex-and-safety_1351405
NDFB militant killed in encounter in Assam
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:51 IST
GUWAHATI: A militant of the NDFB (Daimary) faction was killed in an
encounter with security forces in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district
today.
The extremist, belonging to the anti-peace talk Ranjan Daimary group,
along with two others exchanged fire with the security forces at
Howraguri Narayanpur, official sources said.
In the encounter, the militant was killed. An AK-56 assault rifle with
five bullets and two magazines were recovered from the slain ultra.
Two other NDFB insurgents fled from the spot.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ndfb-militant-killed-in-encounter-in-assam_1351453
Column
Performance is the watchword for Muslims
Firoz Bakht Ahmed
Monday, February 22, 2010 1:04 IST Email
It agonises people like me who follow the voice of reason and sanity
that the issue of quotas (a non-issue) for Muslims has turned into
such a major point of contention. What is clear however is that the
political establishment is not sincere about the community’s education
and social uplift. It is still treating the
Muslims as a vote bank.
The Congress, which has approached the Supreme Court regarding the
beleaguered minorities’ reservations after the Andhra Pradesh High
Court refused it, is only good at paying lip-service. The Muslims must
accept the fact that for the third consecutive time since 2004, the AP
government’s attempt to provide reservations to the Muslim community
failed judicial scrutiny. Earlier, the high court had quashed the
government order in 2004 and another Act in 2005. West Bengal is
making the same mistake. Salman Khursheed, the minorities affairs
minister ought to know that history has proved time and again that
reservations on communal lines are not in the interest of national
unity and integrity.
For the Congress, the lesson comes from India’s first prime minister
Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru had stated while addressing an important
session of the Constituent Assembly on May 26, 1949: “If you seek to
give safeguards to a minority, you isolate it. Maybe, you protect it
to a slight extent but at what cost — at the cost of isolating and
keeping it away from the main current.”
It would be worth examining also as to what the other founding fathers
say about reservations. While a vote was sought for the charter of
providing political safeguards to the minorities according to articles
292 and 294 of the 1949 draft Constitution, five leaders (all Muslims)
out of seven, namely Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Hifzur Rehman,
Begum Aizaz Rasul, Hussainbhoy Laljee and Tajammul Hussain had voted
against it. Interestingly, Sardar Patel had vehemently supported the
charter.
The problem with this kind of lop-sided reservation is that the real
beneficiaries of reservation may be the economically well-off among
the “backward community” members who generation after generation reap
the benefits at the expense of those who are poor and illiterate.
The minority tag must be shunned by the Muslims. A day after the
reservations bill was passed (August 28, 1947), Maulana Hasrat Mohani,
a member of the Constituent Assembly, had objected to the use of the
word “minority” for Muslims. “I refuse to accept Muslims to be a
minority. Now you say you have done away with this communalism. Are we
not calling a minority to refer only to Muslims? The Muslims refuse to
be called a minority if parties are formed on political line,” he had
stated. Maulana was not allowed to speak further on the subject as the
bill was already discussed and passed. As per this observation, the
Muslims were a minority decades ago but now they are not. In fact,
they are the second majority.However, two years later, Muslims were
removed from the list of reservation beneficiaries while the scheduled
castes have been receiving these benefits.
The process of reservation will hardly solve the community’s problems.
It is divided into umpteen castes and sub-castes, a system Muslims
have borrowed from the Hindus. Muslims have four major caste
divisions: Ashraf at the top (Syed, Sheikh, Mughal and Pathan), Atraj,
the second rung (Rajput, Tyagi, Thakur, Jaat), Azrab, the third rung
(Julahe, Kunjre, Darzi, Mirasi, Qasab, Naiee, Mahigir etc), and Azlab,
at the lowest rung (Halalkhor, Chamar and Lalbezi).
However, there is a way out of reservations. Let the Centre as well as
the states institute financial aids on the basis of performance
instead of seat reservations. If Muslims will compete, participate and
become go-getters, India is bound to prosper. The voices of reason
should demand that educational standards and qualifications should be
uniform, whatever the language, religion or region.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/column_performance-is-the-watchword-for-muslims_1350918
Editorial
Ticking off Tel Aviv
Friday, February 19, 2010 21:22 IST
The killing of Hamas commander Mahmoud al Mabhouh in a Dubai hotel
last month has been carried out by a team of 11 assassins carrying
stolen passport identities of those belonging to Britain, Ireland,
France and Germany. There is little doubt left that Israel’s spy
agency Mossad is behind this.
Hotheads in India and elsewhere will be tempted to applaud an apparent
act of daredevilry that brazenly violates laws of many countries — the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the killing took place; Britain,
Ireland, France and Germany where the passport identities were stolen.
Hawks would, in their irrational zeal, argue that this is the way to
defend national security — by going to every extreme to kill opponents
who are hostile to the country and win glory in the process. This
would be nothing but an advertisement for pigheadedness.
As a matter of fact, this killing in Dubai has made the lives of
Israelis less safe, not more. All of those stolen identities are those
of Israeli nationals with European passports. By carrying out the
killing in the UAE, Israel has turned the Gulf country into hostile
territory, which does not in any way strengthen the security of
Israel. And the Zionist state has shut the door on friendly relations
with Arab countries in the future.
The stealing of those passport identities has not only embarrassed
Israel-friendly countries in Europe, it has made it difficult for
those countries to support Israel and share intelligence as in the
case of Britain.
It is possible to psychoanalyse the Zionist zealots at the helm of the
Israeli state and find extenuating motives for their crimes. It is
possible to rationalise that Zionists carry the mind of the hunted and
in their desperate last stand they commit irrational crimes. But this
kind of indulgence is not a luxury that anyone can afford in the real
world. The world is not a couch.
Israel has for too long manipulated world sympathy for the sufferings
of Jews in Christian Europe and in Nazi Germany, culminating in the
unspeakable Holocaust. It expects the world to turn the other way when
it breaks the law and commits crimes with impunity.
Israel has today almost become like a rogue state, rivalling North
Korea and Pakistan. It is necessary for the international community,
especially Europe and the US, to tick off Tel Aviv.
This should be done to protect Israelis from the hubris of their
rulers. It is also necessary to rein in Israel to marginalise jihadi
terrorists and to maintain peace in West Asia. Zionism and jihadism
feed each other but the world cannot be drawn into the deathly duel.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_ticking-off-tel-aviv_1350098
bademiyansubhanallah
Reuters
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:17 IST
NEW YORK:
An Afghan immigrant pleaded guilty on Monday to plotting a suicide
bomb attack on New York City subways with Al-Qaeda training for what
would have been the worst attack on the United States since Sept. 11,
2001.
Najibullah Zazi, 25, also admitted in Brooklyn federal court that he
had received bomb-making and weapons training from Al-Qaeda in
Pakistan's Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan.
"The plan was to conduct (a) martyrdom operation in Manhattan" around
the time of the eighth anniversary of the attacks of Sept 11, Zazi
told US District Raymond Dearie.
"To me, it meant I would sacrifice myself to bring attention to what
the US military was doing to civilians in Afghanistan," Zazi, wearing
a neatly trimmed beard and prison uniform, said in an emotionless
tone.
Zazi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction,
conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country and providing
material support to Al-Qaeda.
The guilty pleas -- termed an agreement between prosecutors and the
defense -- came after federal investigators threatened to jail his
mother for an immigration offense, a law enforcement official said.
"They told Zazi they were going to lock up his mother. That's when he
decided to cooperate," said the source, who is familiar with the
investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
"She swore that she was the mother of someone in an immigration
process when she wasn't. It's not a heavy charge, but it''s enough to
get you jail time."
Zazi may also have been attempting to seek lighter prosecution for his
father, who was charged with lying to investigators to protect his
son. But ultimately it was the threat against his mother that flipped
him, the source said.
A New York City imam and two high school classmates of Zazi are also
charged in connection with the case.
Even with the plea, Zazi faces life in prison.
Zazi moved to the New York City borough of Queens as a teenager and
went to high school there. He attended a mosque led by Ahmad Afzali,
the self-proclaimed pro-American imam who has cooperated with police
in previous investigations.
Afzali was accused of tipping off Zazi that he was under surveillance.
US attorney general Eric Holder called the plot one of the most
serious security threats to the United States since the Sept 11
attacks, saying, "It was in motion. And it would have been deadly."
Holder also said the case showed the civilian criminal justice system
had the capacity to disrupt security threats and gain intelligence, an
effort to counter conservative critics who have called for a military
commission to try the suspected Sept 11 plotters and the man suspected
of attempting to blow up a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas Day last
year.
"To take this tool (civilian prosecution) out of our hands, to
denigrate this tool, flies in the face of the facts, flies in the face
of the history of this tool and is more about politics than it is
about facts," Holder said.
Zazi said he and unnamed others -- believed to be his high school
classmates -- traveled to Pakistan en route to Afghanistan in 2008 in
order to "fight alongside (the) Taliban against the United States and
its allies."
"While we were in Pakistan we were recruited by Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda
asked us to return to the United States to conduct martyrdom
operations," Zazi said.
He admitted to driving from Colorado to New York in September of 2009
with detonators and materials to build bombs, and that he threw them
away when he realized authorities had him under surveillance.
Prosecutors said Zazi took a bomb-making course at an Al-Qaeda
training camp in Pakistan, had notes on how to make explosives on his
laptop computer and acquired materials similar to those used in bomb
attacks in London in 2005, buying acetone and hydrogen peroxide at
beauty supply stores.
In January, federal authorities arrested Zazi's classmates, Adis
Medunjanin, 25, who is of Bosnian origin, and Zarein Ahmedzay, 24, who
is of Afghani origin, after Medunjanin led the FBI on a high-speed
chase in Queens during which he invoked the name of Allah in a 911
emergency call, according to a law enforcement official.
Medunjanin pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit
murder in a foreign country and receiving military-style training from
Al-Qaeda. Ahmedzay pleaded not guilty to a charge of making false
statements to the FBI.
Zazi's father and the imam also have pleaded not guilty in their
cases.
Afghan immigrant admitted to NY bomb plot to save mother
Reuters
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:48 IST
NEW YORK: The Afghan immigrant who pleaded guilty to plotting a
suicide bomb attack on New York City subways with Al-Qaeda training
did so after federal investigators threatened to jail his mother for
an immigration offense, a law enforcement official said on Monday.
Najibullah Zazi, 25, admitted to planning what would have been the
most serious attack on the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, once
authorities pressured him with information that his mother was
discovered to have falsely claimed she was the mother of someone else
seeking a US visa, the source said.
"They told Zazi they were going to lock up his mother. That's when he
decided to cooperate," said the source, who is familiar with the
investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
"She swore that she was the mother of someone in an immigration
process when she wasn't. It's not a heavy charge but it's enough to
get you jail time."
Zazi reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on Monday - an
indication he was cooperating with them. He may also have been
attempting to seek lighter prosecution for his father, who was charged
with lying to investigators to protect his son. But ultimately it was
the threat against his mother that flipped him.
"This was five months of work and it all came to together in the last
three weeks. At the end of the day he didn't want is parents to go to
jail," the source said.
Headley's status hearing set in Chicago court today
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:43 IST
Chicago: A US district court is set to take up the status hearing of
LeT operative David Coleman Headley, charged with conspiring in the
Mumbai terror strikes and plotting attacks against a newspaper office
in Denmark.
The hearing is scheduled before judge Harry Leinenweber in the US
District Court, Northern District of Illinois today, according to the
court's website.
However, Headley, a Pakistani-American, may not be present for the
hearing as his lawyers John Theis and Robert Seeder had previously
requested Leinenweber that their client's "presence be waived" at the
status hearing, which means he would not be required to appear in
court today.
During the hearing, Headley's lawyers would brief the judge about
progress made in the case. After Headley's arraignment last month,
Theis had said he would "review the evidence with Headley" and during
the status hearing would report to the judge about how things are
moving along and whether "we are making progress as to an ultimate
disposition of the case".
http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_headley-s-status-hearing-set-in-chicago-court-today_1351425
Taliban suffers another blow as top commander captured
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 13:18 IST
NEW YORK: Taliban appears to be nearing collapse as in another blow to
the group, Pakistani authorities have captured Mulla Abdul Kabir, a
member of the Quetta shura and the shadow governor of Afghanistan's
eastern Nangahar province.
Kabir, a member of the Taliban's inner council was captured in
Naushera area of Pakistan's restive northwest in the last few days and
is the second member of the Quetta shura to be arrested in recent
weeks, New York Times reported.
His capture comes close on the heels of nabbing of Taliban's number
two Mulla Abdul Ghani Barader from Karachi and arrest of two other top
commanders of the group, Mulla Abdul Salam, former shadow governor of
Kunduz and Mulla Mohammed, shadow governor of Baghlan province.
Times said, the capture of Mulla Kabir appeared to be strictly
Pakistani operation and Islamabad had kept his arrest a closely
guarded secret even from their American allies.
Mulla Kabir is a long time associate of Taliban supremo Mulla Omar. He
was the governor of Nangahar province during the Taliban rule from
1996 to 2001 and military commander of eastern provinces of Kunar,
Nangahar, Nuristan and Laghman.
The Quetta shura, considered to be the supreme decision-making body of
the Taliban is reported to have 20 members with an inner council of
nine commanders. A number of these have been killed in battles over
the last two years.
New York Times said, along with Kabir another top rung Taliban leader
Mulla Mohd Yunis was also nabbed. He was the shadow governor of Zabul
province.
The paper said that the arrest of Barader and Kabir appears to mark a
shift in Pakistan's behaviour, although the motive remains unclear.
It quoted a CIA official as saying, "Westill need to see how far it
goes, but for Obama and NATO, this is the best possible news".
"If the safe haven is closing then Taliban are in trouble," the CIA
official told Times.
The news for Taliban appears to be getting bleaker as yesterday Haji
Zaman Ghamsharik, an Afghan warlord accused of helping Osama bin Laden
to escape from American dragnet in Tora Bora in 2001, was assassinated
by a suicide bomber.
The bomber killed him and 14 others at a ceremony in the eastern
Afghan city of Jalalabad, close to the Pakistan border.
Zaman had many enemies and American intelligence officials suspect he
took money to join the fight against Al-Qaeda and then arranged Osama
escape when he was cornered by US forces at Tora Bora.
During the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, Zaman was the
Mujahideen commander and later fought for both and against Taliban.
When the Taliban regime collapsed, he was appointed military commander
of Jalalabad by President Hamid Karzai.
This put him at odds against another warlord Haji Qadir, the brother
of legendary Mujahideen commander Abdul Haq, who later rose to become
the vice president.
Zaman is suspected to have engineered Qadir's assassination. An uproar
over bin Laden's escape led to Zaman's flight to exile in France and
Pakistan till last year when he returned to contest the elections.
Border Security Force foils infiltration bid near Harami Nala in
Gujarat
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:08 IST
Ahmedabad: The Border Security Force (BSF) has foiled an infiltration
bid along the Indo-Pak border near the Harami Nala in Kutch district
of Gujarat, BSF officials said today.
"The incident took place last evening when our team saw a fishing boat
from the Pakistani side trying to enter Indian waters near Harami Nala
on the West coast of Kutch," BSF IG AK Sinha told PTI.
Sinha said that the boat was warned not to enter the Indian territory
while it was near Harami Nala but when it did not stop, BSF patrol had
to fire at them.
"After short spell of firing rounds the boat made a retreat and went
back," Sinha said, adding there were no causalities in the incident.
Harami Nala is a marshy, sluggish and shallow water channel, spread
over 500 sq km on the India-Pakistan border in Kutch, which has in the
past witnessed many intrusions from Pakistani fishermen. BSF had
foiled an intrusion bid in the same area last month.
Australia faces a rising threat from home-grown 'jihadists': Kevin
Rudd
Reuters
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:30 IST
Canberra: Australia faces a rising threat from home-grown "violent
jihadists", prime minister Kevin Rudd said on Tuesday, unveiling a
counter-terrorism blueprint which increases security measures for
visitors from 10 countries.
Rudd announced security improvements, including face-screening and
finger-printing, to better monitor visitors from countries assessed as
a serious security risk. He did not name the targeted countries.
The new biometric checks come amid heightened security concerns in
Western countries following the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to
bring down a commercial airliner bound for the United States on
Christmas Day.
Rudd said recent counter-terrorism successes in Asia and elsewhere had
been offset by the rise in the number of local groups inspired by
radical Islam.
"Australia now faces an increased terrorist threat from people born or
raised in Australia who take inspiration from violent jihadist
narratives," Rudd told reporters.
"Prior to the rise of self-styled jihadist terrorism fostered by al
Qaeda, Australia itself was not a specific target. Now we are," the
security report said.
Last week, five Australian Muslim men convicted of plotting a terror
attack in retaliation for Australia's involvement in wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan were jailed for terms ranging from 23 to 28 years.
Australia will target travellers from 10 still-unnamed countries, but
likely to include Yemen and Somalia and surrounding regions, for
stringent visa checks, Rudd said.
Australia has never suffered a major peacetime attack on home soil,
although over 100 Australians have been killed in militant attacks
overseas since 2001, mostly in neighbouring Indonesia.
Since 2001, 35 people in Australia have faced or continue to face
terrorism charges, with 20 convicted of terrorism offences. More than
40 Australians have also had passports revoked for security reasons.
"Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat and a serious challenge
to Australia''s security interests, and that threat is not
diminishing," Rudd said.
"The government's security intelligence agencies assess that terrorism
has become a persistent and permanent feature of Australia''s security
environment," he said.
Rudd said Australia's increased security measures for visitors were
being implemented in collaboration with Britain and the United States.
British prime minister Gordon Brown in January singled out Yemen,
Somalia and the Sahel, stretching from Eritrea across Africa to
Nigeria and Sudan, as vulnerable to militant influence.
The United States has also strengthened airport checks for citizens
from Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen, enforcing strict pat-down searches
and baggage checks.
The US checks also apply to citizens from countries that Washington
blames for lending support to militants, including Cuba, Iran, Syria
and Sudan.
Sid Harth
Sanjay Jog / Mumbai
February 24, 2010, 0:57 IST
Close on the heels of Naxalite attacks in West Bengal, Bihar and
Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a fresh appeal to
the Centre for an integrated action to curb the growing menace.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief
Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told Business Standard that Naxalism should
be treated as a national problem and the Centre should provide
additional assistance to the Naxal-hit states in this regard.
They suggested that the Centre should assist the affected states both
in strengthening law-enforcing agencies as well as on the development
front.
Singh has emphasised a need for taking up infrastructure development
in the Naxal-affected regions and deployment of additional
paramilitary forces. The Chhattisgarh chief minister has ruled out
talks with the Naxals and informed that his government had launched
offensive against the rebels in the jungles.
On the other hand, Modi has made a strong pitch for special corrective
steps by the Centre on a priority basis to deal with the problem.
He claimed that despite little help from the Centre, the JD (U)-BJP
government in the last five years was able to contain the Naxalite
violence, barring stray incidents.
According to home ministry data, more than 1,500 Naxals are active in
major parts of Bihar. Of the 40 districts in Bihar, 31 have been
declared Naxal-hit.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari, while aggressively taking up the BJP-
ruled state’s plea, suggested that arms and ammunition available with
the Naxals had to be flushed out. The leaks in the border security
which enable the smuggling of these arms have to be eliminated. He
said the BJP would launch a nation wide agitation on this issue.
Fax me truce offer, says Chidamabram; call on 9734695789, replies
Kishanji
TNN, Feb 24, 2010, 12.32am IST
NEW DELHI: Home minister P Chidamabram and Maoist leader Kishanji
exchanged numbers on Tuesday even as they refused to talk to each
other.
A day after Kishanji proposed a 'conditional' ceasefire, Chidambaram
rejected the offer, saying the government would not accept any "ifs
and buts" for talks. Instead, he asked the CPI (Maoist) to come out
with a statement pledging to "abjure violence".
"I would like no ifs, no buts and no conditions," Chidambaram said as
he emphasized that for talks to start, Maoists ought to promise to
abjure violence. He said if the ultras were ready, they could fax
their truce offer directly to him, on 011-23093155.
Kishanji went a step further. Responding to the invitation, he said,
''If he (Chidambaram) wants to talk on our ceasefire proposal, let him
speak to me on my phone number 09734695789. He is welcome to call me
on February 25 but after 5pm.'' He did not spell out if he was ready
to meet Chidambaram's demand to cease violence.
Rather, he explained, cheekily so, that he wanted Chidambaram to call
him on February 25 because "on that day we will observe martyrs' day
to mourn our slain comrades".
The repartee came a day after Kishanji had asked the government
through the media to halt the offensive against them for 72 days
starting Febaruary 25 and involve mediators for talks.
The firm "no" from a Centre which had several times offered talks to
Naxals underlined the assessment that Kishanji's sudden move could
just be a ruse to buy time when the multi-state offensive turned the
heat on the ultras.
There were also doubts whether the Maoist leader, who had only a
couple of days ago portrayed himself as an anti-talk hardliner, was
speaking for the entire group. Naxal attacks on camps of paramilitary
forces in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal only served to reinforce the
suspicion.
The government's scepticism came through clearly in Chidambaram's
response that there were too many statements purportedly issued by the
Naxals to be treated seriously. "In the absence of an authentic
statement, government is unable to respond to these versions."
He, however, said the government was ready for talks and all that it
was looking for was a promise from Naxals to "abjure violence". "Once
I receive the statement, I shall consult the prime minister and other
colleagues and respond promptly," he said.
Kishanji, a CPI (Maoist) politburo member, on Monday told media over
phone from an undisclosed place that "state governments and the Centre
should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7 and
concentrate on development of tribal areas which will be reciprocated
by Maoists".
The timing of Kishanji's offer is seen as tactical. Coming at a time
when trees shed leaves, thinning the foliage in forests where
Naxalites are holed up, the move for a 72-day reprieve could be aimed
just at biding time when the Maoists would be at a strategic
disadvantage. The period would end just a month before the onset of
monsoon in Bengal when the movement of security forces would be
hamstrung.
A senior official said, "Had the Maoists been serious, they would not
have carried out attacks in Bengal and Andhra Pradesh just hours after
Kishanji's offer." His reference was to the ultras' attack on a
security forces' camp in West Midnapore district of Bengal and on a
control-cum-equipment room of state-run telecom operator BSNL in
Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh late on Monday night.
The official also pointed out that such incidents showed that either
Kishanji had no control over his cadre or he did not take the entire
CPI (Maoist) politburo on board before making his offer.
The government is also wiser from its experience of 2004 when it fell
for a similar ceasefire offer of Naxals which turned out to be a
gambit for a breather to recoup their strength after blows inflicted
by security forces. "It could well be a Maoist ploy to buy time for
them to further regroup, the way they did in 2004 during the talks
with the Andhra Pradesh government," said the official.
Centre should take initiative of declaring ceasefire : Kishenji
Reacting to the Maoists truce call, Home Minister on Tuesday said he
would respond if the Maoists faxed him an authentic proposal in
writing, agreeing to give up violence and with no pre-conditions for
talks. Within hours, Maoists asks the Govt to set out its own proposal
first. Aloke Tikku and Snigdhendu Bhattacharya reports.
February 23, 2010
First Published: 21:37 IST(23/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:48 IST(23/2/2010)
Top Maoist leader Kishenji on Tuesday night said the Centre should
take the initiative of declaring a ceasefire and left a phone number
for Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to contact the red rebels.
"The Union Home Ministry should take the first initiative of declaring
ceasefire and has to issue a written statement to the media. After
examining it, we will fax our response to the prime minister and the
Union home minister," Kishenji told PTI from an undisclosed location.
"Union Home Minister P Chidambaram can call us up on this number --
9734695789 on February 25 (the day to be observed as Remembrance Day
by Maoists) at 5:00 pm in the evening and speak to us. We will respond
to his call,"
Kishenji said.
Reacting to Chidambaram's appeal that Maoists should abjure violence
and issue a statement that it was prepared for talks, he said "it is
unclear."
The underground leader said, "The home minister has appealed to us to
abjure violence for 72 hours, but if the
central government is ready to co-operate with us, then we are ready
to abjure violence for 72 days even."
Earlier in the day, on Kishenji's offer of conditional ceasefire,
Chidambaram had said, "I would like no ifs, no buts and no
conditions."
PC, Naxals swap phone numbers
Aloke Tikku and Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
New Delhi/Kolkata, February 24, 2010
First Published: 01:03 IST(24/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:36 IST(24/2/2010)
Reacting to the Maoists call for a 72-day truce, Home Minister P
Chidambaram on Tuesday said he would respond promptly if the Maoists
faxed him an authentic proposal in writing, agreeing to give up
violence and with no pre-conditions for talks.
A home ministry official said the government’s perception was the
Maoists weren’t really interested in a truce or talks. The ceasefire
offer was only intended to dent the political legitimacy of the armed
offensive against them. Within hours, Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao
alias Kishenji replied — as always using the media to send out his
message — asking the government to set out its own proposal first,
which it could publish as advertisements in newspapers. In his
statement Chidambaram had a released a home ministry landline number
to which, he said, the Maoists could fax their truce offer.
In response, Kishenji provided a mobile phone number that Chidambaram
could call — at 5 pm, Thursday — if he wished to talk directly to the
Maoists.
“I’d like no ifs, no buts, no conditions,” said Chidambaram in his
reply, released to the media. “Once I get the statement, I’ll consult
the PM and other colleagues and respond promptly.”
“Let the government publish advertisements in newspapers giving
details of their proposal. After that, our central committee will send
a fax to the Prime Minister’s Office with our response,” said
Kishenji.
A home ministry official said the government’s perception was the
Maoists weren’t really interested in a truce or talks. The ceasefire
offer was only intended to dent the political legitimacy of the armed
offensive against them.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Chidambaram-Naxals-swap-phone-numbers/H1-Article1-512222.aspx
Centre-Maoist secret talks on: Experts
Josy Joseph / DNA
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 1:20 IST
New Delhi: Even though experts believe the 72-day conditional
ceasefire by Maoists is a “tactical move”, they can’t understand the
motive behind the offer.
Some suspect a backroom channel contact between the government and
left-wing ultras. “They [Maoists] are definitely not on the defensive.
There is something else to it,” said a retired IPS officer who has
extensively dealt with the subject. He said there could be moral
pressure on Maoists from human rights groups and ordinary people
because of the mounting violence. Yet, that alone “doesn’t explain the
announcement”, he said.
The officer, like a couple of other sources in the establishment,
believes the tough line taken by P Chidambaram — he has demanded
unconditional ceasefire — was a bit of posturing, and that secret
contacts between the two sides were on.
“It [the offer] does not indicate that the Maoists have changed their
mind. It is a pure tactical move, as they are under pressure from
security forces and civil society,” said Ajit Doval, former chief of
the Intelligence Bureau.
“Peace talks have to be a strategic decision, and the offer must come
from the highest political authority,” Doval said. Ganapati is the
general secretary of the CPI (Maoist) but the ceasefire offer was made
by Kishenji, a senior Maoist leader. This has also prompted some
officials to speculate whether there is a division in the group.
In Chhattisgarh, the tide is turning against the Maoists, said a
senior security official. In the past six months, only five security
personnel have died fighting the ultras, but 40 Maoists have lost
their lives. “The ratio has almost reversed,” he said, of the reduced
casualty figures of security personnel. But the attack on the police
camp in West Bengal, in which 24 personnel were killed, does not make
this argument ring true for all Maoist-affected areas.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_centre-maoist-secret-talks-on-experts_1351834
Fragile peace
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 23:00 IST
The offer by the Maoist leader Kishenji of a 72-day conditional
ceasefire will not just be carefully considered by the government but
also taken with a few pinches of salt. There is no doubt that the
concerted effort to flush out the Maoists by the Centre and state is
responsible for this apparent peace gesture by this violent movement.
he offer also follows the very brutal attack on police personnel at
Silda in West Bengal and is in response to Union home minister P
Chidambaram’s offer to talk to the Maoists if they stopped their
violent attacks for 24 hours. There is a sort of in-your-face
arrogance in Kishenji’s response — 72 days of peace if the state stops
its ongoing operations against Maoists.
The fact is, however, that the Maoists have been rattled by the extent
and the strength of the state campaign. And unlike the Salwa Judum
campaign, where civilians were pitted against Maoist militia, the
Union home ministry let loose the might of India’s security forces on
Maoists in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.
There have been reports of divisions within the Maoist camp, where
some leaders felt that the movement was alienating the people and the
violence was becoming counter-productive. The arrest of several senior
Maoist leaders, both commanders and so-called intellectuals, has also
been a setback for them.
The government is correct to examine the Maoist offer closely, without
making any hasty commitments. Within hours of the offer being made, an
attack was made on a joint forces camp in Midnapore in Bengal where at
least one person was killed. Clearly, the Maoists are not one in this
and will find it difficult to give up their commitment to change or
social revolution through violence.
This is not the time for human rights activists to jump in with their
do-good ideas. It is no one’s case that there have not been terrible
atrocities against the people in the Maoist-dominated areas by the
authorities or that the state has failed so many underprivileged in
large parts of the country. But nor can it be denied that the Maoists
themselves have also been brutal and that their continued adherence to
their violent ideology makes conversation in a democracy very
difficult.
It would be better to allow the government to call their bluff on this
offer and see whether this is just one more red herring for much worse
to come.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_fragile-peace_1351784
Bitter experience makes home ministry tread cautiously on Naxal talks
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 22:01 IST
New Delhi: Keeping in mind its bitter experiences, the Union home
ministry is treading cautiously on the offer of talks by the Maoists.
In the past, most extremist groups have used such ceasefires to
regroup.
Officials said many insurgent groups in the Northeast, including the
United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), had strengthened themselves
whenever the government had agreed to a ceasefire and suspended
operations against them.
"The extremists come to talks whenever they face reverses," a senior
home ministry official said. "So far, except for Chhattisgarh, the
Maoists have not faced any major threat from security forces anywhere.
So, we have to proceed carefully."
Even the Naxals, in 2004, took advantage of peace talks initiated by
then Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and used the
ceasefire period to raise fund and recruit fighters. Eventually, the
talks failed and the Naxals returned to the forests.
"We don't want to commit a similar mistake again," the official said.
Besides, the home ministry is not sure whether the offer of talks has
the nod of the entire top leadership of the Communist Party of India
(Maoist).
Supreme Court wants to know Andhra Pradesh's secret input
Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 1:06 IST
New Delhi: Short of suggesting the administration to overcome its
Maoist phobia, the Supreme Court (SC) wanted to examine on Tuesday the
“secret intelligence inputs” based on which the Andhra government has
been defending deployment of paramilitary on Osmania University
campus.
The government apprehends the presence of Maoists on the campus, which
is said to be the nerve centre of the pro-Telangana struggle, and is
resisting removal of armed forces despite the high court’s directive
to the effect.
It would be understandable to send the Rapid Action Force inside the
campus to deal with “anti-social elements”, the court remarked, but
the presence of the force on the basis of “secret inputs” is an
altogether different issue.
“We want to know what this secret input is,” justices GS Singhvi and
Asok Kumar Ganguly said, directing state counsel Harish Salve to
submit the information on Wednesday.
Salve justified forces, saying intelligence inputs suggested Maoists
had infiltrated the campus to instigate violence on the Telangana
issue.
“Where is the input of the infiltration? What is the proof available?
We would like to have it,” the judges asserted, but extended the stay
on removal of forces from the campus till February 25.
Security up near Parliament after Telangana protest
PTI
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 18:53 IST
New Delhi: Outsmarted by lawyers from Telangana who managed to reach
near Parliament during their protest, security agencies today deployed
armed personnel on the Parliament Street to ensure that protesters do
not come near the high-security building.
More armed CRPF personnel were seen on the Parliament Street as well
as Red Cross Road and Raisana Road adjoining the Parliament House from
this morning while a large number of police personnel kept a watch on
commuters.
CRPF personnel were seen after every three metres on both sides of the
Parliament Street upto Parliament Annexe Building while another
contingent was seen near Rail Bhavan on the Raisana Road.
"There are more CRPF and police personnel near Parliament to ensure
that no protest takes place near it. We have to ensure security as
Parliament is in session," a senior police official said.
Yesterday, over 200 lawyers from Telangana region managed to reach 100
metres near Parliament after their Chalo Parliament protest by
hoodwinking security personnel.
Small groups of lawyers removed their black coats and walked towards
Parliament from Jantar Mantar and when they reached near the high-
security area, they donned the coats again and ran towards the
building shouting slogans.
The protest had taken security agencies by surprise.
"We don't want to have a repeat of such things. So we are taking
adequate measures," the official said.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_security-up-near-parliament-after-telangana-protest_1351678
Call us for talks, Naxals ask Govt
IANS
Published on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 21:50,
Updated on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 01:03 in India section
READY FOR TALKS: The Naxal in West Bengal responded to the Union Home
Ministry's call by sharing a mobile number.
Kolkata: Hours after the Central Government gave a facsimile number to
the Maoists, the Left-wing rebels in West Bengal responded to the
Union Home Ministry's call by sharing a mobile number and asked the
Government to contact them for peace talks.
According to sources, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)
politburo member Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji asked the union
government to call the number on February 25 if it wants to advance
the peace process with the Maoists.
Kishenji said the union home ministry would have to call the Maoists
on 9734695789 on Thursday at 1700 hours (IST) sharp.
The Union home minister on Tuesday issued a fax number for the
Maoists, asking them to contact the government directly through the
connectivity.
The decision was taken a day after the Maoists offered a 72-day
conditional truce to the government.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/call-us-for-talks-naxals-ask-govt/110597-3.html?from=tn
End The Violence
Feb 24, 2010, 12.10am IST
The Maoists, reportedly, want to talk to the government. The
suggestion, aired through the media, has come from Kishenji, a
spokesperson for the CPI (Maoist). The government needs to assess the
offer very cautiously. Just as the talks offer was being discussed,
members of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA)
attacked a police camp in West Bengal on Monday night. While the PCAPA
is a different outfit from the CPI (Maoist), the two organisations
have links with each other.
Kishenji set two preconditions for the talks. One, security operations
in the region must be halted for 72 days. The number 72 seems a spin
on Union home minister P Chidambaram's statement that if the Maoists
stopped their operations for 72 hours he would find ways to initiate a
dialogue with the rebels. Two, intellectuals and human rights outfits
should facilitate the talks. If these conditions have the approval of
the Maoists' central leadership, it suggests an incremental shift in
their stance. Earlier, Ganapathy, general secretary of the CPI
(Maoist), had suggested "the war has to be withdrawn" and cadres and
leaders in the government's custody released for a dialogue to take
place. Ganapathy's preconditions make a dialogue impossible.
The government can afford to halt operations, if there are enough
reciprocating gestures from the Maoists, but it can't accede to a
demand for the withdrawal of forces at this juncture. Sceptics view
the offer for talks as a ploy on the part of Maoists to buy time and
regroup. The rebels may be feeling the pressure of an imminent
crackdown by the security forces. As with most insurgent movements,
Maoists aren't a monolithic outfit. Ideological differences persist
among them and there is evidence that some may wish to join the
democratic process. A few contested the recent Jharkhand assembly
elections as Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidates and some even won.
There may be more among the lower rungs of the CPI (Maoist) who may
want to explore options other than violence.
The government, therefore, should follow a two-track approach. It can
consider truce offers from the Maoists only if the CPI (Maoist)
indicates that the offer has the approval of the party's central
leadership and comes attached with as few preconditions as possible.
Short of that, the government should engage with and facilitate those
Maoists willing to reconcile and join the democratic process, but come
down hard on those following the power-through-the-barrel-of-guns
approach. The latter doesn't have even a remote chance of succeeding
in the Indian context. But it can ensure an extended cycle of
violence, anarchy and misery if not confronted directly.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/End-The-Violence/articleshow/5608441.cms
Centre expects Maoists to come for talks without mediators Tuesday,
February 23, 2010,15:02 [IST]
New Delhi, Feb 23 (ANI): Union Home Ministry on Tuesday ruled out any
space for mediators between Centre and Maoists and said that it
expects them (Maoists) to come on their own for talks.
Buzz up!Home Ministry sources said that talks are a long-term process.
In a later stage Maoists can suggest any individual or organisation as
their representative to carry out talks with the Government.
But at this stage the Centre expects Maoists to come on their own,
sources added.
On Monday, evening while making ceasefire announcement Maoists leader
Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji said human rights activists and
social workers can mediate between Government and Maoists.
The Ministry also described the 72-day long ceasefire offered by the
Maoists as a ploy to regroup.
Sources further said that Maoists could be facing pressure from some
groups to initiate talks.
Earlier in the day Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram asked Maoists to
abjure violence completely and make a statement committing themselves
to unconditional talks.
In a statement Chidambaram said: "I would like a short, simple
statement from the CPI (Maoist) saying we will abjure violence and we
are prepared for talks."
"I would like no ifs, no buts and no conditions. I would like the
statement to be faxed to 011-23093155. Once I receive the statement, I
shall consult the Prime Minister and other olleagues and respond
promptly," he added. (ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/23/centreexpects-maoists-to-come-for-talks-without-mediators.html
Maoist guerillas offer India talks
By Amy Kazmin in New Delhi
Published: February 23 2010 16:40 | Last updated: February 23 2010
16:40
India’s Maoist guerrillas have offered to call a 72-day ceasefire and
engage in talks with the government if New Delhi halts its armed
offensive against them.
However, the Indian authorities have reacted cautiously, awaiting a
formal proposal from the rebels.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
India vows to retaliate against Maoist rebels - Feb-16
India takes measured tone over blast - Feb-14
Mumbai plotter ‘could be an Indian’ - Feb-04
Analysis: India: Potholes in the road - Feb-04
India increases reserves burden on banks - Jan-29
India strives to project its military’s might - Jan-26
Koteshwar Rao, the senior Maoist leader – who goes by the nom de
guerre Kishanji and is known for his taunting calls to the media and
government – extended the offer of talks in calls to Indian media
organisations.
“Our revolutionary violence will stay on hold for as long as state
terror is put on hold,” Kishanji, the number two in the Communist
Party of India (Maoist), told NDTV on Monday night.
Kishanji also appealed for “intellectuals and human rights
organisations which are fighting for the cause of people” to mediate
any talks.
However, P. Chidamabaram, the interior minister, reacted cautiously,
urging the leftwing rebels to fax to his office directly if they were
serious about negotiations.
“I would like a short, simple statement from the Communist Party of
India (Maoist) saying, ‘we will abjure violence and we are prepared
for talks’,” the minister said in a statement. “I would like no ifs,
no buts, and no conditions.”
“Once I receive the statement I shall consult the prime minister, and
other colleagues and respond promptly.”
The Maoists indication of a potential willingness to sit at a
negotiating table comes as India has mounted a highly co-ordinated,
multi-state offensive – dubbed Operation Green Hunt – against the
leftist rebels.
It marks the first time the rebels, known locally as Naxalites, have
ever sought talks with New Delhi itself.
“The fact that the offer has come is significant,” said Pratap Bhanu
Mehta, head of New Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research. “It creates
intriguing political possibilities.”
Over the past 25 years, Maoist rebels have established a strong
influence over many isolated, economically deprived parts of India,
especially regions inhabited by indigenous tribes, who lag far behind
the mainstream in development and social indicators.
Today, many tribal people feel particularly threatened by New Delhi’s
plans to expand mining operations in the forests where they make their
homes, an anger that has helped fuel the Maoist movement.
Mr Chidambaram recently told the FT in an interview that New Delhi was
willing to suspend mining deals and review contracts to ensure royalty
payments to local communities as part of the effort to bring Maoists
to the negotiation table.
But Mahesh Rangarajan, a Delhi University political scientist,
expressed scepticism that the Maoists’ current offer would lead to
substantial progress in defusing the movement. “The talks can be about
how to talk,” he said.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/83321e02-2097-11df-9775-00144feab49a.html
INDIA NEWS
FEBRUARY 23, 2010, 11:37 A.M. ET
.India Rebuffs Maoist Overture
By KRISHNA POKHAREL
NEW DELHI—The Indian government rebuffed an overture by the country's
Maoist rebels for a 72-day truce, saying it was unclear whether the
offer was authentic.
In a terse statement Tuesday, Indian Home Minister Palaniappan
Chidambaram said he wanted a "short, simple" declaration from the
rebels—who seek to overthrow the Indian government—that they would
abjure violence and were prepared for talks. As a sign that the
government didn't have a channel of communication with the rebellion's
leadership, Mr. Chidambaram also mentioned his office's fax number for
the rebels to send their offer in written form.
Speaking to local television channels and news agencies Monday
evening, Koteshwar Rao, better known by alias Kishenji, said his group
was ready to stop the violence for 72 days if the government halted
its attempts to suppress the group. In a separate statement issued by
his aide, Kishenji proposed the cease-fire to begin Feb. 25 and asked
the "liberal intellectuals and human rights groups" to mediate.
Kishenji is the politburo member of the outlawed Communist Party of
India (Maoist), the main Naxalite faction.
Both the government and the Naxalites have said they would talk, but
each side doesn't agree with the conditions put forth by the other.
While the government insists the rebels should give up violence ahead
of talks, the rebels have varying preconditions. Wednesday's cease-
fire offer by Kishenji mentioned a halt in the government's massive
hunt of the rebels that started last year as the group's only
condition for talks, but the group's main leader has said there are
two other key demands.
In the group's mouthpiece published Monday, Mupalla Laxman Rao—the
general secretary of the Maoist party—said for any talks to take place
the government should also release the group's leaders who have been
arrested and remove the political ban on the party. Mr. Rao, a teacher-
turned-revolutionary in his late 50s, said, "The same leaders who are
released from jails would lead and represent the party in the talks."
Both Kishenji and Mr. Rao couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.
"Government has to stop the violence first, as ours is the only
reaction to it," said P. Govindan Kutty, editor of People's March, the
Indian Maoists' publication, in Kerala, the coastal state in the
country's south.
The government made its intentions clear on Tuesday. "I would like no
ifs, no buts and no conditions," said Mr. Chidambaram, India's home
minister.
Meanwhile, the violence continues. Security forces and the Maoist
rebels engaged in a gun battle late Monday in a Naxal-dominated part
of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. Three Maoists were
suspected to have been killed, but police found only one body, a local
police officer said.
Since the start of the year, 153 people from across eight Indian
states have died in the fight between the rebels and the security
forces, according to South Asia Terrorism Portal in New Delhi. The
death toll in the Maoist insurgency was 1,125 last year, the highest
among any of the country's security challenges, according to India's
Ministry of Home Affairs.
Write to Krishna Pokharel at krishna....@wsj.com
Message Board
Where does one draw the line with regards to freedom of expression and
supporting a cause that involves violence?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 21:35 IST
On February 15, Maoists struck the Eastern Frontier Rifles’ Shilda
camp in West Bengal's West Midnapore district, killing 24 jawans. “We
have attacked the camp and this is our answer to [Union home minister
P] Chidambaram's Operation Green Hunt," Maoist leader Kishenji
declared. "Unless the Centre stops this inhuman military operation, we
are going to answer in this way.”
Recently, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, held a lecture series in memory
of Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy’s wife Anuradha. The first such
series was held at the Mumbai University's Fort campus last year.
Considering the Maoist threat to India, the lectures have stirred a
controversy with some people accusing the organisers of glorifying
violence.
Ghandy, a member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) politburo,
was in charge of spreading the Maoist influence in urban areas and of
the party's publishing wing. Ghandy and Anuradha Shanbag, a staunch
activist herself, had dedicated themselves to the cause of tribal and
women’s issues, trade unionism, and campaigns for the rights of the so-
called lower castes, even deciding not to have children. While
Anuradha died of celebral malaria in 2009, Ghandy was arrested on
September 21 last year in New Delhi and has been in police custody
since.
Do you think holding lectures on the Maoists and discussing their
means of protest glorifies violence? Where does one draw the line with
regards to freedom of expression and supporting a cause that involves
violence?
Sid Harth
In this photo taken Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, Maoist rebels, their faces
covered with scarves, escort abducted government official Prashant
Layek before his release at Hariyan village, in the eastern Indian
state of Jharkhand. Layek was abducted by Maoist rebels a week ago and
was set free Friday night after the state government agreed to release
some people from a jail, in an apparent swap deal that has angered the
ruling party’s coalition partner BJP, according to a news agency. (AP
Photo) (AP)
By MUNEEZA NAQVI
The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 23, 2010; 1:39 AM
NEW DELHI -- A top Maoist guerrilla leader in India has offered a
cease-fire and talks with the government if it calls off a crackdown
against the rebels. The government said it would consider the offer,
but wants it in writing.
The offer made late Monday by Kishenji, a senior Maoist leader in
eastern India, came days after the rebels killed 24 police in a brazen
attack on a security camp in West Bengal state.
"Our revolutionary violence will stay on hold for as long as state
terror is put on hold," Kishenji said in a statement to NDTV in the
eastern state of Orissa.
If the government puts "violence on hold, not for 72 hours but for 72
days, then we will immediately stop our revolutionary violence,"
Kishenji said.
That would require the government to halt its Operation Green Hunt
offensive - aimed at flushing the militants out of their forest hide-
outs - from Thursday until May 7.
Kishenji also called for "liberal intellectuals and human rights
groups" to mediate talks between the rebels and the government.
In a press statement, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said he wants the
rebels to provide "a short, simple statement" before responding to
their offer.
"I would like no 'ifs,' no 'buts' and no conditions. Once I receive
the statement, I shall consult the prime minister and other colleagues
and respond promptly," Chidambaram said.
Inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, the rebels have
fought for more than four decades demanding land and jobs for farmers
and the poor. About 2,000 people - including police, militants and
civilians - have been killed in the past few years.
The rebels, who have tapped into the rural poor's growing anger at
being left out of the country's economic gains, are now present in 20
of the country's 28 states and have an estimated 10,000 to 20,000
fighters.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called them, "India's biggest
internal security threat."
Some local governments in central and eastern India are unable to
function because of rebel attacks.
In response to the government offensive, the insurgents have blown up
train tracks, attacked railway stations, and assaulted railroad
employees. Last week, they killed two dozen police at a security camp
in the village of Shilda, about 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest
West Bengal's capital Calcutta.
Another group of suspected rebels later raided a village in eastern
India and killed at least 12 people in an apparent act of revenge
after several guerrillas were captured and turned over to police.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/23/AR2010022300187.html
Sid Harth
Muzamil Jaleel
Posted: Thursday , Feb 25, 2010 at 0356 hrs
Sopore:
A day after a Captain and two personnel of the elite 1 Para were
killed in a gunbattle in Sopore, a militant emerged from the rubble of
destroyed houses this afternoon and opened fire at the troops,
injuring a jawan who later died. The militant then tried to get past
the security cordons but was killed in retaliatory fire.
The jawan killed today was said to be from the 22 Rashtriya Rifles.
Bodies of two militants have been recovered and police believe that
another two are buried in the rubble. Though police are sure that four
militants, including Harkat-ul-Mujahideen’s Kashmir chief Nouman, have
died in the encounter, there is no confirmation yet.
Police sources said the other three militants believed killed are
Salahuddin, Maviya and local militant Touseef alias Cepa. There is no
word on the fate of another top Harkat militant Basharat Saleem, a
Sopore resident. Police said the two bodies recovered today didn’t
match with Nouman’s picture in their records.
This standoff, which began in the early hours of Tuesday, and the
level of training of militants, their understanding of military
tactics, motivation have surprised security agencies who think it all
points to a shift in militant strategy. The militants are not
following their earlier strategy of digging in for a long standoff and
battling till death.
What they are now trying to do is attempt to break the security cordon
at the very beginning. There have been five encounters recently where
the militants have escaped as soon as the first security cordon has
been laid. And the manner in which the militants took on the first
assault party of the para commandos yesterday also suggests that they
had possibly laid a trap.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, speaking at the NDTV
Indian of the Year Awards function, said the militants at Sopore were
“very determined and hardened guys... we are up against a very
determined adversary.”
He said the security forces were still looking for two more bodies
“but they could still be alive under the debris... this enemy is no
different from the Taliban or al-Qaeda.”
FS-level talks: Chidambaram not very optimistic
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 2054 hrs
New Delhi:
India will seek access to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and other handlers of
the 26/11 terror attack during the FS-level talks with Pak.
India will seek access to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and other handlers of
the 26/11 terror attack during the Foreign Secretary-level talks with
Pakistan on Thursday, a "not very optimistic" Home Minister P
Chidambaram said on Wednesday.
The issue of 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai will be high on the agenda
of the Indian delegation as it will enter "talk about talks" during
the Foreign Secretary-level deliberations.
Chidamabaram said these talks will be "without a preset agenda" with
both sides bringing the issues that concern them to the table.
"We will bring to the table as the top issues terrorism, pending
issues of 26/11, the need to arrest a number of people. I have just
got the dossier ready...the need to give us access to those suspects
or accused and then whatever Pakistan brings you can't stop the
country from bringing on the table just as they can't stop us from
bringing to the table what we think is important," he said.
According to Chidambaram, New Delhi is "not going to enter into
substantive talks on these issues as the External Affairs minister
said these are talks about talks".
When asked if anything has emerged from Islamabad that makes the
government optimistic, he said "optimism is a state of mind."
When pressed further on what his state of mind is, the home minister
replied "not very optimistic".
"We have not gone back on our position that Pakistan must take action
against those who are behind the 26/11 attack nor have we diluted our
stand that Pakistan must dismantle terror infrastructure and I think
tomorrow you will find the Foreign Secretaries put forth these points
firmly and clearly but how long can you say this is my stand. I stand
here and I won't move at all...we can't change our neighbours.
"We have tried to change our neighbours' attitude and approach but we
may not be successful even in that," Chidambaram said.
"We are going to the table without a pre-set agenda because we are
talking about an agenda. So, when we go to the table we will take to
the table issues that concern us...," he said.
Comments (2) |
We cannot trust Jihadistan
By: Nautankee | 25-Feb-2010
We have one of the best Home minister in Chidambaram.India should not
negotiate with Pakistan any more, because we have always been deceived
many times before by them.On the contrary,Indian and allied forces
should chalk out a plan to help each other. We should include Russia,
China, Israel and other countries as well to fight terrorism
comprehensively.
Talks over Talks
By: Anant Sheth | 25-Feb-2010
Ms. Rao, Hit Pak hard. If his response to B'bay attack is not to your
full satsfaction, drop further talk. Certainly no talk on Kashmir at
all. Make them repent.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/fslevel-talks-chidambaram-not-very-optimistic/583983/0
Sikh beheading issue being taken up with Pak: Govt
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 1443 hrs
New Delhi:
This barbaric and heinous crime is deplorable in the strongest
possible terms: Krishna
Terming the beheading of a Sikh in Pakistan as a matter of ‘deep and
serious concern’, the Government said on Wednesday that the issue is
being taken up appropriately with the Pakistani side.
Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha on 'beheading of a Sikh
in Pakistan', External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "I rise to
strongly condemn the beheading of Sardar Jaspal Singh in the tribal
areas of Pakistan. This barbaric and heinous crime is deplorable in
the strongest possible terms.
"This incident of kidnapping and killing of Sikhs in Pakistan is a
matter of deep and serious concern to the government, and is being
taken up appropriately with the government of Pakistan," he said.
The President of Pakistan has strongly condemned the incident and
asked the authorities to investigate and take stern action against
kidnappers in accordance with the law, the Minister told the House.
"He (the Pakistan President) has also directed that effective measures
be taken to stop the recurrence of such incidents in the future,"
Krishna said.
He said the abductors, reportedly the Taliban, committed the crime
when Singh's family was not able to pay a ransom. "The President of
Pakistan has also directed the authorities in Pakistan to take swift
action for the release of a Hindu, kidnapped on February 19, 2010 by
unknown persons," Krishna added. An identical copy of the statement
was laid in the Rajya Sabha by the minister.
Comments (6) |
Talk, what else Congress can do ?
By: Boby Mehta | 25-Feb-2010
Three Sikhs beheaded brutally in Pakistan. Where is Teesta Stalvad,
Mahesh Bhutt, EU delegation and Congress rage ? Will Obama refuse visa
to Gilani ? Don't blame anyone when Indian politicians are down right
rotten, cowards and criminals. We haven't seen a franzied hysteria in
Indian media. Manmohan Singh will score some points by raising this
Quranic rule of Islam.
uproot or wipe of congress and its politicians rise before you fall
further
By: jigna | 24-Feb-2010
hat's only one day work what about 364 days is it watching khan films,
boozing, traveling, taking bribes, terrorist attacks, land grabbing
and enjoying other ways of enjoying our tax payers money. Then fooling
people by travling by trains and publicizing srk films and rewarding
these useless actors for their most ridiculous awards. Shame on you
politicians for swindling our country all the time. If there are any
nationalists politicians like Lal Bahadur shastri, shivaji, laxmi
bhai, Bhagat singhs, and those who follow the path of Guru Gobind
singh make a party and throw this congress out of gear. How long can
we tolerate their injustice against the majority of us. If you care
for your religious freedom and protection of our rights come forward
and star a stir and uproot them from the palaces of luxuries. They are
nothing better than dawood in fact with him hand and glove. Right
Rahul? How could this creep support a srk low callibre actor for
ridiculing our nation and demeaning our pro India politicians. We will
not forget nor forgive this creep.
present leaders of india
By: ramesh | 24-Feb-2010
agony and mental tensions with which family is suffering is hard to
imagine.these politicians will never realise unless untill their own
member has to go through same circumstances.Still they are (INDIAN
LEADERS) busy in their own world.Not speak of media people who are at
present busy in selecting heigh profile persons for irrelevent awards.
HELPLESS GOVT
By: N.ASTI | 24-Feb-2010
This UPA Govt is totally helpless.When it has failed to protect common
man even within the country,what can it do at international level?For
any terrorist act on Hindus/Sikhs whether inside or outside the
country,at the most,it will protest on a piece of paper,and with one
word from US/PAK,it will kneel down.The foolish Indians who brought
UPA to power are responsible for sky-Rocketing prices and Nation
placed in a humiliating situation thro' begging for talks in spite of
such massacres.For these voters no worry for price-rise as well as
National security,Only Congress must rule.Now enjoy the fruits.
Sikh beheading in Pakistan
By: A. Pradeep | 24-Feb-2010
The Goverment of India cannot protect its own citizens from terrorism.
To score political points, they are amplifying the sound bytes with
Pakistan. If they are so concerned about Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan,
issue them visas and bring them home. To those who say how many can
India take, I say, how many illegals from Bangladesh and Pakistan have
you taken?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sikh-beheading-issue-being-taken-up-with-pak-govt/583937/
Pak FS hopeful of bridging differences with India
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 1856 hrs
New Delhi:
Pak Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir arrives at the international
airport in New Delhi.
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir arrived here on Wednesday for
talks on Thursday affirming that he was hopeful of a "positive
outcome" but it was clear that India was not expecting any
breakthrough given the "trust-deficit" post Mumbai terror attacks.
"It is good to be back. I have come here to bridge the differences. I
am hopeful of a positive outcome," said Bashir, who is heading a five-
member delegation, on his arrival at Delhi international airport.
Ahead of the talks between Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama
Rao, both sides were wary of pre-judging the outcome but sources here
said New Delhi was "fully conscious of the limitations imposed by
trust deficit post-Mumbai(attacks)."
However, the sources said, India was not "pre-judging the outcome", a
view echoed by the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, who in Lahore prior to
his departure for India, said it was better not to view the talks
"from the point of success or failure." It would be better to wait
till on Thursday, he said.
Issuing a statement on Bashir's arrival, External Affairs Ministry
said during his stay, the Pakistani Foreign Secretary is also
scheduled to call on minister S M Krishna and National Security
Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon.
Indicating the sharp diversions of view on key issues, sources here
said no joint statement, after the talks, was contemplated.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-fs-hopeful-of-bridging-differences-with-india/583976/
Pak again violates ceasefire, jawan injured in firing
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 1057 hrs
Jammu:
In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops fired on a
forward post along the Indo-Pak border in Samba sector early on
Wednesday, leaving a BSF jawan injured.
BSF officials said there was small arms firing from Pakistan on
forward border post of Karotana-Manarain along the International
Border in Samba sector, about 55-kms from Jammu.
In the firing, a BSF jawan constable Krishan was injured, the
officials said, adding the firing continued for 30 minutes.
The officials said they would lodge a strong protest over the truce
violation with their Pakistani counterparts at a flag meeting later in
the day.
Pakistan has violated the ceasefire along the border for the tenth
time this year. The last ceasefire violation took place on February 14
when Pakistani troops fired rockets on Indian posts along the LoC in
Poonch sector.
Comments (2) |
Cross Border Firing
By: A. Pradeep | 24-Feb-2010
Can the Pakistani Army be classified as non state actors? While the
Indian Goverment holds tea parties with Pakistani officials, our
soldiers and citizens are paying with life, limb and blood.
How many subjects for 25th Indo-Pak discussion?
By: shanthanu | 24-Feb-2010
No results for 26/11 terror attack NO TALK, no result for terrorism by
LET on Pak soil NO TALK, no answer of Pune bomb attack,NO TALK, and
now cross border firing NO TALK.Mr.Anthony and PC please shut your
mouth.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-again-violates-ceasefire-jawan-injured-in-firing/583893/
Sid Harth
Krishnadas Rajagopal
Posted: Tuesday , Feb 16, 2010 at 0314 hrs
New Delhi:
In an unusually frank statement on the predicament of security forces
doing duty in Naxal-hit areas, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium
today told the Supreme Court that police officers leave for duty every
day with a “death band” around their heads.
To make his point before a division bench of Justices Sudershan Reddy
and Deepak Verma, the Solicitor General produced in court a series of
wireless intercepts which, he said, revealed that “every officer in
the area is marked for death”.
“These intercepts are not illegal. They are authorised intercepts
under the Telegraph Act. They are in Hindi,” said Subramanium, holding
the transcripts in open court. “Your lordships, I have gone through
these intercepts. They are intercepts of Naxalites marking out Officer
A, Officer B, Officer C for death. Each one of the officers is
marked.”
The Solicitor General, representing the State of Chhattisgarh,
described the challenges faced by a police officer working in the
“tough terrain” of Naxal areas, sandwiched between “helpless” tribals
and “people who take law into their hands and terrorise villagers”.
“Some of the people working in the forces actually wear a death band
on their heads when they go into the forests. They have no vehicles,
no satellites, no equipment, and they walk in the jungles. Their lives
are also precious for us,” he said.
Subramanium said the forces were trying their best to protect the
villagers from “greater harm”. “There is no oppressor or oppressed
here. We are just pointing out the inability of the State to be
physically be there and protect the tribals every time,” he said.
He was responding to allegations raised by senior advocate Colin
Gonsalves that security forces in Chhattisgarh were resorting to
intimidatory tactics against local tribals.
On an application filed by activist Himanshu Kumar, the Chhattisgarh
Police had been directed to produce in court today 12 tribal persons
who had allegedly “disappeared” after they had moved the Supreme
Court. Six of them, including a 28-year-old woman Sodi Sambo, were
produced in court under heavy police presence.
The Supreme Court directed the Delhi District Judge to record the
statements of the six witnesses. It has scheduled a second hearing on
Tuesday.
9 Comments |
terrorism in any form should be dealt with ron hand
By: rajha | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 10:11:08 AM
Its high time that the government should make strict policies to
eradicate the naxalities other wise what is the use of so many brave
soldiers beeing sacrifised every day. Terrorism in any form should be
dealt with iron hand and finished as such people need not live who
have no value of life for others
By: arish sahani | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 3:29:41 AM
Our PM and High commnad has made India very soft country by making
timely apeasing Islam forces.15 point agenda 10 % islamic reservation,
soft policies in kashmir will cost india dearly. Congress rule time to
timehas made india internally and outwardly very insecured.
Terrorism Act in India , updated and redefined- With Greater power to
the forces
dealing this scourge
By: darvan | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 14:59:14 PM
High time the Parliament enacted a Presidential order to take the
terrorists head on. Negotiate with Pakistan an 'Inter-Dominion pact'
to create a 'Indo-Pak Terrorist Task force' to hunt down Pakiastani
Groups and Indian Groups destabilising the two countries including
Shiva Sena and other groups in Kashmir included. Indian Leaders of the
Past such as Sardar Patel , Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi would
pursue similar course.
Naxalite Problem
By: Surender Kumar Singal | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 14:06:08 PM
The problem of Naxalites is going on for the last many years.There had
been tremendous fear in the minds of general public. The central Govt.
will have to act now. We may use the Armed forces to finish the
Naxlites. I donot think our Army is incompetent for it, the only thing
required is political will.It is the duty of the Govt. to make the
citizens of the country fearless by doing all possible efforts.Things
cannot go like this for such a long period.
Isn't it inconguous?
By: M.L.Gupta | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 9:14:07 AM
Judging the tribal sanskriti of a geography through the laws
appropriate for societies cast in western urban mould? Is it really a
"crime" to live life in accordance with the "customs & mores" of a
tribal society? The state ought to see the "conflict" of these customs
and mores of the two societies. It invariably always works against the
interests of the uninitiated (into the living styles of the urban) in
matters like 'alieniation of land holdings' in the name of
development; cutting of forests; arrest & police torture in violation
of not only the law of the land but human rights and in particular the
tribal rights. Funnily,the benefits intended by the state for the
tribals are usurped by the 'smart' urban folks(something like freedom
fighters certified to be born on or after 15 Aug 1947). It is this
malaise that leads to violence, organised in various ways--naxalism is
but one such form.The state really can not do much except sacrificing
the police personnel.New methodology needed.
Naxalites Vs Paramilitary forces
By: sanjay kumar shau | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 8:18:44 AM
The situation has become more peril in the naxalite area when the
naxalites killed our soldiers.This is the time for the government to
take a stingent action against them.Our government should involve the
army and the air force to eradicate the naxalites from the country.On
one hand we claim to have the 4th largest army in the world to combat
any violent situation while on the other hand we have been facing the
internal as well as the external threat.Though we will have to take
action against our own countrymen but this would not be unfair to
eradicate them.The point is army is busy in doing several exercises in
their cantonment or war fields where it should be busy in combating
the situation,afterall our aim is to be a peaceful and a prosperous
nation in the world.
Who are they? Tribals against Tribals?
By: Babubhai Vaghela Ahmedabad | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 7:51:43 AM
The Cops posted for the dangerous jobs are essentially the ones who
belong NOT to the Upper Castes but belong PRIMARILY to the
disadvantaged section of the society. Let Mr P Chidambaram Union Home
Minister refute it with the statistics on postings done.
Young Ind
ians - so desperate and hopeless
By: Dee | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 5:40:03 AM
Can we send our politicians to these areas? They are public servants
too and live really lavish lives on taxpayers money. On the other hand
even food for the army is not served until the big bosses and
politicians get their cuts.
India's Home Grown
By: Dinesh | Tuesday , 16 Feb '10 4:23:43 AM
Besides PAK Terrorists India should also stop Entertaining Home grown
Terrorists Organization like ULFA, NAXALS, MAOISTS, ISLAMIC MUJAHIDEEN
etc etc....and they would also start showing their Teeth & Nails to
Int Countries in short time. Police & Army is Useless & Helpless
against Dirty Politics. Politicians who " SHIELD " this terror groups
for Vote Banks must be considered Terror Leaders by law & charge with
every crime done by this groups.
bademiyansubhanallah
The Naxal Keystone
02.24.10 | By Shlok Vaidya
Sheena Roy passionately argues for a separate Talangana state, taking
great pains to distance herself from the Naxals that she claims the
opposition has been smearing her movement as a part of:
The Seema Andhra leaders today are trying to term Telangana people as
naxalites, trying to create a fear in the Center and suppress the
student movement. This propaganda has moved to the internet, now the
Andhra people take pleasure in calling all Pro-Telangana people
naxalites. They too show their indifference and apathy when young kids
from Telangana die, committing suicides.
I agree with Michael on this one. Rather than revealing an insurgency
independent of the Naxals, this movement reveals just how much the
Naxals have eroded governance in the region, creating the conditions
for a Talangana movement, and underpinning the kind of connectivity
that enables this kind of insurgency. In short, the Naxal is the
keystone species of the rural Indian ecosystem.
India’s Naxalite Rage
Shlok Vaidya analyzes the far-flung implications of a shifting Indian
security environment with a focus on the globally-connected Naxalite
insurgency.
http://naxaliterage.com/?p=384
Columnists Peace and all that jazz By Jawed Naqvi
Thursday, 25 Feb, 2010 India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.—
Reuters It is part of South Asia’s cultural evolution (or limitation)
that a most complex narrative is conveyed through the intervention of
dance and music.
A hero will sing very tunefully before ending his life if he is not
proposing to his sweetheart. A heroine will dance and get the benefit
of doubt for her other unrevealed talents.
Desperate analysts gazing at patterns of tea leaves to divine India’s
dehydrated relationship with Pakistan have picked out Nirupama Rao’s
talent as an agreeable jazz singer, implying metaphorically of course
that she could be required to lean on such a talent today.
As India’s foreign secretary she has invited her Pakistani counterpart
Salman Bashir for talks to New Delhi where, as far as local reports
go, her brief is to discuss cross-border terrorism and little else.
His instructions are equally well publicised: to keep the ambit of the
first such contact in a long time wide open and inclusive of all
issues, including Kashmir. And this is where the cultural metaphor
will need tweaking.
If Ms Rao is stymied by her instructions to abridge the scope of her
interaction with the visitor — if reports are to be believed — than
the lurking false notes in the exercise would inevitably lead to a
jarring denouement.
On the other hand, a plain and candid exchange of perceptions on a
raft of issues that have dogged the two nations forever would actually
help shore up the purpose of the meeting.
Some analysts have suggested that the cordial relationship the two
officials shared in Beijing as their countries’ ambassadors could help
matters.
However, a real asset that Ms Rao brings to any dealing with Pakistan
is that she has been part of the highs and lows of a turbulent
relationship. In this sense she represents a continuity of sorts.
Some may call it a handicap. They believe that the BJP and the
Congress, whose policies she has represented, have a divergent take on
neighbourhood ties, which is a hasty conclusion to draw.
As the spokesperson at the Agra summit of July 2001 she represented
India’s wavering official policy that ranged between euphoric and
inexplicably ruinous.
That it was a BJP government which offered the best hope we have yet
known for a durable rapprochement with Pakistan was a baffling
revelation. And Ms Rao was part of it. When the relationship fell into
an abyss, she was again a part of it.
Her “terse” message after the summit though was better crafted than
she is given credit for. There is hardly anything negative or brusque
in her saying she was “disappointed to inform you … that although the
commencement of a process and the beginning of a journey has taken
place, the destination of an agreed joint statement [with Pakistan]
has not been reached.”
Her current brief, however, is more intriguing. It’s a Congress
government in Delhi but it has many talking heads. In fact the
accusation that Indian officials often hurl at Pakistan — that they do
not know who to talk to in Islamabad — seems to apply in some measure
to India as well.
Is the prime minister in charge, or are the intelligence agencies
calling the shots? They are two different entities often with a
divergent agenda. Between the defence minister, the army chief, the
home minister and a junior and senior foreign minister there is enough
variety — to put it mildly — on the policy vis-à-vis Pakistan,
somersaults notwithstanding.
Ms Rao represents a kind of continuity in the somersaults too and
let’s accept this as an asset. After all it was the untenable issue of
not talking to Gen Musharraf after he overthrew a democratically
elected prime minister in Islamabad that marked much of Atal Bihari
Vajpayee’s early stance towards him. And she, as spokesperson, had to
do the explaining.
In fact, the variety of real and questionable reasons offered by India
to withdraw from talks with Pakistan or to curb their scope have been
mind-boggling. India did not wish to talk to a dictator went the
message in October 1999.
Fine, but India had invited Gen Zia in 1983 and attended the first
Saarc summit in Dhaka hosted by a military dictator.
It is not as though terrorism was not happening in Kashmir when
democracy in Pakistan became the sticking point with Mr Vajpayee. But
the flavour in Delhi was democracy, possibly because around that time
Mr Vajpayee had scraped through in a mid-term poll and he wanted to
emphasise it.
Yet one day the military dictator got himself a new sherwani,
literally, and anointed himself president. Who was the first one on
the phone to greet him? Vajpayee!
Even earlier, for all the conviction of not talking to Pakistan
because it sheltered terrorists, Mr Vajpayee heroically waded into
Lahore while studiously ignoring the tragedy of the previous night
when a score of Hindus were massacred in Kashmir.
If terrorism was an impediment in India’s relationship with Pakistan,
it wasn’t evident in Lahore.
The Congress government is a shade worse in its handling of Pakistan.
First, it keeps looking over its shoulder to see whether Messrs BJP
and Shiv Sena are watching.
Then it has an old bee in its bonnet which comes out occasionally to
reveal a mindset that doesn’t help, like Rahul Gandhi muttering at a
most inappropriate time during an election (when else?) that it was
his grandmother who split Pakistan into two. How did that help the
young Gandhi, or India, or his election campaign?
Just before the Mumbai attacks, possibly fewer than six weeks prior to
it, the national security advisers of the two countries were meeting
in Delhi.
It was a rare moment when the two came face to face and they had a
good reason to do so. Devastating attacks on the Indian mission in
Kabul and the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad had a hand in bringing about
that landmark event.
Shortly after that the Pakistani foreign minister was meeting his
Indian counterpart in Delhi. Within hours of that the terrorists
struck in Mumbai and we were back to square one.
It is being said about the Bashir-Rao meeting, and of the Sharm el
Sheikh summit between the two prime ministers last year, that they
were needed to jointly fight terrorism. But why should we believe
that?
Why should we not accept the bitter truth that the two sides are
meeting because they have been told to do so by someone they can’t say
no to?
The notion of genuine peace talks have to come from the pit of the
stomach. On the other hand, between suicidal madness and good old
jazz, there’s little to choose from. And Ms Rao holds the key to both.
The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi.
We will talk, but Pakistan must curb 'terror': Indian president
Monday, 22 Feb, 2010 India is ready to explore a meaningful
relationship if Pakistan seriously addresses the threat of terrorism:
Pratibha Patil.—File photo Columnists
Peace and all that jazz Peace and all that jazz NEW DELHI: India said
Monday that any meaningful relationship with Pakistan required
Islamabad to crack down on “terrorism” -- as the rivals prepared for
their first official talks since the Mumbai attacks.
In a speech to the opening session of parliament, President Pratibha
Patil left the door open for improved relations between the nuclear
armed neighbours, whose foreign secretaries are scheduled to meet on
Thursday.
“India is ready to explore a meaningful relationship with Pakistan if
Pakistan seriously addresses the threat of terrorism and takes
effective steps to prevent terrorist activities against India,” said
Patil.
The talks this week will be the first since India froze all dialogue
in the wake of the November 2008 assault by the gunmen on Mumbai that
left 166 people dead. India blamed the attack on Pakistan-based
militants.
New Delhi and Islamabad announced the resumption of talks on February
12, with India insisting that they would focus on counter-terrorism
issues.—AFP
Pakistan concerned over Krishna’s remarks: FO
Wednesday, 17 Feb, 2010 Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit —
File Photo Columnists
Peace and all that jazz Peace and all that jazz ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s
Foreign Office said on Wednesday it was concerned over Indian External
Affairs Minister’s statements regarding secretary-level talks between
the two countries.
“We have noted with concern remarks attributed by the media to India’s
External Affairs Minister on the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign
Secretaries in New Delhi that these will be univocal and that there
would be no resumption of composite dialogue. This is contrary to our
understanding,” Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said in a
statement.
Basit said the outcome of the meeting should not be prejudged nor its
scope circumscribed and said “a clarification is being sought on this
account.”
Pakistan and India’s foreign secretaries are set to meet on February
25. —APP
Composite dialogue with Pakistan suspended: Krishna
Wednesday, 17 Feb, 2010 Krishna said that while composite
dialogue will only resume once Pakistan address the issues raised by
India, it is important to hold talks. —Reuters/File Photo Columnists
Peace and all that jazz Peace and all that jazz NEW DELHI: India’s
Minister for External Affairs said on Wednesday that next week’s
secretary-level talks with Pakistan do not indicate the resumption of
composite dialogue.
“Let us be very, very clear that the composite dialogue is suspended.
Composite dialogue is not being renewed...The brief to the Foreign
Secretary is that terror would be focal point...,” S.M. Krishna said
in a television interview.
Pakistan and India are set to renew talks on February 25, for the
first after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Krishna said that while composite dialogue will only resume once
Pakistan address the issues raised by India, it is important to hold
talks.
“In order to carry forward the core issue as far as India is concerned
about terror and terror driven activities emanating from Pakistan, we
thought that it is necessary to engage Pakistan in this very critical
area of terror.”
Talks with Pakistan to go ahead: India
Monday, 15 Feb, 2010 Indian forensic experts search for evidence
at the scene of blast in Pune.—AFP Columnists
Peace and all that jazz Peace and all that jazz NEW DELHI: India said
Monday there would be no knee-jerk reaction to a deadly weekend
militant attack in the western city of Pune and planned peace talks
with Pakistan next week would go ahead.
The blast at a crowded restaurant claimed nine lives and led to calls
for the government to call off talks with Pakistan, which New Delhi
accuses of supporting anti-India militants.
Peace talks between the South Asian neighbours were interrupted after
attacks on Mumbai in November 2008 in which 166 people were killed by
gunmen whom India claims were from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba
group.
“There is no change,” a government source told AFP when asked if
Saturday's blast in Pune would affect the planned meeting between the
foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan scheduled for February 25 in
New Delhi.
Indian media reports, citing intelligence sources, say the blast bore
the hallmarks of the Indian Mujahideen, a militant group that claimed
responsibility for a series of bomb blasts in September 2008 in New
Delhi.
Another government source said New Delhi would refrain from any “knee-
jerk reaction” as investigations into the attack were still going on.
“India has said its focus would be on terrorism” at the talks, the
source said.
India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads over a series of issues,
including the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both sides claim in
full but administer in parts.—AFP
Australia, New Zealand govts assess Indian terror threat
Wednesday, 17 Feb, 2010 A policeman watches a foreign tourist
passing through a security checkpoint in the old quarters of Delhi,
February 17, 2010. Police were questioning several people on Tuesday
in connection with a bomb attack that killed 10 people in Pune after
viewing closed-circuit television footage, officials said. -Photo by
Reuters Sport
Media walks out of hockey World Cup event Media walks out of hockey
World Cup event SYDNEY: Australian and New Zealand sports
organizations said Wednesday their athletes would continue to compete
in India despite a purported threat by an al-Qaeda-linked guerrilla
group to target major upcoming sports events.
Officials said they would heed advice from their governments,
international sports bodies and specialist security advisers over the
level of threat associated with the forthcoming men’s field hockey
World Cup, Indian Premier League cricket tournament and Commonwealth
Games.
The Asia Times Online Web site published a message reportedly from
guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose Kashmir-based 313 Brigade is
an operational arm of al-Qaeda. The message warns of potential attacks
on the Hockey World Cup, the IPL cricket tournament and the
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi later this year.
“We warn the international community not to send their people to the
2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games. Nor should their
people visit India — if they do, they will be responsible for the
consequences,” Asia Times Online quoted a translated message as
saying.
The message was not verified, but Asia Times Online said it had
interviewed the leader of the group in October.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and New Zealand’s John Key said
Wednesday their governments were working closely with Indian
authorities to monitor the level of risk.
“Indian authorities have pledged to implement strong security
procedures for all upcoming sporting events in India,” Rudd said. “We,
however, will be following this very, very closely.”
Key said his government could not instruct New Zealanders not to
compete in India but would offer the latest security advice.
“The decision whether to travel or not ultimately rests with the
sporting team. We wouldn’t stop a sporting team going but it’s
important we are able to give them the best information possible so
that they can assess that,” Key said.
The Australian and New Zealand field hockey organizations both said
they would send teams to the men’s World Cup, to be held in New Delhi
from Feb. 28 to March 13.
Hockey Australia chief executive Mark Anderson said the Australian
team would leave for India on Sunday, but individual players could
withdraw if they had safety fears.
“So at any stage if they are not comfortable with the situation they
can elect to opt out of the team, so there is no pressure on team
members,” Anderson said. “But at this stage there’s no indication that
anyone is going to exercise that option.”
Hockey New Zealand said it would delay the scheduled departure of its
team in response to the latest threat, but confirmed it was not
withdrawing from the tournament.
Australian Sports Minister Kate Ellis said her government was yet to
raise its security warning.
“The Australian security agencies are assessing those threats very
closely and at this stage there has been no change to the level of
security threat around traveling to India,” Ellis said. “The moment
that there is any change to those levels, our sporting organizations
are notified straight away so that they can make the best assessments
for their athletes.”
Australian cricket vice captain Michael Clarke said he and other
Australian players heading for the Indian Premier League in March had
confidence in the security advice they were receiving. Clarke said
Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association were
closely monitoring developments.
“I don’t know the exact detail on it, I only heard a few little bits
about it this morning, but we’re in pretty safe hands with Cricket
Australia and the ACA making those sorts of decisions,” Clarke said.
“They have the people in place to make those sorts of major
decisions.”
Perry Crosswhite, head of the Australian Commonwealth Games
Association, said Australia was committed to attending the
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi later this year. He said threats would
not stop the games.
“That threat does not affect our current position of going to the
games,” Crosswhite said. “We are committed to going. You can’t be
uncertain on that.”
Security fears hit ticket sales for Pakistan-India clash
Tuesday, 23 Feb, 2010 “We did not get a stock for the first day,
but tickets for the others days are available with us,” said a manager
of a Cafe Coffee Day shop. “Everyone is asking for tickets for the
India-Pakistan match.” —AFP/File Photo Sport
Media walks out of hockey World Cup event Media walks out of hockey
World Cup event NEW DELHI: Tough security measures in place for the
field hockey World Cup look set to prevent hundreds of fans from
watching the opening day’s clash between arch-rivals India and
Pakistan on Sunday.
Tickets for the day’s three matches in the 12-nation tournament at the
19,000-seater Dhyan Chand National Stadium are not available online or
through the designated outlets in the Indian capital.
“We did not get a stock for the first day, but tickets for the others
days are available with us,” said a manager of a Cafe Coffee Day shop.
“Everyone is asking for tickets for the India-Pakistan match.”
The website www.ticketgenie.in is selling tickets online, but for
matches from the second day onwards and only for the general uncovered
stands.
Tickets are not being sold for the covered stands on the southern side
of the stadium, where the teams’ dressing rooms are, for the entire
tournament which ends on March 13.
A member of the organising committee declined to comment on why
tickets for the opening day were not available, amid speculation that
police in plain clothes will fill the stands.
“For the other days there is no problem,” he told AFP. “As for the
covered stands, we have been advised by police not to sell tickets as
a security precaution.”
The Hindu newspaper reported over the weekend that “police want the
organizers to refund the money if tickets have been sold for the
covered stands.”
Security concerns for the World Cup were fuelled by a bomb blast last
week in the western city of Pune that killed 15 people.
It was the first major attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai
assault by gunmen that left 166 dead.
India has imposed a security clampdown for the tournament, which is
being regarded as a test run for anti-terror measures ahead of the
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi from October 3-14.
Home secretary G.K. Pillai had told reporters on Monday that although
there was no “credible threat” to the World Cup, thousands of police
and paramilitary forces would guard the tournament.
Former India hockey captain Pargat Singh, who failed to secure the
opening day’s tickets for his sports academy students, lashed out at
the organisers.
“This will be by far the worst organised World Cup,” Singh told
reporters.
“What should have been a showpiece event is fast becoming an
embarrassment.
“I have been trying to buy tickets for players of my academy for the
past two weeks, but still don’t know how to procure them,” he said.
The media has been barred from entering the stadium or interacting
with the players till the tournament starts under instructions from
tournament director Ken Read.
“Read has determined that media access to training will not be
possible until accreditations are active, which is expected to be on
February 27th,” a statement from the organisers said on Tuesday. —AFP
Media walks out of hockey World Cup event
Thursday, 25 Feb, 2010 International Hockey Federation (FIH)
spokesman Arjen Meijer (C) tries to calm down journalists who
protested during his news conference in New Delhi February 24, 2010.
Journalists shouted and stopped Meijer to address his news conference
to protest against the restrictions imposed on media coverage of the
teams and venue due to high security reasons ahead of men's hockey
world cup to be held in New Delhi from February 28 to March 13. -Photo
by Reuters Sport
Security fears hit ticket sales for Pakistan-India clash ZERO
ATTENDANCE?
Security fears hit ticket sales for Pakistan-India clash The media on
Wednesday staged a boycott at a promotional event of the forthcoming
hockey World Cup in New Delhi over strict restrictions imposed by the
International Hockey Federation (FIH) on the coverage of the
tournament.
During the promotional event, organised by a major partner of the
World Cup with the Indian team, media representatives protested the
restrictions loudly and vehemently, not allowing FIH spokesman Arjen
Meijer to speak. The journalists then walked out of the event, an
Indian television channel reported.
Meijer followed the journalists and tried to convince them to return
by assuring them that their concerns will be looked at.
Meijer was also informed about how the media was treated for the last
three weeks.
“Were not allowed to cover the practice session of the Indian team and
we are also not allowed to enter the team hotels. How can media
function under such circumstances?” the journalists asked.
Meijer said after coming out of the event: “I am helpless. I am on
your side and that’s why I have come here. We will sort out all the
accreditation issues by today. Let us not look into the past. I cannot
change whatever has happened. But I will ensure that everything will
be properly managed from now.”
The FIH had said in a statement that media access to the training
sessions of the World Cup hockey teams would not be allowed without
the activation of the accreditations, which are “expected” to come
into effect only a day before the start of the World Cup on Sunday.
But after a meeting of the Coordination Commission of the Cup, it was
decided that media would be allowed access to the team’s practice
sessions from Thursday. This, however, was not implemented.
bademiyansubhanallah
Centre weak on acting against terror, Naxalism: RSS
STAFF WRITER 0:41 HRS IST
Kollam (Ker), Feb 24 (PTI) Accusing the UPA government of failing to
act firmly against terrorism originating from Pakistan and Naxal
threat, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said indecisiveness on these
challenges has become a major threat to the nation.
The government is claiming that it has adopted a "humanitarian
approach" on these issues grossly overlooking the grim threat posed by
them, Bhagwat told a massive gathering of over one lakh RSS volunteers
here.
"Over three lakh Kashmiri Pandits have been displaced from their home
state over three generations. It is difficult to understand as to why
the government is not adopting a humanitarian approach towards them
while being soft towards terrorism," he said.
According to Bhagwat, the failure to act in a determined manner to
root out Naxalism posed a serious threat to many parts of the country.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/535589_Centre-weak-on-acting-against-terror--Naxalism--RSS
Police officer, Maoist killed in encounter in WB
STAFF WRITER 10:14 HRS IST
Bankura (WB), Feb 25 (PTI) A police officer and a Maoist were killed
and two others injured in a gunfight between the security forces and
the ultras at Sarenga in Bankura district, police said today.
A group of armed Maoists shot at and injured local CPI-M leader
Tarashankar Patra late last night.
On getting the information, police and joint forces rushed to the
spot.Another team of joint forces from Lalgarh came and a gunbattle
with the security forces ensued.
Inspector-in-charge of Sarenga police station, Rabi Lochan Mitra and a
Maoist cadre Dule were killed in the encounter, Superintendent of
Police Vishal Garg told PTI.
Another guerrilla Mithun was injured in the gunfight, Garg said.
Patra has been admitted to Bankura Sammilani Medical College and
Mithun was taken to Sarenga hospital, police said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/535679_Police-officer--Maoist-killed-in-encounter-in-WB
Security fears still haunt England hockey squad
STAFF WRITER 14:48 HRS IST
London, Feb 25 (PTI) England hockey squad is leaving for New Delhi
today to participate in the World Cup starting Sunday but security
arrangements in the Indian capital are still a concern for the
players, according to a report.
England's Hockey performance director David Faulkner acknowledged
there were apprehensions among the players related to security and
that they were in contact with the British High Commission in Delhi
regarding the arrangements, 'The Times' reported.
"The excitement of playing in a World Cup has been dented and it is
unsettling," Faulkner was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
"The safety and security of the England squad remains our priority and
we are in daily contact with the British High Commission in Delhi
regarding security arrangements. We fully intend to go to the World
Cup," Faulkner said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/536165_Security-fears-still-haunt-England-hockey-squad
Indo-Pak encounter excites Dutch custodian Vogels
STAFF WRITER 11:48 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) The much anticipated encounter between India
and Pakistan on inaugural day of the hockey World Cup would be one of
the most exciting matches of the 12-team quadrennial event, feels
veteran Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogels.
Vogels said even though the Netherlands open their campaign the next
day against Argentina, it won't stop him from watching the sub-
continent rivals lock horns at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
here on Sunday.
"The India-Pakistan match would definitely be an exciting one. This
match will eventually decide the standing of Pool A.
I will definitely watch it," said the 34-year-old custodian.
Even though Vogels was not certain about India's chances in the
prestigious tournament, he feels Pakistan would be a tough contender
to deal with during the February 28-March 13 event.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/535807_Indo-Pak-encounter-excites-Dutch-custodian-Vogels
US wants resumption of Indo-Pak talks: Clinton
STAFF WRITER 6:42 HRS IST
Lalit K Jha
Washington, Feb 25 (PTI) As the foreign secretaries of India and
Pakistan are scheduled to meet in New Delhi today, US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton has said the Obama Administration favours
resumption of direct talks between the two neighbours.
"With respect to India and Pakistan, we have encouraged the resumption
of direct talks which were suspended when President Pervez Musharraf
left office," Clinton told a Congressional panel yesterday.
In reply to a question from Senator Greg on Indo-Pak relations, she
said "...talks between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh had actually been quite productive particularly in producing
results on the ground in Kashmir. But they have been in abeyance now
for... slightly more than two years."
Clinton said that the countries were going to hold talks, and the US
was sensitive to the concerns that the both countries have.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/535626_US-wants-resumption-of-Indo-Pak-talks--Clinton
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, shakes hands with
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, right, as they meet in central London,
Wednesday Jan. 27, 2010. Afghan President Karzai gave assurances
Wednesday to lift the defense burden from the US and its allies, as
senior officials gathered in London. AP/PTI Photograph (1)
Clinton asks US to approve USD 3.2 bn aid to Pak
STAFF WRITER 10:30 HRS IST
Lalit K Jha
Washington, Feb 25 (PTI) Identifying Pakistan as a frontline State
along with Afghanistan and Iraq, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
today asked American lawmakers to approve the Obama Administration's
proposal of USD 3.2 billion civil and military aid to Islamabad for
the fiscal year 2011.
"In Pakistan, our request includes USD 3.2 billion to combat
extremism, promote economic development, strengthen democratic
institutions, and build a long-term relationship with the Pakistani
people," Clinton said in her testimony before a key Congressional
panel.
Appreciating the recent steps taken by President Asif Ali Zardari
government, Clinton said Obama Administration has committed some large
signature energy projects, because part of their economic challenge is
keeping the power on and keeping those factories humming.
"I've ordered a redirection of our aid so that we produce results that
are in line with the needs and aspirations of the Pakistani people.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/535694_Clinton-asks-US-to-approve-USD-3-2-bn-aid-to-Pak
bademiyansubhanallah
No clear stand to counter ‘attacks from Pakistan’: RSS chief
Staff Reporter
Uniformed swayamsevaks at the pranta sanghik (State assembly) of the
RSS at Kollam on Wednesday. Photo: C. Suresh Kumar
Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has
said that in spite of continuing attacks from Pakistan, the government
was not taking a clear stand to counter the menace. Dr. Bhagwat, on
his first visit to the State after taking over as sarsanghchalak,
addressed the Pranta Sanghik (State assembly) of the RSS on Wednesday.
Dr. Bhagwat, while questioning the lack of a concrete and strong stand
against Pakistan, alleged that the diversity of the nation was being
exploited by forces across the border to keep the nation divided. The
forces who were trying to gain control over the world were the ones
who created problems for the world, he said. Ruled by selfishness
coupled with extreme intolerance, they wish to unite the world in a
way they want. That was impossible because unity needs uniformity and
the world is not uniform, he said.
While the votaries of intolerance resort to mass killings to make
others toe their line, only Hindutva tolerates everything in the
world, Dr. Bhagwat said. Though some may term Hindutva as obsolete, in
reality Hindutva – a vishwa darshan that can lead the world - was not
only modern but post modern too. Dr. Bhagwat said only a Hindu society
could take a genuine stand against such selfish outlook.
The unity of Hindus was imperative for the dawn of a better world, and
the RSS, over the past 85 years, has been striving for it.
He said everyone living in India were Indians and could go to any part
of the country, not only to Mumbai but also to Kashmir. He questioned
why Kashmir was being isolated for vast majority of Indians.
The RSS chief said that India needed a swadeshi policy. Instead of
promoting a mechanisation spree, the human resource potential of the
country has to be utilized.
Dr. Bhagwat’s address in Hindi to nearly one lakh swayamsevaks from
all over the State was translated into Malayalam by RSS pranta
pracharak A. Gopalakrishnan. President of the assembly organizing
committee, V. Ramachandran Nair, presented a traditional lamp to Dr.
Bhagwat.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article112857.ece
New Delhi, February 25, 2010
India, Pak Foreign Secretaries meet
PTI
The Hindu Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao greets her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir, prior to their meeting in New Delhi on
February 25, 2010. Photo: V. Sudershan
U.S. wants resumption of India-Pak talks: Hillary
After a 14-month hiatus, Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met
here on Thursday for structured talks with an aim of ending the chill
in the relations caused by Mumbai attacks.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao headed the Indian delegation while the
Pakistani delegation was led by her counterpart Salman Bashir.
Before getting into the talks at Hyderbad House, Ms. Rao said, “I
welcome Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Salman Bashir...I look forward
to our talks“.
Mr. Bashir said, “...It is a pleasure for me to be back here. ....We
are also looking forward to a very good, constructive engagement“.
At the talks, India was set to raise concerns over continued terrorism
emanating from Pakistan and press it to end this scourge which was
hampering normalisation of ties.
In this context, Ms. Rao is expected to refer to the recent anti-India
rally held by Jamat-ud-Dawa in Lahore where its chief Hafiz Saeed made
provocative speeches inciting Pakistanis to intensify attack against
the country.
India is also likely to seek the progress report from Pakistan on the
investigation and prosecution into the Mumbai attacks.
Ms. Rao is also expected to seek voice samples of seven arrested LeT
operatives in connection with Mumbai attacks to be provided to India
to match them with telephonic intercepts recorded by the security
agencies here.
The Pakistani side was expected to raise Kashmir and water issue.
India has made it clear that terrorism is the focus of these talks
although it was ready to discuss any issue that could yield to peace
and security between the two countries.
India has played down any great expectations from the talks and cited
the “trust deficit“.
New Delhi has emphasised that the Foreign Secretary-level talks did
not mean resumption of composite dialogue which was put on hold by
India after the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by ten Pakistani
nationals.
After 26/11, Foreign Secretaries of the two countries have been
meeting on the sidelines of various multi-lateral events. The last
formal meeting between the Foreign Secretaries was held in May 2008.
Refusing to pre—judge the outcome of the talks, India, says the future
of the relations could be determined by the way Pakistan acts on
India’s concerns.
Arriving here yesterday, Mr. Bashir said, “I have come here to bridge
the differences. I am hopeful of a positive outcome.”
Mr. Bashir is also scheduled to call on External Affairs Minister S.
M. Krishna and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon.
Prior to Mumbai attacks, the composite dialogue which was launched in
2004 had made considerable progress during the four rounds.
Under the composite dialogue, eight issues including Jammu and
Kashmir, Confidence Building Measures, Siachen and Sir Creek were
discussed.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article113160.ece?homepage=true
January 13, 2010 Declaration: India-Pakistan Conference – A road map
towards peace
Share · print · T+ The discussions in the India-Pakistan
Conference: A Road map towards Peace over the last three days have
shown how far the public sentiment in both India and Pakistan is
inclined towards peace. The participating organizations from both
sides of the border represent a vast constituency which is ready to
work towards building enduring and sustainable peace between the two
countries.
http://beta.thehindu.com/multimedia/archive/00023/India_Pakistan_Confe_23180a.pdf
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article80184.ece
Centre is indecisive over Terror and Naxalism, says Bhagwat
Posted On: 25-Feb-2010 13:35:29
By: Vikas Mehta
Kollam: Blaming the government for failed to handle the issues of
terror and Naxalism in the country, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat asserted
that dither policies have made the situation a major menace to the
nation.
Addressing to the RSS volunteer, Bhagwat stated that the government
has claimed that it has taken the matter under ‘humanitarian approach’
despite these issues have created terrible scene before the nation,
and the government is failed to notice.
He asked question that why the government has not taken its
humanitarian approach over three lakhs Kashmiri’s Pandits who have
migrated from their home state.
http://www.mynews.in/News/Centre_is_indecisive_over_Terror_and_Naxalism,_says_Bhagwat__N39131.html
Sikh beheading issue would taken up with Pak, says Krishna
Posted On: 24-Feb-2010 17:05:23
By: Vikas Mehta
New Delhi: The Indian government has stated today that the issue of
beheading of Sikhs would be taken up to the Pakistan side, as the
matter is a serious concern.
Stating over the matter in Parliament, External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna affirmed that he strongly condemn the beheading of Sardar
Jaspal Singh in the tribal areas of Pakistan. This barbaric and
heinous crime is deplorable in the strongest possible terms.
He added such act of violence is serious concern to the government and
it would put up appropriately with the government of Pakistan.
He told that the President of Pakistan has strongly condemned the
incident and asked the authorities to investigate the incident, and to
take strict action against the responsible for brutal killing.
http://www.mynews.in/News/Sikh_beheading_issue_would_taken_up_with_Pak,_says_Krishna__N39062.html
Talks with Pakistan would not yield any results:Mohan Bhagwat
Talks,Indo-pak talks,RSS,BJP,Mohan bhagwat,UPA
Thiruvananthapuram: RSS said talks between India and Pakistan would
not yield any results as long as Islamabad continued its "antagonistic
mindset" towards India. "Pakistan has a continuous antagonistic
mindset towards India. Unless that attitude is changed, talks will
never be fruitful", RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said. "For the success of
talks, the situation does not matter. The mindset matters more. India
has always offered readiness for talks. But Pakistan has adopted an
approach that it can not live with Bharat," Bhagawat said .
"Pakistan should change this mindset, then it will be beneficial to
them also," he said. Voicing concern over infiltration from across the
border, he said effective steps should be taken to prevent it, since
this was a matter of national security. On beheading of two Sikhs by
Taliban in Pakistan, Bhagwat accused the Indian government of not
taking effective steps to protect people of Indian origin in other
countries. "There is a general complaint abroad that our Government is
not doing enough to protect NRIs. The Government should do more on
that," he said. Rubbishing reports about possible involvement of
"Hindu terror outfits" behind the Pune blast, Bhagwat said "this bogey
has been created ever since the Malegaon blasts." Bhagwat also said
that RSS did not have any link with Karnataka based right wing outfit
Sriram Sene and did not subscribe to their activities. Though it was a
political party which RSS did not want to bring under its tight
control, certain suggestions to improve the organisation had been to
put to its leaders, like bringing young blood and strengthening
idealist moorings. They have accepted them and are pursuing that
course, he said.
Telangana issue
On the Telengana issue, he said RSS was not opposed to creation of
small states for convenience of administration and development. "So if
the majority felt in favour of a separate states, there is nothing
wrong in examining the issue and forming a state," he said. Bhagwat
said the Sangh would continue its movement for Ram temple at Ayodhya
as it was a symbol of "national character" and it was wrong to
construe it as a religious goal. On the prolonged hostility between
RSS and CPI(M) in parts of Kannur district in Kerala, which has
claimed many lives over the decades, he said he was always prepared
for one-to-one talks with Marxists to ensure peace in the area.
Updated : Thursday, 25 Feb 2010, 14:53 [IST]
http://ncrsamaylive.com/NewsDetails.aspx?lNewsID=136255&lCategoryID=105
chhotemianinshallah
Express News Service
Posted: Friday , Feb 26, 2010 at 0344 hrs
Kolkata:
Even as Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and top Maoist leader
Kishenji are setting their pre-conditions for any possible talks,
violence in Naxal-hit Bankura spiralled today with Maoists gunning
down the inspector in-charge of Sarenga police station, while he was
returning after a fierce gunbattle with them during which the joint
forces are said to have displayed a renewed “aggression”.
The encounter, in which a Maoist was killed and two others were
injured, came a day before Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
begins his visit to Naxal-hit Bankura and Purulia.
The incident occurred early Thursday morning near the house of a local
CPM leader in Sonardanga village which the Maoists raided.
Sources said for the first time in months, villagers called up Sarenga
police station to inform that 10-15 Maoists had attacked the local CPM
leader Tarashankar Patra’s house. IC Rabilocahan Maitro promptly
reached the village with an armed police team just when the Maoists
were reportedly trying to kill Patra, who is also a panchayat member.
According to police, Patra stayed in a concrete house while his
brother lived close by in a mud house. The Maoists first stormed into
the mud house and took Patra’s brother out. He was then asked to call
out his elder brother at gun point. When the CPM leader came out of
his house, the Maoists started beating him mercilessly.
Soon after, the Sarenga police team reached the spot and a team of the
joint forces from Lalgarh joined in. They engaged the ultras in a
gunbattle, killing one of them, who was later identified as Jagannath
Duley, a resident of Saluka village in Bankura. Two other Maoists were
injured in the firing and fled.
After the Maoists retreated, Maitro decided to take an injured Patra
to the local hospital. As he was returning to the police station with
his force, two Maoists hiding in an under-construction building opened
fire and shot him point blank. The joint forces retaliated and another
Maoist, identified as Mithun, was reportedly injured. Patra has been
admitted to Bankura Sammilani Medical College while Mithun was taken
to Sarenga hospital, the police said.
“The Maoists who attacked Patra’s house had come from Lalgarh, which
is 2 km from the village, and they fled the same way,” said a senior
official.
State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said, “It showed the police morale
was quite high despite Silda.” “We have lost an excellent officer. He
will be awarded the Guard of Honour today at the Bankura police lines.
We have started combing operations in the area,” said Bankura SP
Vishal Garg.
DGP Bhupinder Singh said the slain inspector’s name was being
recommended for President’s medal for bravery.
After dropping cop’s cell number, Kishenji’s call drops
The Vodaphone number 9734695789 that top Maoist commander Kishenji had
given to the Union home ministry through the media to reach him at is
now switched off and has been found to be belonging to a police
constable attached to Belpahari police station, who was abducted and
later released by the Maoists, the police said.
The SIM was taken away from the constable during his captivity.
According to police sources, the SIM card with the Vodaphone number
9734695789 belongs to Sisir Kanti Nag, who along with another
constable Hiteswar Singh was abducted by the Maoists in October last.
The ultras had initially said they would be released only when top
PCAPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato was freed by the state government.
“The mobile phones of both the constables were snatched initially.
However, the mobile phone of Hiteswar Singh was returned to him later.
Both of them were released after a day. After the incident, Nag was
posted in Midnapore Police Lines,” said a senior police officer. Nag
wanted to block his SIM card but senior police officers and the CID
were said to have told him not to block it. “We asked him not to block
the SIM card as we got information that Kishenji had started using it.
We used to get the tower location of Kishenji from this number. We
were monitoring the number for the last few days too,” added the
officer.’
DGP Bhupinder Singh said, “We were well informed about the matter. We
have got every details of Sisir Nag and in no way he is associated
with the Maoists. So there is no need for any kind of inquiry into the
matter.”
Home department sources said after the number was given to the Union
home ministry through the media, the mobile phone was switched off.
Comments (1) |
killing of government servant
By: ravi allam | 26-Feb-2010
Its very sad that the poor government servant on duty lost his
life.They blast and destroy schools, bridges, telecommunications, also
kill common people with wrong personnel motives in the name of Police
informers, and still we the people of India should treat them as
social worriors or rural mafia gangs where the most of them are not
eduacated,failed in class viii to plus two or dicontinued or failed in
degree candidates. Most of them or attracted for not working and
simply in folk songs. As per survery most of the surrendered
extremists are happy now and they regret for joining this
movement.Destroying the rural development is Humanrightism means then
there is no point in calling of Human rightist who are fighting for
these release of extremists as leaders, intelecutuals, social
reformers,legal lumaniries, professors.In Andhrapradesh
farmingcommunity, bussinessmen, traders, eduacation,
communication,police sucessfully penetrated deep into rural and
thrownout of our state.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/inspector-maoist-killed-as-forces-raise-bengal-heat/584732/0
PM urges Afghan President to ensure protection for Indians
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1440 hrs
New Delhi:
PM Manmohan Singh has asked Afghanistan to ensure security of Indians
there after the blast on Friday.
In the wake of the terror attack in Kabul, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Saturday requested Afghan President Hamid Karzai to ensure
full protection for Indians in Afghanistan.
Singh made the request when Karzai called him up to express condolence
on the loss of Indian nationals in the attacks in Kabul yesterday.
Karzai promised "full investigation" into the incident, PM's Media
Adviser Harish Khare said. During the conversation, Singh conveyed
India's "outrage" at the incident, he said.
While thanking the Afghanistan government for the assistance given,
the Prime Minister requested Karzai to ensure full protection for
Indian nationals in Afghanistan. The two leaders agreed to stay in
touch with other, he added.
Taliban carried out coordinated attack on two hotels in Kabul which
had been rented out by Indians associated with the development works
in that country. Up to nine Indians were among 17 people killed in the
attack.
Singh yesterday condemned the terror strike saying it was a "senseless
act of violence and barbarism" targeting those who were on a "mission
of goodwill and friendship, helping to construct a peaceful,
democratic Afghanistan that our Afghan friends desire".
Indians engaged in reconstruction and development tasks in Afghanistan
have been repeatedly targeted by Taliban.
Comments (1) |
Don't give lecture to others. FIrst act in India
By: Bhushan | 27-Feb-2010
Mr Prime minister, First you ensure Indians lives in India. There is a
record of blasts in India took place in your tenure. There is no firm
action from you or your so called sicular ministers. Asking others for
action is very easy but to take action is important. What have you
done with Afjal GUru who has been convicted by SC? FIrst hang him then
give lectures to others.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pm-urges-afghan-president-to-ensure-protection-for-indians/585189/
Taliban attack: India sends plane to Afghan to fly back bodies
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 0922 hrs
New Delhi:
At least six Indians were among 17 people killed as Taliban suicide
bombers carried out a string of attacks.
India on Saturday sent a special aircraft to Afghanistan to bring the
back the bodies of its nationals, including army officials, who were
killed in suicide attacks in Kabul.
A Boeing 737-200 aircraft from the Palam-based Communication squadron
took off from here this morning to bring back all dead bodies and
those injured, IAF officials said here. The aircraft is carrying a
team of medical officers and medicines.
A team of army officers and officials from the Ministry of External
Affairs have also gone to Kabul to review the security situation there
in the backdrop of the attacks yesterday.
At least six Indians were among 17 people killed as Taliban suicide
bombers carried out a string of attacks in the heart of Kabul,
targeting Indian interests in Afghanistan.
The Indians, who died in the incident, include two army officers,
government officials, an ITBP constable and a tabla player who was
part of a cultural delegation to Afghanistan.
Five other army officers were also injured in the attack.
The bombers struck at a number of guest houses, particularly at Park
Residence, rented out by the Indian embassy for its staffers and those
linked to India's developmental work in Afghanistan.
Comments (3) |
This is sponsored by Pakistan
By: Ashok Chavda | 27-Feb-2010
This is definitely sponsored by Pakistan to gain control of
Afghanistan and to keep Indian interests out.
India ashamed, humliated once again, Mammohan resign
By: Daniel | 27-Feb-2010
Manmohan, Nirupama, Anthony, etc will still talk to the pakis, what a
shame & waht a tragedy tat we Indians have to live with such spineless
& unpatriotic people at the helm of affairs, all this people who voted
these people to power shame on you, go and drown yourself as all of
you have brought shame upon India & Indians
Indians are good at two things!
By: Pani-Puri Khan | 27-Feb-2010
It seems, Indians excel at two things: Picking up dead bodies, and
watching bollywood movies!
PM on Saudi visit; to sign extradition treaty, other pacts
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1624 hrs
New Delhi:
Amid his keenness to impart "strategic character" to India-Saudi
Arabia ties, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday embarked on a
visit to Riyadh during which the two sides will sign an Extradition
Treaty and a number of other pacts.
During the three-day trip, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 28
years, Singh will hold talks with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
on a range of bilateral issues with a focus on opening "new frontiers"
of cooperation in various areas including security and defence.
Noting that his visit carries a "special significance", he said in a
departure statement that India and Saudi Arabia have much to gain by
cooperating with each other in combating extremism and terrorism.
Singh said he would discuss with the Saudi King the situation in
Afghanistan and other regional issues and ways in which "we promote
greater stability and security in the region and impart a strategic
character to our relations beyond the traditional areas of our
cooperation".
During the visit, the two sides will sign a number of pacts including
Extradition Treaty, Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners and
Agreement on setting up Joint Investment Fund.
Accompanied by a large delegation of business and industry leaders,
the Prime Minister will also discuss ways of boosting two-way trade
amid his keen interest to see increased investments from Saudi Arabia
especially in the infrastructure sector.
"Our trade and investment linkages have grown though they remain much
below the potential of our two economies and must be broad-based,"
Singh said. Saudi Arabia is India's fourth largest trading partner
0with two-way commerce being to the tune of about 25 billion dollars.
Referring to the Delhi Declaration issued during the visit of King
Abdullah here in 2006 as Republic Day chief guest, the Prime Minister
said it was a "valuable blueprint" of cooperation between the two
countries in the future.
Noting that Gulf region is an area of vital importance for India's
security and prosperity, he said that Saudi Arabia is India's largest
and most reliable supplier of energy needs from the region.
Energy cooperation between the two countries has witnessed massive
increase since King Abdullah's Delhi visit, with Saudi exports jumping
from USD 500 million in 2006 to USD 23 billion in 2008, surpassing
Iran as the largest supplier of crude oil to India.
Saudi Arabia hosts around 1.8 million Indians as workers. Their
remittances are to the tune of five billion dollars annually. In an
interview to Saudi journalists ahead of his visit, Singh said that
considerable progress had been made in realising the vision of Delhi
Declaration which enshrined the commitment to pursue common strategic
vision for promoting regional peace and security.
Pointing out that extremism and terrorism afflicting the region poses
a "grave threat to our peoples", he said efforts of SAARC and Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) should be more effectively coordinated to
meet the challenges.
"Terrorism remains the single biggest threat to peace, stability and
to our progress. Global efforts are needed to defend the values of
pluralism, peaceful co-existence and the rule of law," Singh said.
"We reject the idea that any religion or cause can be used to justify
violence against innocent people," he said, adding that all the member
countries of the GCC share India's concerns relating to extremism and
terrorism.
Describing India and Saudi Arabia as "strong allies" against the
scourge of extremism and terrorism that affects global peace and
security, he said, "Both King Abdullah and I reject the notion that
any cause justifies wanton violence against innocent people."
He said India looks forward to deepening defence cooperation with
Saudi Arabia although there is no agreement in this area between the
two countries. He allayed as "misplaced" the concerns in the Middle
East about growing Indo-Israeli defence cooperation in recent times
which many feel could be at the expense of India's traditional support
for the Arab cause.
"Our relationship with no single country is at the expense of our
relations with any other country," he said. India's relations with the
countries in West Asia gives it the opportunity to interact in diverse
ways with this very important region, the Prime Minister underlined.
On India's support for Palestine, Singh termed it as "an article of
faith for us" and emphasised that India's solidarity with the people
of Palestine "pre-dates our independence". Singh said India supports a
peaceful solution that would result in a sovereign, independent,
viable and united State of Palestine living within secure and
recognised borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, side by side
at peace with Israel as endorsed in the Quartet Road Map and the
relevant Security Council Resolutions.
"We also support the Arab Peace Plan," he said. In the context of
supporting the Palestinian cause, the Prime Minister noted that he had
recently hosted President Mahmoud Abbas and "reiterated to him our
steadfast support for Palestine and its people."
Noting that destinies of India and the Arab world are tied together,
he said, "we have much to gain by intensifying our cooperation with
each other. We have a huge stake in each other's success, and to that
extent ours is a relationship that is of strategic importance."
He said he would like to see a much greater integration of the two
economies, higher flow of trade and investment, better connectivities
and freer flow of ideas and people. "This has in fact been our
historical legacy, and we should revive that legacy. From our side,
there are no impediments to a rapid, sustained and comprehensive
expansion of relations between India and the Arab world," he said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pm-on-saudi-visit-to-sign-extradition-treaty-other-pacts/585213/0
Police seek 26/11 court nod to dispose of seized RDX
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 0958 hrs
Mumbai:
The RDX was recovered from three unexploded IEDs, one outside Taj
Mahal Hotel.
Police have sought permission from a special court to dispose of
around 24 kgs of RDX recovered from the 26/11 target terror target
spots here.
"We have made an application seeking to dispose of the RDX but the
court is yet to pass an order on our plea," Special Public Prosecutor
Ujjwal Nikam told PTI.
The RDX was recovered from three unexploded IEDs -- one outside Taj
Mahal Hotel, another near Gokul Restaurant and the third from an
unclaimed baggage at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
The seized explosive was placed before the court as evidence.
It is the prosecution's case that two deceased terrorist, Abdul Rehman
Bada and Javed alias Abu Ali, had planted 8 to 10 kgs RDX-laden IED
outside the main porch of Taj Hotel in South Mumbai.
However, before it could explode, the Bomb Detection and Disposal
Squad (BDDS) defused the bomb.
Two other terrorists, Abu Shoib and Abu Umer, who had fired at people
at Leopold Cafe, had planted 8 to 10 kgs RDX- laden IED on the kerb
near Gokul Restaurant in the same area which did not exploded.
Both Shoib and Umer were later killed by the security forces in the
gunbattle at Hotel Taj.
The third pair of attackers, Ajmal Kasab and slain terrorist Abu
Ismail, had kept RDX-filled IED in an unclaimed baggage at CST station
before firing indiscriminately at people. The IED had not exploded.
The procedure for disposing of RDX recovered from terror sites is to
seek court's permission after the evidence has been closed. The court
generally allows destruction of RDX in the presence of a Magistrate.
In the 1993 bomb blasts case, police had similarly disposed of RDX in
the presence of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM).
At the relevant time, M L Tahaliyani, who is now presiding over the
26/11 court, was the CMM and the seized RDX was destroyed in his
presence.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/police-seek-26-11-court-nod-to-dispose-of-seized-rdx/585150/0
Pune blast: Death toll rises to 17
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1443 hrs
Pune:
The death toll in the February 13 German Bakery blast here rose to 17
with a 23-year-old woman succumbing to injuries tonight, hospital
sources said.
The victim, Aditi Jindal, was from Chandigarh and undergoing treatment
in Inlaks and Budhrani hospital, sources added.
A 21-year-old Sudanese student Anas Elphat Suleman passed away at
Jehangir Hospital on February 24. He is the fourth foreigner to die in
the blast that rocked the popular eatery in Koregaon Park.
The blast claimed lives of three other foreigners – a 26-year-old
Sudanese student Amjad Elgazoli, an Italian woman Nadia Macerini and
an Iranian man Sayyed Syed Khani—besides injuring more than 50
people.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-death-toll-rises-to-17/585190/
Pak seeks resumption of Composite dialogue
Agencies
Posted: Friday , Feb 26, 2010 at 1856 hrs
Islamabad:
There will be no benefit from an open-ended dialogue: Basheer
Seeking resumption of the stalled composite dialogue, Pakistan on
Friday insisted that talks are the only way forward as ‘wars are not
the solution’ and said it has presented to India some proposals for
high-level parleys and a roadmap to move ahead the process.
“There should be composite dialogue. Dialogue is the only answer and
wars are not the solution," Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani told
reporters on the sidelines of an official function in Karachi.
“Therefore, we want to have talks with India but these should be
meaningful and the core issues should be addressed," he said.
Referring to yesterday’s Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two
countries, Gilani said Pakistan want good relations and friendly ties
with India and all its neighbours, including Afghanistan.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, who returned to Pakistan on Friday
after his meeting with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao, too called
for the resumption of the composite dialogue, saying open-ended talks
or engagement would not yield any benefits.
Describing his meetings with Rao and External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna as 'exploratory' in nature, he said Pakistan had presented
some proposals for more high-level meetings and a roadmap for taking
forward the talks process. "(The India side) did not reject or accept
(this roadmap). Probably they need time," he said.
"We told the Indian side very clearly that Pakistan believes it is
necessary to resume the composite dialogue as soon as possible,"
Bashir said at the Wagha border after crossing over from India. "There
will be no benefit from an open-ended dialogue. If we hold talks
without any agenda or with an open agenda it will have some benefits
but we cannot take any firm steps to move forward," he told
reporters.
Pakistan believes that if the composite dialogue is "revived from
where it was left off, it would be a big confidence-building and trust-
building measure," Bashir said. At the same time, he said, there is a
need for India to ‘revisit’ its position of focussing solely on
terrorism and the 2008 Mumbai attacks in talks and blaming Pakistan
for all its problems.
“This negative perception of Pakistan is not based on facts. We told
them this very clearly. They should revisit facts as terrorism is a
world and regional issue. Don't blame everything on Pakistan”, Bashir
said.
8 Comments |
Spare the rod...not with Pakistan
By: Nitin | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 17:03:02 PM
Pakistan cannot be trusted with its word because it has no honour
itself. Its mere existence is rooted in deceit and sucidal tendencies.
The only country that takes pride in repeating to the world that if it
does not receive funds they cannot secure their nuclear weapons from
falling into the wrong hands. Dealing with Pakistan is like dealing
with an errant child, namely do not spare the rod. That is the
approach they are familiar with and which propagates positive results.
Example: the US campaign of drone attacks.
Just waste tax payers money.
By: freddie | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 16:37:02 PM
This is nothing but waste of time and money and at the sametime making
Indian public a fool out of it. Last 62 years nothing happened and now
it is going to happened and due you think Indian politician will say
take J&K. Just waste tax payers money aap ne bap ka kaya chate hai.
Why is TOI is keeping quite and not public opinion about this core
issue.
Can’t believe Pak
By: Haridasan | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 10:28:57 AM
There should not be any kind of dialogue till the time they handover
the wended criminals.
screw them
By: gmnag | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 9:04:55 AM
Who cares for these tantrums. Maybe Koldeep Liar perhaps ? All they
want is to take over the north Indian plains and declare Islamic rule.
Pak seeks resumption
By: shadi katyal | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 6:19:16 AM
Pakistan had already started this kind of propaganda what Mr. sharma
is writing, They are good at it and better than any of ours in 62
years.They stick to the point whereas we have tendency to make
Khichri. Look at yesterday talk, we demanded 2 military officers
involved in 26/11. Let us ask the same question to our leaders will
they give any such personal if we were involved in such ghastly
acts.When are we going to grow up. why was the question of 9 dead
bodies of Pakistani terrorist not brought up? Will Pakistan even admit
that they are Pakistani? India needs better interlocutors than what we
have. We have a long way to become a seasoned nation while Pakistan
has already learnt the art. we need better planning than just thinking
we know all and thus know nothing. This meeting was one can call under
duress or on advise of USA but we must remain awake and do our home
work and not mess up like shimla accord and earlier going to UN. We
must leave Nehrvian policy for good
what a shame!
By: Sajith | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 3:49:02 AM
I cant imagine one reason why we have to talk to these Pakis. We have
to build a strong relationship with other SAARC countries so that the
trading and exporting of our manufacturing base can be expanded. But
Pakis only export terrorism so they should be isolated completely and
anyone trying to cross over to our border should be shot dead without
questioning. The spineless politicians are the only one interested in
talking to world capital of terrorism. If the really wanted to talk to
someone in India, I have lined up Anthulay, Digvijay Singh and SRK to
entertain them.If they are hungry they can eat cricket balls like
apples.
Composite Dialogue
By: Mr.Chirayath | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 1:55:24 AM
India is worried of Terrorism of Pak on India, but, World and regional
Terrorism of Pak involvement is their own business. Pak should wait
untill minister level talks before that Pak should ensure that no more
indirect terror would be inflicted to India minimum.
Pakistan seeks----
By: romesh.sharma | Friday , 26 Feb '10 20:34:53 PM
Now it is read and said Pakistan SEEKS resemption of composite
dialogue and once agreed by India or even given a little hint of
possibility there will be wide publications and propaganda saying
INDIA BEGGED COMPOSITE DIALOGUE.That is what we had been experiencing
and hearing fromPakistani politicians/diplomats.This is absolutely
exaggerated when Gillani says for Friendly Relations with India
because the first step will be to normalize the situation by putting
an end to terrorism and anti-India actions,and propaganda.I don't
think if Nirupama Rao had also called for resemption of composite
dialogue.India did not reject or accept means they kept the decency of
hospitality which again(earlier too during Musharraf's visit)is mostly
interpreted as weakness.India has to tell in straight forward language
to spare time and come to ultimate resolution if it really wants
to.India must stick to its principle of first end to terrorism hand
over the wanted criminals and then full-fledged talks.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-seeks-resumption-of-composite-dialogue/584883/0
Indian doctors serving under difficult conditions in Kabul: PM
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1501 hrs
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the death of medical
personnel in the Kabul blast defined the risks Indian medical teams
have to face while serving in Afghanistan.
"The medical fraternity in our country has been serving our people
under very difficult conditions with great distinction," Singh said
inaugurating the annual meeting of the Indian Association of
Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons here.
"...my thought goes to those members of the Indian Medical Mission in
Kabul who, while serving the people of Afghanistan, particularly the
women and children, used to visit Indira Gandhi Hospital there,
perished in the terror attack yesterday," he said.
The Prime Minister said the incident shows the measure of uncertainty
that Indian doctors work under and pointed out the risks faced by them
while serving the people of Afghanistan.
"It is a measure of the commitment to relief of human suffering that
the medical fraternity is known for all over the world," he said.
Taliban carried out coordinated suicide attacks at two hotels in Kabul
killing up to nine Indians. Singh said Indians were very proud of the
reputation their doctors have earned both in the country and in every
part of the world. "I am one of those who has personally benefited
enormously from the expertise and skills of our doctors, especially
cardio-thoracic surgeons".
Observing that one of the challenges before India was the increased
incidence of heart and blood vessel diseases, Singh said these
ailments affect all social classes, with the poor being particularly
vulnerable.
Coronary heart disease is also manifesting itself in much younger age
groups than in the past, he said. "There is growing consensus within
the medical fraternity that urgent measures need to be taken both from
the preventive point of view as well as in relation to cardiac
surgical care," he said adding that primary long-term strategy to cope
with heart and blood vessel diseases should clearly be preventive in
nature.
"We know that many of these diseases can be prevented or at least
delayed to a very late age. In recent years, there has been increasing
social awareness about health related issues.
"This is a positive development and the growing health consciousness
particularly among young people is a big resource for those who manage
public health care," he said. Singh said while preventive efforts are
of paramount importance, there will still be many who will need to
undergo surgery for correction of their heart or blood vessel disease.
"Whether it is a little infant who needs a hole in the heart closed or
a teenager or an adult who needs his blocked blood vessels bypassed,
it is the prowess of the surgeon that makes the difference often
between life and death," he said.
Dera supporters on rampage, tension runs high in Punjab
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 2237 hrs
Chandigarh:
Resenting the filing of a murder case against the Dera Sacha Sauda
head by the CBI, the sect supporters went on a rampage setting ablaze
four trains and around 37 vehicles, including 27 buses, and vandalized
property in several places in Punjab and Haryana.
Tension ran high in many towns in the two neighbouring states as
police were put on high alert and Haryana requisitioned 1,500 para-
military personnel to deal with the situation.
Patrolling was intensified in troubled-torn towns as Haryana Chief
Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Punjab's Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh
Badal appealed for calm.
The protesters set afire a compartment each of the Ferozepur-Ludhiana
Sutlej Express, the Narwana-Kurukshetra train and two local trains
after asking the passengers to disembark, a railway spokesman said.
They also vandalised railway property at Tapa, Moga and Kalaiyat in
Punjab, he said.
The mobs torched and damaged 37 vehilces, 27 of them buses, including
an air-conditoned one, in Bathinda, Mansa, Talwandi Sabo, Bhagapurana
and other places in Punjab and at Kaithal, Sirsa and Fatehabad in
Haryana.
In Moga, the protesters tried to set ablaze the District
Administration Complex, housing among others the offices of the Deputy
Commissioner and the SSP, prompting police to fire in the air to
scatter them.
Over 200 villagers, with some of them firing shots, attacked a police
station at Bhagapurana. They fled after the reinforcement reached
there from Moga.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dera-supporters-on-rampage-tension-runs-high-in-punjab/585242/
US has taken steps to thwart any Mumbai-type attack: Officia
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1449 hrs
Washington:
Learning lessons from the Mumbai terror strikes, the Obama
Administration has taken several steps in intelligence gathering and
security infrastructure to thwart any similar attack on a major US
city, according to a top official.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the Administration
has taken several steps to make sure that terrorists do not strike
soft targets.
"On the soft target issue, you'll find most of that under the NPPD
(National Protection and Programmes Directorate) and also in the
private sector office. We've had a lot of outreach, we've had outreach
with the hotel associations and the hotel operators in the past
months," Napolitano said.
Appearing before a key Congressional panel, she said that "over the
holiday season, we met with the representatives of the 700 largest
shopping malls in the country, and we also prepared and had online
training for shopping mall employees on what to watch out or, what to
look for, and the like."
"That's the kind of thing that provides direct assistance in the soft
target environment that I think is very, very useful," Napolitano told
members of the House Homeland Security Committee yesterday.
Her remarks came in response to a question from Benny Thompson,
Chairman of the Committee, who pointed out that in the wake of Mumbai
attacks in 2008, "there was a real focus on the problem with soft
targets" but that seems to have diminished now, though the threat has
not diminished.
"Representing a community like Las Vegas... I would ask you to show me
where in the budget, or explain what parts of the budget have some
commitment to going back to that emphasis on the soft targets?"
Thompson asked.
He had written a letter to Secretary Napolitano in this regard a
couple of weeks ago.
"We've got a transient population. We've got thousands of visitors on
any given day, a host of potential targets in the area, just so you
can see how the public and private sectors are working together, and
see how we might incorporate some more of that as part of our national
policy," he said.
Thompson had conducted a hearing on Mumbai terror strikes last year on
what lessons the US can learn from such an attack that killed 166
people, including half a dozen American nationals.
Comments (3)
US has taken steps to thwart any Mumbai-type attack: Official
By: Kaushik Shah | 27-Feb-2010
US has taken steps to thwart any Mumbai-type attack: Official THAT IS
NOT A NEWS. US ALWAYS TRIES TO LEARN FROM OTHERS' MISTAKES, NOT JUST
FROM INDIA'S. IT NOT ANYTHING FOR INDIA TO BE PROUD OF. THE REAL NEWS
IS HAS INDIA TAKEN ANY ATEPS FROM HER OWN MISTSKE, EXCEPT PUTTING MORE
RESTRICTIONS ON GENUINE TOURISTS? INDIA WILL NEVER LEARN FROM ANY
BODYS. MISYAKES, AND WILL KEEP ADVISING THE WORLD, WHO NEVER PAYS
ATTENTION ANY WAY.
MUMBAI-TYPE ATTACKS IN USA
By: NIRANJAN | 27-Feb-2010
A MUMBAI TYPE ATTACK CAN NEVER HAPPEN IN USA. EVEN IF IT DOES, THE
RESPONSE TIME FOR THE LOCAL POLICE WOULD BE MINIMAL. IN ADDITION THEIR
LOCAL POLICE IS EQUIPPED WITH WEAPONS AND GADGETS THAT OUR LOCAL
POLICE CANNOT EVEN DREAM TO HAVE. EVEN THEIR 'SWAT' TEAMS ARE VERY
WELL EQUIPPED. OUR COMMANDOES ARE NOT AS WELL EQUIPPED. OUR
BUREAUCRACY AND POLITICAL INTERFERENCE WILL NEVER ALLOW OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE TO DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY.
dont trust yankees especially democracts
By: sangeera | 27-Feb-2010
Dont trust yankees they raised haedman,dont allow his acess to us,did
not tell hsi activities pre 26/11 .Bush was the person and probably
the only one who had the foresight, america shall probably change its
atitude if there is a repeat 9/11
Qatar nationality for Husain win for Hindutva: Bajrang Dal
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 1502 hrs
Kanpur:
Bajrang Dal on Saturday said Qatar giving nationality to painter M F
Husain was a "win" for Hindutva forces and those who "insult" Hindu
religion have no place in the country.
"Husain's painting depicting Hindu deities in a derogatory manner and
insulting the religion was not at all acceptable to us," Bajrang Dal
Convener Prakash Sharma said.
"It is a win for Hindutva forces because there is no place for such
people in the country," he said.
Sharma said any other writer or painter having similar thoughts should
opt for citizenship of any other country because "our party will
protest against them."
Eminent painter Husain was given Qatar nationality on Wednesday.
Husain was living in exile for the last four years spending most of
his time in Dubai after escalation of hate campaign against him by
right wing groups over his controversial paintings on Hindu deities.
Several cases were filed against him by people protesting his
portrayal of Hindu goddesses in the nude. His house in India was
attacked and art works vandalised by the fundamentalists.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/qatar-nationality-for-husain-win-for-hindutva-bajrang-dal/585200/
Kasab complains of food laced with drugs, gets reprimanded
Post Agencies
Posted: Friday , Feb 26, 2010 at 1431 hrs
Mumbai:
Kasab also complained that the jail guards asked him to sing to pass
their time.
Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab has complained to the special court that
jail authorities are giving him food laced with drugs as a result of
which he feels ‘giddy.’
The lone surviving 26/11 terrorist, however, was reprimanded by Judge
M L Tahaliyani who asked him not to make such baseless allegations
repeatedly. Kasab had made this grievance a few days back also after
media left the court after proceedings got over.
Kasab's lawyer K P Pawar confirmed that the accused had made this
complaint but the court rejected his charge. Earlier also, Kasab had
alleged that the authorities were giving him food laced with drugs
following which the judge sent a sample of food served to him to a
forensic laboratory for tests which negated his claims.
Kasab also complained that the jail guards asked him to sing to pass
their time, but claimed he did not oblige. The accused also alleged
that the guards inquired from him whether he had a girlfriend to which
he replied that he studied in a boys school.
In another development, an RTI inquiry has revealed that the
Maharashtra Government has spent Rs 5.24 crore for constructing a high-
security cell for Kasab at Arthur Road Central Jail to protect him
from any attack. The cell is reinforced with steel on the outer side
to make it bullet and bomb proof. A tunnel has been constructed to
allow him direct passage from his cell to the court.
This is the first instance of government spending such a huge sum to
protect an accused. Kasab is guarded round-the-clock by about 200 Indo-
Tibet Border Police personnel. The trial is conducted amidst tight
security with a strong posse of guards surrounding the Pakistani
terrorist during the proceedings.
15 Comments |
Kasab .
By: Tapan Bose | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 16:10:20 PM
How LONG will the Indian govt.keep this PIG alive? Will it be like
Afzal Guru,who the Indian Govt. is AFRAID to execute?!
kasab
By: raj | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 0:46:32 AM
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEND IN THE SPENDINGS IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FEW
MORE SURVIVORS OF THE ATTACH WHEN FOR ONES SECURITY INDIA GOVT
SPENDING SUCH A GREAT AMOUNT WHAT WILL COST THE TAX PAYERS FOR THE
LIVING ATTACKER ON THE COUNTRY IF THE TRIAL WILL GO FOR FEW MORE
MONTHS AND THEN THERE WILL BE APPEALS AND APPEALS AS IN THE CASES
ALREADY UNDER APPEALS? SHOULD THE LAW BE NOT CHANGED FOR THE TRIAL OF
SUCH CASES,WHEN THERE ARE PROVISIONS OF SPEEDY TRIALS?
Are Indians civilized??
By: Jason | Friday , 26 Feb '10 19:09:38 PM
Indians just preach democracy - dont practice..The value of the hard
earned freedom after 5 decades in shambles.Corruption in all
levels.What it has to do with Italians?? Just to show how one can
think without realising the issue..Dont doubt,if they provided food
with 'drugs' in the food for this prisoner. It will cost a lot more
than what is estimated.. He will test the system and will be there for
a long time..The corrupt govt. officials are still playing around to
determine the 'involved pakistanis'. Cant expect any positive results
- typical system with no justice...
Are Indian civilized
By: AB | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 7:05:18 AM
What are you talking about. You do not make any sense. Why someone
does not put any sense in this type of writing.
we Indians are civilized person.
By: Mohammed | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:42:21 PM
Hello, Yes we are spending alot for one man, but we cant kill like
those teroorist kills people, we have to abid eby the internationa law
in evry aspect ,, Thats why they call India the biggest democracy in
the world, u can sue aprime minister and put the Rao prime minister in
house arrest. That hapens only in India. If he feels his food is
traced with drugs how come he feel it it means he is a drug user. He
will have his day in court like any other animal criminals. Thats what
Indian democrazy lives for. God bless India with courage and god bless
congress party to be brave enough to deal boldly or bravely and
strictly to the naxalities, and other terorists who kill innocent
peoples. And this is a lesson for the justice system in India which
takes 20 30 40 years to clear a case even a small land case.
5.24
By: Murthy | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:28:22 PM
5.24 crores is nothing, Govt has spent more than 5000 crores on
Italian guests
deliver the justice-fast track
By: pa | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:26:24 PM
for the sake of justice to the people who died at the hands of this
pig...the least this govt. can do is to handover this man to the
nearest and dearest of the Indians who died in this tragedy, Im sure
justice wud be delivery to the satisfaction of all us Indians.
kasab
By: Malik | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:26:10 PM
What a Shame a this man gets better hospitality than the Italians
Kasab is fooling indian justice system
By: stanes | Friday , 26 Feb '10 17:38:09 PM
Despicable kasab is making ass of Indian judicial system.
Treat Dog as Dog !
By: sakthiman | Friday , 26 Feb '10 16:45:22 PM
Why so much hype. World understaood that pakistan citizens were
involved in the Mumbai attack. Now what else we need to gain from this
corpse ? It is high time to stone this animal to death and close the
issue. In days of Maharajas this how terrorists used to dealt with. So
why it should be different now ?
kasab
By: Robert stanes | Friday , 26 Feb '10 17:40:03 PM
kasab should be hanged without anymore delay.
terror
By: pa | Friday , 26 Feb '10 16:18:55 PM
How stupid the govt. of maharastra has to be to protect this animal,
on the other hand someone really made a fortune out of it.This trial
is now a pain in the butt!!!!
Kasab .
By: Tapan Bose | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 16:10:20 PM
How LONG will the Indian govt.keep this PIG alive? Will it be like
Afzal Guru,who the Indian Govt. is AFRAID to execute?!
kasab
By: raj | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 0:46:32 AM
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEND IN THE SPENDINGS IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FEW
MORE SURVIVORS OF THE ATTACH WHEN FOR ONES SECURITY INDIA GOVT
SPENDING SUCH A GREAT AMOUNT WHAT WILL COST THE TAX PAYERS FOR THE
LIVING ATTACKER ON THE COUNTRY IF THE TRIAL WILL GO FOR FEW MORE
MONTHS AND THEN THERE WILL BE APPEALS AND APPEALS AS IN THE CASES
ALREADY UNDER APPEALS? SHOULD THE LAW BE NOT CHANGED FOR THE TRIAL OF
SUCH CASES,WHEN THERE ARE PROVISIONS OF SPEEDY TRIALS?
Are Indians civilized??
By: Jason | Friday , 26 Feb '10 19:09:38 PM
Indians just preach democracy - dont practice..The value of the hard
earned freedom after 5 decades in shambles.Corruption in all
levels.What it has to do with Italians?? Just to show how one can
think without realising the issue..Dont doubt,if they provided food
with 'drugs' in the food for this prisoner. It will cost a lot more
than what is estimated.. He will test the system and will be there for
a long time..The corrupt govt. officials are still playing around to
determine the 'involved pakistanis'. Cant expect any positive results
- typical system with no justice...
Are Indian civilized
By: AB | Saturday , 27 Feb '10 7:05:18 AM
What are you talking about. You do not make any sense. Why someone
does not put any sense in this type of writing.
we Indians are civilized person.
By: Mohammed | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:42:21 PM
Hello, Yes we are spending alot for one man, but we cant kill like
those teroorist kills people, we have to abid eby the internationa law
in evry aspect ,, Thats why they call India the biggest democracy in
the world, u can sue aprime minister and put the Rao prime minister in
house arrest. That hapens only in India. If he feels his food is
traced with drugs how come he feel it it means he is a drug user. He
will have his day in court like any other animal criminals. Thats what
Indian democrazy lives for. God bless India with courage and god bless
congress party to be brave enough to deal boldly or bravely and
strictly to the naxalities, and other terorists who kill innocent
peoples. And this is a lesson for the justice system in India which
takes 20 30 40 years to clear a case even a small land case.
5.24
By: Murthy | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:28:22 PM
5.24 crores is nothing, Govt has spent more than 5000 crores on
Italian guests
deliver the justice-fast track
By: pa | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:26:24 PM
for the sake of justice to the people who died at the hands of this
pig...the least this govt. can do is to handover this man to the
nearest and dearest of the Indians who died in this tragedy, Im sure
justice wud be delivery to the satisfaction of all us Indians.
kasab
By: Malik | Friday , 26 Feb '10 18:26:10 PM
What a Shame a this man gets better hospitality than the Italians
Kasab is fooling indian justice system
By: stanes | Friday , 26 Feb '10 17:38:09 PM
Despicable kasab is making ass of Indian judicial system.
Treat Dog as Dog !
By: sakthiman | Friday , 26 Feb '10 16:45:22 PM
Why so much hype. World understaood that pakistan citizens were
involved in the Mumbai attack. Now what else we need to gain from this
corpse ? It is high time to stone this animal to death and close the
issue. In days of Maharajas this how terrorists used to dealt with. So
why it should be different now ?
kasab
By: Robert stanes | Friday , 26 Feb '10 17:40:03 PM
kasab should be hanged without anymore delay.
terror
By: pa | Friday , 26 Feb '10 16:18:55 PM
How stupid the govt. of maharastra has to be to protect this animal,
on the other hand someone really made a fortune out of it.This trial
is now a pain in the butt!!!!
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kasab-complains-of-food-laced-with-drugs-gets-reprimanded/584844/
chhotemianinshallah
Soumittra S Bose, TNN, Feb 26, 2010, 07.33am IST
NAGPUR: The recent arrests of Bandu Meshram and Ramkumar Akkapalli,
alias Masram, seem to be directed towards checking possible
infiltration of Naxal elements in the pro-Vidarbha movement. Though
the arrests are made in connection with Ramnagar police station case
registered in 2008 in Chandrapur, the real purpose is likely to snuff
out Maoist influence in the agitation before it gains ground.
With the memory of the tremendous flare-up of Khairlanji agitation of
2006 still fesh, observers say that the government must be wary of
another Naxal-backed movement taking shape. The separate Telangana
movement, the Andhra Pradesh government believes, gained violent edge
after the Naxalites started getting involved.
A recent statement by a pro-Vidarbha leader that he would welcome
Naxal help in securing separate state would have made the government
sit up and take note even though that sentiment was quickly disowned
by other leaders. Home minister RR Patil, speaking to media had stated
that any attempt by Naxals to hijack the movement would be strongly
dealt with. Some alleged Naxalites in jail had resorted to a day-long
hunger-strike in protest of the Patil's statement.
Meanwhile, seized Naxal literature being analyzed by the security
agencies clearly hints at Naxals aiming to support all mass-based
agitations and they may see revival of pro-Vidarbha movement as an
opportunity to foment trouble. “These out of the blue actions
(arrests) are nothing but fallout of participation in pro-Vidarbha
movement by these social workers. The case was registered in 2008. Why
did Chandrapur police suddenly revive the case? Were not these alleged
Naxalites traceable earlier as they were working as a tailor and the
other a civil cotractor?” said an exasperated supporter threatening to
start protest against the arrests in city. “He (Meshram) was working
in pro-Vidarbha issue with a prominent leader and was also part of the
newly created platform for separate Vidarbha. When everyone is voicing
their aspiration, why these two people cannot,” he asked.
Cherring Dorje, superintendent of police of Chandrapur district, said
that the arrests were made following inputs from reliable sources. “We
have already made earlier arrests and chargesheet has been sent. Now
the supplementary chargesheet shall be sent after the recent arrests.
It requires authentic inputs for police to take action and it takes at
its own time. We also have to take sanction from the government to
slap charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” said Dorje
refusing to comment on the status of the arrested duo and their
involvement.
'Nagpur may have Naxal dens'
Soumittra S Bose, TNN, Feb 26, 2010, 07.22am IST
NAGPUR: The interrogation in Gadchiroli of senior Naxalite cadre Surya
Devra Prabhakar, recently caught by Antiterrorist Squad (ATS) in
Mumbai, has revealed that there might be several hideouts or dens for
red rebels in Nagpur city. Prabhakar, who worked closely with arrested
Naxal ideologue Kobad Ghandy, claimed that these could be sheltering
cadres representing Dandakaranya Special Zonal committee members,
Maharashtra state Rajya committee and other local ranks.
The dens, about which the secrecy maintained is so high that the
cadres of one group may not know details of another, are being
basically used as meeting and short duration lodging points. These are
also used for collection, exchange and distribution of Naxal
literature.
The senior cadre was brought to Gadchiroli and placed under arrest for
the offences registered against his name in the district. Prabhakar
was later taken to Chandrapur where Bandu Meshram and Ramkumar
Akkapalli, alias Masram, are also being interrogated by the local
police after their arrest in Nagpur recently. It has also come to fore
that Maoists were planning to float more ‘plain dalams’ for urban
centres like Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, and Surat.
These would be controlled by central organisation for creating support
bases in the cities. They will be encouraged to infiltrate into
different labour unions, students’ and women’s group. Their main
purpose would be to form groups among backward and weaker sections of
the society for agitation on different issues. According to a senior
police official from Chandrapur, the cadres may switch from urban
centres to jungles. While they wear civil clothes and go without arms
in city, in the jungle they don military fatigues and carry
sophisticated weapons.
The senior officer, talking to TOI, claimed that Meshram, who was
recently nabbed, was a typical cadre playing dual role. “Some
surrendered Naxals claimed to have seen Meshram in the jungle camps,”
said the officer. A source pointed out that Meshram was instrumental
in both organising recruitment for Nagpur Area committee as it’s
chief. Police said that Masram, a diploma holder in engineering and a
city-based cadre, was providing his vehicle for senior colleagues when
they came visiting. They claimed to have found Naxal literature and
large numbers of maps of Gadchiroli, Nagpur and adjoining districts.
Police said that being a civil contractor, Masram was able to procure
the maps from the government departments.
Sources also pointed out the police were keenly studying their
contacts and networks. The call details of their cellphones and
personal diaries are also under scanner. Several active cadres, after
the recent arrests, have already left city.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Nagpur-may-have-Naxal-dens/articleshow/5617967.cms
MHA makes no attempt to call Maoists
TNN, Feb 26, 2010, 02.41am IST
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday did not respond to the Maoists'
truce offer as it is waiting for the ultras to take the first step and
give a written assurance on abjuring violence.
Naxal leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji reportedly gave a mobile
number -- 09734695789 -- two days back asking home minister P
Chidambaram to call on it on Thursday at 5 pm and speak to them
(Maoists).
Sources in the home ministry said that no one made any attempt to call
the elusive leader. Officials cross-checked with TV channels which had
claimed to have received calls from Kishenji but no of them could
confirm whether these were actually made by him, they added.
The view in the home ministry is that the Naxals would have to
initiate the truce process with a written submission on abjuring
violence. When TOI tried to call the number -- purportedly given by
Kishenji -- it was switched off.
Chidambaram, while responding to the truce offer made by Kishenji, had
asked the Maoists to come out with a statement to abjure violence and
fax their proposal to the home ministry at 011-23093155.
"The ministry has so far not received any communication from the
Maoists," said an official.
Getting away with murder, again!
Aijaz Zaka Syed
Check this out. Here’s a story of two countries from the Middle East.
One is an ancient civilization with a rich history that goes back five
thousand years. It’s a functioning democracy with free elections held
at regular intervals. It’s a huge country of 70 million people. It has
remained within its borders and hasn’t attacked any country in the
last 100 years. It is pursuing a nuclear power programme, which it
insists is for peaceful purposes. The second country also claims to be
a democracy. In this democracy though you get citizenship and voting
rights not on the basis of your origins even if you were born in this
land but on your ancestry. This country was founded on the land stolen
and forcibly taken from its original inhabitants. It has fought at
least three wars and is locked in permanent conflict with its
neighbours on all sides. It has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and
other state-of-the-art killing machines. It pursues assassination as a
state policy and regularly sends death squads around the world to take
out people it doesn’t like. Which country do you think is a real
threat to world peace? The first country that has no history of
aggression or the second state that has killed tens of thousands of
innocent people in wars of aggression against neighbors and in cold-
blooded executions? And no prizes, dear readers, for guessing that the
two countries in question are Iran and Israel. If anyone had any
doubts about the evil and criminal nature of the State of Israel, they
should have been cleared after what happened in Dubai. Sending death
squads into a five-star hotel in posh and peaceful Dubai using
European passports and IDs - the whole business reads like a John Le
Carre or Robert Ludlum potboiler. But, as they say, reality is more
interesting than fiction. International media and diplomatic circles
are buzzing with stories and theories about how the Israelis planned
the whole thing and executed with professional precision. Typically,
the entire European press has been obsessing over the forged passports
and fake IDs, totally ignoring the real issue at the heart of this
unfolding crisis: Another cold-blooded murder of a top Palestinian
leader by Israel. The UAE authorities, especially Dubai Police,
therefore deserve a pat on the back for not only cracking the murder
but having built a solid case against the Israelis with credible and
irrefutable evidence. They virtually caught the killers with blood on
their hands, thanks to their solid security structure in place. It was
this watertight case that forced the British, Irish, German and French
authorities to summon Israeli envoys to “explain.” But is that enough?
Imagine if such a thing had happened in any other city or country and
the finger of suspicion had pointed at an Arab or Muslim country, not
Israel. All hell would have broken loose and ambassadors of the
concerned country would have been thrown out within 12 hours. In fact,
as the Guardian’s Seumas Milne argued in a brilliant piece this week,
imagine what would have happened if it was not Israel but Iran that
had sent in the killers and the assassination had taken place in a
Western country using the passports and IDs of Western citizens? By
now the US and NATO jets would have bombed Iran back to the Stone Age,
just as they did in the neighboring Iraq, with the UN and its movers
and shakers passing a dozen resolutions against the Islamic republic.
But, mind you, we are talking about the almighty Israel. And when it
comes to Israel, there are different laws and rules of engagement. It
can get away with anything - even with murder. And it repeatedly has.
This isn’t the first time Israel has sent killer squads to take out
its detractors and individuals who refuse to accept its tyranny and
stand and stare while it kills at will a helpless and defenseless
people. Steven Spielberg’s “Munich”, a glorified version of Mossad’s
murderous operations against Palestinian officials in 1972, is only
one chapter out of Israel’s long history of crimes against Palestinian
people and its Arab neighbors. How can we forget what happened in
Lebanon in the 1980s and as early as 2006? What about the carnage in
Sabra and Shatila, Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon that killed at
least 3,000 Palestinians? And what about Gaza 2008-2009? Israel has
gotten away with all that. And in all likelihood it will get away with
the murder in Dubai as well, no matter how forcefully the UAE
authorities demand the arrest of Mossad chief and action against the
killers. Hillary Clinton was in the Middle East when this whole thing
blew up in Israel’s face last week. However, the top US diplomat who
would have been president remained focused on Iran’s ayatollahs. She
repeatedly warned the Arabs against the “clear and present danger”
presented by Iran, accusing Tehran of building nuclear weapons and
“sponsoring terrorism” in the Middle East, a new charge to the long
litany of charges against the Islamic republic. But we have been here
before - and not very long ago - in Iraq. And of course there was no
reference to the threat Israel poses to its Arab neighbors. Nary a
reference to its continuing persecution of Palestinians and the blaze
it fuels across the Muslim world. Madam Secretary couldn’t have chosen
a more appropriate platform to launch the offensive against Iran. She
chose the US-Islam dialogue forum in Doha to strike at Tehran,
concluding it rather nicely in Riyadh. It’s Iran, she warned the Arabs
ad nauseam, not Israel that poses a grave threat to peace and security
of the Middle East. So what if Israel is still squatting on
Palestinian and Arab land! So what if Israel continues to send killer
squads into Arab cities! So what if Iran hasn’t attacked any Arab or
Muslim neighbor in a long, long time. Iran must be a threat to Arabs
because the US, Israel and their Western allies say so. If this is a
breathtaking example of hypocrisy and double standards, so be it! No
matter what ordinary Arabs and people across the Muslim world think.
What matters is what Israel wants and how far the West will bend over
backward to humor it. If this isn’t true, let Israel’s friends prove
it. I would love to get corrected. The Sunday Times has disclosed that
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had personally visited the Mossad
headquarters in Tel Aviv to give his blessings for the Dubai
operation. Just as his predecessors had blessed the killing of other
Palestinian leaders including Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and,
very possibly, Yasser Arafat, the tallest Palestinian leader. The
question is how long will Israel get away with murder? And how long
will its Western friends and allies protect it because of their own so-
called historical guilt or whatever? Why do we have two sets of laws
and standards for Israel and its Arab and Muslim neighbors? Secretary
Clinton was confronted with these questions during a Q&A session with
Arab students in Doha. Not surprisingly, Madam Clinton had no answers
to offer. Instead she introduced her audience to new US envoys to the
OIC and Muslim world, Rashad Hussein and Farah Pandit, both Indian
Americans. Why is it so hard for Washington to see that it’s not
cosmetic gestures like this but real justice that can bridge the
widening gulf with the Islamic world?
http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=ar&nid=1106
'Chidambaram's talks offer to Maoists a drama'Friday, February 26,
2010,11:17 [IST]
New Delhi, Feb 26: Maoist leader Kishenji's aide has termed the offer
of talks by Home Minister P Chidambaram as a 'drama'.
Buzz up!Speaking to TV channel, Raju, an aide of Kishenji, said,
"Chidambaram's offer is of 72 hours. He really doesn't want to talk. "
Raju further said, "He wants to control and dominate the people of
jangalmahal, who are talking about their rights and he wants to
silence them."
When asked on the telephone number given by the Home Ministry to fax
their proposal, Raju said, "He (Chidambaram) has laid many traps. This
is Chidambaram's 'natak' (drama)."
"We are willing to ceasefire for 72 days, not just 72 hours if state
terror stops," he said.
OneIndia News
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/26/chidambaram-talks-offer-to-maoists-a-drama.html
Advantage ultras in number game
Sumanta Ray Chadhuri / DNA
Friday, February 26, 2010 1:39 IST
Kolkata: When West Bengal Police kept in operation a mobile phone
seized by Maoists from a kidnapped constable last year, it might have
thought it did a smart thing and would be able to trace their
underground leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji through the SIM card.
But it now appears that the government underestimated the rebels.
Maoists kept the number, 9734695789, alive but did not give police the
chance to use it against them. And when P Chidambaram asked them to
fax their 72-day ceasefire offer to 011-23093155, the number of the
Union home ministry’s 24x7 control room, this week, they told the
minister to call their spokesman Kishenji on the same number at 5 pm
sharp on Thursday for peace talks.
The number is registered in the name of constable Shishir Kanti Nag,
who was abducted by Maoists from Lalgarh in September 2009 to protest
the arrest of Chhatradhar Mahato, leader of the People’s Committee
Against Police Atrocities.
Maoists released Nag in a couple of days, but kept his phone,
purchased from a dealer in Kharagpur (West Midnapore district).
Highly placed sources in West Bengal Police said the number was
deliberately kept alive to track Maoists. However, the entire
operation apparently failed, as, the sources said, Maoists rarely used
the pre-paid card, although they kept topping it up at regular
intervals. The top-ups were carried out at multiple small shops in
various locations of West Midnapore.
The sources said some of the shops had been traced and intelligence
officers were interrogating owners, but no headway had been made so
far. They said Nag was also being questioned on the time he spent in
Maoist custody.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_advantage-ultras-in-number-game_1352703
Kobad Gandhy tried to spread network in Punjab
Ajay Bharadwaj / DNA
Saturday, February 27, 2010 1:58 IST
Chandigarh: Top Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy had been frequenting Punjab
to mobilise cadres and one of his most-visited places was the Punjabi
University in Patiala.
Ghandy disclosed this to Punjab Police during interrogation in the
last 2-3 days.
Punjab had registered a case against him under the Unlawful Activities
Prevention Amendment Act, 2008, in January last year after he was
arrested in Delhi.
Lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Ghandy has been brought to Patiala
on a transit remand.
Police said in the last four years, he visited Punjab thrice to
explore how the Maoist movement could be revived. He denied hand in
any of the violent activities in the state in the recent past, but
reaffirmed he had been in touch with more than 20 people in Punjab,
they said.
Police investigations have been focused on finding out whether
Ghandy’s visits to Punjab were aimed at sowing seeds of insurgency.
Police said after receiving information from intelligence agencies
that Ghandy stayed on the Punjabi University campus a few months
before his arrest, they registered a case against the Maoist leader
and his accomplice, Manoj aka Rajesh.
“We have been trying to find out the motive behind his stay and any
links he might have established in Punjab,” RS Khatra, senior
superintendent of police, Patiala, said.
“We are also trying to ascertain the exact duration of his stay in
Patiala and are gathering details of his companion, Manoj.”
Ghandy is a politburo member of the banned Communist Party of India
(Maoist) and worked for the group in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
Punjabi University authorities said they had no knowledge of the
matter, but Patiala Police are sure Ghandy stayed in the university
under the fake identity of professor Kishore.
They are trying to ascertain whether he was alone or accompanied by
someone during his movement in Punjab.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_kobad-gandhy-tried-to-spread-network-in-punjab_1353072
Money for soldiers to fight Maoists
Anil Anand / DNA
Saturday, February 27, 2010 1:42 IST
New Delhi: In the face of growing challenges to internal security,
particularly from left-wing insurgency, budgetary allocation for the
home ministry has almost been doubled for the financial year 2010-11.
It has been increased from Rs1,810.63 crore in 2009-10 to Rs3,283.39
crore for the next financial year.
Even as modernisation, training and increasing strength of the central
paramilitary forces remain the key areas of investment, some new
security-related aspects such as formulating a national register of
citizens and distribution of a Unique Identity Number to the citizens
also received the attention of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
In order to complete this exercise through the length and breadth of
the country, financial allocation for census surveys and statistics
has been significantly increased. From Rs303.40 crore in 2009-10, it
has been increased to Rs911.71 crore for 2010-11.
The Unique ID project is all set to enter its operational phase. A
separate allocation of Rs1,900 crore has been made for the purpose.
The government has decided to back the home ministry’s plan to
speedily fill the vacancies in the central paramilitary forces
(CPMFs), particularly at the lower levels. Accordingly, budgetary
sanction has been provided for recruitment of 2,000 constables during
2009-10.
While preparing to take the Maoist insurgents head-on, the government
has not lost sight of the socio-economic aspect of the problem.
Mukherjee’s budgetary proposals also included an integrated action
plan for development of Maoist-affected areas. The Planning Commission
will give shape to it, financial allocation will follow.
Though training of the CPMFs received the largest chunk of the budget
for internal security, it also witnessed a marginal decline in
allocation. From Rs21,035.46 during the 2009-10 period it came down to
Rs18,714.95 crore in 2010-11.
Among the paramilitary forces, the National Security Guards led the
allocation table with Rs5,745.87 crore followed by the CRPF with
Rs5,560.86 crore. The BSF ranked third with an allocation of
Rs5,273.08 crore.
Plan outlay for disaster management saw an increase over last year’s
allocation. It was increased to Rs545.86 crore from Rs 384.30 crore
given in last year’s budget. The sum is dismally low, compared to the
size of the country.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_money-for-soldiers-to-fight-maoists_1353095
CPI activists burn budget copies, block roads in Orissa
PTI
Saturday, February 27, 2010 18:42 IST
Bhubaneswar: The CPI activists today burnt copies of the Union budget
and resorted to road blockade at several places here as mark of
protest against hike in the prices of petroleum products.
Union Budget 2010Left party supporters took out a rally from the party
headqurters in Ashok Nagar area and blocked the road in the nearby
busy Raj Mahal square where they burnt symbolic copies of the budget
proposal.
Holding placards against spiralling price of different commodies,
including petroleum products, they shouted anti-government slogans
against the Congress-led UPA government.
They said "In yet another example of showing step-motherly attitude
towards Orissa, no package has been declared in the budget proposals
while funds have been allotted for containing Bundelkhand drought and
floods in West Bengal besides special budgetary allocations have been
made for Goa and Tamil Nadu."
The agitation and road blockade were led by state unit secretary
Dibakar Nayak and party's lone Lok Sabha member Bibhuprasad Tarai.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_cpi-activists-burn-budget-copies-block-roads-in-orissa_1353412
Government, Maoists miss call deadline
Anil Anand / DNA
Friday, February 26, 2010 1:34 IST
New Delhi: The exchange of phone numbers between the home ministry and
Maoists and the setting of deadlines to start a dialogue turned out to
be a damp squib, with neither party making the call even as the 5 pm
Thursday deadline set by Maoist leader Kishenji expired.
Adopting a rather tough posture, a top home ministry official said
Kishenji never spoke to the media. The person who had his back to the
camera was his close aide Raju, the official said.
“In any case, it was up to the insurgent leader to call us as we had
no intention to meet his deadline,” he said.
Blaming a section of the electronic media for “taking the nation for a
ride” by wrongly attributing the peace talk offer to the top Maoist
leader, the official said Kishenji was never serious about talks. “He
tried to play to the gallery through his close aide. The government
has seen through his game,” he said.
Ever since the CPI (Maoist) leader set a deadline for the ministry to
respond, intelligence agencies had been trying to test the veracity of
the caller. They arrived at a conclusion that it was a ploy to gain
cheap publicity. “Our experience shows no terrorist or insurgent group
willingly comes forward to talk in this manner. They only act under
pressure after a long wait,” another official said.
There is a strong feeling in the ministry that the top Maoist
leadership is comfortably placed and only “foot soldiers” are getting
killed. “Why would such leaders come forward for talks willingly when
they are enjoying money and power?”
Referring to “frequent appearances of Kishenji and other Maoists
leaders before the media with they faces covered, the official said it
was a well-thought-out plan to seek public attention. “The media
really played up the truce offer despite the fact that Kishenji never
spoke to them about it,” he said.
The ministry reiterated that Maoists should abjure violence and come
to the table without “ifs and buts”.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_government-maoists-miss-call-deadline_1352702
Orissa to operate buses in Maoist-hit districts
PTI
Thursday, February 25, 2010 23:08 IST
Bhubaneshwar: With private bus operators withdrawing their services in
Maoist infested districts of Orissa, the state government today
decided to ply at least 100 passenger buses in such areas.
This was decided at a high-level meeting here chaired by chief
secretary TK Mishra. "The government today decided to procure 100
buses to operate in Maoist hit areas", transport secretary S Sahoo
told reporters.
Maoist attacks on buses had severely affected road communication in
several districts, mostly in Gajapati, Rayagada and Malkangiri
districts in southern region.
The meeting also decided to compensate the state run Orissa State Road
Transport Corporation (OSRTC) whose four buses were recently torched
by Maoists.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_orissa-to-operate-buses-in-maoist-hit-districts_1352669
Kishenji's phone does not ring, government refuses truce
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, February 25, 2010
First Published: 21:09 IST(25/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:10 IST(25/2/2010)
The government on Thursday declined to take the initiative of
declaring a ceasefire with the Left-wing radicals and allowed the
deadline set by Communist Party of India-Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao
alias Kishenji to lapse.
"There is no question of us calling up the number. And first of all,
we think it is a hoax played up by Maoist sympathisers," a senior home
ministry official told IANS.
Reacting to Home Minister P. Chidambaram's appeal earlier this week
that Maoists should abjure violence and issue a statement to this
effect, Kishenji had in turn asked the central government to call a
cell phone number (9734695789) Thursday if it wanted to advance the
peace process with the Maoists.
"Nobody from the ministry is calling that number. In the first place,
the number given out by the Maoist leadership is not reachable," said
a home ministry official.
Kishenji, who had opposed talks with the government, made a sudden
turnaround Monday and offered a 72-day ceasefire. He said there would
be no Left-wing violence if the security forces stopped their
operations in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.
"The deadline begins on Feb 25 (observed as martyr's day by the
Maoists) and ends on May 7, during which there will be no violence
from either side," he had said.
However, just after the conditional ceasefire offer to the government,
armed rebels attacked a camp housing security personnel in West
Bengal's West Midnapore district.
Chidambaram has repeatedly stressed that the government will respond
"promptly" if Maoist rebels made a formal and unconditional offer to
stop fighting and start talks.
"I would like a short, simple statement" from the group "saying we
will abjure violence and we are prepared for talks," Chidambaram
said.
"I would like no ifs, no buts and no conditions," he said.
India's twin fights against Jihadists and Maoists
Editorial Posted On Thursday, February 25, 2010
An accredited analyst recently pointed out that the Maoists are now
outsmarting the Jihadists in matters of killing the innocents. India,
therefore, need to be extra cautious in its internal security
preparedness. Home Minister P. Chidambaram's initiative, ever since he
took over charge- post 26/11 scenario, proved successful on one hand
in taming cross border terrorism to a great extent and bringing
relative peace in the troubled J&K State in particular, but on the
other hand, since he has started a massive anti-Maoist 'Operation
Green Hunt', the internal security apparatus appears to be over-
burdened. And, perhaps, that was what our traditional foes across the
border wanted to in pursuance of their real motive to weaken us on all
fronts. There is no doubt that both Pakistan and China are
clandestinely working in tandem towards that objective.
The latest announcement by India to start fresh dialogue with
Pakistan, set at rest after the Mumbai incident, was not taken well by
both ~ the perpetrators of cross border terrorism and their USP the
State of Pakistan. The verbatim by Pakistani External Affairs
establishment that they have made India for talks by diplomatically
outmaneuring it, as it had no option but to agree for talks. In fact,
it was a false bravado by Pak to appease its beleaguered people who
are really fed up with Taliban and Al Qaeda attacks in city after city
on almost every other day. While on one hand the NATO forces in
Afghanistan started inflicting hard blows against Taliban, on the
other side the US drone attacks on suspected targets, aiming Al Qaeda
hideouts deep inside Pakistan, are making life miserable for the
civilian government vis-a-vis the Pakistan's Army. General Kayani of
the Pak Army, though bravely exclaimed that their Army is 'India
specific', yet, India is getting itself ready to face any misadventure
both from Pakistan and China on our respective borders. Under this
piquant situation, India must see through the growing Maoist attacks.
As we all know, about 13 Indian States are now declared as Maoist-
infested and the 'Operation Green Hunt' is being mobilized, placing
its strategic forces in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Before starting it
in full fury, P Chidambaram offered an olive branch to the Maoists to
lay down arms and come for talks to sort out their genuine problems,
if any. This was after the States' Chief Ministers conference held at
Delhi, where even the BJP ruled State's CM like Narendra Modi lavishly
praised both the PM and the HM in their deft handling of our internal
security. He said there was no discrimination of the Centre against
the non-Congress ruled states. So, the UPA's strategy to tackle the
issue in a just and honest way cannot be discounted.
But then what had happened in Pune, thereafter in West Bengal's west
Midnapur district and again in Bihar's Jamui districts are matters of
serious concern for India. While in the case of terrorist sponsored
explosion in Pune's German Bakery that took away 10 precious lives and
about 25-30 are still fighting for life in hospitals for which the Pak-
based terrorists have owned responsibility, in the other two cases of
Maoist attacks in WB and Bihar it was sheer display of guerilla type
attacks by Maoists, thereby killing over 20 and 12 innocent police and
civilians respectively who were caught unawares. The West Bengal
Government of the Communist Party of India Marxists need a real soul
searching and justifiable reasoning in the light of revelations by the
Special IG, EFS recently as to what really went wrong and how the
Maoists had such a free run, making the Eastern Frontier Services men
mere 'sitting ducks' before the well-equipped Maoists. In the case of
Bihar incident, it was display of sheer firepower by Maoists against
unarmed, innocent Kora tribes, which was reportedly in retaliation of
the killings of eight activists of proscribed CPI (Maoists) allegedly
by the villagers. CM Neetish Kumar of Bihar is inquiring into the
matter.
Now, that it is a clear case of fighting against the State by the
outlaws and after the WB incident the Maoists' leadership had
proclaimed that it was a reply to P Chidambaram's 'Operation Green
Hunt', there seems hardly any scope left for talks but only India
should brace up to contain this menace for ever, as the Maoists are
supported by their intellectual friends within and our sworn enemies
from across the border in the similar fashion they had planned and
executed their operation in Nepal. Wherefrom the Indian Maoists are
getting sophisticated weapons and explosives is a matter of grave
intelligence inquisition at this stage. Unless this matter is taken in
all its seriousness, it would prove extremely dangerous for India's
existence as a united entity. We should open our eyes on what a small
country like Sri Lanka had done against the LTTE, considered as one of
the worst terrorist outfits in the world. Of late, it is in print that
there is large-scale inflow of Communists into the Maoist's fold, as
they think it is the right thing to bring total revolution in India.
What would they gain from that is another matter of grave concern, as
what the Nepal Maoists had gained after their victory is unclear yet.
As, there is hardly any development in that country because huge
economic assistance would be required to build up that entire
infrastructure the revolutionaries destroyed in achieving their goal.
Of course, their mentor China would volunteer to do that, as Prime
Minister Prachanda, immediately after formation of his short-lived
government, paid a courtesy visit to that country first. It was the
swift diplomatic maneuvering that still keeps the Maoists at
tenterhooks there. Most of the disarmed fighters, though now walking
freely, are reportedly frustrated, as none of them could gain what
they were promised when Maoists lured them mostly in their tender age
for the jungle warfare.
Who will counsel the Indian Maoists, who too are under-educated, poor
tribal or adivasis, mostly from the Bimaru States of the cow belt,
that their leaders who promise them the sun, the moon and the stars,
once the revolution is won, would also experience the same fate of
jumping from the frying pan into the real fire, as the current Indian
situation is not at all conducive like that of a dislodged two and
half century old monarchy in Nepal. India is a democratic country and
a sizable majority of Indians across the country do not subscribe to
the already failed communist revolution elsewhere in the world now
venturing to overtake the Indian State desperately, as we had already
won our revolution from imperialism and are now progressing, though
the real progress is yet to percolate down at the desired level. One
would like to counsel the Indian Maoists to turn their guns against
hoarders, black marketers, corrupt politician/officialdom that
literally siphon off/block the flow of government funds for
development/uplift of the downtrodden people, instead of hiding in
jungles and terrifying, killing or using the poor tribes, adivasis and
the lesser mortals as human shield. It cannot be considered as valor
but only third rate Mohalla villainy.
RK Kutty
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=28012
THE REAL PICTURE
FIFTH COLUMN -Sumanta Sen
Since the time the Union home minister decided to deal sternly with
the Maoists, it has been his aim to make the counter offensive a broad-
based one, with active cooperation from the concerned states. In
eastern India, the states are West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and
Orissa, but so far not much progress has been noticed in this
direction. This is because administrative action cannot be expected to
succeed to the desired extent if political perception does not give it
top priority. In at least two of the states, Bihar and Jharkhand, the
rulers have some real problems in seeing the Maoists as the principal
enemy, as they are viewed by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Calcutta and
by P. Chidambaram in New Delhi.
Bihar, for instance. Both the components of today’s Communist Party of
India (Maoist), the People’s War Group and the Maoist Coordination
Committee were active in undivided Bihar, as was the overground Indian
People’s Front. They worked among the poor backward castes and the
harijan peasants of central Bihar, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Gaya, and in
the tribal-dominated plateau region of what was then south Bihar and
is now Jharkhand. In central Bihar were also present the armed private
armies of upper caste landlords, mostly Rajputs, who created terror
among the hapless backwards, frequently turning the areas into killing
fields. This brought them into clashes with the People’s War Group,
and the state being Bihar, where everything is judged from the caste
angle, the latter came to be known as champions of the backward
castes. This was in the Eighties.
Since then things have changed. The various private armies are not
much heard of these days as the upper castes no longer hold the whip
hand in Patna. But in popular perception, in the vast countrysides,
the Maoists still continue to be associated with the lower castes.
Even the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, which
contests elections, has this perception to help it at poll times. So
how can the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, who also has the
backward classes as his main prop for winning elections, be as
enthusiastic as Bhattacharjee in waging a war against the Maoists?
Glaring lack
Another aspect of the situation has to be kept in mind. Historically,
the Naxalites, and now the Maoists, have viewed the Marxists as their
number one enemy, the ‘revisionists’ who stand in the way of an armed
revolution by creating illusions about parliamentary democracy. In
this respect, Nitish Kumar is not as important for them as
Bhattacharjee is, and they feel that they need not be so hard on the
former. This being the reality, Patna’s response cannot be the same as
Calcutta’s.
Similar is the situation in Ranchi. Shibu Soren cannot be expected to
alienate his tribal supporters by going with a gun among them in
search of Maoists. Even if reports of Maoists helping out Soren at
election time are not wholly correct, the strategy of bringing
together the tribals of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa fits in
quite nicely with Soren’s plans of a greater Jharkhand. That plan may
remain a pipe dream, but Soren cannot be too displeased if elements
from his state use the jungle corridor to create problems for his
counterpart in West Bengal, as neither has any love lost for the
other.
Also, Jharkhand has for long been a haven for the Maoists, and now
that they are concentrating more on the neighbouring state, Soren must
be heaving sighs of relief. Little wonder then that Ranchi has done
precious little to put checks on the Maoists.
The region thus lacks a political consensus on the way to tackle the
Maoists effectively. And as long as such an agreement is not there,
the menace will continue, and the Shilda carnage may well turn out to
be the first in a series.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100225/jsp/opinion/story_12138859.jsp
Chidambaram sticks to standard line: There is no operation Green Hunt
*India's home Minister carries on a ridiculous fraud *Admits that
situation on the naxalite front is bad *Also admits there were police
excesses in certain areas of Maoist dominance
WSN Bureau
NEW DELHI: the ping-pong exchange of statements is currently on
between the beleaguered Indian government and the violent Maoist
groups. Reacting to Indian home Minister P. Chidambaram's statement
that he was prepared to talk to the Maoists provided they stopped
violence for 72 hours, the Maoist leadership came up with the rebuttal
that they were ready to announce ceasefire was 72 days instead of 72
hours if the government was ready to talk. On Tuesday, P. Chidambaram
seemed to be almost trying to escape the situation by saying he would
first want to see a fax from the Maoists at a particular number in the
home Ministry and a clear statement that the Maoists are ready to talk
without any preconditions and only then he will take the matter to the
Prime Minister and the Cabinet and will be ready to talk.
The 72 hours-72 days drama started happening within days of rather
funny statements by the Chidambaram in which he repeatedly asked by
intellectual in India not to support the Maoists. This has been a
regular refrain of Chidambaram who has often complained that the
intellectuals were making his job difficult by repeatedly pointing out
to the government's inability, unwillingness and complete failure to
carry out any socioeconomic progress in the areas that have witnessed
Maoist activity in recent years.
By saying this, Chidambaram has clearly exposed not only himself but
even his own government as the one that only sees the Maoist violence
as a landlord was situation instead of the outcome of years of
neglect, apathy and disempowerment of the tribals. Not once has
Chidambaram said a word about the role of the multinational
corporations that have been eyeing the area which is full of
minerals.
In fact, Chidambaram even accused the media of letting itself be
seduced by the Maoists and once again clearly stated that his solution
comes only from the barrel of a gun rather then any imaginative ideas
about carrying out the real development in the region that has been
ignored for decades and where the corporate interests are now getting
proactive.
“But don’t forget the bottom line — the CPI(Maoists) believe in armed
liberation struggle. Accept it or reject it. There can be no half-way
approach. Most people still think there could be a compromise or some
kind of median approach. This is immature and foolish,” Chidambaram
said.
Chidambaram said the government was following a policy on naxalites
but it would take some time for the results to become visible, and in
the meantime they would continue to try every trick in the bag to
garner support.
He admitted that the situation on the naxalite front was bad. “This is
expected because as long as we did not engage them, they were happy
and expanding. They will continue to expand unless we challenge
them.”
Denying that any operation was being carried out under the name of
“Operation Green Hunt” in Chhattisgarh, he said the Centre was just
assisting the States in reclaiming the areas under Maoists control.
“This is a careful, controlled and calibrated move with no carnage or
collateral damage.”
Continuous denial of the operation Green Hunt has been a strategy of
Chidambaram even though it is more than clear that the operation has
been planned months in advance and there are ulterior motives
involved.
24 February 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Maoists’ talks offer turns out to be hoax
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Kishenji’s phone belonged to abducted cop
Did media fall prey to Naxal sympathisers?
Did the media fall prey to a great hoax in reporting the ceasefire
offer purportedly made by the top Maoists leader Kishenji? This is
what the Centre thinks after analysing various intelligence inputs
which suggest that Kishenji did not talk to any TV journalist at all
in the recent days.
And that’s not the end of the story. What gives it a curious twist is
the latest discovery that the phone number given by Maoists to the
media asking Union Home Minster P Chidambaram to call up for peace
negotiations actually belonged to a police constable who was briefly
abducted and released by the rebels a few months ago.
Intelligence officials feel that some Naxal sympathisers wanted to
confuse the Government after the Home Minister made a statement
recently that the Centre would be ready to hold talks with Maoists if
they stop violence for 72 hours. “So they made a counter-statement in
the name of Kishenji. But the data received from various telephone
interceptions proved that this episode was a drama created by Naxal
sympathisers to create confusion,” the officials said.
The Vodafone number 9734695789 belonged to Sisir Kanti Nag, the
constable who was abducted by Maoists demanding the release of the
PCPA leader Chatradhar Mahato, on September 26.
“The Vodafone SIM card was purchased from Kharagpur and it belongs to
Nag. But right now it is impossible to say from which dealer it was
purchased,” a senior district police officer said on condition of
anonymity. “We are questioning the constable and trying to find out
details,” he said. Nag’s cellphone number in all probability is being
used by Koteswar Rao, better known as Kishenji, and is the phone
number Chidambaram has been asked to call up on, the officer said.
Nag and his colleague Siteshwar Prasad were abducted by Maoists from a
bus at Tamajhuri in West Midnapore on September 26 demanding the
release of Mahato. Nag was released later that night at Jamtalghera,
about 50 km away from Tamajhuri.
Kishenji, who contacts the media frequently, has used as many as 18
different mobile phone numbers since June last year when the hunt for
him was launched.
The Airtel number which was used by Kishenji when the hunt began
belonged to a schoolteacher from Lalgarh who had lost his cellphone,
the police officer said. The teacher had lodged a complaint with the
police, he said.
While two of the numbers used by the elusive Maoist leader to contact
PTI belonged to Jharkhand, one to Andhra Pradesh and the rest to West
Bengal. “Most of the numbers used by Kishenji, belong to various
people from Nadia, Hoogly and South 24 Parganas,” the officer said.
“This is a very intelligent way to distract the police from mainline
investigation and Maoists have used this method very carefully and
tactfully,” a senior intelligence officer said.
The Maoist leader is known to move between Goaltore, Salboni, Lalgarh,
Belpahari and the neighbouring Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, Intelligence agencies have told the Government that the
reports of ceasefire offer made by Maoist leader Kishenji were not
true. Claming that Kishenji never contacted any journalist, sources
said that some TV journalist talked to a Maoists leader Raju and
telecast the story quoting Kishenji.
“We found that this person who was known as Raju in the Maoist circles
talked to TV journalists on Monday. Kishenji never called up any
journalist,” a senior Home Ministry official said.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/238779/Maoists%E2%80%99-talks-offer-turns-out-to-be-hoax.html
OPINION
Dial M For Maoists
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS HONEST, IT MUST ENGAGE THE MAOISTS IN TALKS AND
NOT SPURN KISHENJI’S UNCONDITIONAL OFFER
SAROJ GIRI
Academic
Homeland defence Heavily armed paramilitary forces in the tribal belt
of Lalgarh, West Bengal
Photo: PINTU PRADHAN
WITH MAOIST leader Kishenji’s rather bold offer for ceasefire to the
Union government, a new situation seems to be unfolding in the red
corridor of heartland India. Seeking to place the ball in the Centre’s
court, the 72-day offer clearly seems to trump Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram’s 72-hour offer. Moreover, it’s the nature of the offer —
unconditional, as opposed to earlier Maoist proposals stipulating the
release of their key leaders, restoration of land and forests to the
tribals, scrapping of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with big
investors etc, all major irritants for the government — which begs a
serious consideration. Practically the only condition set by the
Maoists this time is that the State should reciprocate. This is at a
time when reports of the CRPF in Lalgarh killing Lalmohan Tudu of the
People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) in front of his
family members on February 22 are filtering in, over and above the
initial propaganda about him being killed during an attack on a CRPF
camp.
Chidambaram, instead of welcoming the offer to start a process of
negotiation and addressing the substantive issues at hand, responded
with a presumptuous and hypocritical statement calling upon the
Maoists to abjure violence first. The Planning Commission’s Expert
Group on Development Challenges in Extremist Affected Areas has argued
that the government is engaging in peace talks with other rebel groups
like the Nagas even though they have not abjured violence and in fact
‘taken advantage of the peaceful conditions to consolidate their
parallel government’. So, they ask, ‘why a different approach for the
Maoists?’
Chidambaram is clearly trying to make violence the key issue — that
the real problem facing the country is violence by illegitimate actors
like the Maoists and not the inequalities and injustices that are
spiralling in the country. On the other hand, basking in the cover of
being constitutional and democratically elected, even as it spearheads
a system of a million injustices and the repressive Operation Green
Hunt, the charge of being ‘violent’ somehow does not stick against the
government. Instead, with terror attacks in Mumbai and Pune, the non-
State violence as the main problem gets reinforced by the discourse of
the ‘war on terror’ — that our country is under attack and hence no
dissensions. NATO troops at Marjah, Afghanistan, are currently
supposed to be flushing out the Taliban and then installing a civilian
government — not too different from Chidambaram’s policy of flushing
out Maoists to make way for a civilian administration.
THE GOVERNMENT IS MORE COMFORTABLE ENGAGING WITH THE NAGA OR KASHMIRI
MILITANTS IN TALKS, THAN WITH MAOISTS
This approach frames the Maoists in terms of a conflict model — that
this is primarily a problem of violence, of illegitimate actors
challenging the State and rule of law, and indeed the understanding
that the Maoists are ‘the biggest internal security threat’. There is
an underside to this seemingly straightforward picture. By simply
raking up the violent nature of the Maoists again and again, the
substantive issues at hand — corporate plunder, land grab, vigilante
groups like Salwa Judum — are easily set aside or regarded as
secondary.
Hence Kishenji’s dropping of the other conditions for ceasefire might
add to this perception that violence is the real issue. In fact,
several civil society groups and independent intellectuals who have
always insisted on addressing the core problems facing tribals might
even feel that this is a new situation where only violence and
hostilities become the real problem. However, through this offer, the
Maoists may actually be trying to reach out to civil society. They are
probably appealing to the wider civil society — maybe to gain some
credibility as a political force; or be recognised as not only
interested in violence and a military solution. This must be seen as a
positive development. The ‘abjure violence first’ line, however, is
bent upon undoing this.
So what about the ‘skeptics’ who argue that the Maoists have come with
this offer only because they are feeling the heat of Operation Green
Hunt, or they are being strategic and trying to regroup — biding time,
trying to trap the government? What is significant is that even though
they may be feeling the heat, given the repression unleashed by the
State, the Maoists are seeking a political process, involving sections
of civil society, unlike the belligerent attitude of the State.
Indeed the government has made it impossible for anyone from outside
to visit these ‘affected areas’ — human rights activists and
independent observers have been harassed and chased away repeatedly. A
cessation of hostilities is therefore what the State fears the most —
for that will mean the possibility of a free exchange between the
Maoists in the hinterland and urban civil society. The State clearly
does not want that to happen — for that will turn the heat on it. This
is the real trap it fears — getting politically cornered for its
misdeeds. Hence, the need for this hysteria surrounding Maoist
violence and human rights activists of supporting it.
There is nothing retrograde for the Maoists in seeking a political way
out when cornered militarily — if this is what the ceasefire means.
But the ‘abjure violence’ approach of the government seems to be aimed
at precluding precisely such a possibility. Even the language used in
the media — regroup, bidding for time, walking into a trap — all
assume a situation of continuing war. In a way, the demand to ‘abjure
violence’ is nothing less than the guilt of the State slipping out.
Foregrounding violence in the context of a ceasefire allows the State
to skirt the key issues and keep portraying the Maoists as liable to
be physically eliminated, catching them off-guard.
This is the experience of the talks between the State and the Peoples
War Group in Andhra Pradesh, where the ceasefire was used by the State
to finish off the Maoists. Making the ‘violent’ tag stick on the
Maoists meant that they could be delegitimised and made easy targets
even after formal talks had started in October 2004 between the
Maoists and the government, while the undercover attacks and
elimination of Maoist leaders and sympathisers continued unabated.
Leading civil liberties activist KG Kannabiran, who was one of the
eight mediators then, told BBC that, “It was agreed that the police
would not undertake combing operations against the Maoists. Why was
there a need for the police to become so active, launching combing
operations and killing the extremists in encounters?”
PERHAPS THIS is where return to a focus on the core issue of tribal
displacement and habitat, cannot in the circumstances, be delinked
from the fate of the Maoist movement. After all the Maoist movement is
not only a current problem or a temporary happenstance specific to the
present conjuncture. Since 1967, the Naxal movement and its present
avatar, the Maoists, have stared in the face of the ruling order of
the country. Indeed the Naxal slogan — Yeh azaadi jhooti hai (this
independence is false) is a comment on the state of our nation. To
relegate the Maoist issue to only one of violence, or for that matter
that of Adivasis or land reforms or livelihood — is to deny and
suppress its wider political provenance — something which might have
implications on the very ‘idea of India’. This is perhaps why the
government is more comfortable engaging with the Naga or Kashmiri
militants in talks, than with the Maoists.
Those on the left and progressive liberals, ruing the erosion of ‘the
idea of India’ and the decline of our political ideals, are so status-
quoist in their upholding of the constitutional values of democracy,
that they have conceded any possibility of rewriting history, or
revising the basic structure of the Constitution, to the Hindu right.
This seems true of the post-ideological, neoliberal age where the
right-wing free marketeers are the radicals, calling for change,
whereas the left are the conservatives, holding on to the myth of the
founding moment and a dream of the long-dead founding fathers of the
republic. The Naxal who refuses to ‘abjure violence’, in precisely
being unconstitutional and undemocratic, in moving out of the shadow
of our founding fathers, has come to stand for a left-wing agenda of
change, taking the wind out of the Hindu right’s sails and realigning
the terrain of thinking for the left as a whole. Whether the Maoists
are adequate to this fertile moment is however not a settled question
yet.
(Saroj Giri is Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science,
Delhi University)
WRITER’S EMAIL:
saroj...@yahoo.com
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 7, Issue 09, Dated March 06, 2010
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main44.asp?filename=Op060310opinion.asp
We Will Work Jointly With Centre to Fight Naxalism: Soren
New Delhi | Feb 24, 2010
Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren today met Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram and later said his government did not have any difference
with the Centre on Naxal issue and would "jointly" fight the ultra
left wing problem.
Soren, who held a half-an-hour meeting with Chidambaram here, said his
government was tackling the problem of left-wing extremism on its own.
"It was a satisfactory meeting. We are controlling Naxal activities on
our own. We appreciate the work being done by the government of India.
We will work jointly," Soren told reporters after the meeting.
Soren was accompanied by his two deputy Chief Ministers Raghuvar Das
and Sudesh Mahto.
"We discussed Naxal operations and development-related issues
including road and water problems in the state," Mahto said.
He said the Jharkhand government was getting support from the central
government. "There is no difference between us. We have decided to
work for the uplift of the state, especially in the areas of Maoists
influence as they are mired in poverty.
Filed At: Feb 24, 2010 23:06 IST , Edited At: Feb 24, 2010 23:06 IST
© Copyright PTI. All rights reserved.
RELATED WIRES :
Gujarat Police Files FIR Against CPI (Maoist) Feb 26, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675384
Naga Rebels Coming Tomorrow For Talks With Centre Feb 26, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675348
Explain Deployment of 'Greyhounds' in OU: SC to AP Feb 26, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675328
Police Officer Killed in Encounter With Maoists in WB Feb 25, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675287
Govt Assures Security to M F Husain Feb 25, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675269
Pak Claims 'Indian networks' Behind Terror Attacks in India Feb 25,
2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675266
Number Given By Maoists to PC Traced to Constable Feb 25, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675250
Man Shot Dead, School Building Blown Up in Jharkhand Feb 25, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675233
Police Officer, Maoist Killed in Encounter Feb 25, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675221
MHA Flooded With Complaints; No Reply From Kishenji Feb 24, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675208
Centre Weak on Acting Against Terrorism, Naxalism: RSS Feb 24, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675205
Pune Blast Probe May be Handed Over to NIA Feb 24, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675192
Chinese Intrusions Noticed in Past Two Years: MHA Feb 24, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675179
Naxal-hit States Top List in Shortfall of IPS Officers Feb 24, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675175
Bitter Experience Leads MHA to Be Cautious on Naxal Talks Feb 23,
2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675151
BJP Differs with SAD on Return of Blacklisted Sikhs Feb 23, 2010
Fax Me The Offer, Says PC. Call Me, Responds Kishenji Feb 23, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675143
Koda Scam: HC Sets Aside IT Official's Transfer Feb 23, 2010
SC Directs AP to Show Proof of Involvement of Maoists Feb 23, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675097
Govt to Maoists: No Ifs, No Buts and No Conditions Feb 23, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675095
Hours After Ceasefire, Maoists Attack Security Camp Feb 23, 2010
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675083
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?675210
chhotemianinshallah
Front Page
In a shocking move by the Delhi Police, it has named several human
rights activists in its charge-sheet against Maoist leader Kobad
Ghandy, who was arrested in September last year.
The 800-page document includes accusations that a number of groups,
including the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), People’s Union
of Democratic Rights (PUDR), Association for Protection of Democratic
Rights (APDR), suggesting that they met with Ghandy and are continuing
to offer what Home Minister P Chidambaram has called “intellectual
support” for the Maoist movement.
I attended a press conference in Delhi yesterday, where a number of
leading activists, including retired judge Rajindar Sachar and writer
Arundhati Roy, decried what they see as an attempt to silence critics
of the government’s treatment of tribal people in Naxal-affected
areas. In their press statement they said:
The chargesheet is yet another instance of the state’s attempt to
criminalise any resistance or protests against its actions in the
areas covered by Operation Green Hunt … these allegations constitute
an unprovoked and unwarranted attack on these democratic and civil
liberties associations.
I’ve met quite a few of these activists over the past couple of weeks,
and the idea that they are front organisations for the Maoists is
laughable. While their rhetoric may lean somewhat heavily against the
government, this is because they focus on the exploitation and
deprivations of the tribal people that underlie the insurgency – not
because they support violence in any form.
There are a number of human rights cases currently going through the
Supreme Court in which the states’ counsel simply accuse their
opponents of being Naxal supporters.
Fortunately, it seems that many judges are growing tired of this
reasoning. The day before the press conference, a Supreme Court judge
came down hard on the Andhra Pradesh government for deploying an anti-
Naxal police unit to quell violence at Osmania University, on the
shaky grounds that some of the students were “Naxal sympathisers”.
At the moment the government lacks a political strategy for dealing
with the Naxal insurgency that can balance its desire for security
with its interest in exploiting tribal lands. This leaves it little
capacity to stomach the criticism of academics and activists who point
out its short-comings. While the government struggles to think up a
comprehensive strategy, it is likely to find it increasingly difficult
to find enough judges willing to keep up the line that retired
professors are in fact violent extremists.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
India & Burma: Playing Nice With Rogues
http://kikobor.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/india-burma-playing-nice-with-rogues/
Cambodia’s largest labour union demands ‘real killers’ be arrested in…
http://cwcinternational.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/cambodias-largest-labour-union-demands-real-killers-be-arrested-in-leaders-2004-murder/
ACLU’s Attention To Rights Should Include Gun Rights, Says CCRKBA
http://a4cgr.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/02-227/
Organizing Diverse American Activists
http://magdelene.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/organizing-diverse-american-activists/
http://kikobor.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/you-disagree-terrorist/
Civil right groups listed on Ghandy's chargesheet
Rupashree Nanda / CNN-IBN
Published on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 12:48, Updated on Sun, Feb 28, 2010
at 13:22 in India section
FOR THE PEOPLE: Maoist leader Kobad Gandh is in police custody for
involvment in Naxal activities.
New Delhi: It's an open war between the Home Ministry and its police
establishment on the one hand and Left-leaning intelligentsia on the
other.
A chargesheet against alleged Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy states top
civil rights groups are engaged in unlawful activities.
The chargesheet also includes top human rights groups, saying that
they are helping the Maoists.
Activists and writers insist they have been targeted simply because of
their criticism of the government's action against Naxals.
"There is a war going on, there are human rights violations going
on ... these are the people who are bringing them out and now there is
an attempt to throw a cordon of silence around the theater of war,"
said author Arundhati Roy.
Human rights activists strongly refute the charge that they engage in
unlawful activity and spread CPI Maoist thought. They are asking if
this is not a clear attempt to criminalise thought and silence
dissent.
The Supreme Court had recently said that those who support the Naxals
cannot charged for being Naxals sympathisers. The forum of concerned
citizens is also emphasizing the need for talks to find a solution as
against an all-out war.
"The only way you can create an atmosphere for talks is by halting
Operation Greenhunt, " said Arundhati Roy.
But as operations are on, people ask whether human rights and civil
liberties are fast becoming the casualties.
Copyright © IBNLive.com. All rights reserved.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/civil-right-groups-listed-on-ghandys-chargesheet/110833-3.html
Most foreign arms seized from naxals looted from forces
STAFF WRITER 10:41 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) Contrary to reports that Naxals have started
buying foreign-made arms, most such weapons used by them are actually
those looted from security forces.
As per a Home Ministry report, there were no inputs to indicate that
Maoists were procuring arms from any foreign country even though they
maintain fraternal links with Communist Party of Nepal and Maoists and
Communist parties of countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and
Philippines.
It said that most of the foreign-made weapons carried by Naxalites
were those that have been looted from security forces.
Sources said the most common foreign-made arm used by the Naxals is
the AK-47, which is usually looted from security forces during naxal
raids, like in the case of recent attack on a police camp in West
Bengal in which the left-wing extremists fled with about 40 weapons,
including AKs.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541170_Most-foreign-arms-seized-from-naxals-looted-from-forces
File photo of Hafiz Saeed, the leader of a banned Islamic group Jamaat-
ud-Dawa in Lahore, Pakistan. AP/PTI Photograph (1)
Pak will have to fight war if India doesn't talk: Saeed
STAFF WRITER 15:9 HRS IST
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Feb 28 (PTI) Notwithstanding the recent Indo-Pak Foreign
Secretary-level meeting for which India took initiative, JuD chief
Hafiz Mohd Saeed has said Pakistan will have to "fight a war at all
costs" if New Delhi is not prepared to hold talks.
"India wants war... If India is not prepared to hold talks, Pakistan
will have to fight a war at all costs," Saeed said in an interview to
a news channel.
Asked about India's accusations about his involvement in planning and
carrying out the Mumbai attacks, Saeed replied: "Let India prove it in
any court, I will be ready to accept everything."
To another question on whether people should go to Kashmir for 'jehad'
against India, he said there was "no doubt" in his mind that this
should be done.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541462_Pak-will-have-to-fight-war-if-India-doesn-t-talk--Saeed
Three Maoists surrender in Orissa
STAFF WRITER 17:12 HRS IST
Phulbani (Orissa), Feb 28 (PTI) Three Maoist rebels, including a woman
cadre, who were involved in a number of attacks in Orissa's Gajapati
and Kandhamal districts, today surrendered before the police.
"They decided to lay down arms repenting the path of violence ...They
claimed they have been tortured by seniors," Superintendent of Police,
Kandhamal, Praveen Kumar told reporters here.
The surrendered were identified as Kamla Mandal (22) of Gajapati
district, Binayak Parida (30) and Bishnu Parida (21) from Bariguda
village in Raikia police station in Kandhamal district, he said.
While Kamla of Bansadhara committee of CPI (Maoist) had been active in
Maoist activities since 2003 and involved in over eight cases, the
other two ultras were providing logistic support and engaged in
information collection, Kumar said.
Information about Maoist activities in Orissa and neighbouring states
like Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are likely to be obtained from
them, the police said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541694_Three-Maoists-surrender-in-Orissa
File photo of MoS for External Affairs Minister Shashi Tharoor showing
a booklet at a meeting in New Delhi. PTI Photo Photograph (1)
Tharoor:Saudi can be interlocutor between India, Pak
STAFF WRITER 14:36 HRS IST
Riyadh, Feb 28 (PTI) Saudi Arabia can be a "valuable interlocutor"
between India and Pakistan, Minister of State for External Affairs
Shashi Tharoor said today and subsequently clarified that he did not
mean that Riyadh should be a mediator.
"We feel that Saudi Arabia of course has a long and close relationship
with Pakistan but that makes Saudi Arabia even a more valuable
interlocutor for us," Tharoor, who is accompanying Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on a three-day visit to the kingdom, said.
"When we tell them about our experience, Saudi Arabia listens as
somebody who is not in anyway an enemy of Pakistan but rather is a
friend of Pakistan and therefore I am sure will listen with sympathy
and concern to a matter of this nature," he said when asked what kind
of cooperation did he expect from Riyadh considering its close
relations with Islamabad.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541430_Tharoor-Saudi-can-be-interlocutor-between-India--Pak
Congress maintains silence on Tharoor's remark
STAFF WRITER 18:23 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) Congress today maintained silence over the
controversial remark by Union Minister Shashi Tharoor that Saudi
Arabia can be a "valuable interlocutor" between India and Pakistan.
There were no reactions either from the AICC or any Congress spokesman
on the matter, which has raised the hackles of the Opposition.
However, some Congress leaders, on condition of anonymity, expressed
their anger against Tharoor for "landing the government in trouble
again and again.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541748_Congress-maintains-silence-on-Tharoor-s-remark
Normalcy returns to B'desh's Chittagong Hill Tracts
STAFF WRITER 18:10 HRS IST
Dhaka, Feb 28 (PTI) Normalcy seemed to be returning to Bangladesh's
insurgency-hit Chittagong Hill Tracts after a weeklong violence
between Buddhist Tribals and Muslim settlers.
M Abdullah, Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachhari, told PTI today that
Section 144 preventing gathering of four or more persons was withdrawn
around 12 noon as there was clam in the hilly district town.
He said normalcy has returned to the district headquarters and the
affected families have begun to go back to their homes.
Earlier, the curfew which was imposed after Monday?s violence was
lifted from the trouble-torn hilly town and its adjoining areas on
Friday.
Army troops were called out as ethnic violence between tribals and
Bengali speaking settlers in Rangamati district's Sajek Valley left at
least two persons dead and scores others injured.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541727_Normalcy-returns-to-B-desh-s-Chittagong-Hill-Tracts
Arunachal Pradesh part of India, says Mark Tully
STAFF WRITER 18:12 HRS IST
Itanagar, Feb 28 (PTI) Noted journalist and author Mark Tully today
said Arunachal Pradesh is part of India.
"I see no reason why this part of India will be part of China," Tully,
the India correspondent of BBC from 1965 to 1994, told newsmen here
today.
Tully said he is working on a book -? 'India since economic
liberalisation' -? which will contain a chapter on North-East,
including Arunachal Pradesh.
The hey days of ULFA in Assam, its tea industry besides Meghalaya and
Manipur will certainly find mention, he said.
Responding to a volley of questions, he said people never opt for
insurgency but become part of a compelling situation.
The situation in the North East has not been dealt with effectively,
particularly through political dialogue.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541730_Arunachal-Pradesh-part-of-India--says-Mark-Tully
Manmohan's visit dominates headlines in Saudi media
STAFF WRITER 15:59 HRS IST
Riyadh, Feb 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Saudi
Arabia, the first by an Indian premier in 28 years, today dominated
the headlines of Kingdom's newspapers which described it as
"historic".
In a departure from protocol, King Abdullah's brother and Second
Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz
and the entire Saudi cabinet had received Singh when he arrived on a
three-day visit yesterday.
The front pages of all Saudi newspapers carried Singh's arrival story,
with leading daily Arab News placing it under headline 'Indian PM on
historic visit'.
The paper carried pictures of Singh shaking hands with Crown Prince
and other members of the Royal family at the King Khaled International
Airport here.
The trip marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister since a
visit by Indira Gandhi in 1982.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541582_Manmohan-s-visit-dominates-headlines-in-Saudi-media
Kabul attack was on the pattern of Mumbai 26/11
STAFF WRITER 11:5 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) The terror attack in Kabul was on the pattern
of the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, with six to eight terrorists targeting
two hotels and hunting for victims during the strike in which six
Indians were killed and 10 others injured.
Investigators suspect involvement of the Taliban, particularly the
Haqqani group, in league with elements of Lashkar-e Taiba in Friday's
assault, sources said.
The attack was carried out in a coordinated manner with the terrorists
first exploding bombs and then launching the armed assault, hunting
for the targets, particularly the members of the Indian medical
mission, a pattern seen in Mumbai during the 26/11 attack, they said.
About six to eight terrorists are suspected to have been involved in
the assault at around 6.30 am at the Park Residence Hotel and adjacent
Noor guest house, where Indians on transit usually stay, the sources
said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541203_Kabul-attack-was-on-the-pattern-of-Mumbai-26-11
Violence-hit villages returning to normalcy in J-K
STAFF WRITER 12:46 HRS IST
Srinagar, Feb 28 (PTI) The situation in violence-hit villages of north
Kashnmir's Pattan town is fast returning to normalcy as the curfew
continued for the third day today in the affected villages.
"The situation in Kangamdora, Hagarpora and adjoining villages in
Pattan Tehsil is fast returning to normalcy," Deputy Commissioner,
Baramulla, Bashir Ahmad Bhat said.
However, curfew continued for the third day as a precautionary measure
in the affected villages which witnessed clashes between two sects of
Muslims over erection of a hoarding of a spiritual leader on Thursday,
leaving 20 persons injured besides damage to many houses and shops.
"The situation is under control as curfew continued in two villages as
a precautionary measure," Bhat said, adding there was no report of any
fresh violence from any part of the curfew-bound villages.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541286_Violence-hit-villages-returning-to-normalcy-in-J-K
Elaborate security arrangements in Patna for Holi
STAFF WRITER 14:29 HRS IST
Patna, Feb 28 (PTI) Elaborate security arrangements have been made in
the city to prevent any untoward incidents during the Holi festival,
officials said today.
Liquor sale has been prohibited during the festival and all the
Station House officers (SHOs) have been directed to maintain extra
vigil in their respective areas, Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Rajeev
Kumar said.
A large number of police personnel have been deployed to maintain
peace and harmony in sensitive areas like Sultanganj, Khajekalan, City
Chowk and Alamganj, he said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/541414_Elaborate-security-arrangements-in-Patna-for-Holi
bademiyansubhanallah
Incomeptent Minister ?
Before coming to the negotiating table for peace talks, even warring
countries temporarily halt hostilities as a first step towards
demonstrating sincerity and thus create the right atmosphere. The
Maoists, however, have done the reverse. They have stepped up their
offensive in West Bengal, immediately after making the talks offer.
Just four hours after the CPI (Maoist ) spokesperson Kishenji said the
guerrillas were willing to talk if the government stopped all ongoing
operations against them for 72 days, they launched an abortive attack
at a police camp at Kantapahari in Lalgarh in West Midnapore. In the
early hours of Thursday, they killed the officer in charge of Sarenga
police station in neighbouring Bankura district.
“The Maoists’ truce offer is nothing but a sham,” the CPI(M) central
committee member Mohammad Salim said. He even wondered if they had
made any truce offer at all! “It was Union home minister P.
Chidambaram who said that the government was willing to talk to the
rebels if they suspended violence for only 72 hours,” he said. Mr
Chidambaram made it clear that the government was not asking the
Maoists to either lay down arms or disband.
They did not respond to his offer. By insisting that the government
call off all operations for 72 days, they were trying to play a game
of one-upmanship. “They actually sent a message to the Centre: it is
not you but we who will dictate terms,” Mr Salim said, while pointing
out that the announcement of a cellphone number on which the
government was asked to inform the Maoists by 5 pm on February 25
whether it was willing to suspend all operations from February 25 to
May 7 was also a brazen attempt to up the ante.
Also, as West Bengal Governor and former national security advisor
M.K. Narayanan said, there was a complete “lack of clarity” in
Kishenji’s offer. “Past experience has shown that the Maoists are not
interested in talks,” he said.
As Arun Prasad Mukherjee, who was the deputy commissioner (special
branch) in the Kolkata police when the Naxal movement was at its peak
in the late 60s, rightly asks: “Don’t you see the Maoists have laid
down conditions that the government will find hard to accept?” Both Mr
Salim and Mr Mukherjee agree that the Maoists’ offer of talks must be
seen as a ploy to buy time, to re-arm and regroup themselves.
“Maoists, who do not accept the Constitution and want to overthrow the
government through armed struggle, do not believe in dialogue or
negotiations. The talks offer is only a tactical move,” Mr Salim said.
Mr Mukherjee, however, said that there was no harm in talking. Indeed,
he says, “The spectre of Operation Green Hunt may have unnerved the
Maoists” and forced their hand into offering to talk in a bid “to
avert the crackdown.”
Particulary as they can no longer be sure of ground support after
their killing of defenceless villagers whom they brand as police
informers has begun to alienate the local tribals. Evidence of the
discontent brewing among the tribals against the guerrillas became all
too obvious when rebel Maoist leader Marshal openly accused Kishenji,
a non-tribal. of explo-iting tribals and using them as ‘cannon
fodder’, he said. “Des-pite all this, the government should talk to
them, if only to call their bluff,” he added.
The Trinamul Congress, strongly advocates talks. Mamata Banerjee, in
fact, went to Jangalmahal in mid-January and declared that she was
even willing to fall at the Maoists’ feet to persuade them to come to
the negotiating table. “It is no secret that the Maoists helped Mamata
in her Nandigram and Singur movements. And it is no coincidence that
the Maoists’ rapid growth in the state has coincided with the TC’s
rise,” Mr Salim said.
It is these deep rifts among mainstream political parties that the Red
brigade exploits. “While Mr Chidambaram favours tough measures, his
Cabinet colleague and Trinamul leader opposes joint operations,” Mr
Salim pointed out.
JANGALMAHAL aka THE RED CORRIDOR
It was in 1999 that the People’s War Group (PWG) started making its
presence felt in West Bengal under the leadership of Asit Sarkar.
While PWG was largely confined to West Midnapore and Purulia
districts, the Maoist Communist Centre was slowly gaining ground in
Bankura. Their merger and formation of CPI (Maoist) in 2004 helped the
growth of the Naxals in all three districts, also known as the
Jangalmahal.
Since then, parts of these districts, such as Lalgarh, Gwaltor,
Belpahari, Banshpahari, Binpur in West Midnapore, Bandwan in Purulia
and Sarenga, Barikul and Ranibandh in Bankura have become their
strongholds. The Naxals also have some presence in Hooghly, Birbhum,
North 24 Parganas and are trying to spread their wings to Nadia,
Murshidabad and Malda.
223 DISTRICTS IN 20 STATES AFFECTED
One of the principal reasons why the Maoists have an upper hand in
their fight against the police is their total commitment to their
"cause" and their resilience. Life in the jungles is no picnic,
specially for the educated urban youth who have joined the Red
brigade, inspired by their ideology. They set up their camps in dense
forests, preferably near a canal which is their source of water. For
food, they depend on local villagers who are either sympathisers or
too scared to refuse. Their only contact with the outside world is
through transistor radios or cell phones.
Once a youth joins the guerrillas, he snaps all links with his or her
family. Sushen Mahato, the commander of the Salboni Maoist squad, was
one of the five ultras who was killed in the Sildah attack. It was
only through the media that Sushen's mother came to know about his
death. She had last seen him two years before, when he briefly visited
his village. Like Sushen, there are hundreds who have been lured by
the Maoists to the jungle to work as their foot-soldiers.
According to Union home ministry figures, out of 636 districts in 28
states and seven union territories, 223 districts in 20 states have
been affected by the Naxal problem and they continue to expand their
support base. The government must carry on large-scale development
work in the remote jungle areas and take measures for the socio-
economic-educational uplift of the adivasis who have remained
neglected and marginalised for decades. Along with a concerted effort
to counter the Maoists, the government should also make efforts to
wean away the tribals from the guerrillas.
AP’s ‘MOST WANTED’
Forty two year old Ashanna alias Takelapalli Vasudeva Rao hailing from
Warangal district in AP is the task master in guerrilla warfare of the
CPI Maoists. Ashanna led the teams that executed attacks on VVIPs in
the state. He is Andhra’s most wanted Naxal.
He is accused in the claymore mine blast attack on former CM N.
Chandra Babu Naidu at Alipiri in Tirupati in which Naidu survived with
injuries. He is also accused in the killing of former Home minister E
Madhava Reddy.
Ashanna also pulled the trigger on IPS official Ch Umesh Chandra.
Hailing from a lower middle class family in a forward caste in
Telangana region, Ashanna is a graduate, was active in the Radical
Students Union and then went underground 20 years ago. He is married
to another dalam member. "Ashanna is known for his military tactics.
He uses Ak-47s as well as smaller weapons. He is suspected to be
hiding outside Andhra but returns to carry out operations," said an
intelligence official.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
I t is not that the Maoists have not entered into a peace agreement or
a government has not called off security operations against them
before. In 2004, the Andhra Pradesh government had not only suspended
operations but had even allowed Maoists to hold public meetings in its
eagerness to reach a peace deal. The Maoists reciprocated and stopped
killings for some time. They participated in peace negotiations in
October 2004 after the merger of the People’s War and Maoist Communist
Centre which resulted in the formation of the Communist Party of India
(Maoist). But the tenuous peace lasted for only a few months.
In January 2005, the guerrrillas unilaterally dumped the peace
agreement and returned to their violent ways and killing sprees. The
Andhra Pradesh government realised that it had been taken for a ride.
The Naxals who were reeling under the twin blows of sharp erosion in
their support base particularly in Telangana and loss of a large
number of important leaders during Chandrababu Naidu’s rule after
relentless police encounters, had agreed to a ceasefire for tactical
reasons. The suspension of all operations gave them much needed time
to regroup and rearm themselves. As soon as they achieved their
objective, they broke the agreement.
- Bolt Nut.
Posted by ethirparathathu at 8:00 PM
User Stats
On Blogger Since September 2009
Profile Views (approximate) 340
ethirparathathu
Gender: Male
Astrological Sign: Virgo
Occupation: Independent journalist
My Blogs Team Members
pinkpapers
Blogs I Follow
cant touch this http://pinkpapers.blogspot.com/
http://paperspink.blogspot.com/2010/02/incomeptent-minister.html
Mahatma Gandhi Nrega- a step towards Economic uplift of the Rural Poor
Posted on 01 March 2010 by zakir
A.K.Tiwari**
In keeping with the ideals of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma
Gandhi, the
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has been rechristened
as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The act
provides for a guarantee of at least 100 days of employment during a
financial year to every rural household by providing unskilled manual
work in rural areas to those members of the rural
household who volunteer to do such work . The program has benefitted
over 10.82 crore rural households.
Launched on 2nd February, 2006 from the Anantapur district of Andhra
Pradesh in 200 districts of the country Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, one of
the flagship schemes of the Government has been expanded to cover all
the 619 districts across the country. The Ministry proposes to spent
Rs. 39,100 crore during the current year and out of this an amount of
Rs. 18950 crore has been utilized upto December, 2009. 160 crore
persondays employment has been generated. MGNREGA has resulted into
major financial
inclusion wherein bank/post office account have been opened for the
families
getting employment. Ministry has advised all the States to ensure
payment of
wages fully through the accounts. About 880 lakh accounts have been
opened. A
sizeable proportion of all the benefits have gone to the weaker
sections of the
society like SCs (30%), STs (21%) and women (50%).
Achievements
Employment Generation: 640.80 crores persondays of employment created
since inception.
Year Persondays in crores No. of households provided employment in
crores
2006-07
90.50
2.10
2007-08
143.59
3.39
2008-09
214.56
4.50
2009-10
(up to Jan 13, 2009)
192.35
4.16
Total
640.80
14.15
Social inclusion :
participation of SC/ST and women
Year SC ST Women
2006-07
25%
36%
41%
2007-08
27%
29%
43%
2008-09
29.31%
25.41%
47.88%
2009-10
(up to 13 Jan.2010
30.08%
21.7%
49.98%
Impact
on poverty: Employment opportunities and wage rates have gone up
leading to significant dent in poverty in rural areas. Minimum wages
for agricultural labourers have increased in several states after the
implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA .
Impact on Income and Purchasing Power: Increase in wage rate and
number of
workdays in rural areas has increased the income of rural households.
Increase in
income has resulted in increase in ability of rural households to
purchase foodgrains, other essential commodities, and to access
education and health care.
Impact on natural resources :Rise in water table in dry and arid
regions as large number of water conservation and drought proofing
works have been taken up under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA . Upto December
2009, 33.74 lakh works have been undertaken,
Impact on rural governance structure : Panchayati Raj Institutions and
Gram Sabhas
have been activated.
Financial inclusion: More than 8 crore savings accounts in the banks
and Post Offices have been opened for the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA
workers.
Insurance: Insurance cover under Janashree Bima Yojana and Rashtriya
Swasthya Bima Yojana extended to Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers.
New Initiatives
With a view to strengthening Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee
Act, the Ministry of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj has taken up
several new initiatives based on widespread consultations with
different stakeholders.
Entitlement of Rs. 100 as wages: In pursuance of the announcement made
by the Finance Minister in his Budget Speech for 2009-10 to pay a
wage of Rs.100 per day under the following policy has been decided by
the Government- Wage rate would be revised under Section 6(1) of NREG
act subject to a ceiling of Rs. 100.
In respect of States with higher wages, amount exceeding Rs. 100 would
be paid by the State Governments from their own resources.
For all other States wages notified on 1.1.2009 will be the same.
The new wage rates will be effective from 1.4.2009 or from the date of
actual disbursement which ever is later. A separate index for Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA wages would be created.
Wage disbursement to workers through Banks/Post Office accounts has
been made
mandatory to ensure proper disbursement of wages to NREGA workers.
Over 8
crore bank/post office accounts have been opened so far.
District Level Ombudsman: Guidelines have been issued to states for
Ombudsman at the district level. The Ombudsman would be appointed by
the State Government on the recommendation of the selection committee.
Ombudsmen will be well-known persons from civil society who have
experience in the field of public administration, law, academics,
social work or management. It will receive complaints from Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA workers and others on any matters, consider such
complaints and facilitate their disposal in accordance with law.
Social Audits: Gram Panchayats have been asked to organize Social
Audits once in every six months. In accordance with the President’s
Address, the Ministry
issued notice to all the States for conducting the Social Audit in
campaign
mode, from June 2009 to September, 2009.
By the end of December, 2009, the status of Social Audits conducted
in the
country was:
Total number of Districts Number of Districts covered % of
Districts covered
Total number of Gram Panchayats Number of Panchayats covered % of
Gram Panchayats covered Number of Social Audits conducted
619
568
92
249366
188211
76
218624
National Level Monitors (NLMs)Visit: 32 National level Monitor were
deputed in different states for special monitoring of the social audit
campaign initiated by the Ministry.
On line Monitoring: The monitoring of Social Audit is online through
the
website which places all critical parameters such as job cards,
muster rolls, wage payments, number of days of employment provided and
works under execution online for monitoring and easy public access for
information.
Eminent Citizen Monitors: Guidelines of the Scheme for independent
monitoring by Eminent citizens have been issued to states. A group of
100 Eminent Citizen Monitors would be identified to Report on the
progress of the scheme.
Vigilance and Monitoring committees at State and District
level:Vigilance &
Monitoring Committees (V&MCs) have been re constituted in all States/
UTs at State as
well as District level for effective monitoring of the implementation
of the
programs including Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.
National Helpline for receipt of complaints: The Ministry has a Toll
free National
Helpline 1800110707 to enable the submission of complaints and queries
to
the Ministry for the protection of workers entitlements and rights
under
the Act. This is being CT enabled and linked with the State and
District
Level Helplines.
Partnership with Unique Identification Development Authority of India
(UIDA): Mahatma Gandhi NREGA will be collaborating with UIDA. By
creating a unique identity of the individual the process would
eliminate duplicate job cards, ghost beneficiaries while facilitating
easy bank account opening, tracking the mobility of beneficiaries and
ensuring a better monitoring of the system.
Enlarge the scope of works permitted
Schedule I, paragraph 1, sub para (iv) of National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act 2005, has been amended on 22nd July, 2009, to
include:“provision of irrigation facility, horticulture plantation and
land development facilities to land owned by households belonging to
the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes or below poverty line families
or to beneficiaries of land reforms or to the beneficiaries under the
Indira Awas Yojana of Government of India or that of the small farmers
or marginal farmers as defined in the Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt
Relief Scheme, 2008.”
Gram Panchayats while approving work plans have been asked under the
Act, to ensure that works on lands of SC / ST and BPL receive first
priority. Small & Marginal Farmers account for 80% of all land
holdings and operate about 40% of all cultivated land.
Permitting private works on lands of small & marginal farmers implies
coverage
of 40% of all cultivated area. Of the 142 million hectares of land
under
cultivation about 57 million hectares will come under the ambit of
Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA works.
Under the Schedule I, paragraph 1(g) of National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act 2005 the scope of work under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA has
been expanded to include the construction of Bharat Nirman Rajiv
Gandhi Sewa Kendra (BNRGSK) at the Gram Panchayat and Block level.
Work under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in Naxal affected
States:
Union Government has issued instructions to all naxal
affected States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh) on 27th
October, 2009 for implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in a more
meaningful way. The States have been instructed to intensify awareness
generation campaign among rural households, issuance of job cards,
implementing sufficient number of works and timely payment of wages.
Business Correspondent is being adopted in Rajasthan with the help of
Central Bank of India to ensure timely payment of wages to the
workers.
Convergence: The Ministry of Rural Development has developed and
disseminated Guidelines for convergence of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS
with different Schemes and
specific programmes. 115 convergence pilot districts in 23 state,
independent
organisations have been instituted by the Ministry. The National
Institute of
Rural Development (NIRD) is monitoring the convergence projects.
The New initiatives under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA will go a
long way in meeting the aspirations of the rural poor besides
ensuring the transparency and accountability so that benefit of the
Government’s flagship program reaches out to the millions of rural
poor across the country and in the process making it an effective
instrument of poverty alleviation.
**Director (M & C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi
http://www.internationalnewsandviews.com/?p=9063
Spike fuel price hike: Trinamool
Posted on01 March 2010. Tags: Spike fuel price hike,
A DAY after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced a hike in fuel
prices, Trinamool Congress, UPA’s second largest ally, hit the streets
of Kolkata in protest.
Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee,
however, did not turn up at the rally, staying put at her Kalighat
residence.
Later, she expressed her displeasure about the fuel price hike.
“People are already reeling under the skyrocketing prices of essential
commodities. The hike in petroleum prices will add to their burden.”
“I will write to Soniaji and Manmohanji, requesting them to roll back
the price hike,” said Banerjee. “The Railways will also face a lot of
hardship. It is difficult for us to run smoothly as we have not hiked
the passenger fares,” she added.
Sudip Bandopadhyay, chief whip of the Trinamool Congress in
Parliament, along with Partho Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition in
the state Assembly, led his party’s rally today, which culminated at
the Metro Channel in Esplanade.
The Trinamool leaders said at the rally that they were not consulted
before the announcement for the hike was made. “We had categorically
made it clear to the Congress leadership that we were against hike in
petrol and diesel prices,” said Bandopadhyay.
Asked why they did not participate in the walkout, Bandopadhyay said:
“We are in the government and we could not have joined the Opposition
parties. Had we joined, a wrong signal would have been sent to the
people.” He, however, made it clear that the party will force the
Centre to withdraw its decision on the fuel hike.
According to Chatterjee, the party will go in for a bigger movement
against price rise by placing Banerjee at the forefront of the
protest.
Ready to give jobs to Silda victims’ kin, Mamata tells Governor
Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister
Mamata Banerjee today met Governor M K Narayanan for the first time in
Raj Bhavan after which she promised to give jobs to one family member
of each of the 24 EFR personnel killed in the Naxal attack on Silda
camp on February 15 besides a compensation package if the state
government failed to provide the same.
The Trinamool chief once again raised the issue “state-sponsored
terror” with the Governor and said the state government has no moral
right to stay in power.
This post was written by:
admin - who has written 4782 posts on Haata.com.
Contact the
http://www.haata.com/politics/spike-fuel-price-hike-trinamool/
‘Perks will not be withdrawn’
Express News Service
First Published : 01 Mar 2010 08:14:29 AM IST
Last Updated : 01 Mar 2010 10:08:29 AM IST
CHIKMAGALUR: The rumours of withdrawal of special package for the
Naxal-affected areas in the western ghats have arisen due to
misconceptions. There are rumours that the perks and privileges to the
anti-naxal force will be withdrawn, but the state government's demand
to the Centre still holds good, clarified Home Minister V S Acharya.
He was speaking to reporters at the Inspection Bungalow, here on
Sunday. He informed that a new section called 'International Security
Division' has been set up by the Union government under which anti-
terrorism, left wing extremism, coastal guards, etc were covered.
The reports on naxal activities and on the development of remote
tribal places in Malnad, were being sent to the Centre regularly, he
added.
The Centre had convened an all India-level meeting on proactive and
supplementary programmes in New Delhi last Sunday for chief ministers
and home ministers of states.
It was concluded in the meeting that the Naxal activities had scaled
down except in Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. We had
pleaded with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to provide help in the
form of modernising forces, supply of vehicles and sophisticated
weapons, he stressed.
The government has, meanwhile, dropped the PCPRI plan where it was to
acquire 73,000 acres and in SEZ, 6,000 acres has been downsized to
4,000 acres under investment accumulation, he informed. He said the
chances of revival of KIOCL in other parts like Ramanadurga and Sira
were still alive. Referring to withdrawal of cases against BJP wings
leaving out others, Acharya said cases would be withdrawn as per the
rules.
Indian PM heads home after Saudi visit
IANS
First Published : 01 Mar 2010 10:03:36 AM IST
Last Updated : 01 Mar 2010 05:27:43 PM IST
RIYADH: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for home Monday
after a historic three-day visit to Saudi Arabia that saw the two
countries sign 10 bilateral agreements and issue a Riyadh Declaration
for deepening their relationship.
The prime minister left the Saudi capital after attending a function
at the Indian embassy where he met representatives of the 1.8 million
Indian expatriate community.
The highlight of Manomohan Singh's engagements Monday was his address
to the Majlis-ash-Shura, the Saudi legislature, where he declared that
India would grow 9-10 percent for the next 25 years and sought
investments from the Islamic kingdom.
Addressing the Majlis is a rare honour accorded to a foreign
dignitary.
After that he proceeded to the King Saud University where Manmohan
Singh, an economist turned politician, was conferred an honorary
doctorate.
Indian officials said the Saudi visit, the first by an Indian prime
minister after Indira Gandhi's in 1982, was aimed at forging a
strategic relationship with one of the most influential Arabic Gulf
nations.
The prime minister and Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz signed The
'Riyadh Declaration - A New Era of Strategic Partnership' Sunday to
put their seal on steadily growing ties. This is expected to cover
security, economic, defence, technology and political areas as well as
ways to combat terrorism. The two countries also signed an extradition
treaty.
The Riyadh Declaration seeks to take forward the relationship between
Saudi Arabia and India forged after the signing of the Delhi
Declaration in 2006 when King Abdullah was India's chief guest at the
Republic Day celebrations.
"The two leaders reviewed the status of implementation of the historic
Delhi Declaration signed in 2006, and expressed their satisfaction at
the steady expansion of Saudi-India relations since the signing of the
Delhi Declaration," the new declaration read.
The path-breaking extradition treaty was signed to further enhance the
existing security cooperation between the two countries. It will help
the authorities in apprehending wanted persons in each other's
country.
Besides the king, Manmohan Singh also met Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-
Naimi and Commerce and Industry Minister Zainal Alireza.
Manmohan Singh used his presence to say that India desired greater
ties with Pakistan, which has close ties with Saudi Arabia, but
Islamabad would have to stop fostering anti-India terrorists.
Another agreement signed by the two countries was on transfer of
sentenced prisoners to their own country.
"We hope this treaty will facilitate the transfer of Indian prisoners
back to India where they could serve the remaining (part of the)
sentence (given by a Saudi court)," said Latha Reddy of the Indian
external affairs ministry.
The third agreement was on cultural cooperation between the two
ministries of culture.
The fourth memorandum of understanding was on cooperation on peaceful
use of outer space. It was signed between India's Department of
Science and Technology (DST) and Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City
for Science and Technology (KACST).
Tata Motors has agreed to supply Saudi Arabia's Hotil schoolbuses
worth $80 million. A pact was also signed between the Gulf Bureau of
Research and DFL, and another between India's Centre for Development
of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and Saudi Arabia's King Saud University.
On Saturday, the prime minister arrived to an unprecedented welcome in
the Saudi capital when, setting aside protocol, the Saudi crown prince
and the entire cabinet turned up at the airport to receive the Indian
leader.
On Sunday, King Abdullah officially welcomed him at a grand ceremony
where a guard of honour was presented and a state banquet thrown in
his honour.
India is working to develop close relations with Saudi Arabia, which
was one of only three countries to back the Taliban regime in Kabul
when New Delhi supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. The Saudi
approach to Islamists underwent a radical change after 9/11.
Comments
If indian muslims&christians refuse to shout that hindus,sikhs and
abuddhists and jains are NOT Kafirs and that verses in Quran&Bible on
infidel kafirs are NOT meant for hindus,sikhs,etc.and that killing
hindus or sikhs will not gibe them ehaven with virgins a nd wine as
told by Quran&Bible hindus,sikhs,buddhists and jains MUST join
together and drive out all THOSE muslims to pakistan
forever&christians to vatican, FOR refusing to admit the above
statement of hindus,sikhs,etc ARE NOT kafirs,etc HOPE ALL indian
muslims&christians clarfiy the above matter and settle this hindu-
sikh,etc kafi-rmuslim,christina-infidel hatred in minds of musilms
forever.Hope ALL muslim&christians intellectuals take lead in making
muslims&christians shout that hindus&sikhs are NOT kafirs and hope
there will be eternal peace in our great country
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 5:28:00 PM
Mr R Vaidyanathan's article clearly says that terrorism in India is
funded by Saudi Arabia. Defin itely, our Intelligence, if one is
there, should be in the know of it. Then how is this Indo-Saudi bhai
bhai? One could not digest. Could anyone clarify?
By Layman
3/1/2010 3:09:00 PM The declaration is for the protection of muslim
terrorists in India. If Paki or indian muslim terrorists put a nuclear
bomb in India, India will not kill Indian muslims, but Saudi will
allow India to nuke Mecca in retaliation.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:47:00 PM
Terrorist muslim Pakis and terrorist Islam supplying Saudi had a
secret 2003 agreement on nuclear cooperation in which Pakis give Saudi
Arabia with nukes in return for oil for Pakistan. Saudi Arabia got
from Pakis nuclear missiles and warheads. Satellite photos shows that
Al Sulaiyil, an underground city south of Riyadh had nuclear silos
with Ghauri rockets and nuke warheads. Saudi Arabia had purchased
Chinese-made CSS-2 intermediate range ballistic missiles that has
2,800 km range and 2 tonne payload capacity. Muhammad Khilewi, the
second-in-command of the Saudi mission to the UN got asylum in USA in
1994 and provided 10,000 documents] that showed $5 billion Saudi
contribution to Iraqi nuke programme. This terrorist muslim nation
Saudi Arabia has supplied to all mosque in India with cone speakers to
blast Hindus in the night that violates India’s noise pollution
laws.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:45:00 PM
25-11-09 was the first day of annual four day Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca. Saudi Red Sea port city, Jeddah is the main entry point for
foreign pilgrims arriving by air or sea. But 500 pilgrims were killed
in a few hours of rain on 25-11-09 in Mecca as well as in nearby Mina,
where many pilgrims stay in vast tent cities. The Haramain expressway
between King Abdulaziz International Airport and Mecca was closed on
25-11-09, stranding thousands of pilgrims. 80 kilometre highway have
caved in partially and the Jamia bridge in eastern Jeddah partially
collapsed. Many victims died in their vehicles. Many were killed when
bridges collapsed on top of them. Jeddah is a great example of
corruption. This city has more than 4 million people but does not have
a sewage system and treatment facility. The rain flood the streets and
neighbourhoods killing hundreds. Hundreds of bodies were swept in the
current and up to 11,000 people may be missing in the sea as per Saudi
newspaper al-Yaum report.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:44:00 PM
See how kashmiri muslim majority has eliminated more than 50000
hindus,sikhs and buddhosts accusing them as kafirs and demolieshed
more than 200 temples to het heaven after death with 72 virgins and
wine as told by manual Quran and how paki jehadi muslims eliminaited
by GENOCIDE more than 20 lakh hindus,sikhs&buddhists&demolished all
kafir temples to get heaven with virgins and wine. All Hindus Must
take lessons from paki and kashmiri muslims to take care of the
minorities in a special way and solve ALL of Indias problems forever.
RSS,VHP,BJP&all patriotic indians MUST form vigilante groups in all
villages &cities&kick OUT of our soil, ALL anti-hindu terrorist
christians& muslims&MUST confiscate their wealth&properties as in
Pakistan&Kashmir&distribute this wealth&land,etc to ALL
poor,st,backward POOR hindus&other Kafirs.Hindus,Wake UP&ACT before it
is LATE
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 11:54:00 AM
Here are DARK Truths About Saudi Arabia. My friends in saudi arabia
tell me that if there is a HELL on Earth for
hindus,sikhs,buddhists,jains and jews, it IS this ghost muslim nation
Saudi Arabia.Of course there are NO hindu temples or sikh gurdwaras,
or buddhist pakodas,& even if a hindu or sikh or buddhist mention such
names he or she WILL be deported from that country.If one does poojas
for the favourite gods at home & if they are caught, they ARE put in
jail&deported.If one is caught carrying images of hindu gods or sikh
gods or statues, he or she can be put in jail for that
crime&DEPORTED.Surely,Indian embassy will SUPPORT the saudi
government&NOT protest since they are jehadi
slaves.Hindu,Sikh,buddhist women must cover with black cloths, going
out of the house or shopping& ALL saudi women are NOT even allowed to
see sun light&have to cover with black clothes.Shame Indian Media for
the COVER-UP of this HELL
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 10:16:00 AM
Saudi concern at Pak situation
V Sudarshan
First Published : 01 Mar 2010 04:14:00 AM IST
RIYADH: In what could be an indication of increasing consternation in
Riyadh over the way Pakistan is slipping into the hands of extremists,
the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal expressed worry over
the “dangerous trend in Pakistan”.
In a very brief media interaction after he called on Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh at the extraordinarily ornate Saud palace where the PM
is staying as a guest of King Abdullah (the custodian of the two holy
mosques), he was asked by the Express if, given the fact that
extremist tendencies were taking a deep hold on Pakistan, was Saudi
Arabia not worried and how did he see the Saudi-Pakistani relationship
evolve.
The Foreign Minister replied: “Pakistan is a friendly country. Any
time one sees dangerous trends in a friendly country, one is not only
sorry but worried and it is indeed the duty of all political leaders
in Pakistan to unite to see that extremism does not find a footing in
the country and this can only happen with united political leadership
in Pakistan.
This we hope Pakistan will possibly achieve.” Asked if he saw the
Taiban and al- Qaeda melding into one, he replied that there was no
relation between Saudi Arabia and the Taliban, especially after they
gave sanctuary to al-Qaeda.
Prince al-Faisal’s remarks assume importance given the desert
kingdom’s traditional proximity to Pakistan and the fact that only
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the UAE recognised the Taliban regime
before the events of 9/11. It is a clear pointer that Pakistan’s
rulers have yet to impress their Saudi friends by getting a firm
handle on extremism that is so rampant in Pakistan that it threatens
to engulf not only Pakistan but radiate rapidly outwards, a
manifestation Saudi Arabia sees in the current situation in Yemen, for
instance.
Tharoor bytes himself again
V Sudarshan
First Published : 01 Mar 2010 02:52:00 AM IST
RIYADH: Shashi Tharoor has done it again. In a late night one-toone
soundbyte situation with a television channel, Tharoor used the term
“valuable interlocutor” while describing a possible Saudi role vis a
vis Pakistan - a description which is anathema to the Ministry of
External Affairs which neither seeks nor accepts any third country
role in bilateral matters with our western neighbour. When a
journalist asked Tharoor if Saudi Arabia would prove helpful given its
friendship and proximity to Pakistan, the Minister responded, “...
Saudi Arabia has a long and close relationship with Pakistan but that
makes Saudi Arabia even more of a valuable interlocutor...” Ministry
officials were aghast when news filtered in that Tharoor’s statement
had begun doing relentless rounds on television channels back in New
Delhi. Attempts were made to verify the authenticity of the soundbyte
and alas, it emerged that it was true that Tharoor had indeed made yet
another of his throwaway remarks without exercising the kind of
caution diplomats are famous for. Ironically Tharoor was not even
slotted for a speaking part. At a reception in the Indian Ambassador
Talmiz Ahmed’s house journalists were requested to move to a corner
where a few chairs had been laid out so that National Security Adviser
Shivshankar Menon could highlight salient aspects of the Prime
Minister’s visit. The junior Minister appeared magically, seemingly
out of nowhere, and seated himself. As journalists gravitated there a
foreign ministry official requested the NSA to proceed for the
interaction. Menon took one look at the Minister and gathering
journalists and cautiously preferred to remain in the diplomatic
foothills. He said, “When he (Tharoor) is there, let him proceed.”
Soon journalists were asking the junior Minister’s opinion which he
freely gave in plenty. And mostly he mouthed diplomatic inanities.
Soon journalists began to drift away, which paid off for the
journalist with the most patience. When Tharoor used the word
“interlocutor” his day was made. As the story spread like a virus the
wait began for the inevitable denial or spin. It came late in the
afternoon but by that time most journalists had consulted online
dictionaries which reaffirmed that an interlocutor is indeed a
middleman or a man who enters a conversation in the formal sense. The
joke doing the rounds was that the junior Minister had managed to
steal the thunder from a prime ministerial visit, the first one in 28
years.
Comments
he should be elevated to cabinate minister!
By ahbajpai
3/1/2010 6:33:00 PM
Investigating team rushed to Kabul
PTI
First Published : 01 Mar 2010 03:00:50 PM IST
Last Updated : 01 Mar 2010 03:05:44 PM IST
NEW DELHI: In the wake of the Friday's Kabul attack, a team of Indian
investigators has been rushed to the Afghan capital and National
Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon will pay a visit there on March 5
to discuss security of Indians in Afghanistan.
The Indian team, including officials of home and defence ministries,
has joined their Afghan counterpart in probing the attack on the two
hotels on Friday in which Indians engaged in developmental and
reconstruction works in that country were targeted by terrorists,
sources told PTI.
Afghanistan has set up a five-member team to investigate the incident.
Menon will travel to Kabul on March 5 and is expected to meet the top
leadership of Afghanistan including President Hamid Karzai to discuss
various aspects related to security of Indians engaged in
developmental projects across Afghanistan.
The investigators suspect involvement of the Taliban, particularly the
Haqqani group, in league with elements of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the
assault.
The Indian team will be collecting evidence as to who were involved in
the attack, the sources said.
The terror attack in Kabul was on the pattern of the 26/11 Mumbai
carnage, with six to eight terrorists targeting the hotels and hunting
for victims during the strike in which six Indians were killed and 10
others injured.
The attack was carried out in a coordinated manner with the terrorists
first exploding bombs and then launching the armed assault,
particularly against members of the Indian medical mission, a pattern
seen during the 26/11 carnage, they said.
Realising that the Taliban and their associates have started targeting
Indian officials who are in the field and are vulnerable, India has
begun review of their security.
There are about 4,000 Indians engaged in such projects being
implemented as part of India's developmental assistance to the tune of
1.3 billion dollars.
After the attack on Friday, Karzai assured Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh that his government would conduct full investigation into the
attack and take extra measures to ensure protection of all Indians in
that country.
Two Major-rank officers of the army were among the six Indians killed
and 10 others, including five army officers, were injured in the
assault.
The latest attack was the fourth on Indian interests in Afghanistan
since July 2008 when a car laden with 100 kgs of explosives was blown
up at the gate of Indian Embassy, killing 60 people, including four
Indians -- a Brigadier-rank officer, a senior IFS officer and two ITBP
personnel.
In October last year, terrorists struck again at the Embassy, carrying
out a car bomb explosion near its outer wall and killing 17 people.
Subsequently, in December, a hotel housing staff of an Indian IT
company was targeted. Eight people were killed and two IT executives,
an Indian cook and a cleaner were among those injured.
Afghan Prez promises probe into Kabul Attack
Gautam Datt
First Published : 28 Feb 2010 02:23:00 AM IST
NEW DELHI: As the bodies of six Indians killed in Kabul were flown
back to New Delhi in a special aircraft, Afghan President Hamid Karzai
spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and assured full investigation
into the Kabul attack by the Taliban.
The Prime Minister said that Indians who lost their lives were on a
mission of goodwill to help Afghan friends. He said that Indian
medical mission working at Kabul’s Indira Gandhi hospital was serving
the people of Afghanistan.
As a mark of respect for those who died on the line of duty, President
Pratibha Patil paid her homage.
The bodies were received by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at the
airport in Delhi. The bodies, draped in the national tricolour,
arrived late on Saturday evening in an Indian Air Force aircraft.
Two of the six dead include Army officers.
They have been identified as – Major Dr Laishram Jyotin Singh of Army
Medical Corps, Major Deepak Yadav of Army Education Corps, engineer
Bhola Ram, Indo-Tibet Border Police constable Roshan Lal, tabla player
Nawab Khan and Nitish Chibber who worked in the Kandahar consulate.
At least 10 injured were also brought back and have been admitted to
the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital.
Four are said to be in critical stage.
The Afghan President expressed his outrage at the attack and assured
the Prime Minister that it would be investigated.
Indians were among 17 people who died in the attack. Apart from
Indians, French and Italian nationals also died in the attack.
The IAF aircraft that left for Kabul on Saturday morning also carried
medical and other relief for the injured languishing in hospitals. A
team of Indian officials also reached Kabul to assess the security
situation.
The officials said the Taliban was responsible for the attack as they
do want closer ties between New Delhi and Kabul.
Most of the casualties occurred in the Noor guest house where the
Indians were staying. They were working in various developmental
projects undertaken by India for the re-construction of Afghanistan.
Indian Ambassador in Kabul Jayant Prasad said that India will not be
cowed down by the attacks and the development work would continue.
Around 4000 Indians were staying in Afghanistan working on various
projects from setting up power stations to running hospitals and
schools.
Unprecedented welcome for PM in Saudi Arabia
Aroonim BhuyanFirst Published : 27 Feb 2010 07:47:55 PM IST
Last Updated : 27 Feb 2010 10:26:51 PM IST
RIYADH: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Saudi Arabia Thursday
evening to a historic welcome with the kingdom's crown prince and the
entire Saudi cabinet turning up at the airport to receive him.
In an unprecedented gesture, Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz,
Defence Minister, Minister for Civil Aviation and First Deputy Prime
Minister, Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Interior Minister and the Second
Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, the governor of
Riyadh, and the entire Saudi cabinet set aside protocol and received
the prime minister and his wife Gursharan Kaur at the Royal Terminal
of the King Khaled International Airport.
It may be recalled that when Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul
Aziz had visited India in 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had
broken protocol to receive the monarch personally at the airport.
On Thursday, as the prime minister's cavalcade zipped across from the
airport to the city, the entire stretch had Indian and Saudi flags
flying.
And in what is going to be yet another significant gesture, the prime
minister will be officially welcomed by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz
at a function Sunday.
According to official sources, no foreign dignitary has ever been
accorded such a welcome.
The prime minister and his delegation will also be staying in a palace
that has never been opened before and certainly not to any visiting
foreign dignitary - the King Saud Guest Palace.
The prime minister's visit comes four years after the visit of Saudi
Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to New Delhi in 2006 when the
latter was honoured as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade and
the historic Delhi Declaration, charting out a new path of bilateral
cooperation across a wide range of fields between India and the
largest and most influential Gulf nation, was signed.
Apart from the summit meeting between Manmohan Singh and King
Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's Minister for Oil and Mineral Resources Ali Al
Naimi, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, and Minister for
Commerce and Industry Abdulla Zainal Ali Reza are expected to call on
the prime minister.
Among those accompanying Manmohan Singh are Minister for Health and
Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister for Commerce and Industry
Anand Sharma, Minister for Petroleum and Gas Murli Deora and Minister
of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
Around 10 agreements in the fields of security, science and
technology, are expected to be signed between the two sides during the
course of the visit that will last till March 1.
Among the major highlights will be the signing of an extradition
treaty between India and Saudi Arabia and the setting up of a joint
investment fund.
Manmohan Singh is the third Indian prime minister to visit Saudi
Arabia.
Soon after independence, then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited
this Gulf nation in 1956 when he was hailed as a hero here. That was
actually a return visit after King Fahd visited India the preceding
year.
Then, in 1982, Indira Gandhi visited this country and that was the
last visit by an Indian prime minister till now.
--IANS
Comments
TIME Has COME NOW for all Hindus&ALl Indians to get rid of this
dependence on oil&USE alternate sources of energ like solar power& use
cars or vehicles run ON electricity or hydrogen cellsONLY.Why crooked
congress is SO keen to haveOILcontracts with saudi arabia?From these
DIRTYdeals,they can MINT billions&trillions of dollars as Kick-
Backs&deposit LOOT in swiss banks&then use this money to
BRIBE&BUYindian media&intellectuals&bribe&BUYall TV channel
bosses&journalists&THENH continue this crooked looting dynasty for
another 50 years or more.All Majority hindus,wake up&act NOW&kick out
all anti-hindus&anti-nationals in all future elctions& if
possible,make vigilante groups in all villages^cities&grab by FORCE
all wealth&properties of anti-hindus& anti-nationals&distribute this
wealth&properties of anti-nationals to ALL poor,sc,st,tribals,backward
hindus & To ALL poor kafirs like sikhs,buddhists,jains.Hindus,Wake
up&Act before it is too late,
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 6:38:00 PM
Tharoor is ONLY a small player in the game.There are much bigger
sharks minting billions or trillions from the Saudi Arabia visit&
bysuness deals,TIME Has COME NOW for us to get rid of this dependence
on oil&USE alternate sources of energ like solar power& use cars or
vehicles run ON electricity or hydrogen cellsONLY.Why crooked congress
is SO keen to haveOILcontracts with saudi arabia?From these
DIRTYdeals,they can MINT billions&trillions of dollars as Kick-
Backs&deposit LOOT in swiss banks&then use this money to
BRIBE&BUYindian media&intellectuals&bribe&BUYall TV channel
bosses&journalists&THENH continue this crooked looting dynasty for
another 50 years or more.All Majority hindus,wake up&act NOW&kick out
all anti-hindus&anti-nationals in all future elctions& if
possible,make vigilante groups in all villages^cities&grab by FORCE
all wealth&properties of anti-hindus& anti-nationals&distribute this
wealth&properties of anti-nationals to ALL poor,sc,st,tribals,backward
hindus & To ALL p
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 6:36:00 PM
ALL Hindus&ALL patriotic Indians MUST See how kashmiri muslim majority
has eliminated more than 50000 hindus,sikhs and buddhosts accusing
them as kafirs and demolieshed more than 200 temples in secular hindu
majority india, to GET heaven after death with 72 virgins&wine as
promised by terror manual Quran& how paki jehadi muslims eliminaited
by GENOCIDE more than 20 lakh hindus,sikhs&buddhists&demolished all
kafir temples to get heaven with virgins&wine. All Hindus Must take
lessons from paki and kashmiri muslims to take care of the minorities
in a special way and solve ALL of Indias problems
forever.RSS,VHP,BJP&all patriotic indians MUST MAKE vigilante groups
in all villages &cities&kick OUT of our soil, ALL anti-hindu terrorist
christians& muslims&MUST confiscate their wealth&properties as in
Pakistan&Kashmir&distribute this wealth&land,etc to ALL ,sc,st& POOR
tribal hindus&other Kafirs.Hindus,Wake UP&ACT before it is LATE
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 4:30:00 PM
25-11-09 was the first day of annual four day Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca. Saudi Red Sea port city, Jeddah is the main entry point for
foreign pilgrims arriving by air or sea. But 500 pilgrims were killed
in a few hours of rain on 25-11-09 in Mecca as well as in nearby Mina,
where many pilgrims stay in vast tent cities. The Haramain expressway
between King Abdulaziz International Airport and Mecca was closed on
25-11-09, stranding thousands of pilgrims. 80 kilometre highway have
caved in partially and the Jamia bridge in eastern Jeddah partially
collapsed. Many victims died in their vehicles. Many were killed when
bridges collapsed on top of them. Jeddah is a great example of
corruption. This city has more than 4 million people but does not have
a sewage system and treatment facility. The rain flood the streets and
neighbourhoods killing hundreds. Hundreds of bodies were swept in the
current and up to 11,000 people may be missing in the sea as per Saudi
newspaper al-Yaum report.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:21:00 PM
Like the Saudis, Manmohan should make a journey to Baharin. Afterall
Manmohan was supplied by the Paki Bank BCCI (google the BCCI affair)
by their protocol department, services for allowing the ISI, CIA bank
in India in 1983 while he was the RBI governor. Bahrain is connected
to Saudi Arabia by a bridge called the Saudi Causeway. Sex crazy
muslim Saudis, on the weekends come across the causway to drink,
smoke, and hire prostitutes for the weekend. The prostitutes at many
of the late night hotel bars are from former Soviet Union, China,
Thailand, Phillipines, Moroco, and Ethiopia. Many of the homo muslim
Saudis left their familes to have a boys night out. They would pray at
the Grand Mosque during the day and party, drink and rape all night
which is called the true Islam of Saudi Arabia. This is the real piety
expected from Islam. If you ask these muslim animals from Saudi Arabia
their response will always be "Allah does not see across the bridge."
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:20:00 PM
Terrorist muslim Pakis and terrorist Islam supplying Saudi had a
secret 2003 agreement on nuclear cooperation in which Pakis give Saudi
Arabia with nukes in return for oil for Pakistan. Saudi Arabia got
from Pakis nuclear missiles and warheads. Satellite photos shows that
Al Sulaiyil, an underground city south of Riyadh had nuclear silos
with Ghauri rockets and nuke warheads. Saudi Arabia had purchased
Chinese-made CSS-2 intermediate range ballistic missiles that has
2,800 km range and 2 tonne payload capacity. Muhammad Khilewi, the
second-in-command of the Saudi mission to the UN got asylum in USA in
1994 and provided 10,000 documents] that showed $5 billion Saudi
contribution to Iraqi nuke programme. This terrorist muslim nation
Saudi Arabia has supplied to all mosque in India with cone speakers to
blast Hindus in the night that violates India’s noise pollution
laws.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:19:00 PM
A Kerala Christian preacher who proselytized in public was beheaded.
India should send all our Christian missionaries to Saudi Arabia for
the cleanup and Manmohan should sign such an agreement. Saudi taxi
drivers are paid informers about Christian activities. One Kerala
Christian was jailed for 2 years without trial for running a Christian
church group in his own private house with several friends. A taxi
driver informed on them when some passengers talked about where they
were headed to each other. He was eventually deported, after being
whipped, beaten and raped by the Saudis in jails which is common
during his jail time. On sonia's behalf Manmohan is asking Saudis to
allow Kerala christians to start their schools in Saudia Arabia and
allow the muslim kids to convert them to christianity
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:18:00 PM
TO WELCOME INDIAN PM IN SUCH A GRAND WAY SHOULD BE APPRECIATED BY ALL
INDIANS. THIS IS A SIGN OF RESPECT FOR ALL INDIANS. THANK YOU SAUDI
ARABIA. I DONT THIK SAUDIS ARE SPONSERING ANY TERROR AGAINST INDIA? AL
QAIDA IS ALSO AGAINST SAUDIS.
By anupam
3/1/2010 2:15:00 PM
Saudi Arabia want to introduce Sharia in India for the muslims and for
that reason they are giving such a welcome to the amercian agent
Manmohan. Saudis want to introduce beheadings, limb amputations,
floggings and stonings for very minor crimes which are common in
India. Saudi will give the technical knowhow on how to stone the women
using modern technology.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:15:00 PM
Stupid minister Taroor has a point. Most Paki muslims are homos. So
also most Saudi men. Saudi men are homosexual before marriage due to
strict gender segregation. So both Saudi and Pakis are very
comfortable with each other and Pakis can be the interfu**ker to
Saudis on India’s behalf. Homo Saudis revert to heterosexual behaviour
after marriage but continue previous practice of use of female ass for
sex. Some Saudis tries to use navel of the girl, reasoning that that's
where the baby seems to grow inside of. The Saudi woman's main role in
Saudi Society is to be a foetus factory. A woman that can't bear
children is viewed as largely useless and is usually quickly divorced,
even if it's the man's fault from low sperm count. Women are married
off to their much older cousin as a baby incubator.
By n.krishna
3/1/2010 2:10:00 PM
See how kashmiri muslim majority has eliminated more than 50000
hindus,sikhs and buddhosts accusing them as kafirs and demolieshed
more than 200 temples to het heaven after death with 72 virgins and
wine as told by manual Quran and how paki jehadi muslims eliminaited
by GENOCIDE more than 20 lakh hindus,sikhs&buddhists&demolished all
kafir temples to get heaven with virgins and wine. All Hindus Must
take lessons from paki and kashmiri muslims to take care of the
minorities in a special way and solve ALL of Indias problems forever.
RSS,VHP,BJP&all patriotic indians MUST form vigilante groups in all
villages &cities&kick OUT of our soil, ALL anti-hindu terrorist
christians& muslims&MUST confiscate their wealth&properties as in
Pakistan&Kashmir&distribute this wealth&land,etc to ALL
poor,st,backward POOR hindus&other Kafirs.Hindus,Wake UP&ACT before it
is LATE
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 11:47:00 AM
Thank you SS for your comment.May friends in saudi arabia tell me that
if there is a HELL on Earth for hindus,sikhs,buddhists,jains and jews,
it is this ghost nation Saudi Arabia.Of course there are NO hindu
temples or sikh gurdwaras, or buddhist pakodas, and even if a hindu or
sikh or buddhist mention such names he or she WILL be deported from
that country.If one does poojas for the favourite gods at home even
they are caught&put in jial and deported.If one is caught carrying
images of hindu gods or sijh gods or statues or even mapls, they can
be put in jail for that crime&DEPORTED and of course Indian embassy
will SUPPORT the saudi government&NOT protest since they are jehadi
slaves.Hindu,Sikh,buddhist women must cover with black cloths before
going out of the house or shopping& ALL saudi women are NOT even
allowed to see sun light&have to cover with black clothes.Shame Indian
Media for the COVER-UP of this HELL
By Real Patriot
3/1/2010 10:01:00 AM
Why is RK is so sensitive about the comments of 'Real Patriot'who ever
he/she may be? India is a free country and one can express his/her
views openly so long they do not instigate anyone to indulge in
violence.After all, the recent contoversy about M.F.H. is a question
involving freedom of expression.One gets the impression that media in
India is biased in making M.F.H. a real patriot and national hero.
Perhaps he is a misguided person in choosing to paint Indian Godesses
in the manner he did.Further, one can not deny certain issues raised
by 'Real patriot' in his/her comments regarding Saudi Arabia and its
policy towards non-muslims.
By S.S.
3/1/2010 6:56:00 AM Can any one stop the nonsense written by the Real
Patriot quoted multiple times above. The editor must sanitise the
comments.
By RK
3/1/2010 3:46:00 AM
It is a SHAME that indian media did NOT COVER well the pilgirmage of
Manmohan Robot Siugh to the famours gurdwara in Riyadh and to the
famous Lord Krishna temple in Riyadh as well where indian sikhs and
hindus are seving as priests.Dear PM Singh, Please DO NOT FORGET to
make a VISIT to MANY famous gurdwaras and hindu temples in this loving
muslims-only country.Indian media is so stupid and ungrateful that
thye did NOT expose and ADVERTISE the greatness and heavenly nature of
Saudi Arabia to the indian public.My friends tell me that minorities
like hindus,sikhs,buddhists are treated AS special super citizens& the
moment THEY arrive in this heaven,they are taken TO five star hotels&
they ARE given ALL comforts ONE can dream of.This is REAL Heaven on
Earth for all minority hindus,sikhs,buddhists&jews.Shame that indian
ungrateful media DID NOT give due credit to this heavenly nation
By Real Patriot
2/28/2010 9:57:00 PM
Mr Vaidyanathan has categorily written that the Terrorists are funded
by Saudi Arabia. No wonder to skip the protocol. !! The turbonators
are playing havoc in Punjab and Haryana. Our Great Turbonator, MMS, is
rejoicing the hospitality of the Saudis. One doesn't know which part
of India will be attacked by Terrorists before MMS returns. Beware
secular Indians.
By Ravi
2/28/2010 5:25:00 PM
What a shame that our PM Manmohan Sigh and Sonia Maino slaves dod NOT
visit the fanours gurdwaras and hindu temples in capital of Saudi
Arabia.Dear PM Singh&slaves, Please DO NOT FORGET to make a VISIT to
MANY famous gurdwaras and hindu temples in this loving muslims-only
country.My friends tell me that minorities like hindus,sikhs,buddhists
are treated AS special super citizens& the moment THEY arrive in this
heaven,they are taken TO five star hotels& they ARE given ALL comforts
ONE can dream of.Further these minorities can DO poojas not ONLY in
their house but even ON roads and in SO many temples and gurdwaras
every where.The minority hindus&sikhs& buddhists ARE given special
royal treatment everywhere &they do NOT have to pay ANY money for
their visa or residence cards& for shopping &they are ALSO paid TWO
times more salary than ordinary saudi people& more than indian&paki
muslims,Saudi Arabia is really a heaven much BETTER than India FOR
hindus,sikhs,buddhists &even jews.
By Real Patriot
2/28/2010 4:28:00 PM
How many Indians&majority hindus know the following facts?1) The
biggest hindu temple outside India is in Mecca 2)The second biggest
hindu temple outside India is in Medina of Saudi Arabia 3) The biggest
christian cathedral outisde Vatican is in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia 4) The
biggest sikh gurdwara outside Punjab is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 5)
Saudi Arabia gives thousands of crores every year through indian
muslim organizations to indian hindus,sikhs,etc to make a pilgrimage
to saudi arabia temples&gurdwaras and this includes free air
tricket ,hotel accomodation,free food&pocket money for shopping
expenses too6)Majority shares in indian express newspaper,hindu
newspaper, cnn-ibn,times now,ndtv,star news,asian age,outlook
weekly,etc are owned by saudi businessmen& indian friends.7)Saudi
Arabia is really heaven on earth&NOWHERE in world one can find such
religious&personal freedom &freedom for women/
By Real Patriot
2/28/2010 9:41:00 AM
This looks like a good treatement for goat before butchering. In this
case, Slave Woman mohan singh is treated and Indians will be butchered
by Saudi sponsored terrorists.
By Tamil Selvan
2/28/2010 12:28:00 AM
Dear Robot Singh, and Sonia Maino slaves,please make a request to the
saudi royal family to arrange to make a visit to Mecca and Medina to
pray for world peace.In these Mosques I am informed by one of my
friends in that country that hindus and sikhs and buddhists are the
main priests and they lead the prayers on alternate days.If it is a
hindu leading the prayer one day in one mosque , it will be a sikh man
the other day and a buddhist man the next day. The prayers are handled
by hindu,sikh and buddhist women every alternate year.See how tolerant
and loving and compassionate is this islam religion and its
followers.May be all indians and all world must convert to this
tolerant and loving religion, is it not PM Singh?
By Real Patriot
2/28/2010 12:14:00 AM
Keep on wondering, you have been wondering for the last 10,000 years.
By Wondering Hindu
2/28/2010 12:11:00 AM
Watching Star News in Hindi, Punjab and Haryana are very peaceful and
calm. Followers of Ram Rahim sect are praying for the success of PM's
visit to Saudi Arabia.
By Abdul Malek Rigi
2/28/2010 12:02:00 AM
the beheaded sikhs are forgotten already (by the saudi sponsored
taliban). The 10 indians killed yesterday were forgotten as
well.Saudis sponsor all madarassas and new mosque construction all
over the world, the ones that contribute profusely to all interfaith
groups. The shabana azmi, seema mustafa, azaruddin and mumbai
celebrity filmiwallahs, the most tolerant brigade from india shoild
make a film on the religious tolerance spread by saudi arabia. Their
wahabi docctrine preaches that hindus are their brothers and should be
protected. They (saudis) also funded construction of mandirs all over
saudi arabia, the nation promoting the most peaceful religion in all
continents. So they are also working peace deal in southern
philippines and southern thailand. Probably they deserve a place
rightfully so in UNSC, dont you all think deshis?-surya, chicago
By surya
2/27/2010 10:57:00 PM
Makes you wonder what the saudi's want in return for this
hospitality?
By Murli
2/27/2010 10:54:00 PM
hope PM makes a VISIT to many famous gurdwaras and hindu temples in
this loving country.My friends tell me that minotities like
hindus,sikhs,buddhists are treated AS special super citizens& the
moment they arraive in this heaven,they are taken to five star hotels&
are given ALL comforts one can dream of.Further these minorities can
DO poojas not ONLY in their house but even ON roads and in SO many
temples and gurdwaras every where.The minority hindusmsiksh and
buddhists ARE given special treatment &they do NOT have to pay any
money for their visa or residence cards& they are paid TWO times more
salary than ordinary saudi people& more than indian&paki muslims,Saudi
Arabia is really a heaven much BETTER than India FOR
hindus,sikhs,buddhists &even jews.Hope there ARE more countries like
saud arabia in europe,america&asia too.Well Done, Saudi Arabia,the
land of loving and tolerant prophet mohammed.
By Real Patriot
2/27/2010 8:24:00 PM
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Unprecedented+welcome+for+PM+in+Saudi+Arabia&artid=VkVnEHqhjZg=&SectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SectionName=pWehHe7IsSU=&SEO=PM,
Saudi Arabia, historic visit
A cynical act of calculated hypocrisy
Vir SanghviFirst Published : 28 Feb 2010 11:50:00 PM IST
Last Updated : 28 Feb 2010 12:01:44 AM IST
It is hardly a secret that the Prime Minister has fought a lonely
battle with his party to put the peace process with Pakistan back on
track. Congressmen do not believe that there is much hope of any
lasting peace as long as Pakistan backs terrorists and go to great
lengths to dissociate the party from the government’s peace
initiative.
Even within the Cabinet, many ministers are sceptical about Pakistan’s
sincerity. A K Antony is known to have reservations about talking to
Pakistan. P Chidambaram has been openly leery of Pakistan’s motives
(one reason why the PMO spends so much time briefing against him these
days). And even Pranab Mukherjee is said to be less than enthusiastic
about the resumption of dialogue. Different people have different
objections but in essence what it boils down to is this: India cannot
afford to trust Pakistan till it takes action against those
responsible for the Mumbai attacks.
It is to the Prime Minister’s credit that he has behaved like a true
statesman, facing political opposition and ignoring personal
unpopularity in pursuit of a goal that he believes is in India’s best
interests. Manmohan Singh has always held that a peaceful resolution
of the India-Pakistan dispute is not only essential but that it is a
pre-requisite for India’s emergence as a great power.
The Pakistanis know all of this. Their position, repeatedly expressed
in interactions with the international media and to their American
mentors, is that they are willing to talk but that it is India which
refuses to come to the negotiating table. Further, they have always
taken care to distinguish between Manmohan Singh, who they see as a
dove (even Salman Bashir went out of his way to praise him at his
press conference on Thursday), and the rest of the Indian
establishment.
Given this background, you would expect that the Pakistanis would do
everything possible to strengthen Manmohan Singh’s position and to
prove the sceptics in India wrong. After all, if Manmohan Singh can
demonstrate to his party that talks will yield results, then the peace
process is more likely to resume.
So, why has Pakistan done the exact opposite?
Right after we agreed to foreign secretary-level talks, the Pakistani
government treated this as a huge victory, declaring publicly that
India had ‘blinked’, suggesting that Pakistan had stared us down.
Then, the Pakistani foreign minister went off to Beijing and invited
the Chinese to involve themselves in the resolution of the India-
Pakistan dispute. The Pakistanis knew that such a move was guaranteed
to incense India — New Delhi had reacted with anger to a mention of
the dispute in the statement issued by President Obama when he met the
Chinese leadership some months ago. Moreover, the resumption of talks
was predicated on the belief that the dispute could be settled
bilaterally with no third-party involvement.
Next, a few days before the talks were scheduled to be held, the
Pakistanis allowed Hafiz Sayeed — the man New Delhi regards as the
mastermind of the Bombay attacks — to address a rally in Lahore, where
he promised ‘many more Mumbais’ and incited the gathering to wage
jihad against India.
Sayeed’s organisation is supposed to be banned. There are laws in
Pakistan which make it a crime to incite violence. So, it would have
been an easy matter to prevent the rally from going ahead or from, at
the very least, taking some action against Sayeed after the rally was
held. But Pakistan did absolutely nothing. The talks themselves, from
all accounts, yielded no breakthroughs but were conducted in a civil
atmosphere and seemed to set the stage for a resumption of the
dialogue and perhaps for a meeting between Manmohan Singh and the
Pakistan PM at the next SAARC summit.
After the talks, the Indian foreign secretary held a press conference
at which she gave a brief and measured summary of the discussions. In
contrast, the Pakistan foreign secretary chose to be needlessly
provocative at a long press conference where even the most innocuous
question received a long reply. The Pakistanis are aware of how
sensitive the issue of bringing the 26/11 masterminds to justice is in
India. So, it cannot be an accident that their foreign secretary not
only dismissed the events of 26/11 by arguing that such things
happened all the time in Pakistan but also ridiculed India’s attempts
to present a case against Hafiz Sayeed. The Indian dossier, he said,
contained no evidence, only literature.
There was more in a similar vein. Kashmir was the core issue that had
to be settled. India should stop lecturing Pakistan. Islamabad had
photographic evidence of India’s support to terrorists who operated
out of Afghanistan and created havoc in Pakistan. And so on. In the
manner of the Agra summit, where inconclusive but generally well-
mannered talks were torpedoed by General Musharraf’s televised
breakfast with editors, this press conference had the effect of
angering the Indian foreign office. Within hours, a senior official
had briefed the media to claim that the Pakistani foreign secretary
took orders from the army.
Whatever gains that could have accrued from the morning’s talks were
deliberately sabotaged at the evening’s press conference. So, here’s
the big question: if the Pakistanis are keen on talks and they know
how difficult it has been for Manmohan Singh to get his government to
agree to a resumption of the dialogue, then why were they acting in a
manner that was calculated to make the Prime Minister look like a fool
and to strengthen the position of the hawks and the sceptics?
There is only one answer possible: the Pakistanis don’t really care
about the resumption of the dialogue process. The only reason the
foreign secretaries met in New Delhi was because the Americans pushed
the Pakistanis just as hard as they pushed Manmohan Singh to return to
the negotiating table. The Pakistanis know what India wants — action
against terrorists — and are not prepared to grant it. Equally, they
know that India will not yield any ground on the one issue they care
about: Kashmir.
Their presence at the talks was a cynical act of calculated hypocrisy.
They are quite aware that they had nothing to gain from a dialogue.
Their strategy is entirely different. As the Americans search for an
honourable exit from Afghanistan, Pakistan will offer to guarantee
stability in that troubled country and to keep anti-American forces
from taking control of Kabul and Kandahar again. In return, the
Americans will have to turn the screws on India.
Pakistan reckons that Washington has no choice but to accept this
arrangement. So, all it has to do is to sit back and wait for events
to unfold. In the interim, it will go through the motions and play the
game the way America thinks it should be played: by making the right
noises about fighting terrorism and demonstrating a willingness to
talk peace with India.
All of this has disastrous consequences for India. After the nuclear
deal, we are so deeply in hock to the Americans that our room for
maneuver is severely constricted. And yet, we cannot agree to
compromise our national interest only because Uncle Sam has got
himself into a jam in Afghanistan.
The real challenge before India, therefore, is to find a way of check-
mating Pakistan while managing Washington’s demands. It is all very
well to hold secretary-level talks. But nothing will come of such a
dialogue. The terrorism will not stop. And the Pakistanis will not
yield an inch.
My worry is that by focusing so much on creating a mood for talks we
are taking our eyes off the ball. The game will not be played in the
conference rooms of Hyderabad House. It will be played in the mountain
passes of Afghanistan as the Pakistanis try and sell India down the
river.
Exclusive to TNSE. More at www.virsanghvi.com. Follow the author at
www.twitter.com/virsanghvi
Email PrintDelicious Digg Google Facebook Yahoo Reddit Stumble
Comments America has no worry from the Arab world, they are just about
150 million of them in the region, most of them technology backward,
totally depended on the western world for all their needs, they are
completely in the clasp of the West, whatever remains is taken care of
by that US lackey in the Middle East, Israel. The danger to US
hegemony comes not from the Arabs in the Middle East, it comes from
masses of Muslims in Central Asia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and other poor and deprived
Muslim people around the world. Where does India fit in this scenario?
Interesting question for Straight Talkers and others of his
orientation. Isn't it?
By Abdul Malek Rigi
3/1/2010 4:50:00 PM
The war in Afghanistan is just a distraction, a diversion from the
main struggle. What do the American want from this piss poor country?
Did they not see how Soviets burned their arsess and escaped? Let the
Americans take 10,000 Afghanistan, who cares. Our main interest is
Palestine, Palestine and Palestine. This is the karma-bhumi of the
world, the Armageddon will be here, not in Afghanistan.
By Abdul Malek Rigi
3/1/2010 4:05:00 PM
Perhaps the Sardarji is well past his use-by date and it’s time a
newer man is brought to the job, say, a PC Chidmabaram or an AK
Antony. Manmohan is forcing his government to kowtow to the demands of
the Obama administration, at a time Obama when himself is becoming
increasingly irrelevant in his own country and abroad. Many Middle
East commentators say that Obama does not have any policy on the
Middle East and so most of the players there are taking the decisions
solely looking at their national interests and not factoring in the
American concerns. Obama’s exit strategy on Afghanistan is deeply
flawed as he puts too much faith on Pakistan, when all and sundry
knows that it is at the root of the problems bedeviling this region.
The net result of his skewed strategy will be taking Afghanistan on a
reverse gear to the 90s and Taliban and Al-Qaeda must be laughing out
of their skins.
By Straight Talker
3/1/2010 11:37:00 AM
Obama is a greenhorn in matters relating to foreign affairs and
security and is learning on the job while his inexperience is
displayed before the whole world. If the Americans are any wiser, they
will kick him out of the Oval office in the next elections (and may be
bring back another Bush. There’s one more remaining, you know!).
Following up from the above facts, the relevant question as far as
India is considered is why India should play ball with the present
American dispensation, unless of course you want India to be dragged
into even more mess. Obama or no Obama, American interests reign
supreme for them and our strategy should be to play along when it suit
us and when it does not, choose our on path. We are at one such cross
roads now and Manmohan, an American yes-man is not the one who can
take such considered, objective decisions for our national interest.
Madam Sonia, are you listening?
By Straight Talker
3/1/2010 11:35:00 AM
Uncle Sam might have got into a jam in Afghanistan but India has got
into a pickle by initiating useless talks with Pakistan. Nothing is
going to come out of the talks. Both are playing bull and wasting
time. It is a show to the Americans that we both are talking while
India is getting it's house in order militarily, Pakistan is busy arm
twisting US for more weapons , F16s and drone technology.
By BABUJI
3/1/2010 4:28:00 AM
Poor Dr. Singh! His long standing ambition of being known as a
Statesman similar to Nehru is in jeopardy. May be another year or two
left for him. Even if Uncle wishes him to pursue talks, his neighbor
whom we can't choose but have to live with, is also not allowing him
to get it. Dr. Singh himself said a few months ago that he did not
know with whom in Pak. he should talk- terrorists or Army or ISI or
fragmented bureaucracy or with a President unsure of himself or with a
PM bound tightly into knots by opinions of all sections or the so
called intellectuals who at once talk in more than two voices or to
self-proclaimed war-mongers against India- better Dr. Singh goes thro'
motions of talks but keeps his target, very rightly put by Virji- to
tie the neighbor-vum opponent in a bind.Till he reties.
By ARUN
2/28/2010 9:36:00 PM
it is about time congress send MMS and MSA to well deserved
retirement .
By mohan
2/28/2010 12:05:00 PM
BJP demands clarification from Prime Minister over Tharoor’s
‘interlocutor’ remarks
February 28, 2010 – 2:40 pm Sponsored Links
New Delhi, Feb.28 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party has also demanded a
clarification from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his colleague Mr.
Tharoor’s remarks.
Interacting with the mediapersons here, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar
Prasad on Sunday condemned the Union Minister of State for External
Affairs Shashi Tharoor’s statement saying “Saudi Arabia could be an
interlocutor between India and Pakistan” and described it as “utterly
irresponsible”.
“Tharoor’’s comment is utterly irresponsible and we thoroughly condemn
it,” said Prasad.
Prasad also said that the BJP will demand for a clarification from
Singh in the parliament.
“Has the statement been made with the consent of the prime minister?
Is this a trial balloon?” Prasad questioned.
“Since the time of first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal
Nehru, either there have been no talks with Pakistan or the talks were
bilateral,” he added.
“There has been no third party mediation. Tharoor’’s remarks are an
insult to India’’s sovereignty,” Prasad said. (ANI)
More Interesting
•Tharoor clarifies “interlocutor” comment about India-Pakistan and S.
Arab
http://buzz7.com/news/tharoor-clarifies-%e2%80%9cinterlocutor%e2%80%9d-comment-about-india-pakistan-and-s-arab.html
•Manmohan Singh tells Arab journalists: Terrorism single biggest
threat
http://buzz7.com/news/manmohan-singh-tells-arab-journalists-terrorism-single-biggest-threat.html
•Kabul attack defines risk faced by Indian medical fraternity: Prime
Minister
http://buzz7.com/news/kabul-attack-defines-risk-faced-by-indian-medical-fraternity-prime-minister.html
War on Maoists: Activists feel the heat
NDTV Correspondent, Saturday February 27, 2010, New Delhi
NGOs and civil rights groups allege that being targeted by the police
in the Centre's war against the Maoists. Many activists find
themselves branded Naxal sympathisers - directly or indirectly - in
the 1,000-page chargesheet against Kobad Gandhy, considered a big
catch in the war against Naxals.
Gandhy was arrested last September in Delhi on charges of forgery and
promoting Maoist ideology. The chargesheet produced on February 18
names several NGOs and activists for being supporters or helping to
expand the Maoist network. It says: "Other civil liberties and human
rights organisations i.e. PUDR, PUCL and APDR also take up issues of
their outfit CPI (Maoist). These organisations play a very important
role in broadening the base of the outfit."
"The idea is to intimidate people. For each person arrested, you
silence 25 others. We are entering an era where the Government is
criminilasing thought itself," says Arundhati Roy.
Rajinder Sachar, PUCL President and former chief justice at the Delhi
High Court, says: "I protest very strongly that PUCL other
organisations have been named. Violation of human rights is a
violation of human rights, irrespective of whether the victim is a
terrorist or an innocent person."
But the Centre is in no mood to let up on its campaign. "Naxals seduce
the media and unleash false charges in courts and use unsuspecting
NGOs and activists. The debate between Intellectuals and civil rights
activists confuses people," the Home Minister said recently.
As the campaign intensifies, many fear the voices of reason may become
a casualty in this war.
http://www.worldnewszone.info/war-on-maoists-activists-feel-the-heat.html
The age of extremes
Rajdeep Sardesai
March 01, 2010
First Published: 00:13 IST(1/3/2010)
Last Updated: 00:14 IST(1/3/2010)
A few months ago, when Sarah Palin, the poster-girl of rightwing
Republicans was contracted by Fox News to be a guest anchor, she
remarked, “I am thrilled to be joining the great journalistic talent
at Fox News. It’s wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair
and balanced news.”
Ah! ‘Fair’ and ‘balanced’, those wonderful words that Fox News has
made its tagline, words that every aspiring journalist is reminded are
critical to professional credibility. Unfortunately, since I didn’t go
to journalism school (or perhaps because I didn’t), I am still not
sure what those words mean. After all, if the channel that has often
been accused of being “the propaganda arm of the Republican party” can
proudly claim to be ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’, then I guess we need to
redefine the meaning of the words. When Robert Ailes, the Fox News
chairman was asked on the criticism of the political slant of the
channel, his response was: “We’re not programming to conservatives,
we’re just not eliminating their point of view!”
We still don’t have a Fox News equivalent in India — although a few
channels have slipped dangerously in that direction. But the dilemma
of what constitutes ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’ TV is universal. On Indian
news TV, the escape route has been to ensure that any discussion
programme represents strikingly contrary viewpoints. So, if you have
a rightwing voice who believes that Hindutva is the core of Indian
nationalism, you must have a left-liberal view that is convinced that
Hindutva is a communal platform. If you have someone who condemns
human rights violations in Kashmir, you must have someone who believes
that human rights activists are apologists for militants. If you have
someone who supports gay rights, you must have an opposing view that
sees homosexuality to be a criminal act.
If there is one thing that contemporary news TV has done, it has
accentuated the polarities in public debate. The limited discussion
time on TV does place a premium on short, snappy sound bites. On TV,
the moderate viewpoint that might qualify its responses with a
considered ‘on the other hand’ is quickly discarded. By contrast, the
more direct, extreme view is celebrated because it leads to, let’s be
honest, a ‘big fight’. As someone who has ‘moderated’ many such
‘fights’, let me say that the experience has been mostly enjoyable. To
have two articulate speakers slug it out — let’s say an Arun Jaitley
from the BJP and a Kapil Sibal from the Congress — does make for
terrific television: it can be edgy, dramatic and exciting. But also,
at times, dare I say, a little predictable.
The recent debate over Naxalism typifies the problems associated with
converting a highly complex subject into a binary black and white
conflict. Much like a boxing match, the participating pugilists are
placed in their respective corners. On one side, you have the votaries
of the strong state: for them, the Naxals are terrorists who must be
eliminated. On the other, you have the so-called Naxal
‘sympathisers’ (or the ‘overground face of the underground’ as a
politician once labelled them) who believe that the Indian state is
brutal and repressive. Bring them into a TV studio, and the debate
follows a familiar pattern: loud, accusatory and, in many instances,
highly personalised.
Lost in the cacophony, there seems little space or time to discuss how
a just and acceptable solution can be found to what is both a socio-
economic and a security challenge. Why should every reference to
alleged ‘atrocities’ committed by a local militia like the Salwa Judum
in Chhattisgarh be seen as an exhibition of ‘anti-national’
behaviour? On the other hand, why should unbridled criticism of Naxal
violence be seen as state propaganda? What if, one were to suggest,
that both sides are in danger of being victims of their own propaganda
machines, that maybe the Salwa Judum and the Naxals are two sides of
the same violent coin?
Maybe, the polarities on TV mirror the divisions in society itself. A
few weeks ago, I interviewed Uddhav Thackeray for a news programme on
the My Name is Khan controversy, and questioned him on his claims to
represent ‘all of Mumbai’. An ‘Internet Hindu’ group sent me an angry
tweet on how I was a “liberal scumbag” who should be exiled to
Siberia. Two days later, I interviewed Congress leader Digvijay Singh
on his visit to Azamgarh and questioned him on reports that he had
given a clean chit to all those accused in the Batla House encounter.
The same group sent me an effusive tweet on how delighted they were to
see that I had “changed for the better”.
Perhaps, we have pigeonholed the world around us into neat little
boxes. It comforts us to view life from a simplistic ‘them’ versus
‘us’, liberal versus conservative standpoint. The space for exploring
the grey areas of an issue, to be more accepting of a counter-argument
to our entrenched belief system is shrinking. Or at least we don’t
seem to wish to enter the hidden crevices of a vexed question that
might force us to re-examine our convictions.
And yet, the question I ask is this: why can one not be equally
critical of Uddhav Thackeray and Digvijay Singh’s brand of politics
without having to constantly ‘prove’ one’s credentials to be a ‘fair’
and ‘balanced’ journalist? Or is that the price one must pay for being
a journalist in the age of extremes?
Post-script: If Fox News has chosen Sarah Palin as its brand
ambassador for ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’ reporting, maybe we should also
look for similar home-grown figures? Maybe, our tough-talking home
minister is an option? Better still, why can’t we have both Mr
Chidambaram and author-activist Arundhati Roy on the same programme on
Naxalism? It would certainly make for fascinating television.
Rajdeep Sardesai is Editor-in-Chief , IBN Network
The views expressed by the author are personal
http://www.hindustantimes.com/The-age-of-extremes/H1-Article1-514079.aspx
bademiyansubhanallah
Agencies
Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1400 hrs
New Delhi:
Home Ministry has dispatched 16 paramilitary officers on probation to
Naxal-affected states.
Facing acute shortage of IPS cadres, the Home Ministry has dispatched
16 paramilitary officers on probation to Naxal-affected states to work
as additional superintendents of police.
The second-in-command and deputy commandant rank officers have been
drawn from CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB and sent to Maoist-hit
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar.
"The officers have been sent on deputation when the states told the
Home Ministry that they don't have enough IPS officers to be posted as
ASP in many districts," a senior officer said.
All the 16 officers have put in more than 10 years of service in their
respective organisations and have handled sensitive assignments and
worked in hostile environments, including in Jammu and Kashmir and the
Northeast.
The officers had undergone a brief special training on jungle warfare
before heading for the designated states and places of postings.
"The officers will be fully under the command, control and disposal of
the respective state governments and work as the ASPs of that state,"
the officer said.
The dispatching of the paramilitary officers to the states also bears
significance in view of the fact that the Centre has already deployed
around 60,000 central paramilitary personnel in all Naxal-affected
states and these officers would help them coordinate at the grass-root
level.
There are currently 196 vacancies of IPS officers across the country,
while government has estimated that it will need an additional 450
officers to tackle threats from terrorists, left wing extremists as
well as criminal syndicates.
The shortfall of 196 officers was mainly created during 1999-2002 when
the induction of IPS officers per year dropped to 36 against the
annual average of 85.
Recently, the government accepted the Home Ministry's proposal to
increase the annual intake of IPS officers through Civil Services
Examination from 130 to 150.
The Home Ministry is also mulling the option of holding a "limited"
competitive examination exclusively to recruit IPS officers -- a route
that was taken immediately after Independence to fill huge vacancies
that had accumulated through the War years and because of the
departure of British officers to the UK and Muslim officers to
Pakistan.
The Maoists are currently running their writ in approximately 40,000
sq km areas covering 20 states. In 2009, due to Maoist violence, 591
civilians and 317 security personnel lost their lives. A total of 217
extremists were also killed during the year.
The Naxals also destroyed 38 railway properties, 53 telephone towers,
20 panchayat buildings, 47 school buildings and 121 forest buildings
last year.
14 Comments |
IPS Shortage
By: Mohan | Monday , 22 Feb '10 15:10:25 PM
In the Naxal attack recently there was no officer present. In army a
company has 2 officers posted who train, operate, eat and sleep with
their jawans. It's no surprise that without good leadership masacare
will continue to happen. IPS officers are doing only Babugiri sitting
in offices... they should be field fighting along side their men! What
sor of leaders are they?
Shortage of IPS Officers----
By: romesh.sharma | Monday , 22 Feb '10 13:52:17 PM
This problem is not only in Police Services but also in Regular
Army,Air-Force and Para-Military services.Though for temporary
purposes this kind of deputation is reasonable but not a solution to
very serious problem the country is facing,both of internal and
external threats.It was three decades before when young men were crazy
to get commissioned in the Armed Forces and politicians and the so to
say the demi-monde around them left no effort to enroll their own
relatives and people near them.It was then the bank accounts were not
over-flowing and their temtations were greedy motives behind.They used
these officers,especially of Police,for their personal ambitions.Now
that they have amassed fortunes and there is hardly any trick left to
hide the corrupt money gathered through evil works they have lost
their interests to send/encourage the young into any risky job.Its
left for absolutely needy,impecunious and desperate.Its the reason why
most of them are inefficient,slack and sloven.
Need to think correctly!
By: Sensible Talk | Monday , 22 Feb '10 11:33:22 AM
Firstly, we should think about what causes Naxalism. We politicians
eating our country up, we will have more of Maoists created by price
increase and marginalizing sections of the population. People do not
have basic amenities like water, electricity etc. Then price increase
and corruption eating away parts of the country. What else do you
expect to be bred in such an environment. First, think of the root of
the problem and solve them before resorting to 'extreme action'.
Marx and Mao
By: S Gautam | Monday , 22 Feb '10 1:06:57 AM
Marx and Mao have caused enough death and destruction in this world.
These two jokers are worshipped by all the commies in India. Shame on
them!!
IPS to Naxil hit states
By: Dr C Singh | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 23:58:30 PM
With all the destruction described above , what is the govt. waiting
for? This is our Taleban war
Mr.
By: Ranendra | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 22:28:04 PM
Forces should not only be headed by IPS cadre. There should be
induction from army and paramilitary forces at SP/SSP levels. In
addition, real die hard fighters should be recruited from local areas.
Unanimous policy decisions at political level, and sincerity at State
govt. level is indespensable. This menace should not be allowed to
linger.
Initial failure
By: Dr. Ram Chander Sharma | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 22:22:27 PM
Don't go public for the shortage of IPS officers -- there is no dearth
of people who join the anti naxal forces. Go with vigour and fast
recruit officers and other personals as in national emergencies.
Infact naxalism is and emergency and must be tackled that style Siot
sunderbani Jammu.
ips shortage and quality
By: s chadha | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 22:03:47 PM
apart from the fact that the ips officers are in short supply another
nagging point is the quality of these officers . cosidering the
threats being faced by the country are they of a high calobre /
material and training wise to deal with the perpetual threat of a low
intensity war which the country is facing ? this appears not the case
as the procedure of recruitment . training . continued progressions
for thers officers appears to be only fit for the *danda * police
regime they should be recruited at a young age like the arky officers
and get an equally high calibre training like the army officers it may
be better to have a nda like organisation to train all para molitary /
ips officers together like the defence nda this will inculcate in them
true values required of a modern police officer or we will continue to
see the sorry affairs in a critical set up like the mumbai operations
where these officers wer seen to be inept / and even avoiding duty
catch them young
WAY OUT
By: N.ASTI | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 21:48:47 PM
The young kins of politicians who have joined politics to enjoy
everything(Including security) at the cost of India's poor public and
suck the blood of poor people should be forced to join cops and
defense services and should be put before the terrorists to save the
public.They should be physically forced to serve the public instead of
taking service from the public.Today's ruling politicians are worth to
be cops instead of rulers as proved by their actions at Sherm El
Sheikh,thereafter for Indo-Pak talks on the same lines,to make the
Nation insulted by Pak and the conspiracy of AUTONOMY thro' QUIET
DIPLOMACY in the name of 'OUT OF BOX'activity.
recritment from army
By: winson chelliah | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 20:15:49 PM
govt should take immediate steps to recruit willing army,paramilitary
officers(capt/major,asst comdt/dy comdt) through limited competitive
exam upon which the govt is already brooding.this effort will shorten
the recruitment process as well as infuse die hard blood in to the IPS
which ultimately improve the standard of IPS and people's attitude
towards police forces.procrastinate the issue will worsen the
situation.
CommentsPost comment14 Comments |IPS crisis
By: sam | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 20:00:19 PM
I do not know as to why my comments are not published by your paper.
IPS crisis
By: sam | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 19:45:30 PM
After the debacle in the diplomatic circle (Sharm-el-Sheikh) and other
goof ups; do we really need IAS or IPS cadre to run the affairs of the
nation? Abolishing these positions with real hands on offices (section
heads) will save the tax payers' crores and crores of rupees. Reward
the honest hard working men and women in Uniform.
IPS Officers shortage.
By: P.S.Panwar | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 18:55:21 PM
It appears the Union Govt is in deep slumber for quite long, or were
afraid of IPS Officers or their terms and condition are quite inferior
than their colleague IAS officers, so people did not opted for IPS.
Union should go all out to recruit the IPS officers at the
earliest,even if required by relaxing the merits or increasing their
pay structure etc.
POLITICAL WILL
By: DEVAVRAT | Sunday , 21 Feb '10 17:42:45 PM
We also need a strong political will to tackle the naxalites and
terrorists. Where are you going to recruit them from? without it
recruiting just IPS officers will be a waste of time.
Govt's U-turn on Indo-Pak talks was at US nudge: Advani
Agencies
Posted: Tuesday , Mar 02, 2010 at 1500 hrs
New Delhi:
Our Foreign Secretary called the recently concluded meeting
'constructive' but her Pakistani counterpart ridiculed the meeting:
Advani
Accusing the Government of making a U-turn on holding talks with
Pakistan following US 'nudge', senior BJP leader L K Advani has said
that no concrete outcome is possible in any dialogue till that country
abandons terrorism.
Terming the UPA's stand on Indo-Pak talks as a "self-inflicted
insult", he said the only outcome that seemed to have emerged from the
recent Foreign Secretary-level talks was that they will stay in
touch.
"Our Foreign Secretary called the recently concluded meeting
'constructive' but her Pakistani counterpart ridiculed the meeting and
said his country did not believe in 'cosmetic engagement' and did not
want India to 'lecture' them by demanding that Pakistan should 'do
this or that'," Advani said in his latest blog posting titled 'UPA's
shabby approach to Indo-Pak talks : A self-inflicted insult'. Taking a
dig at the Government on the outcome of the talks, Advani said in his
statement to Parliament External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
described the meeting as constructive and useful.
"But the only concrete outcome that seemed to emerge from the 500-word
statement was the Foreign Secretaries agreement to stay in touch," the
BJP leader said.
He said India's "U-turn" on the issue of dialogue with Pakistan seems
to be the upshot of "Washington's nudge." The "firmness" shown by the
NDA government in dealing with Pakistan bore fruits in the form of a
joint statement in which Islamabad assured that it would not permit
Pakistan or any territory in Pakistan's control to be used to support
terrorism in any manner, he said.
Comments (5) |
Give him a rocking chair in present.
By: Ramnath Dogra | 02-Mar-2010
Advani is wasting his and our time.
What's the news here?
By: Ajay | 02-Mar-2010
The whole world knows that it was under US pressure India is being
made to talk to Pakistan. No other country in the world would behave
like Congress govt and talk with the enemy.
Once in a lifetime
By: Jawed Naqvi | 02-Mar-2010
Only once since independence of India had BJP come to power, I think
he should concentrate more on getting into power than anything. What
he is going to do always be a backbencher. Janak lal I agree their
should be an age of retirement of thses politicians in INDIA.
And he talks and talks
By: Maramat Singh Kajuwala | 02-Mar-2010 Rep
There was hardly a day when we Indians were not attacked by the
terrorists when Advani and his chachi Vajpaeeji sat on the
throne.Vajpaeeji was so gaga that he did not even realised that India
was getteng attacked while he was holding talks in Pakistan.I have
really never seen more stupid people in my entire life.
He has taken theka to disturb us
By: Janak Lal | 02-Mar-2010
Everytime I read or hear Advaniji, I eat two aspro.Like every other
citizen, why don't he retire at this high age and leave us alone.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govts-uturn-on-indopak-talks-was-at-us-nudge-advani/585806/
Hindustan belongs to all, says Asha Bhosale
Agencies
Posted: Tuesday , Mar 02, 2010 at 1527 hrs
Pune:
Asha Bhosale said: 'People are bound to flock Mumbai as Hindustan
belongs to all.'
Noted singer Asha Bhosale has distanced herself from parochial
sentiments involving Mumbai and Maharashtra saying "Hindustan belongs
to all."
Speaking at a cultural evening organised by a Marathi television
channel in Mumbai, Asha responded to a question by interviewer and
compere Sudhir Gadgil who asked her whether Mumbai was turning ugly
with exodus from outside. Among the audience was MNS president Raj
Thackeray.
"People are bound to flock Mumbai as Hindustan belongs to all. Those
who work hard here become prosperous. I also worked in my field with
determination to earn success. I have sung in all Indian languages but
I am a proud Maharashtrian," she added interacting at the musical show
held on Sunday night.
Comments (1) |
Ashaji, well said.
By: Pandher Khosla | 02-Mar-2010
Asha, we are proud of you and equally ashamed of Bal Thakeray the Nazi
like facist who discriminate the different people of India.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hindustan-belongs-to-all-says-asha-bhosale/585808/
'Shocked' Taslima denies writing article in K'taka daily
Agencies
Posted: Tuesday , Mar 02, 2010 at 1151 hrs
New Delhi:
I have never written any article for any Karnataka newspaper in my
life: Nasreen
Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen on Tuesday said the
appearance of an article in a Karnataka newspaper purportedly written
by her, which triggered violent protests in Shimoga and Hassan towns,
is a "deliberate attempt to malign" her and "misuse" her writings to
create disturbance in the society.
Nasreen said in a statement made available said that she never penned
any article for a newspaper in Karnataka.
"The incident that occurred in Karnataka on Monday shocked me. I
learned that it was provoked by an article written by me that appeared
in a Karnataka newspaper. But I have never written any article for any
Karnataka newspaper in my life," she said.
Nasreen said, "The appearance of the article is atrocious. In any of
my writings I have never mentioned that Prophet Muhammad was against
burkha. Therefore this is a distorted story."
The author said, "I suspect that it is a deliberate attempt to malign
me and to misuse my writings to create disturbance in the society. I
wish peace will prevail."
The violence in Shimoga, the home town of Karnataka Chief Minister B S
Yeddyurappa, left two persons dead, one of them in police firing on
Sunday.
Nasreen, staying in an undisclosed destination due to security reasons
since her return to India last month, had her visa extended recently
by six months till August this year.
Replying to a question, she said she would not like to say anything
other than the statement issued by her.
Situation in Shimoga, Hassan peaceful
The situation is peaceful on Tuesday in Shimoga and Hassan in
Karnataka, which saw violence over publication of an article,
allegedly written by Taslima in a leading Kannada daily.
"The situation is peaceful. Security has been tightened to prevent any
untoward incident. Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel are
keeping a close watch," Shimoga Superintendent of Police S Murugan
said.
In Shimoga, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's home town, two persons
were killed -- one in police firing and the other in violence - over
publication of the Kannada version of the article.
Murugan said around 50 persons have been arrested in connection with
the violence and added that the dusk to dawn curfew imposed in four
localities of Shimoga town has been extended till evening.
In Hassan, where prohibitory orders were imposed for three days since
yesterday, the situation was under control with the deployment of
Karnataka State Reserve Police force, Superintendent of Police Sharat
Chandra said.
The authorities have sought assistance of Rapid Action Force to
control the situation, he said.
An FIR has been lodged against the Kannada daily and also the Urdu
newspaper which carried the article "hurting the sentiments of a
religious community."
By: babu | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 16:32:02 PM
Pathetic! Disgusting! Hapless! Miserable! How do I describe our
administration? How easily we have driven away a multi cultural, multi
talented personality (M.F Husain) to the demands of these conglomerate
fascist forces (Sangh Parivar), I reject with contempt the mute
administration unwilling to save and protect their own citizens from
the ire of this disgruntled hindu taliban (Sangh parivar) . I wonder
why this administration is risking our lives by sheltering the outcast
like Tasleema Nasreen. When the administration knows the pulse of
their countrymen, then why are they courting this controversial
foreigner. Doesn%u2019t our intelligence know she carry a reward on
her head too. Who is to blame for the life lost? Who is to blame for
disturbing the peace and serenity? Who had conspired against whom? Who
Who Who.. endless questions . MNS You have chosen the wrong field.
Secular violence
By: kvjayan | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 16:06:16 PM
Those who deliberately indulge in violence on some pretext or other,
are neither innocent nor unknowing to blindly fall into some trap set
up by "communal" elements. These kinds of violent and anti-social acts
are neatly organised as a show of expression of alleged alienation,
protest against denial of minority rights etc. In short, clear, anti-
national fifth column activities.
Salute Taslima
By: Jaganharu | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 15:32:47 PM
Shivsena must come forward in support of Taslima, as she is our guest
and deserved for all privilage as ordinary Hindu.We must protect her
with z security, instead of protecting corrupt UPA leaders.
Z security for Taslima
By: maccikhan | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 16:27:52 PM
Very true and highly justified. She must be provide Z security 24X7.
She has caused death of two innocents, she has blessed the govt. of
Yediurappa to defame, the two communities who were ohterwise living in
peace to fight for each others honor. She will be safe enjoying th
hospitality of India, and we the Indians fight for her honor and
integrity. Can any body jsut point out what is her contribution to our
country, other than creating problem between two communities when ever
she visit here. A most thankles lady who always finds ways and means
to defame the country which offers her shelter and protects her. She
must simply be asked to go back to her country, apologies if she has
hurt the sentiments of her fellow country men.
irresponsible journos
By: sam | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 15:06:33 PM
Journos and editors of some news papers are extremely irresponible.
They should be booked for culpable homicide for the disturbances and
unnecessary deaths.
MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY
By: shamim | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 14:44:25 PM
Denial statement from Taslima is a big question on the credebility of
particular news paper. Government must take immediate action and set
up inquiry on the ceredibility on the article which claimed valuable
lifes. whoever is responsible for this should be brought to justice.
Taslima
By: Joseph Michael | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 14:13:39 PM
The paper that misused her name should be exemplarily punished.The
government should not allow law and order to be disturbed at any cost
by any one.
what is the intention behind publishing the article
By: James | Tuesday , 2 Mar '10 13:18:53 PM
If this is not Taslima's article, then what is the intention of the
newspaper for publishing it? it can be just to malign a particular
religion or to provoke minorities to do some nonsence things so that
the communal forces of mejority people can increase their base. They
have successfully achieved the target while the minorities innocently
and unknowingly fall in their trap as usual. These type of incidents
are a conspicuous outcome of a BJP govt. Because they have nothing to
deliver anything different than this. God save this country from
becoming another Germany..
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/shocked-taslima-denies-writing-article-in-ktaka-daily/585767/0
Dera issue: situation peaceful in Punjab, Haryana
Agencies
Posted: Monday , Mar 01, 2010 at 1149 hrs
Chandigarh:
Security personnel conducted flag marches in sensitive areas in Punjab
and Haryana following Saturday's violence by supporters of Dera Sacha
Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh protesting against registration of
a fresh murder case against him.
The flag marches, aimed at instilling confidence among the people,
were staged yesterday evening by paramilitary forces which were
deployed in Moga and other affected towns including Ferozepur,
Bathinda and Sangrur in Punjab and in Sirsa, Ambala and Fatehabad in
Haryana.
Barring a minor incident of torching a bus in Kurukshetra in Haryana,
the situation in the violence-hit areas was by and large peaceful, a
senior official said on Monday.
The paramilitary forces and contingents of policemen in the two states
maintained a tight vigil at the troubled spots where the followers of
the Dera chief had set afire trains and buses and damaged public
property, he said.
“Those breaking the law and indulging in any act of vandalism or
joining any demonstration which can disturb peace will be dealt with
strictly”, he said. Though the situation was peaceful in Haryana, a
stray incident of a bus being torched by some miscreants at Badondi
village under Ladwa police station was reported.
Police sources said, quoting a report from Kurukshetra, that some
unidentified persons had put some inflammatory liquid inside the bus
last night and then set it ablaze. The incident was noticed after
smoke and flames started billowing from the vehicle, they said. The
villagers informed the police, which reached the spot and later
registered a case against unknwon persons.
Meanwhile, the Railway police have registered a case against unknown
persons for torching of three bogies of the Sutlej Express at Moga on
Saturday evening. At Bathinda, a large number of activists of the Dera
demanded release of the sect activists rounded up by the police in the
district on Sunday.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dera-issue-situation-peaceful-in-punjab-haryana/585711/0
bademiyansubhanallah
Agencies
Posted: Tuesday , Mar 02, 2010 at 1250 hrs
Bangalore:
Normalcy has returned to Shimoga and Hassan towns, hit by violence
during protests by Muslims over publication of an article in a daily
purportedly written by exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen,
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told the Karnataka Assembly on
Tuesday.
"Those who take the law into their hands will be strictly dealt with,"
he said, adding that no untoward incident has taken place in the two
cities since last night.
Yeddyurappa said cases have been booked against the daily and 103
people taken into custody in the two cities, where 33 persons and 25
policemen were injured in the violence in which 74 shops and 50
vehicles were damaged.
As the House met, Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah and JD-S
leader H D Revanna asked the government to give compensation to those
hit by the violence.
Two persons were killed, including one in police firing in Shimoga,
Yeddyurappa's home town, during the protest against Kannada
translation of an article purportedly penned by Taslima, published in
a Kannada daily in its Sunday edition. Hassan was also affected by the
violence yesterday.
Yeddyurappa said steps would be taken to give compensation to the
affected, based on a fact-finding report on assessment of loss of
property.
He said a company of CRPF has been deployed in Shimoga and another was
on its way to Hassan.
He blamed "selfish elements" for the violence, saying otherwise it
would not have taken place on such a large-scale. Yeddyurappa said the
government was mulling strengthening the intelligence department by
holding separate recruitment.
Siddaramaiah said only "useless and old" people and those "without
influence" end up in the Intelligence Department, which should be
strengthened by separate recruitment.
The chief minister said the government had also discussed the issue
with Home Minister P Chidambaram, who has given several suggestions in
this regard.
"At any cost, there would not be any shortcoming on the part of
government in protecting minorities. It's our duty," Yeddyurappa
said.
Muslim organisations had organised a protest, saying that the article
on burkha tradition was religiously insensitive and provocative.
Meanwhile, Nasreen, living in India in a secret location, said the
appearance of the article was a "deliberate attempt to malign" her and
"misuse" her writings to create disturbance.
She said, "I never written any written any article for any Karnataka
newspaper in my life."
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/normalcy-returns-to-violencehit-towns/585779/0
ULFA militant gunned down, arms seized
Agencies
Posted: Friday , Feb 26, 2010 at 1344 hrs
Shillong:
A hardcore ULFA activist was gunned down, another arrested and arms
and explosives seized during an encounter between security forces and
ultras in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district.
A joint operation was carried out by security forces near Chachinat
village yesterday following intelligence inputs that four militants
were hiding there, Superintendent of Police S Nongtynger said.
In course of the operation, the team was challenged and fired upon
heavily by the militants which led to a heavy exchange of fire.
A militant identified as Biswajit Talukdar was shot dead while
another, Shahidul Islam was apprehended. Two others managed to
escape.
Two AK-81 assault rifles, one Dragonov Sniper rifle, a wireless set,
over one kg of RDX explosives, 129 ammunition of AK-81 and 76 bullets
of Dragonov rifle along with several incriminating documents of the
ULFA were seized from the area.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-militant-gunned-down-arms-seized/584832/
ULFA commander Paresh Baruah moves to China
Amitabh Sinha
Posted: Monday , Jun 01, 2009 at 0900 hrs
New Delhi:
Top ULFA commander Paresh Baruah, who has been hiding in Bangladesh
for many years now, is known to be in China for about a month now,
intelligence agencies have told the government.
Highly placed government sources have told The Indian Express that
Indian intelligence agencies have been able to intercept Baruah’s
mobile phone as well as satellite phone conversations from China and
are also aware of his precise location in that country.
Though there is no clarity on the reason for his visit, sources said
Baruah, head of the military wing of the United Liberation Front of
Asom, might have travelled to China in the hope of procuring some arms
for his organisation whose avowed aim is to liberate Assam from India.
Baruah is known to have travelled to Bangkok and Pakistan in the past
but this is probably his first visit to China.
His China visit comes at a time when the Awami League government under
Sheikh Hasina has initiated a crackdown on the cadres of ULFA and many
other Indian insurgent groups who have taken shelter in Bangladesh.
Observers say Bangladesh under the Awami League — it took charge in
December last year after a gap of more than seven years — is now
becoming increasingly inhospitable for these groups which had been
using it as a safe haven.
Just two weeks ago, the Bangladeshi government made high-profile
arrests of two former Director Generals of the country’s National
Security Intelligence in connection with a weapons smuggling case in
which 10 trucks of arms and ammunition, shipped from China and
apparently meant for the use of ULFA in Assam, were seized from the
jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited in April 2004.
Major General (retd) Rezakul Haider Chowdhury and Brig Gen (retd)
Abdur Rahim were picked up by Bangladesh’s CID in a pre-dawn raid on
May 16 and are currently under police remand. The 2004 seizure of
arms, while they were being unloaded from ships into the trucks, is
the biggest ever catch by Bangladesh police and an eye-opener on how
Indian insurgent groups were using Bangladesh territory, with generous
support from some local anti-India politicians, to unleash terror in
the north-eastern states.
About 1790 rifles of which 690 were AK-47s with provision to fix
grenade launchers, 2000 grenade launchers, 25020 grenades, 150 rocket
launchers, 840 rockets, and 1.1 million ammunition were recovered in
the seizure. Barely a month later, on April 26, 2004, the Bangladesh
security agencies
intercepted another bus loaded with arms and ammunition close to
Tripura border. That bus was said to have been released subsequently,
reportedly on the instructions of Maj (retd) Syed Iskander, brother of
former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia who headed the Bangladesh
Nationalist Party government. Iskander is known to have links with
Pakistan’s ISI.
The recently arrested officials, Chowdhury and Rahim, are said to be
known to Baruah, according to another top NSI official Wing Cdr (retd)
Shahabuddin Ahmed who was arrested by CID earlier in the same case.
In his confessional statement, Shahabuddin claimed that just before
the arrival of the arms consignment Rahim, Chowdhury and some other
government officials had met at Chowdhury’s residence to discuss ways
to ensure its safe passage to India. He claimed that Baruah, disguised
as one Ahmed, was present at this meeting.
Shahabuddin said Baruah had also accompanied Chowdhury during a visit
to the Combined Military Hospital. Sources said they were not ruling
out the possibility that these two officials had helped in arranging
Baruah’s China visit.
6 Comments |
china suppotrt them
By: dayim | Thursday , 13 Aug '09 11:40:49 AM
I sure china supporting ULFA and other North-East terrorists..
An excuse for a friend
By: subhas Chakma | Thursday , 11 Jun '09 23:39:13 PM
It is one new propaganda to save Bangladeshi pro- delhi government to
render its duty. Earlier many many North East leaders have visited
China to collect arms but in reality they were all in their tactical
places.But Asom , Nagalim and Kashmir are still burning.
ULFA Commander escapes to China!!
By: T.Bose.(Flt.Lt.IAF.Retd.) | Friday , 5 Jun '09 16:39:48 PM
I think that this is a VERY WORRYING development!! I am 100% in
agreement with Avinash Baranwal.Since India was NOT able to stop this
terrorist escaping to China,they MUST adopt Israeli MOSSAD's
tactics,or else India will be split into dozens of small states which
India's neighbours WILL BE CELEBRATING!!
Don't take Indian unity for granted
By: Harish Kumar | Monday , 1 Jun '09 22:50:18 PM
While I just wrote a comment about China being a nuisance, I also want
to point out the failure of Indians in the 'heartland'. For them,
Kashmir and the North East (most cannot even name the states there)
are just real estate that must be kept with India at any cost, and the
people living there must be loyal to India, no matter what - even if
most of the benefits of the natural resources are sucked away by
"outsiders" (in their perception). Yuppie Indians are getting carried
away by glitz and glamour while taking the unity of India for granted.
If groups like the ULFA and naxalites, not to mention the Kashmiri
groups, are driven to fighting, it's time to stop and ask why. Many
Indians do not have the capacity to understand history, nor respect
fellow Indians. They have a simplistic view of what India is, and
cannot see the exploitation of fellow Indians. Boycott junk TV, low
class movies and hyped up "sports" and try to understand the real
situation.
locate and liquidate !!!!
By: ANAND SHIVA | Monday , 1 Jun '09 20:38:50 PM
Its high time to locate the terroists and liquidate them.
Knowingly silient
By: Surendran P. | Monday , 1 Jun '09 17:34:22 PM
I believe the government should view the comments made by public -
merely by being informed by medias and other sources. It seems they
are source with better remedials ways and ideas. But for the
politicians and government these are not in sight or may their hands
are tied by the process of democracy and partisianism.
WE HAVE TO IMPROVE...AND LOOK FORWARD
By: VIKAS KASHYAP | Monday , 1 Jun '09 14:44:39 PM
its a kind of war in which we indians are always very far away in
action plans. we are just waiting and very poor in making quick
decsions. As we r week in smart planning like chinese and
americans ...in order to save our country and people. our leaders,
politicians, scientists, engineers hv to took some great
microplannings rather than thinking about there own perks and profits.
As we are having very strong army, navy
Paresh Baruah
By: Avinash Baranwal | Monday , 1 Jun '09 14:03:06 PM
A simple question - Why can't we kill Presh Baruah and alike secretly?
What stops us? Why can't we learn from Israel's Mosad which killed
Hamas Terrorists at foreign land?or is it that we still have traitors
as politicians? Well, in that case why can't our Police/Military/RAW/
CBI(sorry not this...this is a sold out organisation) kill such
Politicians?
Escaping of ULFA leader to China
By: MOHAN DADDIKAR | Monday , 1 Jun '09 14:01:21 PM
The entire Eastern India is now nominally in India. Due to our
impotent Govt. at the Center, it is almost a part of Bangla Desh and
China. Bangladeshis will outnumber Indians in a few years and China
can gatecrash in any part of Eastern India without any fear of
retaliatory action from India.
WHY RAW SET UP CELLS TO ELIMINATE THIS LEADERS OVERSEAS ?
By: Kav | Monday , 1 Jun '09 12:34:14 PM R
IT IS HIGH TIME R.A.W. OF INDIA SET UP CELLS TO ELIMINATE SUCH
TERRORIST LEADERS LIVING IN PAKI. LAND AND BANGLADESH.PAKIS. ARE NOT
FIGHTING ITS OWN WAR BUT IT IS PROXY WAR ON INDIA ON BEHALF OF
AMERICANS AND CHINESE.IT IS CHINA AND AMERICAN WAR TO DISTABLIZE AND
DIVIDE INDIA.
CommentsPost comment16 Comments |ULFA commander Paresh Baruah moves to
China
By: Bimal Prasad Mohapatra | Monday , 1 Jun '09 11:39:00 AM
Now this makes very clear that China along with Pakistan, is behind
the insurgency in India's north-eastern states.They use Mynmar
military junta,which has liniancy to Communist China,and some
fundamentalist rulers of Banladesh to further their objectives.If one
goes by the cummulative activites of China in the region,he is
certainly be sure that the China is playing the lead role in all the
insugency activites in India.Now question is:why China is involved in
this kind of activities after the cold war with demise of USSR twi
decades ago? Its objective is be no.2 in the world geo-politics.For
this it need to be economically strong.With rise of Indian economy
after liberalisation,India pose challenge to China.Besides,China wants
to spread the communism to other countries.In view of Chinese this
ambition US has shown interest in the sub-continent and US old ally in
the region Pak. can not trusted because up spread of Islamic
fundamentalism there.So India should have policies to counter..
China is a nuisance and a threat - never an ally
By: Harish Kumar | Monday , 1 Jun '09 10:30:18 AM
From reported 'organ harvesting' from prisoners (especially FalunGong
followers as they are said to lead a healthy lifestyle) to a cultural
genocide in Tibet, China has proven time and again that it's a power-
drunk bully. They have no qualms about supplying arms to thugs such as
the sri lankan or the sudanese militaries. The regime in Burma cannot
carry on with its oppression without China's active backing. It's a
sick nation trying hard to rewrite history, while actually wanting to
be respected internationally (hence the song and dance shows such as
the Olympics - where during the opening ceremony, they showed a girl
supposedly singing a song, because she looked cute, while the actual
singer was not shown). Indians are so distracted by idiotic movies
(that still carry the lip-syncing by our "stars") and the stupidest
game called cricket (NEVER winning in any REAL sports), while also
wanting to be respected internationally. Indians had better take a
good hard look at themselves.
Friend or Foe?
By: Swapan Chakravarthy | Monday , 1 Jun '09 10:24:27 AM
The equation is not as straight forward as stated in the report. There
are twin issues. One is the mediaval thought that India has to be
enslaved (and we have had a history of 700-years following that).
Second is that India is a growing power with a disparate social
groupings (but the same is true for all developed countries as well).
We are politically not keen to resolve the second one. Indeed if any,
we seem to boost that poltically (Maharashtrian PM, Dalit ki Beti PM,
Cow belt Yadavs, Desh ki Neta Sonia Gandhi etc). This leaves room for
desparate groups to seek political help and shelter from any power on
the earth. In steps these powers on such a footprint - Bangladesh,
Pakistan, China to name ones who have encouraged it.China assisting
ULFA is not a wonder. If Assam were out of India, then Arunachal would
be theirs. Also cutting Assam off from India would not difficult as
they occupy the Bhutanese portion of the Chengdu Valley.Therefore,
building our might is necessary.
Attention!
By: S.V.Ramanan | Monday , 1 Jun '09 10:14:41 AM
With obsession over Pakistan, India has not been paying as much
attention as it should on the violent prone area starting from
Bangladesh border,through Assam,Orissa,parts of Bihar,Uttarkhand,Parts
of MP,Coastal belt of AP,Khammam,Warangal,North Tamil Nadu dists.In
these areas terrorist groups of all hues have a loose federaton and in
fact parallel govt is being run by them especially in AP .High time
India pays serious attention as this menace is much more dangerous
than Taliban.
Ulfa commander in China.
By: Varghese Joseph | Monday , 1 Jun '09 9:27:46 AM
With this revelation, my doubts are very clear and clarified that,
Ulfa commander Paresh Baruah could be stooge of China, and China is
ULFA's main sponsor. I hope the Govt. of India realises these facts.
There should me a way to stop the communication and source of income
coming into the hands of UlFA. If we can achieve that we won the
battle against ULFA. China wants to see the eastern state (Assam) a
troubled one. Thats their main agenda.
India China ULFA
By: sangos | Wednesday , 12 Aug '09 1:26:16 AM
China is India's competitor for superpower status so its no eye
popping surprise thats its going to aid ULFA. Why has not India been
able to completely eliminate ULFA is beyond me or it might be plain
incapability to do so. Someone mentioned Mossad - nobody seriously
believes Indian Intelligence measures upto the world's topmost
organization!
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-commander-paresh-baruah-moves-to-china/469122/0
In ULFA heartland, few shed tears over news from Bhutan
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP
Posted: Dec 20, 2003 at 0000 hrs IST
DIBRUGARH, DECEMBER 19 Till about 10 years ago, Dibrugarh and
Tinsukia, the twin industrial districts of Upper Assam, used to keep
the security forces busy. Home to some of ULFA’s top leaders, the
region was a nightmare for the forces. When they arrested militants,
womenfolk of an entire village would rush to the police station or the
army camp to demand their release.
Things have changed. With ULFA running for cover after its camps in
Bhutan were dismantled, no one is crying for militants in what was
once ULFA’s heartland.
Things have changed. In fact, no one here wants to talk about the
them. ‘‘We have lost not just a large number of boys, who could have
contributed positively to the society, but several valuable years
too,’’ said Prasanta Gohain, a small businessman who said he once
‘‘whole-heartedly’’ supported the ULFA cause. ‘‘They definitely did a
lot of good work in the initial years, which caught the imagination of
the common people. But now we are all disgusted. We don’t want to talk
about them any more,’’ he added.Dibrugarh and Tinsukia have thrown up
a number of important leaders. While its general secretary Anup Chetia
and armed wing chief Paresh Barua hail from Jerai Chakalibhoriya
village about 30 km from here, the outfit’s ideologue and advisor
Bhimkanta Buragohain, who was killed in Bhutan yesterday, came from
Dhola in Tinsukia.
‘‘We have also seen how a large number of boys who surrendered become
rich overnight. Where did the money come from?’’ asked a college
teacher. A number of former ULFA leaders have set up big shops and
business establishments in Dibrugarh.
In Doomdooma, which houses the headquarters of Hindustan Lever’s tea
operations, entrepreneur Mulendra Moran strongly criticises the ULFA
for targeting tea companies and different oil installations. ‘‘They
(the ULFA) do not understand that the vast majority of Assamese people
are heavily dependent on the tea and oil industry,’’ he says.
On November 26, the ULFA had launched a rocket attack on Hindustan
Lever’s Rs 125-crore personal products factory. Mulendra Moran and
several other educated youth of these two districts have not only set
up ancillary units linked to HLL’s units, but have also provided
employment to over 2,000 youth from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. People in
hush-hush conversations, however, discuss the fate of ULFA that had
once set up its headquarters inside the dense Lakhipathar reserved
forest close to Digboi oil township. That camp was smashed by army in
December 1990, following which the militants shifted base to Bhutan.
‘‘We knew the strength of ULFA. They can no doubt carry out hit-and-
run operations and abduct people. But fighting the Indian Army was
just a false dream that even a small army like that of Bhutan has
already shattered,’’ said a government schoolteacher in Tinsukia.
http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/37632/
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa arrested in Bangladesh
Samudra Gupta Kashyap
Posted: Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 1051 hrs
Guwahati:
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has suffered a
severe blow with police in Bangladesh arresting its chairman and
founder Arabinda Rajkhowa somewhere near Dhaka. While the arrest took
place on late Monday night, the governments in Bangladesh or in New
Delhi are yet to officially confirm this majr breakthrough.
With Rajkhowa’s arrest, the ULFA is left with only one major leader
outside, he being selfstyled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua. Another
top leader, general secretary Anup Chetia is in custody in Bangladesh
and is awaiting extradition to India in the next few months.
Rajkhowa, whose real name is Rajib Rajkonwar, who was among top four
leaders who founded the separatist outfit way back in April 7, 1979,
is understood to have been arrested “somewhere near Dhaka” on Monday
night. Interestingly, it was only on November 5 that two other senior
leaders, “foreign secretary” Sasha Choudhury and “finance secretary”
Chitraban Hazarika were arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to
India. Union home secretary GK Pillai however said Choudhury and
Hazarika had surrendered to the authorities.
The arrest of Rajkhowa (53), who is likely to be handed over to India
in the next couple of days, also looks like paving way for initiating
peace talks between the government and the ULFA. While Rajkhowa has
been talking about possible peace negotiations with the government,
several senior leaders like Choudhury, Hazarika and ideologue
Bhimkanta Buragohain (all currently in jail) have been saying that it
was Rajkhowa who would take the “final decision” on holding talks with
the government.
Rajkhowa’s arrest also indicates a vertical division between the pro-
talk section of ULFA leaders and the anti-talk section headed by
Paresh Barua. The latter has been vehemently opposing the idea of
holding any discussion with the government except on the issue of
sovereignty.
The arrested ULFA chairman, who did not complete his graduation, is
the second of three sons of freedom fighter Umakanta Rajkonwar who
passed away three years ago at the age of 101 years. Accused of
several cases including that of waging a war against India, Rajkhowa
also has an Interpol red corner notice against him, issued on June 4,
1997. Out of India since 1992, Rajkhowa is known to keep traveling to
Myanmar, Bhutan, Thailand, Bhutan, Pakistan and other countries on
fake identity and fake passports.
7 Comments |
Good news for peace lovers in Assam
By: dorikona | Thursday , 3 Dec '09 1:35:18 AM
This is really a good news for the people of Assam. The functions of
ULFA created with the unreal motive of a sovereign state of Assam has
off late become limited to killing of innocent people on the streets
by triggering blasts, summoning bandhs on days of national importance
and serving extortion notices to businessmen for funding their
activities. With the arrest of their key leaders coupled with improved
bilateral relations with neighbouring Bangladesh we can hope for some
positive developments in the days to come.
Arabinda Rajkhowa arrest
By: ankan rajkumar | Thursday , 3 Dec '09 1:26:21 AM
Hopefully the senseless violence would stop and his fellow would
follow suit.
We should thank BDR's PM
By: Natarajan | Wednesday , 2 Dec '09 20:30:03 PM
When Khaleda Zia was the PM, Indo-Bangla relation suffered. Now that
we have Sheikh Haseena, things are looking much better.
Good piece of Big Fish
By: Varghese Joseph | Wednesday , 2 Dec '09 16:02:42 PM Rep
Thats an interesting development, and I wish he would be hanged
immediately for all his crimes. Thats what the people of India need to
hear more and interested.
ULFA
By: Rana | Wednesday , 2 Dec '09 15:48:04 PM Reply | Forward
Hope this time peace process dosen't stop...
congrats UPA
By: Krupa | Wednesday , 2 Dec '09 13:10:18 PM
Congratulations to the folks in UPA showing some competency in this
matter. Keep the deplomacy on with bdesh to eliminate the parasites
like this rajkhowa.
ELIMINATE
By: Santosh Bhat | Wednesday , 2 Dec '09 16:37:07 PM
You said the right word 'ELIMINATE'. These guys should be eliminated
and not arrested.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-chairman-arabinda-rajkhowa-arrested-in-bangladesh/548924/0
ULFA rejects PC's offer, says 'no talks with leaders in jail'
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 03, 2010 at 1411 hrs
Guwahati/Tezpur:
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said they could not talk with the
government while in custody.
The banned Assam-based militant outfit ULFA on Wednesday rejected
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s offer for peace talks echoing
their Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa’s stand ‘no peace talks with ULFA
leaders in jail’.
“The ULFA leaders cannot sit for peace talks from jail with
handcuffs”, jailed ULFA ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain told reporters
in Tezpur where he was produced before a fast track court.
The leaders have to be free for convening meetings of the ULFA’s
highest decision making committee to decide on peace talks, he said.
Buragohain, whose real name is Bishnujyoti Buragohain, and is
addressed as 'Mama' by ULFA cadres, accused Chidambaram of not
perceiving the sentiments of the local people.
“Chidambaram is not sensitive to the sentiments of the people here. He
is not fully aware about Assam’s situation, including its economic
problems and geographical set up”, he said.
Buragohain also accused some intellectuals of the state of acting as
“brokers of the government for negotiating talks between ULFA and
government for their own interest.”
Burogohain "rejected" the claim of arrested surrendered ULFA (SULFA)
cadre Kamal Nath's claim last week at the Tezpur Sessions Judge Court
that 11 ULFA leaders, handed over to the Indian army during Operation
All Clear in Bhutan against ULFA in 2003, were killed in Shillong.
He suspected that the 11 were still in the custody of army as they
along with him and six others were together till they were handed over
to Indian Army on December 25 that year by the Royal Bhutan Army.
Meanwhile, jailed ULFA publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, who was
being taken to the Regional Dental Hospital at Guwahati for medical
care told reporters, "No letter will be sent from jail to the Centre
offering ULFA's willingness for talks. If we are set free, we will
talk. No talks with handcuffs."
On Tuesday, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said his outfit can not
think of talks when the leaders were inside jail and not free.
"We cannot think of negotiations from inside the jail and we will not
give any letter to the government for holding talks," Rajkhowa told a
private news channel at the dental hospital where he was brought for
treatment.
The ULFA chairman further said when they were not free, it was not
possible for the outfit to give any communication regarding their
stand on negotiations.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had yesterday told reporters in Guwahati
that there could be no talks without communication from ULFA
expressing willingness to do so.
"The Centre has made it clear that a written communication is needed
to take the talks process forward and so far they have not received
any clear communication from ULFA," Gogoi had said.
ULFA could raise any issue within the constitutional framework but
whether it was accepted or not could be decided only when the
negotiations began, he said.
Comments (3) |
Vegetarian Tigers
By: S. Vatsya | 04-Feb-2010
It is a reflection of Indian indecisiveness that our Home Minister is
hoping about a peaceful negotiation with killers. Act Act and Act
decisively till there is a chance to save the country.
Take them HEAD ON.
By: NP Singh | 04-Feb-2010
Absolutely.Who will talk to PC when ULFA leaders are in jail.?They
have to be released first to enable them to talk to PC.Then they would
want to rule the state.If PC agrees to that,other fundamentalists/
terrorists will pressure PC to hand over other states like
Orrisa,Jharkhand,Chhatisgarh etc,etc.Encouraged by their pressure
tactics China will ask PC for Arunachal Pradesh.Kashmir will have to
go as well.Punjab will not lag behind either.PC HAS TO TAKE THEM HEAD
ON AS KPS GILL TOOK THE TERRORISTS HEAD ON IN THE STATE OF PUNJAB.THEY
HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED WE GUESS.THE STATE HAS TO BE RUTHLESS WITH THE
BAD ELEMENTS.CLEAN THE STATES FOR EVER.
student
By: john | 03-Feb-2010
I have an idea. why doesnt the ULFA and its highest decision making
committee meet their leaders in jail. That way they get to talk to
their masters and we normal people get to clean up our state of this
menace.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-rejects-pcs-offer-says-no-talks-with-leaders-in-jail/575019/0
Prove your report or quit Assam, ULFA tells NETV
Samudra Gupta Kashyap
GUWAHATI, JANUARY 30:
The ULFA today accused NETV, a Guwahati-based satellite news channel,
of having run a story saying the outfit had taken money from the Assam
government in lieu of letting the National Games pass off peacefully,
and has asked the channel to close down if it cannot substantiate the
story within a month.
ULFA armed wing chief Paresh Barua, in a statement issued through e-
mail to newspaper offices here today, said NETV had on January 27 run
a news item saying ULFA was willing to withdraw the boycott of the
National Games by taking money from the Assam government. “We dare
NETV to prove that the ULFA has taken any money from the Assam
government in the name of our withdrawing boycott of the Games,” Barua
said.
The ULFA leader also said that if the TV channel was unable to
substantiate its claim, it should quit Assam within a month. “If NETV
cannot prove that we had taken money then it should quit Assam within
a month, failing which it will have to face dire consequences,” the
ULFA commander-in-chief said.
Reacting to this, NETV managing director Manoranjana Singh told The
Indian Express that the news channel had never run any story saying
the ULFA had taken money from the government. “We did run a story on
January 25 and not on January 27 as claimed by the ULFA leader, that
people in different circles were talking about the state government
having managed the ULFA through a company in Kolkata and that the
scale of violence was expected to come down till Games get over,” she
said.
“My channel and I will continue to insist that there is an
understanding between the Congress and the ULFA, and thus between the
state government and the ULFA,” she said. On the ULFA threat, Singh
said there was nothing to substantiate “as we had never run any story
as alleged by Paresh Barua”. She said the police have been informed
about the threat.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/prove-your-report-or-quit-assam-ulfa-tells-netv/22162/0
ULFA founder member: No sovereignty call originally
Samudra Gupta Kashyap
Posted: Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010 at 0010 hrs
Guwahati:
ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua is engaged in a war of words with
a founder-member of the outfit on the issue of the “original” agenda
of the outfit. While the founder member has claimed that “sovereignty”
had never figured in their “original” agenda, Barua has said he had
already knelt down before the “colonial” Indian government.
It all began last week when Bhupen Bargohain, now a small-time
businessman in an Upper Assam town, claimed that while ‘sovereignty’
had never figured in the ULFA’s first agenda, several present-day top
ULFA leaders, including Barua and chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, were not
present in the meeting in which the outfit was born.
“There were seven of us in that meeting in the historic Rang-ghar in
Sivasagar on April 7, 1989. They were Anup Chetia, Someswar Gogoi,
Buddheswar Gogoi, Pradip Gogoi, Robin Handique, Suren Dihingiya and
myself. (Present) ULFA chairman Rajkhowa, C-in-C Barua, adviser
Bhimkanta Buragohain and other present-day leaders were not present in
that meeting,” Bargohain was quoted as having said in a local
newspaper last week.
Bargohain has also claimed that the meeting that led to formation of
the ULFA also looked at overall development of Assam, solving various
crises facing the Assamese people and working for their security.
“Attaining sovereignty was never the major agenda in the initial
period, though repressive measures unleashed by the government had
later compelled the ULFA to take a different stand,” he said.
“It is not important who planted the sapling. It is more important to
keep in mind who has nurtured the sapling. Despite acknowledging the
contributions of the founders, I would say that such people have
started making these statements under fear of the enemy. People like
him (Bargohain) do not have proper understanding of an armed struggle,
and cannot give up love for their life and family,” Barua said in
statement issued to the media.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-founder-member-no-sovereignty-call-ori/577795/
chhotemianinshallah
STAFF WRITER 21:7 HRS IST
New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Terming the ceasefire offer by Maoists as
"bizarre", Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the ultras were
attacking security forces while offering olive branches to the
government.
"It was a somewhat bizarre offer ... barely three hours after the so-
called offer (by Kishenji on February 22), the CPI (Maoist) attacked a
joint patrol party of the West Bengal police and the CRPF in Lalgarh,
West Midnapore," Chidambaram told reporters here.
"In the seven days since then, there have been 18 significant acts of
violence in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal,"
he said.
"I may point out that eleven lives have been lost including that of
Inspector Ravi Lahan Mitra of Saranga police station in West Bengal,"
he said.
The Home Minster said he had offered to facilitate talks with the CPI
(Maoist) provided they abjured violence.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544493_Naxal-truce-offer--bizarre-
Offices of two newspapers attacked
STAFF WRITER 23:5 HRS IST
Mangalore, Mar 2 (PTI) Offices of a Kannada and a English daily here
were attacked today by miscreants protesting publication of an article
by controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.
The office of 'Kannada Prabha', which published the translation of the
article on 'burqa' tradition purportedly penned by exiled Nasreen, and
that of an eveninger 'Jai Kirana' were targeted by the miscreants,
police said.
The gang forced its way into the building housing the office of New
Indian Express and its sister publication Kannada Prabha, which was
being guarded by a few policemen, threw a petrol bomb and threatened
the staff with dire consequences if it carried anymore "such offensive
articles", police said.
At least seven computers were damaged in the petrol bomb attack on
'Kannada Prabha', they said.
The miscreants managed to flee the spot, they said.
Police have rushed to the spot and are investigating.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544678_Offices-of-two-newspapers-attacked
Top Maoist leader arrested
STAFF WRITER 22:25 HRS IST
Kolkata, Mar 2 (PTI) In a prize catch, West Bengal police tonight
arrested top Maoist leader Venkateswar Reddy, the suspected mastermind
of the attack that killed 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles personnel in
Silda in West Midnapore district.
Additional Director General of Police, CID, Raj Kanojia said 40-year-
old Reddy, alias Telugu Dipak, was arrested from Sarshuna on the
southern fringes of the city.
Dipak, a close aide of Maoist Politburo member Kishanji alias Koteswar
Rao, is a member of the State Military Commission, West Bengal
chapter, and is in charge of armed operations in Orissa, Bihar and
Jharkhand, CID sources said.
The State Military Commission of the Maoists is responsible for
detailed planning, operational method and process of execution of an
armed operation, the sources said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544646_Top-Maoist-leader-arrested
Pak troops fire on LoC posts, launch rocket attacks
STAFF WRITER 17:14 HRS IST
Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) Violating the ceasefire, Pakistani troops fired
rockets and used heavy machine guns on Indian posts along the Line of
Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan troops fired several rockets followed by firing by heavy
machine guns on five Indian forward posts of Kranti, Kranti 1, Kirpan,
Ghora and Deep along LoC in Mendhar sub-sector of Poonch district last
night, Brigadier General Staff (BGS) Gurdeep Singh said today.
The indiscriminate firing and rocket attacks came from Pakistan posts
of Battal and Daku across LoC in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The firing began from 2055 hours last night and ended at 0015 hours.
"It is clear ceasefire violation by the Pakistan troops," Singh said,
adding that Indian troops have lodged a strong protest with Pakistan
counterparts today.
Indian soldiers retaliated with small arms, he said adding that there
was no casuality in the exchange of fire.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/543751_Pak-troops-fire-on-LoC-posts--launch-rocket-attacks
JK Univ closed indefinitely, students turn violent
STAFF WRITER 19:38 HRS IST
Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) Jammu University was today closed indefinitely as a
group of students went on the rampage beating up security staff and
smashing tables, windows and doors demanding they be given the option
to answer any question from question papers in examinations.
Over 200-300 students of GGM Science College blocked vehicular traffic
on Canal Road for two hours and later marched to Jammu University to
hold protest demonstrations before the university authorities in
support of their demand for "open choice" in examinations, police
officials said.
Under "open choice", students are given option to answer any question
in question papers in exams.
Led by student's leader Bhanu Partab and joined by over 250 students
of MAM College, the protesters barged into the university complex,
roughed up security staff and went on rampage in the administrative
block of the university.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544289_JK-Univ-closed-indefinitely--students-turn-violent
JK govt adopting 'discriminatory' attitude: Mehbooba
STAFF WRITER 19:22 HRS IST
Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) Opposition PDP today accused the Jammu and Kashmir
government of adopting discriminatory policies with respect to
releasing funds to various districts and charged Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah with functioning in an autocratic manner.
Reacting to the reply given by the government in the Legislative
Assembly on a question, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said "instead of
working in democratic manner, attitude of the Chief Minister is
totally autocratic and discriminatory in nature. And this is reflected
from the district board meeting he conducted recently in various
districts".
She alleged that MLAs of Opposition parties were snubbed in the
District Development Board meetings of Rajouri and Pulwama.
"What to say of releasing additionalties for the development of
constituencies represented by Opposition, especially by the PDP, the
chief minister even threatened not to release funds to areas
represented by PDP MLAs," she alleged.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544249_JK-govt-adopting--discriminatory--attitude--Mehbooba
BJP seeks PM's explanation on foreign policy with Pak
STAFF WRITER 18:48 HRS IST
New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Accusing the UPA of shifting from the
established foreign policy principles of resolving issues with
Pakistan bilaterally, BJP today said it would seek answers from the
government on the issue in Parliament during the ongoing budget
session.
"The Prime Minister requesting Saudi Arabia to persuade Pakistan to
stop supporting terrorism against India is a subtle shift and major
departure in foreign policy tenet," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar
said here.
He said the BJP would demand the government to explain on the floor of
the House whether there had been a shift in the established foreign
policy principles.
"We want the Prime Minister to take Parliament into confidence," he
added.
Javadekar said at the time of the Shimla Agreement it was established
that India and Pakistan will sort out all issues bilaterally and there
would be no place for a third party mediation.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/544182_BJP-seeks-PM-s-explanation-on-foreign-policy-with-Pak
Govt ready for talks with militants: Assam Governor
STAFF WRITER 17:58 HRS IST
Guwahati, Mar 2 (PTI) The state government is ready for talks with
militant groups within the framework of the Constitution, Assam
Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik said today.
In the customary address on the opening day of the budget session of
the assembly, Patnaik said while the government would deal firmly with
any act of violence, the doors were open for negotiation with
militants.
"On the law and order front, there has been perceptible improvement
largely due our security forces," he said.
"These efforts have paid dividends and important ULFA leaders have
been arrested in the last few months while two militant groups, the
Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) and Dima Halam Daoga
(DHD-Jewel), have opted for negotiations and surrendered arms," the
governor said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/543912_Govt-ready-for-talks-with-militants--Assam-Governor
Indo-Pak relations have direct bearing on J&K: Omar
STAFF WRITER 17:44 HRS IST
Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) Welcoming the resumption of talks between India and
Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said
the relation between the neighbours has a direct bearing on the state.
"The smooth relations between India and Pakistan have good effect on
our state and bad relations create an adverse result. So we must
welcome the dialogue process between the countries," Abdullah told
legislative council here.
The chief minister was referring to the recent Foreign Secretary-level
talks between Indian and Pakistan held in New Delhi, which saw the
countries resume deliberations after a hiatus of 14 months after the
26/11 attacks.
Replying to the discussion on motion of thanks to Governor's address
to joint Legislative session, he said when the bilateral talks were
on, many confidence building measures (CBMs) like opening of Uri-
Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote roads and Cross-LoC trade came into
being.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/543824_Indo-Pak-relations-have-direct-bearing-on-J-amp-K--Omar
bademiyansubhanallah
By Meenakshi Ganguly Ahmadabad Monday, Mar. 11, 2002
When Afsana, 18, a Muslim living just outside the Indian city of
Ahmadabad, heard that a Muslim mob had torched a train carrying Hindus
in the nearby town of Godhra, she knew what would come next: furious
Hindus seeking revenge. And sure enough, her family soon spotted a mob
nearing their home. The girl fled with her 5-year-old brother and hid
in the home of Hindu neighbors. From the neighbors' roof, she saw her
parents and her two elder brothers beaten, doused with gasoline and
burned alive. Her four sisters, she says, were stripped, raped and
killed.
Later the neighbors told her it was safe to go out. But they were
wrong, or lying. Afsana and her brother were walking home when a pack
of men fell upon them. "They were people I knew," she says, "people
who lived near us." She and her brother were tossed to the ground and
set on fire. She got loose, grabbed her brother and, her clothes still
burning, tried to scale a wall to escape to the roof. Then her
brother's hand slipped from hers. From atop the wall, she saw the
crowd ignite him again. He died in flames.
Afsana's family were among the estimated 400 people who perished last
week in vicious ethnic mayhem in India's western Gujarat state. The
worst such outbreak since 1993, the killings tested anew the fragile
relations between India's 830 million Hindus and 150 million Muslims,
and underscored the challenge Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
faces trying to settle their volcanic disputes. At the heart of last
week's bloodshed was the northern city of Ayodhya, where in 1992 Hindu
militants destroyed a 400-year-old mosque built on the site they
believe to be the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram.
The latest troubles began when a group of Hindu pilgrims returning by
train from Ayodhya, where they had gone to participate in rituals they
hoped were a prelude to building a temple on the disputed site, passed
through Godhra. Suddenly, someone pulled the emergency brake. The
train halted in a mostly Muslim neighborhood, where a mob was waiting
with stones, knives and gasoline. The horde burned down coaches
occupied by pilgrims and murdered any it could catch. Most of the 58
victims were women and children, unable to outrun their predators.
The killings were shocking enough, but rumors quickly emerged that
aggravated the situation--of Hindu women raped on the platform, of
girl survivors being carried away. Local leaders of the chauvinistic
Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the group planning to rebuild the Ram temple,
gave instructions to destroy all Muslims. In Afsana's neighborhood,
Naroda, a crowd of 2,000 armed themselves with sticks, stones and
bottles of gasoline and went hunting. At least 65 people were killed,
their remains left outside their burned homes. After all the Muslims
had died or fled, a Hindu mob surrounded the local mosque and started
to break it down, imitating the 1992 episode at Ayodhya. Not a
policeman could be seen. One rioter said with pride, "We did this
ourselves." Another man boasted that he had killed nine Muslims. "I
was acting for all Hindus," he said.
Elsewhere in Ahmadabad, Congress Party politician Ahsan Jafri gave
shelter to fellow Muslims in his home, part of a 16-house Muslim
colony. When the mob came, Jafri fired his revolver, injuring a few
attackers. Furious, the crowd tore into the colony, dragging out the
residents and setting them ablaze. Jafri and his family died. In the
Hindu mob was a schoolboy, Roshan, 12. From a safe distance, he
claimed, he saw Jafri's daughters being stripped and raped. He sounded
frightened but admiring. When he grew up, would he do that? "Maybe not
rape," he said thoughtfully, "but I would kill Muslims when they have
to be punished."
Prime Minister Vajpayee has since announced that in the future
pilgrims will be stopped from reaching Ayodhya and workers banned from
erecting a new temple there. Hindu extremists vowed that they were
undeterred. In Ahmadabad, 1,300 Indian soldiers patrolled uneasy
streets. The Muslim girl Afsana awoke in a hospital, with burns so
severe she could not lie on her back. "Where will I go now?" she
asked. "I had such a big family, and all of them are dead. I just wish
I had someone to live for."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001969,00.html
India's Voters Torn Over Politician
By Simon Robinson/Surat Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007
In many ways, Gujarat is the best and worst of India. For years the
state, which juts westward into the Arabian Sea, has been one of the
most economically forward-looking regions in the country; its diamond-
cutting and textile industries earn India hundreds of millions of
dollars in exports. But Gujurat was also the scene of some of the
worst sectarian violence since independence, when communal riots
killed as many as 2,000 people — most of them Muslim — in 2002.
The figure at the center of the election, and perhaps the most
controversial politician in India, is Narendra Modi, Gujarat's chief
minister. Modi, a member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), is hailed by his supporters as a modernizer who has built
new roads, brought electricity and streetlights to villages and
attracted new business to Gujarat. To his detractors, Modi will always
be the man who stoked the sectarian tensions that made the 2002 riots
possible. The riots followed a train car fire that killed dozens of
Hindu pilgrims. Within hours of the blaze, later blamed on a cooking
fire accident, Modi called it a "pre-planned act" against Hindus that
the "culprits will have to pay for" — a position he sticks to today.
Whatever the truth, the carnage that followed was terrible. In 2004,
following an investigation into the incident, India's Supreme Court
ruled that the chief minister was "a modern Nero who watched while
Gujarat burned." A recent report by investigative magazine Tehelka
went further, blaming the violence directly on senior BJP politicians
and sympathetic police officers. One BJP politician, unaware that he
was being recorded by a Tehelka reporter, allegedly said that Modi had
told him that he and his colleagues had three days "to do whatever we
wanted." Modi has dismissed the conclusions of the Tehelka story,
though many of its specific charges remain unchallenged.
The current poll is, in many ways, a referendum on Modi and whether
his modernization policies outweigh his reputation for ethnic
demagoguery. Sonia Gandhi, leader of the ruling Indian National
Congress party, has spent days campaigning around the state and has
accused Modi and his party of playing on communal tensions to win
votes. The Gujarat government, she said, were "merchants of death" — a
charge that Modi and his party say is outrageous. Gandhi's comment and
one by Modi that seemed to endorse the controversial police killing of
Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a young Muslim man who was allegedly wrongly
branded a terrorist, earned the ire of the Election Commission, who
asked both leaders to explain how their comments did not contravene a
code of conduct that politicians must adhere to during polling. Modi
says his comments were a political response to Gandhi's criticism,
though a petition against him was filed with the Supreme Court and
will be heard on Wednesday.
State elections in India are usually decided on very different issues
than national elections; the country is vast and in many ways
fragmented. But with the ruling Congress Party suffering from a
deadlock with its own Communist allies over a controversial nuclear
deal with the U.S., the Gujarat vote will give Congress leaders a good
idea of what popular support they still enjoy. If Congress does well —
polls suggest that the election is too close to call — it would
embolden the party to call a national poll early in 2008 to break the
impasse with its coalition partners. If Congress does badly, it may
try to hold on for another year.
Its main role, though, will be to assess the level of support for
Modi. The chief minister has recently been hit by the defection to the
Congress Party of several senior BJP members, who describe their
former leader as autocratic and megalomaniacal. "He wants power and
for that he will do anything," says Dhirubhai Gajera, one of the BJP
rebels, who spent a recent Saturday afternoon campaigning for his seat
in Surat, a city of some 4 million people. "He overstates what he has
done for this state in terms of progress, and even where there has
been progress it has gone to the rich, not the poor."
That's rubbish, says Atul Shah, a BJP member from the neighboring
state of Maharashtra, who was in Surat to support his Gujarat
colleagues in the days before the first round of voting on Tuesday
Dec. 11. "Gujarat is a model state and Modi has proved himself 10 out
of 10." Pravin Naik, head of the BJP's Surat branch, says the idea
that Modi was part of communal tensions or violence is a "whole myth."
"There has not been a single incident of communal violence since [the
2002 riots]," he says. "Narendra Modi is the only competent chief
minister in India." The results of this month's poll will tell how
many agree with him.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1693370,00.html
The Fiery Hindu Nationalist Who's Roiling Indian Politics
By Madhur Singh Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2009
Narendra Modi addresses Bharatiya Janata Party workers in Ahmadabad
Sam Panthaky / AFP / Getty
Narendra Modi embodies the incongruities of Indian politics. The three-
term Chief Minister of Gujarat has made his state perhaps the most
prosperous in a country already tapped for greater and greater growth.
Gujarat has been enjoying growth rates of 10% or more (compared with
India's range of 8% to 9%), with some of the largest businesses in the
country operating in its territory, providing the average Gujarati a
mean income significantly higher than the national average. A tough
administrator, Modi is, from all appearances, incorruptible; he lives
modestly, even ascetically, choosing to be celibate to devote his
energies and time to his political causes.
But to many Indians, Modi is evil. They say he has transformed
Gujarat, the state that produced Mohandas Gandhi, into a tautly
polarized polity. In 2002, it witnessed a six-week riot, the worst in
the country's history, leaving more than 1,800 people dead, mostly
Muslims. Modi has refused to apologize for the massacres. He continues
to be as capable of delivering fiery Hindu-nationalist speeches as he
is in delivering essential public services to his people; he has has
ruthlessly exploited religious divisions to attain and hang on to
power. With this combination of prosperity gospel and virulent
religion-based nationalism, he has become the Hindu right wing's most
wanted campaigner during the current elections. In the next, he could
be the party's candidate for the Prime Minister of India.
See the world's most influential people in the 2009 TIME 100.
Now, however, as the ballots continue to be cast in the world's
largest exercise of democracy (polls finally close in mid-May, after
four weeks of voting), India's Supreme Court has ordered an
investigation into Modi's role in the brutal anti-Muslim riots. It is
a dramatic move after seven years of Gujarati courts' dismissing
hundreds of cases and acquitting the accused. It also provides
ammunition for the opponents of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), where Modi is a superstar.
On Monday, the court ruled on a petition filed by Jakia Nasim Ahesan,
the widow of Ehsan Jafri, a legislator belonging to the Congress Party
who was killed along with 38 people by a mob at his home in Ahmadabad,
Gujarat's largest city. Ahesan accused Modi and 62 others of hatching
a "well-executed and sinister criminal conspiracy" to effect a
"deliberate and intentional failure" of the state government to
protect the life and property of its citizens. Says New Delhi–based
political analyst Amulya Ganguli: "Modi tried his best to scuttle the
investigation — some 2,000 cases were closed. But now the [Supreme
Court] has reopened most of them, has had to transfer some of them
outside of Gujarat. All this time, Modi himself had escaped the fire,
but now, the law has caught up with him."
The BJP's archrival, the ruling Congress Party, immediately demanded
Modi's resignation. But the BJP dismissed such calls, with general
secretary Arun Jaitley claiming, "There is nothing against Modi," and
that none of the investigations conducted by the Gujarati government
had cited him. Jaitley also hinted at a conspiracy behind the timing
of the court ruling, claiming that in the past, various reports
targeting the BJP have been released at critical phases of elections.
(Several key states have yet to vote.) Many observers point out,
however, that most of these types of decisions actually came out in
the BJP's favor. If the past is any indicator, Modi and the BJP may
yet use this latest judicial blow to their advantage by painting Modi
as a victim of a Congress-led secularist inquisition, designed to
amass larger shares of the Hindu vote. (See pictures of the
tempestuous ruling dynasty of India.)
Indeed, many pollsters believe that one of the incidents that worked
to the BJP's advantage was Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi's
speech at a 2007 rally in which she referred to Modi as a maut ka
saudagar — a merchant of death. Riding on outrage, Modi won re-
election in Gujarat for a third term as Chief Minister. "Gujarat is
one state that has been very touchy about Modi and anything written or
spoken about him," says Mumbai-based poll analyst Jai Mrug, adding
that Gandhi's remark rejuvenated the Hindu vote in the state in favor
of the BJP. "The [electorate] will see the present court ruling as an
attempt by the central government to malign Modi and reduce his
chances of being Prime Minister in the next general elections."
The BJP's aim is not to protect its seats in Modi's Gujarat, according
to Mrug. The party fully expects to win very comfortably there. "But
the BJP would certainly try and make use of his charisma and his
newfound status as a martyr in states that have not yet gone to the
polls and where no leader of Modi's stature has yet appeared," Mrug
says. These include Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and
Haryana, among others. (Read about how India's young voters may change
the country.)
Yet the BJP's gain — to whatever extent — may not translate easily
into Modi's gain. Potential coalition partners are nervous about Modi,
who has refused to apologize for the 2002 massacres. BJP allies like
the Janata Dal (United) of Bihar, who want to reach out to Muslims,
fear that such a stance will not go down well with the Indian
electorate. Modi may be trying to make himself more acceptable to a
wider audience. Since the Gujarat elections of 2007, Modi has been
trying to paint himself as the able administrator who has brought
progress and prosperity to Gujarat. The Supreme Court ruling will make
it harder to keep that message pristine.
See the world's most influential people in the 2009 TIME 100.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1894617,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
One family (with its tragedies and its feuds) has been at the center
of modern India since independence in 1947
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
Bettmann / Corbis
Next Back The Fathers of Modern India
Jawaharlal Nehru (left) and Mohandas Gandhi in July 1942, amid the
long struggle to win freedom from Britain. Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy
of massive, popular non-violent resistance would eventually carry the
day, leading to the establishment of a secular India led by Nehru.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863598,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
2 of 8
Bettmann / CorbisNext Back India's First Prime Minister
Nehru and his Congress Party ruled from independence in 1947 to 1964,
when he died of a stroke. In the next two years, Congress seeking to
re-energize itself picked his daughter Indira, who had married lawyer
Feroze Gandhi (no relation to the Mahatma), and thus had the
combination of the Nehru bloodline and possession of the iconic Gandhi
name. If the party elders were expecting a pliable figurehead in
Indira, they were wrong....
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863599,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
3 of 8
Hulton-Deutsch Collection / Corbis
A Force of Nature
Indira Gandhi proved to be one of the most headstrong and indomitable
Prime Ministers of India. She served two successive terms, was thrown
into jail after declaring Emergency rule to govern by decree and then
came back for a third term in 1980. Her two sons, Sanjay (the younger,
left, her favorite) and Rajiv would leave different political
legacies. Rajiv did not care for politics leaving Sanjay to be seen as
heir apparent to their mother. But Sanjay would die in a 1980 plane
crash...
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863600,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
4 of 8
Alain Nogues / Corbis
Next Back The Unexpected Leader
After his brother's death, Rajiv, who had sought a career as a
commercial airline pilot, was thrust into the political limelight
because of his mother's need for someone to carry on the dynastic
legacy. In 1984, however, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh
bodyguards, dying in the arms of Rajiv's Italian-born wife Sonia
(pictured campaigning with her husband). Rajiv would then succeed his
mother as Prime Minister, governing till 1989. He was killed in a 1991
by a suicide bomber while campaigning to regain the office.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863602,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
5 of 8
Sebastian D'Souza / AFP / Getty
Next Back The Brother's Wife
Sanjay Gandhi's politically ambitious wife Maneka, a journalist and
environmentalist, proved to be a thorn in the side of, first, her
mother-in-law Indira, then Rajiv and, then, Sonia, who after Rajiv's
death was eventually coaxed into leading the Congress Party. Maneka
would join various opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata
Party, which espoused Hindu nationalism as its core tenet. She would
be in various cabinets of governments opposed to the Congress party
run by her relatives.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863603,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
6 of 8
Prakash Singh / AFP / Getty
Next Back Sanjay's Heir
Varun Gandhi, 29, the son of Maneka Gandhi, has brought the
strongheaded dynastic style into a new generation. His reported anti-
Muslim remarks in March 2009, in the walkup to parliamentary
elections, have led to a popular uproar. Like his mother, he is a
member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is
reveling in having a scion of the Nehru clan amidst its right-wing
ranks. Observers point out that Varun is hardly an orthodox Hindu: his
mother is a Sikh, his grandfather — Indira's husband — a Parsi, the
descendant of Zoroastrians from Persia.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863604,00.html
The Tempestuous Nehru Dynasty of India
7 of 8
Prakash Singh / AFP / Getty
Rajiv's Heirs
The likely generational opponents of Varun are Rahul Gandhi, 38, and
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, 37, the son and daughter of Sonia. The
political career of Rahul, now a member of parliament, is being very
carefully controlled by his mother, who is openfully fearful of the
violence that has taken her mother-in-law and her husband. The
charismatic Priyanka, however, has spoken out against her cousin
Varun. Brother and sister (seen here at a memorial service for their
father) have been active in the election campaigns conducted by their
mother.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888592_1863606,00.html
India's Dynastic Feud: A Gandhi Who Hates Muslims
By Madhur Singh / New Delhi Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009
Varun Gandhi, great-grandson of India's first prime minister
Jawaharlal Nehru and scion of a family dynasty, gestures as he arrives
at a local court in Pilibhit, in the northern Indian state of Uttar
Pradesh, March 28, 2009.
Adnan Abidi / Reuters
The spectacle in India is riveting: virulent anti-Muslim diatribes
spouted by a pedigreed and ambitious young Hindu politician who shares
the surname of the world's foremost apostle of non-violence and who is
descended from the Prime Minister who founded modern India as a
secular state to serve the country's multiplicity of faiths. Since
early March, Varun Gandhi, 29, has been the scandal of India's
political class after he called for, among many things, the hands of
Muslims to be cut off if they are raised against Hindus, their throats
to be slashed, their population to be culled by strict birth control.
His words triggered India's stringent National Security Act, and for
days the young Gandhi was a fugitive from the law. The episode has
highlighted the ugly feud that has split India's historic First Family
for years.
Varun Gandhi is the great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's
first Prime Minister. His grandmother was Nehru's only child, Indira
Gandhi, whose two sons, in turn, left legacies at odds with each
other. The older son Rajiv, succeeded his mother as prime minister
shortly after she was assassinated in 1984. Rajiv was later murdered
in a 1994 terrorist bombing and his Italian-born widow, Sonia, now
leads the ruling Congress Party. Rajiv's younger brother, Sanjay,
however, had been their mother Indira's favorite and had been viewed
as her heir apparent until his sudden death in a plane crash in 1980.
Sanjay's widow Maneka is now Sonia Gandhi's implacable enemy. Maneka
and her son Varun are now members of the Hindu nationalist
organization, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the most ferocious rival
of Congress as well as Nehru's secularist tenets. (See pictures of the
tempestuous Nehru dynasty of India.)
The current political firestorm started as Varun was preparing to make
his political debut in India's general elections, which are now less
than three weeks away. The young man seemed to be consciously raising
one of the most controversial episodes in modern India's history:
Indira Gandhi's Emergency Rule from 1975-1977, when she — with Sanjay
as her chief advisor — ran the country on authoritarian lines, ruling
by decree. One of those edicts led to forced sterilization to deal
with India's then huge population growth rate. Varun Gandhi allegedly
referred to it in his virulent rallies in the first week of March by
saying that the BJP "need to pick them [Muslims] up, one by one, and
sterilize them."
That together and other reported statements were enough to slap the
National Security law against him, accusing him of promoting enmity
between religious groups. Gandhi claimed the tapes were "doctored" and
avoided turning himself in to the authorities by paying what is called
"anticipatory bail." But when the bail ran out, Gandhi gave himself up
on Mar. 27. "I am not afraid of going to jail," said Gandhi. "If it
generates confidence in some people, I will go to jail." (See pictures
of the major turning points in modern India's history.)
At first, his party had been confounded by the controversy. And there
was some talk of fielding Maneka Gandhi as a candidate in her son's
place during the elections. But the party finally decided to stand by
the young man after India's Election Commission said in a 10-page
report that Varun should be dropped as a candidate because of his
"highly derogatory" remarks. The BJP shot back that the EC had no
right to make that determination. The party may also have realized
that they suddenly had a catalyst to bring supporters out to the
election. At first, says Hyderabad-based political commentator
Jyotirmaya Sharma, the "BJP didn't know what to do." It was riddled
with internal rivalries and without a solid election plank. "Now it's
obvious they're delighted about a Gandhi being in the right-wing
fold."
Many Indians are appalled not only that a descendant of Nehru is
espousing such a political perspective but that his name and actions
besmirch that of the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was
assassinated by a Hindu extremist in 1948. While the Mahatma was not a
blood relation of the Nehrus, a popular story has the philosopher of
political non-violence, who was Indira's godfather, allowing her
fiance, a young Zoroastrian lawyer originally called Feroze Shah
Ghandy, to restyle his surname as Gandhi, thus attaching prestige to a
mixed marriage many Hindus would not have approved of. Priyanka
Gandhi, Sonia's daughter, said that her cousin Varun's comments were
against the traditions her family had "lived and died for." There
might have been a bigger political spectacle if Priyanka's brother
Rahul had been entered as a possible Congress candidate in the coming
elections, but their mother nixed that suggestion. (See pictures of
Sonia Gandhi's India.)
It remains to be seen how the case of Varun Gandhi will affect the
BJP's chances. In any case, his supporters have not been quiet. On
Saturday, after he turned himself in, they fought a pitched battle
with the police and laid siege to the jail. Police responded by firing
tear gas shells and charging the demonstrators with canes, injuring 25
people. His mother Maneka further stoked the anger when she claimed a
Muslim officer had led the charge. In India's often overheated
politics, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty knows about playing with fire.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1888587,00.html
In India, a Dynastic Heir Strategizes the Election
By Jyoti Thottam / Bhatinda Thursday, Apr. 16, 2009
Rahul Gandhi, center, at an election campaign rally at the village
Talwandi Sabo on April 14
Rahul Gandhi, heir to modern India's most storied family, touched down
by helicopter and spoke for only seven minutes, but in that short
stump speech to a friendly crowd in northern India's farm belt, he set
out what he hopes will be a road map for a Congress Party victory in
the general election that begins on April 16.
First: turn inexperience into an advantage. Gandhi, 38, is at least a
generation younger than most of the other leaders of his party (let
alone the opposition), and he has had little more than his pedigree
and a few years as a consultant to back his entry into politics. He
was an energetic campaigner in 2004, but those elections really
belonged to his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who asserted her canny
leadership of the party in putting together a winning coalition. This
year, Rahul Gandhi is trying to make his mark, with a pledge to
democratize the institutions of his party. He has promised that within
two years, the youth wing of the Congress Party will choose its
leadership by vote rather than by appointment, and he has pledged to
increase the number of people under 35 who run for office on Congress
tickets. Opening up the Congress Party, he says, will help energize
the country and create a more engaged electorate, who will hold their
elected officials accountable. "It's an attitude, it's an idea," he
said in an interview after the rally. "It's not simply about winning
an election." (See pictures of the tempestuous Nehru-Gandhi dynasty of
India.)
Second: fight back on terrorism. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP), the biggest opposition party, has been
relentlessly criticizing the Congress Party for being "soft on terror"
— India has suffered through a dozen serial blasts over the past two
years. The BJP stepped up its rhetoric after the three-day terrorism
attacks in Mumbai, but in this speech Gandhi struck back sharply. He
reminded the crowd that it was a BJP government that negotiated the
handover of three Muslim extremists to end the 1999 hijacking of an
Indian Airlines plane in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a decision that proved
disastrous — one of the jihadis who was released was later sentenced
to death in Pakistan for the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl. L.K.
Advani, the BJP's prime-ministerial candidate, was India's Home
Minister at the time but recently said he was unaware of the planned
exchange. "There are only two possibilities," Gandhi said. "Either
Vajpayee [who was Prime Minister] didn't trust him, or Advani is not
telling the truth."
Third: remember your base — a big reason for Gandhi's appearance at
the farm-belt rally. The rural poor still make up the vast majority of
voters, and no party can win a general election without their support.
Gandhi spoke to several thousand Congress supporters in Bhatinda, a
small town dominated by mango, kinnow and guava orchards in the heart
of rural Punjab. He trumpeted the National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act, a welfare scheme for the poor that offers a minimum of 100 days
of paid work to one person per family per year, and boasted about the
Congress Party's $14 billion loan-waiver program for farmers, the
largest ever in India. There have been widespread reports of money
being siphoned off from these programs, but Gandhi deflected those
criticisms, instead blaming corruption and inefficiency on the Punjab
state government, which is controlled by a regional rival of the
Congress Party. "The money disappears in the middle," he said.
Of course, winning an election is the main reason that Gandhi has come
to Bhatinda. He has lent his star power to five young, handsome
Congress candidates who are running for parliament from Punjab. All of
them also come from politically well-connected families, though none
with the name recognition of the Gandhis. The crowd waited under
massive white awnings during the scorching midday heat to hear Gandhi
at the rally, which was held during the April 14 Baisakh festival
celebrating the spring harvest. He introduced each one of the
candidates in turn, hailing them in his textbook Hindi as naujawan —
the new young men who represent the future of the party. If they do
well in this year's elections, Gandhi's effort to redefine the
Congress Party will be vindicated. "It's a way of legitimizing his
presence and his stature within the party," says Sandeep Shastri, the
national convenor of Lokniti, a national network of academics who
study Indian elections. Gandhi is planting the seeds in Punjab for a
harvest that may be many years away.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1891603,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar
Why Gandhi's Exit Is Good for India
By Alex Perry/New Delhi Friday, Mar. 24, 2006
Sonia Gandhi's surprise decision to resign as a member of parliament
leaves the world's biggest representative democracy in the hands of
two leaders, Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who technically
don't represent anyone. If that sounds like a strange system of
government, this is even stranger. Rather than bad for Indian
politics, many in India fed up with corruption and venality as usual
would argue that Gandhi and Singh are the best thing to happen to it
in a long time.
Gandhi remains leader of the Congress Party and the ruling Congress-
led coalition, but stepped down as MP for the northern Indian district
of Rae Bareli on Thursday to deflect opposition allegations that her
chairmanship of a government think-tank broke parliamentary conflict-
of-interest rules. Singh, meanwhile, is an unelected economist
appointed by Gandhi herself almost two years ago after she recorded a
surprise win in India's general election but declined the top job
because of nationalist protests against her immigrant roots.
During his two years in office, Singh's integrity has come to be
viewed as beyond reproach. And on Thursday Gandhi — who repeatedly
refused the party leadership after her husband Rajiv Gandhi was
assassinated in 1991 and has now given up power twice in as many years
— said she was stepping down because it was "the right thing to do" in
a situation where "some people have been trying to create an
atmosphere as if government and parliament are being used only to
favor me."
Stunned opposition parties anticipating a long and loud campaign
against Gandhi tried to claim they forced her hand. But their crowing
sounded hollow, and hypocritical: only one of 43 other MPs accused of
breaking the same rules on conflict of interest agreed to follow
Gandhi's example and also step down. "Once again she's shown she is
the one person to whom power genuinely does not mean anything," said
Hindustan Times editorial director Vir Sanghvi. "Whatever authority
she has derives from that morality."
The contrast Gandhi and Singh cut with the typical Indian politician
is striking. India regularly comes in the bottom half of Transparency
International's Corruption Perceptions Index, tied with Moldova and
Mali at 88th out of 158 countries last year. This January, in its Mood
of the Nation issue, the weekly newsmagazine India Today found less
than half of those surveyed expressed any trust in their MPs. So low
is India's opinion of its political leaders, in fact, that a new
college, the M.I.T. School of Government, opened last September in the
central city of Pune with the aim of producing a bright new generation
of Indian politicians. But until they can deliver on that ambitious
goal, it seems that the most respected politicians in India, like
Gandhi and Singh, won't be politicians at all.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1176672,00.html
Essay
Remembering Why Gandhi Starved Himself
By Ishaan Tharoor / Calcutta Friday, Aug. 17, 2007
Schoolchildren hold Indian national flags as part of Independence Day
celebrations at a school in the northeastern city of Siliguri, August
13, 2007.
Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters
The military band's quick and terse rendition of India's national
anthem was greeted with a few hushed sighs and gentle nods, in keeping
with the somber mood of the Independence Day festivities at the
governor's mansion. There was little of the chest-thumping pride or
fireworks on display for the few hundred guests — European consuls
fiddling with ties in the muggy heat; old freedom fighters standing
tall, their faces gaunt and expressionless. Sixty years after the
waning British Empire hastily departed after jotting down some lines
on a map turning one country into two, the Indian Subcontinent has
cause to both mourn and celebrate the day of its bitterly won freedom.
Indeed, Indian independence day ceremonies are largely stoic affairs,
steeped in the memory of a nation that was dismembered at the moment
of its birth.
Few places better convey the bittersweet legacy of Indian independence
than the eastern city of Calcutta. It was here that Britain began
building its dominion in India. The sprawling mansion that today
houses the governor of West Bengal — a chiefly symbolic role akin to
India's presidency — was, until 1911, the seat of British power
throughout all of Asia. "When the house was built, the British Empire
in India was like a little patchwork of crimson spots on the map of
the Indian continent," then Viceroy Lord Curzon wrote of the
significance of his former abode. "When it was abandoned [in 1911,
when the capital was moved to New Delhi], that color had overspread
and suffused the whole."
Today, the mansion is replete with contrasts, its busts of Roman
emperors and pennant-bearing lancers on horseback an odd sight
alongside the many dignitaries of the Communist Party, which has ruled
the state for the last 30 years — a fact that some joke is further
evidence of Calcutta's status as a graveyard of the relics of the
past.
The ghosts that haunt independence day celebrations, however, hail
from the very end of the colonial era: At the governor's mansion,
writers, intellectuals and other well-to-do Calcuttans watched footage
on video screens displaying the traumatic communal violence that
wracked the city when Britain partitioned India into the separate
Hindu-majority and Muslim-majority states of India and Pakistan. The
unmistakable figure of a frail, cotton-clad Mahatma Gandhi appeared
throughout the video. India's founding father bitterly opposed
partition, declaring famously, "Let it not be said that Gandhi was
party to India's vivisection. Let posterity know what agony this old
soul went through thinking of it." Gandhi had stayed in Calcutta sixty
years ago when India and Pakistan were born in blood.
Presiding over the ceremony is Gandhi's grandson, the current Governor
Gopalkrishna Gandhi. And following the presentation, in an act of
commemoration, he set off in a convoy to Beliaghata, a poor Muslim
locality in the outskirts of the city. This was where his grandfather,
at the height of tensions in 1947, had moved into accommodations far
more humble than the Viceroy's Palace. Hindu refugees fleeing death
and persecution in East Bengal (soon to be made into East Pakistan and
later independent Bangladesh) besieged Muslim areas like Beliaghata
seeking revenge for their sufferings. Gandhi sought to deter further
killings by living among Muslims himself, and he embarked on a hunger
strike against communal violence that generated such public shame and
outrage that sectarian tensions in the city gave way to universal
concern for the aging man of principle. Gandhi broke his fast as
weeping rioters laid their machetes at his feet.
On Wednesday, hundreds, if not thousands, of ordinary Calcuttans
flocked around the Governor's convoy as it approached the recently
refurbished house where Gandhi had starved and saved Calcutta in 1947.
They filled its courtyard and crammed the gully lanes winding along
its sides that had once been overrun by those angry mobs. Far from the
dignified solemnity of the old Viceroy's Palace, dozens chattered and
applauded when the Governor laid flower petals at an altar to Gandhi.
Crowds of enthusiastic well-wishers turned his polite withdrawal into
a prolonged retreat.
What may be most revealing about the moment is that on the 60th
anniversary of India's independence, many see Gandhi's sacrifice in
pursuit of communal harmony as more moving than the triumph of
expelling the British. Poverty and communal tensions still trouble
India, and cloud its future. As the country's economy booms, hundreds
of millions like those gathered around Gandhi's humble dwelling are on
the outside looking in. It's reported that on August 15, 1947, West
Bengal's newly appointed administrators came to the Mahatma in
Beliaghata to seek his blessings. He responded ominously. "Today, you
have worn on your head a crown of thorns," Gandhi said. "You had been
put to test during the British regime. But in a way it was no test at
all... [for] now there will be no end to your being tested." And that
holds true as much today as it did sixty years ago.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1653773,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar
India's Opposition Struggles With Past and Present
By Madhur Singh / New Delhi Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009
Jaswant Singh looks on during the release of the party election
manifesto in New Delhi.
RAVEENDRAN / AFP / Getty
For an ancient civilization with a rich and diverse heritage, India
remains uncomfortable with the defining event of its modern political
history — the cataclysmic Partition of 1947 that left a million people
dead in fratricidal massacres and caused the largest-ever cross-
migration in human history. Six decades after that bloody split which
doomed India to seemingly eternal enmity with its conjoined twin, the
state of Pakistan, Partition still defines the contours of Indian
politics and some of its biggest challenges, from the festering
dispute in Kashmir to Islamist and Hindu right-wing terrorism.
It also has led to conflict within India's political establishment.
Last week, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a right-wing Hindu
nationalist bloc that leads the opposition in Parliament, expelled
Jaswant Singh, a former foreign minister in a BJP government and party
stalwart. His crime? To have published a revisionist book on the
history of Partition and, in particular, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the
founding father of Muslim Pakistan who Indians of all political
stripes have often blamed for the violent sundering of the
Subcontinent. Singh's Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence portrays
Jinnah as a secularist and a great statesman, an image that would make
members of India's ruling, secularist Congress party squirm, as well
as Islamists in Pakistan. But Singh's book seemed to pose the greatest
threat to the BJP, a party struggling to find its political relevance
since its thumping defeat in a national election earlier this year.
Indeed, the spat over Jinnah has highlighted the profound crisis
facing India's most prominent opposition party. Its rise less than two
decades ago as a dominant force in Indian national politics coincided
with the opening up of the country's economy and the emergence of a
more confident, muscular middle-class. Its leaders were in power until
a little over five years back, when the party lost the elections then
by a thin margin. But those days seem long gone. The humbled BJP is
now faced with serious questions over its leadership, seen to be out
of sync with a fast-changing India as well as unable to control
dissent within its ranks. Since the electoral defeat,there has been a
string of high-profile resignations and infighting between party
members has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
But the problem runs deeper — ever since an overwhelming mandate in
this year's elections returned the centre-left Congress party to
power, the BJP has been caught in ideological drift, unsure of its own
identity and role as India grows into a world power. On Monday, BJP
stalwart Arun Shourie urged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the
BJP's mother organization and champion of Hindu nationalist orthodoxy,
to "take over" the party, implying that the only way the party could
get its act together is to go back to the lock-step discipline of the
RSS. This, however, would also entail a return to that group's ultra-
nationalist values which would alienate Muslims,low-castes and
religious minorities. The party now finds itself faced with a
lingering existential question: whether to return to its core base and
whole-heartedly embrace the RSS, or continue to project a more
centrist image by distancing itself from Hindu fundamentalist dogma.
The repudiation of Singh and his open-minded reinterpretation of
Jinnah and Pakistan has signaled, to some analysts, which option the
party Mandarins have opted for.
Strident Hindu nationalism worked in the 1990s, channeling upper-caste
Hindu resentment at the rising political power of the lower castes,
and giving voice to urban middle-classes who backed pro-market,
liberalizing reforms. Back then, the BJP successfully occupied a
nationalist space ceded to it by a weakened Congress — staging events
harking back to an idealized Hindu past, such as the theatrical "rath
yatra" (literally, a chariot ride, but used here to allude to the
mythical Lord Rama's quest to slay the evil Ravana) that motivated
frenzied crowds of Hindus to demolish an ancient mosque in December
1992, sparking months of Hindu-Muslim carnage. When in power from 1998
to 2004, the BJP renamed popular cities with names they deemed more
"native" and changed school syllabi to ingrain a "Hindu" version of
Indian history among students, moving away from the greater
complexities of India's diverse religious past.
Yet in elections this year, Indian voters seem to have rejected the
politics of religious polarization in favor of stability and economic
growth. "Hindu nationalism worked in the 1990s, but today, it is on
the margins. It goes against the popular mood," says New Delhi-based
political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan. In terms of economic reforms, the
BJP seems to have placed itself against a growing consensus. When in
opposition, it has been an outspoken critic of the Congress party-led
government's liberalization policies, seeking to speak for workers and
small businesses perceived to have been disadvantaged by reforms. This
marks a reversal from its own professed business-friendly politics
when in power not long ago.
The only hope for the BJP, says Jyotirmaya Sharma, professor of
politicalscience at the University of Hyderabad, lies in becoming a
more mature, modern conservative party espousing the Hindu cause but
without the corrosive influence of radical ultra-nationalism. "They
need to clarify their stand on a range of issues from liberalization
and foreign policy, especially Pakistan, to their stance vis-a-vis
religious and other minorities," he says. Sharma agrees that the BJP's
current leadership is incapable of leading the party in this
direction. Also, as many political analysts have pointed out, the
BJP's sectarian agenda is often at odds with the spirit of India's
pluralist democracy — an internal reckoning and re-branding is
necessary, but not in sight.
Ironically, amidst the furor created by Jaswant Singh's pro-Jinnah
remarks,the BJP top brass seem to have overlooked the fact that Singh
lays the blame of Partition mostly on the Congress party and its
leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, India's much-admired first Prime
Minister. But it also serves as a reminder that the BJP is the
Congress' only real competitor at the national level, and the only
likely foil to Congress' national dominance. For decades, the Congress
party was the lone player in Indian national politics, a status quo
which led to political stagnation. Until the BJP gets its act
together, India could teeter down that path once again.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1918755,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar
Who's Behind the India Bombs?
Wednesday, Mar. 08, 2006
India is changing fast. A few years ago, a bomb attack on a holy Hindu
site would have sparked riots. A few months ago, there would have
seemed little doubt that Islamist groups linked to Pakistan carried it
out. That neither is a certainty today reflects a nation, and a
subcontinent, in profound change.
On Tuesday night, two crude devices—unidentified explosives packed
into pressure cookers and fitted with a timer—exploded within minutes
of each other at a temple and a train station in Varanasi, the
greatest of all Hindu pilgrimage centers on the Ganges in northern
India. Police say 21 people were killed and more than 60 injured.
Fearing a violent Hindu backlash, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
appealed for calm and put security forces on high alert across the
country.
Singh's caution reflects the subcontinent's history of Hindu-Muslim
violence. Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan were born in the
sectarian bloodbath of partition, and three wars the the Kashmir
insurgency have kept relations between the communities strained. Just
four years ago, the death of 59 Hindus in a burning railway carriage—
at the time thought to have been set alight by a mob of Muslims, but
now ruled an accident—sparked an anti-Islamic pogrom across the
western state of Gujarat in which 2,000 more Muslims died. And yet, 24
hours after the Varanasi bombings: no Hindu riots, no Hindu
nationalist stoking the crowds, no knee-jerk accusations from the
security services.
Asked who might have carried out the attack, a senior Indian
intelligence operative told TIME: "There aren't any definite pointers
as yet. Given the target, it's probably an Islamist group, but there's
nothing to connect them to Lashkar-e-Toibaa"—a reference to the
Pakistani militant group fighting in Kashmir with links to the
Pakistani establishment that has carried attacks across India and,
until recently, was routinely fingered for any act of violence here.
The officer added that the amateur nature of the devices suggested the
bombers were poorly funded, and most likely had no support from any
government.
What has changed? Since 2004, India and Pakistan have been engaged in
their first-ever meaningful peace process and taken significant steps
to normalize relations. What's more, India's Hindu right wing, which
rose to prominence by stoking sectarian hatred and held power from
1997 to 2004 under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is in disarray.
The party has yet to recover from its election defeat two years ago
and the round of bitter infighting that followed.
Some argue, moreover, that India's leaders are showing the maturity
that comes with the country's new position in the world. Brahma
Chellaney, strategic studies professor at New Delhi's Centre for
Policy Research, says that coming a few days after a state visit by
U.S. President George W. Bush, the bombs were timed to "deflate the
elation" in India at its simultaneous economic and geopolitical
emergence. For the same reason, India's reaction was muted. "If you
react strongly, you diminish your standing in the world," he said.
"These people want to belittle India. For that reason, India will
react in its own way."
But who is behind the latest bombings, the latest in a string of
recent attacks? In August 2003, two bomb blasts in Bombay killed more
than 50 people. In September 2004, around 30 people died in a gun
attack on a temple in Gujarat. And last October, more than 60 were
killed in a series of bomb blasts in Delhi. Another Indian
intelligence officer who spoke to TIME linked Tuesday's bombings to
amateurish attacks late last year in the tech towns of Hyderabad and
Bangalore, and possibly the Delhi blasts too. In Hyderabad last
October, a suicide bomber blew himself up 200 yards from the Andhra
Pradesh state Chief Minister's office, killing only himself. And in
Bangalore in December, a man ran into a conference at the Indian
Institute of Technology and hurled several grenades which failed to
explode, before firing a AK-47, killing a professor. "Some say it's
all the same cell," said the first intelligence officer. "And if there
are any substantive indications at all, they point to a group that
came over from Bangladesh."
It would be naive to think that India has shed its Hindu chauvinism
overnight. After the latest attack, former BJP Deputy Prime Minister
Lal Krishna Advani announced he would he embarking on a "yatra," a
cross between a march and a pilgrimage, to protest the pandering to
"minorities" — meaning Muslims — that he said had led to the bombings.
Moreover, as relations with Pakistan warm, India's nationalist hawks
are all too eager to find another "anti-India" bogeyman in the rising
Islamic fundamentalist movement in India's its eastern neighbor,
Bangladesh. Nor is the absence of a riot much to celebrate. But given
the subcontinent's bloody, sectarian history, it's a start.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1171112,00.html
Who's Behind the Mumbai Massacre?
By Simon Robinson Friday, Nov. 28, 2008
Indian soldiers take up positions outside the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
Hotel during an armed siege in Mumbai, India.
Uriel Sinai / Getty
Even as the siege of Mumbai was still going on, the finger-pointing
began. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said "external forces"
were behind the attacks, a thinly veiled reference to India's neighbor
and longtime foe Pakistan. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee went
further, telling reporters that "elements with links to Pakistan" were
involved. But Pakistan's President and Prime Minister both condemned
the attacks and rejected any talk of Pakistani involvement. Pakistani
officials also announced that the head of the powerful Inter-Services
Intelligence organization (ISI) — often accused of orchestrating
terrorist assaults on India — would travel to India to offer
assistance in investigating the Mumbai massacre.
There has been one claim of responsibility: a group calling itself the
Deccan Mujahideen, which e-mailed news organizations on Thursday
claiming it had carried out the attacks. The group, previously
unknown, may be connected with (or even an alias of) the Indian
Mujahedin, which claimed responsibility for several terrorist strikes
earlier this year. Indian terrorism experts say that both are likely
to have connections to, or simply be renamed versions of, older Indian
militant groups such as the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba or the
Students Islamic Movement of India. (See pictures of two days of
terror in Mumbai.)
Yet the scale and sophistication of the Mumbai attacks — which appear
to have involved dozens of militants using assault rifles, grenades
and explosives to simultaneously attack multiple targets — raise
suspicions of involvement by more than one group, which would involve
an unprecedented level of coordination.
"This is an operation of a very new type in India," wrote Walid Phares
on his well-respected Counterterrorism Blog. "The 'emirs' have sent
these armed elements in their 20s to strike at Indian psyche. One goal
is to sink the Pakistani-Indian rapprochement ... The goal is to
target India as a power engaged in the war on terror but also to
further destabilize the region, including Pakistan and its neighbor
Afghanistan."
Here are the groups considered the most likely culprits in the Mumbai
attacks:
Lashkar-e-Toiba (Army of the Pure), formed in 1990, probably in
Afghanistan. It is based near Lahore in Pakistan and is bent on
forcing India out of Kashmir. It has also said it wants to restore
Islamic rule over India. Indian intelligence sources believe the group
has backers within Pakistan's ISI. It also has historic links to both
the Taliban and al-Qaeda. India's National Security Adviser M.K.
Narayanan said in 2006 that Lashkar-e-Toiba is part of the "al-Qaeda
compact" and is "as big and as omnipotent" as Osama bin Laden's
group.
Jaish-e-Mohammed, which emerged in early 2000 under the leadership of
Maulana Masood Azhar, who had been serving time in an Indian jail for
Kashmir-related militancy but was released in exchange for Indian
passengers on an Indian Airlines jet who had been hijacked to
Afghanistan. The group was responsible for an attack on India's
parliament in December 2001 that brought India and Pakistan to the
brink of war. Jaish-e-Mohammed is believed to have close links to al-
Qaeda and bin Laden through a religious school in Karachi.
The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is less focused on
Kashmir than either Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed. Indian
authorities say the group, formed in 1977, has close connections to a
pocket of Chicago's Muslim community. Its fortunes have waxed and
waned over the past three decades, but the group has recently become
more active again. SIMI blamed the 9/11 attacks on Israelis and, at
the same time, expressed admiration for bin Laden and his war against
the West. Some Indian experts believe that Indian Mujahedin is simply
a renamed SIMI.
In the past two years, the groups listed above have sometimes been
joined in operations by the Bangladeshi arm of a group known as Harkat-
ul-Jehadi Islami. The group is believed to be behind twin blasts in
Hyderabad in 2007. Formed in 1992 in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi group has
become a lot stronger in India since the massacre of Muslims by hard-
line Hindu nationalists in Gujarat in 2002.
Despite the ideological affinities of some of these groups with bin
Laden's movement, Ajai Sahni, executive director of the New Delhi–
based Institute for Conflict Management, says there is no real
evidence "of any operational linkages between al-Qaeda and these
groups." They may take inspiration from al-Qaeda propaganda, but they
are unlikely to have direct organizational links back to bin Laden.
More likely, however, is that the four separate groups have begun to
work together more often and in increasingly sophisticated ways. There
have been instances in the past of the groups' establishing joint
operational cells. While pooling resources allowed for more effective
operations, it also greatly increased the risks of police
infiltration. As a result, the planning of such operations has been
decentralized to the point that each group of militants attacking a
specific target in Mumbai on Thursday was unlikely to have been aware
of the total plan.
Sahni explains that previous experience suggests that an operation of
the complexity of the Mumbai attacks would be directed by handlers
based outside India, who would design a plan and then contact
militants within their networks based in India to carry out various
missions — delivering explosives to a safe house, buying equipment and
so forth — that would enable the gunmen to wreak havoc.
None of the India-based operatives would most likely know one another,
nor for the most part would even meet. Contact with the handler woould
always be through a public call center to make it difficult to trace
calls. If an operative were picked up by police, there would be no way
for him to identify fellow plotters. "It assures total anonymity,"
Sahni told TIME last year. "The handler is in Bangladesh or Pakistan,
and the people here don't know each other. It's the most significant
tactical shift in the near past and is a model for international
terrorism in the future."
Sadly, the success of the Mumbai operation — at least 143 dead and,
perhaps more important, two days and counting of continuous news
coverage — is sure to embolden those behind it. The Indian model of
disparate groups working together, if that's what it is in this case,
is also likely to be copied by al-Qaeda-inspired terrorists around the
world. The model, says Sahni, "is absolutely brilliant in every way."
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1862733,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar
Mumbai Terror attacks: Urban Jihad comes to India
By Walid Phares
As we write this short early assessment of the Terror attacks in
Mumbai, events are still unforlding in the financial capital of the
sub Indian region. Counter Terrorism units are battling armed elements
inside several buildings including the Taj Hotel where hostages have
been seized, including foreigners. My first round of monitoring
included a discussion with our colleague Animesh Roul who has also
posted a report on CTB. I must credit a number of facts and
assumptions to him including the projection that the perpetrators -
although calling themselves Deccan Mujahideen- are in fact members or
trained by Lashkar e Toiba/SIMI (who according to Animesh Roul now
call themselves Indian Mujahideen). Here is the condensed report I
discussed on Fox News, the BBC, Russia Today TV and other
international outlets.
Type of Operation
According to sources in Mumbai, armed groups and individuals have
attacked at least ten (if not more) targets inside the city including
the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel, a railway Station, the Leopold Café and
other locations. More shooting incidents have been also reported at
the Trident hotel, a hospital and a highway leading to the airport and
Assembly Hall. The terrorists fired indiscriminately against
civilians, security elements, lobbed grenades, and killed Counter
Terrorism officials. At this writing sources are reporting more than
102 deaths, amd hundreds wounded, in addition to hostage taking.
Indian security sources confirmed the use of AK-47s, small arms,
grenade, etc. This type of operation, involving a number of small
groups and individuals "deployed" across several avenues, In my book
Future Jihad I coined these types of forthcoming strikes as "urban
Jihad" (Chapter 13). Instead of bombers and suicide bombers, the
command sends "Jihadi infantry." The tactical goal of these actions is
to engage in different types of missions: random kilings, chaos,
killing of security officers and hostage taking.
Design of the operations
In our estimate, this attack is a “complex” type, where small
operations are aimed at creating chaos and triggering security
deployment in many areas, while more precise operations could target
higher targets such as hostage taking or similar situation. We will
probably know more when the dust will settle.
Perpetrators
In view of the historical context, precedents and latest analysis, the
most likely groups that may be behind these attacks are the Lashkar e
Toiba/SIMI (they now call themselves Indian Mujahideen). These groups
are Jihadists, have links to the other organizations in Kashmir but
also inside Pakistan with pro-Taliban elements and eventually Al
Qaeda. The ideological identification is most likely Jihadist although
the group almost surely will issue a more than one release to claim
the attack and put it in context.
According to Indian sources this is an operation of a very new type in
India. The "emirs" have sent these armed elements in their 20s to
strike at Indian psyche. One goal is to sink the Pakistani-Indian
rapprochement. In Islamabad, the new Government is engaged in
operations against the big Jihadi boys ojn the north western frontier.
It is quite possible that the Mumbai attacks aim at triggering
tensions between the two old foes so that pressure would be released
against the radicals in Pakistan. In any event, this is a large Jihadi
operation against one of the emerging economies and the largest
democraciy n Asia. The goal is to target India as a power engaged in
the War on Terror but also to further destabilize the region,
including Pakistan and its neighbor Afghanistan.”
************
Dr Walid Phares is the Director of the Future Terrorism Project at the
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
November 26, 2008 11:18 PM
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2008/11/mumbai_terror_attacks_urban_ji.php
India's Muslims in Crisis
By Aryn Baker Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008
A gunman walks at the Chatrapathi Sivaji Terminal railway station in
Mumbai
Sebastian D'souza / AP / Mumbai Mirror
The disembodied voice was chilling in its rage. A gunman, holed up in
the Oberoi Trident hotel in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), where some 40
people had been taken hostage, told an Indian news channel that the
attacks were revenge for the persecution of Muslims in India. "We love
this as our country, but when our mothers and sisters were being
killed, where was everybody?" he asked via telephone. No answer came.
But then he probably wasn't expecting one.
The roots of Muslim rage run deep in India, nourished by a long-held
sense of injustice over what many Indian Muslims believe is
institutionalized discrimination against the country's largest
minority group. The disparities between Muslims, who make up 13.4% of
the population, and India's Hindus, who hover at around 80%, are
striking. There are exceptions, of course, but generally speaking,
Muslim Indians have shorter life spans, worse health, lower literacy
levels and lower-paying jobs. Add to that toxic brew the lingering
resentment over 2002's anti-Muslim riots in the state of Gujarat. The
riots, instigated by Hindu nationalists, killed some 2,000 people,
most of them Muslims. To this day, few of the perpetrators have been
convicted. (See pictures of the terrorist shootings in Mumbai.)
The huge gap between Muslims and Hindus will continue to haunt India's
— and neighboring Pakistan's — progress toward peace and prosperity.
But before intercommunal relations can improve, there are even bigger
problems that must first be worked out: the schism in subcontinental
Islam and the religion's place and role in modern India and Pakistan.
It is a crisis 150 years in the making.
The Beginning of the Problem
On the afternoon of March 29, 1857, Mangal Pandey, a handsome,
mustachioed soldier in the East India Company's native regiment,
attacked his British lieutenant. His hanging a week later sparked a
subcontinental revolt known to Indians as the first war of
independence and to the British as the Sepoy Mutiny. Retribution was
swift, and though Pandey was a Hindu, it was the subcontinent's
Muslims, whose Mughal King nominally held power in Delhi, who bore the
brunt of British rage. The remnants of the Mughal Empire were
dismantled, and 500 years of Muslim supremacy on the subcontinent came
to a halt.
Muslim society in India collapsed. The British imposed English as the
official language. The impact was cataclysmic. Muslims went from near
100% literacy to 20% within a half-century. The country's educated
Muslim élite was effectively blocked from administrative jobs in the
government. Between 1858 and 1878, only 57 out of 3,100 graduates of
Calcutta University — then the center of South Asian education — were
Muslims. While discrimination by both Hindus and the British played a
role, it was as if the whole of Muslim society had retreated to lick
its collective wounds.
Out of this period of introspection, two rival movements emerged to
foster an Islamic ascendancy. Revivalist groups blamed the collapse of
their empire on a society that had strayed too far from the teachings
of the Koran. They promoted a return to a purer form of Islam, modeled
on the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Others embraced the modern ways
of their new rulers, seeking Muslim advancement through the pursuit of
Western sciences, culture and law. From these movements two great
Islamic institutions were born: Darul Uloom Deoband in northern India,
rivaled only by Al Azhar University in Cairo for its teaching of
Islam, and Aligarh Muslim University, a secular institution that
promoted Muslim culture, philosophy and languages but left religion to
the mosque. These two schools embody the fundamental split that
continues to divide Islam in the subcontinent today. "You could say
that Deoband and Aligarh are husband and wife, born from the same
historical events," says Adil Siddiqui, information coordinator for
Deoband. "But they live at daggers drawn."
The campus at Deoband is only a three-hour drive from New Delhi
through the modern megasuburb of Noida. Strip malls and monster
shopping complexes have consumed many of the mango groves that once
framed the road to Deoband, but the contemporary world stops at the
gate. The courtyards are packed with bearded young men wearing long,
collared shirts and white caps. The air thrums with the voices of
hundreds of students reciting the Koran from open-door classrooms.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1862650,00.html
India Terror Arrests Shock Nation
By MADHUR SINGH / NEW DELHI Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008
Security forces outside the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, April 2006,
after the explosions
MANPREET ROMANA / AFP / Getty
Having suffered a dozen lethal terror attacks this year, Indians have
almost stopped reacting to terror incidents with shock and horror. But
recent news of the arrest of 10 people linked with two relatively
small terror attacks earlier this year has created a national furor,
and is likely to skew political parties' calculations ahead of next
year's general elections.
The arrests by the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Maharashtra police have
shocked India for two reasons. The nine accused are all Hindu right-
wingers, confirming, for the first time, suspicions raised by
political and security analysts that the Hindu extremist fringe has
been organizing for terror attacks. Second, among the accused are a
serving lieutenant colonel and a retired major of the army, an
institution so far considered impervious to communal elements. (Click
here to read about recent bomb blasts in North East India.)
For years, Indian security and investigation agencies have had a
trite, almost comically knee-jerk explanation for terror attacks —
they have been blamed on Islamist fundamentalists aided by "foreign
elements," meaning mostly Pakistan and China. Even where the majority
of victims have been Muslims — such as the May 2007 blast at Mecca
Masjid in Hyderabad, the attack on an Indo-Pak train in February 2007
and the April 2006 twin blasts at New Delhi's Jama Masjid — the first
murmurs of suspicion have named Islamist groups. Investigation trails
in these cases have led nowhere, yet no one has dared ask if non-
Muslims, or more specifically, Hindu fundamentalists, could be
responsible. The recent arrests point to either the security forces'
inefficiency, or an implicit anti-Muslim bias, or both.
The 10 people arrested by the Maharashtra police have been charged
with murder and conspiracy in a bomb blast during the month of
Ramadan. The blast at a hotel near a mosque killed four people in
Malegaon city near Mumbai. Among the accused is a Hindu nun with links
to the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party and its various sister
organizations. The investigation is already uncovering a seemingly
larger network of Hindu extremist activity in western India's urban
centers of Nagpur, Indore and Pune that could help unravel unsolved
terror strikes. "Let us not forget history," says political analyst
Mahesh Rangarajan. "Mahatma Gandhi's assassin was a Hindu extremist."
Cases have been building before this week. Rangarajan cites a blast in
the central Indian city of Kanpur in August as one, in which two
people associated with a Hindu right-wing organization were killed
while making explosives. In June, the Hindu nationalist political
party Shiv Sena got much flak for calling for the creation of Hindu
"suicide squads". "Islamic terrorism is on the rise in India and in
order to counter Islamic terrorism, we should match it with Hindu
terrorism," an unsigned editorial in the Shiv Sena's official
newspaper said. Hindu right-wing organizations have been blamed for
virulent anti-Christian violence in two states in recent months, and
many critics would label the 2002 Gujarat riots and the tearing down
of the Babri Masjid in 1992 — which first propelled the BJP to
national prominence — as acts of Hindu extremist violence as well.
Hindu right-wing parties have used Islamist terrorism to play upon the
majority community's resentment at a sense of persecution by the
minority Muslim community. "One hopes the arrests will cause some
introspection," says Rangarajan, "Maybe [Hindu right-wing leaders]
will give up their politics of violent communal polarization."
For the moment, however, political leaders are busy culling votes.
Writing in the weekly magazine Outlook, Congress party member Abhishek
Manu Singhvi pounced immediately, writing, "[The BJP] claims to be a
mainstream political party — with its direct members and associates
directly linked to terrorism. It gives us homilies on terror and calls
us soft on terror, while allowing its own philosophy to preach terror
and its own activists to commit terror." The BJP has hinted at a
conspiracy by the ruling government to frame the accused for political
gains. "A terrorist is a terrorist irrespective of his religion or
caste. The BJP objects to the term 'Hindu terrorists'. By condemning
the majority, one seeks to gain the minority vote," BJP vice president
Yashwant Sinha said at a press conference in New Delhi on October 24,
after the first set of arrests.
Whether the charges against the accused will stand in a court of law
remains to be seen. What is clear is that India now faces a dangerous
epidemic of violent communalization, which threatens to polarize the
polity and destroy the secular character of the state.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1858756,00.html
Five Blasts Put Delhi on High Alert
By Madhur Singh/NEW DELHI Saturday, Sep. 13, 2008
An injured man, right, shouts for help as others lie injured on a road
after a bomb explosion in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008.
Witnesses say at least one explosion has hit a central New Delhi
shopping area, leaving several people wounded
Mustafa Quraishi / AP
In the latest in a string of audacious terrorist attacks, India's
capital was thrown into chaos on Saturday evening as five serial
blasts left at least 18 people dead and 100 injured. The central
business district of Connaught Place and busy markets in Karol Bagh
and Greater Kailash-I were targeted between 6 and 7 p.m. and three
more bombs were defused in Connaught Place. As of Saturday evening,
one arrest had been reported.
Indian Mujahideen, which claimed responsibility for blasts that killed
over 45 people in Bangalore and Ahmedabad six weeks ago, declared
itself to be behind today's Delhi blasts as well. The group also
warned of more attacks in Mumbai, the country's financial capital.
Delhi and Mumbai have been placed on high alert, and there is a
palpable sense of panic in the capital. For at least an hour after the
blasts, phone lines were jammed and traffic slowed to a crawl as
people rushed home to safety. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned
the blasts and appealed for calm. Police said all the explosions were
low intensity, but don't know much about the nature or composition of
the bombs. Unconfirmed reports say that bombs were detonated on a
bicycle, in a dustbin and in an autorickshaw.
The group claiming responsibility, the Indian Mujahideen, is suspected
to be an amalgamation of home-grown and Pakistan-based terror outfits
that profess to seek revenge for the purported injustices and
atrocities against the country's Muslim minority. In addition to the
Ahmedabad and Bangalore blasts, Indian Mujahideen has claimed to have
been behind blasts in the northwestern city of Jaipur in May, as well
as serial blasts in the northern cities of Varanasi, Faizabad and
Lucknow in November 2007.
The New Delhi blasts once again raise questions over India's ability
to prevent terror attacks. There have been 13 major incidents in the
past five years, and each time the same issues have been raised — lack
of coordination between state and central security and investigation
agencies, and intelligence and police forces being inadequately
staffed, equipped and trained. Yet, as the regularity of the attacks
shows, little has changed to deter terror organizations from striking
at will.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1841051,00.html
India's Northeast Rocked by Blasts
By Jyoti Thottam / New Delhi Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008
A seriously wounded man is removed from near a blast site in Gauhati,
India, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.
Anupam Nath / AP
The long troubled northeastern corner of India is seeing an escalation
of violence even as the rest of the country contends with a series of
terror bombings over the last few weeks. On Thursday, a series of co-
ordinated bomb blasts in the Indian state of Assam — nine of them
detonated in four cities in the span of 15 minutes — killed at 61
people and injured at least 300. The question now is whether the
perpetrators of the attacks were regional separatists or a wider
network of radical jihadists.
The blasts began at about 11 a.m. local time in Assam, a mainly rural
state best known for its tea plantations. Three of them were car bombs
set off in its capital and largest city, Guwahati, according to R.N.
Mathur, the state's director general of police. Those blasts did the
most damage, killing 31 and injuring 147. The remaining six blasts hit
smaller towns in lower Assam, near the Bangladesh border, and were
smaller in scale, using explosives left on bicycles and motorbikes.
Two of the bombs in Guwahati were set off near government targets: a
police station, the office of the deputy commissioner of the state's
civil service, but the one that did the worst damage was left under an
elevated highway, according to Deputy Inspector General D.P. Singh of
the state police.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, and the chief
minister of the state, Tarun Gogoi, was careful not to blame any group
in particular. "We are determined to deal firmly with the militants,
whoever they are," he said at a press conference a few hours after the
blasts. Early reports from officials in Assam pinned the blasts on the
United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), a group that has been
agitating against the government since 1979. (See here for a TIME
Archive story on the origins of Assam's troubles.) Its often violent
campaign for a sovereign Assam began in earnest in 1990. The group
seeks an end to what it has called "colonial rule" by the central
government in New Delhi and the expulsion of non-Assamese,
particularly Hindi-speakers, from the state. ULFA has denied
responsibility for the blasts.
The Army and state police have largely put down the movement through
force and through a strategy of persuading militants, often through
their families, to surrender, re-enter "the mainstream" and accept
financial assistance. Peace talks with ULFA broke down in 2006, and
two battalions of the group have refused to surrender, setting up
bases in neighboring Bangladesh and in Burma, intelligence officials
say. P.K. Mishra, inspector general of the Border Security Force for
the Assam & Meghalaya frontier, who spoke to TIME from his
headquarters in the city, says he thinks the blasts are the work of
the two ULFA battalions which have not surrendered. "They wanted to
show their strength," Mishra says.
Some defense analysts say these attacks, which are similar in scope
and sophistication to recent attacks in New Delhi, Ahmedabad,
Bangalore and Jaipur, could be the work of a jihadi group. Sreeradha
Datta, of the Institute of Defense and Security Analysis in New Delhi,
sees the influence of Harkat ul Jihad ul Islami, which is based in
Bangladesh and has ties to ULFA, or some other jihadi organization
operating within India. "This is part of the larger terrorist problem
which has gripped India recently," Datta says. "They [ULFA] belong to
Assam. They don't want to antagonize the Assamese."
Whichever group eventually claims responsibility, they are not alone
in their frustration with the state government. After the bombs went
off, an angry group of people vented their frustration over the time
it took for help to reach the dozens hurt by the blasts. When the
police and fire brigade arrived, the mob pelted them with stones and
set fire to government vehicles. Singh, the police official, said he
was hit with one of the stones and required three stitches in his leg.
The central government, too, is treating this attack as a significant
blow to its attempts to improve security in India, in particular its
effort to tame the militancy in the northeast by pouring millions of
dollars in development to the area. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is
expected to arrive in Guwahati on Friday. With reporting by P.P. Singh/
Guwahati
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1855023,00.html
India: The Agony of Assam
By Marguerite Johnson;Dean Brelis Monday, Mar. 07, 1983
An election explodes in violence and creates problems for Indira
Gandhi
Not since the carnage that accompanied the breakaway of Bangladesh
from Pakistan in 1971 had the subcontinent seen such ghastly scenes of
horror. After four years of festering protest and a month of mounting
violence, India's oil-rich state of Assam exploded in a paroxysm of
communal and religious hatred. In the turbulence touched off by
opposition to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision to hold state
elections, some 3,000 people were believed to have been killed, and
Indian officials said that 100,000 others had been left homeless by
rampaging arsonists who burned entire villages. As Mrs. Gandhi rushed
in three battalions of army troops to bring order to the troubled
state, 30,000 people were reported fleeing, many on foot, to the
safety of neighboring states.
The worst violence apparently took place near the town of Nellie, in a
rice-growing area 34 miles northeast of Gauhati. There, Lalung
tribesmen wielding machetes, bamboo spears and poisoned arrows
massacred more than 1,000 Muslim Bengalis. The warriors swarmed
through 17 villages along a stretch of the Brahmaputra River. They
herded all those who were unable to flee, mostly women and children,
toward a larger ambush party waiting by the river, where the Bengalis
were brutally slaughtered. In one village, the bodies of children were
arranged in two rows in the sunbaked rice fields while survivors dug
mass graves in which to bury them.
The outbreak of tribal warfare caught authorities by surprise,
although resentment had been building for a long time against Bengali
settlers who had immigrated to Assam from the Indian state of West
Bengal and Bangladesh. In the turmoil surrounding the election,
dissidents practically shut down the state. They forced shops, banks
and government offices in the capital to close as part of an 18-day
"noncooperation movement." Mobs stormed police stations, blew up
bridges, assassinated one candidate, and blocked roads with huge
boulders as a warning that anyone who dared pass risked death.
After a tour of the state last week, Prime Minister Gandhi returned to
speak before a hushed session of Parliament. "I've seen the agony of
Assam," she said. "My heart is filled with sorrow for all those who
died." She defended her decision to hold the elections and made a
strong appeal for unity to those who had criticized it. "The
importance of the country's integrity and independence is higher than
any movement, or any of us," she said. "To permit a few their way is
to see the country torn apart bit by bit."
Under India's constitution, Mrs. Gandhi had no recourse but to hold
elections. After Assamese dissidents brought down the state
government, New Delhi imposed direct rule over the state last March.
But the constitutional limit on such a "President's rule" is one year,
and the March 19 deadline was fast nearing. Mrs. Gandhi said she
approached the political opposition for support in passing a
constitutional amendment that would extend the deadline but did not
receive it. The opposition's cooperation would have been necessary
because Mrs. Gandhi's own ruling Congress (I) Party does not have the
two-thirds majority in the upper house of Parliament needed to pass
amendments.
The government has shown unusual patience in dealing with the
Assamese. Spurred on by a militant student group, the dissidents began
agitating in 1979 for the expulsion of all "foreigners" from the
state. By that they meant the Bengalis, who began coming to the state
when the entire region was part of British India and who now make up
about 8 million of the state's estimated 20 million population. For
two years, the agitators succeeded in virtually paralyzing all
official and economic activity in Assam. They forced closure of
Assam's oilfields, which supply one-third of India's petroleum needs.
The action cost the government nearly $1.5 billion in additional oil
imports in 1979 and 1980, and eventually forced it to send in army
troops to take over the oilfields. When national elections were held
in 1980, the students prevented balloting in twelve of the state's 14
constituencies. The following year the dissidents prevented the
national government from taking a census that was intended to help
address some of their grievances.
In an effort to defuse the situation and find a resolution to the
crisis, New Delhi engaged in negotiations with the student leaders for
nearly three years. The government and the students agreed tentatively
that anyone who settled in Assam before 1961 could stay. They also
agreed to consider that anyone who came after 1971 would be
repatriated to other parts of India, a decision that would affect
almost 1 million people. But the students were adamant that those who
had arrived between 1961 and 1971 be either denied the right to vote
or forced to leave, an enormous exercise that could involve 3 million
people. Prime Minister Gandhi was equally adamant that all immigrants
who arrived before 1971 and had proof of their Indian citizenship had
every legal right to live, work and vote in Assam. As she told
Parliament, "I asked the students, 'Where are we going to send these
people? Where in India? To what country outside India?' " Hopelessly
deadlocked, the talks, which were being held in New Delhi, broke down
in early January. When the student leaders arrived back in Assam, they
were arrested.
Although the leaders were released last week as a conciliatory
gesture, it seems unlikely that their movement will soon simmer down.
Thus far the dissidents have not called for independence for Assam,
but separatism is never very far from the surface. One group even
boasts its own flag, a green map of Assam with a mailed fist in the
center. Except for a narrow passage, the state is separated from India
by Bangladesh. Since ancient times, its ethnic and cultural ties have
always been closer to Burma and Tibet than to the rest of India. In
tribute to their proud and independent past, the students have taken
to calling their movement "the 18th war of independence," a reference
to the 17 wars fought by Assam's legendary King Lachit Borphukan, who
in the 1600s was the only ruler in the region to repulse Mogul
invaders.
Even then, the territory was an exotic ethnic mix that included Indo-
Aryan Assamese, Assamese-speaking Hindus in the Brahmaputra valley,
dozens of hill tribes of Mongoloid stock, and indigenous plains
tribes. Then came successive waves of Bengalis, both Hindus and
Muslims, who were first brought in by the British to run the tea
plantations and the civil service of the British raj. Bengali
immigration intensified during partition in 1947 and again after the
creation of Bangladesh. Although its population is one of the fastest
growing on the subcontinent, Assam has only 254 people per sq. km.
West Bengal, by contrast, has 614, one of the highest population
densities in the world.
The Bengalis made enormous contributions to the development of Assam's
oil wealth, industry and administration. But the native Assamese came
to fear that their language and culture would be submerged by the
Bengalis. Moreover, many of the Bengalis are Muslims, while the native
Assamese are either Hindus or animists. As a result, the population is
now 25% Muslim, a high percentage for an Indian state.
As Parliament considered ways of dealing with what Indian President
Giani Zail Singh called "the virus of communalism," the ballots were
finally tabulated late last week. The Congress (I) Party won a clear
majority, taking 90 out of the 108 seats in the state legislature and
four of the five seats for Parliament. That came as no surprise, since
the small Communist Party (Marxist) was the only other party
contesting the election. Officials said that voting had been heavy
(70%) in the Bengali districts, where there was no violence, but that
18 state and seven parliamentary contests had had to be nullified. It
was not a victory that anyone could take satisfaction from — and
hardly a happy note on which to welcome the 80 heads of state who will
arrive in New Delhi next week for the summit conference of nonaligned
nations. — By Marguerite Johnson. Reported by Dean Brelis/New Delhi
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,953744,00.html
Domestic Violence
By Jyoti Thottam/New Delhi Thursday, Jul. 31, 2008
ENLARGE PHOTO+
BLOOD IN THE STREETS: Terrorists said the Ahmedabad blasts were
revenge for anti-Muslim violence in 2002
Gautam Singh / AP
Homegrown terrorism is a chill ing idea. No country likes to believe
that violent mayhem has taken root in its backyard. After all, foreign
killers can be weeded out; domestic terrorists draw strength from, and
corrupt, their native soil.
That was the disquieting reality India awoke to on July 27, after a
coordinated series of bomb blasts rocked Ahmedabad, an elegant,
ancient city in the western state of Gujarat. Coming just a day after
eight blasts hit Bangalore, the center of India's thriving technology
industry, the attack seemed, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said
during a visit to Ahmedabad, to target India's cosmopolitan, secular
social fabric. The whole country seemed to sense the threat, as
India's major cities immediately set up checkpoints and metal
detectors. At least 17 more unexploded bombs were defused on July 29
in Surat, a global diamond hub halfway between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The possibility that the terrorists may themselves have been Indian
suggests that the sectarian anger boiling beneath the nation's modern
veneer has taken on a new and bloodier tenor.
Terrorist attacks have become distressingly familiar in India. Since
2005, more than 520 people have been killed, and hundreds more
injured, in 12 major bombings around the country. Claims of
responsibility are rare, and Indian defense and intelligence analysts
have long assumed that large-scale, coordinated bombings like the
Ahmedabad attack are the handiwork of international, or Pakistani,
terror networks. But experts are now coming to accept that the volume
of recent attacks would not have been possible without a significant
number of local recruits. "They are increasingly acquiring their own
expertise," says B. Raman, former head of counterterrorism for the
Research and Analysis Wing, India's external-intelligence agency.
The Ahmedabad bombings indeed appear domestic in origin. Minutes
before the first of 22 bombs went off, a group called Indian
Mujahideen sent a 14-page manifesto to Indian news organizations
asserting that the attack was "planned and executed by Indians only."
They claimed "sole responsibility" for the bombs, which have killed
more than 40 people so far, and, as if offended at the idea that they
needed outside help, admonished groups with links to Pakistan "for the
sake of Allah, not to claim the responsibility for these attacks."
Indian Mujahideen has claimed credit for two previous attacks: blasts
in the tourist hub of Jaipur in May, which killed 63 people; and
bombings in the northern cities of Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow last
November, which killed 16. Their attacks follow a similar pattern:
numerous crude bombs timed to go off in sequence in bus stations,
temples and markets. The latest attacks used explosives delivered in
the most mundane possible ways — on bicycles left casually near a
fruit stand, or in a stainless-steel tiffin carrier, the ubiquitous
lunchbox of Indian commuters, left under the seat of a bus. But, in
Ahmedabad, the terrorists were also more ambitious than in previous
bombings, striking at many more sites than in any other recent
attack.
Wherever their hardware is coming from, Indian Mujahideen's demands
are intensely local. It wants the release of members of the Students'
Islamic Movement of India, who are suspects in earlier bomb blasts. It
criticizes a lawyers' group in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for
failing to take cases brought by Muslims. And it warns that it will
target states where the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
is in power.
The group's biggest grievance by far, however, is the unresolved
business of the 2002 anti-Muslim violence centered in that same city,
Ahmedabad. After an attack on Hindu pilgrims in another part of the
state, up to 2,000 Muslims were targeted and killed, many of them
tortured, burned or raped, according to reports by local and
international human-rights groups. The Chief Minister of the state, a
BJP hard-liner named Narendra Modi, was widely criticized for failing
to stop the attacks. Modi has denied those claims, has never faced any
charges and, despite the criticism, has twice been re-elected as Chief
Minister.
The Gujarat riots, and Modi in particular, have become a rallying cry
for extremist groups, who have drowned out the voices of moderation
among India's Muslims. "We have a completely extraordinary situation
post-2002 in Gujarat," says Harsh Mander, a former civil-service
officer who works with victims of the riots. Other spasms of sectarian
violence in India have been followed by "some kind of healing
process," he says, with official remorse and legal action. But six
years after the Gujarat riots, only a handful of cases have led to
convictions. The Indian Supreme Court forced the state's government in
2004 to reopen nearly 2,000 cases that had been thrown out for lack of
evidence. Mander adds, "We have reduced an entire population to second-
class citizens."
The festering anger over Gujarat serves as irresistible fodder for
extremist groups who direct their message to India's increasingly
disaffected Muslims. A federal report released in 2006 found that the
country's 138 million Muslims are poorer than other Indians, less
educated and vastly under-represented in India's largest employer, the
railways, and its civil service. While many political parties pledge
to defend India's Muslims against Hindu nationalism, they rarely
deliver promised roads, jobs and schools. "The disaffection of Indian
Muslims is not any different in its quality from the disaffection of
other parts of the underclass, whether Muslim, Christian or Hindu,"
says Bharat Karnad, a professor of national-security studies at the
New Delhi – based Centre for Policy Research. The difference is that
well-funded, radicalized madrasahs reach out to this part of India's
underclass, Karnad says. "The government and its 'secular-minded'
politicians are unwilling to accept this."
Indeed, critics say, India's government is ill-prepared to prevent
domestic terrorism arising from religious extremism. The country has
just 126 police officers per 100,000 people — the U.N. recommends 222
— and the Intelligence Bureau, which handles internal security, has a
mere 3,500 field operatives for a country of 1.1 billion. In response
to the growing threat, the central government is considering setting
up a new federal agency to investigate major terrorism cases and is
devoting more money to local intelligence-gathering.
But, thus far, Indian politicians haven't offered much beyond pro
forma calls for calm. India is a proudly secular state, and
acknowledging the friction between Hindus and Muslims could offend the
millions of Muslims who have nothing to do with extremist groups,
domestic or otherwise. "Our politicians are still in denial mode,"
says Raman, the counterterrorism expert. "To be able to solve this
problem, they have to understand its real nature." The rift between
India's Hindus and Muslims is real. Until India acknowledges that
fact, the country can't begin to mend it.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1828144,00.html
bademiyansubhanallah
PTI, Mar 3, 2010, 08.35pm IST
NEW DELHI: A day after home minister P Chidamabaram termed Maoist
leader Kishenji's truce offer as "bizarre", the government extended an
olive branch to the Left Wing extremists asking them to ensure
ceasefire for 72 hours to facilitate talks.
Top government officials have said Kishenji's offer for talks may be
considered if he could ensure complete ceasefire for 72 hours.
Home minister P Chidamabaram had termed the truce offer by the Maoist
leader as "bizarre" while underlining double standards adopted by the
Left Wing extremists.
In six days after Kishenji came with the offer for talks, Maoists have
carried out 18 serious attacks on security forces and civilians
killing 11 including an incident of neck- slitting of a police
official in West Bengal.
Chidamabaram said he had offered to facilitate talks with the CPI-
Maoist provided they abjured violence.
"There was no meaningful response to that offer. Nevertheless, on
February 23 I responded that if the CPI-Maoist made a short, simple
and unconditional statement that they would abjure violence,
government would be prepared to hold talks with them. I have received
no response to my statement," he had said.
1993 Surat bombing suspect held in UK
PTI, Mar 3, 2010, 09.42pm IST
LONDON: A key 1993 Surat terror bombing suspect, hunted by police
worldwide for over 17 years, was arrested from a north England grocery
store and a city court here will decide over his extradition to
India.
49-year-old Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel alias Tiger Hanif was traced
to the grocery store in Bolton by Scotland Yard and later arrested
from a house in Astley Street in Halliwell on February 16, a spokesman
of the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday.
Tiger Hanif has been remanded in custody and will appear at City of
Westminister Magistrate Court on March 25 where the India government
application for his extradition will come up.
Hanif is wanted by the Indian authorities in connection with a terror
bombings in Surat in Gujarat which killed an eight-year-old schoolgirl
and left 12 others wounded. After the terror attack, Indian police
issued a Red Corner notice for him through Interpol, which activated a
worldwide hunt for the suspect.
The Met spokesman said: "Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel - also known as
Tiger Hanif - was arrested on behalf of the Indian authorities under
an extradition warrant alleging conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to
cause explosions."
Patel was found working as a greengrocer. However, his family members
denied he had been working at the grocery in Daubhill.
Solicitors Stephen Lickrish and Associates, who are representing
Patel, declined to comment.
Former Gujarat minister Mohammed Surti was sentenced to 20 years in
jail in 2008 for his involvement in the 1993 twin Surat bombings. The
court found Surti guilty, along with 11 others, in connection with the
grenade blast near Surat railway Station.
The second blast happened near Sadhna School in Varacha area of Surat,
killing the eight-year-old. The grenade blast rocked Surat after the
deadly Mumbai serial blasts in March in which more than 200 people
were killed.
Arrest of Surat blasts accused may help clear case
TNN, Nov 5, 2005, 03.09am IST
SURAT: The arrest of Munir Ahmed Soni, a key accused in the illegal
arms smuggling case in Surat, can provide a breakthrough in
investigation into the twin blasts that rocked the city in 1993.
Ahmed was arrested from his home in Soni Falia near Rani Talav on
Tuesday when he sneaked into the city from Dubai to attend his
father's funeral. Soni was sent to seven-day police remand.
Soni was allegedly involved in clandestinely smuggling Russian hand
grenades, an AK-47 rifle, country-made weapons, swords and sharp-edged
weapons into the city.
Police claimed that the arms were brought in to trigger communal
tension in specific areas of the city soon after the Mumbai serial
bomb blasts of 1993.
Two blasts were engineered in Surat — one near Sadhna School, Varachha
Road, in January 1993, where a teenage girl was killed and 12 persons
were injured. Later, in April, another blast was triggered at Surat
railway station, aimed at passengers on board the Gujarat Express.
The incident left 38 injured. Police sources, however, add that they
still have not been able to prove Soni's direct involvement in
engineering the twin blasts. The only connection police investigators
have made is that Russian hand grenades were used.
The police had gone on to arrest 95 people till March 1995 and 10
years later almost all of them got bail. The case even went up to the
Supreme Court where one of the key accused, Congress leader Mohammed
Surti, and 12 others, who were arrested under TADA managed to get
bail.
Soni's arrest comes as a big boost for the police as he used to
frequently visit the Rani Talav relief camp where a number of Muslim
families took shelter after the December 1992 riots. This camp was
also used by the notorious group responsible for the twin blasts to
store arms and ammunition.
On a tip off, the police had recovered a huge cache of swords and
sharp weapons from this place. Subsequent raids at various locations
revealed that six Russian grenades one AK-47 and country-made weapons
were being smuggled into the city from Mumbai and nearby areas like
Chikli near Valsad, respectively.
Soni, so far, has not been linked to the 13 core group members, who
were earlier believed to have engineered the blasts.
"There are three others of the core group who are still absconding in
the case — Hanif Tiger, Salim Chandiwala, Mohammed Surti's son Farooq
Surti, who is in Dubai.
The other accused in the case were Iqbal Wadiwala, Hussain Ghadiyali,
Latif, Ehsan, Ehjaz, Sayeed Nari and Mushtaq," says inspector GB Desai
of Crime Branch.
;93 blasts: SC extends interim bail to Yusuf Memon
PTI, Oct 24, 2008, 04.54pm IST
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday extended by three months the
interim bail granted to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yusuf Abdul
Razak Memon, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a TADA court.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan passed the order on
Memon's plea seeking to extend his bail on medical grounds.
The apex court had granted bail to him on February 29 and since then
it has been extended from time to time.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/specialcoverage/5575626.cms
Washington may see an India-Pakistan meeting
IANS, Mar 3, 2010, 07.53pm IST
NEW DELHI: Leaders of India and Pakistan are expected to meet on the
sidelines of a global security summit in Washington next month in yet
another bid to revive their stalemated dialogue, well-placed sources
said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is set to go to Washington to attend the
two-day Nuclear Security Summit starting April 12 that will focus on
expanded global cooperation to prevent atomic material from falling
into the hands of terrorists and non-state actors.
The conference, an initiative of US President Barack Obama, will be
attended by leaders of 44 countries, including India and Pakistan.
It is not yet clear whether Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari or
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will represent Pakistan at the
summit. In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit
has confirmed Islamabad's participation in the conference, but added
that the composition of the delegation has not yet been decided.
If Gilani or Zardari goes to Washington, there is a strong possibility
of a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the security summit in
Washington, well-placed sources said.
"Nothing has been decided yet. We don't know who is representing
Pakistan," the sources added.
If the meeting does take place, it will be the first interaction
between the leaders of the two countries since they met in the
Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in July last year.
A positive meeting could create the right atmospherics for a more
constructive interaction on the sidelines of the SAARC summit in the
Bhutanese capital Thimphu towards April-end.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, Manmohan Singh had taken a calculated gamble to
delink terrorism from the composite dialogue process and included a
reference to Balochistan in the joint statement, leading to a strong
domestic backlash against alleged capitulation by India.
This time around, the atmospherics are different.
The Feb 25 talks between foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan did
not lead to any breakthrough, but a tacit understanding has been
struck to keep the ball rolling as it were.
Manmohan Singh, who is widely seen to be behind India's initiative to
invite the Pakistani foreign secretary for talks, has kept the
possibilities of dialogue alive by saying that he is ready to go the
extra mile if Pakistan cooperates in addressing India's concerns over
terror.
Days after the attack on Indians in Kabul, in which the Afghan
intelligence suspect the hand of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba,
Manmohan Singh made it clear that although there was no alternative to
engagement with Pakistan, any meaningful dialogue will depend on
Pakistan's response to India's concerns over cross-border terror.
"All problems between India and Pakistan can be resolved through
meaningful bilateral dialogue if only Pakistan would take a more
reasonable attitude in dealing with those terrorist elements who
target our country," Manmohan Singh told reporters while returning
from Riyadh Monday.
"If Pakistan cooperates with us, there is no problem that we can't
solve."
Any likely bilateral meeting between Manmohan Singh and the Pakistani
leader will depend on Islamabad's action on the 10 dossiers provided
by New Delhi linking terrorists in that country with various terror
activities, including the Mumbai carnage, in India.
Lashkar behind Kabul attack: Afghan official
AGENCIES, Mar 3, 2010, 09.48am IST
KABUL: Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the Mumbai
terror attack, was on Tuesday blamed by an Afghan intelligence
official for last week's car bomb and suicide attacks that killed 16
people, including 9 Indians, in the heart of the capital.
The Afghan Taliban insurgents already claimed responsibility for the
attacks after a car bomb exploded and gunmen wearing suicide vests
hidden under burqas stormed residential hotels popular with
foreigners. At least 56 people were wounded.
Saeed Ansari, a spokesman for Afghanistan's intelligence service, said
that his agency has evidence that Pakistanis, specifically Lashkar-e-
Taiba, were involved in the attacks.
"We are very close to the exact proof and evidence that the attack on
the Indian guest house ... is not the work of the Afghan Taliban but
this attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba network, who are
dependent on the Pakistan military," Ansari said in an interview.
He also said one of the attackers was heard speaking Urdu.
Ansari said last week's Kabul attacks bore similarities to two suicide
bombings at the Indian embassy in Kabul in 2008 and 2009 and the car
bomb attack in January at a residential hotel in one of the safest
neighborhoods in the capital.
Police said initially that two suicide attackers were involved in
Friday's attack.
Ansari told three private television stations that there were four
gunmen with Kalishnokov rifles and suicide vests and that they wore
burqas, the all-encompassing veil for women, to hide their gear.
He said one attacker stayed to detonate a van packed with explosives,
while the other three spread out and entered two hotels, where they
fired on guests and then set off their explosives.
On Friday, about 2 1/2 hours after the attacks began, an Afghan
Taliban spokesman telephoned a reporter with The Associated Press to
claim responsibility. He said foreigners were the target, but did not
specifically mention Indians.
Ansari, however, said the Taliban did not have the logistical
capability for the assault, saying the gunmen appeared to have
detailed knowledge, including names, of Indian guests at the hotels.
He also claimed the Taliban "had no knowledge" of the Kabul attacks up
to five hours after they began.
Friday's assault was the deadliest in Afghanistan's capital since
October 8, when a suicide car bomber killed 17 people outside the
Indian embassy.
A suicide car bomber killed more than 60 people in an attack at the
gates of the Indian Embassy in July 2008, an attack that India alleges
Pakistan's main spy agency was involved in.
But New Delhi did not immediately blame Pakistan after Friday's
assault.
Are we choking funds to terrorists or their victims?
Feb 28, 2010, 03.32am IST
India has been the target of several deadly terrorist attacks in the
recent years. The 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the February 13 blast in
Pune killed nearly 200 people altogether and wounded over 300.
Understandably, reaction to the attacks varied from horror to anger to
calls for vengeance.
There were demands that more be done to prevent such outrages in the
future. One of these demands was to choke off terrorist financing or
the money flow that allows terrorists to plan and implement such
attacks, including funds sourced from abroad.
The international push to stop terrorism financing began in earnest in
1999, when the UN Security Council adopted resolutions requiring all
member states to freeze the bank accounts of al-Qaida and the Taliban.
After 9/11, that resolution was expanded to include all terrorists
specifically identified by governments. Since then, thousands of
crores of rupees have been frozen in dozens of countries.
However, the fight against terrorism financing did not end with the
seizing of accounts of identified terrorists or terrorist
organizations. The US was concerned that radical Islamists in West
Asia and elsewhere were raising money domestically and sending it to
American terrorist cells. But many other governments believed certain
diaspora groups were collecting money from compatriots in developed
countries to fund terrorists in home countries. Non-bank money
transfer systems, including informal ones such as hawala, were singled
out as potential ways of financing terrorist activities overseas.
As a result, the Financial Action Task Force, the world’s anti-money
laundering standard-setter, adopted new rules requiring that charities
be closely monitored and that banks screen customers to keep out
possible terrorists. This was different from banks freezing the
accounts of terrorists identified by government agencies. Rather,
banks had to decide which of their clients might be financing
terrorism. Serious sanctions were prescribed for institutions that
failed to do so. Nearly every country has embraced these standards.
These were laudable intentions with less-than-beneficial consequences.
In the US, for example, regulators require that all financial
institutions examine the organizational structure, donor and volunteer
base, funding and disbursement criteria, affiliations and internal
controls and audits of charities. Banks must also determine if the
charity is of “high risk”. With even more diligence, they could verify
the source and use of funds, evaluate large contributors, and even
conduct reference checks. Not surprisingly, charities founded by
“suspect groups” have been the target of such added diligence.
But how could a bank be certain that no money sent to even a
legitimate charity in a hot zone was diverted to buy explosives? The
costs of carrying out these requirements could easily exceed any
profit a bank would make from the charity as a customer. The same
applied to money transfer agents. As a result, banks divested
themselves of many such charities and money service businesses.
The reality is that individuals who need the most help are often
victims of terrorism or at least located in places where terrorists
are active. Various diaspora groups are typically far wealthier than
their blood brothers at home and are often willing to give generously
to those in greater need. But the rules created post-9/11 seem to fall
hardest on charities and money transfers serving exactly these
communities.
Has any actual progress been made towards choking off the funds for
terrorist activities? The al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Monitoring
Team of the UN Security Council has repeatedly suggested that
terrorist organizations have moved beyond the formal sector. An
ongoing study by this author of recent terrorist prosecutions in the
US has yet to show any patterns suggesting terrorism financing.
Perhaps, the current standards are doing far more harm than good. Both
terrorism and the fight against terrorism are inherently political. By
definition, terrorists seek to scare their enemies into doing
something they cannot otherwise force them to. As the US has
demonstrated since 9/11, politicians find that scaring voters is
helpful in winning elections. While decrying the “enormous danger”
posed by terrorists, they attack anyone who questions a counter-
terrorism measure as being “weak” or “in league with the killers”.
Voters in India and everywhere should beware such false appeals. It is
far more likely that millions more will die of malnutrition and
treatable sickness than of terrorism in the coming year. It might even
be patriotic to check if the strategy against terrorism financing is
actually making things worse.
The writer leads a study of terrorism financing for the UN Counter-
terrorism Implementation Task Force
Fight terror by not being terrorized
Santosh Desai,
01 March 2010, 09:01 AM IST
A frequently heard comment after the Pune blasts was that had the
Maharashtra brass not been so focused on protecting Shah Rukh Khan's
film, more police force would be available to Pune. Now while it is
easy to empathise with the spirit behind this comment, given that the
political will to do deal with such issues is often lacking, the
connection drawn is worth scrutinizing. Prevention of terrorist
attacks has little to do with mere police presence and in a case like
Pune, where the attack came in the form of a bomb in a bag, it is
virtually impossible to prevent an attack without either very good
intelligence or very good luck. There are only so many public places
where we can have baggage checks, and the truth is that in a lot of
cases where these checks have been instituted, they have far too many
gaps which any determined set of extremists can easily exploit. And
when it comes to suicide bombing, without prior and specific
intelligence there is very little that police presence can do that
will be of any help.
In India, preventing terrorist attacks is a massive and extremely
difficult enterprise that calls for sweeping and radical in all
aspects of the administration . Since terrorism penetrates all aspects
of everyday civilian life and comes without warning , tackling it is
not a specific isolatable task, it requires the entire administrative
machinery to be streamlined and functioning efficiently at all times.
The reality on the ground is so far from what is needed that pinning
too much hope on our ability to prevent attacks on a sustained basis
is nothing but wishful thinking.
We have a police force that is demoralized and defines its role as a
protector of the powers that rule the state rather than of the people
who populate it. It is very poorly paid and offers abysmal working
conditions, apart from being manipulated at will by politicians. Our
borders are porous and the huge coastline makes prevention of
infiltration extremely difficult. The Indian situation is very
different from the American one both in terms of the nature of the
problem and in the ability to deal with it. We cannot wish away the
fact that we are a genuine federation of very diverse cultures and
face fissiparous pressures from many sources. We have various
separatist groups in different parts of India as well the Maoists in
the heart of India. It is not easy to isolate and track possible
sources of threat given the diversity and the complexity of the
sources. While there are management issues that compound the problem,
it is important to acknowledge that the problem we face is an
exceedingly difficult one with very few easy answers.
The Pakistan factor complicates the issue for it gives to our reaction
an edge of righteous hysteria. Unfortunately, there is not that much
we can do on the ground to back this reaction. Going by current
accounts, our options seem to include not doing things rather than
doing them. Not talking to them, not inviting their players to a
domestic tournament, not showing their television channels- these are
the only actions we seem to take succor in. Any large scale military
action is ruled out thanks to Pakistan being a nuclear state- and that
leaves room for covert action, which even if it were to occur, would
never find mention in the public domain.
Given this, perhaps it is time we begin to rethink our reaction to
terrorism. Along with quiet and determined action on the ground, a
more sober response to random acts of violence might be useful. Terror
is created by our reaction to these random acts of symbolic violence;
in some way it is a choice we make. For instance, our reaction to the
death of 25 policemen in a Maoist attack is much more muted than that
to the Pune blast and we have stopped reacting to deaths in Kashmir
and the North East altogether. Acts of violence here do not translate
into terror in our minds because we think of these as somebody else's
problem.
It is when the cities become targets of random violence that we erupt
in shrill anger. Aided by media vituperation, we envelop ourselves in
a blanket of fear and anxiety. At some stage, we will need to fight
back terrorism by refusing to be terrorized. Otherwise we are allowing
too much fear to be spread with very little input from the side of the
terrorists. This does not mean that we do nothing but that we temper
our reactions in keeping with the reality on the ground. As pointed
out last week, the number of deaths on account of terrorism has
sharply declined in the last few years.
A less hysterical and more realistic response is not a sign of
weakness, on the contrary a noisy rant not backed up by action is.
Complex problems need nuanced approaches; and nuance is something we
don't really seem capable of right now.
Comments:
Atheist says:
March 01,2010 at 09:48 AM IST
Santosh Desai is quite right on many of the issues he has highlighted.
However, one cannot understand the "intelligence" when even
police are killed, encounters are called into question on such
occasions. Hope such "intelligent" statements of self styled
intellectuals and self styled "secularists" are stopped
forthwith.
Agree (2)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
ahmed says:
March 01,2010 at 10:00 AM IST
Yes. This is the correct approach.
Agree (2)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
SM says:
March 01,2010 at 10:12 AM IST
Santosh Desai: Do you R-E-A-L-L-Y believe that the Congress Govt would
have provided the protection to MNIK if the hero was not a Hindu? Why
they did not ensure that the name "Billu Barber" stays and
SRK/ producer do not change the name to "Billu"? Why they
did not ensure that Akshay Kumar does not have to apologize for not
keeping beard in some scenes in "Singh is Kinng"? Why are
you taking side with pseudo- secular politicians?
Agree (1)
Disagree (2)
Recommend (1)
S M Krishnan says:
March 01,2010 at 10:26 AM IST
I am surprised by the observation that we can not conter act against
Pakistan since they are a nuclear state. We are also a nuclear state
and Pakistan seems to be not bothered by that fact. whos has the
deterent we or they ?
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
S,.M.Singru says:
March 01,2010 at 10:35 AM IST
Your post is very realistic. Although some superior quality policing
can definitely be achieved by steps like rationalizing VIP security,
and downplaying political events, the main thrust can only come
through a different attitude of people towards security. Further, one
important step can be to take away the job of managing minor and petty
quarrels between people and groups from the domain of police and
subjecting them to societal control mechanisms. In Maharashtra, this
has been tried in the form of Tantamukta Abhiyan, and has brought very
good results. Having said this, gathering of intelligence needs to be
improved a lot. Simple devices, like having video cameras at all
public places can achieve significant results in gathering
intelligence and in purposeful investigations. The breakthrough which
British security agencies achieved in the investigation of the London
bombing of 7th July, 2005 was mainly because of the video footages.
Agree (2)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
siva says:
March 01,2010 at 11:19 AM IST
We can blame all to the cong party only,They are ruling in Mah &
centre and refuse act on terrorist,
We ahve seen many defend the attackers,India is not good to live when
ruled by Cong policy of making money only.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Jitendra Desai says:
March 01,2010 at 12:09 PM IST
You are very right ! we are victims of terror since four decades
now.We should know how to calibrate our response to such cowardly acts
of killing innocents in a crowded place.As our Home Minister also has
stated, it is impossible to protect all public places.In fact it will
be absurd to post policemen at every temple, school, market,bus depot,
rly station, mall or cinema house in the country.
Best way is to start UNDERPLAYING such acts of cowardice.This is where
the media can play a very constructive role.Media, instead of getting
hysterical on the day of attack, should become a watch dog and do
regular follow up stories on investigation/prosecution.
Such strategy can work ONLY if we can be very very prompt in
investigations, prosecution and executions of those found
guilty.Kasabs can't be allowed to enjoy our hospitality and
juriprudence for long.Refer recent Supreme court order, granting
transfer of cases of 63 terror suspects in Gujarat.These are being
transferred on the plea that they were being tortured by Gujarat
police.This is while families of those who were killed will undergo
torture and pain for rest of their lives.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Qaari says:
March 01,2010 at 02:02 PM IST
Tell me how to refuse being terrorised, by not getting blown when
there is a blast?
Agree (2)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (2)
Observer says:
March 01,2010 at 04:29 PM IST
Agreed. Howvever, the common man's reactions are largely fed and
controlled by the media that sensationalizes everything from random
musings of 'celebrities', to terror attacks. The media plays a vital
role as the source of information to most people in the country. The
freedom of speech has to be exercised with restraint and facts have to
be portrayed as facts. There is no need to go into the personal lives
or details of a terror victim or that of anyone for that matter. If
the media stops reacting in a crazy, frenzied manner, the public will
also do so. The civil society on its part needs to constantly remind
the media of its role, and also educate citizens on things like being
vigilant, reacting maturedly, reacting to emergency situations, etc.
This kind of capacity building will go a long way in defeating the
basic ideology behind terror attacks.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
seema says:
March 01,2010 at 08:22 PM IST
Dear Santiosh,
As you have rightly said/written- preventing terrorist attacks is a
massive and extremely difficult enterprise ,I would rather add that
with almost 2 decades of active terrorism in our country ,we as
citizens need to be more accountable to the situation and stop
pretending self safety.
I come from J&K and have personally experienced two blasts.It
pains me to see people extremely careless about their surroundings and
are not alert even at public places.It needs one question to a
stranger to avoid a bag full of explosives!
Agree (1)
Disagree (1)
Recommend (0)
Vijay Patel says:
March 01,2010 at 09:12 PM IST
How many attack U.S. had after 9/11 India has attack virtualy every
month now and then this shows how effective is U.S. security services.
we need bold and couragous leadership and security services which can
work effectivly.
Agree (2)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (1)
mahesh chalva says:
March 01,2010 at 09:12 PM IST
the state is a mirror reflection of society, have we as individuals,
ever thought of making differance??? in the fight against terror?? or
any anti social activity??? this basic quetion needs to be put to
ourselves,every time we step out of the house! so many unsung heroes
have fought against issues,the mainstream media wants flashs,masala,to
increase it's ratings,nothing else,in the process people get
halfbaked,partial,one sided,views,as news in their drawing room.the
opinion makers of india are living in the fools paradise,far away from
the reality,this needs to be changed.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Sandeep says:
March 01,2010 at 10:18 PM IST
Great article. All the issues are very well laid out. Given the
current situation its almost a wonder we don't get hit more often with
terrorist attacks.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Suvi Nadakuzhackal says:
March 01,2010 at 11:39 PM IST
Very well said. A sane voice amidst the fools who ask for the
destruction of Pakistan, as if it is an easy task, without worrying
about the deaths and destruction of thousands on both sides of the
border. When we are afraid of a terrorist, the terrorist wins. It is a
tough task to be not afraid; but that is the only choice we have.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Eric says:
March 01,2010 at 11:46 PM IST
The only thing we need to fear is fear itself. We all know that. We
have heard this zillions of times. Say something original and don't
waste space by recycling old cliches and columns in American
newspapers. Think new things or go out and do some reporting.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Abdur Rehman says:
March 02,2010 at 02:24 AM IST
Dear Santosh
You spoke of the Pakistani factor. Majority of pakistanis are peaceful
and are virtually abducted and victimised by a bunch of terrorist
cowards. You can fight terror by helping rather than blaming the
peaceful majority of your neigbouring country. The trend in India is
that they blame and curse all Pakistanis alike. You think that
Pakistani government is resposible. For most of the time after
partition, Pakistan has been forcibly ruled by military dictators. Did
you ever support the ordinary people of this country, at least
morally, to get rid of the rule of generals?
In fact, the world, especially the US and the west have always
supported pakistani dictatorial regimes. It was General Zia who turned
Pakistan into a militant state. The extremist terror gruops like LET
have their origin dating back to his time. But Zia was the so-called
right hand man of all Western powers. Did the world ever think a least
about the ordinary peace-loving people of this country. They only fell
victim or got the blame for the atricities committed by a very small
group of terrorists. Lets put hand in hand together to defeat this
small group of extremists. Your blames on them can only make them
indifferent and you lose a big support in your fight against
terrorism.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
ssmoorthy says:
March 02,2010 at 06:02 AM IST
An excellent analysis by Mr. Desai.The tackling of terrorism in India
is modified or even muted or sometimes not noticed because of
misplaced understanding of democracy.Most terrorists understand only
eye for eye philosophy.Gandhian,or corrupt pseudo-Gandhian approaches
do not work.Guts,openness and determination without caring for the
vote bank are needed even for one term to hit the back bone of
terrorism.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Prabhakar says:
March 02,2010 at 08:12 AM IST
Mr. Santosh some of the points made in your blog are very true. In a
big country of ours, this is practically impossible for any police
force to prevent such terrorist attacks. There are pressures of all
types in any fuction and may they are much more in police force but to
term total police force demoralized is not fair. I am sure under all
the constraints and prevailing poor conditions, our Police Force is
doing remarkably well.
The reaction to these attacks is affected by media coverage and place
of its happening. All incidendences are same but do not get same
importance.
Having accepted the fact that any type of police force could not
prevent the terrorist acts, does not mean that we accept these acts as
part of our life and do nothing. Then what is the solution?
We as common man have to eyes and ears of policing. We all have to
very watchful / vigilant. At the same time authorities have provide
channels of communication for common man. These two combined will
surely help in avoiding many, if not all, terrorist attacks.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
DMohan says:
March 02,2010 at 08:43 AM IST
Perfectly true! But unfortunately not making vitriolic responses is
classified as a weakness and the establishment looks to maintaining an
image rather than actually doing something effective for the long
term.
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Anonymous says:
March 02,2010 at 12:12 PM IST
some valid points in this article, however it has been my experience
that in our country, unless you create mass hysteria, powers-that-be
dont listen. The key Q is - how do we light the fire in our police/
politiicans with a tempered measured reaction? A tempered rational
approach/reaction works in a country where the average elected
official is matured, educated and selfless. That will take some years
for our country. In the meanwhile, we will have to live with public
outrage, expressions of helplessness and over-reactions to stimulate
the government into any kinds of actions. Because that for them
translates into potential loss of electoral votes...
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Mark says:
March 02,2010 at 01:27 PM IST
To your previous article, "Non-violent hate" I wrote views
against your views and it never got published. So this time, I say,
"Very nice article indeed...carry on".
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Ashok Gupta says:
March 02,2010 at 01:44 PM IST
When common man develops a feeling that the State is helpless in
stopping such attacks, there is every reason for the common man to
feel insecured and remain under fear. This is exactly the feeling
today and further aggravated by the inaction of the gevernment at the
centre and state.
Prevention of terror, as you have raised a question, is not just done
by the increasing the police force. There are many steps involved.
1)POLITICAL WILL: Which is seriously missing because of fear of
loosing Muslim Votes. LTTE has been finished by SriLankan Govt
ultimately. That speaks of political will. There was no consideration
of Human Rights Organizations ( The world's Biggest Black Mailers
Today)
2)INTELLIGENCE: Intelligence is supposed to be an on going process. It
has been proved ample times that our intelligence has failed. More
over No. of times the Intelligence report is more vague than specific
and many a times even if the report if right and specific, local govt.
fails to act in times.
3) DIPLOMACY: There is hardly any country in the world (Barring
Israel) who seriously supports our view point on terror. Rest are only
"Lip Symphathizers." This only indicates how poorly we are
having our diplomatic relations with the rest of the world.
4) PERCEPTION OF STRENGTH OR WEAKNESS: Our Country and it's govenment
is perceived vey weak by the neighbours and terrorists because of it's
inaction against the captured Terrorists/ infighting on the basis of
caste/ religion/ region etc etc/ 'Gaddars'with in the country / inside
political support to various terrorists groups/.
5) EYE WASH REPORTS: People of would like to know what has happened to
all the enquiry commitee reports which has been takeing place over the
years with crores being spent. People of this country has a feeling
that there can not be a terroist act without the local support.WHO ARE
THESE LOCALS INVOLVED MUST COME OUT? That will not happen because of
involvement of our politicians in these locals.
Agree (1)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (1)
sidharth charkha says:
March 02,2010 at 11:45 PM IST
Is it the magnitude of the terrorism that is inflicted affects us? or
is the just the change of inertia. Deaths in kashmir/NE or caused by
naxalites don't create an uproar, since it is almost an everyday
instance, an hygiene factor. And it is something that happens out of
the ordinary that baffles us, like attack in civilian areas. Are our
reaction to situations just based on the premise and the hype created
by the media? Coverage of TV gossip creates more interests, engulfing
everyone with the updates, rather than rapes of minors, which seems to
be an everyday affair. Aren't we too creating classes in people. The
commoners(police,military), VIPs(us), VVIPS(cricketers, celebs) !!
Agree (0)
Disagree (0)
Recommend (0)
Satbir Singh Bedi says:
March 03,2010 at 09:48 AM IST
We cannot fight terror by not being terrorised but we can surely fight
terror by terrorising the terrorists. Any terrorist who is captured,
should not be given a long trial but should be summarily shot dead.
And what is our RAW doing. Its officers should make clandestine visits
to Pakistan and Bangladesh and shoot down terrorists right in their
own holes. That would terrorise the terrorists and make them think
before attacking us. We must look at our past history and see how
Shivaji put terror into the hearts of Mughals and also how Hari Singh
Nalwa instilled such a sense of terror into the hearts of Afghans that
the Afghan ladies in NWFP of Pakistan tell their children, "Chup
Sha Haria Rangla Da" (O child, keep quiet otherwise Hari Singh
Nalwa would come). That is how we can fight terrorism.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citycitybangbang/entry/fight-terror-by-not-being
Why Sena needs to pass a loyalty test
Swapan Dasgupta,
14 February 2010, 01:37 AM IST
Assuming Islamabad has an equivalent of the committee of the great and
good that decides on India’s Republic Day honours, it may find it
worthwhile considering something innovative: honouring the Shiv Sena
with a Pakistani award. There are few organizations that in recent
weeks have done more to foster a spirit of generosity towards Pakistan
as has the Sena and its leadership.
The Sena’s services to Pakistan are difficult to surpass. First, it
has put Mumbai on par with Peshawar in the global safety index for
cricket matches. If it is hazardous for a visiting cricketer to either
field near the boundary line or venture into town in Peshawar, the
Shiv Sena has made it known that it will not countenance any
Australian or Pakistani player in the Mumbai leg of the IPL.
Unwittingly or otherwise, the Sena has helped establish political
equivalence between India and Pakistan. It has neatly punctured
India’s claim to be a cut above the rest in the subcontinent.
Secondly, the Sena has established the validity of what Pakistan’s
politicians and generals have steadfastly maintained after 26/11: that
perverted thinking in the Islamic Republic doesn’t emanate from state-
sponsorship but from troublesome, yet independent, ‘non-state’
players. Pakistanis can now assert with greater confidence that just
as they have their wild lot in Muridke, India has its crazies in
Mumbai. True, the devotees of Bal Thackeray rely exclusively on
sticks, stones and muscle power, whereas the holy warriors have
considerable expertise in armed warfare. But these, many in Islamabad
would undoubtedly argue, are niggling matters of detail. What counts
is that fanaticism and lunacy aren’t exclusive Pakistani prerogatives.
Finally, by picking on Bollywood’s most exalted star, the Sena has
advanced the Pakistanization of India. Shah Rukh Khan isn’t, and has
never pretended to be, a political pundit tutored in the nuances of
the Great Game along the Radcliffe Line. He is not Aamir Khan who
loves a ‘cause’ each day for breakfast. What Shah Rukh has to say
about good neighbourliness may be potentially interesting, even
incisive. But to suggest that his starry-eyed comment “It (Pakistan)
is a great neighbour…We are great neighbours, they are good
neighbours. Let us love each other” constitutes an act of devilish
treachery for which he must seek forgiveness is incredible. If film
stars start being assessed for patriotism—like what Senator Joe
McCarthy did in Hollywood to combat communism in the 1950s — India
will be perilously close to emulating those in the Pakistan cricket
establishment who felt that the religiosity should be a factor in team
selection.
In 2006, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Nasim Ashraf had
to inform Captain Inzaman-ul-Huq that “that there should be no
pressure on players who don’t pray regularly or any compulsion on them
to do it under pressure… I have told him there should be no perception
among players that if they don’t pray they will not be in the team…”
In 2010, the owners of the Shiv Sena have set a new loyalty test that
carries one message: you cannot do business in Mumbai if your
hostility to Pakistan isn’t sufficiently robust.
By this logic, Thackeray should have broken off its political
relationship with the BJP whose leader wrote a glowing testimonial to
Mohammed Ali Jinnah after visiting the mausoleum in Karachi in 2005.
Compared to Advani’s ballad, Shah Rukh was guilty of composing a poor
ditty. But then, as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto used to say, consistency is
the virtue of small minds.
The Sena’s role in making Pakistan seem respectable is seminal and
immeasurable. It certainly surpasses the goody-goody utterances of the
hero of My Name is Khan. But whereas Shah Rukh can at best be faulted
for naïve sentimentalism—which in his business of selling dreams is
hardly a crime—the Sena’s offence is graver. By virtue of his menacing
antics, it has willy-nilly joined many millions of the star’s fans to
a cause that was never foremost in their minds.
There are many Indians who are wary of New Delhi’s U-turn on Pakistan,
and more so because memories of the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai are still
fresh. They can’t empathize with Shah Rukh’s lovey-dovey approach,
just as couldn’t identify with those who lit candles on the Wagah
border. Yet, even those who advocate a mix of belligerence and benign
neglect towards Pakistan have been appalled at the targeting of a star
simply because he is innocent of foreign policy and his title is Khan.
They have watched in horror the Sena make nationalism disreputable by
turning it into thuggery.
If there is to be a loyalty test, it is the Sena that must first
establish it is batting for India. As of now, it doesn’t seem all that
clear cut.
Comments:
ishwar says:
February 14,2010 at 03:37 PM IST
Mr. Dasgupta, while I normally agree with what you have to say, I am
still wondering what is the most democratic way to protest in this
country.
Agree (14)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (3)
iftekhar says:
February 14,2010 at 04:47 PM IST
Swapans arguments speaks for a majority of Indians who can see through
the duplicity of the Sena. Shahrukhs utternaces are at best a ploy to
engaze his international audience, of whom Pakistanis form a huge
chunk. Yet to construe it as a act of disloyalty towards India does
not cut much ice with Indians, who know it is Senas ploy to stay in
news.
Agree (16)
Disagree (13)
Recommend (6)
bikram says:
February 14,2010 at 05:09 PM IST
Well said.. I liked ur article. You are very right. I am myself
against pakistan players coming just because of the 26/11 incident. I
am also against australians for the racist attacks against indians.
But i am not against the players.
this may sound hypocracy from me, But then Shiv sena is not doing
anything for the nation. What have they done for the nation is my
question, they are a prty and can do soemthing Worthwhile with the
millions of issues that our country faces.
Talking of north india, valentiens day, Mumbaikers is nothing but
RACISM and ANTI NATIONAL.. simple
Agree (17)
Disagree (13)
Recommend (5)
Ajaatshatroo says:
February 14,2010 at 05:40 PM IST
Well written and intelligent. Shiv Sena has to prove its credentials.
They were never clear cut. After all their agenda is copy paste of the
Jansnaghis.
Agree (17)
Disagree (15)
Recommend (5)
uk- Florida, USA says:
February 14,2010 at 07:22 PM IST
One of the most level headed article I have seen on this subject in
the past few weeks amongst all the mud slinging.
Agree (21)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (5)
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/right-and-wrong/entry/why-sena-needs-to-pass
Beyond the veil
Jug Suraiya,
16 February 2010, 08:46 PM IST
It's time for India to show its secular face - if it exists. The
Supreme Court has ruled that if Muslim women wish to vote they must
lift their burqas in order to be photographed for their voter ID
cards, mandatory for those who exercise their franchise. The ruling
has come following a petition arguing that requiring 'purdah-nashin'
women to reveal their faces to strange men was tantamount to
'sacrilege' as it went against the tenets of Islam.
In its ruling the SC said, "If you don't want to be seen by members of
the public then don't vote." The apex court further observed that as
the right to stand for election is an extension of the right to vote,
the burqa, in effect, externs women from the ambit of Indian
democracy.
Many Islamic clerics and scholars have supported the SC ruling on the
grounds of basic common sense -- How can you identify a voter whose
face is covered? -- and argued that the burqa -- like the Hindu
ghoonghat which derives from it -- is a cultural and not a religious
tradition and as such can be waived when and where deemed necessary,
as at immigration counter at airports, for instance. However, at least
some hardliners have questioned the court's decision: "In the name of
liberating women, we cannot accept something which is against Islamic
values."
The issue could become a litmus test for Indian secularism. Is it for
real or is it just a charade? And the issue goes beyond the fate of
the burqa and extends to the participatory nature of the debate. Will
it -- and indeed ought it -- to be largely confined only to the Muslim
community, for or against? Or should it involve wider participation,
and be open to all citizens, irrespective of creed or gender? By its
ruling the SC has made it a question of common concern, with a bearing
on not just one community but on all those who share and believe in
the country's democratic polity.
However, the secular -- or psuedo-secular, as its critics would say --
view on such matters -- be it the Shah Bano case or a common civil
code -- has long been that these issues should be left to the minority
community concerned, to evolve its own solutions. Ostensibly a
protection against a bullying majoritarianism, such special pleading
is really a cop-out, an abandonment of secular responsibility that
ensures that the minority community is further ghettoised and
segregated from mainstream social and economic progress.
This soft underbelly of secularism -- tellingly revealed by the
mishandling of the Shah Bano case by Rajiv Gandhi's government --
exposes the false credentials of our supposedly politically correct
liberalism. The hands-off, leave-it-to-them-to-sort-out-for-themselves
argument then used -- about the payment of support to divorced Muslim
women -- was that 'outside' intervention would be a transgression of
minority rights. This specious argument totally ignored the rights of
a more vulnerable minority within the Muslim minority: the minority of
Muslim women. Ought liberal secularism not have espoused their cause,
even at the risk of alienating the overall Muslim 'vote bank', as it
is cynically referred to?
In France, which has the largest Muslim population in Europe, the
hijab has been banned in government schools and offices, as it is
discriminatory against women, whom it depersonalises and robs of the
right to individuality. Such 'hard' secularism might not be possible,
or desirable, in the context of what has been called India's
ecumenical secularism, which celebrates the plurality of all faiths
and cultures. But the SC ruling is unarguably a step in the right
direction of social and gender equity.
It's time for Indian secularism -- if it exists -- to lift the veil
from its own face.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/beyond-the-veil
The peace makers
Tarun Vijay,
17 February 2010, 04:34 PM IST
I wish I could have the interview of a soldier's mother published in a
major newspaper. Who would offer the space in times like these when
the bleeding Pune and Jharkhand get no more a space than a movie made
for profits and entertainment?
Soldier's mother, because her son fights for us, for India. By any
standards, by the example of any country in the world known for
civility and great traditions of democracy, a soldier must get
precedence over entertainers whose life remains enveloped in glamour,
sex and riches.
Hence, when the talks with Pakistan are scheduled for February 25,
under the shadow of mocking comments, quite demeaning for those who
have a spine, by the foreign minister of the invited country --
"ghutne tek kar hamein baat karne bulaya", or "bending on their knees,
they invited us for talks" -- we must ask a question, who are those
who invited Pune blasters for dinner and who are those who are asked
to defend the country at the cost of their lives?
Here are some gems of brave words uttered by those who are now setting
the dialogue table, even after having made to eat humble pie by the
country which they very recently called "sponsor of all terror".
A news agency reported this from Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt) on July 16,
2009. '"We were quite clear that if acts of terrorism continue to be
perpetrated, there is no question of any dialogue, let alone composite
dialogue," Manmohan Singh told reporters here after three hours of
talks with Gilani on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
summit.'The darling of all tweeters, minister of state for external
affairs Shashi Tharoor said on December 22, 2009: "No talks till Pak
acts against 26/11 attackers."
"Our position has been very clear and consistent. We have asked
Pakistan to take two steps. One, to bring the perpetrators of Mumbai
attacks to justice and two, to ensure that terror structures in
Pakistan used against our country should be dismantled," Tharoor told
reporters. "But we have not seen progress in either of these two
steps. We would like them to take steps on these two fronts."
Another news agency reported on June 6, 2009, India's position thus:
"No move for early talks resumption: India." It said home minister P
Chidambaram linked an arrested terror suspect to Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief
Hafiz Saeed and foreign minister S M Krishna drowned hopes of an early
resumption of talks with Pakistan, saying Islamabad must first show
tangible measures to stop attacks from its soil on Indian targets.
Chidambaram was earlier quoted by agencies (Feb 23, 2009): "Pakistan
is the epicentre of terrorism. Our policy has forced Pakistan to admit
that its soil is being used for terrorist attacks on India. They have
taken some action. They have promised to take more action. We will
watch and see if they take more action to take this case to its
logical conclusion." The minister was in Jalandhar to lay the
foundation stone of a memorial for the martyr Bhagat Singh.
Krishna was more forthcoming. He told a TV channel on August 24, 2009:
"Meaningful dialogue with Pakistan is impossible unless Pakistan stops
the cross-border terrorism. All the sources of terrorism, radicalism
and nuclear proliferation lead only to Pakistan and it is not even
prosecuting terrorists against whom all the evidence has been given."
What has changed now that we are inviting the Pakistanis, for
dialogue, dinners and evenings of ghazals capped with prime-time TV
interviews?
Have they prosecuted the perpetrators of 26/11? Have they sincerely
begun operations against the jihadis targeting Indians? Have they
stopped allowing their soil to be used by the jihadis against India?
Have they stopped supporting cross-border terrorism and radicalism?
Even Gandhi had said: "I believe that where there is only a choice
between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence." (Gray and
Parekh, p.109)
What has happened since the brave words were uttered by the rulers of
this country that has made them invite perpetrators of all criminal-
war-like actions against us? Against our citizens? Against our
soldiers? Why are we so contemptuous of our soldiers?
Soldiers are not actors. Hence, an entire state government machinery
can be put on guard to protect a commercial venture of an individual.
At no cost to him. But soldiers must not get prime-time interviews,
neither any films be made on how they defend the country amid a
hostile environment, or feel ashamed when those who attack them and
murder their brothers in arms are invited to dinner by the rulers who
are otherwise supposed to safeguard the honour and lives of men in
olive green.
Who are the soldiers and who are the filmmakers and actors? The actors
are peace-loving people from Mars and the soldiers are mercenaries
from Bharat? The actors love social harmony, and the soldiers are hard-
boiled violent hate group who hail from Dehradun and Aizawl?
So, even if a graduate from the Indian Military Academy is killed by
the neighbour, the cricket and dialogue and movie making with the
neighbour must just go on in the name of a third-party God of the
seculars? We love peace, at any cost, even if our fellow citizens are
maimed and killed?
The soldiers join the forces for the sake of money. The perks and
perhaps "izzat" too. We join Bollywood and cricket for the sake of
world peace, and no commercial interests. Hence, soldiers must be off-
listed and we be decorated with medals.
The one who may ask why no Bharat Ratna has been ever given to a
soldier and even an entertainer with suspicious stories and a faith
convertor were declared gems of the nation, must be declared a
communal, a frustrated soul and a warmonger. Soldiers live and die for
money. Politicians live and die for the welfare of the people. Hence,
Bharat Ratna must always go to the politician.
Look at Pune and see the coverage 20 policemen killed by Naxalites in
Jharkhand got. Foreigners still get more focus and sympathy than
Indians.
Nobody likes a war, least of those who dare to send their children to
the forces. (Please send me a list of those politicians whose children
are serving in the forces). To die unsung? See these lines of a
report: "Two foreigners - an Italian woman and an Iranian man - were
among the nine people killed. Twelve of the 57 people injured were
foreign nationals." Where is the Indian in it? Just waste?
The salt in the eyes of the mothers of Indian or Pakistani soldiers
tastes the same. Yet, the armed forces have been a necessity to defend
the peace and honour and the lives of the nationals. But at what cost?
Give honour and buy peace? A low profile, unmentionable suicide would
be better than that.
Comments:
An Indian says:
February 17,2010 at 05:34 PM IST
A heart rending article and very well reflects the feelings of the
average patriotic citizen of this country. But our national leadership
will never pay attention to these things. U have said rightly for them
country's honour has no significance.
Agree (59)
Disagree (14)
Recommend (9)
(Reply to An Indian)- shashidhar says:
February 19,2010 at 02:35 AM IST
its the reality now India that every incident is driven by commercial
value and the whole media/ politician etc are only worried about
bollywood IPL etc where there is commercial interest. There is
absolute no values moral responsibility.
Agree (12)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to An Indian)- manish says:
February 20,2010 at 09:24 PM IST
agree with the complete article.......congress doesn't have spine to
save my country from terrorism. gandhi ji non violence method won't
work with pakistan. pakistan also liberted along with us so in a way
when we say we gandhi country pakistan should also be but they have
always taken violent route even during partition and now also. it's
high time they need to be taught lesson that our government may be
impotent but we can kick ur a** we are just waiting to reach that
threshold.
jai hind
Agree (6)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Kiran says:
February 17,2010 at 05:40 PM IST
Hail Tarun!
Agree (39)
Disagree (11)
Recommend (6)
(Reply to Kiran)- Santunu says:
February 20,2010 at 02:51 PM IST
It is very clear that this prime minister of ours is a weak kneed man.
He is afraid of even mentioning Pakistan's name in the involved list.
On top of that the entire government of India is a corrupt bunch of
people. They can even sell the country for their own benefit. We are
just wasting our time and effort in waging daily protest against
Pakistan and terrorism. Whereas these parasites of the country (the
likes of Manmohan, Chidambaram) are havng a good time at the best of
places. They are now even inviting the enemies of the nation to treat
them and to show aht could they target in the future. Hope that the
kith and kin of these politicians gets attacked in the next terrorist
attack.
Agree (6)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (5)
Pankaj says:
February 17,2010 at 05:42 PM IST
Beautiful article!!
'ghutne tek kar hamein baat karne bulaya'...That is how our so called
leaders have stooped and that is how they will always be...
And what do we do next? Wait for the next bomb blast, and then for the
next and for the next...each one followed by 'no intelligence failure'
arrogance...
Agree (36)
Disagree (12)
Recommend (7)
Sunil Taneja says:
February 17,2010 at 05:54 PM IST
Dear Mr. Tarun,
Thanks for this very nice article.
This malaise runs very deep in our country and collectively all of us
too are to be blamed for arriving upto this stage.
However, the fact remains that it is the sons of the mothers and
daugthers too, whose blood is wasted. Their deaths will not account to
anything, while the opposing politicians of India and Pakistan shake
hands for their photo-shoots and the artistes / cricketers failingly
try their bits (if at all). The Media should also take responsibility
and try to avoid senstaionalising matters. They should also accord
proper justice and due recognition to news of national importance
instead of highlighting which actor is sneezing and which heroine is
moving around with whom.
However, it is everybody's fault. We just don't have the spines to
have a attitude and are no different or better than our politicians.
I just wish that there was some kind of a platform in our country
where we could revisit our history and form a group of strong willed
decision makers for our countries. In our elections too, we chose
between a blind and a half-blind, but then, actually how many out of
us actually vote...?
In course of our times, we might finish our journeys in our own small
ways, but look at what we will leave for the generations to come.
Will the greiving mothers ever forgive us?
Will our children ever forgive us?
Thanks
Agree (38)
Disagree (11)
Recommend (9)
(Reply to Sunil Taneja)- Deepak Sinha says:
February 18,2010 at 02:43 PM IST
your vision about the issue is 1000 fold mature than that of Mr. Tarun
Vijays
Agree (8)
Disagree (16)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to Sunil Taneja)- vivek singh says:
February 19,2010 at 12:12 PM IST
i just loved ur views taneja, lovely...
Agree (7)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (6)
Aam admi says:
February 17,2010 at 06:11 PM IST
Spot On.
What to say more that the fact 2 of our (female)colleagues named
Binita Gadani and P Sindhuri lost their lives in the terror attack in
Pune.They had gone to celebrate their first job after passing out from
an engineering college and hard competition.
Alas,the immoral and dishonest headline setting tribe of 24X7 hate
machines -who were arrogant enough to devote hours of their TV
channels inflaming issues like screening of a movie with the sole
objective to create disharmony-could not even spare a few minutes on
these and other victims.
The leadership(oh I forgot he is an accidental PM-so cant be bothered
about the responsibilities)-as usual roped in the clerks of the
party(also known as spokespersons)-to debate the incident and
entertain with the Tamasha on the TV.
Would we ever get out of this mess?not unless the leadership is stout/
firm/accountable and we get rid of confused/selfish/TRPdriven media
and strengthen nationalistic forces.
Agree (34)
Disagree (12)
Recommend (20)
Vivek Bhat says:
February 17,2010 at 06:15 PM IST
I really really loved this blog... there has been a visible disconnect
between the elite who sit in air-conditioned TV studios voicing poems
of peace when at least one soldier dies in different parts of India
protecting that "peace". I really can not find any reason of
men in uniform sacrificing their lives for us worthless Indians...
Agree (30)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (10)
Amit Purohit says:
February 17,2010 at 06:23 PM IST
In less than 10 years Congress party has started showing its
colours.One party bearer and former CM visits the homes of terroists
and goes scot free from all and media.He insists taht he did so after
informing his master and master's son.Who are they? This visual media
has gone low than a prostitute and only follows dictum of
vilification, there needs a revolt and fight against these Conggies to
teach them a lesson to be remembered by their grandmothers.
Agree (30)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (14)
Siddharth Sharma says:
February 17,2010 at 06:30 PM IST
Great article Tarun ji, You made a valid point by pointing out that no
soldier has ever been awarded The Bharat Ratna.
SRK is considered demi God in our country.His movie MNIK was promoted
enthusiastically by the media. Though what Thackreys were doing was
wrong, even then the Media made Villains out of them.
Sad to see, that movie stars are considered role models and icons in
our country.People who sacrifice there life for the nation are
forgotten so easily.May be this is the reason that people know more
about SRK then Vikram Batra,or Manoj Pandey, or any other decorated
soldier for that matter.
Sad, Pathetic!
Agree (36)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (13)
(Reply to Siddharth Sharma)- DANISH( HINDU) says:
February 18,2010 at 04:45 PM IST
you have problem with SRK as a actor or as a muslim? if AB is awarded
with bharat ratan then he is ajem of a nation and if any muslim is
awarded , then people ask why a terorist is awarded with bharat
ratan . I want to ask where was tarun Vijay when north indian are
assaulted by MNS and shiv sena , oh i forgot he may be attending RSS
shakha or what ever. if a Muslim says that he is a muslim first than
Indian than he is not a true indian and if any Maharastrian say that
he is a Maharastian first than an Indian ,no one has any prob.
In every tarun vijay articles, in the End muslims are going to be a
villian .
why he can not write an article which which bring peopole closer
rather than always blaming one sect. of a society for every thing.
Agree (12)
Disagree (44)
Recommend (8)
(Reply to DANISH( HINDU))- Thiagan says:
February 19,2010 at 01:59 PM IST
"why he can not write an article which which bring peopole closer
rather than always blaming one sect. of a society for every
thing"
Rubbish. Do the muslims want to come closer to the host majority?
Never.They want us to convert ande come under shariaa. Without a BJP/
RSS, the small EU countries have been ruined by uncontrolled muslim
immigration allowed by the secular fanatics. Read the site: the
religion of peace
Agree (11)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to DANISH( HINDU))- vivek singh says:
February 19,2010 at 12:26 PM IST
stop being so sentimental, danish(hindu) what do u want to prove by ur
name??? SRK and not AB (have no sympathy for him either) goes around
saying this and that when he should actually be concentrating on his
business and the fault is our media's who go behind cleaning every
goddamn actor and cricketer's ass and licking it clean to prove he has
a point, the whole of media is married to SRK and his tweets it seems,
no body talks of the real issues..
and i didnt see muslims being painted bad here, how did u see it
then...
Agree (11)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to DANISH( HINDU))- S Subramaniam says:
February 19,2010 at 12:47 PM IST
Danish,
How long will you keep evading from the truth.What is the use of
trying to bring two sects together when one sect does not want to be
part of the country at all. That sect has the religion before the
country. We have tried for 60 years and what have we got.MNS and SS
maybe goondas but they dont take lives. There is a clear difference
where terrorist kill harmless people. Why does it hit you hard when
Tarun says the truth, yes he says the biggest problem we have is the
Muslims. Incidentally he has also told about Naxalites and this seems
to have missed your attention. Enough my Dear countrymen of being
psuedo secularist. This has harmed us for all these years. When your
relative dies Mr Danish in a bomb blast planted by an Indian muslim
then you will know the pain. I hope it happens one day....
Agree (15)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to S Subramaniam)- danish says:
February 20,2010 at 01:33 PM IST
If this patriotic Muslim citizen were to point out that in the
aftermath of the Mecca Masjid blasts in Hyderabad, scores of young
Muslim boys were yanked out of their homes, then either to be released
after weeks of torture when there was no evidence to hold them or to
disappear without trace, some columnist or pundit would comment on the
defensiveness of the Muslim middle-class, or muse that educated
Muslims were in denial. A single' encounter' in Batla House, New
Delhi, located in a Muslim majority area is enough to put 'Muslim
society' on notice and a sophisticated modern central university, with
an unmatched nationalist lineage under a cloud. The alleged complicity
of a serving army officer in a terrorist plot didn't lead people to
conclude that the army or 'Hindu society' was violent or disaffected;
it would be useful if the same benefit of the doubt were extended to
those of this republic's citizens who happen to be Muslim.
Agree (7)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to S Subramaniam)- Danish( only muslim for you) says:
February 20,2010 at 10:07 AM IST
sorry bro . I lost my uncle and cousin in 92 roits in merrut and you
re asking me about pain????
I dont care wat you think about muslims but if you want to know what
is pain just ask a muslim whos sister was raped by armymen in
kashmir.... ,ask man whose pregnant wife was burt alive in post
godhara ..... A father carrying his son body in Plaeistein......Mass
grave in boasnia .......and you asking muslim what the pain is all
about...
Agree (6)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (5)
Ashok Gupta says:
February 17,2010 at 06:31 PM IST
Corrupts are normally cowards. Soldiers are brave people and
politicians are corrupt and cowards.
More over,this Government is more interested in Minority Vote Politics
rather than taking any appropriate action. They will like to reward
few families ( Present Vote Bank Sh.MSY) of Azamgarh(U.P), who were
killed in Batla House encounter rather than our brave soldiers.
Dawood of 'D-Company"in Karachi once said," We can blast in
any part of India, any time. The Choice will be ours/ the timing will
be ours." He is proving to be right.
In case of Pune blast, Our Government( Home Minister) says," Our
intelligence has not failed. Our Strategy has not failed.Our forces
have not failed. People of this country want to know " Then who
has failed?" Then ,why dialogue, what for.To be attacked again?
This is with respect to the Home Minister.
The moment we talked that we will start the peace process. The attack
has taken place.Is it under the Foreign Pressure that we agreed for a
dialogue.
I still recollect the comments of then British Prime Minister Tony
Blair, when our Parliament was attacked. There was a shock wave all
over the world. Our then Top Most Ministers raised the issue with the
world community that Pakistan be declared a terror state etc etc. Tony
Blair simply said," You being the grieved party should act first
then only the super powers will think of coming for help to you."
Then P.M at least sent the armed forces to Pakistan Borders. Though
under foreign pressure, we did not declare war with Pakistan.
Now the state of affairs are worse. No concrete action by our
Government.
This Government wants to make a peace on the coffins of innocent
killings.
Rest Later.
Agree (42)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (22)
Deepak Sinha says:
February 17,2010 at 06:33 PM IST
Mr Tarun Vijay, you will do really well in Pakistan. You have mastered
the art of saying wrong things with confidence. For you each
politician is a bad guy and each soldier is good (Perhaps you are not
aware of the scams and corruptions related to Army).
People from all walks of life, be it politics, military, civilian,
Film stars, Businessmen etc.. have shades of gray, no one is black or
no one is white. So stop spiting venom against any section as a whole.
Our politicians are reflection of ourselves, If we dont like them then
we need to change ourselves.
Agree (23)
Disagree (65)
Recommend (12)
(Reply to Deepak Sinha)- md says:
February 18,2010 at 04:47 PM IST
well said bro.
Agree (11)
Disagree (25)
Recommend (7)
(Reply to Deepak Sinha)- MONI LAKHOTIA says:
February 19,2010 at 10:35 AM IST
Mr Deepak Sinha
Either you are actually a Pakistani writing under a pseudonym or well
a Hindu baiter . I admire your nonchalance in running down the
soldiers just because there has been a report of corruption. Which
institution in our country is bereft of this malaise and incidentally
which politician is truly valorous and patriotic like our soldiers. Oh
come on man - if you cant do anything good for the country at least
dont run down people like Tarun Vijay - whose writings make our heart
swell with pride and shine a beacon of hope for this blighted country
Agree (15)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to Deepak Sinha)- vivek singh says:
February 19,2010 at 12:30 PM IST
nonsense!!! yeah they have scams but do they push u when it comes to
fight face-on and they fight with guts, have some sense, for god sake
dont compare the military with the government, tarun might not have
written a completely rounded article but he certainly has a point and
a valid one at that...
Agree (12)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to vivek singh)- The great Hindu of Bengal says:
February 20,2010 at 03:18 AM IST
Vivek....now you sounded like a Paki....go to pakistan rather than
making stories or trying to say that you you are the ooonnnlllyyyy
indian in the world....shut up.
Agree (7)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to Deepak Sinha)- ndtvsucks says:
February 20,2010 at 08:47 PM IST
@Deepak Sinha, My brother, every politician may not be bad, every
soldier may bot be good. But every victim who is butchered by the
Porkistan sponsored terrorists are waste lives. Eleven youngsters died
in Pune blast or more than 170 dead in Mumbai attack will always curse
themselves even after death that they lived in a country called India
when it was ruled by most insensitive and cruel political
dispensation. (means shameless congress president Sonia and her
cotorie comprising Antony, Chidambaram, Ahemad Patel and Pawar)
Agree (7)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Amit says:
February 17,2010 at 06:33 PM IST
Awesome article as always Mr. Tarun Vijay!
Agree (24)
Disagree (11)
Recommend (7)
Maneesh says:
February 17,2010 at 06:43 PM IST
I feel shame to be ruled by such ruler. Bharat is being killed by
India itself.
Agree (34)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (7)
Shekhar says:
February 17,2010 at 06:44 PM IST
A very thought provoking article. You have rightly touched two issues:
a) Indian government's inclination to hold talks with Pakistan 2) Lack
of apathy towards our own soldiers & citizen. A 7th grade student
asked me the other day why we are so desparate to talk to Pakistan
& why is MNIK getting so much media coverage? "Is MNIK the
remedy for all violence in the world?", he asked. Are we still,
even after 63 years of independence, living under the influences of
British ruled society? Do we still require to do idol worship(read
SRK) to call ourselves peace lovers? Are we still subconciously (or
even conciously sometimes) considering ourselves inferior to the
fairer skinned species? Why do we give more importance to a FOREIGNER
than our own COUNTRYMEN. Unka khoon khoon, apna khoon paani?
Agree (24)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
Vivek Acharya says:
February 17,2010 at 06:49 PM IST
Tarun Ji, Great as ususal. Especially loved the last 3 paragraphs. But
i want to know, are the people who are supposed to listen to all this,
listening???? The consistency in their shamelessness is even better
than your ability to write great peices.
vivek
Agree (25)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (9)
Bharadwaj M N says:
February 17,2010 at 07:04 PM IST
Tarunji, the media will never learn and appreciate this. As long as
they are not desis and alienated from the Bharat (not India) and
focussed on commercial aspects/entertainers, our soldiers and farmers
will not get their due. Very sad.
Agree (20)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
Vinay says:
February 17,2010 at 07:12 PM IST
A very well written article, Mr Tarun. I have tears in my eyes,
especially towards the end I burst into tears.
Agree (20)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Sharda Bhargav - The Confiscated Soul says:
February 17,2010 at 07:14 PM IST
A sour but frank and bold analysis of politicians' priorities.
Hope it is rightly understood by the concerned authorities to make
amends.
And at the earliest, to prevent likely terror attacks in the future.
Agree (19)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
V. Ramachandra Reddy says:
February 17,2010 at 07:23 PM IST
The only column I feel like reading these days is Mr. Tarun Vijay's.
Thank god TOI is publishing his views. These blog posts reflect the
changing times and attitudes. The day is not far away when the pseudo
intellectual columnists would be buried and the opinions of the
intellectuals like Tarun Vijay gain more weightage.
The problems with Indians is our mindset. Every body values only his
own life and does not bother about what happens outside his village or
city. Illiteracy, functional illiteracy and narrow minded attitude are
breeding the evil forces. When we start valuing the lives of all
Indians we will be able to change the situation. Till then we can't do
more than cleaning the blood stains and listen to the same old
statements of politicians.
Manmohan Singh may be the best man to lead the nation, but he enslave
himself to the Italian lady and Americans. He does not have
independent policies.
Agree (22)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (11)
(Reply to V. Ramachandra Reddy)- Raj says:
February 18,2010 at 03:26 PM IST
Absolutely.I wish sometime soon articles by Tarun are published
regularly in print too.
Agree (11)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (6)
(Reply to Raj)- Pravin says:
February 19,2010 at 11:27 PM IST
Print media will never publish Tarunji's articles because it is being
controlled by the Congress leader very effectively.
Agree (6)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (5)
sam says:
February 17,2010 at 07:25 PM IST
Absolutely correct analysis Sir.
The Film and entertainment industry of this country is heir of
erstwhile Tamashawallahs and Jatrawallahs. That now this profession
has got money and new found respectibility and fan following of empty
minded people, those working in this industry got their mind heated.
Media's marriage with entertainment has provided new professionals to
attend to these Tamashawallahs. and real pity is that people are
looking for them as ray of hope!
Agree (16)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (8)
ishwar says:
February 17,2010 at 07:45 PM IST
Absolutely spot on Mr. Vijay. The news channel and the country's top
media houses have sold their souls. Why is this not reported with as
much vigour by the same journos when the foreign minister of the
invited country says -- "ghutne tek kar hamein baat karne
bulaya". As per them, the biggest patriot in this nation is SRK
and making sure that his movie gets maximum controversy, security and
publicity is their primary job. Sacrifices of soldiers - they don't
make commercial sense. Do they?
Agree (19)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (7)
Gautam Gulati says:
February 17,2010 at 08:14 PM IST
As usual-Brilliant. Brought tears to my eyes.
But is anybody listening ?
Agree (21)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (8)
ravi says:
February 17,2010 at 08:50 PM IST
Mr. Vijay, I share your anguish at the sorry state of affairs. I hope
you will suitably take up the issue of how our Govt can allow the
continuous stay of Pak artistes such as Adnan Sami in India. Are there
no rules governing employment/working conditions of Pakistanis? Would
Pak Govt allow an Indian artiste to continue living in Pakistan and
mint money the way Adnan Sami is doing here? Moreover, he refused to
show solidarity with Indians when Mumbaikars wore black badges to
protest 26/11 terror attacks. At least for the sake of expressing his
thanks for the hospitality he has received in Mumbai, he could have
worn a black badge to show that he loves Mumbai and India. But he
shamelessly refused. I hope you would suitably highlight this point in
your blog. Thanks and high regads,
Agree (23)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (10)
(Reply to ravi)- vivek says:
February 19,2010 at 01:15 PM IST
there is no money in pakistan for god sake so lets not talk that, who
needs to go to pakistan, this is crazy comparison, adnan isnt that
great, rahat fateh ali khan, atif aslam, ghulam ali and many others
are terrific though...
lets not bring them here too...
Agree (8)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (5)
Jitendra Desai says:
February 17,2010 at 09:21 PM IST
UPA II is trying to appease Indian Muslims by appearing to be
reasonable with Pakistanis.This is very silly of UPA II or
Congress.Indian Muslims have come a long way since their days of
bursting crackers, when Pakistani cricket team won against India.Most
of the young Muslims believe that their fate and destinies are tied to
India.Congress is fashioning its response based on the feedback they
get from their own Muslim leaders, who are as myopic as Congress
leaders.
Dr Manmohan Singh too is obsessed with the idea of going down in
history as a leader who brought peace to the sub continent.He can't
BUY such peace.He may not even get votes in next elections, if he
continues to humiliate the nation like this.
Agree (23)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Indian says:
February 17,2010 at 09:37 PM IST
Thanks Tarun for spelling out the best articles that we get to read in
TOI. The biggest problem i see with India today is anything
nationalist is termed as pro hindu and non secular. Safeguarding the
nation is left to politicians changing statements as it suits them. I
read another article which shows how US diplomacy works- The US has
started ignoring the elected government of Pakistan and talks directly
to the rulers in Rawalpindi. I feel India should do the same, History
has proved that the politicians are puppets in pakistan how much ever
Messers Qureshi, Gilani and Zardari jump, they have no value.
Just can hope to have a nationalist govenment in India which secures
our borders once and for all and implements strict laws in internal
insurgency.
Agree (20)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
sufal says:
February 17,2010 at 10:03 PM IST
brilliantly written
Agree (17)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (7)
Bipul says:
February 17,2010 at 10:43 PM IST
Tarunji, you are right. absolutely everyone was engaged in defending
an actor in an episode which everyone knew to be a drama in which both
parties benefited. but nobody thinks even once about our people who
get killed in terrorist activist or soldiers who die serving the
nation. The media inculding toi seems more content talking about
flimsy issues like what Rahul gandhi ate or how mumbai
"defeated" dadagiri of shiv sena. Is there anyone who can
understand that India's conscience is getting farther and farther away
from things that really matter. God save my land and people
Agree (17)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
ramesh says:
February 17,2010 at 11:04 PM IST
Well said Tarunji, you have put our feelings into words.A nation of
one billion plus have been humbled by this party. Shame on us for
electing them.
Agree (20)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Diva says:
February 17,2010 at 11:05 PM IST
Great Article,tarun...Need of the hour...
Agree (17)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Amit says:
February 17,2010 at 11:42 PM IST
Absolutly spot on article. 10 people dies and over 50 injured and our
prime minister did not utter a single word. Congress is happy as long
as they cling on to ruling the government at any cost. We dont have a
prime minister do we ? Whats the whole point of providing top notch
security to a movie cinema when a common man does not feel safe ? So
many newspapers and tv news dedicated hours and hours to show how
great shahrukh khan and his movie was , No one dared to hold the govt
accountable for the security and blasts in our cities. No wonder we
are so religous , our only hope is God.
Agree (15)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (7)
sam says:
February 17,2010 at 11:59 PM IST
very true Tarunji. We Indians have learnt to glorify everything
foreign and forget our own roots.
Agree (16)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (7)
Raj says:
February 18,2010 at 12:56 AM IST
Can you please show these spineless idiots that there
is a word in the dictionary called PRIDE. Either they
have sold their souls or taken a solemn oath to keep getting kicked
and stay silent. Unfortunately our junta and jawans have suffered, but
then why should they care. The Manmohans, Chidambarans, Tharoors might
be the educated lot but then when has education bought pride and self
respect. why is it that in the name of politics we have to keep
getting slapped and stay quiet. Is the pressure from the U.S.A. so
huge that we can't sustain the weight and have to crumble. Isn't it
pathetic to know that the biggest terrorist country in the world is
dictating terms and we are dancing to their tunes. Let's not be fooled
between 'Exploratory' and 'Composite Dialogue'. Are they going to
divulge the contents of the meeting to the public to let them know
what they discussed. It
almost seems our politicians have a love affair with Pakistan that
overrides the lives of our own people. What a SHAME.
Agree (14)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Vikram says:
February 18,2010 at 01:15 AM IST
The great democracy, India as we all call it, is buckling under the
pressure of capitalism [copied ditto from The West], communism
[impinged by the EAST] and fundamentalism [thrusted by our neighbors].
Aiding that is a messed up media network that is willing to cover the
pigeons at Taj after Mumbai disaster and the trivial details of R.
Mahajan's swayamwar. I am guessing its the audience (which is me, if
not us!) who is stupid and shameless to accept and watch it.
It's great that you have shown the 2 Indias that we live in...
"Daffodils in Face of Bullets" was a work which shows hope
and this one points out that hope alone is not enough.
Our soldiers are our first line of physical defense. Not for any other
motive but just for pure vested interest of self protection we must
take great care of these fellas. And then, if we are ashamed a little
bit, can we think of them as being humans or sons, brothers, sisters
of someone we owe but don't know!
I believe that this task should be taken up as a community service,
where by schools, colleges and universities interact with the defenses
to create awareness among the youth and at the same time let our boys
know that We Are With Them!
Agree (13)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
sailaja says:
February 18,2010 at 04:16 AM IST
very well said and so true. Thank you Tarunji. Most Indian media is
promoting talks despite Pak supported terror. People should vote for
the party which acts tough against terrorists and their supporters.
Agree (14)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (9)
Devendra says:
February 18,2010 at 04:21 AM IST
Marvelous article Tarun ji; a tight slap on the face of so called
modern and secular actors, cricketers and politicians, who are well
versed in dramatization.
Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.
Agree (14)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (7)
Pavan says:
February 18,2010 at 05:32 AM IST
I still prefer talks as recent attacks with clear evidence of they
been made from Pak, Smell of some other countries hand ...who has
interests in having a war and selling us arms
Agree (12)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (7)
Kamalesh Sharda says:
February 18,2010 at 08:39 AM IST
Time after time Pakistan calls Indian Government's bluff and scores
diplomatic victories. From India's track record with respect to verbal
threats and not even standing behind the so called statements, gives
Pakistan the message that whether Pakistan does anything towards going
after the terrorist groups or not, India eventually will come to the
table. India needs to learn from history. Power comes from showing
strength and if necessary using it and not by just talking about it.
Agree (14)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (7)
R B Singh says:
February 18,2010 at 10:48 AM IST
It will be a great service to nation if our PM , Home minister,
Foreign minister and other CMs should find some time to read this
article and act. I find many such article from Tarun Vijay and others
in TOI and other papers. I just wonder whether it is going to make any
changes in the mindset of politicians and the television news
selecction criteria.
Agree (12)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (7)
Vikram says:
February 18,2010 at 10:48 AM IST
Soldiers ar given bravery awards like Param veer chakra and veer
chakra. It is ridiculous to argue that they should be given Bharath
Ratna as it falls into a different category.
Your heart is in he right place Mr Tarun Vijay, but you should not
think with it.
Agree (13)
Disagree (12)
Recommend (7)
PJS says:
February 18,2010 at 11:45 AM IST
I was a soldier once.I still feel like one after my retierment.It is
nice to know some one like you holds our services in high esteem.But
public in general only respect uniform at the time of war or incidents
like 26/11.Respect in the society is as per your financial
status.Patrotism is a feeling which is difficult to feel and
understand.
Agree (21)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (9)
sarthak says:
February 18,2010 at 11:53 AM IST
Hi Tarunji,
A wonderful article throwing light discepancies of media and ruling
government
Agree (13)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (7)
Prasad says:
February 18,2010 at 11:56 AM IST
HI Tarun, your blog is as always excellent. Hope our politicians are
also reading your blog. I feel very frustrated & ashamed when I
read your blog. I think thats the power of your writing. Hope it will
bring the change in our attitude 1 day.
Thanks,
Prasad
Agree (11)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (6)
Karthik says:
February 18,2010 at 11:58 AM IST
An excellent article, the point made here is no one questions the need
for peace, all we are questioning is the timing of this initiative, do
we think without dismantling the terror infrastructure in Pakistan,
the current process of peacemaking would be sustainable
The point is peace is sustainable only if both sides want it and
definitely the way Pakistan is behaving and continues to behave it
seems that they are happy in this Chaos and they certainly are
Agree (12)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (7)
Amreesh Sharma says:
February 18,2010 at 01:32 PM IST
Another hard hitting gem on the face of dirty politicians and dual
character peace lovers. our politicians dont have guts to even stick
to their words. i feel the politicians and so called peace makers are
as perperators as the bomb blasters of pune or elsewhere. We need to
think very seriously abt it. This govt is shame on our motherland and
impotent khadi vardiwaalas are the black spot on the sovereignty and
pride of the country. Soldiers are the real heroes and this govt has
lost its morality and playing the dirty politics at the cost of
anything.....
Agree (15)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (8)
Kumar says:
February 18,2010 at 01:40 PM IST
A very real analysis on today's statae of affairs. We feel ashamed by
the stand India has taken today which may be under pressure from US
because of some under table deal by our supreme leaders............
It's really shamefull
Agree (14)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (8)
Arindam Dutta says:
February 18,2010 at 02:13 PM IST
Tarun you have been a journalist for a long enough time to understand
that media is a business. It has to cover things in which people are
interested. Take yourself for an example, who will read your articles
if you don't always write against a particular community ? The trouble
is that most people don't pay much attention to politics; they aren't
very interested in it. Among the few who follow it closely, most treat
it like football: having picked a side, they give it completely one-
eyed support. Just like you Tarun.
Agree (7)
Disagree (12)
Recommend (6)
Vik says:
February 18,2010 at 02:25 PM IST
Pathetic...u guys are the ones who bring news out to us and yet you
are questioning the attitude of ur disgusting media friends just to
fill up ur article...u all are same...
Agree (8)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (6)
Jitender says:
February 18,2010 at 03:37 PM IST
What else can be expected from Congress? I feel pity for those who
vote for congress. we need a leader who can lead us in the war not in
the peace & Italian lady cant not understand this feeling.
nice stuff by Tarun Jee.
Agree (10)
Disagree (10)
Recommend (5)
(Reply to Jitender)- Venky says:
February 19,2010 at 06:10 AM IST
I do not understand what the Italian lady have something to do with
this? You can say Congress as a party but drag individuals. To me she
has conducted herself in much better way than many Indian born
politicians. As per the constitution she had every right to accept the
PM post, she did not. Tell me which Indian born politician would say
no, when the whole parlimentary party elect him/her to be next PM? I
do not like congress's Muslim appeasing policies, but this is not new
now, it started since independence.
Venkys
Agree (8)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (7)
raj k says:
February 18,2010 at 03:51 PM IST
dear tarun, dont waste your health and time cribbing maybe it is
destiny, i have come to the conclusion that majority of our people
lack courage and soul. we ourselves are our worst enemies. we want to
see pakistani cricketers we want their artists that is the general
view they are the best neighbours, we want srk, to hell with
everything else that should be important.
Agree (14)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (9)
Pranay says:
February 18,2010 at 04:19 PM IST
Indians are the softest target, bcz people of world believe that being
an Indians means being an impotent. Bcz hum sirf baatein hi kar shakte
hain, aur kuchh nahi.
Agree (10)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (5)
james says:
February 18,2010 at 04:53 PM IST
Tarun Ji
I am ahumble small man ,,, who is a HINDU and has nothing to fell
ashamed abt it and thinks that hindu values and ethos r under attack
in india. What BJP and other political parties are trying to so now id
to call in people and try to create asceular image,, people whoes
culture and values can never be indian... with christian conversions
and islamic fundamentalism on rise days r not far when hindus will be
a minority.. here is my suggestion to all who think abt hindus and
hindu values
1) creation of a state within a state (called bharat) where hindus can
form a israel kind of setup. Anybody who professes to be a hindu FREE
ENTRY
2)instilling pride and hinour in hindus who think theri heros for last
1000 yeasr are only gandhi and nehru forgetting rana pratap, shivaji
and many many others.
3)seperation of hindu media where atleast the plight of kashmiri
hindus, pakistani bangladeshi hindus can be talked abt and compared
that to luxury in which muslims live in india.
4)A fund gathering mechanism to counter christian propoganda.. we r
ourselves to blame here hindu organizations like rss and bjp shuld do
everything tey can to address this
5)After singling out Dalits, christians organizations with help of
people like KAncha Illiah(who calls himself buddhist) are now trying
to ween out OBCs from hindu fold. dalits r just 10% but obcs form 50%
of hindu population.. their target is clear.
Instill hinduness in youth who r so lost in CAT and IIMs and forget
that without a strong state which constitutes people who actually love
the nation( not whoes loyality lies with saudi arabia). The end
results are german bakery.
I hope congress makes german bakery as big an issue which it made of
best bakery
Agree (14)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (11)
pravin says:
February 18,2010 at 05:14 PM IST
Good work Tarun, i found somebody in TOI who atlesat matches with
general Indian youth sentiments. Indeed, very thought provoking
article. Far better than Barkha Dutt , Rajdeep Sardasi & Co.
Please give a copy of this article to SRK, Ashok Chavan & so
called hypocratic " secularist"people of India.I Wish God
bless our idiot politicians, actors with little patriot feeling before
they pass any ridiculous "PAKI welcome" statements. God
bless India.JAI HIND
Agree (9)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (6)
(Reply to pravin)- chinmay says:
February 20,2010 at 11:47 PM IST
well said buddy... unfortunately it is fashionable to speak against
hindus in india.. really wot constituency do these barkha dutts
represent,, instead of holding talk shows she should herself speak her
stupid mind for and hour.. she hardly lets anyone she doesnt agree
with speak..
majority of indians are hindus.. so hindutva should be equated to
patriotism ,, but muslim appeasement is patriotism here..
Agree (5)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Rajesh says:
February 18,2010 at 05:55 PM IST
A very thought provoking note! Thanks Tarun Ji.
Congies have sold their souls long back..their old leaders like
Digvijay Singh going to the convicted terrorits houses and stating
with doubt about the encounter. What else you can expect from these
spineless politicians? For what Inspector Mohan Sharma laid his life?
Was it a just drama of SRK the joker.
The only solution to this problem is to go and vote for a better
national party.
Agree (9)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
JP says:
February 18,2010 at 07:32 PM IST
Hi Tarun, You have rightly mentioned the polar policies or congress
governemnt and baseless their comments. They are really making country
cowardice and this is reason pakistan behaves obstinate each time.
Either PM or home minister are just puppets of party where command of
decision is taken today also similar to anarchy by single person. Only
God can help this country to save from these people. Congress has only
Gandhi and people have given BJP an opportunity to tackle and show tit
for tat to Pakistan but unfortunately it could not reach to result due
to lack of experience. lets hope a party of difference "BJP"
under young leadership like Gadkari can do miracle and save our
country from such puppets. Thank you very much for keeping awake
spirit of Indian and i wish you have log life to go ahead this tru
mission of saving country and its values.
Agree (8)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
RAMESH AGARWAL says:
February 18,2010 at 08:14 PM IST
TARUNJI, IT IS VERY NICE ARTICLE DIPICTING TRUE PICTURE OFOUR
COUNTRY,IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT OUR LEADERS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN
GIVING PROMINENCE TO USELESS THINGS LIKE FILM ACTORS/CRICKET/DIRTY
POLITICS AND DYNASTY RULE HAS NEVER BEING CONDEMNED.OUR SOLDIERS WON 4
WARS AT THE COST OF GREATEST SACRIDICES BUT UNDONE BY THE POLITICIANS
ON NEGOTIATION TABLE. WE ARE VERY GOOD ON WAR FRONT BUT VERY POOR ON
DIPLOMACY THAT IS WHY PAKISTAN IS EXPORTING TERRORISM BUT GETTING ALL
WHATEVER SHE LIKES FROM USA/WEST BUT WE ARE ALWAYS PUSHED TO TALK TO
PAKISTAN.OUR LEADERS ARE GOOD IN MAKING SPEECES BUT NEVER CARE TO
IMPLEMENT.IN FIGHTING TERRORISM WE ALWAYS SEE MUSLIMS VOTE BANKS THAT
IS WHY CAN NOT ELIMINATE LOCAL SLEEPING CELLS HELPING IN TERRORISM.WE
ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT OUR ARMY PERSOONEL WHO LOST LIVES FOR MOTHERLAND
BUT TO KHANS.HOW LONG IT WILL CONTINUE. FOR SMALL TROUBLE WITH MUSLIMS
OUR LEADERS PAY MORE ATTENTION BUT PLAY POLITICS ON MAIOSTS/
NAXALITES.SEE MAMTA BANERJEE IS SUPPORTER OF MAIOISTS BUT STILL A
MEMBER OF CABINET.OUR LEADERS ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT POWER THAN
SECURITY OF NATIONS.WHENEVER TERRORISTS ARE CAUGHT OUR LEADERS ARE
FIRST TO REACH TO OFFER SYMPATHY AND HELP THAT IS WHY WE CAN NOT
CONTENT TERRORISM WHILE USA/UK/WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE SUCCEEDED BECAUSE
NO POLITICS ON IT.IN INDIA ALL EFFORTS OF PARTIES ARE TO PLEASE
MUSLIMS AND THAT IS WHY TERRORISM IS CONTINUED AND IT WILL NOT
STOPPED.FOR NEHRU!S MISTAKES WE ARE SUFFERED TILL NOW AND NOW SONIA/
MMS ARE DOING SAME. THIS TALK HAS INITIATED UBDER PRESSURE FROM USA
AND WE CAN NOT HAVE GUTTS TO EXPLAIN OUR POSITION AND REFUSE.ONLY GOD
WILL HELP US.WE HAVE NOT LEARN A LESSON FROM OUR PAST MISTAKES AND
MOST OF OUR MEDIA IS ALSO GUILITY FOR SUPPORTING GOVT AND CRITICISING
BJP/NATIONALISM.WITH THIS OFFER OF TALKS WE AS NATION HAS BEEN
HUMILIATED AND THIS COULD BE SEEN FROM THE STATEMENTS MADE BY
PAKISTANI LEADERS.
Agree (9)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (5)
Mahendra Patel says:
February 18,2010 at 09:51 PM IST
Tarun,
I read your articles once and while, great sense of Petriotism and
asking question, What is for INDIA ? in it. Yes every INDIAN should be
asking Probing Question 1)Are our Politicians acting for their Party's
Interest or of of Nation's interest. 2)Are we adequatelty training and
providing right equipments and salary for our POLICE, bsf AND
military??
3)Is our so called minority which is about 20% of population is
learning in school with right education,are their female gender dress
properly, are their religious congregation creating Noise polution
these are the issues to tackle on.
4) the real threat is not "Pakistan" or "JIhad"
both are Lots of Hot Air we human release once and while creating bad
atmosphere, real threats are the MAOIST- thta's where we need to focus
like LASER.
5) Pakistan is no threat to INDIA though there are growing field of
"JIHADIST" mushrooming like dandelion by that scale more of
them are less effective their voices become- These are annoyance but
not Mortal threat to INDIA.
6) There is nothing to talk with PAKISTAN-The name we gave "PEACE
TALK" should caled "Working Group" for water,
trade,Joint Border Issues and nothing more thus no need to be GIVEN
SPACE IN NEWS- These are non-issues for INDIA.
Chnadragupta said to Chanakya I understand now in and out of Whole
NATION, who is for and who is agaist nation,what are real issues and
what are not. Time has come to retake it to it's RIGHT FULL GLORY.
Agree (11)
Disagree (7)
Recommend (7)
BB says:
February 18,2010 at 10:12 PM IST
Excellent article. I would request tarun ji to raise the issue of the
politicians who gave shelter, money to batla/IM terrorists which is
going unnoticed by 'ever vigilant media'! We want police to act
against political pressure and arrest them and punish them as
criminals, we can already anticipate who were the politicians. It will
be very nice tarun ji, if you voice our concerns. Since we know
without political patronage terrorism would not have raised its head
inside our country.
Agree (9)
Disagree (8)
Recommend (6)
Nadeer says:
February 19,2010 at 07:07 AM IST
May be the talks do no good, but they don't harm either.I am an Indian
Muslim working in China, and I had met many Pakis here. What I can say
is "Indians hate Pakis(read muslims)and Pakis hate Indians(read
Hindus) ".But that doesn't mean all Pakis would fight against
India or vice versa.They too want to live normal lives,keeping the
hatred inside, just like Indians.Can India stop terrorist activity on
its own soil? Then how can we expect a weaker Pak govt to be able to
do the same?That the respective govts support terror is an allegation
from few quarters on both sides.If we were to resort violence, then
more pakis who keep hatred in their minds will unleash their hatred
and start striking back, killing more people on both sides. Just a war
which is not based on any ideological issues would never stop, and
would harm both sides.
Agree (10)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (8)
Rohit says:
February 19,2010 at 09:34 AM IST
Bharat Ratna is a civilian award. Can I also question then as to why
no non-soldier ever got a Param Vir Chakra ? (This is not meant to
demean any soldier; just presenting a rational argument without
getting too swayed by emotions)
Agree (8)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (6)
Soldier says:
February 19,2010 at 11:23 AM IST
Even though I know you are from the saffron brigade and therefore anti
muslim too but still I like your articles. And todays article is one
of the best. Wish you could become a bit secular and understand that a
soldier can even be a muslim too and we also love this country as much
as you do. FYI I am myself a soldier and a Muslim too
Agree (11)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (8)
Dr P R Chakraborty says:
February 19,2010 at 01:18 PM IST
No, please, we should go on talking to Pakistan. So what if they
regularly send terrorists into this country and kill our citizens, so
what if they train our home-grown traitors of our country for
terrorist activities here, so what if they are pathological liars, so
what if they have systematically decimated the Hindu population in
their country! If we do not talk with them , what will our gora
secular teachers say? How can we face the secular world ? And after
all, none of us or our close ones are ever killed in the attacks. We
all get security cover, even our jamairajas!! Again we have our pet
dogs, the kingpins of the Fourth Estate and the secular intellectuals
whom we regularly give the biscuit crumbs to keep them happy. Long
time back Swami Vivekananda had said that this age would be the age of
“sudras” - by which he had meant that persons of extremely
menial and slavish mental level. How true if you look at our leaders
now, right from the “very top”. We should have stopped all
exchanges with Pakistan, all here means all, and closed our borders
with that country and let them stew in their own juice. No , we are
entertaining them through “Aman Ki Asha” –
Pakistanis must be laughing in their insides. God above must also be
thinking and getting frustrated with people who are so self-
destructing. Amen!!
Agree (9)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Deepesh says:
February 19,2010 at 05:06 PM IST
UPA bows down from the pressure of Indian Muslims and US. ever i
wonder y to talk with the Pakis?? when we dont talk , there is no
Blasts, as soon as there are resumptions of talks there are Pune like
incidents.Pak's PM was mocking at us in a public rally, wat a shame
for our leaders.
Hail UPA and the people who voted for them!! Huh !!
Agree (6)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (6)
Ravinder says:
February 19,2010 at 05:58 PM IST
The comment "Ghutne tek kar bulaya..." exposes Pakistans
perfidity. It was Pakistan that was begging for composite dialogue
since Mumbai attack. True to its character, Pakistan started making
such comments after India proposed limited talks under US pressure.
Are all the politicians in Pakistan totally shameless?
Agree (5)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Kumar says:
February 19,2010 at 09:15 PM IST
Thanks Tarun Ji for writing this article. Shashi Tarror, Manmohan,
Krishna and Chidambaram definitely don't have any right to continue on
their posts. They have become spineless creatures and I don't know
what is making them to become a puppet. They have completely lost
their senses.
Agree (4)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (5)
Uday Deole says:
February 19,2010 at 09:34 PM IST
Very well written article.However there are very few takers for this
article though no. of comments in favour of you are more. Whenever the
question of Pakistani cricketrs and artists comes then suddenly all
people become lovers of arts and sports. All brave words are
forgotten. Whether similar treatment is meted out to Indian artists or
not is conveniently forgotten. Mr. Vijay you have questioned only
politicains. But what is the role of media in this?.
Agree (10)
Disagree (6)
Recommend (7)
(Reply to Uday Deole)- Beenal Tavri says:
February 20,2010 at 07:50 AM IST
The media has just one role: To make money by boosting its TRP, and
preferably run down the Hindus and feign secularism
Agree (8)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (6)
(Reply to Uday Deole)- anandvc says:
February 20,2010 at 10:35 AM IST
Ah.... pls do not talk about media .... it is supreme... doing the
best ... no ?
Agree (5)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (5)
Satbir Singh Bedi says:
February 20,2010 at 05:51 PM IST
An excellent article. However, we are all to be blamed for according
top priority to film personalities, politicians and cricketers. The
media is full of news about these people and has all its precious
space for wriiting about them. But media only cater to our needs. I
have seen youngesters eagrely reading what is gossip about film
personalities, politicians and cricketers. Media highlights who is in
love with which actresses or which cricketer because we like to read
about them. We never think about our soldiers except at the time of
war. It is only when there is full scale attack on the country like
that in 1962 or in 1965 or in 1971 or the Kargil war that we remember
our soldiers. It is in fact our lack of interest in our soldiers. We
do not want to send our sons and daughters to join Armed Forces but
like them to become Soft Ware Engineers, etc. or better to go to
Australia, Canada, UK or USA. We suffer humiliation but like to go to
Arab countries for money and remain subject to Shariah law. Our Prime
Minister himself took it upon himself to praise British Raj. He really
showered so much praise on the British rulers. But he is not alone to
be blamed. I have heard a youngester say that Bhagat Singh wasted his
life. He should have lived a decent life and not indulged in revolt
against the British raj. And again, it is we who vote politicians to
power. We are charmed by our politicians and give our vote to them
quite willingly. People have voted for the Congress willingly. So, let
them suffer willingly. And point has been raised about the soldier.
But what about the Aam Aadami. He goes on living a sub standard life
while leaders, cricketers and film personalities make merry. We would
only wake up when Pakistan attacks us fully otherwise we would go on
sleeping. God forbid if Pakistan occupies our country's part and
capture all the women living in that part and sells them in Lahore for
prostitution, only then we would remember our soldiers.
Agree (9)
Disagree (5)
Recommend (6)
iftekhar says:
February 20,2010 at 07:13 PM IST
Even to discuss terrorism india has to talk to pakistan, in this age
of globization Tarun you cant advocate no talk theory. frst i dont
understan why indian had bad rrealations with all neibhors, pak,
nepal, banglades, srilanka, china. is something wrong with india or
these countries.
nobody in our neibouring countirs have person like bal thackry who
issues dictats, for films for poets for painters.
old thackry will never raise the issue of nazal or maoist voilence
Agree (6)
Disagree (9)
Recommend (5)
Capt. Ajay Tripathi says:
February 21,2010 at 10:34 AM IST
Well said Tarun! You can put our thoughts to word and express our
feelings.
Where our politicians are taking us remains unclear after seeing the
state of Andhra Pradesh. It's true the opposition is most weak at
present and common man see no alternative, but does that mean the
government can do anything they consider is right?
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indus-calling/entry/the-peace-makers
Sid Harth
Maneesh Chhibber
Posted: Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 2338 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 2338 hrs IST
New Delhi: Worried that the recent attack on the security force camp
at Silda in West Bengal could turn into a regular feature, the Centre
is all set to finalise a new strategy to ensure better training for
state police personnel.
At a crucial meeting to be held on Thursday, the home ministry will
greenlight the move to involve serving Army counter-terrorism experts
in training the state police personnel in five states.
Sources said the MHA has already discussed the matter with the defence
ministry as well as the Army, who have agreed with the request to
spare some officers for periods ranging from six months to one year to
train police personnel of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and
Assam.
“We have requested the Army to place the trainers on deputation with
either the MHA or the respective state government for the duration of
the training,” said a senior MHA officer.
The training would take place at the Counter-Insurgency and Anti-
Terrorism (CIAT) schools, established in these states last year.
As of now, only retired Army officers were involved in the training of
state and central police personnel.
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) -
Terrorist Group of Assam
Formation
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was formed on April 7, 1979 by
Bhimakanta Buragohain, Rajiv Rajkonwar alias Arabinda Rajkhowa, Golap
Baruah alias Anup Chetia, Samiran Gogoi alias Pradip Gogoi,
Bhadreshwar Gohain and Paresh Baruah at the Rang Ghar in Sibsagar to
establish a "sovereign socialist Assam" through an armed struggle.
Leadership
Arabinda Rajkhowa is the ‘Chairman’ of ULFA. ‘Vice Chairman’ Pradip
Gogoi was arrested on April 8, 1998, and is currently in judicial
custody at Guwahati. ‘General Secretary’ Anup Chetia is under
detention in the Bangladeshi Dhaka after being arrested on December
21, 1997. The outfit’s founding member and ideologue Bhimakanta
Buragohain, ‘Publicity Secretary’ Mithinga Daimary and ‘Assistant
Secretary’ Bolin Das were arrested during the military operations in
Bhutan in December 2003. Earlier, ‘Cultural Secretary’ Pranati Deka
was arrested at Phulbari in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
The ULFA has a clearly partitioned political and military wing. Paresh
Barua heads the military wing as the outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’.
Following the military operations in Bhutan in December 2003, most of
its top leadership reportedly operates from unspecified locations in
Bangladesh. According to reports, ULFA is in the process of relocating
its camps in Myanmar, Mon district of Nagaland, Garo hills of
Meghalaya and Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
Areas of Activity and Influence
The ULFA’s organisational structure is divided into four zones. The
zones and their areas of influence are enumerated below:
East Districts
(Purb Mandal)
West Districts
(Paschim Mandal)
Central Districts
(Madhya Mandal)
South Districts
(Dakshin Mandal)
Lakhimpur
Dhubri
Darrang
Hailakandi
Jorhat
Kokrajhar
Karbi Anglong
NC Hills
Sibsagar
Bongaigaon
Nagaon
Cachar Hills
Tinsukia
Goalpara
Morigaon
Karimganj
Dibrugarh
Barpeta
Dhemaji
Bokajan div. of
Karbi Anglong
Nalbari
Part of Sonitpur
Golaghat
South Kamrup
North Kamrup
Part of Sonitpur
A military wing of the ULFA, the Sanjukta Mukti Fouj (SMF) was formed
on March 16, 1996. SMF has three full-fledged battalions (Bn): the
7th, 28th and 709th. The remaining battalions exist only on paper – at
best they have strengths of a company or so. Their allocated spheres
of operation are as follows:
7th Bn (HQ- Sukhni) Responsible for defence of GHQ
8th Bn Nagaon, Morigaon, Karbi Anglong
9th Bn Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar
11th Bn Kamrup, Nalbari
27th Bn Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar
28th Bn Tinsukia, Dibrugarh
709th Bn Kalikhola
Links
The ULFA sought shelter in the forests on the Indo-Bhutan border from
the early 1990s and established several camps in the forest areas of
southern Bhutan. Over the years, it reportedly developed linkages with
several officers and personnel of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) and
Police – which ensured, among other things, a steady flow of rations,
logistical support as well as aid and contacts for money laundering.
The ULFA’s Bhutan set-up had a reported strength of around 2000 cadres
spread across the outfit’s ‘General Head Quarters’, it’s ‘Council Head
Quarters’, a ‘Security-cum-Training Camp’ and a well-concealed ‘Enigma
Base’. Numbering around 13 in all, the major camps of the ULFA in
Bhutan included:
1. Mithundra
2. Gobarkunda
3. Panbang
4. Diyajima
5. Pemagatsel Complex
i. Khar
ii. Shumar
iii. Nakar
6. Chaibari
7. Marthong
8. Gerowa
9. Sukhni (Merungphu): ‘General HQ’
10. Melange
11. Phukaptong: ‘Council HQ’
12. Dalim-Koipani (Orang)
13. Neoli Debarli
Most camps and other establishment of the ULFA were in Sandrup
Jongkhar, a district in southern Bhutan that borders Assam’s Nalbari
district. The RBA is reported to have destroyed all the outfit’s camps
and observation posts during the military operations launched in
December 2003.
In 1986, ULFA first established contacts with the then unified
National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and the Kachin
Independence Army (KIA) of Myanmar for training and arms. ULFA linked
up with the Kachins through the 'good offices' of the Naga rebels. It
learnt the rudiments of insurgent tactics from the Kachins (who
reportedly charged Rupees 100,000 per trainee).
Subsequently, links were established with Pakistan's Inter Services
Intelligence (ISI) and the Afghan Mujahideen. Reports indicate that at
least 200 ULFA activists received training in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. Seized documents and interrogation of some arrested
activists revealed that the Defense Forces Intelligence (DFI) of
Bangladesh had also trained ULFA cadres in the Sylhet district.
ULFA also has a number of camps in Bangladesh. The ISI and the
Directorate General of Field Intelligence (DGFI) of Bangladesh are
agencies which reportedly facilitate the ULFA’s presence and
operations. Several details of ULFA's Bangladesh connection were
exposed when the Bangladeshi authorities arrested its leader Anup
Chetia on December 21, 1997. He is currently under detention at the
high-security Dhaka Central Jail. The main charges against Chetia
include illegal entry into Bangladesh, possession of two forged
Bangladeshi passports, possession of an unauthorised satellite
telephone and illegal possession of foreign currency of countries as
diverse as the US, UK, Switzerland, Thailand, Philippines, Spain,
Nepal, Bhutan, Belgium, Singapore and others. Two other accomplices,
identified as Babul Sharma and Laxmi Prasad, were also arrested along
with Chetia.
Apart from running training camps, ULFA launched several income
generating projects in Bangladesh. It has set up a number of firms in
Dhaka, including media consultancies and soft drink manufacturing
units. Besides it is reported to own three hotels, a private clinic,
and two motor driving schools in Dhaka. Paresh Barua is reported to
personally own or has controlling interests in several businesses in
Bangladesh, including a tannery, a chain of departmental stores,
garment factories, travel agencies, shrimp trawlers and transport and
investment companies.
ULFA’s camps in Bangladesh have been functioning since 1989, at which
time there were 13 to 14 such camps. Commencing initially with using
Bangladesh as a safe haven and training location, ULFA gradually
expanded its network to include operational control of activities and
the receipt and shipment of arms in transit before they finally
entered India. The Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA)
and Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam (MULFA) are the chief
suppliers of arms for the ULFA through Bangladesh. Owing to greater
vigil along the known routes of ULFA arms flow, the group has, in
recent times, been making attempts to set up bases in Meghalaya,
especially in the West Garo Hills to coordinate the transit of arms
coming through Bangladesh.
ULFA has for long maintained close linkages with the Pakistan’s ISI
which procured several passports for Paresh Baruah and other ULFA
cadres. Several ULFA cadres have also received arms training from the
ISI at various training centres in Pakistan, close to the Afghanistan
border. The top ULFA leadership was also in close touch with certain
officers of the Pakistani High Commission in Bangladesh, who have
arranged for their passport in various names and travel to Karachi,
from where they have been taken to the terrorist training centres run
by the ISI and its affiliates. ULFA had also announced its support for
Pakistan during the Kargil war. They described the Pakistani intruders
– primarily Pakistani Army regulars and Afghan mercenaries – as
‘freedom fighters’. Some children of top ULFA leaders are reportedly
studying in the USA and Canada under ISI protection. Reports indicate
that the ULFA's mouthpiece, ULFA's a website newsletter Swadhinata
also known as ‘Freedom’, receives editorial support from ISI agents
inside Pakistan. It was in ‘Freedom’ that the ULFA first supported the
Pakistanis during the Kargil war. The ISI has provided ULFA cadres
with arms training, safe havens, funds, arms and ammunition. Training
has been given at camps in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. At least
300 ULFA cadres were also trained at Rawalpindi and other locations in
Pakistan. The training included courses in the use of rocket
launchers, explosives and assault weapons. Paresh Baruah has been
regularly visiting Karachi since 1992-93. He is also reported to have
met Osama bin Laden in 1996 during a visit to Karachi. The ULFA leader
was reportedly taken to a camp on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border,
where he not only received assurance of military help in the form of
arms and ammunition, but also assurances of co-operation and
logistical support of all international organisations owing allegiance
to bin Laden, including the International Jehad Council, the Tehrik-ul-
Jehad, Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HuJI), apart from the Al Qaeda.
The ISI has also trained ULFA terrorists in counter intelligence,
disinformation and use of sophisticated weapons and explosives.
Pakistan has facilitated the visits of Paresh Baruah and other ULFA
leaders to Singapore, Thailand and other countries, and a channel for
the transfer of funds and arms has been created. Several Madrassas
(seminaries) and mosques sponsored by the ISI in the Sylhet and Cox's
Bazaar areas are being used to hoard and transfer arms procured by the
ULFA from Thailand and Myanmar. The ISI largesse enabled ULFA to buy
arms in Cambodia, paying for these in hard currency routed through
Nepal. The ISI also 'introduced' ULFA to LTTE transporters who, for a
fee, undertook to transport arms from Southeast Asia into Myanmar. In
April 1996, Bangladesh seized more than 500 AK-47 rifles, 80
machineguns, 50 rocket launchers and 2,000 grenades from two ships off
Cox's Bazaar. Four Tamils were among those arrested
Co-operation between various terrorist organisations in India’s north-
east and foreign groups was formalised with the formation of the Indo-
Burmese Revolutionary Front (IBRF) in 1989. The IBRF was made up
initially of the NSCN-K, ULFA, United Liberation Front of Bodoland,
Kuki National Front (KNF) (all from India) and Chin National Front
(Myanmar). Paresh Baruah is reported to have paid a substantial sum of
money to the Kachins for the first large consignment of weapons from
Thailand. Manerplaw in lower Myanmar on the border with Thailand is
the stronghold of the rebel Karen National Union which, in 1993, is
reported to have delivered, from the Cambodian arms market, AK-56
rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled guns and anti-tank rifles to
the ULFA. The organisation’s cadres have identified an arms dealer as
an ethnic Kachin and wife of an assassinated Manipuri rebel Themba
Song. The Communist Party of Burma is known to have gifted some
weapons, mainly Chinese-made M10 rifles, to ULFA and Naga terrorist
organisations.
Arrested ULFA cadres have claimed that Baruah used to smuggle heroin,
procured in Myanmar, into Assam as part of "a personal operation".
According to surrendered ULFA cadres, the ULFA terrorists had also
crossed over into China via Bhutan and established contact with the
Chinese Army. The group, on the basis of these contacts, had a
rendezvous with a Chinese ship on the high seas in March 1995 during
which a weapons’ consignment was transferred to them. A further
consignment ultimately landed up in Bhutan in 1999, though it was
actually acquired in 1997. ULFA also runs profitable narcotics
business in Myanmar and Thailand. A close nexus between ULFA and the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had also been reported. The
LTTE is reported to have trained various ULFA cadres in explosives
handling.
Incidents involving ULFA
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/terrorist_outfits/Ulfa.htm
Sid Harth
Incidents involving United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)
2010
February 21: The Assam Government transferred ULFA's political
ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain alias Mama to the Guwahati Central Jail
from Tezpur in an attempt to allow all the top jailed leaders of the
outfit to meet inside the prison to chart out a road map for peace
talks.
February 19: An unidentified ULFA cadre was shot dead by the Army at
Lakhopur village in the Helecha-Lakhopur area in Nalbari District.
The designated TADA court granted bail to ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradip
Gogoi in three cases registered against him. His counsel said that the
bail was granted on conditions that till the disposal of the cases he
would not travel abroad, deposit his passport, if any, in the court
and not leave Assam, area under the jurisdiction of the court, without
prior permission from the court or the officer-in-charge of the Police
Station of the area where he is a permanent resident.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati said: "We haven't got any
indication from the ULFA for peace talks as yet, and without any
indication from the outfit we can't move ahead. The outfit is adamant
on its stand that talks can't be held in handcuffs and from jail. We
know this difficulty, but can't do anything before the initiation of
peace talks," reports Sentinel. On ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh
Baruah, he said, "We also want that he should take part in the peace
process, but we can't wait for him for long. Our efforts to persuade
him for peace talks or arresting him are on."
February 17: A person, Ajay Rajkhowa, was arrested by the Police from
Nazira of Sibsagar District for demanding money from a businessman in
the name of ULFA.
February 16: A designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA)
court deferred its decision on bail applications of ULFA ‘vice-
chairman’ Pradip Gogoi and ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary by a
few days. Meanwhile, the Assam Government stated that it has no
objection if the two jailed ULFA leaders were granted bail by the
court, adds Telegraph. The Government made the submission before the
designated court during the hearing of the bail plea. A source said
that all the jailed ULFA leaders were likely to be released in phases
as part of the groundwork for starting a dialogue.
February 15: The Assam Government asked the Centre to equate ULFA with
the NSCN when it comes to setting pre-conditions for cease-fire and
subsequent talks.
February 14: A suspected militant belonging to '709 battalion' of the
ULFA, identified as Kamal Boro, was arrested by the Police from
Adamgiri Hill at Maligaon in the Guwahati city.
February 13: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati said that
ULFA's self-styled 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah is trying to
regroup the cadre to derail the peace process initiated in Assam.
"Paresh Baruah, with a handful of his supporters, is trying to regroup
the residual cadre for a showdown in the coming days apparently to
derail the peace process which seems to be in the offing with the
arrest of many top leaders," Gogoi said. The Chief Minister further
said that the activities of NSCN-IM were on the rise in the border
Districts of Assam including North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong,
Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar and Tinsukia.
Another disturbing factor, he added, was attempt by leftists' elements
to influence adivasi and other tribal youths in the State. Meanwhile,
Assam Tribune quoting sources reports that Communist Party of India-
Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishan met ULFA
'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah on an unspecified date after the
arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa. Security sources said
that Myanmar could be the venue. The meeting between the two was
confirmed when Kishan himself admitted the fact in an interview.
The 'chairman' of ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa said that his outfit was not
for peace talks but was keen to resolve long-drawn contentious
political issues through negotiations. When asked about ULFA's demand
for sovereignty, he said, "I don't want to say anything more as things
may get complicated. We don't want to complicate the situation."
February 12: A day after the KLNLF gave up its arms, the Assam Chief
Minister Tarun Gogoi asked the ULFA, NDFB and other militant groups to
lay down their arms to build a peaceful Assam founded on the ideals
propagated by Sankardev, in Titabor of Jorhat District. "The ULFA,
NDFB and other terrorist groups of Assam should follow Sankardev’s
ideology and humanism to build a peaceful Assam. They should follow
the ideals of the great Assamese prophet and lay down their arms in
the greater interest of a peace in the State," said Gogoi.
The pro-talks ULFA described the Government’s decision to the arms
surrender term for talks as a step in the right direction, which might
even prompt the outfit to consider coming forward for talks. Mrinal
Hazarika, a leader of the pro-talks group, said, "Ulfa is not like the
DHD or the KLNLF. You cannot impose conditions on them." Union home
secretary G.K. Pillai on February 11 had said that the Centre had
never asked the NDFB or ULFA to lay down arms but only to abjure
violence if they wanted talks.
February 10: Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim
said in Shillong that Anup Chetia, ‘general secretary’ of the ULFA,
under detention in Bangladesh, after serving a jail term, would be
handed over to India soon. He said "It’s happening. You will know when
you get him." He further claimed that there were no camps of Northeast
militants in Bangladesh at present, added Telegraph. "There are no
militant camps that I know of. Action has been taken very seriously
against the insurgents who had set up camps", Karim added further.
February 9: Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said, "We are trying to
apprehend Paresh Baruah who is in the Kachin region bordering China.
We are putting pressure on Myanmar for this. Paresh Baruah is trying
to establish links with China for shelter and arms." He said that
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi will decide on whether talks with the ULFA [United Liberation
Front of Asom] should be held even without Paresh Baruah's
participation. He further said that the Centre will discuss Paresh
Baruah's links with the NSCN-IM during the meeting with the Naga
outfit in April. About ULFA leader Anup Chetia, now in Bangladesh, he
said, "We are hopeful that Chetia would come back to Assam soon," he
further added.
The main opposition party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party
(BNP), denied reports that its key official and party chief's son
Tarique Rahman had met Indian fugitive militant Paresh Barua,
according to Sentinel. Opposition chief whip in Parliament Zainal
Abedin Farroque said that the reports were "a concocted story" based
on a confession made by Mohammed Hafizur Rahman, a key witness in the
Chittagong arms haul case.
February 7: A ULFA militant, identified as Biswajeet Rabha, was
arrested by the SFs from Majapara village in Goalpara District.
The arrested prime accused in the Bangladesh's biggest ever arms haul
case has claimed that former Bangladesh Premier Khaleda Zia's son
Tarique Rahman was involved in an abortive smuggling of weapons,
believed to be meant for the ULFA militants. The State-run Bangladesh
Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency quoted a senior Police official as
saying, "Hafizur Rahman (the prime accused) has told the magistrate
that he had met Tarique Rahman at Hawa Bhaban along with ULFA leader
Paresh Barua on April 1, 2004." Investigation Officer Mohammad
Moniruzzaman said the latest statement of Hafiz seemed to be a "major
development" in the investigation process since a reinvestigation into
the scam was ordered two years ago.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi called for strict vigilance along
the India-Myanmar border following reports of ULFA ‘commander-in-
chief’ Paresh Baruah seeking to regroup the remaining ULFA cadres in a
bid to derail the peace process. He said, "Hence, the need of the hour
is to increase vigilance along the Indo-Myanmar border by advancing
the BOPs manned by Assam Rifles closer to the border." He further
said, "The Myanmar-based NSCN-K has been offering all forms of
assistance and logistical support to the ULFA, ever since it was
formed, which must be curtailed at this crucial juncture though the
good office of the central government." Both Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed satisfaction
over the comparative downward trend of level of violence in the
Northeast barring, of course, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Prime
Minister Singh said that in the Northeast, the number of incidents has
gone down in 2009 as compared to the preceding year.
The Meghalaya Chief Minister, D.D. Lapang asked the Centre to go for a
tripartite political and development accord with the Achik National
Volunteer Council (ANVC) to bring the ongoing peace process to a
logical conclusion, reports Shillong Times. He also stated that
insurgent outfits like ULFA, National Socialist Council of Nagaland
(NSCN), NDFB and UPDS are not only supporting groups like Liberation
of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), but also providing them arms, ammunition
and training. He said that insurgent outfits both from the Northeast
and adjoining Bangladesh were also using the peaceful State of
Meghalaya both as temporary sanctuary and corridor. Lapang further
claimed that both ANVC and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council
(HNLC) have been largely neutralised with a sustained Police
operation. But passive militancy is still a cause for concern, he
further added.
February 6: A ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter at Garobasti
in Goalpara District. Two Chinese grenades and a pistol were recovered
from the possession of the slain militant.
February 5: A suspected ULFA militant was shot dead by SFs at
Chakrashila reserve forest near Choaikhola in Kokrajhar District.
The Centre convened a meeting in Delhi to review the ongoing counter-
insurgency operations in Assam, with focus on efforts to draw ULFA to
the negotiating table. A source said this would be the first meeting
involving high-profile officials since the arrest of several ULFA
leaders, including 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa.
Security agencies have drawn up a list of 22 ULFA and NDFB militants
whose arrest or elimination would deliver a terminal blow to the
network of operatives of both the outfits within Assam. Source said,
"All of them are currently in Assam and we have taken all possible
steps to ensure that they cannot leave the state." Both the militant
outfits are operating in tandem in several Districts of Assam.
A meeting of the top Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),
Intelligence Bureau and Assam Police officials held in New Delhi
decided to continue counter-insurgency operations against ULFA in
Assam till the outfit agreed to talks. Halting anti-ULFA operations
was ruled out during the meeting since officials feared that such a
move would offer the outfit an opportunity to regroup, as had happened
a couple of years ago.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, endorsing the stand of the
Centre on the peace process, emphasised the need for a written
communication from the jailed leaders. "We need a letter from the ULFA
leaders to start the peace process," he said. "Without some kind of
written commitment from the ULFA leaders it will be difficult on our
part to start the process. What happens tomorrow if they back out,"
Gogoi added further.
February 3: An ULFA militant, Diganta Sonowal, was arrested by Teok
Police from Kaliapani in Jorhat District. 13 bullets of AK-47 rifle
were recovered from his possession.
ULFA 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary denied the outfit's
'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah's statement that 'some broker
intellectuals' of the State have been putting mental pressure on the
jailed ULFA leaders on peace talks with the Government.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim hinted at
handing over jailed ULFA 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, but wanted
Indian Government to reciprocate by deporting some of its wanted
terrorists allegedly hiding in India. He said, "I cannot comment on
whether Anup Chetia would be handed over. But let me say, if you have
got back some of the terrorists (meaning the recent handing over of
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and three more top leaders and their
family members to India), I see no reason why you cannot get others
also."
February 2: Two suspected ULFA cadres, identified as central Assam
'area commander' Bosa Singh alias Ranojjal Kakoty and his bodyguard
Ankur Bonia alias Bishnuram Deka shot dead by troops of 65 Field
Regiment of Red Horns Division during an encounter at Dakkhin
Bhokelikanda under Kalaigaon Police Station in Udalguri District. A
six year old boy, Lakhya Jyoti Deka, was killed in crossfire of the
encounter. A trooper was also injured in the encounter. . An AK-56
rifle, 60 rounds of live ammunition, two pistols, four Chinese
grenades, a satellite phone, six cellular phones and incriminating
documents were recovered from their possession.
The hardcore militant belonging to '709th battalion' of the ULFA,
identified as Raju Deka alias Mustafa Mohammad (30) of Mangaldoi, was
arrested by SFs personnel from the Talap area in Tinsukia District.
Around three kilograms of explosives were recovered from his
possession. SFs claimed to have thwarted the outfit's designs to
create fresh terror with the arrest of the militant. Military
intelligence sources said that another militant, Hemanta Rajbongshi
was leading a 12-member group from '709th battalion' and was looking
for possible targets in Upper Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Assam Government is
ready for peace talks with the ULFA, but the outfit has to give to its
written assurance that is ready for peace talks. Gogoi said, "If the
ULFA just writes - we are ready for peace talks with the government -
the government gets the basis to start the peace process. We will
consider other demands of ULFA leaders like 'no talks with handcuffs
in hands, dignity' etc."
The ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said they could not talk with
the Government while in custody. He said, "We cannot propose to hold
talks with the government when we have handcuffs on." ULFA 'commander-
in-chief' Paresh Barua on the other hand warned 'intellectuals'
working at the behest of the Government against the outfit of dire
consequences. In an e-mailed statement, he once again came down
harshly on people he described as 'local dalals and India-loving
intellectuals' who were playing a devious game to derail the outfit's
freedom movement. He said that these people were trying to put
pressure on the jailed ULFA leaders to sit for talks by citing 'false
aspirations of the people'. He added, "However, we are sure that our
jailed leaders will not forget the sacrifices made by thousands of
youths for the sake of the freedom movement."
February 1: The ULFA started moving some of their camps in Myanmar
deep into the dense forest areas, apprehending a crackdown. This
revelation came following February 1 surrender of a ULFA militant
Akash Bora before the Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF)
at Shillong in Meghalaya. Security sources said that from the
revelations made by Akash, it was clear that the ULFA is still
recruiting new boys and new recruits in small batches are still sent
to the camps in Myanmar for training. The ULFA has four major camps in
Myanmar where around 150 to 200 cadres are staying. Sources quoting
Akash said that life is tough for the militants in Myanmar because of
the terrain, and the recent arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda
Rajkhowa and other senior leaders frustrated and demoralised the
cadres. Sources further added that the camps of the ULFA in Myanmar
are run mainly by ULFA 'central committee member' Jiban Moran and
hardcore militant Bijoy Chinese. Akash revealed that some senior ULFA
cadres are maintaining links with some Army officials of Myanmar.
One militant belonging to '28th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as
'sergeant' Ranjit alias Akash Bora, surrendered before the Border
Security Force (BSF) at Shillong in Meghalaya. He deposited one AK-56
rifle and its two magazines besides, 140 bullets. He claimed that ULFA
cadres were getting arms training in the four camps in Myanmar. He
said, ''The morale of the ULFA cadres in the Myanmar camp has not been
affected, knowing Paresh Baruah is still around and supporting the
cause of the outfit.''
The Centre is ready for a dialogue with the pro-talks groups of both
ULFA and the NDFB even without their top leaders Paresh Barua and
Ranjan Daimary. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "Our offer to
talk to ULFA remains. But we have not yet got an offer to talk from
those who have been apprehended. Paresh Barua is not with us. We do
not think he is in India. Just because Paresh Barua is out of the
country it does not mean that talks can be avoided indefinitely."
Chidambaram, however, said that the Centre was also willing to talk to
the NDFB without its 'chairman' Ranjan Daimary.
The ULFA said that it would discuss the offer made by Home Minister P.
Chidambaram for peace talks with the jailed rebel leadership. Jailed
ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradeep Gogoi said, "We shall have to discuss the
matter and I, alone, cannot make any comment on the Home Minister's
offer. There has to be a conducive climate for talks and also a lot
would depend on the government's sincerity."
January 29: ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa has said that a decision
on a dialogue with the Government would be taken soon, with leaders of
the outfit in prison holding marathon discussions on the issue. Mrinal
Hazarika, 'commander' of 28th battalion' of the outfit said, "Both
sides should not impose any precondition as it may create hurdles in
holding dialogue. The agenda for the talks can be finalised at the
negotiating table." He also appealed to the Government to release the
jailed central ULFA leaders to facilitate early talks. "We want Paresh
Barua also to join the peace process but one can't wait for him
endlessly. Dialogue must start even if Barua refuses to be a part of
the peace process," he added. "Greater autonomy for Assam will solve
the problems. It will function like a federating unit where all
indigenous groups will have political roles to play," he further
added.
January 27: Two militants belonging to ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA,
identified as David Doley alias Ganesh Kumbang of Dhemaji District and
Biraj Sonowal alias Ajit Sonowal of Dhakuakhana were arrested by the
SFs at Dhodang Chapari area under Pulibar Police Station of Jorhat
District.
January 25: One militant belonging to the '109th battalion' of the
ULFA, identified as Donjison Rabha, was arrested by the SFs in
Krishnai area of Goalpara District. Three IED, two grenades and 20 AK-
series ammunition were recovered from the possession of the militant.
The ULFA in its changed strategy has moved men from '109th and 709th
battalions' to Upper Assam to carry out subversive activities around
Republic Day. Sources said that a 12-member unit drawn from both the
'battalions' led by bomb expert Hemanta Rajbongshi from Nalbari had
entered Upper Assam in early part of January 2010 and had been
carrying out surveys to figure out possible targets.
A ULFA militant, identified as Prithvi Raj Rabha, was arrested by SFs
during a search operation in Goalpara District. He was the most wanted
bomber of the outfit.
January 24: Two ULFA militants, identified as Hiteswar Kachari and
Maheswar Rabha, were arrested by SFs from Goalpara District.
January 23: The Police recovered an IED from Lalmati area under
Basistha Police Station in Guwahati City. Police, however, failed to
arrest the ULFA cadre, identified as Lakhi Das alias Jishu belonging
to the '109th battalion' of the outfit. "We have received information
about the movement of a few suspected persons in the city, which is
why we have put our team on alert to avert any untoward incident," a
senior Police official stated.
January 22: One militant belonging to the '28th battalion' of the
ULFA, identified as Dipak Saikia (33) alias Bhai, was arrested by the
Police from Elengmora area under Pulibor Police Station in Jorhat
District. Three kilograms of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosive was
recovered by the Police from the Major Sapori area in Majuli following
his confession.
January 21: Ruling junta of Myanmar assured that it plans to launch co-
ordinated operations with India to flush out Northeast militants from
its territories and has promised to help track down elusive ULFA
'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah.
January 19: One ULFA militant, identified as Santosh Rabha (22), was
arrested by the Assam Police at Japorigog area in Kamrup District. One
Austrian grenade and a bomb were recovered from his possession. He
hails from Nalanga Pahartoli in Goalpara District. However, the Police
have collected information about a four to five-member group of ULFA
cadres belonging to '109 battalion' of the outfit entering Guwahati
with explosives to carry out strikes before January 26. Sources said,
"He [Santosh] was operating under directions from self-styled sergeant
major of 109 battalion, Dipak Das alias Dipak Rai, and commander
Pradip Basumatary. During interrogation, Rabha said there were three
more cadres of the '109 battalion' holed up in the city." Sources also
added that their biggest worry was there are two more bombs in the
city, which are yet to be found. This arrest assumes significance in
the light of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua's threats of
attacks ahead of Republic Day.
ULFA 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi and 'publicity secretary' Mithinga
Daimary filed petitions in the special Terrorist and Disruptive
Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court seeking bail. Legal experts
said, "The court can consider the bail plea of the ULFA duo if the
State Government is convinced that they will not jump parole and not
destroy evidence of cases against them."
The ULFA stated that autonomy would divide the State. In its
mouthpiece Freedom, the outfit criticised the State Government for its
alleged failure to punish the "secret killers". The ULFA mouthpiece
also said that the outfit would continue to attack the Border Security
Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border
Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra
Seema Bal (SSB), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Army.
January 18: A surrendered ULFA militant, Kamal Nath, stated that the
Congress party was behind the secret killings during the Prafulla
Kumar Mahanta regime.
January 18: The ULFA stated that its jailed leaders would not jump
parole, if freed from prison to facilitate peace talks with the
Government. "Let me assure the government and the people of Assam that
if released on parole we shall never betray the trust... we shall not
flee," said jailed ULFA leader Pradeep Gogoi. He responded following
reports that the Assam Government was contemplating granting parole to
at least eight top jailed ULFA leaders to facilitate peace talks, but
the Centre is apprehensive that the militant leaders might jump parole
and go underground. He further added, "Let the people of Assam and the
government first take us into confidence... we are not going to break
that trust."
January 17: Dead body of a businessman, identified as Prabhu
Choudhury, was recovered from Mohgaon village in Pengeri Police
Station of Tinsukia District. He was reportedly abducted by suspected
ULFA militants with the help of a surrendered militant, Dilon Duara,
from Kakopathar on October 28, 2009.
January 16: The Assam Police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as
Pradip Kalita, from Woodland Hospital in Shillong. Pradip Kalita was
suspected to be a member of the '27th battalion' of the ULFA.
January 15: The Army arrested four suspected ULFA militants from Surya
Pahar under Naranarayan River Police Station of Goalpara District. A
pistol, a revolver and two hand grenades were recovered from their
possession.
Telegraph reports that Tinsukia District Police registered at least
six cases of abduction and extortion against a group formed by
surrendered ULFA militants and a gang of insurgents who managed to
escape from the outfit's designated camps. A Police Official said
these cadres, armed with sophisticated weapons, had teamed up with a
few surrendered militants and was operating in Upper Assam, especially
in Tinsukia. At least five ULFA cadres, who managed to escape from the
designated camps in Upper Assam, are part of this new group.
Telegraph quoting SF sources reports that China's own political
exigency in Myanmar was the factor responsible for ULFA ‘commander-in-
chief’ Paresh Barua finding a safe haven along the China-Myanmar
border. Sources said Barua had been traced to Ruili in Yunan province
of China bordering Myanmar. "Most of the arms deals are struck at
Ruili and from there the Chinese arms are brought to Bamo in Myanmar,
from where they are routed to different places mostly through the
Irrawaddy and its tributaries. ULFA and other militant outfits of the
northeast also bring their arms and ammunition through this route,"
sources said. "Since the Myanmar junta and these rebel groups are in
ceasefire, the Indian insurgent outfits like National Socialist
Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), ULFA, and Meitei groups of
Manipur have found safe haven in the areas under control of the Kachin
and Wa rebels [Myanmar]," added sources. Sources further mentioned
that after the Bangladesh Government had stepped up action against the
ULFA, Barua shifted base to the China Sino-Myanmar border and also set
up camp in rebel-administered areas in Myanmar's Kachin.
January 13: One militant belonging to ceasefire-group of the ULFA,
identified as Dilon Dowerah, and one Army trooper, Havaldar Dayal
Singh, were killed in an encounter at Talpathar village under Pengeri
Police Station in Tinsukia District. The Army, however, said that
another member of the gang might be injured in the encounter.
Superintendent of Police of Tinsukia District Diganta Bora said that
ULFA cadre Dilon, who hailed from Mutapung in Tinsukia, had formally
laid down weapons on December 28, 2007. After two ULFA cadres, Akon
Moran alias Ajit Moran, and Biplob Baruah alias Pinku Phukon, managed
to escape from the Kakopathar-based designated camp belonging to
ceasefire-group of the outfit on July 23, 2009, the trio teamed up to
form a gang which extorted and abducted in the name of ULFA. AK-56
rifles, some live ammunition, a magazine, a cellular phone, some
incriminating documents including ULFA extortion notes, were recovered
from the incident site.
January 12: Assam Tribune quoting security sources reports that the
links between the ULFA and Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)
is a well established fact and the ULFA is still receiving help from
ISI. Sources added that the militant groups, including the ULFA, are
still receiving explosives, including RDX, from the ISI. The report
adds that ULFA still has a good quantity of ISI introduced
Programmable Time Devices (PTDs) and PTD switches.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referring to issues related to the talks
with the ULFA, said that the Government does not intends to humiliate
anyone, but wanted to restore peace in Assam. He said, "Though we
tried to bring them to the negotiation table in 2006, they (ULFA)
backed out. I hope this time good reason prevails. If Assam becomes
peaceful, nothing can stop it from making rapid progress as the state
has tremendous potential in all spheres. We are also in touch with our
neighbors so that insurgents from the North-East do not get shelter in
their territories."
January 10: Two suspected ULFA militants were killed in an encounter
with the SFs at Na-Kuchi under Khetri Police Station in the Kamrup
(urban) District. One 9 mm pistol, a hand grenade, two magazines and
six rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the possession of
the slain militants. The suspected ULFA militants were believed to be
led by 'self-styled sergeant major' Jayanta Kalita alias Jintu.
Kalita, a top 'commander' of the 109th battalion' of the ULFA
operating in Western Assam, was reportedly escaped towards the jungles
of Meghalaya border.
January 8: A senior leader of the ULFA, identified as Bhim Kanta
Buraguhain alias Mama, was produced in Tezpur court.
Assam Rifles (AR) Director General Lieutenant-General K. S. Yadava,
addressing the 175th anniversary of the AR said, "United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) was raised in Assam on the slogan of `Assam for
Assamese'. But it's no longer what it was. My personal perception is
that 50% of the lower cadre of ULFA is from across the border''. He
added that the `hardcore cadre' of ULFA was now down to just about 200
or so.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "Some positive signals are
there that they are willing to hold discussions with us. We are
expecting something in writing from ULFA."
Bangladesh Local Government Ashraful Islam said that former Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf had a secret meeting with jailed ULFA
leader Anup Chetia during a visit when the then Premier Khaleda Zia
belonging to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power. He
said "Pervez Musharraf [former Pakistan President] came to Dhaka ...
When the ULFA leader was detained in the (Dhaka Central) jail, from
where he was brought to the Sheraton Hotel".
January 7: Assam Police described ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh
Barua’s threats as nothing but old wine in new bottle while asserting
that Security Forces (SFs) were on high alert and prepared for any
challenge. Reacting to the threats, Assam Director-General of Police
Shankar Barua said "Threats from ULFA are always there and there is
nothing new in his statement." He, however, said that SFs were placed
on high alert to foil any bid by ULFA to carry out strikes ahead of
Republic Day.
The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah, who joined Northeast
Frontier Railways (NFR) as a porter in 1978 and went underground a few
months later, was sacked by the Indian Railways. Having conducted an
inquiry into Baruah’s absence from work for over 30 years, the NFR
issued instructions to strike Baruah’s name off the Railways’ rolls. A
senior NFR official said, "An order stating Baruah’s removal from
service has been issued on Thursday [January 7]. It has been put up on
the notice board at the Tinsukia railway station."
January 6: The ULFA threatened to attack Security Forces (SFs) and
vital installations in Assam ahead of the Republic Day celebration on
January 26. "We are going to step up our offensive and target security
forces and other vital installations," self-styled ULFA ‘commander-in-
chief’ Paresh Baruah said in an e-mailed statement. Titled ‘new
guidelines and instructions’, the rebel statement also warned of
action against Assam Police personnel and ‘informers’. "We are not
going to spare those who act as informers to pass on inputs to the
security forces," the ULFA leader said. The rebel statement also
threatened action against ‘intellectuals’ who are anti-ULFA. "We shall
identify the intellectuals and first warn them and then take action on
such people," the statement said.
January 1: A ULFA linkman, Sanjay Sarkar, is arrested by the Kokrajhar
District Police and Army from North Rangapara village under Fakiragram
Police Station. Explosives are recovered from his possession.
Bangladeshi High Commissioner to India, Tariq A. Karim, in a recent
letter to Bangladesh Government, said a possible backlash from ULFA
and religious extremists in Bangladesh has made the mission’s compound
in New Delhi extremely vulnerable. "These developments have meant that
the High Commission and its personnel have become extremely vulnerable
as targets for retaliatory attacks in India aimed at humiliating the
government of Bangladesh," the letter stated.
2009
December 31: The Army recovers 2.5 kilograms of Improvised Explosive
Device (IED), suspected to be planted by the ULFA cadres, at Khumdi
village in Nalbari District. The explosive is subsequently defused.
The Police arrest Jiten Basumatary, a gram panchayat (village level
local self-Government institution) member, in whose house suspected
ULFA cadres had hidden the bomb before it was put inside a plastic
bag.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "Militancy is indeed
continuing in Assam and Manipur and I do not deny it." Stating that
two-three top leaders of the ULFA were still out of the reach of the
Security Forces, he said, "I am confident that there will be good news
in days to come as far as these two-three leaders are concerned…Two
more ULFA leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa and Raju Barua were apprehended on
the India-Bangladesh border and subsequently arrested by the Assam
Police on December 4." The Minister said, "We will talk to them if
they drop the demands for sovereignty and abjure violence." The report
adds that Chidambaram has so far been maintaining that ULFA needed to
drop the demand for sovereignty, abjure violence and surrender
weapons.
The Government will consider providing safe passage to the ULFA cadres
if their jailed leaders agree to start a dialogue. "If they agree to
hold discussions with the government, we will consider allowing safe
passage. This has been decided," a source said, adding, there has,
however, to be a formal communication from the leadership. "They must
write stating they are willing and ready for talks," the source said.
"They have to come home by shunning the path of violence," the source
mentioned.
December 30: Telegraph reports that the ‘general council meeting’ of
the ULFA would be held at Central Jail in Guwahati to discuss the
issue of holding talks with the Government. Highly placed sources said
that Bhimkanta Buragohain, political adviser to ULFA, would be
transferred to Central Jail after his next hearing in Tezpur court on
January 8, 2010 to satisfy ‘norms of a minimum of eight central
committee members being present at the meeting’. Buragohain is
currently in Tezpur jail. The report adds that the ‘16-member central
committee’ of the ULFA can hold its ‘general council meeting’ with
half its members. At present, seven leaders of the ‘central
committee’, including ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, are in the jail in
here. As such it was necessary for Buragohain to be present at the
meeting to make it valid according to the ‘organization’s rules’. "We
cannot say whether the outcome of the meeting would be positive vis à
vis the talks, but the fact that there would be a meeting is a good
beginning and, who knows, there may be some good news during the
festive occasion," a source said. Apart from Rajkhowa, Central Jail
currently houses ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua, ‘foreign
secretary’ Sasha Choudhury, ‘finance secretary’ Chitrabon Hazarika,
‘vice-president’ Pradip Gogoi, ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary
and ‘cultural secretary’ Pranati Deka, wife of Chitrabon. Sources said
a few ‘members of the central committee’ were not willing to hold such
a meeting without ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua but with people
asking for talks to begin, the leaders have decided to go ahead
without him.
December 29: Indian Express reports that the Northeast Frontier
Railway (NFR) recently began an inquiry after discovering ULFA
‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah figured in its employee rolls. "Two
hearings were conducted on December 4 and December 20. Nobody came
forward to either claim this job or offer a representation on behalf
of Baruah," said a senior NFR official. The report adds that almost
three decades after Baruah last reported for his porter’s job in the
Indian Railways, where he has continued to be ‘employed’ despite
neither coming to work nor drawing a salary. ,
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the Government has already
initiated a peace process with the ULFA, and expressed his hope that
the peace process with the outfit would make a stride in 2010.
December 28: An ULFA linkman was arrested by the Police at Baihata
area in Kamrup (rural) District. Two 9-mm pistols with ten rounds of
cartridges are recovered from his possession.
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa’s bodyguard Raja Bora alias
Polash Phukan was produced before the Special Court of Judicial
Magistrate in Dibrugarh on December 26 and was sent to Police remand
for seven days.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that there will be no
discussion on the sovereignty issue during peace talks with the ULFA,
according to Shillong Times. "There will be no discussion on the
sovereignty issue when the peace talks are held with the ULFA. One
thing is clear: there will be no compromise on sovereignty," said
Gogoi, adding, "the process for (initiating) the talkshas almost
started but I don't say that much progress has been made or any
breakthrough achieved. Attempts are being made...let's hope for the
best."
December 27: A suspected ULFA linkman, Diganta Bora, is arrested by
the Police from Murpholoni in Golaghat District. Incriminating
documents are recovered from his possession.
December 26: The Director General of Assam Police G. M. Srivastava
said that though the ULFA is not yet finished, it will not be the same
organization after the arrests of its senior leaders. He pointed out
that though the incidents of violence are the visible impacts of a
militant group, no organization can run only through acts of violence.
"There are several other aspects of running a militant outfit
effectively including maintaining international contacts and managing
other aspects of the outfit and it will not be possible for Paresh
Baruah alone to do that. The arrested top leaders of the outfit were
key members of the ULFA and it will be difficult for the ULFA to run
the outfit without them. For example, some of the arrested leaders
were responsible for maintaining international contacts and without
them the outfit will lose such contacts," he added. Srivastava further
said that if majority of the ULFA leaders finally decide to come
forward for talks, the people of Assam would make Paresh Baruah
redundant.
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
Raju Barua are sent to judicial custody after 21 days in Police
custody. The remand order is given by the Chief Judicial Magistrate
Robin Phukan, who heard the case at a camp court inside the Central
Jail in Guwahati.
A cadre belonging to ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as
Dharmendra Kalita, is arrested by a joint team of the Police and CRPF
near the Guwahati refinery along with RDX and ball bearings, which are
used as splinters in bombs. Kalita belonged to Nalbari District of
lower Assam. "He was walking along the railway tracks near the Sector
3 area of the refinery complex. When he was asked to stop, he tried to
flee but was captured," a Police Officer said. Sources said Kalita had
revealed during interrogation that several ULFA cadres from the lower
Assam Districts had entered the State capital recently to carry out
the strikes. "We, too, had some unsubstantiated inputs about Ulfa
plans to carry out strikes at vital installations in the state,
especially in the capital city, but Kalita has now corroborated it. We
have now taken a re-look and tightened security around these areas,"
the Police Officer said. He said Kalita was a bomb expert and knows
how to make an IED. "He had all the ingredients required to prepare
the IED with him. We are expecting to get more specific information
from him about the other cadres who have entered the city," he said.
The Police said ULFA cadres in lower Assam were still active and
preparing to carry out strikes. "Several active cadres of the outfit
from lower Assam are taking shelter on the outskirts of the city and
are looking for opportunities to enter the city to strike," another
Police Officer said. Police sources recently revealed that they have
information about ULFA cadres from lower Assam Districts setting up a
base again inside Bhutanese territory near Barpathar village in
Assam’s Chirang District. Sources added that two top leaders of the
709th ‘battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as self-styled ‘second
lieutenant’ Baba Rabha and ‘sergeant major’ Kushal Das, are manning
the camp that has over 100 cadres, most of them new recruits.
December 23: The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sashadhar Choudhury and
‘finance secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are reproduced before the Court
of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kamrup and were sent to another 14
days of judicial custody in connection with the Bharalumukh Police
Station case.
A ULFA militant, Jatin Shaw alias Alput Thapa (25), surrenders and
deposits his 9-mm pistol and one magazine before the Inspector General
of the Border Security Force (Assam-Meghalaya frontier) Prithvi Raj at
Shillong in Meghalaya. Jatin belongs to Golaghat in Assam and joined
the ‘B company’ of the outfit in 2003 and underwent training at the
‘first battalion Naga camp’ in Myanmar. He is also involved in many
killing and extortions cases in Assam. The surrendered militant worked
as the ‘personal security officer’ of ‘commander of B company’ Sujeet
Mohan. Jatin reportedly came over ground at the calling of his mother.
He said, "I decided to leave the outfit after my mother asked me to do
so". He also stated that National Socialist Council of Nagaland and
ULFA are operating collectively in the forests of Myanmar, adding
20-25 cadres from Arunachal Pradesh were also undergoing training at
different camps of the neighbouring country. Prithvi Raj expresses
concern over the move by Northeast militants to shift base from
Bangladesh to Myanmar in the wake of the ongoing operations against
them by Dhaka. Admitting that there was an exodus of ULFA militants to
Myanmar to escape the ongoing operations by the Bangladeshi Security
Forces, Prithvi Raj said, "It is quite natural that the militants look
for new pastures to continue their future activities."
December 22: The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, turning down the
demand for sovereignty, asks the ULFA and UNLF to give up violence and
hold talks. He said that the Union Government was willing to look at
'new governing structures' to take care of the development agenda of
the Northeast. "A couple of groups like the ULFA and the UNLF are
still carrying out violent activities. To them we say, give up the
demand for sovereignty. Give up violence and we can talk of anything,"
the Union Minister said at the valedictory session of the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) leadership summit in Kolkata.
Stating that the Constitution was resilient and innovative, and
accommodated the concerns of the people of smaller states, he said,
"If new innovations for governing structures are required, we are
willing to look at it. The Constitution has provided for hill
development councils, semi-autonomy, and some schedules to address the
concerns of the people of the smaller states. We can have more
schedules as long as it takes care of the development agenda."
December 19: Police said that surrendered ULFA cadres were involved in
the December 18 robbery at a branch of the United Bank of India at
Dirok in Margherita of Tinsukia District. "We have identified a few
members of the gang. At least three of them are surrendered ULFA
militants," a senior Police official involved in the investigations
said. He, however, did not name them, saying the time was "not right"
yet.
December 17: The highly placed security sources said that the ULFA
leaders, including the ‘chairman’, did not divulge the name of any
political leader who paid money to the outfit. Sources mentioned that
the ULFA was involved in selling arms and ammunition to different
militant groups of the region, including ATTF, NLFT, KLNLF, etc. The
outfit, over the years, managed to establish very good contacts with
the clandestine arms dealers of South East Asian countries and also
received Programmable Time Device (PTD) switches from Pakistan. The
outfit still has a good stock of PTD switches and the potential to
trigger off explosions, sources said. However, seizures of a large
number of weapons of the ULFA in 2004 and 2007 in Bangladesh severely
affected the outfit, sources added.
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Ratul Pathak, is shot at and wounded by
unidentified militants at Gobardhana Chariali in Barpeta District.
The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Guwahati, Robin Phukan,
remands ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
Raju Barua and Rajkhowa’s bodyguard Raja Bora, to nine days of Police
custody in connection with three blast-related cases registered at
Paltan Bazar, Bharalumukh and Bhangagarh Police Stations.
The arrested leaders of the ULFA confess that the outfit received
"benefits" from political parties mostly in forms of money,
particularly during elections.
Bhutan said it has no information about ULFA running any camp in its
territory but would take "positive steps" only if India communicated
to it on this issue.
Police said that surrendered ULFA cadres were involved in the December
18 robbery at a branch of the United Bank of India at Dirok in
Margherita of Tinsukia District. "We have identified a few members of
the gang. At least three of them are surrendered ULFA militants," a
senior Police official involved in the investigations said. He,
however, did not name them, saying the time was "not right" yet.
December 16: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi rules out the
possibility of halting army operations targeting the ULFA outfit.
December 14: Meghalaya Police conducts counter-insurgency operations
in the East Garo Hills region to flush out ULFA militants who have
entered in large numbers to escape ongoing flush-out operations in
neighbouring State of Assam. The area is idle for militants to use as
a corridor to cross over to and fro Bangladesh and for concealment of
weapons in view of the thick forest cover with an inaccessible
terrain. Meghalaya Director General of Police S. B. Kakati said Garo
Hills had previously been used by Assam-based militants as a safe
haven. "I don't deny the fact that it is even now being used by
militants and we are on the lookout for them," he said. According to
Kakati, the area of concern is Resubelpara sub-division sharing border
with Assam's Goalpara District. He said ‘109th battalion’ of the ULFA
led by its ‘commander’ Hira Sarania was active in lower Assam and
thereby used the route for transport of men and arms. "Resubelpara sub-
division is infested by ULFA and even now operations are taking place
to flush them out. There have been instances of arrest, seizure of
weapons and neutralizing of militants," he said and added that
identification of militants is a problem for the Police.
December 14: The ULFA’s pro-talk faction led by Mrinal Hazarika
reacted sharply to the December 13 public apology made by ULFA
‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah for the Dhemaji bomb blast on
August 15, 2004 and termed the apology a ‘drama’.
The Special Operation Unit of Assam Police submits the case diary
pertaining to the January 1 bomb blast in Bhangagarh and Paltan Bazar
to the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup District,
according to Assam Tribune. The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha
Choudhury and ‘finance secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are accused in
the blasts.
December 13: The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua apologises to
the people of Assam for the bomb blast at Dhemaji on August 15, 2004,
killing 17 persons, including 16 school children. Barua, however,
blames some of the former cadres of the outfit for the blast and says
they had misled the top ULFA leadership by saying it was done by the
Government machinery to defame ULFA in the eyes of the people of
Assam.
The former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta accuses Chief
Minister Tarun Gogoi of "telling lies" over the "secret killings"
issue. Gogoi, according to him, had learnt to "tell lies", as none of
the commissions of inquiries constituted to probe the "secret
killings" were able to find the "non-existent proof". "Will the chief
minister pursue the widely published statement made by Ulfa finance
secretary Chitrabon Hazarika that his ministers and officials had paid
to Ulfa so that the truth is placed before the people of the state?
The ministers are said to have paid Ulfa for helping the ruling
Congress on various occasions," he adds.
December 11: The ULFA asks the Union Government for a plebiscite in
Assam. "Talks, if any, have to be on the issue of Assam's independence
or sovereignty. If the government cannot hold talks on the issue of
sovereignty or independence, let there be a plebiscite on the issue,"
ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah said in an emailed statement
to the local media in Guwahati.
December 10: The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and
‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua said during interrogation that
family members of the outfit’ s ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua are
still holed up in Bangladesh along with the family members of Anup
Chetia, another jailed ULFA leader.
Surrendered ULFA cadres kill six persons at Singirmari in Nagaon
District. Subsequently, several hundred women along with the villagers
of Rajagaon launch a search operation to locate the culprits on the
next day.
December 9: The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy
commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah completely rule out any possibility of
negotiation with the Government without outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Baruah before the Police and the Government officials during
interrogation. "Sovereignty or no sovereignty, peace talks would reap
benefits only when the C-in-C comes forward for talks," Rajkhowa is
said to have told the interrogators.
Militant outfits in the Northeast— the Manipur People’s Liberation
Front, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Tripura People’s
Democratic Front, and anti-talk faction of the NDFB —said the people
of the region engaged in "liberation struggle" felt "betrayed" by
Bangladesh’s handing over of ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and
other leaders to India.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in Rajya Sabha (Upper
House of Parliament) that talks with the insurgent groups in the
Northeast could be held only if they laid down arms. Chidambaram said,
"Our stand is clear. Lay down arms, give up demands for sovereignty
and talks can be held... My appeal is common to all insurgent groups
(in the northeast). Give up demands for sovereignty and lay down your
arms. This will open the way for talks." Reminding the House that he
had last week hoped that the ULFA would make a political statement
offering talks with the Government, the Home Minister said, "No, such
offer has not come. If they make an offer, we will talk." He added,
"If there is an offer for talks, these will be conducted with due
dignity."
December 8: Two Myanmar-trained ULFA cadres surrender before Lakhimpur
District authorities. They are identified as Debashish Bhuyan alias
Bipul and Bubul Chowdung. They deposit a 9-mm pistol and .30 pistol at
the time of surrender.
December 6: The Union Government said it is ready to hold peace talks
with ULFA. The Government, however, ruled out any discussion on the
basis of a demand voiced by a section of the banned militant outfit
for "sovereignty" of Assam. Sources said the ULFA was speaking in
different voices on the prospect of talks with the Centre. There is no
question of any discussion on the basis of "sovereignty" for Assam,
the sources said. Meanwhile, Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’ of
ULFA, on December 5 said that there was no confusion in the minds of
the ULFA cadres who want "sovereignty" for Assam to be discussed in
any dialogue, while denying a split in the outfit.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked all militant groups of the
State, including the ULFA, to come forward for peace talks with the
Government.
December 5: Two ULFA militants, identified as Angshuman Bora alias
Sabin Buragohain, ‘self-styled sergeant major’ of the ‘28th battalion’
and Rinku Baruah alias Bitupan Baruah, ‘lance corporal’ of the same
battalion, surrendered before the Army personnel at Thakurbari Army
Camp in Sonitpur District.
December 4: The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa alias Rajiv
Rajkonwar and ‘Deputy Commander-in-Chief’ of the outfit, Raju Baruah,
were handed over to the BSF near Dawki sector of the India-Bangladesh
border in Meghalaya in the morning along with their family members.
Official sources said that they were handed over to the Assam Police
later. A team of the Assam Police brought them to Guwahati and they
have been kept in the Assam Police’s Special Branch headquarters at
Kahilipara area of Guwahati.
The official sources in BSF said that Rajkhowa, his wife Kaberi
Kachari and two children, Raju Baruah, his wife and a child, wife and
two children of ULFA Foreign Secretary Sasha Choudhury and one Raja
Bora, who was the bodyguard of Rajkhowa, surrendered to the BSF and
were handed over to the Assam Police. Sources said that the ULFA
members and their family members looked tired when they were brought
to the city and "it seemed that they had to travel a long way", an
official added. Security sources said that the ULFA chairman may face
as many as nine cases under different sections of the IPC and the Arms
Act as well as Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for waging war
against the nation. He has specific cases against him in Jagiroad and
Sivasagar. Raju Baruah has two cases lodged against him and the
possibility of the police tracing out other cases against him during
the course of investigations cannot be ruled out. Sources said that
the wives of Rajkhowa and Sasha Choudhury were members of the ULFA and
they are likely to face trial. However, it is yet to be ascertained
whether Raju Baruah’s wife was a member of the militant outfit. Police
sources informed that top security officials, including officials from
the Ministry of Home Affairs, questioned the arrested rebel leaders.
The militant leaders are expected to be produced tomorrow.
It was reported in Assam Tribune that both the leaders were handed
over to BSF personnel somewhere in Tripura sector and flown in an
Indian Air Force aircraft from Agartala to a defence airfield and was
taken to an ITBP camp.
Hira Saraniya, the ‘leader’ of the outfit’s 709th battalion said that
the arrested leaders of ULFA were keen for peace talk and a
breakthrough can be expected in the next few days. Official sources
have claimed that all the four ULFA battalions, following the arrest
of ULFA chairman and deputy commander Raju Baruah among others, are
said to have shown keenness in pursuing the peace talks route,
provided the Union Government agrees to entertain their charter of
demands, which may not feature the demand of sovereignty. This comes
at a time when the ‘Commander-in-Chief’ Paresh Baruah, through a press
release, had asked the arrested ULFA leaders, particularly chairman
Arabinda Rajkhowa, not compromise on the sovereignty issue. Official
sources, however, have not ruled out the possibility of Paresh Baruah
coming for talks, stating that the commanders of a couple of
battalions are expected to convey the message to the ‘C-in-C’ and
prepare the charter of demands accordingly.
Paresh Baruah, ‘Commander-in-Chief’, asked the chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa to clarify his stand on the issue of talks with the
Government of India. In a statement e-mailed to the media, Baruah said
that he had come to know about the fact that Rajkhowa along with the
Military Spokesman of the outfit Raju Baruah and Sergeant Raja Gogoi
were in the custody of the Indian Security Forces since December 2. He
said that the Government of India would like to take advantage of the
situation by forcing them to participate in the "so called talks" with
the Government. The media reports in the last couple of days also
indicated that the Government was trying to start "so called talks"
with the arrested ULFA leaders. Baruah called upon the ULFA chairman
to remember the demands and ideology of the ULFA and the supreme
sacrifices of more than 12,000 ULFA members. He appealed to the ULFA
chairman not to fall into the trap of the Government of India to take
part in "so called talks" and asked him to clarify his position
regarding talks.
The Union Government said ULFA leaders, who surrendered, will have to
face judicial process as several cases were pending against them and
talks with the militant outfit will take place in "due course".
"(Arabinda) Rajkhowa and Raju Baruah have surrendered and then they
were arrested. They are now in Guwahati. They will be produced in a
court," Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai told to reporters when asked
about the fate of the ULFA leaders, who surrendered along the Indo-
Bangla border in Meghalaya. "They have just come. Everything will take
place in due course. Wait for that," he said. Asked about the fate of
the family members of Rajkhowa and others, Pillai said as no cases
were pending against the family members, they were free to go.
"Families are free," he added.
Sentinel quoting an unnamed top Government official reports that the
elusive ‘commander-in-chief’ of ULFA Paresh Baruah is hiding in Kachin
area of Myanmar, bordering China, and under the full grip of anti-
India forces like ISI of Pakistan. Baruah, who has been against
holding any peace dialogue with the Government, has fled from his
hideout in Bangladesh some time ago. "He is now in Kachin area of
Myanmar," the official said. Several militant outfits in the Northeast
have training camps and bases in Kachin, which borders China’s Yunnan
province, which Baruah visits regularly.
December 3: Unidentified militants shot dead one Nazrul Ali, the
driver of pro-talks ULFA ‘leader’ Russel Maradona, at Citnipara in
Nalbari District.
Three prominent jailed ULFA leaders — ‘vice-chairman’ Pradip Gogoi,
former ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary and ‘cultural secretary’
Pranati Deka — said that there is a bleak future of peace talks if
Rajkhowa takes such a move sidelining Paresh Baruah and violating
ULFA’s constitution. The three ULFA leaders were produced in the court
in Guwahati. Talking to reporters, Mithinga Daimary said: "Arabinda
Rajkhowa alone can’t drop the sovereignty demand that is in the
constitution of the ULFA, and as such, he has no right to go for peace
talks without Paresh Baruah. If he holds peace talks with the
Government of India without Paresh Baruah and dropping the demand for
sovereignty, the jailed ULFA leaders won’t be with him. Talks should
be on sovereignty of Assam, and whether the demand is met or not is a
different matter. If Paresh Baruah gives his nod to peace talks, the
peace process may go on the right track." On the reported arrest of
Arabinda Rajkhowa, he said the Government does not want any peace
talks with the ULFA. "An arrested Rajkhowa can’t do anything towards
peace talks what a free Rajkhowa can," he added.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi indicated that the much-awaited
peace talks with the ULFA might be held even without the presence of
the banned outfit’s still elusive ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah.
"I have all along been convinced that the problem of insurgency has to
arrive at some sort of political solution…If Paresh Baruah comes that
is well and good but my personal view is that a dialogue can begin
without him. This is also the desire of the people of Assam who favour
a peaceful solution of insurgency," Gogoi said at a press conference.
The mother of ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, Miliki Barua
(84), said if the proposed peace process was initiated without her son
then the whole exercise would be "useless". She said, "All the boys
(the ULFA leadership) had set out together on a journey to achieve
something for Assam and if negotiations are held without my son then
the whole process will be useless". "If the Government has the
capacity, then it should bring all of them (ULFA leaders hiding in
other countries) back. All the boys went together to realise a common
goal, then why is the Government bringing back some and leaving out
the others?" she questioned. However, she said that she was confident
that her son would return if the Government’s intention on the peace
process was explained to him and he was convinced.
Paresh Baruah called up a member of the People’s Consultative Group,
Hiranya Saikia, asserting that the struggle for sovereignty of Assam
would continue even if some members of the outfit have come forward
for talks by giving up the demand and ideology of the ULFA. When
contacted, Saikia confirmed the phone call and said that the ULFA
‘commander -in-chief’ was very assertive. "He said that if any member
of the outfit gives up the demand for sovereignty and come for talks
with the Government they are free to do so. He also asserted that he
would not give up the demand and ideology of the outfit and is ready
to continue the struggle for which more than 11,000 youths laid down
their lives," Saikia said.
The opposition AGP party made an appeal to both the Government and
ULFA to settle the contentious issues through negotiation. In a
statement in Guwahati, the chief spokesman of the party, Atul Bora,
said that none of the parties should slap any condition for the
negotiation. Moreover, he said that the Governments in the State and
at the Union should involve all leaders of the militant group in the
negotiation. In the name of negotiation, the people of the State
should not be deceived again, said Bora. Blaming the Tarun Gogoi-led
Government’s nine-year term for the present volatile situation, said
that the restoration of peace is the only solution to it. The
Government should not go on reckless killing of youths in the name of
containing insurgency. It should go for political solution of the
insurgency problem, he added further.
December 2: The Army released photographs of ULFA two cadres, who had
carried out the November 22 Nalbari twin blasts claiming nine lives.
Both the cadres, Mohan alias Mahesh Rajbongshi and Hemanto Rajbongshi,
belonged to the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, a press statement
issued by Army said.
The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-
chief’ Raju Baruah were arrested in Dhaka. Both the ULFA leaders are
likely to be handed over to India, highly placed official sources
said. The sources said that Rajkhowa, whose movements were under
scanner of the Security Forces of Bangladesh since September 2009, was
picked up from a house in the suburbs of Dhaka city along with a few
of his associates. Sources said that the Government of Bangladesh
already intimated India about the detention of Rajkhowa and he is
likely to be handed over to India. Bangladesh has not registered any
case against Rajkhowa and he will be handed over to India as a part of
the assurance to hand over militant leaders of India taking shelter in
Bangladesh for years. Official sources said that intelligence inputs
indicated detention of the ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the ULFA
Raju Baruah. "The Government of Bangladesh is yet to confirm the
detention of Raju Baruah. The Government of Bangladesh only informed
India that the ULFA Chairman and a few others were detained. But
Indian intelligence agencies managed to obtain reports confirming the
detention of Raju Baruah," sources added. The report adds that the
ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa will fly to Delhi after he is
"pushed back" to Tripura from Bangladesh.
A high alert has been sounded in Upper Assam Districts following the
arrest of Arabinda Rajkhowa. Police have tightened the security in the
sensitive areas. A meeting among the Security officials held in Jorhat
to review the security scenario and some new strategies were adopted
to prevent any kind of militant activities in the area.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha (Upper
House of Parliament) that he would respond within 72 hours if the ULFA
decided to hold talks with the Government, reports Sentinel. He was
responding to a discussion on the internal security situation in the
country. He further said, "I hope that the ULFA leaders will release a
political statement on peace talks with the Union Government very
soon."
The detained ULFA ‘leader’ Mithinga Daimary said that Arabinda
Rajkhowa alone cannot sit for talks outside the ambit of the outfit’s
constitution. He termed Bangladesh’s recent offensive towards the ULFA
militants as a ‘betrayal.’
December 1: Bhim Kanta Buragohain alias Mama, the ULFA idealogue who
was arrested during the Bhutan operation, was produced at Tezpur court
in Sonitpur District. Buragohain told reporters that he believed that
talks with the Indian Government could be held if the arrested leaders
of the outfit are unconditionally released.
The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram clarified that the Union
Government is yet to receive any offer from ULFA to come for talks
even as the Union Government seems to have softened its stand on the
presence of the elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah at the talks.
When asked whether the Government of India was willing to sit for
negotiations minus Paresh Baruah, he said, "Good, if they come for
talks." However, he also reiterated the same preconditions of abjuring
violence, surrendering weapons and dropping the demand for sovereignty
before coming for dialogue. "However, we have not received any offer
so far," he added.
An ULFA militant, Gobin Ojha alias Kiran Jyoti Gogoi (29) and a KLNLF
cadre, Arun Terong alias John Mukran (37), laid down arms before the
Inspector-General of the Assam-Meghalaya frontier of the BSF, Prithvi
Raj, at a surrender ceremony during the 45th raising day of the
Paramilitary Force in Shillong. "Myanmar continues to be a safe haven
for the ULFA cadres after the ongoing crackdown on militants by the
Bangladeshi security forces," the ULFA cadre revealed. Ojha said three
camps of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA were in Myanmar, located
adjacent to the camps of the NSCN-K. There were at present 110 ULFA
cadres in the three camps and among the prominent leaders housed there
include Konkon Gohain, Bijoy Chinese, Myanmar camp ‘commander’ Bijoy
Das and Montu Saikia, he said. The militants said that the new cadres
had to trek several days to reach the camps set up in a forest area in
Myanmar. The ULFA cadre laid down one 7.65mm pistol and 5 rounds of
7.65mm ammunition. The KLNLF militant, Terong, who was the ‘finance
commander’ of the outfit, laid down a 9-mm pistol.
November 30: Reports also mentioned that the ULFA and NSCN-K were
conducting joint training for 30 newly recruited ULFA cadres in
Mahadevpur, Pongchau and Bordumsa Circles of Lohit, Tirap and
Changlang Districts to prepare for a possible Army crackdown in Assam
and Nagaland.
November 29: The suspected ULFA militants threatened a senior
journalist of a local satellite news channel in Guwahati, in what was
seen as a ‘reaction’ to a talk show telecast in the channel on the
insurgency issue in the State. Nitumoni Saikia, executive editor of
News Live, was threatened by two armed militants who came on a motor-
cycle at Tiniali zoo in the Guwahati city and cautioned him to avoid
airing comments on the ULFA. The incident occurred minutes after a
talk show, hosted by Sakia, was aired projecting the ULFA in poor
light.
November 27: SFs neutralised a bunker near a bamboo grove in the
backyard of Harimal Barman, a resident of Angardhowa Bilpara village
in Baganpara area under Borbori Police Station in Baksa District that
was frequently used by ULFA militants to draw up plans. The bunker,
eight feet deep and six feet wide, accommodates more than five
persons. "At least three militants took shelter inside the bunker last
night," the Superintendent of Police, Nalbari, Jitmal Doley, said.
"The militants take shelter inside it usually at night," a Police
officer said, quoting Harimal, who informed the Police about the
bunker. Sources said the Police came to know about the bunker from a
photograph in a mobile phone found on a militant, Papu Sarania, who
was killed in an encounter at Tihu.
The ULFA ‘leaders’ Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika, who were
produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup for the
third time since their arrest, were further remanded to another 10
days’ of Police custody. Though the Assam Police’s SOU sought 18 days
Police custody of both the ULFA ‘leaders’ in connection with the
January 1, 2009 blasts under Paltan Bazar Police Station and
Bhangagarh Police Station, the court, however, limited the custody to
another 10 days, advocate Bijon Mahajan informed. The court also
directed that both the ULFA leaders would be kept in the SOU
headquarters in Kahilipara. It also directed investigating officers
from both the Police Stations to question them at the SOU headquarters
itself during the course of the Police custody.
November 26: One ULFA cadre was arrested by Police in the evening from
a Tezpur-bound passenger bus near Tezpur Mission Chariali in Sonitpur
District. Police sources said that the arrestee was later identified
as Rupam Boro alias Ujjal Bora (22) of Debendranagar area under
Barghat Police Outpost in Tezpur. During interrogation he confessed
that he joined the outfit in 2006 and was a cadre of the 27th
Battalion of ULFA.
Mina Gogoi alias Akoni Gogoi alias Binita Bora, a woman ‘seargent’ of
28th battalion of ULFA, was arrested while four of her associates
managed to escape in a joint operation by SFs at Lahdoigarh in Namtola
under Sonari Police Station in Sivasagar District near Assam-Nagaland
border. She is the wife of Ramen Dadhumiya, ‘area commander’ of the
28th battalion. She later confessed that the outfit had planned to
carry out blasts in the Charaideo subdivision of Sivasagar District. A
five kilogrammes of IED, a pistol, some photographs and a register
containing details of funds collected by the outfit in Charaideo
subdivision were recovered from her.
Police launched a massive search to recover five kilogrammes of RDX
which was kept in the house of Krishna Rajbongshi at Goroimari
Panigaon in Nalbari District, who had allegedly planted one of the
bicycle bombs in Nalbari on November 22. Krishna, who was arrested in
the night of November 25, also confessed before Police that there were
three more bicycles stuffed with explosives and ready to be detonated.
A Police Officer said Krishna did not know about the location of the
cycles. "We are trying to find out," he said, adding that Krishna was
still being interrogated. Meanwhile, a college lecturer Narayan
Thakuria and ULFA linkman Kumud Thakuria were also arrested for their
suspected involvement in the twin blasts. "We only found the pit but
the explosives which were in it were missing. Probably ULFA removed
the RDX after they heard of Krishna’s arrest," the Police Officer
said. "Five kilogrammes of RDX can have a devastating impact depending
on where and how the explosives are placed," he said.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on November 25 told a
delegation of the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam
(PCPIA) that the Government is ready for talks with the ULFA provided
the outfit abjures violence. Chidambaram also told the delegation that
the PCPIA should try to persuade the ULFA to come for talks with the
Government. The delegation was accompanied by a Parliamentarian
belonging to the AGP party, Biren Baishya. The delegation that is in
Delhi to lobby for resumption of the dialogue with ULFA has so far met
Union Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan on November 25 to
submit a memorandum to restart the peace process stalled since last
couple of years. However, the possibility of the Centre heeding to
their demands appears remote, with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
expressing his skepticism on the ground that the remaining top leaders
are all based abroad and not keen for negotiations. The Union Ministry
of Home Affairs is of the opinion that ULFA, currently under pressure
because of the crackdown in Bangladesh and arrest of two top leaders,
may be at its old game of seeking to buy time by throwing the bait of
peace talks.
The ULFA’s central committee leader Mithinga Daimary, currently lodged
in the Guwahati Jail, said that the ULFA was not responsible for the
recent bomb blasts at Nalbari, adding that peace talks between the
banned outfit and the Union Government was the only way to find a
political solution to the conflict.
November 25: One top ranking ULFA militant, identified as Mohan Roy
alias Mama alias Sukumar Kurmi, was shot dead in an encounter with SFs
at No. 2 area of Bishnupur in Chirang District around 10.30 AM in the
morning. Police sources confirmed that the slain ULFA militant was
involved in the recent blasts at Nalbari. He was the ‘second-in-
command of the 709th battalion’ of ULFA.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on November 24 stated in
Parliament that the Government was not going to relent in its
operations against the ULFA, reports Telegraph. He said, "Owing to the
counter-insurgency operations, ULFA has come under tremendous
pressure. Its leadership is in disarray. Key ULFA leaders are in
prison. Recently, two ULFA leaders surrendered to the Indian SFs.
Three ULFA leaders are believed to be abroad and there are reports of
serious differences among them. Against this background, it is our
assessment that the recent incidents manifest the desperation of the
banned ULFA. The State Government and the SFs are determined to
intensify the counter-insurgency operations against ULFA and Ranjan
Daimary fraction of NDFB."
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa said the Minister’s statement
was a reflection of the Government’s "colonial" mindset. He mentioned,
"Our stand is clear. We will not fall at India’s feet just for the
sake of talks." "The minister’s comments only confirm the fact that
India does not have the courage to sit across the table on the issue
of sovereignty," Rajkhowa said, adding that the outfit was keen on a
political settlement with Delhi but not at the cost of its own pride
and dignity.
A senior member of the PCG, Mukul Mahanta, said that the given stand
of both the Centre and ULFA, any hope of a "negotiated" settlement had
all but evaporated.
November 24: Sentinel quoting intelligence sources said a group of the
ULFA militants comprising 10 cadres, including a woman cadre, has
entered Assam through the Assam-Nagaland border and sheltering in its
adjoining areas to carry out subversive activities in the District.
Sources also said the proscribed militant group has been restructuring
itself in five upper Assam districts since last couple of months.
Sources said the militant group has been carrying out a new membership
drive in upper Assam Districts particularly in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and
Sivasagar.
November 23: A ULFA cadre, Dhanti Dutta, was arrested by the Assam
Rifles personnel at Lungwa-Phomching road in Mon District. One 303
rifle along with magazine and 10 live rounds and other incriminating
documents were recovered from his possession.
November 23: The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa, condemned
the blasts in Nalbari town on November 22 and said that the blasts
were aimed at derailing the peace process. In a statement sent to the
media through e-mail, the ULFA ‘chairman’ said that the blasts were
triggered off by the enemies of the indigenous people of Assam. He
called upon all concerned, including the militant outfits, to desist
from killing innocent people and asked the authorities to pay adequate
compensation to the families of those killed.
November 22: Suspected ULFA militants triggered two powerful bomb
blasts barely 50 meters from the Sadar Police Station in Nalbari town,
which killed seven people and injured 54 others at around 10 AM in the
morning. The IEDs, planted on two bicycles, were kept in front of a
tea stall and a saloon which were blown up. The deceased were
identified as Paban Thakur, the owner of a nearby saloon, Sikandar
Thakur, an employee of the saloon, Dipu Das, a driver, Ganesh Das, a
businessman, Keshab Das, an employee of an insurance company and
Mahabat Ali, a gaonburah (village head man) of Nalbari town. The
Superintendent of Police of Nalbari District, Jitmal Doley, said that
ULFA militants are suspected to be behind the blasts.
The ULFA is responsible for the Nalbari blasts, said Health Minister
Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in a press meet organised at Silchar Medical
College.
The ULFA denied its involvement in twin bomb blasts in Nalbari. "ULFA
is in no way involved in the bomb blasts and it is just a conspiracy
by a certain section to derail the talks process," Hira Sarania, the
'commander' of the 709th Battalion of ULFA, told a news channel. "The
allegation is totally motivated and has been made to discredit the
organisation. There have been several occasions in the past too when
such misinformation had been made against us," Sarania added.
November 20: The SFs shot dead a ULFA militant, a hitman of the outfit
who led the Golaghat train attack, at Padumguri under Jalukbari Police
station in Guwahati city. A police official said two suspected
militants had got down from a truck on Guwahati bypass (National
Highway 37) in the morning and were walking down Binoy Tamuli Path at
Padumguri under Jalukbari Police Station when a Police team spotted
them and asked them to stop. "They started running while firing at us.
One of the militants, who was carrying a backpack, managed to escape
under the cover of fog and darkness. But his accomplice was hit by
bullets," he added. A 7.65mm bore pistol and three rounds of
ammunition were recovered from the site.
November 19: The ULFA has set up bases in China and other foreign
countries with the help of money extorted in the State, two senior
ULFA leaders, Chitrabon Hazarika and Sashadhar Choudhury, have
reportedly told the Police during interrogation. ULFA 'foreign
secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban
Hazarika, now in Police remand since November 6, 2009, told
interrogators that apart from Bangladesh they have bases in China and
other foreign countries. "Millions of rupees have been extorted from
Assam and transferred to ULFA leaders in Bangladesh, China and other
countries where they have established hideouts," the Special
Operations Unit (SOU) of Assam Police quoted the two leaders as
confessing. Several foreign agencies and NGOs provided logistic
assistance to the ULFA leaders in foreign countries. The interrogation
report was submitted to the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in
Guwahati. Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitrabon Hazarika also confessed
that their 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah is not only procuring
arms from Chinese manufacturers but also selling them to militant
outfits such as NDFB, NLFT, ATTF and CPI-Maoist.
November 17: Suspected ULFA militants blew up a petrol-laden train at
Changpool in the Golaghat District. The train was bound for the State
of Uttar Pradesh from the Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). A railway
spokesperson said that the train with 48 wagons of high-speed diesel
and petrol from the NRL caught fire near Changpool. At least 20 wagons
went up in flames and a loss of INR 100 million has been estimated,
officials said. "We initially thought that the fire broke out after
the train jumped the rails. But now we believe that it was because of
a powerful explosion on the rail track. We have managed to recover
wires and other materials used in triggering blasts from the site," a
senior Assam Police official said. At least 10 more wagons were
derailed and the petroleum product spilled on to the ground. The area
is a stronghold of both the ULFA and AANLA.
November 15: Former ULFA 'spokesman' Sunil Nath said that a small ULFA
team from Assam went to Jaffna in Sri Lanka in the early 1990s when
the LTTE controlled the northern peninsula. "We got in touch with the
LTTE through a Tamil Nadu politician." Sunil Nath said in a telephonic
interview from Assam. According to Sunil Nath, who has since quit the
ULFA and is now a journalist, two ULFA militants were picked to spend
some time getting training from the LTTE. But the ULFA men returned to
India within a week.
The ULFA leaders, Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika, claimed
that the 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Paresh Baruah, was the
main person running the group currently. They claimed that Baruah
keeps shifting to countries like China, Myanmar and Thailand and he
still has strong contacts in China.
November 12: The 'cultural secretary' of ULFA, Pranati Deka, said that
peace talks between the Government and the ULFA are possible if the
former wants so. Replying to a reporter's queries when she was being
produced in the court in Guwahati in connection with a case against
her, Deka said "The ULFA problems can be solved if the Government of
India takes steps with due respect to our demands. I believe in
peaceful solution to the ULFA problems through talks."
November 11: 19 militants belonging to the NDFB, KLNLF, AANLA and ULFA
surrendered before the Dah Division's headquarter at Dinjan in
Dibrugarh District. Speaking on the occasion, Major General B.S.
Sachar, the GOC of Dah Division, attributed the large-scale surrender
to the peace initiatives of the Government and support from the local
people.
November 10: A group of newly trained ULFA militants have reportedly
been asked to enter Assam and launch attacks to avenge the arrest of
the outfit's leaders Chitrabon Hazarika and Sasha Choudhury,
intelligence sources have revealed, triggering a security alert along
the India-Myanmar border. A source said radio intercepts over the last
few days suggested that a group comprising about 25 cadres from the
28th battalion had been asked to break up into smaller units to enter
Assam. "We believe there could be strikes in retaliation to the arrest
of Choudhury and Hazarika to show ULFA is as strong as ever," a source
in the Army said. The 28th battalion had recruited about 50-60 cadres
in 2008, soon after the Alpha and the Charlie companies of the
battalion came over-ground by declaring a unilateral cease-fire.
"These cadres have completed training in Myanmar and Nagaland's Mon
District and are ready for battle," the unnamed official said.
November 9: The dawn-to-dusk Assam bandh (shutdown) called by the ULFA
passed of peacefully, evoking mixed response. The outfit called the
bandh in protest against the arrest of two of its top leaders, Sasha
Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika.
November 8: Two unidentified ULFA cadres were shot dead by the Police
in an encounter at Guardal on the Tihu-Akhara Road in Nalbari District
in the evening. Police sources said that two ULFA cadres laid an
ambush targeting Nalbari SP Jitmol Doley and fired at the SP and other
personnel accompanying him. In the encounter that followed, the two
ULFA cadres were shot dead. Two 9 mm pistols were recovered from the
possession of the slain militants.
November 7: Two top ULFA leaders, Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitraban
Hazairka, were produced by the Special Operation Unit of the Assam
Police in the court of Chief Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate of
Kamrup. Although the Police sought 14-day custody of the two, the
court remanded them to 10 days, said Bijan Mahajan, senior advocate
and counsel for the two ULFA leaders. The ULFA leaders, believed to
have been arrested in Dhaka in the midnight of November 1 and handed
over to the BSF in Tripura on November 6, were flown in a chartered
aircraft to the city and immediately taken away to headquarters of the
Special Branch of Assam Police at Kahilipara. However, replying to
questions from journalists, Choudhury said they had not surrendered
and that Bangladesh Police commandos arrested them. Of the 16 members
of the ULFA's central executive committee, four are in a Guwahati
jail: 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi, 'adviser' Bhimkanta Buragohain,
'cultural secretary' Pranati Deka, 'central publicity secretary'
Mithinga Daimari. Another leader Ramu Mech is on parole.
The ULFA called for a 12-hour State wide general shutdown from 6 a.m.
on November 9 demanding unconditional release of the two arrested
leaders. In a statement issued through an e-mail, ULFA 'chairman'
Arabinda Rajkhowa described the arrest of the two leaders as a "ploy
to sabotage the process of finding a political solution to the problem
and destroy ULFA militarily."
November 6: The 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance
secretary' Chitraban Hazarika of ULFA surrendered before the BSF
personnel at Gokul Nagar BSF camp, 20 kilometres south of Agartala
city, along the India-Bangladesh international border in the Tripura
in the night. Bangladesh Security Agencies neutralised some hideouts
of leaders of the ULFA in the night of November 1, prompting the
cadres to flee. Internal clashes among ULFA cadres are also said to
have forced some militants to flee. During interrogation, the ULFA
leaders confessed they fled the neighbouring country as they were
facing threat to their lives from their colleagues, the official
sources said. The internal sources, however, said that the two ULFA
leaders were handed over by the BDR to BSF after DGFI personnel picked
them up from a safe house in Uttara area of Dhaka following high-level
diplomatic intervention by India. As reported on November 5, India had
opened diplomatic channels as soon as it was confirmed that the
leaders were detained by security agencies in Dhaka on November 1-
night. Meanwhile, sources reported that the former KLO 'chief' Jiban
Singh, who is presently under the custody of Bangladesh Police, has
reportedly informed the Bangladesh security forces about the
whereabouts of the ULFA leaders in Bangladesh. Bangladesh authorities
had assured India of greater cooperation in the coming months against
the anti-India militant outfits based there and also of the possible
handing over of top leaders like Ranjan Daimary of the pro-sovereignty
faction of NDFB and Biswamohan Debbarma of NLFT. The sudden crackdown
by Dhaka is seen as part of a fresh initiative to please India ahead
of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ensuing visit to
India.
November 5: Following confirmation of detention of two top ULFA
leaders by Bangladesh, India opened diplomatic channels to get them
back into the country. The 'deputy commander-in-chief' of ULFA, Raju
Baruah, however, claimed that their two leaders were already handed
over to India by Bangladesh. Without naming India, Raju Baruah told a
section of media in Assam through e-mail or telephonic talk that
Bangladeshi intelligence officials arrested the duo from the Sector 3
area in Dhaka and handed them over to the "enemy". Raju Baruah further
said that Bangladesh Police had raided some other areas in Dhaka
where, they believed, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was hiding.
He also warned Bangladesh that the sovereignty of the country would be
at stake if it did not set Sashadhar and Chitraban free. Meanwhile,
the Indian Home Ministry officials denied this claim made by the ULFA.
Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a 13-year-old nephew of a
surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre, apparently in a case of mistaken
identity, in the Balichapori village under Garmurh Police station of
Majuli in the Jorhat District in the night. The Police also recovered
two empty cartridges of AK-47 rifles from the incident site. Jintu
Bora, a Class VIII student of Kathimotia High School, was shot dead
when he and his uncle, Dipak Bora, a surrendered ULFA cadre, were
about to enter their house at Balichapori village under around 11pm
(IST) after returning from Ras festivities. Sources said Dipak was the
target of the ULFA militants as he was a Police informer and had
played a crucial role in the killing of ULFA militant Amrit Dutta, a
key accused in the Sanjoy Ghose murder case. Dutta was killed in an
encounter with SFs in Majuli early 2009. Dipak had joined ULFA in 1995
and was a cadre of the Bravo Company of 28th Battalion and later
surrendered in 2007.
November 4: Dulen Saikia, a surrendered ULFA militant, was arrested by
the Guwahati City Police on charges of collecting extortion money in
the name of the ULFA outfit.
November 3: Two persons were arrested by the Police when they were
trying to extort money in the guise of ULFA cadres in capital Dispur.
"The fake ULFA cadres were arrested after a tip-off," Police said.
November 2: Two suspected ULFA militants were arrested by the Security
Force personnel at an unidentified location in the Morigaon District.
A 9 mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle were
recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.
November 1: The 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance
secretary' Chitraban Hazarika of the ULFA were arrested by
intelligence officials from the Sector 3 area of Dhaka in the
midnight.
October 29: The Union Government initiated its first round of formal
talks with the pro-talks faction of the ULFA. Leaders of the pro-talks
faction, Mrinal Hazarika, Jiten Dutta and Prabal Neog, held nearly an
hour-long meeting with the Assistant Director of Intelligence Bureau,
R.N. Ravi, in Guwahati. "We hope that the talks will lead us to the
right direction," Mrinal Hazarika said after the meeting. The pro-
talks ULFA faction had earlier announced it was giving up its demand
for sovereignty or independence and instead wanted greater autonomy,
inner-line permit, total sealing of international border etc for
Assam. There were no representatives from the Assam Government in the
meeting.
October 25: The ULFA alleged that the Government of India is not
interested in restoration of permanent peace in Assam. In a statement
e-mailed to the media, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said that
the Government of India was adopting different yardstick for talks
with different outfits. He said the Government has been demanding that
the ULFA should surrender weapons for talks, while, talks with Naga
outfits have been going on for years without surrender of arms.
Rajkhowa said the Chief Minister of West Bengal even released as many
as 23 members of Maoist groups to hold talks with them and the
Government of India has been adopting a separate policy only for
Assam.
October 23: A suspected ULFA militant, believed to be on a bombing
mission to the Guwahati city, was shot dead in an encounter with
Police at Pamohi under Gorchuk Police Station around 2 AM (IST). A 9mm
pistol and a polythene bag containing one-and-a-half kilograms of
explosive powder, detonators and timers were recovered from the
incident site. "On examination, bomb experts said the powder could be
TNT. However, we have sent samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory
at Kahilipara for confirmation," the Police official said.
October 22: Five ULFA militants, including a girl, surrendered before
the Assam Police in Goalpara District. They were identified as Jayanta
Rabha, Machin Rabha, Dulendra Rabha, Durgeswar Rabha and Damayanti
Rabha. They deposited an AK-56 rifle and two pistols.
Two cadres of the 28th battalion of the ULFA surrendered before the
Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Gyanendra Dev Tripathy in Dibrugarh
District. The duo was identified as Sontu Changmai alias Bijoy Bailung
and Pranab Duwara alias Simanta Gogoi. They deposited two pistols
along with eight rounds live ammunition and a radio set.
October 20: The Bangladesh Government on October 19 launched a massive
hunt for arresting some cadres of two Indian militant outfits — United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation
(KLO), including its ‘chief’ D.K. Roy, according to Sentinel. In the
light of information extracted from ‘military commander’ of the ULFA
Bimol Roy during his interrogation at the Task Force Interrogation
(TFI) cell Security Force personnel are trying to arrest the
militants, sources close to the TFI cell said. Bimol confessed that he
was an active member of ULFA, the sources said. D.K. Roy, chief of the
KLO, provided Bimol with shelter at his Dhaka’s Pallabi residence.
D.K. Roy, who is suspected to have stolen the Nobel Prize citation of
Rabindranath Tagore from Shanti Niketan in India, has been residing in
Bangladesh for many years, the sources added. A team of the Detective
Branch arrested Bimol from the Pallabi residence of D. K. Roy on
October 6. After the expiry of remand, the Police also took Bimol on a
fresh three-day remand on October 8.
October 19: A cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from Amarpur
and Deopani Reserve forests under Sadiya Police Station in Tinsukia
District. The cache, hidden in sacks and buried by suspected United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants in the forests, include one
AK-56 rifle, one SLR, a grenade launcher, four 9-mm pistols, four pen
pistols, two grenades, 13 pistol magazines, 35 kilograms of RDX and
some currency.
The Security Forces recovered a letter which shows evidence of the
ULFA purchasing arms from the LTTE of Sri Lanka. The letter, written
in Assamese, mentioned that the outfit had paid a huge amount of money
to the LTTE very recently to purchase arms. "The money was probably
paid just before the downfall of the LTTE," a senior army officer
said. Although there were unconfirmed reports earlier about ULFA’s
links with the LTTE, the letter was the first hard evidence of such
links.
October 18: Five militants, including a woman, of the 28th battalion
of the ULFA were arrested. Two militants, hailing from Amguri in the
Sibsagar District, were arrested from the Hengerabari area of Guwahati
city. In addition, three more militants, including the woman, were
arrested from the Gandhibasti area of Guwahati. A 9-mm pistol along
with some arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of
the arrested militants. While two of them were identified as a
militant couple from Sibsagar, the other one hailed from Sualkuchi
near Guwahati.
October 14: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the Union
Government would hold talks with the ULFA only after it lays down arms
and warned that otherwise Security Forces would take appropriate
action.
The Government of Bangladesh has directed the Security Forces to keep
vigilance to prevent any kind of subversive activities by the ULFA in
the country. State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku told.
Referring to the recent crackdown on militants, the minister said no
militants would be able to escape the dragnet.
October 12: The Army personnel arrested one ULFA cadre, identified as
Paresh Deka, from Chamatiapara village near Deomornai area in Darrang
District.
October 11: A ULFA militant, identified as Prasanta Bora, was arrested
by the Police from New Balighat area of Lakhimpur District. Bora
belongs to the 28th Battalion of the outfit.
October 7: One ULFA militant was shot dead during an encounter with
the Army personnel at Donghap hill under Dokmoka Police Station in
Karbi Anglong District at around 4.10am (IST). However, another ULFA
militant was managed to escape taking advantage of the dense forest.
An Italy-made pistol along with some empty cartridges was recovered
from the possession of the slain militant.
October 3: Three ULFA militants were shot dead by troops during an
encounter near Kendubari village in the Nalbari District. "Based on
specific intelligence about the presence of three ULFA militants in
the area, an army column laid an ambush and there was a firefight in
which the militants were shot dead," an Army official said. A carbine,
pistols, grenades, detonators and gelatine sticks were recovered from
the possession of the slain militants. "Probably the militants were
planning to strike during the Durga Puja festival and hence carrying
explosives," the official added.
September 26: Two unidentified militants shot dead a surrendered ULFA
cadre, Gunojit Bhorali (30), at Baganpara in Baksa District.
September 23: The ULFA is reported to have shifted its bases and
training camps from Bangladesh to Kachin in eastern Myanmar. Army
intelligence sources said there was credible information that the ULFA
had set up camps in Kachin jointly with militant groups of Manipur
like the PLA and UNLF. The ULFA has made the move with the help of
Kachin rebels, mainly the KIA, which is in a cease-fire with the
military regime in Myanmar, they added. "It is back to square one for
ULFA. During its initial days, the outfit had its training camps in
Kachin but later shifted to Bangladesh. Now, the outfit is back to
Kachin, which is indeed disturbing news for us," a source said.
September 18: The Police arrested two militants of the '27th
battalion' of ULFA, identified as Satya Baishya and Abdul Mazan Bora,
from Baihata Chariali in Kamrup District. A revolver and three rounds
of ammunition, a motorcycle, ULFA's letter pad and some extortion
notes were recovered from their possession.
The SFs arrested an ULFA linkman, Jaiprakash Rai (27) of Khudra
Derugaon Suterpara village in Kokrajhar District.
September 16: Police arrested two ULFA militants at Panitema and
Dhirenpra respectively in Kamrup District. Police arrested Hemanta
Deka (30) at Panitema Village under Kamalpur Police station. Following
his confession, another ULFA militant, Bakul Boro, was arrested at
Dhirenpara in Guwahati. Some writing pads of the outfit and a number
of mobile SIM cards were recovered from their possession. The arrested
ULFA cadres belong to the 709th battalion.
Police arrested two ULFA linkmen who demanded extortion money of INR
four hundred thousand from a school teacher of Mulabari area in
Baihata Chariali. The duo were identified as Bhabajyoti Choudhury and
Kalyan Nath of Baihata Chariali.
Assam Government's Principal Secretary (Home), Subhas Das, visited the
Kakopathar designated camp of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA in
Tinsukia District, where he held a discussion with its leaders.
September 15: The self-styled 'sergeant major' of 28th battalion of
the ULFA, Niren Sharma alias Tarun Gogoi, surrendered before the SFs
during a surrender ceremony held at Dinjan Military Station in
Dibrugarh District. He deposited one AK 56 rifle and a hand grenade.
Niren, who hailed from Sivasagar District, had been with the outfit
since 1987 and had received military training in Bhutan in 1997. His
wife Devika Gohain, a 'second lieutenant' of the 28th battalion of
ULFA, was arrested by the Army personnel on September 3.
September 10: SFs arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Binoy
Baruah alias Dibyajyoti Gohain (24), a resident of Kathalguri village,
and Tilanku Moran alias Satyajit Moran alias Sanakya (26), a resident
of Mamaroni village, from Kakojan in the Tinsukhia District. Sources
said that the SFs started operations based on reports about extortion
demands being placed on small tea estates and businessmen in the area.
Two 9-mm pistols, seven live rounds, extortion pads, mobile phones and
other incriminating material were recovered from the possession of the
arrested militants. Sources added that these two militants were
absconders from the ULFA cease-fire group camp at Kakopathar.
The TADA court in Guwahati sentenced Ronkur Dutta, a senior ULFA
cadre, to life imprisonment. Dutta was accused of murdering a Police
officer.
September 7: Police arrested one suspected ULFA cadre, Hemchandra
Moran (30), son of Umesh Moran of Bormesai village of Kokopathar, on
charges of extortion from Chabua area of Dibrugarh District. The
Police arrested Hemchandra when he along with another militant went to
Dikam Sessa for collection of extortion money. However, the other
militant managed to escape. Police recovered a two wheeler used by the
militant.
September 6: A ‘Sergeant Major’ of the 709th Battalion of the ULFA,
Pranay Ray alias Prabin alias Manaranjan (32), was shot dead by the
Security Force personnel in a search operation at Kalipukri under
Kokrajhar Police Station of Kokrajhar District. Police sources said
that the slain militant was taking shelter in the house of one Biren
Roy at Tilapara village. One 7.62 mm pistol with 19 live ammunition,
one Chinese-made grenade, four mobile handsets, a satellite phone, one
detonator, two empty cartridges and incriminating documents were
recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
September 3: The SFs arrested a ‘second lieutenant’ of the ULFA,
Devika Gohain, from Titlaghar in the Sivasagar District. Devika, the
wife of ULFA leader Niren Sarma, was arrested from the residence of
Ajit Bharali.
September 1: A ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA, Niren Sarma, was shot
dead in an encounter with the SFs at Bhaskarbari Chariali in the
Dibrugarh District. One pistol, six rounds of ammunition and a mobile
phone were recovered from his possession.
August 30: The two employees of a Garo Hills-based cement company,
abducted by suspected ULFA militants on August 21, were released in
the Rongjuli area of Goalpara District. According to sources, the duo,
Virgo Cement Industries manager Sambhu Dhanuka and chief engineer PK
Hori, were abducted from near the cement plant at Damas on the
Meghalaya-Assam border in the afternoon. They were held hostage for
ransom at Simantala village in Goalpara District. Though it is not yet
known who the abductors were, Assam Police suspect that the Viper
Rabha Army, a lesser-known militant group, was involved in the
incident. Viper Rabha Army is believed to enjoy the patronage of Assam-
based ULFA. The ULFA had reportedly hired the services of Viper Rabha
Army for its activities in Goalpara and parts of Garo Hills. However,
the ULFA has denied any role in the abduction.
August 29: SFs shot dead two ULFA militants at Nagapara hills under
Boko Police station in the Kamrup District. Army sources said about
four militants were taking shelter in a house and when the SFs raided
the house, the militants opened fire. In the ensuing gunbattle, two
militants died while two others escaped under cover of darkness. The
site of the incident is about 50 kilometers from the capital city
Guwahati. Though the two militants are yet to be identified, Police
claimed that both were from the 709th battalion of ULFA and probably
new recruits. One five kilograms of improvised explosive device, a
grenade, one 9-mm pistol, ammunition and an unspecified amount of
Bangladeshi currency notes were recovered from the possession of the
slain militants.
August 27: Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead at Golbeel
under Barma Police Station in the Baksa District in the morning.
August 26: SF personnel arrested three ULFA cadres, identified as
Dilip Kalita alias Pranjal Deka, Thaneshwar Kalita alias Thanu and
Dina Kalita from Debananda Satra village in Mangaldai District,
reports Sentinel. According to sources the militants were belong to
27th Battalion of ULFA. Five black extortion notes were recovered from
their possession.
August 23: The Government of India asked Bangladesh to deport ULFA
leader Anup Chetia, reports Assam Tribune. Chetia, whose real name is
Golap Baruah, has been in jail since his arrest in Dhaka in January
1998 from Shyamoli area under the Foreigners Act and the Passports
Act. After completion of Chetia’s jail term, India has asked
Bangladesh to handover him. Bangladesh has so far not given any
response but India is hopeful that it would accede to the request
considering the new Government’s resolve to root out terrorism and the
new impetus being imparted to bilateral ties. Chetia has been seeking
political asylum in Bangladesh or deportation to any country other
than India but those petitions are pending.
Sentinel quoting an unconfirmed report said that the Union Government
has already contacted the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah
through middlemen and expressed its willingness for unconditional
peace talks with the outfit outside India. The ULFA is yet to react to
the recent media report that Paresh Baruah was arrested from a hideout
in Manipur.
Police arrested one ULFA militant, Montu Kachari of Numuligarh, and a
linkman, Tapan Bora of Baruah Gaon, from Bokakhat town in the Golaghat
District. Some extortion notes were recovered from their possession.
August 21: Two senior employees of a cement factory were abducted by
suspected ULFA militants from near their factory at Damas area in the
afternoon, when they were traveling in a vehicle to their main office
at Dudhnoi of Goalpara District in Assam. They were identified as
Sambu Danuka and P.K. Hori. Subsequently, the Police recovered the
abandoned vehicle from Miapara village, five kilometers away from
Damas. Sources said the prime suspect was the ‘108 battalion’ of the
ULFA led by Gulit Das which was operating in the area. Unconfirmed
reports indicated that the ULFA carried out the abduction in
retaliation for the company not complying with its demand for a huge
amount of ‘donations’.
August 20: Telegraph reports that the pro-talks group of the ULFA has
sought an urgent discussion with the Assam Government as their cadres
were getting frustrated after waiting for more than a year. "If we do
not get a positive response, we will have to decide on our future
course of action," Prabal Neog, a leader of the pro-talks faction, who
has been camping in the capital Guwahati since August 19, told. He
said he would meet Principal Secretary (Home) S.C. Das as soon as he
returns from Delhi. Neog said the cadres were frustrated and it had
become difficult for the leaders to keep on convincing them that there
would be some progress. He said several cadres have already deserted
the designated camps in the past few months and a few have joined the
ULFA while some have surrendered to the Security Forces. Jiten Dutta,
another leader of the group, said the blame would rest entirely on the
Government if talks failed this time and the cadres took some drastic
steps. "We will not say now as to what we will do but we will take
some decisive steps. The government has turned a deaf ear towards the
issue. Despite repeated requests to clear its stand, there is simply
no response from the government. This will be our final meeting with
the government as we want to clear the air once and for all," he
warned. The cadres of the pro-talks group are at present housed in
three designated camps in the Tinsukia and Nalbari Districts.
August 19: The CBI filed a chargesheet in Dr P.C. Ram abduction case
before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Guwahati and stated
that the ULFA was paid INR 3.2 million on June 5, 2007 as the first
instalment of the demanded ransom. The money was handed over to an
ULFA cadre, Tapan Rai, near the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi
International Airport on the same day. The abductors had demanded INR
2100 million for the release of the senior Food Corporation of India
official. Amongst the 17 persons charge-sheeted, top ranking leader
and ‘commander’ of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, Hira Sarania, has
been named as the prime conspirator. Rabiram Basumatary, the driver of
FCI Executive Director Dr. P.C. Ram, was also named as one of the
conspirators, though his name along with six others did not feature in
the chargesheet as they had died during the course of the
investigation. All the accused have been charge sheeted under Sections
120(b) (criminal conspiracy) and 364(a) (abduction for ransom) of the
Indian Penal Code. Six Police officials who were arrested earlier in
this connection have, however, been acquitted. Dr Ram, who was
abducted from near his Sreenagar residence on April 17, remained in
the abductor’s custody till his death in a cross-fire between Police
and his abductors on July 12, 2007.
August 16: A ULFA militant, identified as Khogen Konwar alias Nayan
Jyoti Gogoi, was arrested from Bhojo railway station under Sonari
Police station in Sivasagar District.
August 14: Seven TNT slabs, each weighing about 1.5 kilograms, 10
electronic detonators, six 9-volt batteries and a bundle of fuse wire,
were recovered near Ukium on the outskirts of Guwahati along the Assam-
Meghalaya border. The arrest of a ULFA cadre, Mintu Rabha alias Raju,
from Jyotinagar in Guwahati led to the recovery. The explosives were
hidden under stones. A 9-mm pistol was also recovered from the
possession of Rabha.
August 13: A ULFA bomb expert heading for oil town Duliajan was
arrested by a combined team of the Army, Central Reserve Police Force
personnel and local Police from a night super bus near Dirai under
Rajgarh Police Outpost of Dibrugarh District.
The BSF personnel arrested one active ULFA linkman, identified as
Mukti Bora (32), at Pushpa Bandha Chaudang Pathar village in Golaghat
District. According to official sources, Bora tried to escape when the
Police entered his house during the operation. The BSF recovered a
demand draft amounting to INR five hundred thousand, signed by a
senior cadre of the '28th battalion' of ULFA, Golap Sonwai.
August 12: A 13-member team of woman cadres belonging to the ULFA and
the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB entered the Guwahati city to
trigger subversive activities ahead of the Independence Day (August
15), latest intelligence inputs gathered by the Assam Police stated.
August 11: Quoting sources in the intelligence agencies, Shillong
Times has reported that the ULFA and NDFB have already set up
temporary hideouts in Bhutan, contrary to the claims made by Bhutan
that Indian militants do not put their bases anymore in that country.
This report from an Indian intelligence agency came in the backdrop of
the claim at the Seventh Border Coordination Development Meeting held
at Thimphu (Bhutan), which dismissed reports about the ULFA and NDFB
militants setting up permanent camps on its soil. According to
official sources in Guwahati, the ULFA and NDFB militants were
reorganising and attempting to sneak into Bhutan. New Delhi has
reportedly informed Thimphu of the intrusion of about 30 militants
into its soil. "We have information that they (ULFA and NDFB) have set
up temporary hideouts there in the wake of stepped up counter-
insurgency operations, especially in Lower Assam," an officer from the
Military Intelligence said.
August 10: The NDFB, ULFA, KLO of Assam, Manipur Peoples Liberation
Front (MPLF) of Manipur and Tripura Peoples Democratic Front (TPDF) of
Tripura jointly called a General Strike from 1am (IST) to 6.30pm (IST)
on August 15 in the Northeast and called for to boycott of
Independence Day.
August 9: Suspected ULFA militants triggered a low-intensity explosion
on a railway track at Harimura, around six kilometres from the
Goalpara railway station in Goalpara District, damaging five sleepers.
However, there were no casualties. The explosive went off ahead of a
Guwahati-bound goods train. Sources said the driver had heard the
blast and slowed the train. Railway sources said the train moved on
after the sleepers were replaced. Police sources suspect that the
Saraighat Express might have been the target of the blast.
August 7: 28 militants of various outfits surrendered before the Assam
Rifles at Lekhapani in Tinsukia District. The surrendered militants
included eight ULFA cadres, eight AANLA cadres, three NSCN-IM cadres,
seven NSCN-K cadres and three NSCN-U cadres.
Two senior ULFA cadres surrendered with a cache of arms and ammunition
in the Tezpur town of Sonitpur District. The surrendered cadres were
identified as Dhaneswar Borkakoty alias Bhaiti and Prafulla Saikia
alias Bahni Tamuly. Dhaneswar had joined the outfit in 1990 while the
latter had joined in 1989. Dhaneswar deposited a cache of arms and
ammunition comprising one AK 56 rifle, one AK series magazine, 90
rounds live cartridges of AK series, 750 grams of RDX, 3.8 kilograms
of TNT explosives, six PTED switches, one 1.6 kilogram IED and one
detonator, while Prafulla surrendered one M 20 pistol, two M 20 pistol
magazine, 10 rounds live cartridge, one PTED switch, 800 grams TNT
explosives and one detonator.
August 5: Police arrested a linkman of '709 battalion' of the ULFA,
identified as Mintu Kalita (22), son of Krishna Ram Kalita, a resident
of Bamundi Kailashpur under Saulkuchi Police Station of Kamrup
District.
One ULFA militant, Golok Deka alias Jitu Saikia (28), was arrested by
the SFs from Morigaon town of Morigaon District at 11am (IST). Three
mobile phones and some incriminating documents were recovered from his
possession.
Army personnel neutralized an ULFA transit camp from the Namsang
reserve forest along the Buri Dehing River in Dibrugarh District. Two
revolvers, two .12 bore guns, a magazine of AK-47 rifle with 120
rounds, explosives, cordex, detonators, combat dresses and utensils
were recovered from the camp.
August 2: The SFs arrested a women cadre of the ULFA, identified as
Rumi Baishya of Hatitari Gaon, at Musalpur under Baksa Police Station
in Baksa District. 23 Aircel and Reliance SIM cards and various
indiscriminating documents were recovered from her possession. Purnima
Baishya and Nirupama Baishya, the aunt and mother of Rumi
respectively, were also arrested for further investigation.
The SFs arrested two ULFA linkmen, identified as Himata Sarma alias
Deep (19) and his brother Himanshu Sarma alias Tapan (22), from their
residence at Pati Darrang under Mongoldoi Police Station in Darrang
District. One 22-mm locally-made revolver and two extortion notes of
the ULFA were recovered from their residence.
July 31: Contractors engaged in setting up a 33 KV Assam State
Electricity Board (ASEB) sub-station at Sriram Sapori village in
Majuli of Jorhat District, fled after receiving extortion notes from
the ULFA. A source said that the ASEB had commissioned the setting up
of two sub-stations - a 132 KV at Garmur and the other 33 KV one at
Sriram Sapori under the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutkaran Yojana scheme of the
Government of India. The two sub-stations would benefit about 7,000
families living in 200 villages in both the places. However, work at
the 33 KV sub-station is incomplete following a threat to contractors
by the ULFA. The source said that the contractors fled for fear of
their lives after receiving extortion notes signed by M. Deka Phukan
and Bijoy Das belonging to the '28th Battalion' of the ULFA.
July 30: Police arrested a ULFA linkman, Dilip Gogoi, from Mohura Ali
area in the Golaghat District. Police sources said Gogoi, along with
one Jayanta Baruah, was distributing extortion notices to businessmen
in Golaghat town in the name of the ULFA. The whereabouts of Jayant is
not known, the report added.
Jitul Rajkhowa, president of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra
Parishad of Golaghat District sammittee (committee), was arrested for
demanding INR 400000 in the name of the ULFA. He had reportedly
threatened one Mohammad Nurul Sultan, an official of the District
Rural Development Authority Department.
The ULFA alleged that the killing of senior journalist Parag Das was a
'pre-planned conspiracy' by the Government which was evident in the
acquittal of the prime accused on July 28. The ULFA 'chairman'
Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement that the acquittal of Mridul
Phukan, the prime suspect, "was a preplanned conspiracy" to kill the
noted journalist 13 years ago.
July 29: The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced that the
Government would take care of the treatment of ULFA 'commander-in-
chief' Paresh Baruah if he surrenders, reports Assam Tribune. Talking
to media persons in Guwahati, Gogoi said the Government does not have
conformed news of the sickness of the ULFA leader. "We have seen media
reports in this regard, but we are not in a position to confirm or
deny the reports." Gogoi also said the BW outfit has expressed its
desire to come forward for talks but the Government would take a final
decision in this regard in consultation with the Union Government. The
Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai is scheduled to arrive in Assam on
July 30 and the issue will be discussed, he added.
A ULFA militant, identified as Bastav Bora alias Rupjyoti Gogoi, was
arrested by the SFs from a restaurant near the Assam Medical College
in Dibrugarh District. A hand grenade, three kilograms of TNT and
other explosives materials were recovered from his possession.
July 26: The Army personnel recovered a cache of explosives from an
adjacent location of the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest under Digboi
Police Station in Tinsukia District. Sources said the explosives were
stored by the ULFA to trigger blasts ahead of the outfit's 'martyrs'
day' on July 28 or on the nation's Independence Day (August 15).
Two ULFA linkmen, Sadhuram Koch and Jayanta Hasong, were arrested from
Majari village in Dhubri District along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
July 25: The SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Upen Sarma,
from Punia village under Mangaldai Police Station in Darrang
District.
July 24: A ULFA militant was shot dead while two others managed to
escape during an encounter with SFs in the Bairagi area under
Pathacharkuchi Police Station of Barpeta District in the morning. One
US-made pistol and seven bullets were recovered from the slain
militant's possession.
Quoting an official source in the Home Department of Assam, Telegraph
said an alert was announced about the plans of a 300-member group of
youths to sneak into the State for carrying out subversive activities
after being trained by Maoist rebels in Jharkhand over the past three
years. An official in the Home Department said these youths, most of
them members of an organisation ostensibly espousing the cause of
farmers and also believed to be a frontal organisation of ULFA, had
left Assam during 2006-2007. "Most of these youths are from areas
where the organisation was active till a few months back. Now it is
trying to form District-level committees throughout the state. Most of
these youths are from Golaghat and Nagaon Districts. We have names of
some of them who had disappeared since 2006. Some of these youths may
have even been taking shelter in the Lalgarh area of West Bengal,
which was till a few days back a stronghold of Maoist rebels," the
official said. He said there were reports of the ULFA striking a deal
with the Maoists and that these trained youths had been assigned to
carry out subversive activities in the State. "ULFA has been trying
since long to work together with the Maoist rebels operating in India,
who have links with China," the official added. Sources said the
organisation had strong bases in the Doyang and Tengani areas of
Golaghat District and Kaki in Nagaon District. "We also have
information that arms for these youths may have already arrived in the
state. We are keeping a close watch on these areas," he added further.
July 23: An unidentified ULFA militant was arrested following an
encounter with the Security Forces in Nagaon District.
July 21: The Union Government confirmed reports that self-styled
'commander-in-chief' of ULFA, Paresh Baruah, may have moved out of
Bangladesh for some time. The Union Minister of State for Home
Affairs, Mullapally Ramachandran, was replying to a question in Rajya
Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) on reports of Baruah moving to
China. However, details in this regard are not available, the Minister
added. The Minister also confirmed that a fresh list of prominent
militant leaders and criminals based in Bangladesh including those
against whom Red Corner Notice have been issued has been handed over
to Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) during the recent
Director General level Border Coordination Conference at Dhaka from
July 11-14.
Police arrested one Achyut Deka from Ghograpar area of Nalbari
District at around 11 pm (IST) in the night, who was trying to extort
money from people in the disguise of ULFA. Sources said that Deka had
served an extortion note of INR 500000 to Dr Pranabjyoti Deka, a local
physician. The doctor while informing the Police asked Achyut to
collect the money. The Police laid a trap and arrested Achyut while
his accomplice Montu Ali managed to flee. The Police also recovered a
motorbike on which they had come. Achyut hails from Karbaitola village
under Nalbari Police Station.
The ULFA militants shot dead a surrendered cadre, Hazong Rabha, and
his wife Nalani Rabha, at their Nalanga Pahartoli residence under
Baguwan Police Station in Goalpara District. Assam Police sources said
the SULFA cadre, who surrendered and joined the mainstream in 2005,
had been leading a normal life after marrying Nalani in 2006. He was
engaged in coal trade since laying down arms. Suspected ULFA militants
had also killed Hazong Rabha's uncle and his wife in the night of July
6 at their residence nearly 500 metres away from their hilltop house.
Baguwan Police, however, denied that the incident had any link with
militant groups.
Quoting intelligence sources, Sentinel has reported that the ULFA
planned to use women cadres for subversive activities during the
forthcoming Independence Day celebrations on August 15. According to
sources, a group of women cadres has entered Jorhat District from the
border areas of Golaghat to carry out subversion. The Police in five
upper Assam Districts have already intensified security measures on
receiving this information.
July 20: The CBI arrested an ULFA cadre of the pro-talks faction,
Bhaskar Rajbonshi, from the Nalbari designated camp in connection with
abduction and killing case of Food Corporation of India Executive
Director P.C. Ram.
SFs seized a detailed sketch of Dibrugarh Airport along with a large
quantity of explosives from a ULFA hideout in a dense jungle at
Seesabil under Tingkhong Police Station in the Dibrugarh District.
Some other sketches, which appeared to be of bridges and oil and gas
pipelines, were also found at the hideout. The recoveries include
around three kilogram of TNT, one and half kilogram of RDX, five
gelatin sticks, a hand grenade, a handmade pistol, 55 rounds of AK-
series ammunition, three rounds of .303 rifle ammunition, extortion
notes, camouflage uniforms and medicines. "ULFA could be planning
something big ahead of its martyrs' day on July 28 and Independence
Day on August 15," a senior Police Official said. "We have asked Oil
India Limited, Assam Gas Company Limited and Brahmaputra Valley
Fertiliser Corporation Limited to be extra cautious after today's
haul," he added.
July 19: Police arrested Indrajeet Bania, a top ranking militant of
the 27th battalion of the ULFA, from his rented house in the
Gandhibasti area in Guwahati. Police also recovered an IED from the
house. According to Assam Police, he was planning to trigger a high-
intensity blast in Guwahati in the next few days. Meanwhile, the
Police sounded an alert on July 18 that the ULFA was planning to
trigger a blast in Guwahati with the help of a student.
July 14: The BSF personnel arrested a suspected ULFA linkman,
identified as Pradeep Sangma of Sherpur District of Bangladesh, along
the India-Bangladesh border in the West Garo Hills District in the
State of Meghalaya.
July 12: The Army troopers and Police arrested a ULFA militant,
identified as S. S. Bhola Gogoi, at Shimalguri under Bihpuria Police
Station in the Lakhimpur District. One German .38 revolver with two
live rounds, one Nokia mobile phone and incriminating documents were
recovered from his possession. During interrogation, Bhola Gogoi
confessed that he worked as an active cadre of the 28th Battalion of
the ULFA and is the son of one Uttam Gogoi, a resident of Saraimoria
in the North Lakhimpur District.
July 10: Two ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with SFs at
Nasatra village in Barpeta District. The Gaonburah (village headmen)
of the village along with his wife and daughter were arrested for
sheltering militants in his home. One of the slain militants was
identified as Pingal Deka. Meanwhile, Shillong Times reports that the
other militant was identified as Tinku Deka.
July 9: A high ranking ‘second lieutenant’ and ‘commander’ of ‘27th
Battalion’ of the ULFA , Manik Saikia (38), a resident of Sootea
Sapekhati Gaon under Sootea Police Station in Sonitpur District,
surrendered in front of the Superintendent of Police of Sonitpur
District. He deposited a 9-mm pistol and some bullets at the time of
his surrender. He also confessed that he had joined the ULFA in 1990.
The Guwahati city Police arrested a ULFA extortionist, Raju Koch, at
Ganeshguri area of Guwahati when he came to collect extortion money
from a business firm. Police said Koch had served an extortion note on
an ULFA letterhead to the firm demanding INR 500000. Koch belongs to
Nazira in the Sivasagar District.
July 8: Shillong Times reports that the ULFA has regrouped its 28th
battalion in a base in Myanmar close to the border to step up its
activities in the eastern Assam's industrial and tea belt. Security
sources said the outfit had appointed Bijoy Chinese as the 'operation
commander' of the revamped ‘28th battalion’, which had been virtually
rendered defunct after its ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies entered into a truce
with the Government in June 2008 and its cadres taken shelter in
designated camps. Some of the senior leaders of the outfit have
reportedly taken shelter in Mon District of Nagaland to carry out
specific strikes in eastern Assam areas before Independence Day.
Central intelligence agencies have cautioned about a "rejuvenated"
ULFA carrying out a massive fund collection drive from the business
establishments located along Assam’s boundary with Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh. According to an intelligence report from upper
Assam, several businessmen paying extortion money to the ULFA were
doings so in installments. Sources in the agency said the sum in the
demand notes served to the traders varied between INR 200000 and INR
2000000. A senior officer of Golaghat Police confirmed that the ULFA
had been trying to extort businessmen in the border areas. Such
notices have been served in the Merapani and Chungajan areas along the
Assam-Nagaland border, he said. "We have not received any official
complaint till now though we have information about a few businessmen
receiving such extortion notes. A few have allegedly paid to the ULFA
coffers also." Most of these businessmen, the officer said, are Hindi-
speaking persons. Meanwhile, a statement issued by ULFA’s ‘finance
secretary’, ‘lieutenant colonel’ Chitraban Hazarika, on July 8 said
"donation notes" purportedly signed by him and distributed among the
businessmen, especially in Nagaon district, were fake. "Such notices
are fake as I have not signed any donation note since 2002," the
statement added.
July 7: A ULFA militant, identified as Jitu Medhi, was shot dead in an
encounter with the Police at Amsoi along the border of Nagaon and
Karbi Anglong District.
July 6: A self styled "sergeant" of the ULFA, identified as Deepshikha
Baruah alias Bohagi Baruah (35), a resident of Himpora village under
Moranhat Police Station in Sivasagar District, was arrested by the SFs
on from Rongapathar village under Sonari Police Station. A revolver
and an IED were recovered from Baruah who belongs to the Bravo Company
of ULFA’s 28th battalion. The Sivasagar District Superintendent of
Police, Shyamal Prasad Saikia, said that Baruah confessed that "the
outfit has plans to hit certain specific targets in the run-up to
Independence Day to once again prove its existence." A senior Army
officer, Lieutenant Colonel S. Banerjee, who was leading the Army
troops, was injured in his leg when Baruah fired at him from a
revolver. Two senior leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA,
Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta, had cautioned on July 1 that the ULFA
planned to strike before Independence Day, saying they had learnt
about it from "their own channels". Neog had even said the ULFA might
try to kill important functionaries of the pro-peace camps.
One ULFA linkman, Parth Pratim Saikia, was arrested by Police from
Chowkidingee area of Dibrugarh District.
July 1: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA sounded an alert and beefed
up security at its camps in the upper Assam region following reports
through its "own channels" that the outfit was attempting to carry out
strikes in the area, including on its members. The pro-talks faction
also cautioned the State Government about ULFA's plan to carry out the
attacks in August 2009. Prabal Neog, a leader of the pro-talks
faction, told Telegraph, "Many cadres (of ULFA) have already entered
Tinsukia District from the Myanmar camps via Arunachal Pradesh and
have started distributing extortion notices. We have information about
ULFA trying desperately to carry out strikes. If not on Security
Forces, it may be Hindi-speaking settlements and us. We have tightened
security in our camps." Jiten Dutta, another pro-talks leader, said
most of the ULFA militants who had entered Tinsukia recently were
recruited by him just a few months before they declared a cease-fire
in June 2008. "They are fully trained now and have been sent by the
leadership to carry out strikes," he added.
June 28: Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified as 28-
year old Dipen Bailung alias Malikto Bailung, from Dikhoumukh area in
Sivasagar District. During interrogation, he confessed to being
involved in regrouping activities and extortion in Sivasagar District
under the command of ULFA's 'sergeant' Nomal Gogoi, who has reportedly
been operating in the Assam-Nagaland border region.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/terrorist_outfits/ULFA_tl.htm
To be continued...
Sid Harth
June 27: Police arrested a ULFA linkman, identified as Gautom Hajong
(38), from Aidoba village under Mankachar Police Station in the Dhubri
District.
June 25: Quoting highly placed security sources, Assam Tribune
reported that the ULFA, anti-talks faction of the NDFB and the BW
outfits have joined hands as they were under pressure from the on
going operation against them by Security Forces. Sources said that at
present ULFA cadres led by Hira Sarania are reportedly moving around
in the areas bordering Bhutan in the Chirang and Baska Districts and
they may try to trigger explosions with the help of the anti-talks
faction of the NDFB. Sources also said the Black Widow group has
established ties with the anti-talks faction of the NDFB. There have
also been reports that a few Black Widow militants have managed to go
to Bangladesh along with cadres of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB.
One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs near
Sukurbaria Bazaar under Rani Police outpost in Kamrup District. The
Additional Superintendent of Police of Kamrup District, S. Deka, said
the slain militant, who appeared to be in his early twenties, could
not be identified. One pistol, a grenade and incriminating documents
were recovered from his possession.
June 24: An ULFA militant, identified as Jibesh Chakraborty alias
Kaku, was arrested in a joint operation launched by the Boitamari
Police and CRPF from Salbari village under Boitamari Police out post
in Bongaigaon District. Police sources said Jibesh entered Bongaigaon
after completing 12-day training in Kuklung forest.
SFs recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Namdang reserve
forest under Khowang Police Station in Dibrugarh District. Around 3000
rounds of various types of ammunition, five hand grenades, one AK 56
rifle with three magazines, one revolver and 30 detonators were
recovered. All the arms and ammunition were sealed in two large bags.
Colonel D K Singh of the Indian Army said that intelligence inputs and
interrogation of surrendered and arrested cadres had indicated that
the reserve forests in Dibrugarh District were being used by the ULFA
and other terrorist groups for transit and for hiding caches of arms
and ammunition.
June 23: One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter with a joint
team of the Police and CRPF at Sagarkuchi village in Khatikuchi area
under Ghograpar Police Station in Nalbari District. According to
sources, the SFs arrested two militants while travelling on a
numberless bike. In the encounter, one militant was injured while the
other managed to escape. The wounded militant later succumbed to his
injuries.
The pro-talks faction of the ULFA celebrated the anniversary of a
unilateral cease-fire and initiation of peace process, reports
Sentinel. The 'Alpha and Charlie' companies of the '28th battalion' of
ULFA had declared a unilateral truce on June 24, 2008. The pro-talks
ULFA cadres living in the designated camps at Kakopathar, Tinsukia,
Moran and Nalbari have been demanding full autonomy. However, Mrinal
Hazarika and Jiten Dutta, leaders of these two companies, have
expressed apprehension that with little development in the peace
process, there was a high possibility of new recruits joining the
ULFA.
June 22: Personnel of the 65th Field Regiment of Red Horns Division
arrested one Binoy Borah, a cadre of the 27th Battalion of ULFA, from
Adhikarigaon village under Mangaldai Police Station in Darrang
District. One 7.65 mm magazine, five live rounds and one mobile phone
was recovered from his possession.
The ULFA called a 12-hour Assam bandh (general shutdown) from 5 am
(IST) of June 25 for the alleged killing of cadres of ULFA, NDFB and
BW outfit in custody of the SFs. In a press release issued on June 22,
the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa alleged that recently two members
of the 28th battalion of the ULFA - Debojit Chetia and Durlav Bora -
were killed in Nagaon in a "fake encounter". He said that both the
ULFA members were arrested on June 10 near Karbi Anglong and were
later shot dead. The ULFA chairman also alleged that in June 2009 17
NDFB cadres were killed and most of them were killed while they were
in the custody of the SFs. He further alleged that BW cadre Frankie
Dimasa was also killed after he was picked up by the troops. Rajkhowa
said that instead of trying to find political solution to the
problems, the Government has been trying to deal with the situation
with force.
June 21: Two ULFA militants were shot dead during a joint operation by
the Army and Police near the Dijuvalley tea estate in Nagaon District.
One of the slain militants was identified as Subhankar Bora alias
Debojit Saikia, a cadre of the '28th battalion' of the ULFA, while the
other is yet to be identified. One AK 56 rifle, one 9-mm revolver and
ammunition and fired cases were recovered from the possession of the
slain militants.
June 19: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter
with Police and CRPF personnel at Kacharitol village under Kalaigaon
Police Station in Udalguri District. One Chinese pistol along with
several rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the possession
of the slain militant.
June 18: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by a joint team
of the Army and Police at Dababil under Sidli Police Station in
Chirang District.
The United Pro-talks Organization (UPO), comprising the ULFA, DHD, ACF
and the BCF, demanded regional autonomy in the Northeast so that
lasting solutions to the problems of the region could be solved.
June 17: Telegraph quoting eyewitnesses sources reports that three
suspected ULFA militants who came on two bicycles shot dead a
surrendered SULFA cadre, Khiren Chandra Nath (36), inside a saloon at
Salkosa in Dhubri District. Another surrendered ULFA cadre, Bishnu
Barman, and a barber, Dulal Sil Sarma, were injured. The people of the
area later obstructed the National Highway and gheraoed the Police
Station in protest against the killing.
June 15: The Police and Army personnel shot dead an ULFA militant,
identified as Biman Gogoi, and arrested a linkman, Hemchandra Gogoi,
from Telikhola Majgaon area of Sadiya in Tinsukia District. Later, the
Army recovered two AK-56 rifles, three magazines of AK series, one
magazine of M-20 pistol and 128 live ammunitions of AK series from
Udaypur area under Chapakhowa Police Station, based on the confession
of the arrested linkman.
June 14: Two suspected militants of the ULFA managed to escape after
local residents pelted stones at them when they tried to threaten a
businessman at gunpoint on the Chamber Road under Fancy Bazaar Police
Station of Guwahati city. Police, however, managed to recover a .38
and a 9-mm pistol which the militants left behind after being chased
by the public.
June 11: Two ULFA militants, identified as Megha Hajong and Arun
Rabha, were killed by a joint team of the Meghalaya Police and Army at
Bangalpara village in West Garo Hills District. An AK-47 rifle, two
Chinese grenades, three AK-rifle magazines with ammunition and some
explosives were recovered from their possession. Hajong was the ‘area
commander’ of the ULFA for the entire Garo Hills. Police said Hajong
was involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh
through the Garo Hills border to Assam.
June 10: Telegraph reports that the ULFA has started a new strategy of
recruiting the youth of tea tribe community in upper Assam. The
outfit’s new strategy came to light following the arrest of an ULFA
linkman, Devdas Tanti, from Thowra tea estate in Sivasagar District.
Tanti, a tea garden labourer, confessed that he had been asked by the
ULFA to lure tea garden youths to join the outfit
June 8: The personnel of 11th Maratha Regiment arrested one Prasenjit
Barman (19) of Goladangi and his accomplice Manik Barman (21) for
their reported links with the ULFA.
June 5: A huge cache of arms belonging to the ULFA was recovered by
Security Forces from Tinsukia District.
June 3: Three militants, including a senior ULFA militant identified
as Madhurjya Gogoi, were killed in an encounter with the Army at
Chayabhata village in Karbi Anglong District around 1.30pm (IST).
Gogoi was a self-styled 'lieutenant' of the banned outfit. Of the
other two militants, one was Gogoi's bodyguard while another was a
KLNLF cadre. An AK-series rifle, two 9mm pistols, a Chinese grenade,
ammunition and cash-receipt book were recovered from the encounter
site.
A ULFA militant, Karuna Mili alias Madhab Mili, was arrested from
Matmara area under Dhakuakhana Police Station in Lakhimpur District. A
9-mm factory made pistol, one magazine and three rounds of live
ammunition were recovered from his possession.
June 2: A cadre belonging to the '709 battalion' of the ULFA,
identified as Nripen Das, was arrested by the Police from Hajo in
Kamrup District.
June 1: Police arrested one Ranjit Dutta alias Jan of Sasoni Tokobill
area on the charge of extortion from Tipling under Duliajan Police
Station in Dibrugarh District. Police sources said Dutta was arrested
when he went to collect the extortion money. A few note pads of the
ULFA and some incriminating documents were recovered from his
possession.
May 31: The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who has been hiding
in Bangladesh for many years now, is reported to be in China for about
a month now, intelligence agencies have indicated. Government sources
told that Indian intelligence agencies have been able to intercept
Baruah's mobile phone and satellite phone conversations from China and
are also aware of his precise location in that country. Though there
is no clarity on the reason for his visit, sources said Baruah might
have travelled to China in the hope of procuring some arms. His China
visit comes at a time when the Awami League Government under Sheikh
Hasina has initiated a crackdown on the ULFA and other Indian
insurgent groups who have taken shelter in that country.
May 30: Police arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Pramod
Kalita and Satish Rajbongshi, and one PLA cadre, Birchandra Singh,
from the Baihata Chariali area of Kamrup District. 50 kilograms of
RDX, five kilograms of ammonium nitrate and some detonators were
recovered from their possession. Police claimed that on the eve of
ULFA's protest day, the militants were on an extortion drive in
Kamrup, including Guwahati city. They arrived at Baihata Chariali to
meet one bomb-expert, the report added.
May 29: Police arrested three unidentified ULFA militants at Baihata
Chariali area of Rangiya in Kamrup District. Five kilograms of RDX
(Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were recovered from their possession.
May 28: Two army personnel and two suspected ULFA militants were
injured in an encounter at Naamtemera Noigaon under Dergaon Police
Station in Golaghat District.
Sentinel has reported that the '28th Battalion' of the ULFA served
extortion notices to several businessmen in upper Assam and set a
target of collecting INR 10 million from the region. Sources said that
taking advantage of the agreement between the Government and the pro-
talks faction of the ULFA, a group of militants were serving extortion
notes in the name of the ULFA's '709 Battalion' to a number of
businessmen in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts. According to sources
in the ULFA, a meeting was convened at the headquarters of the '28th
Battalion' in Myanmar three days back to discuss the financial crisis
and ways to cope with it. The meeting unanimously resolved to collect
INR 10 million from upper Assam and instructed its cadres to serve the
extortion notes.
May 25: Two persons, including one surrendered United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA) cadre Bipul Saraniya (25), were shot dead by an
unidentified militant at Saukuchi under Barama Police Station in
Baksa. Police sources said when the SULFA man was taking a meal along
with Amar Das (15) at their relative's home, an unidentified militant
shot at them with a 9-mm pistol from zero distance.
May 19: The Guwahati Police arrested two youths, identified as Dhanjit
Kalita and K. Sinha, from the Chandmari Police Station area for
allegedly planning to serve extortion notes in the name of the banned
ULFA.
May 15: The troops arrested one self-styled 'Sergeant Major' of the
ULFA, Achyut Sarma alias Deepak Deka alias Noor, from Hazarikapara
village under Sipajhar Police Station in Darrang District.
May 14: Dispur city Police arrested two private security guards of a
residential apartment in Chandmari area of Guwahati city for extorting
money for ULFA. Police said the accused were identified as Amitabh
Boro (27) from Sipajhar in Darrang District and Dibakar Rajbongshi
(32) from Rangia in Kamrup District. The Police said the accused had
made extortion calls to some persons in the name of Hira Sarania, the
'commander'' of the '709 battalion' of ULFA.
May 12: Dibrugarh District Police arrested a suspected ULFA linkman,
Pankaj Baruah, from Mirihola village under Moran Police Station on
charges of extortion. According to Police sources, Bapu Jewelers had
received an extortion demand of INR 500000, reportedly from Dennis
Sonowal, a member of the 'Bravo Company' of ULFA. The matter was
reported to the Police and a trap was laid and Pankaj Barua who had
arrived at the spot to collect the demanded amount was caught.
Police shot dead an unidentified ULFA militant in an encounter at
Solmari under Baihata Chariali Police Station in the Kamrup District.
While Police recovered one 9-mm pistol from the possession of the
slain militant, two other militants managed to escape. Police sources
said a group of three ULFA militants were taking shelter in the area
with a view to collect funds for their outfit.
May 10: Police arrested an advocate, Gobinda Nath, from his residence
at Gopal Bazaar in Nalbari town, based on the confession of a ULFA
cadre, Manoj Sharma. Sharma, who is a cadre of the '709 battalion' of
the ULFA, was arrested earlier. Police sources said Sharma, who hails
from Baihata in Kamrup District, had gone to Nalbari to collect cash
from the advocate.
May 8: Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Arup Deka
(20), from Ganeshpara area of Guwahati in Kamrup District. The Police
said Deka, who hails from Musalpur in Baksa District, is a cadre
belonging to '709 battalion' of the ULFA, and suspected to be involved
in several subversive activities including the blast at Jyotikuchi.
Two ULFA militants, who were shot dead in an encounter at Beganabari
in Sivasagar District, were identified as Jitu Changmai and Linton
Ingti. Jitu hails from Sivasagar District while Linton is from
Tinsukia District.
May 7: Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead by Police during
an encounter at Beganabari in Sivasagar District. Police recovered a
universal machine gun, one AK-56 rifle and several rounds of live
ammunition from the encounter site.
May 3: An unidentified ULFA militant was killed while another was
wounded in an encounter with a joint team of the Police, Central
Reserve Police Force and Army at Biyakorowa village under Merapani
Police station in the Golaghat District.
April 29: A camp of the ULFA was neutralised and a cache of arms and
ammunition recovered by the Army at Salna in Nagaon District.
April 28: Two ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with the
SF personnel at Sripurdeor Haribangha under Mushalpur Police station
in Baksa District.
April 27: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a pro-talks cadre, Hitesh
Rabha (28), at Khaldang village under Krishnai Police station in
Goalpara District. Police sources said a group of four ULFA cadres
shot Rabha from close range when he came out of his house after
dinner. Rabha was with ULFA's 709th battalion before he came over
ground. This is the second major attack by suspected ULFA militants on
the pro-talks group within a month. Earlier, on March 25, they had
killed Robin Gogoi, who was instrumental in roping in leaders of the A
and C companies of ULFA's 28th battalion for talks. Pro-talks leader
Maradona Russell alias Naren Rai, who is in charge of the group's
Nalbari designated camp, held ULFA "commander-in-chief" Paresh Barua
and "chairman" Arabinda Rajkhowa" responsible for the killing. He
warned that his group would not remain a silent spectator to the
killing of its members.
SFs arrested two ULFA militants from Dekargaon area under Serfunguri
Police station in Kokrajhar District.
April 24: The ULFA has started extorting money from traders in
Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh Police said that two cadres of
ULFA's 28 battalion, Ghanakanta Saikia and Deepak Bhuyan, were
arrested from Bihpuria in Assam's Lakhimpur District on, for serving
an extortion notice for INR one million to a trader at Banderdewa in
Arunachal Pradesh last week and intimidating him. They were remanded
to Police custody for 14 days by a local magistrate on April 25.
April 22: A joint team of the Police and the Army arrested Subil
Borgohain, a 'sergeant major' belonging to the 'B' Company of the
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), from Mahmora Ali near Namrup
Police station in Dibrugarh District. One AK-56 rifle, 44 rounds of
live ammunition and some incriminating documents were recovered from
his possession.
April 21: Police arrested three ULFA linkmen for their alleged
involvement in the bomb blast at Jyotikuchi in the Maligaon area of
Guwahati city in Kamrup District. Police sources said the trio,
identified as Kandarpa Das, Sanjay Thakuria and Gautam Thakuria were
arrested from Musalpur in the Baksa District.
April 18: In a joint operation, Assam Rifles troopers along with the
Udalguri and Orang Police arrested four ULFA linkmen from two
different areas of Udalguri District. Phuleswar Nath and Dulal Nath
were arrested from Goraimari village while Pranab Nath and Satyajeet
Nath were arrested from Bagalibari village under Majbat Police
Station.
April 11: Police recovered two IEDs, one concealed inside a football
weighing around 10 kilograms and the other inside a steel container
weighing around three kilograms, from the house of one Babul Das under
Basistha Police Station of Guwahati. Police sources said Babul Das had
been arrested once earlier for suspected links with the banned ULFA.
April 10: The Mankachar Police arrested five more persons in
connection with the grenade blast at Mankachar Police Station on April
6. Four of the arrested persons who were suspected to have maintained
links with the ULFA were identified as Kamini Koch, Mithun Koch, Kamal
Koch and Mokmol Koch. All of them hail from Gopalpur village under
Mankachar Police Station in Dhubri District.
April 9: Two women cadres of ULFA, identified as Debalata Handique and
Jonali Deka, were arrested from an unspecified area of Guwahati in the
Kamrup District and remanded to three days Police custody for their
role the March 25 grenade attack in front of the civil hospital in
Tezpur.
Another ULFA militant, identified as Jadav Bora, was arrested by the
Security Force personnel from Amlaki Pait Gaon under Jonai Police
Station in the Dhemaji District.
April 8: SFs shot dead one unidentified ULFA militant at Bhuyakhati
near Dalgaon in the Darrang District. Some arms and ammunition were
recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
Police arrested two persons, identified as Pulin Bora and Lakhiprasad
Nath, from Dhekiajuli in the Sonitpur District in connection with the
April 6 bomb blast. Police sources said both are surrendered ULFA
cadres.
April 7: Police and Army in a joint operation arrested one ULFA
militant, identified as Parimal Barman, and six of its linkmen from
Paglaghat under Tamarhat Police Station area of Dhubri District in
connection with the April 6 grenade attack on a Police Station at
Mankachar in the same District.
April 6: Ten persons were killed and about 59 others injured in four
explosions carried out by suspected ULFA militants. The militants
carried out three blasts and mounted a grenade attack within five
hours. The Director General of Police, G.M. Srivastava, said seven
people were killed and 56 injured in a powerful blast in a crowded
market in Guwahati’s Maligaon area at around 2 pm (IST). The explosion
sparked a fire that set ablaze two cars and 20 motorcycles and spread
to a three-storey building housing the area police station. While six
people were killed at the blast site, one died of injuries after
jumping from an adjacent building which had caught fire. The bomb is
suspected to have been hidden in a car or a motorcycle parked adjacent
to the North-East Frontier Railway headquarters. "This is the
handiwork of ULFA boys ahead of the outfit’s Raising Day" Srivastava
said, adding the militants used hi-tech explosives. A bomb was set off
by unidentified militants in the Santipur area near Bokajan in Karbi
Anglong District earlier in the day. Suspected ULFA militants also set
off a bicycle bomb explosion at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur District later.
Four people were injured, one of them seriously, in this incident.
According to an unconfirmed report, he later died of his injuries. In
addition, an unidentified militant lobbed a hand grenade at Mankachar
Police station in Dhubri district, killing a Police driver and
injuring another.
April 5: Assam Tribune reports that Police released photos of two ULFA
militants who had entered Guwahati city to carry out subversive
activities ahead of the outfit’s raising day on April 7. The two
militants were identified as Manohar Rajbangshi alias Son and Pradip
Kalita alias Deep. Manohar hails from Musalpur in Baksa District,
while Pradip is from Nagaon District, the Additional Superintendent of
Guwahati City Police, Devajit Deuri, said. They belong to the ‘709th
and 27th battalion’ of ULFA respectively.
April 3: Police arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Rakesh
Thakuria (22) and Kamal Nayan Talukdar alias Baba (27), from Basistha
and Noonmati areas of Guwahati city respectively. They were involved
in the March 31 bomb blast at Jyotikuchi area in Guwahati city. The
Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Debojit Deori, said the
duo was also wanted in connection with several other cases. "They were
arrested based on the account of the eyewitnesses of the Jyotikuchi
blast," he said.
March 31: 53 militants, including 44 from the ULFA, surrendered before
the Army at Dinjan Army station in the Tinsukia District. Besides the
44 ULFA militants, including four women cadres, there were three NSCN
militants and six members of the AANLA. The militants deposited a huge
cache of arms and ammunition, including 44 pistols, five guns, one
machine gun and huge quantities of assorted ammunition.
One person died while at least nine others sustained injuries when an
IED exploded in the Jyotikuchi area under Gorchuk Police Station of
Guwahati city in the Kamrup District. The blast occurred two
kilometers away from Lalmati area, where the Union External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukerjee was supposed to address a public gathering as
a part of ruling Congress party’s election campaign. Senior
Superintendent of Police P. C. Saloi said, "From the prima facie
evidence, it appears to be the handiwork of the banned ULFA".
March 30: Quoting Assam Police sources, Assam Tribune has reported
that a group of Islamist militants had entered upper Assam with the
help of local militants to disrupt the parliamentary elections
scheduled to be held in April 2009. The Superintendent of Police of
Dibrugarh, Abhijeet Bora, said Islamist militants have entered upper
Assam through Myanmar and neighbouring Nagaland’s Mon District.
‘Bravo’ company of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had
possibly helped these militants enter the area as the ‘Alpha’ and
‘Charlie’ units of the outfit were on a cease-fire with the
Government, he added.
March 29: SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Sankar
Rajbongshi (30), from Anandapur village in the Baksa District.
The Morigaon Police arrested two woman ULFA militants, identified as
Jonali Deka and Devalata Handique, from Jorabat area near Guwahati of
Kamrup District.
March 25: The pro-talks ULFA leader, Robin Gogoi, and Luit Boishya, a
cloth merchant, were shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at Kristhi
Sangh playground in the Tinsukia District. According to the Police,
Boishya, who is from Nalbari, died on the spot while Gogoi succumbed
to injuries on the way to a hospital in Tinsukhia.
One ULFA linkman, identified as Ria Marak, was arrested by the troops
from Bishandagiri area under Garobada Police Station in the West Garo
Hills District.
March 18: One Police constable, Nirmal Deka (38), and a ULFA militant
were killed in an exchange of fire between the two sides at Kalitapara
under the Sipajhar Police Station in the Darrang District. Police
recovered one 9-mm pistol, two grenades, four mobile phones, four
batteries, 13 rounds of live ammunition and three books from the
possession of the slain militant. Telegraph had earlier reported that
the Constable was injured in the incident.
March 17: A Police constable, Nirmal Deka, was injured while an ULFA
militant, Ganesh Sarma, was killed in an encounter at Kurua village
under Sipajhar Police Station in the Darrang District.
Unidentified militants shot dead a surrendered ULFA cadre, Nayanjyoti
Roy, at the main market area of Kokrajhar District.
March 15: Police arrested three militants of the '27th Battalion' of
the ULFA from Baihata Chariali Police Station area in the Kamrup
District. They were identified as Badal Saikia, Ganesh Goswami and
Pradeep Kalita.
March 13: The Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Utpal
Barman, from Noonmati area of Guwahati in the Kamrup District.
March 12: Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified as
Bisaru Teli (40), at Mahmora Arabari under Mahmora Police Station in
the Dibrugarh District. 11 rounds of .303 live ammunition were
recovered from the house of the arrested militant.
March 10: Militant outfits like the ULFA and KLO were reportedly on an
extortion drive in different villages of Dhubri District. These
outfits were demanding INR 50, 000 to INR 500, 000 from middle class
business men and servicemen residing in various villages under
Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District bordering Bangladesh and
West Bengal. According to sources, using the KLO letterhead and
signing with its self styled 'commander' as S. Barman, a huge number
of demand notes was served to many businessmen and servicemen residing
in the village of Kanur Bish Khowa, Ratiadaha, Lakhimari and Rakhapat
under Golokganj Police Station. In addition, one Raju Borua,
mentioning himself as 'deputy chief' of the ULFA and using a cell
phone bearing Bangladeshi No.- 008801190856310, demanded money from
some businessmen residing at villages in the Dhubri District along the
Assam-West Bengal border. The report adds that one Ankur Bora,
identifying himself as a ULFA leader, has also demanded money from
some businessmen communicating through a cell phone.
March 9: One ULFA militant, identified as Tarun Thengal, surrendered
before the Police in the headquarters of Jorhat District.
March 8: A joint team of Army and Police shot dead one ULFA militant,
identified as ‘sergeant major’ Lolit Bora alias Ajit Gogoi alias Ajala
Kokai, near Balijan Grant area in the Sivasagar District. A US-made
revolver with three bullets, a grenade, a mobile handset, and a
notepad were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
March 6: A ULFA cadre, identified as Hiramal Sarkar alias Anupam
Gogoi, was shot dead by troops during an encounter at Launriguri under
Bijni Police Station in the Chirang District.
March 2: Assam Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as
Navajit Das alias Himanshu Roy, from Garchuk area of Guwahati City. A
member of the outfit’s central committee, he has been with the ULFA
since 1995.
Police arrested a woman ULFA cadre, identified as Lamayanti Roy alias
Ajanta Rabha of Chipansila area in the Bongaigaon District.
February 28: 45 militants, including 32 ULFA cadres, six KLNLF cadres,
five NDFB cadres and a cadre each of the MULTA and PLF-M, surrendered
along with a huge quantity of arms and ammunition before Red Horns
Division of Indian Army in a surrender ceremony organized at Rangiya
of Kamrup District.
February 26: In a joint operation, the Assam Police and CRPF personnel
shot dead two top militants belonging to the ‘Bravo company’ of the
ULFA’s ‘28th Battalion’ at Balijan village under Jengraimukh Police
Station in Jorhat District. The duo were identified as ‘operation
commander’ Bhaskar Hazarika and ‘sergeant major’ Sarat Bora. Nine bags
of incriminating documents relating to the ‘28th Battalion’, an AK-47
rifle, 20 detonators and fuse wires, two pistols and several grenades
were recovered from the incident site. In addition, $10,000 and INR
100000 in cash was recovered from a bag.
February 23: A self styled ‘corporal’ of ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA,
identified as Manab Handique alias Dambaru Bora, was arrested by
Police personnel at Padumoni area of Golaghat District.
February 22: A jute trader of Bogribari area, identified as Kartick
Sen, was abducted by a combined group of suspected ULFA and KLO
militants from his residence at Bogribari Bazaar area in the Dhubri
District. According to Police sources, five motorcycle-borne militants
called Kartik Sen out of his house and took him away after opening
fire in the air. Four years back, Sen’s eldest brother Ganesh Sen had
been shot dead by the ULFA.
February 21: Troops arrested two ULFA cadres and four linkmen during a
search operation at Ronbalgiri area in the East Garo Hills District. A
wireless set, 40 rounds of 9-mm ammunition and medicines were
recovered from their possession.
February 20: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA raised a demand for
"full autonomy" to Assam within the framework of Indian Constitution
after detaching itself from the ULFA’s "demand for restoration of
Assam’s sovereignty". The ‘president’ of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal
Hazarika, and two other senior leaders, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta,
informed that the faction had submitted an 18-point charter of demands
to the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on February 19 for solution of
the insurgency problem in Assam through negotiation. He further added
that Gogoi had "assured them to send the memorandum to the Prime
Minister for consideration by the Central Government. Those political
parties who are going to highlight these demands in the coming Lok
Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament) polls will receive morale
support from us."
February 19: One suspected ULFA militant, identified as Indrajeet Roy,
was arrested by the Army personnel from Koimari village under
Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District.
February 17: One Surrendered ULFA cadre, identified as Rajesh Das, was
shot dead by suspected ULFA militants in Guromari Pathar area of
Barpeta District.
February 8: Telegraph reports that the Unified Command Structures of
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have launched a joint operation to
neutralize transit camps set up by the militants in Changlang and
Tirap Districts to prevent them from reaching Myanmar. The counter-
insurgency operations would target militants of the ULFA and NSCN,
besides militants operating from West Bengal and Sikkim, who take
shelter and receive training in the Districts of Arunachal Pradesh
with support from larger outfits. Apart from Changlang and Tirap,
camps in Tamulpur, Darrang, Kajalgaon and Udalguri areas of Assam
bordering Bhutan would also be targeted. "This (the camps) is where we
want to stop them. Our main focus area will, therefore, be Changlang
and Tirap, as these are their getaways. The mega crackdown should be
over before the parliamentary elections," an unnamed senior official
said. "The objective is to stop the militants from moving out of
Bangladesh and from reaching Myanmar. The Sheikh Hasina regime has
made her stand very clear vis-à-vis militant groups from India
operating from Bangladeshi soil. Things will only get tough for the
rebels in Bangladesh," he added.
February 6: One ULFA militant, identified as Trailokya Deka, was shot
dead by the SFs during an encounter at Nasatra under Sarthebari Police
Station in the Barpeta District.
Two suspected ULFA linkmen, Shyamanta Senchowa and Hitesh Gogoi, were
arrested by a joint team of the Army and Police from Tingkhong in the
Dibrugarh District, for extorting money from the traders using
letterheads of the ULFA.
February 5: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by the SFs at
Polokhata under Barama Police Station in the Baksa District. A pistol
and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession.
An encounter took place between the Police and a group of ULFA
militants at Solmara village in the Nalbari District. The militants
opened fire on the Police who retaliated their firing. Two militants
were arrested from the encounter site and one pistol was recovered
from their possession.
The Basistha Police arrested a ULFA cadre, identified as Jintu Borah,
from the Bhangagarh area of Guwahati city.
February 3: A five-member delegation of the pro-talks ULFA militants
belonging to the ‘28th Battalion’ led by Mrinal Hazarika arrived in
New Delhi to hold discussions with the Union Government. According to
sources, the delegation is expected to meet a cross-section of
political leaders and opinion makers to elucidate their views on a
negotiated settlement of the militancy problem.
January 29: Two Police personnel and one ULFA militant were killed in
an encounter in the Sivasagar District. According to Police sources,
the encounter took place at Bengenabari area under Sonari Police
station when a joint patrol party of the Police and Army was attacked
by the ULFA militants. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhim Prasad Upadhaya
and Constable Debojit Borgohain were killed on the spot, while the
slain ULFA militant is yet to be identified.
January 28: The SFs in Jorhat and Lakhimpur districts have called for
commando back-up as they got ready for an operation against a group of
40 ULFA militants, holed up in one of the chaporis (sandbars) of
Majuli Island. The group is led by Rajib Das, the Majuli unit
commander of the outfit.
January 27: The pro-talks group of the ULFA, under the leadership of
Jiten Dutta, accused the Indian Army of trying to derail the peace
process by luring its cadres away from the designated camps to
surrender. "We have definite information that some cadres, including
those who had fled with weapons from our designated camps, are with
the army and are likely to surrender in the days to come," said Jiten
Dutta. However, rejecting the allegations, the General-Officer-
Commanding (GOC) of the Dinjan-based Second Mountain Division, Major
General Jatinder Singh, said: "These are all loose talk and the army
never gets entangled in such issues."
January 25: A suspected ULFA cadre was arrested by the Police from
Chabua in Dibrugarh.
SF shot dead an unidentified militant of ‘709 battalion’ of ULFA at
Dimakuchi in the Udalguri District. One 9mm pistol and an IED were
recovered from his possession.
Eight NDFB militants and two ULFA cadres surrendered before the
Superintendent of Police of Golaghat District. The ULFA militants were
identified as 'sergeant major' Pritam Doley alias Mickel Singh and
cadre Polash Jyoti Baruah. The eight NDFB militants were identified as
Ajoy Khaklari, Sanjoy Boro, Pabitra Basumatary, Nayan Basumatary,
Parimal Khaklari, Arabinda Daimary, Sanjeev Khaklari and Binanda
Khaklari. They laid down one .22riffle, one 9-mm pistol and one .32
pistol along with six cartridges with magazines.
Three cadres of the 'Alpha' and 'Charlie' companies of ULFA's '28
battalion' who had managed to escape from their designated camps in
the night of January 23, said oppression and ill-treatment by their
leaders, specifically Jiten Dutta, forced them to desert the pro-talks
group. The cadres said they had been expelled because they had opposed
Dutta's "autocratic" ways.
January 23: One ULFA cadre, identified as Arup Nayak alias Nelo, was
arrested by the SF personnel from Borpatra area under Borhat Police
Station in the Sivsagar District.
SFs arrested an ULFA cadre, Hareswar Das, from Diajiri in the
Kokrajhar District. Two hand grenades were recovered from his
possession. Based on his confession, Police arrested two more persons,
Mohammad Sabjal Ali and Mohammad Kazia Akhan, from Kauniabhasa in the
same district. A handmade pistol and six rounds of ammunition were
recovered from them.
Three ULFA cadres, Himalay Bora alias Arun Baruah, Bolin Moran alias
Rinku and Tapan Gogoi alias Kanak alias Kalpa, managed to escape from
their designated camps.While Arun escaped from the Moran-based camp,
Rinku and Kalpa managed to escape from the Kakopathar camp.
January 21: The SFs arrested one 'corporal' of the ULFA, identified as
Dipen Buragohain alias Bubu Gogoi, from Raghuguri village in the
Sivasagar District.
One ULFA cadre, identified as Uday Bharali, escaped from the Sadiya
designated camp of Tinsukia District with an AK-56 rifle. The SFs, in
the past month, have reportedly voiced concern on the disappearance of
some cadres of ULFA's 'Alpha and Charlie' companies from the
designated camps.
January 19: Police in Dibrugarh District recovered three Universal
Machine Guns, one AK 47 rifle, 10 magazines, and 200 rounds of live
ammunition buried underground amid bamboo groves in the Mahmora
village under Namrup Police station. The District Superintendent of
Police said, "Police intelligence has information about more weapons
being concealed at unknown places and so search operations will
continue." He refused to elaborate whether the recovered items
belonged to the ULFA.
A ULFA linkman, Girish Saikia, was arrested from Sonari in Sivasagar
District. He was reportedly working for the outfit's 28th battalion.
January 18: Four ULFA cadres were killed in two separate operations by
the Police and the Army at Khoya village in the Kamrup (Rural)
District. In the first incident, two militants belonging to the
group's 709 battalion were moving to Guwahati from Nalbari when the
encounter took place. Two pistols, two Austrian grenades, three
detonators, two IEDs and 500 grams of ammonium nitrate were seized
from the slain militants.
Two militants, also belonging to the 709 battalion, were killed by
Army personnel at Samukha village under Kamalpur Police station in the
Baska District. The SFs seized two 9 mm US-made pistol, two electronic
detonators and several extortion notes from the slain militants.
An ULFA militant was arrested by SFs from his residence at Panitema
village in the Baska district.
January 17: A huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including 27 AK
series and Chinese rifles, belonging to the ULFA was recovered by the
Police in the Tinsukia district. On a tip-off, Police from Dibrugarh
District along with their counterpart from neighbouring Tinsukia
District launched a joint operation at the Boholram village in the
Kukurmara Sadiya area of Tinsukia District, Dibrugarh Superintendent
of Police Anurag Agarwala told journalists in Dibrugarh.
January 14: Police arrested a militant of the ULFA, Jayanta Kalita,
from Lalmati in the Basistha area of Guwahati city. He had joined the
outfit around four years ago. The Police also detained Bhabani Deka,
owner of Kalita's rented house at Lalmati.
January 13: A ULFA militant, identified as Tapan Das, was killed
during an encounter with Security Forces at Geetanagar locality of
Guwahati city. The slain militant was involved in the abduction and
subsequent killing of FCI executive P.C. Ram in July 2007. Police said
Das, belonging to the outfit's 709th battalion, was trained in
sophisticated arms and bomb-making techniques and was involved in
several bomb and grenade explosions in the city in the past few
years.
46 militants, including 42 cadres of the NDFB and four belonging to
the ULFA, surrendered at Bathoupuri in the Baksa District. Of the 42
NDFB militants who laid down arms before police at Mushalpur in Baksa,
20 are from the outfit's Borbori designated camp, including a number
of "corporals" and "lance corporals", mostly from NDFB's 4th
battalion. The group laid down two AK-56 series rifles with two
magazines and 300 rounds of ammunition, two 9mm pistols with two
magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition, two Chinese pistols, two
revolvers, 10 Chinese grenades, 50 kilograms of TNT and one pen pistol
with six rounds of ammunition. The surrendered ULFA militants included
a woman cadre from the outfit's Enigma group, identified as Namita
Kalita.
January 12: The Assam Government stated in the Legislative Assembly
that eight militant groups, including the ULFA, KLNLF, Black Widow,
AANLA, KRA, HuM, MULTA and HPC-D, are active in the State. Forest
Minister Rockybul Hussain said that both the ULFA and NDFB are
carrying out subversive activities in Assam under the influence of
foreign powers and top leaders of the outfit are staying abroad. He
further said that in 2008, 124 militants belonging to various outfits
were killed and over 1300 were arrested. The Security Forces also
recovered 203 bombs and 202 grenades from the militants.
January 11: In a four-page statement signed by 'commander-in-chief'
Paresh Barua that was faxed to a section of the media, the ULFA
claimed that an "infamous" "gang of six" police officers was
responsible for the January 9 blast in the Maligaon locality of
Guwahati city to malign the outfit's image.
January 10: Two ULFA cadres were shot dead by Security Force (SF)
personnel in two separate encounters at Maligaon in Guwahati and
Baksa.
Police arrested three ULFA cadres from the Chandmari and Noonmati
areas of Guwahati.
January 5: Sonitpur Police arrested nine distributors and retailers of
the Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), who without proper verification
provided SIM cards, which were used by the militants for the Guwahati
serial blast on January 1. Police sources in Tezpur said that the
investigation into the entire episode started after the Police got
evidence of the militants, mostly ULFA cadres, using SIM cards issued
in favour of fictitious names to coordinate subversive activities.
Police also came to know that during the recent blasts in Guwahati the
ULFA used two SIM cards issued by a retailer in Dhekiajuli.
Bharalumukh Police arrested six persons at Bhutnath from Rangiya in
connection with the January 1 serial bomb blast. They were identified
as Imran Choudhury, Sanjib Talukdar, Hemanta Phukan, Ganesh Kumar,
Ravinder Singh and Tarun Kalita. Additional Superintendent of Police
(city) Jayashri Khersa revealed that they had confessed their
involvement in the bomb blast. While some of the arrested persons were
ULFA cadres, the rest were linkmen of the outfit.
A woman cadre of the '28th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as
'sergeant major' Mridula Kachari alias Trishna, who was trained in
Myanmar, was arrested by Police and 44 Field Regiment of Army at
Sonari in the Sivsagar District after a brief encounter. Another ULFA
cadre, Jun Sing, managed to escape from the encounter site.
The Home Department said the State Government had pointed out to the
Union Government that several outfits, including ULFA, AANLA and Black
BW, were taking refuge in the camps of NSCN-IM and NSCN-K in the
neighbouring State of Nagaland. While some senior ULFA cadres were
carrying out their activities from NSCN-K camps, militants belonging
to the other two outfits were being hosted by the NSCN-IM in its
camps. "However, given that the government is in a ceasefire with the
two Naga outfits, it is Delhi's responsibility to ensure that their
camps are not misused," a source said.
January 4: The Assam Police arrested a ULFA cadre, Sanjeev Talukdar,
from Rangiya. He is suspected to have supplied the explosives which
were used in the January 1 serial bomb blasts in Guwahati. Following
Sanjeeb’s confession, several other militants were also arrested. He
used to reportedly act as a carrier for the ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’ and
handed over the explosives to the main suspect of the blasts, Pranjal
Deka, near Adabari bus station, days before the explosions took place
in Guwahati. Police claimed that the deal between Pranjal and Sanjeeb
was being co-ordinated by Khagen Kalita, self-styled ‘Sergeant Major’
of the outfit’s ‘709 battalion’ over phone.
January 2: The Guwahati Police released the photograph of Pranjal Deka
alias Biju Saraniya alias Bhambhal, a cadre of the ULFA’s 709th
battalion, who according to security agencies, masterminded all the
three blasts in Guwahati on January 1. Additional Superintendent of
Police (City), Joyshree Khersa, said that Deka, who hails from
Dwarkuchi village in Baksa District, is still holed up in the city
along with at least five other ULFA militants. "Combing operation is
on and we have intensified vigil across the State," Khersa said,
adding that Deka is wanted in connection with several other recent
blasts.
The pro-talks group of the ULFA has reportedly given up the demand for
sovereignty. In a press meet held at the designated camp at
Kakopathar, the pro-talks group leader Mrinal Hazarika said they would
now sit for talks with the Government within the framework of Indian
Constitution.
January 1: ULFA militants triggered serial bomb blasts in three
different areas of Guwahati city, killing five persons, including a
minor, and injuring 50 others. The first explosion took place around
2:25 PM (IST) in Birubari followed by high-intensity explosions in the
Bhootnath area (5:25PM) and Bhangagarh area (5:40PM). The blasts were
triggered hours before the scheduled arrival of Union Home Minister P.
Chidambaram. "From prima facie evidences collected from the spot, it
appears to be the handiwork of suspected ULFA militants," said
Additional Superintendent of Police of Guwahati City, Debojit Deori.
"The Birubari bomb, which was planted in a GMC dustbin near the Assam
Association of Deaf office, was a low-intensity one. However, the
subsequent blasts were aimed to cause maximum damage as they were
planted in crowded areas," added Deori. Another unnamed Police
official claimed that the bomb in the Bhootnath area was planted in a
bicycle. Director General of Police, G.M. Srivastav, told The Hindu:
"We had information that some cadres of the ULFA’s 709 battalion have
entered the city to trigger blasts and we were hot on their trail.
Under pressure in the form of stepped-up security, they dumped one
bomb at a garbage bin in Birubari locality." He also said the ULFA
wanted to demonstrate its presence ahead of Chidambaram’s visit.
2008
December 29: A senior ULFA militant, identified as Hasmut Ali alias
Jahangir Ali, surrendered before the East Garo Hills District Police
at Bajengdoba in the State of Meghalaya. He laid down an AK-81 assault
rifle, a hand grenade, three magazines and 71 rounds of AK ammunition.
The militant was trained at several ULFA camps in Bangladesh bordering
Garo Hills, and was made a ‘lance corporal of the 109 battalion’ of
the outfit. He belonged to the 2006 batch of ULFA militants. The
report adds that the ULFA has time and again been using the Garo Hills
area for safe passage to and fro Bangladesh.
December 28: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA which comprises cadres
and leaders of the ‘Alfa’ and ‘Charlie’ companies of the outfit’s
‘28th battalion’ has set December 31 as the deadline for the top
leaders of the outfit to take a decision to hold a dialogue with the
Government of India.
December 27: 19 ULFA cadres surrendered and joined the pro-talks group
at Kakopathar camp in the Tinsukia District. Eight of the cadres were
from the outfit’s ‘28th battalion’ headquarters based in Myanmar. They
laid down weapons, including rocket-propelled gun, a light machine gun
and a universal machine gun. "Most of the cadres lodged at the camps
in Myanmar are uncertain about their future. That is why we chose to
get out of the camps and join the pro-talks group," Dipankar Dutta,
one of the cadres, said. "We have been planning the escape since we
came know about the peace process," another cadre, Parashmoni
Rajkhowa, said.
December 23: Two ULFA cadres were shot dead and a woman cadre wounded
in an encounter with a joint team of East Garo Hills District Police
and Kumaon Regiment personnel at Gambil Apel. The slain ULFA cadres
were identified as A.K. Barman Rabha and Bikash Majumdar, both hailing
from Assam. The wounded woman cadre, identified as Teji Mala Rabha,
was arrested after the encounter. However, eight other ULFA cadres
managed to escape from the encounter site. An AK-66 rifle, five
magazines, 173 rounds of ammunition, a hand grenade, a mobile phone,
five demand notes and other objectionable documents were recovered
from the incident site. Police later arrested two ULFA sympathisers,
Lebison A. Sangma and Laban C.H. Momin, from Gambil Apel.
December 22: SFs reported that some cadres of the ‘A’ and ‘C’
companies of the ULFA’s ‘28th battalion’ had gone "missing" from their
designated camps in upper Assam. SF sources said they were perturbed
over the development accompanied by reports that these cadres may have
actually returned to the outfit after remaining silent for the past
six months. The ‘28th battalion’ had earlier declared a unilateral
cease-fire in June 2008. According to official records, there are 133
cadres belonging to the ‘A’ and the ‘C’ company of the ‘28th
battalion’ of the ULFA lodged in the four Government-run designated
camps at Sadiya, Kakopathar, Moran and Nalbari. But the source said
the recent head counts revealed that a few cadres were missing from
the camps. A leader of the pro-peace group, Jiten Dutta, while
accepting that some amount of frustration is bound to creep in among a
section of the cadres, denied that some of them have fled and re-
joined the outfit. A central intelligence official based in upper
Assam said, "Some other cadres, too, are planning to return to the
outfit frustrated over the slow progress of the peace process." Inputs
from local sources indicated that the outfit has begun a fresh
recruitment in all the three upper Assam Districts of Sivasagar,
Jorhat and Golaghat. There are also some attempts to recruit fresh
members from Tinsukia and Dibrugarh Districts and from Dhemaji and
Lakhimpur Districts. Simultaneously, the outfit has also started
extortion once again, the official added.
December 21: The ‘general secretary’ of the ULFA, Golap Barua alias
Anup Chetia, has moved the United Nations for refugee status and
political asylum in a safe country once he is out of Bangladesh jail
where he is now under trial. The ULFA mouthpiece ‘Swadhinata
(Freedom)’ in its latest issue which has been made available through
the Internet, informed that Anup Chetia, now lodged in a Bangladesh
jail, has moved the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee
through its Bangladesh office for political asylum and refugee status
in a safe country as he fears ‘danger to his life’ once out from the
jail.
December 19: One ULFA cadre, Mahesh Bora alias Biman Bora, was
arrested at his village Nahorani under Jengraimukh Police Station in
the Jorhat District.
December 18: The Army personnel arrested one ULFA link man, identified
as Memera Mech at Jakripoduli village under Haloating Police Station
in the Sivasagar District. Two hand made grenades were recovered from
the possession of the captured linkman.
December 16: 38 militants belonging to different militant outfits of
the North East, including the ULFA, NSCN-K, KLNLF, surrendered before
Major General Jatinder Singh, General Officer in-Command of 2 Mountain
Division, at its headquarter in Dinjan of Tinsukia District. Out of
these, 16 were from ‘B’ company of ‘28th Battalion’ of ULFA, seven
from ‘C’ company of ‘28th Battalion’ of ULFA, four from its
headquarter, seven from NSCN-K and remaining four from KLNLF. Among
the surrendered, there were two female cadres of ULFA. The surrendered
militants handed over 35 weapons, including pistols, revolvers,
rifles, and a cache of ammunition.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram warned Bangladesh not to allow
terrorist outfits from India to carry out anti-India operations from
its territory. While speaking in Lok Sabha (Lower House of
Parliament), he said, "The HuJI of Bangladesh had perpetrated the
October 30 Asom serial blasts in which ULFA and NDFB were also
involved," adding, most of the insurgent groups operating from the
Northeast, including the ULFA, are based in Bangladesh. The Government
had intelligence inputs that the ULFA and other insurgent groups in
the Northeast have been working with the Bangladeshi terrorist outfit
HuJI, the Home Minister added.
The Union Government clarified that it had no dialogue with the self-
styled ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA so far, reports Assam Tribune.
According to the Government of Assam, two companies of ‘28th
Battalion’ announced a unilateral cease-fire on June 24. Cadres of
these two companies are staying in the designated camps set up by the
State Government, said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs,
Radhika V. Selvi, in reply to a question by Narayan Chandra Borkataky
in Parliament.
December 15: Two ULFA militants, identified as Shibo Chetia and
Rupantar Gogoi, were arrested by the Army personnel from Cheleng
village and Balipara Gaon respectively under Naharkatia Police station
in the Dibrugarh District. One pistol and six rounds of ammunition
were recovered from them.
December 11: SFs arrested a ULFA militant, Babul Deka alias Pulok
Deka, from the Udalguri District.
December 10: Two women cadres of the ULFA, identified as Bandita alias
Karabi Phukan of Mahmora Bhalukoni under Kakotibari Police station and
Satyama Bailung alias Niharika a.k.a. Mamu of Timou Dabakhatia under
Kakotibari Police Station, were arrested by Mathurapur Police of
Charaideo subdivision in the Sivasagar District.
December 9: Assam Government announced a monetary package to
rehabilitate and sustain the pro-peace ULFA cease-fire group. The
package will be funded from both the central and the state Government
fund in the initial phase so that time is not wasted in getting
clearance. The group had asked for INR 3,000 for an unmarried cadre
and INR 5,000 for a married cadre. The Centre now gives a consolidated
stipend of INR 2,000 per month to a cadre in cease-fire period. Pro-
peace leaders Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta welcomed this decision
and termed it as positive.
December 8: The Army launched an operation in Sivasagar to neutralise
the ‘B Company’ of ULFA’s ‘28 battalion’ and liberate Upper Assam from
the clutches of the outfit. Army source said the operations were
launched mid last week after authorities sent orders that no leniency
be shown to ‘B company’ till its militants agree to a truce like the
‘Alpha and Charlie companies’, which declared a cease-fire in June
2008.
December 6: Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the
SFs at Kurkarigaon under Kakotibari police station in the Sivasagar
district. One of those killed was identified as Biraj Changmai. An
AK-47 rifle and one 9mm pistol were recovered from the encounter
site.
An ULFA cadre, identified as Haresh Patmont alias Jyoti Patmont, was
killed in an encounter with SFs at Gujarating in the Charaideo
subdivision of Sivasagar district. SFs also arrested another ULFA
cadre, Kiron Jyoti Gogoi, and recovered two 9mm pistol, one grenade,
three magazines, one mobile phone, 15 live ammunition and INR 45,000
from the encounter site.
December 5: An ULFA bomb expert and ‘lieutenant’ of its ‘709
battalion’, identified as Tapan Rai, was shot dead in an encounter
with a joint team of the army and police at Belguri in Kokrajhar
district. One AK-47 rifle with two magazines of 16 rounds of live
ammunition was recovered from his possession.
December 4: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the probe into the
October 30 serial blasts in Assam has established the involvement of
the ULFA and NDFB. During a press conference, he said, "We have
evidence up to the level of ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah
and NDFB ‘supremo’ Ranjan Daimary. But to get to the real brains
behind the blasts, we need Central assistance, as we cannot go to the
neighbouring countries where the ULFA and NDFB are having bases."
Gogoi further said that the State’s militant outfits operating from
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar had become "pawns in the hands of the
HuJI, ISI and other forces" inimical to the State’s and country’s
interests.
November 29: A joint team of 66 Field Regiment of Army and police
arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Debanta Saikia, from Sapekhati
in the Sivasagar district.
November 28: The ULFA was on an extortion drive in the upper Assam
districts. A number of demand notes in ULFA’s pad were sent to a
section of the doctors and businessmen of Sivasagar town. The demand
notes bear the signature of Montu Saikia alias Bijoy Das, who is the
‘in-charge of finance’ of the ULFA in the district. Meanwhile, the
police said that the demand notes are fake and do not resemble the
usual ULFA demand notes. Police sources have, however, confirmed
reports of ULFA’s extortion drive in the district and said that a four-
member ULFA group under Montu Saikia has entered the district with
intent to carry out extortion.
November 27: An attempt made by the ULFA militants to abduct an Afghan
money lender from Aidoba area of Dhubri district was foiled when he
managed to escape.
November 26: A joint team of police and the Army arrested one ULFA
militant, Debendra Saikia from Moranhabi village under Sapekhati
police station in the Sivasagar district. Another ULFA militant, ‘self-
styled sergeant major’ Amar Kakoti alias Kushal Konwar, was arrested
by security personnel from Majulipur under Jonai police station in the
Lakhimpur district on the same day. One 9-mm pistol and ammunition
were recovered from his possession.
November 25: Troops of 37 Assam Rifles arrested a United Liberation
Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre during a search operation along Lungwa-
Phomching road in the Mon district on November 25, according to
Nagaland Post. He was identified as Dhanti Dutta of Sonari in Assam. A
303 rifle along with magazine and 10 live rounds and other
incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.
Telegraph quoting Meghalaya Police source reports that that the ULFA
and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants are using
the Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF) cadres to make crude bombs.
Police recovered five crude bombs along with other arms and ammunition
and incriminating documents from the nine LAEF militants arrested in
the Ri-Bhoi district bordering Assam on November 18. They suspect that
the LAEF militants were making a base in a forest area near
Pilangkatta in the Ri-Bhoi district and were seeking logistic support
from the ULFA and NDFB cadres.
November 24: Two ULFA militants, identified as Hira Gogoi alias
Debojit Dutta and Dipu Saikia alias Dipu, surrendered at the office of
the Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat district. They also laid down a
revolver, an AK-47 and 30 rounds of ammunition.
November 23: The Sivasagar police and army personnel recovered a cache
of explosives, including 10 kilograms of RDX, from the residence of a
person, Shivlal Sarmah, at Hunaipur Soraihojiya under Geleki police
station, after an encounter with the ULFA militants. However, the
militants who took shelter at Shivlal’s residence managed to escape
from the incident site.
Telegraph reports that the ULFA and NSCN-K are holding joint training
sessions in the Lohit, Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal
Pradesh fearing possible army crackdowns in Assam and Nagaland. A
group of 30 newly recruited ULFA cadres are undergoing a two months’
advanced training in villages bordering Changlang and Myanmar under
the supervision of ‘sergeant commander’ Anjan Borthakur of the ‘B
company of 28 battalion’ of the ULFA, the outfit’s ‘publicity
secretary’ Michael Deka and the commander of NSCN–K Siv Konyak. "After
two months of training, the cadres will head for Myanmar to join other
group members. It is an alarming trend. This is the first time that
Ulfa and NSCN (K) are jointly conducting such advanced training
courses in the state," a police source said. The villages in
Mahadevpur circle of Lohit district, Ponchau circle of Tirap district
and Bordumsa circle of Changlang district are the outfits’ new havens.
Both groups have held recruitment drives in Lohit and received
‘satisfactory response’, sources said. The report added that
altogether 40 new cadres were recruited in Mahikong, Malemna, Maling,
Manchal areas under Mahadevpur circle in the district. The NSCN-K also
recruited about 20 cadres from Khanu, Khasa, Bonya, Konnu and Konsa
areas of Tirap district in the past three months. The ULFA has also
begun a fresh recruitment drives in Borkhet Chaimu, Chamro and
Changlai villages of Changlang district. The report also said that the
stretch from Chessa to Chengmara along the Arunachal-Assam border is
used by militants from Assam as an escape route.
November 21: Assam Police arrested a person, Nikhil Rai, from his
residence at Bangiamari village in the Dhubri district for his
suspected links with the ULFA.
November 20: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by security
force personnel during an encounter on the embankment of Bornadi at
Hindu-Moijali village under Baihata Chariali police station in the
Kamrup district.
November 19: A self-styled ‘sergeant major of the 28 battalion’ of the
ULFA, identified as Ram Singh alias Mintu Borgohain, was arrested by
the Sivasagar district police and 318 Field Regiment of the Army
during a joint search operation at Jabalating under Bokota Nemoguri
police station.
The Army and police during a joint search operation arrested a
militant Golap Ali of Alibari under Palasbari police station in the
Kamrup district. Gelatine sticks, detonators and a copy of an
extortion note of the ULFA were recovered from his possession.
November 16: The investigation into the Assam serial blasts of October
30 has revealed a close nexus between the ULFA and NDFB with Bhutan-
based Maoist rebel groups, reports Assam Tribune. Police sources said
that the ULFA and NDFB are against the Bhutan Government because of
the Operation All Clear launched against the outfits in 2003, while
the Maoist groups are strongly opposed to the move of the Government
of the neighbouring country to evict a sizeable number of Nepali
populations from southern Bhutan. In recent years, the ULFA and NDFB
extended help to the Maoist groups active in Bhutan by providing them
with explosives. These facts came to light following the arrest of a
Bhutanese national, Tenzing Zengpo, during investigations into the
serial blasts. Zengpo was arrested along with one of the suspects in
the case in Guwahati city. During interrogation, the Bhutanese
national admitted the long association they had with the ULFA and
NDFB. Sources revealed that Zengpo was earlier the general secretary
of the Druk National Congress of Bhutan and is currently associated
with Maoist groups active in Bhutan.
November 15: The troops arrested one ULFA militant, Pradip Kumar Roy,
from Koimari village in the Kokrajhar district.
November 14: The investigations into the October 30 blasts in Assam
revealed that the ULFA has once again found its way into Bhutan.
Police sources said that they had information about an ULFA camp on
Bhutanese territory near Barpathar village in Assam’s Chirang
district. Two top rank cadres of ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’, identified as
self-styled ‘second lieutenant’ Baba Rabha and ‘sergeant major’ Kushal
Das, are the in-charge of the camp that has around 150 cadres. Police
suspect that the commandant of the ‘4th battalion’ of the NDFB,
Ritikhang, is hiding in that camp.
November 13: An IED weighing 10 kilograms was recovered at Jaboka
under Sonari police station in the Sivasagar district on Sonari-
Namtola road during a joint operation by the Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF), Army and Police personnel. The bomb was planted in a
pressure cooker under a culvert. Security personnel also recovered a
30-metre wire and four batteries from the spot. It is suspected that
the ‘28th battalion’ of ULFA had planted the bomb.
November 11: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in a press conference at
Guwahati said that the investigations revealed clear indications of
the involvement of the cadres of the ULFA and NDFB in the October 30
serial bomb blasts. He also said that forces based outside the country
might have extended support to the militant groups to carry out the
operation. However, he said that it is not clear which force from
outside provided help to the ULFA and NDFB militants as a number of
anti-India groups have their bases in Bangladesh. He also expressed
the view that no force from outside would be able to carry out any
major attack in the State without the help of the "local militant
groups."
November 10: The Darrang district police arrested an ULFA militant,
Neela Deka alias Chamappa, for his involvement in the killing of a
surrendered ULFA cadre.
November 9: A ULFA linkman, Tutul Borgohain, was arrested by a joint
force of Army and Sivasagar District Police from Loraphuta village. A
mobile handset with a SIM card containing phone numbers of ULFA cadres
was recovered from his possession.
After remaining silent for about three months, the ULFA has launched a
fund-raising drive in Sivasagar district, reports Sentinel. According
to reports, the ULFA has sent at least 15 extortion letters to
businessmen and ONGC employees of the town. Police sources confirmed
the reports and said a four-member ULFA group under the leadership of
Montu Saikia has entered the district. The group also had a woman ULFA
cadre, sources added. After the ceasefire by ‘A’ and ‘B’ companies of
28 battalion of the ULFA, all the companies under the battalion were
merged and Sujit Mohan was appointed as the "commander" of the 28
battalion. Montu Saikia has been given the charge of finance in the
district, and all the extortion letters bear the signature of Sujit
Mohan.
The investigating agencies had found clues that ULFA and NDFB carried
out the Assam serial blast of October 30 with the help of Bangladesh-
based HuJI. "We have found that the Bangladesh-based HuJI has provided
the expertise to ULFA and NDFB as none of them has the technology to
explode such devastating bombs which claimed 84 lives," a Home
Ministry official said. Home Ministry sources also added that the
government is worried over the fact that the northeast militants has
started using a deadly mixture of RDX, ammonium nitrate and
plasticised explosives to carry out explosions which led to greater
casualties which was never seen in the past. Though the operation was
masterminded by HuJI at the behest of the ISI, the NDFB and ULFA had
provided logistical support.
November 7: One unidentified ULFA militant was killed in an encounter
with Army at Lakhipur under Borbori police station in the Baksa
district. One 9mm pistol with 3 rounds live ammunition, some
incriminating documents, about 2 Kilograms of explosive substances and
the motor cycle used by them recovered from the slain militants.
The Assam Police arrested three militants of ULFA along with nine
kilograms of TNT at Kolia Bhomora Bridge over the Brahmaputra in the
Tezpur district.
November 6: Army arrested a ULFA linkman, Bhogeswar Panging of
Chenimiora village under Sivasagar police station following the
confessions made by Parikshit Gogoi, an ULFA militant who was arrested
on November 3 from Panbessa village.
The Tripura Government has submitted a comprehensive report to the
Union Home Ministry on terrorists backing militant outfits in the
region, especially Asom-based ULFA and Tripura-based ATTF, State Home
Department sources said. According to reports, the issue was also
discussed at a high-level security review meeting, chaired by National
security Advisor M K Narayanan, with police chiefs of the region. It
was also revealed at the meeting that the blasts in Asom were
reportedly carried out by Bangladesh-based HuJI in coordination with
local outfit ULFA and serial bomb blasts in Agartala were attributed
to ATTF-ULFA combine. The report also states that Pakistan-based ISI,
Al-Qaeda and Bangladesh-based HuJI. The militants were using Sonamura,
Agartala and Kailashahar in Tripura and Karimganj and towns of upper
Asom for entering India.
November 5: The officials investigating the October 30 serial bomb
blasts in Assam said that the ULFA was behind the attack.
November 4: A joint team of the Army and Police arrested Parikshit
Gogoi of ‘B Company’ of the ULFA’s ‘28 battalion’ in the Sivasagar
district along with more than 1kg RDX, a pistol and a grenade.
The 318 Field Regiment of the Army arrested one ULFA militant, Mrinal
Kanti Cheleng from Khamung gaon under Kakotibari police station in the
same district.
November 3: A surrendered ULFA cadre, Sanjib Baruah, was shot dead by
the militants of the same outfit in the Darrang district.
A joint team of Army and Assam Police arrested a militant of the ‘709
battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Mohan Das. The arrested militant
had taken shelter at the residence of an ULFA linkman, Mantu Kalita,
at Niznamati village under Barama police station in the Nalbari
district, reports Telegraph. Police also arrested three other ULFA
linkmen, Bhaskar Kalita, Sourav Kalita and Vikash Kalita, in this
connection.
The Army arrested one ULFA linkman, Lachit Rajkonwar, from his
residence at Bengenabari in Charaideo subdivision of Sivsagar
district.
October 31: Security personnel while probing a possible HuJI-ULFA link
to the October 30-serial blasts arrested over 20 suspects including
two vehicle owners. According to police sources, Asib Mohammed Nizami
and Zulfikar Ali, who are the owners of two vehicles in which the
bombs were concealed in Ganeshguri area of the city and Bongaigaon,
were arrested from Jhuria Dagaon in the Nagaon district. "While
suspecting the hand of the Bangladesh-based HuJI outfit, police
claimed to have got clues that the blasts were carried out by people
having local links", a top Assam police official said.
Pro-peace ULFA leader Prabal Neog denied the outfit’s alleged role in
the October 30-serial blast in Assam. Neog said that, "This is an act
of total inhumanity and the state government will have to take the
entire responsibility for this disaster. ULFA had never targeted
innocents during its operations. Our target was always the security
forces, government establishments, Oil and railway installations".
There must be some external forces behind this blast, he further
added. Moreover, ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, also denied ULFA’s
role in the blast.
October 30: A total of 77 persons were killed and about 300 injured in
13 near-simultaneous blasts in Assam capital Dispur and adjoining city
Guwahati and three other districts- Kokrajhar, Barpeta, and
Bongaigaon. Police said that the involvement of jihadi groups like the
Bangladesh-based HuJI-B militants cannot be ruled out. The police are
also examining whether the ULFA was involved in the blasts.
The ULFA in an e-mail statement denied its hand in the blasts and
alleged that a section of the government officials deliberately blamed
the outfit to derail the possible peace process.
October 27: The Mangaldai police arrested one militant of the ULFA,
when he was coming to collect extortion money of INR 150,000 from a
Junior Engineer of Mangaldai town in the Darrang district. Later the
militant was identified as Sanjay Barman of Namsala village under
Sarthebari police station in the Barpeta district.
A self-styled ‘sergeant major’ of ‘109th battalion’ of the ULFA,
identified as Niren Das alias Jibon Das, surrendered before Deputy
Commissioner R.C. Jain and Superintendent of Police Debajit Hazarika
in the Kamrup district.
october 26: Around 30 militants led by a self-styled ‘sergeant major’
Rafel Maradona of the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA declared cease-
fire. The report added that they are camping at a designated area in
Moiradonga.
Security forces located a training camp run by the ULFA at Bakapura in
the Sherpur district across the international border with Meghalaya.
The camp was located following the arrests and surrender of a few
cadres who came to Assam from that camp. The report added around 150
ULFA militants, including middle rank leaders such as Antu Chowdang,
Pradyut Gohain and Drishti Rajkhowa, are hiding in the camp. The
intelligence sources mentioned that the ULFA must be receiving direct
or indirect help from the DGFI or from the BDR as it would not have
been possible for the militant group to run a camp so close to the
international border.
October 25: Five ULFA militants and a soldier were killed during an
encounter between a joint team of the Army and CRPF personnel and
militants at Mahina village in the Nalbari district. The slain
militants, including one identified as Corporal Sanjit Sarania,
belonged to the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA. One kilogram of RDX,
four pistols, two grenades, one radio set, 29 rounds of live
ammunition, one K.G. of urea, two IEDs, nine detonators, five
magazines of SLR and fuse wires were recovered from the encounter
site.
October 24: Police has established direct links with Hira Sarania,
leader of the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, to bring overground the
last potent fighting arm of the outfit. Police sources said "though
Sarania had not committed himself for peace but not rejected the idea
either". "He had not snapped communication with us, which itself
raises a lot of hope", unidentified Police sources said. The ‘sergeant
major’ of ULFA, Bhaskar Rajbongshi, who surrendered in Guwahati a
couple of months back, was acting as the link between the police and
the battalion commander. After his surrender, Rajbongshi got in touch
with Sarania to persuade him to follow the path of the leaders of the
28th battalion.
The ULFA accused Jiten Dutta, a senior pro-talks leader of 28th
battalion, of killing many innocent people, while he was in the
outfit, to destroy the image of the outfit with the help of Indian
security force. The accusation comes in the wake of protests by
civilians in Kakopathar area of Tinsukia district over the killing of
youths in the Kumsang reserve forest on September 30. The statement
also mentioned that the killing was carried out without the knowledge
of the outfit’s top leadership. The ULFA spokesperson said that
protests in Kakopathar against the outfit over the killings were also
instigated by Dutta.
October 22: A ULFA militant, Diganta Buragohain, was arrested by the
Guwahati city Police when he came to collect money from a city-based
trader.
Hundreds of people, including women and the elderly, led by various
organisations, gathered in front of Kakopathar Boys Higher Secondary
School and staged a protest in the incident of killing of five
Assamese youths by the ULFA, whose decomposed bodies and skeletons
were found in Kumsang reserve forest on September 30. This protest
showed that the ULFA had loosen its feet in the Dibrugarh district
especially in Kakopathar area, where the outfit had enjoyed
unflinching support, till the mass grave at their erstwhile camp was
discovered.
October 21: The Government of India had clarified that it has not
received any ‘formal proposal’ from ULFA for direct talks. The
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Radhika V Selvi in a reply to the
question by Narayan Chandra Borkotoki in Lok Sabha (lower house of
parliament) said that "The Government of India is open to talks with
any militant groups including ULFA provided that they should stop
violence first".
October 17: Police arrested a surrendered ULFA cadre, Dipen Barhoi, on
charges of extortion at Mariani in the Jorhat district.
ULFA is recruiting new cadres under the ‘supervision’ of the self-
styled ‘commander’ of the ‘28th Battalion’, Bijoy Chinese, and
‘Lieutenant’ Antu Saudang, in the Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat
districts. The report added that the new recruits are being sent to
Myanmar for training under the ‘guidance’ of ULFA senior cadre Jiban
Moran. As a result of this recruitment drive, the number of trainees
at Myanmar camp since the announcement of ceasefire by two companies
of the 28th battalion of ULFA has reportedly increased to 130 cadres,
who are being trained by Jiban Moran. Intelligence sources further
claimed that more than 40 new recruits from Dhemaji and Lakhimpur
districts were sent to Myanmar camp for training.
October 16: Unidentified militants killed a civilian, identified as
Ratul Das at Quarry Chowk under Mushalpur police station in the Baksa
district.
October 15: Three ULFA militants, Indrajit Roy from Baterhat, Nihar
Barua from Coochbehar and Sheikh Mohammed from Chapor were arrested by
the 21st Jat Regiment in Dhubri district. One US-made 7.65 mm pistol,
2 magazines, six rounds of live ammunition and one mobile set with SIM
cards were recovered from their possession, who ran an extortion
racket.
October 14: Troopers of the Red Horns Division of the Army arrested
two suspected ULFA cadres from the Agomoni areas under Golokganj
police station in Dhubri district. One 9-mm pistol, six rounds of live
ammunitions, two mobile sets were recovered from the two militants.
Investigations have pointed at the involvement of ULFA in the October
1 serial blast in the Tripura capital, Agartala. Interrogation of ATTF
collaborators Shanti Debbarma, Angad Santhal and a third arrested
person, Brajamohan Debbarma the father of hardcore ATTF militant
Surjya has revealed that ULFA militants had provided primary training
in the use of explosives to a group of ATTF militants, besides
supplying them bomb-making materials. CID’s report said that Surjya
Debbarma masterminded the blasts. The investigation further revels
that a group of ATTF activists, including Surjya, had undergone
primary training in use of explosives under the guidance of ULFA,
before being intensively trained by a group of BDR and Directorate
General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) officers at Muksinghat near
Chittagong town in Bangladesh in August and September. The ATTF had
received a consignment of bomb-making materials from ULFA in their
hideout at Satcherri just across the border in Simna area of Sadar
(north) and the materials had been carried across the border by two
tea garden labourers of Satcherri, Mohan Munda and Mangal Munda, under
the supervision of Surjya.
October 13: One Girish Kalita of Belguri Pathar village under
Mushalpur police station in the Nalbari district was shot dead at
Lamidara by two unidentified assailants. Kalita was an ULFA activist
who surrendered at the Tamulpur Army Camp three months back.
Three militants, one each from NDFB, AANLA and ULFA, surrendered
before Brigadier VSBS Cherukupalli, Commander of 25 Sector Assam
Rifles of Dah Division, at Lekhapani in Tinsukia district. The
surrendered militants were identified as Ajay Basumatary of NDFB,
Ghanshyam Guala of AANLA and Hemakant Deka of ULFA’s ‘27 Battalion’.
The former ‘commander’ of the pro-talk faction of the 28th Battalion
of the ULFA, Mrinal Hazarika has said that former ‘commander’ of A and
C companies of ULFA Jiten Dutta is in no way involved in the killing
of four youths whose decomposed bodies were recovered on September 30
from a mass grave at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district. He also
alleged that the present ‘commander’ of the 28 Battalion Bijoy Chinese
was directly involved in the killing. Hazarika further disclosed that
the youths were killed on charges of supplying all information to Army
by then ‘commander’ of the A company, Arun Baruah on the direct
instruction of Bijoy Chinese.
After neutralising two fighting wings of the ULFA, the 28 and 709
battalions, the government now has set its sights on the 109 battalion
which is the logistics division of the outfit. This ‘battalion’
operates out of Goalpara district and its adjoining areas across the
Assam-Meghalaya border. The 109 battalion mainly looks after the
logistical requirements of ULFA, men and weapons and helps the rebels
from Assam to cross over to Bangladesh. It also arranges passage for
cadres from the neighbouring country to the state through the Garo
hills of Meghalaya.
September 30: The dead bodies of four youths were recovered from a
mass grave in the reserve forest at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia
district, where makeshift camps of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA
were located a few months ago. The mass grave was suspected to be the
dumping ground of dead bodies of those who had been abducted and later
killed by the ULFA militants.
The Army killed a ULFA militant at Rangali Botuwagaon under Kakotibari
police station in the Sivasagar district. A 9-mm pistol, three live
rounds, 600 grams of explosives, four detonators, four bundles of
wires, clothes and documents were recovered from the possession of the
slain militant.
September 29: The cease-fire group of ‘28 battalion’ of the ULFA asked
Assam Government to call off army operations from Tinsukia and
Dibrugarh districts of upper Assam on an "experimental basis" to give
the peace process a chance.
September 28: The Guwahati city police arrested ULFA militant, Pranjal
Saika from the area under the Fatasil Ambari police station and
recovered a hand-made pistol from his possession.
September 26: A ULFA militant was killed during an encounter with
security forces in the Baksa district. A pistol, several rounds of
ammunition and some documents were recovered from the possession of
the slain militant.
September 25: The dead body of Manashjyoti Dutta, son of a co-
operative inspector, abducted by the ULFA militants from Nazira in
Sivasagar district of Assam on September 8, was found from a place
near Nazira police station. The ULFA militants had demanded INR 1.5
million for the release of Manashjyoti. The police arrested one Pradip
Dutta, a relative of Manashjyoti in this connection.
September 24: The security forces arrested one Tutu Saikia, an ULFA
militant at Panbesa in the Sivasagar district. He was allegedly
involved in the Rangghar Chariali blast.
September 21: The Army personnel arrested a cadre of the 709 battalion
of the ULFA, identified as Prafulla Roy, of Kukshi village under
Fakiragram police station in Kokrajhar district. Two IED each weighing
three kilograms were recovered from his possession and were later
defused by bomb squad.
September 19: In a statement from Dibrugarh, the former ‘self-styled
commander’ of ULFA Prabal Neog, questioned the decision of the Chief
Minister, Tarun Gogoi, not to withdraw army from the State. Neog is
one of the leading figures of the pro-peace ULFA faction.
September 18: ULFA militants killed an alleged Army informer, Pramod
Baishya, at Chengapathar village under Kalaigaon police station in the
Udalguri district.
An improvised explosive device (IED) planted on a bicycle exploded
inside Bijni circle office compound in the Chirang district injuring
22 persons. The ULFA is suspected to be involved in the incident.
September 16: The Army said that Shashankar Baruah, who was killed in
the September 12 encounter with the troops in Dirak Reserve Forest
Area near Margherita in the Tinsukia district, was involved in re-
organisation of the ULFA.
September 15: An ULFA militant, identified as Uddhab Rai, was arrested
by the security forces during a joint operation at Golokganj area in
the Dhubri district
September 12: Troops of the 19 Kumaon Regiment killed a ULFA militant,
identified as ‘second lieutenant" Sasanka Baruah alias Ananta Gogoi,
during an encounter inside Upper Dehin-Derak Reserve forest in the
Tinsukia district along the Assam-Arunachal border. He was reportedly
the ‘organisational secretary of the 28 battalion’ of the outfit. An
AK-56 rifle and a magazine with four live rounds and 26 empty
cartridges were recovered from the encounter site.
In a statement mailed to the media, the ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda
Rajkhowa declared ‘expulsion’ of Prabal Neog from the outfit for his
alleged conspiracy in killing of Sasanka Baruah.
September 8: The Nalbari police recovered an IED near National
Highway-31 from a bus on way to Nalbari from Rangiya in the Kamrup
district. Two suspected paid bomb couriers of the ULFA, identified as
Siraj Ali and Baputi Das, were arrested in this connection.
September 5: A cadre of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as
Dhan Kalita alias Joon was arrested by Guwahati city police during a
search operation at Amingaon area.
September 2: ULFA militant, Gajen Malakar was shot dead by security
forces during an encounter at Dakshin Singra near Rangia in the Kamrup
district.
August 31: An ULFA cadre, Rabi Rava, surrenders along with an AK-56
rifle at Udalguri Army camp. Rava is a cadre of the ‘27 battalion’ of
ULFA. He had joined the outfit in 1996.
Army arrested four ULFA linkmen while they were trying to extort INR
150000 from the manager of a tea garden in the Sisumaria area under
Nampur police station in the Tinsukia district. They were identified
as Kulinda Gogoi, Pintu Kisan, Kebal Bangra, and Rajesh Kisan.
August 28: 39 militants, including 31 cadres of the ‘709 and 27
battalions’ of the ULFA, surrendered before the Army at the
headquarters of the 21 Mountain Division at Rangia, about 45
kilometres way from Guwahati. The others included five KLNLF cadres
and cadres from the AANLA. The surrendered militants deposited a huge
cache of arms and ammunition, including pistols, revolvers, grenades,
detonators and gelatine sticks.
August 27: The pro-talks group of the ULFA starts negotiations with
some of the prominent leaders of the ‘709 battalion’ in Nalbari. Jiten
Dutta, self-styled commander of the ‘Alfa and Charlie companies of the
28 battalion’, said one round of talks is already over and he was
expecting a formal announcement of cease-fire by leaders of the ‘709
battalion’ soon. "Right now we can only say that the discussions were
along the expected lines," Dutta said.
August 25: Guwahati Police arrested one Poornima Biswas and recovered
two detonators, four gelatin sticks and 10 rounds of AK-47 ammunition
from her possession. Biswas is originally from Malda in West Bengal
and the police suspects that she has links with the ULFA.
August 25: Two ULFA linkmen, identified as Nabacharan Koch and Samudra
Rava of Jangipara and Baspara villages respectively, are arrested in a
joint operation by the Army and police.
August 23: The ULFA threatens its defected leader, Jiten Dutta, with
dire consequences if the latter continues its efforts in collusion
with police and the Army to engineer erosion in the ranks of different
‘battalions’ of the ULFA.
August 22: Five ULFA linkmen, Rituram Boro, Sankar Deb Sangha, Dipesh
Roy, Sanjoy Singha and Bipul Singha, are arrested in Bongaigaon. They
are suspected to have been involved in bomb blasts in the district in
the recent past.
August 21: An unnamed senior police officer said the leadership of the
‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA was in contact with the police leadership
and a formal cease-fire by the group was ‘likely very soon’.
Two ULFA militants, Madhusudan Roy and Monu Roy, are arrested by the
Army personnel during a search operation at Agomoni in the Dhubri
district. 27 rounds of live ammunition of AK-47 rifles are recovered
from them.
August 20: The Nalbari district police arrested a cadre of the ‘709
Battalion’ of the ULFA, Bhaskar Rajbongshi, from Maligaon in Guwahati.
Bhaskar said that he would not surrender but try his best to bring his
co-cadres in the outfit to the negotiation table.
August 18: Police arrested a ULFA cadre, Tajen Ray, from Tamuapara in
the Bongaigaon district. A Bulgarian pistol with 39 live rounds and a
Chinese grenade are recovered from him.
August 17: Troops arrest three ULFA militants from Kokrajhar town. One
pistol, one grenade, one AK series magazine and 11 live ammunitions
are recovered from them.
August 16: One suspected ULFA militant is wounded during an encounter
with police personnel at Azara in Guwahati.
Two bomb blasts are triggered by suspected ULFA militants at
Swahidbedi and Paglathan in the Bongaigaon district.
August 15: Two civilians are wounded in a bomb blast triggered by the
ULFA at the Block Development Office near the venue of Independence
Day celebration at Dharmasala in the Dhubri district.
One bomb hanging on a tree on the parade ground at Gauripur town of
Dhubri district explodes. Another blast occurs near the parade venue
at Kajalgaon in the Chirang district when suspected ULFA militants lob
a grenade. None were injured in these incidents.
People chased a group of three ULFA militants while trying to destroy
a flag hoisted on the premises of the Bhutiapara Lower Primary School
in the Chirang district. Even as the militants opened fire to scare
the public, the locals captured the two militants. One 9-mm pistol and
some ammunition were recovered from them.
August 13: Two ULFA militants are shot dead by Assam Police and the
Army during an encounter at Sanyasini Pahar in the Bongaigaon
district. Two German-made revolvers, two bullets, five empty
cartridges and two mobile handsets with many SIM cards are recovered
from the possession of the slain militants. Other militants manage to
escape from the encounter site.
SFs recovered RDX weighing 2.25 kilo grams in the form of 10 solid
sticks with black coating from Borkona Pahar under Mancachar police
station in the Dhubri district. Police suspect that the ULFA was
ferrying the consignment.
August 12: Two ULFA militants are shot dead by troops during an
encounter at Chotemari in the Nalbari district. One 7.62-mm pistol, a
bullet, a grenade and IEDs weighing five kilograms are recovered from
the possession of the slain militants.
August 11: One unidentified ULFA militant is shot dead by troops
during an encounter at Paikan Madhapara in the Goalpara district. One
IED weighing five kilograms with electronic detonators, a 7.65- mm
pistol and three rounds of ammunition are recovered from his
possession.
Suspected ULFA militants lob a grenade at the office premises of the
Bongaigaon District Superintendent of Police damaging a few
windowpanes.
August 10: Four militant groups - the ULFA, Manipur People’s
Liberation Front, Tripura People’s Democratic Front and the KLO – ask
people in the Northeast region to boycott the celebrations of
Independence Day on August 15
August 9: During a search operation to arrest an ULFA cadre, the SFs
unearthed a bunker made of concrete wall at a bamboo grove at Pakamara
village under Borbori police station in the Baksa district.
Two IEDs planted by the suspected ULFA militants at Gouripur in the
Dhubri district are recovered and later defused by the Army personnel.
The report adds that the IED can be programmed in a manner that if the
first detonator fails to trigger the explosion, the second one will
get activated automatically. "This enhances the precision of the IEDs
as well as making deactivation very risky. Timer devices are generally
very erratic. Many a times they fail to explode because of a problem
in programming. But in this kind of device, if one programme fails, it
automatically activates the other," an unnamed Army explosive expert
says.
August 8: One ULFA linkman, identified as Jakir Hussain, was arrested
during a joint operation by Army and Assam Police at Phuturigaon under
Chaygaon police station in Kamrup district. A trans-receiver device
with the capacity to intercept other radio messages within 30
kilometres range was also recovered from his possession..
August 7: Suspected ULFA militants trigger a bomb blast in Bongaigaon
damaging a portion of a drain.
One suspected ULFA cadre, Subhrata Chanda, is arrested by the Guwahati
Police from the Inter-State Bus Terminus. Two gelatine sticks and many
detonators are recovered from his possession.
August 5: Army arrested two ULFA cadres, Abdul Zumur Sheikh and Ismail
Murmu, from Gossaigaon.
August 4: A trooper of the Sashastra Seema Bal (a paramilitary force),
Rana Sarma, is shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at Malihita on
the Assam-Bhutan border under Chirang district.
One senior ULFA leader and ‘commander’ of the outfit’s 109th
battalion, Dharmen Hajong, who was arrested on August 2-night,
allegedly committed suicide inside a cell at Tura police station in
the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. Police said he used his
blanket to hang himself inside the cell. Hajong, who was originally
from the 28th battalion, two months back replaced Madan Koch, killed
in an encounter on January 22, as the ‘area commander’ of the 109th
battalion in charge of Garo Hills, was mainly responsible for
monitoring supply of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh to cadres in
Assam via the porous Garo Hills border.
August 2: A senior ULFA leader is arrested from Tura Super Market in
Meghalaya. According to police sources, the ULFA leader, identified as
Dharmen Koch, belonged to the 128th Battalion of the outfit and he had
been running a shop in Tura Super Market for the past two months.
During interrogation, Dharmen revealed that two months ago he received
an order from the ULFA leadership to shift the Battalion to Myanmar
since the atmosphere in Bangladesh was not conductive for the
organisation. One week later, he was again asked to take over as 'area
commander' of ULFA's 109th Battalion in Garo Hills from Madan Koch who
was killed in a police encounter on January 22, 2007. Police said the
109th Battalion was involved in supplying arms to the ULFA from
Bangladesh through Garo Hills. The Battalion also carried out
extortion drives in the plain belt areas of Garo Hills.
July 31: One ULFA cadre is arrested with a sophisticated digital mine
along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
July 30: Assam Tribune reported that the ULFA has business interests
in a leading media house, the Transcom Media, in Bangladesh. Transcom
Media is the publisher of the prestigious Bengali daily Prothom Alo,
English daily The Daily Star, besides two periodicals. The report adds
that the outfit‘s business interests are diverse – ranging from
driving schools, nursing homes, hotels to garment export houses to
deep-sea trawlers.
July 27: The pro-talks leader of the ULFA, Prabal Neog, while
addressing a gathering at Gondhoiguri in the Tinsukia district said
that "a handful of leaders and cadres" cannot usher in peace in Assam.
July 25: One trader, Pankaj Kumar Bezbaruah of Tihu area in Nalbari
district, who was abducted by three United ULFA militants on July 3-
evening, is released. Meanwhile, the Nalbari district All Assam
Students Union secretary, Salim Malik, is arrested in this connection.
July 23: Three cadres of the ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’ are killed in an
encounter with Army and police at Namati village under Ghograpar
police station in the Nalbari district.
July 21: One ULFA linkman, Mukul Saikia, is arrested by the troops
from the Dalang Ghat area in the Darrang district.
July 20: The ULFA rules out peace talks with the Union Government in
the near future, stating that it would go down fighting like the
father of Naga insurgency A.Z. Phizo "rather than surrender to the
Indian forces like (former Mizoram chief minister) Laldenga."
July 19: An ULFA leader, Amrit Dutta, is killed in an encounter with
the police at Katonihati Jurbil under the Jengraimukh police station
in Jorhat district. However, two of his accomplices managed to escape.
Amrit Dutta carried a head money of INR 300,000 and was responsible
for the abduction and subsequent killing of Sanjay Ghose, an activist
of the non-governmental organisation AVARD-NE in 1997.
Police arrested a person, Ranjan Bikash Borgohain, from the residence
of a Parliamentarian, Anowar Hussain, in New Delhi, while trying to
extort money in the name of ULFA. Hussain is a Parliamentarian from
the Dhubri constituency in Assam. Ranjan had contested the last
Legislative Assembly elections from Tingkhong seat in Assam on a
Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.
July 18 : The ULFA ideologue, Bhimkanta Buragohain, is remanded to 14
days judicial custody in connection with the various charges against
him under the Arms Act. He is presented before the Tezpur Additional
District Sessions Judge along with two other accomplices, Bolin Das
alias Amarjyoti Gogoi and Amulya Roy, who were also awarded similar
sentences.
The former commander of ULFA’s 28 battalion, Mrinal Hazarika,
addressing a gathering at the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social
Change and Development, said: "Come what may, we will not take up guns
against our colleagues, even if we are attacked."
July 11: The ULFA militants belonging to ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies of the
‘28 battalion’ led by Mrinal Hazarika start taking shelter at the
designated camp set up at the jail complex of Chapakhowa under Sadiya
sub-division in the Tinsukia district.
July 10: The leader of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, Moon Borah
alias Jiten Dutta, said that they had proposed to set up a designated
camp at Lakhipathar in the Tinsukia district.
July 7: Two ULFA militants, Prasanna Bora and Mintu Bhuyan, are
arrested by the Assam Police at Chardwar in the Sonitpur district.
They were arrested while coming to one Jayanta Sen Deka, a Congress
party leader of the area, to extort money which was demanded a few
days back by the outfit.
July 8: Around 5,000 people gather at an auditorium in Kakopathar in
the Tinsukia district to endorse the path of peace chosen by a section
of the ULFA’s ‘28th battalion’.
July 7: The ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said that three pro-talks
leaders of the ‘28th battalion’, Mrinal Hazarika, Moon Borah alias
Jiten Dutta and Joon Sonowal alias Joon Bhuyan, are expelled from the
primary membership of the outfit for ‘anti-organisational’ activities
and initiating talks with ‘colonial India’.
July 6: Nearly 150 surrendered ULFA cadres of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia
gather at Chabua and urge the Union Government, Assam Government and
the ULFA leadership to "look beyond their respective rigid stands and
simply come forward for direct talks."
July 5: The ULFA ‘commander’ Jiten Dutta said that leaders and cadres
of the ‘28 battalion’ of the outfit would not lay down arms though it
had announced a unilateral cease-fire with the Government.
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa said the outfit will not
dissolve the People’s Consultative Group constituted by it to
facilitate the peace talks.
July 4: Assam Government offers security to the leaders and cadres of
the ‘A and C companies of 28 battalion’ of the ULFA, who had recently
declared a cease-fire, similar to the kind of protection provided to
surrendered militants.
July 3: Army arrested one ULFA cadre, Manik Baruah, from Athrighat
along Baksa-Udalguri border. He is from the ‘707 Battalion’ of the
outfit.
July 2: Mangaldai police arrest three persons in connection with the
June 29 killing of a surrendered ULFA cadre, Tapan Saikia, by ULFA
militants at Jaljali in the Darrang district. They are identified as
Ajoy Saikia, Bhaben Das and Bipul Deka.
Police said that the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, and two
other leaders, Chitraban Hazarika and Antu Chowdang, are respectively
known as Kamruj Zamal, Mizanur Rehman and Khan Baba in Bangladesh. "We
have compiled a detailed report vis-à-vis residential addresses, the
Islamic names and business dealings of each and every militant leader
currently staying in Bangladesh," an unnamed police officer said.
July 1: The ULFA mentioned in the editorial of its mouthpiece Freedom
that the security of sovereignty of Assam was never a precondition of
the group, and it was only an agenda of talks. "The security of
sovereignty of Asom was never a precondition of the ULFA. It was the
media that hyped the issue of sovereignty and projected it as one of
our preconditions," the editorial said, adding, "for peace talks with
the Government of India, the ULFA had only two preconditions — any
talks with the Government of India should be held in a third country
and that should be under UN mediation. We, however, dropped these two
preconditions also when the PCG went to New Delhi to do the spadework
for the peace process."
June 30 : A bomb planted by the ULFA militants explodes at Diphu town
in the Karbi Anglong district.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the ULFA was serving the
interest of the forces inimical to India including that of the
Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
June 30: Mrinal Hazarika, ‘commander of the 28th battalion’ of the
ULFA, appeals to the other ‘battalions’ of the outfit to enter into a
cease-fire for the sake of the people of Assam.
June 29: At least seven persons are killed and 35 others, including
two policemen, are injured in an explosion at a weekly crowded
marketplace in the Kumarikata village of Nalbari district. Police
accused the ULFA for the blast.
One surrendered ULFA cadre, Tapan Saikia, is shot dead by four
suspected ULFA militants at Jaljali in Mangaldoi.
At least five persons, including two policemen, were injured in a
grenade blast triggered by the ULFA militants at Teliapatty in
Nagaon.
At least seven persons are killed and 35 others, including two
policemen, are injured in an explosion at a weekly crowded marketplace
in Kumarikata village of Nalbari district. Police accused the ULFA for
the blast.
June 28 : Bangladeshi journal Narinjara News reports that the ULFA
cadres staying in Maungdaw town of Myanmar have been preparing to set
up a generator powered by paddy husk to supply electricity. "The group
is now setting up a generator in Maungdaw town and will start the
distribution of electricity from July or August," the journal said.
The generator would provide power to Maungdaw for five to six hours a
day. The journal added that about 20 ULFA members are living in
Maungdaw where they run cosmetic shops, a computer cafe, and a
telephone booth.
June 26: One woman, identified as Joyanti Koch, who used to provide
ULFA with information, is arrested while she was moving out of
Mancachar in Dhubri district.
An unidentified ULFA militant is killed while two others manage to
escape in an encounter with the security forces (SFs) at Maju village
in the Nalbari district. A 9-mm pistol and a grenade were recovered
from his possession. Police said three militants, who were taking
shelter in a house, tried to flee by lobbing a grenade when the SFs
raided the village. Two others managed to flee.
June 25 : Following the unilateral cease-fire declared by A and C
companies of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA, Assam Government
decides to stop military operations against these two particular
companies of the outfit. However, operations would continue against
those elements indulging in violence. Assam Director General of Police
R. N. Mathur said, "We welcome the cease-fire gesture by the 28th
battalion and our stand has been to help anyone who is interested in
peace. However, action will continue against those indulging in
subversive activities."
June 24 : Militants of the A and C companies of the 28th Battalion of
the ULFA announce a unilateral cease-fire. In a statement distributed
at Chapakhowa in the Tinsukia district after a meeting of the
militants at Amarpur in Sadiya, they said, "In the interest of a peace
dialogue between ULFA and the government, we desire discussions to
sort out the problems of Assam. To facilitate a congenial atmosphere
for the talks, we are declaring a unilateral cease-fire from June 24,
2008, and we hope our gesture would result in reciprocation from the
Assam government and the Government of India. Our decision of today
follows a deep desire of the people of Assam for peace talks, and we
would appeal to the ULFA Central Committee and the Government of India
as well as the Government of Assam to initiate peace talks
immediately." However, the B Company of the battalion, which has about
150 cadres, was not present at the meeting.
Around 32 militants belonging to the ULFA, NSCN-IM and NSCN-K
surrender before the Army at Mariani in the Jorhat district. Of the 32
surrendered militants, 26 belong to ULFA, four belonged to NSCN-IM and
two are from NSCN-K.
26 ULFA cadres surrendered before the Army at Tamulpur in the Baksa
district.
Two ULFA cadres surrender at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong and Chariduar
in Sonitpur districts. The militants laid down two AK series rifles,
four revolvers, 21 pistols, eight grenades besides huge quantity of
assorted ammunition during their surrender.
June 23 : Assam Government asks Police to restrain from any unilateral
action against the ULFA as that could hamper peace efforts with the
outfit’s 28th battalion. A secret memo was reportedly been issued to
all district superintendents of police a few days back to bolster the
Government’s initiative to bring the outfit’s most potent unit over
ground.
The vice-president of the Bodo Santi Mancha (BSM), Lakshman Boro, is
shot dead by former BLT cadres at his residence at Bagulamari village
under Barbari police station in the Baksa district. The police
recovered two empty cartridges from the spot.
June 22 : Assam Police arrest senior Peoples’ Consultative Group
member Hiranya Saikia from his shop at Christian Basti in Guwahati on
charges of his alleged link with ULFA. Additional Superintendent of
Police Debojit Deori says a case was registered against Saikia under
the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
June 17 : Two ULFA militants are killed during an encounter with Army
personnel at Bandarkhati Khamti village near Namchai in the Lohit
district of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam. One pistol, a revolver
and an improvised explosive device weighing ten kilograms are
recovered from them.
June 14: A hardcore ULFA militant, identified as ‘Lance Corporal’
Prabin Gogoi alias Dhanti was a member of the outfit’s 28th
Battalion’s C company, was killed in an encounter with the Army
personnel at Saraipung under Digboi police station in the Dibrugarh
district.
June 15: Four hardcore ULFA cadres of the 28th battalion were shot
dead by the Army in an operation at Kanubari village of Charaideo
subdivision of Sibsagar district. The slain militants have been
identified as Badal Khargoria, Annie Bauri, Sumit Gohain and Ajit
Gogoi.
Army arrested three suspected ULFA linkmen from Bimalapur under Borhat
Police Station. They have been identified as Bitupan Gogoi, Lakhyajit
Gogoi and Lokesh Gogoi.
June 16: A surrendered ULFA member, Rana Gogoi, was arrested by
Dibrugarh police in connection with a blackmailing and sex racket
case.
June 17: A surrendered ULFA activist Tilok Gogoi alias Montu was
arrested by the Police at Sapekhati in the Sibsagar district on the
allegations of torturing a woman.
June 10: Three ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with the
SFs at Borbam village under Tengakhat Police Station in the Dibrugarh
district.
A ULFA militant, identified as Aditya Naidu alias Tarun Pandav, of the
Bravo Company of the 28th Battalion of the outfit was killed in an
encounter with the Army at Timon tea estate under Kakotibari Police
Station in the Sivasagar district. A woman ULFA cadre, identified as
Karabi Gogoi, was also arrested during the encounter.
Police arrested three suspected ULFA conduits from a house in the
South Sarania area of Guwahati. They were identified as Abani Mahanta,
Chandan Deka and Nayan Sarma.
June 9: Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at
Palashguri in the Baksa district. The militants are identified as
Dharya Deka, the ‘commander’ of ULFA’s 709 Battalion and another
cadre, Rana Rabha.
June 8: Army personnel killed a ULFA militant and seized a huge
consignment of arms during an operation at Teji Gaon village in the
Dinjan area of Dibrugarh district.
A ULFA linkman, Dhaneswar Deka alias Rinku Deka, was arrested from
Karbi Anglong.
June 6: Two hardcore ULFA militants, identified as Hitesh Basumatary
and Manoj Boro, were killed in an encounter with security forces at
Jagannathpur under Tihu Police Station in the Nalbari district.
June 5: A ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at
Jengonichowk under Kakopathar Police Station in the Tinsukia district.
June 3: Guwahati city Police arrested two ULFA militants, including a
woman cadre, from the Inter State Bus Terminus under Gorchuk Police
station in Guwahati.
June 2: Two ULFA militants, Jehirul Islam and Mujibur Rehman,
surrendered before the security forces at Dhubri. The militants also
deposited one AK 81-1 rifle, two Chinese grenades, 74 rounds of
ammunition, three magazines and one ammunition pouch.
June 1: Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the
security forces at Khardang Dalupara Rangsekgaon under Dudhnoi Police
Station in the Goalpara district.
May 31: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead Khagen Chandra Deka, head
of the Dolonghat village under Kalaigaon Police Station in the
Udalguri district.
A senior cadre of the 28th Battalion of the ULFA, Sanat Gogoi,
surrendered before the security forces at Duliajan Army camp in the
Dibrugarh district.
A close associate of the ULFA chairman Arobindo Rajkhowa, idenitifed
as Kamala Rajkonwar, was arrested by the Army at Charimuthia Konwar
village near Lakwa in the Sibsagar district.
May 24: A hardcore ULFA militant, identified as Pulan Moran alias
Phulen Chetia, was shot dead in an encounter with Army personnel at
Bormusai in the Dirak area of Tinsukia district.
A ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at Barahi
Kacharigaon under Sonari Police Station in the Sivasagar district.
May 23: 12 ULFA militants surrendered before the security forces at
Dinjan Army camp in the Dibrugarh district.
May 22: Suspected ULFA cadres shot dead a civilian, identified as
Dhaneswar Moran, at Nakathalguri village under Pengeri Police Station
in the Tinsukia district.
May 19: Five persons were injured when suspected ULFA militants hurled
a grenade at Rani Sati Mandir Path in the Tinsukia district.
May 18: A ULFA militant, identified as Hemanta Moran alias Utpal Neog,
was killed in an encounter with the Army that took place at Bor-Dirak
village under Kakopathar Police Station in the Tinsukia district.
May 14: Two ULFA hideouts were neutralised by the Army personnel in
the Dibru Saikhowa reserve forest of Tinsukia district.
May 12: Two ULFA cadres were killed in an encounter with the Army at
Leseri in the Baksa district.
Police arrested an ULFA cadre, Geetanjali Devi, at Barama in the
Nalbari district.
An ULFA cadre, Sanjay Hazarika, was arrested by police from Tipling
Tiniali in the Tinsukia district.
May 9: Two ULFA linkmen were arrested by the security forces at Amtuli
under Fakiragram police station in the Kokrajhar district.
May 8: Two ULFA militants were killed by the Army personnel during an
encounter at Kathalguri Hunjan village under Kakopathar police station
in the Tinsukia district. Two 9-mm pistols are recovered from their
possession.
Seven ULFA cadres surrendered before the Deputy Commissioner of Police
of Kamrup district R.C. Jain at Guwahati.
Army neutralised a ULFA camp at Parbatpur town bordering Dilli Reserve
Forest and Joypur Reserve Forest in the DIbrugarh district.
May 7: Army personnel arrested one ULFA linkman, Manoj Gogoi, from
Maut Metimekhana village in the Dibrugarh district.
May 5: Telegraph reports that Nirmal Konwar, ‘second-in-command of the
27 battalion’ of the ULFA, confessed that the outfit is now carrying
out only operation-specific recruitment, where a person is assigned a
single task and has no links with the outfit thereafter. Konwar and
his wife were arrested when they were undergoing treatment at a
nursing home in Guwahati on May 1. "If the target is a politician,
persons having access to the political field are being selected for
the purpose. Training is provided on the use of pen pistols," he said.
The report added that these recruits, when arrested, cannot provide
any clues to the police because they are unaware of the identities of
those who engaged them.
Two ULFA militants belonging to the‘709 battalion’ were arrested by
the Army personnel from Agomoni in the Dhubri district.
May 1: A trooper, identified as Saheb Singh, and one ULFA militant,
Ajay Deka, are killed during an encounter at Dalanghat under Kalaigaon
police station in the Darrang district. Two militants, including one
injured in the encounter, managed to escape. A pistol, two magazines,
115 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition and mobile phones were recovered
from the incident site.
Two ULFA cadres, Indra Raja alias Numal Konwar and his wife Dharitri
alias Damayanti, were arrested when they were undergoing treatment for
malaria at a private hospital in the Guwahati city. They belonged to
Baghara village in the Morigaon district and were trained in Bhutan.
One ‘sergeant’ of the ULFA, identified as Kalpajyoti Gogoi alias
Kolamoni, is arrested by the SFs during a search operation near
Sapekhati police station in the Sonari district.
April 30: A joint team of the Army and Assam Police neutralised a ULFA
transit camp at Bangshijhora hill in the Dhubri district. An unnamed
senior police officer said the camp was frequently used by the ULFA,
NDFB and KLO militants, since they have some common areas of operation
and used this vital transit camp not only for shelter but also for
ammunition supply. Ten rounds of live ammunition of 12 bore pistols,
seven rounds of 12 bore fired cases, eight live and five spent rounds
of ammunition of AK-47 rifles, 18 live and seven spent rounds of .22
pistols, two blank detonators, 500 grams of explosive, one improvised
explosive device (IED), wires, one 7.62-mm magazine of LMG and one
rotating block of AK-56 were seized from the camp. A Global
Positioning System device, a digital diary, two blank extortion notes
signed by the ‘commandant of 709 battalion’ of the ULFA, Hira
Saraniya, a Chinese camera, 20 kilograms of rice and one kilogram of
Bengal gram were also recovered.
April 25: 27 ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, surrendered
before General-officer-Commanding (GOC) of 21 Mountain Division, Major
General Chander Prakash, and senior police officials at Tamulpur in
the Baska district along with a large number of arms, ammunition, and
extortion notes. Of the 27 cadres, 19 were from the ULFA ‘709
battalion’ while the rest of them belonged to the outfit’s 27 and 109
battalions. Some of these cadres were reportedly trained in the ULFA
camps in Bhutan and Bangladesh. "This is the fourth surrender since
October. It is fallout of the growing differences of opinion between
the top leadership and cadres of Ulfa," Major General Prakash said. He
added that due to concerted counter-insurgency operations targeting
the ULFA, the strength of the outfit has come down to hundred odd
members in Lower Assam. He informed the media at the headquarters of
the Red Horns Division that "The Red Horns Division, since the last
many years, is trying to put consistent pressure on the ULFA,
especially in the Lower Assam area, and this has helped in restoring
peace."
April 23: Assam Police arrested three youths when they were extorting
in the guise of ULFA militants at Jorhat. They were identified as
Montu Dutta, Babajan Ali and Biren Bora.
April 23: Sentinel reports that the ULFA has changed its extortion
strategy. Instead of issuing written extortion notes, the outfit is
now demanding a huge amount of cash from the businessmen of upper
Assam by sending SMS through mobile phones. The report added that when
the security forces were conducting counter-insurgency operations in
upper Assam, cadres of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA led by self-
styled ‘commander’ Bijay Chinese were sending SMS to a number of
businessmen of upper Assam demanding amounts ranging from INR 10 00000
to INR 50 00000.
April 22 : The Sivasagar district administration announced that a
surrendered ULFA leader, Tileswar Lahon, who was allegedly involved in
the April 13 killing of one Dulen Baruah at Himpora village under
Moranhat police station, would be arrested. The announcement was made
by Sivasagar Deputy Commissioner N.M. Hussain at his office when
thousands of students and villagers under the leadership of the All
Assam Students Union protested.
April 18: The Union Government categorically rules out any possibility
of talks with the ULFA on its main demand for sovereignty. The Union
minister of State for Industry, Ashwani Kumar, said, "We are all for
talks but these have to be within the ambit of the Constitution. The
unity and integrity of the country is not negotiable, let there be no
ambiguity on this front."
April 16: The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Radhika V.
Selvi, informs the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that inputs
suggest that the ULFA has been using the territory of Bangladesh to
procure and smuggle arms and explosives into India. The Minister was
replying to a question on whether ULFA commanders have a vast network
running seven hotels and six nursing homes, besides procuring weapons
through the port city of Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh.
April 12: One ULFA militant was shot dead by the Army personnel who
retaliated when eight suspected ULFA cadres opened fire on them at
upper Dihing Reserve Forest in the Tinsukia district.
Two ULFA cadres, Mandal Hasda alias Sadhu and Birbal Murmu, were
arrested by the Army personnel at Gwmfela under Kachugaon police
station in the Kokrajhar district.
April 7: ULFA hoisted its flags at several places in the State on the
occasion of its ‘raising day’.
April 6: One ULFA-linkman is arrested from Debottarhasdah village
under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri district.
One hardcore ULFA militant, Hemchandra Bora alias Udipta Hazarika,
surrenders before the Assam Police in the Tinsukia district.
April 4: Sentinel reports that the ULFA has plans to execute a series
of disruptive acts in the Dibrugarh district during its ‘foundation
day’ on April 7. The report added that a group of 10 ULFA militants
headed by hardcore militant Madhurjya Gohain are already moving around
Tingkhong, Tengakhat, Khowang and Sasoni areas in the district and
waiting for an appropriate situation to trigger bomb blasts and kill
innocent persons. Militants have also reportedly intensified their
extortion activities and have set a target of extorting around INR 50
00000 in the entire district.
March 31: 18 cadres belonging to various outfits, including 13 from
the ULFA, three from the NDFB and one each from the Khaplang and Isak-
Muivah factions of the NSCN, surrenders before Major General Jatinder
Singh, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Mountain Division at Dinjan
Military Station in the Dibrugarh district.
March 28: An ULFA cadre, Partha alias Rakta Kachari, surrenders before
the Dibrugarh district administration and deposited a hand grenade at
the time of surrender.
March 26: A joint team of Assam Police and the Army arrested a ULFA
militant, Pramulya Boruah, from Neo Deoghariya village under Tengakhat
police station in the Dibrugarh district. The arrested cadre
reportedly is an IED expert of the outfit.
A businessman, Raju Jain, is shot dead and his son Narendra Jain
sustains injuries when suspected ULFA militants open fire on them at
Mohkhuti under Nimuguri police station in the Sibasagar district.
One ULFA militant, Chanchal Dangoria, is arrested during a search
operation at Matiakata area in the Tinsukia district. He was
reportedly asked to survey probable sites for planting improvised
explosive devices in the upper Assam districts of Tinsukia and
Dibrugarh.
March 25: One person, Subhrajit Sonowal, was arrested while he along
with two of his accomplices was trying to extort money, in the name of
the ULFA, from one Bhola Lahon, a school teacher, at Bekadolong under
Sonari police station. Two others, however, managed to escape. One
motorbike was recovered from him.
March 23: One ULFA militant, Binoy Baishya, who was earlier arrested
from Sualkuchi in the Kamrup district, confessed during his
interrogation on that a cycle that was recovered from him was
converted into a bomb. Following his confession, a team of explosive
experts tore open the cycle on March 24 and found that the seat of the
cycle can be opened easily and high power explosives like TNT and TETN
were fitted into the hollow pipes of the cycle. One bomb and a
programmable time device were also recovered from him.
March 20: One suspected ULFA militant, Manindra Rai,, was killed in a
gunfight with a team of police and army personnel at Gouripur in
Dhubri district.
March 17: One ULFA militant involved in several bomb blasts in the
Tinsukia district was killed in an encounter with the police at
Dirakbokhai village in the Dibrugarh district. Two other militants,
however, escaped.
One suspected ULFA militant, Satyajit Chetia, was seriously injured
when one of the bombs being carried by him exploded in the Sibsagar
district.
March 15: SFs killed two militants, suspected to be either from the
ULFA or the NDBF, during an exchange of fire at Silikhaguri Sapori
under Narayanpur police station in the North Lakhimpur district. An
injured militant escaped with his AK-47 rifle, while a pistol with
five rounds of ammunition and a revolver with four rounds were
recovered from the slain militants.
Six hardcore ULFA militants surrendered and laid down their arms at a
formal ceremony at the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner’s office. The
militants were involved in many operations, including bomb blasts, in
and around Guwahati besides recruitment drives in lower Assam. The
militants said that they were getting increasingly disillusioned with
the manner of functioning of the outfit, especially their top leaders,
which made them quit it and return to the mainstream.
Four persons were killed and more than 50 others, including some women
and children, were injured in a grenade blast at Jonai in the Dhemaji
district. According to official sources, about 15,000 people gathered
in a field near the Jonai circuit house to celebrate Ali-Aye-Ligang, a
festival of the Mising community, when suspected ULFA militants lobbed
a grenade at the crowd. The deceased were identified as Bina Pegu,
Kabita Sonowal, Sahadhan Ali and Someswar Sutradhar. However, the ULFA
has denied its involvement in the attack.
March 13: Army shot dead a ULFA militant, Rupa Moran, after he lobbed
a grenade at the troops at Hatibandha village under Tengakhat Police
Station in the Dibrugarh district.
March 10: Three ULFA militants were arrested during a search operation
at an unspecified place.
Two ULFA militants, 'sergeant major' Amrit Ballav alias Mizo and
'corporal' Bikram Hazarika alias Uttam Hazarika, surrendered along
with arms and ammunition before the Golaghat district administration.
March 9: An ULFA militant, Suryamohan Rai, and a linkman, Shafiul
Rahman, were arrested by the security forces from Golokgunj area of
Dhubri district along with a pistol and INR 10,000.
March 9: Four Hindi-speaking people were shot dead by the ULFA
militants near Udalguri tea estate between Chabua and Tengakhat in the
Dibrugarh district.
March 5: One person was injured when ULFA militants exploded a bomb
near the District Magistrate's office at Lakhimpur.
March 4: Two ULFA militants, identified as Tapan Baruah alias Arun
Baruah and Parikshit Chettry, were shot dead by the Assam Police
during an encounter at Thanubam village under Barbaruah police station
in the Dibrugarh district. Two pistols, some ammunition, explosives,
three cell phones and some documents were recovered from the encounter
site.
March 3: Three suspected ULFA linkmen, Abdus Sattar, Atowar Rahman and
Hazrat Ali, were arrested by the Assam Police during a search
operation at Damalkona village in the Dhubri district. One motorcycle
was recovered from the residence of Abdus who was suspected to have
used that for carrying ULFA cadres.
February 28: Union Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta, said that the
Centre is not ready to hold any talks with the ULFA on the issue of
"sovereignty of Asom". Gupta also said, "The ULFA has to give up
violence before holding peace talks with the Centre, and there will be
no mediators in the peace process. The Government is ready for only
direct talks with the ULFA."
February 27: One person, identified as Ajit Ghosh, was killed and 14
others were injured in an IED blast by suspected ULFA militants at
Borgolla Chariali near Tezpur Sadar police station in the Sonitpur
district.
February 23: Police arrested a suspected ULFA linkman, Judhajit Das,
from Barpeta.
February 21: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a school teacher,
Pradip Hazarika, at Kakopathar Harumechai village in the Tinsukia
district. They also assaulted his neighbour, Jiten Changmai, before
leaving the place. The same group also killed one Bhoyen Moran, a
resident of the adjoining Bormechai village.
February 16: Four ULFA militants were killed in a joint operation by
the Army and police in the Sibsagar district.
February 14: Police seized a boat that the ULFA had been using to
ferry arms and its cadres to Guwahati city. Police also arrested seven
persons including the boat driver, and seized 10-kgs of RDX from the
boat at Goroimari in the Kamrup district, about 100-km from Guwahati.
February 12: A ULFA militant, Champak Sharma, suspected to have been
involved in the abduction of FCI official P.C. Ram was arrested at
Guwahati. Police also recovered an M20 pistol, ammunition, five kg of
RDX and bomb-making materials from his rented house.
February 11: Police arrested a ULFA linkman, Abhinash Gogoi, from
Panichokua area under Pulibor Police Station in the Jorhat district.
The Commander of the 27th battalion of ULFA, Keshav Hazarika,
Lieutenant Biraj Phukan and sergeant major Kumud Bordoloi, surrendered
along with several others at Dinjan army base. Wife of Keshav
Hazarika, Meenakshi Hazarika, reportedly surrendered in absentia.
February 10: Assam Police foiled a plan of the ULFA to hijack a plane
from Guwahati airport to Pakistan and arrested three persons for their
alleged involvement in the conspiracy. ULFA’s 709th battalion’s Manoj
Tamuly alias Randip Baruah alias Kamal Das alias Haloi alias Pathak
and his fiancee Dharitri Sarma, also an ULFA militant, were arrested
from Panjabari Bagorbori area of Guwahati. During interrogation, Manoj
confessed that the ULFA had planned to hijack a plane from Borjhar and
to take it to Pakistan. Based on his confession, a prominent advocate,
Nekibur Zaman, was also arrested. The house of a human rights
activist, Lachit Bardoloi, was raided while a television journalist
Pradeep Gogoi was arrested from Tinsukia.
February 6: Three persons were arrested by the police on February 6
for allegedly demanding money from an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
employee by posing themselves as ULFA militants. The trio, arrested
from Geleky area in the Sivasagar district, was allegedly demanding
INR 250000.
January 30: A hardcore ULFA militant and chief instructor of the
outfit's 709 battalion, 'sergeant' Bubul Das alias Himangshu Rava
alias Ritu Basumatary, surrendered before the police in the Baksa
district.
January 27: Two ULFA militants and a Captain of the Gorkha Regiment of
the Indian Army were killed in an encounter at Borpathar Rongagora
under Doomdooma Police Station in the Tinsukia District. Acting on a
tip-off that a group of ULFA cadres were taking shelter there, the
Army personnel launched an operation. Captain S. K. Choudhury and two
militants, identified as Tutu Maran alias Pallab Baruah and Jitul
Dohutia alias Chandan, were killed in the gun battle. One AK-56 rifle,
two magazines, more than 100 live bullets, one mobile phone and an IED
were recovered from the incident site.
January 25: Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the
army at the Dibru-Saikhowa reserve forest in Tinsukia. One of the
slain militant was identified as Dhajiya Gogoi.
January 24: 38 ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, surrendered
before the security forces at Tamulpur in the Baksa district. They
also deposited 27 pistols, 18 grenades, 22 detonators, 30 kg of
explosives and 150 live ammunition of AK-47 assault rifle.
January 22: Security forces shot dead a militant of the ULFA at
Raidang village under Digboi Police Station. A pistol and four live
cartridges were recovered from his possession.
Police arrested three ULFA linkmen, identified as Kishor Roy, Gautam
Barman and Uttam Baruah, from the Boitamari area of the Bongaigaon
district on an unspecified date allegedly for maintaining links with a
top ULFA militant Pulak Bharali. The linkmen confessed that they were
assigned to trigger violence on or before Republic Day (January 26) in
the district.
January 20: Guwahati city police arrested two hardcore ULFA cadres
from Golaghat district for their alleged involvement in a host of
subversive activities in the city recently. They were identified as,
Abhijit Dutta and Pradeep Kurmi, and reportedly masterminded the car
bomb blast at Pan Bazaar in Guwahati in 2007.
In Tinsukia district, security forces arrested one ULFA cadre,
identified as Lambeswar Khotowal, from Borhapjan and another cadre,
Daman Moran, from Borgaon. Security forces also recovered one
revolver, 16 round of live bullet and few ULFA extortion notes from
the militants.
An ‘area commander’ of the ULFA, identified as Madan Koch, was shot
dead by security personnel when they neutralised a hideout at
Katalbari near Garobadha in the West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.
Two packets of RDX, a pistol with two magazines and some ammunition
were recovered from the incident site.
Guwahati city police arrested two hardcore ULFA cadres from Golaghat
district for their alleged involvement in a host of subversive
activities in the city recently. They were identified as, Abhijit
Dutta and Pradeep Kurmi, and reportedly masterminded the car bomb
blast at Pan Bazaar in Guwahati in 2007.
In Tinsukia district, security forces arrested one ULFA cadre,
identified as Lambeswar Khotowal, from Borhapjan and another cadre,
Daman Moran, from Borgaon. Security forces also recovered one
revolver, 16 round of live bullet and few ULFA extortion notes from
the militants.
According to intelligence reports, the ULFA has managed to sneak in a
number of programmable time device switches into Assam through
Bangladesh in the recent times. Police said that the ULFA has been
bringing in weapons and explosives through Bangladesh by taking
advantage of the porous international border and the 109 battalion of
the outfit has been entrusted with the task of transhipment of
weapons. The members of the battalion are based mainly in Garo hills
of Meghalaya and in Goalpara district for the transhipment of
weapons.
January 18: A ULFA cadre, identified as Dilip Kalita, was shot dead in
a joint operation by the Army and police in the Konwarpur area of
Sivasagar district. Three grenades and some improvised explosive
devices were recovered from the spot.
Intelligence reports have said that a huge consignment of explosives
and dozens of small arms has been transshipped into Assam by the ULFA
from Bangladesh a week back and the consignment has reportedly been
received by ULFA ‘commander’ of lower Assam, Hira Sarania, from the
courier from Bangladesh.
Intelligence reports mentioned that 40 trained ULFA cadres had already
sneaked into the State from Bangladesh to carry out subversive
activities ahead of the Republic Day (January 26). They could target
the public and crowded places, especially in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and
Tinsukia.
January 16: A ULFA militant was killed in a gunfight with the Army at
Kumari Gaon under Mahadevpur police station in Arunachal Pradesh along
the Assam border.
Security forces arrested a hardcore ULFA militant, identified as
Damodar Das of Karmipora village in the Darrang district. The militant
confessed about the plan of ULFA to plant improvised explosive devices
in several places of the district on the eve of Republic Day (January
26) and of his involvement in an extortion drive in the district.
Security forces also recovered five crude bombs, three detonators, two
mobile phones and two SIM cards from his possession.
January 13: One ULFA militant, identified as Bitupan Moran, was
arrested from Rajgarh tea estate in the Tinsukia district. One
kilogram of explosives, including six live rounds of AK 56 and 15
rounds of assorted ammunition, were recovered from him.
At least 17 persons, including six security force personnel, were
injured when suspected ULFA militants triggered a powerful grenade
explosion in front of the Paltan Bazaar police station near Guwahati
railway station.
January 12: Four railway workers were injured when suspected ULFA
militants lobbed grenades on them at Rongsal in the Dibrugarh
district.
January 11: Police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Arjun Deka,
in the Baksa district and seized five French made timer devices.
Security forces arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Raju Chetri
alias Moni Subba, and a linkman, identified as Diganta Hazarika, near
Tingali Bam Tea Estate under Sonari police station in the Sivasagar
district. Some leaflets of the outfit were recovered from their
possession.
January 10: Security forces killed a ULFA militant, identified as
Corporal Puwali Dowerah alias Hiren Dowerah, in an encounter at
Ahukhat village under Makum police station in the Tinsukia district.
The security forces also recovered one .32 pistol, one magazine with
two live rounds and three bicycles at the site of the encounter.
January 9: Two militants of the ULFA, including a woman, surrendered
before the police in Dibrugarh. The surrendered ULFA cadres were
identified as Bhaimon Changmai alias Nabin Dutta and Bina Payeng alias
Rimi Bora. They also deposited a 9 mm pistol along with magazines and
six live rounds of ammunition.
January 7: An Assamese poet, Santanu Sarma, was arrested at Malikuchi
in Nalbari town on charges of writing seditious material for the ULFA
and mobilising opinion against counter-insurgency operations.
January 6: One person, identified as Abdul Rehman Bepari, was injured
when a bomb planted by suspected ULFA militants in his garage exploded
at New Iddgah Colony in Dhubri town.
January 5: ULFA ‘sergeant’ Swapna Baruah alias Swapna Moran was killed
in an encounter with the army at Dirak Rongpuri village of Tinsukia
district.
Security forces arrested two ULFA militants, Nikhil Bhuyan and Jadab
Saikia, from Naginimora in the Sivasagar district. An unspecified
quantity of RDX, INR 11,000 in cash and incriminating documents were
recovered from them.
Seven ULFA and three NSCN-IM cadres surrendered at an army camp in the
Tinsukia district. They deposited two 9mm pistols, a .22 pistol, a
revolver, four grenades and ammunition of assorted weapons.
January 3: One surrendered ULFA cadre and a Bharatiya Janata Party
activist, identified as Jatin Lahkar, was shot at by two suspected
ULFA militants at Datara under Ghograpar police station in the Nalbari
district.
Sid Harth
2007
December 31: ULFA accused the Union government of trying to gain
political mileage over the peace talks issue and insisted that a
written assurance should be given to discuss sovereignty to revive the
peace process.
Three ULFA militants are killed by security forces in the Dibru
Saikhowa National Park located across Dibrugarh and Tinsukia
districts.
One ULFA militant is shot dead by a joint team of the police and
Central Reserve Police Force at Bhetapara in the Basistha police
station area of Guwahati.
December 30: One surrendered ULFA cadre, Bijoy Shankar Hazarika, and
his wife, Anita, are shot dead by the ULFA militants at Khatikuchi
under Ghograpar police station in the Nalbari district.
An encounter between police personnel and the ULFA militants is
reported at Philobari in the Tinsukia district. Police suspect the
outfit was planning to blow off a bridge over the Dibru.
Two ULFA linkmen, Utpal Mandal and Brindaban Tudu, are arrested by the
Army personnel from near the Gurufella area under Kachugaon police
station in the Kokrajhar district. Two pistols, seven rounds of
ammunition and four magazines are recovered from their possession.
December 29: One militant of the ULFA [28th battalion ‘C’ company],
identified as ‘corporal’ Dhaman Chetia, is killed by security forces
at Kulabari village under Kakapathar police station of Tinsukia
district. While another ULFA cadre, Amjad Chetia, is injured, one more
cadre is arrested.
December 28: At least 21 residents of Guwahati city are arrested and
later remanded to police custody for playing varied roles in ULFA’s
network of subversion. "We rounded up 25 people in the past two days,
of whom 22 were arrested on specific charges. The 21 people arrested
today were remanded in police custody," an unnamed police officer
engaged in the crackdown said.
December 27: An encounter between army personnel and the ULFA
militants occurs in the Dangori reserve forest area of Tinsukia
district. However, the militants manage to escaped from the incident
site.
Four ULFA cadres, Akur Rabha, Neel Sagar Rabha, Ajen Marak and Uday
Ghosh, were arrested with a huge quantity of arms and ammunition at
Balaikhawar and Hatisila villages near Lakhipur. One AK-81 rifle,
three magazines with 65 rounds of ammunition, one 9-mm Italian pistol
with five rounds of ammunition, one crude bomb weighing one kilogram
and fake currency worth INR 4000 were recovered from them.
December 25: One ULFA cadre is killed during an encounter with the
Army in Sivasagar district.
December 20: Four militants belonging to the’ 709 battalion’ of the
ULFA outfit surrendered before the Army at Kamalpur in the Kamrup
district. While one of the surrendered militants is a ‘sergeant major’
another is a 17-year-old cadre who had joined the outfit while he was
studying in Class X standard in Goalpara High School in western Assam.
They deposited one Chinese pistol with two magazines and 20 rounds of
live ammunition, few grenades, four explosive fitted with programmable
timer devices at the time of surrender.
December 19: The Tinsukia District police arrested Nagen Moran, a ULFA
cadre and a close associate of Jiten Dutta, leader of the ‘28
Battalion’ of the ULFA, from Margherita. During interrogation, Moran
confesses before the police that he was involved in the car bomb blast
that occurred at Beng Phukuri area in Tinsukia on November 25. On the
basis of his confession, police arrested a doctor, Rupai Bora, who
owns the Bora Nursing Home at Doomdooma. Bora allegedly provided
medical help to the injured ULFA cadres and has also visited the
militants’ camp at Lathau in Arunachal Pradesh.
Intelligence sources stated that the ULFA could strike before the
three-phase panchayat (local self-government) elections, scheduled to
be held on December 31, January 4 and 9 in Assam, to prove its
existence and use the disruption as publicity stunts. The commander of
the ‘Charlie Company of the outfit’s 28 Battalion’, Jiten Dutta,
recently warned all Congress Party candidates, especially those who
had deserted the party in the wake of the quit Congress notice issued
by the outfit in February, but had rejoined the party ahead of the
panchayat polls and are contesting the elections — of dire
consequences. A five-member group led by self-styled ‘sergeant major’
from the ‘Alpha Company of the 28 battalion’, Tete Bezbaruah, is
reportedly operating in the Mohong, Dirak and Pengeri areas of
Tinsukia district.
December 15: A surrendered ULFA militant, identified as Ratul Das, was
killed by some unidentified militants at his residence at Dharam Nala
in the Karbi Anglong district.
December 13: Two hardcore ULFA cadres, identified as Dusmanta Nath and
Ujin Rabha, surrendered before the security forces at Dariduri in the
Goalpara district.
December 9: Police arrested four ULFA militants from different parts
of the Guwahati city.
December 7: One unidentified ULFA agent, who bailed out militants by
providing false documents to courts, was arrested by the Army from
Binoy Gutia village under Borboree police station in the Dibrugarh
district.
December 5: Security forces came under attack from the ULFA when five
militants going along with a marriage party fired at them at Namhulung
under Tengeri police station in the Tinsukia district. Security forces
opted not to retaliate the firing but when they moved towards the
marriage party, the militants fled towards the Doomdooma reserve
forest.
Security forces arrested two ULFA linkmen, identified as Indrajit
Moran of Julliard under Doomdooma police station and Pinku Chetia of
Borali Gaon under Kakopathar police station in the Tinsukia district.
Police later released Indrajit Moran as there was no specific prima-
facie evidence against him.
December 3: A surrendered ULFA cadre, identified as Bogadhar Gogoi,
was killed by two ULFA militants on at Bordoibaam village under
Tengakhat police station of Dibrugarh district for allegedly helping
the army to track down ULFA cadres. In retaliation to the killing, a
group of masked men on motorbikes attacked an ULFA leader Madhurjya
Gohain’s house in the same village and damaged some portion of his
house and destroyed some of his belongings.
December 2: Six cadres of the Alpha and Charlie companies of the
ULFA’s ‘28 Battalion’ in the Tinsukia district surrendered before the
Police and laid down their arms. They also deposited an AK-56 rifle
with two magazines, a Belgium-made 12 bore pump action gun with seven
rounds of ammunition, a .56 pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition, a .36
high explosive grenade, 7 kg of TNT and two coils of flexible wire.
Suspected cadres of the ULFA lobbed a grenade at a garments shop near
Kathiatoli in the Nagaon district injuring the shop owner and his son,
besides another person who was there at the time of the blast.
December 30: Guwahati city police arrested a ULFA cadre, identified as
Jitu Barman a.k.a. Prahlad Barman of Baksa district, from the city’s
Ganesh Nagar area under Basista police station.
November 29: Two ULFA militants, identified as Gautam Das and Tiken
Das, surrendered in a function held at Hajo military camp in Rangiya.
They also laid down a pistol, 10 live cartridges AK-47 rifle.
November 26: One ‘Lance Corporal’ of the 109th battalion of the ULFA,
Janardhan Rabha alias Joseph Rabha, surrendered before the Goalpara
police in the Goalpara district along with one AK-81 rifle, three
magazines, one hand grenade and 90 rounds of bullets.
November 25: Two civilians, including one identified as Shivili Devi,
are killed and 14 others injured when ULFA militants triggered an
Improvised Explosive Device blast at Manik Hazarika Road under
Tinsukia town in the Tinsukia district. Five minutes before the
explosion, a grenade was lobbed by unidentified assailants without
causing any causality.
One civilian, identified as Umesh Shah, is killed and three others
injured when the ULFA militants exploded an IED device near a tea
stall at Athgaon area in the Guwahati city. Barely 10 minutes after
the blast, another IED also exploded at the same place without causing
any casualty.
Suspected ULFA militants lobbed a grenade at the office of the Sub
Divisional Police officer of Bilashipara sub-division in the Dhubri
district. However, no causality is reported.
Police personnel recovered a powerful IED along with a programmable
time device switch from a house in the Ambikagiri Nagar area in the
Guwahati city and arrested two unidentified ULFA militants.
November 23: Army personnel in a counter insurgency operation shot
dead one ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA, Lambu Moran alias Suren Moran,
at Manabhum Reserve Forest under Dayon police station in the Lohit
district. One pistol, four live rounds of ammunition and six
detonators were recovered from the slain militant. Lambu hailed from
Mohong village under Pengeree police station in the Tinsukia district
of Assam.
Security forces arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Mohan Rabha,
along with a single-barrel gun and some fake currency notes from Makri
in the Goalpara district. His confessional statement led to the arrest
of one ULFA financier, identified as Tarun Marak alias Dekson, from
Tikrikilla in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. Dekson is
reportedly involved in carrying a huge amount of money from Bangladesh
to Meghalaya and Assam on behalf of the group.
November 22: Seventeen militants - 15 belonging to the ULFA and two
cadres of the DHD and the KLNLF - surrendered to the Army at Laipuli
Army Camp in the Tinsukia district. The ULFA militants were identified
as Kundil alias Biju, Kalyani Baruah alias Pratima Baruah, Teet Gohain
alias Ratan Tamuli, Mintu Gogoi alias Pratim Dohotia, Pallabi Dihingia
alias Maya, Jyoti Dutta alias Ankita, Bharat Sonowal, Kalshad Rabha
alias Ratul Rabha, Narayan Rabha alias Amit Rabha, Bishnu Rabha, Moina
Moran, Gulab Baruah alias Deep Baruah, Alpana Sonowal alias Sangita
Sonowal, Pankaj Bora alias Dhan Bora and Kukheswar Saikia. The two
cadres of the DHD and KLNLF were identified as Kanak Bora alias Ladu
Baruah and Mujori Phangso alias Rukasen Phangso. The militants
deposited 339 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 30 rounds of AK-56
ammunition, five grenades, one rifle and one pistol.
Police personnel arrested one ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA, Porag Bora
alias Jyotish Bora, along with an Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra
Parishad member, Palash Dutta, from a Golaghat-Dergaon bound passenger
bus on PHCG road in the Golaghat district. The AJYCP member acted as
the ULFA cadre’s guide.
November 21: Police personnel arrested four persons, Dilu Gogoi,
Bhaben Baruah, Pankaj Sarma and Kuldip Hazarika, for demanding INR 20
lakh as ransom from a businessman in the name of the ULFA leader,
Madhurjya Buragohain, from Guwahati city in the Kamrup district.
An encounter between the ULFA and Army personnel was reported at
Solatiniali under Charaideo police station in the Sivasagar district.
Five ULFA militants engaged in the encounter fled leaving the driver
and the vehicle they were travelling in. The driver was reportedly
arrested.
November 19: Eight militants belonging to the ULFA surrendered before
the Army at Tamulpur in the Baksa district. They also deposited five
pistols, 20 rounds of live ammunition and five grenades before the
Army. They were identified as Akshya Kalita, Gautom Deka, Ranjti Nath,
Phulen Das, Brajen Kalita, Bijoy Kumar, Nirmal Murmu and Pepa Boro.
November 18: Suspected ULFA cadres shot dead three surrendered ULFA
leaders, identified as Srimanta Chetia alias Bijoy Chinese, Prahlad
Maran and Kamal Kandha, at Natun Dallang in the Lohit district of
Arunachal Pradesh.
November 17: Security forces neutralised one ULFA hideout at Nagapahar
area inside Dilli reserve forest along the Assam-Nagaland border.
Eight detonators concealed in eight packets along with three bags of
magazines and daily requirements were seized from the camp.
November 16: Security forces shot dead one ‘sergeant’ of the ULFA,
identified as Raju Baruah alias Albert Gohain, at Jonai in the
Sivasagar district along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. However,
four other cadres managed to escape from the incident site.
One self-styled ‘sergeant’ of the ULFA, Tulon Deori alias Prakash
Deori, was arrested from a tea stall near Demow in the Sivasagar
district. Deori, hailing from Deorigaon in Nitaipukhuri under Demow
police station, had joined the ULFA in 1995 and trained in Myanmar in
1998. He also went to Afghanistan in 2002 and was reportedly with the
ULFA ‘C-in-C’ from 2001 to 2006.
Police personnel engaged in gun battle with the ULFA militants at
Dhuansola area under Majuli subdivision in the Jorhat district.
However, no casualties are reported.
November 13: Security forces shot dead one ULFA militant, Hemo Gogoi
alias Chintu Borgohain of Majuli, at Ajanti Gaon Ghat in the Sivasagar
district. Two Chinese grenades, some detonators and Improvised
Explosive Devices were recovered from the slain militant.
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Uttam Buragohain, is shot at and injured by
unidentified militants at Dihingia village in the Tisukia district.
November 12: The ULFA military spokesman, Raju Baruah, revealed that
two ULFA cadres were killed and seven others are abducted in the Mon
district of Nagaland on November 11 by the NSCN-IM militants. Baruah
demanded that the NSCN-IM release the ULFA cadres within three days.
November 11: One ULFA cadre, identified as Mridul Moran, is killed in
an encounter with the NSCN-IM at a petrol pump in Tizit. One cadre of
the NSCN-IM, identified as, S M Konyak, was also killed during the
clashes. Two civilians were injured in the incident. Sources added
that one ULFA militant was abducted by the NSCN-IM.
November 10: One self-styled ‘corporal’ of the 28th battalion of the
ULFA, Utpal Bora, is killed in an encounter with the security forces
at Mahadevpur area in the Lohit district.. One 9-mm pistol and four
rounds of ammunition are recovered from his possession.
November 9: A top-ranking ULFA militant, identified as 'sergeant
major' of the outfit’s '109 battalion' Ratul Rabha, is arrested during
a joint operation by the army and police from Oidoba village near the
Meghalaya-Assam border in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.
Superintendent of Police JFK Marak told that three kilograms of RDX
was recovered from the militant.
November 7: The Army arrested two ULFA militants, Muzibur Rahman and
Mahammed Munna, from Phalimari under Gauripur police station in the
Dhubri district. Three hand-made pistols and live cartridges are
recovered from their possession.
One Myanmar-trained ULFA cadre, Anil Payeng, surrendered before the
Majuli Sub Division Police Officer in the Jorhat district. Anil hails
from Nalini Mising Gaon of Majuli.
November 6: Security forces during a search operation recovered a
powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in an ONGC oil pipeline at
Mising village in Suffry under Charaideo subdivision in the Sivasagar
district. The IED, weighing about 7-kg, is timed to blast off at 10 in
the morning.
Another IED is recovered near the office of the Sivasagar
Superintendent of Police. The ULFA is suspected to have planted the
explosives. The explosive is planted in a bicycle to explode at 12.30
pm in front of the SP’s office. The SFs later defused the bomb safely.
November 5: Security forces arrested two senior ULFA militants,
"second lieutenant" Somdev Phukon alias Ajit Phukon and his "corporal"
wife, Popy Khanikar, at Bimalapur Charliali under Borhat police
station in the Sivasagar district, when the couple is going to
Dibrugarh Medical College Hospital for the treatment of their son.
Sources said that the couple had arrived in Assam from Myanmar a few
weeks ago to replace Sujit Mohan as the commander of the ULFA’s 28th
battalion. Somdev has joined the ULFA in 1988 and is mostly based in
Myanmar. During interrogations he told that the group had released him
for family reasons.
November 4: The ULFA militants killed two civilians, Papu Saikia and
Kamal Maran, suspecting them to be army informers, at Mohang village
in the Tinsukia district.
Security forces in an encounter killed one self styled ‘sergeant’ of
the ULFA, Ranjeet Borah alias Ananta Mech, at Dua Pathar in the same
district, reports Telegraph. One pistol is recovered from the
possession of the slain militant. Sources said that Bora and two other
ULFA cadres took shelter at Dahpathar village under Kakopathar police
station. However, the two other cadres managed to escape.
November 2: An assistant manager of the Orang tea estate in the
Udalguri district is abducted by a joint team of the suspected
militants of the ULFA and the ANLA militants.
November 1: 68 militants, including 66 ULFA and two Adivasi National
Liberation Army cadres, surrendered to the security forces in a
surrender ceremony at the firing range of the 4 Assam police Battalion
Headquarters at Kahilipara in the Guwahati city. The surrendered ULFA
cadres comprised four ‘sergeant majors’ and six ‘sergeants’, including
Bipul Neog alias Ujjal Gohain. Four women, including ‘sergeant major’
Tulshi Rabha alias Malati Santosh, are among the surrendered cadres.
Eight AK-56 rifles, five pistols, ten revolvers, a single-shot pistol,
11 No. 36 grenades, 16 Chinese grenades, eight AK-56 magazines, 145
rounds of AK-series ammunition, 55 rounds of 9-mm ammunition, four
rounds of .22 ammunition, an RT set, three electronic detonators, five
No. 36 grenade detonators, three gelatine sticks, five kg RDX, a
packet of Cordex wire, an RPG cell and five PTD switch are deposited
by the cadres.
October 29: Two ULFA cadres, Nitul Sonowal and Muleswar Sonowal, are
killed in an encounter with the security forces at Rangoli village in
the Lohit district. Both the slain militants hail from the Dibrugarh
district in Assam.
October 28: One ‘sergeant major’ of ‘B’ company of the 28th battalion
of the ULFA, Anirban Basu alias Ananta Duarah, is shot dead by the
security forces in an encounter at Mahmora Bhalukonigaon under
Kakotibari police station in the Sivasagar district. One grenade and a
9-mm pistol are recovered from his possession. Sources revealed that
the deceased is responsible for extortion in the Sonari, Moran and
Sivasagar areas.
October 26: Police personnel arrested one ULFA cadre, Amulya Das, from
Fancy Bazzar area in the Guwahati city. Das had been working at a
private business farm and hails from Bijulighat in the Nalbari
district.
October 24: An encounter between the ULFA militants and the troops is
reported under Tangeri police station in the Tinsukia district. Two
suspected ULFA cadres are injured in the encounter. One SLR and two
bags containing improvised explosive device materials are also
recovered from the incident site.
October 23: Thirty-one ULFA militants and two from the KLNLF
surrendered along with a huge cache of arms and explosives at Tamulpur
in the Baksa district. One Thailand-made pistol, two PT 32 pistols,
eight rounds of PT 32 pistol, an AK-56 Rifle, a radio set, ten rounds
of AK-56 rifle, five rounds of 9 mm pistol, ten detonators, 20 metres
fuse wire and four power gel explosives 801 (25 mm X25 mm) are
deposited by the militants.
The ULFA has reportedly shifted several of its leaders from upper
Assam to the outfit’s hideouts in Myanmar to prevent their surrender.
A report indicated that Amrit Dutta, a key accused in the Sanjoy Ghose
murder case, and Amritballav Goswami, a bomb expert from Golaghat
district, are among those who are being kept in confinement at
hideouts in Myanmar.
October 22: Two militants of the ULFA, Socrates Choudhury alias Vishal
and Umesh Das, are arrested by Assam Police during a search operation
at Fancy Bazaar in Guwahati city. They were working under the
instruction of Hira Sarania, ‘commander of ‘709 battalion’ of the
ULFA. "The duo used to identify potential targets for extortion and
then serve demand notes, signed by Hira Sarania. Their targets
included businessmen, professionals such as doctors and engineers, as
well as government officials. The accused have confessed to serving
ransom demands to several persons in the city," an unnamed police
officer said. "Choudhury is suspected to have been involved in some
recent bomb blasts here. He is also being interrogated for identifying
the explosives suspected to have been stockpiled by ULFA in the city,"
the source added.
October 22: ULFA’s 28th battalion has reportedly served extortion
notices on several businessmen in the Tinsukia district during the
Durga Puja festival with an instruction to pay the amount on or before
the ensuing Deepawali festival. Intelligence sources revealed that
Jiten Dutta, who took over charge of 28th battalion following
surrender of Pranjal Saikia and Ujjal Gohain, has entrusted Dadul Bora
and Luchi Neog of ‘C’ company to collect the amount from the
businessmen before the Deepawali festival.
October 19: Security forces arrested one ULFA cadre of the 28th
battalion, Dhajen Gogoi alias Ranjan Gogoi, from Manbhum Reserve
Forest in the Lohit district.
October 18: SFs arrested two suspected United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) militants, Siddi Sarkar and Pradeep Sarkar, from Lohajani
village under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri district on
charges of extortion from a school teacher. An extortion note
demanding INR 1 lakh was issued to a school teacher, Ronjit Bhakat, in
the name of the ULFA.
October 16: One senior cadre of the 28th battalion of the ULFA,
Pranjal Saikia alias Hiren Hazarika, surrendered to the security
forces at Teju in the Lohit district. Saikia hails from Doomdooma in
the Tinsukia district of Assam and had joined the outfit in 1990.
One ULFA cadre, Arun Deka alias Amarendra, surrendered before the
Morigaon district administration.
October 13: An encounter between Army personnel aided by a group of
surrendered ULFA cadres and ULFA militants is reported from Mahmora
Tiloichuk village under Charaideo sub-division in the Sivasagar
district. The encounter ensued following information received by the
Army that ULFA militants are camping in the house of one Phani Gogoi.
However, the militants managed to escape from the encounter site.
October 8: Security forces in an encounter killed self-styled
‘sergeant’ of the ULFA, Rajiv Saikia alias Raheswar Deka Baruah, at
Lukili village under Borhat police station in the Sivasagar district.
One AK-56 rifle, three magazines, a 9-mm pistol, three pistol
magazines, a grenade, three mobile sets and some incriminating
documents are recovered from the incident site. One woman cadre of the
outfit, identified as Mamu alias Satyama Bailung alias Rekha Bailung,
was arrested from the same place.
SFs neutralised three ULFA hideouts at Dilli reserve forest near
Namrup in the Dibrugarh district. IEDs weighing ten kilograms, several
copies of ULFA’s mouthpiece Freedom, medicines and ration were
recovered from the hideouts.
Suspected ULFA militants blew up a gas pipeline owned by the Assam Gas
Company Limited at Nampum village under Chabua police station in the
same district.
October 6: Two ULFA militants, including one identified as ‘sergeant
major’ Lankeswar Rabha, are shot dead during a counter-insurgency
operation at Konakhat village under Tongla police station in the
Udalguri district. Police said the two militants had taken shelter in
the house of a person, Oben Rabha. Some explosives, a satellite phone,
a 9 mm pistol, a revolver, six rounds of cartridges, four mobile
phones, a mobile charger, letter pads, telephone diaries and cash are
recovered from the slain militants.
October 5: One unidentified ULFA militant is shot dead by Assam Police
personnel during an encounter at Rakshasmari village near Chopai Tea
Estate under Dhekiajuli police station in the Sonitpur district. While
another militant manages to escape, one AK-47 rifle, one 9-mm pistol,
two magazines of AK-47 rifle and two hand grenades are recovered from
the encounter site.
At least four persons, including a woman, are wounded when around 10
ULFA militants attack the residence of Dipak Pal, a Bengali-speaking
person, at Leferagaon in the Sivasagar district.
October 4: A grenade is exploded by the ULFA militants targeting
Itachali police outpost in the Nagaon district. While two vehicles
were damaged, no one is injured in the blast.
Security forces arrested three suspected militants of the ULFA, Bipul
Bora, Prabin Bora, Jyoti Prasad Lahkar, near Borjuri area under
Samaguri police station in the Nagaon district. One KLNLF militant,
identified as Budheswar Ingti, was also arrested from the same
location.
October 2: The ULFA denies a claim made by B. S. Jaiswal, General
Officer Commanding-in-Charge of 4 Corps, that the outfit has links
with Islamist outfits, including the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI).
In an editorial in its mouthpiece Freedom, the ULFA accused the Army
of launching a false propaganda "only to confuse the people."
October 1: One ULFA militant, belonging to the outfit’s 28th
battalion, is lynched by a group of irate civilians in the 1 Joraguri
village of Golaghat district. The militant, identified as Mangal
Singh, a "sergeant major" in the battalion’s "B Company", along with
two of his accomplices was trying to intimidate a panchayat (village
level self-government body) member into paying them a huge amount of
ransom. Two accomplices of the killed ULFA militant, identified as a
ULFA conduit Monikanta Sare and a surrendered militant Ganesh Pegu,
are wounded.
Two ULFA linkmen are arrested by the Army personnel from Jhagrarpar in
the Dhubri district. One pistol and some blank notepads of the outfit
are recovered from them.
Seven ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, surrender before the
Army authorities at Laipuli in the Tinsukia district.
September 30: Two persons are killed and 25 others injured when an
improvised explosive device (IED) was exploded by the ULFA militants
near a restaurant at Doomdooma town in the Tinsukia district.
Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order), D.K. Pathak,
informed that one the two motorcycle-borne ULFA militants, carrying
the IED, was killed and the other wounded in the blast.
Four persons were killed and 21 others wounded in another blast
triggered by the ULFA at Tinsukia town.
One bomb blast is triggered by suspected ULFA militants causing
substantial damage to the pipeline of a public sector undertaking, Oil
India Ltd, at Tengakhat in the Dibrugarh district. B.C. Sarmah,
chairman of the Assam Gas Company Limited, said the damage will
disrupt gas distribution throughout upper Assam. The pipeline carries
crude and natural gas from the oilfields of Dikom and Tengakhat to
Duliajan.
One blast is triggered by the ULFA targeting another gas pipeline at
an unspecified place under Lankashi police outpost in the Tinsukia
district.
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Dipankar Boruah alias Bhaikon, is shot dead
by suspected ULFA militants at Panikheti in the Jorhat district. He
had reportedly surrendered in Jorhat two years ago.
September 27: Two Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF)
militants surrender before the security forces at Golaghat. Prakash
Timung a.k.a. Englong Timung and Moshe Finger a.k.a. Ancbung surrender
along with two pistols. They have later told that the KLNLF had
launched operations along with the ULFA to kill Hindi-speaking people
in Karbi Anglong, adding that more than 20 ULFA militants are co-
ordinating with the KLNLF to unleash violence.
September 25: An unidentified ULFA militant is shot dead by Army
personnel during a counter-insurgency operation at Manabhum reserve
forest in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh. One 7.62 mm self-
loading rifle along with 21 rounds of ammunition is recovered from the
slain militant.
September 20: One self-styled ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA’s ‘28th
battalion’, identified as Lohit Duara alias Atul Pachoni, surrenders
before the SF personnel at an unspecified location. Duara, who joined
the ULFA in December 1999, was trained in Myanmar. One grenade, one-
and-a-half kg of RDX and some documents were deposited by the cadre.
Duara hails from Ulutoli village in Jalukonibari area of Titabor
subdivision in the Jorhat district.
ULFA has appointed Bijoy Das alias Bijoy Chinese as the new
‘commanding officer’ of the 28th battalion after the arrest of self-
styled lieutenant Prabal Neog. Das hails from the Nalbari district and
had been holding the post of ‘joint deputy commander’ of the battalion
along with another senior ULFA leader, Bhaskar Hazarika.
September 19: Ranu Das alias Gita Gogoi, wife of the Myanmar-based
ULFA cadre, Dipen Das, along with her 14-month-old child, is arrested
from Naharlagun in the Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Several compact discs and incriminating documents are recovered from
the house in capital Itanagar, where she was staying. The house was
rented by Purabi, wife of Prabal Neog, who was arrested from Tezpur
town in Assam on September 17.
September 17: The ‘commander’ of the 28th battalion of ULFA, Prabal
Neog alias Benu Bora alias Aman Moran and his wife Purabi Neog alias
Bonti Lahon, are arrested from Mission Chariali area under Tezpur town
in the Sonitpur district. Neog was traveling with his wife from
Arunachal Pradesh. Neog is a senior leader of the outfit, who
masterminded the recent killings of the Hindi-speaking people in the
Upper Assam districts. He was also looking after the eastern command
of the ULFA. Neog, son of Haladhar Bora of Makum-Tarajan in the
Tinsukia district, joined the ULFA in 1991. Earlier, he was the ‘vice-
president’ of Tinsukia district committee of the Asom Jatiyatabadi
Yuba-Chatra Parishad, an influential youth organization in the state.
September 15: One ‘corporal’ of the ULFA, Amar Tanti, is killed by SFs
in an encounter at Pakabam under Panitola police station in the
Tinsukia district. Tanti hurled two hand grenades at the advancing SFs
before he was shot dead.
September 13: A person, Imdad Ul Haque, is arrested by Assam Police
from Jalukbari area in the Guwahati city, for his involvement in
extortion in the name of the ULFA outfit.
September 11: The dead body of an unidentified ULFA cadre of the 28th
battalion is recovered from the Manabhum reserve forest in the Lohit
district of Arunachal Pradesh. Sources indicated that the militant had
died of malaria.
September 10: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead two civilians, Tarun
Kundu, a restaurant owner and Ram Vilas Shah, a trader, at Talap
Balibazar under Talap Outpost of Doomdooma police station in the
Tinsukia district.
Security forces arrested one woman ULFA cadre, Momi Kochari alias Juri
Sonowal, from Tiphung Ghat under Duliajan police station in the
Dibrugarh district. Juri was associated with the ULFA for the last six
years. One mobile phone and a pistol were recovered from her
possession. Another woman ULFA cadre, identified as Momi Gogoi, was
arrested from the Kakopathar area in Tinsukia district. Reports
revealed that Momi joined ULFA two years ago and received arms
training at Manabhum Reserve Forest in the State of Arunachal Pradesh.
September 9: Police personnel arrested two persons, Niru Jain and Anil
Jain, from the Fancy Bazaar area in Guwahati for serving an extortion
note to the Barpeta Zila Parishad (local government) official, Zakir
Hussain, on behalf of the ULFA’s ‘709 Battalion commander’ Hira
Sarania.
September 8: Six ULFA militants surrendered at the Tamulpur Army camp
in the Baska district along with a cache of arms, ammunition and
explosives. They included a female cadre, Jainali Das, who had
undergone training in Bhutan in 1999 and had been active in Barpeta,
Nalbari, Goalpara and Guwahati, under the command of top ULFA leader
Hira Sarania.
September 6: Fourteen cadres belonging to the 28th and 709th
battalions of the ULFA surrendered before the Inspector General of
Police in Guwahati. They were identified as Dilip Kumar Sarmah -
‘second lieutenant’ of 709th battalion, Robin Bejboruah and Lakshadhar
Kalita - ‘sergeant major’ of 709th battalion, Manish Gogoi and Syamata
Gogoi ‘corporal’ of 28th battalion, Dulal Bora, Rupam Gogoi, Chintu
Gogoi, Anil Gogoi, Subhash Bora, Tapa Bora and Mitul Sandique of the
28th battallion, Jayanta Roy and Rajani Kalita of 709th battalion. One
AK 47 rifle, three 9-mm pistols, a 0.22 rifle, two hand-made
revolvers, a factory-made pistol, five grenades, two IEDs, four kg
TNT, two electronic detonators, four non-electronic detonators, 18
rounds of ammunition of AK-47 rifle, six rounds of ammunition of 9-mm
pistol and seven rounds of ammunition of 0.22 rifle are deposited by
them.
Bhagawan Das, a junior engineer of Paschim Nalbari Development Block,
who was abducted from the Nalbari district on August 25, is released
by the ULFA militants near Pathsala in the Barpeta district.
September 5: Kamaleswar Das and his accomplice Joon Jyoti Sarma, the
ULFA cadres who are allegedly involved in the Guwahati blast of
September 1, confessed to having kept the LPG cylinder in the vehicle
in which the bomb was strapped.
Kamaleswar Das, who is involved in the September 1 bomb blast
triggered by the ULFA at Bamunimaidam in Guwahati city, is arrested
from Kumarikata in the Nalbari district. The report added that his
accomplice, Joon Jyoti Sarma, surrendered at Dispur police station.
Both of them confessed of planting the bomb in a vehicle with the help
of an ULFA militant, Dhiren Das, who operates under two other
militants, Dipak Das and Bhaiti. Dhiren is a cadre of the 709
Battalion of the ULFA. Police discovered during the investigation that
the operation was masterminded by another ULFA militant, Akash Thapa
alias Saranga Patowary.
September 3: Guwahati police reportedly identified one Kamaneshwar Das
as the main culprit of the ULFA-triggered Bamunimaidam bomb blast of
September 1 in the Guwahati city. Das had hired the three-wheeler that
is used in the blast around 15 days before and fitted it with the bomb
at an unspecified location in the Nalbari district.
September 2: Police personnel arrested three persons, Champak Barman,
Biswajeet Deka and Bhagawan Barman, from the Guwahati city in
connection with the ULFA-triggered Bamunimaidam bomb blast on
September 1. Bhagawan Barman is the owner of the van in which the IED
was planted while the other two are his associates.
September 1: One person is killed and 20 others sustained injuries in
a suspected ULFA-triggered explosion in the Bamunimaidan locality in
Guwahati. The victim was identified as Ramlal Das, a cobbler from
Begusarai district in Bihar. Police said a bomb kept in a three-
wheeler went off at 11.45 am at the Railway Colony market of
Bamunimaidan, a busy commercial area, leading to the explosion of
three gas cylinders in the shops nearby.
Four suspected ULFA militants are arrested from a bus, plying from
Simlaguri in Barpeta district to Guwahati, near Rangia along with
three IEDs.
SFs arrested seven persons from several places in the Tinsukia
district for having links with the ULFA. SFs recovered five kilograms
of RDX from the residence of one of them.
SFs arrested one ULFA militant, Atul Rai alias Satyajit Barman, along
with one hand grenade, two detonators and some fuse wires from
Panchapur Rabhapara area under Bongaigaon police station in the
Bongaigaon district.
August 31: SFs, acting on specific information about a likely weapons
deal between the Manipur-based KRA and the ULFA at Laharijan under
Bokajan police station of the Karbi Anglong district, arrested four
militants on the National Highway-39. They were identified as Babul
Baruah alias Prakash Baruah alias Kokai, a self-styled sergeant of
ULFA’s 27th battalion, Lung Min Thang, a cadre of KRA, Mannar Khan, an
arms dealer and Abu Shama Ali. The Army recovered a 7.65 mm pistol
with a magazine filled with four live rounds from their possession.
August 30: SFs in an encounter at Motir Patti village under Gauripur
police station in the Dhubri district killed Tapan Rai, a bomb expert
of the ULFA. Rai is reportedly involved in several bomb blasts in the
Guwahati city. One 9-mm pistol, four live cartridges and six empty
cartridges are recovered from the incident site. However, some other
ULFA cadres managed to escape from the incident site.
SFs arrested two ULFA cadres, Kishor Roy and Uttam Chaudhury, from
their houses at Abhayapuri in the Bongaigaon district.
August 28: One ‘commander’ of the 709 battalion of the ULFA, Champak
Sarma alias Ranjan, was killed by SFs in an encounter at Boragog
village in the Kamrup district. While one SF personnel was wounded
during the exchange of fire, one militant managed to escape from the
incident site. A villager, Rupeshwar Deka, along with his family
members was arrested for giving shelter to Ranjan and one of his
accomplices in their residence. An AK-56 rifle, two grenades, two
magazines, two mobile handsets, 37 live bullets, INR 4500 and
extortion pads signed by Heera Sarania, ‘commandant’ of the 709
battalion of the ULFA, are recovered from the encounter site. Ranjan
is reportedly involved in the April 17-abduction of P.C. Ram, the
Director of the Food Corporation of India’s Northeast office, from
Guwahati.
August 27: Two ULFA cadres, Chandra Deuri alias Deep and Bipul Sarania
alias Pritam, are arrested during a search operation at Dakshin
Birikhana area under Sarbhong police station in the Barpeta district.
Arms and explosives, including one Chinese-make grenade, an Italian 9-
mm pistol, two programmable devices, three detonators, a tape recorder
and eight rounds of ammunition, are recovered from them.
Five ULFA cadres surrendered at the office of the Deputy Commissioner
of Golaghat district. They were identified as Manab Gogoi alias Putul
Daimary, Bhogeswar Bora alias Debojit Bora alias Bhaiti, Rituparna
Bora alias Abhinabha Saikia, Nipun Sonowal alias Pankaj Bora and Naren
Kachari alias Narsen Rongpi.
August 25: Six suspected ULFA linkmen are arrested by SF personnel
from Lahowal in the Dibrugarh district. Another ULFA linkman, Rinku
Das, is arrested from Disangmukh village in the Sivsagar district. He
was involved in a bomb blast, and confessed to be in direct
communication with militant Ankur Shyam, belonging to the 'B company'
of the ULFA's '28th battalion'. A grenade and some documents
indicating his involvement in the blast in Sivsagar town in the first
week of August 2007 are recovered from Das.
August 24: A self-styled 'corporal' of the 28 Battalion of ULFA,
identified as Sunil Gogoi alias Gomen Moran alias Lombu, surrenders at
the Army headquarters in the Dibrugarh district.
August 23: An unidentified ULFA militant is killed at Chagolia Part-II
village under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri district. One
villager, Prasanna Roy, is also injured in the encounter. An AK-56
rifle and some documents relating to the outfit are recovered from
possession of the slain militant.
August 23: Police confirm that a group of eight ULFA militants,
including two women cadres, led by Randhir Rava and Akash Thapa, had
entered the Dhubri district prior to Independence Day and were last
reported to be moving in the area.
August 21: Addressing the media in New Delhi, Assam Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi said that the ULFA has set up camps in Meghalaya along the
India -Bangladesh border. According to him: "The ULFA extremists often
commit crime in Asom and slip over to Meghalaya or Bangladesh…
Meghalaya is used as a safe passage or corridor by the rebels… What is
now needed is a coordinated approach of all the NE state governments
to take on the ultras while keeping the door open for the talks."
August 20: Two motorcycle-borne ULFA militants hurl a grenade in front
of a commercial building at Moran town in the Sivasagar district. No
casualty was reported.
August 20: A ULFA militant, Ananta Gogoi, is assaulted by local people
of Chakma Basti near Chowkham in the Lohit district of Arunachal
Pradesh. Three militants reportedly demanded a ransom of INR 10 lakh
from a shopkeeper at Chakma Basti at gunpoint. The shopkeeper informed
the villagers who reportedly assaulted him and later handed him over
to the police. Gogoi joined the ULFA outfit in 2005 and was trained in
Myanmar.
August 14: Police personnel arrest Kailash Sarmah, a ULFA "negotiator"
alleged to have settled several deals between businessmen and the
ULFA, from Shantipur under Bharalumukh police station in the Guwahati
city. An unnamed police official said that Sarmah has reportedly
settled several deals on behalf of the ULFA in and around the Guwahati
city in the past few years. "He is a negotiator. If ULFA demands Rs
100, he settles it, for say, Rs 75," added the police official.
August 14: The Deputy Inspector General (Central Range) of Assam
Police, L.R. Bishnoi, said, "The proscribed ULFA is providing logistic
support, mainly in the form of providing arms and ammunition, to the
Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) in carrying
out the recent orgy of violence which has seen more than 30 Hindi-
speaking people gunned down by the Karbi militant outfit." He
disclosed that the ULFA had set up two base camps at Shingasan range
and Deopani hill and a transit camp at Samelangso in the Karbi Anglong
district. A 100-member group of the ULFA is providing support to the
KLNLF, he added.
August 14: Police personnel recover three Improvised Explosive Devices
(IED) from two separate places near Mangaldai in the Darrang district.
Police raided the house of a civilian, Abdul Kadir, of Niz Kharupatea
under Dhula police station and recovered two IEDs weighing about four
kilogram each concealed in a bag. Police sources reveal that four
suspected ULFA cadres, including a woman, had come to his residence
and kept the explosives with the intention of exploding it in the
adjacent Army camp.
August 14: The BSF during a meeting with the BDR authorities refutes
claims by the latter that militant outfits have no bases in the Sylhet
division. Commander of the BDR’s Sylhet division, Col. Abul Hossain,
claimed that not a single militant camp of the outfits operating in
India’s northeast existed in the Sylhet division. Sources from the BSF
as well as an intelligence agency in the Cachar district said that as
many as 25 training camps were still in existence in the area, with
the full knowledge of the authorities in Bangladesh. Outfits operating
the camps are the ULFA, the HNLC and the NLFT-Biswamohan Debbarma.
ULFA has six such training camps at Rajghat and Ramnagar Tetultala in
the Moulvi Bazaar district, Nushirapunji and Islampur in Sylhet
district and Jagadishpur and Saidpur in Habiganj district.
August 13: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, in a Unified Command Structure
meeting held at Guwahati, asked the security forces to dismantle all
camps of the ULFA and KLNLF from Karbi Anglong district to put an end
to the current killings of the Hindi-speaking people.
August 11: Two more civilians succumbed to their injuries raising the
death toll to 14 in the ULFA and KLNLF-joint attack at Rongteron
village under the Bokajan Police Station on August 10.
Suspected ULFA militants hurled a hand grenade targeting security
forces at Borhat under Charaideo subdivision in the Sivasagar
district. However no causalities are reported.
August 10: A group of 10-15 suspected ULFA and KLNLF militants
attacked a village at Dolamara in the Karbi Anglong district and shot
dead 11 Hindi-speaking migrant workers. The dead include four women
and two children belonging to two families originally hailing from the
State of Bihar.
Assam Police shot dead one ULFA militant, Jiten Sarania of Baska
district, in an encounter at Hengerabari in the Guwahati city.
However, two of his associates managed to escape in an injured
condition. An unexploded grenade is recovered from the incident site.
ULFA ‘Sergent Major’ Kumud Bora, who is killed in an encounter with
the Army at Bordubi Tea Estate in the Tinsukia district on August 9,
is involved in extortion activities. Army sources said that Bora
collected INR 6 million as extortion money from the Duliajan, Kakojan,
Tengagaon, Rupai, Makum and Pengri areas of Tinsukia district.
August 9: A group of suspected ULFA militants shot dead one
surrendered ULFA cadre, Pranab Moran, at Jutulbari village under
Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia district.
Security forces killed one ULFA cadre, Kumud Borah alias Jaykanta
Moran alias Gondhia, at Bordubi Tea Estate under Doomdooma Police
station in the Tinsukia district.
Police arrested Anirudha Nath, the main accused in the August 5 Agia
bomb blast, from an unspecified location. Anirudha claimed that three
ULFA militants had forced him to plant the bomb threatening to attack
him and his family if he disobeyed.
August 8: Nine civilians, including four women and three children,
were killed and five others injured when a group of ULFA and KLNLF
militants opened indiscriminate fire targeting the Hindi-speaking
people at Ampahar Basti village under Howraghat police station in the
Karbi Anglong district.
Two civilians are wounded when suspected ULFA militants triggered an
explosion at Anandapur Tiniali under Dispur police station in the
Guwahati city.
One civilian, Pranab Moran, is injured when suspected ULFA militants
fired four rounds on him at his residence-cum-shop in Kheroni village
under Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia district.
August 7: Three civilians, Ajit Bora, Debo Bora and Pranjal Gogoi, are
killed and eight others injured, when ULFA militants triggered an
explosion in front of the Jorhat police station in the Jorhat
district.
A bomb planted by the ULFA militants in a dust bin near Kamrupa Hotel
at Ganeshguri Chariali in the Guwahati city exploded injuring two
civilians.
August 6: Police personnel arrested one ULFA activist, Bhupen
Rajkonowar, from Paltan Bazaar in the Guwahati city. Earlier the
police had recovered 15-kg TNT explosive from his parent’s residence
at Tingkhong in the Dibrugarh district.
August 5: Eleven civilians were injured in a ULFA-triggered improvise
explosive device blast near Sonari police station in the Sivasagar
district. The bomb was kept in between gunny bags containing wheat and
potatoes in a handcart. Police arrested the owner of the handcart,
Mohammed Kalam Miya of Bihar, and Mohammed Ikramul Ansari, the
shopkeeper from where the wheat and potato bags are purchased by the
suspected militants.
Four civilians were injured in an explosion that occurred in front of
the Assam State Trading Corporation bus depot in the same district.
Three civilians were injured in another bomb blast at Agiapara evening
market in the Goalpara district.
August 3: A group of suspected ULFA and KLNLF militants shot dead one
civilian, Shatrughan Pandey, at Dergaon market under Howraghat Police
Station in the Karbi Anglong district.
Police personnel arrested three ULFA militants, Dibyajyoti Boruah,
Mano Medhi and Utpal Rajbongshi from Bharalumukh and Dispur areas in
the Guwahati city. 25 detonators, four packets of liquid explosive
gel, two bundles of fuse wire and some extortion letters were
recovered from their possession. The four packets of semi-liquid
colourless substance with the tell-tale label "Power Gel 801
Explosive" have led police to surmise that ULFA has added
nitroglycerin, a high-energy explosive similar to the one used in the
7/7 blasts in London, to its terror arsenal.
August 2: The security forces arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as Babul Rabha, from Thamna in the Nalbari district along with one
hand grenade.
July 31: Police arrested one ULFA militant, Joiram Rabha, at Tarun Ram
Phukan Road in the Guwahati city.
Army personnel arrested ULFA cadre Arjun alias Ananta Moran from
Dighalshaku village under Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia
district.
July 30: SFs, during a search operation in two remote villages under
Tingkhong police station in the Dibrugarh district, recovered 25-kg of
explosives. The Dibrugarh Additional Superintendent of Police, Ashim
Swargiary, said that 12 kgs of explosives were recovered from the
house of one civilian, identified as Phulo Gogoi, in the Sishumara
Borkulpari village and another 13 kgs from a house in the Nosandang
Kunwarchuk village. The police arrested four unidentified persons,
including a 15-year-old girl, who allegedly has a relationship with a
hardcore United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre of the 28th
battalion. The explosives, brought by another hardcore ULFA cadre of
the outfit's 28th battalion, Amar Tanti, was to be used to disrupt
Independence Day celebrations in Parade Ground and also as car-bombs
to trigger off a series of blasts in the Upper Assam districts.
SFs recovered 1,475 detonators and 67 bundles of fuse wires from a
jungle near Sipajhar in the Darrang district. The recovery was based
on information from an arrested ULFA associate, Munindra Saikia, by
the SFs on July 28.
The ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, under the command of Heera Sarania,
is operating in several vital areas of lower Assam, including Guwahati
city. The City police after arresting and interrogating four ULFA
cadres of the 709 battalion revealed that they had received arms
training in Naokata and Goreswar in the Kamrup district and are asked
to carry out subversive activities as well as extortion drive in
Guwahati.
July 29: Police arrested two ULFA militants, Mrinal Kalita and
Dhireswar Deka, from Tulsibari area under Rangia police station in the
Kamrup district.
July 27: Two ULFA militants, Ridumsa Mushahary alias Siphung and Uday
Das, were arrested by from Garobasti under Dispur police station in
the Guwahati city. Three bombs with cordex wire, one PTED switch, two
detonators and a mobile phone were recovered from their possession.
SFs arrested one ULFA cadre, identified as Diganta Kalita, from
Nizjhara in the Baksa district along with two hand grenades.
July 25: The Dibrugarh district police arrested one ULFA militant,
Bitupon Moran, from Khalihamari Red Cross Road in Dibrugarh. Moran is
a resident of Hebeta Gaon under Makum police station and was
reportedly carrying an improvised explosive device to trigger a blast
at Chowkidinghee playground on the eve of Independence Day
celebrations.
Intelligence sources are reported to have indicated that the ULFA has
slapped extortion notices to some officials, traders and other
individuals in the Dhubri district recently. The Executive Engineer of
District Rural Development Agency has received one such notice, asking
him to contribute a sum of INR 1000000 to the outfit immediately. The
notice was signed by Hira Sarania, the commander of the 709 battalion
of the ULFA.
According to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sources, the
ULFA ‘Commander-in-Chief’ Paresh Baruah last week reportedly met
members of its armed wing and decided to intensify its offensive from
July 27- the ‘martyrs’ day’ of the group - to August 15. The targets,
according to the MHA sources, are the Marwari (the trading community)
businessmen, army, police and paramilitary personnel, central
government agencies and their employees. Baruah assigned the 27, 28,
709 and 109 battalions of the group to carry out the offensive with
the tag that the common people should fall victims to the armed
hostilities, sources added.
July 22: SFs arrested one unidentified ULFA cadre from the weekly
market at Barama in the Nalbari district and recovered three grenades
from his possession.
July 21: One unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with
the SFs at Chaygaon area in the Kamrup district. One AK-47 rifle, two
grenades, three magazines and some explosives are recovered from his
possession.
SFs neutralized one ULFA hideout inside the Abhaypur reserve forest of
Sivasagar district. One universal machine gun (UMG), a carbine, three .
303 rifles, a 12-bore gun, a 5-bore gun, a G3 rifle, a pistol, four
grenade launchers, four improvised explosive devices, 121 rounds of
UMG ammunition, 158 rounds of 12 bore gun and 32 rounds of G3
ammunition are recovered from the hideout.
July 20: Five civilians, including a four-year-old child, are killed
and 18 others injured when suspected ULFA and KLO militants triggered
a powerful bomb at Srirampur Chariali under Tamarhat police station in
the Kokrajhar district. Four of the deceased were identified as Munna
Shah, Abdul Mazid, Munmun Sheikh and Mangal Sheikh.
The army arrested one woman, Ruzupi Borah, from Watai village under
Pengeri Police Station in the Tinsukia district for her alleged link
with the ULFA.
July 19: Two cadres of the 28th battalion of the ULFA, Polash
Rajbonshi and Bhaskar Barua, are killed by SFs at Kailashpur
Simaluguri village under Pengeri police station in the Tinsukia
district. One AK 56 rifle, four magazines and some ammunition were
recovered from their possession.
SFs arrested two ULFA linkmen, Kamal Singh and Durgeswar Moran, along
with two kilograms of explosives, fake currency of INR 500
denomination and two vehicles from an unspecified place in Tinsukia
district. Sources said that the militants were planning to carry out
subversive activities on the outfit’s ‘martyr’s day’ on July 27.
July 13: Two ULFA cadres, including the bodyguard of ULFA’s ‘Commander-
in-Chief’ Paresh Barua, surrendered at Gillapukhuri Army camp in the
Tinsukia district along with one pistol, two magazines, two grenades,
four detonators, explosive and ammunition of AK-47. They are
identified as Babul Chetia alias Bijoy Singh and Biju Gogoi alias
Rupantar Gogoi, who are trained in Myanmar.
July 12: The abducted FCI official, P. C. Ram, is killed after being
caught in an encounter between the SFs and a group of ULFA militants
at Borka-Panitema village in the Kamrup district. The slain militants
are identified as Rahul Deka alias Montu Gogoi alias Gautam Sarania, a
‘Sergeant Major’ of the ULFA’s 28th battalion hailing from Nalbari
district, and Bullet Sangma of Naokata under Goreswar town. Police
seized two AK-56 rifles, a pistol, a grenade, an improvised explosive
device and a huge amount of ammunition from the slain militants.
SFs arrested three persons, including Shyamal Sarma, the secretary of
the Darrang district unit of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), from
Morajan under Rangiya town. Police also recovered five kilograms of
RDX, eight grenades and eight programmable time device switches from
them. They are arrested while ferrying the arms smuggled from
Bangladesh meant to be used by the ULFA. Police said that Sarma’s
arrest has depicted the involvement of MASS and other organizations -
like the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam and the
Asom Chatra Yuva Organisation - of having links with ULFA.
Assam police recovered the dead body of a ULFA linkman, identified as
Umesh Rajbongshi, from Dora Kohara area under Kamalpur police station
in the Kamrup district. He had been hacked to death by some
unidentified miscreants and his body is found dumped near the railway
track at Dora Kohara. Assam Police recovered the dead body of a ULFA
linkman, identified as Umesh Rajbongshi, from Dora Kohara area under
Kamalpur police station in the Kamrup district. He had been hacked to
death by some unidentified miscreants and his body found dumped near
the railway track at Dora Kohara.
Police arrested Kamini Deka, Chitra Deka and Srimati Deka, the
daughters of Govinda Deka, a civilian who sheltered the abducted Food
Corporation of India official P. C. Ram along with two ULFA militants
at his home. Ram and the two militants were killed in crossfire
between the police and ULFA militants in Deka’s home at Borka Panitema
village in the Kamrup district.
July 10: Two ULFA militants, including one identified as Samiran
Barman alias Jiban Medhi of Baganpara village in Baksa district, are
killed in an encounter with the SFs at Thankuchi village under
Ghograpar Police Station in the Nalbari district. One AK-56 Rifle with
51 live ammunition and two magazines, one 9-mm revolver with six
rounds of live ammunition and one magazine, three Chinese hand-
grenades, 15 empty cartridges of AK-56 rifle, INR 5,000 in cash and a
mobile phone handset are recovered from the slain militants.
July 9: Army arrested Hemanto Sonowal, an ULFA linkman, from Talap
area in the Tinsukia district.
July 8: One ULFA cadre, identified as Pradeep Gogoi, is arrested from
Pengree in the Tinsukia district along with a country-made pistol,
reports Sentinel. Sources said that he was involved in the killing of
a school teacher, Rohini Gogoi, on May 24.
July 7: Suspected ULFA cadres abducted the owner of a grocery shop,
identified as Phuleswar Moran, from his residence at Na-Mechekar
village under Talap police outpost in the Tinsukia district and
subsequently shot him dead. The bullet-riddled dead body of the victim
is recovered from the Nameseka reserve forest.
Police arrested one ULFA cadre, identified as Indra Gogoi, from
Laipuli area in the Tinsukia district. One motorcycle and several SIM
cards are seized from his possession. Sources said that he was trained
in Myanmar and had sneaked into upper Assam with the intention of
carrying out blasts.
Based on Indra Gogoi’s information, police also arrested Bishwajeet
Konwar, a suspected linkman of the ULFA, along with a pressure cooker,
kept to be supplied to the militants to plant bomb.
July 6: The SFs defused an IED, suspected to have been planted by the
ULFA at Prakash Bazaar area under Tinsukia town in the Tinsukia
district. Police arrested two persons in this connection.
One ULFA cadre, Jayanta Deka alias Ajai Deka, surrendered to the SFs
in a surrender ceremony in the Barpeta district. Deka had reportedly
joined the outfit in 2001.
July 3: Police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Amrit Ranjan
Dutta alias Mrityunjay Mahanta, from Charigaon area in the Jorhat
district along with two bombs, weighing one kilogram each. Sources
revealed that he was trained in Myanmar.
July 1: Police arrested two ULFA cadres, Mrigen Das and Naba Deka,
suspected to be involved in the June 23-Machkhowa bomb blast, from an
unspecified location in the Guwahati city on July 1.
Elsewhere in the Guwahati city, police arrested two suspected ULFA
linkmen, identified as Majid Rahman and Tajkia Rahman.
June 30: Four persons are killed and at least 40 others injured in
four blasts – three in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district and one in
central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. The ULFA is suspected to have
carried out these blasts. Three persons are killed in two successive
blasts at a fish market and a textile market in the Tinsukia town. 12
persons are injured in another blast that occurred, almost
simultaneously, in front of a cinema hall at Doomdooma town.
The dead body of P. C. Ram, the Executive Director (North East) of the
FCI, is found buried near the Mora-Pagladiya River in the Anandapur
area under Borbori police station in the Baksa district. He is
abducted by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) from Guwahati
city on April 17.
June 29: SFs arrested five hardcore ULFA militants and recovered a
huge cache of arms and ammunition from Murkuchiapara village in the
Baksa district. They were identified as Monu Das alias Jitu, an IED
expert, Madan Rajbongshi, Pankaj Rajbongshi alias Bipul, Pradeep
Barman and Harmohan Saud alias Bikash. Two foreign made pistols, one
revolver, 12 rounds of pistol ammunition, 32 rounds of ammunition of
AK-47 rifles, seven kilograms of explosives, four detonators, three
Chinese-make grenades, four PTD and some discriminating documents are
seized from their possession.
The Army arrested Biren Bokolial, the Vice-President of Tingkhong
Youth Congress, from his Bogasat resident in the Dibrugarh district
for his alleged links with the ULFA. Biren has reportedly confessed to
his active involvement in helping the ULFA in collecting extortion
money from Rajgarh-Tingkhong area in the same district.
June 26: A journalist, identified as Chandan Phukan, surrendered to
the police following media reports about his involvement with the
ULFA.
June 25: Police sources confirmed that the explosive used by the
suspected ULFA militants in the Guwahati blast on June 23 has been
identified as a TNT device. An unnamed senior police officer said,
"This finding has further strengthened our suspicions that ULFA is
behind the explosion as the rebel outfit has used TNT in almost all
the explosions it has carried out in the recent past." However, the
ULFA spokesman and deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah has denied
the outfit’s involvement in the explosion.
June 23: Six persons, including three children, are killed and 14
others injured when suspected ULFA militants triggered an explosion in
front of a mosque at Machkhowa in the Guwahati city. Five of the
victims were identified as Rafique Ahmed and his 10-year-old son
Safique, Hasan Ali (17), Sanjib Ali and Hanufa Khatun (3). Acting
Director-General of Police, R.N. Mathur, told the media that the blast
was caused by an IED. Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Rajen
Singh told The Hindu that the modus operandi indicated the hand of the
ULFA. Meanwhile, denying it’s involvement in the blast ULFA spokesman
‘Maj’ Raju Barua claimed, "The ULFA wants to make it clear that it has
never been involved in killing innocent people and it is only a
conspiracy hatched by vested interests to malign the outfit’s name."
Police arrested four businessmen, Pradip Kumar Khandelia, Manik Chand
Kedia, Radheshyam Sharma and Bikash Agarwalla, for their suspected
links with the ULFA in the Sivasagar district.
June 20: A group of top surrendered ULFA cadres asked the ULFA not to
target its activists and warned them that they would compelled to take
‘appropriate position’ if they indulge in violence against them. The
surrendered-ULFA men also asked the Government to provide adequate
safety to them.
Robin Dhekial Phukan, a local correspondent of the vernacular daily
Asomiya Pratidin, and Lalan Moran, Assistant General Secretary of the
Assam Students and Youth Forum, are arrested by the Assam Police from
the Tinsukia district on charges of maintaining close links and
working on behalf of the ULFA. The police alleged that both are
involved in supplying mobile SIM cards to ULFA cadres operating in the
eastern Assam districts. Police also alleged that Rabin was working in
the garb of a journalist and was instrumental in facilitating the last
‘Raising Day’ function of the ULFA at Manabhum Forest in Arunachal
Pradesh.
June 19: Two CRPF personnel are killed and five other security force
personnel injured in an ambush by suspected cadres of the ULFA and the
KLNLF at Samelangshu area under Howraghat police station in the Karbi
Anglong district. The militants ambushed the joint patrol of police
and CRPF team led by the Karbi Anglong Superintendent of Police.
SFs arrested two militants of ULFA’s 27 battalion, Joni Pathak alias
Tilak Boro and Krishna Borah, from the Nagaon district and claimed to
have neutralized a plan to disrupt the Asian Grand Prix Games, which
is scheduled to commence in Guwahati on June 23. SFs also seized 1.5
kg of explosives, two detonators and a battery with a timer from the
arrested militants.
June 18: Rudra Bora alias Bikram Bora, ‘second lieutenant’ of the
ULFA’s 709 battalion, is killed in an Army operation at Modai Ghat,
near Nao Dihing River in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Bora was involved in a number of sabotage and terrorist activities in
Lower Assam along with the ‘commander’ of the 709 battalion, Heera
Sarania.
June 16: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead one SULFA cadre,
identified as Rinku Choudhury, near Dispur in the Guwahati city.
June 14: Police arrested three persons, Madhuram Deka, Kishor Das and
Ganesh Thakuria, in connection with June 13 blast at Hajo in the
Kamrup district. Sources said that Ganesh Thakuria is a relative of
the ULFA’s ‘Foreign Secretary’, Sashadhar Choudhury.
One girl, identified as Jina Changmai, suspected of having links with
the ULFA was arrested by the police from Raidangiya village under
Tingkhong police station in the Dibrugarh district.
June 13: Suspected United Liberation Front of Asom militants triggered
an IED blast at Bullut weekly market under Hajo police station in the
Kamrup district, killing two civilians and injuring 40 others. One of
the deceased was identified as Sukur Ali. The police arrested three
unidentified youths for their alleged involvement in the blast.
Police personnel shot dead one ULFA militant, identified as Deepjyoti
Kalita alias Paul, at Nabin Nagar area in the Guwahati city. The
militant was reportedly involved in the series of recent bomb blasts
in the city. Police also recovered two IEDs - each weighing 5-kg, one
grenade, four detonators and two explosive circuits from the slain
militant.
One ULFA cadre, identified as Tapan Rai, managed to escape from an
encounter that occurred between troops and the militant in a rented
house at Dhirenpara area in the Guwahati city. However, police
arrested his wife from the incident site.
June 12: The Union Government has set three conditions to resume the
stalled peace initiative with the ULFA. These include a direct
communication from the outfit's top leadership indicating their
willingness to talk with the government, the presence of emissaries of
the either side in the talks and to facilitate meetings with the
detained leaders in jail along with a safe passage to sweeten the
deal. M. K. Narayanan, the National Security Advisor, conveyed these
conditions to Indira Goswami, the chief mediator of ULFA. Goswami,
leading a delegation of the Nagrik Shanti Manch Asom, met Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on June 11 to discuss the restarting of
peace talks with the ULFA.
June 9: Security Forces arrested two senior members of the ULFA, ‘2nd
Lt.’ Dibakar Moran alias Robin Baruah and his wife Barkha Deori alias
Meghali, in the Tinsukia district. Dibakar is a senior member of
ULFA’s 28th Battalion joined the outfit in 1989.
June 7: The Army arrests one ULFA militant, identified as Eman Ali,
from Borbori village under Tamarhat Police station near Assam-Bengal
border area in the Kokrajhar district along with 3-kg IED.
June 6: The Guwahati city police formed a four-member Special
Investigation Team, under a Deputy Superintendent of Police, to
investigate the abduction of Food Corporation of India - regional
head, P. C. Ram. He was abducted by the ULFA on April 17.
June 5: The ULFA’s 28th battalion’s ‘communication officer’,
Ghanakanta Bora alias Kabin Koirala alias Jagdish Phukan, and his wife
‘sergeant major’, Tulashi Buragohain alias Archana Phukan, surrender
to the security forces at Laipuli Army camp in the Tinsukia district.
Bora, one of the senior-most ULFA members, joined the group in 1986.
He was based in Nepal and had established a camp there to act as an
interface between ULFA and the Maoists. He was also instrumental in
establishing camps for the ULFA in Myanmar, Bhutan, Arunachal
Pradesh's Lohit and Changlang districts and Assam's Sibsagar
district.
Army sources revealed that the ULFA is setting up bases in Nepal and
maintaining close links with the Maoist insurgents in that country.
Sources also said that after the ‘Operation All Clear’ in Bhutan in
2003, the outfit has moved to Myanmar but most of the top ULFA leaders
are still based in Bangladesh. Around 150 cadres, including ULFA’s top
leader Sashadhar Choudhury, are currently setting up camps in Nepal in
areas like Sagarmatha, Sitwar, Solkhumbhu and also procured arms and
ammunitions. The outfit has planned to move senior members of 27th
battalion, 28th battalion and 709th battalion to Nepal, sources
added.
June 4: Intelligence officials revealed that two top ULFA leaders,
Chitrabon Hazarika and Lebu, have entered Meghalaya from Bangladesh
along with two hardcore jihadi militants, 15 days ago. Hazarika is a
close associate of the ULFA chief Paresh Barua. Sources added that
both were arrested earlier by the Assam Police. However they managed
to get bail and joined the outfit again.
June 1: One ULFA associate, identified as Lankeshwar Sonowal, is
arrested by the Army near Lankasi under Bordubi police station in the
Tinsukia district. Sonowal confessed to having provided logistic
support and helping the outfit in its extortion drives.
May 31: Police submitted a report to the Assam Governor mentioning
names of the four affluent businessmen and some professionals
suspected to be ardent sympathisers and helpers of the ULFA. Official
sources said that they are suspected to have acted as ULFA conduits or
'rendered their services' to the outfit. The police also found
"substantial evidence" of ULFA's link with the Pakistani external
intelligence agency, the ISI and some fundamentalist organisations.
May 29: One civilian, identified as Hira Taid, is killed in a
crossfire between the security forces and militants belonging to the
ULFA at Naharanibari village under Machkhowa Police Station in the
Dhemaji district.
May 28: Police sources revealed that the Pakistani external
intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has been
providing explosives to the ULFA to carry out subversive activities in
public places. Police said that the explosives used by the ULFA are
provided by the ISI and there are reasons to believe that the
militants are triggering off blasts at the behest of foreign powers.
Sources added that at least 20 ULFA militants were trained in Pakistan
to handle sophisticated explosive devices. Seven of them were either
killed or arrested. The ULFA triggered off 32 blasts in different
parts of Assam in 2007 while the police managed to recover 66 bombs.
The Union Minister of State for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal, said, "There
are intelligence reports that ULFA camps are not only running, but
also being nourished in Bangladesh". He informed that India has asked
and continuously putting pressure on the Bangladesh Government to keep
watch and contain the activities of the ULFA but accused it as
"reluctant or weak to cooperate" with India in taking action against
them.
May 26: Seven persons are killed and 18 others injured in an explosion
triggered by suspected ULFA militants in the Athgaon area of Guwahati
city. The explosives are packed in a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw.
Security forces killed two unidentified ULFA militants in an encounter
at Pub Boragaon area under Fatasil Ambari police station in Guwahati.
Two other militants, however, managed to escape. One grenade, one
revolver, three cartridges, three bundles of fuse wire and two
kilograms of explosives are recovered from the incident site.
The Army defused an improvised explosive device, recovered from a
compartment of the Delhi bound Brahmaputra Mail at Kokrajhar Railway
Station in the Kokrajhar district.
May 25: Police sources said that the ULFA has reportedly threatened
villagers of dire consequences if they do not intensify the agitation
against the security forces for killing ‘innocent civilians’ in upper
Assam. The public in districts of upper Assam have reportedly started
raising their voice against the ULFA due to its continuing strike
against innocent civilians.
Assam Police intelligence chief said that the ULFA is using young boys
as its frontline strike force. The ULFA, under pressure from the
counter-insurgency operations, is reported to have changed its
strategy and has started recruiting young boys aged 14 to 19 - mostly
school dropouts.
May 24: One suspected ULFA militant, identified as Budhe Dhadumia, is
lynched to death by the public at Pengeri and his associate was
detained at Hulunggutti village under Kakopathar Police Station in the
Tinsukia district after the two militants shot dead one schoolteacher,
identified as Rohini Gogoi, of the Kailashpur Lowyer Primary School.
May 22: Dhrubajyoti Lahan alias Deepak, a ‘Sergeant’ of ‘28 Battalion’
of the ULFA, is killed in an encounter with the SFs at Singlopathar
under Mathurapur police station in the Sivasagar district.
The ULFA military spokesman, Raju Baruah, threatenes the SFs of ‘dire
consequences’ if it continues to kill unarmed members of the outfit in
‘fake encounters’. He claimed that the recent killing of two ULFA
militants at Chaygaon in the Kamrup district on May 18 is not a
genuine encounter but a case of cold-blooded murder.
The SFs destroyed a transit camp of the Bravo Company of ULFA’s ‘28
battalion’, near the areas bordering Mon district of Nagaland. One
universal machine gun, 130 rounds of ammunition, one grenade-launching
gun, RDX, three coils of cordex, 50 detonators, two radio sets and
incriminating documents are recovered from the incident site.
May 21: ULFA militants trigger a Programmable Timer Device planted on
a bi-cycle at Paglasthan in the Bongaigaon district, injuring 15
people.
May 20: Troops defuse a bomb containing one kilogram of RDX, planted
by the suspected ULFA militants, near Neuville Road in the upper
Assam's Jorhat district.
The ULFA is reportedly carrying out massive extortion drive especially
against people belonging to Hindi-speaking community in various parts
of Jorhat, Amguri, Sonari and Sivasagar through SMS. The name of Ram
Singh, commander of the ‘28 battalion’ of the ULFA, is written at the
end of every SMS.
May 18: Police personnel shot dead two unidentified ULFA militants
near Kulsi River in the Chhaygaon area of Kamrup district. One
militant who sustained injuries, however, managed to escape. One
pistol, four Austria-made grenades, several rounds of live ammunition,
one handset, wires and switches are recovered from their possession.
ULFA militants trigger an IED planted in a three-wheeler at Fancy
Bazaar in the Guwahati city, injuring 20 people.
Police arrests Bikram Singh, a top ULFA cadre of the ‘27th battalion’,
near Kamalpur area under Changsari police station in the Kamrup
district.
The Army arrests an ULFA linkman, identified as Apu Neog, at Bordumsa
in the Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.
May 17: ULFA militants lynched to death a civilian, identified as
Hemanta Gogoi, at Nao Meseki village under Dhola police station in the
Tinsukia district suspecting him to be an Army informer.
May 16: The ULFA militants kills three civilians, identified as
Tankeswar Sahu, Dipak Agarwal and Srinath Agarwal, in the Golaghat
district taking the total number of persons killed since May 14 to
nine.
An encounter between the police and ULFA militants occurred at Borhat
near Sonari town in the Sivasagar district. However, no causalities
are reported.
May 15: ULFA militants shot dead six unidentified Hindi-speaking
people in various areas of the Dibrugarh and Sivsagar districts.
May 14: ULFA militants trigger a Percutaneous Thrombolytic Device
(PTD), killing two persons and injuring 11 others near the Athgaon
branch of the United Bank of India in Guwahati city.
May 13: Eight civilians are killed in clashes between tea garden
workers and the ULFA-backed protestors at Tiphuk in the Dibrugarh
district. An indefinite curfew is clamped in the Doomdooma, Talap and
Kakopathar areas. The protestors have been blocking the National
Highway 37 since May 7 to protest against the ‘fake encounter’ killing
of one Budheswar Moran by the Army. The protestors were attacked by
angry tea garden labourers as the continuing blockade has led to a
crisis of food stuff in the tea garden areas.
May 11: One ULFA linkman, identified as Pulin Rajkonwar, is arrested
by the Police on May 11 along with five rounds of bullets of .32
pistol from Padumoni village under Tingkhong police station in the
Dibrugarh district.
ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa demanded the withdrawal of Army from
the State. He also appealed to the people to intensify their agitation
for withdrawing the Army to protect human rights of the people.
The ULFA detonates an explosion targeting a pipeline of the Assam Gas
Company at Borhat in the Sivasagar district causing serious damage to
the pipeline.
An improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the ULFA is detected
by alert public in the Bharalumukh area in Guwahati City. A box with a
green beeping light is found on the footpath of a road along Bharalu
River near railway gate number nine and subsequently a bomb disposal
squad defused the IED. Police said that six kilograms of TNT
explosives, an electronic detonator, a remote service circuit, a 9-
volt battery and several iron balls mixed with wax are recovered from
the spot.
May 10: Suspected United Liberation Front of Assam militants trigger
an IED blast in the Sanjeevani Diagnostic and Medical Centre at
Amolapatty in the Sivasagar district injuring five people.
The police arrest two suspected ULFA supporters along with some
explosives from the Panbazaar area in the Guwahati city.
May 9: Buddheswar Moran, who is killed by the Army on suspicion of
being a ULFA militant at Laopatty village under Doomdooma police
station in the Tinsukia district, is a civilian, confirms the Army.
May 7: An unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with
the Army in the Tinsukia district. One 9 mm pistol, six rounds of
ammunition, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), explosives, some
detonators, 100 meter electric wire and documents were recovered from
his possession.
Police arrested one ULFA militant, Nipen Baruah alias Montu, along
with a Programmable Time Device weighing 4-kg from Mathgharia under
Noonmati police station in Guwahati.
One hardcore ULFA militant, identified as Tarini Deka alias Imran,
surrendered before the Army at Tamulpur Brigade along with a .38
revolver and some incriminating documents in the Nalbari District.
May 6: A ‘commander’ of the 27th Battalion of the ULFA, identified as
'lieutenant' Bipul Choudhury, is killed in an encounter with the Army
personnel at Sunpurena in the Karbi Anglong district. One nine-mm
pistol, a magazine, six-round of live ammunition, an AK-47 magazine
and 12 round of ammunition are recovered from the encounter site. Two
of his associates, however, managed to escape from the incident site.
At least 19 people are injured when suspected ULFA militants triggered
an IED planted on a motorbike near Hem Baruah Road in the Fancy Bazaar
area of Guwahati.
May 4: Seven persons are injured when suspected ULFA militants
exploded a time-devise bomb planted inside a vehicle along Chamber
road in the Tinsukia district.
May 3: Three ULFA militants are killed in an encounter with the Army
personnel at Barkhajan village in the Nalbari District. Two of them
were identified as ‘second lieutenant 709th battalion’ Chanakya Barman
alias Khaplang and Pranab Kalita alias Jogesh Kalita alias Bastab.
One .30 pistol, four grenades, ten metres of fuse wire, empty
cartridges of AK-47 Rifles, an electric plug board, explosive
materials and a mobile handset are recovered from their possession.
Suspected ULFA militants detonate a bomb at the Food Corporation of
India (FCI) godown at Noonmati in Guwahati, injuring two FCI
employees, identified as Ratneswar Rabha and Purna Sarma.
May 1: A top ULFA leader, identified as Sanjay Siring, is killed in an
operation carried out by the Army at Bisonimukh near Dibru
Saikhowaghat in the Tinsukia District. A Chinese-made hand-grenade, a
mobile phone set, some money and documents are recovered from the
incident site.
The newly released United States State Department’s ‘Country Report on
Terrorism 2006’ designates the ULFA as a group of concern and
prohibits the US residents from extending any material support to the
outfit.
April 28: Police arrested three persons, including two ULFA militants,
from the Jalukbari area of Guwahati city. The arrested ULFA militants
included the organising secretary of the outfit's 28th Battalion,
Ananta Gogoi alias Sasanka Barua. Police recovered two M-20 pistols,
four magazines, 180 rounds of AK-47 rifles, eight Austrian grenades,
four-and-half kg of RDX, two switches of programmable time device
(PTD) from the vehicle.
April 25: Four security force (SF) personnel are injured when ULFA
triggered a bomb explosion at Medo in the Lohit district.
April 23: SFs killed three ULFA cadres, Udhav Deka alias Sanjeeb
Kalita, Parameswar Deka alias Mrigen Dutta and Ganesh Kalita alias
Goutam Sarma, at Adingagiri Kalishola hillock along the Assam-
Meghalaya border. One M-20 pistol, a grenade, five live cartridges,
500 grams of explosives, plastic jars and some incriminating documents
were recovered from the incident site.
April 19: Two Assam Police personnel are killed in an encounter with
ULFA militants in the Golaghat district along the Assam-Nagaland
border.
April 17: ULFA abducts P.C. Ram, the Director of the Food Corporation
of India’s Northeast office, from Guwahati. It also demanded INR 21
crore in ransom for his release.
April 10: Security forces kill seven top ULFA cadres, including two
women cadres, identified as ‘corporal’ Rituparna Davidar alias Rishab
Bora, ‘Lt. corporal’ Lily Moran, ‘corporal’ Jayanta Sonowal, Binanda
Tsering, Prafulla Hazarika alias Brajen Sarma and Papu Gohain alias
Himadri Gohain alias Moina Gohain in a counter insurgency operation at
Tikoribam in the Lohit district along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh
border. The Army recovered two AK-56 rifles, 256 rounds of live
ammunition of AK-56 rifle, four AK-56 magazines, one 9-mm pistol, 13
rounds of 9-mm ammunition, two rounds of 9-mm magazines, two hand
grenades, one bundle of fuse wire, two detonators, two mobile phones,
six chargers, three memory cards, two spare SIM cards, blank extortion
notices, 16 photographs, Rs 8,000, one five-rupee note of Bhutan
currency, three watches, a gold ring, six diaries and six letters.
One ULFA cadre is killed by the army personnel in an encounter at
Moulongbasti under Ledo Police Station in the Tinsukia district.
SFs arrest three hardcore ULFA militants, Mridul Ali alias Manjit,
Milon Deka and Sukra Deka, along with three grenades, four detonators
and some ammunition from an unspecified location in the Kamrup
district.
April 8: One ULFA militant is killed and 14 civilians are injured when
a bomb carried by two ULFA militants riding a motorbike exploded at
Kumarpara area in Guwahati.
April 3: At least 15 civilians, identified as Pranjit Rabha, Gajendra
Talukdar, Mohammad Su-jab Ali, Mukut Ali, Sushil Das, Mina Kumari,
Rijuan Sharif, Niranjan Baroi, Khagen Nath, Umesh Sahu, Kari Sahu,
Dwijen Sarkar, Sunil Singh, Anil Jain and Vinod Kumar Shah, sustained
injuries in a ULFA triggered grenade attack at a marketplace in the
Machkhowa area of Kamrup district on. Official sources said the attack
occurred on the eve of a 12-hour Assam bandh (strike) called by the
outfit in protest against alleged police atrocities on the wives of
missing ULFA cadres.
April 2: In a counter-insurgency operation, security forces killed
four ULFA cadres in the Udalguri district. They also recovered two
AK-56 rifles, two grenades, 125 live ammunition, four magazines and 25
empty cases of AK-56 rifles from the incident site.
The ULFA called for a 12-hour Assam bandh (strike) on April 4 to
protest the arrest of wives of the outfit's leaders who went missing
during the crackdown by the Royal Bhutan Army.
March 29: The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa rejected the Assam
Government’s offer for "unconditional" talks on the peace initiative.
He said that accepting the offer of unconditional talks would be
tantamount to surrendering the cause it has been fighting for. He
further warned that the situation in the state would turn grave in the
coming days.
March 28: A ULFA linkman, Romen Chetia, is arrested from the Dibrugarh
town.
March 27: Dibrugarh district police neutralized a network of the ULFA
with the arrest of the head assistant of the district and sessions
court, Munin Konwar, for allegedly helping the militants and their
linkmen procure bail.
March 21: SFs shot dead a ULFA militant, identified as Ratneswar
Rabha, and arrested another, identified as Lawrence Marak, near
Jengjal in the West Garo Hills district, while the militants were
planning to cross over to Tikrikilla after entering from neighbouring
Bangladesh. SF’s also seized 3-kgs of RDX from the incident site.
March 19: SFs arrested four suspected ULFA militants, identified as
Rubul Saloi, Jitu Kalita, Dhaneswar Kumar and Pulak Das, in the Baksa
district.
March 15: The ULFA triggered a series of bomb blasts in different
parts of Assam losing one of its cadres in the explosions and injuring
11 others besides blasting an oil pipeline.
One person is killed and five others are wounded in an explosion at
Sonari town in the Sivasagar district. Police suspected the
involvement of the ULFA in the attack.
March 14: A ULFA militant, Raghu alias Rintu Hajong, and three
suspected supporters of the outfit, Nurmahammad Miyan, Mohammed Safiul
Islam and Amzad Khan, are arrested by Army personnel from the Chirang
district on an unspecified date. A sophisticated revolver and two
country-made rifles were reportedly recovered from their possession.
March 12: Sentinel quoting intelligence source reports that the ULFA
has planned a series of attacks on the eve of its ‘army day’ on March
16 to prove the military strength of the outfit. The report adds that
20 cadres of the outfit led by a militant, Biju Deka, entered into
Dispur recently. The outfit has also planned to target select leaders
of the Congress Party, mentioned the report.
March 10: Suspected ULFA militants kill a Panchayat (village level
self-government body) president belonging to the Congress Party at
Kulhati in the Kamrup district. Vehicle of Munin Bharali, Panchayat
president of Hajo, is ambushed while going from Hajo to Guwahati.
Bharali died on the spot.
March 8: One person, Gobind Maheswari, is killed and at least
seventeen others, including six of the same family, are injured when
suspected ULFA militants explode an improvised explosive device (IED)
at Kakopathar Chariali in the Tinsukia district. Police said the bomb
was kept in a bag at a hardware store near Kakopathar police station.
The owner of the store, Ramesh Maheswari, spotted the bag resulting in
the explosion. Subsequently, police recover another bomb weighing
about 8 kilograms from the Gelgelipatti area of Kakopathar.
March 7: A self-styled "sergeant major" of the ULFA, identified as
Tapan Kakati alias Ratul Pegu, is arrested while traveling in a three-
wheeler along National Highway 37 in the Jorhat district. Kakati, an
arms expert trained in Myanmar, was wanted in several cases since the
counter insurgency operations against the ULFA in Bhutan in late
2003.
March 7: A militant leader of the ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA over
telephone tells that the outfit was tired of waiting for the
government to reciprocate the "goodwill gesture" of revoking the call
for a boycott of the 33rd National Games. "We have been watching the
government’s actions for about a month now and it is unfortunate that
the people of the state are being harassed in the name of counter-
insurgency operations. The blast with which we targeted a CRPF vehicle
in Dhemaji district on Monday was just the beginning of a fresh round
of attacks," says the militant.
March 6: 19 persons including a college lecture are arrested in
connection with March 5 blast triggered by the ULFA injuring nine
paramilitary personnel and one civilian in the Dhemaji district. "We
have got some leads, but disclosing anything at this point of time
will be premature," says the Superintendent of Police Mridulananda
Sarmah.
March 5: Assam Police arrest a person, Montu Dutta, for serving
extortion notes under the pad of the ULFA at Cinnamara area in the
Jorhat district.
March 5: Nine paramilitary personnel and the civilian driver of a
convoy are wounded, as ULFA militants triggers an explosion at Jorkata
Katgaon in the Dhemaji district. The convoy was completely damaged in
the blast. Police recover some flexible wires and live 9 mm pistol
ammunition from the incident site.
March 5: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi informs the State
Legislative Assembly that 459 persons had been killed and 1,350
injured in ULFA attacks from 2001 to February, 2007.
March 2: One ULFA militant, Bolin Moran, is shot dead by SF personnel
during an encounter at Nagaon Shantipur in Raidang under Digboi police
station in the Tinsukia district. A 9mm pistol, two magazines, three
rounds of ammunition, Myanmarese currencies and incriminating
documents are recovered from possession of the slain militant.
February 28: Assam Chief Minister says that there can be no compromise
on the issue of sovereignty while negotiating with the ULFA. Speaking
during the debate on the Governor’s Address in the State Legislative
Assembly, Chief Minister mentions, "What will be achieved by
discussing an issue which is non-negotiable? It will be sheer wastage
of time. Ulfa also knows well that no government, which has taken an
oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, can accept such a demand.
It’s only a delaying tactics."
February 27: A suspected ULFA militant, Mrinal Rai, is arrested by SF
personnel during a search operation at Chanderpara in the Kokrajhar
district.
February 25: The Strategic Foresight Inc (Stratfor), a United States
based think tank, publishes a report stating that ULFA has given
extorted money worth $6 million to political parties in Bangladesh.
Describing ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua as "an enormously
wealthy racketeer worth approximately $110 million", the report says
that at least 15 election candidates belonging to both the Bangladesh
Nationalist Party and the Awami League have received money from the
outfit. The report states that ULFA is "hedging its bets in order to
protect its militant and business operations in Bangladesh, should
either party win". The report adds that Paresh Barua has business
operations throughout India, Bangladesh and the Persian Gulf,
"including hotels, consulting firms, driving schools, tanneries,
department stores, textile factories, travel agencies, investment
companies, shrimp trawlers and soft drink factories".
February 24: A ‘corporal of the A company of the 28 battalion’ of the
ULFA, identified as Nilakanta Dahotia alias Saroj Gogoi, is arrested
from an unspecified place in the Tinsukia district. A mobile handset
was recovered from his possession. Following his interrogation, Army
personnel arrest Bichitra Kumar, a correspondent of a vernacular daily
from Dirak Chariali, for giving his SIM card to the ULFA.
February 21: Six ULFA linkmen are arrested from Ahomiyagaon,
Kopouhuagaon and Joypur Tea Estate areas in the Dibrugarh district.
They were identified as Raju Gogoi, Hiranath Phukan, Junti Phukan,
Rakesh Saha, Sanjit Kamalapuri and Munna Thakur.
February 19: A ULFA linkman, Jibon Manki, is arrested at Dhola in the
Tinsukia district. An improvised explosive device (IED) is recovered
from a suitcase on a railway track and is later defused near Tipok Tea
Estate under Doomdooma police station in the same district.
February 16: ULFA threatens to resume its attacks on Hindi-speaking
people and leaders and workers of the ruling Congress party. An
unidentified leader of the outfit’s 28th battalion called up a section
of the media in Guwahati and claimed that the Union Government as well
as the State government had not "responded positively to the outfit’s
lifting the ban it had imposed on the ongoing 33rd National Games.
They have continued their operations, which had once again prompted
the outfit to take to the path of violence."
A top leader of the ‘28th battalion’ of ULFA, identified as Jagat
Barua alias Ashim Barua, and his female associate, Kabita Barua,
surrender before the Army at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district.
February 15: A report suggests that at least 100 militants belonging
to the NSCN-K and ULFA were reportedly killed during a massive counter-
insurgency operation by the Myanmar Government in its territory
bordering the North Eastern States of India. ULFA had over 300 cadres
in the camps when the operation began on January 26.
February 15: Dibrugarh district police arrest a person, Yasin Huda,
for his involvement in extortion. Huda, identifying himself as a ULFA
cadre, made a phone call to Arun Barua, an engineer of Northeast
Frontier Railways, demanding ransom worth INR 50,000.
Two women cadres of the ULFA, identified as Mrinmoyee Handique and
Junmoni Saikia, are arrested from Singloopathar under Kakotibari
police station in the Sivasagar district. Two mobile phones and some
indiscriminating documents are recovered from their possession.
An unidentified ULFA militant and a homeopath doctor, Govind Handique,
are arrested from Kanhubari area along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh-
Nagaland border. The militant had come from the ULFA camp situated in
Arunachal Pradesh for getting medical treatment in Assam when he was
arrested. The doctor was arrested for his suspected links with the
ULFA.
February 14: A ULFA militant, Kabin Moran, is killed in an encounter
with the security force personnel at Inthang village near Manabhum
Reserve Forest in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering
upper Assam. However, three other militants, including one injured
during the encounter, managed to escape from the incident site.
Intelligence source reports on ULFA’s probable strikes after the
National Games is over. "This was more apparent after we received
confession of an arrested ULFA cadre, stating that seven of her aids
were hiding in and around the city….The lower rung of the ULFA
suspects that top rung had come to some sort of monetary understanding
with the Government to withdraw the boycott call during the National
Games. Although there is no veracity but to keep the flock united the
ULFA will restart attack," says the sources by adding, "We must admit
that, in the last couple of years, the Intelligence has been poor and
we do not even have profiles of ULFA mid rung leaders."
A cadre and a linkman of the ULFA, identified respectively as Branthik
Sangma and Samar Deb, surrender at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong
district. They deposited a Thailand-made pistol, an automatic sub-
machine carbine and 30 rounds of ammunition.
February 12: An unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter
with security personnel at Borkuriha village under Rangia police
station in the Kamrup (Rural) district. Another ULFA militant is
arrested and one pistol with 9mm ammunition is recovered from the
encounter site.
A make shift camp of the ULFA is destroyed at upper Dihing reserve
forest near Samoguri village in the Tinsukia district.The camp serves
as a base for providing medical treatment to the injured ULFA
militants and other subversive activities in the area. Audio
cassettes, mobile phone covers, files, diaries, clothes such as pants,
jackets, scarves etc. are also recovered from the camp.
February 9: An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is detonated by
suspected militants at the Kamakhya railway station in the outskirts
of the Guwahati city. No one, however, is injured in the explosion.
Police sources said train services were not affected by the
explosion.
An IED weighing 12 kilograms is found from a railway track in
Mamoroni, near Makum railway station in the Tinsukia district.
A senior unidentified police officer in Chhattisgarh said that Assam-
based ULFA provides technological knowhow to the Maoists who triggered
an explosion killing seven persons at Bhairamgarh in the Dantewada
district on February 8. Elaborating on the technology, the officer, on
condition of anonymity, said the lunchbox was connected with two
detonators and batteries.
An unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with the SFs
at Choki village under Borbori ploice station in the Baska district.
One 9mm pistol, six rounds of live ammunition, two Chinese grenades
are recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
February 7: A ULFA militant, identified as commander of the outfit’s
27th battalion, Biplob Changmai alias Hema Deka, is killed by Assam
Police personnel during a counter insurgency operation at Biswanath
Pathar under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong.
February 6: An ULFA militant, Sanjib Rava alias Jakson Rava, is killed
in an encounter with Army at Barjhora under Lakhipur police station in
the Goalpara district. One grenade is recovered from possession of the
slain militant.
February 5: At least three civilians are injured when suspected ULFA
militants trigger a bomb blast at Kamakhyaguri Railway station in the
Jalpaiguri district.
ULFA withdraws the boycott call to the 33rd National Games, scheduled
to be held in Guwahati from February 9. In a statement made available
to the media through e-mail, the outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa,
formally withdraws the boycott call "in view of the appeals made by
the prominent sports personalities and sports-lovers of Asom".
February 4: A powerful car bomb explodes in front of the Panbazar
police station in Guwahati. "The car was brought from near the Sani
temple in Fancy Bazar around 11-30 am yesterday. Three more vehicles
were also brought but those were later collected by their
owners…..This is a new technique adopted by the ULFA," says Additional
Superintendent of Police (City), Rajen Singh. While no casualty is
reported, several vehicles and buildings are damaged in the
explosion.
February 3: A farmer, identified as Jugantar Neog, is shot dead by
ULFA militants at an unspecified place in the Tinsukia district.
According to police sources, Jugantar Neog was suspected by militants
of working for the Army and district authorities.
A self-styled ‘corporal of 28th battalion’ of ULFA, Sanabar Moran, is
killed in an encounter with security force (SF) personnel at an
unspecified place between Nakathalguri and Talpathar in the Tinsukia
district. However, five other militants manage to escape from the
encounter site.
The ULFA again threatens the North East Television channel to prove
its report that the outfit accepted money to withdraw the National
Games boycott call within a month.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says that the ULFA is trying to
disrupt the National Games starting in Guwahati on February 9. "Till
today there are intelligence reports about the ULFA planning to
disrupt the Games. Till today they (ULFA) have not withdrawn their
call to boycott the Games," he says in Guwahati. He, however, adds,
"There is no need for worry. We are not relaxing our vigil. I appeal
to all, even the ULFA, to extend cooperation for holding the National
Games successfully."
January 31: Two ULFA linkmen, Swaraj Das and Sarbojyoti Gogoi, are
arrested by Chabua and Tengakhat in the Dibrugarh district. A person,
identified as Jayanta Hazarika, is arrested from Majuli island in the
Jorhat district for having links with ULFA leader Amrit Dutta.
Additional Superintendent of Police of the Jorhat district, Mukul
Saikia, says that three ULFA militants, Pathik Hatimota, Amrit Dutta
and Pradip Bora, who abducted and later killed the social worker,
Sanjoy Ghose, in 1997, are camping in Majuli and targeting workers of
the Congress party for extortion.
January 30: Two Hindi-speaking persons are shot at and wounded by ULFA
militants at Mazbat in the Udalguri district.
Two ULFA linkmen, Pradip Pal of Namrup and Nabakanta Baruah of
Khowang, are arrested by the Tinsukia District Police.
Three women and a man are arrested from Singla Pathar area under
Mathurapur police station in the Sivasagar district along the Assam-
Nagaland border for harbouring ULFA militants. Militants manage to
escape.
The ULFA warns the North East Television channel to stop its
operations in Assam if it fails to prove within a month its report
that the outfit had taken money from the State Government to withdraw
its call to boycott the National Games, scheduled to be held in
Guwahati from February 9-18.
At least 50 brick kilns in the Darrang district are closed due to the
mass exodus of labourers for fear of being targeted by ULFA militants.
January 29: A ULFA linkman, Surjit Borgohain, is arrested from Kutuha
village under Borboruah police station in the Dibrugarh district.
Two Hindi speaking civilians are shot dead by the ULFA militants at an
unspecified place in the Tinsukia district.
Security force (SF) personnel have shot dead an ULFA militant,
identified as Moni Gogo, in a retaliatory fire, when a group of ULFA
militants hurl a hand grenade at the SF personnel near the Dehing
River at Asomiya Gaon under Joypur police station in the Dibrugarh
district. A cache of arms and explosives, including 16 rounds of
ammunition, a detonator, a diary, an improvise explosive device and
writing pad of the ULFA, are recovered from the possession of the
slain militant.
A ULFA militant, identified as Swadhin Rabha, is shot dead in an
encounter at Kalpani village under Krishnai police station in Goalpara
district. One AK-56 assault rifle with ammunition is recovered from
the possession of the slain militant.
January 28: An activist of the ruling Congress party, identified as
Khagen Charringia, is shot dead by ULFA militants at an unspecified
place in the Sivasagar district.
A grenade planted by the suspected ULFA militants is recovered and
later defused near the main gate of the Army’s 17 battalion in the
Udalguri district.
January 27: A ULFA militant, Swadhin Rabha, is killed in an encounter
with security force personnel near Krishnai under Dudhnoi police
station in the Goalpara district.
A ULFA militant, Binod Chetia, of the ‘28th battalion’ is killed
during an encounter at Gandhaiguri under Kakopathar police station in
the Tinsukia district. He is involved in the recent killing of Hindi-
speaking people at Longswal under Doomdooma police station.
January 26: The ULFA militants hurl a grenade in the Namtol area of
Sivasagar district injuring four persons, including a child. Elsewhere
in the same district, ULFA militants hurl a grenade on the Congress
party office at Sonari. No casualty is reported in the incident.
Assam Governor Lt. Gen (Rtd) Ajai Singh, while addressing the Republic
Day celebration in Guwahati, says that the United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA) "regrouped and consolidated its weak positions" by taking
advantage of the cease-fire during the period of indirect talks
through the People's Consultative Group (PCG). The report adds that 53
militants were killed and 826 arrested in the State during counter-
insurgency operation in 2006.
An activist of the ruling Congress party, identified as Sailadhar
Rajkonwar, is shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at number 1 Kanu
gaon under Sapekhati police station in the Sivasagar district along
the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
January 25: One person, identified as Kushal Baniya, is killed and
eight others sustain injuries when ULFA cadres trigger a improvised
explosive device (IED) explosion at a bus terminus at Rangia in the
Kamrup (Rural) district.
A suspected ULFA militant is killed when the bomb that he was carrying
on a bicycle accidentally explodes at Borhatjan under Doomdooma police
station in the Tinsukia district. Two persons are wounded in the
blast.
ULFA militants trigger an explosion at Kacharibasti near Ganeshguri
locality in Guwahati. The bomb is concealed in a dustbin. No casualty
is reported. Further, ULFA militants explode two bombs at separate
places in Hajo and Rangia in the Kamrup district. No casualty is
reported in either of these incidents.
At least six ULFA linkmen are arrested during a search operation in
the Tinsukia district.
January 24: A truck driver, Dijendra Rai, is shot at and wounded by
the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front militants at
Lahorijan on the way to Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district.
A crude bomb is recovered during a search operation near Basugaon
police station in the Chirang district.
A time bomb, suspected to have been planted by the ULFA, explodes near
an aluminium manufacturing plant at Pakorijan in the Tinsukia
district. The compound wall of the plant is partially damaged in the
blast.
ULFA militants lob a grenade at an Army convoy at Rangiya in the
Kamrup district.
A ULFA militant, Dhananjay Rai, is arrested from Abhayapuri in the
Dhubri district. 14 detonators, three safety fuses and seven gelatin
sticks were recovered from his possession.
A ULFA militant, Mangal Moran, surrenders at the Daisajan outpost of
Tinsukia district.
January 23: A leader of the ruling Congress party, identified as
Chandra Chutia, was shot dead by ULFA militants at Tarani Pathar under
Naharkatia police station in the Dibrugarh district.
Suspected ULFA militants hurl a grenade at a residential area of
Bhatipara in the Goalpara district. However, no casualties are
reported in the incident.
One civilian is killed and 14 others are severely injured in an
explosion at Adabari in the Guwahati city of Kamrup district. The
explosive was hidden in a bag and was left in a tea stall allegedly by
suspected ULFA militants. The owner of the tea stall after sighting
the unclaimed bag threw it into a nearby drain before the explosion
occurred.
At least six persons are injured in an explosion at the Paglasthan
market in the Bongaigaon district. The explosive was reportedly hidden
in a bag and left on a bi-cycle in front of a shop. Elsewhere in the
district, suspected ULFA militants trigger an explosion under a
culvert near Bongaigaon town.
January 22: At least 10 to 15 armed ULFA cadres infiltrate into the
East Garo Hills district in two groups from the Krishnai-Agya stretch
of the Assam-Meghalaya border after counter-insurgency operations is
launched in the Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam.
Meghalaya Police say that three kilograms of RDX and eight grenades,
recovered from ULFA cadre Raju Basumatary on January 19, were part of
the arms consignment for the ‘27th battalion’ of the ULFA. Basumatary
confesses during interrogation that he had brought RDX and arms from
Bangladesh through Garo Hills and then to the Ri-Bhoi district. A top
police official, quoting his confession, says, "With the arrest and
the subsequent seizure, the ULFA’s 27 battalion suffered a setback...
Besides RDX, grenades and a 1-mm pistol, the Asom Police’s huge haul
of arms, ammunition and Rs 16 lakh cash from Jorabad in the Meghalaya-
Asom border three months ago were ferried by Basumatary." The report
added that Basumatary had used one person, Shonlang Rympei, to
transport the consignment to the ULFA cadres.
A ULFA militant, Bikash Roy alias Mallic Ahmed, is arrested from a
rented house at Panjabari area in Guwahati. Bikash reportedly worked
for the ULFA as an agent of the MULTA. Some incriminating documents
were recovered from his possession indicating his close rapport with a
section of politicians. He was involved in the January 9-bomb blast in
Dispur, the capital of Assam.
At least four ULFA militants hurl a grenade on police personnel who
retaliate injuring two militants at Gopalpur under Kalapani police
outpost in the Dhubri district. While the injured militants manage to
escape, a mobile phone is recovered from the incident site.
Two persons, including a woman and a bank employee, are arrested from
Jorhat district for having links with the ULFA.
Three ULFA linkmen, Manoj Sonowal, Jatin Konwar and Achit Konwar, are
arrested in separate search operations in the Sivasagar district.
A top Army officer reports that five arms dealers are arrested from
unspecified places in upper Assam while entering from Nagaland
indicating that the ULFA is still procuring weapons. The report adds
that Army has arrested 20 ULFA leaders and 12 overground cadres, and
recovered three universal machine guns, one Thomson Sub Machine Gun,
AK series rifles, pistols and rifles from them in the recent past.
A ULFA militant, Bikash Roy alias Mallic Ahmed, is arrested from a
rented house at Panjabari area in Guwahati. Bikash reportedly worked
for the ULFA as an agent of the MULTA. Some incriminating documents
were recovered from his possession indicating his close rapport with a
section of politicians. He was involved in the January 9-bomb blast in
Dispur, the capital of Assam.
A portion of the railway track between Diphu and Nailalong Railway
stations in the Karbi Anglong district is damaged due to a bomb
explosion triggered by suspected ULFA and KLNLF militants.
January 21: The ULFA’s main linkman with the Pakistan’s Inter–Services
Intelligence (ISI), Munna Choudhury, is arrested from a rented house
at Panjabari area in Guwahati. A map spotting city areas dominated by
Hindi-speaking people and a fake passport in the name of Ajmal Munna
are recovered from his possession. Subsequently, Motlib Khan, the
operation in-charge of the ISI, and his accomplice, Ajharuddin Ali,
are arrested from Guwahati. They were involved in the January 9-bomb
blast in Dispur, the capital of Assam.
One person is killed and 12 others are injured when a bomb planted by
suspected ULFA militants explodes in the fish market at Bohori in the
Barpeta district.
At least five persons are injured in a blast at a parking area near
the railway station at Bongaigaon. According to police sources,
suspected ULFA militants planted the bomb in a motorcycle.
Two persons, Gopal Dutta and Roopak Dutta, are arrested while planning
to plant bombs at various places in Jorhat town. Roopak Dutta was an
ULFA militant arrested in Bhutan in 2003.
An ULFA militant, Pallab Saikia, who was arrested on December 14 in
2006, confesses that a group of 11 ULFA militants were responsible for
carrying out the attack on Bangladesh’s opposition leader Sheikh
Hasina Wajed on August 21, 2004.
January 20: Two Hindi-speaking persons are killed and eight are
injured as ULFA militants trigger a powerful blast in Tinsukia town.
Inspector-General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma says that a
time device planted on a motorbike parked on Siding Chamber Road of
Tinsukia town went off killing one person and while another person
succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. Within an hour of the
incident, police arrest two suspected ULFA militants at the Tinsukia
railway station. The duo, allegedly involved in the blast, had entered
Assam from the outfit's camp inside neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
The ULFA militants kill a worker of the Congress party in Digboi.
Congress panchayat (village level body) secretary Bogadhar Moran is
killed at his residence in Betani village under the Digboi police
station. The outfit had earlier threatened to target Congress leaders
and workers if any of its cadres is killed by the security force
personnel.
A ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with security personnel at
Dariduri Namapara village in the Goalpara district. One grenade, one
M-20 pistol, some ULFA related incriminating documents are recovered
from possession of the slain militant.
An unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with security
personnel at Gakhirchuk Boragaon under Fatasil Ambari police station
in Guwahati City. Two grenades and some fuse wire are recovered from
possession of the slain militant.
Twenty more companies of central paramilitary forces are sent to Assam
for internal security duties as well as for providing security for the
National Games at Guwahati in February.
January 19: Two civilians are killed and 10 others sustain injuries
when ULFA militants explode a bomb, concealed in a vegetable basket,
at a market near Adabari bus terminus in Guwahati.
A ULFA militant, ‘sergeant’ Polashmani Barua, is killed in an
encounter with security force (SF) personnel at Dirok Nabajyoti under
Pengeri police station in the Tinsukia district. While three other
militants manage to escape, four gelatin sticks and five detonators
are recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
A ULFA linkman, Dhruba Kujur, is arrested from an unspecified place at
Makum in the Tinsukia district. According to police sources, Kujur was
among the four militants who carried out attacks on Hindi-speaking
people at Longsuwal in Doomdooma.
A huge cache of arms and explosives, including two kilograms of
Trinitrotoluene (TNT) — capable of making 17 powerful bombs — two huge
remote-controlled explosives, 17 detonators and some fuse wires, is
recovered from the residence of an absconding ULFA linkman, Pilingia
Moran, at Mamoroni village in the Tinsukia district.
Two suspected ULFA militants, identified as Rajiv Basumatary and
Wansanlang Rympei, are arrested from Bhoirymbong area near Umroi
airport in Shillong. Three kilograms of RDX and a 9-mm pistol are
recovered from them. Rympei is involved in gunrunning.
January 18: Three ULFA linkmen, including one identified as Tarun
Mahanta, are arrested in Bandarkati, Doomdooma and Kakopathar areas of
Tinsukia district. A grenade and seven rounds of AK-56 ammunitions are
recovered from them.
A ULFA cadre, Azad Chetia alias Girish Gogoi, is arrested from a
village near Sunpara under Sarakapara police out post in the Sibsagar
district.
A ULFA ‘commander’, Jiten Dutta, calls up some leaders of the ruling
Congress party at Doomdooma to ask for the release of a militant,
Tarun Mahanta, who was arrested from Bandorkhati Dahotiain in the
Tinsukia district.
The ULFA, while justifying the killing of Hindi-speaking persons, is
reported to have asked "all Indian citizens who migrated to Assam" to
leave the State.
January 17: Two civilians, including a child, are killed and 12 others
are wounded when the ULFA militants trigger an explosion at a shopping
place at Ganeshguri in Dispur, the capital of Assam. The Special
Superintendent of Police, Nitul Gogoi, describes the bomb as a timer
device hidden in a carton of vegetables.
Two unidentified ULFA militants are killed in an encounter with the
Army personnel near Doomdooma tea estate in the Tinsukia district. Two
ULFA cadres are also arrested from the encounter site.
The ULFA triggers an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeting an
Army convoy which narrowly escaped on the Goalpara-Agia road in the
Goalpara district along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
Two bombs explode at the ground floor of the Asom Cooperative Apex
Bank building at Badarpur town in the Karimganj district.
Five ULFA militants are arrested from the Sonitpur district. Three
crude bombs, a rifle and some machetes were recovered from them. While
two ULFA militants were arrested from Dhubri, another militant was
arrested from Sapkata in the Kokrajhar district.
The Army says that the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah is
working under Bangladesh’s direct ‘diktat’.
A ULFA linkman, Shankar Chakma, is arrested by security personnel
while neutralizing two camps run by the outfit by at Monobhum reserve
forest of Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh. Books showing location
of top ULFA leaders, medicines, clothes and rations are recovered from
the camps.
January 16: Security force personnel foil an attempt by a suspected
ULFA militant to attack a group of brick kiln workers at Nikinikhowa
village under Kamalabari police station in Majuli subdivision of
Jorhat district. While the militant manage to escape, an AK-56 rifle
is recovered from the incident site.
Guwahati Police arrest three persons, identified as Kamal Banikya,
Jagadish Rabha and Samina Khatun, in connection with the blast at
Dispur. Kamal and Jagadish are remanded to police custody for three
days.
January 15: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the six-week
ceasefire with the ULFA was a blunder, with the outfit taking
advantage of the truce to regroup its cadres and spread them across
Assam. "In retrospect, I admit that the judgment may be a little wrong
when we offered a ceasefire to the ULFA," said Gogoi.
January 14: Three ULFA militants, Manipal Narzary, Ganesh Basumatary
and Unglu Basumatary, are arrested from Kokrajhar district. A huge
cache of arms and explosives, including an Italian 7.5-mm pistol, two
9-mm pistols, some grenades and several rounds of cartridges, are
recovered from them.
Two ULFA militants are arrested during a search operation in the
Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Four ULFA militants are arrested in upper Assam. While two are
arrested from Tingrai area in the Tinsukia district, two more are
arrested from Naoholia in the Dibrugarh district.
Around eight children hailing from the State Jharkhand, who were
working in Assam, are reported missing following the recent ULFA
attacks in upper Assam.
January 13: A ULFA cadre is arrested from Nipunkheti in the Tinsukia
district. Medical instruments like a blood pressure measuring machine
and a stethoscope, 75 copies of the outfit’s publication Freedom, a
combat dress and 100 liquor bottles are recovered from his possession.
Two militants, Jan Bhuyan and Bijoy Chakma, respectively belonging to
the NSCN-K and ULFA surrender before the 29 Assam Rifles at Jairampur
in of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. They deposit two
universal machine guns, one radio set, a carbine and ammunition, after
deserting their respective camps in Myanmar. Bhuyan confesses that at
least 60 ULFA cadres are currently undergoing training in Myanmar
under the guidance of the NSCN-K.
Army claims to have arrested an ULFA sympathiser, Mutlib Ali, near
Santipur in Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The ULFA threatens to target leaders of the ruling Congress Party in
Assam if Army operations against the outfit continues. A caller
claiming to be from the group's 28th battalion rang up a private TV
channel's office in Guwahati and made the threat.
January 12: Three unidentified ULFA militants are killed and three
others arrested during a counter-insurgency operation in the Darrang
district.
An unidentified ULFA militant is shot dead during a counter-insurgency
operation at a village in the Baska district bordering Bhutan.
January 11: A ULFA cadre, Ridamsha Mushahary alias Chifung, who is
arrested from Kulchi area of Kamrup district, confesses that the ULFA
extorted ransoms amounting to lakhs of rupees in Kamrup during the
last few months.
The Army claims that the ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA is trained at
camps in Myanmar. The battalion, with an estimated strength of 350-
plus, had masterminded and executed some of the worst massacres in
upper Assam, including the latest serial killings of Hindi-speaking
migrants.
January 10: An ULFA linkman, Khotman Mithi, is arrested during a
search operation at Karbi Anglong district. Two AK-47 rifles with four
magazines are recovered from him.
An unidentified ULFA militant is arrested in the Tinsukia district. An
AK-47 rifle is recovered from him.
Three ULFA militants along with arms and explosives are arrested from
Udalguri district.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi accuses Indira Goswami, a member of
the ULFA-backed People’s Consultative Group, of "hiding facts"
relating to the ULFA’s links with the ISI. The Chief Minister stated,
"Why did she not reveal whatever the Centre told her about Ulfa’s link
with Pakistan’s ISI?"
January 9: A ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with the troops
at Dangargarh under Tamulpur police station in the Baska district. One
AK-47 rifle and one magazine are recovered from the slain militant.
Two civilians and two policemen, Boli Narayan Choudhury and Bharat
Saharia, are injured in a bomb explosion triggered by the ULFA cadres
at the Dispur Capital Complex.
January 9: The Army launches a operation, code-named Rhino-II, across
Assam, but primarily in upper Assam, including the Sibsagar, Dibrugarh
and Tinsukia districts.
January 8: One civilian is killed in cross fire between Army and ULFA
militants at Sadhubasti Naohalia village under Duliajan police station
in the Dibrugarh district.
The ULFA militants shot dead two labourers hailing from the State of
Bihar, and injured another at Gelabeel area under Borpathar poice
station in the Golaghat district.
Two persons, Joy Mahato and Jitendra Prasad, who were injured in the
serial bomb blasts triggered by the ULFA, succumbed to their injuries
at Assam Medical College hospital in the Dibrugarh district. With
these deaths the fatalities have risen to 67.
Eleven persons are wounded, when ULFA triggers two explosions at
Satgaon market near the Narengi cantonment in the Kamrup District.
Reports indicate that a large number of Hindi-speaking migrant workers
have started fleeing Assam in batches following the terrorist attacks
by the ULFA.
January 7: The ULFA kills a block-level Congress party leader, Ajit
Deori, in his residence at Bordumsa in the Tinsukia district.
Seven persons belonging to Bihar are killed and three others sustain
injuries when ULFA militants call them out of their homes at Borali
Bari near Mahmara in the Sibsagar district and open fire.
Assam Police said that six Hindi-speaking persons were shot dead and
one injured in an attack by ULFA militants at Chokolia near Dimow in
the Dibrugarh district.
Two Hindi-speaking persons are killed and five injured when ULFA
militants open fire at a brick kiln at Sepon Chagolia in Moran.
Two ULFA militants are killed in an encounter with SF personnel in a
counter-insurgency operation in the Sibsagar district.
January 6: A teenaged Hindi-speaking boy is injured when ULFA
militants shot at him at Kochugaon in the Kokrajhar district.
January 5: ULFA militants kill six persons, hailing from the State of
Bihar, at Tukuria Chapori under Jonai police station in the Dhemaji
district.
At least 19 persons are killed and 25 others wounded, when explosions
were triggered targeting migrant workers in six separate locations in
the eastern districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. Sibsagar district was
also part of the area where explosion caused civilian casualty.
January 4: Six ULFA militants, Pitar Rava, Sriram Rava, Bidhan Rava,
Ashok Narzary, Gangaram Koch and Sujit Rava, are arrested following an
encounter with the security force (SF) personnel near Hail river under
Kachugaon police station in the Kokrajhar district.
The dead body of a ULFA cadre, Likhon Moran alias Likheswar Gogoi, is
recovered by SFs from Lakhipathar forest in the Tinsukia district.
Likhon was injured in an encounter with the Army personnel on January
2.
January 2: Two ULFA militants, Kongkon Gogoi alias Kamal Gogoi and
Surajit Gohain alias Yugantar Phukon, are killed in an encounter with
security force personnel at Chirang Gaon under Bordubi police station
in the Tinsukia district.
January 1: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while asking ULFA to
participate in peace talks, said, "sovereignty is out of the
question".
Sid Harth
2006
December 31: Two unidentified ULFA militants are killed and four
others, Arun Thapa, Jagu Dorji, Veer Bahadur and Samuty Chakma, are
arrested during a counter-insurgency operation at Mendo in the Lohit
district of Arunachal Pradesh. A cache of arms and explosives,
including one 7.65 mm Italian automatic pistol, two local-muzzle
loaded rifles, one magazine, two rounds of cartridges, two fired
cases, along with a radio set, a sony MP4 recorder, and a mobile
phone, is recovered from the incident site. The arrested ULFA cadres
confess during interrogation that they were planning to target
security forces on the eve of New Year in Lohit as well as in the
Tinsukia district of Assam.
December 30: A huge cache of arms and explosives, including several
gelatine sticks, nine detonators and small arms, 90 pieces of assorted
explosives weighing nearly two kilograms, was recovered from two arms
suppliers, Pradeep Basumatary and Bangal Mushahary, who were arrested
from an unspecified place near Runikhata in the Chirang district. They
confess to having procured arms and explosives from a company based in
Hyderabad and later supplied the same to the Assam and Meghalaya-based
outfits, including the ULFA and NDFB.
Three persons, Kishore Deka, Pankaj Kalita and Nayan Thakuria, are
arrested from Betkuchi under Gorchuk police outpost in Guwahati city,
for serving an extortion note worth INR 50,000 on a fake ULFA letter
pad to a trader at Fancy Bazaar.
December 28: A search operation is carried out at Mariani in the
Jorhat district along the Assam-Nagaland border. One person is
arrested. However, Assam Police neither confirm nor deny the report.
According to police sources, both the Adivasi Nationalist Liberation
Army and ULFA cadres are making a quick getaway by crossing the border
to Nagaland, which has become a safe haven for various militant
factions.
December 27: A police constable is seriously injured when the ULFA
militants opened fire on police personnel who were searching for Mantu
Saikia alias Bijoy Das, a cadre of the outfit, at Bhatiapar Rupahimukh
in the Sibsagar district.
One kilogram of brown sugar worth INR 1.30 crore is recovered from six
militants of the ULFA and NDFB, who are arrested from a hotel at
Gossaigaon town in the Kokrajhar district. While three ULFA cadres are
identified as Sumi Ram Rava, Budhadev Rava and Rupa Rava, three
suspected cadres of the NDFB are identified as Monu Basumatari, Sagar
Basumatari and Sintu Musahari.
Assam Police confirms that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is at the top of
ULFA's hit list. The recent arrest of ULFA cadres in Dibrugarh and
Sibsagar districts in upper Assam and their subsequent interrogation
revealed that the ULFA was "planning something big to attract the
Centre's attention towards its demands."
December 26: A self-styled woman ‘corporal of the 28 battalion’ of the
ULFA, Karabi Phukan alias Bandita Phukan, was arrested by security
force personnel during a counter-insurgency operation at Teokghat
under Sonari police station in the Sibsagar district.
December 25: A cadre of the Bravo company of the ULFA, Biswajit Bora
alias Raktim Suraj Gogoi, is reported to have surrendered at Maibela
in the Sibsagar district. He deposited some Chinese-make grenades,
three gelatin sticks, eight fuse wires and 15 rounds of AK-47
ammunition.
Assam Government confirms that three ULFA militants, Samiran Baruah,
Numal Chetia and Bonti Gogoi, who were arrested in Sivasagar district
on December 23, gave Dibrugarh police a list of the names and
addresses of the ULFA militants operating in the capital city.
December 24: A school teacher, Narayan Sapkota, was arrested from
Guwahati and is later remanded by a city court to police custody for
five days, for helping ULFA militants in their extortion drive in
Assam’s capital.
The Army recovers 6,700 copies of an ULFA propaganda bulletin from a
vehicle near Sonari town in the Sibsagar district.
The ULFA-backed PCG rejects Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s offer of
"safe passage" to top ULFA leaders as a ‘political gimmick’.
December 23: A woman cadre of the ULFA, identified as Bobby Chetry
alias Manisha Sarma, is arrested by the city police during a search
operation at an unspecified place near the Guwahati Medical College
Hospital.
A court remands Samiran Baruah, the mastermind of the recent blasts
triggered by ULFA in Guwahati, along with two of his accomplices,
Numal Chetia and Bonti Gogoi, for three days. They were arrested at
Abhaypur near Sonari town in the Sibsagar district. According to their
confession, the ‘28th battalion’ of ULFA was planning bigger terror
attacks than those triggered recently in the Guwahati city.
A grenade was hurled by suspected ULFA militants at a shop at
Maharipara Bazar Chowk under Goreswar police station in the Baska
district. However, the grenade fails to explode. The owner of the
shop, Chita Pandit, earlier served an extortion note, failed to pay
the ransom amount.
December 22: The Central intelligence agencies revel, following the
arrest of a ULFA militant, Prabal Saikia, from Shillong on December
19, that the ULFA is trying to use Shillong-Cherrapunjee and Shillong-
Pynursla routes and other parts of Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya for
trans-shiftment of arms from Bangladesh and exfiltration of its cadres
to Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly told Assam Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi that the Union Government would offer safe passage to top
ULFA leaders if they come forward for direct peace talks with the
Government.
December 21: A trader, Pawan Newar, is shot dead by ULFA militants at
Beltola area in Guwahati city.
An improvised explosive device, planted on a bicycle, is triggered by
suspected ULFA militants in the Athgaon area of Guwahati city,
injuring at least 20 persons. "The ULFA was behind the blast," says
Avinash Joshi, Kamrup District (Metro) Deputy Commissioner.
A grenade is exploded by the ULFA injuring two persons including a
trader, Babulal Agarwalla, in Gaurisagar area of Sibsagar district.
Earlier, Babulal had received an extortion note from the ULFA.
A ULFA militant, Bodhiya Bhumij, and a linkman of the outfit belonging
to Bangladesh, Dildar Hussain, are arrested at Ticklipam under Namsai
police station in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
December 19: A ‘commander’ of the ULFA ‘27th Battalion’, ‘captain’
Pallav Saikia alias Ananta Kakati, is arrested along with his wife
Moromi at an unspecified place of Meghalaya. Moromi, earlier arrested
by the Royal Bhutan Army during the operation to flush out the ULFA
militants from Bhutanese territory, rejoined the ULFA after she was
released by Indian authorities.
A factional clash among the ULFA militants occurs leaving three
militants, including ‘commander’ of the 28th battalion, Prabal Neog
alias Benu Bora, dead at unspecified places inside the Manabhum
Reserve Forest in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
December 17: The ULFA threatens to mobilise public resistance against
the Oil India Limited’s (OIL) attempt to carry out seismic survey on
Brahmaputra river bed to search for hydrocarbon.
December 15: A person belonging to the Adi tribe, identified as Biru
Tayeng, and a ULFA linkman, Keshab Bora, are arrested by security
force personnel during a search operation at Sarkholia Chapori along
the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. A single-barrel gun, explosives
and some ULFA-related literature are recovered from Tayeng’s
possession.
Assam Legislative Assembly appeals to the ULFA to withdraw its call
for a boycott of the 33rd National Games scheduled from February 9 to
18, 2007
December 13: At least four Army personnel are injured as a bomb,
planted inside a pressure cooker by the ULFA militants, explodes at
Kakotibari in the Sibsagar district.
December 12: Two ULFA militants, identified as Kolia Moran alias
Swapna Moran and Menua, surrender to the 2 Bihar Regiment at Tinsukia.
They also deposited three hand grenades, 10 mines, a pistol and
explosive materials to the authorities.
Hundreds of people blocked the Dibrugarh-Lahowal-Tengakhat-Duliajan
road in the Dibrugarh for more than three hours demanding the release
of suspected ULFA link-man Bhaimon Hazarika, who was reportedly
arrested on charges of providing logistical support to the militants
involved in the explosion on December 8 that killed at least five
persons. State Government asks top ULFA leaders like 'chairman'
Arabinda Rajkhowa and 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua to take part
in the peace talks with the Centre.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stated that the Assam Government is not
opposed to the PCG initiatives for facilitating the talks between the
militant outfit and the Centre. However, he clarifies that his
Government does not think the PCG to be the representative of the
people of Assam.
December 11: Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain informed
the State Legislative Assembly that at least 1,051 cadres of various
militant outfits, including the ULFA, were killed in encounters with
the security forces since May 2001.
A civil society organization, Dhubri Zilla Nagarik Manch (Dhubri
District Citizen Forum), calls for a 12-hour general strike in the
Dhubri district demanding the arrest of Abu Taher Bepari, the
Legislator of Golokganj Assembly constituency, for his alleged links
with the ULFA.
December 10: Assam Police identifies Madhurjya Gohain, a cadre of '28
battalion' of the ULFA, as the mastermind of the December 8-IED
explosion killing four police personnel and one civilian at Suraj
Nagar under Tengakhat police station in the Dibrugarh district.
"Gohain is an expert in handling explosives," says an unnamed police
officer.
December 8: An IED planted by the ULFA blows up a requisitioned police
convoy at Suraj Nagar under Tengakhat police station in the Dibrugarh
district, killing four police personnel and the civilian driver. The
ULFA claimed responsibility for the blast and said that the explosion
was executed to avenge the killing of three of its members, including
middle-rank leader Charan Majhi, by the police on November 3.
December 6: Assam Government appeals to the ULFA to withdraw its call
for sportspersons to stay away from the forthcoming National Games.
December 5: A ULFA militant, Jiten Munda, is shot dead by security
force personnel at village Torani under Pengeri police station in the
Tinsukia district.
December 4: A link-woman of the ULFA, identified as Namita Kalita, is
arrested from Guwahati in the Kamrup district. "Namita was acting as a
very important liaison person between the underground ULFA cadres and
those who are in various jails, besides channeling funds for the rebel
outfit," says Rajen Singh, the additional police chief of Guwahati
city.
Another woman cadre of the ULFA, Chayanika Bora a.k.a. Maini Bora, who
was arrested from Gowal village under Teok police station on December
2-night, was remanded to police custody for seven days after she was
produced in a court in the Jorhat district.
December 2: A woman cadre of the ULFA, Chayanika Bora alias Maini
Bora, is arrested during a search operation at Gowal village under
Teok police station in the Jorhat district. Two more persons are also
arrested for providing shelter to the ULFA cadre.
The ULFA asks the Union Government to give a written commitment that
the issue of Assam's 'sovereignty' will be discussed in the
negotiations.
December 1: An encounter between the security forces and suspected
ULFA militants is reported from Dighaliagaon under Naharkatia police
station in the Dibrugarh district.
November 30: A SULFA cadre, Nripen Mohon, is shot dead by ULFA
militants at Mohmora village in the Sibsagar district.
November 30: Assam Police say that the ULFA has established links with
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka. "The ULFA
leadership has established diplomatic relations with the LTTE and
there is evidence in that regard," informed an official of the Assam
Police. "The ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan) introduced
LTTE's arms suppliers to ULFA leaders and two Tamils were arrested in
Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh when a huge quantity of ammunition meant
for the ULFA was seized," said the official, adding, that arms were
also supplied to ULFA through Cambodia, for which the group paid "hard
currency routed through Nepal." Reports added that the ISI had
facilitated recent visits by top ULFA leaders, including its
'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, to Singapore, Thailand and other
countries.
The Inspector General of Border Security Force of Assam, Meghalaya,
Manipur and Nagaland Frontier, Jyoti Prakash Sinha, said that both the
ISI and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) 'threatened' ULFA to
dissuade itself from peace talks with the Government of India. He
mentioned that on September 3, 2006, a meeting between the ULFA, ISI
and BNP leaders was arranged at Hotel Agrabad in Dhaka, capital of
Bangladesh. The meeting was attended by ULFA chief Paresh Barua, the
ISI Brigadier T. K. Bax and BNP leader Tarique Rehman Zia, who is the
son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
November 29: Suspected ULFA militants trigger an IED blast blowing off
a security convoy, killing one Army personnel, N. Yella Reddy, and
injuring four Army personnel and two civilians at Asomiagaon under
Joypore police station in the Dibrugarh district.
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Bhaskar Saikia alias Mission Sonowal, is
shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his residence in the Lengrai
village of Tinsukia district.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs said that the ULFA has been
recruiting unemployed youths and set up training camps in deep
forests. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, S. Reghupathy,
informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of parliament) that the
possibility of ULFA recruiting their cadres from neighbouring
countries can not be ruled out.
The Government is aware that the insurgent groups from Northeast have
set up camps in the neighbouring countries, he added.
November 28: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the ULFA is under
the grip of Pakistan's ISI. He told a 12-party delegation from Assam,
led by former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta, which met him in
New Delhi that he was ready to re-start talks with the ULFA but the
group would first have to shake off the ISI yoke guiding its actions.
The delegation had urged Dr. Singh to resume "unconditional" talks
with the ULFA. Mahanta said after the meeting, "The PM said Centre is
ready for talks (with ULFA) as and when they come out of the clutches
of ISI."
A ULFA militant, Lalit Moran, is shot dead by SF personnel in an
encounter at Liton Hatigarh in Watiat village under Pengeri police
station in the Tinsukia district. Suspected ULFA militants attacked
Rangapara police station in the Sonitpur district with a grenade.
November 27: A ULFA cadre, Joneshwar Sonowal, is arrested from
Tengapathar under Talap police station in the Tinsukia district.
November 24: A person, Madhu Debnath, who was injured in the November
23-explosion triggered by the ULFA at the railway station in Guwahati,
succumbs to his injuries increasing the number of fatalities to four.
Army accuses Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI, of
planting "sleeper agents" among the immigrant population of Assam. The
General Officer Commanding in Chief of the 4 Corps, Lt. General R. K.
Chhabra, said: "The ISI that is backing ULFA in cooperation with the
Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) in Bangladesh has
sleeper agents among migrants on river isles. ULFA leadership is in
Bangladesh, thanks to ISI and DGFI. Jihadi groups from Bangladesh are
providing arms and finance to ULFA.
The jihadi elements have taken root. They are not into terrorism in a
big way, but involved in gun-running, fake currency rackets and drugs.
They went to Bangladesh for training and are now lying low as sleeping
agents of the ISI."
November 23: Three persons, including a woman and a child, are killed
and 11 others are injured when an explosion was triggered by suspected
ULFA militants at the railway station in Guwahati.
The victims are identified as Vinay Chauhan, a rickshaw-puller, his
wife Reena Chauhan and their child Uday. The
Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) planted in a cycle-rickshaw was
reportedly detonated by the programmable timed delayed device.
Sivasagar district police state d that only 40 per cent of the huge
ransom extorted in the name of ULFA goes to the outfit, with the rest
60 per cent being invested in business by persons who are never
suspected to be ULFA activists. This was revealed from the confession
of two ULFA agents, Anupam Ojah and Anil Dutta, arrested earlier.
November 22: An IED is exploded by suspected ULFA militants targeting
a security convoy at an unspecified place near Naguapara village in
the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
November 21: Assam Police confirm that elephants have destroyed
several makeshift camps of the ULFA at chaporis (sandbank) along the
River Neamati in the Jorhat district. "We had information about the
rebels setting up camps on these small islands and were planning to
take action. But the elephants did the job for us," said a senior
police officer.
Ranjit Das, a boat operator who arrested earlier from the island of
Majuli for helping ULFA militants going across the river, confesses to
the Police that elephants had also forced the militants to change
their travel plans.
Militants prefer to cross the river by night but no boatman wants to
take the risk now for fear of running into wild elephants on the
sandbanks, said Ranjit.
November 20: Paresh Deka, a constable arrested for his alleged links
with the ULFA, is remanded to police custody. Ranjit Das, a boat
operator, is arrested from the island of Majuli for helping ULFA
militants going across the river Neamati in the Jorhat district.
November 19: The '7th Battalion' of the ULFA has established camps at
Kawaimari near Deothang in Bhutan. "With the intensified counter
insurgency operations in Upper Asom districts, the 7th battalion of
the militants had set up the camp in Kawaimari," informs the Special
Branch of Assam Police, adding, "We are aware of their movement.
Operations are on and the security forces had gunned down the
commander of the 1st camp of the 7th battalion Dipak Deka on Friday
night."
November 17: An extortion note bearing signatures of two ULFA-backed
PCG members, Lachit Bordoloi and Dilip Patgiri, is recovered from two
persons, Rebot Bora and Pankaj Sarma, arrested during a search
operation near the Guwahati Commerce College.
The extortion note citing amount worth INR 20, 000 was meant for D.
Hojai, the Director of Health Services. Troops recover an IED planted
by the ULFA under a culvert at Sengelimora village in the Sibsagar
district.
November 16: The ULFA-backed PCG member Indira Goswami announces her
withdrawal from the peace process. "I am hurt by the lack of
transparency," said Goswami, adding: "I am not a politician. And as
such I feel hurt because of the delay in the peace talks process… I am
primarily an author and would like to concentrate fully on creative
work. I think I have fulfilled my role as peace facilitator and have
succeeded in bringing the government and ULFA closer through the
People's Consultative Group."
November 15: At least eight ULFA militants, including a 'lance
corporal of 27 battalion' Shankar Bora, are arrested from Bokolia
under Howraghat police station. One Chinese grenade, an AK-47 magazine
and INR 1.27 lakh are recovered from their possession.
A ULFA militant, Ashis Gohain, is arrested by police personnel in a
search operation at the Assam State Transport Corporation bus terminus
in Nagaon. An M-20 pistol is recovered from his possession. The ULFA
demands protection of the rights of non-Bodo people in the Bodoland
Territorial Council administered areas.
The outfit refers to allegations about "a certain section" of the
people extorting money from "non-Bodo indigenous people" residing in
the Bodoland areas.
November 14: The ULFA triggers an IED blast damaging crude oil
pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Dishangpani in the Sibsagar
district. The crude oil caught fire immediately after the explosion.
However, the authorities managed to control the blaze before it caused
more damage. At least seven kilograms of Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine
(also known as RDX), concealed in a pressure cooker by the ULFA, are
recovered from a road at Sarupathar near Sapekhati in the Sivasagar
district and later defused by SF personnel. Two detonators fixed with
the RDX and some wires are also recovered from the incident site.
An ULFA cadre, Bhaimon Gogoi alias Bidyut Chetia, arrested at
Kokilamukh area in the Jorhat district, confesses to his interrogators
that the outfit during its latest extortion drives in Majuli
subdivision, extracted ransom worth INR 5, 00, 000 in two months.
Bhutan's Ambassador in India, Dago Tshering, said: "We have no report
whatsoever of the ULFA setting up any new camp inside Bhutan or
operating from anywhere in the country. On our side, the Royal Bhutan
Police (RBP) has been deployed to check or keep vigil over any
militant influx, and on your side, we are aware of the SSB deployment
for the same purpose."
November 13: An ULFA linkman, Monoranjan Sen, is arrested by SF
personnel during a search operation at Golokganj Senparawas near
Agomoni in the Dhubri district.
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Basanta Kalita, is shot dead by unidentified
gunmen at Luitpathar near Sualkuchi in the Kamrup district.
A police personnel and two civilians are injured when suspected ULFA
militants lobb a grenade at Superintendent of Police (Operations)
Jitmal Doley's official residence at Panbazaar in Guwahati city.
A suspected ULFA cadre, Monoranjan Sen alias Dinesh Sen, was arrested
from Shernagar village under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri
district. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Assam Telecom Circle
receives from Assam Police a list of at least 97 mobile phone numbers
suspected to have been used by ULFA militants in the Tinsukia district
for verification. The Union Government conveys to the ULFA-backed
People's Consultative Group members that counter-insurgency operations
against the banned outfit will be stopped only after it gives a
written commitment for holding direct talks with the Government. "The
Centre has asked for a written commitment from ULFA about the date of
holding talks," said Indira Goswami after an hour-long meeting with
the National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan.
November 11: A ULFA militant, Thulonto Borgohan, is shot dead in an
encounter with SF personnel at No. 1 Labour Enclave in the
Hukunpukhuri Tea Estate along Jaigyakhowa-Barekuri Road in Tinsukia
district.
An ULFA cadre, Bhaimon Gogoi, is arrested at Nahatia area near
Kokilamukh in the Jorhat district. A pistol, ammunition and three
mobile SIM cards are also recovered from his possession. Gogoi confess
during interrogation about a linkman harbouring ULFA cadres and
helping them in extortion drives.
November 12: Suspected ULFA militants trigger an explosion targeting
an oil pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Habeda Tea Estate under
Bordubi police station in the Tinsukia district. Another explosion is
triggered at Ketujan in the same locality.
A ‘corporal’ of the ULFA, Bhaikon Gogoi alias Mintu, is arrested by SF
personnel following a brief encounter at Sasoni Ambari under
Naharkotia police station in the Dibrugarh district. While another
militant, Ram Gogoi, manages to escape from the encounter site, two
radio sets and a couple of mobile phones are recovered from possession
of the arrested militant.
November 11: Suspected ULFA militants trigger a bomb blast in a gas
pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Dhekulajan under Tengakhat police
station in the Tinsukia district.
November 10: Two CRPF personnel, Bansi Lal and Khagen Chetia, are
killed and eight others were injured in an ULFA-triggered IED
explosion targeting two security convoys near Sadiya police station in
the Tinsukia district.
A grenade is hurled by ULFA militants at the residence of Nagaon
district Superintendent of Police Krishna Das, injuring police
personnel guarding the house.
A bomb specialist of the ULFA, Monoranjan Borphukan alias Manab
Baruah, surrenders before the District Magistrate of Dibrugarh,
Ashutosh Agnihotri. Monoranjan deposits two hand grenades, 90 rounds
Self Loaded Rifles cartridges, four grenade fuses and two detonators.
November 9: The Union Government extends the proscription on the ULFA.
An ULFA linkman, Biswajit Rai, is arrested in a search operation at
Kachokhana area under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri district.
Extortion notes, pads, a diary and incriminating documents are
recovered from his possession.
A ‘corporal’ of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA, Amal Hazarika alias
Mrinal Barua alias Dipak, surrenders before the Jorhat District
administration. Two grenades, 10 rounds of ammunition and the magazine
of an M-16 rifle are deposited by him. Another ULFA cadre, Gopul
Lonfoi, surrenders before Morigaon District Collector at the Army’s
Red Horns Division camp near Jagiroad in the Jorhat district.
November 8: A child, Debojit Moran, is shot dead and his sister,
Dipanjali Moran, is wounded in a cross fire between Army personnel and
the ULFA militants at Mohong village under Pengeree police station in
the Tinsukia district.
Two bicycle-borne ULFA militants open fire with AK-47 rifles killing a
grocery shop employee, Ghanashyam Das, at Kulhati Chatrashal under
Hajo police station in the Kamrup district.
November 7: Assam Governor, Lt. Gen. Ajai Singh, confirms involvement
of the ULFA in the November 5 twin blasts at the Fancy Bazaar and
Noonmati areas in Guwahati. Sections of the Hindi-speaking community,
who settle in Guwahati, desert Assam following the November 5 bomb
blasts triggered by the ULFA.
November 6: An unidentified ULFA militant is killed in an encounter
with the Police at Santinagar under Noonmati police station in the
Guwahati city. Explosives, including 13 grenades, nine electric
detonators and some wires are recovered from his possession.
The Union Home Ministry convenes a meeting of senior army officials
and central forces in New Delhi to review the security scenario in
Assam. Home Secretary V. K. Duggal, while chairing the meeting, says
that the involvement of the ULFA is suspected in the blasts. Duggal
claims that the situation is under control and adequate security
personnel are deployed in the State.
The ULFA ‘Charlie company commander’, Jiten Dutta, claims that a
“third force” has engineered the blasts in Guwahati to defame the
outfit. Dutta claims that ULFA was in no way involved in the twin
explosions.
November 5: At least 14 persons are killed and more than 52 others
sustained injuries in two separate bomb blasts triggered by suspected
ULFA militants at Fancy Bazaar and Noonmati area in Guwahati. Seven
persons, including three identified as Paban Shah, Monsun Rai and
Puranmal Choudhury, are killed and several others wounded in a bomb
explosion at a tea stall in the Jai Narayan Road of Fancy Bazaar.
Further, four persons, Majid Ali, Mustan Ali, Manuara Begum and Manoj
Das, are killed and seven others wounded in another explosion at
Patharquarry area in Noonmati near installations of two Public Sector
Undertakings, the Indian Oil Corporation and Oil India Limited.
November 3: Three ULFA militants are killed by SF personnel in a
counter-insurgency operation at Kardoiguri under Moran police station
in the Dibrugarh district. Two out of three slain militants are
identified as ‘area commander’ Charan Majhi and a corporal in the 'C'
Company of the ‘28 Battalion’ Anup Dehingia. According to police
sources, a huge cache of arms and explosives, including one AK-56
rifle, one Spanish M-20 pistol, 73 rounds of live ammunition, one
mobile phone, 100 grams of suspected RDX, two packets of explosives,
32 detonators, one safety fuse, one programmable timer explosive
device, a packet of splinters, along with camping materials like
polythene sheets and ground sheets and some documents is recovered
from the encounter site.
November 2: Assam Director General of Police, D.N. Dutt, says that the
ULFA is “using certain stretches of the Bhutan for taking shelter.”
Earlier, S. K. Sarkar, Additional Director General of Police
(Intelligence) of West Bengal, had said that the ULFA and the KLO were
establishing camps in Bhutan and Nepal and are being helped by the
Maoists of Nepal. Bhutanese embassy in New Delhi denies the presence
of ULFA or any other militant group in the country. Jigme Tenzin,
third secretary in the press division of the embassy, says, “I would
like to state for the record that since the removal of all 13 camps of
the Ulfa from Bhutan during the military operations conducted by the
royal Bhutan army in 2003, there has been no presence of the ULFA or
any other group inside Bhutan.” Tinsukia District Police arrested a
person, Nirmal Singh Gurung, for distributing Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM) cards of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to suspected
ULFA cadres.
November 1: ULFA threatens to strongly resist attempts by a Pubic
Sector Undertaking, Oil India Ltd, to explore petroleum oil in the
Brahmaputra basin.
October 30: ULFA explodes three IEDs simultaneously in upper Assam's
Tinsukia district soon after troops crossed the area. However, no
casualties were reported.
October 29: One ULFA cadre identified as, Kanak Rava, was arrested by
the security force personnel during a search operation near Dadan
police outpost in the Goalpara district. A Chinese-made hand grenade
was recovered from his possession.
October 28: Two children were killed and several others sustained
injuries in the ULFA triggered twin bomb explosions at Guwahati on the
banks of the river Brahmaputra during Chhath Puja (an annual Hindu
festival dedicated to the worship of the sun).
October27: At least three civilians were killed and 22 persons,
including one woman, a child and two Central Reserve Police Force
personnel, sustain injuries when an improvised explosive device
planted on a bi-cycle parked in front of Paramount Restaurant is
triggered at Dhekiajuli town in the Sonitour district.
An ULFA militant, Milan Saikia alias Bhaskar Sonowal, surrenders
before the Dibrugarh District Administration.
October 26: A trader, Jayanta Dey, is shot dead by the ULFA militants
at Doomdooma in the Tinsukia district, for his failure to respond to
the extortion notice served on him by the outfit.
October 23: An unidentified ULFA cadre is killed and another wounded,
when a grenade targeting SF personnel explodes at village Narayanpur
in the Lakhimpur district. "The grenade exploded in the militant's
hand before it could hit the target.
One of the bombers died on the spot and another was seriously
injured," said Assam Police (Intelligence) Chief, Khagen Sharma.
October 23: A senior police official posted in a Bodoland Territorial
Council-administered district says that the ULFA militants were
spotted in areas just across the border with Bhutan. "I will not say
that they (ULFA) have established major camps in the jungles of Bhutan
as yet, but their presence there has certainly been noticed," says the
police official.
The ULFA-backed People's Consultative Group member, Indira Goswami,
appeals to the Union Government to restart the peace process with the
group.
October 21: A ULFA cadre, Mahendra Gogoi alias Manaspratim Gogoi, is
arrested from Magarahat village in the Sivasagar district.
The '28th battalion' of the ULFA reportedly announces a ceasefire on
its own without waiting for the formal 'directive' from its high
command and the outcome of the ongoing negotiations between the Union
Government and the ULFA-backed People's Consultative Group.
October 19: At least four ULFA cadres, Rantu Medhi, Dhanen Ray, Manwar
Hussain and Shahjahan Ali, are arrested from Bongaljura area in the
Goalpara district.
Two ULFA cadres, Aftab Ali alias Rontu Medhi and Dhojen Roy alias Appu
Saikia, and a linkman, Munawar Hussain, are arrested in a search
operation at Bangaljihar in the Goalpara district, for their
involvement in the recruitment of new cadres for the outfit.
October 18: A surrendered ULFA cadre, Kamal Hazarika, is shot dead by
suspected ULFA militants at Borabhayapuri under Tengakhat police
station in the Dibrugarh district. All the major political parties in
Assam condemn the ULFA for carrying out explosions, other subversive
activities, and bringing in children and students into militancy.
October 17: Two ULFA linkmen, Kabindra Sonowal and Arup Bora, are
arrested from Jokhai area in the outskirts of Dibrugarh town.
ULFA militants kill a civilian, Dilip Barua, whose dead body is
recovered from Meseki forest under Pengri police station in the
Tinsukia district.
October 16: SFs foil a plan by the ULFA to plant IEDs and blow up oil
and gas pipelines at Duliajan under Lankasi police station in the
Tinsukia district. Digging tools and wires are recovered from the
incident site.
October 15: A trader, Omprakash Agarwalla, is shot dead by ULFA cadres
at his grocery shop under Morn police station in the Sivasagar
district. He was earlier served extortion note by the outfit,
according to police sources.
One ULFA cadre, Gautom Kalita, is killed in an explosion of a crude
bomb that he was manufacturing at his rented accommodation at
Kahilipara in Guwahati.
The ULFA-backed People's Consultative Group seeks a communiqué from
the Assam Government on the stalled peace process with the outfit.
October 14: The ULFA kills a trader's son, Ghanashyam Maheswari, at
Machkhowa in the Dhemaji district for his refusal to pay ransom to the
outfit.
October 12: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs submits to Myanmar's
Government a list of 15 militant camps run on its soil by the outfits,
including ULFA.
October 11: The ULFA triggers an IED explosion blowing up a security
convoy and injuring security force personnel at an unspecified place
near Dasaijan village in the Tinsukia district.
October 9: A bicycle borne-ULFA militant hurls a grenade injuring one
person at a crowded shopping place at Digboi in the Tinsukia
district.
October 8: Two motorcycle-borne ULFA militants, Simanta Bora and
Baikuntha Gogoi, hurl a hand grenade at the Amguri police station in
the Sibsagar district.
A civilian, Lakhi Das, was injured and the building of the police
station was partially damaged. The duo were arrested in the subsequent
search operation.
October 8: An ULFA cadre, Keshab Saikia alias Kachu, is injured in an
encounter with security force personnel at Hilloidhari village in the
Dibrugarh district. An electronic detonator, 500 gm of TNT explosives
and incriminating documents were seized from the injured militant.
However, the two militants managed to escape from the encounter site.
October 7: An IED is exploded by the ULFA at Borhat Sibsagar district.
However, no casualty was reported in the incident.
A grenade is hurled at Tengakhat police station in the Dibrugarh
district. However, no one is injured in the incident. Later, two
persons, Diganta Sonowal and Bhupen Sonowal, were arrested from the
nearby Langri Borhulla village in connection with the grenade attack.
October 6: A ULFA 'corporal', identified as Debojit, is killed by SF
personnel in a counter-insurgency operation at an unspecified place in
the Sibsagar district.
October 5: Four civilians and three police constables are injured in a
grenade blast triggered by two motorcycle-borne ULFA militants
targeting a security convoy in front of the Doomdooma police station
in the Tinsukia district.
October 5: Two other motorcycle-borne ULFA militants hurl a hand
grenade at Namrup police station in the Dibrugarh district in a
simultaneous attack. The compound wall of the police station was
partially damaged.
The Central Intelligence Wing submits to the Army a list of at least
25 ULFA cadres, who have taken shelter at various places of upper
Assam, most of them belonging to the '28th battalion' of the outfit,
and all of them are equipped with sophisticated arms and explosives,
including assault rifles of AK-56, AK-57, AK-47, along with other
communication gadgets. The list includes Jiban Moran, Jiten Dutta,
Probal Neog, Bijoy Chinese, Ujjal Gohain, Poresh Majhi, Jun Bhuyan,
Rubul Sarma, Pranjal Saikia, Dibakar Moran and Aagan Barua.
October 4: Two ULFA collaborators, Ghanakanta Hazarika and Sashidhar
Hazarika, are arrested by the North Lakhimpur police from Badhakara
area.
October 4: Across Assam, wine shops remain open throughout the day,
defying a 'directive' of the ULFA to open liquor outlets only after 7
pm on weekdays. "For all practical purposes, we are running the
business on behalf of the government, which has given us licence to do
so. We cannot open or close as we like. If we do so, our licences can
get cancelled," said Alok Datta, the general secretary of the All
Assam India-made Foreign Liquor Retailers' Association.
October 1: The ULFA triggers a hand grenade blast targeting police
personnel at Nalanipalam in the Dhemaji district. While the grenade
attack fails to hit its intended target, a male child, Debabrata
Dhingia, is killed, and at least 20 persons are wounded.
September 29: Suspected ULFA militants trigger a grenade explosion
injuring eight persons at a shopping place, the Central Plaza market
complex, in the Tinsukia city. Two vehicles are also damaged in the
blast.
September 29: Suspected ULFA militants use a powerful bomb to blow up
a portion of the Oil India Limited (OIL) pipeline at Salbari under
Tingkhong police station in the Dibrugarh district. OIL spokesperson
Phanindra Dev Choudhury said, "It was a 10-inch gas distribution
pipeline and our workers were on the job throughout the night to
repair the damaged facility. The extent of the damage is yet to
ascertained.”
September 29: Police recover and defuse a powerful bomb planted by the
ULFA in a dustbin on the busy Plaza-Assam trunk road in Tinsukia
town.
September 28: At least six persons, including two SF personnel, are
wounded in an IED explosion triggered by the ULFA at a shopping place
at Digboi in the Tinsukia district.
September 27: Suspected ULFA cadres trigger a grenade explosion
targeting SF personnel at Kundil in the Tinsukia district.
September 27: An encounter between Army and ULFA militants is reported
from an unspecified area in the Tinsukia district.
September 27: The ULFA-backed PCG pulls out from the peace talks with
the Union Government. The PCG spokesperson, Aroop Borbora, said: “we
feel that due to the attitude of the Government, which made a complete
summersault on the assurances given earlier, holding of further
parleys with the Government would not serve any purpose.”
September 27: A decomposed dead body of a suspected ULFA cadre was
recovered from a drain at Bordumsa in the Changlang district of
Arunachal Pradesh.
September 25: A ULFA cadre, Mohipal Moran, is killed and five soldiers
wounded during an encounter at Borpathar under Pengeri police station
limits in the Tinsukia district. A 9 mm Chinese pistol, five rounds of
9mm ammunition, seven rounds of AK-47 ammunition, a hand grenade and
cash worth INR 50,000 are recovered from the slain militant. Two ULFA
cadres are arrested following the incident.
September 25: The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa has stated that
his outfit is not bothered about the breakdown of the cease-fire. "We
don't want a truce and instead committed to ending the war. The
government of India's ceasefire announcement in August was nothing but
a drama enacted by them," Rajkhowa stated.
September 25: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi offers the ULFA leadership
one more chance to meet their jailed leaders. "I can allow the ULFA
leadership, if they want to consult the jailed leaders on the peace
process. I have no problems if it leads to bringing peace in the
state," he says.
September 25: The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua warns all
‘Indians living in the North-east’ to pay taxes to the outfit and also
appeals to the local inhabitants to contribute according to their
means to the outfit’s coffers.
September 24: The Union Government declares resumption of counter-
insurgency operations against the ULFA in Assam, after the deadline
for suspension of operation against the outfit expires on September
20. A statement issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
says that the ‘suspension of operations’ against the outfit is called
off ‘with effect from today’. The statement adds, “Operations had been
suspended some time back because of the possibility of direct talks
with Ulfa towards (the) peace process. However, efforts for pursuing
the peace process by the government will continue.”
September 24: A ‘corporal’ of the ULFA, Diganta Baruah alias Bitupan
Baruah, is killed in an encounter with SF personnel at Mazmamoroni
near Lekhapani under Digboi police station in the Tinsukia district.
However, another injured militant manages to escape from the encounter
site. Further, nine Army personnel and a civilian, Dwipen Baruah, are
also injured in the encounter.
September 23: The ULFA kills a tea estate manager in Assam. Police
said four ULFA cadres shot dead Haren Das, a manager of the Hailanga
tea estate in front of his residence, in Digboi town. The attack comes
a day after the Union Government indicated that military operations
against the outfit could resume.
September 22: ULFA militants kill police personnel, Ranjit Sonowal, at
Than Gaon village under Barbaruah police station in the Dibrugarh
district. The militants opened fire on police personnel, who were
searching for an extortionist belonging to the outfit, identified as
Debu Dutta.
September 22: National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan conveys to the
ULFA-backed PCG member Indira Goswami that the Union Government will
not extend the suspension of counter-insurgency operations against the
outfit in Assam without receiving a written commitment from it on
holding direct peace talks.
September 20: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi states that the ULFA is
yet to refrain from carrying out its extortion activities.
September 17: According to Intelligence Bureau (IB) sources, at least
four training camps are run along the India-Bhutan border where ULFA
cadres are getting trained by the LTTE in carrying out suicide
attacks.
September 16: At least INR 16, 00,000 is recovered from the possession
of two suspected ULFA cadres, identified as Ramzan Ali and Bablu Deka
alias Niberan Deka, who were arrested from Mawiong in the East Khasi
Hills district of Meghalya.
September 12: The ULFA seeks time till September 20 to respond to the
Union Government’s demand for a formal letter before carrying forward
the negotiations.
September 7: Army officials state that the ULFA cadres are involved in
extortion, despite the suspension of counter-insurgency operations
against the outfit.
September 5: The suspension of counter-insurgency operations against
the ULFA is extended till September 15. The extension is announced by
the Union Home Secretary, V. K. Duggal, following a meeting with the
ULFA-backed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) members, Indira Goswami
and Rebati Phukan, in New Delhi.
September 5: The National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan denies any
step on part of the Union Government to unilaterally release five
arrested ULFA leaders. Before holding a meeting with the ULFA-backed
PCG members, Narayanan says, "Let them come for talks first."
September 3: The Union Government decides to convene an inter-
ministerial meeting to discuss the peace process in Assam, following
the ULFA’s refusal to give a written commitment on direct talks with
the Government.
September 3: Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, while making a case
for a direct communication between the Government and the outfit, says
that more civilians than militants are killed in the State since the
ULFA constituted the PCG to negotiate on its behalf.
August 31: The ULFA in a communiqué assures the Union Government that
five of its jailed leaders will not abscond, once they are released. A
letter written by ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua is delivered
to Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal by mediator Indira Goswami.
August 30: Union Home Secretary V. K. Duggal says that the Union
Government is expecting a response from the ULFA, before the
suspension of counter-insurgency operation expires on September 5.
“They have time until September 5 and we expect a response before
that,” said Duggal.
August 28: The Border Security Force demands deportation of ULFA
‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia, and other leaders from Bangladesh at
the bi-annual meeting with the Bangladesh Rifles in Shillong, the
capital of Meghalaya.
August 24: Meghalaya DGP, W. R. Marbaniang, says that counter-
insurgency operations against the ULFA will continue in the State,
despite the suspension of Army operations by the Union Government in
Assam. “We have taken care of ourselves and the army is only assisting
us in (counter-insurgency operations). In 99 per cent cases, the state
police are doing the job,” says the DGP.
August 24: The Union Government seeks a written assurance from the
ULFA to come for peace talks as a condition for the release of its
five arrested leaders. The Government asks the outfit to announce its
team for negotiations and to specify a timeframe to start direct
talks. However, the outfit rejects such conditions set by the
Government.
August 23: The Union Government decides to extend the suspension of
counter-insurgency operations against the ULFA by 15 days. A decision
to this effect is taken at the meeting between the Government and the
ULFA-backed PCG to decide modalities for direct negotiation with the
outfit. While the National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan and
officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs represent the
Government, the PCG is represented by Indira Goswami and Rebati
Phukan. "As of now, we have decided to extend the suspension of the
army operations against ULFA for 15 days," says the Union Home
Secretary V. K. Duggal.
August 21: The Union Government asks the ULFA backed-PCG members to
stand for personal guarantee for the release of five arrested leaders
of the ULFA.
August 19: The ULFA denies that it had declared a unilateral cease-
fire. The outfit’s ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa says that the ULFA
will exercise ‘restraint’ in response to the Union Government’s
suspension of security operations against its cadres. Rajkhowa says,
“We will exercise restraint in response to the government's
announcement to suspend operation and we will try our best to maintain
our restraint.” He also urges all concerned “not to create confusion
by quoting statements not made by the ULFA on serious issues
concerning the people.”
August 15: The ULFA along with KLO, MPLF, NLFT and TPDF, in a joint
statement, calls upon the people of the North East region to boycott
the Independence Day celebration and also calls a 12-hour general
strike.
August 14: Three persons, including a woman and her son, are killed
and seven others sustain injuries when suspected ULFA militants
trigger a grenade explosion targeting security convoys near Lifecare
Nursing Home at Duliajan town in the Dibrugarh district.
August 14: A grenade explosion is triggered at Makum Petrol Depot in
the Tinsukia district.
August 14: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while asking the ULFA to
abjure violence and extremism, says that difficult issues can be
resolved only through dialogue and negotiations. He mentions that the
Union Government is doing its best to create an atmosphere where
direct talks can be held with the outfit. “Peace and progress is the
need of the hour, without which commerce, industry or trade can never
take root in the State. Terror and violence must be removed if
problems like lack of development and unemployment are to be
resolved,” says the Chief Minister.
August 13: The Union Government decides to halt all operations by
security forces against the ULFA for a few days. Union Home Secretary
V. K. Duggal says, “We have advised army and other security forces in
Assam to suspend their operations against ULFA for a few days.” He
further says, “However, this does not mean that if they resort to any
misadventure that will not be replied back. Appropriate action will be
taken.” The decision comes days ahead of a crucial meeting between the
representatives of the Union Government and mediators appointed by the
outfit in New Delhi to discuss modalities for initiation of direct
peace talks.
August 13: The ULFA has set up three camps in the Sandrup Jhongkar
district of Bhutan, after its cadres were driven out by a counter–
insurgency operation in December 2003. According to the report, Hira
Sarania, a top leader believed to be close to the outfit’s ‘commander-
in-chief’ Paresh Barua, is heading the cadres operating from these
camps.
August 12: A woman, Jongli Devi, is killed and eight persons wounded
in a grenade explosion, suspected to have been triggered by the ULFA,
at Bamunimaidan locality in Guwahati. Additional Superintendent of
Police, Rajen Singh, says that the blast occurred around 7.20 p.m. in
the Bamunimaidan railway colony area. The blast occurs amidst
heightened security measures in the city with police and para-military
forces intensifying patrolling to foil sabotage attempts by the ULFA
militants, who have called for a boycott of the Independence Day
celebrations on August 15.
August 11: Six police personnel are killed after suspected ULFA
militants ambush a police convoy at Ratanipathar under Pengeri police
station in the Tinsukia district.
While five personnel are killed at the incident site, another succumbs
to injuries in the Assam Medical College Hospital.
August 10: The ULFA along with KLO, MPLF, NLFT, TPDF in a joint
statement call upon the people of the North East region to boycott the
Independence Day celebration and also jointly call a 12-hour general
strike for August 15.
According to official sources, there has been some movement of ULFA
cadres in Garo Hills since the last few months.
The outfit's cadres cross into Bangladesh from West Garo Hills plain
belt areas and enter into Assam from the Tikrikilla, Rongsai,
Bajengdoba and Mendipather areas.
August 8: At least four new training camps of the ULFA were reportedly
found along the India-Bhutan border in the Nalbari district.
Arunachal Pradesh Police arrest five persons, Nuney Tayang, Nakul
Chai, Dwarika Meso, Surendra Singh and Makhan Hazarika, from Lohit
district for helping the ULFA.
While four of them are office bearers of the State Congress, another
one is a relative of a leader of the party.
August 7: An unidentified person is killed and 15 others, including
four Central Reserve Police Force personnel and a child, are injured
when ULFA militants explode a grenade at Digboi Chariali in the
Tinsukia district.
August 6: Two unidentified ULFA militants are killed when a grenade,
they were carrying, explodes at Mission Chariali near Defence Theater
in the Tezpur district. Several persons are also wounded in the
explosion.
Eight paramilitary force personnel are wounded when suspected ULFA
militants hurl a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force patrol
party near Bhojo railway station under Charaideo subdivision in the
Sivasagar district. A hardware shop owner, Sanjay Agarwal, is shot at
and wounded by suspected ULFA militants at Gaurisagar Tiniali in the
Sivasagar district.
A ULFA militant, Sundar Chetia, who is arrested from Tinsukia
district, confesses during interrogation that he has been extorting
money ranging from Rupees 50,000 to Rupees 1 00, 000 annually for the
past three years and sending them to Ujjwal Gohain, ‘finance
controller of the 28 battalion’ of the outfit.
August 5: At least 15 persons are injured when suspected ULFA
militants trigger a grenade blast at Jonai in Dhemaji district.
August 4: A grenade is triggered by ULFA cadres, targeting a security
convoy, killing one SF personnel, Manoj Kumar, and injuring two others
at Dhelakhat in the Tinsukia district.
August 3: The National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan informs the
peace interlocutor Indira Goswami that the Union Government is seeking
a formal letter from the outlawed ULFA for the release of its five
arrested leaders as well as for direct peace talks.
"The government wants a formal letter from the ULFA seeking the
release of the five jailed leaders and giving consent to sit for
direct talks,” says Goswami in New Delhi.
August 1: A hardcore United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre,
‘sergeant major’ Rajen Dutta, is killed during an encounter with the
SF personnel at Tamulbari in the Dibrugarh district. An AK-47 rifle, a
mobile phone, three SIM cards and cash worth INR 1,000 are recovered
from the incident site.
July 31: Four ULFA cadres are shot dead in two separate encounters
with SF personnel in the Nalbari district. While, two militants,
Bhupen Lahkar and Hemanta Deka, are killed at Arora village, two
others, including one identified as Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya alias
Kaushik Sarma, are shot dead at Dhaniagog village on the bank of the
river Pagladia.
July 31: An ULFA cadre is arrested following the encounter at Arora
village. A cache of arms and explosives, including one 9 mm pistol, 3
Chinese grenades, and 3 rounds of live ammunition, is also recovered
from the two encounter sites.
July 31: An ULFA leader, Mridul Hazarika alias Bhaskar Barua, who was
a prime accused in the Sanjoy Ghosh murder case of 1997, is shot dead
by police personnel in an encounter at Khanakrishnapur village under
Gogamukh police station in the Dhemaji district. While two other
militants, Anil Basumatari alias Gadapani and Bhaben Sonowal alias
Biplab Kachari, surrender, a cache of arms and explosives is recovered
from the encounter site. Sanjoy Ghosh, who worked with the NGO Avard-
NE, was abducted and subsequently killed by the ULFA in July 1997.
July 29: The ULFA communicates to the Union Home Ministry that its
precondition for direct peace talks with the Union Government is
release of the five leaders — all members of the Central Committee,
ULFA's highest decision-making body — jailed at Guwahati in Assam. The
communication to the Home Secretary Vinod Kumar Duggal is sent through
the peace interlocutor Indira Goswami, who belongs to the ULFA-backed
People's Consultative Group (PCG).
July 28: An unidentified civilian is killed by ULFA militants at
Sadiya in the North Lakimpur district, while a cadre of the outfit is
shot dead in an encounter with SF personnel inside a hotel at
Margherita town in the Tinsukia district. July 26: The peace
interlocutor belonging to the People’s Consultative Group (PCG),
Indira Goswami, conveys to the Union Home Secretary, V. K. Duggal,
refusal of ULFA to name its representatives for direct peace talks
with the Union Government unless its five arrested leaders are
released ahead of the talks.
July 25: The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, S. Raghupathy,
informs the Lower House of the Parliament that available reports and
confession of arrested ULFA cadres indicate links of the outfit with
the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the external intelligence
agency of Pakistan.
July 24: A group of women cadres of the ULFA manage to escape
following an encounter with SF personnel at Khowji village in the
Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
July 19: The Union Government asks the ULFA to establish direct
contact with the government without which, it says, there will be no
scope for the proposed peace process to move forward. “The ULFA must
communicate their demands, including release of jailed leaders, in
black and white directly to the Centre for the peace process to
proceed further,” the Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal tells
interlocutor Mamoni Raisom Goswami. Goswami says from New Delhi that
the Union Home Secretary informs her that ULFA must make direct
contact with the Government and place their demands instead of
communicating through intermediaries. Only then can their demands be
considered.
July 18: Troops of the Red Horn Division stationed at Dhubri
neutralise a fake currency racket besides arresting two ULFA linkmen
and recover one pistol and some live ammunition from Dingdinga village
under Tamarhat police station limits in the Kokrajhar district.
July 16: A ULFA cadre, Pradip Das, is arrested from Hatigaon area in
Guwahati city. Several incriminating documents and six batteries used
in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are recovered from his
possession. Assam’s Director General of Police, Deepak Dutta, informs
that, while the ULFA is planning a major attack in any of the four
lower Assam districts in ‘retaliation’ to the killing of its cadres,
the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), intends to attack the Guwahati railway
station soon. “The ULFA is planning a major attack in retaliation to
the killing of its six cadres in any of the districts of Kamrup,
Baska, Nalbari and Barpeta,” says the Director General of Police.
July 13: Meghalaya Police suspects that the ULFA leader Rubul Ali, who
was killed in the July 11 encounter in Garo Hills, is a linkman of the
Pakistani ISI. "The ULFA-ISI nexus has been going on for quite long
time and it is suspected that the ISI has been providing assistance to
the ULFA in term of arms, training and funds," said police sources.
July 12:Two kilograms of ivory worth over INR 100,000 are recovered
from a ULFA linkman, Bolin Dutta, who was arrested by the Army
Intelligence personnel at unspecified place under Dhola police station
in the Tinsukia district. According to official sources, besides
aiding the activities of the outfit, Dutta was also involved in
smuggling forest produce from Paglam in Arunachal Pradesh. The ULFA-
backed People’s Consultative Group threatens to pull out of the peace
process with the Union government, following the July 11 killing of
six ULFA cadres in Assam and Meghalaya.
July 11: Four ULFA cadres, identified as Rubul Ali, Prabal Dutta,
Rudra Barua and Dulu Kalita, are killed by the troops during an
encounter at Tinfa village under Mendipathar police station in the
East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. While three ULFA cadres were
arrested, a cache of arms and explosives, including one AK rifle, four
grenades, pistol, several rounds of ammunition, along with INR 40,000
were recovered from the incident site. Two ULFA cadres, Pradip
Rajbangshi and Mrinal Rajbangshi, are killed in an encounter with the
SFs at Baglamari village in the Nalbari district. Two 9 mm pistols,
three Chinese grenades, 8 rounds of live ammunition, a radio set and
cash worth INR 30,000 were recovered from their possession.
July 7: Police arrests two militants of the ULFA and a linkman of the
outfit from Birubari locality of the Guwahati city in connection with
the outfit’s extortion demand of INR 15 Lakhs on the Reserve Bank of
India regional director Amarendra Sahu. The arrested militants were
identified as Mantu Bezbarua and Gautam Sarania alias Rahul Deka.
Police also recovered a grenade form their possession.
July 3: The ULFA ‘serves’ an extortion note of Rupees 150 milion to
the Regional Director of the Reserve Bank of India in Guwahati. The
letter is signed, on June 25, by an ULFA ‘commander’, Hira Sarania,
who is allegedly involved in several extortion acts in the past.
July 1: The ULFA expresses its willingness to hold ‘direct talks’ with
the Union Government at the earliest.
June 26: Two ULFA cadres, Paban Gayan and Manaj Baruah, are arrested
from Deopani under Bokajan police station.
June 23: A student of the Guwahati University, Rinku Basumatary,
wounded in the June 9 ULFA triggered explosion at Machkhowa in
Guwahati city, succumbs to his injuries.
June 16: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs objects to the ULFA's plea
for releasing its five leaders. The Cabinet Committee on Security,
while discussing the issue at New Delhi, is of the view that the
outfit should give up violence, surrender arms and should adopt an
honest approach to peace before such a step can be taken.
A frontal organization of the ULFA, Assam Watch, is operating in the
United Kingdom. Mukul Hazarika, is the co-ordinator of the Assam
Watch. Intelligence sources say that Assam Watch sponsored ULFA's
chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa and general secretary, Anup Chetia, to
attend a meeting of the United Nations Sub-Commission's Working Group
on Indigenous People at Geneva in July 1997, while Interpol had issued
a Red Corner Alert notice against the top leadership of the outfit for
its involvement in the abduction and killing of Sanjoy Ghose of the
Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development- North East
(AVARD-North East).
June 15: Four ULFA cadres, identified as Bijoy Kalita, Rudra Barua,
Hemanta Kalita and Kamal Ahmed, in a letter sent to local media
persons, say that they are planning to float a new outfit to continue
their "revolution" under the leadership of one self-styled 'captain'
of the outfit. They, quoting a letter reportedly written by the ULFA
'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, say the outfit's chief is planning to
liquidate them. They further said several ULFA leaders, including
Bening Rava, Abhijit Deka and Nilu Chakravarty, who the outfit claims
have gone missing following the Army's counter insurgency operations
in Bhutan, were killed on Rajkhowa's orders.
Assam Police says that following the formation of the ULFA - backed
People's Consultative Group on September 8 in 2005, the ULFA militants
have triggered off as many as 52 blasts, majority of those were in
late January and early part of February and again from June 8 to 12 in
2006. The reports further said that at least 41 civilians are killed
and 135 are injured in ULFA's violence since September 8, 2005. During
the same period, the outfit attacked the security force personnel on
15 occasions in which six are killed, while 41 are injured. During the
same period, the security forces are engaged in encounters with the
ULFA cadres on 20 occasions, in which 21 militants are killed and 48
are arrested. The sources further pointed out that in the first five
and half months of 2006, as many as 29 civilians are killed, as
compared to the death of 20 civilians and injury of 78 in 2005. The
fatality figure among the security personnel in ULFA's violence in
2005 is six.
June 14: A civilian, Monoj Gogoi, who was wounded in the June 12 blast
triggered by the ULFA at Digboi town in the Tinsukia district,
succumbs to his injuries.
Two ULFA extortionists, Paresh Das and Moinul alias Islam, are
arrested by the Guwahati city police during separate search operations
from Basistha and Garigaon areas in the Kamrup district.
June 13: A ULFA cadre, identified as Phulen Nath alias Kamal Barman
alias Pintu Das, is killed in an encounter with the police at
Kamalnagar atop Narakasur Hill under Dispur police station in the
Kamrup district. While two other militants manage to escape from the
incident site, the owner of the residence, Bhaben Rabha, is arrested
on charges of harbouring ULFA cadres. A cache of arms and explosives,
including one unexploded grenade, 24 detonators, fuse wires, one 7.62-
bore Pakistani-made pistol and four rounds of ammunition, are
recovered from the encounter site. According to police sources, the
slain militant is involved in the June-9 blast at Machkhowa in the
Guwahati city in which five persons died.
Assam's Director General of Police D. N. Dutt confirms that the ULFA
is involved in all the recent blasts in the State, following the
denial of the outfit of its involvement. He says, "All the inputs we
have point to the fact that the militants belonging to the ULFA were
behind the recent blasts. For a very long time, we had the inputs that
the ULFA was planning to explode a series of bombs from June 9 to 11
and they started a day ahead."
June 11: A security force personnel, identified as Bircharan Singh,
who is among the three injured in the ULFA's grenade attack on a
patrolling vehicle at Makum in the Tinsukia district, succumbs to his
injuries.
Suspected ULFA cadres blow up a railway track between Borhat and
Baruahnagar railway stations in the Sibsagar district. Rail links
between Upper Assam and the rest of the country are snapped for
several hours following the blast.
June 10: Suspected ULFA militants trigger two more blasts in the
Guwahati city killing one person and injuring 19 others. Inspector-
General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma informs that
suspected ULFA militants lobbed a grenade targeting a police post at
Bamunimaidam area in which two police personnel are injured. Another
blast occurred under the Ganeshguri flyover close to the Dispur
capital complex killing one person and wounding 17 others.
The ULFA denies its hand in the six bomb blasts in which civilians are
injured, but owns up three blasts on the oil and gas pipelines at
Naharkatia, Digboi and Chabua. In a statement, ULFA chief Paresh
Baruah claims the blasts in Guwahati, Dhubri, Mangaldoi, Haibargaon,
Golokganj and Doomdooma are "masterminded by Inspector-General of
Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma and the forces opposed to peace
talks between the Centre and the outfit." Baruah says the attacks on
the pipelines are carried out in protest against the tightening of
security around oil installations, which is to "facilitate the
plundering of Assam's natural resources."
June 9: At least five persons, including a 10-year-old boy and a
woman, are killed and 16 persons wounded in a powerful explosion
triggered by the ULFA at Machkowa vegetable market in the Guwahati
city of Kamrup district. Senior Superintendent of Police Nitul Gogoi
said that the bombs, believed to have been planted in a vegetable
basket, have exploded at 4.20 pm at the wholesale vegetable market
when it was at its busiest moment.
June 8:The ULFA triggers a series of grenade explosions at various
parts of the State leaving at least 25 persons wounded. While six
persons are injured in a blast at Haiborgaon in the Nagaon district,
another is injured when militants trigger a blast at Islampur Chowk in
the Mangaldoi district.
June 5: A civilian, Dilip Das, is shot dead by the ULFA cadres at
Sonapur Chowk under Kamalpur police station in the Kamrup (rural)
district. The militants were targeting a SULFA cadre, Narayan Das, in
the incident.
May 23: A clandestine meeting of the ULFA leaders is held somewhere
near Alipurduar in the Jaipalguri district of West Bengal at the end
of May. Intelligence Bureau officials indicated that many ULFA cadres
have reportedly landed at Siliguri.
May 21: Two ULFA militants, senior leader Bijay Kalita and linkman
Subrata Paul, are arrested from Siliguri in the Jaipalguri district of
West Bengal.
May 20: A senior engineer of the state-owned OIL is released after
being abducted by unidentified terrorists a day earlier. An OIL
spokesman said K. Mohan Rao, a drilling engineer, was abducted while
he was going from the company headquarters at Duliajan to a remote
installation.
May 18: The Union Government confirms that the outlawed ULFA has sent
to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation a demand note of Rupees Five
billion. The Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas,
Dinsha Patel, said in the Parliament that there have been four
disruptive incidents by the ULFA resulting in minor damage to the
property of ONGC in the recent past.
An unidentified ULFA cadre was arrested from Siliguri in the
Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
May 17: Four ULFA cadres, including ‘commanding officer’ Mrinal
Hazarika, Jagat Barua, Mahesh Gupta and Pradip, are arrested at
Siliguri in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. Inspector-General
of Police (North Bengal) K. L. Meena says that several documents, an
active satellite telephone, two mobile phones with Assam Telecom
Circle numbers, an improvised pistol with a few bullets, Rupees 20,370
in Indian currency and Rupees 13 in Nepali currency were seized from
their possession.
May 14: An ULFA cadre, ‘corporal’ Puspa Borah alias Sanchar Chetia,
who had surrendered along with a pistol, two magazines, 16 rounds of
ammunition and a Chinese hand grenade, before the Superintendent of
Police of the Udalguri district on May 13, is found dead inside the
lock-up of the district police station. According to police sources,
Puspa Borah committed suicide.
May 10: Five ULFA cadres, ‘sergeant major’ Jagadish Mahanta alias
Rajesh Sarma, ‘corporal’ Ameer Hussain alias Raj Ahmed, Pradeep K.
Barman alias Control, Dinesh Sarkar alias Mithun and Purno Roy alias
Purni, surrender before Colonel M.K. Das and Additional Superintendent
of Police Umar Ali at Dhubri district. They deposited an AK-47 rifle,
three 9 mm revolvers and 45 rounds of ammunition.
May 9: Two SF personnel, Rubul Ali and Dhruba Borsaikia, are killed in
an ambush by the ULFA at a place near the Borahibari railway station
in Sivasagar district. Five persons including the former State
Transport Minister and senior AGP leader Pradip Hazarika are wounded
in the attack. Hazarika has figured in ULFA’s list of ‘conspirators’
in the ‘secret killings’, the outfit recently claims, that has taken
place during the AGP regime. Twenty five empty shells of AK-47
ammunition are recovered from the incident site.
May 8: Unidentified militants shot at and wounded a SULFA cadre,
Jayanta Maran, at his residence in Nalani in the Tinsukia district.
May 2: An unidentified ‘leader’ of the ULFA along with two Delhi-based
sex workers, who were arrested from Guwahati in the Kamrup district,
are remanded to ten days of police custody by a local court.
Additional Police Chief of Guwahati Rajen Singh, while describing the
use of sex workers by the ULFA as baits to extort and abduct
businessmen in the State, said, "This is the latest modus operandi of
the ULFA - luring businessmen with the help of call girls and then
extorting money from them."
April 24: The Public Works Department chief engineer, Suren Das, who
was abducted and later released by the ULFA, is in a stage of coma due
to cerebral malaria. Das has started suffering from cerebral malaria
while in captivity.
April 21: Unidentified assailants kill two surrendered ULFA militants,
Lolit Moran and his wife Momi Moran, at Gotong village under Doomdooma
police station in the Tinsukia district. Both the low-rung ULFA cadres
had surrendered to the army in 2004. Police sources said that a group
ULFA militants led by Tedho Moran alias Rocket, who are active in the
area, are suspected to be responsible for the killing.
April 8: Security forces arrest a linkman of the ULFA, Pradip Doley,
from his house at Madhya Lakhipur under Jonai police station in the
Dhemaji district. An AK-56 Rifle, 160 rounds of ammunition, two
magazines and a motorcycle are recovered from his residence. Two of
his accomplices, however, manage to escape.
April 4: An ULFA militant, Bhubaneswar Haloi, surrenders before the
army personnel near Bihuguri in the Sonitpur district.
April 1: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the process initiated
by the Union Government to restore peace in Assam will be expedited,
but rules out talks with the ULFA on the "sovereignty" issue. Dr.
Singh, who arrived in Assam on a two-day election campaign, told a
press conference in Guwahati that negotiations would be held within
the constitutional framework. "The ULFA may raise the issue during
talks but that does not mean all issues are open to negotiation," he
says. "Doors will be open to all those who shun violence. Two rounds
of talks have been held with certain groups [the discussion with the
ULFA-formed People's Consultative Group] and we will accelerate the
peace process," he added.
March 31: Three ULFA cadres along with one KLNLF activist surrendered
before the army at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district. ULFA cadres,
Indra Prasad Barua, Lakhi Prashad Nath alias Raj Deka and Parag
Hazarika, also deposited an AK 47 rifle, two magazines, 67 rounds of
cartridges and four hand grenades.
March 31: The ULFA chief, Arabinda Rajkhowa, in an electronic message
calls on the people of Assam not to vote for any party that has not
made any commitment on resolving the “Asom-India political conflict”.
He said, “The people should only vote for politics that would ensure
sovereignty for Asom.”
March 29: The police recover four grenades, an AK series rifle, 30
rounds of live ammunition, a magazine, a 9-V battery, some electronic
gadgets and incriminating documents following an encounter with
suspected ULFA militants at Satakona under Dudhnoi police station in
the Goalpara district. The militants, however, managed to escape and
police subsequently arrested two linkmen of the outfit, Sanjit Barsund
and Lokesh Sangma.
March 28: Suspected ULFA cadres abduct Abhisek Agarwal, the 25-year-
old son of a biscuit factory-owner, in the Tinsukia district after the
businessman failed to meet a deadline for payment of extortion money.
The outfit has reportedly launched a massive extortion drive in Upper
Assam, primarily in the Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, targeting
businessman and Government employees.
March 18: A woman, identified as S. Begum, is killed and 10 persons
are injured in a ULFA triggered bomb blast near the railway track at
the Bamunimaidan rail yard in Guwahati.
March 17: A SULFA cadre, identified as Binod Baishya alias Jit Kalita,
is shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at Ghograpar in the Nalbari
district.
March 9: The Guwahati city police put several businessmen in the city
under their scanner accusing them of contributing large amounts to the
ULFA. Police sources say that the businessmen are paying the outfit
via electronic money transfer facility. A senior police official says
that "During police questioning, the businessmen admitted they had
transferred money to towns such as Hissar in Haryana and Anand in
Gujarat after the ULFA issued them instructions." The official also
says the ULFA has stepped up their extortion drive in the city after
the peace process between the Centre and the PCG begins in 2005. The
outfit has collected at least Rupees 30 lakh from the Dispur police
division area alone. He further says, "The amount will be much higher
if the figures of all the four police divisions are added up."
March 7: Mediator Indira Goswami said that the third round of talks
between the ULFA-constituted PCG and Union Government will be held
only after the Legislative Assembly elections in Assam slated for
April 3 and 10.
February 28: Suspected ULFA cadres trigger a blast at the BG Yard near
Bamunimaidan in Guwahati city killing one civilian and injuring five
others, including a woman.
February 25: A joint army-police team arrests a ULFA cadre, Uday
Bharali, from Taranigaon under Sadiya police station in the Tinsukia
district. A modified AK-47 rifle, 65 live ammunitions, a radio set and
incriminating documents are recovered from his possession.
February 21: Armed ULFA militants assault four villagers and abduct an
AGP activist, Brikudhar Doley, from his residence at Kemi-Jelom
village under Poba Reserve Forest in the Dhemaji district recently.
February 13: Normal life is affected in the State following a 12-hour
general strike called by the ULFA to protest against the killing of
nine persons in police firing and death of Ajit Mahanta during Army
custody at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district. There are, however, no
reports of any untoward incident from any part of the State.
February 10: Police arrest five hardcore ULFA militants from different
parts of the Guwahati city for their alleged involvement in a series
of grenade attacks in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations on
January 26. One M-20 pistol, an Austria-made grenade, 13 rounds of
ammunition and two magazines are recovered from the arrested who were
identified as Bubul Deka alias Gajen Deka alias Mansur Ali, Chandan
Baishya alias Prabin Thakuria, Mohammad Piyar Hussain, Abdul Salam
alias Hamid and Ratan Sarkar.
February 10: Eight civilians and a SF are killed during clashes
between the villagers and SFs following the alleged custodial death of
a suspected United ULFA militant at Kakopathar in upper Assam's
Tinsukia district. The ULFA cadre, whom the villagers describe as a
civilian, was detained by the army on February 6 and his dead body was
subsequently recovered.
February 7: The Union Government and the PCG agree, during a meeting
at New Delhi, on a series of CBMs to bring the ULFA to the negotiation
table. A joint statement said that the Government of India has agreed
to examine and initiate a series of CBMs with regard to human rights
violations and to examine the release of detained ULFA leaders in
consultation with the State Government.
February 7: Two ULFA militants, Swapan Roy and Sabed Ali alias
Hasinur, surrender before the BSF authorities at Azadnagar in the
Coochbehar district of West Bengal. The duo, hailing from Rupasi
village under Golakganj police station in Assam’s Dhubri district,
deposit two improvised explosive devices.
February 1: Counter insurgency targeting ULFA is called off by Army in
the outfit’s chief Paresh Baruah’s native village, Jeraigaon, in the
Dibrugarh district following demands by the villagers. However, army
authorities maintain that the operation is “routine in nature” and is
called off only because “the security think tank felt it had served
its purpose”.
February 1: Surrendered ULFA cadre, Raju Chakraborty, is injured when
a group of unidentified assailants shoot at him at Salkocha under
Chapar police station in the Dhubri district.
January 24: A suspected ULFA militant is killed and three others are
injured in an explosion in the Ganeshguri locality of Guwahati city.
Police sources said that the ULFA militant, Munin Das hailing from
Ghograpar in the Nalbari district, was carrying the explosive and
traveling on foot to avoid the intensified checking of vehicles by the
security forces.
January 24: An IED is detonated by suspected ULFA cadres at Chhaygaon
circle office precincts causing no casualty.
An ULFA cadre, Bhogeswar alias Debojit Bora, was arrested from Nagabat
Tinali under Borholla police station in the Jorhat district. Bora is
identified as a ‘lance corporal’ in the ‘28th battalion’ of the
outfit.
January 23: ULFA militants exploded a grenade near the nail factory at
Bengenakhowa in the Golaghat district.
January 23: ULFA militants exploded a hand grenade at Mayong police
station in the Morigaon district.
January 22: ULFA cadres lobbed a grenade targeting SF personnel near
Gauhati Commerce College in the Guwahati city injuring five SF
personnel.
January 22: ULFA activists hurled a grenade in front of the Assam
Police Reserve at AT Road in the Guwahati city killing a civilian.
January 22: ULFA militants detonated an improvised explosive device
(IED), planted in a requisitioned bus, injuring three police personnel
in Guwahati city.
January 22: One police personnel is killed and five others sustain
injuries in an encounter with ULFA cadres at Ewarlangtha Gorgaon along
the Assam-Nagaland border in the Golaghat district.
January 22: ULFA triggers a blast in the precincts of the Assam State
Transport Corporation building in Jorhat injuring a civilian.
January 22: Gas pipelines at Chetiapathar under Chabua police station
and Bokulia Chariali under Duliajan police station are blown up by the
ULFA.
January 22: A gas pipeline, running through Lengri tea estate under
Tengakhat police station in the Dibrugarh district, is blown up by the
ULFA.
January 22: ULFA cadres shot dead a petrol pump owner at Sadiya
township in the Tinsukia district.
January 22: ULFA militants lobbed a grenade at a police patrol team on
the Sessa bridge in the Dibrugarh district injuring four police
personnel.
January 22: ULFA cadres blew up a gas pipeline near Bherbheri under
Bordubi police station.
January 22: Guwahati city police arrests seven ULFA cadres from the
outskirts of the city and also recovered a Chinese grenade from their
possession.
January 21: ULFA militants blew up a power tower of the North Eastern
Electric Power Corporation at Bhoju in the Sibsagar district.
January 21: ULFA militants blew up a transformer at Konwar Gaon near
Lakhimpur.
January 21: Three SF personnel are wounded when ULFA cadres blew up a
power transformer at Hindugaon Tiniali.
January 21: A gas pipeline is blown up by the ULFA at Mahmora Silgrant
under Namrup police station in the Dibrugarh district.
January 21: ULFA cadres shot dead a trader, Iswar Chand Jain, at
Sonari in the Sibsagar district.
January 21: ULFA cadres triggered a blast on pipelines of the Oil
India Ltd inside Rangali Reserve Forest under Kakatibari police
station in the Sibsagar district.
January 20: Ten persons, including eight personnel of the Central
Industrial Security Force (CISF), are injured in a grenade attack by
the ULFA at the entrance of the Guwahati Refinery at Noonmati in
Guwahati city.
January 16: A ULFA militant is killed in an encounter with the police
at Santipur in the Tinsukia district.
January 15: Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) intimates the Assam
Government of an extortion letter served by the ‘28th battalion’ of
the ULFA on its corporate office at Nazira in the Sibsagar district
demanding Rupees 5000 million.
January 12: Suspected ULFA militants attack a Royal Bhutanese Army
patrol and kill an army guide near village Gerwa in the southern
district of Samdrup Jongkhar of Bhutan bordering Assam.
January 2: ULFA ‘chairman’, Arabinda Rajkhowa, in the outfit’s
mouthpiece Freedom reacting to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s
announcement of a safe passage for the outfit’s cadres during the Bihu
festivities said that the Union Government is playing a ‘dangerous
game’ by “talking of peace and unleashing the armed forces on its
unsuspecting cadre at the same time.”
January 1: Arabinda Rajkhowa rules out holding direct peace talks with
New Delhi unless the Government released some of their senior jailed
leaders.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/terrorist_outfits/ULFA_tl.htm
Sid Harth
2005
December 30: SULFA cadre, Biren Neog, is killed in police firing at
Digboi in the Tinsukia district.
December 27: Officer-in-charge of the Nelli outpost and a ULFA cadre
are killed in an encounter at Durapani under Jagiroad police station
in the Morigaon district.
December 22: Police dismantles a bomb-making factory of the ULFA at
Pushpawan village under Merapani police station in the Golaghat
district.
December 16: SULFA cadre Manikut Kalita is killed by the ULFA at
Dipila Chowk, about 18 kilometers away from Mangaldoi town.
November 18: Two ULFA cadres are killed in an encounter with the Army
at Medhipara village under Bilasipara police station in Dhubri
district.
November 18: A SULFA cadre, Parikhit Hazarika, abducted earlier by an
unidentified group on November 17, is found with stab injuries at the
Digboi-Pengeri road in the Tinsukia district. Hazarika succumbs to his
injuries at the district civil hospital.
November 6: Three suspected ULFA cadres, Buten Gogoi, Pradip Gohain
and Divyajyoti Gohain, are arrested from Rojabari under Chabua police
station in the Dibrugarh district.
November 4: Two unidentified ULFA militants are killed by the Army at
Tekelipathar under Pengeri police station in the Tinsukia district.
November 1: The ULFA, in its fortnightly newsletter Freedom, greets
the People’s Consultative Group for starting the peace process with
the Centre and raising the matter of sovereignty in the meeting.
October 27: A ULFA cadre, ‘Lance corporal’ Meena Bokolial alias Meena
Gogoi of the outfit’s ‘28th battalion’ and three other women cadres,
Binita Hazarika, Monalisa Moran and Khyanmanti Moran, are arrested by
the Army at Dighalipathar in the Philobari area of Tinsukia district.
October 26: A round of negotiations between the Union Government and
the ULFA-backed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) is held in New
Delhi.
October 25: Two ULFA terrorists, Chand Barman alias Ritesh Saud and
Surat Deka alias Rupjyoti, are killed by the police at Mowamari
Chapori in the Darrang district.
October 25: Security forces arrest Nripen Sarma, chairperson of a
women’s organisation Lovita, along with two other members from the
organization’s office at Chayygaon in the Kamrup district on charges
of having a nexus with the ULFA.
October 24: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill a hotel employee, Pramode
Singh, at Khowang in the Dibrugarh district for non-payment of
extortion money.
October 7: A ULFA cadre, Dulu Sonowal, is shot dead during an
encounter with the SFs at Jokai Sohikota Tepuguri village in the
Dibrugarh district.
October 1: ULFA, in its mouthpiece Freedom, says that it would not
start any negotiations with the Government till the time Army
operations against the outfit are completely stopped.
September 29: The ULFA sends a formal letter informing the Prime
Minister's Office of the formation of the People's Consultative
Group.
September 26: Two ULFA terrorists, Nilim Kumar and Hiren Dohotia, are
killed by the Army at Dibru-Saikhowa in the Tinsukia district.
September 23: A ULFA cadre, identified as Azad Barua alias Swadhin
Ray, is arrested from a flat in the South 24 Parganas district of West
Bengal.
September 20: The Army, during its ongoing operations in the Dibru-
Saikhowa reserve forest, kills a ULFA 'battalion commander', Achintya
Saikia, and one of his woman associates in an encounter near Ajuka
village.
September 19: Biju Chakravarti alias Shailen Sharma, a senior ULFA
cadre, is arrested along with his wife from a locality near Amber Fort
in Jaipur, capital city of Rajasthan.
September 14: ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, in a press statement,
says 12 of the outfit's cadres have been killed in the army operations
in the Dibru-Saikhowa forests. Army authorities, however, deny this.
September 8: ULFA calls for a dawn-to-dusk general strike in protest
against “Government's negligence towards the treatment of ULFA leader
Robin Handique leading to his death.”
September 8: ULFA announces a 10-member people's consultative group
headed by mediator Indira Goswami to enter into a dialogue with the
Union Government.
August 31: Robin Handique, 'Political Advisor' of the ULFA, dies at
Kanaklata Civil Hospital following kidney failure.
August 30: Two ULFA terrorists shoot dead a school-teacher, Sukleswar
Medhi, in front of the Balitara High School in Nalbari district. A
ULFA terrorist is killed in the subsequent army operation in the same
area.
August 30: Army launches an anti-insurgency operation in the Dibru-
Saikhowa reserve forest in Tinsukia district in search of ULFA
terrorists, Prabal Neog, Jiten Dutta and A. Saikia of the '28th
battalion'.
August 27: One person is killed and 14 others sustain injuries when
ULFA cadres hurled two grenades at a police party on the national
highway at Changsari in the Kamrup district.
August 22: C. Bora, a doctor, and two nurses are arrested from
Rupaisiding in the Tinsukia district for alleged nexus with the ULFA.
The doctor confesses of having treated several ULFA cadres.
August 16: ULFA militants shot dead a civilian at Khamti Mohang
village under the Bordumsa Police Station limits.
August 11: Six ULFA collaborators are arrested from the Charigaon and
Koronga areas of Jorhat district.
August 9: An activist of the human rights organisation, Manab Adhikar
Sangram Samiti, Benudhar Hazarika, is arrested from Abhayapuri village
under Borholla police station in the Jorhat district for nexus with
the ULFA.
August 7: Four persons are killed and 12 others sustain injuries in an
explosion triggered by the ULFA at a bus stand at Boko in the Kamrup
district.
August 7: ULFA carries out a series of explosions targeting army
installations, oil and gas pipelines, electric and telephone exchanges
in the Nalbari, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tinsukia and Lakhimpur
districts.
July 31: ULFA asks politicians from New Delhi to keep away from
campaigning in the Legislative Assembly elections in early 2006. The
outfit's chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, in an e-mail to the local media
says, “The practice of inviting leaders of national parties to the
state, as if they were leaders from Assam, and listening to their
speeches must be stopped immediately.”
July 27: A ULFA terrorist and one Army personnel are killed in an
encounter at the 12-Mile area inside Tinkupani reserve forest under
Lekhapani police station in the Tinsukia district.
July 26: Three ULFA cadres are killed and another sustains injuries in
an encounter with the Army personnel between Jagun and Jairampur in
the Sibsagar district.
July 18: Guwahati city police arrests four ULFA linkmen from various
parts of the city.
July 14: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an explosion targeting a
security forces’ vehicle inside the Duramara Reserve Forest area under
Pengeri Police Station in Tinsukia district.
July 11: ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, in a letter to the
Prime Minister, threatens to ‘reconsider’ the option of negotiating
with the Government if the dialogue process does not focus on
sovereignty for the State. The outfit further says that any dialogue
process could begin only after the release of 10 of its leaders
currently held in various jails in India, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
June 26: Twelve persons, including six CRPF personnel, are injured in
an IED explosion triggered by suspected ULFA terrorists in the Nine
Mile area of Guwahati city. Two persons succumb to their injuries
subsequently.
June 24: A police officer, Puna Gogoi, is killed by the ULFA at Talap
Bazaar in the Tinsukia district.
June 22: Mojammel Haque, a ULFA 'commander', is arrested from a
hideout at Baxirhat in the Coochbehar district of West Bengal.
June 22: Two unidentified ULFA cadres are killed in an encounter with
the police at Jonai in the Dhemaji district.
June 20: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger a powerful explosion at the
State Secretariat complex in the capital Dispur.
June 19: Four ULFA terrorists and one soldier are killed during two
encounters in the Nalbari district.
June 16: Four ULFA terrorists, including three woman cadres, are
killed in an encounter with the police at Doloni village under Khowang
Police Station in the Dibrugarh district.
June 16: Ten ULFA cadres, including ‘sergeant major’ Amit Chandra
Mandal, surrender before the Army in Dhubri along with some arms and
ammunition.
June 16: Ten ULFA cadres, including ‘sergeant major’ Amit Chandra
Mandal, surrender before the Army in Dhubri along with some arms and
ammunition.
June 9: An hotelier in Guwahati city, Hemendra Dutta Choudhury, is
arrested for alleged nexus with the ULFA.
June 7: Fourteen terrorists belonging to different militant outfits,
including the ULFA, surrender before authorities at the Misa Army
camp.
June 5: Arms and ammunition belonging to the ULFA’s ‘109 battalion’
are recovered from the Bamundanga area of Goalpara district.
June 6: A woman, identified as Suchitra Rai, is arrested from Basugaon
in the Kokrajhar district for alleged links with the ULFA.
June 5: Two ULFA terrorists belonging to the outfit’s '28th
battalion', identified as Apurba Barua and Pawan Moran, are killed
during an encounter with the army personnel at Jokaichowkgaon under
Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia district.
June 5: Police in Guwahati arrest Tapan Deka, a junior engineer of the
Northeast Frontier Railway, and his daughter from the Jalukbari
locality for suspected links with the ULFA.
June 4: Suspected ULFA terrorists explode a bomb beneath a microwave
tower at Gutanagar.
June 1: Three ULFA terrorists surrender before the Army authorities at
Panbari in the Dhubri district.
May 30: ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah asks for the release
of four of the outfit’s leaders before commencement of talks with the
Union Government.
May 27: An IED explosion by the ULFA damages the wooden bridge at
Maithong on the National Highway No. 52, connecting the eastern parts
of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
May 26: ULFA triggers IED explosions in the Choto Dirak and Dirak
Chariali areas near Kakopathar in Tinsukia district damaging the
electric transformers.
May 26: Suspected ULFA cadres kill a leader of the Congress party,
Amrit Dutta, at the Dhekorgorah Block office under Pulibor police
station in Jorhat district.
May 26: Three security force (SF) personnel are wounded in an
explosion triggered by the ULFA targeting an army vehicle at Digboi-
Pengeri road in the Dibrugarh district.
May 25: A hardcore ULFA cadre, Ashanta Rajguru alias Raj Baishya, is
arrested from an unspecified location on the Assam-Meghalaya border.
May 24: A civilian is killed by suspected ULFA terrorists at Dirakmukh
under Dhola police station in the Tinsukia district.
May 24: Four ULFA collaborators are arrested from the Noonmati police
station area in Guwahati and Rongjuli police station area in
Goalpara.
May 23: Three persons, including one SF personnel, are injured as
suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an IED explosion in the Noonmati
locality of Guwahati city.
May 21: A college teacher and a freelance journalist are arrested from
Bilasipara in the Dubri district and Panbazaar in Kamrup district
respectively for alleged links with the ULFA and involvement in
several explosions in Guwahati.
May 20: Four ULFA terrorists are arrested along with a unspecified
number of IEDs from Kumarikata in the Baska district.
May 20: Suspected ULFA cadres trigger an IED explosion partially
damaging a bridge at Sadiya in the Dibrugarh district.
May 20: One Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel is killed and
four others sustain injuries during an ambush by the ULFA at Borhat
under Sonari subdivision in the Sibsagar district.
May 14: Two ULFA cadres, Debajit Amche and Palesh Malang, are arrested
from the Rangfang gaon area in Karbi Anglong district.
May 14: Police recover two universal machine guns, three magazines and
60 rounds from an ULFA hideout at Masuk in the West Garo Hills
district of Meghalaya.
May 9: Three ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter with the
Army at Kothalguri in the Dibrugarh district.
May 8: Army personnel kill two ULFA cadres, identified as Ugra Barman
and Uddipta Bharali, at Dhanbil in the Nalbari district.
April 27: Two ULFA terrorists are arrested from Baruabamungaon in the
Golaghat district.
April 24: Six ULFA cadres, including a woman ‘sergeant major’, are
arrested at Sesupani in the Tinsukia district.
April 18: Four ULFA terrorists are arrested during two separate
operations at Baichara village and Jail Road area in the Nalbari
district.
April 12: Sixteen ULFA cadres surrender before the General Officer
Commanding of the 2 Mountain Division at Laipuli in the Tinsukia
district.
April 2: A ULFA cadre is killed by the Guwahati City Police during an
encounter at Panjabari-Bagharbori Napara area under Dispur police
station limits.
April 1: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an explosion at Kharbilpar
village under Barama police station in the Baska district.
April 1: ULFA carries out several explosions in Guwahati, Dhemaji and
Tinsukia targeting security forces and oil pipelines and injure more
than 15 persons.
March 27: Four ULFA terrorists, including hardcore cadre Khagen Boruah
alias Rana Gohain, surrender before the Sivasagar district police.
March 24: Police arrests three ULFA terrorists from the residence of
an advocate near the Assam Engineering College in Guwahati.
March 16: A suspected ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter with
the security forces at Misa Hatkhola under Khairabari police station
limits in the Darrang district.
March 16: Diganta Baruah alias Kesar Jyoti Saikia, ‘second commander’
of the ULFA’s ‘Enigma group’ and a bodyguard of Paresh Baruah, are
killed during an encounter at Nikhira village under Khairabari police
station in the Udalguri district.
March 15: Six people are injured during an explosion suspected to have
been triggered by the ULFA at Bihpuria in the Lakhimpur district.
March 14: Hiten Thakuria, a ULFA terrorist, is killed in an encounter
with the Army at Ghasbari village in the Dhubri district.
March 12: Suspected ULFA terrorist, Parag Das, is killed during an
encounter with the police in the Lokhra area of Guwahati city.
March 11: One person is killed and nine others are wounded as ULFA
terrorists lob a grenade targeting a police vehicle in front of the
headquarters of the Congress party in Guwahati city.
March 11: ULFA terrorists trigger an explosion in front of a hotel
near the Sivasagar police station injuring 11 people.
March 9: One police personnel is killed and seven others sustain
injuries as suspected ULFA terrorists trigger several bomb explosions
across the Bongaigaon, Kamrup, Dhubri and Sivasagar districts.
March 2: Two ULFA terrorists, Biren Gogoi and Naren Gogoi, are
arrested from Lengeri Bamunbari No. 2 village in Dibrugarh district.
February 28: Two ULFA terrorists, including Suman Barua alias Ruby
Bhuyan, editor of the outfit’s mouthpiece Freedom, and Chandan Borah,
a bomb expert believed to be trained in Pakistan, surrender before the
Assam Police in Guwahati.
February 26: Three ULFA terrorists, identified as ‘lance corporal of
Sivasagar’ Amar Mili, Pallav Kakoti alias Ban Moran and Nasang Rangpi,
are killed in an encounter with Army personnel at Kheroni Hatimura
under Bordumsa police station on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
February 20, 2005: Suspected ULFA cadres hurl a grenade at a grocery
shop located at Kakopathar Tiniali under Kakopathar police station in
Tinsukia district injuring the owner and four persons.
February 10: A ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter with the Army
personnel at Khalenapara under Barama police station in the Baska
district.
February 8: ULFA terrorists explode a bomb at Kardaiguri village in
the Tinsukia District targeting the Army personnel on patrol. However,
no loss of life or injury is reported.
February 7: A ULFA cadre is killed during an encounter with the Army
personnel at Jagun Meo under Lekhapani police station in the Tinsukia
District.
February 7: ULFA terrorists explode a grenade targeting a shop at
Rupai Chaiding under Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia
district.
January 26: A ULFA cadre is killed during an encounter with the Army
at Amguri under Lakhpur police station in Goalpara district.
January 26: Two persons are seriously injured as ULFA terrorists
trigger an explosion near Bamunimaidan in Guwahati City.
January 26: ULFA cadres explode a bomb under a culvert at Bongaigaon.
January 26: ULFA cadres explode two bombs near the Judges' field in
Guwahati City targeting the Republic Day celebrations. Three persons,
including a police officer, are injured in the second explosion.
January 25: ULFA terrorists lob a grenade near Railway Gate No.3 at
Maligaon in Guwahati City.
January 24: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger a grenade blast at
Ganesguri in the capital Guwahati injuring seven persons.
January 23: ULFA activists hurl a grenade targeting the outer
barricade of Golaghat Jail in Golaghat district.
January 20: ULFA terrorists explode a bomb targeting a portion of a
gas pipe line at Sarupathar Bengaligaon under Chabua police station in
Dibrugarh district.
January 19: ULFA cadres hurl a bomb at Mangaldoi police station
compound in the Darrang district resulting in injuries to a police
personnel.
January 19: ULFA terrorists hurl a grenade at Jonai police station in
the Dhemaji district.
January 19: An Electric Tower located at Toklai tea estate in the
Jorhat district is damaged due to an explosion triggered by the ULFA.
January 19: One person is killed and six others sustain injuries
during a bomb blast triggered by suspected ULFA terrorists at Boxirhat
under Golokganj police station in the Dhubri district.
January 15: An ULFA terrorist, Ajit Deka, is killed in an encounter at
Gandhibari village under Tamulpur Police Station in the Nalbari
district.
January 11: Fourteen civilians, including a nine-year-old girl and
four women, are injured when suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an
explosion at the Marwaripatty area of Jorhat town.
January 8: A surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre, Ashok Das, is killed by
suspected ULFA terrorists in the Barama town of Nalbari district.
2004
December 30: Security forces’ arrest two ULFA terrorists, Jayanta Gaon
and Arup Dutta, suspected to have been involved in the improvised
explosive device blast at the Jalukonibari police outpost on December
24, from an unspecified place in Jorhat district.
December 28: ULFA terrorist, Dipak Das, is killed during an encounter
with the Army at Aagsia village in the Kamrup district.
December 27: Two ULFA cadres, Narak Rabha and Dipak Rabha, surrender
before the police at Goalpara.
December 26: Three ULFA terrorists are killed following an encounter
with the police at Mornoi Garchouk along the Assam-Nagaland border in
the Jorhat district.
December 24: Unidentified ULFA terrorists hurl a grenade targeting the
Janukoni police outpost under Titabor police station in the Jorhat
district.
December 22: Assam Police kill a ULFA cadre, Ujjal Roy alias Aliul
Islam, at Bhaibazar in the Dhubri district.
December 18: Six persons are injured as suspected ULFA terrorists lob
a grenade targeting a vehicle in the Noonmati area of Guwahati city.
December 17: In an e-mail message, ‘Chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda
Rajkhowa, states that the outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’, Paresh
Baruah, has fallen ill and is being shifted to a safe location for
surgery.
December 16: Medhi, a ‘sergeant major’, of the ULFA surrenders before
the troops at Panbari in the Dhubri district.
December 16: One person is killed and 12 others sustain injuries when
suspected ULFA terrorists lob a grenade in the Paltan Bazaar area of
Guwahati city.
December 15: ULFA terrorists hurl a grenade targeting a police team
and injure nine persons at Silapathar in the Dhemaji district.
December 15: ULFA terrorists lob a grenade at a CRPF patrol party at
Sadiya Bazaar in the Tinsukia district.
December 14: Two persons are killed and 26 others sustain injuries
when a timer explosive device, planted by ULFA terrorists, explodes at
Maya Bazaar in Morigaon town.
December 14: A timer device explodes opposite the Haiborgaon police
station in Nagaon town killing one person and injuring 17 others.
December 14: A CRPF personnel and a civilian are injured when
unidentified ULFA terrorists lob a grenade near a cinema hall in
Guwahati city.
December 14: Two army personnel are wounded in a bomb blast by ULFA
terrorists near the Guwahati railway station.
December 14: ULFA detonates a bomb blast targeting a rural telephone
exchange at Kakojan in the Tinsukia district.
December 13: Two police personnel are killed and eight others sustain
injuries in two explosions engineered by the ULFA in front of the
Hatigaon police outpost in Guwahati city.
December 10: Two hardcore ULFA terrorists, Raju Gogoi, an explosive
expert and ‘major’ Jyotish Nath, surrender at Panbari in the Dhubri
district and the district headquarters of Sibsagar district.
December 9: An unidentified ULFA terrorist is killed during an
encounter with the Army at Merkuchi village in the Nalbari district.
December 9: ULFA rejects the invitation from the Prime Minister’s
Office (PMO) for peace talks. Talking to media houses in Guwahati over
telephone, the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’, Paresh Barua states that the
PMO letter sent through noted writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami was ‘self-
contradictory and confusing’.
December 8: The Nazira Police arrest Bijuli Devi, wife of ULFA ‘second
lieutenant’ Sujit Mohan, commander of ‘B’ camp at Myanmar with her two-
year-old child from an unspecified place in the Sibsagar district.
December 5: Two hardcore ULFA terrorists, ‘second lieutenant’ of the
outfit’s ‘109 Battalion’, Rubul Ali and ‘lieutenant’ of the same
battalion, Subhash Sharma, are killed in an encounter with the army at
Kumarbari in the Kamrup district.
December 5: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter with the army
personnel at Kumarbari under Palashbari police station in Kamrup
district.
December 4: Three militants belonging to the ULFA including a woman
cadre surrender to the army authorities in Dibrugarh.
December 3: The Sentinel quoting police sources reports that ULFA is
planning a major offensive in Dhemaji district and 20 hardcore cadres
of the outfit trained in the Kachin area of Myanmar are trying to
sneak into the district.
November 29: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an explosion at an
unspecified place in Tinsukia district damaging two electric poles.
November 29: ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’, Paresh Barua claims that at
least 150 ULFA cadres have been working in various security force
establishments in the country. In an interview to the Sentinel Baruah
says, "As the Indian security forces have sneaked in their members
into our organisation, we are also adopting a similar policy."
November 27: Three ULFA terrorists including a woman cadre and a
doctor working for the outfit are arrested from Tengapukhuri under
Mathurapur police station limits in Sibsagar district.
November 27: ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, in a press statement,
demands a plebiscite on the issue of sovereignty of Assam. He assures
that the outfit would follow the verdict of the plebiscite and urged
the Government of India to do the same.
November 26: Three ULFA terrorists surrender before the Tinsukia
district administration at Tinsukia.
November 25: ULFA terrorist Nomal Gogoi is killed and another
terrorist is arrested following an encounter at Dhingchapari near
Sadia in Dibrugarh district.
November 25: ULFA, on the eve of the ‘protest day’, triggers a series
of explosions in different parts of the State injuring six persons.
November 23: A ULFA terrorist, Biswajit Bora and three of his aides
are arrested by the security forces following an encounter at Maskhowa
under Deberapar police station in Jorhat district.
November 22: Two ULFA terrorists, Praneshware Rabha and Bokul
Rajkhowa, are killed in an encounter with the army at an unspecified
place along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Goalpara district.
November 21: Two ULFA terrorists, a ‘general secretary’ of the Dhubri
district unit, Atul Baruah alias Arabinda Nath and Sushen Bepari, a
‘lieutenant’ in the outfit’s ‘central communication’, surrender before
the Dhubri Superintendent of Police at Dhubri.
November 19: Three ULFA terrorists, belonging to its ‘Enigma-B group"
including a woman cadre surrender before the army and police
authorities at Tamulpur in Nalbari district.
November 18: In an e-mail message to the local media, ULFA’s
‘chairman’, Arabinda Rajkhowa, expresses willingness to begin a peace
dialogue with the Government of India, provided the outfit is formally
invited. He reiterates that no discussion would be possible without
the outfit’s demand for sovereignty on the agenda and described the
issue as "a right of the people of Assam" and not a "mere demand by
his organization".
November 16: Talking to The Sentinel over the phone, the ULFA’s
‘commander-in-chief’, Paresh Barua make it clear that any talks with
the Central government must have ‘sovereignty’ as the core issue to
make it a meaningful exercise.
November 15: A ULFA terrorist, Jayanto Moran alias Jotin surrender
before the army authorities in Tinsukia on November 15.
November 15: ULFA terrorist Amal Barua alias Jiban Sarma killed in an
encounter at Milanpur village in Golaghat district.
November 14: ULFA terrorist, Prakash Boro alias Mukti Kachari arrested
subsequent to an encounter at Jagiroad in Morigaon district.
November 10: Six ULFA cadres surrender before the Army at Missa in
Nagaon district.
November 9: ULFA ‘second lieutenant’, Tulu Bora killed following a gun
battle with the troops of Red Horns Division at Chiramoga in Goalpara
distinct.
November 8: An ULFA terrorist Manas Das alias Mridul killed near
Nalbari town.
November 4: Self-styled ‘second lieutenant' of the ‘28th battalion’ of
the ULFA, Simanta Saikia alias Simanta Chinese along with his
associate, Nijut Chetia surrender at the Laipuli Army camp in Tinsukia
district along with an AK-56 rifle and ammunition.
November 1: An army personnel is killed following an encounter with
the ULFA terrorists at Lakhrakhan under Sepakhati police station in
Sibsagar district.
October 30: ULFA threatens to target Congress ministers, MLAs and
other district and local-level leaders of the party to avenge the
killing of five cadres of the outfit in Lakhimpur district on October
29 by the security forces.
October 29: Five ULFA terrorists, members of the outfit’s ‘Action
Group’, are killed in an encounter with the security forces at
Kasojuli village under Laluk police station limits in Lakhimpur
district.
October 29: 13 ULFA terrorists, including a women cadre surrender
before the police at Dibrugarh along with an AK-56 rifle, a .56
pistol, a wireless set and several rounds of ammunition.
October 27: Eight ULFA cadres surrender before the district
administration at Sibsagar along with an AK-56 rifle, one hand
grenade, one gun, magazines, live cartridges and a wireless set.
October 19: Troops of the Army’s Red Horn division arrests the
‘commander’ of the ULFA’s Bongaigaon unit, Pulak Bharali, alias Uday
Das from Utamar village in Dhubri district.
October 12: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill two civilians at
Mridongpara in Tinsukia district.
October 3: Two persons including a six-year-old boy were injured as
ULFA terrorists open fire at a weekly market at Gossaigaon in the
Kokrajhar district.
October 3: ULFA terrorists blow up a gas pipeline near Borhat Tea
Estate in the Sibsagar district disrupting supply of gas to several
tea factories of Upper Assam.
October 3: Seven army personnel were injured in a grenade attack by
ULFA terrorists at a bus carrying them at Medongpara Dhola Road under
Doomdooma police station in the Tinsukia district.
October 2: Suspected NDFB and ULFA terrorists trigger a series of bomb
blasts and open indiscriminate firing at various places in lower Assam
killing at least 24 people and wounding over 40.
September 30: Assam police arrests two ULFA terrorists including a
"bomb expert" identified as Mihir Chetia, from Halwating Tea Estate
along the Assam-Nagaland border in the Sibsagar district.
September 29: ULFA terrorist Lohit Chandra Roy alias Akon Hazong,
killed in an encounter with the Assam Police at Bidyapur Rabhapara in
Bongaigaon district.
September 23: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter with the
troops at Nayapara under Krishnai police station in Goalpara district.
September 22: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter with the
army personnel at Singimari under Palasbari police station in Kamrup
district.
September 21: ULFA terrorists kill a civilian at Rashigaon in
Bongaigaon district.
September 15: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter with the
security forces at Khilakimari village under Golokganj police station
in Dhubri district.
September 12: Two ULFA terrorists, including a self-styled lieutenant,
Rakta Cheleng, are killed in an encounter at Mulong Pahar under Ledo
police station in Tinsukia district.
September 7: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at
Balatarigaon in Barpeta district.
August 29: Two army personnel are killed in an IED explosion by
suspected ULFA terrorists at Shantipara-Sakumari in Kamrup district.
August 27: 47 ULFA cadres surrender at the Assam Rifles camp at
Chardwar in Sonitpur district.
August 26: ULFA terrorists trigger a series of bomb blasts in
different districts of Assam, killing six persons and injuring 80
others.
August 25: One person is killed and 10 others, including two police
personnel, are injured in a grenade attack by ULFA terrorists in front
of a movie theatre at Dibrugarh town.
August 25: Assam Police arrests self-styled 'lieutenant' of the ULFA’s
‘28th Battalion’, Anju Saikia alas Dalimi Dutta, from Puthinadi in the
Jorhat district.
August 19: ULFA 'Commander-in-Chief', Paresh Baruah, in a statement to
the media denies his outfit’s involvement in the August 15-explosion
at Dhemaji.
August 15: Seventeen persons, including 16 school children, were
killed as ULFA detonates explosives at the venue of Independence Day
celebrations at Dhemaji town.
A separate explosion by the ULFA, at the venue of Independence Day
celebrations at Dhakuakhana in Dhemaji district, results in no
casualty.
August 14: One civilian is killed and 18 others are injured as
suspected ULFA terrorists trigger a grenade blast inside a cinema hall
at Gauripur in Dhubri district.
August 10: Two ULFA terrorists, a SULFA cadre and a police personnel
are killed in an encounter at Jorabat in the Kamrup district.
August 8: ULFA explodes five powerful improvised explosive devices
targeting two transmission towers of the Power Grid Corporation of
India Limited and Assam State Electricity Board at Titabor in the
Jorhat district.
August 7: A security force personnel is killed as suspected ULFA
terrorists lob a grenade on a vehicle of the Border Security Force
(BSF) at the Machkhowa locality in Guwahati city.
August 3: A Block Development Officer of Manikpur in Bongaigaon
district killed by suspected ULFA cadres in front of his office.
August 2: The Assam Police arrests Simanta Phukan alias Bastav Deodhai
Phukan, chief of ULFA’s 'Enigma unit' and commander of the outfit’s
‘28th battalion’ along with his associate Dulal Baruah, from Napam
Mising village under Gaurisagar police station in Sibsagar district.
July 23: Two ULFA cadres, identified as Ratiul Barua and Dhaniram
Barua, are killed in an encounter at Sundardheki in the Lakhimpur
district.
July 22: ULFA ‘district commander’ of Bongaigaon, Hitesh Rai, is
killed during an encounter at Majigaon.
July 21: ULFA terrorists kill two activists of the Congress and
Bharatiya Janata Party at Jagun in the Tinsukia district.
July 17: Media reports indicate that 25 northeastern militants
including several ULFA cadres have been killed in separate attacks by
unidentified assailants in various localities of Dhaka city.
Bangladesh Government denies the occurrence of any such incident.
July 17: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill a trader at Kabaitari market
in the Bongaigaon district for non-payment of extortion money.
July 16: Unidentified militants fire at the residences of three ULFA
cadres in Sibsagar city.
July 16: ULFA terrorists trigger a blast targeting a telephone
exchange at Chabua in the Dibrugarh district, causing extensive damage
to the exchange.
July 15: Six persons, including three Assam Police personnel, are
wounded when suspected ULFA terrorists hurled a hand grenade near the
Bongaigaon civil hospital in the Bongaigaon district.
July 15: Suspected ULFA terrorists blow up an oil pipeline belonging
to the Oil India Limited at a village near Tengakhat in the Dibrugarh
district.
July 15: ULFA terrorists blow up a gas pipeline of the Assam Gas
Company at Bismile in the Dibrugarh district.
July 14: ULFA terrorists kill a SULFA cadre, identified as Monul
Haque, at Hajo in the Kamrup district.
July 10 : Twelve persons are injured during a grenade explosion in a
cinema hall at Nagaon by suspected ULFA terrorists.
July 9: ULFA terrorists shoot dead two local leaders of the Congress
party, identified as Debajit Haloi and Bipul Talukdar, at Santipur
Milan Chowk under Barama police station limits in Nalbari district.
July 2: Assam police arrest a man, identified as Nirmal Das, for
allegedly harbouring ULFA terrorists from the Basistha locality of
Guwahati city.
June 29: A suspected ULFA woman cadre, namely Mamoni Devi alias Bibha
Hazarika, is arrested from Sarupathar in the Golaghat district.
June 29: Seventeen terrorists belonging to the ULFA, NDFB and Tiwa
Liberation Tiger Force surrender at Misa in the Nagaon district.
June 28: Union Minister of State for Defence, B K Handique, speaking
to the press in Guwahati rules out the possibility of the Union
Government announcing any unilateral cease-fire with the ULFA.
June 28: Thirty-nine terrorists, including four women cadres of the
ULFA and Bodo Tiger Force (BTF), surrender at North Lakhimpur along
with 10 assorted weapons.
June 24: Seven bus passengers are killed and fifteen others sustain
injuries as suspected ULFA terrorists detonate a bomb inside a
passenger bus at Majgaon under Mathurapur police station limits in the
Sibsagar district.
June 21: ULFA triggers a bomb blast in the premises of the Telephone
Exchange cum Post Office of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) at
Tengakhat in Dibrugarh district. The explosion partially damages the
office although no casualty is reported.
June 20: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in an interview to The
Telegraph says that the Union Government is keen to have negotiations
with the ULFA and the NDFB on the lines of the dialogue with the NSCN-
IM.
June 19: Seventeen people are wounded as suspected ULFA terrorists
trigger an explosion at Chamber Road in the Tinsukia town. One person
later succumbs to his injuries.
June 19: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an IED and blow up a coal-
laden goods train at Ultapur railway station between Digboi and
Margherita in the Tinsukia district derailing eight bogies. A driver
of the train was injured in the incident.
June 18: ULFA serves an extortion demand amounting to Rupees 25 lakh
on a business establishment, SRI Company, in the Mangaldoi town.
June 17: Three ULFA cadres are arrested from Bordubi in the Tinsukia
district.
June 17: One ULFA terrorist is killed during an encounter with the
Army at Lokrapara village in Goalpara district.
June 16: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, in an interview to the
Press Trust of India in Guwahati, says that the ULFA has shown the
‘first signs’ of coming to the negotiation table to solve the
insurgency problem.
June 16: ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, in a telephonic
conversation with the Guwahati-based vernacular daily Pratidin,
rejects the Chief Minister’s statement as baseless.
June 14: ULFA terrorist Rohit Mardi alias Hopna Mazda of Bharaguri
village in Kokrajhar district killed in an encounter with Army at
Pachim Mannatari village under Tihu PS in Nalbari district. An AK-56
rifle with two magazines, 24 rounds of AK-56 live ammunition etc are
recovered from him.
June 11: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi states in Guwahati that, "The
recent understanding between the ULFA and the NSCN-IM is a threat to
the State."
June 9: Twenty-three people are wounded when suspected ULFA cadres
explode a grenade inside a cinema hall at Tinsukia. One of the injured
dies a day later.
June 4: A surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre is killed by suspected ULFA
terrorists at Chakchaka Bazaar under Sarbhog police station limits in
Barpeta district.
June 4: Suspected ULFA terrorists blow up an oil pipeline of the Oil
India Limited at Geetapathar in the Tinsukia district.
June 3: Self-styled district commander of the ULFA in Nagaon, Siba
Rajbongsi alias Rajen Gohain, is arrested by the Army from Diphu in
the Karbi Anglong district.
June 3: Three ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at Bhalukdabi
village in the Goalpara district.
May 31: Six surrendered ULFA and NDFB terrorists are arrested while
extorting money from a private hospital at Udalguri.
May 29: ULFA ‘foreign secretary’, Sashadhar Choudhury, in a statement,
demands the release of seven of the outfit’s leaders, missing during
the Bhutan Military operations in December 2003, in exchange for the
release of the Assam State Minister G C Langthasa’s son whom it had
earlier abducted.
May 22: Twenty ULFA terrorists surrender to the Army authorities at
Tamulpur in the Nalbari district.
May 10: A school teacher of Kukurmara village is killed by two ULFA
terrorists at Tan Tan High School in the Kamrup district.
May 5: Hardcore ULFA terrorist, Rudrajit Deodhai Phukan of Deoraja
Mantania village in Sibsagar district, is killed during an encounter
with the Army at Na-Kathalguri village in Tinsukia district.
April 30: One ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter with the Army
at Bordoloinagar under Tinsukia police station limits in Tinsukia
District.
April 27: Security forces recover seven kilograms of RDX planted by
suspected ULFA terrorists underneath the railway tracks at Kurshakati
in the Kokrajhar district.
April 26: Two ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter with the
Army at Lakhopur village in the Nalbari district.
April 24: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in a bomb explosion inside a
building under construction at Bishnu Nagar in Tinsukia District.
April 14: Two persons, including a child, are killed when suspected
ULFA terrorists hurled a grenade targeting a group of security force
personnel at Ganeshguri in Guwahati city.
April 10: Three ULFA cadres are killed during an encounter with the
troops near Hahim in Kamrup district along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
April 6: Nine police personnel are injured in a bomb blast, suspected
to be carried out by the ULFA, at Ghuguha in the Dhemaji district.
April 4: Two ULFA terrorists, identified as Bhaba Gogoi and Navajyoti
Gogoi, are killed in an encounter with the police at Changpur in
Golaghat district.
April 3: Twenty people are wounded in a bomb explosion triggered by
suspected ULFA terrorists inside a movie hall at Simaluguri in the
Sibsagar district.
March 31: Speaking to the media in Dhaka, Bangladesh Foreign Minister
Morshed Khan rules out the possibility of handing over ULFA leader
Anup Chetia, who is now in jail, to Indian authorities.
March 29: Two ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter with the
Army’s Red Horn Division at Aranga Nala in Kamrup district.
March 24: ULFA terrorist Biki Chutia alias Rakesh Chutia of Purana
Matapung is killed in an encounter with Army at Daimali Tea Estate
under Doomdooma police station limits in Tinsukia District.
March 20: Suspected ULFA terrorists detonate explosives targeting the
underground oil pipeline at Ratnapuria Chetiapathar in Sibsagar
district.
March 7: A goods train coming from Ledo to Guwahati is derailed when
suspected ULFA terrorists explode an Improvised Explosive Device on
the railway track at a place between Bhojo and Sufrai railway stations
under Sonari police station in the Sibsagar district.
March 4: Two security force personnel and a ULFA terrorist are killed
in an encounter at Doholapara village in the Barpeta district.
March 3: Eight ULFA and one NDFB cadre surrender at the Udalguri army
camp of the 62 Field Artillery Regiment in Darrang district.
March 3: Assam Police recover a huge cache of arms and ammunition,
kept buried by ULFA terrorists in Bishondoi village in the Dhubri
district. 12 AK-56 rifles, one US carbine, one rocket launcher, 28
rounds of AK-56 ammunition, seven universal machine guns magazines,
one camera, some wireless sets, six rocket launcher cells and
documents relating to arms training are recovered.
March 3: Four ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter with troops
of the Red Horns Division of the Army at Tepkilobana in the Kamrup
district.
February 25: Assam Government extends the period of ‘general amnesty’
to cadres of the terrorist organizations- ULFA, NDFB, anti-talks
faction of the UPDS and anti-talks faction of the Dima Halim Daoga
(DHD) - till March 31 to enable them to surrender.
February 24: Two unidentified ULFA terrorists and a SULFA cadre are
killed in an encounter at Samotiapara village in Nalbari district.
February 19: Atul Barooah, ‘Finance Secretary (Western Zone)’ of the
ULFA, is killed during an encounter at Bhagadoli village in Dhubri
district.
February 12: Three suspected ULFA terrorists are killed near the Assam-
Meghalaya border under Boko police station jurisdiction in Kamrup
district.
February 9: Eleven ULFA cadres, hailing from the Nalbari and Nagaon
districts, surrender before the authorities after fleeing from their
Bhutan camps following the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) operations in
December 2003.
February 6: Five ULFA terrorists, including two women cadres, are
arrested from a Nagaland-bound private vehicle near Borhola in the
Jorhat district.
January 31: Fifty-three ULFA cadres surrender at Tamulpur in the
Nalbari district along with 56 assorted weapons.
January 30: Three ULFA cadres surrender at Barpeta Road camp in the
Barpeta district.
January 28: Four ULFA terrorists trying to enter Assam from Bhutan are
killed during an encounter at Paharbasti under Tamulpur police station
jurisdiction in the Nalbari district.
January 23: Twenty-six ULFA cadres surrender at Udalguri in the
Darrang district.
January 19: ULFA terrorists explode an IED targeting a crude oil
pipeline of the Oil India Ltd (OIL), embedded seven feet under the
ground, at Na Pathar village in the Sivasagar district.
January 16: ULFA terrorists kill a civilian at Maj Mamorani village
under Digboi police station jurisdiction in Tinsukia District.
January 15: ULFA terrorists explode bombs on gas pipeline at two
locations in the Tinsukia district.
January 10: Suspected ULFA terrorists trigger an explosion targeting
an over-ground crude oil pipeline of the Oil and Natural Gas
Commission (ONGC) at Fakumharmoti in the Sibasagar district.
January 8: Ten security force personnel are injured in twin ULFA
strikes near Krishnai in the Goalpara district and Ghilabari in Kamrup
district.
January 5: North East Peoples’ Forum (NEPF), a conglomeration of 16
political parties in the region, urges the ULFA to hold talks with the
Union Government.
January 5: Six ULFA and two Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam
(MULFA) terrorists surrender to the Army along with small arms and
ammunition at Laipuli under Tingkhong police station limits in the
Dibrugarh district.
January 4: ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa reacting to the Bhutanese
Prime Minister Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley’s speech at the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Islamabad,
Pakistan, in a press statement, labels him as ‘a liar dictated by New
Delhi’. He claims that there was absolutely no truth in the Bhutanese
Premier’s assertion that the Kingdom "suffered from the presence of
three armed extremist outfits of northeast."
January 3: Six ULFA cadres surrender at Laipuli in Tinsukia and
Bengtol in the Kokrajhar district.
2003
December 31: Sixteen ULFA terrorists surrender at Jorhat.
December 29: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at
Sargapur village in the Nalbari District.
December 27: Two unidentified ULFA terrorists are killed in an
encounter with the Army at Batiagaon under Sarthebari police station
limits in Barpeta District.
December 26: ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, in an interview
to a Guwahati based newspaper, offers conditional dialogue with the
Union Government on the issue of Assam's sovereignty through a neutral
third party mediator.
December 26: ULFA's ideologue and founder member Bhimakanta Buragohain
alias Mama surrenders along with three other ULFA leaders before the
Indian Army at Tezpur in Sonitpur district.
December 25: Five ULFA terrorists are killed while attempting to enter
Assam from Bhutan at Baltinadi area under Tamulpur police station
limits in the Nalbari district.
December 23: Three ULFA terrorists are killed in separate encounters
along the India-Bhutan border at Kumarikata and Tamulpur in the
Nalbari district.
December 22: ULFA 'Chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa in a letter to the
Chinese authorities asks for safe passage for its fleeing cadres from
Bhutan.
December 20: ULFA 'publicity secretary', Mithinga Daimary is arrested
during military operations in Bhutan and later handed over to the
Indian Army.
December 20: Seven ULFA terrorists surrender in the Darrang district
after escaping from their camp in Bhutan. December 20: ULFA along with
the NDFB and the KLO calls for a 48-hour shutdown in 'Assam, Bodoland
and Kamatapur' in protest against the military operations in Bhutan.
December 19: Three ULFA terrorists are killed as they enter Indian
Territory from Bhutan in the Manas Reserve Forest area of Barpeta
district.
December 18: Three ULFA terrorists are killed during an ambush laid by
the Army in Panbari Reserve Forest under Bijni police station in
Bongaigaon district.
December 16: 63 ULFA cadres surrender at the 4 Corps headquarters in
Tezpur.
December 15: Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) launches military operations
against the ULFA, NDFB and KLO terrorists holed up in 30 camps in
southern Bhutan.
December 8: Three persons are killed and six others sustain injuries
as a time bomb planted by suspected ULFA terrorists explodes in front
of a hardware store at Makum market in the Tinsukia district.
November 29: ULFA terrorists kill three persons, including two police
personnel, and injure four others in an ambush at Mejeragaon village
under Silapathar police station limits in Dhemaji district.
November 27: Three ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at
Ghopapara Basti in the Nalapara Nala village of Darrang district.
November 24: ULFA kills two civilians at Khanhkholobari under Udalguri
police station limits in the Darrang district.
November 22: ULFA terrorists kill 11 labourers of two brick kilns and
injured seven others in the Bordubi area of Tinsukia district.
November 19: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at
Gaikhowa village under Golokganj police station jurisdiction in Dhubri
district.
November 19: ULFA cadres kill four Hindi speaking persons in Nalbari
town.
November 19: Four women are killed and seven others sustain injuries
as ULFA terrorists open fire at Gangquarter in the Bongaigaon
district
November 18: Five truck drivers are killed and seven others are
injured as ULFA terrorists open fire at Basirhat in Dhubri district.
November 16: ULFA kills two persons at Nakerbari village in the
Nalbari district.
November 15: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill two businessmen at the
Golakganj market in Dhubri district.
November 10: Two ULFA cadres are killed in an encounter at Urangnala
Guabari village near the Indo-Bhutan border in Nalbari district.
October 28: One ULFA terrorist and a police personnel are killed
during an encounter at Borkhuiha village in Nalbari district.
October 27: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at Betagaon
in the Kamrup district.
October 24: Pranati Deka, 'cultural secretary' of ULFA, is arrested
along with another ULFA cadre at Phulbari in the West Garo Hills
district of Meghalaya.
October 11: Five persons are killed while another is injured in an
attack by the ULFA near Dighal Tarrang Tea Estate in Tinsukia
district.
October 6: Two ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter at
Khalingduar reserve forest in the Darrang district.
October 2: ULFA terrorists kill Deben Saikia, a village chief, at
Kailash under Pengari police station limits in the Tinsukia district.
September 27: Two ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter at
Ballamjora village under Gossaigaon police station jurisdiction in
Kokrajhar district.
September 14: Five persons, including two army personnel, are killed
in an ambush by ULFA terrorists at Mukongpathar under Pengeri police
station jurisdiction in Tinsukia district.
September 8: Police confirms that ULFA was behind the blast that
occurred at the Athgaon area of Guwahati in Assam on September 7. 13
persons had been injured in the incident and one of them succumbed to
injuries later.
September 4: Six ULFA terrorists, including the Kolong-Kopili Anchalik
Parishad ‘area commander’ Manoj Bora alias Bhim, surrender before the
Nagaon district police chief.
September 2: Former Army personnel suspected to have links with the
ULFA is killed at Tankibasti village under Paneri police station
limits in the Darrang district.
August 28: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter near
Barpathar village under Bijni police station limits in Bongaigaon.
August 27: A Court in Assam’s Kamrup district sentences to life two
ULFA terrorists convicting them in the Sanjoy Ghosh abduction and
murder case. Ghosh, a social worker had been abducted on July 4, 1997,
from Majuli and was subsequently killed.
August 25: ULFA terrorists blow up a goods train causing extensive
damage to the 200-metre rail track between Lakwah and Safrai railway
stations in the Charaideo sub-division of Sivasagar district.
August 24: ULFA terrorists kill a woman and her son at Basugaon in
Kokrajhar district.
August 23: Court in Dhaka pronounces that ULFA general secretary Anup
Chetia would remain in Kashimpur Jail for six months more than the
stipulated term awarded for various offenses under Bangladeshi laws,
as he had failed to pay the fine of Taka 10,000.
August 23: Two ULFA terrorists and a member of the Village Defence
Committee are killed during an encounter at Sakapara village under
Lakhipur police station limits in Goalpara district.
August 20: Five ULFA cadres surrender before the Nagaon district
police chief.
August 19: ULFA terrorists abduct a tea planter from the Tokopathar
area under Pangeri police station limits in Tinsukia district.
August 18: Five ULFA terrorists are killed at Ghopabasti under Paneri
police station limits in the Darrang district and separately two more
in the Sessapani area of Kokrajhar district.
August 16: One ULFA terrorist is killed at an unnamed place under
Bijni police station limits in Bongaigaon district.
Reports indicate that ULFA has set up a camp in the Changpang area of
Nagaland that has some Government-controlled oil installations.
August 16: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter under the
Khoirabari police station-limits, Darrang district.
August 10: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter in the
Solmara area of Nalbari district.
Approximately 40 unidentified gunmen attack a ULFA hideout at Tiluka
in Bhutan killing four ULFA cadres and injuring five more.
August 7: ULFA women’s wing secretary Bhomita Talukdar alias Deepali
is arrested from the Jangrinpara village of Barpeta district.
August 6: Three ULFA cadres are killed during an encounter at
Srirampur in Kokrajhar district.
August 4: A media report indicates that unidentified gunmen attacked
two ULFA hideouts at Kinzo and Babang in Samdrup Jongkhar district and
killed three ULFA cadres. Four attackers were also killed in the
incident.
Asom Public Works ULFA Parial Committee (APWUPC), an organisation of
the ULFA kin, starts a signature campaign in protest against the
ULFA’s demand of Swodhin Asom (independent Assam).
August 3: ULFA terrorists kill a tea estate-owner and his two sons at
Diasajan in Tinsukia district.
August 2: Three ULFA terrorists are killed and two police personnel
injured during an encounter in the Dakshin Haldibari area of
Jalpaiguri district in the State of West Bengal.
Two ULFA terrorists are killed in Nalbari district.
July 23: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter in the
Koksaguri area of Kokrajhar district.
Media reports say that the 81st National Assembly of Bhutan adopted a
resolution for ‘the last attempt’ to persuade ULFA, NDFB and the KLO
to close down their camps within this year ‘peacefully’ failing which
terrorists would face ‘military action’.
July 20: ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter at Shimultapur,
Kokrajhar district.
July 17: Three ULFA terrorists are killed during an encounter inside
the Chariduar reserve forest of Sonitpur district.
ULFA terrorist killed during an encounter in Nalbari district.
July 11: Media reports from Bhutan indicate that Bhutan National
Assembly was unable to reach a consensus over the issue of the way to
tackle NDFB, ULFA and the KLO.
July 11: ULFA terrorist is killed during an encounter at Machakolgre
village in the East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
A joint hideout of ULFA and the Meghalaya-based Achik National
Volunteer Council (ANVC) is destroyed in East Garo Hills district of
Meghalaya.
July 10: ULFA terrorist is killed and two personnel of the Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are injured during an encounter at
Sonpoirabari under Barpeta police station limits. A woman is also
killed in the crossfire.
July 7: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter in the Rangjuli
area of Goalpara district.
July 2: The Nine-day Army cordon laid in search of ULFA terrorists
suspected to be hiding inside the forest areas of Lakhipathar in
Tinsukia district is lifted.
June 29: ULFA 'assistant finance secretary' Rustom Choudhury alias
Harimohan Roy is killed during an encounter at Kumargram in the
Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
Report indicates that ULFA and NDFB have formed a new outfit named
Gorkha Bhutan Liberation Front (GBLF) with 300 Nepalese Gorkha youths
from Bhutan.
ULFA woman cadre killed during an encounter at Bitukana in Meghalaya
and two more ULFA cadres, including a woman are subsequently
arrested.
June 27: Reports indicate that heavy monsoon rains and an outbreak of
malaria forced an unspecified number of ULFA terrorists to abandon
their jungle bases in Bhutan and seek safe places in the North-Eastern
States.
19 United ULFA and 11 NDFB terrorists surrender before the General
Officer Commanding (GOC) IV corps Lt. Gen. Mohinder Singh at Tamulpur
in Nalbari district.
June 26: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill the Personal Assistant (PA) of
a Member of Assam Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing Bhawanipur,
Sarbananda Choudhury, at Betbari, under Patacharkuchi police station
limits in Barpeta district.
June 25: Counter-insurgency operations against the ULFA initiated in
the forest areas of Lakhipathar in Tinsukia district.
June 23: ULFA terrorists ambush an Army convoy at Juriapool in Assam’s
Tinsukia district and killed a civilian and injured 10 troops.
Report says that ULFA ‘commander-in-chief‘Paresh Baruah in an
interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC’s) Kolkata
correspondent on June 21 admits that he was indeed attacked by
unidentified gunmen in Dhaka on May 27.
June 22: Inspector General of Police (Special Branch), Khagen Sarma
says that while the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA was responsible for
the attack on an oil storage facility in Tinsukia district on June 20,
a 22-member ULFA ‘hit-squad’ was involved in the attack on a Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Dhubri district on June 21.
June 21: A ULFA terrorist is killed and two security force personnel
are injured during an encounter at Panbari, Dhubri district, following
an attack by ULFA terrorists at a Central Reserve Police Force camp.
Reports indicate that ULFA, the Manipur People’s Liberation Front
(MPLF), a conglomerate of three terrorist groups–United National
Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s
Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK)– active in Manipur, and the
Tripura People’s Democratic Front (TPDF), a front outfit of the All
Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), operating in Tripura under a common
platform have launched a "Coordinated Regional Military Offensive for
liberation of the Region from Indian colonial occupation," code named
"Operation Freedom". The reports further said that attacks under the
‘operation’ started on June 17.
June 20: State Government issues directives to the Deputy
Commissioners and district police chiefs to remain vigilant following
intelligence reports that some ULFA terrorists would sneak into the
State to find safer places due to heavy rains. The report further
indicates that ULFA cadres in small groups have already entered
Lakhimpur, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara,
Jorhat, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Karbi Anglong districts.
ULFA terrorist and two personnel of the Central Industrial Security
Force (CISF) are killed in an encounter at Nagajan in Tinsukia
district. The terrorists also blow up an empty crude oil tank with a
rocket launcher.
June 19: Security forces arrest three ULFA terrorists from a hideout
following an encounter at Bikonggiri in the Phulbari area of West Garo
Hills district in Meghalaya.
The Dibrugarh police arrest a woman home guard personnel, Junali Gogoi
for her alleged links with the ULFA.
Report indicates that Bangladesh Director General of Field
Intelligence (DGFI) is probing into the reported attack on ULFA
‘chief’ Paresh Baruah on the outskirts of Dhaka on May 27, 2003.
June 17: In Darrang district, three hardcore ULFA terrorists and an
Army Major are killed in an encounter, and a woman also receives
bullet injuries in the crossfire at Neogpara village under Kalaigaon
police station limits.
June 16: ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter at Lotkapara, under
Golokganj police post limits, in the Dhubri district.
June 13: Police increase surveillance on the border areas of Assam
following reports that the ULFA terrorists are compelled to move out
of their hideouts in the mountainous regions of Bhutan, Myanmar and
Garo Hills area in Meghalaya and also from the regions in upper Assam
due to heavy rains.
Report says following recovery of a letter from a slain terrorist a
three-month over-ground organisation of the ULFA the Asom Yuva Chatra
Parishad (AYCP) is unearthed. The organization is said to be in
operation in 18 of the State’s 24 districts.
June 12: ULFA terrorist Akon Gogoi alias Pranjal Gogoi alias Chabua
Moran is arrested from his residence at Bhadhara village under Chabua
police station, in Dibrugarh district. Subsequently, on the basis of
the information provided by the arrested terrorist, ULFA
‘communication centre’ is unearthed at Kakopathar in No 2 Dirak
village, Tinsukia district and an ULFA conduit Prafulla Hazarika is
also arrested by a joint police team of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia
districts.
ULFA terrorists kill a local trader near the Hemlai Tea Estate under
Teok police station limits in Jorhat district for not paying an
extortion amount of Rupees 200,000 demanded by the outfit earlier.
June 11: One ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter at Sarthebari,
Nalbari district.
June 10: Paresh Baruah, ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ in a telephonic
interview with a vernacular daily in Guwahati, Asamiya Pratidin,
dismisses claims of attack (May 27) on him by unidentified assailants
in Bangladesh.
June 10: ULFA terrorist Bipul Bora alias Cobra who acted as a
bodyguard of the ULFA ‘deputy commander’ Raju Baruah surrenders at the
Army Headquarters in Tezpur, Sonitpur district.
June 8: Woman ULFA cadre and two members of the human rights
organisation, Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), which allegedly
acts as a front of the ULFA are arrested from Ananda Nagar locality in
Guwahati city.
Police in Nalbari district recover a huge cache of arms including
eight anti-tank explosives allegedly belonging to the ULFA from
Barkhanajan village.
June 7: Four persons sustain injuries in a grenade attack in Dhemaji
town allegedly carried out by the ULFA.
June 6: One ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter at Sikorajan in
the Filobari area of Tinsukia district.
June 4: Assam Public Works ULFA Pariyal Committee (APWUPC) submits
petition before the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to issue
summons to the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua for forcibly
confining their kin for arms training in the jungles of Bhutan.
June 3: Reports indicate that ULFA agreed to share the proceeds it
would extort from the Tirap, Lohit and Changlang districts in
Arunachal Pradesh with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak
Muivah (NSCN-IM).
June 2: Three NDFB terrorists and two ULFA terrorists, including a
‘sergeant major’ of latter’s women’s wing, surrender at Thakurbari in
the Sonitpur district.
May 31: An ULFA conduit is killed by his colleagues at Barbheta in
Goalpara district
May 30: Two ULFA terrorists–‘sergeant major’ Soru Hajo alias Bhupen
Kalita and Aswini Sarma alias Ramesh Sarma– are killed in an encounter
at Katpuha village in Nalbari district.
May 29: ULFA terrorist Clever Momin surrenders before the Meghalaya
police in the East Garo Hills district.
May 28: Railway Protection Force identifies four insurgency prone
sectors in the Northeast and says that the ULFA is active in the
Guwahati-Rangiya-Srirampur and the Rangiya-Rangapara sector.
May 27: ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah escapes unhurt in an
attack by four unidentified assailants while he was leaving his
transport agency, ‘Challenger’ at Uttara town in the Bangladeshi
capital Dhaka.
May 26: Police in Sonitpur destroy an ULFA hideout near the Assam-
Arunachal Pradesh border at Jarubari hillock under Sootea police
station and arrest a front ranking terrorist, involved in the killing
of officer-in-charge (OC) of Gohpur police station corporal Bibek
Hazarika alias Prasanta Barpatra Mudoi.
May 24: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in separate encounters in the
Kumar Kali reserve forests near Lakhipur in Cachar district and in the
Puntan reserve forest of south Kamrup district.
ULFA terrorists kill their former colleague (Surrendered ULFA) at
Basugaon, in Kokrajhar district.
May 23: Report indicates that the ULFA has asked its cadres to prepare
to leave their camps in Bhutan following Bhutan Government’s warning
to ULFA, NDFB and KLO to vacate its territory by June 30, 2003.
May 21: Security forces repulse ULFA attack at Borjhora in Assam’s
Dhubri district. No injuries on the either side are reported.
May 16: In its fortnightly mouthpiece Freedom, ULFA warns the
Government not to adopt the Mizo model to tackle the demands made by
it.
May 18: Reports indicate that the Tripura-based ATTF has acquired
rocket launchers and Rocket-Propelled Grenades through ULFA.
May 17: Police personnel from Assam arrest ULFA ‘Enigma group’
commander identified as Lal Singh alias Amar Singh alias Alman Singh
from Tura, district head quarters of West Garo Hills district in
Meghalaya. His two female associates are also arrested.
Bhutanese King Jigme Singhye Wangchuk calls upon the people to
volunteer for formation of a ‘militia force’ to counter Indian
insurgent groups–ULFA, NDFB and the KLO on its soil.
May 15: Report indicates that ULFA has floated an ‘overground wing’
under the name of Asom Jatiya Parishad.
May 14: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at an unnamed place
in Assam’s Darrang district.
May 14: ULFA ‘sergeant’ is arrested a local bus stand at Adabari in
Guwahati.
May 12: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Nimaitola, Bongaigaon
district.
May 9: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at Andhargaon village in
Bongaigaon district.
May 6: Unidentified assailants attack ancestral house of ULFA
‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah at Jeraigaon, Chabua police station
limits in Dibrugarh district.
April 29: Meghalaya Police Chief L. Sailo says that a joint operation
with Assam would be carried out in the Garo Hills area of Meghalaya
where ULFA and NDFB have intensified their activities.
April 23: ULFA terrorist killed and three police personnel injured in
encounter at Borpathar village, under Bijni police station limits,
Kokrajhar district.
April 23: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at an unnamed place
under Baithalangshu police station-limits, Karbi Anglong district.
April 22: The Assam Public Works (APW), an organisation of the kin of
ULFA terrorists, expresses reluctance to accept noted musician and
singer Bhupen Hazarika or any other intellectual to mediate with the
ULFA.
April 20: Woman ULFA cadre, Dwipamani Kalita, believed to be involved
in major mortar attacks in 2002 in Guwahati surrenders before the
Assam Police chief Hare Krishna Deka along with an AK 56 rifle and
three rocket-propelled gun cells.
April 18: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Bograguri village,
Nalbari district.
April 16: Report indicates that the Meghalaya-based Achik National
Volunteer Council (ANVC) has reached an understanding with ULFA and
NDFB to operate together in the Garo Hills area of Meghalaya.
April 10: Police in Meghalaya seize, among other things, 11 big
shoulder-borne rockets, an AK 56 rifle, several thousands of medium
machine gun-ammunition and two communication sets from an ULFA hideout
at Rongdupara, in West Garo Hills district.
April 7: ULFA cadres reportedly gather for the 24th 'raising day' at
Talli village, Golokganj police station-limits, Dhubri district.
April 5: Four ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Silkhaguri,
Bongaigaon district.
April 3: Suspected ULFA terrorists fire rocket-propelled grenade at a
petroleum gas bottling plant in Palasbari, Kamrup district.
April 1: ULFA terrorist killed at Jurigaon, in Assam's Goalpara
district.
March 30: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Jatiabangra in
Tamulpur area, Nalbari district.
March 21: ULFA 'sergeant major' Manoj Deka killed in encounter in the
Nalanga Pahar area, Kokrajhar district.
March 21: ULFA 'sergeant major' identified as Manoj Deka killed in
encounter in the Nalanga Pahar area, Kokrajhar district.
March 18: ULFA terrorist identified as Jitu Konwar alias Nitu Gogoi
alias Ritu Sarma arrested in Sivasagar district.
March 16: Six civilians are killed and 55 more injured in an
Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast set-off by ULFA terrorists
under a passenger bus, on National Highway No. 7, Bamunghopha,
Goalpara district.
March 13: ULFA 'commander' of a Bhutan-based camp, identified as
‘Captain’ Kamal Gogoi, surrenders to General Officer Commanding (GOC),
IV Corps, Lt Gen Mohinder Singhat the corps-headquarters in Tezpur,
Sonitpur district.
March 12: Two motorcycle-borne ULFA terrorists attack Bongaigaon
police station, injuring four policemen and three civilians.
March 10: Reports indicate that ULFA terrorists are planning to abduct
a group of Russian engineers of the Moscow-based company LARGE,
engaged by the state-run Oil India Limited.
Speaking in Delhi Deputy Premier Advani rules out immediate
negotiations with ULFA terrorists.
March 9: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says ULFA is desperate and
that the March 8-attack on an oil refinery in Tinsukia was just to
maintain its visibility.
Assam Public Works ULFA Parial Committee, an organisation of ULFA kin
criticises ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah for attacks on
innocent persons and important installations like oil pipelines.
March 8: ULFA terrorists set-off an explosion at a five million-litre
petrol reservoir at Digboi Refinery, in Tinsukia district, causing a
huge loss of approximately Rs 200 million to the Indian Oil
Corporation (IOC), a public sector enterprise. In another attack, they
damage a gas pipeline facility at Kathalguri, in the same district, in
a blast.
A group of ULFA terrorists attack and partially damage the Darrangiri
police outpost in Goalpara district. While none police personnel are
injured in the attack, the fleeing terrorists kill two persons and
injure six more at a nearby migrant-settlement.
March 7: ULFA terrorists fire rocket-propelled grenades at a police
commando barrack in Bongaigaon district town. No one is injured in
attack.
March 4: ULFA cadres alleged to be planning attacks on oil pipelines
are arrested from Teok area in Jorhat district.
ULFA terrorists flee following a clash with a joint team of police and
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at Baruathan in Dhemaji
district.
March 3: At a meeting in Guwahati, the Unified Command’s strategy
group recommends the formation of a ‘crack police team’ for Guwahati
to counter ULFA-attacks.
February 25: ULFA attacks a local petrol pump at Chagolia, Dhubri
district, injuring a person.
February 18: Three ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter at
Borrangajuli village, Darrang district.
February 18: A couple affiliated to the ULFA is arrested from Koligaon
bus station, Mangaldoi police station-limits in Darrang district.
February 19: ULFA kills a personnel of Assam Police’s Commando
Battalion in an ambush at Nongardon Nepalibasti, Baithalangshu police
station-limits, Karbi Anglong district.
February 15: The ULFA’s mouthpiece, Freedom says that a solution to
its 'problems' is to be sought outside the Indian constitution.
February 12: ULFA 'sergeant' Nipul Bora surrenders to the Sonitpur
district police chief.
Union Minister of State for Home I.D. Swami while speaking in Dimapur,
Nagaland, says the ULFA should come forward for talks without any
preconditions.
February 11: Four persons sustain injuries in a grenade blast
triggered by ULFA terrorists inside the Prem Chandra Champalal
complex, in Bara Bazar (local market) area of Assam's Goalpara
district.
February 3: ULFA terrorists abduct businessman from Jagiroad in
Morigaon district
February 3: Former Assam Chief Minister Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar
Mahanta appeals to Union government to start peace process with ULFA
at the earliest with an 'open mind'. He also says that government
should go ahead with peace process even if the ULFA wants to discuss
'sovereignty' of Assam.
February 2: ULFA calls differences over geographical boundaries in
Northeast to be an 'internal matter' and appeals for resolution
without the involvement of Union government.
ULFA claims responsibility for blast at an underground oil pipeline in
Upper Mamoroni area of Tinsukia.
February 1: Two ULFA terrorists killed in encounter at Nanoi reserve
forest of Darrang district.
January 30: ULFA 'political trainer' Bandana Das alias Babita Kalita
arrested by police in Kamrup district.
January 24: ULFA kills one SF personnel at Bhuyanpara inside the Manas
National Park in Barpeta.
January 22: 10 Northeast-based terrorist outfits, including ULFA, give
Republic Day (January 26) 'boycott call'.
January 21: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Rangchali in
Dibrugarh district.
January 20: Two ULFA terrorists killed in encounter at Rangsali,
Tinsukia district.
January 14: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Patkijuli village,
Nalbari district.
January 13: ULFA reported to be planning major offensive against some
'controversial' public personalities in Assam, including Ministers,
ruling Congress Party's Legislators and bureaucrats.
January 5: Assam government decides against granting safe passage to
ULFA leaders and cadres during festive season of Magh Bihu.
2002
December 25: Suspected ULFA terrorists throw five mortar bombs in
quick succession in Kalibari and Ambri areas of Guwahati killing two
civilians, including a five-year-old child. 16 more are injured in
these incidents.
December 24: An ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter in Bagicha
Chuba, Kalaigaon, Darrang district.
Two ULFA terrorists are killed near Nakati forest, in Kokrajhar
district.
December 23: All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) president Prabin Boro
volunteers to broker peace with ULFA.
December 22: Three ULFA terrorists are arrested from Kaimari village,
Golakganj police station-limits, in Assam's Dhubri district.
December 17: Reports say the ULFA, in its fortnightly Freedom, alleged
that security forces in Assam killed at least 500 ULFA and National
Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) terrorists in various encounters
during the past 18 months.
December 16: The Sanjoy Ghosh abduction-cum-murder-case trial
indicting ULFA begins in Guwahati.
December 11: ULFA terrorist Manoranjan Doley alias Mangal Singh is
arrested in a search operation in Assam's Golaghat district at No. 3
Tarani Gaon, Merapani police station-limits.
December 9: Police in Assam's Lakhimpur district arrest ULFA terrorist
Rabin Deuri from Bhogpur, Bihpuria circle.
December 7: Two ULFA women cadre surrender to the 181st Mountain
Brigade in Assam's Tinsukia district.
December 5: Two ULFA terrorists, Pranjal Borah and Jayanta Ray, are
killed in an encounter in Putani village, Samaguri police station-
limits, in Assam's Nagaon district.
December 4: Reports quote ULFA 'chairman' Arbinda Rajkhowa as saying
the outfit would continue its 'armed struggle'.
December 2: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in a memorandum to Prime
Minister Vajpayee alleges that Bhutan was ‘cleverly relocating' ULFA
camps to evade pressure from the Indian government.
Self-styled ULFA 'corporal' Meghnath is killed in an encounter in
Maomari, Dudhnoi police station-limits, Goalpara district, Assam.
November 27: Four persons are injured in a grenade attack by suspected
ULFA terrorists near Chilarai Bridge, Golokganj police station-limits,
in Assam's Dhubri district.
November 21: Assam Police chief (Director General) H K Deka says, in
Guwahati, top-ULFA leaders have lost control over the rank and file
and the latter indulge in extortion independent of their leaders.
November 18: A report indicates that ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh
Baruah has directed his cadres to target the tea industry in Assam for
extortion.
November 17: ULFA mouthpiece Swadhinata reiterates preconditions for
peace talks.
November-13: ULFA terrorists set free local contractor Alimuddin Ahmed
abducted on September 2.
November 12: Two ULFA terrorists, including a woman cadre are arrested
from Dimow, in Assam's Sivasagar district.
November 6: A group of villagers, in Assam's Bongaigaon district,
lynch two ULFA terrorists.
Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter in Tinsukia district.
November 6: Reports indicate of ULFA's extortion drive in Barpeta and
Bongaigaon districts of Upper Assam. Reports also indicate of ULFA-
National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Khaplang (NSCN-K) tie up for
extortion.
November 5: Reports say a joint police team from Tingkhong and Borbam
has nabbed ULFA terrorist Pankaj Gogoi in Assam's Dibrugarh district.
November 3: In a joint operation with the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF), Assam police destroy a training camp situated at the foothills
of Molapahar, in Tinsukia district, being jointly used by ULFA and
NSCN-K.
October 31: Five ULFA terrorists led by 'corporal' Himan Deori of the
outfit's Enigma-A group and seven NDFB terrorists surrender at the
Tamulpur Army camp, in Assam's Nalbari district.
October 30: Two top terrorists of ULFA’s Enigma Group are killed in an
encounter in Ajanta Path area, Guwahati, Assam.
October 21: ULFA terrorist identified as Dipu Gogoi is arrested in
Moranhat, Dibrugarh district, Assam.
October 15: ULFA, through its mouthpiece Freedom, reiterates the
demand for a 'plebiscite' in Assam.
October 12: An ULFA terrorist and his wife, also an ULFA cadre, are
nabbed from a bus at Haloating Chariali, near Amguri, in Assam's
Sivasagar district.
October 6: An ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter in the Jamduar
Reserve Forest, Gossaigaon police station-limits, Kokrajhar district.
October 5: Police sources suspect ULFA might have been behind a bomb
blast that occurred in Assam's Nagaon district, killing a civilian and
injuring three others.
A school teacher from Garumara is arrested in Jorhat district for
alleged links with ULFA.
October 2: An ULFA terrorist is killed in an encounter in Bihjia
village, in Assam's Nalbari district.
October 1: ULFA women 'sergeant' Tulsi Rabha and another woman cadre,
Malti Santoshi, are arrested from Somphong Par, near Balda village,
Goalpara district.
ULFA, in its mouthpiece Freedom, terms the government's effort of
furthering development in Assam as 'mischievous' and a ploy to
intensify counter-measures against the outfit.
September 30: ULFA 'cultural secretary' Pallavi Phukan alias Kunjalata
Deuri is arrested in Baluguri village, Tinsukia district, Assam.
September 26: Media reports indicate, Assam is vigilant against any
threat that might emanate from the suspected nexus between the ULFA
and Nepal's Maoists.
September 24: A court in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka sentences ULFA
'general secretary' Anup Chetia and his two accomplices to seven years
imprisonment for 'illegal possession' of a satellite phone.
Sivasagar Chief Judicial Magistrate remands ULFA 'east zone commander'
Ramu Mech and his body guard to seven days in police custody.
Reports indicate ULFA has shifted two of its training camps from their
current, unspecified location in Bhutan to Narphung, also in Bhutan.
September 23: ULFA terrorists abduct a civilian from his residence in
Kheremiagaon, Mariani police station jurisdiction, Jorhat district.
September 22: Prabin Konwar alias Ramu Mech, the ULFA 'east zone
commender', and another ULFA terrorist identified as Ranjit Rajkhowa
alias Jyoti Chaliha are arrested from a private nursing home in
Diburgarh district of Assam.
September 20: ULFA terrorists kill a security force personnel in an
ambush near Orang River at Gowabari in Assam's Darrang district.
September 19: Two ULFA terrorists are killed in an encounter the
security forces near the Nanoi river embankment in Assam's Darrang
district.
September 18: The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 'Red Horn
Division' of the Army, stationed in Assam, Major General Gaganjit
Singh claims that terrorists from two ULFA camps in Myanmar are ready
to surrender, but are, however, being restrained by their leaders.
September 15: In its mouthpiece Freedom, ULFA denies its suspected
involvement in the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express derailment on
September 9, in Bihar State. Approximately 119 persons had been killed
in the accident.
September 14: Two ULFA terrorists and a security force personnel are
killed in an encounter following a raid on a terrorist hideout at
Uttarkuchi village in Nalbari district of Assam.
September 12: Report says, a court in Dhaka would pronounce its
verdict on detained United ULFA 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, on
September 24.
ULFA terrorist nabbed from a place under Bilasipara police station
limits, Dhubri district, Assam.
September 10: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter in Bhebladongpar,
Patacharkuchi police station limits, Barpeta district of Assam.
ULFA terrorists kill a Surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre at the local
club-cum-library in Balajan in Dhubri district, Assam.
September 6: ULFA self-styled 'lieutenant' Lakhyajit Gogoi alias
Bhaimon Gogoi and another ULFA terrorist, Arvinda Konwar alias
Devanand Chetia, arrested by Assam Rifles in Nagaland's Mon district.
Assam Governor Sinha says ULFA's 'preconceived mindset' is impeding
negotiations.
September 1: Five ULFA terrorists arrested from Bhekulajan village,
Duliajan police station limits, in Assam's Dibrugarh district.
August 31: Three ULFA terrorists killed following an encounter in
Bamunkuchigaon, Patacharkuchi police station limits, Barpeta
district.
August 30: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in Suktaguri
village, Darrang district.
August 29: Report says an ULFA 'sergeant' and a female cadre
surrendered to security force (SF) personnel in Assam's Dibrugarh
district.
A report indicates that oil companies in Assam have paid extortion
money to ULFA.
August 28: Five ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in
Kachkuripathar, Sarthebari police station limits, Barpeta district.
August 22: Government confirms that South Abhayapuri (Bongaigaon
district) Legislator Chandan Sarkar's son, abducted on March 2, 2002
from Falakata in West Bengal, is in ULFA's captivity. Alert people
apprehend three pseudo ULFA cadres while trying to extort money from a
local businessman, at a place under Kokrajhar police station limits.
August 19: Reports indicate that intelligence sources suspect ULFA's
hand, besides that of the Kamatapur Liberation Organisations (KLO), in
the August 17-Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) killings in which five
Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) activists had been killed.
August 18: Reports claim ULFA is trying to unite with the Manipur-
based United National Liberation Front (UNLF).
Reports state that ULFA is trying to take advantage of the differences
between Bodo and non-Bodo groups over the formation of the Bodoland
Territorial Council with the aim of creating disturbances in the
Assam.
August 14: Four ULFA terrorists killed in separate encounters--two
near Suklapara in Kamrup district and two more near Dudhnoi in
Goalpara district.
August 13: ULFA conduit arrested from Gauripara area in Guwahati.
August 12: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter near Darrangamela,
Nalbari district. Suspected ULFA conduit arrested from Aarikusi,
Nalbari district, Assam.
August 10: ULFA issues a press release refuting allegations of its
involvement in the abduction of seven BLT cadres.
August 6: Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Samiti (SJSS), a platform of
various non-Bodo organisatons, hails the 'moral support' extended by
ULFA to its opposition to forming the Bodoland Territorial Council
(BTC).
August 4: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter in Khoirabari, Kamrup
district. Two ULFA terrorists arrested at a place under Hatssinghimari
police station jurisdiction, Dhubri district.
August 3: Basanta Gogoi alias Dipen Bora, a 'corporal' in ULFA's 28th
battalion, killed in an encounter in Chamguri village, Dibrugarh
district.
August 2: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in Umananda,
Darrang district.
August 1: The ULFA, in its mouthpiece Freedom, says Bodoland
Territorial Council (BTC) would create political chaos.
July 29: Four ULFA terrorists, including a self-styled 'lieutenant'
and a woman cadre, killed near Ghaghrapar in Assam's Nalbari
district.
July 25: Reports say a nine-member ULFA team led by Ashanta Phookan
entered Golaghat district to sabotage Independence day (August 15)
celebrations.
July 24: ULFA terrorist killed in Kukapar village, Barpeta district.
July 20: Media report indicates security force personnel apprehend
strikes by ULFA on Independence Day-eve in Assam.
July 19: ULFA alleges that increased presence of Indian security
forces on Assam's border with Bhutan is a hurdle in withdrawing from
bases in Bhutan.
July 17: Manipur-based United National Liberation Front (UNLF) while
claiming responsibility for the July 16 killing of three security
force personnel near Jirighat in Assam's Cachar district in a
statement, indicates that attacks were carried out at ULFA's behest.
Reports say, ULFA terrorists vacated two camps in Bhutan.
July 16: Six ULFA terrorists, on their way to a training camp in
Myanmar arrested by Assam Rilfes (AR) personnel in Mon district of
Nagaland.
July 14: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Dighali
village, Nalbari district.
Intelligence reports caution authorities in Assam about the presence
of a 70-member-strong ULFA gang in Sivasagar district, allegedly led
by 'operation commandant' Dristi Rajkhowa,` and warn that the group
might sabotage Independence Day celebrations.
Media report indicates that ULFA and NDFB terrorists based in camps in
Bhutan may approach hospitals in West Bengal for treatment, following
shrinking of medical facilities in Bhutan.
Three ULFA terrorists arrested from Netabari village while on an
extortion bid.
July 10: Three ULFA terrorists arrested from Pallel Bazar, in
Manipur's Thoubal district.
July 8: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in the Barpathar
area of Golaghat district.
Sidharthamani Bora, the self-styled finance secretary of ULFA's
Sowansiri Anchalik Parishad surrenders in Jorhat.
July 6: Major General Gaganjit Singh, General Officer in Command
(GoC), 21st Mountain Division rules out presence of a women suicide
squad of the ULFA.
July 5: A senior police official says ULFA has trained women in
'intelligence gathering'.
July 3: Report claims 20 ULFA terrorists, including women cadres,
infiltrated Assam to extort money and recruit cadres.
July 1: ULFA in its mouthpiece Freedom asks Assamese students to
launch anti-Hindi campaign, say reports.
June 26: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at Kardoiguri village
in Tinsukia district.
A report says ULFA involved is in fake currency circulation in Assam.
June 25: Three ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Nanoipara,
under Paneri police station limits.
Civilian killed and 28 more, including three SF personnel, injured in
a grenade attack by suspected ULFA terrorists near Mayapuri cinema in
Bongaigaon.
June 23: Two ULFA terrorists, one SF personnel killed in Subansiri-
encounter, Nalbari district.
June 21: A report says, ULFA is continuing with its recruitment drive
in Upper Assam.
June 20: Police in Dibrugarh arrest two ULFA terrorists from Khowang
and Moran areas in separate raids.
June 19: Two ULFA terrorists, one security force personnel killed in
an encounter near Achabam Tea Estate, Dibrugarh district. · Assam
Public Works (APW), a Guwahati-based Non-Governmental Organisation
(NGO) refutes ULFA's charges that it had, at the behest of the
government, mobilised people to file complaints with Assam Human
Rights Commission against ULFA Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah.
June 18: Six ULFA terrorists killed in separate encounters--two at
Vishnupur, Ulubari, another two at Lakhimpur, and two more at the
Dumni Tea Estate, Nalbari district. One SF personnel also killed in
the last encounter.
ULFA terrorist arrested from Bisondoi village of Assam's Dhubri
district.
Reports hold, ULFA and NDFB procure arms from a Manipur-based
terrorist outfit, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF).
June 12 : Arpan Saikia, believed to be ULFA’s ‘operation commander’
for Rangpur Anchalik Parishad, arrested in Pathalibum village in
Dibrugarh district.
May 29: ULFA terrorist arrested from Thekeraguri village, under
Tingkhong police station limits.
May 28: ULFA terrorist arrested from Ratanpur near Tingkhong in
Dibrugarh district.
May 26: Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) may use ULFA’s ‘commander-in-
chief’ Paresh Barua to target its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, c;lim
reports.
May 25: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter near Sukhanjali
village in Nalbari district.
May 22: Ffour ULFA terrorists arrested following a joint operation
launched by troops of the 2nd Mountain Division and personnel of Assam
and Nagaland police at Lahurijan village, under Bokajan police station
limits.
May 20: Self-styled ULFA commander Tapan Baruah alias Madan Das killed
in an encounter at Talpathar Majhgaon in Tinsukia district.
May 19: ULFA’s 28th battalion’s ‘sergeant major’ identified as Diganta
Dihingia killed in encounter at Chetia Handique village in Sivasagar
district.
Assam police arrest ULFA terrorist from a house under Simaluguri
police station limits.
May 18: 10 ULFA terrorists, including a woman cadre, surrender in
Nalbari district.
May 16: Reports say ULFA mouthpiece Freedom (Swadhinata) leveled
allegations against the Indian government of carrying out
‘reconnaissance surveys’ over its camps in Bhutan for a possible
military offensive.
May 14: Nine persons injured in various attacks carried out by ULFA
terrorists, allegedly, jointly with NDFB terrorists at Gauripur in
Dhubri district.
May 12: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at Dalanghat village in
Darrang district.
May 10: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at the Pachim Kamarkuchi
village under the Nalbari police station limits.
May 9: ULFA conduit arrested from Nij Bihuguri village, under Tezpur
police station limits.
ULFA has renewed its attempt to escalate its terrorist acts in parts
of Assam, claim reports.
May 8: Two ULFA terrorists killed in separate encounters in Nalbari
district––in Elangidal and Dahali villages respectively.
May 6: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter in Umananda village,
under Goreshwar police station limits.
May 5: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter near Kekankuchi in
Nalbari district.
May 1: Encounter between Jorhat police and ULFA terrorists reported at
Panijangaon under Mathura East police station limits. There were,
however, no casualties.
April 25 ULFA terrorist Bulbul Bora, self-styled 'corporal and weapon
training instructor', killed in an encounter in Mahakhuli, Nagaon.
April 22 ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter with security forces in
Nalbari district Kokrajhar police recover the dead body of a girl from
Hatimatha
April 20: Seven ULFA terrorists surrender at Laipuli in Tinsukia.
One more terrorist surrenders at Barhampur camp, Nagaon.
April 19: Two United Liberation Front of Asom ULFA terrorists killed
in an encounter at Barandhara under the Ghagrapaar police station
limits of Nalbari.
April 18: A ULFA terrorist identified as Bikash Das killed in an
encounter at Dahkaunia under the Nalbari police station limits. A
suspected ULFA conduit identified as Deepak Roy arresed in Gossaigaon
Natabari village under the Tamarhat police station limits of
Kokarajhar district.
April 17: One unidentified ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at
Pipla village under Patacharkuchi police station limits in Nalbari.
April 15: Bagaribari police personnel arrest two Muslim Revolutionary
Democratic Front (MRDF) terrorists from the Sonkosh.
April 13: Two ULFA terrorists injured in an encounter at the North
Bishnupur area, Nalbari.
April 12: Jorhat police arrest one ULFA ‘acting district commander’
Jagat Phukan of Dhansiri Anchalik Parishad.
April 8: One ULFA terrorist killed by near Hathigor in Darrang .
April 7: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Balilessa
Soondartala in Nalbari district. ULFA observes its ‘raising day’.
April 4: ULFA chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, rejects the safe-passage
offer by the Assam government.
April 3: One ULFA terrorist surrenders at Barhampur camp, Nagaon.
March 30: One ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at Dalledela
village under Phulbari police station limits in West Garo hills
district of Meghalaya.
March 29: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at Bihira village near
Nalbari, Assam.
March 24: ULFA reiterates preconditions- venue for talks should be a
third country, should be under United Nations (UN) supervision; and
‘sovereignty’ should also be discussed, for talks, indicate reports.
A self-styled 'sergeant major' Dilip Saloi alias Bhaiti Adhikary
killed in Kamrup encounter, Assam.
Separately, A self-styled commander of ‘B’ Group, Arantu Hazarika
alias Dwipen Talukdar killed in an encounter at Arikuchi Balagaon in
Nalbari district on March 22.
March 22: Two ULFA terrorists, including a woman cadre, killed in an
encounter in a reserve forest under the Patacharkuchi police station
limits of Barpeta district, Assam.
March 20: ULFA terrorist surrenders before the Nagaon district police
chief in Assam.
March 19: Seven ULFA terrorists- four at Akhara, 70 kilometres west of
Guwahati and three in Dhubri killed in separate encounters in Assam.
Separately one ULFA terrorist killed in Kamrup and another arrested in
Nalbari.
March 18: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill a trader at Bhatipara village
under Boko police station limits, Kamrup in Assam.
March 17: Five ULFA terrorists -three from Balipara village and one
each from Shanristipur in Nalbari and Nagaon arrested in Assam.
March 16: One ULFA terrorist killed near No. 2 Bongaon under the Tihu
police station limits, Assam.
March 7: Two ULFA terrorists killed in the Ripu Reserve Forest area,
near Gossaigaon, Assam.
March 5: One ULFA terrorist killed in Niljulki village, Nalbari
district, Assam.
March 3: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in Nemukur
Konwargaon, near Bokota, in Sibasagar district, Assam.
February 27: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Gugoloni under
Naharkotia police station limits in Assam
February 24: Four ULFA terrorists killed at Boragaon in Tinsukia
district in Assam.
February 22: One ULFA terrorist killed at Dhantola in Nalbari, Assam.
February 20: One ULFA terrorist killed in the Dirok reserved forest
area, Tinsukia in Assam.
February 19: ULFA terrorist killed near Guwahati.
Suspected ULFA terrorists kill two youths at Bistupur in Nalbari,
Assam.
February 14: Five ULFA terrorists killed near the Assam border with
Arunachal Pradesh.
February 10: Two Surrendered ULFA (SULFA) terrorists killed at
Naharbari Kopili Xatra near Mangaldai.
February 3: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter near Birubari
Nizorapar in Guwahati, Assam.
January 31: Three ULFA terrorists killed neat Boko in Kamrup district,
Assam.
January 29: A ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter at the Dibru-
Saikhowa reserved forest near Doomdooma, Assam.
January 27: ULFA terrorists kill two security force (SF) personnel in
Kamrup district, Assam. Ten others injured in a separate attack in
Golaghat.
January 22: A ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter in the Raimana
Reserve Forest area near Gosssaigoan.
January 20: Four ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Toli
village near Agomani on the Assam-Bangladesh.
January 9: Two ULFA terrorists killed in Kokrajhar, Assam.
January 1: United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) offered a 30-day
safe passage by the Assam government.
2001
December 30: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill a Congress (I) activist
near Bejkuchi village, under Nalbari police station limits.
A ULFA terrorist killed under the Duni police station limits, Darrang
district.
December 28: Suspected ULFA terrorist killed under the Kalaigaon
police station limits in Assam.
December 23: Two ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter in Nijkhusla,
Kamrup district in Assam.
December 21: Six Surrendered ULFA (SULFA) activists arrested in
Shantinagar, near Guwahati in Assam.
December 20: Three ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter near
Suwagpur, Darrang district, Assam.
December 18: Five ULFA terrorists-three in Nalbari and two in Sadiya
along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, killed in Assam.
December 15: Three ULFA terrorists arrested from the Motapam village
near Dholaghat in Tinsukia district.
December 9: One ULFA terrorist killed an encounter and two others
arrested in Khoirabari and Darrang districts respectively.
December 6: One ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter near Kumsung in
Tinsukia district, Assam.
December 2: Reports indicate ULFA likely to ‘close’ camps in Bhutan.
November 27: ULFA declares as a ‘protest day’. Its Arabinda Rajkhowa
appeals for a political settlement.
November 23: Three ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter near
Bolajhar in Darrang.
November 21: ULFA terrorist killed in an encounter in the Dangori
Reserve Forest area. Two ULFA terrorists arrested separately in
Guwahati.
November 18: Suspected ULFA terrorists kill Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)
leader in Rangajan village, Tinsukia in Assam.
November 10: ‘Chief’ of ULFA platoon division arrested in Siliguri,
West Bengal.
November 5: Two ULFA terrorists arrested in Dhubri.
October 22: Three ULFA terrorists killed in Bholpur under Tamulpur
police station limits in Nalbari, Assam.
Five ULFA terrorists surrender in Nalbari.
October 21: ULFA terrorist killed in encounter at Donjargaon in
Nalbari, Assam.
October 20: Two ULFA terrorists killed in encounter near the Dikcham
Tea Estate, Rajgarh, in Dibrugarh district, Assam.
October 18: Two ULFA terrorists lynched by the locals in Bijupara,
Kamrup district in Assam.
Security forces kill one ULFA terrorist in Darrang.
October 17: Two ULFA terrorists arrested at Balikuchi village under
the Nalbari police station jurisdiction.
October 15: ULFA ‘publicity secretary’ along with 10 others surrender
in Lajpuli, Tinsukia.
October 11: Four ULFA terrorists surrender in Golaghat.
Kamrup ULFA ‘area commander’ killed at Patharkmhah in Ri Bhoi,
Meghalya.
October 8: Two ULFA terrorists surrender in Jorhat.
October 6: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) personnel arrest five
ULFA terrorists in connection with Tinsukia district police chief
murder in May 1996.
September 27: Two ULFA terrorists and one Army personnel killed in
encounter at Kumarigaon in Mahadevpur area along the Assam-Nagaland
border.
September 21: Two Army personnel killed in an ULFA-triggered bomb-
blast near Kakapathar Kumchang Tea Estate. Another succumbs to
injuries later.
August 17: The ULFA reiterates its earlier pre-conditions for a peace
process to be initiated. These are: (1) Talks would have to be held at
a mutually decided venue outside India. (2) Talks would have to be
held under the supervision of the United Nations. (3) The main issue
to be discussed is 'sovereignty' for Assam.
August 5: Three ULFA terrorists killed and five security force
personnel injured in an encounter at Nalapara village along the Indo-
Bhutan border in Darrang district.
July 29: Two CRPF security force personnel and a driver of the vehicle
they were travelling in killed and five more security force personnel
injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion caused by
suspected ULFA terrorists at Bhalukjuli in Goalpara district.
July 27: ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, addressing the outfit's
Martyr Day celebrations, calls for a referendum in the State to decide
the issue of sovereignty for which the outfit is fighting. He adds
that his organisation wants a ‘political solution’ to the 'Indo-Assam
conflict.’
July 17: ULFA, in its mouthpiece Freedom, calls upon the NSCN-IM to
review its stand on an extended Nagalim to 'avoid being projected as a
chauvinistic outfit'.
July 6: Media reports suggest that the ULFA 'commander-in-chief'
Paresh Baruah has been injured in an explosion at the residence of a
political activist of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in Bangladesh, Mir
Kasim Ali.
June 13: Three ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter at Lainagar
Dimrohala in Dibrugarh district.
June 6: 12 security force personnel injured in a pre-dawn rocket
attack by suspected ULFA terrorists on a Central Resrve Police Force
(CRPF) camp at Dhupdhara in Goalpara district.
June 4: Three ULFA terrorists killed and five police personnel injured
in an encounter at Dhalajan Fatagaon in Jorhat district.
May 3: Six AGP activists killed and 16 civilians injured in separate
attacks by suspected ULFA terrorists in Nalbari and Goalpara
districts.
May 2: An AGP office holder and another AGP activist killed in an
attack by suspected ULFA terrorists at Raniganj in Bilasipara.
May 1: The general secretary of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), and also the party's candidate from Dibrugarh
constituency, Jayanta Dutta and four other persons were killed and
nine others injured in separate ULFA attacks in Dibrugarh town.
April 29: Twelve AGP activists were injured as suspected ULFA
terrorists exploded a grenade near 'Janata Bhawan', the official
residence of the Chief Minister in Guwahati.
April 25: The then Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, addressing a
press conference in Guwahati, alleges that ULFA terrorists in
connivance with the Congress Party were targeting the AGP candidates.
April 24: Two AGP activists were killed by ULFA terrorists at
Diwanpara and Chakihali Bazar of Bongaigaon district.
April 15: Three security force personnel were killed in an attack by
ULFA terrorists near the Paneri police station in Darrang district.
March 30: Five ULFA terrorists killed in two separate encounters in
the Tengi village of Tinsukia district and Kalakuchi village of
Nalbari district.
March 17: Three youths, suspected to be police informers, were first
abducted and later killed by ULFA terrorists at Burinagar village in
Nalbari district.
March 15: Six ULFA terrorists belonging to the outfit's 'Enigma Unit'
killed in an encounter in a forest area under Krishnai police station
in Goalpara district. On the same day, six ULFA terrorists, led by the
outfit's Kamrup district 'operation commander' Raju Ahmed surrender at
Baihata Chariali in Kamrup district.
February 24: ULFA's Kamrup 'district commander' shot dead. On the same
day, eight ULFA terrorists are arrested.
February 23: Six ULFA terrorists killed and three more injured in an
encounter with security forces in Meghalaya, at Garobadha in the West
Garo hills district, on the Assam-Meghalaya border.
February 12: ULFA threatens wild life campaigner Vivek Menon for
campaigning against poaching of elephants and rhinos in the State.
February 2: Three ULFA terrorists were killed in an encounter in the
Mazgaon area, Bongaigaon district. On the same day, 13 ULFA
terrorists, including the outfit's 'foreign liaison officer',
'communication officer' and 'medical-in-charge', surrender at the Misa
Army camp near Nagaon.
January 31: Four ULFA terrorists were killed in two separate
encounters at Khangbari and Soneswar village.
January 26: 123 ULFA terrorists surrendered in Guwahati.
January 2: Three Surrendered ULFA (SULFA) men, including former ULFA
leader Abinash Bordoloi, were killed by suspected ULFA terrorists in
Nalbari district.
2000
December 17: Army sources claim that the ULFA chief, Paresh Baruah has
been injured and his deputy, Raju Baruah killed in an internecine
clash in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. However, Paresh
Baruah later contacted news agencies and contradicted these reports.
December 13: I D Swami, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs,
speaking in the Parliament, confirms the reports that ULFA has been
procuring arms from the Chinese Army.
December 8: Brother of Sasha Choudhury, 'foreign secretary' of ULFA
killed by unidentified assailants in Nalbari district.
December 7: 28 Hindi-speaking traders and farm workers from Bihar were
killed by suspected ULFA terrorists near Sadiya.
December 6: 153 ULFA terrorists surrendered in Dispur. House of Paresh
Baruah, ULFA chief, in Dhubri district attacked by unidentified
miscreants.
November 28: Three non-Assamese, Biharis, were killed by ULFA
terrorists in Tinsukia district.
November 26: Four non-Assamese, 'Biharis' were killed by ULFA
terrorists.
October 27: ULFA terrorists massacred nine persons and injured 12
others in the Nalbari district.
October 23: 15 persons were killed by suspected ULFA terrorists killed
in two separate incidents in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.
September 18: A news report stated that in a special joint operation
conducted over a period of two weeks, eighteen ULFA terrorists were
killed in Bhutan.
September 16: Two hundred ULFA terrorists operating in central Assam’s
Nagaon and Morigaon districts surrendered with their ‘commander’
Pranab Bora alias Swapnil Deka Raja.
September 10: An ULFA terrorist, who was the main accused in the
killing of Sanjoy Gosh, General Secretary of an NGO, AVARD-NE, killed
in an encounter in Jorhat.
August 18: Four hardcore ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter with
army in Tinsukia.
August 15: Three hundred ULFA terrorists including one of its top
leaders Lohit Deuri surrendered before Assam’s Chief Minister. A
'commander' of ULFA, Anil Bora alias Basant Phukan killed in an
encounter with police in Dibrugarh.
August 12: Four ULFA terrorists killed in an encounter with army in
Tinsukia.
May 27: ULFA’s ‘Assistant Publicity Secretary’ who was also a Central
Committee leader and the editor of Freedom, Swadhinata Phukan, alias
Kabiranjan Saikia, killed in an encounter with security forces at
Gendheli, Jorhat district.
March 14: Chief Minister Mahanta alleges that Pakistan's High
Commissioner in Bangladesh is playing an active role in sending ULFA
terrorists to Pakistan for arms training.
March 5: The then State Veterinary Minister Hiranya Konwar escaped an
assassination attempt by ULFA terrorists near Moran, Sibsagar
district.
February 27: ULFA terrorists killed the then State PWD and Forest
Minister, Nagen Sharma. Four others were also killed in the attack, in
Nalbari district.
1999
October 2: ULFA attacks Assam Revenue Minister, Dr. Zoii Nath Sharma's
convoy. Sharma escapes unhurt while three Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)
activists and a security guard are killed.
September 24: ULFA kills Dr. Pannalal Oswal, the BJP candidate for the
Dhubri Lok Sabha (Parliamentary) seat, ahead of the polls.
May 11: Seven security force personnel were killed and two others
injured in an ambush laid by ULFA terrorists in Nagaon district.
February 4: ULFA and three other Northeast insurgent groups launch
websites (http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/7434/
ulfa.htm).
1998
December 20: Six security force personnel and four civilians killed in
an ambush laid by ULFA terrorists in Dhubri district.
September 28: Seven security force personnel killed in an ambush laid
by ULFA terrorists in Goalpara district.
August 24: Three people killed in a massive bomb blast at Guwahati
railway station. ULFA claims responsibility for the incident.
July 24: 51 ULFA terrorists surrender.
May 15: ULFA warns the Naga terrorist outfit, National Socialist
Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) about encroaching on
Assamese territory. The warning follows reported killing of a family
member of a ULFA leader by the NSCN-IM.
1997
July 4: Prominent social activist Sanjoy Ghosh killed by suspected
ULFA terrorists.
June 8: Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta escapes a bid on
his life when ULFA terrorists attack his convoy in Guwahati.
1996
August 19: ULFA terrorists kill 13 security force personnel in three
separate attacks.
May 18: ULFA terrorists gun down Ravi Kant Singh, Superitendent of
Police (SP), Tinsukia district.
April 28: Lt. Col. Devendra Tyagi shot dead by ULFA terrorists in the
Kamakhya temple, Guwahati.
April 25: ULFA terrorists kill a local Congress (I) leader and four
others near Margherita town, Tinsukia district.
1995
November 23: Five security force personnel and their civilian driver
killed in a ambush laid jointly by ULFA and Bodo Security Force (BdSF)
terrorists.
August 3: ULFA terrorists kill eight security force personnel in an
ambush in Kamrup district.
1994
November 20: Central government extends ban on ULFA.
June 29: Security forces arrest Pradip Gogoi, the Vice-chairman of
ULFA.
1992
April 11: ULFA terrorists gun down ten security force personnel.
January 14: State government suspends Operation Rhino; ULFA agrees to
participate in a political dialogue with the government.
1991
July 1: ULFA resumes terrorist activities, abducts 14 people,
including an engineer, a national of (the erstwhile) Soviet Union.
1990
November 28: Central government imposes President’s rule in Assam as
terrorist activities unleashed by ULFA reach unprecedented heights.
The entire State of Assam is declared a "disturbed area"; ULFA banned
under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; army launches
Operation Bajrang.
May 9: ULFA terrorists kill Surendra Paul, a leading tea planter,
causing many tea estate managers to flee the State.
1979
April 7: United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) founded under the
leadership of Paresh Barua.
Sid Harth
Faultlines is the first series of its kind in South Asia, bringing an
inter-disciplinary focus to bear upon issues of internal security and
conflict management, and on related areas of public policy. It serves
as an outstanding source, both of primary data as well as of research
papers, on issues of strife and internal security.
Faultlines is published each quarter by the Institute for Conflict
Management.
Faultlines 19
(April 2008)
The uncritical hysteria of expectations and the almost delusional
character of 'analyses' that dominates media reportage on 'peace
initiatives' pushes the ground realities of internal conflicts into
the far background. We thus have the repeated experience of a
comprehensive failure on the part of the political establishment to
accommodate the complex and destructive dynamic of fragmented and
unimaginative state responses confronting the endless flexibility of
constantly mutating terrorist organizations and their supporters. This
volume is an effort to restore a certain measure of balance in the
perspectives on various conflicts in India that are arbitrarily and
repeatedly destabilized by apparently well-intentioned but ill-
conceived policy initiatives.
Foreword
The Gill Doctrine: A Model for 21st Century Counter-terrorism?
-Prem Mahadevan
Maoists in Nepal: Strategies of Subversion & Subterfuge
- Thomas A. Marks
Jammu and Kashmir: Women's Role in the post-1989 Insurgency
- Manisha Sobhrajani
Linkages between the Ethnic Diaspora and the Sikh Ethno-National
Movement in India
- Suneel Kumar
Sri Lanka: Youth Unrest and Inter-group Conflict
- G.H. Peiris
Publisher & Editor
K. P. S. Gill
Executive Editor
Dr. Ajai Sahni
Assistant Editor
Dr. Kanchan Lakshman
Editorial Consultants
Arundhati Ghose, Prof. George Jacob, Vijendra Singh Jafa, Chandan
Mitra,
Lt. Gen. S. K. Pillai
Subscribe Faultlines
Foreword
Assessments lie at the core of success or failure in any major
conflict, and, as Clausewitz has noted in his classic, On War, "the
first of all strategic questions and the most comprehensive"
confronting the statesman and the commander is "the kind of war on
which they are embarking; neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn
it into, something that is alien to its nature."1
And yet, recent experience is overwhelming testimony to the myopia of
leaders and, indeed, of the tremendous void that has come into
existence, globally, in military doctrine and strategic thinking.
Worse, the political discourse – crucial, in democratic nations, to
the strategic impulse – remains mired in obfuscation, in ideology-led
dogma, in denial, and in the sheer and deliberate opportunism of short-
term partisan political postures.
The most glaring of recent examples in this context is, of course, the
sheer perversion of intelligence and falsification of reality that
preceded – and conjured the case for – the Iraq invasion. The
disastrous consequences of this misadventure are everywhere in
evidence and America has already paid an unimaginable price for this
folly, not only in money and lives, but in the loss of international
prestige and irreversible damage to its status as the world’s ‘sole
superpower’.
Astonishingly, there is little evidence of learning within at least
some sections of the Bush administration, and there are many and
strident voices calling for US armed intervention in Iran, once again,
on intelligence and assessments that are, at best, dodgy.
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, crucial, though not as immediately
disastrous in potential, miscalculations remain in evidence. Despite
repeated failures of experiments to include a mythical ‘moderate
Taliban’ in the establishment at Kabul, and various ‘peace deals’ with
elements of the Taliban and various warlords on both sides of the Pak-
Afghan border, each of which has only brought about a further
consolidation of power and operational capacities of the Islamist
radicals, efforts for such rapprochement persist, and have intensified
with the formation of a new, democratic Government in Pakistan.
Indeed, the great faith invested in the ‘fundamental transformations’
that are to be wrought by the ‘new order’ in Pakistan, themselves,
constitute a failure of intelligence, and a grave error of judgment.
Elections and the installation of ‘democratic’ regimes in regions of
instability invariably give rise to euphoric sentiments and
assessments. Regrettably, in all but the rarest of cases, the
electoral exercise does little to alter the existing equations of
power within the system, and the consequent institutional perversities
that continues to operate, despite the apparent ‘shift’ engineered by
‘democracy’. The situation in Pakistan is not among the ‘rare
exceptions’ in this regard. The powers of the ‘democratic forces’
remain hostage to the country’s overwhelming military establishment,
though the latter has found it expedient to execute a tactical retreat
from overt control after the humiliation and discredit accumulated
over eight years of sustained catastrophe under President Pervez
Musharraf. To the extent that Pakistan’s principal challenge remains
the struggle with deep-rooted Islamist extremism, both within the
establishment and in elements now arrayed against it, as well as
against the associated and rising Islamist terrorism within and
sourced from the country, the role of the Army will remain pivotal.
The inherent contradictions of this role – which seeks, at once, to
confront and neutralize the increasing menace of some aspects of
Islamist radicalism, but simultaneously to retain control of the
instrumentalities of Islamist terror within the state’s strategic and
tactical arsenal – have in no measure diminished with the advent of
‘democracy’. Worse, while the ‘democratic forces’ are currently being
lionized, the reality of their past cannot be ignored for long. These
are, in the main, deeply discredited and compromised parties and
leaders, and most of these have had deep and enduring linkages with
the Islamist extremists and with Pakistan’s project of international
radicalization and terrorism, during past tenures in power. Crucially,
moreover, notwithstanding the ‘marginalization’ of the Islamist
formations in the elections, the disruptive capacities of the Islamist
extremists have in no measure been diluted, nor has their intent been
altered, by the electoral process or the installation of a ‘new
regime’. The reality of power in Pakistan remains an irreducible
conflict between a pre-eminent, but declining, military power, and a
rising, albeit still far inferior, jihadi force. ‘Democratic’ players
remain, at best, minor and probably transitional actors in this
theatre.
The ‘democracy delusion’ is conspicuously manifest in Nepal as well. A
party committed to a totalitarian ideology of violent transformation
has now nearly secured the seizure of state power through a tactical
subordination of the democratic process – at the end of a ten-year
campaign of its explicitly violent ‘people’s war’. Apologists for the
new fait accompli are, of course, vigorously celebrating the ‘victory
of democracy’. But the seizure of power, though still in its
execution, is no less a reality merely because it was not effectively
resisted by democratic forces or the existing state apparatus; nor,
indeed, is the Maoist ideology any less totalitarian because power is
secured through a manipulation of democratic processes and
institutions; moreover, the state may not have manifestly been
captured through the ‘barrel of the gun’, but it has certainly been
secured under the shadow of the gun, in a situation of widespread
intimidation and the denial of democratic space to political rivals by
the Maoists. This outcome has, moreover, been achieved through a long
succession of political and strategic blunders on the part of each of
the powers involved – both domestic and international – which have
aided, inadvertently but invariably, in the consolidation of the
Maoist stranglehold over Nepal.
Infirmities of perception are also endemic in India’s multiple
internal conflicts – including the persistent proxy war that Pakistan
continues to wage, through Islamist extremist instrumentalities, in
Jammu & Kashmir and in progressively wider areas across the country.
Such errors are, however, most dramatically exemplified in the
irreconcilable conflict of views that has persisted, for nearly four
years now, between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Minister of
Home Affairs, Shivraj Patil, on the threat of Left Wing Extremism or
Maoism/Naxalism in India. The Prime Minister has, variously and
repeatedly, articulated the view that "Left Wing Extremism is probably
the single biggest security challenge to the Indian state", and has
advocated the strongest measures for the suppression of this threat,
noting, "We need to cripple the hold of Naxalite forces with all the
means at our command... we also need to choke their support
infrastructure." His Home Minister has, however, explicitly rejected
this assessment, has repeatedly sought to minimize the Maoist threat
in India through statement and statistical manipulation, and has
insisted that, in dealing with "our children" and with "our brothers
and sisters", "the Government is not interested in using weapons." The
impact, down the chain of command and operation, of such ambivalence –
indeed, contradiction – at the highest levels of Government, can only
be imagined.
It is significant, however, that wherever a sufficient measure of
clarity has been secured in counter-terrorism perspectives and
doctrine in India – as was the case in Punjab and, more recently, in
Andhra Pradesh and Tripura – the results have been the most
astonishing and swift reverses inflicted on anti-state forces.
As with all wars or major conflicts, strategies of response to
insurgency and terrorism relate essentially to the acquisition and
disposition of force and resources. The degree to which this task is
effectively and imaginatively addressed – in conformity, not with some
particular rigidity of theory, ideology or vested interest, but with
an objective and accurate assessment of the challenges at hand –
defines the measure of success that is attainable. The critical
imperative is to define clear objectives and ends for our strategies,
and to assess these strategies in terms of the quantifiable advances
they secure towards these specific goals and objectives.
It is only a continuous study of the specific details and dynamics of
the forces and conditions operating on the ground that can yield a
sufficient understanding of, and framework of response to, the rising
terrorism and sub-conventional wars of our age. It is to such study
that Faultlines is dedicated.
Ajai Sahni
New Delhi, April 25, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl von Clausewitz, On War, ed. and trans. Michael Howard and Peter
Paret, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976, p. 88.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, "Speech at the Chief Ministers'
Conference on Internal Security," New Delhi, December 20, 2007,
http://pmindia.nic.in/speeches.htm.
Ibid.
"Naxal threat has not become worse: Patil," CNN-IBN, February 16,
2008, http://www.ibnlive.com/news/naxal-threat-has-not-become-worse-patil/59198-3.html.
Home Minister's statement on September 17, 2004. See also, Ajai Sahni,
"Bad Medicine for a Red Epidemic," South Asia Intelligence Review,
Vol. 3, No. 12, October 4, 2004, South Asia Terrorism Portal,
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/3_12.htm#ASSESSMENT2
Union Minister's statement at a meeting with representatives of
political parties and voluntary organisations in Bangalore, The
Telegraph, April 25, 2005, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050425/asp/nation/story_4658169.asp
Ibid.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume19/Foreword.htm
The Gill Doctrine
A Model for 21st Century Counter-terrorism ? ^
Prem Mahadevan*
Faultlines: Volume 19, April 2008
The defeat of politico-religious terrorism in the Indian state of
Punjab represented a spectacular counterterrorist success. For the
first time in history, the security forces of a democracy were able to
comprehensively defeat a terrorist movement, instead of just
containing it. No political compromises were made, no ‘root causes’
were addressed1. Yet, terrorism disappeared from Punjab with a
swiftness and permanence that continues to surprise many.
What was truly impressive was the fact that Punjab represented one of
the earliest examples of religious terrorism in modern times. Between
1981 and 1993, a total of 21,469 people died in the conflict,
including 8,009 terrorists2. Although ostensibly a separatist struggle
for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland, the so-called
Khalistan movement was actually nihilistic. The terrorists’ ostensible
political aim was to win independence for Punjab from India. However,
the manner by which they went about achieving it defied strategic
logic. Instead of seeking to win adherents to the concept of Sikh
separatism, the terrorists merely sought to create as much chaos
within India as possible3. Between themselves, the 162-odd terrorist
groups fought bitterly for supremacy even while remaining generally
united in their opposition to New Delhi.
Lacking any coherent blueprint for political action and forced to rely
almost totally on foreign patronage, many so-called Khalistani
militants focused on self-enrichment4. The handful who were serious
about secession were gradually but harshly disillusioned. In essence,
although their objective of a separate Sikh state was tangible enough,
and quite explicitly articulated, the terrorists basically remained
anarchists. Their blueprint for translating vision into reality
centred on the fond hope that New Delhi would simply lose the will to
retain Punjab, or would be pressured by foreign Governments to grant
independence.5
Terrorism in Punjab (hereafter called Khalistani terrorism) was an
imported phenomenon, born out of an identity crisis within the Sikh
Diaspora in the West.6 Migrants to Canada, the UK, the US and West
Germany grew increasingly conscious of their ethnicity once abroad.
Rediscovering religion, they began to fund religious militants in
Punjab from the late 1970s. Among the Sikhs who remained in India, the
concept of a separate Sikh homeland had practically no grassroots-
level support. The biggest impetus for Khalistan only occurred in
1984.
Reacting to a wave of violence by Sikh extremists in Punjab, on June
5, 1984, the Indian Government sent the Army into the Golden Temple,
the Sikh faith’s holiest shrine. The Temple had long been used as a
headquarters complex by the terrorists, who had fortified it heavily.
A bitter battle followed, during which the Temple suffered extensive
damage. In retaliation, two Sikh Policemen assassinated India’s Prime
Minister, Indira Gandhi.
The murder of Mrs. Gandhi was followed by a horrific series of
massacres across India, perpetrated by supporters of the ruling
Congress party. In a disgraceful chapter of Indian history, over three
thousand Sikhs, including women and children, were burnt alive in the
national capital Delhi. The effect on the nascent Khalistan movement
was electrifying. What had previously been a rag-tag politico-
religious grouping within Punjab, sustained by expatriate donations,
mutated into a separatist rebellion.
Hoping to conciliate the Sikh community, the Indian Government agreed
to make substantial concessions. Before these could take effect
however, terrorists began to assassinate moderate Sikh leaders. In an
atmosphere of spiraling chaos, the Indian Army was withdrawn from
counter-terrorist duties in Punjab. Henceforth, it would be the
State’s Police force that would bear the brunt of the fight against
terrorism. Initially struggling to adapt to the unusual task of
counter-terrorism, the Police were ineffective. This changed with the
appearance of K.P.S Gill in Punjab.
Kanwar Pal Singh Gill was born in 1934 in the Punjabi city of Lahore,
in what is currently Pakistan. After joining the Indian Police Service
(IPS) in 1957, he served for 25 years in India’s northeastern States
and in Jammu and Kashmir7. Prior to being inducted into Punjab in
1984, he had directed counter-terrorist special operations in the
State of Assam. Upon Gill fell the responsibility of helping the
Punjab Police force structurally and psychologically adapt to the
wholly unfamiliar phenomenon of political terrorism.
Recognizing his expertise, in 1988 the Indian Government elevated Gill
to the post of Director-General of Police in Punjab. His knowledge of
terrorist psychology, both in general and especially in the case of
Punjab, made him a natural leader of the counter-terrorist effort.8 As
a member of the Jat caste within the Sikh community, Gill’s identity
grouping was a mirror image of the terrorists he was fighting.9 He
argued that only a Jat Sikh could defeat another Jat Sikh – a credo
that underpinned much of his subsequent success.10
Through a series of doctrinal innovations, Gill moulded the Punjab
Police into India’s most effective counter-terrorist force. In 1992,
this force11 launched a final and synchronized counter-offensive
against the Khalistan movement that wiped out militancy in Punjab
within 18 months.
Since 1994, a theory has emerged that attempts to rationalize India’s
highly atypical counter-terrorist success in Punjab. It posits that
the Punjab Police under Gill carried out a campaign of ‘state
terror’12. The defeat of religious terrorism occurred in spite of, and
not due to, the Government’s counterterrorist efforts.13 Instead, a
quasi-mystical force usually known as ‘popular support’ abandoned the
militants’ cause. Their defeat was thus a historical inevitability.
As explanations go, this theory is ahistorical and intellectually
lazy. By arguing that terrorism in Punjab lost popular support, its
proponents rid themselves of the need to examine the events of the
time more closely. Perniciously, this narrative suggests that at some
point, the terrorist movement actually did enjoy widespread popular
support. Such intellectual confusion springs from a common tendency
among academics to conflate counter-terrorism with counter-
insurgency.
By importing Western counter-insurgency theories from the late 1950s
and 1960s into the post-Cold War era, scholars do themselves or their
readers no favours. Instead, they would do well to study conflicts
like Punjab within their local and regional contexts, and only then
decide if a political rebellion ever had ‘popular support’. The
presence of such support would implicitly question the Government’s
legitimacy, and make for a counter-insurgency war. The absence of
popular support for the rebels on the other hand, would make the
contest purely one of operational dominance, and thus a counter-
terrorist war.
This paper hopes to take scholarship on the Punjab problem a step
forward by examining Gill’s unique approach to counter-terrorist
operations. It codifies the measures he took to combat the terrorist
threat in Punjab into a discrete counter-terrorist doctrine. The ‘Gill
Doctrine’ is thus not an official Indian Government policy on counter-
terrorism. In fact, it is a suggested alternative to the current
policy of stalling for time and allowing matters on the internal
security front to drift on aimlessly.
Gill’s 1992 offensive offers a rare and perhaps isolated instance
where purely kinetic (i.e., force-based) counter-terrorist efforts
defeated a terrorist movement. Hitherto, academics have often asserted
that security forces can only contain terrorism.14 They assert that
the defeat of terrorism requires the implementation of a ‘political
solution’ that addresses the ‘root causes’ of militancy. Gill
dramatically proved this thesis to be false. The objective of this
paper is to explain how he was able to do so. In particular, it shall
demonstrate the fallacy of the theory that human rights violations
contributed to his success. The reason the Punjab example has not been
replicated elsewhere shall also be discussed.
The Conceptual Framework
At the core of the Gill Doctrine lies the view that terrorism has
mutated from being merely a tactic of political rebellion, as it was
in the 1970s, to an entirely new way of waging warfare. Counter-
terrorism in the closing decades of the 20th century and the early
decades of the 21st cannot be denigrated as a mere ‘law and order’
issue. Instead, it is the major challenge to the security of
individual nation-states, precisely because it is still being mistaken
as an appendage to popular insurgency.15
Gill argues that extensive foreign sponsorship of terrorism by rogue
states has dramatically increased the striking power of terrorist
groups. Consequently, the traditional Police doctrine of minimal use
of force can no longer be blindly applied. Instead, the use of force
should be proportional to the threat posed by each particular
terrorist movement.
When fighting terrorists armed with military-issue hardware, the
definition of what constitutes ‘minimal force’ requires recalibration.
If terrorism is after all a new way of warfare, then the Government
must be prepared to combat it on a war-footing. At the same time,
there remains an overwhelming need to insulate the local population
from suffering disproportionate collateral damage. For this reason,
the use of area weapons and airpower is to be avoided, even if the
result is heightened casualties on one’s own side. 16
To do full justice to the Gill Doctrine, it is necessary to appreciate
the nuances of K.P.S Gill’s arguments. He does not reject the
proposition that misgovernance has a role to play in fostering
political militancy. Indeed, Gill has not spared the Indian
bureaucracy for its corruption and general incompetence. He has warned
that chronically poor administration within Punjab since terrorism was
quelled raises the possibility of resurgent violence.17 Gill does,
however, make a distinction between the ‘root causes’ of terrorism,
and the dynamics that sustain it once violence actually erupts. His
associate, Ajai Sahni, argues that far more important for counter-
terrorist policymakers than addressing ‘root causes’, is neutralizing
the sustaining dynamic of terrorism.18
This point needs to be understood by critics of Gill’s methods. At no
point does he suggest that the security forces, as the coercive arm of
the Government, can act as a substitute for the administrative wing.
Nevertheless, the simple fact remains that one cannot develop areas
one does not physically control, hence the Gill Doctrine’s emphasis on
kinetic counter-terrorist measures. As John Paul Vann noted in the
context of counter-insurgency in Vietnam, "you can argue about whether
security is 10 per cent of the problem or 90 per cent of the problem,
but it’s the first 10 per cent or the first 90 per cent."19
It has been suggested that the Gill Doctrine relies on coercion alone
in order to succeed. Suggestions have been made that as chief of
Police, Gill neglected to win local support in the fight against
terrorism.20 In fact, he spent much of his time trying to mobilize
Punjab’s Sikhs against extremist violence.21 Where he differed from
his more politically-correct colleagues was in the depth of
expectation he placed upon such efforts. Whilst pacifists in the
Police attempted to put the cart before the horse and rally the
population against terrorism before aspiring for operational
dominance, Gill reversed these priorities.
One of the Gill Doctrine’s most significant contributions to the study
of low intensity conflicts has been the concept of a ‘societal
Stockholm Syndrome.’23 This concept holds that even in instances where
popular support for militancy appears high, it may not be so in
reality. Rather, such support might only amount to a survival tactic
adopted by populations living continuously under the shadow of the
gun. Once this point is appreciated by counter-terrorist strategists,
it becomes possible to develop a response to terrorist violence that
balances political sustainability with operational effectiveness.
Gill argues that the first objective of counter-terrorism is to break
the collective mental paralysis that terrorist violence imposes upon
individuals living in its close proximity. To achieve this mass-
psychological transformation, it was necessary for the Police to
engage terrorists operationally and physically isolate them from the
terrorized. Thereafter, mass contact programmes could impress upon
local communities the impossibility of maintaining an ambiguous moral
position on terrorism. Once these measures are taken, popular support
for counter-terrorist operations shall appear, and in massive
quantities. The Doctrine refers to this outpouring of popular support
as the ‘pressure cooker effect’, and holds that it is as much a
symptom of counter-terrorist success as a cause of it.
Gill’s aggressive views on counter-terrorism were not immediately
accepted when he articulated them in the context of Punjab. Tensions
arose from the fact that his was a rationality-based view of counter-
terrorism, up against a sentimentality-based one held by the
administration. To elaborate on this point: the Gill Doctrine is
grounded in hard-headed Clausewitzian principles. The very
ruthlessness of these principles brought them into inevitable conflict
with the Gandhian idealism that to this day, pockmarks Indian
strategic thinking.24
Gill operated on the Clausewitzian dictum of first trying to
understand what kind of conflict he was engaged in, and then devising
an appropriate strategy.25 Many Police officers in Punjab however,
stuck fast to the principle that force was only to be used when all
other policy options were exhausted, not when the situation most
demanded it. They continued to see Punjab as an ethno-nationalist
conflict of the kind that had long troubled India’s northeastern
region. In the process, they missed out on the qualitative impact that
the politicization of religion brought to the conflict.
Unlike the northeastern rebellions, violence in Punjab, according to
its initiators, was legitimized by the ultimate identity
differentiator: religion. In the terrorists’ view, massacres of
innocents were part of a larger offensive conducted in the name of the
Sikh community worldwide. Thus, the fact that the majority of
terrorism’s victims in Punjab were Sikhs was explained away by a
belief that other Sikhs supported the killers.26
Gill recognized that the religious element of the Khalistan movement
meant it was closer to being an identity-driven struggle than one that
was ideology-driven.
The difference is crucial. While ideologically motivated terrorists
can be induced to defect through intellectual persuasion, identity-
driven terrorists create a psychological barrier between themselves
and members of the out-group. Surmounting this barrier by non-coercive
means is near- impossible, particularly when the differences between
the terrorists and the out-group are clearly visible. Racial and
religious differences are two particularly potent dividers of
identity. Political views are not, because they can be moderated
through dialogue and prolonged discussion. For example, in the 1950s,
a communist terrorist in Malaya could be induced over a period of time
to change sides and become a capitalist. Today, a jihadi fighting in
the name of his religion cannot change the fact that he is a Muslim.
As a Sikh, Gill knew the tenets of his religion better than anyone
else. He knew that the Khalistani terrorists had developed a perverted
interpretation of Sikhism to resolve their own personal identity
crises. Aware that they had inured themselves against Government
propaganda, he did not waste time trying to engage them in theological
debates. Instead he appealed directly to their natural instinct for
survival. Gill offered the terrorists a stark choice: they could
either die for their idea of God, or live for themselves. There was no
third option. Many Khalistanis responded as per logical dictates and
surrendered. Those that did not, engaged in gun battles with the
Police, and frequently ended up meeting their Maker.
The uniqueness of the Gill Doctrine lies in the fact that it offers a
template for counter-terrorism which is potentially applicable across
time and space. All terrorist movements share a common weakness: the
need to constantly replace cadres lost to security forces action.27
Failure to match recruitment rates to operational losses means that
terrorist groups start to experience a manpower deficit. If this goes
on long enough, it can lead to the terrorist movement simply withering
away. In order to be effective therefore, counter-terrorism needs to
be conceived of as a war of attrition. The challenge for the
Government is to develop an operational capability for attrition
levels which are intolerable for the terrorists but politically
sustainable for itself.28
By ‘politically sustainable’, what is meant is that counter-terrorism
should make every reasonable effort to avoid violations of human
rights. Democracies by their very nature are conscious of the need to
preserve individual freedoms and curtail the power of the Government’s
coercive apparatus. It is therefore essential for security forces to
develop excellent intelligence and investigative capabilities in order
to ensure that only the guilty suffer.29
The Gill Doctrine provided a mechanism by which the rate of terrorist
neutralization in Punjab could be raised to exceed the rate of
terrorist recruitment. It involved the targeted repression of
terrorists and their active supporters, based upon good local
intelligence. Since the vast majority of the noncombatant population
was left unaffected by security forces’ action, sympathy for the
terrorists did not automatically increase. Furthermore, by carrying
out synchronized operations, the security forces could create large
manpower deficits within the terrorist movement in a short space of
time. These greatly hampered the ability of terrorist groups to carry
out diversionary attacks and thus helped in keeping the counter-
terrorist effort focused. Once the political establishment was
prepared to acquiesce in the continuation of such an attritional
counter-terrorist policy, terrorism could be wiped out without any
concessions having to be made.
In line with what has been said above, one may deduce that the success
of the Gill Doctrine hinged upon three crucial variables:
The Quality of Local Intelligence
A Capacity for Synchronized Operations
The Degree of Political Resolve
Each one of these variables helped security forces achieve one of the
‘three possibles’ of attritional counter-terrorism, upon which the
Gill Doctrine was based. These were to:
Surgically neutralize as many terrorists as possible,
As quickly as possible,
For as long as possible.
The ‘three possibles’ outlined above triangulate the actions
encapsulated within the Gill Doctrine, enclosing it within a complete
analytical model that captures its essentials. Rapid and Sustainable
Attrition (RASTA – an Indian word for ‘way’) was the guiding objective
according to which the progress of counter-terrorist efforts was
measured. While the Punjab Police were able to attain the first two
‘possibles’ within 19 months of Gill’s appointment as Police chief,
the third was not achieved until 1992. Terrorists could be identified
and surgically neutralized on the basis of good local intelligence,
and at a very rapid pace, but lack of political resolve undercut the
Punjab Police’s efforts. Not until the political establishment in New
Delhi allowed Gill to continue his efforts without interference from
would-be peacemakers, did attrition of terrorist cadres become both
rapid and sustainable.
In 1992, three distinct and separate factors converged to defeat the
terrorist movement. These were: an intelligence-led Police offensive,
a massive influx of supplementary manpower to assist the Police, and
the acquisition of a political mandate to eradicate terrorism.
Previously, none of these factors had existed alongside the other two,
and in isolation, each was insufficient to bring about a situational
transformation in Punjab. By bringing together all of the ‘three
possibles’ at the same time, Gill put the Khalistan movement under
unbearable pressure through high-paced attrition. Its implosion was
thus a foregone conclusion. The next three sections shall enunciate
the relationship between local intelligence, operational synchronicity
and political consensus on the one hand, and each of the ‘three
possibles’ on the other.
Local Intelligence Helps Distinguish Between Terrorist and
Noncombatant
Intelligence helps the security forces discriminate between those
involved in terrorist activity, and ordinary members of the population.
30 It thus helps minimize harassment and inconvenience to the public
at large, leaving the common man free to go about his business.
Intelligence helps meet the first ‘possible’, by allowing for the
surgical neutralization of terrorists and their active supporters. The
reason that such intelligence is produced locally, rather than at the
federal level, comes down to simple constraints of resources, doctrine
and legality.
Federal intelligence organizations have to cater to a multiplicity of
consumer requirements of which counter-terrorism is only one. Such
organizations strive to assist policymakers before all other
categories of consumer. The informational requirements of security
forces at the tactical level are only fulfilled once higher priorities
have been met.31 In effect, operational units in counter-terrorism
have to take the initiative in developing their own intelligence-
gathering capabilities. The only alternative is to wait until the
intelligence bureaucracy can free up resources to begin meeting their
requirements.
Furthermore, the limited federal intelligence capabilities that are
devoted to the collection of tactical intelligence are usually
oriented towards conventional military targets. Order of battle
analyses of foreign armies and target acquisition in wartime
constitute their main roles in supporting operational-level consumers.
The asymmetric structure and tactics of terrorist groups makes them a
highly unusual challenge for intelligence systems. Barring counter-
intelligence experts, who are accustomed to tracking down clandestine
networks, many intelligence professionals have little knowledge of
combating non-state actors.32
Also, intelligence organizations face certain legal handicaps in
counter-terrorism. It has generally been the case that Police
officers, with their executive powers, possess a comparative advantage
in handling agents. A Policeman can negotiate deals with an informer,
which trade-off a reduced prison sentence in exchange for his
collaboration. By comparison, intelligence officers in democracies are
usually constrained from independently extending such offers to
potential or actual terrorists.33
According to one Police officer who served in Punjab, in any counter-
terrorist effort it is always the local Police who stand the best
chance of acquiring actionable intelligence.34 Traditional human
intelligence systems, consisting of paid informers and professional
handlers, virtually disintegrate in the face of targeted
assassinations by terrorists. Relying on professional intelligence
officers to furnish information on terrorist activity is thus a recipe
for perpetual intelligence failure. The only alternative is to empower
operational units of the security forces to meet their own
intelligence requirements. This requires the infusion of large sums of
money into the counter-terrorist effort, and its dispersal among
tactical-level commanders.
The lynchpin of Gill’s intelligence strategy was the thana, or local
Police station. Thanas were first introduced into the subcontinent by
the British East India Company in 1793. From 1810 onwards, they began
to be systematically used for intelligence-gathering. An elaborate
network of informers, usually very disreputable characters, functioned
as the eyes and ears of the Station House Officer (SHO). Following the
Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, thanas became the central nervous system of
the British Empire in India. They served to detect the very first
murmurings of discontent against colonial rule and were very effective
in suppressing these.35
With the transition to Indian independence however, internal security
policing ceased to occupy the same priority for the political
establishment. It was assumed that democracy would act as a palliative
to societal unrest, thus obviating the need for a large coercive
apparatus. The Police system in India thus began to lag behind
external requirements posed by changing political and demographic
trends. Infrastructure inherited from the colonial authorities was not
built upon at a rate commensurate to population growth.36
As a first step towards reinvigorating Police intelligence networks,
Gill introduced a regime of meticulous documentation of terrorist
crimes.37 The purpose of this was to detect alarming trends and
patterns in terrorist activity before they gained momentum and became
irreversible. Furthermore, data would be collated to facilitate link
analyses of relations between terrorist groups and individual members
within these. Thereafter, the Police prioritized their man-hunting
efforts, focusing on interdicting those terrorists who constituted the
most active nodes of the movement. The idea was to exert a
‘demonstrative effect’ upon the terrorist movement, without undergoing
the prohibitive costs of chasing down rank-and-file cadres.
Bounties were placed upon the heads of particularly notorious
terrorists. To aid in the process of prioritization, terrorists were
classed into ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ categories on the basis of their
commitment. Hardcore or category ‘A’ terrorists were generally
extremely violent and were targeted for special attention. Whenever
less ruthless category ‘B’ or ‘C’ terrorists were captured by the
Police, they were usually required to co-operate in neutralizing their
more fanatical comrades if they wanted to be let off. During 1992,
many such betrayals took place and had a cascading effect on the
fortunes of the Khalistan movement.
The number of terrorists classed as priority targets for
neutralization usually ranged between 30 and 40.38 Though few in
number, these individuals’ continued liberty in defiance of the
Government made them poster-boys for terrorist recruitment. Capturing
or killing them translated into a psychological victory for the
Government and thus became the focus of Police counterterrorist
efforts. Here, the thanas played a crucial role. As bastions of
Government authority situated squarely amongst the local community,
they possessed an institutional memory which no external agency could
match.39 Police officers knew the association matrices of prominent
terrorists, right down to their distant relatives and childhood
friends. They thus knew whom to approach for information while hunting
for a particular individual, without having to question those
unconnected with him. Federal counter-terrorist forces on the other
hand, could not help but harass the innocent along with the guilty
during man-hunting efforts.
The Indian Army’s counter-terrorist operations in Punjab during 1984
provide a ready example of this point. Writing retrospectively, Gill
outlined the intelligence challenges faced by the Indian Army when it
chose to operate independently of the Police:
[T]he classical defects of Army intervention in civil strife – an
extraneous and heavily armed force suddenly transported into
unfamiliar territory; mistrustful (in this case, exceptionally so) of
the local Police and intelligence, but with no independent sources of
information; dealing with a population, large elements of which had
become hostile; and operating under a political fiat that not only
condoned, but emphasized the use of punitive force. Operating blindly,
the Army arrested large numbers of people, many innocent, others
perhaps merely sympathetic to the militant cause, but by no means
associated with any terrorist or criminal activity. Lacking in
adequate information to distinguish effectively at the local level,
the [Army’s] indiscriminate sweep … pushed many a young man across the
border into the arms of welcoming Pakistani handlers.40
By contrast, the Police possessed an in-built ‘surge capability’ to
gather intelligence on terrorist related activity, which could be
rapidly activated in a crisis. State Police officers possessed an
awareness of local geographic, demographic and cultural factors that
simply lay beyond the reach of their federal counterparts. Such
knowledge proved invaluable in operational planning. For instance, a
number of terrorists often pursued sexual relations with favoured
women in both rural and urban areas. Once the Police identified these
women and where they lived, it was relatively simple to put
surveillance on their houses and wait till the terrorists came
calling. Once provided with additional funds for intelligence-
gathering, Police Stations were able to intensify their coverage of
terrorist activity within their jurisdictions. In Tarn Taran, the area
of highest terrorist activity, an elaborate system of informers
allowed the Police to accurately identify terrorist harbourers in each
village. Typically, the terrorists would come calling at night, enjoy
the hospitality of their hosts, and depart before daybreak. Within
hours, Policemen would descend upon the harbourers’ houses and demand
an explanation for the nocturnal visitors.
By repeatedly carrying out such raids, the Police conveyed to the
population that hidden sympathies for the terrorists would not remain
a secret. At the same time, raids on harbourers established a cause-
and-effect relationship between the presence of militants in a
neighbourhood, and subsequent Police activity. The Police were thus
not seen as a hostile force, intent on disrupting the lives of local
residents, but as a force engaged in pursuit of specific individuals.
The fact that only those who actually sheltered the terrorists were
questioned also split the large majority of the population from the
militants and their active supporters.
If thanas were the building block of Police intelligence in Punjab,
money-power was its lifeblood. The quality of information provided by
informers was directly related to the financial inducements offered.
The experience of Punjab in this respect tallies with what has been
observed in asymmetric wars elsewhere. Human intelligence was crucial
to the effectiveness of counter-terrorist operations, and such
intelligence was usually the result of good policing and an
established security forces presence at the local level. Since the
Police were part of the state’s civil administration, they were able
to set up intelligence networks under the guise of civic action
programmes. For instance, a number of Police Stations established
hockey clubs in their jurisdictions to reach out to local youths. Some
of these were subsequently recruited as undercover operatives.
Increments of money had a positive effect on the outcome of counter-
terrorist efforts, provided such increments were directed at the
tactical level of the intelligence hierarchy, and not the strategic
one. Even indirect investments in local infrastructure could yield
intelligence dividends, as became evident when the Government expanded
the state telecommunications network. A number of individuals phoned
in anonymous tip-offs regarding the whereabouts of wanted terrorists,
usually motivated by personal vendettas. Although strategic
intelligence on the terrorist movement was excellent, it was of little
actionable value at the grass-roots level. Indian intelligence
agencies did not share a lot of their data on the Khalistan movement
with the Punjab Police. When it came to tactical intelligence, the
volume of information locally developed and exploited by the Police
was far greater than that provided by Federal agencies.
Synchronized Operations Increase the Neutralization Rate
Gill’s experience of counter-insurgency in northeastern India allowed
him to study and map out the comparative advantages of the Police and
the military. Police forces possessed a vital asset which could not be
easily acquired by the military, namely, local intelligence networks.
The Army on the other hand, had two advantages which could be
replicated by the Police over time: manpower and firepower. Both of
these were essential to attaining area dominance over a terrorist-
infested region. Area dominance in turn, helped maintain intelligence
dominance since an improved incident response capability led to more
terrorists being captured. More captures meant more information could
be obtained from interrogations. They also emboldened the people to
increasingly volunteer information on terrorist activity as public
confidence that quick action would follow increased.
Therefore, after developing the capability to distinguish terrorist
from noncombatant, the next priority was to neutralize terrorists at
the highest possible rate. Gill aimed to improve the neutralization
rate in Punjab by empowering first responders to react with maximum
speed to terrorist incidents. Towards this end, he advocated
militarizing the Police force: a move that brought him into conflict
with more conservatively- minded colleagues.
For a start, there was strong bureaucratic resistance to the idea of
upgrading Police weaponry to match the Kalashnikov assault rifles
available to the terrorists. A view existed that no matter how grave
the security situation, an ostensibly ‘civilian’ force such as the
Police could not be armed with ‘military’ weapons. These fears stemmed
in part from worries that equipping the Police with assault rifles
could lead to widespread human rights violations. In fact, the
opposite turned out to be the case. Confident of their fighting
capacity once provided with a suitable counter to the AK-47, the men
of the Punjab Police grew more willing to close in with the terrorists
during shoot-outs. By extension, civilian casualties dropped as the
Police were better able to distinguish terrorist from noncombatant.
Less controversial changes included efforts to strengthen the vehicle
fleet and the Police radio network. Eventually, the number of vehicles
available for Police response teams was tripled, while INR 140 million
was spent on improving the extent and quality of Police
communications. In addition, the Police radio network was interlinked
with those of the central paramilitary forces, who had been specially
inducted into the state to contain terrorism. The Police force itself
was expanded from 35,000 men to 60,000 men, 65 per cent of whom were
Sikhs. As had been done with the terrorists, Police Stations were
graded into ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ categories to prioritize resource
allocation. Category ‘A’ stations were those within whose
jurisdictions the largest number of terrorist incidents occurred.
Their vulnerabilities and inadequacies were subject to intense
scrutiny, and additional resources were allocated to rectify these.
Different stations were afflicted by different types of shortages,
ranging from manpower deficiencies in some, to poor communications and
transport in others.
To a large extent, manpower shortages were offset by improved
operational co-ordination between the Police and central paramilitary
forces. As chief of Police, K.P.S Gill was given operational control
over central paramilitary forces within Punjab. Upon his instructions,
joint Police-paramilitary interrogation teams were created to improve
intelligence-sharing and exploitation at the tactical level. This
minimized turnaround time on intelligence inputs and thus enhanced
their actionability. Prolonged interaction between local and central
security forces also dissipated the initial suspicions that each held
of the other.
One of Gill’s biggest innovations in employing Police manpower was the
near-complete abolishment of static checkpoints. Having observed the
limited utility of barricades and roadblocks in interdicting
terrorists, he did away with them. Instead, Policemen were reallocated
to the task of actively pursuing terrorists. By this simple expedient,
the operational strength of the Punjab Police shot up from 50 per cent
of total manpower, to 85 per cent. Gill set a high standard of
operational readiness for the Punjab Police. He aimed to attain a
reaction time of 3-5 minutes in urban areas, and 15-20 minutes in
rural areas. By a combination of the measures described above, and
massive manpower support from the Indian Army, this standard was
achieved in 1992.
Ever since its assault on the Golden Temple in 1984, the Army had
stayed out of internal security duties in Punjab. The reason was
strategic: Punjab was a vital operational area in the event of war
with Pakistan. For reasons already outlined, the Army’s counter-
terrorist operations had alienated the local population. This was
viewed as alarming, particularly when some Sikh battalions mutinied
following the attack on the Temple. Eager not to worsen the situation,
the Central Government focused on handing over responsibility for
counter-terrorism to the local authorities. For this reason alone, the
Army did not come to dominate the counter-terrorist effort in Punjab.
Elsewhere, the pattern of low intensity combat operations in India has
been markedly different, and more in tune with that seen across the
world.
Militaries are usually tasked with responsibility for counter-
terrorism when the level of violence escalates beyond what is
considered locally manageable. In such situations, soldiers are
strongly inclined to either elbow out local Police forces or
subordinate them to military command. The presumption is that
terrorist violence could not have escalated had the Police not been
partially subverted. A fairly common tactic used in India is for the
military to call for the setting up of a Unified Headquarters to
combat terrorism. Although nominally a meeting point for various
services to come together and work out a joint strategy, in practice
such headquarters cement the Army’s dominance of the counter-terrorist
effort. In Punjab after 1984, there were no such maneuvers. Once
suitably armed and equipped, the Police amply demonstrated that they
were more than willing to confront the terrorists. Accordingly, when
the Army was redeployed to Punjab in aid of civil power in late 1991,
it was content to accept a secondary role.
Under what Gill termed the ‘cooperative command’ concept, the Army
formed the anvil of the counter-terrorist effort while the Police
acted as the hammer. Senior terrorists were pursued across the length
and breadth of the State by Police teams armed with specific
intelligence. Meanwhile soldiers set up static checkpoints on every
road in the state to restrict the terrorists’ freedom of movement. In
contrast to 1984, their behavior towards the local population in
1991-92 was impeccable, owing to the very tight supervision exercised
by senior officers. When troops moved out on patrol, they were
accompanied by Police guides. Army personnel provided the manpower
that constituted the outer cordons of Police cordon and search
operations. This freed up large numbers of Policemen to be deployed
elsewhere to carry out simultaneous raids, increasing the pressure
felt by the terrorists at any one time.
Through a system of interlocking radio networks, the Army was able to
saturate the countryside with section-sized quick reaction teams.
These were authorized to respond immediately when asked for help by
local Police detachments. Their firepower helped Police personnel
overcome the deleterious effects of sophisticated weapons used by the
terrorists. Thanks to Pakistani largesse, by 1992 these included anti-
tank rockets, landmines, medium machine guns and armour-piercing
bullets. Although the Punjab Police had developed countermeasures
against some terrorist weapons, the Army’s assistance helped tip the
tactical balance.
The cooperative command concept was sustained by extensive liaison
arrangements between the Army and the Police. Here, the nature of
individual personalities counted for a lot. K.P.S Gill had an
excellent rapport with his military counterparts, some of whom he had
previously befriended during postings in the Northeast. Orders were
sent down the chain of command within both services, stressing the
need for unity of effort and close co-operation in the field. From the
strategic level down to the tactical, Police representatives
interacted closely with their Army counterparts. Tactical intelligence
was immediately disseminated to the widest possible audience, so as to
ensure total situational awareness on the part of all units.
The Indian Army played a significant behind-the-scenes role even prior
to its active deployment in counter-terrorist duties in l991-92. It
trained 20,000 civilian volunteers and 9,000 Police officers in combat
tactics, through programmes which lasted between 4 and 10 weeks. In
addition, the Army complemented the Police’s meager staff resources by
helping to prepare operational plans for securing large urban centres.
Lastly, the Army helped set up a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
capability within the Punjab Police. The SWAT teams eventually grew to
a total strength of over 10,000 personnel, or just over one-sixth of
the state Police force. With their high standard of operational
readiness, their contribution in helping control terrorism during 1992
and 1994 was crucial.
Lastly, the Police made very effective use of the mass media as an
instrument of psychological warfare. K.P.S Gill had taken a decision
way back in 1988 to allow journalists unprecedented access to Police
operations. The idea at the time was to counter terrorist allegations
of Government atrocities. Once the media was given a ringside view of
events in Punjab, it gradually grew to appreciate the difference
between fact and fiction. For a start, journalists were able to
independently investigate allegations of Police brutality, and noted
that many were exaggerated. One correspondent summed up the situation:
"when there is no guarantee of security of life and property, citizens
tend to believe anything."
During the 1992 operations, Gill switched from defensively using the
media to counter terrorist propaganda, to employing it offensively.
The neutralization of terrorists well-known for their brutality
automatically made for a newsworthy story. From June 1992 onwards, the
press in Punjab was flooded by a series of reports on spectacular
Police successes. With almost dazzling speed, the Police began
arresting or killing all the top terrorists in the State. These
individuals had, just six months previously, seemed beyond the reach
of the law. Their deaths in shootouts with the Police were greeted
with marked indifference and occasional glee from ordinary Sikhs, a
point that the media noted. Meanwhile, their confederates in the
terrorist movement noted both the rate of Police successes, and the
lack of popular reaction. Many began to defect from their terrorist
groups, opening a floodgate of intelligence information for the
Police.
Political Will is Needed to Sustain Operations
So far, the first two ‘possibles’ that triangulate the Gill Doctrine
has been discussed. To recap, these are: to surgically neutralize as
many terrorists as possible, as quickly as possible. Doing so for as
long as possible however, proved to be the biggest stumbling block for
counter-terrorist efforts in Punjab. The Police were repeatedly
stymied by political machinations at both the State and Central
Government levels. Eager to ingratiate themselves with the militants,
many politicians actively shielded them from justice.
The political dimension of the Khalistan movement represented the only
overlap between terrorism’s ‘root causes’, and its sustaining dynamic.
During the 1980s, one of the factors that had permitted the emergence
of militancy in Punjab was high-level complicity from New Delhi. Eager
to consolidate its political hold over the State, the ruling party in
the Central Government was prepared to ignore political violence when
it served to intimidate opposition parties at the State level.
Politicians of all hues thus rushed to align themselves with militant
factions, realising that this gave them extra clout while dealing with
the top policy-making elite in Delhi. In neutralizing the sustaining
dynamic of terrorism in Punjab, Indian security managers necessarily
had to split the politician-terrorist nexus. This was the toughest
part of the counter-terrorist effort, and the most murky. Details of
how it was done are non-existent, with only the scantiest of outlines
available.
Basically, the Indian Government started by devolving power in 1985 to
a prominent regionalist party in the hope that it would combat
terrorism. The scheme backfired. Regionalist politicians were not
compelled, for reasons of political ideology, to confront the
militants. Attempts to create a rift between extremists and moderates
in Punjab’s political climate thus died stillborn, particularly when
the terrorists assassinated moderates. The next step taken was to
impose direct rule from New Delhi.
Dismissing the elected State Government did not affect the security
situation on the ground in practical terms. By 1988, the Punjab
terrorist conflict was rapidly escalating into a proxy war between
India and Pakistan. Events within the State started to be shaped more
by operational, rather than political, dynamics. K.P.S Gill’s efforts
to strengthen the Police and integrate counter-terrorist efforts
within a common strategy thus proved highly important in containing
violence. Once Gill had demonstrated a capability to suppress
terrorism however, politics intervened to assume primacy once again.
In December 1989, a change of Government occurred in New Delhi. Eager
to embarrass its predecessor over the issue of terrorism, the new
regime set about consciously undoing all that had been achieved. It
initiated talks without preconditions with the Khalistanis, but
primarily for public relations purposes. Over the next two years,
successive Indian policymakers sought to smooth-talk the terrorists
into giving up their demands. All the time, they avoided making any
meaningful concessions as a quid pro quo.
Terrorist violence skyrocketed in Punjab as a result of these sham
negotiations. In a bid to prove its goodwill, the Government issued
unwritten instructions for the immediate release of hardcore
terrorists. These men had been captured at great risk to the security
forces and the impunity granted them by the political establishment
damaged morale. In addition, the Police were ordered to go slow on
those terrorists who were still at large. While the Police were forced
onto the defensive, recruitment rates to terrorist groups shot up. It
was because of this that the Army eventually had to be redeployed to
Punjab in 1992.
Notwithstanding the impressive results delivered by the Police, the
surge in terrorist numbers between 1990 and 1992 forced the military
to return. During this period, the terrorists scored a significant
psychological victory when the Indian Government conceded their demand
to post K.P.S Gill out from Punjab. Realizing that Gill was their
biggest nemesis, the terrorists and their allies in the State’s
political establishment actively pressed for his removal. It was only
when New Delhi forged a political consensus on eradicating the
terrorist movement, and after another change of Government at the
Centre, that Gill was posted back to Punjab in December 1991.
During Gill’s absence from the State, violence in Punjab escalated and
eventually settled at a quantitatively new equilibrium level.
Conciliation had encouraged more individuals to take up arms in the
belief that the Government was powerless to stop them. Between 1981
and 1989, 5,521 people were killed by terrorists. During the following
two years (1990-91), when the Indian Government made repeated
negotiation offers, over 6,000 people were killed. The terrorists were
so emboldened by the Government’s keenness to accommodate them, that
they felt free to target the Police. While 451 Policemen were killed
by terrorists between 1981 and 1989, the years 1990-91 alone saw 973
policemen killed. The terrorists went so far as to massacre the
families of Policemen, including the women and children.
Between late 1989 and early 1992, the Police fought an essentially
tactical war against terrorism. Attrition of Khalistani groups was
high, but was carried out more on an ad hoc basis. Political mood-
swings in Delhi decided if and for how long aggressive operations
against the terrorists could be initiated. True to form, Indian
policymakers would order an offensive against the Khalistan movement,
and then suspend operations to reopen negotiations. They did not
comprehend that the terrorists saw willingness to talk as a sign of
weakness, and that this was keeping recruitment rates high.
The essence of the Gill Doctrine was prioritization of resources and
co-ordination of efforts. In order to produce a strategic effect,
counter-terrorist planning had to be extended into at least the medium-
term. Time was needed to work down the list of operational priorities,
so that, instead of just fire-fighting, the Police could begin to
rollback the terrorist movement. Starting at the top with the category
‘A’ terrorists, they would work their way down towards the rank and
file. Crucial to the Doctrine was the view that counter-terrorist
attrition could be made both rapid and sustainable. By the early
1990s, the enlarged terrorist movement threatened to swamp the
overworked Punjab Police. Policymakers in New Delhi, for their part,
prevented the Police from operating aggressively. As a result, counter-
terrorist attrition in Punjab was neither rapid nor sustainable,
despite the higher fatality rates in all categories.
In effect, Police efforts were dealt a body blow whenever mandarins in
New Delhi sought to try out yet another ‘political solution’.
Initiating negotiations with the terrorists inevitably raised fears
within the force of a political sell-out. No rational Policeman was
prepared to risk his life and that of his family combating terrorists,
if there was a possibility of being abandoned by the Government. A
number of terrorists had promised that they would pursue vendettas
against the Police if rehabilitated. Thus, whenever talk of a
political solution was aired, many Policemen were compelled to hedge
their bets.
In order to ensure some continuity in the counter-terrorist effort
while New Delhi vacillated, the Punjab Police began a programme of
civic outreach. Police officers actively mobilized peasants
(particularly in the areas of the State bordering Pakistan) against
terrorism. Since most terrorist attacks occurred in the border
regions, the people living here had no love lost for the Khalistanis,
but were justifiably reluctant to actively oppose them. By continuous
liaison with community leaders, Police officers gradually helped
dissipate this sense of fear.
First, the Police provided firearms to selected rural settlements, so
that their inhabitants could take responsibility for their own
defence. This became particularly necessary when the quantum of
terrorist activity in 1990-91 exceeded the capacity of the Police
force to de-escalate violence. Owing to their excellent local
knowledge, Police Stations knew from past voting trends where the
political loyalties of each settlement lay. They began to arm those
with Leftist sympathies first, as Punjab’s communist parties had long
been opposed to the concept of Khalistan.
Thereafter, Police parties of around 20-30 men would camp out in the
settlements for days at a stretch in order to reassure the inhabitants
of their support. These parties also provided arms training to
volunteers in local self-defence forces. The nucleus of these forces
consisted of former Sikh soldiers of the Indian Army, who were willing
to take the lead in mobilizing their neighbourhoods to fight
terrorism. In addition, the Police held public meetings, where the
victims of terrorist violence could narrate their experiences without
fear of retribution. Since, in many cases, the victims were known to
members of the audience, such meetings served to create a collective
sense of anger against the Khalistani terrorists.
What eventually transformed the situation was the election of a State
Government in February 1992, which was implacably hostile to the
terrorists. Ever since the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the
Congress party had been bitterly opposed to the Khalistan movement. A
fortuitous electoral victory brought the party to power at both the
Central and State Government levels. There was thus a strong unity of
purpose across the political establishment, which had been missing
previously. The Congress party, consequently, had only one agenda, to
carry on the counter-terrorist fight to its logical conclusion and
without let-up.
It is commonly believed that the Congress Government gave K.P.S Gill a
free hand to suppress terrorism in Punjab. Before the accuracy of this
statement can be evaluated, the specific implications of the phrase
‘free hand’ need to be understood. If taken to mean that the Police
force was allowed to run riot, then the impression is wholly
inaccurate. At no point did Gill ask for the right to commit excesses
upon the local population or for political acquiescence in whatever
excesses did take place. What he did receive from policymakers was an
assurance that his force would not be ordered to call off its drive
against the terrorists halfway, just when results were starting to
appear.
The so-called ‘free hand’ only allowed the Police to do what they were
in any case supposed to do, but had long been held back from by
interfering politicians. It was a principled no-negotiations policy
rather than a "string ‘em up" policy. Had it been the latter, the
Police would have relied on inducing fear among the population and
browbeating it into silence. Instead, the Police worked throughout the
conflict to restore normalcy to the lives of the citizenry, and allow
them to go about their daily business without fear of being killed.
The free hand theory proved immensely beneficial to the terrorists as
it helped sustain allegations of human rights violations by the
authorities. These were usually leveled by terrorist front
organizations or political figures with terrorist links. Upon
investigation, many such allegations were found to be either grossly
exaggerated or complete fabrications.
Conclusion
Questions began to be asked even as the 1992 counter-terrorist
offensive was still raging. Why had it been able to effect so sudden
and massive a turnaround in Punjab’s security situation? Gill, despite
his unique experience and immense skill, had previously been unable to
completely eradicate militancy from either Punjab or the northeastern
States. There was something different about the 1992 operations, which
made them far more successful than past counter-terrorist efforts. The
fact was that, unlike his earlier efforts, in 1992 Gill was left to
conduct operations untrammeled by politically-imposed handicaps.
The counter-terrorist offensive of 1992 was so effective because all
the three ‘possibles’ were satisfied at the same time, creating the
perfect mix of conditions to crush terrorism. The first was the
strengthening of Police intelligence and response capabilities, which
had hitherto been allowed to atrophy. The second factor was the
massive deployment of the Army, which provided manpower to supplement
Police operations. The third was the existence of a political
consensus that the Police would be allowed to get on with its job
without interference. This last factor was perhaps the most important
of the three.
At no point of the conflict till then, had there been a clear
political consensus on whether it was possible to negotiate a peace
deal with the terrorists. For local politicians, there had always
existed a possibility that today’s terrorist could be rehabilitated
under a peace settlement, to become tomorrow’s political ally.
Consequently, each major terrorist had a political patron to shield
him from Police action. It was only when these politicians realized
that their terrorist protégés would be liabilities rather than assets
in the State’s future political climate, that they abandoned them to
the Police. For this, the Police needed to be seen as unquestionably
in the ascendant and terrorism steadily on the wane.
Allegations that the Police achieved ascendancy through brutality were
proven to be demonstrably false, but not before they tarnished the
force’s reputation. One officer complained that "[t]he kind of actions
that are treated as human rights violations when committed by the
Punjab Police are treated as normal policing in other states." The
general consensus among Sikhs in the areas worst-affected by terrorism
was that Police action made their lives easier. They rejected the
thesis that instances of Police harassment alienated the population,
provided such harassment was directed at the right person.
Perhaps the most important lesson of all is that today’s terrorist
movements differ fundamentally from those of yore. Massive
noncombatant casualties are almost a necessary feature of identity-
based rebellions, where ethnic cleansing and cultural separation is
the desired objective. Like the present-day al Qaeda movement,
Khalistani terrorists were not interested in winning the hearts and
minds of those who were not already within their identity group. On
the contrary, the more Hindu-Sikh relations in Punjab deteriorated as
a consequence of terrorist outrages, the closer the concept of
Khalistan came to reality.
Given the high standard of living enjoyed by Sikhs in India, the
terrorists had no choice but to opt for a purely destructive strategy,
bereft of any forward-looking political agenda. Their only weapon
against the moral authority and legitimacy of the Indian democratic
system was religious absolutism enforced under a climate of fear.
India’s previous counter-terrorist experiences have demonstrated that
it is far harder to effect intelligence penetration of identity-based
terrorist movements than those that are ideology-based. Recruitment
efforts in counter-terrorism become much more complicated when a
handling officer’s ethnicity or religious faith differs from that of
his source. Even the Sikh-dominated Punjab Police got off to a slow
and painful start when it came to penetrating terrorist groups. Much
of their intelligence data in the early years of the campaign came
from interrogation reports and it was only later that inside
information could be obtained on a systematic basis. By contrast,
Indian security forces have had little or no difficulty penetrating
ultra-Left insurgent groups, since these are always on the lookout for
ideological converts.
Furthermore, terrorist movements are increasingly drifting towards
concepts of ‘leaderless resistance’ and ‘netwar’. Gone are the days
when political rebels needed a centralized decision-making apparatus
to guide them. Modern communications technology and banking systems
allow groups of like-minded individuals to come together for specific
operations, wreak havoc and disperse. The Khalistan movement could not
be defeated by political conciliation because religion proved to be a
particularly potent fuel for self-starters in the terrorism business.
Consequently, the movement lacked a centre of gravity which could be
bought off or otherwise induced to renounce violence and persuade
others to do so as well.
The Gill Doctrine offers a blueprint for future counter-terrorist
efforts, as more and more political violence starts to coalesce around
issues of identity rather than ideology. The Doctrine holds that,
while terrorism in any region cannot be defeated by a force from
without, neither can it be appeased through conciliation. The only
viable solution in the long-run is to steadfastly improve the quality
and extent of local policing, and leave the fight against terrorism to
individuals recruited from the communities that the terrorists
themselves claim to ‘represent’.
Within India, a number of factors have conspired to prevent the Punjab
experiment from being replicated. First, the lessons of the 1992
campaign have been forgotten because of a poor institutional memory.
Second, the Indian Army has been less willing to accept a secondary
role in internal security management. It did so in Punjab on an
exceptional basis, due to over-riding strategic considerations.
Lastly, local Governments have a vested interest in perpetuating the
Army’s presence. The presence of central forces allows them to shift
the financial burden of responsibility for counter-terrorism to New
Delhi. Indian policymakers need to make a concerted effort to overcome
this last obstacle. Only once the operational capabilities of Police
forces are improved at the local level, can counter-terrorism
eradicate militancy. Otherwise, the use of military force shall
succeed in containing terrorism, but not in defeating it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* This paper was originally prepared for and delivered at the 2007
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, August
30 –September, 2007. The author would like to express his deepest
thanks to Mr. K.P.S Gill and Dr. Ajai Sahni for their invaluable
contributions to the preparation of this paper. ‘The Gill Doctrine’ is
the outcome of collaborative research between the author and the
Institute for Conflict Management, New Delhi, India.
* Prem Mahadevan is a PhD candidate at the Department of War Studies,
King’s College, London.
Ajai Sahni, “Responding to Terrorism in Punjab, and Jammu and
Kashmir,” in S.D. Muni, ed., Responding to Terrorism in South Asia,
New Delhi: Manohar, 2006, p. 69.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/data_sheets
/annual_casualties.htm, accessed on June 24, 2007.
Manraj Grewal, Dreams after Darkness: A Search for a Life Ordinary
Under the Shadow of 1984, New Delhi: Rupa, 2004, pp. 121-2 and pp.
137-9.
K.P.S Gill, ‘Lucrative returns of terrorism,’ accessed online at
http://satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/Jan6Pio.htm on May 21,
2007
Bhaskar Sarkar, Tackling Insurgency and Insurgency: Blueprint for
Action New Delhi: Vision, 1998, p. 44.
Interview of former Indian intelligence analyst Bahukutumbi Raman,
Chennai, December 28, 2004
Praveen Swami, “Punjab’s Tussle,” Frontline, Chennai, November 18,
1994, pp. 36-38.
Interview of former Union Home Ministry official, Bangalore, August
12, 2004.
The majority of terrorists in Punjab were Jat Sikhs.
Julio Ribeiro, Bullet for Bullet: My Life as a Police Officer, New
Delhi: Penguin, 1998, p. 322.
Shekhar Gupta and Kanwar Sandhu, ‘K.P.S Gill: True Grit’, India Today,
Delhi, April 15, 1993, p. 63.
Paul Wallace (2006), “Countering Terrorist Movements In India: Kashmir
and Khalistan,” in Robert J. Art and Louise Richardson eds., Democracy
and Counterterrorism: Lessons from the Past, Washington D.C: United
States Institute of Peace, 2006, p. 426.
K.P.S Gill, “Endgame in Punjab: 1988-93,” in K.P.S Gill and Ajai
Sahni, eds., Terror and Containment: Perspectives on India’s Internal
Security, New Delhi: Gyan, 2001, p. 24.
Robert J. Art and Louise Richardson, ‘Conclusion’, in Art and
Richardson, eds., Democracy and Counterterrorism: Lessons from the
Past, Washington D.C: United States Institute of Peace, 2006, p. 564.
Gill (2002a), pp. 1-3.
A point made by Dr. Ajai Sahni after reading an earlier draft of this
paper. Email correspondence, June 24, 2007
K.P.S Gill, ‘Foreword’ in The Punjab Story, New Delhi: Lotus, Roli,
2004,, p. x.
Sahni, “Responding to Terrorism in Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir,” pp.
32-33.
Ajai Sahni and J. George (2001), “Security and Development in India’s
Northeast: An Alternative Perspective,” in Gill and Sahni, eds.,
Terror and Containment, p. 313.
Ribeiro, Bullet for Bullet, pp. 349-50.
K.P.S Gill, ‘Special Address by Mr. K.P.S Gill’, in Lakshmi
Krishnamurti, R. Swaminathan and Gert W. Kueck, eds., Responding to
Terrorism: Dilemmas of Democratic and Developing Societies, Madras:
Bookventure, 2003, p. 23.
K.P.S Gill, ‘Dubious Things Called “Popular Support”’, accessed online
at http://satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/Dec01Pio.htm, on May
24, 2007.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, January 3, 2005.
At least two of Gill’s most prominent detractors in Punjab were self-
confessed Gandhians.
Carl von Clausewitz, On War, London: Everyman’s Library, 1993, p.
100.
According to one estimate, sixty percent of those killed by terrorists
were Sikhs. Sarkar (1998), p. 45.
Phillip Heymann, Terrorism and America: A Commonsense Strategy for a
Democratic Society, Cambridge, MA: BCSIA, 1998, p. 106.
It must be noted that there is a difference between ‘attrition rates’
and ‘kill rates.’ Attrition rate refers to the number of terrorists
killed or otherwise neutralized within a certain time-frame, relative
to the number freshly recruited within that same period. Kill rate
refers the number of terrorists killed vis-à-vis own losses in combat.
By 1993, the kill rate was fifteen terrorists killed for every Police
or noncombatant fatality. Manoj Joshi, ‘Punjab’s Progress,’ Frontline,
April 23, 1993, p. 63.
Michael Freeman, Freedom or Security: The Consequences for Democracies
Using Emergency Powers to Fight Terror, London: Praeger, 2003, pp.
11-12.
Sarkar (1998), p. 128
Stephen Sloan, “Meeting the Terrorist Threat: The Localization of
Counter Terrorism Intelligence,” in Police Practice and Research, Vol.
3, No. 4, 2002, London, pp. 340-1.
Interview, former Police official, New Delhi, January 2, 2005.
Heymann, Terrorism and America, p. 27.
http://www.india-seminar.com/1999/483/483%20lal.htm, accessed May 30,
2007
SBasudeb Chattopadhyay, “State Intelligence Network and Surveillance
in Colonial India,” in Amiya Kumar Bagchi, Dipankar Sinha and Barnita
Bagchi eds., Webs of History: Information: Communication and
Technology from Early to Post-Colonial India, New Delhi: Manohar,
2005, pp. 197-8.
D.C Nath, 2004, Intelligence Imperatives for India, New Delhi: India
First Foundation, 2004, p. 139.
Gill (2001a), pp. 43-44.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, January 3, 2005.
Email correspondence with Dr. Ajai Sahni, April 10, 2007.
Gill (2001a), p. 30.
Kesava Menon, “Terrorism: New Ethics,” Frontline, 29 April - 12 May,
1989, p. 114.
Subrata Talukdar, “In Sheer Terror,” Frontline, March 4-17, 1989, p.
11.
Praveen Swami, “To bottle the genie,” Frontline, November 18, 1994, p.
42.
For instance, during anti-Thugee operations in 19th century India and
in colonial Malaya during the 1950s. The key to British success in
both campaigns was the introduction of large financial rewards for
actionable intelligence, which were distributed by tactical-level
commanders rather than sanctioned centrally. Mike Dash, Thug: The True
Story of India’s Murderous Cult, London: Granta, 2005, p. 200. Also
see Noel Barber, The War of the Running Dogs, London: Fontana, 1973,
pp. 65-66.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, June 20, 2007.
Interview of former Union Home Ministry official, Bangalore, August
12, 2004.
Interview of former Indian counter-intelligence officer, New Delhi,
June 19, 2007.
Gupta and Sandhu, “K.P.S Gill: True Grit,” p. 64.
Manoj Joshi, “Combating terrorism in Punjab: Indian democracy in
crisis,” Conflict Studies 261, Research Institute for the Study of
Conflict and Terrorism, London, 1993, p. 13.
A point made by Dr. Ajai Sahni after reading an earlier draft of this
paper. Email correspondence, June 24, 2007.
Gill (2001b), p. 187
K.P.S Gill, Punjab: The Knights of Falsehood, New Delhi: Har-Anand,
1997, p. 106.
Ved Marwah, Uncivil Wars: A Pathology of Terrorism in India, New
Delhi: Harper Collins, 1995, p. 219.
Gill (2001a), pp. 39-40
Manoj Joshi, “Combating Terrorism in Punjab: Indian Democracy in
Crisis,” Conflict Studies 261, Research Institute for the Study of
Conflict and Terrorism, London, 1993, p. 12.
In Northern Ireland for instance, the British Army classified certain
data ‘For UK eyes only’, in order to prevent the local Police from
seeing it. Brian A. Jackson (2007), ‘Counterinsurgency Intelligence in
a “Long War”: The British Experience in Northern Ireland’, in Military
Review, January-February Issue, p. 76.
http://www.india-seminar.com/1999/483/483%20lal.htm, accessed on May
30, 2007.
Subhash Chander Arora, Strategies to Combat Terrorism: A Study of
Punjab, New Delhi: Har-Anand, 1999, p. 163.
Manoj Joshi, ‘Fear in the fray,’ Frontline, February 28, 1992, pp.
4-10.
, ‘Combating Terrorism in Punjab: Indian Democracy in Crisis.’
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, June 20, 2007.
Gill (2001a), p. 73.
Ibid.
‘ Pankaj Vohra, “Lawless in Punjab,” Frontline, September 15-28, 1990,
p. 16.
Praveen Swami, “Signs of Peace,” Frontline, April 23, 1993, p. 71.
Gill (1997), p. 21.
.V Lakshmana, “A new offensive,” Frontline, April 14-27, p. 13.
Ajai Sahni, “Responding to Terrorism in Punjab, and Jammu and
Kashmir,” p. 43.
Joshi, “Combating Terrorism in Punjab: Indian Democracy in Crisis,” p.
4.
Ibid., pp. 4-5.
K.V Lakshmana, “A New Offensive,” Frontline, April 14-27, 1990, p.
17.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, June 20, 2007.
Joshi, ‘Combating Terrorism in Punjab: Indian Democracy in Crisis,’ p.
8.
For instance, a known terrorist ideologue was Professor Brajinder
Singh, who was a close confidante to Sukhdev Singh Dasuwal, leader of
the notorious Babbar Khalsa group. In addition to advising Dasuwal on
terrorist strategy, Prof. Singh also worked as an over-ground human
rights campaigner against the Police. Praveen Swami, “Life after
terrorism,” Frontline, September 23, 1994, p. 115.
V.N Narayanan, Tryst with Terror: Punjab’s Turbulent Decade, New
Delhi: Ajanta, 1996, p. 17.
Gill (1997), pp. 105-106
Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, “Punjab: A Festival of Politics,” Frontline,
May 6, 1994, p. 21.
Subrata Talukdar, “In sheer terror,” Frontline, March 4-11, 1989, p.
11. .
B. Raman, Intelligence: Past, Present and Future, New Delhi: Lancer,
2002, pp. 257-8.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, June 20, 2007.
Interview of K.P.S Gill, New Delhi, January 3, 2005.
Leaderless resistance is in particular, an attractive strategic option
for right-wing terrorist groups as their objectives usually involve
preserving the existing order rather than ushering in revolutionary
change. Audrey Kurth Cronin, “How al-Qaida Ends: The Decline and
Demise of Terrorist Groups,” International Security, Volume 31, Number
1, 2006, pp. 23-24.
Gill (1997), p. 108.
The success of ‘cooperative command’ between the Police and Army in
1992 was largely due to the military’s eagerness to avoid a repeat of
Operation Woodrose. See Gupta and Sandhu, “K.P.S Gill: True Grit,” p.
64.
K.P.S Gill, “The Danger Within: Internal Security Threats,” Bharat
Karnad ed., Future Imperilled, New Delhi: Viking, 1994, p. 129.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume19/Article1.htm
The Maoists in Nepal
Strategies of Subversion and Subterfuge
Thomas A. Marks*
Faultlines: Volume 19, April 2008
The Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist (CPN-M) represents the radical
wing of Nepali politics and, for more than a decade, has been planning
and implementing a ‘people’s war’ in order to create a ‘people’s
democracy’ in line with Mao Tse-tung’s guiding principles. Though a
‘ceasefire’ has been in effect since early 2006, the Maoists, as they
are called, have continued to function as a parallel state,
threatening all who oppose them and funding their apparatus through
abductions, extortion, and robbery.
In Nepal there is a potential mass base for any radical movement
preaching a more equitable distribution of scarce resources. The
country’s largely youthful population of 29 million1 people has
exceeded the carrying capacity of a land area that of Florida (or
slightly more than North Carolina), but in reality much less due to
topography and geography. The Himalayas in the north give way to hill
country in the center, then to a narrow belt of flatlands, or tarai,
in the extreme south. Population densities rivalling those of the
great Asian river deltas have been reported, with none of the bounty
and economies of scale that come with river delta civilization.
Extreme divisions caused by a multiplicity of social factors
(especially ethnicity, language, and caste) have led to a skewed
distribution of resources and claims of exploitation by the have-nots.
Increasing incorporation into the global economy, though providing a
safety-valve in expatriate employment (overwhelmingly in basic
skills), has also heightened tensions by providing, on a continuous
basis, evidence, visual and actual, of just how relatively deprived
Nepal is. A ‘normal job’ in Kathmandu, the nation’s capital, will pay
as little as USD 35 per month, and lack of economic development means
that even those positions are increasingly difficult, if not
impossible, to come by. In a population where more than half are under
19 years, the result is enormous numbers of rootless young people
available to be mobilized by any organization offering life-
opportunities (of any sort).
The Maoists have proved most efficient at providing an alternative
vision, and thus at mobilizing a growing following and a cadre of
‘true believers’. This effort has been enabled by governmental
negligence and a lack of state capacity. Though a parliamentary
democracy since 1990, the country’s political institutions during the
democratic era have proved fragile and rife with inefficiency and
corruption. Nonetheless, the democratic state could not objectively be
judged as predatory. Maoist ideology, however, labeled it as such; and
CPN-M forces effectively attacked all human and institutional rallying
points, especially the local gentry. The latter, in Nepal’s 3,913
counties, or Village Development Committees (VDC), and 75 Districts,
were those who owned greater resources than others, especially land,
and those who held local offices of the state, either elective or
bureaucratic. Teachers were a particular target, an irony since
teachers and educational figures have comprised key members of the
Maoist cadre, to include the top two leadership figures, Pushba Kamal
Dahal aka ‘Prachanda’ and Baburam Bhattarai.2
Police were effectively targeted by the insurgents, with the small
Police Stations (normally 15-20 individuals) gradually wiped out, and
Government presence in 70 per cent of the country reduced by 2003 to
the District Headquarters and major urban centres. The police field
force (Armed Police Force, or APF) was too new (created only after the
conflict began in earnest) and too small to reverse this trend. By the
time the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) was deployed in full counter-
insurgency mode in 2001, its efforts to secure the population could
not progress due to the presence of CPN-M main forces. In one notable
encounter, the attack on Jumla District headquarters in November 2002,
an RNA independent company (160 men) and three Police installations (a
total of 300 policemen), were attacked by four Maoist ‘battalions’ and
associated units, numbering 2,000-3,000 personnel. Though the conduct
of the RNA unit concerned resulted in a costly Maoist defeat, even
after the three police positions were overrun, the case highlighted
the extreme danger to Government units, were they to spread out in the
area domination posture required for counterinsurgency progress.
Using their ‘liberated areas’ as a ‘counter-state’, the Maoists
progressively solidified their position. A multitude of mechanisms and
approaches ultimately abandoned ‘Chinese’ Maoist forms in favour of
agitprop built upon traditional forms of song and dance. These proved
effective at tapping the local grievances of marginalized groups and
directing their energies against ‘exploiters’ and alleged ‘enemies’
and ‘spies’.
Simultaneously, the Maoists sought to penetrate Government
strongholds, especially the urban areas. Urban partisans engaged in
terror actions, particularly bombings and assassinations, while
seeking to undermine the political will of the authorities to
continue. Manpower was the easiest resource for the Maoists to
acquire; what little capital was required was obtained through the
traditional insurgent means of abduction, extortion, bank robbery, and
smuggling.3 The take was not large, but the funds gained proved
adequate to purchase weapons on the Indian black market to augment
those captured from the security forces.4
Consistent with classic Maoist doctrine, the CPN-M declared ‘people’s
war’ on February 13, 1996, and implemented its strategic vision of
using the countryside to surround the cities (however loosely defined
that latter term may be in the Nepali context) by using five distinct
"lines of operation":
Mass line (political action): As its principal targets for political
mobilization, the party worked in hill tribe areas, especially in the
Midwestern Region, and among marginalized elements distinctive to
local areas. There was no shortage of grievances (as well as hopes and
aspirations). Prior to being banned, cadre of the CPN-M functioned as
did the representatives of any other party, but they used their
solutions to local dilemmas to form an embryonic counter-state. In
this respect, they functioned very much as had other Maoist groups
(e.g., Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, and Peru),
especially Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) prior to its own 1980
declaration of people’s war in Peru.5 During the pre-1996 period, it
was the cadre of rival political parties who found themselves engaged
in violent confrontations with Maoist cadre as opposed to the security
forces.
United fronts (use of allies): Just as there was no shortage of issues
for the mass line, so were there numerous causes around which those
who sought activism of a non-Maoist stripe could be mobilized. Issues
of education, for instance, allowed mobilization of students who,
although apparently not initially CPN-M members, nevertheless acted as
virtual wings of the party. Most prominent was the Akhil Nepal
Rashtriya Swatantra Vidyarthi Union (Krantikari), the All Nepal
National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), or ANNISU(R).
Similar fronts, ostensibly seeking more equitable treatment, were also
very active.
Violence: The CPN-M used terror and guerrilla war to create a counter-
state for itself in the Mid-Western Region, subsequently using this as
a platform for projection into other areas of the country. Studying
other cases of Maoist insurgency, particularly that of Peru, the
Nepali Maoists judged that a mistake had been to accept the protracted
war as a given rather than exploiting success as it developed. If, in
other words, events unfolded in such a manner as to present
opportunities for shortening the insurgency, then openings should be
exploited. Thus the CPN-M aggressively sought to reinforce success, to
enhance the momentum of its campaign. It felt it was entering Maoist
Phase 2 (stalemate) with its general offensive (November 2001). Main
force units were fielded in battalion strength, later in brigades and
even ‘divisions’. Actions led to neutralization of the Government’s
coercive power in much of Nepal and hence to a transition to the
present Phase 3, the final drive for power.
Political warfare (use of non-violence to make violence more
effective): Primary use was made of campaigns to undermine Government
and popular will to continue the struggle against the ‘people’s war’.
In particular, CPN-M emphasized its ostensible desire for a ‘political
solution" to the issues in dispute. CPN-M used its participation in
‘peace talks’ as a cover for military preparations prior to launching
its November 2001 general offensive. It did the same with the seven
months of talks that ended with unilateral Maoist attacks in August
2003.
International action: The CPN-M recognized early that it had allies in
South Asia and within Western society – Maoist bodies that remained
committed, whatever the outcome of the Cold War, to radical
restructuring along lines advocated by the so-called ‘Gang of Four’,
the key adherents to radical Maoism. To that end, regular coordination
was effected in the West with the constituent members of the Maoist
umbrella group, the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM).
RIM, in turn, provided a variety of services, such as seeking to block
assistance to the Nepalese Government. Closer to home, a Coordination
Committee of Maoist Parties and Organizations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA)
was created in July 2001 after a meeting of nine South Asian Maoist
parties in West Bengal.6 It further recognized that international
cause-oriented groups, as well as the array of countries active in
Nepali affairs, could be used as pressure points of tactical,
operational, and even strategic significance.
As effective as Maoist people’s war strategy was in radically altering
the political environment, it essentially delivered up to the Maoists
only the marginal areas of Nepal. The RNA expanded to some 80,000
personnel and at least 75 line battalions (enough to place a unit in
each District Headquarters); the Armed Police Force (APF) expanded to
some 20,000 personnel; and the Police not only expanded but fielded
‘Unified’ units of growing capacity. Hence, the CPN-M’s efforts to
secure victory through the ‘violence line’ of operation, ground to a
halt by early 2005.
Nevertheless, royal frustration at the inability of politicians,
whether elected or appointed, to make headway in addressing the
security issue (or much of anything else), led to the proclamation of
direct Royal rule in February 2005.7 This move was highly
controversial and unpopular, and provided the Maoists with the opening
they needed to secure a united front with the marginalized political
parties of the all-but-nonfunctioning parliamentary system, the so-
called ‘Seven Party Alliance’ (SPA). Employing political warfare that
played upon the desire for peace, the Maoists were able to cast the
monarchy as the source of the conflict, and the security forces as the
ones who refused to yield to the popular desire for ‘peace’.
The result was a ‘people power’ movement in April 2006 that echoed, in
many ways, the ‘EDSA Revolution’ in February 1986 in Manila, when
Marcos was ousted, and the earlier October 1973 student-led upheaval
in Bangkok, which brought down the military-led bureaucratic polity.
In Nepal, as in the Philippines, the military stood aside and let
events take their course. The restoration of parliamentary supremacy –
with Girija Prasad Koirala back for his fourth stint as Prime Minister
(as of April 28, 2006) – resulted in various interim arrangements,
culminating in a Comprehensive Peace Agreement on November 21, 2006,
that brought the Maoists into the system and symbolized the effective
surrender of the old-order. The monarchy was completely sidelined.
After an Interim Constitution was approved on January 15, 2007, the
CPN-M formally entered the Government on April 1, 2007.
The Current Situation
A crisis of governance has accompanied the second postponement of the
planned election of a Constituent Assembly (CA), which was to be held
on November 22, 2007. The 480-member CA was to write a new
constitution. The unwieldy number of delegates was derived from a
combination of first-past-the-post parliamentary seats augmented by
various proportional and sectoral representatives, but the Maoists
have now demanded that the selection be at least in part
proportional.
The original June 20, 2007, deadline to hold elections proved
impossible to meet, both for technical and political reasons.
Technically, the necessary steps had simply not been taken, such as
passage of enabling legislation for the polls. Politically, the
interim authorities proved better at perpetuating a lack of state
capacity than in strengthening the new-order. This should have
surprised no one, since it was not just the same parties who had been
returned to power but, in many cases (e.g., Koirala), the same
individuals, who were responsible for the debacles and crises of the
past.
The Maoists’ action in scuttling the CA election stemmed from their
own internal divisions over how to proceed in gaining power. Despite
their agreements (signed by all concerned) to participate in peaceful
politics, the CPN-M has been very open in asserting that it regarded
all political arrangements as but a transition to their goal of a
‘people’s republic’. As their own actions – which have kept Nepal in a
state of turmoil – have increasingly mobilized resistance, the Maoists
have responded by alleging ‘plots’ and ostensible coup preparations,
all (they claim) driven by royal action. The reality, of course, is
quite different. Hence the Maoists find themselves in a tricky
situation: strategically duplicitous, yet tactically astute enough to
recognize the ability of key external powers (notably India and China)
to isolate a radical Nepal and destroy it economically.
To look backwards at what had transpired leading up to the April 2006
collapse of the old-order: the changing correlation of forces demanded
recognition by the Maoists that violence had reached its culmination
point. The King’s actions provided an opening for a shift in emphasis
to the ‘other’ four lines of operation. In making the switch, the
Maoists were assisted by New Delhi, alienated as much by King
Gyanendra’s nationalism as by his ham-handed authoritarianism. India
consequently served as host and mediator for the ‘secret’ meetings
that produced the SPA-Maoist collaboration. From the CPN-M viewpoint,
then, what occurred was this:
Mass line – The Maoists had consolidated a political base in the west
through armed political action. Terror by 2006 gave way to menace. The
base areas had been consolidated relatively quickly and at acceptable
human cost. Though the numbers were awful enough, what had been lost
in the entire conflict was within ‘acceptable’ limits. Yet the Maoists
had found it increasingly tough going to do anything strategically
decisive from those base areas.
United fronts – The King’s assumption of direct rule in February 2005
provided the chance for a strategically decisive shift by creating
unprecedented common ground between the SPA and the CPN-M. The most
significant element in Prachanda’s various statements was his
announcing the next step in the united front process: he proposed that
the political parties jointly form an army with the Maoists, sharing
all positions and authority. He further proposed that democratic
elements within the RNA join with the Maoists and the parties. This
did not happen, but the effort highlighted the fundamental reality of
the Nepali situation: the security forces, especially the Army, remain
the linchpin for the old-order.
Political warfare – Here again, developing circumstances delivered up
to the Maoists a ‘blue chip’ item – ‘peace’. The longing for peace
was so great that the Maoists could use it as a term over and over to
undermine the will of all concerned to continue their struggle against
the Maoists. ‘We just want peace’, as a slogan, could be used as a
tool of mass mobilization to neutralize the ability and/or the
political will of the Government to continue.
Inernational – What the Maoists saw was a global situation where the
trends were in their favour. Even those international elements opposed
to the Maoists’ dated, Cold War views, were unwilling to grapple with
the situation due to their preoccupation with violent radical Islam
(which the Nepalese Maoists claimed to support).
As the CPN-M assessed the situation, everything was flowing its way.
At least in part, the Party declared its cease-fire as a tactical
gambit to see if it could neutralize Government armed action. This did
not work, but strategically the Government took a black eye as the
entity that refused to ‘give peace a chance’. That the Maoists used
the interim to prepare for operations was winked at by many who saw
the existing system as irredeemably flawed. India, as the prime
offender in this regard, decided that playing its usual version of
‘the Great Game’ was preferable to supporting the Kathmandu
Government. New Delhi was not totally committed negatively, but, in
logic virtually identical to that which had prevailed in its Sri Lanka
adventure, seemed to think it could contain the Nepali situation by
fostering a ‘West Bengal solution’ (i.e., legal Maoists participating
in democratic governance).
Central to the arrangements to end the conflict was the cantonment of
some 30,000 insurgent ‘combatants’ – with the RNA, now renamed
National Army (NA) confined to barracks – and a two-step
decommissioning of weapons. Best evidence indicates the CPN-M packed
the cantonments with recently recruited manpower (thousands of whom
were under-age) and failed to turn in many high-powered firearms (the
United Nations is responsible for managing this process). They left in
the camps a skeleton chain-of-command to train the new recruits
(within the limits imposed by their camp circumstances) and placed a
reliable chain-of-command comprised of combatants in a new Young
Communist League (YCL). These continued to engage in violence and
criminal activity (particularly abduction and extortion), with gang
activity taking the place of armed combat.
As a consequence, even before most recent events, the security
situation was tenuous. The uneven performance of the chief security
officer for the country, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, a
Nepali Congress (NC) member, was such as to bring calls for his
resignation from all sides, but he apparently retained the confidence
of Prime Minister Koirala, himself under increasing criticism for his
lacklustre leadership. Most seriously, the continued internal
deterioration and inability or unwillingness of the state to provide a
secure environment (or even regular basic services) unleashed a host
of centripetal forces. There are perhaps a dozen separatist movements
presently active, with those in the tarai the most serious and
powerful. These tarai groups8, comprised at least in part of CPN-M
breakaway factions, have proved more than willing to answer Maoist
violence in kind.
The economic picture is also tenuous. Though macro indicators are
reasonably stable, the micro situation is such that, if anything, the
conditions of unemployment and under-employment, which contributed
powerfully to the Maoist ability to recruit manpower, are now worse.
The Maoists have contributed to the deterioration of the situation by
continuing to run what amounts to a parallel administration, engaging
in extortion (‘revolutionary taxation’), violent mobilization of
workers into unions (displacing as necessary, unions already in
place), and ill-considered job-actions.
Socially, the centripetal forces mentioned above have led to a demand
from virtually all groups, whether of gender, sector, ethnicity,
language, or locality, for inclusion in the new-order distribution of
rights, resources, and privileges, with disturbingly little discussion
or consideration of obligations.
If there is one apparent bright spot, it is that there appears to be
no sign of military desire to intervene in the political situation.
This brings to the fore considerations of the monarchy, to whom the
military once pledged loyalty (i.e., the Royal Nepal Army). Under the
old-order, the domination of the formal military chain-of-command by
what effectively was a parallel palace structure, a military
secretariat, was noted by some analysts. But few were astute enough to
recognize the degree to which this arrangement increasingly rankled.
Though the inadequate palace leadership that prevailed during the
counterinsurgency did not produce either a Young Turks movement (as in
Thailand after the collapse of the old-order in October 1973) or a
Reform Movement (such as the reform of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines in the post-Marcos era), it did convince numerous line
officers that their interests would be better served in a more
‘modern’ arrangement, such as present in other democracies (e.g.,
India).
Thus, contrary to expectations, there was no resistance in the Army to
the transfer of command from the Palace to the Parliament.
Unfortunately, the new head of the NA, General Rookmangud Katawal, who
replaced General Pyar Jung Thapa, though an experienced officer, finds
himself overseeing an Army that is being hollowed out by the inaction
inherent to being limited to garrison functions (with some engineer
units, involved in mine-clearing and road construction, the
exception).
A central Maoist goal remains the "integration" of People’s Liberation
Army (PLA) forces and the NA, and the ‘democratization’ of the latter.
This was one of the 22 demands put forward by the Maoists which, when
unfulfilled, led to their leaving the Government on September 18,
2007. They have continued to press for acceptance of their demands.9
What is the CPN-M up to?
Demands of the CPN-M cannot be met within the context of parliamentary
democracy. The Maoists themselves are quite explicit in this regard.
They remain committed to the sweeping away of the old-order and
replacing it with a new-order that is unequivocally ‘Maoist’. The
specifics involved are common to Maoist movements throughout South
Asia and feature a dreary litany of state intervention in all
economic, social, and political facets of existence, accompanied by an
‘anti-imperialist’ foreign policy that supports the likes of North
Korea, Iran, and Venezuela.
South Asian Marxism remains Stalinist in its basic documents and
formulations, though the various Indian communist parties have
recently endeavoured to move into the second half of the 20th Century
(even as the world approached the end of the first decade of the 21st
Century). Nepali Marxism is even more odious, coloured as it is by the
peculiar Nepali cultural framework discussed earlier. Thus the CPN-M
sees no contradiction in claiming to be authentically Nepali even as
it meets under pictures of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. Its
economic plans are astonishingly similar to those pushed forward by
the Khmer Rouge, highlighting that mobilization of the subjective
‘will’ can overcome all objective obstacles. Public works projects are
given pride of place (e.g., mobilizing the population to cut roads or
to build dams), though there appears to be little thought as to how
the pieces are to form part of a coherent whole. The integrating
factor advanced is always political: the old-order has failed; thus it
is time to move to a new-order.
The central demands of this new-order are for social justice and
equity in distribution of scarce resources. That there is little
understanding of just why resources are scarce (i.e., as already
mentioned, a population that has exceeded the carrying capacity of the
land) or why there is inequity (there is, essentially, no economy) has
not been given a great deal of thought. If one is to judge by what has
occurred thus far in the Maoist-controlled areas, redistribution is
the immediate priority: seizing from those who have in order to give
to those who have not – though the implementation generally classifies
as ‘have-nots’ the same Maoist cadre who are carrying out the
redistribution. The truly poor remain just that.10
In order to carry out this vague vision of a utopian future, the
Maoists must have power. This, they have stated time and again since
coming in from the cold, they will gain ‘peacefully’. But their
understanding of the term ‘peacefully’ boils down to: as long as we
get what we want, we will not resort to violence; but when non-
violence does not work, we will reconsider our position. ‘Non-
violence’, in the Maoist lexicon, means only that firearms are not
used as the weapons of first resort. Constant menace, backed up by
violence – such as abductions and near-fatal beatings – is categorized
as ‘nonviolent’.
All actions presently being taken are designed to bring the Maoists to
power. When called to account by their CCOMPOSA compatriots for their
having abandoned the revolutionary struggle, the Nepali Maoists
succeeded in placating their critics by outlining just what is set
forth here. Put in so many words: our way will deliver power by
emphasizing ‘the other four’ lines of operation and holding military
violence in reserve. As the CPN-M put this explicitly, in its report
to the June 2007 CCOMPOSA meeting held in India:
The enemy who is attacking our party especially its youth wing the
‘Young Communist League’ with whatever they find in their hands, has
generated resentment against the enemies. And our mass line,
discipline of our PLA [People’s Liberation Army] and political line
has gathered momentum to prepare the ground for the final
insurrection. We are utilizing this transitional phase to spread our
mass base and consolidate it, to get rid of our own shortcomings and
bring disintegration in the enemy’s camp so that we can give a final
blow and usher into the country a new democracy.11
This was further explained:
The C.P.N (M), for one and a half years has taken this compromise. If
we seriously study and analyze the concrete situation and character of
this compromise it becomes self evident that our policy is neither all
alliance and no struggle nor all struggle and no alliance, but
combines both. Grasping the teaching of Lenin we have avoided ‘give
money and fire arms to share the loot’ instead we have given the
bandits money and firearms in order to lessen the damage they can do
and facilitate their capture and execution. With this sole intention
we had a twelve point understanding against the autocratic monarchy on
22nd of November 2005.12
This implementation of people’s war strategy, however, has not gone
unchallenged. The 5th Plenum of the CPN-M, which was held in early
August 2007, using an ‘expanded meeting’ (EM) format that brought
together 2,174 delegates, saw fierce opposition to staying the course
with campaigns just short of overt confrontation. Though a Central
Committee meeting was held at the end of July 2007 to ensure that the
required report (to the party) by Prachanda was a consensus document,
the ‘EM’ did not go smoothly. Having continued to exclude the state
from the rural areas, yet gaining unfettered access to the urban
centers, a faction of the Maoist leadership demanded open
confrontation to ‘finish the job’. In particular, this faction saw no
point in Maoist Ministers continuing in the Government.13 In the
event, the Maoists did bolt in September 2007.
Very loosely, the leadership of the contending factions was:
Prachanda and Bhattarai Group
KB Mahara, (then) Information Minister (resigned on September 18,
2007)
Dev Gurung, (then) Local development Minister (resigned on September
18, 2007)
Barsa Man Pun ‘Ananta’, PLA commander (responsible for mobilizing
Maoist cadre during the April 2006 confrontation)
Top Bahadur Rayamjhi, former negotiator, in charge Western Nepal
Pampa Bhusal, (then) Minister
Nanda Kishore Pun ‘Pasang’, PLA commander
Vaidya and Gajurel Group
Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal, PLA commander, de facto leader of the
rebel group
Gajurel, head of the Maoist ‘Foreign Desk’
Vaidya, senior-most Maoist leader; was replaced by Prachanda in
199114
Biplav, the powerful youth leader, fiery speaker
Janardan Sharma, PLA deputy commander
Though news reports sought to portray the 5th Plenum results as a
‘victory for moderation’, the reality was just the opposite. It was
the dissident faction – that of Vaidya and Gajurel – which determined
that open confrontation would be the next step. Thus the Maoists left
the Government, strenuously demanding acceptance of their 22 demands –
many of them precisely the issues that were to be settled by a
constitutional convention – and issued instructions to CPN-M front
organizations to be prepared to initiate street actions15 in early
November, as necessary, when the holiday season ended with Tihar, or
the festival of lights. What happened was fully in accord with their
plans: SPA agreed to establish a ‘republic’, thus disestablishing the
centuries old monarchy, and the Maoists, in December, returned to
Government. Their only goal left unaccomplished, which will be used to
precipitate the next crisis, is integration of their combatants into
the Army – thus neutralizing it.
The CPN-M, therefore, is simply pursuing its ends by time and again
changing its tactics. Its lines of operation have remained consistent.
Only the emphasis placed upon any one has changed with time and
circumstances. The present means of choice are front organizations
(there are numerous allegedly independent bodies that are in reality
Maoist creatures) and the YCL, which dominates the streets and
conducts the strong-arm activities against businesses (e.g., forcing
through Maoist unionization). Concurrently, the NCP-M seeks to
function as an open political party (the mass line), mobilizing those
who will respond to any organisation that seems to offer them better
life-chances.
Maoist calculations have been hobbled by the tarai upheaval, as well
as the growing revulsion against Maoist abuses. This reaction has
increasingly resulted in vigilante action, because the state is seen
as failing in its most basic duty, the provision of security to the
populace. The regular claims by Koirala that abuses will no longer be
tolerated are belied by standing instructions that no Police
intervention can occur without direct authorization from the Home
Minister personally – and he rarely gives such orders.
Internationally, ties to India remain important for Nepal, though
India’s imperial motives have remained almost totally unexamined in
analyses, except in Nepali outlets. What India seeks is a soft
landing. With its own Maoists gaining in strength and geographic
spread16, New Delhi’s ambition, paradoxically, is to prevent Nepal
from becoming a huge Maoist base. It intends to do this by taming the
Maoists, by bringing them into a democratic system and then
encouraging them to behave responsibly within that system. This has
proved a bridge too far. Based upon the same inaccurate reporting and
even more flawed analysis that characterized India’s involvement with
the Tamil insurgent groups in the 1980s, it is likely that India’s
latest version of the ‘Indira Doctrine’ will misfire every bit as
completely as did its disastrous Sri Lanka policy.
What motivates the Maoists?
Adept at running an armed political campaign17, the Maoists now
struggle to find the proper balance between ‘the ballot and the
Armalite’, as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) strategy
put it. In many areas, the organization is no longer fully in charge.
Though the CPN-M strategy of seizing power from within has been
explained up and down the ranks, it is likely that the Maoists did not
anticipate the reversal of protracted war roles, with time favouring
the state. Not only are the Maoist ranks growing increasingly restless
(for what do they have to show for a decade of internal war?), but
their own misbehaviour has mobilized a powerful backlash so pronounced
that all attempts at surveys point to a Maoist drubbing in a fair
election. Of course, it is implementation of a level playing field
that the Maoists intend to thwart.
Their own logic holds that an electoral loss would prove a conspiracy
to thwart the will of the people. Consequently, the only way to have a
‘fair’ election is to determine the results in advance – in accordance
with the CPN-M’s 22 demands. As stated directly by the Central
Committee:
In an open interaction programme held recently in Kathmandu Chairman
Com. Prachanda candidly explained the necessity of fulfilling the 22
point demands which were essential for the sake of holding the forth
coming election of the Constituent Assembly. … The king which is
actively conspiring (sic) and operating to sabotage the whole peace
process including the election hand in globe [sic] with its foreign
masters has been given free hand. So we strongly feel and it has been
proved repeatedly by many events that unless and until republic is
declared there is no possibility of a proper election. The people of
Madhesh, indigenous and tribal people, dalits, women etc. are all
demanding that there should be proportional mode of election to ensure
the election to be really representative. They are already in the
struggle and have declared that if the election would not be held in
proportional method they would boycott the election. Since the interim
government did not show even the least interest in organizing the
round table conference, our party has already taken initiative. …
Therefore, the mass movement proposed by our party is categorically
not intended to negate the forth coming election of the Constituent
Assembly, but really aimed at holding the election in such a way that
it will truly be a representative election in which the people of
Nepal can participate fully and express their desire in proper way,
which can only pave the way for new, prosperous and peaceful Nepal.18
In one key area the CPN-M’s designs have been denied: the integration
of the PLA into the NA. General Katawal has been adamant that
integration must be a process whereby individual volunteers are
screened through the normal processes of induction. By contrast, the
Maoists intend that integration should see their units absorbed into
the NA. This induction is joined to demands for the ‘democratization’
of the military, by which the Maoists mean politicization – better
‘red’ than ‘professional’.19
On the other hand, the essence of NA transformation has been a
movement towards a non-political Army responding to the dictates of a
democratic system. Here again the different conceptions of democracy
collide. Koirala – and certainly General Katawal – sees the Maoists as
having agreed to participate in the democratic system as defined by
(and structured as) parliamentary democracy and the market economy.
The Maoists, though, see themselves as having agreed to accept the
surrender of the old-order. Their intention remains the revolutionary
reordering of Nepal to form a people’s republic, as perhaps seen in
modern variants in Chavez’s Venezuela or even Islamist Iran.20
Indeed, the Maoists continue to see the NA as the linchpin, which must
be neutralized, preferably by abolishing the monarchy by parliamentary
fiat, then confronting the military with no option but to surrender to
an irresistible popular tide. As explained by CPN-M to CCOMPOSA:
The question of the monarchy comprises a different meaning in the
context of Nepal. It is the only reactionary institution which is deep
rooted and well organized with more than a one hundred thousand strong
Army. Because of this reality external and internal forces of reaction
have joined hands to prop up the crumbling monarchy and have been
trying to convince the vacillating parliamentary forces that once the
monarchy is gone there will be no able force remaining to halt the
ever growing march of the Maoist force.21
Conclusions
Coercion, persuasion, and inducement are just facets of Maoist
strategy, campaign elements inherent to the Maoist lines of operation.
Faced with the refusal of the old-order to go quietly, the Maoists
have responded through greater use of coercion, a form of violence.
They have increased their level of menace, particularly through use of
the YCL, which regularly battles the Police. This coercion is linked
to upping the ante in numerous other ways, from verbal abuse to
throwing sand in the machinery of governance. What is significant is
that all coercion is linked to inducements and persuasion.
Businessmen, for instance, are assured that the market will be allowed
to function – but in a more equitable manner. Interest groups are
assured that their concerns will finally be addressed once the Maoists
are in power.
The trump card, as the Maoists see it, is threatening to bolt, to take
to the streets, to launch a new people’s war. Though they quickly
clarify that they do not mean ‘returning to the jungles’ – the threat
is clear enough: pitched street battles. That plans have been made for
such an eventuality is known to the government, but the SPAM coalition
[the SPA plus the Maoists] is so tenuous that there is no one to take
cognizance of the information.
Outside actors seeking to influence the situation for the better have
their options severely constrained by the fact that the ‘spoilers’ in
this case, the Maoists, are, indeed, not interested in compromise of
any sort – only in implementing the most efficacious route to power.
Thus external programs and resources must seek to build and/or
reinforce state capacity. This, of course, has ostensibly been the
approach all along of external actors. In reality, though, their
efforts have been fragmented, of little consequence, and often
implemented in deliberate defiance of state-building objectives.
What is occurring is a battle of mobilization capabilities. Throughout
the counter-insurgency, the Maoists had the advantage for the simplest
of reasons: the Government did not recognize the game being played. To
the contrary, all efforts by knowledgeable members of the state,
especially within the security forces, to mobilize citizen capacity,
whether in local defence forces or even watcher groups, were thwarted
by incomprehension, outright opposition, or alliances made with the
donor community.22
By contrast, the entire thrust of the Maoist effort was to engage in
mass mobilization, to form a counter-state that could challenge the
state. The Maoists explained their situation in these terms – they
continue to do so. By 2003, they claimed they were a state (i.e., a
counter-state) that existed on equal terms with the existing state and
therefore had all the rights and privileges of the state. Just as
interesting, theoretically, was their advancing the claim that sub-
state actors had all the rights and privileges afforded in
international law only to states. There could be no middle ground: one
order had to give way to the other.
In this effort, Maoist organization remained hierarchical, with an
effort to overcome centripetal forces and indiscipline. ‘The
revolution’ was overwhelmingly an internal phenomenon, with the Nepali
expatriate community largely onlookers, except as victimized by Maoist
efforts at extortion (e.g., in the Middle East) or seeking to
participate in the form of fellow-travellers. Eventually, after April
2006, serious divisions did emerge within the expatriate community,
with the debate played out principally through blogs but noteworthy
for the increasing consideration in the debate of ‘Mein Kampf
considerations’; that is, what does it mean for the possible future of
a country to have potential (and certainly would-be) leadership
figures who engage in Cambodian Holocaust denial; who deify (at least
several) mass murderers; and who advance ideas that in the 20th
Century produced the greatest crimes in the history of humanity?
The decentralized nature of the electronic debate faithfully reflects
what has been occurring within Nepal itself, as hierarchy, both
organizational and societal, has broken down. In one sense, it could
be argued that the security forces have maintained a degree of
hierarchy even as the Maoists have increasingly become networked.
Indeed, one of the problems for the transitional state in dealing with
the Maoists is the factor of assessing just what the Maoist leadership
really controls. How much that is happening is in response to
commands, and how much is simply local initiative that the Maoist
leadership seeks to exploit?
The most frightening prospect, of course, remains a possible breakdown
of law and order beyond anything yet seen. This at times appears to be
the way the tarai is headed. Determined not to deploy NA, the weak
Government would have to be faced with a catastrophic situation before
it would act and, by that time, the forces unleashed would probably be
uncontrollable. The beneficiaries certainly would be the Maoists.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
Thomas A. Marks is a political risk consultant based in Hawaii. His
most recent book is Maoist People’s War in Post-Vietnam Asia, Bangkok:
White Lotus, 2007.
28,901,790 based on a July 2007 estimation, The World Factbook:
Nepal,
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/np.html.
Both were born in 1954, are Brahmins, and entered politics in their
university years. Prachanda earned a graduate degree (MA) in
agriculture, Bhattarai in (PhD) urban planning (his wife, Hishila
Yemi, now a Cabinet member, is an architect/engineer and also a
Maoists member).
. No reliable data exists on total CPN-M funding during the conflict,
but it would seem logical to suggest a high figure of some millions of
US dollars. Government statistics for just the first several days of
the November 2001 Maoist offensive put losses to CPN-M bank-robberies
at about USD 2 million [Field notes, November 2001]. Local variations
make generalization risky, but extortion, classified by the Maoists as
‘revolutionary taxation’, was until 2004 apparently ‘reasonable’ in an
objective sense. Small shopkeepers in Rolpa in April 2003, for
instance, cited payments of NPR 50 per month (about USD 0.66);
Government personnel remaining in ‘liberated areas’ (e.g., teachers,
postmen, etc.) paid an amounts equal to one day’s wages per month. NPR
100-200 (USD 1.32-2.64) was often cited by teachers who were making
approximately NPR 7,500 per month (roughly USD 98). Reports of
excesses by collecting cadres were comparatively rare. By contrast,
abduction-for-ransom was common, despite efforts by the Maoist
hierarchy to deny such activity, and was far more arbitrary. The
amounts extracted were frequently steep by the standards of rural
Nepal. A case, not atypical, in Rolpa involved a small innkeeper held
until ransomed by his family for NPR 30,000, or nearly USD 400. He
subsequently fled to India, leaving his family adrift [Field notes,
April-May 2003]. Equally lucrative for the movement, of course, is
extortion from businesses associated with the commercial economy. A
typical trekking group of foreigners, for instance, stopped in October
2001, was allowed to proceed once the guide had paid NPR 2,000 (about
USD 26), a normal amount and an order of magnitude greater than what
can be gained in taxing the impoverished population. In the case just
cited, a receipt was issued, and the trek reported no further demands
[Field notes, December 2001]. It is this activity – extortion – that
grew completely out of control by 2004, to the extent that it was
forcing the shutdown of even donor-funded projects. Demands as high as
10 percent of contract value were reported [Field notes, June 2004].
See “An Analysis of Photos of Nepali Maoist Weapons,” September 14,
2006 at:
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/09/analysis-of-photos-of-nepali-maoist.html
See David Scott Palmer and Thomas A. Marks, “Radical Maoist Insurgents
and Terrorist Tactics: Comparing Peru and Nepal,” Low Intensity
Conflict and Law Enforcement, 13/2, Autumn 2005, London, 91-116.
From India: Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (People’s War),
or CPI/M-L (PW), based in Andhra Pradesh and known generally as
“People’s War Group” or PWG; Maoist Communist Centre, or MCC, based in
Bihar, the large Indian state on Nepal’s southern border; the
Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (Maoist); and the
Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (Marxist-Leninist). From
Bangladesh: Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal-ML; Purbo Bangla Sarbahara
Party-CC; and Purbo Bangla Sarbahara Party-MPK. From Sri Lanka: the
Ceylon Communist Party – Maoist. The ninth attendee, of course, was
the CPN-M itself. The most vibrant of these are People’s War Group
(PWG) of Andhra Pradesh and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) of
Bihar, both CCOMPOSA members, but now united as the Communist Party of
India – Maoist, formed on September 21, 2004. More recently, a
Bhutanese Communist Party – Marxist-Leninist-Maoist has emerged and
called for ‘people’s war’ to overthrow the reigning monarchy. It
remains unclear whether this hitherto unknown party is an ethnic
Bhutanese phenomenon or an outgrowth of CPN-M efforts to penetrate the
country’s ethnic Nepali community. The latter has been in a state of
turmoil since the late 1980s as a result of official Bhutanese efforts
to promote ‘nationalism’ through a variety of social, economic and
political measures which alienated the ethnic Nepali-origin minority.
Ajai Sahni and P. G. Rajamohan, “The King's Folly,” South Asia
Intelligence Review, Volume 3, No. 30, February 7, 2005,
Prasanta Kumar Pradhan, “Turmoil in the Terai,” South Asia
Intelligence Review, Vol. 6, No. 4, August 6, 2007,
www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/6_4.htm#assessment2.
These comprise a diverse list that, in aggregate, calls for the state
to move against previous centres of power, which the Maoists believe
are continuing to block their consolidation of power. In particular,
they want old-regime members to be punished for alleged crimes
committed during the counterinsurgency, even as their own cadre are
not called to account for their insurgent actions. In any case, the
Maoists deny that their well-documented atrocities, in fact, occurred.
Maoist mis-steps have been plenty, none more so than the YCL repeating
publicly the longstanding Nepal Communist Party – Maoist (NCP-M)
intention to ban recruiting for the Gurkha regiments of Britain and
India. The UK establishment may well have run down to but some 3,500
men, but the various Indian formations comprise perhaps one-eighth of
the country’s infantry battalions and a sizeable slice of certain
paramilitary units – between 35,000 and 50,000 in all. The only
substitute offered by the YCL is “employment with dignity” in Nepal.
“CPN-M Report on Developments in Nepal” to CCOMPOSA, August 19 2007,
accessed at:
http://burning.typepad.com/burningman/2007/08/cpnm-report-on.html.
Astute commentary may be found at S. Chandrasekharan, “Nepal: Dilemma
Faced by Maoist Leadership,” IntelliBriefs, Update No. 131 (August 8,
2007), accessed at:
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2007/08/nepal-dilemma-faced-by-maoist.html
.
Ibid. The Maoists further reported that were it not for the pressure
of “the Nepalese people and the tactical movement of our party against
the monarchy,” the SPA parties would already have broken their
conditional alliance with the CPN-M.
Despite the tactical advantages of being able to exploit state
resources, which have included using government funds to provide
transportation and per diem to cadre sent to Kathmandu from outlying
areas for protest actions.
Both Vaidya and Gajurel were in Indian custody but were released on
November 30, 2006, in an apparent effort by New Delhi to ensure that
intra-party factionalism was exacerbated
As put by the Central Committee: “a mass movement to fulfil the urgent
demands of the people and for the pre-requisites required to create
essential condition[s] for the forthcoming election of the constituent
assembly.” See “An Indispensable Mass Movement,” in Maoist Information
Bulletin No. 17 (July 2007), accessed November 1, 2007 at:
http://krishnasenonline.org/Bulletin/editorial.html.
The editorial in question has obviously been added to an earlier
release, because the events discussed in detail did not occur until a
month after the date. As correctly reported in the Nepali media,
Prachanda discussed the necessity of confrontation with the state at
an emergency Central Committee meeting held on October 6, 2007, in
Kathmandu – should it refuse to declare a republic in response to the
22 Maoist demands. See “Prachanda’s Side in Disarray,” People’s
Review, 9 October 2007, accessed at:
http://peoplesreview.com.np/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3484&Itemid+94.
Badal subsequently asserted that the country would meet with a
“serious political accident” if Maoist demands were not met. See
“Maoist Leader Warns of Serious Political Accident,” The Himalayan
Times, 10 October 2007, accessed at:
At least 16 Indian States, including Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, in
particular, have now experienced Maoist violence, with at least 650
fatalities in 2007. See “Fatalities in Left-wing Extremism”,
www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/maoist/data_sheets/fatalitiesnaxal.htm
The basic pattern of Maoist violence may be conceptualized as follows:
In Phase 1 (strategic defensive), terror facilitates or establishes
the “space” necessary for the insurgent political campaign. It
eliminates societal rallying-points, the synapses such as local gentry
and minor government officials. Terror further generates demands for
protection. Answering this demand, police forces respond. Once they
predictably spread out, they are attacked in guerrilla actions, with
small patrols and stations overwhelmed. Unable to defend themselves,
the police invariably consolidate, thus exposing still larger swaths
of the population to insurgent domination. Behind the scenes, certain
guerrilla units (i.e., a proportion of guerrilla combatant strength)
are “regularized,” to use Mao’s term, turned into mobile warfare units
(main force units), copies of government military units. When the
government inevitably deploys its military to reclaim “lost” areas,
these units (normally the army) find themselves, first, harassed by
guerrilla action, which demands small unit saturation patrolling,
then, defeated in detail by the mobile warfare units (which fight
using “guerrilla tactics”). This realizes Phase 2 and produces
strategic stalemate. Only in Phase 3, when mobile warfare gives way to
the so-called “war of position,” do insurgents assume the strategic
offensive and endeavor to hold ground.
“An Indispensable Mass Movement.”
Field work, Kathmandu, May 2007
In these plans, the ‘old military’ is to be cut back dramatically, and
in its place substituted a mass mobilization model. Again, Venezuela
and Iran provide useful models, both having increasingly sidelined old-
order military power in favour of newly mobilized (and, in the case of
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, institutionalized) and ‘ideologically
sound’ formations.
“CPN-M Report on Developments in Nepal.”
In meetings to discuss the situation, European donor representatives
appeared committed to a view which saw the Maoists as Robin Hood
figures, produced by a hopelessly flawed old-order that had no moral
right to defend itself. As such, most NGOs and official development
activities from European states appeared to have reached
accommodations with the Maoists. A number apparently worked actively
against the Nepali Government.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume19/Article2.htm
Jammu and Kashmir
Women’s Role in the post-1989 Insurgency Manisha Sobhrajani *
Faultlines: Volume 19, April 2008
The conflict in the northern-most State of India – Jammu and Kashmir
– has had its share of support from Kashmiri men and women alike.
While the men crossed over to Pakistan-administered-Kashmir (also
known as Pakistan occupied Kashmir) to receive training in arms, and
came back to ‘liberate’ their ‘motherland’ from India, the women were
at the forefront of protests and rallies, and provided psycho-social
support to their men folk. In turn, the men got killed and the women
bore the brunt of it, saddled with the burden of fatherless families,
and sometimes in the form of the most gruesome human rights
violations. ‘Azaadi’ (freedom) remained a distant dream.
Till the year 1990, women in Kashmir chose to remain within the
peripheries of their homes, and basked in the glory of the syncretic
traditions, culture and heritage of Kashmir. It was only in the early
1990s that the anger at losing loved ones to the bloody conflict
between India and Pakistan brought the women out into the streets.
Uncertainty, confusion, lack of a choice, lack of education and an
uncertain future with no clear roadmap to follow were some of the
factors that pushed women into going along with their men. To
determine any kind of role played by women in the insurgency movement
in Jammu and Kashmir, we need to understand their position in the
given society.
In an environment of subterfuge, the burqa [enveloping outer garment
worn by women], which has been projected as a symbol of Islam, becomes
a functional necessity. Just as the woolen phiran [gown] became a
dreaded garment for the security forces, with militants being able to
hide deadly weapons within its folds without being detected, so too,
the burqa helped clandestine operations, often required in troubled
times.1
The Pakistan-based militant infrastructure has a fairly strong
tradition of keeping women out of their organizational activities.
Nevertheless, in the post-9/11 period, there is some evidence that
women have been involved in such activities as well, particularly as
couriers and in the operation of front organizations. Front activities
include political mobilization and demonstrations, propaganda,
financial mobilization or transfer of funds, co-ordination of protests
against Security Force operations on ‘human rights’ platforms,
mobilization and intimidation of women to impose ‘moral codes of
conduct’, including, particularly, the hijab (veil) and a ‘proper’
dress code that excludes western dresses.
The concept of front-line female militants is not a novelty anymore,
at least globally. There have been reports of women being involved in
attacks in Jordan; women suicide-bombers have very widely been used by
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka: the
assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21,
1991, being the most publicized of such offensives; and women bombers
have been used by Kurdish guerilla groups in Turkey. Chechen rebel
commander Shamil Basayev has long boasted of his regiment of Black
Widows, the wives of men apparently killed by Russian forces.
However, closer to home, the agenda of terrorist groups is to create a
new ‘Islamic State’ which has no interest in the liberation or welfare
of its women. The conventional notion of women’s role in militant
operations is related to erecting support structures, fund-raising,
public relations and political representation. Experts remain divided
over whether female suicide bombers will be more widely deployed by al
Qaeda, whose conservative philosophy restricts women to an auxiliary
role in the jihad.2
This new-found ‘extremist’ image of women as ‘killers’ is quite an
antithesis to the ‘home-maker’ and/ or ‘life-giver’ images they are
commonly associated with. Insurgent groups are beginning to employ
more and more women in their cadres because their actions generate
greater media coverage, arguably boosting the militants’ propaganda
battle.3
Witnessing women traditionally associated with domestic duties taking
part in frontline militancy operations can have a shaming effect on
the men, ‘impelling more of them to take part’, says Laleh Khalili, a
lecturer in Middle-Eastern politics at the School of Oriental and
African Studies in London.4 Attacks by women also shatter ‘the male
monopoly over jihad’, according to Mustafa Alani, a counter-terrorism
expert with the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai.5
Women, as they grow old, become more dominant in the household as well
as in society. Women are considered to be more perceptive and
emotionally stronger than men. Women are also emotionally volatile
towards the male gender. If a girl child sees the male members of her
family being persecuted, she feels more strongly about it than her
male counterpart. Similarly, a woman feels strongly about any
perceived atrocities committed against her community.
Lawlessness emerges in several grades in any society, which eventually
leads to a situation as serious as militancy or terrorism. And such a
situation flourishes if women do not stop or check it, and/ or if they
believe in the purpose such a situation would serve. The principal
reason why they would abet it is when they believe that their men are
being persecuted.
For Kashmiri women – mothers, wives, sisters and daughters –
negotiating space for their men folk has become a way of life, whether
it is taking up the issue of missing sons and husbands or providing
food and shelter to militants in their homes – a story every single
house in Kashmir must be familiar with.
A report published by the Women’s Initiative in 1994 titled "Women’s
Testimonies from Kashmir: The Green of the Valley is Khaki" documented
the sentiments of women of all age groups on daily issues of survival
in Kashmir. The introductory chapter of the report says:
What of the sister who hears that her 13-year-old brother has been
‘picked up’ for interrogation, knowing as she does that she may never
see him again?... How does the mother who has lost three sons find the
strength to carry on? What does it mean to be the wife or a sister of
a militant? How does she bear the pain of death and separation? How
does the woman looking at her innocent son rendered impotent by
torture at the hands of the Forces keep her faith in humanity
alive...? These women are perhaps the bravest of all, for they
continue to live and struggle for what they believe to be right. They
form the backbone of the (insurgency) movement. They are the ground
which sustains life in the midst of death, humanity in the face of
guns.6
It is not surprising at all, then, that women who found themselves
under these strange circumstances, for no fault of their own and very
little choice, consciously or unconsciously supported the Kashmiri
insurgency.
…Looking at the many faces of Kashmiri women in conflict, it shows how
women’s political activism was rooted in their everyday concerns of
managing survival, that is, ‘stretched’ roles. From the icon of the
sorrowing mother who grieves in private but sacrifices her son for the
cause, is the transformation of the mother as agency, who takes her
private grief into public space thus politicizing it, e.g., the
Association of the Parents of the Disappeared. Motherhood is seen as
available for mobilization as resistance but also for co-optation in
support of militarism and nationalism.7
Kashmiri women were politically the most active during 1989-90. To the
world, the image of Kashmiri women is that of mothers, wives and
daughters covered from head to toe, leading protest marches and facing
the blows of police batons. For months together, such photographs
filled the pages of local and national newspapers. The capital city of
Srinagar was flooded with women everyday in early 1990 and the streets
reverberated with the slogan: ‘Marde mujahid jag zara ab, waqt-e-
shahadat aaya hai!’ (Awaken you holy fighters as the time has come for
martyrdom.) Such activism was perhaps a liberating experience for most
Kashmiri women.
Women have supported or been part of the Kashmiri insurgency movement
in broadly four ways.
Motivators
Convinced of the role of jihad and jihadis, women provided
psychological support to Kashmir’s men folk as mothers, sisters and
wives. The Mujahideen were glamourized and projected as heroes. Women
would go to great lengths to be able to see a jihadi. To be identified
as mother/sister/aunt of a jihadi was a matter of great pride for
Kashmiri women.
Traditional Kashmiri folklore or wanuwan of the early 1990s is a
typical and accurate example of the prevalent scenario.
Yim mujahid zoraware, Yem kapaise aayaie
Yim aayi sarhad pareyaie, Tim kapare aaie
Sopore kerekh cross firing, Waremuli kerekh chaire
(These powerful mujahids, where did they come from? They came from
across the border, from the other side. They resorted to cross-firing
at Sopore, and took tea at Baramulla)
Kalashnikov lagai balayai
Yenav ladayat path fairaleh
(Don’t’ give up this fight for freedom; I shower my life on this
Kalashnikov)
Main mujahidov behan
Praraie hideoutas
(O my beloved mujahid, I will wait for you at the hideout.)
Strong sentiments towards azaadi and against India and the
‘Hindustani’ forces also find a mention in the folklore.
Sari samhav kabus nemehav
Aagus manghav azaadi
[Why don’t we all (Kashmiris) get together and pray for azaadi]
Dari bar band kar
Hindustani fauj hai aav
(Close all doors and windows: the Hindustani forces are coming!)
Saien tehreekh kya chhaie
Jaan waisiwaye
Asi me marew ase chhe
Insaan wasiswaye
(Our struggle for freedom is genuine. So why do you torture us for
that? We are humans too!)
Instances of women giving overnight shelter and food to militants and
protecting them from the security forces’ are common. However, whether
they did this out of choice or due to the lack of one is highly
debatable. Young Kashmiri girls romanticized the idea of falling in
love with a mujahid, and many eventually did run away and/or marry
them, lured by the risk and glory that came with such an association.
However, in one particular incident in the Darhal village of Rajouri
district in early 2006, a young girl was able to convince her mujahid
suitor to give up arms if he wanted to marry her.8
In the case of young men who became ‘martyrs’ for the Kashmiri cause,
their mothers were almost worshipped. Huge crowds gathered when
militant’s bodies were brought to their homes. The mothers were often
heard making statements which glorified the dead men and how lucky
they were to have given birth to a martyr. Thus, an article posted on
the Kashmiri Global Network called Kashnet noted:
Sara, 65, mother of a slain JKLF [Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front]
militant, Mushtaq Ahmad Kutay, said ‘I am proud that my son laid his
life for freedom of Kashmir.’ Mushtaq was among the seven militants,
including JKLF commander Sheikh Abdul Hamid, killed during a boat
capsizing after an encounter at Aali Kadal on November 19, 1992. ‘Ten
days were left for Mushtaq’s marriage when he left home on some
mission. Before leaving, I offered him sweets and kissed him,’ Sara
recounts. ‘I did not weep when his body was brought home. Instead I
offered prayers at Dastgeer Sahib to thank Allah as my son laid his
life for a noble cause,’ she said.9
In a personal interview, the widow of a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant,
who is also a mother of two sons, said: "Children of a freedom fighter
ought to be freedom fighters."10
In the Surankote tehsil (revenue division) of Poonch district, the
dominant Gujjar population actively supported Kashmiri militants, who
were extremely friendly with the locals. The women happily provided
for these young men, who promised them ‘azaadi’. However, the Kashmiri
militants were progressively outnumbered and overpowered by the
Pakistan-based and supported Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, soon
turning the area into a major operations’ base for the LeT, so much so
that it was commonly referred to as ‘mini Pakistan’. Many considered
the area a ‘liberated zone’ till as late as 2002. Obviously, this
would have been impossible without local support, particularly from
the women of the area since the men usually stayed away from their
homes for long stretches of time to graze their cattle in greener
pastures, and for other work. However, in a complete turn of events,
the locals, especially the women, were grossly mistreated by the
‘foreign mujahids’, leading to widespread resentment against them. The
villagers, both men and women, due to complete disillusionment with
the militants, joined hands with the Army and helped them ‘clear’ the
area in one of the most massive operations carried out by the Indian
forces in Jammu and Kashmir – Operation Sarpvinash – in the year 2003.
Today, the twin villages of Kulali-Marrah are known for Kashmir’s
first all-woman Village Defence Committee (VDC),11 the other two
having come up in the Reasi and Mahore regions. Though only a dozen
women in Surankote are formally registered as VDC members, more than a
hundred women in the entire area can use AK-47s, Self Loading Rifles
(SLR), Light Machine Guns (LMG) and revolvers.
This major development clearly indicates that, in the case of
Surankote, the women were easily led to believe that the militants
were their saviours because they (the militants) promised them
deliverables in the form of ‘azaadi’. They were able to do so
primarily because the area was literally cut off from the rest of the
world due to its difficult mountainous terrain and also because most
people, due to lack of exposure and education, had no reason
whatsoever to disbelieve the militants. However, it is also true that
the women were often forced to provide for the militants for fear of
their own lives as of their dear ones.
Protest marches, rallies and demonstrations
Women repeatedly raised their voices against human rights violations
in Kashmir. In the case of mujahids being killed or in anti-India
rallies, women participated in a significant manner. According to a
senior police officer, women often registered FIRs (First Information
Reports) in Police Stations stating that a person had gone missing,
when actually the person was operating as a militant. Women also
pursued the cases of the release of their sons and/or husbands. This
‘activism’ ran parallel to the Kashmiri ‘struggle for freedom’.
It was not uncommon for Kashmiri women to allege rape by security
forces. And in some cases, the allegations were not true. In fact they
were encouraged to give testimonies against violations committed by
the Indian security forces, and were exploited as victims and targets
of the Indian agenda.
Kashmiri women have picketed the streets of Srinagar and other towns
and villages to voice their agitation about rape and killings by the
Security Forces, and have been an important part of the well-oiled
propaganda machinery of the militants.12
Sheba Chhachhi, a photographer and installation artist, notes:
A small number of photographs of crowds of women protestors can be
culled from the 1990-91 files. These images are taken as an
affirmation of women’s support for the armed struggle…"
Dukhtaran-e-Millat and Muslim Khawateen Markaz
The emergence of an organized women’s group was apparent in early
1990, when the Dukhtaran-e-Millat [Daughters of the Faith] gave a call
for women to march to the United Nations on March 14, the first curfew-
free day after the Channpora rape incident. Thousands of women filled
the Maulana Azad Road that leads from Lal Chowk at the city centre to
Gupkar, where the UN office is situated.13
The Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) was formed in 1981. In 1987, the ‘women
activists’ of the organization came on the streets, fought for
reservation of seats for women in buses, took action against families
that demanded dowry, and arranged marriages for girls who belonged to
economically backward families. Says DeM chief Asiya Andrabi:
Since my brothers were already into separatist politics, my initiation
into the anti-India sentiment happened automatically while I was still
in school. I was used to Police raids much before I jumped full-time
into the freedom movement. I was enamoured by the heroic deeds of the
mujahideen and yearned to join the jihad. For me, jihad is not just a
means to an end: it is a lifelong mission. Allah says in the Quran
that jihad is the only way to uproot evil from this world… And for me,
Osama bin Laden symbolizes jihad. He has the courage to challenge the
world’s superpower, America. As much as I hate George Bush for being
the oppressor that he is, I respect and admire bin Laden for his
bravery. In fact I want my sons to follow in his footsteps and serve
Islam and Allah the way bin Laden is doing.14
In the early 1990s, the DeM issued notices to women to dress according
to the Islamic dress code i.e. wear a veil. For about two months, they
even advertised in newspapers. But despite this, many women did not
wear the burqa when in public. And as a warning to such women who did
not observe purdah in public, the DeM activists threw paint on their
clothes. Andrabi comments:
The Indian Government accused Dukhtaran-e-Millat and said Asiya
Andrabi throws acid on women who do not observe purdah. India has also
accused me of acting as a messenger for militant organizations. My
house was raided; office locked up, and I had to go underground. This
propaganda against me by the Indian Government is because I am anti-
India. Duktaran-e-Millat’s ideology is anti-India. My activists have
staged rallies against atrocities committed by the Indian Security
Forces. I believe that Kashmir rightly belongs to Pakistan. It has all
the similarities — religion, culture, language. I do not trust any
Hindustani. They are all agents of the Government of India. My mission
is to drive India out of Kashmir, and then spread Islam in the State.
And Islamization is not possible till such time that India continues
to rule Kashmir.15
In September 1995, the DeM was held responsible for a bomb blast that
killed Mushtaq Ali, a photographer from Agence France Presse, in
Srinagar. According to news reports, a woman dressed in a burqa
entered the BBC/Reuters office in Srinagar and introduced herself as a
member of DeM. She dropped off a parcel addressed to Yusuf Jameel, the
BBC and Reuters correspondent in Kashmir. Ali opened the package which
promptly exploded, killing him and injuring two others. The DeM denied
responsibility for the attack, but it is highly likely that the
perpetrator of the bombing was a member of the group.
In 2001, the group made headlines for publicly supporting a campaign
of violence against women who refused to wear the burqa. The campaign
was waged by a previously unknown group called Lashkar-e-Jabbar (LeJ).
16 Despite DeM’s support, even the most militant of Kashmiri
separatists condemned LeJ’s actions. The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-
ul-Mujahideen came out openly against the dress code and said women
should not be pressured to wear the burqa. The separatist All Parties
Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and several other religious, social and
political groups also criticised the move as anti-Islam.17
Andrabi made headlines for weeks together for her protests and
agitation against those involved in the sex scandal that rocked the
Kashmir Valley in mid-2006. In an interview to Kashmir Observer, the
DeM chief said:
We never had faith in CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). We never
trust Indian judiciary… India, under a craftily hatched conspiracy to
keep Kashmiris slaves for ever, is using rapes and sex scandals as
weapons of war and tools for slavery – thus molesting the chastity of
our daughters. Let us fight against nefarious designs collectively…18
In her profile of the DeM, Shiraz Sidhwa notes:
Representing the most well-defined women’s group in the Valley, the
Dukhtaran-e-Millat operates within a larger context of passive
resistance by Kashmiri women as a whole. This role has taken different
forms, ranging from shielding militants in their homes, misleading the
security forces and acting as couriers and information-gatherers.19
The Muslim Khawateen Markaz (MKM, Muslim Women’s Centre) chief, Anjum
Zamrooda Habib, popularly called Behenji, got immense mileage and
became a household figure after she saved the life of JKLF chief Hamid
Sheikh.
A familiar sight became the burqa or chadar shrouded activists of the
MKM acting as guards or sounding alerts as the Security Forces
approached, blocking their way in the narrow alleys and twisted
staircases, to give time to the militants to escape.20 MKM activists
were routinely spotted providing physical support in the form of food
and clothes to jailed militants and would even collect money for
bails.
The founder of MKM Mohtarma Bhaktawar said they started as social
workers in 1986. In 1990, after the Gaunkadal massacre, when security
forces killed 60 people in a peaceful demonstration, they joined the
Azaadi movement. She said: ‘Kashmir is occupied by both India and
Pakistan. We are Kashmiri women. We have drunk the milk of Kashmir. We
are committed to independent Kashmir. We respect all religions. We are
not fundamentalists. People of all religions will live side by side.
Kashmiri pandits should come back here, this is their motherland. We
welcome them back and we will protect them if they join our struggle
for self-determination.’ The women of Khawateen Markaz believe in
‘dressing according to our conscience’. They do not insist on burqa.
They believe ‘jism pe libaas is purdah’, which means clothing which
does not reveal the contours of the body and a cloth which will cover
hair.21
While the DeM (which began as a ‘school’ to impart the teachings of
the Holy Quran to women who were deprived of religious education) is
still operating, the MKM is largely defunct. The DeM was banned in
June 2002 and cases were registered under the Prevention of Terrorism
Act (POTA) against Andrabi on charges of allegedly receiving money
from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external
intelligence agency, through hawala channels.22 Nevertheless, Andrabi
was very sure that Kashmiri women had not picked up the gun. She said
something as extreme as that would only happen if all the men in
Kashmir died. Her activists, however, did propagate the use of the
knife in 1994 while protesting against the sexual harassment of women.
Individual Instances
Almost overnight, ordinary women found themselves carried away by the
emotional high tide of activism, and were transformed. There are
numerous such instances. Thus, "Fareeda was released on August 19
following her arrest on the night intervening August 13 and 14, in the
wake of her announcement to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day in a
grand way." 23
Women have also been acting as couriers of money. For instance,
On March 24, 2002, the arrest of Shamima Khan, a Srinagar-based Jammu
and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) activist, at Kud on the Jammu-
Srinagar National Highway, was followed by recovery of Rs. 4.8 million
meant for Yasin Malik, Chairman of the JKLF. Khan revealed during
interrogation that she had received the money from a Hurriyat
activist, Altaf Qadiri, at a hotel in the Bagh Bazaar area of
Kathmandu in Nepal.24
Further, the Special Branch of Delhi Police had arrested Anjum
Zamrooda Habib, chief of the MKM, which is also a constituent of the
23-party Hurriyat Conference, while allegedly coming out of the
Pakistan High Commission with Rs 307,000, allegedly meant for
separatists as ‘nazrana’ (token money).25
A senior Army official explained why women were mostly used as
carriers of money:
We do not check very thoroughly any vehicle in which a family is
travelling, keeping in mind the sensitivity of children and women
being there… Women used their traditional invisibility in the public
sphere to create space for their activism. As they are seen as less
threatening, they are less watched.26
The officer, however, believed that women had neither been involved in
the transfer of weapons and arms and ammunition, nor used as human
bombs.
However, in the Avantipura explosion, which happened soon after the
October 2005 earthquake, a woman blew herself up on National Highway 1-
A that connects the Kashmir Valley to India. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-
Mohammed (JeM) claimed it was a Fidayeen (suicide squad) attack, and
the woman, Yasmeena Akhtar, was a suicide bomber. But investigations
have yet to establish whether Yasmeena was actually a suicide bomber
or was merely transporting explosives from one place to another, and
whether the explosion occurred due to a mistake on her part. Media
reports, however, clearly point towards Yasmeena’s involvement much
beyond the role of a mere transporter. "…Some officers believe their
camp was Yasmeena's target and the explosives went off accidentally.
At the blast site they had found three live hand grenades and pieces
of a torn combat pouch - a belt with big pockets, that's tied around
the chest. …At the district court in Pulwama, 20 miles away, a clerk
showed … the records of the investigation and pictures of the
explosion. The file describes Yasmeena as a girl who ‘wore explosives
on her body for the purpose of a terrorist suicide attack aimed at
hurting the security forces and the police. She killed herself when
the explosives went off accidentally near the Avantipura police
headquarters’."27
The JeM actually hailed her as the first woman suicide bomber of the
many more to come!
It is interesting to note Asiya Andrabi’s opposition to the use of
women as suicide bombers:
She argued that Islam did not allow women to be combatants, especially
suicide bombers. ‘It is against the dignity of a Muslim woman that the
parts of her body be strewn in a public place. If a combatant or a
suicide bomber is a woman, her dead body is bound to fall or be
scattered in a place full of men.’ …She supported suicide bombing by
men; her objection to suicide attacks by women seemed to rest on the
notion that a woman's modesty must be preserved even in death.28
Dardpora, commonly known as the village of half-widows, in Kupwara
District, is very close to the Line of Control (LoC). Almost all the
men folk are ‘absent’, having been killed either in fratricidal wars
or by the Indian Security Forces in the early years of militancy, or
having simply ‘disappeared’. Widowhood had become the dominant marker
of these women in Dardpora. According to unconfirmed reports,29 the
‘half-widows’ of Dardpora village make some easy money even now by
showing shortcuts in the mountains to militants.
Media reports did mention women crossing the border for arms’
training. However, there is little evidence to substantiate either
women’s training in arms or their actually picking up guns and
resorting to violence in the name of Kashmiri nationalism.
Underlying Drivers
Several factors contributed to women getting swayed into supporting
the insurgency. The politics of everyday life and survival was
perhaps, the most crucial one.
Women’s activism in conflict flows from their everyday concerns of
keeping the family together. But in conflict, women’s everyday
activity as reproducers and nurturers gets highly politicized because
it ensures community survival.30
Education, or the lack of it, helped various agencies at work to
influence women and mould their thinking and subsequent behavior in
their favour. According to the 2001 census, the percentage of female
literacy in Jammu and Kashmir is 41.82, and the sex ratio is 900
females per 1,000 males.31 While there are no clear indicators of how
many women have been killed during the nearly two decades of violence
in Kashmir, unconfirmed reports put the number of widows in Kashmir to
11,000. Another 6,000 are half-widows: women who do not know whether
their husbands are dead or alive.32
The absence of organized women’s groups working for gender justice and
equality and the subsequent emergence of fundamentalist women’s groups
like the DeM and MKM, have played on the women’s psyche.
Fundamentalist militant groups like the Allah Tigers and, later on,
DeM, forced the Muslim women to wear the burqa. And the burqa, which
was supposed to protect Kashmiri Muslim women from the evil eyes of
any stranger, in fact made them more vulnerable to the Security
Forces’ suspicion.
The fear factor was enhanced exponentially by the presence of groups
like the LeJ. The existence of LeJ was first reported by the local
media in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2001 following two incidents. In
the first incident, two unidentified youth poured diluted acid on two
school teachers in the Khanyar area of Srinagar on August 7. The next
day, an armed terrorist threatened all students and teachers of a
girls’ school in Srinagar with violence, unless they adopted the
‘Islamic’ dress code. Following these incidents, an unidentified
person was reported to have informed the local media in Srinagar that
his outfit, the Lashkar-e-Jabbar, was responsible for these threats
and attacks. He added that the outfit meant ‘business in implementing
the Islamic dress code in Kashmir’. According to the extremist
interpretation, Muslim women must always wear the burqa in public.
News reports in the aftermath of these incidents also claimed that
these were succeeded by isolated incidents of firing by unidentified
terrorists on unveiled women in south Kashmir over the next two months
(September – October 2001), which left three women injured.33
When Kashmiri women realized that there were multiple agencies present
on the scene and that some foreign militants were not really fighting
for the cause of Kashmir, and were only mercenaries, they stopped
supporting them. The simultaneous clashes, at several layers, between
the different agencies, destroyed the social fabric of Kashmir
completely and ‘azaadi’ became a receding dream.
Human rights violations have been the single-most important factor in
driving women to rebellion. A 22-year-old girl, who was allegedly
raped by a Security Force trooper, declared: "I crave revenge. I am
tempted to pick up a gun and retaliate, but I fear for the rest of my
family." Andrabi expressed extremist sentiments on the issue: "We are
thankful to the Indian security forces for the atrocities they commit.
The more excesses they commit, the more number of women will be wiling
to join the cause of freedom."34
* Manisha Sobhrajani is a Delhi-based independent researcher working
on the various aspects of the Kashmir conflict.
Shiraz Sidhwa, “Dukhtaran-e-Millat: Profile of a militant,
fundamentalist women’s organisation,” in Kamla Bhasin and Ritu Menon,
eds., Against All Odds: Essays on Women, Religion and Development from
India and Pakistan, New Delhi: Kali for Women, 1994, p. 128.
Neil Arun, “Women bombers break new ground,”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4436368.stm.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Women's Testimonies from Kashmir: The Green of the Valley is Khaki,
New Delhi: Women's Initiative, 1994, p. 2.
Rita Manchanda, “Where are the Women in South Asian Conflicts?” in
Rita Manchanda, ed., Women, War and Peace in South Asia: Beyond
Victimhood to Agency, New Delhi: Sage, 2001, p. 34.
Field notes, November 2006.
“‘We’re proud of our slain sons,” Greater Kashmir, Srinagar, November
11, 2006.
Field notes, September 2006.
VDCs are self-protection groups formed by the local people in their
respective villages. Such groups were advocated by the Government of
India in the early 1990s to combat terrorism wherein villagers were
provided weapons and trained in their use by the police.
Sidhwa, p. 123.
Ibid, p. 125.
Interview with the author, June 2006.
Ibid.
http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=4005.
“Lashkar-e-Jabbar men target unveiled woman,” The Tribune, Chandigarh,
September 13, 2001.
“CBI Shielding Big Fish: Asiya,” Kashmir Observer, Srinagar, August 6,
2007
Sidhwa, p. 127.
Harinder Baweja, “Challenge of the Veil,” India Today, New Delhi,
September 15, 1991.
Urvashi Butalia, ed., Women’s Testimonies from Kashmir: The Green of
the Valley is Khaki, New Delhi: Kali for Women, 2002 pp. 23-24.
South Asia Terrorism Portal
“Laskar-e-Jabbar is an Indian Outfit,” Kashmir Images, Srinagar,
August 22, 2001.
Kanchan Lakshman, “J&K: Losing the War against Terrorist Financing?”,
South Asia Intelligence Review, Vol. I, No. 17, November 11, 2002,
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/1_17.htm.
“Pak diplomat named in FIR for funding militants,” Times of India,
Delhi, February 7, 2003.
Manchanda, p. 15.
Basharat Peer, “The bride with a bomb,” The Guardian, London, August
5, 2006.
Ibid.
Sukhmani Singh, “Velvet Gloves, Iron Hands,” Times of India, September
22, 1990.
Manchanda, pp. 23-24.
Jammu and Kashmir, Census of India,
Butalia, Women’s Testimonies from Kashmir, p. 21
www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/jandk/terrorist_outfits/lashkar-e-jabbar.htm
Interview with the author, June 2006
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume19/Article3.htm
To be continued...
...and I am Sid Harth
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/index.html
Sid Harth
Youth Unrest and Inter-group Conflict
Faultlines: Volume 19, April 2008
Two considerations provide the main impulse for this study. The first
of these is the scant attention that is paid in existing scholarly
writings to the connection between ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and
the phenomenon of ‘youth unrest’, despite the importance accorded in
many recent works on major political turbulences elsewhere in the
world to the demographic and sociological characteristics of the
youth. The second is the fact that Sri Lankan conflict studies tend to
treat the causal connections of the secessionist campaign led by the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE/’Tigers’) as being distinct
from those of the insurrections led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
(JVP – literally, ‘People’s Liberation Front’) in the Sinhalese
segment of the country’s population in 1971 and 1986-89, perceiving
the former as an exemplification of ‘ethnic conflict’, and the latter
as essentially a ‘class conflict’.
This distinction is, of course, not devoid of substance. The
secessionist insurrection which began in earnest in the mid-1980s did
represent the culmination of a long drawn out process of estrangement
of relations between two of the main ethnic groups – Sinhalese and Sri
Lankan Tamils constituting, respectively, 74 per cent and 12.6 per
cent of the country’s population at that time. The process was
characterised perpetually by confrontational politics at the
leadership levels of the two communities, and sporadically by
outbursts of communal clashes in areas of mixed ethnicity when, more
often than not, Tamils became the target of violence perpetrated by
rampaging Sinhalese mobs. The most barbaric and destructive among such
episodes of communal violence occurred in July 1983, and had the
catalytic impact of converting nascent and factionalised Tamil
militancy into a full scale campaign of secessionism over which, with
the passage of time, a single, tight-knit group established its
hegemony.
This appears in sharp contrast to the processes that preceded the
rebellions led by the JVP. The insurrection of 1971, intended to bring
about a socialist revolution through the capture of state power with
recourse to violence and terror, took place within a few months of the
formation of a new Government by a coalition of parties that had
pledged to bring about a socialist transformation of society, and had,
indeed, received the qualified backing of the JVP during the election
campaign.
In the late 1980s, the theme of the JVP-led insurrection was the
liberation of Sri Lanka from the yoke of foreign domination, following
a direct armed Indian intervention in Sri Lanka, the implications of
which, on the nation’s sovereignty, remained hazy but ominous
throughout that time.
The prominence accorded to these contrasts has, however, tended to
obscure certain facts that relate crucially to ethnic differentiations
and class stratifications providing the backdrop of these upheavals.
Foremost among these is the fact that, although certain grievances of
the Tamils, as articulated by their spokesmen, were/are genuine
enough1, the perception of ‘majoritarian dominance’ of the Sri Lankan
polity, and the consequent discrimination and oppression of the Tamil
minority as propagated by its political leadership, has not been
devoid of incongruities. For instance the alleged discrimination was
not reflected (as it ought to have been, if there was such
discrimination and oppression over several decades) in any of the
socio-economic parameters of comparative living standards among the
Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils and the Muslims, at least up to about the
mid-1980s. To cite a general conclusion which I have derived through a
detailed analysis of a mass of data pertaining to this issue:
(E)xcept when the ‘Indian Tamils’ of the plantation sector (who still
suffer from various deprivations compared to other groups) are taken
into account, up to about the end of the third decade after
independence, socio-economic stratifications – variations in respect
of wealth, income, power and privilege, or dichotomies such as those
of ‘haves versus have-nots’ or ‘exploiter versus exploited’ – did not
exhibit significant correspondences to the main ethnic differences of
the country. And, there was certainly no economically ‘dominant’
ethnic group. Accordingly, for an analysis of the socio-economic
causes for these major political upheavals, one has to look for
differences of the type that could produce alienations, resentments
and hostilities within each of the ethnic groups2.
Yet another major deficiency found in the ‘conventional’
interpretations of large-scale political conflict in Sri Lanka lies in
the scant attention that has been devoted to similarities identifiable
among the militant organisations of the two ethnic groups. To refer
briefly to the aspects that have tended to be glossed over in the
available writings, there is first, the fact that the origin of
insurrectionary politics among both communities took place in the late
1960s, when several small groups espousing ‘liberation’ through armed
confrontation of the existing political order came to be formed. The
significance of this temporal correspondence should be appreciated in
the context of the aggravating economic problems of that time, which
affected all ethnic groups – notably soaring unemployment among the
youth entering the job market, the large majority among them having
had their formal education in the medium of their mother-tongue –
Sinhala or Thamil – and possessing no communication skills in
English.
In both communities, moreover, the formation of militant groups at
this point of time also represented the earliest manifestations of
rejection of the English-educated first generation of the post-
independence political leadership that had been drawn overwhelmingly
from the land-owning and professional classes. The pioneers of
militant politics at the nascent stages of their liberation campaigns,
and the majority of their rank-and-file during subsequent growth,
consisted of young men and women from the lower-middle social strata
in rural areas, and, typically, from what could be referred to as
‘subordinate’ caste groups, and not from the ‘dominant’ castes of the
two communities (Sinhala and Tamil) – the Goigama and the Vellala –
that are believed to constitute more than 60 per cent of their
respective totals.
Since group formation among the Tamil militants remained in a state of
flux at least up to about the early 1980s it is not possible to
discern among them a coherent stance in respect of political doctrine
and mobilisation strategy. On the other hand, the JVP was led by
diehard Marxists whose operational modalities placed considerable
emphasis on building up their rank-and-file through processes of
conversion to what they proclaimed as ‘Marxist-Leninist ideology’.
This contrast, however, should not divert attention from the fact that
socialism did have considerable appeal to some of the more prominent
Tamil militants – among them, Uma Maheswaran (the LTTE leader
Prabhakaran’s closest comrade-in-arms until the early 1980s) and Anton
Balasingham (the principal spokesman for the LTTE for well over twenty
years) – especially in the early stages of their movements. Apart from
that, two of the larger organisations of Tamil militants – Tamil Eelam
Liberation Organisation (TELO), which had a fairly large support-base
among university students and in expatriate Tamil communities, and
Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), the outfit that
was powerful enough to remain the arch rival of the LTTE well into the
1990s, had loudly proclaimed socialist commitments3.
The ‘youth perspective’ accorded prominence in the present study is
not intended to detract from the fact that the Sri Lankan
insurrections have been multi-dimensional in their causes and effects.
One of the advantages which could be claimed for the present approach,
however, is that it enables the recognition of links that exist
between the insurrectionary upheavals, on the one hand, and various
other deviations, both from the principles of democratic governance as
well as basic ethical norms of civilised society, gaining prominence
in the affairs of the country, on the other. Even more importantly,
the deficiencies in the conventional interpretations of
insurrectionary violence in Sri Lanka have had a profound impact on
the search for strategies of conflict resolution, which, all along,
had a misplaced preoccupation with statutory devices for power-sharing
at elite levels as a means of easing inter-group tensions, in apparent
disregard of the fact that such devices are unlikely to have a
tangible impact on the real causes that have converted inter-group
disharmony and rivalry into violent conflict.
Demography of ‘Youth’ and Political Conflict
In the context of the sharp upsurge of violent inter-group conflict in
most parts of the world witnessed during the 1980s and 1990s, there
has been a proliferation of research studies that seek to explain such
political turbulences and to formulate models and other conceptual
paradigms that could be employed in both prediction as well as
resolution of conflict. One of the outcomes of these attempts is the
emergence of the theoretical postulate that a ‘youth bulge’ in the
population of a country – i.e. a relatively large segment of its
population in the age cohorts representing the transitional phase
between childhood and adulthood – over a given time-span, exhibits a
tendency to coincide with extraordinarily high levels of socio-
political instability and violence.
Research in history, demography and social psychology conducted over
almost four decades has contributed to the development of the ‘theory’
of the youth bulge, as it is being applied in recent studies of
conflict and even in official policy formulation, in relation to
insurrections and inter-group confrontations. The earliest among the
investigations into the responses of young men and women to social
stresses and strains dates back to the late-1960s, when there were
widespread youth protests, often with recourse to violence, in some of
the developed countries of the West4. Some of these studies tended to
converge on the theme of instability caused by a dramatic upsurge of
the youth population – in turn, a consequence of the post-war baby
boomers then being in transit towards adulthood. The French social
scientist Gaston Bouthoul reinforced these ideas with a historical
dimension based on European experiences in which he identified a
temporal correspondence between extraordinary expansions of
populations in the age cohorts of 18-35 years, on the one hand, and
political turbulences such as those associated with major wars and
social upheavals, on the other. It is essentially an elaboration of
this historical perspective that one finds in the following passage
extracted from Samuel P Huntington’s famous but controversial Clash of
Civilizations5:
Young people are the protagonists of protest, instability, reform, and
revolution. Historically, the existence of large cohorts of young
people has tended to coincide with such movements. The ‘Protestant
Reformation’ … is an example of one of the outstanding youth movements
in history. Demographic growth … was a central factor in the two waves
of revolution that occurred in Eurasia in the mid-seventeenth and late
eighteenth centuries. A notable expansion of the proportion of youth
in Western countries coincided with the ‘Age of Democratic Revolution’
in the last decades of the eighteenth century. In the 19th century
successful industrialization and emigration reduced the political
impact of young populations in European societies. The proportion of
youth rose again in the 1920s, however, providing recruits to fascist
and other extremist movements. Four decades later the post-World War
II baby boom generation made its mark politically in the
demonstrations and protests of the 1960s. (More recently) … the youth
of Islam have been making their mark in the Islamic Resurgence. As the
Resurgence got under way in the 1970s and picked up steam in the
1980s, the proportion of youth (that is, those of fifteen to twenty-
four years of age) in major Muslim countries rose significantly. … In
many Muslim countries the youth bulge peaked in the 1970s and 1980s;
in others it will peak in the next century6.
Writings by Gunnar Heinsohn that focus on demographic changes and
political upheavals in Europe from late medieval times up to the end
of the First World War, despite their replication of historical sweeps
similar to those made by Huntington, also deserve specific mention for
their incorporation of an interesting socio-psychological dimension to
the application of the youth bulge theory in studies of conflict. The
essence of his postulate is that, in societies featured by a
burgeoning youth population and by the failure of economic
opportunities to keep pace with the rate of expansion of this
population segment, a large proportion of youth find themselves, in
Heinsohn’s words, "demographically superfluous" – i.e. dependent,
denied acceptable employment, marginalised in society and deprived of
sex-life that conforms to social norms. This condition, according to
Heinsohn, experienced in Europe over several spells since about the
early 16th Century, and being experienced at present in many of the
less developed countries (especially those of the Islamic world),
provides impetus to war and other forms of collective violence in two
specific forms – a tendency, on the one hand, of large numbers of
youth to readily engage in violence as a means of self-assertion,
release from psychological stresses and escape from their superfluity,
and, on the other, of the willingness of adult society to legitimise
such violence on the basis of a religious or ideological cause7.
With the emergence of intra-state violence based on ethnic rivalry as
a major phenomenon of global politics of the recent past, which has
been characterised by similar patterns and trends, often replicated in
seemingly disparate situations, certain studies aimed at identifying
potential sources of trouble at an international plane incorporated
the demographic parameter of the youth bulge into their model
constructs. For instance, through a correlative analysis of data on
youth unemployment and political unrest, Braungart reached the
conclusion that "…unemployment (a consequence mainly of economic
stagnation) in any society weakens the political system’s legitimacy
and stability, (and) such conditions produce a climate of
radicalisation particularly among unattached youth who have least to
lose in the gamble and struggle for revolutionary gains8." As a
statistical investigation, a study by Henrik Urdal, extending as it
does over the period between 1950 and 2000, and covering all sovereign
states and several dependencies, is much wider in scope and more
methodologically elegant than the others of this type9. Testing a
series of interrelated hypothesis pertaining to the phenomenon of the
youth bulge, Urdal concluded that, "(T)he study finds robust support
for the hypothesis that youth bulges increase the risk of domestic
armed conflict, and especially so under conditions of economic
stagnation." Urdal’s conclusion is also in harmony with Goldstone’s
contention that the rapid increase in the number of educated youth
seems to precede episodes of political upheaval10.
It is of interest to compare the size of Sri Lanka’s ‘youth’
population, estimated by employing the same definitional frame used in
Urdal’s study (i.e. number in the age-group of 15-24 years as a
percentage of the total population of 15 years and above), with the
size-measurements derived by him on countries that occupy the upper
end of his youth bulge range. These latter measurements (in descending
order) are: Zambia, 42.1 per cent; Kenya, 39.8 per cent; Cote d’
Ivoire, 37.9 per cent; Burkina Faso, 37.8 per cent; Syria, 37.5 per
cent; Zimbabwe, 37.4 per cent; Tanzania, 37.1 per cent; Yemen, 37.8
per cent; Niger, 36.7 per cent; Togo, 36.5 per cent; Guinea, 36.0 per
cent; Iran, 35.6 per cent; Honduras, 35.5 per cent; and Jordan, 35.0
per cent. The corresponding values for Indonesia and India are,
respectively, 28.5 per cent and 28.2 per cent.
That the Sri Lankan estimates after the mid-1980s (Table I) are based
on enumerations that do not cover the venues of the secessionist war
in the north-east of the country must be taken note of in comparing
them with those of the other countries.
Table 1. The Demographic ‘Youth Bulge’ of Sri Lanka
Year
Population of >15‘000 Population of 15-24 ‘000 Population 15-24
(per cent of >15 population)
1975
8,236 2,798 34.0
1980
8,994 3,055 33.9
1985
10,251 3,324 32.4
1990
11,011 3,583 32.5
1995
11,752 3,824 32.5
2000
12,545 4,082 32.5
Based on Department of Census & Statistics
Definition and Enumeration of ‘Youth’ in Sri Lanka
In several studies to which reference has been made above, simple
demographic definitions (that vary from one study to another – 18 to
35 years, or 15 to 24 years etc.) based exclusively on the age
structure of the population have been employed for the purpose of
defining and enumerating the ‘youth’. The measurement of the youth
bulge on the basis of an age-cohort framework, uniformly applied to
all countries, though perhaps permissible in large-scale comparative
investigations such as that by Urdal, is not devoid of a
methodological flaw which stems from the fact that, in reality, youth
is a ‘post-childhood’ and ‘pre-adulthood’ phase of life, the duration
and characteristics of which vary from one society to another. While
in traditional agrarian societies it was brief, lasting only over a
few post-pubertal years even in the case of males, it tended to become
prolonged under the demands and opportunities associated with
processes of modernisation. In consequence, in many societies of today
‘youth’ represents ‘adolescence’ extended over many years (even into
the fourth decade of life) beyond physiological maturation (usually
the early teens). Persons in this phase of life have to endure not
only the socio-economic challenges which, in many low-income
societies, take the form of highly restricted means of upward social
mobility, unemployment, excessive adult control, lack of scope for
entertainment and sexual freedom, but also, more generally, the non-
fulfilment of aspirations that are constantly elevated through
exposure to unattainable life-styles and social mores by a globalised
media.
Thus, in measuring the youth bulge in countries like Sri Lanka, it is
necessary to take into account not merely the age structure of the
population but other criteria that pertain to the recognition of
‘youth’ as the transitional phase of life between childhood through
adolescence to adulthood. One such criterion which lends itself to
fairly precise measurement is marriage – significant, especially on
account of the fact that, in Sri Lanka (as elsewhere in most parts of
Asia), among the more tradition-inclined segments of society, it is
marriage that signifies a person’s entry into fully-fledged adult
status. In the case of males, the capacity to be self-supporting,
being a matrimonial prerequisite, is, in that sense, an indicator of
personal economic independence. In the social ethos of these
societies, moreover, it is marriage that invariably represents the end
of the post-pubertal psychological stresses that feature the life of
adolescents and unmarried young adults.
Table 2.1. Changes in the Unmarried Population Ratio among Young
Adults, Sri Lanka 1946-1981
Sri Lanka 1946-1981
Unmarried population as a percentage of total population in the
cohort
Males
Year
20-24 years 25-29 years 30-34 years 35-39 years
1946
80.5 43.4 22.4 12.5
1953
83.5 43.4 21.7 12.5
1963
84.7 50.2 26.1 13.1
1971
86.6 53.2 25.6 13.4
1981
83.5 51.5 24.9 13.4
Department of Census & Statistic, & Ministry of Plan Implementation,
1986
Table 2.2. Changes in the Unmarried Population Ratio among Young
Adults, Sri Lanka 1946-1981
Sri Lanka 1946-1981
Unmarried population as a percentage of total population in the
cohort
Females
Year
20-24 years 25-29 years 30-34 years 35-39 years
1946
29.4 11.8 6.6 4.3
1953
32.5 12.8 7.5 5.4
1963
41.3 17.1 8.3 4.8
1971
53.2 24.6 10.9 5.8
1981
55.3 30.4 15.8 8.9
Department of Census & Statistic, & Ministry of Plan Implementation,
1986
The set of data presented in Table 2.1 and 2.2, looked at from such a
perspective, indicates that a fairly large proportion of the Sri
Lankan population remains unmarried well past the ‘mid-twenties’, and
that (from about the 1960s), among the males, the unmarried ratio has
hovered around 50 per cent of the age cohort of 25-29 years, and
almost a quarter even of the age cohort of 30-34 years. It thus seems
that the genuine youth bulge in Sri Lanka, perceived, not in terms of
arbitrary age thresholds of 15 and 24 or 29 years, but as a phenomenon
of genuine relevance to the understanding of social unrest, could well
be as high as 40 per cent of the total ‘over 15’ population of the
country.
An understanding of the nature of psychological pressures and torments
to which the ‘youth’, so perceived, are subject to is implicit in the
following sketch extracted from a recent study on the theme of ‘youth
and social change’. It encapsulates in a fairly comprehensive manner
the mutually incongruent behavioural and cultural paradigms to which
the youth in countries like Sri Lanka are exposed.
Youth around the world are affected by a global culture diffused
principally through the media. This youth culture tends to highlight
sexual gratification, individual freedom including sexual freedom and
freedom of choice as regards one’s friends and love partners, social
mobility, achievement orientation and the like. On the other hand,
cultural perceptions such as the value of virginity until marriage
continue to influence youth through family, peer networks, nationalist
awakening and the related resurgence of selected ‘traditional’ values.
As an intimate aspect of youth social life, sexuality is one arena
where contradictory global and local influences on youth give rise to
tension at intra-personal and inter-personal levels11.
Marginalisation of Sri Lankan Youth
The link between the phenomenon of the youth bulge and the political
convulsions witnessed in Sri Lanka during the past few decades should
be contextualised in the economic conditions of the 1960s and 1970s.
To recapitulate the relevant facts, at the termination of colonial
rule in 1948, Sri Lanka’s economy was characterised by dependent
external relations, low levels of per capita production and
consumption, relatively low urban development, and a firm Government
commitment to the provision of basic-needs services in education,
health care and food supply. The country’s preoccupation with social
welfare alongside rapid population growth resulted in the persistence
of low rates of real growth which, according to official estimates,
averaged 1.5 per cent per annum from 1950 to 197812. It also meant the
excessive Government control of the economy. The slow growth resulted
in a low rate of employment generation, one which lagged far behind
the expansion of the labour force, the rate of which, in turn, was
constantly buttressed by the demographic effects of the advances made
through social welfare. Moreover, there emerged wide contrasts in the
disbursement of the benefits of development and social welfare, with
the peasantry in the more remote areas of the country (Sinhalese,
Tamil and Muslim), especially those having no personal links with the
political parties holding the reins of office, being discriminated
against and thus lagging behind the favoured segments of the
population.
From the viewpoint of the country’s youth, these problems were being
exacerbated by several other considerations, one of which was the
increasing mismatch between education and manpower needs of the
economy. By about the end of the first decades after independence, the
educational system that had been shaped to cater to the requirements
of an earlier era, but that had remained unchanged, was becoming
intrinsically wasteful due to the economic redundancy of an increasing
proportion of its products. Much of the educational effort was also of
the type that generated rising expectations and intensified
resentments when the expectations remain unfulfilled. Thus, from about
the second decade after independence, it became more and more
difficult for the educated to be absorbed into productive employment
commensurate with their educational status.
Table 3. Level of Education and Rate of Unemployment, 1978/79
Educational Status
per cent unemployed in the labour force of
each educational category
No schooling, illiterate
3.0
No schooling, literate
1.3
Primary Level
4.9
Junior Secondary Level
19.8
Passed GCE Ordinary Level
28.5
Passed GCE Advanced Level
34.8
Tertiary Level qualifications
7.6
Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 1981
To the less privileged in society, regardless of their variations in
ethnicity, at this critical phase in which they were beginning to gain
access in larger numbers than ever before to opportunities for formal
education at the higher levels – the replacement of English with
Sinhala and Thamil as media of instruction in the more popular courses
of study at tertiary level in the 1960s was a crucial factor in this
expansion of opportunities – the scope for upward social mobility
through education alone became virtually non-existent. The glut of the
‘educated’ in the job market was reflected not only in the persisting
positive covariance between level of education and rate of
unemployment (Table 3), but also in a steady devaluation of non-
professional educational qualifications at the higher levels. For
instance, the ratio of average earnings of those employed with
education up to the GCE-Ordinary Level, and the employed university
graduates (other than those in medicine and engineering), which was
1:3.6 in 1963, declined to 1:2.4 in 1973, and to 1:1.3 in 1981/8213.
Certain other features of the education system, prominent during the
past few decades, have contributed to the non-fulfilment of youth
aspirations of upward social mobility through education. The first of
these was the presence of obstacles in school education that prevented
the large majority of pupils from proceeding to the higher levels. The
‘student pyramid’ narrowed so sharply, that the number reaching the
tertiary level in a given year was equivalent to only about one
percent of the number at the higher secondary levels at school. There
were, in addition, the excessive delays in a student’s passage through
the educational system due to time-gaps between termination of study
at one level and the commencement at the next level, the
organisational inefficiency of the system, and the high failure rate
at public examinations. These, in turn, resulted in an excessively
large drop-out rate from the school system into the already saturated
employment market.
A Normative Model of Youth Responses
In the responses of the Sri Lankan youth to the foregoing conditions,
there has obviously been much diversity, the nature of which could be
modelled as follows. Some in this segment of society (invariably those
from the more affluent households) have been unaffected by the
problems, and hence showed no discernible response. Following the
‘liberalisation’ of the economy in the late 1970s and the subsequent
expansion of the ‘private sector’, this unaffected segment expanded in
size, but yet remained largely confined to the middle and upper strata
of urban society. They had the means to adopt the ‘westernised’
lifestyles purveyed through the media. Their easier access to the
types of education and training that have a demand in the job market,
their communication skills in English, and, of course, their parental
affluence and influence (political party affiliations, peer links in
the case of those in elite professions, and the alumnae networks of
the prestigious urban schools had a lot to do with such influence),
set them apart from the other segments of youth.
One of the remarkable features of the response of Sri Lankan youth to
the gloomy conditions referred to above, is that the overwhelming
majority of youth continued to reconcile themselves to the increasing
hardships, and to remain in passive acceptance of the prevailing state
of things in the hope that, with personal effort (and luck), their own
problems could somehow be overcome. This is why hundreds of thousands
among them persisted with their attendance at private ‘tutories’ in
the hope of acquiring marketable skills, which the school system did
not impart, and/or to enhance their competitive strength at public
examinations and gain entry even to the virtually valueless ‘arts’
course of study in the university system. An overlapping set of
reactions, which is also essentially ‘conformist’, could be discerned
in the form of those who opt to agitate collectively (but part-time
and as pastime) from within the system, against a narrow range of
systemic issues – more jobs for school-leavers and graduates, higher
payments through bursaries for university students, less exacting
examination procedures, less rigorous enforcement of discipline, etc.
They join street demonstrations and political rallies in support of
causes that range from ethnic harmony or Pongu Thamil to protection of
human rights, prevention of ‘unethical’ religious conversion, or
saving the environment from coal-power plants. The youth that could be
placed in this category are also mobilised by parties in mainstream
politics to serve as their ‘boys’ in the less dignified fringe tasks,
such as those of leg-men and storm-troopers.
Finally, there is the set of youth responses which, according to
psychologists, signifies ‘frustration-aggression’. This is of special
importance from the viewpoint of political unrest. Renunciation, one
such response represented, typically, by the ‘hippy culture’, with
which the world became familiar in the 1960s was, for obvious reasons,
not evident among the diverse youth14 responses in Sri Lanka where,
however, frustration-aggression did find expression in a variety of
other forms, both of individual and collective behaviour. Among these,
there is, first, collective acts of depravity, one of the best known
examples of which is ‘ragging’ (aka ‘hazing’) – quite often an orgy of
simulated sexual subjugation conducted in the guise of initiation
rites administered to new entrants at many institutions (not only the
universities, as popularly believed) that accommodate large numbers of
youth. Drug addiction could be considered yet another response in this
category. A study conducted in 1993 of a random sample of 371 heroin
users indicated, for example, that 49 per cent of the addicted were in
the 15-29 years age group, with 30 per cent between ages of 25 and 29.
In the most blatantly self-destructive form of frustration-aggression
– suicide – in which, Sri Lanka is said to outrank all other
countries, there is a preponderance of youth. In addition, there is
the fairly extensive and ominously expanding youth participation in
crime. According to a recent (2005) Police report, in Colombo city
alone, there are 52 underworld gangs (some, with membership of several
hundreds of young men of all ethnic groups) that engage in almost the
entire range of organised vice and crime. And then, there is
participation in armed insurrection, the ‘frustration-aggression’
response which is of greater direct concern than the others referred
to above, from the perspectives of the present study
Youth Participation in Armed Insurrection
Implicit in the model presented above is the idea that those likely to
turn towards armed insurrection in response to socio-economic stresses
and strains would constitute only a segment of the social class of
‘youth’, and that, even in the ethos of widespread youth discontent
that has prevailed in Sri Lanka over the recent decades, the
proportion of ‘youth’ attracted to the larger movements of
insurrectionary violence would have varied widely from time to time
and from one part of the country to another, depending not only on the
intensity of their hardships, but also on the relative attraction of
other responses (referred to above) and the availability of ‘stress
release’ mechanisms. Emigration has probably served as one of the most
important among such mechanisms in the case of Jaffna, as evidenced by
the fact that there has been a preponderance of the youth from the
northern peninsula, both in the estimated 300,000 migrants from Sri
Lanka to foreign destinations since the early 1980s, as well as in the
increase of the Tamil population in Colombo District by 82,385 between
the census years 1981 and 2001.
There is a thin scatter of evidence which suggest that, in the
Sinhalese segment of the population, active participants in each of
the insurgencies of 1971 and 1986-89 never exceeded 20,000 young men
and women15. In the LTTE-led secessionist insurrection, as Narayan
Swamy has indicated16, the fighting cadres, numbering about 3,000 at
the time of arrival of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force in 1987, would
have increased to about 10,000 at the time of their retreat from
Jaffna peninsula at the end of 1995; and the scarcity of recruits has
all along been one of the most formidable problems faced by the Tiger
leadership.
The inculcation of the notion of liberation through armed struggle in
the minds of the youth, who respond aggressively to their
frustrations, appears to result in their enrolment in organisations
that engaged in attacks against not only those identified for them as
their oppressors – the existing system of Government, or the armed
forces of the Government, or people belonging to one or another ethnic
group – but also against any person (including those of their own kind
and erstwhile mentors) who stands in their way17. Recruitment, in most
instances, involves an unchangeable lifetime commitment, the finality
of which (in the case of the LTTE) is symbolised by the well known
cyanide capsule awarded at admission to membership. The recruits are
aware that any deviation from the course charted by their leadership
is punishable by death. Some recruits are admitted to an elite corps
of suicide killers and are called upon to engage in missions from
which they cannot return alive. All are trained in the art of
guerrilla warfare and terrorism, and are mentally conditioned to be
totally ruthless and devoid of ordinary human emotions in carrying out
their assigned tasks, which could involve assassination, massacre of
unarmed people, mutilation of women and children in close personal
encounters, and inflicting torture on those whom they capture. Their
own causality rates are high, and, if captured in combat, they face
prospects of extreme suffering. The promised ‘liberation’ invariably
remains a hazy vision. Those who opt for the insurrectionary response
of ‘frustration-aggression’, it could be assumed, know all this.
From which segments of society do these movements attract recruits?
The related quantifiable information is fragmentary, largely confined
to aspects of the two JVP-led insurrections, and could be used only
for purposes of reasoned speculation. The set of data presented in
Table 4 above, furnishes a fairly precise answer to this question in
respect of the insurrection of 1971, leaving hardly any doubt that the
JVP of that time mobilised overwhelmingly from the age group of 15 to
34 years, unemployed or in work that generates low and irregular
earnings, whose educational levels provided hardly any prospects for
improvement of income and elevation of social status.
The data on the homicides reported to have been committed by those
acting under the orders of the JVP leadership during the insurrection
of 1986-89 (Table 5) could be considered useful for the clues these
provide on spatial variations in the intensity of insurrectionary
violence in the Sinhalese-majority areas during that period18. On the
assumption that the reports are reasonably accurate, what could be
seen as the most pronounced feature borne out by this data is that the
southern Districts of Matara and Hambantota (more specifically, the
‘deep south’ which extends into the interior of Galle District as
well), and the Districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ampara and
Monaragala (covering much of the Dry Zone interior) stand apart as
venues of extraordinarily high incidence of violence. In contrast, the
intensity of violence along the urbanised coastal lowlands of the west
appears to have been remarkably low. (Figure 1 is intended to portray
the configuration of the Districts referred to in this section.)
Table 4 – Socio-Economic Profile of Participants in the JVP-led
Insurrection of 1971
AGE (percent in each category)
0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45 < All
0.4 71.9 22.1 3.7 1.9 100.0
EDUCATIONAL STATUS (percent in each category)
No schooling
Grades 1 - 4 Grades 5 - 8 Grades 9 - 12 Tertiary
2.5
17.1 42.3 36.3 1.8 100.0
ETHNICITY (percent in each category)
Sinhalese
Tamil Moors & Malays Others Not recorded
97.6
0.7 0.6 0.4 0.7 100.0
OCCUPATION (percent in each category)
Student
Unemployed/self-employed (low earnings) In low income salaried jobs
In middle-income salaried jobs Others including ‘unverified’
12.5
59.2 8.4 12.1 7.8 100.0
These estimates are based on information extracted from 10,192
detainees in government custody as suspects of participating in the
insurrection of 1971 and have been extracted from Gananath Obeyesekera
(1974) ‘Some Comments on the Social Background of April 1971
Insurgency in Sri Lanka’, Journal of Asian Studies, 33 (3): 367-384
Table 5. Homicides attributed to the JVP
During the Insurrection of 1986-89
Region & District
Rate per 100,000 of the population in 1981
Rate per 100,000 of the Sinhalese population in 1981
Lowlands of the Southwest
Colombo
62 50
Gampaha
83 90
Ratnapura
62 75
Kegalle
74 87
Southern Lowlands
Galle
98 104
Matara
182 193
Hambantota
230 236
Western Lowlands
Kurunegala
99 106
Puttalam
84 101
Dry Zone Lowlands
Anuradhapura
205 224
Polonnaruwa
151 166
Ampara
108 288
Monaragala
156 168
Central Highlands
Kandy 68 91
Nuwara Eliya 26 72
Badulla 31 53
These estimates have been derived from published data from the census
enumerations of 1981, and data extracted from unpublished records
maintained at the Police Headquarters in Colombo
Figure 1 - Sri Lanka: Province and District Boundaries
Comparisons have sometimes been drawn between the socio-economic
conditions of the ‘deep south’ and those of the politically volatile
Jaffna peninsula, which, until the eviction of the LTTE from the area
in December 1995, was the principal venue of the secessionist
insurrection. Both areas have, for long, been characterised by a very
high population density and a relatively poor physical resource base.
There has, all along, been a tendency – one that dates back to the
19th Century in the case of Jaffna – for people from these two areas
to venture out into other parts of the country in search of tertiary
sector employment. Even in the aftermath of independence, earnings
from external sources figured prominently in the economic wellbeing of
the ‘deep south’, as it was for the Tamils of the northern peninsula.
A fairly well developed network of secondary education (a legacy of
colonial rule in the case of Jaffna, and a feature of more recent
origin – of the 1930s and 1940s – in the ‘deep south’), along with a
tradition of initiative and enterprise among the people, facilitated
this greater social and occupational mobility. In the early aftermath
of independence, it was mainly the more successful products of school
education in these two areas that made serious inroads into the
Colombo hegemony in the higher rungs of administration and the
professions. Yet, in these two areas, for reasons that could be linked
to history, ethno-nationalist sentiments have also been more
pronounced. The Buddhist resurgence of the late-19th and early 20th
Centuries, led by Anagarika Dharmapala, had a more profound impact on
the attitudes and outlook of the Sinhalese of the ‘deep south’ than
those in other parts of the island, as did the Hindu revivalism of
that time, led by Arumuga Navalar, on the Tamils of the ‘far north’,
than their compatriots elsewhere. The early development of a vibrant
swabhāshā (community specific language) press (in Sinhala in the south
and in Thamil in the north) also constituted vital ingredients of this
ethno-nationalist acculturation19.
A recently published sociological study by Meyer contains references
to other similarities in the socio-economic circumstances of the youth
in the Jaffna peninsula of the north and Hambantota District of the
south in recent times, despite the continuing impact of the
secessionist war on the former area. Meyer states, for example, that
"(t)he overall picture arising from the interviews with youth in
Jaffna as well as Hambantota revealed that the youth are getting
increasingly marginalized by society, one of the main causes being the
lack of spaces for constructive engagement within the community, such
as employment or social service oriented activities.20"
If the impact of the adverse economic trends of the 1960s, 1970s and
the 1980s outlined earlier, especially the steady curtailment of
opportunities for economic advancement through education for the rural
youth, were to be placed against the background of the commonalties of
the two regions identified above, it would be possible to find an
explanation for the fact that these two areas served as the main
breeding grounds of militant politics almost throughout the past few
decades21.
The economic setting of the second area identified earlier as one of
high incidence of violence during the JVP insurrection of 1986-89 –
the Dry Zone interior – is dominated by agglomerations of planned
irrigation-based settlement schemes, the economic activities of which
are dominated by paddy production. It has been repeatedly shown
through many in-depth studies22 that these schemes are characterised
by low overall standards of living, albeit with wide intra-community
diversities of wealth and income, and that many of them suffer from
uncertainties of water supply for agriculture; and difficulties of
access to markets and basic needs services such as those in education,
health care, transport and domestic lighting. Even under the best of
conditions, the farmers attaining the highest levels of yield through
‘green revolution’ technology earn per capita net incomes that work
out to less than a dollar a day. In the schemes located away from the
main urban centres of the Dry Zone, the settlement economy offers
little scope for tertiary employment and occupational mobility; and,
since the settlers remain confined to an unchanging agrarian resource
base (the land allotment received at inception of the settlement), the
increase of their numbers over time inevitably results, not merely in
the lowering of their household incomes, but also in the progressive
economic destitution of their youth. With the soaring costs of
agricultural inputs even the basic necessities of life could often be
scarce. In such economic circumstances, the lot of the youth is one of
deprivation and despair. The education to which they have access
seldom has economic value. Years of book-learning at school, meagre
incomes which paddy cultivation generates, and the lowly social status
of their parents, make them disinclined to remain in farming. They
thus become economic misfits in their community. Their frustrations
are constantly buttressed by information flows on lifestyles which
they could never hope to emulate. It is not merely the unattainable
levels projected through consumer culture and the pleasure ethic
purveyed by the media, but the constant inculcation of the idea that
they are a worthless, inferior, breed. It is in these circumstances
that the message of ‘liberation’, the camaraderie of fellow
liberators, and the power of the AK 47 and the hand grenade,
collectively provide the breakthrough to dignified and purposeful
existence.
On the basis of geographical similarities it could be surmised that
the problems encountered by youth in the agrarian settings sketched
out above were replicated in many of the Tamil- and Muslim- majority
areas of the north-east, outside Jaffna peninsula, notably the
Batticaloa District of the Eastern Province and the Districts of
Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu in the Northern Province. From about
the late-1960s, as economic conditions in the country as a whole
worsened, deprivations suffered by the youth of these areas are likely
to have been more severe than those faced by their counterparts
elsewhere, for the reason that they were firmly entrapped in their
settings, with hardly any opportunities for spatial mobility. It is
not surprising, therefore, that the more densely populated localities
in this part of the country – especially Batticaloa District – served
as one of the largest sources of recruits into the Tiger fold,
surpassing all other areas in that respect after the withdrawal of the
LTTE from Jaffna peninsula.
According to the data on the JVP-led insurrection of 1986-89 (Table 5)
the lowest incidence of violence (in proportion to population)
occurred in the coastal lowlands of the west which roughly corresponds
to the area sometimes referred to as the ‘Christian belt’. The
relevance of this, from the perspectives of the present study, is
that, in this part of the country, it is possible to identify several
factors which mitigate ‘frustration-aggression’ responses among the
youth. Those living here have higher incomes, and more opportunities
to acquire skills that command a premium in the job market, especially
in the private sector, which expanded rapidly over the past three
decades. More generally, they have received the direct benefits of
‘liberalisation’ – more jobs, enhanced incomes, better socio-economic
infrastructure, and more facilities for entertainment and leisure – to
a substantially greater degree than those living in other areas of the
country. Impressionistically, one could also suggest that the social
impact of the ‘Church’ is also a formidable check against alienation
of the youth. The smaller Christian denominations, in particular,
confined as they are largely to the urban middle-class, constitute
close-knit communities within which a young person finds a social
niche among peer groups of shared interests and inclinations.
Concluding Comments
The thematic prominence accorded to the phenomenon of youth unrest in
the present study, as anticipated at its outset, has facilitated the
recognition of several considerations that could be deemed vitally
salient to the search for solutions to the various forms of political
unrest in the country, of which the secessionist insurrection has been
by far the most destructive in impact. The theoretical postulate of
the youth bulge in its application to Sri Lanka, despite the
limitations inherent to its simple demographic rendition, is a useful
analytical tool, especially from the viewpoint of both forecasting
political conflict as well as prioritising the options available for
the resolution of such conflict. That measures specifically focused on
the direct alleviation of the problems encountered by the youth,
especially those that address the non-fulfilment of economic
aspirations, should receive utmost priority in policy formulation is
implicit in our analysis. The acceleration of employment creation and
the orientation of formal education and training towards changing
economic needs are, of course, the more obvious (and the most often
stated) long-term solutions which hardly need reiteration here. What
should be highlighted as an urgent requirement, however, is Government
intervention in the curtailment of certain features of Sri Lankan
society, which have assumed alarming proportions since the economic
policy reforms of the late 1970s, to aggravate the problems of the
youth, and that cause widespread resentment among the young men and
women of the country, a part of which, as shown earlier, is diverted
into violent conflict.
The foremost among these is represented by the extravagant and
wasteful lifestyles of a small segment of society, the most pernicious
feature of which is that it is the political elite that is seen by the
ordinary folk as its trend-setters. The leadership of mainstream
politics, despite being constantly in the public eye, has become the
most conspicuous consumer of acutely scarce resources belonging to the
society as a whole. It is not surprising, therefore, that the absurdly
bloated executive branch of Government (which, in terms of size in
relation to the population, probably surpasses that of any other
country in the world), the mammoth national Parliament, and several
tiers of sub-national institutions of Government formed of ‘regional’
or ‘local’ political leaders, all of whom extract from the system
material benefits that are denied to the large majority of people whom
they are said to represent and serve, are seen as parasites. This
image, needless to stress, is magnified by rampant corruption in
public affairs, and the public awareness of links that exist between
politicians, gangland leaders and the Police. Unless and until these
conditions are changed, it seems unlikely that the other measures
intended to alleviate the problems of the youth will have a tangible
impact.
Creating new layers of institutional networks of Government and, thus,
proliferating sub-national political elites in the guise of power-
sharing, is likely to aggravate rather than alleviate the problems
that generate youth discontent among all ethnic groups of the country.
In the national Legislature, there is, on the average, one
representative for a population of 88,000. More than one-hundred among
these representatives also hold posts in the executive branch of the
Central Government. There are, in addition, seven Provincial Councils
(constitutional provision exists for nine) each of which has an
average of about 30 elected members, a Chief Minister and a Board of
Ministers; 18 Municipal Councils; 42 Urban Councils; and 270
Prādēshīya Sabhā (rural, local government institutions); all of which
are controlled by several thousands of elected representatives’ of the
people who, needless to say, enjoy various benefits for the ‘selfless
sacrifices’ they make. Given the comparative smallness of the country
(66,000 square kilometres, and 19 million people), and in the context
of the fact that many of the potentially volatile areas have
populations of mixed ethnicity, it is inconceivable that devolution of
the powers of Government will facilitate either greater inter-ethnic
power-sharing or the greater participation of youth in the affairs of
Government than at present. One also recapitulates here the
observations made by Rothchild and Roeder in their authoritative study
of intra-state conflict in multi-ethnic societies according to which:
(I)n ethnically divided societies after intense conflicts they (i.e.
power-sharing institutions) typically have a set of unintended but
perverse consequences. They empower ethnic elites from previously
warring groups, create incentives for these elites to press radical
demands once peace is in place, and lower the costs for these elites
to escalate conflict in ways that threaten democracy and peace. These
dangers can be avoided when power-sharing institutions operate under
very special conditions such as a political culture of accommodation,
economic prosperity and equality, demographic stability, strong
governmental institutions, stable hierarchical relations within ethnic
communities, and a supportive international environment. Yet those
conditions are unlikely to be present or difficult to sustain after
severe conflicts such as civil wars23.
Another compelling policy imperative is the need to reduce regional
and urban-rural contrasts in the socio-economic and cultural
environment of the youth. The novelty in the related specificities
that emerge from our focus on youth discontent is that, in the
conversion of this idea into concrete programmes of action, there is a
compelling need to focus on the youth in certain parts of the country,
mainly for the purpose of correcting prevailing imbalances. Though the
war-ravaged areas of the northeast demand more immediate attention
than any other, among them, in the context of the demographic changes
witnessed during the past two decades – especially, the large-scale
exodus of youth from Jaffna peninsula referred to above – the
requirements of the densely populated areas of the eastern lowlands
need to be considered more urgent than those of the far-north. At the
same time, the prioritisation of the ‘youth perspective’ would also
entail attention being devoted to the Central Highlands, where both
the plantation workforce as well as the Kandyan peasantry will
continue to be distinguished, in the foreseeable future, by the risks
associated with the destabilising impact of the youth bulge. The
economic and cultural discontent in the agrarian settlement environs
of the Dry Zone is also likely to aggravate rapidly in the period
ahead, creating potentially volatile political conditions needing
prompt and effective remedial action. The main ethnic groups of Sri
Lanka are represented in the peasantry of this part of the country,
which accounts for roughly 15 per cent of the total population. Except
in the case of those inhabiting the few localities favoured with
reliable irrigation facilities and easier access to the main markets,
their youth suffer from the same dire hardships and the same sense of
despair.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* G. H. Peiris is Professor Emeritus of the University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka.
The most genuine among these grievances pertained to the denial of a
fair share of state-sector employment to the Sri Lanka Tamils from
about the early 1960s, and the inadequacy of provisions made for the
use of Thamil as a language of Government administration. In addition,
the procedures followed in selecting students for university admission
during the 6-year period commencing 1971 had the effect of curtailing
the number of Tamil students admitted to prestigious professional
courses such as Medicine and Engineering.
G.H. Peiris, Sri Lanka: Challenges of the New Millennium, Kandy: Kandy
Books, 2006, p. 436. The data analysis referred to is presented in pp.
413-38. My conclusions find strong confirmation in Dhananjayan
Sriskandarajah, “Socio-Economic Inequality and Ethno-Political
Conflict: Some Observations from Sri Lanka,” Contemporary South Asia,
Vol. 14 No. 3, 2005, pp. 341-56 – a publication by a Tamil scholar
based on his doctoral dissertation – in which he states: “The most
striking conclusion (borne out by his analysis) is that the
intensification of inter-ethnic political conflict in Sri Lanka did
not coincide with large or growing inter-ethnic socio-economic
inequality”.
One of several references to this in M. R. Narayan Swamy Tigers of
Lanka: From Boys to Guerrillas, Colombo: Vijitha Yapa, 1994, p. 28,
states: “In 1979, he (Anton Balasingham) had written the LTTE’s first
major theoretical work called ‘Towards Socialist Eelam’. It came out
in Tamil and then in English, and was an instant hit among the Jaffna
intelligentsia.”
The better known among these studies are: Erik Erikson, Identity,
Youth and Crisis, Los Angeles: UCLA, 1968; Herbert Moller, “Youth as a
Force in the Modern World”, Comparative Studies in Society and
History, Vol. 10, 1968, pp. 238-60; and Lewis S. Feuer, The Conflict
of Generations: The Character and Significance of Student Movements,
London: Heinmann, 1969.
This summary of Bouthoul’s thematic contention has been extracted
from an English synopsis of his L’infanticide différé, Paris, 1970.
Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and Remaking of the
World Order, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
The best known work by Gunnar Heinsohn is the volume titled Soehne und
Weltmacht: Terror im Aufsteig und Fall der Natione (Sons and World
Power: Terror in the Rise and Fall of Nations), Zurich: Orell &
Suessli, 2003. He is also credited with the authorship of several
hundred articles. The essence of Heinsohn’s ideas pertaining to the
theory of the ‘youth bulge’ presented here has been derived from
English translations of extracts from this volume and from three of
his other writings. – “Population, Conquest and Terror”, 2005; “A
Shift of Religion to Youth Bulge”, 2006; and “Demography and War”,
2007 – accessed through the Internet.
Richard G. Braungart, “Historical and Generational Patterns of Youth
Movements: A Global Perspective”, Comparative Social Research, Vol. 7
No. 1: 1984, pp. 3-62. See also Richard G. Braungart & M. Margaret,
“Youth Movements in the 1980s: A Global Perspective,” International
Sociology, Vol. 5 No. 2: 1990, pp. 1-24.
Henrik Urdal, “The Devil in the Demographics: The Effect of Youth
Bulges on Domestic Armed Conflict, 1950-2000,” Social Development,
Paper No. 14, Washington DC: World Bank, 2004.
Jack A. Goldstone, “Demography, Environment and Security,” in
Environmental Conflict, Boulder Co: Westview, 2001, p. 95.
K. Tudor Silva, C. Sivayoganathan and Judy Lewis, “Love, Sex and Peer
Activity in a Sample of Youth in Sri Lanka”, in S.T. Hettige and M.
Meyer, eds., Globalisation, Social Change and Youth, Centre for
Anthropological and Sociological Studies, University of Colombo, 1998,
pp. 24-43. This volume is probably the only work of research that
attempts to identify links between the problems of youth and political
conflict in Sri Lanka and is thus an exception to the observation made
at the outset of the present study.
The authenticity of the official estimates have been challenged by
Bhalla and Glewwe according to whom, over almost the entirety of this
period, the economy of Sri Lanka did not experience any real growth.
See, S.S. Bhalla and P. Glewwe, “Growth and Equity in Developing
Countries: A Re-lnterpretation of the Sri Lankan Experience”, World
Bank Economic Review, Vol. No. 1, 1986.
These estimates have been derived from the related data extracted from
Survey of Ceylon’s Consumer Finances, 1963, Central Bank of Ceylon/Sri
Lanka, Colombo, 1964; Survey of Sri Lanka’s Consumer Finances, 1973 -
Parts I & II, 1974; Report on Consumer Finances and Socio-Economic
Survey, 1981-82 - Part I, l983; and Report on Consumer Finances and
Socio-Economic Survey, 1981-82 - Part II, l984.
According to a study by Robert C. Oberst cited in S.T. Hettige,
“Youth Unrest in Sri Lanka: A Sociological Perspective”, in Hettige
and Meyer, op. cit., the suicide rate among males of 20-24 years and
25-29 years was, respective, 115.4 and 103.4 per 100,000 of
population. These values were substantially higher than the
corresponding values of all other 5-year age cohorts - male and
female.
According to my estimates, the death-toll of suspected insurgents in
the course of the JVP insurrection of the late-1980s was about 15,000.
Since the Government offensive, especially in the final stages of the
insurrection, was based on a policy of complete eradication, there is
reason to assume that the total number of youth that participated in
violence at the behest of the JVP is unlikely to have exceeded the
estimated death-toll by a wide margin. G.H. Peiris, Sri Lanka:
Challenges of the New Millennium, Kandy: Kandy Books, 2006, p. 372.
Narayan Swamy op. cit., p. 343.
Among the Tamils, there have hitherto been nine militant outfits
(including the LTTE) with the term ‘liberation’ in their names;
Muslims have had two; and the Sinhalese, two (including the JVP).
n the context of the intense political turbulences of that time, there
is obviously an element of doubt about the accuracy of the records
from which the data used in the compilation of this tabulation have
been extracted.
On the early stages of development of the indigenous press in Sri
Lanka see, K.N.O. Dharmadasa, “Formative Stages of Sinhala
Journalism”; and P. Muthulingam, “Evolution of the Tamil Press of Sri
Lanka”; both articles in G.H. Peiris, ed, Studies on the Press in Sri
Lanka and South Asia, Kandy: International Centre for Ethnic Studies,
1997, pp. 149-65 and 181-92.
See M. Mayer, “Violent Youth Conflicts in Sri Lanka: Comparative
Results from Jaffna and Hambantota”, in Hettige and Meyer, op. cit.
pp. 208-48.
While highlighting these similarities, however, it is necessary to
take note of two important differences between the ‘deep south’ and
the ‘far north’ – one, the extent of Christian penetration, hardly
evident in the former, but very prominent in the latter; and the
other, the dominance of the Vellala caste in the latter, and the near-
equal status of Goigama, Karawa and Durawa castes in the former.
Peiris, Sri Lanka: Challenges of the New Millennium, pp. 238-41
contains a review of these studies.
Donald Rothchild and Philip G. Roeder, “Power Sharing as an Impediment
to Peace and Democracy,” in Donald Rothchild and Philip G. Roeder,
eds.., Sustainable Peace: Power and Democracy after Civil Wars,
Cornell University Press, 2005, p. 29.
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume19/Article5.htm
Sid Harth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Subramanian Swamy
Member of Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha), Union Cabinet
Minister for Commerce & Law
In office
1973–1991
Prime Minister Chandrasekhar
Preceded by A. G. S. Ram Babu
Succeeded by P. Mohan
Born September 15, 1939
Nationality Indian
Political party Janata Party
Spouse(s) Roxna
Profession economist, Politician
Religion Hindu
Dr. Subramanian Swamy (b. 15 September 1939 at Chennai, sometimes
spelt as Subramaniam Swamy) is a politician from India. He is also a
trained economist.
Personal life
Subramanian Swamy has two daughters, Gitanjali Swamy and Suhasini
Haider. Suhasini is a journalist with Indian television channel CNN-
IBN. His wife Dr. Roxna Swamy is an Advocate in the Supreme Court of
India.
Association with Harvard
Following his time at the Indian Statistical Institute, he was awarded
a doctorate by Harvard University in 1964. Two of his advisors at the
time were Simon Kuznets and Paul A. Samuelson[1]. For a time, while
completing his dissertation in 1963, he worked in the UN Secretariat
at New York as Assistant Economics Affairs Officer. He subsequently
worked as a resident tutor at Lowell House, and as an assistant
professor for the Harvard Economics department where he later became
an Associate professor in 1969. Subsequently he has been a regularly
teaching at the rank of full Professor at the Harvard Summer School.
He is accounted by some to be an authority on the comparative study of
India and China[2] and is also well-versed in the Mandarin Chinese
(Hanyu) language[3].
Association with IITs
He was Professor of Economics at the Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi from 1969. He was removed from the position by its board of
Governors in the early 1970s but was legally reinstated in the late
1980s by the Supreme Court of India. He continued in the position till
1991 when he resigned to become a cabinet minister. He served on the
Board of Governors of the IIT, Delhi (1977-80), and on the Council of
IITs (1980-82).
Political career
He is regarded as a proponent of Hindutva as a political concept. He
first came into spotlight for protesting against the emergency imposed
in 1975. He was one of the founding members of the Janata Party and is
its president since 1990. He was elected member of parliament 5 times
between 1974 and 1999. He has twice represented the city of Mumbai
North East during 1977 and 1980, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the
Parliament.
He is known for his efforts in normalizing relations with China and
Israel. In 1981, he persuaded Deng Xiaoping to open the Kailash
Mansarovar in Tibet to Hindu pilgrims from India[4]. In 1990-1991, he
was a minister in the Chandra Shekhar cabinet and was in charge of the
ministries of Commerce and Law and Justice.
He was also a member of the Planning Commission between 1990 and 1991.
Between 1994 and 1996, he held the position of Chairman of the
Commission on Labour Standards and International Trade (equivalent to
the rank of a cabinet minister) under the P. V. Narasimha Rao
government. Dr. Swamy has been subject to several defamation cases. He
is known to argue these cases himself without the agency of lawyers.
He has enjoyed a strange maverick relationship with J. Jayalalithaa.
He was perceived as instrumental in bringing the disproportionate
assets case of J. Jayalalithaa into public notice in the 1990s but by
1997, he had become her political adviser and was instrumental in
convincing her to withdraw support from the Vajpayee Government in
1999. The alliance with Jayalalithaa ended after she lost the General
Elections held in the same year.
In October 2004, he along with other members of the erstwhile Janata
Party established the Rashtriya Swabhiman Manch to oppose the policies
of the ruling UPA.
He has played an important role in fighting for the cause of
preventing the destruction of Rama Sethu bridge. He moved the Supreme
Court of India and successfully obtained a stay for the Sethusamudram
Shipping Canal Project at the final hours on August 31, 2007. The case
is under hearing before the Supreme Court.
Most recently Dr. Swamy has been crusading for proper electoral
governance in the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the
Indian Elections. Dr. Swamy has been one of the few petitioners, who
has successfully petitioned the Indian Courts to look in to serious
electoral mis-management potential in the use of Electronic Voting
Machines (EVM) during the Indian Elections from 2001 through 2009.
Following a preliminary hearing in the Delhi High Court in late 2009,
the Chief Justice of the High Court concurred with Dr. Swamy's
petition and admitted the matter for a full hearing in early 2010. Dr.
Swamy has argued that any electoral mechanism such as an EVM must
provide full audit-ability, account-ability and transparency and that
Indian Election Commission's current EVM has neither of the three.
Additionally the technology is in direct violation of the Indian
Information Technology Act. The matter is currently under
consideration in the Indian Courts.
He has been very effective in the Courts fighting for justice and has
used the Courts effectively on issues of public importance. It is
worth noting that he is an economist but has been very successful
arguing PILs in Court for the public good.
Stance against the LTTE
He is noted for his consistent stance against the LTTE which is
proscribed as a terrorist organization by 31 countries
(see list)
Commenting:
“ LTTE is a terrorist organization which moreover killed Rajiv Gandhi
and has spewed poison online about India[5] ”
“ LTTE is a part of the Sri Lankan problem, and can never be a part of
the solution[6] ”
His stance against the LTTE has had five successive Indian governments
place him in the Z category of Indian security, with security cover of
at least 22 personnel because of the high LTTE threat to his life.[7]
Subramanian Swamy was attacked by a group of pro-LTTE lawyers .[8]
Violent clashes between the Tamil Nadu police and practicing lawyers
occurred on the 19th of February 2009 on the Madras High Court
premises.
Books
Dr. Subramanian Swamy is the author of numerous books and writes
regularly in various journals and newspapers, some of his books are :-
Economic Growth in China and India, 1989
Hindus Under Siege. (2006)
Notes
^ Boumans 167
^ Prospects for India-U.S. relations better: Swamy The Hindu - January
23, 2008
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/23/stories/2008012360151400.htm
^ About Dr. Subramanian Swamy
http://www.kamakotidevotees.org/london/dr-swamy.html
^ Pilgrims' route The Tribune - September 26, 1998
http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98sep27/spotlite.htm
^ Subramanian Swamy on LTTE, Defence Agreement and the right to
station Indian Troops in non-Tamil areas in Sri Lanka Asian Tribune -
June 28, 2004
^ India will Never Support Eelam; Dr Subramanian Swamy Says Nidahasa
News - October 8, 2007 http://news.nidahasa.com/news.php?go=fullnews&newsid=348
^ Transcripts - Parliament of India http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/lsdeb/ls12/ses2/0405089808.htm
^ [1] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Lawyer_arrested_for_pelting_eggs_at_Swamy/articleshow/4152259.cms
References
Boumans, Marcel (2005). How Economists Model the World Into Numbers.
Routledge. ISBN 0415346215.
External links
Biography on Janta Party site http://www.janataparty.org/president.html
Subramaniam Swamy's views on the influence of Hinduism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQhDXwZztSU
Subramaniam Swamy in Janata Party's website
An article by Dr. Subramanian Swamy on how to face defamation
litigation
http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092103551000.htm
Subramaniam Swamy fined Rs. 5 lakhs by the Delhi High Court for making
libellous allegations against Jayalalitha Jayaram
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060104/nation.htm#16
Basic Islam for Hindu Dhimmis - Subramanian Swamy
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=159&page=31
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subramanian_Swamy"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subramanian_Swamy
Swamy sees insecurity among minorities
By Our Staff Reporter
RAMANATHAPURAM, FEB 26. The people belonging to minority communities
will always live in fear if the Bharatiya Janata Party is voted to
power again in the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Janata Party
president, Subramanian Swamy, told presspersons at Pasumpon village on
Thursday.
Dr. Swamy said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had failed to
ensure the welfare of minorities and it was evident from the fact that
Muslims were put to untold hardships in Gujarat. "They feel a sense of
insecurity throughout the country."
The Government should take necessary steps to arrest the general
secretary of the MDMK, Vaiko, if he continued to support the LTTE or
praise its leader in public meetings.
No party would get simple majority in the coming Lok Sabha elections,
he said and predicted a hung Parliament.
Dr. Swamy wondered how the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, could
tolerate the issue of the foreign origin of the Congress president,
Sonia Gandhi, as he had termed the former Chief Minister, M.G.
Ramachandran, a Malayalee when the AIADMK formed the Government in the
State.
Dr. Swamy urged the Government to give no objection certificate to the
Central Government to name the Madurai airport as Pasumpon
Muthuramalinga Thevar Airport. The State Government had twice rejected
the requisition of the Central Government.
The Janata Party would approach the court to issue a direction to the
State Government in this connection after the elections.
Earlier, speaking at a function organised by the family of
Muthuramalinga Thevar in recognition of his (Dr. Swamy's) efforts in
installing the Thevar statue in Parliament House, Dr. Swamy said the
Janata Party would take the necessary steps to set up a modern
university in the name of Thevar at Pasumpon.
He appealed to the Government to include the life history of Thevar as
one of the subjects in the college curriculum in order to facilitate
the younger generation to know about the heroic deeds of Thevar and
his dedication towards the betterment of society.
http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/27/stories/2004022706661100.htm
Need for ‘Hindu vote bank’: Swamy
Special Correspondent
TIRUPATI: Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday said the
only way to counter vote-bank policies blindly pursued by governments
and political parties was to develop a strong and formidable “Hindu
vote bank.” It was the only way to check the “continued neglect and
subjugation of Hindus and Hindu temples,” he said.
Dr. Swamy criticised the United Progressive Alliance government for
its attempt to “bend over backwards” to protect mosques and churches
while showing “utter indifference” to protect the Hindu shrines and
sentiments.
He was addressing a convention organised by the Andhra Pradesh Hindu
Temples Protection Committee.
Dr. Swamy said that though there were 42 mosques in Ayodhya where no
prayers were offered, Muslims were laying claim to the disputed Ram
Janmabhoomi alone.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/17/stories/2009021759811100.htm
GOVERNMENT
Pulls and pressures
The days leading up to the swearing-in of the BJP Government were
marked by hard bargaining by some of the party's allies.
V. VENKATESAN
in New Delhi
IMMEDIATELY after the Election Commission formally notified the
results of the Lok Sabha elections and informed President K.R.
Narayanan about it on March 10, the President began a consultative
process to constitute a new government. The Election Commission had
earlier announced that the new Lok Sabha would be constituted before
March 12, and the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its
allies, which had emerged as the largest combination of pre-election
allies but had fallen short of a majority in Parliament, were under
the impression that the numbers game would begin on or after March 12.
The initial public statements of leaders of the Congress(I) and the
United Front seemed to indicate that they would endeavour to prevent
the BJP from coming to power.
Thus, when the President invited BJP Parliamentary Party leader Atal
Behari Vajpayee for a discussion on government formation on March 10,
BJP leaders were taken by surprise. Vajpayee was holding talks with
the alliance partners when the President's invitation was received.
Vajpayee read out the contents of the letter to newspersons. In his
letter, Narayanan offered his felicitations to Vajpayee on his
election as the leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. He gave
Vajpayee the first opportunity to let him know whether he would be
able and willing to form a stable government which could secure the
confidence of the Lok Sabha. The President noted that the BJP had
emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha and the political
formation that it headed was the largest combination of pre-election
allies.
However, when Vajpayee gave a written undertaking to the President
that he was in a position to form a stable government that could
command the confidence of the House, the President asked for documents
to support the claim that the BJP and its allies had strength of 252
seats. The BJP had hardly expected the President to insist on
documentary proof of its parliamentary support.
Only a day earlier, the leaders of the BJP and its allies had met at
Vajpayee's residence in New Delhi to discuss the contents of the
National Agenda for Governance, a programme of action for a government
of the BJP and its allies. It did not occur to any of the BJP's
strategists that they should secure formal letters of support from the
leaders of the allies. The BJP took the support of its pre-election
allies for granted, when it publicised the letters of support given by
the post-election allies and some independents. With the assured
support of 12 more MPs - either independents or those belonging to
post-election allies - the saffron alliance was seemingly in a
position to secure 264 votes.
In the belief that the process of securing letters of support from the
alliance partners would be a mere formality, Vajpayee decided to get
back to the President on March 11 with the letters. But trouble arose
when four of the BJP's five allies in Tamil Nadu - the All India Anna
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the
Janata Party and the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress - did not send in their
letters. (The fifth ally, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(MDMK), had sent its letter of support by facsimile to the President
and a copy of it to Vajpayee.)
Unable to secure all the letters, Vajpayee postponed his meeting with
the President to March 12. Anxiety was writ large on the faces of BJP
leaders as AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha, who was coordinating
the actions of the smaller parties in her alliance in Tamil Nadu,
continued to hold back although she had repeatedly made public
statements right up until March 9 to the effect that her party and its
allies would offer "unconditional support" to a Vajpayee-led
government. The BJP was also concerned that the perception of a
misunderstanding with a major alliance partner would not bode well for
its claim to form a stable government.
A senior leader in charge of party affairs in the southern States said
that the delay had been occasioned by the fact that Jayalalitha was
unwell on March 11. All of March 12, BJP leaders in Delhi desperately
tried to contact Jayalalitha in Chennai, but she was incommunicado.
More ominously for the BJP, she persuaded the MDMK to withdraw the
letter of support it had faxed to the President.
SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY
AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha leaving Rashtrapati Bhavan after
the swearing-in ceremony.
The first indication of the reasons for the delay in the despatch of
the letters from Chennai came from Janata Party leader Subramanian
Swamy. Appearing on television, Subramanian Swamy said that
Jayalalitha had requested the BJP to appoint him Finance Minister and
TRC leader Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy Home Minister. Subramanian Swamy
said that BJP leaders had refused to concede the request. Subramanian
Swamy's references to the demand for the dismissal of the Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government in Tamil Nadu in the light of the
February 14 Coimbatore blasts seemed to indicate that a commitment on
that was a "pre-condition" for the AIADMK's "unconditional" support
for a BJP-led government.
Although some sections in the BJP were in favour of conceding
Jayalalitha's "demands", Vajpayee and party president L.K. Advani were
unwilling to appease her beyond a point. The BJP refused to concede
Jayalalitha's request on ministerial appointments, and were not quite
so categorical on the demand for the dismissal of the DMK Government.
It was for this reason that the AIADMK and the PMK said that they
would not join a BJP-led ministry.
BJP leaders were nevertheless optimistic that the letters of support
would arrive in Delhi with a special messenger on the morning flight
from Chennai on March 12. What they did not know was that the letters
of support had already been despatched to Delhi: they were in the
custody of a senior AIADMK leader who was waiting for a nod from
"Amma" in Chennai so as to deliver the letters to the President.
After waiting for nearly two days, Vajpayee virtually gave up his
efforts: he met the President at 7.30 p.m. on March 12 and furnished a
list of 240 MPs from whom he had letters of support. The names of the
three MDMK MPs who had withdrawn their letters of support, however,
figured in this list. In effect, as on March 12, Vajpayee had the
support of only 237 members of the Lok Sabha, considerably short of a
majority. Vajpayee, therefore, did not stake his claim, but left it to
the discretion of the President to decide whether he could be invited
to form a government. The President then announced that he would begin
consultations with leaders of the other political formations without
dismissing the BJP's claim.
Meanwhile, Subramanian Swamy stepped up his efforts to widen the gulf
between Jayalalitha and the BJP. He accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS) of blocking his appointment as Finance Minister - for
which, he claimed, he was eminently qualified, given his teaching
experience in Harvard. Ramamurthy suggested that the BJP was paying
the price for taking its allies in Tamil Nadu for granted.
Subramanian Swamy refused to concede that the AIADMK-led grouping's
alliance with the BJP had broken down or that it would have to explore
other alternatives. He, however, said that he believed that the door
was open for talks with the Congress(I) and that he expected
Congress(I) leaders to open channels of communication with Jayalalitha
in the changed political context. Subramanian Swamy envisaged a grand
alliance, which would include the Congress(I), the AIADMK and its
allies, all the United Front constituents except the DMK, the Tamil
Maanila Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, a few other minor parties
and some independents. Senior Congress(I) leader Sharad Pawar was
reportedly in touch with Jayalalitha, seeking her support for a
Congress-led government.
In their meetings with the President, leaders of the Congress(I) and
the U.F. reportedly sought four days' time to hold consultations and
explore the possibility of forming an alternative government. This in
effect gave the BJP and the AIADMK an opportunity to patch up. But
even on March 13, Jayalalitha showed no signs of relenting. She denied
that she had insisted on the allotment of key portfolios for her
allies or the dismissal of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu as a pre-
condition for extending support.
However, she accused the BJP leadership of displaying a "negative
attitude" when she raised issues that were of importance to Tamil Nadu
at a meeting of the BJP and its allies in New Delhi on March 9 (see
separate story). BJP leaders, in turn, wondered why Jayalalitha had
not raised the issue when she addressed newspersons and expressed her
total and unconditional support to a BJP-led government after the
meeting. They said that while all her demands could be negotiated, the
manner in which she had raised them - on the eve of the President's
invitation to Vajpayee to form a government - was somewhat mystifying.
"We expected her to behave in a mature way," a senior BJP leader from
the South said.
Finally, on March 14, Jayalalitha announced her decision to forward
the letters of support to the President. Relieved, the BJP prepared to
send a senior emissary on behalf of Vajpayee to meet her on March 15
in Chennai. Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who met her in Chennai on
March 15 and showed her a draft of the National Agenda, succeeded in
persuading her to drop her demand to give Subramanian Swamy a
ministerial post; he also got her to agree to the AIADMK, the PMK and
the TRC joining the Ministry.
The draft of the National Agenda incorporated, even if only in
somewhat vague terms, all her publicly stated demands.
WHAT explains the turnaround by Jayalalitha? AIADMK leaders in Delhi
explained that she was persuaded to fall in line and support the BJP
in view of the adverse criticism in the media holding her responsible
for blocking Vajpayee's assumption of office as Prime Minister.
Jayalalitha's decision that the AIADMK and some of its allies would
join the Ministry was prompted by the knowledge that the President was
unlikely to invite Vajpayee to form a government unless these allies,
which command a combined strength of 27 MPs in the Lok Sabha, were
ready to join the Government.
On March 15, after Jayalalitha announced in Chennai that the AIADMK,
the PMK and the TRC would join the Government, the President contacted
the AIADMK's Parliamentary Party leader, G. Swaminathan.
He indicated that only if all the constituents of a coalition
participated in the government would the coalition remain cohesive; he
further indicated that his decision on whether to invite Vajpayee to
form a government would hinge on this.
Shortly after receiving her confirmatory message, the President
appointed Vajpayee Prime Minister and set March 19 as the date of the
swearing-in of the government. He also asked Vajpayee to seek a
confidence vote in the Lok Sabha by March 29.
Significantly, the President did not consider it necessary to insist
on a commitment from the Trinamul Congress, a member of the BJP-led
alliance, that it would participate in the government. The Trinamul
Congress has only seven MPs in the Lok Sabha, whereas the AIADMK-led
combine has 27 members.
In a communique issued on the night of March 15, in which he detailed
the consultation process he had initiated since March 10, the
President referred to Congress(I) president Sonia Gandhi's reported
remarks to newspersons that the party did not have the numbers to form
a government.
He also took into consideration the Telugu Desam Party's stand -
ascertained in a telephonic discussion with its leader N. Chandrababu
Naidu - that the party would remain neutral during the vote of
confidence.
It was these two factors that finally convinced the President that a
Vajpayee-led Government would be able to secure the confidence of the
House.
India's National Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
Vol. 15 :: No. 07 :: Apr. 4 - 17, 1998
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1507/15071180.htm
India's National Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
Vol. 15 :: No. 10 :: May 09 - 22, 1998
COVER STORY
Dealing with Jayalalitha
After the Jaswant Singh-Jayalalitha meeting, the AIADMK has fallen
silent; Subramanian Swamy, however, has stepped up his offensive
against the BJP.
T.S. SUBRAMANIAN
in Chennai
GOING by the current mood in BJP circles in Tamil Nadu, the party will
adopt a tough stand with respect to the All India Anna Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha will
now have to choose between the BJP and Janata Party leader Subramanian
Swamy. The BJP is said to have indicated to her that she would have to
make her choice before the Budget session of the Lok Sabha begins on
May 27. BJP sources in Chennai told Frontline that the party would not
accept Subramanian Swamy's presence in the AIADMK-led front in Tamil
Nadu if he continued to say that he would topple the Vajpayee
Government.
BJP leader Jaswant Singh flew in from Delhi and met Jayalalitha at her
Payyanoor retreat, 60 km from Chennai, on April 25. Sources said that
Jaswant Singh did some "plain talking". He apparently told Jayalalitha
that the BJP would not accept her three major demands: dismissal of
the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government in Tamil Nadu; the
removal of Ram Jethmalani and Ramakrishna Hegde from the Union
Cabinet; and action against a private television channel based in
Chennai. The sources added that Jaswant Singh ruled out a place for
Subramanian Swamy in the coordination committee. He also told her to
put an end to attacks by some AIADMK functionaries on Jethmalani and
Hegde.
Jaswant Singh met Jayalalitha against the background of a slanging
match between Jethmalani and Hegde on the one hand and AIADMK
Ministers at the Centre, M. Thambi Durai, R. Janarthanan and R.K.
Kumar, on the other. The row followed the April 8 resignation of Union
Surface Transport Minister Sedapatti R. Muthiah of the AIADMK after a
Chennai court framed charges against him in a case of acquisition of
assets disproportionate to his known source of income during his
tenure as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly from July 1991 to
October 1994.
VINO JOHN
Jaswant Singh outside Jayalalitha's Payyanoor Bungalow retreat near
Mamallapuram.
The situation worsened a week later. After a meeting of the AIADMK
executive committee on April 15, Jayalalitha demanded that all Union
Ministers who were charge-sheeted in corruption cases resign or be
dismissed by the Prime Minister. The next day, Jethamalani and Hegde
strongly criticised her and predicted that these "pinpricks" would end
soon.
On April 18 Jayalalitha wrote to Vajpayee naming three Ministers -
Communications Minister Buta Singh, Urban Development Minister
Jethmalani and Commerce Minister Hegde - as being involved in cases of
corruption and demanding their removal or the re-induction of Muthiah.
On April 19 Jethmalani again launched a broadside against Jayalalitha.
He took on Subramanian Swamy too. "It is clearly Dr. Subramanian Swamy
who is pushing her into making all these wild demands," he said. Hegde
wanted Vajpayee to go in for fresh elections instead of giving in to
Jayalalitha's "blackmail". In reply, Thambi Durai, Kumar and
Janarthanan, in a statement on April 23, asked Vajpayee to "advise Mr.
Hegde to either shut up or get out."
It was at this stage that the BJP high command intervened and sent
Jaswant Singh to meet Jayalalitha. Jaswant Singh had earlier come in
March to placate her when she delayed giving the letters of support
that would enable Vajpayee to form the government. BJP sources said
that this time Jaswant Singh made it clear that junior Ministers of
the AIADMK should not speak out of turn. If the AIADMK leadership had
something to say, Jayalalitha should be the one to say that, he said.
He also advised her against rushing to the media. The BJP high command
was annoyed that her letter to Vajpayee had been released to the
media.
Jaswant Singh was reportedly categorical about the BJP's decision not
to invoke Article 356 to dismiss the DMK Government. A senior BJP
source said: "We are tightening the screws. The idea is that this war
of words cannot go on... You will find a change from now on."
There was no word from Jayalalitha about the meeting. Sources in
Chennai indicated that there was no meeting ground between Jayalalitha
and Jaswant Singh. Jaswant Singh, however, claimed that the "mission
was a success". On the welter of charges and counter-allegations made
by Union Ministers, he said that the Prime Minister "will take such
action as he deems fit and proper."
The same day K.L. Sharma said in New Delhi that Subramanian Swamy
would not be included in the coordination committee because he had
failed to vote for the Government in the vote of confidence.
WHETHER by accident or design, a DMK executive meeting presided over
by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on April 25 condemned the demand for
the dismissal of the Government that emanated from an "enemy party"
and Union Ministers belonging to it as "blatant blackmail" and "devoid
of any merit at all". It added that the demand was made "to subserve
their vested interests, with palpable mala fides in order to avoid
accountability to the courts of law in the pending cases of
corruption."
The resolution also condemned the transfer of Union Special Secretary
for Home Ashok Kumar, one of two officials sent as part of the Central
team to study the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, and said that
this was done because he told the "truth". The resolution said that
this approach amounted to "burying" federalism and marked a
"dictatorial trend in interfering in the State Government's affairs."
The resolution added: "In the event of any such proclamation (for
dismissal) being made in Delhi because of the blackmail of the vested
interests," it would be "resisted by constitutional, lawful and
peaceful methods in courts of law." The executive committee appealed
to all democratic forces "to support this resistance movement."
When a reporter asked Karunanidhi whether the resolution was driven by
the fear that his Government would be dismissed, he said: "This is
only a reply to the threats from some terrorists in Poes Garden."
The Chief Minister called the resolution "an advance notice to the
Centre that it should not give room to some people who have been
trying to paralyse the administration and disrupt law and order by
repeatedly claiming that the DMK Government will be dismissed."
AFTER the Jaswant Singh-Jayalalitha meeting, AIADMK leaders fell
silent. However, Subramanian Swamy stepped up the offensive once it
was known that he was not welcome to the coordination committee. He
alleged on April 26 that the BJP citing his not having voted for the
Government was an "excuse" to exclude him from the coordination
committee. According to him, the real reason for the crisis was the
"asymmetrical application of the criterion" on who should be a Union
Minister. He said that while Muthiah was asked to resign, "tainted"
Ministers such as Hegde and Advani were allowed to continue. Advani's
crime - he was charge-sheeted in the Babri Masjid demolition case -
was not a "political crime", he said, but "a crime against humanity
and the integrity of the nation..."
Swamy met Jayalalitha in Chennai on April 27 and said that he was
"free to explore the possibility of creating an alternative, secular,
patriotic front" at the Centre. He declared that henceforth "in
national politics, I am a free bird." He claimed that Jayalalitha had
told him that Jaswant Singh "never discussed the matter" of his
exclusion from the coordination committee. Although he would consider
breaking away from the BJP-led alliance, he asserted that he continued
to be part and parcel of the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu.
Jayalalitha, BJP sources said, was faced with a difficult situation.
"If Swamy remains in the AIADMK front in Tamil Nadu, then there is
nothing wrong in the BJP getting close to somebody who is against her,
such as the DMK. She has to choose between the BJP and Swamy."
Meanwhile, Subramanian Swamy has been busy floating the idea of a
secular front to oust the BJP-led coalition Government at the Centre.
He met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party president
Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Laloo Prasad
Yadav. Meanwhile, Congress(I) leader Madhavrao Scindia met Jayalalitha
in Chennai, apparently in a bid to build bridges between his party and
the AIADMK.
Political analysts believed that Jayalalitha was left with "no
choice". She could not part company with the BJP because the stakes
involved were high - there were corruption cases pending against her
and her former Ministers, and breaking away from the BJP would weaken
her.
The response of the other constituents of the AIADMK-led front to
Swamy's challenge will have a bearing on Jayalalitha's future course
of action. Of the three of them - Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam (MDMK), the Pattali Makal Katchi (PMK) and the Tamizhaga
Rajiv Congress (TRC) - the PMK and the TRC are participants in the
Central Government. The PMK had indicated its position when its leader
S. Ramadoss hinted that his party would not play along with
Subramanian Swamy.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1510/15100120.htm
Swamy seeks Manmohan’s sanction to prosecute Raja
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy has sought the Prime
Minister’s sanction to prosecute Union Communications Minister A. Raja
in the wake of CBI raids on Sanchar Bhavan offices to investigate
alleged irregularities in spectrum allotment.
In a statement, Dr. Swamy said he filed a petition for sanction as
early as on November 29, 2008 with Dr. Singh, as required under the
Prevention of Corruption Act, to launch a criminal investigation
against Mr. Raja under Sections 11 and 13 of the Act.
The CBI raids made the granting of permission by Dr. Singh a “mere
formality,” Dr. Swamy said.
An independent case filed by him in the designated sessions court for
trying cases under the Act would be the best recourse for a fair trial
of the spectrum deals and the CBI investigation could supplement the
legal process, he said.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 24, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/24/stories/2009102461211000.htm
Sanatana Dharma Foundation Honors Dr Subramanian Swamy and Dr S.
Kalyanaraman for their Courageous Effort in Protecting the Historic
Rama Sethu Sanatana Dharma Foundation, Dallas, Texas organized its
first Hindu Unity Day, at the DFW Hindu Temple, in Dallas on the 19th
and 20th of July, 2008. Symbolizing Hindu Unity, Representatives of
Dallas Chapters of several organizations like the Art of living
Foundation, Ammachi Satsang, Hare Krishna ISCKON group, Gayatri
Parivar, Brahmakumaris, Carribbean Mandir, Chinmaya Mission, Hanuman
Temple, Sathya Sai groups, Datta Yoga Peetam and other prominent Hindu
personalities from the local Dallas-Fort Worth community in Texas,
were present at this unique event. Dr Subramanian Swamy's latest book
"Rama Sethu Symbol of National Unity" was released and distributed at
the Event, to key members of these organizations and other prominent
members of the community.
Rama Sethu Symbol of National Unity
Hindu Dharma Rakshaka Kshatriya Award
This award, a first of its kind, has been instituted to honor and
celebrate the 'Kshatriya Spirit', specifically the courage shown by
Hindus in taking risks and standing up to fight for the protection and
preservation of Dharma. The word Kshatriya is a Sanskrit word that
refers to the royal and noble class of Hindus who historically
defended their nation, and the Dharma of the land.
Rama Sethu Symbol of National Unity
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) July 26, 2008 -- Dr Subramanian Swamy, PhD,
visiting professor of Economics, Harvard University and former Union
Law Minister of India, and Dr S. Kalyanaraman, Director, Saraswati
River Research Center, and President of Sri Rameshwaram Rama Sethu
Raksha Manch, received awards in Dallas, Texas for their courageous
effort in protecting the historic Rama Sethu, from being destroyed by
the Government of India in the name of a development project.
NASA Photograph of Rama Sethu
Rama Sethu is the original Sanskrit name given to a bridge built by
the legendary King Rama, who crossed over to Sri Lanka from India to
fight the King of Lanka, Ravana, recover his wife Sita, and restore
Dharma (Order) in the land of India. While it is difficult to
establish the exact historical age of these events, the bridge is
thought to be at least 5000 years old, if not much older, making it
the oldest causeway built across an ocean channel. The Rama Sethu is
referred to in numerous ancient Sanskrit texts and scriptures, as a
man made structure, and in recent times, it has been vividly
photographed by both NASA and Indian Satellites.
When India fell under Colonial rule, the British renamed this
construction as "Adam's Bridge". The Government of India, in recent
years, has been trying to establish a Shipping Channel between India
and Sri Lanka, by breaking and destroying the continuity of this
ancient structure. Hindus in India and around the world have been
protesting and fighting this decision of the Government of India, and
have demanded that the Rama Sethu be declared a monument of historic
importance and a world heritage site. On May 8th, 2008, the Supreme
Court of India directed the Government of India to go back to the
drawing board to see if it can create an alternate shipping route, and
at the same time, study the Rama Sethu as a monument of historic
importance. It is yet to be seen if the Government of India will
comply with the Court's direction, and thereby uphold due
constitutional process, or continue on its path of destroying the Rama
Sethu, dis-regarding the Supreme court's direction.
Sanatana Dharma Foundation, (www.sdfglobal.org) a Dallas based Non-
Profit organization inspired by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha,
(www.acharyasabha.org) the apex body of Hindus in India, presented the
"Hindu Dharma Rakshaka Kshatriya Award" to Dr Subramanian Swamy & Dr
S. Kalyanaraman on the occassion of the Hindu Unity Day organized at
the DFW Hindu Temple in Dallas, Texas on July 19, 2008. Speaking on
the occasion, the President of Sanatana Dharma Foundation, Kalyan
Viswanathan, said that "This award, a first of its kind, has been
instituted to honor and celebrate the 'Kshatriya Spirit', specifically
the courage shown by Hindus in taking risks and standing up to fight
for the protection and preservation of Dharma. The word Kshatriya is a
Sanskrit word that refers to the royal and noble class of Hindus who
historically defended their nation, and the Dharma of the land."
The Highlight of the Hindu Unity Day Event was the speech by Dr
Subramanian Swamy on his personal experiences during his defense of
Rama Sethu in the Supreme Court of India, which was greeted by a
spontaneous standing ovation. In presenting the "Hindu Dharma Rakshaka
Kshatriya" Award, his fearless defense in the Supreme Court of India,
getting a critical and timely stay order, the subsequent withdrawal of
the Government of India's petition, and the later Verdict of the
Supreme Court were all highlighted.
Dr S. Kalyanaraman made a scholarly presentation on the River
Saraswati, highlighting the recent research findings, the origins of
the Vedic civilization on the banks of River Saraswati and the fact
that it holds the central "Key" to the re-writing of the history of
India and re-establishing the real historicity of the Vedas. While
presenting the Award, his dedicated research in supporting the
struggle of the Rama Sethu, and his pioneering contributions in
researching and resurfacing the River Saraswati were lauded.
Symbolizing Hindu Unity, Representatives of Dallas Chapters of several
organizations like the Art of living Foundation, Ammachi Satsang, Hare
Krishna ISCKON group, Gayatri Parivar, Brahmakumaris, Carribbean
Mandir, Chinmaya Mission, Hanuman Temple, Sathya Sai groups and other
prominent Hindu personalities from the local Dallas-Fort Worth
community in Texas, were present at this unique event. Dr Subramanian
Swamy's latest book "Rama Sethu Symbol of National Unity" was released
and distributed at the Event, to key members of these organizations
and other prominent members of the community.
Smt. Ranna Jani, President, DFW Hindu Temple in Texas speaking on the
occassion on behalf of the Temple, thanked both Dr Subramaniam Swamy &
Dr S. Kalyanaraman for coming to Dallas and sharing their experiences
with the participants. On the second day, a workshop was organized,
where challenges facing Hinduism today, were discussed. Presentations
on the state of Hindu Temples in India, challenges posed by
Christianity and Islam were also discussed. The session was very
interactive, and educational, as per the feedback received.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/Sanatana/Dharma/prweb1146784.htm
CHENNAI, January 22, 2010 Swamy against Nalini’s release
Special Correspondent
Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy calling on Tamil Nadu
Governor Surjit Singh Barnala at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on
Thursday. Photo: Special Arrangement
Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Thursday met Tamil Nadu
Governor Surjit Singh Barnala and urged him not to sign any
recommendation of the State government for freeing Nalini Sriharan, a
life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Dr. Swamy told the Governor that the issue pertaining to premature
release of Nalini was still pending before the Madras High Court, and
any decision on the issue would amount to contempt of court.
He also made a mention before the First Bench to expedite the hearing
of his writ appeal in the matter.
Later speaking to journalists, Dr. Swamy said that he came to know
from a section of the media that the review board had reportedly
decided to release Nalini.
He said that he had mentioned before the bench comprising Chief
Justice H.L. Gokhale and K.K. Sasidharan that any decision of the
board would render infructuous his appeal against the single judge
order to the State government to reconstitute the board to decide the
case of Nalini.
The Chief Justice had asked him to file an application to the High
Court Registry for speeding up his appeal, he said.
He said the constitution of the board itself was illegal. He planned
to move for restoration of death penalty for Nalini. He said the State
government had earlier said that it would oppose the premature
release, now it cannot go back on its stand.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article87758.ece
Hindu's under SIEGE
aumprakash
January 14, 2007
it's fromt the talk given by Dr.subramanya swamy on the day of his
book relese "hindu's under siege- the way out" http://www.kksfusa.org/
it's fromt the talk given by Dr.subramanya swamy on the day of his
book relese "hindu's under siege- the way out"
http://www.kksfusa.org/
Hindu's under SIEGE
3:13
Added: 3 years ago
From: aumprakash
Views: 3,128
All Comments (30 total)
Loading...nazimquraishi (1
politicians since nehru and including him (the pundits alinged with
the raja of kashmir, who wanted kashmir to not be free like rest of
india)
found themselves out of power. so they figured out a formula to get
back in power in the democratic structure of india and it worked.
so wake the f up (my indians) my hindus. politicians are only about
themselves and their ideas. Not about you.
nazimquraishi (1 week ago) Hindu was a generic term used to refer to
anyone who lives south of hindukush mountains and south of Hindu River
(Indus per the brits).
Hindu = citizen of hindustan, indian = citizen of india & french =
citizen of france.
Prior to monotheism most countries were polytheists.Ancestors of
Indian Muslims were polytheists too.
The confusion between religion and nationality was caused and
encouraged by the british after they realized what a rebellion like in
1857 could do to them.
anirudhnandan (10 months ago) Comment removed by author
raghaa (3 weeks ago) thats what they learnt from birtish my friend.
What will a poor hindu will do if there is no basic fullfilment? he
will convert into christian. its happening right now ;)
winnerji (11 months ago) When his lips are pronouncing HINDUS...it's
all about only Brahmins....Will he do anything for Dalith
people....is he considering Dalith as Hindus.....?????? FRAUD....
NanakLove (1 year ago) stand up for dharma my brothers. the 9th Sikh
Guru even gave his life for kashmiri pundits.
ndshastri (1 year ago) Show S.Swamy orkut comm
search :::::: Sri Subramanian Swamy
Metaemipricus (1 year ago) Christian Evangelists, Islamic Jihadis and
leftist naxal terrorists - the three most violent sectarian cults have
come together to destroy India. Wake up Hindus.
Comment(s) marked as spam Show
Comment(s) marked as spam Hide
nmohan101 (1 year ago) this guy is a racist; Hinduism in not under
siege...
dd1857 (1 year ago) who say not.. Every where that is the case..
Christanity and Muslims...are book based.. attacking all
kafirpandit (1 year ago) Hindus are the bravest people on the earth.
All Muslims and Christian missionaries should be thrown out of
Bharatvarsh.
tonyshit80 (11 months ago) I saw Muruga last week, he motion less
pls help him my dear friends
TAPS711 (1 year ago) Leave the Hindus alone. They have a right to
believe what they want. They are peaceful people.
tonyshit80 (11 months ago) No, I will not allows the such things
happen....
Radian1991 (1 year ago) Hindu Society has been suffering a sustained
attack from Islam since the 7th century, from Christianity since the
15th century, and this century also from Marxism. The avowed objective
of each of these three world-conquering movements, with their massive
resources, is the replacement of Hinduism by their own ideology, or in
effect: the destruction of Hinduism.-Dr.Koenraad Elst
Comment(s) marked as spam Show
Comment(s) marked as spam Hide
arnotkaling (1 year ago) swamy bastard should be shot. He supports
sinhala terrosm in sri lanka. he fully supported indian terrost
invasion of sri lanka.
NanakLove (1 year ago) not just hindu's but sikhs too..we gotta stand
up together brothers
TAPS711 (1 year ago) You are right.
emperor0989 (1 year ago) sikhs are hindus only, and hindus are sikhs.
we are cousins, if not brothers.
haridham (1 year ago) Show Hide 0 Marked as spam Reply lol
haridham (1 year ago) Show Hide 0 Marked as spam Reply watch?
v=XcFA8iSXf2c
EXChristian0 (2 years ago) Excellent video clip! Thanks! DOWN WITH
ANTI-HINDU ELEMENTS (anti-hindu govt, pseudo-secular anti-hindu
media, Christlamist Communist thugs, deceitful and cunning missionary
pests). Come on Hindus, WAKE UP, UNITE AND FIGHT FOR DHARMA! Jai Hind!
EXChristian0 (2 years ago)
DOWN WITH ANTI-HINDU ELEMENTS (anti-hindu govt, pseudo-secular anti-
hindu media, Christlamist Communist thugs, deceitful and cunning
missionary pests, ISLAMIC jihadis etc). Come on Hindus, WAKE UP, UNITE
AND FIGHT FOR DHARMA! Jai Hind!
chocolayer (2 years ago)
Aumprakash a digital RSS propagandist. A muslim hater and non brahmin
hater. His lowly life is based on lies and he survived on lies.
humbleRaj (2 years ago)
Nice ideo Aumprakash Ji :)
badmashguy (2 years ago)
It might be true for Hinduism....but isn't it true for every other
religion too....
humbleRaj (2 years ago) Show Hide +3 Marked as spam Reply Nope,None
of American Politicians speak against christianity or None of The
leaders from Islamic Countries condemn Islam, but Indian politicians
abuse Hinduism in India.
Peenp (3 years ago)
I agree with you Aum.
http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=IFU-iAP43M0&fromurl=/watch%3Fv%3DIFU-iAP43M0
Hinduism under siege, says Subramanian Swamy
Coventry, UK | December 07, 2005 8:11:13 PM IST
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=184292&cat=India
Janata Party President and former Union Minister Dr. Subramanian Swamy
today told a large UK Hindu gathering at the Sri Krishna Temple here
that to combat the invisible and multi-dimensional siege against
Hinduism, all the Dharmacharyas of Hindu religion must come together
in a formal body with a permanent secretariat in New Delhi.
He said that Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, near
Coimbatore had already convened a Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha in Mumbai
in mid-October last, and resolved to do so.
Dr. Swamy said that the siege has a religious dimension because of the
pernicious and subtle denigration of Hindu icons and Institutions such
as through filing bogus cases against the Kanchi Shankaracharya, a
psychological dimension by inculcating a confused mindset through a
one-sided secularism, a cultural dimension in propagating that Indians
are Caucasian invaders from beyond Afghanistan through the baseless
Aryan-Dravidian theory, and in the physical dimension by induced
conversions to Christianity and Islamic terrorism.
"Hindus are being driven out from their homelands in Kashmir,
Bangladesh and even Mau in UP, but the political leadership in India
lacks the virile mindset to challenge this denigration of Hindus in a
83 percent Hindu populated nation" he added.
Dr. Swamy further said that India is distinctive only because of it's
Hindu foundation and continuing civilisation. Hence India as Hindustan
means a nation of Hindus and those Muslims and Christians who accept
their ancestors are Hindus.
Parsis may have come from Persia but they accept Hindu culture as
their own. This is our Hindustani identity. Hence, those Christians
and Muslims who do not accept their ancestors as Hindus should go back
from where they came from or lose their voting rights.
Even Hindus who claim to be racially Aryans or Dravidians have no
place in Hindustan. In Rig Veda "Arya" only meant civilised, while
Dravida is a Sanskrit word coined by Adi Sankara to mean south India-
where three seas meet.
Dr. Swamy said that without demolishing the caste system a cogent
cohesive Hindu identity can not be forged. Hence the Acharya Sabha
should issue a nirdesh" (direction) that according to the Vedas and
Uttara Gita, varna and jati are not birth based but determined on
gunas (merits) and occupation.
"Varna is a choice not a compulsion," he added. (ANI)
http://www.nchtuk.org/content.php?id=288
December 21, 2008
Out of the box
By Subramanian Swamy
The India of today would not have been in existence had the attempts
to divide Hindus succeeded. In the 20th century, a sinister attempt to
divide the Hindu community on caste basis was made in 1932 when the
British imperialists offered the scheduled castes a separate
electorate.
What does the despicable terror and mayhem in Mumbai on November 26
signify for India? Shorn of the human tragedy, wanton destruction, and
obnoxious audacity of the terrorists, it signifies a challenge to the
identity of India from radical Islam. Cinema actor Shahrukh Khan may
wax eloquent about the ?true Islam? on TV, but it is clear that he and
other such Muslims have not read any authoritative translations of the
Koran, Sira and Hadith which three together constitute Islam as a
theology, and which is a complete menu of intolerance of peoples of
other faiths derisively labeled as kafirs. Hence, instead of talking
about the ?correct interpretation? of Islam they ought instead be
urging for a new Islamic theology consistent with democratic
principles.
In 2003, two years after the 9/11 murderous and perfidious Islamic
assault on USA, resulting in killing of more than 3000 persons within
two hours, and which was perpetrated by leveraging the democratic
freedoms in USA, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the website of its
Islamic Affairs Department [www.iad.org] laid down what a ?good?
Muslim is expected to do. Dr. Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East
Media Research Institute[MEMRI] based in Washington DC accessed it and
published it in issue No.23, of the Institute newsletter, dated
November 26[what irony!] 2003. I have to thank a NRI in US, Dr.
Muthuswamy for this reference. In that site it is stated:
?The Muslims are required to raise the banner of Jihad in order to
make the Word of Allah supreme in this world, to remove all forms of
injustice and oppression, and to defend the Muslims. If Muslims do not
take up the sword, the evil tyrants of this earth will be able to
continue oppressing the weak and helpless?
Now who is more authoritative?Sharukh Khan or Saudi Arabia ? Obviously
the latter. The above quote is what in substance is being taught in
every madrassa in India, and can be traced back to the sayings of
Prophet Mohammed. I can quote a plethora of verses from a Saudi
Arabian translated Koran [e.g., verses 8:12, 8:60, and 33:26] which
verses justify brutal violence against non-believers. If I delved into
Sira and Hadith for more quotes, then I could risk generating much
hatred, so it will suffice to say that Islam is not only a theology,
but it spans a brutal political ideology which we have to combat
sooner or later in realm of ideas.
Some may quote back at me verses from Manusmriti about brutality to
women and scheduled castes. But as a Hindu I have the liberty to
disown these verses [since it is a Smriti] and even to seek to re-
write a new Smriti as many, for example, Yajnavalkya have done to
date. Reform and renaissance is thus inbuilt into Hinduism. But in
Islam, the word of the Prophet is final. Sharukh Khan and other gloss
artists cannot disown these verses, or say that they would re-write
the offensive verses of the Koran. If they do, then they would have to
run for their lives as Rushdie and Taslima have had to do. Leave alone
re-writing, if anyone draws a cartoon of Prophet Mohammed, there will
follow world-wide violent rioting. But if Hussein draws Durga in the
most pornographic posture, the Hindus will only groan but not
violently rampage.
We Hindus have a long recognised tradition of being religious liberals
by nature. We have already proved it enough by welcoming to our
country and nurturing Parsis, Jews, Syrian Christians, and Moplah
Muslim Arabs who were persecuted elsewhere, when we were 100 per cent
Hindu country.
Moreover, despite a 1000 years of most savage brutalisation of Hindus
by Islamic invaders and self-demeaning brain washing by the
Christians, even then, Hindus as a majority have adopted secularism as
a creed. We have not asked for an apology and compensation for these
atrocities. But the position of Hindus in this land of Bharatmata,
where Muslims and Christians locally are in majority, in pockets?such
as in Kashmir and Nagaland, or in small enclaves such as town
panchayats of Tamil Nadu, is terrible and despicable. Even in Kerala
where Hindus are 52 per cent of the population, they have only 25 per
cent of all the prime jobs in the state, and are silently suffering
their plight at the hands of 48 per cent who vote as a vote bank.
The 26/11 Mumbai slaughter therefore should teach us Hindus that the
time has come to wake up and stand up?it is now or never. If we do not
stand up now to Islamic terrorism, then India will end up like Beirut,
a permanent battlefield of international terrorists, buccaneers,
pirates and missionaries.
What does it mean in the 21st century for Hindus to stand up ? I mean
by that a mental clarity of the Hindus to defend themselves by
effective deterrent retaliation, and also an intelligent co-option of
other religious groups into the Hindu cultural continuum.
Mental clarity can only come if we are clear about the identity of the
nation. What is India? An ancient but continuing civilisation or is it
a geographical entity incorporated in 1947 by the Indian Independence
Act of the British Parliament ? What then does it mean to say ?I am an
Indian?? A mere passport holder of the Republic of India or a
descendent of the great seers and visionaries of more than 10,000
years ? Obviously our identity should be of a nation of an ancient and
continuing Hindu civilisation, legatees of great rishis and munis, and
a highly sophisticated sanatana philosophy.
If Hindu culture is our defining identity then how can we co-opt non-
Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians ? By persuading them by
saam, dhaam, bheda and dand that they acknowledge with pride the truth
that their ancestors are Hindus. If they do, it means that they accept
Hindu culture and enlightened mores. That is, change of religion does
not mean change of culture. Then we should treat such Muslims and
Christians as part of our Brihad Hindu family.
Noted author and editor M.J. Akbar calls this identity as of ?Blood
Brothers?. It is an undeniable fact that Muslims and Christians in
India are descendents of Hindus. In a recent article in the American
Journal of Physical Anthropology, an analysis of genetic samples [DNA]
show that Muslims in north India are overwhelmingly of the same DNA as
Hindus proving that Muslims here are descendents of Hindus who had
been converted to Islam, rather repositories of foreign DNA deposited
by waves of invaders.
Akbar thus asks rhetorically: ?When have the Muslims of India gone
wrong?? and answers: ?When they have forgotten their Indian roots?.
How apt ! Enlightened Muslims like Akbar therefore must rise to the
occasion and challenge the reactionary religious fundamentalists. That
is India is not Darul Harab to be trifled with. In a conciliatory
atmosphere the minorities would willingly accept this. It is also in
their interest to accept this reality. Hindus must persuade by the
time honoured methods Muslims and Christians to accept this and its
logical consequences.
This identity was not understood by us earlier because of the
distorted outlook of Jawaharlal Nehru who occupied the Prime Minister?
s chair for seventeen formative years after 1947 and for narrow
political ends, had fanned a separatist outlook in Muslims and
Christians.
The failure to date, to resolve this Nehru created crisis, has not
only confused the majority but confounded the minorities as well in
India. This confusion has deepened with winter migratory birds such as
Amartya Sen descending on the campus of the India International Centre
to preach inane taxonomies such as ?multiple identities?.
There has to be an over-riding identity called national identity, and
hence we should not be derailed by pedestrian concepts of multiple or
sub-identities.
?Without a resolution of the identity crisis today, which requires an
explicit clear answer to this question of who we are, the majority
will never understand how to relate to the legacy of the nation and in
turn to the minorities. Minorities would not understand how to adjust
with the majority if this identity crisis is not resolved. In other
words, the present dysfunctional perceptional mismatch in
understanding who we are as a people, is behind most of the communal
tension and inter-community distrust in the country.
?In India, the majority is the conglomerate or Brihad Hindu community
which represents about 81 per cent of the total Indian population,
while minorities are constituted by Muslims [13 per cent] and
Christians [3 per cent]. Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, and some other
microscopic religious groups, represent the remaining three per cent.
Though also considered minorities, but really are so close to the
majority community in culture that they are considered as a part of
Hindu society. Unlike Islam and Christianity, these minority religions
were founded as dissenting theologies of Hinduism. Even Zoroaster can
be traced to leader of Vahikas in Mahabharata who migrated to Persia.
Kaikeyi in Ramayana was from Persia when that country was hundred per
cent Hindu. Thus these religions share the core concepts with Hindus
such as re-incarnation, equality of all religions, and ability to meet
God in this life. That they feel increasingly alienated from Hindu
society nowadays is also the consequence of India?s identity crisis
caused by British historians and their Indian tutees in JNU.
The India of today would not have been in existence had the attempts
to divide Hindus succeeded. In the 20th century, a sinister attempt to
divide the Hindu community on caste basis was made in 1932 when the
British imperialists offered the scheduled castes a separate
electorate. But shrewdly understanding the conspiracy to divide India,
Mahatma Gandhi by his fast unto death and Dr. Ambedkar by his
visionary rejection of separate electorate, foiled the attempt by
signing the Poona Pact.
But the possibility that such attempts at dividing India socially may
be made again in the future, a possibility that cannot be ruled out.
Indian patriots will have to watch such attempts very carefully.
Segmentation, fragmentation, and finally balkanisation have been part
of the historical process in many countries to destroy national
identity and thereby cause the political division of the nation
itself. Yugoslavia is a recent example of this, which has now been
divided into four countries, largely due to Islamic separatism and
Serbian over-reaction.
Virat Hindutva can be achieved in the first stage by Hindu
consolidation, that is achieved by Hindus holding that they are Hindus
first and last, by disowning primacy to their caste and regional
loyalties. This would require a renaissance in thinking and outlook,
that can be fostered only by patient advocacy and intellectual
ferment.
For this we need a new History text, and a proper understanding of the
distinction between the four varnas [not birth based but by codes of
behavior for devolution of power in society] and jati [which is birth
based and mostly for marriages]. Just as Valmiki and Vyasa are
regarded as Maharshis despite being of different jati from Parasuram,
hence Dr. Ambedkar should be called a Maharishi for his sheer depth of
knowledge of Indian history. That he had become bitter because of
Nehru systematically sidelining him is no reason not to do so.
India thus needs a Hindu renaissance today that incorporates modern
principles, e.g., of the irrelevance of birth antecedents, fostering
gender equality, ensuring equality before law, and accountability for
all. It is also essential to integrate the entire Indian society on
those principles, irrespective of religion. Uniform Civil Code for
example, is something that the vast majority of Muslim women want, but
because this demand has been usurped by those who deny the equality of
nationality to the Muslims, hence comes the resistance to a eminently
reasonable value. The Muslims think that this is the first step in
several to subjugate them or wipe out their identity. But Muslims have
quietly accepted Uniform Criminal Code [the IPC] despite that it
contradicts the Sharia.
In other words, Hindutva has two components?one that Hindus can accept
[such as caste abolition, eradication of dowry etc.] without any other
religion?s interests to consider. The other is the embracing by
minorities of the core secular Indian values which have Hindu roots.
This would require, particularly Muslims and Christians, to
acknowledge that their ancestry is Hindu, and thus own the entire
Hindu past as their own legacy, and to thus tailor their outlook on
that basis. This would integrate Indian society and make the concept
of an inclusive[Brihad] Hindutva and rooted in India?s continuing
civilisation.
Thus, if India has to decide to have or not have good relations with
Israel, Pakistan, Iran or US, it cannot be on the basis how it will
impact on India?s Muslims and Christians, but on what India?s national
interests require. If India has to dispatch troops to Afghanistan,
Iraq, Sri Lanka or Nepal to combat terrorism, that policy too has to
be decided on what is good for India, and not what any religious or
linguistic group identifies as it?s interest.
Thus such an Hindutva is positive in outlook, while raw Hindu
xenophobia is negative and based on Hindu hegemony which will frighten
all. Such a Hindutva will resolve our current energy-sapping identity
crisis, which otherwise will completely emasculate India in the long
run. The choice for the patriotic Indian is thus clear: We need a
clear and positive view of our national identity based on our Hindu
past and a Hindu renaissance to unite the Hindus with constructive
mind-set as well as persuade the minorities to be co-opted culturally
with Hindu society.
Once being Indian means Virat Brihad Hindutva, we can tackle terrorism
by an effective strategy of defence. What are the components of that
strategy is the subject matter of my next column here.
(To be concluded)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=268&page=10
December 28, 2008
Out of the Box
Isolate and confront the rogue state, war no option
By Subramanian Swamy
Hindus and such Muslims and Christians together constitute the
Hindustan nation. All others are either permanent residents or
foreigners, but therefore should have no voting rights. NRIs abroad
who also acknowledge to be of Hindustani descent can be permitted to
be voters in India.
Since the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has yet not condemned Pakistan
for allowing its territory to be used by ?non-state actors?, such a
Commission is all the more necessary. Pakistan cannot be allowed to
wash its hands off responsibility in this by silence of those who are
paid to speak in Parliament by the tax-payer on behalf of the Indian
nation.
Coming back to the question of retaliation for the Mumbai 26/11
attack, I advocate US-Israel-India coordinated aerial strikes at all
the prominent training bases of the LeT and JeM in PoK, which action,
since it is on a part of India, will not mean an act of war, whatever
Pakistan may think. This is the mirror-image of the argument that
Pakistan itself has used while invading India in 1999 in the Kargil
sector i.e., since they consider J&K not a part of India, hence
Pakistan can invade it!
Terrorist attacks such 26/11 Mumbai carnage can be deterred only by
effective retaliation which will serve as a deterrence against future
attacks. What is an effective retaliation for the 26/11 attacks ? In
my view, it is bombing of LeT camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-held
territories. That means war declared by Pakistan. War is however a
terrible event in human affairs. It is against the finer and civilised
instinct of the human being and a temporary triumph of the base
emotions. Wars are imposed either on evil intentions or by
miscalculations. Civilised societies to survive have to be prepared
for such wars. My quick answer thus to the question whether war with
Pakistan is then inevitable is: Yes!
My substantive answer is that the war will be imposed on us anyway
whether we retaliate or not, by the compulsions of Pakistan?s polity,
and we should prepare for a formal war with that country which could
come anytime within the next four years. The terror genie is now out
of the bottle in Pakistan, and an informal ad hoc proxy war is already
on between India and Pakistan through Pak-trained terrorists. It
cannot be ended without a decisive formal war. We cannot also go on
bleeding like we have during last 20 years, each occasion at the time
and place of choosing of the terrorists of Pakistan. To top it all, we
are being dished out Pakistan?s inane argument on the need providing ?
proof?, by a government which is a puppet of the trainers of these
terrorists.
Unlike the 1965, 1971, and 1999 wars with Pakistan, this time we
should first prepare instead react by reflecting on who are our real
allies in this coming war, and what the post-war situation of a
destructed and disarmed Pakistan should be. In 1971, USSR was claimed
to be our ally, but it would not let us smash the West Pakistan
military machine when the Pakistan army was on all fours on the
floor.
This time, because of nuclear weapons on both sides, the war has to be
decisive. Pakistan must be sanitized and/or further dismembered beyond
recognition. The new Pakistan or the former Pakistans must be led by
those who understand India?s retaliatory capacity.
One thousand years of the foreign invasions of this land have proved
that Hindus will not submit, no matter what the tribulation and
personal tragedy. Iran, Babylonia, Turkey, Egypt and others of the
Middle East had in contrast submitted and became majority Muslim
countries within a few decades. But Hindus as a whole, despite 1000
years of brutality and impoverishment, have stood defiantly. In Akhand
Hindustan, we are still 75 per cent of the total population despite
all the atrocities.
But now defiance is no more enough. Now we must decisively and finally
settle the issue and defeat our centuries? old tormentors and the
violent theology behind it.
In my last column I had stated that Islamic terrorism cannot be fought
unless we adopt a virat brihad Hindutva concept of identity for
Indians, which identity I defined as the mindset of Hindus, who are
proud of their Hinduness, and ready to co-opt Muslims and Christians
as blood brothers and sisters if they too proudly acknowledge the
truth that their ancestors are Hindus and that despite change of
religion their culture does not change [Culture is a secular concept
defined on the myriad of human relations and attitudes].
Hindus and such Muslims and Christians together constitute the
Hindustan nation. All others are either permanent residents or
foreigners, but therefore should have no voting rights. NRIs abroad
who also acknowledge to be of Hindustani descent can be permitted to
be voters in India.
This mindset in responding to terror must focus on retaliation as a
deterrent against terrorism, which is the real meaning of ?zero
tolerance? for terrorism. The retaliation cannot be confused with
vengeance but has to be defined as effective actions to nullify the
political objectives of the patrons of terrorists.
What is, for example, the retaliation for the 26/11 terrorist attack
on Mumbai? Or for that matter, the ?menu? of retaliation for all the
terrorist attacks since 1989 beginning with when 500,000 Hindus and
Sikhs were driven out by terrorists from the Kashmir valley?
The retaliation has to be tailored in each terrorist attack to nullify
the political objective of the patrons which objective motivates that
attack.
In the 26/11 attack, the political objective was to demonstrate to the
world that India is a wobbly, flabby, and corrupt country that cannot
defend itself, that anyone can bribe his way with Indians to achieve
his nefarious goal. Hence, they want to demonstrate that India is a
corroding civilisation, and unworthy being a reliable ally of any
country. That is why foreign tourists of friendly countries, such as
US and Israel, were chosen for murder.
The terror patrons of Pakistan have, in my opinion, achieved
substantially this objective by putting a question mark on our
integrity as a people. How could such an operation, foreigners now
ask, be put through without the intelligence having a clue? Is it
because India ignored timely US intelligence of September that made
the LeT postpone its dastardly project scheduled of September 27th to
26/11?
The truth is more bizarre: Intelligence Bureau and RAW did know, but
the information was not acted on by the Maharashtra government. Why?
It is rubbish to say that the information was not ?actionable?, i.e.,
not specific enough to take counter measures. I have had access to
some of the intelligence supplied to the Maharashtra government, some
of it are dated two years ago, which disproves this claim.
One such advisory actually states that LeT-trained terrorists
numbering about a dozen are likely to enter from the sea in the
Gateway area, and take control of high profile targets such as hotels!
Is this not actionable? Or was the Maharashtra Police prevented from
taking action by Ahmed Patel on behalf of Sonia Gandhi as alluded to
by former Chief Minister of the state, Mr. Narayan Rane?
I thought therefore the Opposition in Parliament would have demanded
at least a Commission of Inquiry headed by a sitting judge of the
Supreme Court to go into all the lapses. Instead they wallowed in
talking of national unity. This is not the time to talk of unity with
the government. We are not yet in a formal war to need to talk of
unity with the government. A horrible incident had taken place, and it
is over now. Hence, it is the duty of the Opposition to put the
government in the dock, and at least demand a Commission to go into
the lapses. When a formal war is launched we can at that stage unite
with the government in a show of unity.
But not now. Since the UPA chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi has yet not
condemned Pakistan for allowing its territory to be used by ?non-state
actors?, such a Commission is all the more necessary. Pakistan cannot
be allowed to wash its hands off responsibility in this by silence of
those who are paid to speak in Parliament by the tax-payer on behalf
of the Indian nation.
Considering that the first employer in London in 1965 of Ms. Sonia
Gandhi was a Pakistani called Salman Thassir, a dubious business
magnate with perhaps ISI connection, and that the guest of honour at
the select gathering of just 35 invitees to her daughter Priyanka?s
wedding, was Farida accompanied by her husband Munir Ataullah, both
known bag persons of prominent Pakistan politicians with ISI
connections, hence, it is a matter of concern that Ms. Sonia Gandhi
has not condemned Pakistan for the 26/11 attack, and in fact she has
not condemned even one terrorist attack starting Mumbai 1993.
Coming back to the question of retaliation for the Mumbai 26/11
attack, I advocate US-Israel-India coordinated aerial strikes at all
the prominent training bases of the LeT and JeM in PoK, which action,
since it is on a part of India, will not mean an act of war, whatever
Pakistan may think. This is the mirror-image of the argument that
Pakistan itself has used while invading India in 1999 in the Kargil
sector i.e., since they consider J&K not a part of India, hence
Pakistan can invade it!
The US and Israel will probably not agree at present to help in a
military strike since India has never come to the assistance of US or
Israel in their hour of grief. In fact when on the day Saddam Hussein
was toppled in 2003, a joint BJP-Congress resolution was passed by the
Lok Sabha condemning US ?imperialism? in Iraq! Nor have we ever
offered Israel help whenever a terrorist attack took place in that
country?
Hence, to get the US and Israel effectively on our side in this war on
terror, we too have to commit to help them in this war, not merely by
ministers paying a visit to Washington and waxing eloquent about
being ?natural allies?. For all their duplicity, Pakistan under
Musharraf in contrast had made a world of difference to the US in its
war on terror. Hence the soft corner for Pakistan in US and Europe.
For example, when New York Times reporter Daniel Pearl?s throat was
slit by LeT, the Pakistan government caught the mastermind Omar Sheikh
[whom we had released in the IC hijack matter at Kandahar] and sent
him to Guantanomo prison without making noises about ?proof?. More Al
Qaeda leaders have been captured or killed by the US with the
cooperation of Pakistan than by direct action of the US. Nor can the
US keep the Taliban out of Afghanistan without the active support of
Pakistan. Hence, it is understandable that the US is in a catch-22
situation on Pakistan and we in India, if we want US cooperation, have
to concretely provide a way out of that.
If we strike at the terrorists camps in PoK, the various governments
of Pakistan cannot sit quiet. There are four other governments of
Pakistan besides one headed by Zardari. In addition to his government,
there is the Army government operating through the seven corp
commanders, the ISI government working abroad through fake currency
and beautiful women, the Mullah government through Friday prayers in
mosques and by brainwashing in madrasas, and the de facto Taliban
government in the frontier areas. Anyone of these four governments can
declare a war against India on the war cry of jehad, and the other
four will have to follow. So war is the outcome of any retaliatory
action of India.
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=269&page=6
Opinion - Leader Page Articles
Defamation litigation: a survivor's kit
By Subramanian Swamy
The Supreme Court judgment in the Nakkeeran case is the main tool in
the survival kit for honest media and other critics of politicians
against libel litigation.
ON SEPTEMBER 17, the Tamil Nadu Government filed an affidavit in the
Supreme Court stating that it had ordered the withdrawal of 125
defamation cases filed against The Hindu and various other
publications. This is a tribute especially to The Hindu `parivar' for
showing guts and challenging the constitutionality of the cases filed
against its representatives. The Jayalalithaa Government chose
discretion over valour by not risking the Supreme Court striking down
the libel statute itself as unconstitutional. Rather than lose
permanently the weapon of state harassment of critics that defamation
law represents, the Government chose to back down.
This is the second time that the AIADMK State Government has directed
a carte blanche withdrawal of defamation cases. The first time was on
January 1, 1994 when the Tamil Nadu Government withdrew numerous
defamation cases filed against me in several Sessions Courts in the
State. The reason then was the same: the Supreme Court Bench of Chief
Justice M.N. Venkatachalaiah and Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy had heard
extensive arguments from me as petitioner in person and the Tamil Nadu
Government counsel on the defamation law, and then orally asked why
the law should not be struck down. The Government counsel then asked
for time, and came back a week later to say that all the cases against
me had been withdrawn. Hence, the cause of action for my petition
disappeared, and my petition became infructuous. I was personally
relieved but the law survived for use on another day.
But Justice Jeevan Reddy, who had listened to me with great care, went
on to write a landmark judgment in the Nakkeeran case [1994] that
incorporated the core of my arguments and citations from the United
States Supreme Court and the United Kingdom's House of Lords. That
judgment today c. The judgment however needs to be developed further
by more decided cases further clarified by continued challenge to
state-sponsored defamation litigation that has become far too frequent
in the country, so that freedom of speech and expression can become
more deep and extensive than at present.
Under the Indian Constitution, the fundamental right to free speech
(Article 19) is subject to "reasonable restrictions." What is
reasonable is subjective in a society; it can only be developed to
some objectivity by cases decided in courts [`case law'] and according
to the political culture of the times. At present, reasonableness is
codified in two laws — first, in exceptions to criminal culpability
incorporated in Sections 499 and 500 of the British colonial statute
known as the Indian Penal Code (1870), and second, the limits to civil
liability incorporated as tort law. In India, defamation proceedings
can be initiated under either or both, together or in sequence. Most
democratic countries have however done away with the criminal law,
which is archaic and draconian. But India has not yet done so.
What is one to do if one receives a court summons for alleged
defamation? For example, I once received a summons from a Delhi court
because I had called a BJP leader, V.K. Malhotra, "an ignoramus." The
remark was made by me during the Lok Sabha proceedings, but lifted by
a sub-editor and inserted in a column I wrote for the magazine.
Under the law, I had to prove that it was true — or face imprisonment.
Now, how does one prove that a person is an ignoramus in a court of
law? Add to that the harassment I would have to suffer of travelling
to court at least 10 times a year for at least five years to attend
the case or face a warrant for my production in court. Or I would have
to engage a lawyer who would charge me a hefty sum. All this for a
mild rebuke of a political leader? The editor of the magazine decided
he could not stomach it, so he apologised for printing the remark. I
was left holding the bag.
However, I fought the case and won. Mr. Malhotra was directed to pay
me Rs.8,000 as compensation for my petrol bills, which he paid with
some reluctance. Now how did I do it?
I pulled out of my survival kit the first tool of defence: in a
defamation case, the aggrieved person must prove "publication," which
means Mr. Malhotra would have to prove first that I had, in the
original text given to the magazine, written what was printed. The
onus was on him to produce the original. Now which magazine keeps the
original? He failed to produce it and I won.
In a 1997 press conference, I made some charges against Chief Minister
M. Karunanidhi. He used Section 199 of the Criminal Procedure Code to
get the Public Prosecutor to file a defamation case. This meant the
contest in court was between me and the state, and not between me and
the Chief Minister personally. Thus the Government would spend the
money out of the public exchequer and use Government counsel to
prosecute me, a totally unequal contest and wholly unfair (even if
legal).
If Section 199 had not been there, the Chief Minister would have
personally been the complainant and I would have had the right to
cross-examine him. Now which busy politician would like that? Hence, I
pulled out the second tool in my survival kit. I filed an application
before the judge making the point that the alleged defamation related
to the personal conduct of the Chief Minister and not to anything he
did in the course of public duty. I argued that Section 199 would not
apply. Thereafter, the State Public Prosecutor quickly lost interest
in the case. Had the judge rejected my prayer, I would have gone in
appeal to the Supreme Court and got Section 199 struck down. But alas,
I could not.
In 1988 another Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde, filed a suit
against me under tort law for Rs.2 crore damages for my allegation
that he was tapping telephones and using his office to benefit a
relative in land deals. Although ultimately, the Kuldip Singh
Commission and a parliamentary committee studying the Telegraph Act
upheld my contentions, I would have had a problem had the court
decided the case before these inquiry reports came out.
So I pulled out the third tool in my survival kit, namely the U.S.
Supreme Court case laws, the most famous of which was The New York
Times case decided in 1964. Contrary to popular impression, U.S. case
laws on fundamental rights are applicable to India following a Supreme
Court judgment in an Indian Express case in 1959.
Furthermore, since 1994, these U.S. case laws have become
substantially a part of Indian law, thanks to Justice Jeevan Reddy's
judgment in the Nakkeeran case.
The principle in these case laws, restricted to public persons suing
for damages, is wonderfully protective of free speech: if a person in
public life, including one in government, feels aggrieved by a
defamatory statement, then that person must first prove in court that
the defamatory statement is not only false, but that the maker of the
statement knew it to be false. That is, it must be proved by the
defamed plaintiff to be a reckless disregard of the truth by the
defamer defendant. This principle thus reversed the traditional onus
on the defamer to prove his or her allegation, and placed the burden
of proof on the defamed.
This reversal of burden of proof is just, essentially because a public
person has the opportunity to go before the media and rebut the
defamation in a way aggrieved private persons cannot do. If criticism
and allegations against a public person have to be proved in a court
of law, what is likely to happen is that public spirited individuals
will be discouraged and thus dissuaded from making the criticism. This
is what the U.S. Supreme Court in the famous New York Times case
characterised as a "chilling effect" on public debate; it held this to
be bad for democracy.
Hence the need to balance the protection of reputation in law with the
democratic need for transparency and vibrant public debate. The U.S.
Supreme Court admirably set the balance for freedom and democracy.
Since Mr. Hegde was an intelligent man, he recognised what my survival
strategy meant. He would have come on the stand in court. He would
have been examined and cross-examined on why what I said was not true,
and how he knew that I had known all along that my charges were false
and yet I made them. He therefore sent me a message one day wanting to
know if I would call it quits. So his defamation case went from one
adjournment to another, until it lapsed upon his death. Before his
passing, Hegde and I met. Both of us agreed that it was unwise for
politicians who have so much access to the media to rebut charges to
file defamation cases and waste the time of already overburdened
courts. I got the impression that some sharp lawyer was behind his
temporary loss of judgment in filing the case.
Today, with developing case laws, defamation litigation has become a
toothless tiger for politicians to use against the media. There are
enough dental tools in my survival kit to ensure this. I am therefore
writing a full Manual on how to expose dishonest politicians and get
away without being harassed in court. I hope honest critics will no
more hesitate to speak their minds about what they know to be the
truth even if they cannot prove this in court beyond a reasonable
doubt.
I am happy therefore that The Hindu chose to fight it out rather than
capitulate. More should follow its lead for a better democracy and a
freer media.
(The author, an economist, is a former Union Law Minister. As a rule
he argues his own cases in court without the agency of lawyers.)
http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092103551000.htm
Swamy fined for charge against Jaya
New Delhi, January 3
The Delhi High Court today imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Janata Party
President and former Union Minister Subramaniam Swamy for levelling
charges against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa that she
knew about the plan of the LTTE to assassinate former Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur in May 1991.
Mr Justice Pradeep Nandrajog said Mr Swamy had failed to establish
that Jayalalithaa had received information and money from the banned
LTTE for the assassination of Gandhi.
“The defendant (Swamy) had exceeded the limits of qualified privilege
as his statement was quite unconnected with and irrelevant to the
situation and suffers from redundancy of the expression,’’ said the
order.
The M.C. Jain Commission of Inquiry was constituted on August 23, 1991
by the Centre to look into the circumstances leading to the
assassination of Gandhi.
Appearing before the commission, Mr Swamy had said Ms Jayalalithaa was
tipped by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) about the
assassination of Gandhi by its suicide bombers on April 17, 1991. —
UNI
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060104/nation.htm#16
December 03, 2006
Thinkpad
Basic Islam for Hindu Dhimmis
By Subramanian Swamy
Temples have been demolished in the Valley on a daily basis. The world
could not care less. An American had once told me: ?Why should we
care? Indian democracy is led by the majority who are Hindus and you
want us to talk about the human rights of the community of rulers??
We do not have much time, in fact about 45 years, as the X-graph of
statistical regressions estimated by J.S. Bajaj and colleagues shows. ?
X? represents the two trends?Hindu percentage declining and Muslim
percentage rising, and intersecting in the year 2061.
We Hindus must understand the true nature of Islam before we can
formulate a strategy to defeat those who threaten us.
Thanks to Shri Vedantamji of the VHP, I had visited Thondi and
Rasathipuram Municipalities of Ramanathapuram and Vellore districts
respectively, and was truly shocked by what I saw. Both these
municipalities are in Muslim-majority areas, and the local bodies
election had empowered the Muslims with their capture of the
municipalities.
The Muslim-ruled municipalities have thereafter converted these areas
into mini Dar-ul-Islams, in a Hindustan of 83 per cent Hindus! The
minority Hindu areas of the municipality were thus denied civic
amenities, funds for schools, garbage clearing etc., and sent notices
in Urdu. Hindus were bluntly told convert to Islam if they wanted
civic facilities.
I could not believe that in South India this was possible where Hindus
are actually above national average at 90 per cent of the population.
I know that in Kashmir Valley, Muslims who are in majority have
actively or passively connived in driving out half a million Hindus
out of their homes and made them refugees in their own country.
Temples have been demolished in the Valley on a daily basis. The world
could not care less. An American had once told me: ?Why should we
care? Indian democracy is led by the majority who are Hindus and you
want us to talk about the human rights of the community of rulers??
Such atrocities are happening not only in Kashmir, but in other parts
of India as well in pockets wherever Muslims are in majority, e.g.,
Mau and Meerut. In pocket boroughs of India, thus, Dar-ul-Islam has
today returned to India after two centuries. Considering that a
demographic re-structuring is slowly but surely taking place, with
Hindu majority shrinking everywhere, Dar-ul-Islam in pockets might
indeed, like amoeba, proliferate, coalesce, and jell into a
frightening national reality?unless we Hindus wake up and take
corrective action now, actions for which we shall of course not get a
Nobel Peace Prize.
Dar-ul-Islam is a Muslim religious concept of a land where Muslims
rule, and the non-believers in Islam are termed as Dhimmis. The term
Dhimmi was coined after the Jews were crushed in Medina [Khaybar to be
exact], and the defeated Jews accepted that if they did not convert to
Islam, then they would accept second-class status politically,
culturally, and religiously. This included zero civil rights including
the right to modesty of women, and the special tax jaziya.
There is thus no scope for Muslims and non-Muslims uniting as equals
in the political, cultural, or social system in a Dar-ul-Islam where
Muslims rule. Secular order in India thus is possible only when
Muslims are not in power. Thondi, Rasathipuram and other places prove
that the Muslim mind suffers from a dangerous duality?of seeking
secularism when out of power and imposing a brutal demeaning theocracy
for non-Muslims when in power.
It is this duality that patriotic Hindus must re-shape by modern
education and other means, as also retain its demographic overwhelming
majority in India. We do not have much time, in fact about 45 years,
as the X-graph of statistical regressions estimated by J.S. Bajaj and
colleagues shows. ?X? represents the two trends?Hindu percentage
declining and Muslim percentage rising, and intersecting in the year
2061.
The dhimmitude of Jews in Medina and later in Mecca represents the
beginning of religious apartheid inherent and basic to Islamic mores,
and practised long before what we saw in South Africa on the basis of
colour and race, and that which became prevalent during the Islamic
imperialist rule in parts of India. Hindus had been dhimmis for six
hundred years in those parts of India despite being a bigger majority
in the country than even today. Hence, a majority is not enough.
Hindus need also a Hindu mindset to be free.
In his presidential address to the Muslim League in Lahore in 1940,
Mohammed Ali Jinnah had articulated this concept of apartheid in his
own inimitable way:
?To visualise Hindus and Muslims in India uniting to create a common
nation is a mythical concept. It is only a fancy dream of some
unawakened Hindu leaders?. The truth is that Hindus and Muslims are
two different civilisations?. since their thought process grow on
different beliefs.?
Large sections of Muslims in India then had rejected Jinnah and his
concept of non-compatibility of Muslims with Hindus. But after
Independence and Partition, instead of building on this rejection by
many Muslims, the Nehru era saw increasing pandering precisely to the
religious element that believed in this apartheid. Indira Gandhi
vigorously continued this appeasement thereby nurturing the apartheid
mentality of Muslim orthodoxy.
But the final undermining of the enlightened Muslim came when the
government capitulated in the Shah Bano case. Thousands of Muslims had
demonstrated on the streets demanding that the government not bring
legislation that would nullify the Supreme Court?s judgment in the
Shah Bano case but in vain. Rajiv Gandhi, I learnt later, on counsel
from his Italian Catholic family, had surrendered to the hard line
clerics who protested that the Supreme Court had no right to interfere
and to de facto amend the Shariat, the Islamic law code. These
relatives on a directive from the Vatican thought that if secular law
would be applied to Muslims, it can be to the Christians too.
This was a nonsense argument of the Muslim clerics, since the Shariat
had already been amended, without protest, in the criminal law of
India. The Indian Penal Code represents the uniform criminal code that
equally applies to all religious communities. I therefore ask the
clerics: if a Muslim is caught stealing, can any court in India direct
that his hand at the wrist be cut off as the Shariat prescribes? If
Muslims can accept a uniform criminal code what is the logic in
rejecting the uniform civil code?
In India, Dhimmi status for Hindus during Islamic imperialist rule has
had other social implications. Defiant Brahmins and Kshatriyas, who
had refused to convert and chose to remain Hindus, were forced to
carry night-soil and suffer great indignities for their women folk. Or
it meant gross mental torture. Guru Tegh Bahadur, for example, had to
see his sons sawed in half, before the pious Guru?s own head was
severed and displayed in public.
The debasement of Hindu society then was such that those targeted
valiant Brahmins and Kshatriyas, who had refused to convert and thus
made to carry night-soil, were disowned by other Hindus and declared
to be asprashya or ?untouchable?. The ranks of the Scheduled Caste
community, which was not more than 1 per cent of the population before
the advent of Islam in India, swelled to 14 per cent by the time
Mughal rule collapsed.
Thus, today?s SC community, especially those who are still Hindus,
consists mostly of those valiant Brahmins and Kshatriyas who had
refused to become Muslims but preferred ostracization and ignominy in
order to remain Hindus. Hindu society today should offer koti koti
pranams to them for keeping the Bhagwa Dhwaj of Hindu religion flying
even at great personal cost and misery.
I have already written enough in these columns about Hindus being
under siege from Islamic fanatics and Christian proselytizers. I have
suggested that we can lift this siege only if we develop a Hindu
mindset, which is a four dimensional concept. But that mind must be
informed, and understand why others do what they do to Hindus before
we can defeat their nefarious designs. Here I suggest therefore that
we Hindus must understand the true nature of Islam before we can
formulate a strategy to defeat those who threaten us. In a later
column I will write about the true nature of Christianity and how to
combat the menace of religious conversions of Hindus.
At this juncture let me add even though I oppose conversion as
violence, as Swami Dayanand Sarasvati boldly wrote to the Vatican
Pope, nevertheless if an Indian Muslim or Christian changes his
religion to Hinduism today, I will not regard it as conversion because
it is a return to the Hindu fold of those whose ancestors had been
forcibly converted.
Unlike Hinduism, which says not a word against non-believers, in fact
says that other religions also lead to God, Islam is harsh on them,
and justifies violence against them as sacred. The choice to non-
believers in Islam is: convert or accept dhimmitude. Hence, the
explanation for Thondi, Rasathipuram, Mau etc., and the duality in
ethics practised by Muslims everywhere. A true Muslim is Dr. Jekyll
when in minority, and Mr. Hyde when in majority.
So what should we Hindus do? First, recognise that being a pious Hindu
is not enough. Hindus must unite and work to install a Hindu-minded
government. If 35 per cent of the 83 per cent Hindus unite to vote for
a party, absolute majority is attainable. If Hindu Dharma Acharya
Sabha, RSS, and VHP decide to mobilise the voter to support a party
that espouses an approved Hindu agenda, then the union government is
within reach through the ballot box. Second, search for those Muslims
who are ready to openly and with pride declare that their ancestors
were Hindus. My guess is that about 75 per cent of Muslims will be
ready to do so. These are the Muslims who can be co-opted by Hindus to
fight Islamic fundamentalism. If we do not do so, then the Muslim
clerics will have a free run of their fanaticism.
For this a required reading is Sri Sri Ravishankar?s Hinduism & Islam:
Dedicated to the People of Pakistan Who have Forgotten Their Own Roots
[www.artofliving.org]. In this Sri Sri Ravishankar has shown how ?
Muslims have completely forgotten that their forefathers were Hindus,
so they have every right to Vedic culture?. He in fact traces the pre-
Islam origins of the K?aaba. Third, invest heavily in primary
education to make it world class, ban the madrasas for any student
below 21 years, and make Sanskrit a compulsory language for all
students.
(The writer is a former Union Law Minister.)
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=159&page=31
chhotemianinshallah
Muslim-Hindu conflicts in India?
by Thandi Center
Level: High School
Background
Overview
In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to learn about the
deep-rooted, historical conflict between Muslims and Hindus in India
-- particularly in the province of Gujarat. Using Religion & Ethics
resources and a variety of other materials, including personal
narratives of survivors and eyewitnesses, students will explore the
violent nature of the animosity between the two groups. They will also
consider larger issues: whether religious beliefs can ever legitimize
violence; whether religious conflict is an inevitable human
experience; and possible resolutions to situations of religious
conflict.
Grade Level:
Grades 9-12
Time Allotment:
5-7 class periods
Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It
will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your
students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints.
Subject Matter:
World History; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Conduct research on important background information regarding the
Muslim-Hindu conflict in India.
Use analytical skills to explore and understand the ways in which
India (and other nations) can resolve or address religious conflict.
Develop interviewing skills.
Work cooperatively in small groups.
Synthesize the information they gather during the unit and through
interviews in a class presentation.
Understand the following vocabulary: secular, communalism/ communal
violence, Gujarat, Ayodhya, Hindu nationalism, religious majority/
minority, mosque, temple.
Standards
Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/print/p-lp_conflict-standards.html
This lesson was prepared by: Thandi Center
What do you think of this lesson plan? We want to know!
Good teaching gets better, and becomes more exciting, when people
share ideas. If you've used this or any of R&E's lesson plans, please
take a moment to e-mail us to describe what worked best for you, what
you might have wanted done differently, or anything else you feel
would make our lesson plans better.
Contact David Streight | Ask a question | Make a suggestion
R&E's Master Teacher David Streight
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/lp_conflict.html
What are the causes and consequences of
Muslim-Hindu conflicts in India? by Thandi Center Back to Lesson Plan
List
Level: High School
Procedures For Teachers
Prep -- Preparing for the lesson
Steps -- Conducting the lesson
Extension -- Additional Activities
Prep
Media Components
Computer Resources:
Modem: 56.6 Kbps or faster.
Browser: Netscape Navigator 4.0 or above or Internet Explorer 4.0 or
above.
Personal computer (Pentium II 350 MHz or Celeron 600 MHz) running
Windows® 95 or higher and at least 32 MB of RAM.
Macintosh computer: System 8.1 or above and at least 32 MB of RAM.
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher. Download the free Adobe Acrobat
reader here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
Bookmarked sites:
TIP: Prior to teaching, bookmark all of the Web sites used in the
lesson and create a word processing document listing all of the links.
Preview all sites and videos before presenting them to the class.
PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly: Cover Story -- Hindu-Muslim Conflict
in India, May 24, 2002
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/cover.html
Provides a variety of perspectives on the outbreak of Muslim-Hindu
violence in the province of Gujarat in February 2002, as well as some
historical background on the tensions.
PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly: Cover Story -- India's Muslims,
October 26, 2001.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week508/cover.html
Explores the impact of September 11th and the War on Terrorism on
India's Muslim and Hindu communities. Provides interesting background
information on the Muslims of India.
"Hindu-Muslim Violence Imperils India," TIME.com
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,213670,00.html
A good description of the historical significance of the holy site in
Ayodhya, and how extreme violence has been justified by both Hindus
and Muslims in the name of preserving holy sites for their people.
Protecting Religious Freedom and Holy Sites
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/research/cjl/articles/holysites.htm
A discussion from the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee
about how holy places are often targets of violence or vengeance
instead of veneration and reverence. The Committee offers thoughts and
recommendations about how to reduce this violence and promote greater
inter-group understanding.
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
For the purposes of this lesson, draw students' attention to Article
18 regarding freedom of religion.
United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
November 1981
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/d_intole.htm
From the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, this
resolution will provide students an international framework for
understanding the necessary rights and freedoms associated with
"freedom of religion."
Overview: "Ireland's Troubled History," Washington Post.com, updated
April, 1999.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/nireland/overview.htm
Provides an excellent historical overview of the conflict between
Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.
"India's secularism under threat?" BBC News. March 15, 2002.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/1874473.stm
Raises important questions about whether the secular state of India is
threatened with collapse in the face of some of the worst Muslim-Hindu
violence in history.
PBS Wide Angle: Global Classroom Lesson Plan on Religion and Culture
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/classroom/lp5.html
Using the Hindu-Muslim conflict in India as a case study, students
investigate violent acts carried out in the name of religious
conviction.
Materials:
Teachers will need the following supplies:
Board and/or chart paper
Ideally a screen on which to project the Web-based video clips
Handouts of Web resources if computers are not available in the
classroom
Students will need the following supplies:
Computers with the capacities indicated above
Notebook or journal
Pens/pencils
Dictionaries
Other Prep: Prepare a list of contact information for Muslim and Hindu
leaders, community members, or representatives from cultural, social,
or political organizations. Good sources for this information include
the phone book (particularly the "community" directory in the
beginning, a directory of mosques or temples in the area, and Internet
search engines. You might want to contact these places yourself,
describe the project your students are working on, and ask if there
are individuals who might be willing to make themselves available for
interviews (on the phone, in person, or even via e-mail).
Steps
Introductory Activity:
1. Distribute the What I Know, Want to Know, and Learned organizer.
This organizer should be completed and handed in on the final day of
the unit, following the student presentations.
2. Elicit from students what they know about Muslims and Hindus in
India, the tensions between the two groups, and the reasons they have
clashed violently in the past. Track responses on a piece of chart
paper labeled "Know," and remind students to do the same in their
student organizers. Inform the class that even misinformation and
myths can be listed here and can be later revised in the "Learned"
section towards the end of the unit. If necessary, ask some prompting
questions such as:
Where is India?
Are Hindus or Muslims the majority in India?
Is India a religious state or a secular democracy? (make sure they
understand the terms "religious state," "secular," and "democracy")
What happened in the province of Gujarat in India in 2002? (If the
students don't know about it, prompt them to add it to their "want to
know" list.)
3. Ask students to brainstorm what they want to know about Hindus and
Muslims in India, about the relationship between these two groups and
the reasons they have clashed violently in the past. Track responses
on a piece of chart paper labeled "Want to Know," and remind students
to do the same in their student organizers. Suggest that they can add
to this list any questions that arise during the upcoming learning
activities.
4. Hang the "What I Know" and "Want to Know" chart paper lists in the
classroom for the remainder of the unit.
5. Inform students that the culminating activity for the lesson will
be a presentation by an independent research team (groups of 4
students) to the Indian government that includes:
an overview and history of Muslim-Hindu conflicts in India, and
research and findings (including interview data) to guide the
government in efforts it might make to promote greater religious
freedom and understanding throughout India.
Learning Activities:
Activity One: Introduction to the Hindu-Muslim conflict in India
1. Explain that the class will be viewing a video clip from Religion
and Ethics from May 2002 -- following months of violence between
Muslims and Hindus in the province of Gujarat in India. The clip
covers the violence that broke out in February, but also examines the
underlying causes of that violence.
2. Ask students to brainstorm some questions that might guide the
class in their viewing of this clip. They may refer to their "Want to
Know" list for questions. Post their questions on the board. Offer one
or two of your own guiding questions as well. Some examples include:
What are Hindus and Muslims fighting about in Gujarat?
What have been the effects of their conflict?
Have they affected us? Do these conflicts affect the US?
3. Have the class view part of the video clip from the Religion &
Ethics NewsWeekly Cover Story: Hindu-Muslim Conflict in India, May 24,
2002
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/cover.html (the
video clip link is in the middle of this Web page)
View the first 4 minutes and 38 seconds, finishing after the piece
about the boy, Naved, when the commentator says, "An uncle who lives
in south India has offered to take him in, Naved says, when it is
safe. It will be a while." This is right before the commentator says,
"It is not often that one can walk in the middle of the street."
4. Refer back to the guideline questions on the board (see step 2
above), and call on volunteers to provide answers based on the video.
Allow time for discussion and/or questions about the video.
Activity Two: Investigating the Gujarat case study
1. Tell students that their work will evaluated based on their
performance in the following areas:
Participation in class discussion
Completion of the What I Know, Want to Know, and Learned student
organizer
Reading of materials, and thorough responses to questions.
Quality of participation in group work
Quality of the Key Arguments to Be Presented organizer.
Serious preparation for interviews with Muslim and Hindu religious
leaders and/or community members and with other community members (a
draft of interview questions should be due before students conduct the
interviews)
Performance on the culminating activity: a presentation by an
independent research team (groups of 4 students) to the Indian
government that includes:
an overview and history of Muslim-Hindu conflicts in India, and
research and findings (including interview data) to guide the
government in efforts to promote greater religious freedom and
understanding throughout India.
2. Divide the class into groups of 4. Students will remain in these
groups for the remainder of the unit, and group members will prepare
and present their final projects together.
3. Have students read (silently to themselves) the following two
resources:
PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly: Cover Story -- Hindu-Muslim Conflict
in India, May 24, 2002
(Students viewed half of the video clip from this episode in Activity
One.)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/cover.html
"Hindu-Muslim Violence Imperils India," TIME.com
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,213670,00.html
4. Allow 20-30 minutes of reading time, and have students keep a list
of any new terms they come across.
5. Post the following questions on the board:
What have been the consequences of Hindu-Muslim conflicts in Gujarat?
Is either group innocent in this conflict?
Who is most to blame for the violence early in 2002?
Does either religious group have a more legitimate claim to the
disputed sites in Gujarat?
How have people's religious identities impacted their quality of life,
rights, and freedoms?
6. Back in the groups of four, students should first define any of the
new terms they identified in the readings. Students should draw on one
another's knowledge and use dictionaries to define new terms. (You
might mention a few of the "big" ones from the readings so students
can add them to their lists if they do not have them already. These
include: secular, communalism).
7. Then, explain that you want each small group to do the following:
Read and make sure they understand the questions (ask one another or
the teacher for further explanation).
Take 5 minutes to individually write short responses -- not
necessarily full sentences -- to each of the questions (have students
time themselves).
Each group member presents to the group his/her answers to the
questions.
The group discusses their answers, their similarities, and
differences.
HOMEWORK:
Refer students to the Tips for Interviewing handout (make sure to
distribute this in advance of the homework assignment). Also hand out
the pre-prepared list of contact information for Muslim and Hindu
community members/ leaders. Remind students that when they make
contact with these individuals, they should identify themselves,
describe their project, and ask when a good time for a 15-20 minute
interview might be.
The task: Prepare interview questions, and contact Hindu/Muslim
representatives to schedule interviews.
Prepare 10 questions for interviews with community members regarding:
their views on conflicts between religious groups, their views on what
can be done to prevent religious violence, and their experience in, or
opinions about, different countries with issues of religious freedom
or conflict -- how have these countries addressed violence related to
religious beliefs?
This last aspect would be particularly interesting to explore with
individuals who are from, or have spent time in, a country that has
struggled with issues of religious freedom or conflict (e.g. Israel/
Palestine, Iran, Northern Ireland, etc.).
Schedule interviews with family members, neighbors, teachers, friends
-- but be sure to have some variety among your respondents.
Schedule an interview with at least one Muslim and one Hindu community
member by using the contact list your teacher generated or by reaching
out to Hindus or Muslims you might know.
Activity Three: Exploring options for quelling the violence and
promoting greater freedom
1. Students hand in homework (10 interview questions). You should
return the homework the following day.
2. To prepare students for the readings they are about to explore, ask
for volunteers to describe what the United Nations is and track their
responses on the board. You may need to offer additional information:
mention that the UN is an international organization that was
established in 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace
through international cooperation and collective security. Ask
students why they think the UN was established in 1945 -- what did
that year mark the end of? Today, nearly every nation in the world
belongs to the UN: membership totals 189 countries. Explain that some
of the documents students will be reviewing are UN documents, and that
they influence the policies and practices of many nations.
3. Have students read (silently to themselves) the following three
resources:
Protecting Religious Freedom and Holy Sites
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/research/cjl/articles/holysites.htm
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
For the purposes of this lesson, draw students' attention to Article
18 regarding freedom of religion.
United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
November 1981
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/d_intole.htm
Allow 30 minutes of reading time, and have students do two things as
they read: (1) keep a list of any new terms they come across, and (2)
in one or two sentences, summarize the main idea of each of the three
pieces.
4. Post the following questions/tasks on the board (you might want to
write them out on chart paper in advance):
As a group, define any new terms members of your group came across.
Share each of your notes regarding the main idea of each resource.
Should freedom of religion be an international human right? What are
the arguments for securing it as an international human right? What
might the counter-arguments be?
Is there a legitimate argument that individual countries can determine
for themselves how to deal with issues of religious freedom and
tolerance?
What steps have been taken in the U.S. to promote and secure religious
freedom and tolerance? (See note below.)
What steps might be taken in India to promote and secure religious
freedom and tolerance?
Note: If time permits, have students explore the measures taken by
governments of countries in which there has been a history of
religious conflict, such as Northern Ireland. While students examine
this case study, they should look for similarities and differences
between it and the India case study, as well as between it and the
United States. For background information about Northern Ireland, have
students visit
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/nireland/overview.htm.
6. In their small groups, have students engage with the above
questions. Tell them they all need to take notes during the
discussion, highlighting the key arguments made by each of their group
members.
7. One member from each group should then fill out the Key Arguments
to Be Presented organizer, while members take turns sharing the key
arguments they highlighted during the previous discussion.
Homework: Finish scheduling interviews with all your interviewees for
the next 2 -3 days. Prepare 2-5 more interview questions based on what
you learned during today's lesson.
Activity Four: Work on interview skills and conduct mock interviews
1. Hand back interview questions with comments/suggestions.
2. Discuss interview techniques and guidelines, reviewing the Tips for
Interviewing handout that students received.
Have volunteers read each bulleted point from the handout. Allow
students to give examples of each one to illustrate their
understanding.
3. Model an interview for the class by selecting a student as your
subject, and ask a set of questions (modeling the appropriate body
language as well -- active listening etc.). The following is an
example of how you might choose to model an interview:
What is your full name, your age and occupation?
What are your feelings about the state's policy about students having
to pass state exams in order to graduate from high school?
What are some ways that state and school leaders might ease the
effects this policy has on students?
4. Have students partner up and conduct mock interviews with one
another, using the interview questions that were returned at the
beginning of class. Remind the interviewing students to keep notes on
their interviewee's responses. These responses can be included in
students' interview analysis and summary.
Homework (if possible, for two nights): Conduct interviews (can
include phone interviews, and even some e-mail interviews). Remind
students to include the 2-5 questions regarding freedom of religion
they added for homework after Learning Activity Three. Tell students
to take organized, legible notes, and to make sure they record the
name, age, and other relevant information for each respondent.
Culminating Activity/Assessment: Preparing proposal for India's
government
1. Explain the nature of the final presentation to students. Each
independent research team (group of four students), will present the
following to representatives of the Indian government:
An overview of the most recent manifestation of Muslim-Hindu conflict,
and an account of the history of such conflict in India.
A summary of their findings regarding the Gujarat case and the
question of religious freedom as an international human right (based
on readings, class discussion, interviews), with facts, quotes, and
examples to illustrate these findings.
A recommendation from the group regarding steps India might take to
begin to quell the violence and promote greater religious freedom and
understanding throughout India. Include concrete steps that the
government, schools, communities, and families can take to promote
greater understanding among the religious groups in India.
Include visuals if at all possible.
2. Have students suggest how their performance on this project might
be assessed. Track their responses on chart paper. Then share the
Rubric for Culminating Project and explain that these are the elements
that you will be evaluating students on. Ask the class if any of those
that they identified are missing from your rubric. If they are, you
might agree to incorporate all or some of them into the rubric.
3. Allow class preparation time. Urge students to assign tasks to each
member of the group, so that each group participant has an opportunity
to prepare and present the final presentation. Students should refer
back to their work on the Key Arguments to Be Presented organizer, and
also use this time to compare their interview notes and prepare
summary statements, draw conclusions, etc.
Homework: Students work on their presentations, including the
preparation of visuals.
Culminating Activity/Assessment: Presentations of independent research
teams
1. Student presentations
Remind students that they will be assessed for both their individual
and group efforts in these presentations.
As each group presents, the rest of the class should take notes and
record any questions they have for the presenters.
Allow some time after each presentation for students to ask questions
of one another.
2. Following the presentations, have students fill out the "Learned"
section of the What I Know, Want to Know, and Learned organizer.
Collect these from students.
Extensions
Have students conduct case studies of countries and/or peoples where
conflict over religious beliefs and holy sites has caused violence and
destruction. For example, students might examine the conflict between
Israelis and Palestinians over Israel:
MidEast Web: A Brief History of Israel and Palestine
http://www.mideastweb.org/BriefHistory.htm
BBC News: Holy Places
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/middle_east/2000/holy_places/
Educators for Social Responsibility: Teaching Ideas and Activities
http://www.esrmetro.org
Students may also consider the Taliban's destruction of the Buddha
statues in Afghanistan:
NPR: The Buddhas of Bamiyan
http://www.npr.org/programs/wesat/features/2002/feb/buddha/buddha.html
Have students study the geography and wildlife of India, learn about
the various regions and landscapes, and examine how the country's
environment has impacted its people:
NATURE: India: Land of the Tiger
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/india/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/lp_conflict2.html
What are the causes and consequences of Muslim-Hindu conflicts in
India? by Thandi Center Back to Lesson Plan List
Level: High School
Organizers for Students
Print out and make copies of these organizers for your students:
What I Know, Want to Know, and Learned
Key Arguments to Be Presented
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/print/handout_know_organizer.html
Tips for Interviewing
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/print/handout_interviewing.html
Interview Planning Sheet (multiple copies per student)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/print/handout_planning.html
Rubric for Culminating Project
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/print/handout_rubric.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/lp_conflict3.html
Hindu-Muslim conflict – need for conciliation
By Iqbal A. Ansari
For more than a century Hindu-Muslim relation in India appears to have
remained unsettled, one dimension of which may be characterized as
conflictual. It led to partition of the country, which brought in its
wake even more enlarged and more intensified areas of conflict,
including Kashmir, manifested in periodic inter-state wars and inter-
community bloodbaths.
The constitution of India and institutions established under it are
supposed to provide a mechanism for the resolution of inter-group
conflicts in the country. But ideal conditions for the working of the
constitution do not obtain, reasons for which may be sought in the
culture of power politics, in the judicial system and in the law-
enforcement machinery, besides the non-egalitarian traditional
cultural ethos that makes us accept unfair and unjust treatment of the
‘other’. Even if conditions on the ground improve enabling
constitutional scheme of dispute resolution to become a reality,
sources of conflict, some of which are inbuilt in the constitution,
will not simply disappear. There are for example grey areas in the
constitutional provisions related to freedom of religion and
conversion, secularism and cow protection, and minority right to
preserve its culture along with directive to secure Uniform Personal
Laws, wherein conflicting claims do not appear to have been harmonized
either by judiciary or by political consensus. The conflict,
therefore, cannot be left to be resolved by law alone.
Following are some of the issues that have the potential to be used in
aggravating the communal divide for political mobilization as has been
done in the past:
(i)Understanding of and dealing with history, especially that of
Medieval India in the context of role of Islam in India. (ii) Ayodhya,
Kashi and Mathura as special cases of the legacy of history (iii)
characterization of one by the other community as malicha and kafir
(iv) religious processions and playing of music before mosques (v)
conversions from one religion to another (vi) Bande Matram (vii) cow
protection (viii) Hindu culture, national heroes, and Muslims (ix)
communal riots (x) the de facto status of Urdu especially in U.P. (xi)
conflicting perceptions of discriminatory-exclusionary practices
against Muslims and perceptions of their appeasement (xii) Muslim
Personal Law and Uniform civil Code (xiii) Muslims loyalty to India
(xiv) perception of threat of worldwide Islamic fundamentalist
domination by Hindus and of assimilation by Muslims.
One can easily be tempted to characterize the Hindu-Muslim sub-
continental mortal conflict situation including that in Kashmir in
terms of Samuel Huntington’s theory of clash of civilizations. But
those who do not subscribe to any theory that makes us accept the
inevitability of long term historical processes and affirm faith in
the efficacy of organized human intervention for redirecting the
course of history, as has happened in Western Europe, need to
undertake the mission of peaceful resolution of this conflict. One can
hope that all liberals, humanists and genuinely religious persons and
groups belong to the latter category.
The first requisite of the success of any such mission is the
acceptance by the disputants that peace dividends will not only be
beneficial for all concerned in terms of socio-economic-cultural human
development, but also in terms of realization of respective
civilizational aspirations.
The second requirement is appropriate structuring of the process of
conciliation. Any such conciliation group will be required to take up
Ayodhya, cow protection and conversion etc. not one by one as separate
issues, but to address the whole range of issues as manifestations of
each community’s collective state of mind characterized by distrust
and fear engendered by the legacy of history and strengthened by
partition and Indo-Pak conflicts.
Any attempt to tackle one single contentious issue like Ayodhya will
be frustrated, as has happened in the past, as the possible
satisfactory resolution based on compromise will make one community
nurse a feeling of defeat and humiliation. But when the entire range
of issues are brought under discussion with the spirit of mutual
respect, good will and accommodation the resultant Comprehensive
Compact will be viewed with satisfaction by all.
It should, for example, be possible for Muslims to voluntarily declare
that they will not slaughter cows for any purpose, and also to
reassure Hindus that there is no political design to induce conversion
of weak and vulnerable groups of Hindus. Banning cow slaughter by a
Central legislation may come into conflict with the demands of
secularism, but its coming into effect through a compact will not pose
any problem. All Muslims know that by giving up their option to
slaughter cow for ritual sacrifice or for food will not make them
compromise any religious tenet or dietary requirement, so long as
other animals are available for sacrifice and food. Several Muslim
monarchs, Ulema and leaders including Sir Syed Ahmed Khan adopted such
conciliatory attitude in the past.
Given the right perspective, it should not lie beyond the realm of the
possible to amicably resolve the issue of Ayodhya – if Muslims can be
reasonably assured that compromise will yield permanent peace
dividends in terms of impartial enforcement of law to protect their
lives and honour, and also in terms of securing their due share in
social, economic, and political life of the nation along fully
enjoying their right to distinct identity.
Kashmir need not be bracketed with the range of Hindu-Muslim issues.
In one sense it is a separate issue. And needs to be tackled
separately. But in the broader historical perspective it is part of
the history of unresolved Hindu-Muslim conflict leading to partition.
Any overall religio-cultural conciliation between Hindus and Muslims
in India may be expected to lead to a qualitative change in the
attitude of Kashmiris.
Prof. Ansari (iqbal...@hotmail.com) is secretary general of the
Minorities Council. q
http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/01012001/Art20.htm
CHAPTER IV
THE NATURE OF CONFLICT IN MEDIEVAL INDIA
Another guideline laid down by the NCERT for school-level textbooks of
history exhorts that “no exaggeration of the role of religion in
political conflicts is permitted”.
Let us for the time being forget the fiat of the State as to what is
permitted and what is forbidden while writing the new textbooks of
history. Let us first find out the facts as recorded by medieval
historians, and review the various interpretations of those facts.
HINDU VIEW OF THE CONFLICT
The Hindus of medieval India have not left many accounts of the
numerous wars which they were forced to fight with Muslim invaders
over a period of several hundred years. All we have from the medieval
Hindus are some settled sentiments expressed by them in contemporary
literature regarding the nature of the Muslim menace. The Hindus
advance the following seven accusations against the Muslims:
1. They kill the Brahmins and the cows;
2. They violate the chastity of Hindu women;
3. They demolish temples, and desecrate the idols;
4. They cut the tuft of hair on the head (šikhã) and break the sacred
thread (sûtra);
5. They circumcise people and make them eat beef, that is, convert
people by force;
6. They capture people, particularly women and children, and sell them
into concubinage and slavery.
7. They plunder people’s properties, and set fire to whatever they
cannot carry away.
In the records referring to the rise of Vijayanagara, the Marathas,
and the Sikhs, the religious motive is brought into a sharper focus.
These records leave us in no doubt that the defence of Hindu Dharma
was uppermost in the minds of Madhava Vidyaranya, Samartha Ramdas, and
Guru Teg Bahadur. The purpose for which the sword was unsheathed by
Harihar and Bukka, Shivaji and the Sikhs, becomes quite clear in many
poems written in praise of these heroes by a number of Hindu poets.
The purpose, we are told, was to save the cow, the Brahmin, the šikhã,
the sûtra, the honour of Hindu women, and the sanctity of Hindu places
of worship.
The Hindu records about pre-Islamic foreign invasions present a
striking contrast. The Greeks, the Scythians, the Kushans, and the
Hunas are accused by them of savagery and lust for plunder. But they
are never accused of making Hindu Dharma or its outer symbols the
specific targets of their attacks. We have also the accounts of these
alien invaders becoming good Shaivites, and Vaishnavas, and Buddhists
after their first fury was spent, and they settled down in India.
MUSLIM VIEW OF THE CONFLICT
On the other hand, many Muslim historians of medieval India have left
for posterity some very detailed, many a time day-to-day, accounts of
what happened during the endless encounters between Hindus and
Muslims. The dominant theme in these accounts is of mu’mins (Muslims)
martyred; of kãfirs (Hindus infidels) despatched to hell; of cities
and citadels sacked; of citizens massacred; of Brahmins killed or
forced to eat beef; of temples razed to the ground and mosques raised
on their sites; of idols broken and their pieces taken to imperial
headquarters for being trodden underfoot by the faithful on the steps
of the main mosque; of booty captured and carried away on elephants,
camels, horses, bullock carts, on the backs of sheep and goats, and
even on the heads of Hindu prisoners of war; of beautiful Hindu
maidens presented to the sultans and distributed among Muslim generals
and nobles; of Hindu men, women and children sold into slavery in
markets all over the Islamic world; and of kãfirs converted to the
true faith at the point of the sword. The Muslim historians treat
every war waged against the Hindus as a jihãd as enjoined by the
Prophet and the Pious Caliphs.
In these Muslim accounts we never notice any note of pity, or regret,
or reflection over deeds of wanton cruelty and rapacity. On the
contrary, the Muslim historians express extreme satisfaction and
gleeful gratitude to Allah that the mission of the Prophet has been
fulfilled, the light of Islam brought to an area of darkness, and
idolatry wiped out. These historians go into raptures over the
richness of the booty acquired for the service of the Islamic state,
for distribution among the mujãhids and the ulama and the sufis, for
the promotion of Islamic learning, and for securing the seats of
Islamic power.
The same Muslim historians also narrate many wars fought between
Muslim princes. Significantly, here we find no dramatisation of
mu’mins against kãfirs, mosques against temples, iconoclasts against
idolaters, beef-eaters against Brahmins, ravishers against maidens,
and captors against child and female captives of war. They only talk
of treaties violated, tributes not paid, strategy and tactics
employed, horses and elephants mobilised, armaments assembled, defeats
suffered, victories won, and men and equipment lost in battle. In
between, there are some accounts of sacks and massacres, plunder and
pillage. But there is always a wail of extreme anguish about Muslims
fighting and killing other Muslims, which the Prophet had strictly
prohibited.
NO CONTROVERSY ON RECORDED FACTS
These are the facts of recorded history. Only a small fraction of
these facts is found in Hindu records, and that too in a stray and
scattered manner. The overwhelming wealth of these facts is stored in
histories written by Muslim historians in a systematic manner, dynasty
by dynasty, reign by reign, battle by battle. And these Muslim
histories are available in manuscript form, in cold print of modern
critical editions, in original as well in translations, in major world
languages, in archives and libraries all over the civilised world.
Collections of these histories have always been prized as priceless
possessions in the palaces of Muslim aristocracy.
There can, therefore, be no serious controversy about the facts of
recorded history. There may be some differences in different accounts
of the same event, reign, or regime. There may be some internal
contradictions in the same account. But these are minor details which
can be sorted out by critical analysis and cross-referencing.
Sharp differences arise only when we come to the interpretation of
these facts, and the passing of value judgements on them. It is here
that the subjective and ideological inclinations of the interpreters
and evaluators come into play. It is the varying interpretations and
evaluations which have raised controversies regarding the desirability
or otherwise of some textbooks in India’s schools and colleges. The
guidelines laid down by the NCERT are also aimed at sorting out these
interpretations and evaluations.
THE VARYING INTERPRETATIONS
The orthodox or fundamentalist Muslim historians, who are coming to
the forefront again with the help of petro-dollars, share the
satisfaction expressed by medieval Muslim historians. They approve of
and applaud unashamedly the triumphant sweep of the sword of Islam
over India. They have no doubt that the medieval wars between Hindus
and Muslims were fought by the Hindus as Hindus and by the Muslims as
Muslims. They concur that these conflicts were armed contests between
Islam and infidelity. The NCERT guidelines are aware of these orthodox
Muslim historians, and warn us that “there should be no over-
glorification of the medieval rule” and that “the writer should not
under-emphasise condemnation of bigotry, intolerance and
exclusiveness”.
The academic historians, who have ruled the roost since the British
bureaucrats devised our system of education in the middle of the 19th
century and wrote the first textbooks of Indian history, have mostly
compiled, in a chronological order, the data available in the source
books and evaluated it mostly with an eye to its credibility. They
have seldom conceptualised or drawn clinching conclusions regarding
the nature of the conflict between Hindus and Muslims in medieval
India. Their moral judgements are confined mostly to minor matters
such as the justification or otherwise of a twist given to a
particular treaty by a particular party. Most of the time they are
preoccupied with finding the reasons for the success of those who
succeeded, and the factors responsible for the failure of those who
failed.
Many secularists have accused the British historians of deliberately
presenting Muslim rule in India in a prejudicial, even perverse
manner, in order to alienate the Hindus from the Muslims in pursuance
of the British policy of divide-and-rule. A sober reflection should
absolve the British of that guilt. In any case, the British have
departed, and the secularists have taken over. But the Hindu-Muslim
problem is far from being solved. The secularists are trying to hide
their failure by advancing against “Hindu communal historians” the
same accusation as they once advanced against the British historians.
The only fault of the British historians was that they did not try to
suppress the facts of history as recorded by Muslim historians of
medieval India. Most academic historians in India after independence
have followed in the footsteps of the British pioneers. The new
secularist fashion of branding them as Hindu communalists is nothing
short of scoundrelism.
The “modernist” Muslim historians, particularly from the Aligarh
Muslim University, have increasingly come forward to “correct the
perspective” of the academic historians. It is significant that the
Aligarh school did not try to correct the perspective in pre-partition
India except for a few Communist historians like the late lamented
Mohammad Habib. In his case also the Communist version of medieval
history was only a clever cloak for the orthodox Muslim version. For
the rest, the Aligarh historians shared the pride which Muslim
fundamentalists like Hali and Iqbal and Maulana Azad took in the
Muslim conquest of India, and the painful consequence it had for the
Hindus. It is only after the Independence that the Aligarh school has
changed its strategy.
THE ALIGARH APOLOGISTS
To start with, the Aligarh school warns us against confusing the
Turkish imperialism with Islam. The Turks had become converted to
Islam no doubt. But that did not mean that they had ceased to be
Turks, that is, barbarians from the steppes of Central Asia. Islam
could not cure the Turks of their traditional habits of cruelty in the
short spell they had spent under its sway. The cruelties which the
Turks committed in India should not be laid at the door of Islam. The
Turks were only using Islam as a convenient cloak for doing what they
did.
Secondly, the record of atrocities attributed to the Turks needs a
rigorous re-examination. We should not forget that the Muslim
historians of medieval India were courtiers first and foremost. They
let go their imagination, and exaggerated in an unbridled manner to
please their royal patrons. Suppose a hundred Hindus and a few score
Muslims were killed in a combat. The court historians manipulated the
count, and reported that a thousand Hindus had been despatched to hell
while a few Muslims attained martyrdom. Such reports flattered the
martial vanity of Muslim potentates. Again, suppose a temple had been
plundered by some insubordinate Muslim soldiers purely for the sake of
the treasure it contained. The court historians reported that ten
temples had been razed to the ground, twice as many idols broken to
pieces, and thrice as many mosques made out of the debris. Such
reports flattered the iconoclastic zeal of pious Muslim princes. And
so on so forth. The tall tales told by medieval Muslim historians
regarding the killing of cows and Brahmins, the molestation of
maidens, the capture of booty and prisoners of war, and the conversion
of Hindus by force should be taken with a fistful of salt.
To buttress this belittling of Turkish (not Muslim, mind you)
barbarities, we are told that if force had been used in the service of
religious zeal on a scale such as reported by the medieval Muslim
historians, the whole of India would have been converted to Islam
under the long spell of Muslim rule. The very fact that India was
still a Hindu majority country at the end of the long period of Muslim
domination, should dispel all doubts that the use of force for
religious purposes was an exception rather than the rule. If there was
any religious contest between Hindus and Muslims, it was of an
ideological character such as that between the sufi silsilãs on the
one hand and the various sects of Hinduism on the other.
The “correct perspective”, therefore, would be to treat as purely
political the wars waged by some states ruled by Muslim sultans
against others ruled by Hindu rajas. The Muslim sultans were
interested in building their own empires, the same as the Hindu rajas
had been throughout Hindu history. It should not be held against the
Muslim sultans if the peculiar caste structure of Hindu society made
them victorious most of the time. In the words of Mohammad Habib, the
contest was between the smiritis on the one hand and the Shariat on
the other.
THE COMMUNIST “HISTORIANS”
At this point, the defence of Islam is taken over by Communist
“historians”, and turned into a formidable offensive against Hindu
society, Hindu culture, and Hindu Dharma. The Communists accuse the
“Hindu communalist historians” of always meditating morbidly on a
minor mote in the Muslim eye rather than take the big beam out of
their own, and have a honest view of men and matters in medieval
India.
The upper caste Hindus, we are told, have always oppressed, exploited,
trodden under foot, and killed at will members from a large section of
Hindu society, throughout the ages. Why should they shed crocodile
tears if the Turks also killed a few of these unfortunate serfs under
compulsion of circumstances?
The women in Hindu society, we are informed, have always been slaves
who could be molested and dishonoured without arousing so much as a
ripple among the Hindu ruling classes. Why be so squeamish if the
Turks freed a few of these female slaves, and gave them some status in
their harems?
The whole of India, we are told, has always been a vast prison-house
so far as the poor people are concerned. Why raise hell if the Turks
freed some of these prisoners, and took them out to see the wide
world?
Were not Hindus big beef-eaters in the Vedic times, and did they not
give up this wholesome food because of the priestcraft practised upon
them by those goddamned Brahmins? Why fly into a hysterical fit if the
Turks made some of these Brahmins revert to healthier food habits?
Was not the vast wealth which the priests had hoarded in those “holy”
temples ill-gotten in so far as it represented a limitless loot of the
toiling masses, and was it not lying absolutely useless in those dark
dungeons? Why make a hue and cry if the Turks freed some of this
frozen capital, and put it to some productive use?
As regards the idols, we are told that even if they were made of gold
and studded with precious stones, they symbolised nothing better than
primitive superstition and puerile priestcraft. The Turks did a lot of
good to the mental health of the Hindus by smashing those molochs
masquerading as gods.
The truth about the so-called Muslim conquest of India, they say, is
simple and straight-forward. The Turks only helped the enslaved Hindu
masses to rise in revolt against their age-old oppressors. Islam had
brought with it a message of social equality and human brotherhood
which worked a miracle on Hindu society. Look at Kabir and Nanak and
Ravidas and a hundred other Hindu reformers who took up the Muslim
message in right earnest, and struggled for a casteless and classless
Indian society.
These are not exactly the words which Communist “historians” use
explicitly in their presentation of medieval Muslim history. This,
however, is the exact psychology which guides their “interpretation”
of events in that period. The Aligarh apologists can heave a sigh of
relief at the sight of these Communist “historians” coming to their
rescue, and taking the argument to its logical culmination. Perhaps
they themselves could have never mustered the courage shown by the
Communists. Moreover, most of the Communist “historians” being Hindus,
they carry greater credibility.
The Communist psychology of treating with contempt everything Hindu
and restoring respectability to most things Muslim, is largely shared
by the socialists, the assorted secularists, and the rest of the Hindu
“intellectuals” who pride in calling themselves modern. It is this
psychology which has seeped into the ranks of those who are now out to
re-write the history of India, particularly the history of medieval
India under Muslim rule. The politicians in power also share this
psychology, and are out to manipulate it with an eye on the Muslim
vote-bank.
HINDU SCHOOL OF HISTORY NEEDED
A Hindu school of historians, alas, is not yet in sight. I cannot,
therefore, present a Hindu interpretation of the history of medieval
India under Muslim rule. But I believe that as soon as a Hindu school
of historians is born and takes up the task of interpreting medieval
Indian history, it will have little reason not to agree with the
medieval Muslims historians that the medieval period was largely a
period of Hindu-Muslim conflict, and that religion played a dominant
role in it. Its only difference with these Muslim historians will be
that it will treat as villains all those who are treated as heroes by
the latter, and vice versa. It will also treat the so-called triumph
of Islam in medieval India as the greatest tragedy which Islam
suffered in its history after the well-deserved fate it met in 15th
century Spain.
http://voiceofdharma.com/books/siii/ch4.htm
THE STORY OF ISLAMIC
IMPERIALISM IN INDIA
SITA RAM GOEL
Voice of India, New Delhi
Contents
1. In The Name of National Integration
2. The Character of Muslim Rule in India
3. Plea for a Perspective
4. The Nature of Conflict in Medieval India
5. Islam was the Culprit
6. The Magnitude of Muslim Atrocities – I
7. The Magnitude of Muslim Atrocities – II
8. The Myth of Muslim Empire in India
9. The Determinants of Hindu Defeats
10. The Status of Hindus in an Islamic State
11. Of Assimilation and Synthesis
12. Islam Versus Insãniyat (Humanism)
Appendix
http://voiceofdharma.com/books/siii/index.htm
chhotemianinshallah
The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India) (Paperback)
~ John F. Richards
John F. Richards (Author)
(Author) "The legacy of the Indo-Muslim frontier, the medieval Indian
economy, and new connections with Europe helped to create conditions
favorable to the rise of an..."
http://www.amazon.com/Mughal-Empire-Cambridge-History-India/dp/0521566037#reader_0521566037
Customer Reviews
The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India)
2 Reviews
5 star: (1)
4 star: (1)
3 star: (0)
2 star: (0)
1 star: (0)
(2 customer reviews)
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
concise information about the mughal empire, April 5, 2001
By A Customer
This book is an excellent source of information about the mughal
dynasty. It is written in a chronological manner and hence, easy to
read and follow even for the novice user to this subject. The author
has stuck to the main theme of the lives of the emperors themselves,
their artistic contribution to India and the people that influenced
them. The facts about the emperors especially Jahangir, Shahjahan ,
the Rajput kings, Shivaji's greatness and Shambhaji's misadventures
makes it an interesting read. I feel that this book brings forth the
facts that are not widely known or mentioned in school history books
that brings forth some suprises and hence makes it an interesting
read.
13 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
An excellent survey marred by too little attention to women, August
15, 1999
By A Customer
Dr. Richards' otherwise excellent book about the Mughal Empire is
marred by his failure to pay very much attention to its women.
Gulbadan is mentioned but once, Jodh Bai, Shah Jahan's mother, not at
all, Nur Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal only peripherally. Are the Mughal
chronicles themselves similarly silent about these women? Since
Gulbadan wrote her own, one must say no.
2 posts in this discussion
Initial post: Dec. 6, 2007 5:54 PM PST
Anna M. Singh-klar says:
if you read the book" the 20th wife". it contains all the information
about the mughal empire women and its a very interesting book to
read!!!!!
Your reply to Anna M. Singh-klar's post:
To insert a product link use the format: [[ASIN:ASIN product-
title]] (What's this?)
Posted on July 27, 2009 7:33 AM PDT
Tiltowait says:
Jodha bai is a fictional character. This book is non-fiction.
Your reply to Tiltowait's post:
To insert a product link use the format: [[ASIN:ASIN product-
title]] (What's this?)
Do you think this post adds to the discussion?
The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 (Vintage)
(Paperback)
~ William Dalrymple
William Dalrymple (Author)
Customer Reviews
The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 (Vintage)
49 Reviews
5 star: (37)
4 star: (3)
3 star: (5)
2 star: (3)
1 star: (1)
Average Customer Review
(49 customer reviews)
45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
"The light has gone out of India. The land is lampless."
A great strength of 'The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857' by William Dalrymple (White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in
Eighteenth-Century India) is its use not only of more familiar British
sources, but also many Indian (Urdu and Persian) sources on one of
pivotal events in the history of both India and the British Empire,
the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 or the...
Published on August 12, 2007 by Douglas S. Wood
› See more 5 star, 4 star reviews
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
Britain's Least Finest Hour
It is a pleasure first to read detailed descriptions of the
activities, pastimes and intrigues of the Last Mughal's court and of
Delhi's contemporary Muslim, Hindu and British elite. The position of
Sufi poetry as the royal palace's supreme artistic passion is
particularly fascinating.
Published on October 28, 2007 by Roger John Maudsley
45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
"The light has gone out of India. The land is lampless.", August 12,
2007
By Douglas S. Wood "Vicarious Life" (Monona, WI) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
A great strength of 'The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857' by William Dalrymple (White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in
Eighteenth-Century India) is its use not only of more familiar British
sources, but also many Indian (Urdu and Persian) sources on one of
pivotal events in the history of both India and the British Empire,
the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 or the First War of Indian Independence as it
is also sometimes called.
Dalrymple describes his excitement at discovering some 20,000 Persian
and Urdu documents in the Indian national Archives. A particularly
important source was the 'Dihli Urdu Akhbar' a principal Urdu
newspaper that continued to publish during the revolt. These sources
allow Dalrymple to give voice to the Indian as well the British point
of view.
In 1857 the sepoys of the British Raj's Bengal Army mutinied (the
reasons are explored in the book, but were at least partly due to a
clash of newly arrived Christian evangelicals and adherents of Islam
and Hindu). What began as mutiny became something larger at least in
part because the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II endorsed it.
Dalrymple centers his telling of the tale on Zafar, the man destined
to become the last Mughal emperor. By 1857 the Mughal Emperor
possessed no real tangible power and was nothing more than the King of
Delhi as he was derisively called. An aesthete himself, Zafar was
singularly well-suited to his role as head of a court that elevated
culture, poetry in particular, but wholly unsuited by temperament and
age (he was 82 years old) to a role as leader of an armed revolt.
Delhi before 1857 was a remarkably tolerant mix of Hindu and Islam -
roughly a 50/50 split - in part because of Zafar's manner of ruling.
Zafar's acceptance of a titular leadership in the revolt meant that
both Muslims and Hindi rallied to the cause. That symbolic role,
however, was about all Zafar brought to the war.
The revolt began to flounder almost immediately due a lack of proper
direction and discipline. The Sepoy regiments each acted independently
and allowed a much smaller British force (ostensibly come to lay siege
to the city) to survive repeated but serial attacks. The early stages
of the revolt also saw horrific slaughter of noncombatant and unarmed
British residents.
Eventually the British took the city and the revenge they took is
described by Dalrymple in bloody detail. The killings were nothing
short of mass murder and heartily endorsed by nearly every Britisher
with any knowledge of it (William Howard Russell was one exception).
Men who had lost family in the initial outbreak were allowed to
massacre at will for months - Theo Metcalfe is the most notable
example. Those locals not killed were left homeless and starving.
The British executed nearly the entire Mughal royal family and would
have done so for Zafar, but for the promise that his life would be
spared if he surrendered. It was a promise that the British determined
they were bound to keep even though they didn't like it much.
One supposes this example represents Victorian attitudes about
rectitude that the British somehow held in their heads at the same
time that they authored unspeakable murdering sprees. In a somewhat
lighter example, Dalrymple quotes a British soldier's letter written
to his mum on the eve of battle in which the youth expresses his fear
that engaging in the fight may cause him to swear!
As stated at the outset the rich sources give 'The Last Mughal: The
Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857' its strength, but Dalrymple's over-
reliance on the raw materials makes the book drag to its conclusion.
For the last 100+ pages, Dalrymple sometimes gives over the narrative
to his primary sources as page after page consists substantially of
quotes from letters, reports, or memoirs. Dalrymple also spends only
the briefest time placing the events of 1857 in a larger historical
framework.
Nonetheless, the book is a triumph of research and offers that rarity
in historical writing, the truly fresh perspective. Dalrymple gives
voice to the Indian perspective of the fall of Delhi. As the great
court poet Ghalib so poignantly expressed it, "The light has gone out
of India. The land is lampless."
Highly recommended.
83 of 89 people found the following review helpful:
"The further backward you look...., March 19, 2007
By Prashant Rao "prashy69" (Chicago, IL USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
....the further forward you can see." This is what Sir Winston
Churchill said when talking about the relevance of history to one's
current circumstance.
I cannot help but recall these words, after reading William
Dalrymple's brilliant
"The Last Mughal".
William Dalrymple's latest book uses Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last
emperor of the Mughal dynasty, to recreate the vibrant city of Delhi,
in the 1850's. A culturally diverse, almost cosmopolitan city, of
which Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the mere figurehead. A city which
epitomized,the India of the Mughals, where the Hindus and Muslims co-
existed peacefully. In fact a rich culture and social fabric existed
due to this pluralistic co-existence.
The mutiny of 1857 proved to be the fall of the Mughal Dynasty, and
the end of this vibrant way of life.
Dalrymple, researched this book for over 4 years and accessed sources,
which were until now, never used to narrate the history of those
seminal times. "The Mutiny Papers", which were found on the shelves of
National Archives of India, detailed through "great unwieldy mountains
of chits, pleas, orders, petitions, complaints, receipts, rolls of
attendance and lists of casualties...notes from spies of dubious
reliability and letters from eloping lovers...", a very uniquely
Indian point of view and perspective. An important voice, which until
now has been missing in the retelling of the "Sepoys Mutiny".
For me as an Indian, it is very important to understand this point of
view. To know about my true cultural heritage, about strands of my
identity which were sundered by the British, along their (in)famous
"Divide and Rule" policy.
Consider this, most of the history books, have been written by the
British in some form...so the opinions I have formed, and the
perspectives I have, have been developed by the "British" outlook and
essentially the Victorian take on history.
I think, India as a society is richer due to the Mughals and despite
the popular opinion and recorded history (who wrote it, you guessed it
right...the British !!), they went out of their way to ensure a
secular society and a safe environment, for Hindu religion, culture
and arts to flourish. In fact as mentioned in the book, the only thing
Zafar was decisive about in those trying times was his "refusal to
alienate his Hindu subjects by subscribing to the demands of the
jihadis."
Did you know for instance that most of the Indian intellectuals of the
late 19th century and the early 20th century, were schooled in
madrassas, including people like Raja Rammohan Roy...The madrassas,
were considered to provide well rounded education, not just math and
science, but also the humanities, eastern philosophy and the arts...it
was only due to the rising influence of Christianity in India, in the
late 19th century and the drive for conversions, which lead the
madrassas to reinforce the study of Islam in their curriculum, and for
them to increasingly move along the path of fundamentalism.
It is due to all this and also because of an extremely evocative
account of 1857 skirmishes, that this book is a must read.
You owe it yourself, as a citizen of the world, living in a these
troubled times terrorized by religious fundamentalism.
As Sir Churchill, prophesied, it will only help us look "further
forward."
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
Dalrymple tackles the complexities of the Mutiny with ease, July 21,
2007
By chefdevergue (Spokane, WA United States) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
For those few carping reviewers among us, this is not a history of the
Mughal Empire, nor is it a history of the Sepoy Mutiny as a whole. Nor
is it (even though Zafar is the main figure through the entire
narrative) biography. What it is, is an examination of Delhi, the last
bastion of the Mughal dynasty & basically a self-contained entity unto
itself, suddenly & unexpectedly found itself at the center of one of
the most vicious conflicts in the history of the Subcontinent.
In his preface, Dalrymple observes that studies of the Mutiny assume
"two parallel streams of historiography," using different (but
predominantly English) sources. Dalrymple has attempted to bring
together all of these sources as well as the largely neglected non-
English sources. With these resources in hand, the Mutiny assumes a
new, far more complex appearance than before. Far from being a simple
conflict between natives & colonial overlords, it becomes apparent
that this actually was a six-sided (seven sides, if one includes the
bandits in the countryside) conflict. The assorted factions, even
those presumably on the same side, oftentimes had precious little
common ground, and for the rebelling side, this frequent lack of unity
ultimately spelled doom to the uprising.
Caught in the middle of the tumult of rebellion & upheaval are the
residents of Delhi & the decrepit Emperor, embroiled in a war they
neither desired nor invited. Dalrymple has precious little sympathy
for either the British or the rebels, both of whom committed
unforgiveable atrocities throughout, but he clearly feels the pain of
the Emperor & the Delhiwallahs, caught in a no-win situation.
Some of Dalrymple's critics accuse him (disingenously, I believe) of
taking a romanticized view of the Mughals & viewing their ultimate
downfall as a tragedy. Don't forget, they say, the Mughals were
ruthless conquerers also. To this I would say, remember that the
Mughal in question is Bahadur Shah II, not Babur. If you want of a
survey of the Mughals as ruthless conquerers, then perhaps a biography
of Babur or Humayun would be in order. I would also point out that it
is perhaps more fair to say that Dalrymple sees two tragedies
resulting from this affair: the destruction of Delhi & its culture,
and the religious radicalization following the final assertion of
power by Britain over the Subcontinent.
Dalrymple also points out that there are more than a few parallels
between then & now. It is worth noting that a belief system becoming
radicalized as the result of foreign incursion is nothing new. The
British exploited this radicalization as they pursued a "divide &
rule" strategy in India, but even the Raj lasted less than a century.
Despite their best efforts, the British ultimately had to withdraw.
Hmmm.
All in all, a superb effort. Despite the tremendous amount of detail,
the narrative flows with ease, and this proved to be a very lively
read. Nowhere does the narrative bog down. While accessible, it is
nonetheless serious history. Should he choose to do so, Dalrymple
could well be on his way to becoming one of the preminent historians
of this period.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
A research of first order., May 9, 2007
By Rao Nasir Khan (San Francisco) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Exactly 150 years ago, today the first shot of the revolt of 1857 was
fired. Today India celebrates what I grew up learning as "The first
war of Indian independence".
Most of the history taught in Indian schools is written by the 20th
century socialist, nationalist historians and that became my frame of
reference. I always looked back at the "war" of 1857 with some sense
of pride, it was a time we were told - Hindus and Muslims came
together to fight off the British yoke, when oppressed poor rose up
against the zamindars and money lenders, when nationalism was a common
thread that tied the widespread war, where mendicants carried the
message of revolution in secret chappatis and women joined the men in
the struggle for independence. Overall a romantic nationalist picture
painted by secular historians.
This book by Dalrymple shatters the myth I was raised with. He, based
upon his meticulous research and conflation from disparate
documentation, both native and British, conclusively proves that the
outbreak of May 10, 1857 was a bloody communal riot.
At least it started like that, except that the wrath of both Hindus
and Muslims combine fell on the hapless British men, women and
children.
There is no pride whatsoever in what happened on the days of May 10
and May 11.
In fact it should be marked as a day of mourning when the sepoys
marched into Delhi and in just first 48 hours massacred all Christians
in the capital. Not just killed but chopped into pieces. No one was
spared, not even pregnant women. Just a few survived who either
escaped just in time or were sheltered by some Delhiwallahs.
In fact on this day started what would be one of the biggest
catastrophes to befall on the magnificent capital of Mughal India,
from which it has not emerged in many ways till today.
Dalrymple writes this book almost as a war correspondent embedded with
troops on either side. His narrative is full of real life events, hour
by hour, as they unfolded in those fateful times. It is a research in
history that parallels the deciphering of Brahmi by James Princep. It
opens the door to one of the darkest and bloodiest period of Indian
history which laid the foundation of an even bloodier event, the
partition of 1947.
He also clearly shows that the outbreak which was united at least from
Indian perspective was soon hijacked by a bunch of Jihadis, coloring
it with an extremist Islamic color, despite the whole hearted attempts
of the King and Princes to retain the united fervor.
This became one of the turning points in the history of this struggle
and became an excuse for a pogrom of worst kind perpetuated by British
against Muslims of Delhi.
If you survive reading the brutality of Indians in the first half of
the book you will find it hard to not get deeply disturbed at the
unimaginable savagery that the victorious British unleashed on the
Indians. More than a hundred thousand people, a large number of them
innocent were ruthlessly killed, war crimes of worst kind committed,
women raped (though it was conclusively proved that the mutineers
never committed any rape, albeit all the killing), mosques and graves
desecrated, property looted, buildings destroyed and all this happened
in the backdrop of shameless inducements of Padres quoting the Bible
out of context.
While British murderers and looters leached the city of all its people
and possessions, what is also insightful is that in their heinous
crimes they were aided, in fact surpassed by their "Indian"
mercenaries who were predominantly Sikh, Gurkha and Pathan in origin.
It would not be wrong to say that this war was predominantly
Hindustanee (confined mostly to Hindi speaking belt) in nature and the
"foreign" mercenaries (from other parts of India) had no qualms in
squashing it and taking home the booty.
What is also shameful is the fact that these British murderers and
pillagers not only remained scot-free above the law but were also
decorated by the British government. Prize agents who plundered the
Indian treasures and shamelessly broke and sold even the paneled walls
of many palaces or Red fort, were knighted.
Perhaps nothing is more poignant than the disgusting treatment meted
out to the King and Princes on whom the British had no jurisdiction.
The whole trial was not only a farce but was completely illegal, even
by British view point.
Overall this book is not for the weak hearted, but it is a must read
for anyone who wants to learn the true history of that period.
I hope the findings of this incredible work will find their way into
history text books in India and dispel the myths that the youth are
made to believe in.
Nothing is more dangerous than fiction wrapped in history text books
because "if we do not learn from history, we are destined to repeat
it".
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
The Power of Culture, June 2, 2007
By John T. McCabe (Sioux Falls, SD USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
The Last Mughal is an engrossing history of the events that occurred
in Deli, India in 1857, which centers about the Emperor - the Last
Great Mughal - caught in the middle between his Islamic and Hindu
subjects who formed a rebel army, and the Colonial British army of the
East India Company.
The trouble started when the British army replaced the rifle issued to
the sepoys - the Hindu and Islamic Indian privates who joined the
British army. The rifle replaced was a smooth bore; the new rifle -
the Enfield - was manufactured with a rifled bore. Rifling cased the
bullet to spin in the bore which resulted in increased range and
accuracy compared to the smooth bore. However, to overcome the added
friction, the ball ammunition needed to be greased. The shooter had to
bite off the top of the cartridge and pour the powder down the
barrel.
The author describes how the insensitivity of the British to Indian
culture allowed the cartridges to be coated with cow fat, which was
anathema to the majority of sepoys. This affront was interpreted as an
attack by British Christians against Hindu fundamental religious
customs. Thus began the conflict that killed thousands and destroyed
the last great Mughal.
The author did a fabulous job of retrieving, reading and patching
together thousands of documents and correspondence to form a detailed
history of the events that lead to the destruction of Delhi and the
dethroning of the Emperor.
The Last Mughal is a riveting book of historic events that is easily
worth a five star rating.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
Authentic, and with feeling, April 15, 2007
By Ismat Riaz -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Meticulously researched, Dalrymple's 'Last Mughal' is spellbinding in
its narration and detailing of the era that brought the great Mughal
Empire in India to its tragic end. Not only that, perhaps for the
first time have events and actions of the British rulers of India been
brought to life in an entirely human setting; their brutal retaliation
to the mutiny and the emotions and feelings governing their actions
are vividly told. Many myths and falsehoods are shattered such as long-
established accusations that British women were raped and murdered
mercilessly by Indians, and that Bahadur Shah Zafar was complicit in
the revolt.
Dalrymple's narrative makes you live through the day-to-day routine of
both parties not as an outsider looking in but as an eyewitness on the
inside. He exposes the weaknesses and habits of the characters with
depth; readers are compelled
to know and feel that that they are familiar and known to them. Few
historical accounts can boast of sketching the central character to be
as fragile as Zafar, descendant of once politically and militarily
powerful emperors, who presided over a court known only for its
intellectual brilliance.
The book's ground-breaking research lies in its exposition of Muslim
culture and beliefs reflected so well by Zafar's court. Ghalib, the
great Urdu and Persian poet opens the window to amazing flights of
poetry and prose that Muslim men of letters were steeped in during
that period. Zafar's refusal to take the life of British men, women
and children who were given sanctuary at his court under his Islamic
beliefs that the taking of a human life in cold blood would be like
the massacring all humanity, part of the Islamic creed that even in
war-like conditions the life and property of ordinary people was
sacrosanct - even crops and fields were not to be touched as these
were the lifeline of the people. Many Muslims gave shelter to British
families during the 1857 revolt even as British Punjabi Muslim
regiments fought against their Muslim brothers in the line of duty.
Zafar might have drawn inspiration from Muslim history where Saladin
re-taking Jerusalem from the Crusaders without the loss of an innocent
life immediately granted amnesty to its
inhabitants unlike the Crusaders who took the city with streets awash
in the blood of its populace put to the sword.
Dalryple's painstaking research also reflects on and is an exposition
of Muslim reformers of the time. Progressive reformers such as Shah
Waliullah deplored the degeneracy of the Mughal courtiers who had
forgotten the lessons of Islam and were involved in intrigues, lies,
backbiting and adultery. Shah Waliullah's translation of the Holy
Koran into Persian so that people could understand and then practise
its teachings upset the orthodoxy of the time. His son, Shah Abdul
Aziz translated it into Urdu which would then be accessible to
ordinary Muslims as well.
Dalrymple's research concludes on his view of the much talked about
'clash of civilisations' between Christianity and Islam by
highlighting the misguided zeal of the evangelical missionaries whose
insensitivities were a major cause of the Mutiny. The reaction to
their zeal, he asserts then as even now, is the mushrooming of the
hardline Muslim factions who then use tactics that are against the
teachings of Islam such as suicide bombings and terrorism.
Dalrymple's brilliance lies in his overt handling of raw human
emotions and combining it with the destruction of a civilisation that
had managed to synthesise two entirely different cultures and
religions into a harmonious whole for nearly two and a half centuries
- something that humanity at large must realise and learn from in the
troubling times of the present century.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The Last Mughal, May 13, 2007
By Judith Geduldig (Pennsylvania, USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Absolutely splendid! Fabulous read! I am a Dalrymple devotee and have
loved reading about his travel adventures in Asia and the Indian
subcontinent - but this book is the history of the Indian mutiny of
1857 against the rigid government of the British. The details of the
sad and horrifying behavior of the Indians and the British parallel,
intererestingly, the situation we currently face in Iraq.
I suspect that most Americans know little or nothing about the British
colonial rule in India, and this book provides background and details
in a lively, compelling manner. Dalrymple's previous history, White
Mughals, is also an excellent history.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
EXCELLENT READING, June 28, 2007
By Krystyna Walter "kon02" (New York, Long Island) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Very good written book, I read this book with great pleasure, and I
will seek other books from the same author.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
wheel of time has turned, and you are gone - no joys abide, April 12,
2007
By Z. Khan "I have always imagined that Paradise... (New York City)
-
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
"a shrouded corpse was escorted by a small group of British soldiers
to an anonymous grave at the back of a walled prison enclosure."
A terrific introduction to a book filled with newly unearthed facts
and yet again Mr. Dalrymple doesn't fail to deliver. I was introduced
to his work by randomly picking up White Mughals at The Strand in NYC
and quickly got involved in his writings.
His most recent offering is dear to my heart because he extensively
talks about the poets and the mushairas, and most of all Ghalib. He
does well in explaining Delhi court life during Zafar's rule.
Bahadur Shah Zafar II was a man of renaissance and not much of a
warrior, which is so very ironic since he was a descendant of Genghis
Khan. He was known to enjoy his evenings reciting verses or just
sitting under the moonlight.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning
about the dying years of the Mughals, Delhi life, and would highly
recommend separate reading on Ghalib (Life and Letters by Ralph
Russell).
William Dalrymple's books are simple to read, full of vibrance and
colour. I'm a lover of literature and history and most history books
are a bit dry to read, but Dalrymple does a fantastic job in
presenting facts.
A must read ...
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Indian Mutiny or British Atrocity?, July 29, 2007
By C. H. Tidwell (Collegedale, TN USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Having been a long-time resident in India (1952-1974)shortly after the
British rule in ended, I have read many books (fiction like John
Masters' and history) and articles about 1857, almost all of which
take the side of the author: Britsh or Indian. I have been surprised
by the side which a Brit (Scotish to be sure) takes in bringing out
the facts from the Indian side of the story. A couple of sentences
from the introduction graphically shows this: "As far as the Mughal
elite were concened, the fall of Delhi was followed by something
approaching genocide. Only the Victorian British, one feels, would
keep such a pefect bureaucatic record of what in many cases be
classified as grisley war cimes." One almost expects to find the more
modern term, "ethnic cleansing", used.
The author also makes the charge that the missionary movement had a
lot to do with British colonial attitude. Again another sentence from
the Introduction: "By the early 1850s many British officials were
nursing plans finally to abolish the Mughal court and to impose not
only British laws and technology in India, but also Christianity."
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Simply Magnificent, September 7, 2007
By Sarwar A. kashmeri (Reading VT USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Live in the Delhi of 1857. Watch and feel the vibrancy of the
sophisticated and cultured life of Delhi. Read the most understandable
account of the whats and whys of the Indian Mutiny. Literally watch an
entire city of 150,000 people destroyed. Move along the roads and
alleys of Delhi as its citizens are slaughtered by the avenging
British Army greatly assisted by Indians themselves with a substantial
part of the genocide underwritten by Indian moneylenders. You will get
a first hand view of the end of the 300 year old Mughal rule on the
subcontinent, and understand why religious extremism (represented in
this book largely by evangalical christians) has done the world no
good for centuries. You will be reminded about how very thin is the
veneer of civilization and tolerance and that when it comes to
slaughtering their own species there is no parallel to us humans.
A book of great beauty based on immaculate research with great
relevance to today's world.
The standard by which all books on this subject will henceforth be
judged.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Great book on the Indian Mutiny of 1857, May 12, 2007
By Subhashish Deb (Portland, OR USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
The timing of the book release couldn't have been better as this is
the 150th year of the first war of Indian Independence. William
Dalrymple has once again gone into great detail in describing the
event from an Indian as well as the British prespective. The author
has dug up a lot of data from the Indian/British archives and perhaps
for the first time has got the persian records translated to give us a
glimpse of what was going on in Bahadur Shah Zafars's camp.
Makes great reading for Indian history buffs.
-Subhashish
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
Britain's Least Finest Hour, October 28, 2007
By Roger John Maudsley (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
It is a pleasure first to read detailed descriptions of the
activities, pastimes and intrigues of the Last Mughal's court and of
Delhi's contemporary Muslim, Hindu and British elite. The position of
Sufi poetry as the royal palace's supreme artistic passion is
particularly fascinating.
Following this we have a convincing description of the causes of the
Mutiny: primarily British insensitivity to Islamic and Hindu religious
beliefs. It is even then possible to understand - although certainly
not excuse - the excesses of the rebels when freed from British
command and inflamed by religious fanaticism.
But all this fades into insignificance as the British, aided by Sikh
and Afghan soldiers, after weeks of delay, disorganization and
indecision retake Delhi and exact revenge.
If ever there was an event that should have tarnished the British
reputation for leadership, mercy, fairplay and justice it must be
this, as tens of thousands of Delhi's inhabitants, guilty and
innocent, friend and foe, are shot, stabbed and hung while homes are
systematically looted. Even old folk, women and children found
cowering below ground are driven out of the city to die of exposure,
disease and starvation. And there is no doubt about the facts as they
are painstakingly documented in the participants' own words. Is the
book worth reading? Only if you want to witness, in retrospect and
blow by bloody blow, one of Britain's least finest hours.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Masterful, Commanding, Brilliant History, August 8, 2008
By John Sollami (Stamford, CT) -
Having just returned from Delhi and a "tour" of the Red Fort, I found
myself on a rainy week-long vacation in New Hampshire. I had purchased
this book months ago and finally decided to read it. I wish I had done
so before my long journey to India, as "The Last Mughal" provides an
amazingly exhaustive and massively detailed wealth of information on
19th century Delhi, the Fort, and the incredible uprising of 1857,
which would have enriched my "tour" beyond measure. Our "guide" on my
"tour" through the Fort, in oppressive heat, was more intent on
informing us of the lurid details regarding the harems, the water,
milk, and perfume baths, and the golden throne that was stolen from
the Mughal's hands in 1739 by Persian invaders because the Mughal was
too busy diddling away his time rather than ruling his empire. This
comic guide also said, "I make you happy, you make me happy" and then
made off with way too many rupees and dollars from our too kind group
for his boffo tour. Such is the way of naive western tourists and
shrewd Delhi citizens.
Dalrymple, whose goal here is to reveal the contents of some 20,000
otherwise untouched Persian and Urdu documents from this period of
history, constructs this history in such convincing detail that one
feels the events unfolding in real time. Dalrymple speaks to the
causes of the sepoy (Indian infantry private) uprising and the
declaration of a jihad. He suggests the Victorian Evangelicals and
their missionary zeal contributed heavily in changing the cultural
atmosphere. Complete disregard for native beliefs and the treatment of
natives as less than human surely didn't help. Dalrymple also presents
the violent vengeance and genocide perpetrated by the British on every
living soul in Delhi after the sepoys, through their own poor tactics
and lack of an intelligence network, blew their very real chances at
total victory. Others here have criticized the author's so-called
slanted view of these events, his failure to dwell on the unjust rule
of the Mughals, and his overly heavy emphasis on missionaries as a
prime cause of the unrest.
I disagree with these criticisms. This book is a collection of facts,
as gathered together from historical documents. What is history but
what can be surmised from contemporary documentation? The historian's
burden is to put these facts in chronological order and in so
assembling them, attempt to recreate a sequence of events. As has been
said, history is written by the victors, but in this case, Dalrymple
has provided another point of view. Its accuracy is undeniable in
light of its sources. Where does "the truth" lie? That is for the
reader to decide. All I can say is this book is a major contribution
to what we know and for that we should be appreciative.
I also appreciate the inclusion of the Glossary, which I referred to
many times, and the maps, which were very useful.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
The Great Mutiny in Delhi, July 10, 2007
By Frank J. Konopka (Shamokin, PA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
The sepoy revolt in 1857 in India was a tragic affair that cost the
lives of many innocent people on both sides, British and Indian. This
book concentrates solely on the Mutiny as it related to Delhi and the
inevitable end of the Moghul dynasty that had ruled Hindustan for
several centuries. We learn that, initially, the British officials and
soldiers in India were very friendly towards the native people, but
this began to change near the middle of the 19th century, when newer
and younger, more racist folks were sent to the subcontinent. Also,
the Evangelicals felt that the entire population, Hindu and Moslem,
were ripe for conversion and went ahead with their plans without
regard to the sensitivities of the natives. Of course, this was more
of a religious uprising than a political one, and the last Moghul
emperor was unwillingly caught up in the storm that arose. The book
really reveals the racial attitudes of the British, who took horrible
and excessive revenge when the Mutiny had been quelled. There is a lot
of sympathy for the emperor and his family, and also many of the
peoples who were really innocent of any participation in the unrest,
but were still harshly punished, and even summarily executed, by the
vengeful British victors. It's a sad story but it shows that an
occupying power has a responsibility in relation to the native
population, and should treat them fairly, and not as lower class
humans who were just waiting to be converted to the masters'
religion.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
The story of Delhi, Mughals, and War, July 8, 2007
By Ravi Koroth -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
This book is an excellent piece of work by an historian and a story
writer. William Dalrymple presented a very detailed chain of events in
Delhi and Mughal history during 1857 time and presented in a way that
any book lovers will find it interesting, not just the historians.
This book makes our eyes open to the fact of life, how low people can
go when anger and revenge get into their mind (both Indian sepoys and
British army) and how easily the dignity of life can crumble from
highest royal level to the bottom street beggars. It is an amazing
real story of a great city and life during fighting.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The Twilight of an Empire, June 26, 2007
By Shaban Malik "book worm" (coral springs, fl USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
One of the greatest books ever written about the fall of one empire
and the expansion of another.... this narrative relates the story of
how a group of traders came about to become the rulers of India
through never ending conspiracies and intrigue. This is the story of
how the Britishers behaved when they thought the sun would never set
on the British Empire. Alas it was almost a little less than ninety
years later that the British were forced to leave India... forced not
by a civil war, rather a crippled economy... They left India far less
prosperous than when they acquired it. In the ninety years of formal
British rule, the British Empire plundered and looted India's wealth
much like the US would do so almost 150 years later in Iraq.
Much can be learnt from the British experience in India by the
American Empire.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
supurb, July 2, 2007
By Royal B. Kellogg -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Dalrymple has written a superb history of the fall of
Delhi and the Mughal empire in the 1850s. He has found
new materials that enables him to personalize the story,
giving details about various British and Indian soldiers
and inhabitants of the city. It is very readable, and shows
the transition of the British involvement in the Indian
subcontinent from an time when many British understood
Indian ways and culture, to a later time when
the British tried to convert the Indians and felt superior
to them.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A lesson in history, May 6, 2007
By R. Goel (Sydney, NSW Australia) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
It was a delight to receive the latest offering by William Dalrymple
in the form of The Last Mughal. This is not only an insight into the
impoverished court of Bahadur Shah but highlights the importance given
by the people to the King. People looked to the throne for guidance &
etiquette governing their behaviour. It is very satisfying to see the
favourite son of Delhi Ghalib remembered. Growing up in Delhi, the
history we studied was quite different to the one described in the
book. It was sad to read about the destruction of Delhi after the
mutiny and the lives lost. One wonders what the history of India would
be like if Mughals were still ruling in one form or another.
Overall an informative book to rekindle the interest in the underrated
city of Shajahanabad.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
no dry history book, September 14, 2007
By George Hopcraft "Steve" (SYDNEY, NSW Australia) -
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
A surprisingly readable history of a dark and troubled time in India's
history. Britain rode roughshod over thousands of years of
civilisation on the sub-Continent seeking to impose Christianity on an
unwilling populace. The invaders believed that their way of life was
simply superior to that of that of the subjugated masses. History
continues to repeat these terrble crimes into the 20th and 21st
centuries.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Incredibly pertinent to today's clash between the East and West, May
3, 2007
By Bobby D. (Cerritos, CA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
*This is an important book with information that is incredibly
pertinent to today's clash between the East and West. The title gives
the impression that this is a biography of Zafar II, the last Mughal
Emperor but in fact Dalrymple uses the discovery and translations of
the "Mutiny papers" (first hand accounts) to tell the story of the
Sepoys rebellion against the British East India Company in 1857. Of
139,000 sepoys in the Bengal Army all but 7,796 turned against their
British masters. The sepoys were joined by very large parts of the
population and the result was atrocities abounded on both sides. So
the book is more a detailed (sometimes overly detailed) look at the
uprising and fall of Delhi. I was not aware of the sectarian nature of
Muslim rule under the Islamic Mughal's and early British rule and the
resulting intolerance of British rule which prompted the mutiny and
then followed the revolt. All of this sounds so familiar to today's
situation with Fundamentalist Islam, globalization and the war on
terror. The overall point made in the book is that much of growth of
fundamentalist Islam and the Jihadis is a defensive reaction to, at
first Victorian Evangelicals and colonialism and second of all things
western. (Thank you British Empire.) But you must read it for yourself
to get the full impact of the events and how they played out in the
1850s to see how they have impacted the past 140 years. (We all know
how our own Civil War still has it's undercurrents in modern politics
and culture 130 years later, so it should be no surprise that these
events in the Mutiny still underline perceptions and attitudes and
cultures in the East today.) One interesting fact of this history is
that of the roll of the madrasas which we perceive today as private
Islamic Fundamentalist schools that preach hate and violence. Yet,
before 1845/50 the madrasas were key places of learning with major
focus on tolerance, science, culture and literature. They taught
secular tolerance. It was not till the mid 1800's when the British
fundamentalist evangelicals arrived and whose insensitivity, arrogance
and blindness did much to bring about a strong local reaction
resulting in the madrasas teaching more fundamentalist Islam in
defense of this outside challenge to their religion and culture.
Dalrymple sees a direct link from this defensive teaching in Deobandi
madrasas in Pakistan and Afghanistan to the emergence of the Taliban
who provided the crucible for al-Qaeda who Deobandi characterizes as
being behind the most "powerful fundamentalist Islamic counter-attack
the modern West has yet encountered". So a remarkable accomplishment
of the book is seeing the event and resulting history from both
side... this made possible by the use of the Mutiny Papers. So why do
I not give the book my highest rating? Well, I do have some criticism
as I found the book a very uneven read with an awkward narrative and
writing style. My sense as I read the book was that this is just not
well written. But, in fact, the part of the narrative written by
Dalymple is excellent. The problem is the books structure as on almost
every page Dalymple adds indented paragraphs of first person telling
of events. This happens so often, and each has a somewhat different
style, that the reading experience is made up with starts and jumps. I
wish he had limited this technique and worked more of this first
person information into his own narrative of events. And lastly, to
minor extent I thought the introduction took away from the book as it
is a brief telling of the story which follows, as is the excellent
"Dramatis Personae" which if read before reading the book also gives
away much of the events. I suggest coming back to this only when you
need to refresh your knowledge of who a given person is. Overall, very
interesting and highly recommended. (I would also recommend a favorite
book of mine which covers much of the British history in this part of
Asia, TOURNAMENT OF SHADOWS, BY Karl Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac.)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Superb portrait of Mughal Delhi and its destruction in 1857, August
8, 2008
By William Podmore (London United Kingdom) -
This magnificent book is based on Persian and Urdu documents in
India's National Archives. It vividly portrays Mughal Delhi and its
destruction in 1857. The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II
(1775-1862), was at the heart of a court of great brilliance, home of
`the greatest literary renaissance in modern Indian history'.
Architectural historian James Ferguson called his palace `the most
splendid palace in the world'.
Dalrymple shows that the Uprising resulted from the Raj's growing
racism and hatred, its `steady crescendo of insensitivity'. Its
arrogant schemes to impose Evangelical Christianity and Christian laws
on India `ushered in the most obnoxious phase of colonialism'.
The uprising was `along distinct class lines', with workers to the
fore. It was the most serious armed challenge to imperialism in the
19th century, posed to the world's greatest military power. Dalrymple
notes the rebels' military, strategic, administrative, logistical and
financial failings and their war crimes. But the accusations of rape
by the rebels were false: the official inquiry found not a single case
of rape; the only mass rapes were by British soldiers after the
reconquest of Delhi.
He reveals for the first time `the full scale of the viciousness and
brutality of the British response', as detailed in the records of the
revived British administration. "The orders were to shoot every
soul. ... It was literally murder ... Heaven knows I feel no pity ..."
wrote British officer Edward Vibart. Colonel A. R. D. Mackenzie
boasted that we "exterminated them as men kill snakes wherever they
meet them." After killing three unarmed captive princes, Captain
William Hodson wrote to his sister, "I am not cruel, but I confess I
did enjoy the opportunity of ridding the earth of these wretches."
Lieutenant Charles Griffiths wrote of John Clifford, the former
collector of Gurgaon, "He shook my hands, saying that he had put to
death all he had come across, not excepting women and children, and
from his excited manner and the appearance of his dress - which was
covered with blood stains - I quite believe he told the truth."
Governor-General Lord Canning told Queen Victoria that the British
forces displayed `a rabid and indiscriminate vindictiveness'.
Palmerston said that Delhi should be deleted from the map, `levelled
to the ground'. British forces sacked, looted and emptied Delhi and
massacred great swathes of its people. Much of the palace and its
surrounding areas were razed. Most of its leading inhabitants were
killed or transported to die in the Raj's new Andaman Islands camp for
10,000 prisoners. As far as the Mughal elite were concerned, the
British response was `approaching a genocide' and `would today be
classified as grisly war crimes'.
Dalrymple sums up, "That massacre of the inhabitants of Delhi,
commanded and justified in the eyes of Victorian Evangelicals by their
reading of the Christian scriptures. ... `In the city no one's life
was safe,' wrote Muin ud-Din Husain Khan. `All able-bodied men who
were seen were taken for rebels and shot.' Ghalib, who had disliked
the sepoys from the beginning, was now no less horrified by the
barbarity of the returning British. `The victors killed all whom they
found on the streets,' he wrote in Dastanbuy. `When the angry lions
entered the town, they killed the helpless and weak and they burned
their houses. Mass slaughter was rampant and streets were filled with
horror. It may be that such atrocities always occur after conquest.'"
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The 1857 Indian Mutiny brought to life, April 4, 2008
By Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) -
Bahadur Shah II (a.k.a. Zafar) was the last of the Indian Mughal
emperors and is not given much attention in history texts. The Last
Mughal brings to life the richness and artistry along with political
intrigue and daily court life during Zafar's rein. As author Dalrymple
has used a variety of both British as well as Indian sources, his
accounts provide a rich and detailed narrative of events and daily
life in Delhi a century and half ago.
The theme around which Dalrymple weaves his narrative is a
contemporary one: intolerance for the "other." As Christian
evangelical activity increases in India, many of them believe that
Britain has been given this empire to convert Hindus and Muslims to
the "true faith." On the other side, religious attitudes are also
hardening as the Muslims turn towards a more radical form of Islam. In
May 1857, Indian sepoys (soldiers) serving in the British army
mutinied (primarily out of fear that the British were out to corrupt
Islam and Hinduism), and they coerce Zafar to be their leader. Zafar
reluctantly agrees. After a bitter siege, the British capture Delhi.
Civilians, guilty and innocent, friend and foe, are shot, stabbed and
hung while homes are systematically looted. The weak (elderly, women
and children) are driven out of the city to die of exposure, disease
and starvation. Zafar is exiled to Burma where he dies and is buried
in an unmarked grave (so his grave and remains can never be found).
However, in the mists of such horrifying atrocities, there are moments
of humanity. Throughout the siege, Zafar refuses to alienate the
Hindus by giving in to the demands of the extremist Muslims. He also
refuses to take the life of the British who were given sanctuary at
his court. Muslims gave shelter to British families as British Punjabi
Muslim regiments fought against fellow Muslims in the line of duty.
The reader experiences all of this through Zafar and his court. While
the events are historical, Dalrymple's writing style is fluid and easy
to read - making this work read more like a novel than a history
book.
Armchair Interview says: A fresh perspective on Zafar and the Indian
Mutiny of 1857.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A timely history lesson., March 18, 2008
By NAima -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Just what you expect from an excellent history book: less opinion,
more research and good writing. This book destroys (and I mean
destroys) a lot of conjecture and partisan drivel that, at least in
India, is being taught as history of our first war against the
colonizers. "The Last Mughal" shows that for all its flaws - of which
there were many - the revolt was born out of a genuine sense of
revulsion and anger over British actions. It shows that what the
British did to Delhi in the aftermath of the war was nothing short of
genocide. And it shows that Zafar, as kind and gentle as he may have
been, wasn't the hero our text books tell us he was. In fact, we
(Indians) seem to have conveniently forgotten the ones we should truly
remember.
In my opinion, this book will not only be a good read for all those
who want to know more about this tumultuous period in Indian history
but also for anyone who still, appallingly, believes that the British
rule turned out "pretty good" for India. Above all, I consider this
book a must-read for someone who lives in Delhi, used to live in Delhi
or wants to live in Delhi. It's a timely reminder of the heights this
great city scaled and where it can, still, reach.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Dalrymple does it again, January 23, 2008
By Herve H. Blandin -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
If a little more arcane, but no less interesting, as a subject, than
the last book I read from this author (Age of Kali), this is another
one from him that will clip your sleeping hours by one or more, every
evening, if that is your time of reading.
Dalrymple is the type of author who makes it hard to put their books
down. Granted, you should have an interest in India, and its history,
but plainly, one for novel-like characters may suffice. I find he has
the knack to make obscure historical figures come to life, so that
within the wider scheme, we get curious to see what will happen of
them. A tremendous additon to reading about history.
He gets down to the nitty gritty of their lives, actions, reactions
and whys, all this within a paragraph, that one would be forgiven for
thinking we opened the pages of the last issue of "Vanity Fair", the
last Mughal becoming the next moghul, maybe.....
All this makes for fascinating reading, and furiously informative on
the place, its history, and the mix of its people.
Very simply D' s knowledge on the period he delves into is maddening
(he can be concised and to the point, read his article in TIMES
following B. Bhutto's assassination). Even imagining him spending
hours over archives in libraries, traveling fro and there, one asks
oneself time and time again: "how does he know so much" (Barely over
40 YO at that). Those who know that India is a complicated palimpsest
to decipher without forgetting the continuum of a specific history
shall appreciate.
Needless say, he joins all the dots, easily fills in the blanks to
make his view, and sense of history, coherent. Unlike what was written
by others, I do not think he imposes a POV, ethno-centrist or
decentrist (both cases could be made, albeit not by me). he is just a
damned good writer, and it is our joy that he is getting ever better
at that. 6 stars!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
timely, August 28, 2007
By Dylan J. Craven -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
a fascinating commentary on british colonialism. dalrymple makes a
convincing case for the mutiny being a harbinger of the empire's
collapse. there are some clear parallels with the united states'
current embroglios in afghanistan and iraq.
this is a must read, and is made much more enjoyable by an abundance
of newly presented (and translated) historical documents that provide
insight to ongoings of zafar's court and east india company. such
documentation sheds light on the diverse religious/social dynamics of
both sides of the conflict. i was astounded to hear that 60 % of the
soldiers used by the british to control the sepoys were of indian
descent (mostly sikhs, if memory serves).
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Relevance of History, January 27, 2009
By Rita Sharma (Washington DC) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
The celebrated writer and historian, William Dalrymple, ends his book
`The Last Mughal' with the famous words of Edmund Burke that "those
who don't know history are destined to repeat it." The purpose of "The
Last Mughal" is to show the relevance of past conflicts between East
and West to the religious strife seen today. Dalrymple writes of the
Indian Uprising on May 10th, 1857 against the British East India
Company in Delhi. This uprising is rooted in specific military
grievances that the British Sepoys (or Indian/Muslim soldiers) held
with their colonial masters. Hindu sepoys and Muslim jihadis united
under the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II and launched a
bloody campaign to throw the British out of India. Dalrymple has drawn
facts from many mutiny papers, which he researched from unpublished
materials from the Indian National Archive.
The Mughal court and the British colonists' failure to deal with the
uprising marked the end of the Mughal Empire and the East India
Company. The book even marks a famous poem from Bahadur Shah Zafar
that goes as follows:
"Kitna budnaseeb hau Zafar dafan ke liye
Do guj Jameen Bhii naa milii kue-yaar mein"
Today, West and East find themselves in a similar situation and the
relevance of the Mughal time period compares tightly with the United
States' current involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though the U.S.
is not engaging in blatant colonialism, many Iraqis and Afghans see
the U.S. involvement as rife with colonial intent. The author has
skillfully interwoven the rich poetic world of Mughal India and the
horror of the Great Mutiny of 1857.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Interesting but heavy going, June 29, 2007
By Norel Pride "Bubba" (Southern Illinois) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
It is an interesting book that uses actual reports from both sides to
stitch together the background history, day to day life and results
both then and now of the indian mutiny. I enjoyed the book and the
information it provided. However, I believe that a better editor could
have taken at least a chapter's worth of material out of the book
without damage. I found many occasions where the author used the same
material and quoted verbatim to support the same event reported
earlier in the narrative.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Great Book, April 2, 2007
By A. khan -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
This is a very well balanced review of history.I have read all the
books of the author and consider this to be the best(other books are
great too).
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Delhi - City of the Dead, March 22, 2009
By S. DHAWAN (USA) -
I just finished reading this book and I think that this is one of the
books which will stay with me for a long time. William Dalrymple had
done extensive research on the topic and beautifully written the
history of the last days of mughal empire. Having born and raised in
Delhi, some of the chapters in the book made me angry and sad. The
physical and cultural destruction of Delhi by the conquering British
Army described by the writer is unbelievable. The lynchings, killings,
rapes and looting of Delhi by the British is just too much to take.
The uncivilized British colonialism in league with fanatic evangelical
christianism destroyed a pluarlistic civilization of Delhi beyond
recovery.
It's a great read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Mutiny, jihad, uprising, rebellion, civil war -- what's in a word?,
December 30, 2008
By H. Schneider "Hermit" (window seat) -
This is not, as the title might suggest, a biography of the last
Mughal emperor Zafar. It is the story of this Indian King Lear's
demise and of the end of Delhi as a great city. It is the story of the
end of a dynasty, the Timurids, who had their peak during the time of
the tautologically called Akbar the Great, with his tolerant
Renaissance style court, and their low point during the time of
terrorist Aurangzeb, who ruined the Hindu - Muslim relation for good
in India.
By the time that this book is about, the Mughals had no real power any
more and Delhi was already more a place of the past than a real center
of India. British colonial power was fast expanding through military
conquests and diplomacy. At the same time colonial power was more and
more accompanied by Evangelism. The 'mutiny' started over irritations
in the army; native soldiers, mostly Hindus, started a rebellion
against their officers. The movement grew to incorporate Muslim
jihadists. The movement chose the aging Zafar as their figure head, a
role which he filled only reluctantly.
It was an odd sort of religious war. A Muslim 'emperor' gets pressed
by Hindu soldiers into a rebellion against Christian oppressors.
Cohesiveness of the rebellion is broken by the joining of large crowds
of Muslim jihadists. The British forces lose large parts of their
Hindu manpower as deserters to the rebellion, and make up for it by
additional forces recruited among Sikhs and Muslims from the Punjab as
well as Pathans and Gurkhas. In the end, 33% of British officer
casualties would be classified as 'natives', and 82 % of 'other
ranks'!
There are no clear distinctive religious or regional front lines
between the two sides of the war, which was Britain's largest anti-
colonial challenge in the 19th century.
Why did the rebels lose the war despite their overwhelming superiority
in head count and despite the initial leadership trouble of the
British, wich took them to the brink of defeat?
Essentially, the rebels had no uniform leadership, no strategy, no
concept of logistics, no system of intelligence. Victory was within
reach and they did not know it.
The book is not the definitive history of the 'Great Mutiny'. I
believe Dalrymple is working at that and will need a few decades
more.
It is a well told story of a part of the larger picture, focused on
Delhi and on Zafar. It is based on vast archives from the time, using
newspapers, memoirs, diaries, letters, and official documents from
British as well as local sources.
There is no doubt that Dalrymple is not hiding his anti-colonial and
anti-evangelical attitude, as some reviewers here have complained.
Well, that is ok for me, I share WD's values if I understand him
right.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Commendable Research, July 17, 2008
By Syed A. Hassan "Abbas Hassan" (Toronto, Canada) -
I have read almost all of Dalrymple's books and have enjoyed his
impeccable style of narrative. His descriptions take you for why you
read his subjects: to walk into history with him following his zest
for showing you what other historian will not. His "City of Djinns" (a
portrait of Delhi) and "From the Holy Mountain" (his travels to what
was Eastern Byzantium, visiting the dying culture of monasteries, etc)
and are very well-written and absorbing, specially for me who has
never been to Delhi or the present day Turkey, reading both these
books was an experience of unimaginable insight.
The Last Mughal is Dalrymple's combination of style with heaps of
incredible research, his reference to the 20,000 or so Mutiny Papers
in the National Archives in India were something that no other
researcher laid his hands on. Dalrymple has smartly dealt with the
Delhi during mutiny in microcosm of what the ordinary citizen felt or
went through, so much so that he has cast his "net" on people such as
sweetmeat shop owners, courtesans, weavers, bird-catchers etc. His
research doesn't end here but goes further to Lahore, from where he
culled out papers, notes and letters from British General who
masterminded the siege of Delhi when it was surrounded by the
rebellious sepoys. It is with his indefatigable research and with his
years of experience on this subject, that he has produced the Last
Mughal and one wonders in awe of its sheer size and volume.
If you're really interested in knowing the socio-political climate of
Delhi during the Mutiny (in 1857) and after that read this book to get
a hold of the period and also enjoy Dalrymple's best work to date.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
The Last Mughul: the author's style is refreshing in some aspects.,
July 15, 2008
By Odiseph "Odi" -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
While I was not familiar with this author, the book's title seemed
interesting. Although I am a life commited student of history, more
than an overview, India's past was a mystery. After the first chapter,
I was searching for other titles by the author. Unfortunately, the
majority are paperback.
Written by a "boot on the ground," many passages are heart breaking.
To the spoils, the conquerer, I suppose; but such epic forms of art
from poetry to the palace of a thousand columns were not considered
worthy to preserve. The Last Mughal has renewed my respect for the
people of India and left me to want more.
A nicely hard bound book at a very reasonable price filled with
information by someone who lived much of it, I cannot recommend this
work enough. William Dalrymple is an author now added to those who's
labors I seek out and an admirable addition to my library.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Mutiny and Revenge , May 24, 2008
By Brian Lewis (Ridgefield, CT) -
What a remarkable book. A very thorough retelling of the 1857 mutiny
by Indian troops against the British at Delhi, how it so nearly
succeeded in driving the British out of northern India, and the
terrible revenge wrecked by the British army once they again had the
uppper hand.
The author has written extensively about India and Delhi in
particular. His familiarity with the site and its history contributes
greatly to the success of this book. He manages a huge cast of
characters, both British and Indian, identifies the issues of the day
and brings the reader right into the action. While not a military
history, it features some of the best writing about battle scenes I
have ever read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Last Mughal,The, May 9, 2008
By Sharad D. Shah (Hawaii,USA) -
Dalrymple masterfully lays down the foundation by first giving an
account of how the British dominated India culturally,politically and
militarily in the early 19th century and how in the wake of 1857
mutiny the Raj totally subjugated India bringing her under British
rule.
Last years of Zafar; ruthless hanging, shooting and murders of Delhi
residents provide vivid images of the turmoil.
What is even more surprising is the length to which Dalrymple carried
out is research of archives in libraries in India as well as in
England. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this | Permalink
Comment
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Superb Scholarship, April 10, 2008
By exurbanite (Inverness, CA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
The Last Mughal starts somewhat slowly but picks up steam as it moves
to the actual sepoy rebellion and its long lasting consequences.
Dalrymple has done a brilliant job of digging through the original
documentary material of the period. He quotes at length from letters,
diaries, journals, court records, etc., many of them written in
admirable Victorian prose. (One could only wish that contemporary
writing was as elegant or eloquent.) Perhaps most interesting of all
in this exciting but melancholy tale is how its impact can be traced
to the contemporary upheavals in the Muslim Middle East.
The work's minor flaws are not so much the fault of the author as of
the publisher. The abundant use of Indian words can cause confusion
and the glossary at the rear contains only some of them. Similarly,
references to sections of Delhi and its surroundings would have been
immeasurably helped had some maps or at least sketches of mid-19th
century Delhi been added. All in all, however, a superb and at the
same time very readable work of scholarship.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
The Last Mughal (Hardcover) by William Dalrymple, March 24, 2008
By Rita Gupta -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Excellent buy, again another great book by William Dalrymple. A must
for people
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Must read if you are from Delhi or have visited there!, January 16,
2008
By Socratic Quest (USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Gives you a great sense of life in eighteenth century Delhi, its
civilization and the tragic end of muslim glory in India. Easy to
read. Well researched and balanced. Highly recommended to Delhites
world over.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Flashman and the Mutiny, January 6, 2008
By Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
It takes nothing away from this wonderful book, and the many excellent
reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, to mention that Flashman was there. I
re-read Flashman in the Great Game: A Novel (Flashman) by George
MacDonald Fraser after finishing The Last Mughal: The Fall of a
Dynasty.
Dalrymple and Fraser are great historians; the era comes alive on
their pages. Even Flashy was moved by the horrors visited on Delhi and
its people.
Robert C. Ross 2008
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Time travel is possible!, May 2, 2007
By tasinmaine (usa) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
What an amazingly well researched and well written book! You feel like
actually being there ,in Delhi,in that tumultous time!! The main
characters of the time just come alive...they are not merely names
anymore!! Not biased,non-judgemental..TOTALLY ENGROSSING!!
I read this after reading"The Mughal Throne" by Abraham Eraly, another
great book, which gives you a context to this saga too...sort of a
"prequel" that is!
This was my first book by Mr. Dalrymple and have now ordered all his
previous work!I strongly recommend it to everone!
14 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
Well researched and artful, but somewhat biased, February 10, 2008
By Matt K. "happy reader" (Michigan, USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
In our day, "colonialism" has become more of a "rhetorical device than
a precise scientific instrument," to quote Indian studies expert
Robert Frykenberg. It denotes intrusion and exploitation by the
"strong" against the "weak." In modern historiography, colonialism as
a category has come to be "part of a technology for denigrating,
shaming and shunning...a convenient device for assigning collective
guilt." As such, "the term represents a point of view, a perspective,
which many academics and thinkers...hold dear" (see Frykenberg's
"Christians and Missionaries in India", p 6-10).
The historian who begins with this underlying, if unconscious, view of
colonialism cannot help but be influenced in his research by that
view. As such, he may well set aside (or fail to see) the nuances and
complexities of his subject, and instead paint a one-sided picture.
Such seems to be the case with William Dalrymple in his celebrated
"The Last Mughal."
This was profoundly disappointing to me, as I am, with Dalrymple, a
student of Indian history (particularly of Muslim history in S Asia),
and a frequent visitor to N India, who has greatly enjoyed Dalrymple's
other books ("City of Djinns", "Age of Kali").
Woven through his otherwise masterfully researched and artfully
written account of the last days of the Mughal empire, is a fair bit
of material that helps us to understand, not the period in question,
but Dalrymple's personal views (influenced by the vision of
"colonialism" delineated above). For example, those British
colonialists who "went native" (Dalrymple highlights those who made
themselves rulers of their own little fiefdoms) are good; those who
maintained a more distant and aloof demeanor, bad. Foreign
missionaries (for whom Dalrymple has a particular antipathy) who
engaged in outreach and polemic among Hindus and Muslims are bad;
Muslims who engaged in anti-Christian polemic are good. The refined,
cultured society of the Mughal court is good; the imperialistic
British, bad.
The common element here is that Dalrymple ignores striking
complexities which are needed to provide balance to a contentious
constelation of subjects. To see this more clearly, I'd like to take a
closer look at 2 of the examples listed in the paragraph above.
First, Dalrymple seems unaware that the Mughal empire itself was a
vast exercise in imperialistic "colonialism," that is, of the strong
oppressing and exploiting the weak. The Mughal empire was in its
origins no less "foreign" than was the British. To be sure, over time
many Mughals adapted themselves to India, and some became effective
rulers who did a measure of good for the country. But this should not
allow other realties to escape our notice; for example, the way in
which Hindus were often oppressed under Mughal rule, or the fact that
the majority of India's population languished in abject poverty, while
the Mughals went on enjoying the lavish lifestyle of the court.
The Mughals did indeed produce spectacular poetry, architecture, and
culture during their tenure in India. But this was often done at the
expense of the population of India and not for its benefit. (The Taj
Mahal is a striking example: it is a work of great beauty, but it was
built by enslaving and taxing the people of North India).
While fully acknowledging the evils perpetrated in India by the
British (illustrated in the creulty with which the 1857 "Mutiny" was
supressed), or the shocking ethno-centricity of many of the British in
India (Dalrymple points out many examples), we can still point out
that British rule of India was still demonstrated a considerable
amount of tolerance, and produced significant benefit to the people of
India. For all their pettiness, closed-mindedness, and exploitation of
India, the British made a good-faith effort to rule the country well,
providing roads, railroads, water and electric works, and countless
schools (many of which are still in use). Dalrymple's demonizing of
the British in India (with the exception of those rare "White
Mughals"), coupled with his veneration of old Mughal government and
culture simply does not stand the test of historical scrutiny. It is
simply a reflection of Dalrymple's own preferences and biases.
Second, Dalrymple's evident distaste for Christian missions betrays a
strikingly one-sided view. His account does nothing to mitigate the
oft-repeated, yet intellectually untenable charge that Christianity in
India is a foreign, colonial imposition wedded to imperial power and
foisted upon native peoples. Colonial missionaries were indeed people
of their times, and as such, there were certainly many unfortunate
cases where a "colonial mindset" prevailed. Yet Robert Frykenberg,
Stephen Neill, and a host of other scholars have shown that this was
not the dominant trend. Missions, like all other historical movements,
is a complex, richly textured reality, which defies simplistic
analysis and generalization.
In his haste to paint missionaries in a certain light, Dalrymple uses
a cut-and-paste method, quoting missionary correspondence out of
context, all the while failing to perceive what they were really
saying. Instead of reading the writings of Reginald Heber (one-time
Anglican Bishop of Calcutta), for instance, as they are: the writings
of a man very much of his time, a man convinced of the truthfulness of
Christianity and yet deeply in love with India, he insists on reading
them through a postmodern lens, as if Heber should have had the
benefit of knowing and abiding by today's postmodern dogmas of
multicultural political correctness.
Dalrymple's book, though the result of painstaking research, and
though artfully written, is unfortunately sullied by Dalrymple's not-
too-subtle biases. I still recommend this book, for the many original
contributions it makes. Yet if you want a more balanced understanding
of the period in question I would also recommend the books by John
Richards, Andre Wink, or Peter Hardy. On Christianity in India, I
would recommend Robert Frykenberg, Roger Hedlund, and Stephen Neill.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Last Mughal, July 2, 2009
By Susan Leigh Connors (Boston, MA) -
In the introduction of The Last Mughal by William Dalrymple the author
states that the book seeks to explain one central question: "How and
why the relatively easy relationship of Indian and Briton, so evident
during the Fraser time, gave way to the hatred and racism of the high
nineteenth-century Raj. The Uprising, it is clear, was the result of
that change, not the cause. " Given this statement, the reader would
expect to encounter chapters addressing such hatred and racism, to be
lead through a series of events that would have culminated in the
Uprising.
In Chapter III, "Believers and Infidels," one cause is mentioned:
"Just as militant Christians were a growing force among the British in
the early 1850's, so among Delhi's Muslims there was a parallel rise
in rigid fundamentalism that displayed the same utter certainty and
disdain for the faiths of others, as well as a similar willingness to
use force against the infidel. [*A Hindu parallel would in time form
to match these tendencies in Islam and Christianity.] p. 73.
Also in Chapter III: "India in the 1840's and 1850's was slowly
filling with pious British Evangelicals who wanted not just to rule
and administer India, but also to redeem and improve it (p.61)."
Prominent Evangelicals are mentioned in this chapter along with the
locals' reaction to the, what was perceived as, indoctrination
processes on the part of the clergy.
Apart from this chapter, the book recounts (chapters 4-12) in detail
the Siege of Delhi, and not in effect what caused the rebels to mutiny
in the first place. Chapters four through twelve are a detailed
account of the Siege, and not a sociological analysis of attitudes
held by the British and the Mughals culminating in the Uprising.
Chapters four through twelve do align with the subtitle of the book:
The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857. The central question of the book
is not explored in any detail.
A towering work of scholarship, February 26, 2010
By Mike Williams (South Wales, UK) -
This work is breathtaking. It is a large book and there is serious
scholarship within its pages - the inclusion of new material from the
Delhi archives, seemingly overlooked since it was first placed there,
is especially notable - but Dalrymple manages to do what he does best,
which is also to make it a thoroughly good read. The story begins -
and it really does read like a fast-paced novel - with the atmosphere
in Delhi before the uprising. Key characters are introduced in a
series of revealing vignettes; a technique Dalrymple uses throughout.
The beginning is perhaps the most difficult part of the book since
there is a lot of information to digest and many unfamiliar-sounding
names. However, when the mutiny finally breaks, the pace quickens to
be all nigh unstoppable. The individual vignettes continue, some of
famous individuals but many of the ordinary people of both sides. You
feel your sympathies turn with each new event and you can almost feel
the fear that stalked Delhi. The aftermath of the uprising forms the
final part of the book and the terrible vengeance reaped by the
British. The words of Ghandi have never been more apt: an eye for an
eye and the whole world goes blind. The figure of Zafar, the Last
Mughal of the title, remains a constant throughout the book and
Dalrymple paints a sympathetic but never romantic portrait. Dalrymple
carries no particular bias into the book, apart from his clear love
and regard for Delhi herself. His final reflections on the unchecked
attitude of colonial power and the backlash it can unleash, resonate
down to the present day. This is a book that deserves to be read - it
is absolutely superb.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 ..., December 17,
2007
By Benjamin Teitelbaum (New York, USA) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
I found the Last Mughal a fascinating historical sort of biography and
journal about a part of Indian history that we are somewaht aware of
but often forget. I especially found the description of changes in
British Colonial Rule from participatory to dictetorial
fascinating...The strength and weaknesses of both the Indian and
British cultures are readily understood and form part of the problems
and solutions...However, I found the book lacked critical analysis and
was weak on historical methodology...It did not relate what happened
to the Delhi to the rest of India or World economics or political
changes...Benjamin
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent Writer: Biased Views, July 4, 2009
By Swanee -
Also having read "City of Djinns" I can say that Dalrymple is an
excellent writer. He draws the reader in with an enjoyable style and
the reader exits his works having not only been entertained but
educated and, yes, enlightened.
That having been said, I cannot say this book is an even-handed
history. It's clear that Dalrymple favors the Moghul Empire as opposed
to the British Empire. His treatment of Zafar (the last Moghul Emperor
of India) is sycophantic at times. In this extensive history, I have
trouble identifying any characteristic which would set this Sufi
mystic as much of a leader. He comes across as soft, indecisive,
regressive, self-indulgent, and undisciplined. Not to mention the fact
that he changed sides during the mutiny from favoring the English to
half-heartedly favoring the mutineers. What's to like? The fact that
Zafar liked sitting around writing poetry all day?
Dalrymple predictably ends the book by lecturing the West on its
current stance against Islam. He writes, "Jihadis again fight what
they regard as a defensive action against their Christian enemies, and
again innocent women, children and civilians are slaughtered. As
before, Western Evangelical politicians are apt to cast their
opponents and enemies in the role of "incarnate fiends" and conflate
armed resistancde to invastion and occupation with "Pure evil." Notice
how all the negative religious attitides reside with the West. No
mention of the death fatwahs issued against the West by "peace-loving"
Muslims? Hmmmm.
Despite Dalrymple's obvious prejudices and yearning for what comes
across as a despotic regime, I enjoyed the book and will likely read
more of his works. One just has to make an effort to read between the
lines of what is, at times, a very revisionist history.
21 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
A poisenous book, September 25, 2007
By Johan Temmerman (Belgium) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Exquisitely researched and well written, describing past lives and
events that appear as real as if the reader had been a material
witness, this book's quality of writing reminds me of Dalrymple's
"White Mughals", dealing with British servants of the East India
Company who "went native" by adopting Muslim customs in the early
decades of the Raj. In "The Last Mughal", however, Dalrymple has gone
native himself, by trumpeting Muslim culture as superior to all things
Western at every turn. Especially irritating are the infrequent but
none-too-subtle parallels he draws with the present : it seems America
is the new Raj, whose "undisguised imperial arrogance" rose after the
fall of the Berlin Wall - a gratuitous opinion lacking any bearing on
this book's subject, the end of the Mughal Dynasty in India. Dalrymple
rants between the lines, describing the West - then and now - as
nothing but a bunch of rapacious pilferers and murderers, who uproot
delicately balanced, refined, pacifist, tolerant, and multicultural
Muslim societies, composed solely of courtiers, courtesans and poets.
This was, to use a British understatement, a trifle at variance with
reality, as both Hindu and Muslim ruling classes of the period
wallowed in disgusting wealth while their subjects lived miserable
lives in abject poverty. The imperialist, but now long gone Raj at
least curbed the worst excesses of the Indian princes and laid the
foundations of modern India, from the civil service to railroad
infrastructure, but not a word of this is whispered here. One virtue
of the book is that it shows the true character of the disciples of
the Prophet, who managed to turn a Hindu mutiny into a jihad in no
time. Also instructive is Dalrymple's enthousiastic, gushing
descriptions of sword-wielding jihadis "duly dispatching" helpless
British women and children during the "Uprising", in stark contrast
with the "brutal killings" by British "psychopaths". No doubt
atrocities were committed on both sides, but the double standard in
describing them rankles, while references to present "Western
arrogance and imperialism" reveals the bias of the author who, by the
way, prefers living in the arrogant West over residing in a delicately
balanced, refined, pacifist, tolerant, and multicultural Muslim
society. This is a poisonous book, unworthy of being termed objective
historical writing.
10 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
Interesting and problematic, March 31, 2007
By Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
This is an important book because it uses new documents to reconstruct
daily life in Delhi during 1857, at the high point of the Indian
mutiny. It explores the life of the last Mughal and the last viteges
of the Mughal empire. That in itself is an important contribution.
However the great problem here is in its characterization of the
Mughals as 'tolerant' and 'pgrogressive' and the insinutation that it
was some great tragedy that the Mughals fell from Power. The Mughal
empire that coloinzed India between the 16th and 19th centuries was a
colonial power that enslaved people and spent much of its money on
itself, glorifying Mughal power and Islam. This is called colonialism,
but somehow because the colonial power of the Mughals, whose ancestors
invaded India from Afhganistan, confronted the Colonial power of the
English the Mughals are showered with praise. However the regime the
British installed were little different and low caste Indians, in fact
90% of Indians were not affected by the change from Islamic Mughal
colonialism to British colonialism. However the British regime brought
many reforms in terms of child marriage and the ending of slavery.
These aspects are lost in a book that is half romance and half polemic
and for that this book needs to be judged accordingly. It paints far
to bright a picture of what Mughal colonialism and religious
domination meant for the majority Hindus, who are ignored in this
text.
Seth J. Frantzman
3 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Dalrymple' s biases to the fore, May 25, 2009
By Sandman "Sandman" (USA) -
William Dalrymple has done extensive research on the Indian Mutiny.
His biases come to the fore:(exhibited in all his works on India)
1> He loves the Mughals, who were a cruel foreign exploitative regime
in India
2> He is an apologist for Islam (interesting how that has changed off
late)
One exception :He generally is an apologist for the British occupation
& atrocities in India. In this book he is more truthful. However his
reviews of Amitav Ghosh's book "The Sea of Poppies" is more
illustrative of his true feelings.
He needs to stop exploiting his ability to live in India and write
about it. How about some books on Scotland instead..................?
Less exotic and fewer copies sold !!!
Move on Dalrymple.
17 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
Dalrymple's concern is Islam, not India, April 2, 2007
By W. Hawkins (Washington, DC) -
This review is from: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi,
1857 (Hardcover)
Dalrymple is writing less about India than about an Islamic regime
that, as a previous reviewer noted, was initially a colonial power
ruling over Hindus (often with a brutality that makes the Brits look
paternalistic in contrast). Dalrymple has become a commentator on
Middle East policy, with a pro-Islamist perspective that has led him
to criticize Israel and the United States as well as Great Britain.
This does not mean that his history is of no value. His use of
"Persian" documents to give the Mughal viewpoint is of interest. It is
just important to be aware of his leanings and sympathies. His work
cannot be considered an objective or disinterested chronicle of facts.
He has a partisan-Islamic axe to grind.
bademiyansubhanallah
Empires on the Edge of Chaos Niall Ferguson
March/April 2010
PrintSend to friendDecrease font sizeTextIncrease font size
Summary: Imperial collapse may come much more suddenly than many
historians imagine. A combination of fiscal deficits and military
overstretch suggests that the United States may be the next empire on
the precipice.
NIALL FERGUSON is Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard
University, a Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford, and a Senior Fellow at
the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His most recent book is
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World.
If the leadership of an empire refuses to embark on short-term pain to
prevent a long-term massive disaster, then that empire deserves to
collapse.
Servant C. comments on Complexity and Collapse
9 Comments Join There is no better illustration of the life cycle of a
great power than The Course of Empire, a series of five paintings by
Thomas Cole that hang in the New-York Historical Society. Cole was a
founder of the Hudson River School and one of the pioneers of
nineteenth-century American landscape painting; in The Course of
Empire, he beautifully captured a theory of imperial rise and fall to
which most people remain in thrall to this day.
Each of the five imagined scenes depicts the mouth of a great river
beneath a rocky outcrop. In the first, The Savage State, a lush
wilderness is populated by a handful of hunter-gatherers eking out a
primitive existence at the break of a stormy dawn. The second picture,
The Arcadian or Pastoral State, is of an agrarian idyll: the
inhabitants have cleared the trees, planted fields, and built an
elegant Greek temple. The third and largest of the paintings is The
Consummation of Empire. Now, the landscape is covered by a magnificent
marble entrepôt, and the contented farmer-philosophers of the previous
tableau have been replaced by a throng of opulently clad merchants,
proconsuls, and citizen-consumers. It is midday in the life cycle.
Then comes Destruction. The city is ablaze, its citizens fleeing an
invading horde that rapes and pillages beneath a brooding evening sky.
Finally, the moon rises over the fifth painting, Desolation. There is
not a living soul to be seen, only a few decaying columns and
colonnades overgrown by briars and ivy.
Collection of the New-York Historical Society
The Savage State, from Thomas Cole's The Course of Empire (1833-36)
Conceived in the mid-1830s, Cole's great pentaptych has a clear
message: all empires, no matter how magnificent, are condemned to
decline and fall. The implicit suggestion was that the young American
republic of Cole's age would be better served by sticking to its
bucolic first principles and resisting the imperial temptations of
commerce, conquest, and colonization.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65987/niall-ferguson/complexity-and-collapse
What to Read on American Primacy
Peter Liberman
An annotated Foreign Affairs syllabus on American primacy.
During the second half of the 1980s, the United States went through
one of its periodic bouts of declinism. Paul Kennedy's 1987 bestseller
The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers concluded with a chapter on
Washington's "relative decline," arguing that the United States was a
victim of "imperial overstretch" because "the sum total of [its]
global interests and obligations is nowadays far larger than the
country's power to defend them all simultaneously." This sparked
heated responses and defenses from various quarters until the debate
ended with the collapse of not the American empire, but its Soviet
counterpart. In the two decades since, another intellectual cycle has
run its course, with portraits of U.S. primacy giving way to another
round of declinism. Different takes on this issue lead to different
policy recommendations, so the debate cannot be ignored. But whether
current entries will hold up longer than their predecessors remains an
open question.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/readinglists/what-to-read-on-american-primacy
"The Unipolar Moment." By Charles Krauthammer. Foreign Affairs 70, no.
1 (1990/1991): pp. 23-33.
Summary: Thinking about post-Cold War US foreign policy has been led
astray by three conventionally-accepted but mistaken assumptions about
the character of the post-Cold War environment (1) that the world is
now multipolar, whereas it is in fact unipolar, with the USA the sole
superpower, at least for present policy purposes (2) that the US
domestic consensus favours internationalism rather than isolationism
(3) that in consequence of the Soviet collapse, the threat of war has
substantially diminished.
Charles Krauthammer is a syndicated columnist. This article is adapted
from the author's Henry M. Jackson Memorial Lecture delivered in
Washington, D.C., Sept. 18, 1990.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/46271/charles-krauthammer/the-unipolar-moment
"The Stability of a Unipolar World." By William C. Wohlforth.
International Security 24, no. 1 (1999): pp. 5-41.
"The Stability of a Unipolar World"
Journal Article, International Security, volume 24, issue 2, pages
5-41
Summer 1999
Author: William Wohlforth
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: International Security; Quarterly
Journal: International Security
ABSTRACT
A decade has passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end
of U.S.-Soviet bipolarity. In the ensuing years, many commentators and
scholars have questioned whether the United States can remain the
world's sole superpower. Some have defined U.S. preponderance as "a
unipolar moment"; others have suggested that the current structure is
"uni-multipolar." Regardless of the characterization, the conventional
wisdom maintains that unipolarity is unstable and conflict prone, and
thus unlikely to prevail over the long term. In our lead article,
William Wohlforth of Georgetown University challenges this logic,
arguing that unipolarity is both durable and peaceful. The principal
threat to the current structure, according to Wohlforth, is the
failure of the United States to stay involved in the international
arena.
As the Cold War era came to a close, Charles Krauthammer announced the
arrival of its successor. The United States was the preeminent power
in the world, he wrote, but it needed to exercise global leadership to
maintain its position. The most compelling analysis of unipolarity was
ultimately offered by William Wohlforth, who argued that the United
States possessed a commanding lead in four critical elements of
material power: economic strength, military might, technology, and
geography. The combination meant that the United States was not only
dominant but so strong that other powers had no chance of catching up
anytime soon no matter what they did. As a result, Wohlforth claimed,
U.S. primacy would not fade quickly but last for decades to come.
wohlforthvol24no1.pdf (504K PDF)
For more information about this publication please contact the IS
Editorial Assistant at 617-495-1914.
For Academic Citation:
William C. Wohlforth. "The Stability of a Unipolar World."
International Security 24, no. 2 (Summer 1999): 5-41.
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/578/stability_of_a_unipolar_world.html
"The Unipolar Illusion: Why New Great Powers Will Rise." By
Christopher Layne. International Security 17, no. 4 (1993): pp. 5-51.
This is the first page of the item you requested.
.The Unipolar Illusion: Why New Great Powers Will RiseChristopher
LayneInternational Security, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Spring, 1993), pp. 5-51
(article consists of 47 pages) Published by: The MIT PressStable URL:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2539020
The Unipolar Illusion: Why New Great Powers Will Rise, by Christopher
Layne © 1993 The MIT Press.
Abstract
International relations studies have been unable to determine whether
realist or liberal theories better fit state behavior in various
situations, possibly because these studies have attributed motive and
action to the states rather than to the decision-... .Want the full
article?
.JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the
academic community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly
record and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways.
©2000-2010 ITHAKA. All Rights Reserved. JSTOR®, the JSTOR logo, and
ITHAKA® are registered trademarks of ITHAKA.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/2539020
"The Unipolar Illusion Revisited: The Coming End of the United States'
Unipolar Moment." By Christopher Layne. International Security 31, no.
2 (2006): pp. 7-41.
Some academic realists, in contrast, expected unipolarity to fade
relatively quickly, as self-interest led other powers to balance
against the United States. Echoing Kennedy's 1987 book, Christopher
Layne's 1993 article focused on the decline of the two most dominant
powers prior to the United States -- France in the late seventeenth
century and the United Kingdom in the nineteenth. Their rivals took
advantage of tectonic economic shifts, adopted administrative and
military innovations to accelerate their ascent, and joined alliances
to check the hegemon. Something similar would happen soon, Layne
argued, predicting that unipolarity would "give way to multipolarity
between 2000-2010." Tackling the subject again near the end of that
time frame, Layne acknowledged that U.S. power still reigned supreme.
But he disputed claims that U.S. hegemony was somehow immune to
realist laws of gravity and concluded that Washington should adopt a
restrained "off-shore balancing" strategy rather than waste its power
on self-defeating efforts to dominate the globe.
"The Unipolar Illusion Revisited: The Coming End of the United States'
Unipolar Moment"
Journal Article, International Security, volume 31, issue 2, pages
7-41
Fall 2006
Author: Christopher Layne, Former Research Fellow, International
Security Program, 1995-1996
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: International Security; Quarterly
Journal: International Security
ABSTRACT
The conventional wisdom among U.S. grand strategists is that U.S.
hegemony is exceptional—that the United States need not worry about
other states engaging in counterhegemonic balancing against it. The
case for U.S. hegemonic exceptionalism, however, is weak. Contrary to
the predictions of Waltzian balance of power theorists, no new great
powers have emerged since the end of the Cold War to restore
equilibrium to the balance of power by engaging in hard balancing
against the United States—that is, at least, not yet. This has led
primacists to conclude that there has been no balancing against the
United States. Here, however, they conflate the absence of a new
distribution of power in the international political system with the
absence of balancing behavior by the major second-tier powers.
Moreover, the primacists’ focus on the failure of new great powers to
emerge, and the absence of traditional “hard” (i.e., military)
counterbalancing, distracts attention from other forms of counter
balancing—notably “leash-slipping” —by major second-tier states that
ultimately could lead to the same result: the end of unipolarity.
Because unipolarity is the foundation of U.S. hegemony, if it ends, so
too will U.S. primacy.
is3102_pp007-041_layne.pdf (155K PDF)
For more information about this publication please contact the IS
Editorial Assistant at 617-495-1914.
For Academic Citation:
Layne, Christopher. "The Unipolar Illusion Revisited: The Coming End
of the United States' Unipolar Moment." International Security 31, no.
2 (Fall 2006): 7-41.
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/791/unipolar_illusion_revisited.html
"Soft Balancing against the United States." By Robert A. Pape; "Soft
Balancing in the Age of U.S. Primacy." By T. V. Paul; "Hard Times for
Soft Balancing." By Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth; and
"Waiting for Balancing: Why the World Is Not Pushing Back." By Kier A.
Lieber and Gerard Alexander. International Security 30, no. 1 (Summer
2005): pp. 7-139.
Old-school realists predicted that other states would move to counter
U.S. primacy by banding together and expanding their militaries. Such
"hard" balancing is barely noticeable, however. Some scholars,
reluctant to accept that U.S. hegemony is unchallenged, have therefore
come up with the new concept of "soft" balancing -- nonmilitary
efforts by other countries to frustrate American adventurism, such as
refusing active support, denying access to bases or airspace, and
opposing the United States in international institutions. The articles
in this symposium lay out the debate over whether such behavior is
designed to constrain U.S. power and foreshadows more hard balancing
to come or is simply routine politics in a unipolar world.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/readinglists/what-to-read-on-american-primacy
The Post-American World. By Fareed Zakaria. W. W. Norton, 2008.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
The United States may indeed be losing ground relative to other
countries, argues Fareed Zakaria in this nuanced and highly readable
book, but that has less to do with its own absolute decline than with
"the rise of the rest." The real story of the age is economic growth
across the developing world, which Americans should welcome rather
than fear -- not least because of its promise for social and political
liberalization abroad. The real challenge for the United States,
Zakaria argues, will be getting its own economic and political house
in order -- dealing with its many domestic problems so that its
strengths in higher education and research and development, along with
its demographic vitality and diversity, can sustain U.S. leadership in
the global economy in the decades to come.
Reader Rating (49 ratings)Detailed Ratings
IT IS
Enlightening Provocative Touching Thrilling Absorbing
GOOD FOR
Book Clubs Gift Giving Inspiration Intellectual Stimulation Topical
Conversation
even better than his last book!
Reader Rating See Detailed Ratings
Posted 05/03/08:
A lot of books have been appearing recently about the rise of China
and India, the decline of the United States, and so forth. This is the
one to read, and the one that will last. Zakaria's last book was about
'The Future of Freedom,' a study of liberalism and democracy. This new
one--which is even better, I think--is about the shape of the emerging
international system. It's called 'The Post-American World,' but a
better title would have been the one he gives his first chapter, 'The
Rise of the Rest.' That's because Zakaria's central thesis is that the
world is changing, but the change is largely for the better and caused
by the benign development of other power centers, not some collapse or
decline of the United States. The biggest challenge for America, he
argues, is not terrorism or nuclear proliferation or a rising China,
but rather our own ability to adapt successfully to the new
environment. He favors confidence and openness rather than insecurity
and barriers, and makes a convincing case. The book has chapters on
each of the major international players, and they're really well done:
amazingly, he manages to paint a full portrait of, say, China or India
that is intelligent, succinct, subtle, and comprehensive all at once.
If you want to get a flavor of what the book has to offer, there's an
article based on it in the new issue of Foreign Affairs, and there
should be another one coming out in Newsweek too, apparently. The man
might be a superachieving bigshot, but he sure can write--each page is
lively and interesting. So forget the angry neocons, the wild-eyed
optimists, the gloom-and-doom pessimists, and the glib amateurs who
don't really know anything. Read this instead, and get insight into
what's actually going in the world and what should be done about it.
Plus, there's just a ton of fun little nuggets you'll be itching to
drop in every conversation you have about anything related.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Negative
Posted October 26, 2009, 11:55 PM EST:
An interesting read and an interesting concept on the readjustment of
world powers. I found it to be repetitive and wordy. Could have been
shorter and still have delivered the same message.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Post-American-World/Fareed-Zakaria/e/9780393062359/?itm=1#TABS
After Iran Gets the Bomb
Containment and Its Complications James M. Lindsay and Ray Takeyh
March/April 2010
Summary: Despite international pressure, Iran appears to be continuing
its march toward getting a nuclear bomb. But Washington can contain
and mitigate the consequences of Tehran's nuclear defiance, keeping an
abhorrent outcome from becoming a catastrophic one.
JAMES M. LINDSAY is Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and
Maurice R. Greenberg Chair at the Council on Foreign Relations. RAY
TAKEYH is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the
author of Guardians of the Revolution: Iran and the World in the Age
of the Ayatollahs.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to become the world's tenth
nuclear power. It is defying its international obligations and
resisting concerted diplomatic pressure to stop it from enriching
uranium. It has flouted several UN Security Council resolutions
directing it to suspend enrichment and has refused to fully explain
its nuclear activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Even
a successful military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities would
delay Iran's program by only a few years, and it would almost
certainly harden Tehran's determination to go nuclear. The ongoing
political unrest in Iran could topple the regime, leading to
fundamental changes in Tehran's foreign policy and ending its pursuit
of nuclear weapons. But that is an outcome that cannot be assumed. If
Iran's nuclear program continues to progress at its current rate,
Tehran could have the nuclear material needed to build a bomb before
U.S. President Barack Obama's current term in office expires.
The dangers of Iran's entry into the nuclear club are well known:
emboldened by this development, Tehran might multiply its attempts at
subverting its neighbors and encouraging terrorism against the United
States and Israel; the risk of both conventional and nuclear war in
the Middle East would escalate; more states in the region might also
want to become nuclear powers; the geopolitical balance in the Middle
East would be reordered; and broader efforts to stop the spread of
nuclear weapons would be undermined. The advent of a nuclear Iran --
even one that is satisfied with having only the materials and
infrastructure necessary to assemble a bomb on short notice rather
than a nuclear arsenal -- would be seen as a major diplomatic defeat
for the United States. Friends and
Foes would openly question the U.S. government's power and resolve to
shape events in the Middle East. Friends would respond by distancing
themselves from Washington; foes would challenge U.S. policies more
aggressively.
User CommentsToo Many Assumptions: The Case of Syria
Submitted by hahussain on March 3, 2010 - 2:15pm.
The authors argued: "Drawing Syria into a comprehensive Israeli-
Palestinian peace process could not only attenuate Tehran's links with
Damascus but also stem Iran's ability to supply weapons to Hezbollah.
"
In foreign policy, you must always have a Plan B. So what happens if
Syria does not break its alliance with Iran, and keep serving as an
arms supply route to Hezbollah?
So far, while America has been begging Damascus for restoration of
ties, Syria President Bashar Assad has made it a point to receive his
Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Hezbollah leader Hassan
Nasrallah, and hosted a three-way summit. He also hosts Hamas leader
Khaled Meshaal. Assad defiantly said his country will not listen to
America and will never break with Iran.
This article seems to be based on a set of variables. If one policy
item fails, the whole containment sketch the authors suggest will
become useless.
For those interested in the US vs Iran-Syria, this might be a good
article arguing why the US should not bet on turning Syria away from
Iran:
http://nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=116235
Login
or
register
to post comments.A Nuclear Iran?
Submitted by Jonathan K. (Mar. 2, 2010) on March 2, 2010 - 5:23pm.
An attack on Iranian nuclear facilities would only set them back a few
years, and they would rebuild deep underground. Iran has a different
vulnerability: refined petroleum products. These are either imported
or domestically refined. Ports and refineries are vulnerable, and
cannot be hidden deep underground. Blockading the ports would be a
major disruption to their society; the military might keep its
supplies, but the civilian sector would be seriously disrupted. If, in
addition, the refineries were destroyed, the entire society would come
to a screeching halt.
In such circumstances, the population would be likely to rebel against
the present government and insist on peace. That is how democracy came
to Argentina and Greece after adventurism in the Falklands and Cyprus
failed.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Stop Overblowing Iran
Submitted by Daniel R D. (Apr. 23, 2009) on March 2, 2010 - 2:58pm.
Believe it or not, I actually wrote about this very issue a few months
ago, when the many options of how to deal with Iran were suddenly
colliding on the Sunday talk shows. And thankfully, I am happy to say
that my recommendation is exactly what most scholars are advocating
(not to pat myself on the back, because heck...what do you know in the
long-run).
The main objective of Iran's rulers is self-preservation. The Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are willing to do anything to stay in power. We
saw this in a pretty brutal fashion this past summer, with Basij
militiamen beating protesters over the head with clubs. We continue to
see this today, with members of the opposition being summarily
executed in show-trials, hoping that the threat of death will deter
future anti-regime protests.
There appears to be nothing that the mullahs (and the IRGC generals)
would do hold onto their positions. Building a nuclear program and
eventually getting nuclear warheads fits right into this calculus.
With a nuclear deterrent, there is no way the United States would be
foolish enough to promote regime-change through the use of force. Self-
preservation is a main reason for the quest for an Iranian bomb.
But if it would be foolish for the U.S. to attack an Iran with a
nuclear capability, it would be downright suicidal for Iran to use
such weapons in the first place.
What could Tehran possibly achieve with a nuclear weapon? Spreading
their influence across the Persian Gulf? Well, this has already been
done. Iran has proxy influence in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan,
and in the Palestinian Territories. Having a nuclear weapon will not
change this fact.
What about the stupid neoconservative argument that Iran would
secretly give nuclear material to a terrorist organization? This too
is unlikely. It has taken Iranian scientists close to a decade to
develop the infrastructure and technology needed for uranium
enrichment. The idea that the Iranians would simply hand-over their
most prized possession (without question) to terrorists is laughable.
And don't even talk about "wiping Israel of the map." This argument is
the most ignorant on the list. Destroying Israel would only invite an
even bigger wrath by the United States, with Iranian cities
annihilated and millions of Iranian citizens killed. Nobody wins.
So let's take some rational advice and stop worrying about things that
are not going to happen. No one wants Iran to become a nuclear power,
but the world won't end if they do cross that threshold.
-Dan DePetris
http://www.depetris.wordpress.com
Login
or
register
to post comments.Iranian Nuclear Capability
Submitted by Doug M. (Mar. 2, 2010) on March 2, 2010 - 12:05pm.
An Iranian nuclear capability is not a threat to the United States. It
might be to Israel but the use by Iran of a nuclear weapon against
Israel would bring massive nuclear retailation from Israel - and
obviously the Iranians know this. So what's the problem?
For Israel, the problem is that it would no longer be the only nuclear
muscleman in the Middle East which allows it to maintain its Jewish
exclusivity and domination of Islamic holy sites and the Palestinian
people. But that is Israel's "problem", not ours. And maybe, in the
long run, that would be a good thing because simple demographics and
internal dissension dictate that Israel will eventually become a
Jewish/Palestinian state anyway. Israel's nuclear capability only
gives it a temporary stay as the only racialist state remaining in the
world.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Iran, Pakistan and The Bomb
Submitted by pauli183 on February 26, 2010 - 6:23am.
Iran, India Israel, Pakistan and The Bomb
I do not support proliferation of nuclear weapons, for Iran or other
countries. However, in the case of Iran, I believe the threat of Iran
ever employing nuclear weapons is overblown. One should look beyond
the Iranian government’s intemperate rhetoric. The government knows
full well that a nuclear attack on any country would bring swift and
catastrophic retaliation that would result in destruction of the
Iranian government and much of the country’s infrastructure.
Blustering rhetoric the Iranians are guilty of, but they are not fools
The hyperbole, threats and scare mongering by the US and Israel are
surely more about protecting Israel’s nuclear exclusivity in the
Middle East. However there is a far more serious issue about nuclear
weaponry at stake.
Instead of worrying about Iran, one should be debating what to do
should Pakistan go critical and fall into the hands of radical
fundamentalists. Such a regime would be far more likely to launch a
nuclear attack on either India or Israel than Iran would on Israel or
the US. Should such a regime change take place in Pakistan, what would
the response be? Bomb the nuclear facilities in Pakistan and initiate
yet another war? Encourage India to invade Pakistan and trigger a
wider regional conflict of frightening proportions?
This same question about nuclear proliferation could put be put with
regard to any other country not considered an ally of the US. North
Korea is far more unstable and less predictable than Iran, yet one
hears little in the way of threats by the US or Europe to bomb or
invade North Korea.
Login
or
register
to post comments.old question & older solutions
Submitted by Amarjyoti A. (Aug. 8, 2009) on February 26, 2010 -
1:50am.
The notion of Iran and the Iranian Revolution - and its aftermath are
not and can not be countered by having a Vaticanian-Revolution or a
Semitic-Revolution or a Hindu-Revolution. That is an old lesson
learnt. The assumption by many in third worlds like India/Pakistan,
etc. (rotten to the core and having criminal political leadership that
aspires to play a tout to global forces - which is different than the
Non-Aligned Movement) and the global uncivil society at play (one has
exotic terrorism with a large dash of religion (christian) thrown in
as the other threat apart from the aftermaths of the Iranian
Revolution - makes the geo-political equations somewhat different.
Their raison d'etre and rationale (brown skin non-christian
denomination unwelcome if not subservient to white christian
supremacists or their brown skin chritistian religious supremacists
and based upon an individual's private life without the above having
any locus standi) is what illnesses are made up of. It is for people
and states to decide where they fall - but illnesses do not counter
other illnesses. The issue of nuclear proliferation is simply a
dimension to the other crucial aspects that I have put in here. The
ideological fringes (exotic terrorism) are the new bubears to watch
out for. The problem with a criminal "tout political class" in third
worlds mean: they can provide the much needed nexus between the
illnesses and non-democratic states with devastating consequences for
global security in the strategic sense. Small scale dirty boms are
what come across from such a nexus. It is that that one should be
looking at more carefully. Without diluting in any sense - the serious
issue of nuclear non-proliferation. And not confusing the Iranaian
Revolution and its aftermaths with any possibilities of legitimized
"exotic" terrorism or "christian-semitic" crusades. Clearing the
cognitive maps of such historical filth (that is what they are) is
what is required from any one serious about the strategic security of
the global community. Delinquent states and its populaces merely
threaten to provide the dreaded logistic support base. But of course,
Franco-German initiatives may look at the EU placed in the moon or
elsewhere. That also comes across as less than interesting - via
specifically such fringe groups as their definitive presences in third
worlds - if South Asia is any example.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Why must a military option fail?
Submitted by andrew s. (Feb. 23, 2010) on February 24, 2010 - 6:54am.
I am not sure I believe all the comments that a military option would
only delay the inevitable. If we only strike the reactors, then yes
Iran will develop bombs eventually.
However the events of the last few years leave me thinking that it is
not just a few people controlling a corrupt system developing a
nuclear bomb that is the threat to America. The threat to America is
the possibility that the nation of Iran will build nukes. Therefore if
we destroy Iran's capability to build nuclear weapons we remove the
threat. But what does it mean to destroy Iran's capability to build
nukes?
It does not entail simply bombing hardened facilities. If we were to
view a society, including Iran, as a pyramid then the military and
nuclear and reactors are merely the tip of the pyramid - knock it off
and a new one can be built on the remaining base.
So nuclear reactors alone do not give Iran the ability to build
nuclear weapons - it is also the power plants that run the facility,
the Iranian oil fields and refineries that give Iran the money to pay
for the project, the bridges that allow for the movement of equipment,
etc.
Therefore, a military option could be effective if it was not on the
order of a tactical raid, but a sustained strategic bombing campaign
like those inflicted on Germany and Japan. First of all let me say
that I do not necessarily support this option, yet no one discusses
it, and I think it should be - if for no other reason than to provide
America with a wider range of options.
I freely admit that many, many civilians will die. However, the fact
remains that destroying the nation of Iran could potentially be the
best way to protect America - that has been the case in the past so it
is possible it could be in the present.
Secondly, I posit that the backlash from such a strategic campaign -
and it will be massive, sustained and violent - is potentially
preferable to letting Iran develop nuclear weapons. This is for a
simple reason -numbers- the sheer number of people that would be
killed, either directly or indirectly through a terrorist acquisition
of Iranian nukes - which would be extraordinarily unlikely - yet is
possible in Iran - would be far greater than the number killed in even
the most violent sustained terror campaign.
Finally the strategic bombing option, by which I mean the destruction
of at least 3/4's of Iran's modern infrastructure, would be a greater
guarantee that Iran would not build nukes since it literally could not
build nukes.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Must be a joke right?
Submitted by Jean-Francois H. (Feb. 27, 2010) on February 27, 2010 -
2:15pm.
If we follow this line of thinking...
The US would have to carpet bomb the whole middle east too and
eradicate most muslims populations to make sure they will not try to
retatiate to one such atrocious massacre right?
One might also follow your line of thinking and conclude that the one
that should be bombed is the United States, because it is the only
country that posesses nuclear weapons and actually ever used them. And
the only way to prevent their use, the US needs to wiped out of the
map?
The denial of industrialisation to another country, because it could
lead someday to means of making military weapons was tried after the
first world war. And it only lead to the second one.
One should look at what triggered the anger of the German people
towards the Versaille treaty (controling the industrial infrastructure
and preventing Germany from developping a strong economy). All it
accomplished is create resentment, that is presicely why one State
needs to use "soft power" instead of "hard power" when trying to get
another country to do something.
Think again Mr. Rumsfeld
Login
or
register
to post comments.Not a joke at all, and I
Submitted by andrew s. (Feb. 23, 2010) on February 27, 2010 -
11:24pm.
Not a joke at all, and I actually consider myself to be a liberal New
Dealer
and your comments about Versailles are true, yet they neglect the fact
that Germany was only able to rebound after the first war because the
allies did not achieve a total victory; i.e. we did not destroy the
economy entirely
second Carpet bombing the entire middle east would probably be cheaper
than extensive ground operations in Iran
third of all - we can hardly breed more resentment in that part of the
world
fourth I do not suggest we tell anyone what to do with their economy,
i'm not even advocating the strategic bombing campaign, merely
suggesting that it could work - think about it, can a nation without
any modern infrastructure develop nuclear bombs? the answer is no - in
Germany and Japan the campaigns ground the economies to a halt
I also believe the US should pay (in part) for Iran to develop
lightwater nuclear reactors that are more efficient at producing
nuclear and much harder to make bombs from
finally as for your comment about the United States having used nukes
and therefore my logic demands the US be bombed i distinguish between
the use of our nukes, which I believe to have been completely
justified, with Iran's threat to develop them, obviously I do this
from the point of view of an American, whether this is philosophically
sound is of little concern to me, what does matter is the destruction
of all threats to my country
Sincerely,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Login
or
register
to post comments.While I do understand what
Submitted by Jean-Francois H. (Feb. 27, 2010) on February 28, 2010 -
2:27pm.
While I do understand what you try to say there, you have to
understand denying modernity to another country that is "said" to be a
threat to the United States would not come without it's price to the
US.
The military option you suggest does not compare to the one in Japan
or Germany for the one reason that Iran has NOT invaded any other
country, nor has it ever done so since the Persian-Ottoman wars. Iran
has only preached rhetoric and tried to assure it's survival in a
world where it is being pressed against the wall mainly by the United
States. In the region, the United States is acting more like Germany
was to the rest of Europe during the 1938-43 period.
My comment about the "ones who should be bombed" being the US was
sarcastic. I am saying that the US saying Iran is a threat has no
connection to reality. It is purely an act of discursive rhetoric. You
cannot in all honestly arrive to the conclusion that Iran is a danger
to the US. It is quite the opposite for the US has military bases all
around Iran, is the only country to have a "projected military on the
ground, in the seas, and in the air" AND posesses nuclear weapons,
chemical weapons, and actually had serious talks about making use of
them in tactical way (the talk about bunker busters at the beginning
of the Irak war).
Now, don't get me wrong. I am just pointing out that going for an even
more agressive foreign policy, the US could step in it's own coffin.
The kind of military option you did say we should consider is like
saying Nazi's were the good guys in the Second World War for if they
had control of Europe, there would be no more conflicts between
european nations.
It simply doesn't make sense on a moral point of view.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Power
Submitted by David G. (Feb. 23, 2010) on February 23, 2010 - 1:15am.
As the author points out, the Mullahs want power. To hold onto power
in a repressive society, one needs an "evil other" to blame and rally
the citizens around. Iran uses Israel and the United States as such;
no differently than Israel and the United States have chosen a litany
of "evil others" to justify their own governments' consolidation of
power and the use of military force for political and economic gain.
For the Mullahs to hold power, at home they need inflammatory rhetoric
against the evil other and demonstrations of their military and
technological prowess to achieve security against this "threat". This
demonstration is sufficient in itself. Actually invading another
country is far too risky to the continuity of State... and their
history shows they do not invade neighbors or hold dreams of
expansion. Nuclear weapons for Iran are first and foremost a proud and
a tangible victory display in securing Iran from U.S. and Israeli
attacks on their soil. The Mullahs, and their supporters who are
actually inspired by the ideals of the Revolution, can then exercise
more ideological power without as great a compromise to political
expediency or reformist divisions.
Ultimately, U.S. power in the region will fail to match the self-
interest generated from the interlocked economies of Iran, China,
Russia and Turkey. Trade, interdependence and mutual protection in the
Caucus region will go up, countering whatever troops, policies and
money we can throw at perpetual war.
China has $2 Trillion in US dollars to spend on buying political
loyalty and industrial minerals "in the ground" to secure their
economy for the next 50 years. They will spend it before our current
monetary collapse erodes it away through devaluation or inflation.
They are on a time sensitive shopping spree that will not skip over
Iran at our request.
The status quo is changing in the region. The United Status must see
the situation with unsentimental eyes and a clear mind. If we can be
friends with Saudi Arabia while fighting the extremist derivatives it
has spawned around the region; perhaps stable diplomacy and economic
ties to Iran are not beyond our reach.
Login
or
register
to post comments.Excellent post.
Submitted by Joost H. (Feb. 16, 2010) on February 22, 2010 - 7:48pm.
Couldn't agree more on all fronts.
As a signatory of the NPT, and a country that has not used chemical
weapons even when fired upon WITH chemical weapons, Iran should know
it's place and bow down to the whims of countries that hesistate not
to: invade, occupy two countries with no declaration of war, use DU
munitions in densely populated area's and sell chemical weapons to
insane dictators.
I mean, the sheer gall of these Iranians. Can you believe it! Maybe we
(I mean seriously overstretched western militaries) should just invade
them and take their oil. That ought to teach them a thing or two about
not groveling.
So say I, king of reasonable discourse!
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/node/65941/talk
What to Read on Iranian Politics
Suzanne Maloney
An annotated Foreign Affairs syllabus on Iranian politics.
SUZANNE MALONEY is a Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East
Policy at the Brookings Institution.
The agony and ecstasy of Iran’s 1979 revolution, and the Islamic
Republic established in its wake, have inspired a profusion of
literature. In literally thousands of books and articles, academics,
pundits, historical figures, and even cartoonists have dissected Iran,
its convoluted politics, its rich culture, and its troubled
relationship with the rest of the world. This breadth of material
reflects not only the captivating drama of recent Iranian history but
also one of the Islamic Republic’s many paradoxes -- that for a
supposedly closed society, contemporary Iran is surprisingly open to
journalists, researchers, and occasional travelers. Despite this
abundance, understanding Iran presents a perpetual challenge for
external observers, thanks to the layers of complexity and
contradictions beneath Iran’s surface and the country’s proclivity for
unpredictability. The difficulty is magnified in the United States,
where long estrangement has deprived most Americans of direct exposure
to Iran and generated an appetite for sensationalism or sentimentality
in place of serious analysis.
The Mantle of the Prophet: Religion and Politics in Iran. By Roy
Mottahedeh. Simon & Schuster, 1985.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
The Reign of the Ayatollahs: Iran and the Islamic Revolution. By Shaul
Bakhash. Basic Books, 1984.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Iran scholars are a fractious bunch, but one book commands nearly
universal respect. Roy Mottahedeh’s The Mantle of the Prophet, they
agree, offers an unparalleled perspective on the revolution and its
antecedents as seen through the eyes of an archetypical cleric.
Mottahedeh brilliantly weaves the themes of Iranian history and
culture through his narrative in a way that illuminates their central
influence in shaping the country’s political development. Its brief,
poignant epilogue reads as an elegy for the ideals of the revolution’s
protagonists. Shaul Bakhash, meanwhile, is both a journalist and
historian, and he applies these complementary skills to this classic
account of the revolution and the first decade of the Islamic
Republic. The Reign of the Ayatollahs is a gripping read that is rich
in detailed analysis of the political, ideological, and economic
transformations wrought by the revolution. The book is particularly
compelling on the formative role that the turbulence of the Islamic
Republic’s early years played in shaping a sense of profound
insecurity among its leadership.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. By Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon,
2003.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. By Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon,
2004.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Through austere black-and-white drawings and stark dialogue, these
graphic novels recount the revolution and its aftermath through a tale
of exile from and eventual return to Iran. The Persepolis stories,
which were eventually translated into a film, form a thinly veiled
version of Marjane Satrapi’s autobiography but speak powerfully to the
traumas experienced by a generation of Iranians born in or after the
revolution.
The Constitution of Iran: Politics and the State in the Islamic
Republic. By Asghar Schirazi. I. B. Tauris, 1997.
Purchase at Amazon.com
Although ultimate authority in Iran is wielded by an unelected
religious figure, the country’s post-revolutionary political order
incorporates a number of popularly elected institutions. Enshrining
this duality is a written constitution whose initial draft was modeled
on that of the French Fifth Republic. This meticulously researched
book analyzes the fundamental contradictions embedded within the
constitution and their resolution in practice, which has gone largely
in favor of nondemocratic institutions and precepts.
Factional Politics in Post-Khomeini Iran. By Mehdi Moslem. Syracuse
University Press, 2002.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Conservative, reformist, radical, and everything in between: Iran
watchers are all too prone to cataloguing the ideological and
political factions within the Islamic Republic, often to the point of
analytical futility. Mehdi Moslem’s book rises above abstract
terminology to chronicle the evolution and institutionalization of
Iran’s fierce competition for power. The book is most valuable in its
exploration of the internecine internal skirmishing of the early 1990s
that helped lead to the emergence of the reform movement, including
considerable attention to Mir Husayn Musavi, who has recently returned
to political prominence
by contesting the June 2009 presidential election. Unlike many other
authors writing during the reformist heyday, Moslem presciently
anticipates the influence of Iran’s neo-fundamentalists, a faction
that would include current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“Youth Exclusion in Iran: The State of Education, Employment, and
Family Formation.” By Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Daniel Egel. The
Wolfensohn Center for Development and the Dubai School of Government,
September 2007. Read
Nearly every analysis of contemporary Iran refers to its
disproportionately young population, at least two-thirds of which have
been born since the revolution itself. The policy debate often focuses
on the threat that such a significant youth element might pose for the
Islamic regime. In this thoughtful paper, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and
Daniel Egel examine the mundane challenges facing young Iranians in
obtaining a practical education, achieving steady employment, and
getting married and starting a family. They recommend specific
policies to mitigate the problems and capitalize on what is really as
much a potential boon to Iran’s future as a destabilizing factor.
“The Struggle Against Sultanism.” By Akbar Ganji. The Journal of
Democracy. 16, no. 4: pp. 38–51. Read
“The Latter-Day Sultan.” By Akbar Ganji. Foreign Affairs, November/
December 2008, pp. 45-66.
The Road to Democracy in Iran. By Akbar Ganji. MIT Press, 2008.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Akbar Ganji’s biography itself offers a trenchant commentary on the
ebb and flow of ideological orthodoxy in the Islamic Republic. Having
served during the regime’s early years in the Revolutionary Guards and
the fearsome Intelligence Ministry, Ganji progressively became
disenchanted. By the mid-1990s, he had transformed himself into an
influential political journalist, assailing Iran’s senior leadership
in newspaper columns on the regime’s excesses. Arrested in 2000, he
later spent nearly six years in prison, where his fate attracted
worldwide attention. Today, Ganji remains passionate about realizing a
genuine representative state in Iran, although he effectively lives in
exile. These writings present his erudite denunciation of Iran’s
current system and his effort to chart a path forward.
Ahmadinejad: The Secret History of Iran’s Radical Leader. By Kasra
Naji. University of California Press, 2008.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
The unexpected election in 2005 of a little-known radical populist to
Iran’s presidency, along with his emergence as a figure of worldwide
repute and revile, generated a spate of inquiries into Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad and the political conditions that spawned his ascendance.
This biography, by the Iranian journalist Kasra Naji, is the widest-
ranging and most descriptive, and draws on the author’s personal
experiences covering Ahmadinejad as a reporter. The portrait that
emerges -- of a provocative and politically savvy hard-liner -- is
fascinating, although the lack of independent corroboration leaves
doubts about some of the book’s more explosive claims.
Latest from CFR
How to Read Brazil's Stance on Iran
The Greek Austerity Message
NATO at 61: Bear Trouble, and More
The Weakening of Turkey's Military
Pre-Elections, Iraqis Crave Stability
Go to cfr.org.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/readinglists/what-to-read-on-iranian-politics
What to Read on Nuclear Proliferation
Bradley A. Thayer
An annotated Foreign Affairs syllabus on nuclear proliferation.
BRADLEY A. THAYER is Professor of Political Science at Baylor
University.
Few topics in international relations consistently attract as much
academic and policy interest as nuclear proliferation. The literature
on the subject tends to focus on four central questions: Why do states
seek nuclear weapons? How do they acquire the components necessary to
build them? What are the consequences of proliferation? And how can
nuclear weapons be kept out of the hands of nonstate actors? These
issues will remain salient in the years to come, as the North Korean
and Iranian nuclear programs advance, the threat of nuclear terrorism
persists, and the full implications of the type of nuclear
entrepreneurship practiced by such intermediaries as A. Q. Khan are
revealed. One fact is clear: going nuclear has never been easier.
"A Primer on Fissile Materials and Nuclear Weapons Design." By Owen R.
Coté, Jr. In: Avoiding Nuclear Anarchy: Containing the Threat of Loose
Russian Nuclear Weapons and Fissile Material. By Graham T. Allison,
Owen R. Coté, Jr., Richard A. Falkenrath, and Steven E. Miller. MIT
Press, 1996.
Purchase at Amazon.com
Nuclear proliferation is part politics, part science and technology.
This appendix is the single best introduction to the science and
technology part: the principles of fission and fusion, the physical
properties of fissile material, the design for both fission and fusion
nuclear weapons, and the production of fissile materials. Owen Coté
clearly explains the physics behind fission and thermonuclear weapons
and the production of enriched uranium and plutonium. His bottom line
is that simple fission weapons are not a major design challenge for
most states and even some nonstate actors; the only truly significant
barrier to acquiring nuclear weapons is obtaining a sufficient amount
of fissile material, whether by developing the means of their
production or stealing or purchasing the materials themselves.
The Nuclear Express: A Political History of the Bomb and Its
Proliferation. By Thomas C. Reed and Danny B. Stillman. Zenith Press,
2009.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Thomas Reed and Danny Stillman provide an outstanding history of the
nuclear age, from the discovery of fission in 1938 to the present
troubles that confront the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The
authors succinctly discuss the histories of nuclear states, including
Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and South Africa, while offering
keen insights into their motivation for proliferation and the path
each state took to acquire the bomb. They also evaluate the scope of
the A. Q. Khan network and
Libya's role in helping to end it. Reed and Stillman are pessimistic
about the possibilities of derailing the "nuclear express" as it rolls
on in this century, citing the spread of nuclear technology, major
problems at the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the role
states such as China play in fostering proliferation.
The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: A Debate Renewed. By Scott D. Sagan and
Kenneth N. Waltz. W. W. Norton, 2002.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
This revised edition is the best source for a succinct analysis of the
causes of nuclear proliferation and its consequences. Kenneth Waltz
and Scott Sagan have sharply contrasting views on the ramifications of
nuclear proliferation. A proponent of rational deterrence theory,
Waltz is guardedly sanguine over the stabilizing impact of secure
second-strike capabilities. He argues that they make wars hard to
start and give leaders great incentive to de-escalate a crisis.
Drawing upon organization theory, Sagan is much more pessimistic about
the stabilizing role of nuclear weapons in all cases. He highlights
the dangers posed by military organizations -- their biases, routines,
and interests -- that are likely to lead to deterrence failures.
Moreover, he maintains that nuclear states may lack adequate civilian
control, which can exacerbate the problems associated with military
organizations.
The Nuclear Tipping Point: Why States Reconsider Their Nuclear
Choices. Edited by Kurt M. Campbell, Robert J. Einhorn, and Mitchell
B. Reiss. Brookings Institution Press, 2004.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
Kurt Campbell, Robert Einhorn, and Mitchell Reiss have assembled a
first-rate collection of authors to consider one crucial question:
When do states reverse their decision to acquire a nuclear weapons
capability? The writers consider the cases of Egypt, Syria, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, all of which
eventually abandoned their nuclear weapons programs. The authors find
that the regional security environment is critical. Absent some form
of intervention by the United States, states will likely cross the
tipping point if a neighboring hostile state acquires nuclear weapons.
The implications of this study are particularly helpful in light of
Iran's nuclear pursuit and the ensuing concerns over the start of a
chain of proliferation in the Middle East.
Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Threats. By Joseph
Cirincione, Jon B. Wolfsthal, and Miriam Rajkumar. Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace, 2005.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
This is an essential resource on nuclear proliferation,
comprehensively documenting the spread of nuclear, biological, and
chemical weapons as well as their aircraft and missile delivery
systems. In addition to providing detailed descriptions of the
capabilities of various states, it contains valuable analyses of the
technologies necessary to develop nuclear weapons and the strength of
the nonproliferation regime.
Nuclear Black Markets: Pakistan, A. Q. Khan, and the Rise of
Proliferation Networks -- A Net Assessment. International Institute
for Strategic Studies, 2007.
Shopping for Bombs: Nuclear Proliferation, Global Insecurity, and the
Rise and Fall of the A. Q. Khan Network. By Gordon Corera. Oxford
University Press, 2006.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has provided
a great service with this analysis of the nuclear network masterminded
by A. Q. Khan, the man former CIA Director George Tenet described as
"at least as dangerous as Osama bin Laden." For almost two decades,
Khan's network -- based in Africa, Asia, and Europe -- sold nuclear
enrichment technology, nuclear weapon design information, and
expertise to Iran, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea, while effectively
bypassing the export control regime. Equally valuable is this report's
examination of the efforts to halt the illicit nuclear trade. What
remains worrisome is the degree to which global proliferation networks
and nuclear black markets continue to function as instruments of state
policy or as the new favored business model for nuclear entrepreneurs.
Gordon Corera's book complements the IISS study, offering a detailed
historical context of Pakistan's nuclear program and the central role
A. Q. Khan played in its development. Corera explores how Khan and his
confederates constructed and maintained the network, demonstrates the
immense difficulty the U.S. intelligence community had in detecting
and monitoring it over decades, and illuminates the great problems
involved in mustering the political will necessary to stop Khan's
network when Islamabad was a major ally in the war on terror.
Defusing Armageddon: Inside NEST, America's Secret Nuclear Bomb Squad.
By Jeffrey T. Richelson. W. W. Norton, 2009.
Purchase at B&N.com | Purchase at Amazon.com
In this excellent book, Jeffrey Richelson provides the first thorough
history of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Emergency Support
(formerly Search) Team (NEST), a core component of the United States'
defense against nuclear terrorism. He describes the evolution of NEST
from its origins to its current objective of defending the United
States against a nuclear or radiological attack conducted by
terrorists. The analyses of al Qaeda's efforts to acquire a nuclear
weapon (or device) and how it would be used in the United States are
particularly valuable, as is the discussion of NEST after 9/11.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/readinglists/what-to-read-on-nuclear-proliferation-0
Expert Brief
The Weakening of Turkey's Military
Author: Steven A. Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle
Eastern Studies
March 1, 2010
The arrest of forty-nine currently serving and retired Turkish
military officers for an alleged 2003 plot to overthrow the government
is unprecedented and has raised fears about destabilization arising
from a showdown between the moderate Islamist Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and the military.
But none of this should come as a surprise. The current crisis
underscores the changes long underway in Turkish politics. Since 2003,
the ruling AKP has been whittling away at the military's vaunted
autonomy. Yet the oft-cited power of the Turkish General Staff may be
more apparent than real. That perception stems from the fact that the
military has carried out four coups d'état (1960, 1971, 1980, and
1997) and countless less-dramatic interventions in Turkish politics.
Rather than demonstrate the officers' power and influence, however,
these interventions reflect the underlying weakness of Turkey's
military establishment.
Asserting Civilian Control
Since the founding of the Turkish republic, the basic, if unwritten,
rule of politics has been: Politicians and their followers must not
elicit the ire of the General Staff lest they be pushed from office
and banned (at least temporarily) from politics. As a result,
successive Turkish governments have shied from challenging the
military on issues such as personnel, the military budget, and weapons
issues such as personnel, the military budget, and weapons
procurement, as well as areas beyond the officers' professional
competence, including education, broadcasting, and the national
economy. Indeed, the threat of military intervention has so
conditioned Turkish civilian politicians that they have often
campaigned in part on the implicit message that they could maintain
good relations with the General Staff.
[N]one of this should come as a surprise. The current crisis
underscores the changes long underway in Turkish politics.
In 2003, however, the AKP, riding a wave of unprecedented popular
support for European Union-inspired reforms, began bringing the
General Staff under civilian control. The AKP-dominated parliament
granted itself oversight and control over the military's extra-
budgetary funds, strengthened the civilian-controlled Ministry of
National Defense--which is separate from and has no control over the
General Staff--to identify priorities for defense expenditures, and
removed military representatives from the Higher Education and Audio-
Visual Boards. The officers on these boards were charged with ensuring
that threats to the republic, notably Islamism and Kurdish separatism,
did not creep into the educational system or national broadcasting.
The most important changes were made to the National Security Council
(known more commonly by its Turkish acronym, MGK), which had been the
primary channel through which the officers influenced Turkish
politics. First, the number of officers on the council was reduced
from five to one--the chief of staff. Second, the legislation required
that a civilian hold the office of MGK secretary-general, a position
previously reserved for a military officer who reported directly to
the chief of staff. The council was also stripped of its executive
authority and its budget placed under the prime minister's control.
Despite these dramatic changes, the military was forced to accept the
council's downgraded status. Given the enormous public support (as
high as 77 percent) for the EU reforms at the time, the officers could
not oppose the changes to the MGK without risking the military's
popularity among the Turkish public--something the officers hold dear.
Despite periodic reports of grumbling among the officer corps about
the Justice and Development Party's alleged "reactionaryism," there
were no confrontations between the military and the government until
April 2007, when the military tried to prevent then foreign minister
and deputy prime minister Abdullah Gul from becoming Turkey's
president. Although the post is largely ceremonial, the Turkish
president has the power to approve or veto legislation. The officers
feared that a Gul presidency would bring down the last firewall
against the establishment of an Islamic state.
Without naming Gul, the officers posted a message on the General
Staff's website implicitly threatening intervention should the AKP-
dominated parliament elect Gul to be Turkey's eleventh president.
After a tense month of popular protests in Turkey's major cities,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called snap national
elections. The Justice and Development Party won a landslide victory,
capturing 47 percent of the vote, paving the way for Gul to be
elevated to the Cankaya Palace in August. Once again, despite the
military's clear threats, the officers proved that while they could
raise the level of tension in the political arena, they were impotent
to secure their desired outcome.
Although the arrest of the forty-nine officers is big news, the fact
remains that the popular perception of an all-powerful Turkish
military is largely incorrect.
The following March, the public prosecutor filed charges against the
Justice and Development Party for being "a center of anti-secular
activity." Although the military was not directly responsible for the
charges, the General Staff's deep mistrust of AKP created an
environment that made the charges possible. The Constitutional Court
ultimately found the party guilty, but decided against shuttering the
party and banning seventy of its members from politics. The decision,
despite the verdict, was widely regarded as a victory for Justice and
Development and a blow to the secular establishment, which the
military leads.
A string of embarrassing incidents have further eroded the military's
public standing and allowed the AKP to begin subordinating the
officers to civilian authority.
These include the so-called Ergenekon investigation, which implicated
several former senior officers and a number of serving junior officers
in an effort to destabilize the country and provoke a coup. In
addition, the Turkish daily Taraf published alleged documents
demonstrating that the military was aware of planned Kurdistan Worker
Party attacks on Turkish soldiers before they occurred, but chose to
do nothing to undermine support for the AKP. And officers from the
Special Forces command were recently accused of plotting the
assassination of Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc. The latter
incident resulted in civilian prosecutors searching Special Forces
headquarters for evidence, an unprecedented development in Turkey.
The Inherent Weakness of Coups
Although the arrest of the forty-nine officers is big news, the fact
remains that the popular perception of an all-powerful Turkish
military is largely incorrect. The officers regard themselves as the
keepers of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's principles of secularism and
republicanism. Yet, Kemalism--at least the officers' interpretation of
Ataturk's ideas--demands a drab political conformity that never
accommodated Kurds, pious Muslims, Armenians, the small Greek
community, and, as Turkish society has become more modern and complex,
those who want to live in a more democratic political system.
The fact that the officers have had to intervene four times in five
decades demonstrates their inability to force the military's political
will on society. To be sure, the coups of 1960, 1971, 1980, and the
"blank" or "post-modern" coup of 1997 reflect the awesome firepower at
the General Staff's disposal, but coercion is the least efficient
means of political control. Indeed, in the aftermath of each
intervention, the military sought to ensure that it would not have to
intervene again by writing, rewriting, and amending Turkey's
constitutions to safeguard the Kemalist political order, yet each time
the reengineering of Turkey's political institutions failed to prevent
challenges to the political system.
The U.S. Response
Although the Obama administration has identified Turkey as a strategic
partner in the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and South
Asia, Washington must recognize that Turkey's internal political
turmoil could undermine Ankara's capacity to be a useful ally in these
critical areas. A military backlash in the form of a coup, or if the
AKP uses the arrests to engage in a political witch hunt, will
destabilize Turkish politics and markets for the foreseeable future.
Washington must continue to emphasize the importance of the rule of
law and the importance of Turkey's democratic transition to put both
sides--the military and the government--on notice that the stakes in
this situation for both Ankara and Washington are high.
Weigh in on this issue by emailing CFR.org.
Related Materials
Gaza and Strains in Israeli-Turkish Relations
Interview
January 20, 2010
Balancing a Bullish Turkey
By Steven A. Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern
Studies
Expert Brief
December 4, 2009
Turkey's War at Home
By Steven A. Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern
Studies
Article
October-November 2009
The Evolving Turkish Role in Mideast Peace Diplomacy
By Steven A. Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern
Studies
Expert Brief
Updated: April 7, 2009
Turkey's Problematic Middle East Role
By Steven A. Cook, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern
Studies
Op-Ed
April 17, 2008
See Also
Turkey, International Peace and Security, Religion and Politics
New Books
In Paradise Beneath Her Feet,
Isobel Coleman shows how Muslim women and men are fighting back with
progressive interpretations of Islam to support women's rights in a
growing movement of Islamic feminism
How Enemies Become Friends
In this compelling book, Charles A. Kupchan explores how adversaries
can transform enmity into amity, and exposes prevalent myths about the
causes of peace.
Start-Up Nation
The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle
Authors: Daniel Senor, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern
Studies
Saul Singer, Columnist, Jerusalem Post
Publisher: A CFR Book. Twelve Books
Release Date: November 2009
320 pages
ISBN 978-0-446-54146-6
$26.99
Overview
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that
Israel—a country of 7.1 million people, only sixty years old,
surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding,
with no natural resources—produces more start-up companies than large,
peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada,
and the United Kingdom? Drawing on examples from the country’s
foremost inventors and investors, geopolitical experts Dan Senor and
Saul Singer describe how Israel’s adversity-driven culture fosters a
unique combination of innovative and entrepreneurial intensity.
“Rich and insightful.”
—Publishers Weekly
As the authors argue, Israel is not just a country but a comprehensive
state of mind. Whereas Americans emphasize decorum and exhaustive
preparation, Israelis put chutzpah first. “When an Israeli
entrepreneur has a business idea, he will start it that week,” one
analyst put it. At the geopolitical level, Senor and Singer dig in
deeper to show why Israel’s policies on immigration, R&D, and military
service have been key factors in the country’s rise—providing insight
into why Israel has more companies on the NASDAQ than those from all
of Europe, Korea, Japan, Singapore, China, and India combined.
“Illuminating.”
—George Stephanopoulos
So much has been written about the Middle East, but surprisingly
little is understood about the story and strategy behind Israel’s
economic growth. As Start-Up Nation shows, there are lessons in
Israel’s example that apply not only to other nations, but also to
individuals seeking to build a thriving organization. As the U.S.
economy seeks to reboot its can-do spirit, there’s never been a better
time to look at this remarkable and resilient nation for some
impressive, surprising clues.
About This Publication
1.Book Events
2.Reviews & Endorsements
3.The Authors
Book Events
Watch Dan Senor on the 700 Club.
Watch Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netenyahu mention Start-Up
Nation in his speech at the Jewish Federations of North America annual
conference.
Watch Fareed Zakaria discuss the book on Fareed Zakaria GPS.
Watch Dan Senor on Squawk Box.
Watch Dan Senor on Morning Joe.
Watch Dan Senor on Meet the Press.
Watch Dan Senor on Take Two.
Reviews & Endorsements
Read the David Brooks piece in the New York Times.
Read the interview with Dan Senor in the New York Times’
“Freakonomics” blog.
Read the authors’ piece in Newsweek.
Read the Israel National News piece.
Read the “Power Line” piece.
Read the Economist piece.
Read the Bloomberg.com piece.
Read the Growthology.org piece.
Read the Scripps News piece.
Read the National Review piece and interview with Dan Senor.
Read the Atlantic piece.
Read the Larry King Live blog interview with Dan Senor.
Read the Jerusalem Post piece.
Read the Mediaite piece.
Read the Weekly Standard piece.
Read Dan Senor’s piece in the “Daily Beast.”
“Vividly illustrates how Israel has developed a culture where
authority not only can be challenged, but must be ... a compelling and
satisfying work, filled with eye-opening revelations and shot through
with rich examples, explanations, and analysis.”
—Barron's
“Bracing.”
—New Republic
A New York Times “Caucus” blog best seller.
A Washington Post best seller.
“This fine book ... shine[s] a spotlight on [Israel’s] success.”
—Wall Street Journal
“An eye-opening look at a side of Israel that most people never think
about.”
—The Week
“There is a great deal for America to learn from the very impressive
Israeli entrepreneurial model—beginning with a culture of leadership
and risk management. Start-Up Nation is a playbook for every CEO who
wants to develop the next generation of corporate leaders.”
—Tom Brokaw, special correspondent for NBC News, author of The
Greatest Generation
“Senor and Singer’s experience in government, in business, and in
journalism—and especially on the ground in the Middle East—come to
life in their illuminating, timely, and often surprising analysis.”
—George Stephanopoulos, host of This Week, ABC News
“In the midst of the chaos of the Middle East, there’s a remarkable
story of innovation. Start-Up Nation is filled with inspiring insights
into what’s behind Israel’s dynamic economy. It is a timely book and a
much-needed celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit.”
—Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of eBay
“Senor and Singer highlight some important lessons and sound
instruction for countries struggling to enter the 21st century. An
edifying, cogent report, as apolitical as reasonably possible, about
homemade nation building.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The authors ground their analysis in case studies and interviews with
some of Israel's most brilliant innovators to make this a rich and
insightful read not just for business leaders and policymakers but for
anyone curious about contemporary Israeli culture.”
—Publishers Weekly
The Authors
Daniel Senor, adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the
Council on Foreign Relations, has long been on the front lines of
policy, politics, and business in the Middle East. As a senior foreign
policy adviser to the U.S. government, he was one of the longest-
serving civilian officials in Iraq, for which he was awarded the
highest civilian honor by the Pentagon. He also served in Qatar, and
has studied in Israel, where today he invests in a number of Israeli
start-ups. In his business career, he has worked for global private
equity firms—the Carlyle Group and Rosemont Capital, which he
cofounded. Senor’s analytical pieces are frequently published by the
Wall Street Journal; he has also written for the New York Times, the
Washington Post, the Weekly Standard, and Time. In government and
business, he has traveled extensively throughout the Arab world. Mr.
Senor lives in New York City with his wife and two sons.
Saul Singer is a columnist and former editorial page editor at the
Jerusalem Post and the author of Confronting Jihad: Israel’s Struggle
and the World after 9/11. He has written for the Wall Street Journal,
Commentary, Moment, the New Leader, bitterlemons (an Israeli/
Palestinian e-zine), and the Washington Post’s international blog,
PostGlobal. Before moving to Israel, he served as an adviser to the
U.S. Congress. Mr. Singer lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three
daughters.
Visit www.startupnationbook.com for more.
Related Materials
Israeli Innovation a Model for United States, Say Senor and Singer in
New CFR Book
News Release
October 23, 2009
Crisis Guide: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
By Eben Kaplan
Interactive
April 16, 2008
Israel’s Political System
By Eben Kaplan and Caroline Friedman
Backgrounder
Updated: February 11, 2009
Uncertainty in Israeli Politics
Interview
March 24, 2009
Briefing by Special Envoy for Middle East Peace Mitchell on Obama's
Trilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and
President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority
Essential Documents
September 22, 2009
See Also
Israel, Business and Foreign Policy
Essay Reshaping the World Order
Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth
The current architecture of international institutions must be
updated, but skeptics question whether the United States is up to the
task. They need not worry: the United States still possesses enough
power and legitimacy to spearhead reform.
Essay The Future of American Power
Fareed Zakaria
Despite some eerie parallels between the position of the United States
today and that of the British Empire a century ago, there are key
differences. Britain's decline was driven by bad economics. The United
States, in contrast, has the strength and dynamism to continue shaping
the world -- but only if it can overcome its political dysfunction and
reorient U.S. policy for a world defined by the rise of other powers.
Essay The Age of Nonpolarity
Richard N. Haass
In the twenty-first century, power will be diffuse rather than
concentrated, and the influence of nonstate actors will increase. But
the United States can still manage the transition and make the world a
safer place.
Essay Taming American Power
Stephen M. Walt
U.S. policymakers debate how to wield American power; foreigners
debate how to deal with it. Some make their peace with Washington and
try to manipulate it; others try to oppose and undercut U.S.
interests. The challenge for the United States is how to turn its
material dominance into legitimate authority.
Comment Is America Losing Its Edge?
Adam Segal
For 50 years, the United States has maintained its economic edge by
being better and faster than any other country at inventing and
exploiting new technologies. Today, however, its dominance is starting
to slip, as Asian countries pour resources into R&D and challenge
America's traditional role in the global economy.
Comment A Global Power Shift in the Making
James F. Hoge, Jr.
Global power shifts happen rarely and are even less often peaceful.
Washington must take heed: Asia is rising fast, with its growing
economic power translating into political and military strength. The
West must adapt -- or be left behind.
Essay History and the Hyperpower
Eliot A. Cohen
Whether or not the United States today should be called an empire is a
semantic game. The important point is that it resembles previous
empires enough to make the search for lessons of history worthwhile.
Overwhelming dominance has always invited hostility. U.S. leaders thus
must learn the arts of imperial management and diplomacy, exercising
power with a bland smile rather than boastful words.
Essay America's Imperial Dilemma
Dimitri K. Simes
The United States increasingly looks, walks, and talks like an empire.
It should therefore heed the lessons of its predecessors, exercising
strong and determined global leadership. At the same time, it must
avoid the temptation to meddle when American interests are not at
stake. This means, among other things, dropping the doctrine of
universal democracy promotion.
Essay U.S. Power and Strategy After Iraq
Joseph S. Nye Jr.
The Bush administration's new national security strategy gets much
right but may turn out to be myopic. The world has changed in ways
that make it impossible for the most dominant power since Rome to go
it alone. U.S. policymakers must realize that power today lies not
only in the might of one's sword but in the appeal of one's ideas.
Essay Reshaping the World Order
Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth
The current architecture of international institutions must be
updated, but skeptics question whether the United States is up to the
task. They need not worry: the United States still possesses enough
power and legitimacy to spearhead reform.
Review Essay A Hegemon's Coming of Age
Walter Russell Mead
A new book presents the complex and lively history of the evolution of
U.S. power abroad.
Essay The Default Power
Josef Joffe
Since the United States first became a global superpower, it has been
fashionable to speak of its decline. But in today's world, the United
States' economic and military strength, along with the attractiveness
of its ideals, will ensure its power for a long time to come.
Essay Complexity and Collapse
Niall Ferguson
Imperial collapse may come much more suddenly than many historians
imagine. A combination of fiscal deficits and military overstretch
suggests that the United States may be the next empire on the
precipice.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/readinglists/what-to-read-on-american-primacy
http://www.cfr.org/publication/20356/
chhotemianinshallah
Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir
Mridu Rai
Paper | 2004 | $28.95
320 pp. | 5 x 8
Paper $20.00
Full Text of this book, thanks to the Google.
http://books.google.com/books/princeton?hl=en&q=Hindu+Rulers%2C+Muslim+Subjects%3A&vid=ISBN9780691116884&btnG.x=15&btnG.y=10#v=snippet&q=Hindu%20Rulers%2C%20Muslim%20Subjects%3A&f=false
Disputed between India and Pakistan, Kashmir contains a large majority
of Muslims subject to the laws of a predominantly Hindu and
increasingly "Hinduized" India. How did religion and politics become
so enmeshed in defining the protest of Kashmir's Muslims against Hindu
rule? This book reaches beyond standard accounts that look to the 1947
partition of India for an explanation. Examining the 100-year period
before that landmark event, during which Kashmir was ruled by Hindu
Dogra kings under the aegis of the British, Mridu Rai highlights the
collusion that shaped a decisively Hindu sovereignty over a subject
Muslim populace. Focusing on authority, sovereignty, legitimacy, and
community rights, she explains how Kashmir's modern Muslim identity
emerged.
Rai shows how the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was formed as
the East India Company marched into India beginning in the late
eighteenth century. After the 1857 rebellion, outright annexation was
abandoned as the British Crown took over and princes were incorporated
into the imperial framework as junior partners. But, Rai argues,
scholarship on other regions of India has led to misconceptions about
colonialism, not least that a "hollowing of the crown" occurred
throughout as Brahman came to dominate over King. In Kashmir the Dogra
kings maintained firm control. They rode roughshod over the interests
of the vast majority of their Kashmiri Muslim subjects, planting the
seeds of a political movement that remains in thrall to a religiosity
thrust upon it for the past 150 years.
Review:
"Rai's contribution lies in the extremely thorough and painstaking
documentation that she provides when tracing the marginalization of
the native inhabitants of Kahmir, the chicanery of the British, and
the fecklessness of the Dogra rulers. Her account of the growth of
Muslim religio-political consciousness in the early part of the
twentieth century . . . unearths a wealth of detail. . . . Rai's book
is a useful one. Those interested in understanding the background of
the continuing tragedy in Kahmir will find much to consider in her
substantial account of the historical backdrop."--Sumit Ganguly,
Journal of Asian Studies
Endorsements:
"Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects is a brilliant work of historical
scholarship that will become indispensable reading for all those
interested in the modern history and politics of the subcontinent. It
a pioneering historical study of rights, religion, and regional
identity in Kashmir that could also inspire future studies on other
regions of the subcontinent."--Sugata Bose, Harvard University
"This is a major contribution to Kashmir studies and should set the
standard for the next generation of publications on Kashmir.
Challenging the existing literature, this work is heady and fresh--and
deserves attention."--Alexander Evans, King's College London and the
Royal Institute of International Affairs
"Mridu Rai's book reminds us powerfully of the crucial importance of
colonial history to the present. She is able to de-essentialize
religion and secularism in the Kashmir conflict, which is very useful
in light of India's secularist claims and the ways in which some
sociologists have theorized those claims. Carefully researched and
lucidly conceptualized and written, this book forwards an important
thesis on an important topic."--Peter van der Veer, University of
Amsterdam
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements x
Abbreviations xii
Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1: Territorializing Sovereignity: The Dilemmas of Control and
Collaboration 18
CHAPTER 2: The Consolidation of Dogra Legitimacy in Kashmir: Hindu
Rulers and a Hindu State 80
CHAPTER 3: The Obligations of Rulers and the Rights of Subjects 128
CHAPTER 4: Contested Sites: Religious Shrines and the Archaeological
Mapping of Kashmiri Muslim Protest 183
CHAPTER 5: Political Mobilization in Kashmir: Religious and Regional
Identities 224
Conclusion 288
Glossary 298
Bibliography 305
Index 319
Book Review
Mridu Rai. Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the
History of Kashmir. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 2004. Pp.
xi, 335. Cloth $65.00, paper $22.50.
Chitralekha Zutshi. Languages of Belonging: Islam, Regional Identity,
and the Making of Kashmir. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004.
Pp. xvi, 359. $35.00.
Ever since the India-Pakistan near war of 2001–2002, we have been
subject to an incessant flow of words on the Kashmir conflict. Sadly,
this deluge has done little to enhance our knowledge of the subject.
Bar changing the odd adjectives, adding a little detail, or inserting
the views of the proverbial man on the street, little has been added
to Sumit Ganguly's Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Prospects of
Peace (1997) or Victoria Schofield's Kashmir in Conflict: India,
Pakistan, and the Unending War (2000). Two new histories have been
widely applauded for constituting a happy break with this dismal
tradition. Little attention has been paid, however, to the
considerable theoretical and empirical problems presented by Mridu
Rai's and Chitralekha Zutshi's books. 1
Both Rai and Zutshi deal with a critical period in the history
of Jammu and Kashmir: the century of Dogra monarchical rule that
preceded the independence of India and Pakistan, and the division of
the state between the two powers in the course of the war of 1947. It
was in this period that the welter of territories that constitute
modern Kashmir were welded together under a single power, a
consequence of Britain's handing over of the region to Maharaja Gulab
Singh, a prince who sided with the empire's war of conquest against
the Sikh kingdom of Lahore. Like the other semi-independent states of
princely India, Kashmir witnessed a constant struggle for influence
between the monarchy and the imperial government. It was to become the
site of a number of other contestations: of monarch against democrat;
of empire against nationalist; of Hindu against Muslim; of peasant
against landlord. 2
Rai sees this century as one in which a "Hindu State" was
formed, the consequence of the Dogra monarchy's search for legitimacy.
Lacking any real basis for its sovereignty over the peoples whose
destinies it now controlled, it responded by inventing a history in
which the Dogra dynasty represented both the Hindu faith and Rajput
martial tradition. Rai maps this process by carefully documenting the
Dogra monarchy's growing control of Hindu religious practice in
Kashmir, notably through state-controlled trusts. Since the state was
Hindu in character, Rai concludes, "religion and politics became
inextricably intertwined in defining and expressing the protest of
Kashmiri Muslims against their rulers" (pp. 16–17). 3
Zutshi arrives at similar conclusions, but with considerably
more attention to nuance and detail. Her study of the workings of
Dogra rule suggests the need for a careful examination of what, if
any, meaning the notion of a "Hindu state" may have actually had to
contemporaries. There was, Zutshi's narrative suggests, no unilinear
project of Hinduization under the Dogras; rather, there were complex
and fluid processes of collaboration and conflict among various
categories of elites, both Hindu and Muslim. Kashmir's small Brahmin
community, the Pandits, whom Rai sees as key collaborators of the
Dogra project, emerge at least one point in Zutshi's book as its most
bitter opponents. Notions of a homogeneous Kashmiri Muslim identity,
Zutshi's analysis suggests, need to be tempered by an understanding of
the working of caste, class, and ideology.
Customer Review
The Challenging Natures of Kashmir, May 25, 2007
By T. Dodge
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
"Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects" covers the macro historical, social,
religious, and political highlights in Kashmir from about 1840 to
1950. It is a fascinating view into a world far distant but fearfully
close as two modern nuclear armed adversaries seek domination over the
mystical lands of Kashmir. This is a book of essential preliminary
understandings to the current situation in the region and of the
volumes I have encountered is the best. I hope the author contemplates
another book dealing with the post 1947 era. For those seeking recent
political happenings, I suggest "Kashmir" by Sumantra Bose.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1TLIUMBUTBR1D
Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of
Kashmir
by Mridu Rai
maryum's review
excellent book!!! really worthwhile reading and very meticulous
research on the impact of colonialism on kashmir. one of the few books
that looks at the kashmiri conflict from the perspective of the
kashmiris and not as a pawn in an india-pakistan chess match.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/370620
Paper $20.00
31% off regular price
Paper: $28.95 ISBN13: 978-0-691-11688-4
File created: 10/18/2009
Questions and comments to: webm...@press.princeton.edu
Princeton University Press
Mainstream Weekly
Mainstream, Vol XLV, No 38
Book Review: ’The Hindu-Muslim Divide : A Fresh Look by Amrik Singh’
Sunday 9 September 2007
[(BOOK REVIEW)]
The Hindu-Muslim Divide : A Fresh Look by Amrik Singh; Vitasta
Publishing Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi; 2007; pp. XIV+238; Rs 345.
It is ironic that around the time we are celebrating 60 years of
India’s independence, the subject under discussion here is the Hindu-
Muslim divide, instead of it being harmony between members of
different communities in our free country. But one has to face the
facts and hence this discourse.
The author of the book under review, Dr Amrik Singh, starts it with a
painful note: “As generally recognised, the Hindu-Muslim divide has
existed in India for about thousand years. The partition of India into
India and Pakistan in 1947 was the latest instalment in this
longstanding dispute.” (p. 3) But soon he sounds a note of optimism:
“But one thing is clear that, despite signals to the contrary, the two
warring communities are nearer an understanding with each other than
ever before.” No convincing reason is provided for the optimistic
note, and the author goes further and adds that the situation is
likely to change in about half a century or more (what a satisfying
thought!), even though it is stated: “In these matters, no one can be
precise.”
It is not very easy to agree with the author’s assertion about the
thousand year old Hindu-Muslim divide. For, India is known for its
composite culture, and quite a good part of the last thousand years
have been known to be marked by considerable harmony with some
aberrations. But aberrations are at times unavoidable and even the
intra-community conflicts and divisive trends have been there in the
concerned groups. When the Pakistani leader, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,
during the more fanatic phase of his political life (something the
author makes a reference to) had talked about a thousand year war, his
bravado had the future in mind.
One would, in fact, like to go back to much older times, than the last
thousand years. It may be pointed out that composite culture had been
the feature of India even before the beginning of the first century
AD. The contributing influences all these years had been the teachings
of Gautam Buddha, the Vedic and Vedantic ideals of tolerance and
spiritual values, the disarming qualities of the Sufi value and the
noble sentiments of the Bhakti movement, and, more recently, the
thoughts of personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Maulana Azad, Altaf
Husain Hali and those believing in secular ideals among other factors.
While the commingling of Sufi and Bhakti ideals is an extremely
cherished heritage of the past, the state of confrontation, in recent
times, one has to admit, between the campaign of Tableegh and Shuddhi
(mentioned by the author while stating the effort of Hinduism for
‘semitisation’) (p. 132) is a tragic episode in our saga of composite
culture : like a bad dream one would perhaps like to forget.
EVEN without agreeing fully with the basic statement of the author
with regard to a thousand year old divide one would like to praise him
for covering the subject of Hindu-Muslim divide in a very
comprehensive manner particularly in the recent past. Dr Amrik Singh
has covered the entire ground by recounting how the spirit of mutual
understanding and conciliation gave way to conflict between the
Muslims and Hindus. Much discussion is available about the factors
responsible for this conflict leading to the partition of the country
along with its independence, the roles of leaders of the two
communities during those traumatic years and, indeed, the shape this
conflict has taken in today’s India.
The book is in the form of notes on different subjects relevant to its
theme, probably written at different points of time. But it contains a
wealth of information on the nature and cause of the divide—the
machinations of the British rulers, the folly of partition, the
practice of separate electorates, and even the complexities of adult
franchise and a joint electorate, the polarisation between the two
communities, the present concept of Hindutva and many other factors
that the author has painstakingly gone into. The author has laid great
emphasis on the need for pluralism and for a policy “in the direction
of reducing the Hindu-Muslim divide and work towards what has been
described as pluralism,” as he puts it.
Dr Amrik Singh has given some very perceptive opinions of acknowledged
experts on Hinduism and Islam, some approvingly while others with his
note of critique. Consider the quote from the eminent historian, Prof.
M. Habib (whom he describes as the “tallest historian of medieval
India”):
A Hindu feels it is his duty to dislike those whom he has been taught
to consider the enemies of his religion and his ancestors; the Muslim,
lured into the false belief that he was once a member of a ruling
race, feels insufferably wronged by being relegated to the status of a
minority community. Fools both! Even if the Muslims eight centuries
ago were as bad as they were painted, would there be any sense in
holding the present generation responsible for their deeds? It is but
an imaginative tie that joins the modern Hindu with Harshvardhana or
Asoka, or the modern Muslim with Shahabuddin or Mahmud.
“That these words were written several years after the partition makes
them even more relevant than they would have been otherwise,” says Dr
Amrik Singh and every rightly. (p. 200) Members of both the
communities can gain from introspecting in the light of the late
historians’ observation.
At another place, the author quotes Girilal Jain who, according to
him, “apart from being a leading journalist, was a keen student of
Hinduism”: Unlike the Muslims, the Hindus do not possess a vision of
the future, which is rooted in the past for a variety of reasons, one
of them being that, unlike the Muslims, they have not been able to
invent a golden age which can be located in any kind of history and
that they cannot invent one. While, they would, if challenged, vaguely
own up all Indian history up to the beginning of the Muslim invasions
of north India in the 11th century, they do not identify themselves
with any particular period. Indeed, they have little sense of history.
So how can they have a golden age and how can a people without such a
sense engage in revivalism? What can they seek to revive? Hinduism is
an arbitrary imposition on a highly variegated civilisation, which is
truly oceanic in its range. Such a civilisation cannot be enclosed in
a narrow doctrine. It cannot have a central doctrine because in its
majestic sweep it takes up all that comes its way and adapts it to its
over-widening purpose, rejecting finally what is wholly alien and
cannot be accommodated at all. Attempts have been made to build
embankments around this ocean-like reality to give it a shape and
definition. But these have not succeeded. The spirit of India has
refused to be contained. To put it differently, Hinduism has refused
to be organised. By the same token, it has refused to be communalised.
(p. 135)
Amrik Singh reacts to Jain’s stipulations: “While it is true that
Hinduism has refused to be organised and it has refused to be
communalised, how is it that today we witness what Nehru once
described as ‘non-Muslim aggression among Muslims’?” The author says
that this phrase of Nehru occurs in one of his letters addressed to
the Chief Ministers after the police action in Hyderabad.
IN the context of the Hindutva philosophy, it would be relevant to
consider the following quote from the late K.R. Malkani who became
known as the Editor of the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, and an ideologue
of the Bharatiya Janata Party:
The Muslim Indian should realise that Hinduism is not a religion, but
a culture. That he is Muslim by religion but Hindu by culture. Let
Indonesia with its Muslim religion and native Hindu culture be the
model for the Muslim in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. (p. 138)
Malkani’s prescription is not possible, says Amrik Singh, either in
terms of physical or political considerations or in terms of their
historical evolution. “While Hinduism has a hoary tradition behind it,
the pre-Islamic traditions in Indonesia are not even clearly defined.”
Incidentally, at the time of writing this review a mammoth gathering
of Muslim men and women with hijab (about 100,000) including scholars
and religious leaders from different parts of the world, is
deliberating in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, in search of ways to
establish a single Muslim government in the Islamic world (on the
ideals of Khilafat-e-Islamia) largely at the initiative of a group of
Indonesian Muslims. But that is another story that needs to be
considered in its own context.
The author feels that the effort to remove the present divide has
largely to be on the part of the Congress party. The removal of the
divide is linked with economic and political development of the
country. He says, “The Congress—currently in power—owes it to the
Muslims to bring them at par with others and thereafter involve them
in the process of development, both economic and political. The
Congress also has the further obligation to help the Muslims to draw
abreast of others socially.” (p. 191)
The author says that in seeking to separate from India, they (the
Muslims) followed a path which culminated in the partition of India in
1947. In the ultimate analysis that was a mistake, which Jinnah and
those who followed him had made. “Since the kind of Islamic future
that the Muslims of the subcontinent had aspired for themselves is
running into problem, sooner or later the thinking of the Muslim world
will make them learn from experience and come to terms with the
changed reality. But when? It is difficult to answer this question,”
the author says.
The author is of the view that the solution to the Hindu-Muslim divide
is linked, to a great extent, with the normalisation of relations
between India and Pakistan. The problem in India cannot be isolated
from the problem in Pakistan. The triumph of fundamentalism will be
bad for Indian Muslims as well. An end to confrontation would help
remove the divide in India, he says.
What, according to the author, is the prospect of the Hindu-Muslim
divide disappearing?—one may ask. He talks very enthusiastically of an
Indian version of globalisation. This globalisation is the result of a
“new mix of policies”, that are going to help all Indians including
Muslims.
He states: What has made it easier for India to adjust to the changing
world relatively more easily is partly because Hinduism is more
adjustable to the logic of the contemporary idea of development. If
India succeeds in this experiment, as seems to be happening, the
Indian Muslims too can before long, become a part of this experiment.
Currently, they are somewhat estranged from the mainstream. (p. 225)
Dr Amrik Singh would want the Indian Government to push ahead
vigorously with the spread of education and the Indian Muslims to give
evidence of some “political initiative” and “political maturity”.
According to the author, the confrontation with the United States now
“...is partly coming in the way of the Islamic world breaking with her
past”. If the US were not so confrontationist, he says, things in the
Islamic world would to some extent start changing, “sooner than is
happening at the moment”. According to him, India’s role in this
context is “positive, if not also praiseworthy”. And, India’s version
of globalisation can prompt others, even those in the Islamic world,
to move in that direction.
Dr Amrik Singh feels that if what is stated above happens, the “Hindu-
Muslim divide in India will gradually weaken”. More than that, he
says, this would give rise to “a new era in world history in more than
one sense”. What happens in India, according to him, would be of
considerable historical significance. “Indeed, it can also prove to be
a development of a wider economic and cultural significance.” Amen!
The reviewer, a veteran journalist who worked for several years in
Mainstream, currently edits the periodical Alpjan.
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article302.html
Mainstream Weekly
Mainstream, Vol XLVI No 28
Day One in Calcutta
Monday 30 June 2008, by From NC’s Writings
Ten years ago, in the afternoon of June 27, 1998, Nikhil Chakravartty
breathed his last. Remembering him after 10 years, we are reproducing
some of his finest reports, editorials and articles that appeared in
this journal and elsewhere over the last sixty years. We are also
reproducing the speech that our former President, K.R. Narayanan,
delivered while unveiling N.C.’s portrait at the Press Council of
India (New Delhi, February 28, 1999), and publishing several
reminiscences by those who knew him intimately.
The following report by Nikhil Chakravartty, the Calcutta
correspondent of People’s Age (published from Bombay), appeared in the
weekly’s August 24, 1947 issue (it was wired from Calcutta on August
17, 1947) under the following headlines : ‘End of a Nightmare and
Birth of New Dawn!’; ‘Calcutta Transformed by Spirit Of Independence’;
‘Hindus, Muslims Hug Each Other In Wild Joy—Tears Roll Down Where
Blood Once Soaked The Streets’.
Frenzy has overtaken Calcutta. It is a frenzy which no city in India
has ever felt through the long years of thraldom under the British.
When the clock struck midnight and Union Jacks were hauled down on
August 15, 1947, the city shook to her very foundations for a mad
frenzy overtook her 40 lakh citizens. Nothing like this has ever
happened before.
I have racked my brains for hours; I have looked up all despatches in
the Press; but still I find no adequate words to communicate the
unforgettable experience that has overwhelmed me in the last three
days. It is like a sudden bursting of a mighty dam: you hear a
deafening roar of water sweeping away everything in the flood. It
comes with a crushing suddenness and strikes with the strength of a
thousand giants.
That is how all of us in Calcutta have felt in the last few days—all
of us, old or young, man or woman, Hindu or Muslim, rich or poor. In
this mighty sweep of the flood none was spared. And the floods carried
off a lot of dirt and stigma of our slavery.
Calcutta is Reborn
ONE hundred and ninety years ago, it was from Calcutta that Clive set
out of conquer this land of ours and it was this city which was the
seat of all his vile intrigues that divided our ranks and brought
about our defeat. But today in the sweeping torrent of freedom all
that has been wiped away, and once again this beloved city of ours
stands out clean and full of radiance with the glow of lasting
brotherhood.
Everybody felt nervous about August 15. Weeks ahead authorities were
on tenterhooks; more police and military were being posted to ensure
peace. Ministers would not permit meetings in the open to celebrate
the transfer of power, afraid that the goondas might create trouble.
East Bengal Hindus were nervous that one little spark in Calcutta
might throw the entire province into the flames of a civil war;
Muslims were panicky that they might be finished off in Calcutta and
many had left the city.
Gandhiji had already moved his camp to one of the most affected areas—
Belliaghata—and cancelling his East Bengal trip, had decided to spend
a few days here with Suhrawardy. But even he was disturbed by rowdy
goondas, backed by communal groups, accusing him of being an enemy of
Hindus. News from the Punjab was bad. On the whole an uncanny fear
gripped everybody and the day of independence seemed like a deadline
for disturbances.
But how wrong were our calculations! With all our pretensions of
knowing our people, with all the prophecies and warnings, bans and
precautions, no one really knew how the people—common men and women
among both Hindus and Muslims—would come forward to celebrate August
15. It was this unknown factor, which in every turn of history is the
determining factor, that has made all the difference in our
calculations and the actual happenings on that day.
People’s preparations for the celebrations of the day went on briskly,
though imperceptibly. The demand for Tri-colours knew no bounds;
whatever be the material, whatever the make, every flag was literally
sold out. Even the poorest of the poor, coolie, scavenger or rickshaw-
puller, bought the Jhanda. In paras and mohallas boys and girls were
getting ready practising drills or formations, organising Prabhat
Pheris. Party differences, personal bickerings, etc. were forgotten.
Discordant voices there were, but they did not matter. Mahasabha first
raised the slogan of black flags, but then piped down and declared non-
participation. But all the prestige of Shyamaprosad could not make any
impression on the very people whom he had swayed during the Partition
campaign.
Forward Bloc and Tagorites also opposed the celebration on the ground
that real freedom was yet to be won. But despite the fact that
thousands of Bengali homes paid homage to Netaji that day hardly a
handful abstained from participation. Every school, factory, office,
every home—be it a mansion or a bustee—awaited the great day with
hearts full of jubilation.
As the zero hour approached, the city put on a changed appearance. On
the streets, people were busy putting up flags and decorating
frontage. Gates were set up at important crossings, bearing names of
our past titans like Ashoka or our martyrs in the freedom movement.
The atmosphere was tense; should there be a new round of stabbings or
shootings among brothers, or should there be return to peace and
normalcy?
All Barriers Broken
THE first spontaneous initiative for fraternisation came from Muslim
bustees and was immediately responded to by Hindu bustees. It was
Calcutta’s poor toilers, especially Muslims, who opened the floodgate,
and none could have dreamt of what actually took place.
Muslim boys clambered up at Chowringhee and shouted, “Hindu-Muslim ek
ho” and exhorted the driver to take them to Bhowanipore. But the
driver would not risk that and so they came up to the border only.
But then all of a sudden in the very storm-centres of most gruesome
rioting of the past year—Raja Bazar, Sealdah, Kalabagan, Colootolah,
Burra Bazar—Muslims and Hindus ran across the frontiers and hugged
each other in wild joy. Tears rolled down where once blood had soaked
the pavements. “Jai Hind”, “Vande Mataram”, “Allah-ho-Akbar” and above
all renting the sky “Hindu-Muslim ek ho”.
Curfews were ignored; men rushed out on the streets, danced, clasped
and lifted each other up. It was all like a sudden end of a nightmare,
the birth of a glorious dawn.
As midnight approached, crowds clustered round every radio set and
Jawaharlal’s ringing words sent a thrill round every audience,
“Appointed day has come —the day appointed by destiny..”
With the stroke of midnight, conch-shells blew in thousands, conch-
shells blown by our mothers and sisters from the innermost corners of
our homes—for the call of freedom has reached every nook and corner.
And with the conch-shells were heard the crack of rifles and bursting
of bombs and crackers. The very arms that were stored so long to kill
off brothers were being used to herald the coming of freedom.
A torchlight procession started in North Calcutta. Tram workers, in
all spontaneity, brought out a couple of trams crowded with Hindus to
the Nakhoda mosque and were feted by Muslims with food and drink. In
Burra Bazar, Muslims were treated the same way and all embraced one
another. Hardly anybody slept that night—the night choked with
passionate emotions welling up in so many ways.
As the morning came the city was already full of excitment and
pavements were thronged with people. Prabhat Pheris came out singing
songs of the national struggle. Boys and girls marched through the
streets with bands and bugles—bright and smart, free citizens of
tomorrow.
Flag salutations in every park, in every school and office. Buses
plied free, giving joy rides to thousands. Trams announced that all
their returns would be sent for relief. And they ran till late at
night along all mixed routes which were closed for the past year.
At the Government House, our own Government was to unfurl the
Tricolour, but invitees were confined to Burra Sahibs and officials,
the rich and elite, Ministers and Legislators. They came in big cars,
many with their wives dressed in all their fashionable clothes.
Government House—People’s Property
COMMON people, those that have made freedom possible, they too came in
thousands, but they were kept outside, beyond the huge iron gates. Why
must this be so? Why must this occasion be celebrated in the way the
White Sahibs have done so long?
I watched that crowd growing restless every minute and found among
them the very faces that you come across in the streets every day or
at the market or in your own home: babu, coolie, student, Professor,
young girl and shy wife—all jostling with each other, impatient at
being kept out. Sikh, Muslim, Bhayya and Bhadralok clamoured for the
gates to be opened and when that was not done, they themselves burst
into the spacious grounds and ran up towards the Governor’s stately
mansion.
The burst into the rooms much to the annoyance of the officials and
perhaps also of the marble busts of many of the White rulers that have
never been disturbed in their majesty.
For hours they thronged there, thousands over thousands of them,
shoving out many of the ICS bosses. But it would be a slander to say
that they were unruly. How little did they touch or damage? Had they
been unruly, as somebody had reported to Gandhiji, the whole place
would have been a wreck in no time.
They went there for they felt that it was one of their own leaders who
had been installed as their Governor. And when the annoyed officials
ran up to Rajaji to complain to him about the crowd swarming into the
rooms, C.R., it is reported, replied: “But what can I do? It is their
own property. How can I prevent them from seizing it?”
The sense of triumph, of pride that we have come to our own could be
seen in the faces that entered the portals of the Government House. It
is symptomatic of August 15 no doubt. For though there were
restrictions and curtailments to real freedom in the elaborate plans
the Dominion Status, the people—the common humanity that teems our land
—have taken this day to mean that that have won and no amount of
restrictions will bar the way, just as no policeman could stop the
surging crowd that broke into the Government House.
Outside, all over the city, houses seemed to have emptied out into the
streets, lorries came in hundreds, each packed precariously beyond
capacity; lorries packed with Hindus and Muslims, men and women.
Streets were blocked and the people themselves volunteered to control
traffic.
Rakhi Bandhan Again
LORRY-LOADS of Muslim National Guards crammed with Gandhi-capped young
Hindu boys shouted themselves hoarse “Jai Hind”, “Hindu-Muslim ek ho”.
Somebody in Bhowanipore waved a League flag under a Tri-colour. What a
sight and what a suspense. But the days of hate were over and all
shouted together, “Hindu-Muslim ek ho!”
A batch of Hindu ladies went to Park Circus to participate in the flag
hoisting. They tied rakhi (strings of brotherly solidarity made famous
during Swadeshi days) round the wrists of Muslim National Guards. And
the Muslim boys said, “May we be worthy brothers!”
Hindu families, quiet and timid Bhadralok families, came in hundreds
to visit Park Circus with their wives and children in tikka gharries
piled by Muslims. Muslims, well-to-do and poor, visited Burra Bazar,
and Ballygunge in endless streams. And this was going on all these
three days.
They are all going to paras or mohallas they had to leave or where
they had lost their near and dear ones. Today there is no area more
attractive and more crowded than the very spots where the worst
butcheries had taken place. As if to expiate for the sins of the last
one year, Hindus and Muslims of Calcutta vied with each other to
consecrate their city with a new creed of mighty brotherhood.
On the evening of August 16, one year back, I sent you a despatch
which could describe but inadequately the mad lust for fratricidal
blood that had overtaken Calcutta that day. To mark the anniversary of
that day I visited the crowded parts of Hindu Burra Bazar and the
Muslim Colootola where in this one year hardly anyone passed alive
when spotted by the opposite community. But this evening Muslims were
the guests of honour at Burra Bazar and Hindus, as they visited
Colootola, were drenched with rose-water and attar and greeted with
lusty cheers of “Jai Hind”.
On the very evening, at Park Circus, was held a huge meeting of Hindus
and Muslims. Suhrawardy, J.C. Gupta, MLA, and Bhowani Sen spoke. It
was here that Suhrawardy asked the Muslims to go and implore the
evicted Hindus to come back to Park Circus.
At Belliaghata, Gandhiji’s presence itself has brought back hundreds
of Muslim families who had to leave in terror of their lives only a
few weeks back. And Gandhiji’s prayer meetings are attended by an ever
increasing concourse of Hindus and Muslims—themselves living symbols
of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Reports from Bengal districts also prove that this remarkable upsurge
of solidarity was not confined to Calcutta alone. In Dacca, despite
panic, Hindus and Muslims jointly participated in the celebration of
Pakistan, and Muslim leaders themselves intervened in one case where
the Congress flag was lowered, and the flag was raised again.
Everywhere Hindus showed response by honouring the Pakistan flag.
Joint Hindu-Muslim demonstrations were the marked features of the
occasion.
Reports from Comilla, Kusthia, Dinajpore, Krishnanagore, Munshinganj,
Malda and Jessore, all show that August 15 had passed off in peace and
amity. Only local fracas were reported from Kanchrapara, but the great
and good tidings from Calcutta eased the situation there.
In this mighty flood of freedom and brotherhood there is yet the sense
of suspense, for it came with such an incredible suddenness and
magnitude that many think it is too good to last long. It is like
holding a precious glass dome in your hands while you are in suspense
that it might fall and break at any moment.
Spontaneous assertion of people’s will for freedom and brotherly
solidarity needs to be harnessed in lasting forms and that is where
our leaders will be tested in the coming weeks.
Whatever happens, August 15 will be cherished for Calcutta’s grand
celebration on the eve of the end of the dark night of slavery and the
dawn of freedom. Calcutta yesterday was the symbol of our servitude
and fratricidal hate. Calcutta today is the beacon-light for free
India, asserting that freedom once resurrected can never be curbed or
destroyed, for all our millions of Hindus and Muslims together are
ready to stand together as its proud sentinels.
(People’s Age, August 24, 1947)
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article801.html
Mainstream Weekly
VOL XLV No 21
1857 In Our History
Monday 14 May 2007, by P C Joshi *
[(The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Great Indian Revolt
of 1857 is being observed this month. Though the spark for the Revolt
was lit by Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore earlier the same year, the
Revolt actually began in May at Meerut: on May 6, 85 sepoys of the 3rd
Bengal Cavalry at Meerut refused to use the cartridge, the cause of
the rebellion—all of them were placed under arrest; on May 9 these
sepoys were brought to a general punishment parade at the Meerut
Parade Ground, sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and stripped of
their uniforms. When the 11th and 12th Native Cavalry of the Bengal
Army assembled at the Parade Ground on May 10, they broke rank and
turned on the Commanding Officer Colonel Finnis who was shot dead—this
was the first incident of Revolt at Meerut; thereafter the sepoys
liberated the imprisoned sepoys, attacked the European Cantonment and
killed all the Europeans who could be found there. Then in conjunction
with the Roorkee sepoys, called to Meerut following the uprising, they
marched to Delhi where the first major incident took place on May 11
with the killing of Colonel Ripley.
We are carrying here excerpts from a seminal article “1857 In Our
History” by the former General Secretary of the Communist Party of
India, P.C. Joshi, whose birth centenary is being observed this year,
to mark the occasion. This article was presented at a symposium held
to observe the centenary of the 1857 Revolt in 1957; later it was
published alongwith other articles presented at the symposium in book
form (also edited by P.C. Joshi) by the People’s Publishing House, New
Delhi. —Editor)]
The few contemporary Indians who wrote on 1857 did so for the British.
The dominant British attitude is revealed in entitled, “The Bengali
Press, How to Deal with It”, published on August 9, 1896, in Pioneer,
a very influential British organ of the times:
We know how Englishmen within the memory of living men treated their
own newspaper writers… If a gentle and graceful writer forgot himself
so far as to call the Prince Regent ‘an Adonis of forty’ he got two
years’ ‘hard’. If a clergyman praised the French Revolution and
advocated Parliamentary reform and fair representation, he was
condemned to work in iron manacles, to wade in sludge among the vilest
criminals.
The writer advocated the infliction of the same punishment on an
Indian who dared to write on the Indian Mutiny of 1857.1
Indians thus had no say in this controversy but our rebel ancestors
with their heroic deeds and by shedding their warm blood had made
their contribution more eloquent than words....
It is inspiring to recall here what Marx thought of the 1857 national
uprising. As early as July 31, 1857, on the basis of Indian mail
carrying Delhi news up to June 17, he concluded his unsigned
newsletter to the New York Daily Tribune with these words:
By and by there will ooze out other facts able to convince even John
Bull himself that what he considers military mutiny is in truth a
national revolt.2
India’s historians may go on arguing and differing about the character
of the 1857 revolt but the mass of the Indian people have already
accepted it as the source-spring of our national movement. The hold of
the 1857 heritage on national thought is so great that even Dr R. C.
Majumdar concludes his study with the following words:
The outbreak of 1857 would surely go down in history as the first
great and direct challenge to the British rule in India, on an
extensive scale. As such it inspired the genuine national movement for
the freedom of India from British yoke which started half a century
later. The memory of 1857-58 sustained the later movement, infused
courage into the hearts of its fighters, furnished a historical basis
for the grim struggle, and gave it a moral stimulus, the value of
which it is impossible to exaggerate. The memory of the revolt of
1857, distorted but hallowed with sanctity, perhaps did more damage to
the cause of the British rule in India than the Revolt itself.3
The controversy whether the 1857-58 struggle was a sepoy revolt or a
national uprising can be resolved only by squarely posing and
truthfully analysing the character of the contestants on either side
and the nature of the issues—political, economic and ideological—
involved in this struggle. In short, a sound historical evaluation
demands that who was fighting whom and for what be correctly
stated....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE British conquest of India implied not only the imposition of alien
rule but, something worse still, a pitiless destruction of the
traditional Indian social order itself and disruption of its own
normal development towards a new order. Marx was the only thinker of
the period who studied this tragic phenomenon scientifically and
formulated the role of British imperialism in India in such a correct
manner that his conclusions were borne out by the subsequent
researches of Indian scholarship and they helped Indian patriots to
understand Indian reality better and give a progressive orientation to
Indian national thought.
As early as 1853 when the Indian situation was being debated in the
British Parliament on the occasion of the renewal of the East India
Company’s Charter, Marx stated in an article entitled “British Rule in
India”: All the civil wars, invasions, revolutions, conquests,
famines, strangely complex, rapid and destructive as the successive
action in Hindustan may appear, did not go deeper than its surface.
England has broken down the entire framework of Indian society,
without any symptoms of reconstitution yet appearing. This loss of his
old world, with no gain of a new one, imparts a particular kind of
melancholy to the present misery of the Hindu, and separates Hindustan
ruled by Britain, from all its ancient traditions, and from the whole
of its past history… It was the British intruder who broke up the
Indian handloom and destroyed the spinning wheel…British steam and
science uprooted over the whole surface of Hindustan, the union
between agriculture and manufacturing industry.4 ...
After the conquest of Bengal and eventually throughout India, the
method of enforced and unequal trade was used to loot India and this
led to its economic ruination. R. P. Dutt states how the situation
underwent a qualitative change after the British became the ruling
class in India, how methods of power could be increasingly used to
weight the balance of exchange and secure the maximum goods for the
minimum payment.5
By the end of 18th century and much more clearly by 1813-33, a shift
had come over British policy towards India. After a period of
primitive plunder and the systematic ruination of Indian trades and
crafts, the British bourgeoisie, with the completion of their
Industrial Revolution, began to use India as a dumping ground for its
industrial manufactures and, above all, textiles. Marx noted this
sharp shift, and, in one of his articles during 1853, wrote:
The whole character of trade was changed. Till 1813 India had been
chiefly an exporting country while it now became an importing one; and
in such quick progression, that already, in 1823, the rate of
exchange, which had generally been two-sixth per rupee sunk down to
two per rupee. India, the great workshop of cotton manufacture for the
world, since immemorial times, became now inundated with English
twists and cotton stuffs. After its own produce had been excluded from
England, or only accepted on the most cruel terms, British
manufactures were poured into it at a small or merely nominal duty, to
the ruin of native cotton fabric once so celebrated.6
The policy of the East India Company also annihilated the independent
merchant bourgeoisie as well as the artisans and craftsmen. Prof
Ramkrishna Mukherjee describes the process in the following words:
Along with thus turning the Indian artisans ‘out of this ‘temporal’
world’, as Marx remarked caustically, proceeded the liquidation of the
Indian merchant bourgeoisie. Monopolising Indian products for the
English meant that the Indian merchants could no longer survive. Only
those could maintain their profession who acquiesced in becoming
underlings of the Company or of its servants engaged in private inland
trade in India or of the private English merchants residing in India
for the same purpose. Otherwise, they had to find a new source of
livelihood. Not only were the Indian merchants prohibited from buying
commodities directly from the producers which were monopolised by the
English, but the agents of the Company and its servants forced such
goods on the Indian merchants at a price higher than the prevailing
one.7
By annihilating the independent merchant bourgeoisie, which to some
extent also fulfilled the role of the manufacturing bourgeoisie, the
monopolist East India Company destroyed that very important class in
Indian economy which could be their rival.
Another aspect of this phenomenon is noted and analysed by K. M.
Panikkar in the following words:
With the establishment of European trade centres in the main coastal
areas of India, there had developed a powerful Indian capitalist
class, closely associated with the foreign merchants, and deriving
great profits from trade with them… The Marwari millionaires of Bengal
have become the equivalent of the compradore classes of Shanghai of a
later period …The emergence of this powerful class, whose economic
interests were bound up with those of the foreign merchants and who
had an inherited hatred of Muslim rule, was a factor of fundamental
importance to the history of India and of Asia.8
These Indian agents of the Company and of the British merchants were
called gomasthas and bannias and played the role of sub-agents of
foreign capital and a pro-British role in the 1857 uprising.
How did intelligent Indians react to the above economic situation and
policies?
It is useful to quote Allamah Fazle Haq of Khayrabad, an eminent
Muslim scholar of the traditional school who took a leading part in
the 1857 revolt and was transported for life:
Having seized power they (the British) decided to bring under their
hold the various sections of the people by controlling eatables, by
taking possession of the ears of corn and grain and giving the
peasants and cultivators cash in lieu of their rights of farming.
Their object was not to allow the poor men and villagers a free hand
in buying and selling grains. By giving preference to their own
people, they wanted to control the cheapening or raising of the rates
so that the people of God might submit to their (Christian) policy of
monopoly, and their dependence on them (Christians) for their
requirements might force them to meet the purpose of the Christians
and their supporters, and their desire and ambitions which they had in
their hearts and the mischiefs and evils which they had concealed in
their minds.9
In the above background, the appeal of the manifesto issued by Bahadur
Shah on behalf of the insurgent centre at Delhi had its own
significance. The manifesto appealed in the following words to the
merchants: It is plain that the infidel and treacherous British
Government have monopolised the trade of all the fine and valuable
merchandise such as indigo, cloth and other articles of shipping,
leaving only the trade of trifles to the people and even in this they
are not allowed their shares of the profits, which they secure by
means of customs and stamp fees, etc., in money suits, so that the
people have merely a trade in name. Besides this, the profit of the
traders are taxed with postages, tolls, and subscriptions for schools,
etc. Notwithstanding all these concessions, the merchants are liable
to imprisonment and disgrace at the instance of complaint of a
worthless man. When the Badshahi Government is established all these
aforesaid fraudulent practices shall be dispensed with and the trade
of every article, without exception, both by land and water shall be
opened to the native merchants of India who will have the benefit of
the Government steam-vessels and steam carriages for the conveyance of
their merchandise gratis; and merchants having no capital of their own
shall be assisted from the public treasury. It is, therefore, the duty
of every merchant to take part in the war, and aid the Badshahi
Government with its men and money, either secretly or openly, as may
be consistent with its position or interest and forswear its
allegiance to the British Government.10...
The economic and political operation of the East India Company in
India led to a systematic squeezing of our national wealth which has
been described by India’s economic historians as the economic drain.
Let us examine this as it existed on the eve of the 1857 revolt.
There was the so-called Indian Debt, which was incurred by the Company
in order to consolidate its position in India and to spread its
influence further through expeditions and wars, and at the same time,
paying high dividends to share-holders in England, tributes to the
British Government since 1769 and bribes to the influential persons in
England.11
R. C. Dutt makes the following comments as regards the genesis and
mechanism of this Indian Debt:
A very popular error prevails in this country (England in 1903) that
the whole Indian Debt represents British capital sunk in the
development of India. It is shown in the body of this volume that this
is not the genesis of the Public Debt of India. When the East India
Company cessed to be the rulers of India in 1858, they had piled up an
Indian Debt of 70 millions. They had in the meantime drawn a tribute
from India, financially an unjust tribute, exceeding 150 million, not
calculating interest. They had also charged India with the cost of
Afghan wars, Chinese wars and other wars outside India. Equitably,
therefore, India owed nothing at the close of the Company’s rule; her
Public Debt was a myth; there was a considerable balance of over 108
millions in her favour out of the money that had been drawn from her.
12
Montgomery Martin, an Englishman with sympathy for the Indian people,
wrote as early as 1838:
This annual drain of £ 3,000,000 on British India amounted in 30 years
at 12 per cent (the usual Indian rate) compound interest to the
enormous sum of £ 723,997,917 sterling; or, at a low rate, as $
2,000,000 for 50 years, to £ 8,400,000,000 sterling! So constant and
accumulating a drain even on England would have soon impoverished her;
how severe then must be its effect on India, where the wages of a
labourer is from 2d. to 3d. a day?13....
Prof Ramkrishna Mukherjee goes even further and states:
A total picture of this tribute from India is seen to be even greater
than the figure mentioned by Martin in 1838. During the 24 years of
the last phase of the Company’s rule, from 1834-35 to 1857-58, even
though the years 1855, ’56 and ’57 showed a total import-surplus of £
6,436,345—(not because the foreign rulers had changed their policy,
but because some British capital flowed into India to build railway in
order to prepare her for exploitation by British industrial capital),—
the total tribute which was drained from India in the form of ‘home
charges’ and ‘excess of Indian exports’ amounted to the colossal
figure of £ 151,830,989. This works out at a yearly average of £
6,325,875, or roughly half the annual land revenue collections in this
period!14
The above was the grim reality, grimmer than any ever witnessed in the
whole course of India’s age-old historic development. As Marx stated,
there cannot, however, remain any doubt but the misery inflicted by
the British on Hindustan is of essentially different and infinitely
more intensive kind than Hindustan had to suffer before.15
The British, under the East India Company’s rule disrupted the whole
economic order of India, they turned the traditional land system topsy
turvy, they smashed the trades and manufactures of the land and
disrupted the relationship between these two sectors of the Indian
economy, systematically drained the wealth of our country to their
own, and destroyed the very springs of production of our economy.
Every class of Indian society suffered at this new spoliator’s hands.
The landlords were dispossessed and the peasants rendered paupers, the
merchant bourgeoisie of India liquidated as an independent class and
the artisans and craftsmen deprived of their productive professions.
Such unprecedented destruction of a whole economic order and of every
class within it could not but produce a great social upheaval and that
was the national uprising of 1857. The all-destructive British policy
produced a broad popular rebellion against its rule.
Within Indian society, however, those productive forces and classes
had not yet grown (in fact early British policy had itself destroyed
their first off-shoots) that could lead this revolution to victory.
The revolt of 1857 as also its failure were both historical
inevitabilities. But it also was a historical necessity, for after it
followed those modern developments..., from which emerged the modern
national liberation movement of the Indian people and those new social
forces which led it to victory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE religious factor played a big part in the revolt in 1857. The
British statesmen and chroniclers exaggerated and deliberately
misinterpreted the role played by this factor to prove their thesis
that the 1857 uprising was reactionary, revivalist and directed
against the progressive reforms that they were introducing in Indian
society. The early generation of English-educated Indian intellectuals
swallowed this imperialist thesis uncritically because they themselves
had suffered under the old reactionary religious influences. A true
historical outlook demands that we do not forget the historical stage
which Indian society had reached on the eve of 1857, the ideological
values which would be normal to this society and the ideological forms
in which the Indian people could formulate their aspirations....
It is abundantly clear... that the British rulers purely for their
imperialist motives were out for some decades preceding 1857 to
culturally denationalise India by the method of mass conversion to
Christianity. This was seen as a menacing danger by the mass of
Indians, irrespective of their viewpoint whether it was Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan or Bahadur Shah, whether it was the enlightened Bengali
intellectual in Calcutta or the Nana Saheb at Bithoor, by the mass of
sepoys both Hindu and Muslim. Thus when the religious factor played a
big role as it did in the struggle of 1857, it was as a part of the
national factor. The mass of Indians took up arms to defend their own
religions and they were fighting not only in defence of their religion
but to defend their way of life and their nationhood. Of course, there
were several reactionary features within Indian society but then the
only healthy way to change them was through the struggle of the Indian
people themselves.
This is not all. Our rebel ancestors used religion to advance the
revolutionary struggle. They did not let religion stupefy them. But
they used religion to get the strength to fight the Firinghis.
A proclamation was issued at Delhi with royal permission urging upon
the Hindus and Muslims to unite in the struggle in the name of their
respective religions.
To all Hindus and Mussalmans, citizens and servants of Hindustan,
officers of the army now at Delhi and at Meerut send greetings:—it is
well known that in these days all the English have entertained these
evil designs—first, to destroy the religion of the whole Hindustani
army and then to make the people by compulsion Christians. Therefore,
we, solely on account of our religion, have combined with the people
and have not spared alive one infidel, and have re-established the
Delhi dynasty on these terms. Hundreds of guns and a large amount of
treasure have fallen into our hands; therefore, it is fitting that
whoever of the soldiers and people dislike turning Christians should
unite with one heart, and, acting courageously, not leave the seed of
these infidels remaining.16
When the struggle in Oudh after the fall of Lucknow was on the
downgrade, and insurgents were heroically fighting defensive and
mostly losing battles, the captured sepoys used to be asked by the
British why they had joined the revolt. Their answer used to be:
The slaughter of the English is required by our religion. The end will
be the destruction of the English and all the sepoys—and then, God
knows!17
The Rajah of the Gond tribes was living as a pensioner of the British
at Nagpur. He had turned a traditional Sanskrit sthotra recited in
worshipping the devi into an anti-British hymn. The London Times of
October 31, 1857 gives the translation of the prayer: Shut the mouth
of the slanderers and Eat up backbiters, trample down the sinners,
You, “Satrusamgharika” (name of Devi, ‘destroyer of enemy’) Kill the
British, exterminate them, Matchundee. Let not the enemy escape, not
the wives and children Of such oh! Samgharika Show favour to Shanker;
support your slaves; Listen to the cry of religion. “Mathalka” eat up
the unclean, Make no delay, Now devour them, And that quickly, Ghor-
Mathalka.
During the siege of Delhi, British agents repeatedly tried to
transform the joint Hindu- Muslim struggle into a fratricidal Hindu-
Muslim civil war. Even as early as May 1857, British agents began
inciting the Muslims against the Hindus in the name of jihad and the
matter was brought before Bahadur Shah.
The king answered that such a jihad was quite impossible, and that
such an idea an act of extreme folly, for the majority of the Purbeah
soldiers were Hindus. Moreover, such an act could create internecine
war, and the result would be deplorable. It was fitting that sympathy
should exist among all classes… A deputation of Hindu officers arrived
to complain of the war against Hindus being preached. The king
replied: ‘The holy war is against the English; I have forbidden it
against the Hindus.’18
Thus did our rebel ancestors use religion to organise and conduct a
united revolutionary struggle against foreign domination. In the
historic conditon of 1857, the ideological form of the struggle could
not but assume religious forms. To expect anything else would be
unrealistic and unscientific.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE British text books on Indian history contained only the story of
the “atrocities of the mutineers,”—dishonouring of women, killing of
children and so on. The reality, however, was the opposite. Again, the
early generation of educated Indians like Savarkar and others began
exposing from British sources themselves the story of unprecedented
British atrocities against the Indian people. During the non-
cooperation movement of the twenties, the British terror during 1857
was related to Jallianwallabagh to rouse the people to struggle more
valiantly and unitedly than our ancestors had done during 1857.
Thereafter came Edward Thompson’s The Other Side of the Medal which
tried to put across the thesis that there were atrocities on both
sides which are best forgotten.
The question of questions is: can the two sides be put on the same
plane? Can the crimes committed by the enslavers of the people be
equated with some mistakes and excesses committed by the fighters for
freedom? The two cases are different....
If tales of Indian “terror” are largely mythical, British brutality
got even Lord Canning worried. On December 24, 1857, the following
Minute appears in the proceedings of the Governor-General-in-Council:
…the indiscriminate hanging, not only of persons of all shades of
guilt, but of those whose guilt was at the least very doubtful, and
the general burning and plunder of villages, whereby the innocent as
well as the guilty, without regard to age or sex, were
indiscriminately punished, and in some cases, sacrificed, had deeply
exasperated large communities not otherwise hostile to the government;
that the cessation of agriculture and consequent famine were
impending; …And lastly, that the proceedings of the officers of the
Government had given colour to the rumour…that the Government
meditated a general bloody persecution of Mohammedans and Hindus.19...
In the History of the Siege of Delhi, written by an officer who served
on active service, it is graphically described what the British
officers did on the way from Ambala to Delhi.
Hundreds of Indians were condemned to be hanged before a court-martial
in a short time, and they were most brutally and inhumanly tortured,
while scaffolds were being erected for them. The hair on their heads
were pulled by bunches, their bodies were pierced by bayonets and then
they were made to do that to avoid which they would think nothing of
death or torture—cows’ flesh was forced by spears and bayonets into
the mouth of the poor and harmless Hindu villagers.20
How the sepoy and the civilian, the guilty and the innocent alike were
butchered by the British victors after the capture of Lucknow is
described below by one of them:
at the time of the capture of Lucknow—a season of indiscriminate
massacre—such distinction was not made and the unfortunate who fell
into the hands of our troops was made short work of—sepoy or Qudh
villager it mattered not—no questions were asked; his skin was black,
and did not that suffice? A piece of rope and the branch of a tree or
a rifle bullet through his brain soon terminated the poor devil’s
existence.21
What happened in the countryside, between Banaras, Allahabad and
Kanpur during General Neill’s march through the area is described by
Kaye and Malleson in the following words:
Volunteer hanging parties went out into the districts and amateur
executioners were not wanting to the occasion. One gentleman boasted
of the numbers he had finished off quite ‘in an artistic manner’, with
mango trees for gibbets and elephants as drops, the victims of this
wild justice being strung up, as though for past-time in ‘the form of
a figure of 8’.22...
Pandit Nehru has rightly stated the problem of race mania as it faced
our insurgent ancestors and faced us subsequently in the whole course
of our struggle for freedom.
We in India have known racialism in all its forms ever since the
commencement of British rule. The whole ideology of this rule was that
of the Herrenvolk and the master race, and the structure of Government
was based upon it; indeed the idea of a master race is inherent in
imperialism. There was no subterfuge about it; it was proclaimed in
unambiguous language by those in authority. More powerful than words
was the practice that accompanied them, and generation after
generation and year after year, India as a nation and Indians as
individuals were subjected to insult, humiliation, and contemptuous
treatment.23...
Our forefathers suffered and bled during 1857. Subsequent generations
kept up the struggle and went on making the needed sacrifice. If after
independence we forget our past experience and began to consider
British imperialism as our new friend instead of our traditional foe,
we will not be able to safeguard Indian independence nor discharge
India’s duty towards the struggling colonial peoples in Asia and
Africa...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN the broad historical perspective of India’s struggle against
British domination what needs being stressed is not the limitation and
narrowness of the 1857 uprising but its sweep, breadth and depth. The
1857 uprising stands sharply demarcated from all the earlier anti-
British wars of resistance fought on Indian soil.
The first is the sheer vastness of the area covered by the 1857
uprising and the still wider sympathy and solidarity it commanded. It
is admitted by all historians and chronicles, British and Indian
alike, that the 1857 national insurrection was the biggest ever anti-
British combine that had so far been massed in armed struggle against
British authority in India.
The second is the qualitative difference between this and all other
anti-British wars. In the earlier wars people of a single kingdom,
which very often coincided with a specific nationality, fought single-
handed. For example, the Bengalis alone fought at Plassey. The same in
the Karnatak and the Mysore and the Maratha, the Sikh and the Sind
wars. Earlier attempts at broader combinations had failed. But during
1857 people of various castes, tribes, nationalities, religions, who
had lived under different kingdoms rose together to end the British
rule. It was an unprecedented unity of the Indian people. Marx, the
most far-sighted thinker of the age, duly noted this new phenomenon.
Before this there had been mutinies in the Indian army but the present
revolt is distinguished by characteristic and fatal features. It is
the first time that the sepoy regiments have murdered their European
officers; that Musalmans and Hindus, renouncing their mutual
antipathies, have combined against the common masters; that
‘disturbances, beginning with the Hindus, have actually ended in
placing on the throne of Delhi a Mohammedan Emperor’; that the mutiny
has not been confined to a few localities.24
As it is important to stress the above positive aspect of the 1857
national uprising, it is equally important to state its negative
aspect and state which decisive areas and sections of the Indian
people did not join the national uprising and how some were even led
to supporting the British side. There were several factors involved
but let us examine the main, the national factor. The Gurkhas and the
Sikhs played a decisive role on the side of the British. The Nepal war
had been fought by the British with the help of the Hindustani Army.
Rana Jung Bahadur, who was centralising Nepal under Ranashahi, was
promised by the British a permanent subsidy and large tracts in Terai
and he brought his Gurkha soldiers down, in the name of revenge, for
subduing Oudh.
The Sikhs had their own historic memories against the Moghuls and
after initial hesitation the British were able to recruit the
unemployed soldiers of the Khalsa Army and the retainers of the Sikh
princes and sardars.
From the Marathas the heir of the Peshwas had risen in revolt but the
Maratha princes had their own rivalries and historic feuds both with
the Nizam in the South and the Moghuls in the North.
The Rajputana princes had their own historic memories of earlier
Moghul and later Maratha domination, besides their being under British
grip now.
These historic memories from the past of our feudal disunity kept the
people of large parts of the country paralysed and moved by their
feudal self-interest the Indian princes helped the British usurpers.
Nehru has put the whole position in very succinct words:
The revolt strained British rule to the utmost and it was ultimately
suppressed with Indian help.25
As it is true that the 1857 revolution was the biggest national
uprising against British rule, so it is equally true that the British
were able to suppress it by using Indians against indians. Divide and
rule was the traditional British policy and they used it with
devastating effect during 1857....
The peasant was anti-British but his outlook was confined within his
village, his political knowledge did not go beyond the affairs of the
kingdom in which he lived under his traditional Raja.
The political-ideological leadership of the country was yet in the
hands of the feudal ruling classes. They shared the general anti-
British sentiment but they feared their feudal rivals more. They were
a decaying class and their historic memories were only of the feudal
past of disunity and civil wars and the vision of a united independent
India could not dawn upon them.
Love of the country in those days meant love of one’s own homeland
ruled by one’s traditional ruler. The conception of India as our
common country had not yet emerged. Not only did the feudal historic
memories come in the way but the material foundations for it, the
railways, telegraph, a uniform system of modern education, etc., had
not yet been laid but had only begun.
The conception of India as common motherland grew later and the great
experience of 1857 rising helped it to grow. The London Times duly
noted the rise of this new phenomenon.
One of the great results that have flowed from the rebellion of
1857-58 has been to make inhabitants of every part of India acquainted
with each other. We have seen the tide of war rolling from Nepal to
the borders of Gujarat, from the deserts of Rajputana to the frontiers
of the Nizam’s territories, the same men over-running the whole land
of India and giving to their resistance, as it were, a national
character. The paltry interests of isolated States, the ignorance
which men of one petty principality have laboured under in considering
the habits and customs of the other principality—all this has
disappeared to make way for a more uniform appreciation of public
events throughout India. We may assume that in the rebellion of 1857,
no national spirit was roused, but we cannot deny that our efforts to
put it down have sown the seeds of a new plant and thus laid the
foundation for more energetic attempts on the part of the people in
the course of future years.26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT was the aim of the insurgents, what sort of a political and
social order did they seek to establish in India? A sound
characterisation of the 1857 struggle depends upon the correct answer
to the above problem. For it will help to decide whether it was
reactionary or progressive.
It is amazing that there is virtual agreement on this question between
not only British and some eminent Indian historians but also some
foremost Indian political leaders.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has stated his opinion thus: Essentially it
was a feudal outburst, headed by feudal chiefs and their followers and
aided by the widespread anti-British sentiment… Not by fighting for a
lost cause, the feudal order, would freedom come.27
Dr Majumdar’s conclusion is: The miseries and bloodshed of 1857-58
were not the birthpangs of a freedom movement in India, but the dying
groans of an obsolete aristocracy and centrifugal feudalism of the
medieval age.28
Dr Sen, the official historian, improves upon and carries forward the
Prime Minister’s characterisation:
The English Government had imperceptibly effected a social revolution.
They had removed some of the disabilities of women, they had tried to
establish the equality of men in the eye of the law, they had
attempted to improve the lot of the peasant and the serf. The Mutiny
leaders would have set the clock back, they would have done away with
the new reforms, with the new order, and gone back to the good old
days when a commoner could not expect equal justice with the noble,
when the tenants were at the mercy of the talukdars, and when theft
was punished with mutilation. In short they wanted a counter-
revolution.29...
One can understand British statesmen and historians advancing the
thesis of the Old Man vs. the New, of their own role being progressive
and the insurgent cause reactionary, in sheer self-defence. But when
Indian leaders and historians repeat the same old British thesis the
least one can say is that they are mistaking the form for the
substance. It is true that the 1857 uprising was led by Indian feudals
(but not them alone!) and they were not the makers of events, nor sole
masters of India’s destiny. There were other social forces of the
common people in action during this struggle and they had brought new
factors and ideas into play. It is a pity Drs Majumdar and Sen and
Pandit Nehru have given no thought nor weight to them. If we study
them carefully and seriously, the conclusion is inescapable that
during the 1857 national uprising, the popular forces were active
enough, healthy in their aspirations and clear-headed enough in their
ideas to prevent a reactionary feudal restoration in India.
One of the great positive achievements of the 1857 uprising acclaimed
with justified pride by the Indian national movement has been the
noble attempt to forge, and sustained efforts to maintain, against
British machinations, Hindu-Muslim unity for the successful conduct of
the struggle.
Playing upon Hindu-Muslim differences had become so much a part of the
flesh and blood of the British representatives in India that Lord
Canning spontaneously began thinking, when the first signs of the
storm burst during May 1857, whether the Hindus or Muslims were behind
it? Kaye states the problem and the significance of the new situation
facing the British rulers: But, before the end of the month of April,
it must have been apparent to Lord Canning, that nothing was to be
hoped from that antagonism of Asiatic races which had even been
regarded as the main element of our strength and safety. Mohammedans
and Hindus were plainly united against us.30
The British officials, however, did not give up but persisted in the
policy of stirring Hindu- Muslim dissensions. “I shall watch for the
differences of feelings between the two communities,” wrote Sir Henry
Lawrence from Lucknow to Lord Canning in May 1857. The communal
antipathy, however, failed to develop; Aitchison ruefully admits:
In this instance, we could not play off the Mohammedaa against the
Hindu.31
The insurgent leaders were fully aware of this disruptive British
tactic. Allamah Fazle Haq, himself a Muslim revivalist, wrote: They
(the British) tried their utmost to break the revolutionary forces by
their tricks and deceptive devices, make ineffective the power of the
Mujahids and uproot them, and scatter and disrupt them…. No stone was
left unturned by them in this respect.32
The insurgent leaders consciously laid great stress on Hindu-Muslim
unity for the success of the struggle. Bahadur Shah, the sepoy
leaders, the learned Ulema and Shastris issued proclamations and
fatwas stressing that Hindu-Muslim unity was the call of the hour and
the duty of all. In all areas liberated from British rule the first
thing the insurgent leaders did was to ban cow-slaughter and enforce
it. In the highest political and military organ of insurgent
leadership Hindus and Muslims were represented in equal numbers.33
When Bahadur Shah found that he could not manage the affairs of state,
he wrote to the Hindu Rajas of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Alwar that if
they would combine for the purpose (of annihilating the British) he
would willingly resign the Imperial power into their hands.34
An insurgent Sikh regiment in Delhi served under a Muslim commander.35
Such instances can be multiplied....
There is another very important aspect of this problem. Hindu-Muslim
unity was one of the important keys in deciding the fate of the issue.
The British side knew it and tried their hardest and best to disrupt
it. The Indian side also knew it and did their utmost to realise and
maintain it. But this by itself would be a static statement of the
problem. The better Hindu-Muslim unity was forged in the insurgent
camp, the longer the struggle could last; the longer the struggle
lasted, the more chances the popular forces got to come to the fore
and the more the ideological-political influence of feudal forces
became weakened; the more the feudal forces weakened the less chances
were left of a feudal restoration. Such is the dialectics of all
popular and national struggles. During the last phase of the struggle
in 1857-58, the feudal forces stood thoroughly exposed and weakened.
The popular forces were not yet powerful, conscious and organised
enough to overwhelm them and carry on the struggle to victory. What
actually took place was British victory and not feudal restoration.
When the modern national movement began in the next generation, the
glorious heritage of Hindu-Muslim unity was taken over from the 1857
struggle and the next two generations gave a more and more democratic
programme to the conception of Hindu-Muslim united front against
British domination.
The British side also learnt its lesson from this historic phenomenon.
Forrest in his Introduction to State Papers, 1857-58, states:
Among the many lessons the Indian Mutiny conveys to the historian,
none is of greater importance than the warning that it is possible to
have a revolution in which Brahmins and Sudras, Hindus and Mohammedans
could be united against us, and that it is not safe to suppose that
the peace and stability of our dominions, in any great measure,
depends on the continent being inhabited by different religious
systems…. The mutiny reminds us that our dominions rest on a thin
crust ever likely to be rent by titanic forces of social changes and
religious revolutions.36...
Inside the disintegrating feudal order that was India of those days,
new currents of democratic thought and practice were arising; they
were not yet powerful enough to break the old feudal ideological bonds
and overwhelm British authority; they were menacing enough to make the
real Indian feudals seek a new lease of life as a gift from the
British after beseeching due forgiveness for having joined the
insurgent cause.
The destruction of the ancient land system in India and the law on the
alienation of land stirred the whole countryside into action against
the government whose policies had made the old rural classes, from the
zamindars to the peasants, lose their lands to the new section of
merchants, moneylenders and the Company’s own officials, and which had
played havoc with the their life. The large-scale peasant
participation in the 1857 uprising gave it a solid mass basis and the
character of a popular revolt. The Indian peasants fulfilled their
patriotic duty during 1857.
Peasants joined as volunteers with the insurgent forces and, though
without military training, fought so heroically and well as to draw
tributes from the British themselves... At the battle of Miaganj,
between Lucknow and Kanpur, the British had to face an Indian
insurgent forces of 8000, of whom not more than a thousand were sepoys.
37 At Sultanpur, another battle was fought by the insurgents with
25,000 soldiers, 1,100 cavalry and 25 guns and of these only five
thousand were rebel sepoys!38 After the fall of Delhi, the British
concentrated upon Lucknow. As the British massed all their strength
against Lucknow so from the villagers of Oudh came armed, peasant
volunteers for the last ditch defence of their capital city. In the
words of Charles Ball, The whole country was swarming with armed
vagabonds hastening to Lucknow to meet their common doom and die in
the last grand struggle with the Firangis.39
After the fall of Bareilly and Lucknow, the insurgents fought on and
adopted guerilla tactics. Its pattern is contained in Khan Bahadur
Khan‘s General Order:
Do not attempt to meet the regular columns of the infidels because
they are superior to you in discipline, bandobast and have big guns
but watch their movements, guard all the ghats on the rivers,
intercept their communications, stop their supplies, cut their dak and
posts and keep constantly hanging about their camps, give them (the
Firinghis) no rest!40
Commenting on the above, Russell wrote in his Diary:
This general order bears marks of sagacity and points out the most
formidable war we would encounter.41
The heavy responsibility for carrying into practice the above line of
action and aiding the scattered insurgent forces to prolong the anti-
British war of resistance fell on the mass of the peasantry. All
contemporary British chronicles of the story of this war in
Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, Oudh and Bihar contain numerous stories of
how the Indian peasantry loyally and devotedly carried out the behests
of the insurgent high command. Let us take only one example:
Even when the cause of the mutincers seemed to be failing, they
testified no good will, but withheld the information we wanted and
often misled us.42
In a national uprising that has failed, the role and contribution of
any class can best be estimated by the amount of sacrifice it makes.
Measured in these terms, the peasantry is at the top of the roll of
honour of the 1857 uprising. Holmes states:
The number of armed men, who succumbed in Oudh, was about 150,000, of
whom at least 35,000 were sepoys.43 ...
The rural population as a whole rose against the new land system
imposed over their heads by the British rulers. Secondly, that the
pattern of struggle was to eliminate the new landlords created under
the British regime, destroy their records, hound them out of villages
and seize their lands and attack all the symbols of British authority
especially the kutchery (law-court), the tehsil (revenue office) and
the thana (the police outpost). Thirdly, the base of the struggle was
the mass of the peasantry and the rural poor while the leadership was
in the hands of the landlords dispossessed under the British laws.
Fourthly, this pattern of struggle fitted into the general pattern of
the 1857 national uprising, the class struggle in the countryside was
directed not against the landlords as a whole but only against a
section of them, those who had been newly created by the British under
their laws and acted as their loyal political supporters, that is, it
was subordinated to the broad need of national unity against the
foreign usurper.
Talmiz Khaldun’s thesis that during this uprising “The Indian
peasantry was fighting desperately to free itself of foreign as well
as feudal bondage” and that “the mutiny ended as a peasant war against
indigenous landlordism and foreign imperialism” is thus an
exaggeration. There is no evidence whatsoever that the Indian
peasantry during this struggle decisively burst through the feudal
bonds either politically or economically to transform a broad-based
national uprising into a peasant war. On the other hand all the
evidence that is known is to the contrary....
The Indian peasants made a compromise with the traditional landlords
in the interests of the common struggle but the landlords became
terrified by this alliance when they saw it in the living form of a
revolutionary popular struggle. Gubbins, who had wide personal
experience of Oudh and other Eastern districts, states:
Much allowance should, no doubt, be made in considering the conduct of
the Indian gentry at this crisis, on account of their want of power to
resist the armed and organised enemy which had suddenly risen against
us. The enemy always treated with the utmost severity those among
their countrymen who were esteemed to be friends of the British cause.
Neither their lives nor their property were safe. Fear, therefore, no
doubt entered largely into the natives which induced many to desert us.
44
Narrow class interest and fear of the “armed and organised” masses,
whom the British rightly called “the enemy,” ultimately led the Indian
feudal gentry to desert the revolutionary struggle and seek terms with
the foreign rulers. The situation led to feudal treachery and
suppressoin of the national uprising, and not to the strengthening of
feudalism in the minds and the later movement of the Indian peasantry
and the people.
Dr R.C. Majumdar himself quotes the Supreme Government “Narrative of
Events” issued on September 12, 1857:
In consequence of the general nature of the rebellion and the
impossibility of identifying the majority of the rebels, the
Magistrate recommended the wholesale burning and destruction of all
villages proved to have sent men to take active part in the rebellion.
45
This is how the British understood the peasant contribution to the
1857 uprising. Could there be a restoration for the feudal order in
India on the shoulders of such a peasantry?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 1857 uprising is a historic landmark. It marks the end of a whole
historic phase and the beginning of a new one. On the British side it
finished the Company’s rule and led to direct government under the
British Crown. The period of rule of the merchant monopolists of the
East India Company ended and the dominance of the industrial
bourgeoisie of Britain in the affairs of India began. On the Indian
side, the revolt failed but the Indian people got that experience
which enabled them to build the modern Indian national movement on new
foundations and with new ideas, and the lessons of 1857 proved
inestimable. Both sides drew and applied their lessons from the 1857
experience in the subsequent period. The British were the victors,
they went into action soon; we were the vanquished, we took longer.
From their experience of the 1857 uprising the British rulers sharply
changed their policy towards the Indian feudal elements, and
discarding the old policy of attacking their interests, they adopted a
new policy of reconciling them as the main social base of their rule
in India. The Indian people from their experience of the Indian
feudals drew the lesson for the next phase of their movement that
their anti-British struggle to be successful must also be an anti-
feudal struggle. Those who were so far regarded by the Indian people
as their traditional leaders were now rightly considered as betrayers
of the 1857 uprising and the Indian puppets of the British power.
As regards the Indian princess, the policy of annexations was given
up. Queen Victoria in her Proclamation promised them:
We shall respect the rights, dignity and honour of native pricess as
our own. Very candidly Lord Canning in his Minute of April 30 noted:
The safety of our rule is increased and not diminished by the
maintenance of native chiefs well affected to us.
How the Indian national movement understood the post-1857 British
policy towards the princes is best reflected in Nehru’s Discovery of
India where he states that the retention of the native states was
designed to disrupt the unity of India,46 Indian princes playing the
role of Britain’s fifth column in India.47....
The Army was reorganised after the sepoy mutiny, which had set the
country aflame. The proportion of British troops was increased and
they were primarily used as an “army of occupation” to maintain
internal security while the Indian troops were organised and trained
for service abroad to subjugate Asian and African territories for
British imperialism. The artillery was taken away from the Indian
hands. All higher appointments were reserved for the British, an
Indian could not even get the King’s Commission nor get employment in
the Army headquarters except as a clerk in non-military work. The
Indian regiments were reorganised on the principle of divide and rule
and recruitment confined to the so-called martial races.
But in the long run nothing availed the British. The memory of the
sepoys’ role during 1857 never died not only in the memory of the
Indian people but also of the Indian armed forces. As the modern
national movement grew, it could not leave the Indian Army, however
“reorganised”, untouched. During the 1930 national struggle, the
Garhwali soldiers refused to fire at the Indian demonstrators at
Peshawar. During the post-war national upsurge after a series of
“mutinies” in the Indian Army and Air Force, the Royal Indian Navy
revolted on February 18, 1946 and the next day the British Prime
Minister announced the dispatch of the Cabinet Mission to India and
negotiations for the independence of India began.
The Indian administrative machine was reorganised as a colossal
bureaucratic machine with Indians employed only in subordinate
positions, all real power and responsibility resting in British hands.
The Queen’s Proclamation had promised that there would be no racial
discrimination against the Indians in employment in government
services. The reality, however, was different...
After 1857, politically, even Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had suggested that
Indians should be included in the Legislative Council to keep the
government in touch, with the people. In 1861 the Indian Councils Act
provided for the inclusion for legislative purposes of non-official
members. In 1862, three Indians were so nominated. These legislatures,
in which real power remained with the exclusive British Executive,
were used by patriotic Indian statesmen as tribunes of the Indian
people and to unmask British policies and thus aid the growth of the
national movement. The British tactic of divide and rule, however,
succeeded in another way. The institution of separate electorates for
the Muslims was the first expression of the poisonous two-nation
theory which ultimately resulted in the partition of the country at
the very time of gaining independence.
The British Government, which claimed credit for early social reform
measures like banning of sati, widow remarriage, etc., after the
experience of 1857 and its subsequent alliance with the Indian feudal
reaction became the opponent of all progressive social measures.
Hindu law was largely custom and as customs change, the law also was
applied in a different way. Indeed there was no provision of Hindu Law
which could not be changed by customs. The British replaced this
elastic customary law by judicial decisions based on the old texts and
these decisions became precedents which had to be rigidly followed…
Change could only come by positive legislation but the British
Government, which was the legislating authority, had no wish to
antagonise the conservative elements on whose support it counted. When
later some legislative powers were given to the partially elected
assemblies, every attempt to promote social reform legislation was
frowned upon by the authorities and sternly discouraged.48
The British Government thus became the defender of social reaction in
India, after 1857!
The British overlords had created an English educated Indian middle-
class to get cheap and efficient and denationalised Indian cadres for
the lower essential rungs of their administration.
Educated natives took no part in the sepoy mutiny: despite the charges
to the contrary, they heartily disapproved of the revolt and showed
themselves faithful and loyal to the British authorities throughout
the course of that crisis.49
The above is not wholly true. Dr Sen states: Even this small minority
(of modern educated Indians) were not unanimous in the support of the
Government. An educated Hindu of Bengal complained of ‘a hundred years
of unmitigated active tyranny unrelieved by any trait of generosity’.
“A century and more of intercourse between each other,” he adds, “has
not made the Hindus and the Englishman friends or even peaceful fellow
subjects.”50
Calcutta was the biggest centre of these modern educated Indians. They
were at the time themselves concentrating upon the struggle against
Hindu orthodoxy and the religious terms in which the cause of the
insurgents was clothed repelled them. Because of their historic origin
and the limitations of their political experience they wrongly
identified progress with British rule. They were not, however,
“faithful and loyal” in the sense Earl Granville imagined them to be,
servile to the British rulers. This was proved in the very next year
after the 1857-58 uprising was suppressed when the Bengali
intelligentsia stirred the whole of Bengal in solidarity with the
Indigo Revolt, with the peasants of Bengal and Bihar who were victims
of unimaginable oppression and exploitation of the British planters.
Again it was Surendranath Banerji who took the initiative to run an
all-India campaign against lowering the age for the ICS, which
patently went against the Indian candidates. Then came the campaigns
regarding the IIbert Bill and racial discrimination in courts and the
Vernacular Press Act and so on. As the new intelligentsia saw more and
more of India under the British Crown all their illusions about Queen
Victoria’s 1858 Proclamation being the Magna Carta of Indian liberties
gradually evaporated and they began to agitate for political reforms.
In 1882 the Grand Old Man of Indian nationalism, Dababhai Naoroji,
wrote: Hindus, Mohammedans and Parsees alike are asking whether the
British rule is to be a blessing or a curse...This is no longer a
secret, or a state of things not quite open to those of our rulers who
would see.51...
Even before 1857, From India a policy of imperial expansion was
planned and the British Government of India was set on the perilous
road of conquest and annexation in the East for the benefit of
Britain, but of course at the cost of the Indian tax-payer.52
Thus Malacca and Singapore were occupied, Burma conquered, Nepal and
Afghan wars conducted and the Persian war managed.
The age of the Empire, based on India, began after 1857. India now
became in fact no less than in name a British possession. The Indian
Empire was at this time a continental order, a political structure
based on India, and extending its authority from Aden to Hongkong.53
In this period, Afghanistan and Persia were made virtual British
protectorates, expeditions and missions were sent to Sinkiang and
Tibet in the North and the British position in South-East Asia and
China consolidated.
“The continental involved a subordinate participation of India”54 as
policemen, traders and usurers, and coolies in the plantations of
Britain’s growing colonies. Indian resources and manpower were thus
used not only to conquer but maintain and run Britain’s colonial
Empire.
This, however, was only one side of the picture. As part of winning
foreign support for the Indian uprising Azimullah Khan, Nana’s
representative, is reported to have built contacts with Russia and
Turkey. Rango Bapuji, the Satara representative, is also reported to
have worked with Azimullah. Bahadur Shah’s court claimed Persian
support. All this was in the old principle that Britain’s enemies are
our friends. But Britain was the colossus of that period, and the
feudal ruling circles of these countries could never be in any hurry
to come to the aid of the Indian revolt. They could at best exploit it
and await its outcome.
This was, however, not the attitude of democratic circles in these and
other countries... there was in all democratic circles of the
civilised world great sympathy for the Indian uprising. Great and
historic is the significance of the Chartist leaders’ solidarity with
the Indian national uprising. Modern British labour movement dates its
birth from the Chartists. Modern Indian national movement dates its
birth from the 1857 uprising. What a new fraternal vision emerges from
the memory that the British proletariat and the Indian people have
stood together ever since the beginning of their respective movements.
The Chinese date the birth of their modern anti-imperialist national
movement from the Taiping uprising as we date ours from the 1857
uprising. The Chinese paper (presented at the symposium on the
centenary of the 1857 Revolt) documents the hitherto unknown story
that the Chinese people responded sympathetically to the 1857 uprising
and the Indian sepoys deserted to the Taipings and fought shoulder to
shoulder with them against the common enemy. Marx noted the new
phenomenon that the revolt in the Anglo-Indian army has coincided with
a general disaffection exhibited against supremacy by the Great
Asiatic nations, the revolt of the Bengal Army being, beyond doubt,
intimately connected with the Persian and Chinese wars.55
Thus the great national uprising of 1857 laid the foundation for the
worldwide democratic solidarity with the Indian struggle in its next
phase and our new national movement built itself on healthy
internationalist traditions. For example, in the twenties, the Indian
national movement vigorously opposed the imperialist policies in the
Middle East and expressed solidarity with the Egyptian struggle under
Zaglul Pasha, in the thirties it expressed practical solidarity with
the Chinese people’s struggle against the Japanese invaders and the
worldwide anti-fascist movement and so on. It was thus no accident
that after the achievement of independence India emerged as a great
world power championing the cause of world peace and the liberation of
all subject nations....n
[*NOTES
1. Major B.D. Basn, Rise of The Christian Power in India, (1931), p.
953.
2. Marx, unsigned article, “The Indian Question”, New York Daily
Tribune, August 14, 1857.
3. Quoted by R.C. Majumdar, The Sepoy Mutiny and Revolt of 1857, p.
278.
4. Marx, “The British Rule in India”, New York Daily Tribune, June 25,
1853.
5. R.P. Dutt, India Today, p. 98.
6. Marx, “The East India Company—Its History and Results”, New York
Daily Tribune, July 11, 1853.
7. Ramkrishna Mukherjee, The Rise and Fall of the East India Company,
p. 174.
8. K.M. Panikkar, Asia and Western Dominance, p. 99.
9. Allamah Fazle Haq of Khayrabad, “The Story of the War of
Independence 1857-58”, Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society,
vol. V, pt. 1, January 1957, p. 29.
10. National Herald, May 10, 1957.
11. Mukherjee, op. cit., p. 223.
12. R.C. Dutt, The Economic History of India in the Victorian Age, p.
xv.
13. Montgomeny Martin, Eastern India, Introduction to vol. I.
14. Mukherjee, op. cit., pp. 224-25.
15. Marx, “The British Rule in India”, New York Daily Tribune, June
25, 1853.
16. Majumdar, op. cit., p. 229.
17. Charles Ball, Indian Mutiny, vol. II. p. 242.
18. Sir T. Metcalfe, Two Narratives of the Mutiny at Delhi, pp. 98-99.
19. Quoted by Edward Thompson, The Other Side of the Medal, pp. 73-74.
20. Quoted by Savarkar, Indian War of Independence, p. 134.
21. Majendie, Up Among the Pandies, pp. 195-96.
22. Kaye & Malleson, History of the Indian Mutiny, vol. II, p. 281.
23. Nehru, Discovery of India, p. 281.
24. Marx, unsigned article, New York Daily Tribune, July 15, 1857. 25.
Nehru, op. cit., p. 279.
26. Quoted by Savarkar, op. cit., pp. 534-35.
27. Nehru, op. cit., p. 279.
28. Majumdar, op. cit., p. 241.
29. S.N. Sen, Eighteen Fifty Seven, pp. 412-13.
30. John Williams Kaye, A History of the Sepoy War, vol. I, p. 565.
31. Quoted by Asoka Mehta, The Great Rebellion, p. 42.
32. Fazle Haq, op. cit., p. 33.
33. Vide Talmiz Khaldun’s paper “The Great Rebellion” presented at the
symposium held on the occasion of the centenary of the 1857 Revolt.
34. Metcalfe, op. cit., p. 220.
35. Ibid., Jeewanlal’s Diary, under date 26 August.
36. G.W. Forrest, op. cit., vol. II, p. 150.
37. On October 5, 1858. See Col. G.B. Malleson, Indian Mutiny of 1857,
Vol. III, p. 287.
38. On February 3, 1858. See Ibid., vol. II, p. 334.
39. Ball, op. cit., vol. II, p. 241.
40. Quoted by Asoka Mehta, op. cit., pp. 51-52. Also Savarkar, op.
cit., p. 444.
41. W.H. Russell, My Diary in India in the Year 1858-59, p. 276.
42. M.R. Gubbins, An Account of the Mutinies in Oudh, p. 53.
43. T.R. Holmes, History of the Seopy War, p. 506.
44. Gubbins, op. cit., p. 58.
45. Majumdar, op. cit., p. 217. 46. Nehru, op. cit., p. 284. 47.
Ibid., p. 268. 48. Nehru, op. cit., p. 285. 49. Earl Granville,
February 19, 1858, in the House of Lords in reply to the charges of
the President of the Board of Control, Lord Ellenborough.
Parliamentary Debates, 3rd series, CXL VIII, 1858, pp. 1728-29.
50. Quoted by Sen, op. cit., p. 29.
51. Dadabhai Naoroji, “The Condition of India”. Correspondence with
the Secretary of State for India, Journal of the East India Affairs,
XIV, 1882, pp. 171-172.
52. K. N. Panikkar, Asia and Western Dominance, p. 105.
53. Ibid., pp. 162-163.
54. Ibid., pp. 164-165.
55. Marx, unsigned article, New York Herald Tribune, July 15, 1857. *]
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article107.html
Mainstream Weekly
Mainstream, Vol XLVI No 41
Dissecting Anew Hindu-Muslim Ties And Partition
Wednesday 1 October 2008, by Amarendra Nath Banerjee
[(BOOK REVIEW)]
HINDU-MUSLIM RELATIONS IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE BY PANCHANAN SAHA
(FOREWORD BY DR ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER); BISWABIKSHA, KOLKATA; PP.
FORWORD +392; RS 300.
Hindu-Muslim relations are very much complicated—the knottiest problem
in Indian history. Since the advent of Islam in the Indian
subcontinent more than millennium years ago, India faced a powerful
challenge from a militant and vigorous religion with an egalitarian
appeal. India failed to stem the tide of the rapid spread of Islam due
to internal squabbles and degeneration of society. In the caste-ridden
Brahminical society the lower castes were denied proper human rights.
They were not only socially degraded but also economically exploited.
It is no wonder, therefore, that millions of them welcomed Islam as a
religion of deliverance and to gain human dignity. The theory of
social liberation seems to be right for substantial reasons in
Islamisation in India. Swami Vivekananda had rightly said:
The Mohammedan conquest of India came as a salvation to the
downtrodden, to the poor. That is why one-fifth of our people have
become Mohammedan. It was not the sword that did it all. It would be
the height of madness to think that it was all the work of sword and
fire.
But it does not mean force was not at all applied in Islamisation.
However, the major role was played by the Sufi saints and Pirs in it.
Nevertheless, wholesale Islamisation did not take place in India like
Afghanistan, Persia and other countries perhaps due to the inherent
strength of the Hindu philosophy in spite of its many drawbacks.
The advent of Islam produced tremendous reactions in India. Hinduism
wanted to protect itself by going into its inner shells with stricter
caste rules and regulations. But this hardly helped in preventing the
egalitarian influence of Islam on Hindu society. The Bhakti movement
was its product.
But living hundreds of years side by side, eating the same grain from
the common fields, drinking the same water and inhaling the same air,
the Hindu and Muslim societies and religions underwent profound
changes. Islam of India today is not the same as what it was when it
arrived. Hinduism also could not remain the same. Both the religions
had influenced each other. There was some kind of assimilation between
the two in spite of frequent clashes and mutual hostility. But
unfortunately a composite Indian nation has failed to emerge
assimilating the two major religions in India due to various factors
which led ultimately to the partition of the country.
Dr Panchanan Saha’s new book, Hindu-Muslim Relations in a New
Perspective, is projected on a large canvas from the advent of Islam—
gradual Islamisation and its causes, conflict and assimilation,
sprouting of the seeds of separation by the conscious British policy
of divide-and-rule, Hindu-Muslim revivalism and the short-sighted
policy of the Indian political leaders which ultimately led to the
communal carnage and partition of India.
In the chapter, “Conflict and Assimilation”, Saha emphasises the role
played by the Sufi saints, Bhakti movement as well as attempts of the
Mughal Emperor, Akbar, and his great grandson, Dara Shiko, to help the
process of reconciliation between the Hindus and Muslims. But
unfortunately this process was not properly taken forward due to
various factors, particularly the emergence of Wahhabism and Hindu-
Muslim revivalism.
♦
IN his analysis Saha has been seldom swayed by emotion; rather he has
remained mostly faithful to rationalism. He holds that the causes of
spread of separatism among the Muslims of India are to be found in the
refusal of the already matured Hindu bourgeoisie in sharing power with
the newly emerging Muslim bourgeoisie. Muslim bourgeoisie developed
later due to their empathy to British rule and Western education.
Saha has sympathetically discussed the Fourteen Points of M.A. Jinnah
in this direction and the rejection of the Congress to share power
with the Muslim League in Uttar Pradesh after the elections of 1936
and to collaborate with Fazlul Haque in Bengal for forming a secular
Ministry. It seems class interest played a more decisivie role in
making this choice than the greater interest of the country.
There is a simplistic explanation of Hindu-Muslim cleavage by putting
the sole responsibility on the British policy of divide-and-rule. But
Saha appears to be correct when he cites Tagore—“The Satan cannot
enter unless there is a hole to get in.” Tagore believed that division
among Hindus and Muslims existed and the cunning British rulers
utilised it to prolong their rule.
In his last chapter, entitled “Was Partition Inescapable?”, Saha has
not traversed the beaten tracks of numerous scholars of partition. He
has used substantial Pakistani literature on partition to prove his
point.
There is an enigma why Gandhiji, in spite of opposing partition on the
basis of religion tooth and nail, ultimately accepted it as a fait
accompli. The Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, lamented that
they were thrown to the wolves. What went on behind-the-scenes is a
mystery to this day.
It seems that the Hindu big bourgeoisie wanted an unchallenged market
even in partitioned India. They seemed to think that a truncated
Pakistan would not be viable. Whatever the reasons, it is evident that
had the Indian leaders shown true sagacity and leadership free of
class or emotional bias, there might have been a Confederation of
India based on the Cabinet Mission’s Plan which the Congress initially
accepted but subsequently refused to do so for reasons that are
unknown. Hence it is not inappropriate to quote The Times of India:
It is legitimate to enquire who is responsible for this debacle. ….
the parties concerned, the Congress, the British Government and the
Muslim League, are all more or less responsible, although on the facts
set forth, the Congress should get the first prize.
One could have expected that such a serious book should have remained
free from printing and editorial errors.
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article957.html
Mainstream Weekly
Mainstream, Vol XLVI, No 50
Hindu Terrorism: The Shock of Recognition
Wednesday 3 December 2008, by Badri Raina
Epigraph
“Underlying these religions were a common set of beliefs about how you
treat other people and how you aspire to act, not just for yourself
but also for the greater good.”
(Obama in his interview about Religion given to Cathleen Falsani,
March 27, 2004; cf. to his mother’s teaching about the validity of
diverse faiths and the value of tolerance.)
I
So, now, India is home to “Hindu” terrorism. Departing from the more
usual banner-appelation, “Saffron Terror”, I wish the fact to be
registered that saffron is drawn from the stamin of a delicate and
indescribably pretty mauve flower grown exclusively in my home valley
of Kashmir, and exclusively by Muslims. My inherited memories of it
are thereby sweet and secular to the core. Also, saffron when used to
grace milk products, Biryani, or to brew the heavenly kehwa is a thing
of the gods truly.
It is only when it is coerced against the use of nature to colour
politics that it rages against the sin. Then, don’t we know, what
gruesome consequences begin?
I think it proper, therefore, to stick with the more direct and honest
description, “Hindu” terrorism, since, much against their grain, even
India’s premier TV channels are now bringing us news of “Hindu”
terrorism, so compelling the materials gathered by the investigating
agencies thus far. This despite the fact that in my view the term
“Hindu” trerrorism is as erroneous as the term “Muslim” terrorism.
Even though not a religious man myself, I am able to see that being
Hindu or Muslim by accident of birth has no necessary connect with how
one’s politics turns out to be in adult life. A plethora of specific
contexts and shaping histories are here provenly more to the point.
II
It was way back in 1923 that Savarkar, never a practising Hindu
(indeed a self-confessed atheist) had first understood that from this
benign term, “Hindu”, could be drawn the toxic racial concept
Hindutva, and made to serve a forthrightly fascist purpose. That
Brahminism had always been a socially toxic form of Hinduism was of
course an enabling prehistory to the new project.
He it was who established Abhinav Bharat in Pune (1904), that
theoretical hotbed of twice-born Brahminical casteism against which
low-caste social reformers such as Phule, Periyar, and Ambedkar were
to struggle their whole lives long.
Such casteism was made the instrument of communalist politics to serve
two major objectives: one, to overwhelm and negate the specific
cultural and material oppressions of the low-caste within the Hindu
Varna system , and two, to elevate the low-caste as a warrior of a
common “Hindutva” army against the chief common “enemy”, the Muslim.
Such an army has been seen to be needed to salvage the “real” nation
from this so-called common enemy who continues to be represented to
this day by the RSS and its hydra-headed “educational” front
organisations as an “invader” still bent on seeking to convert India
into an Islamic theocratic state.
Aided in these mythical fears and constructions by the British during
the crucial decades leading upto Independence, India’s majoritarian
fascists continue thus to keep at bay all consideration of secular
oppressions based entirely in the brutal social order of Capitalist
expropriation.
Savarkar thus counselled how a resurgent nation could result only if
“Hinduism was militarised, and the military Hinduised”.
Clearly enough, the serving Army Colonel, S.P. Purohit, and the other
retired Major, one Upadhyay, who the Mumbai ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad)
tells us, are at the centre of the Malegaon terrorist blasts of
September 29, 2008, alongwith Sadhvi Pragya and the rogue-sadhu,
Amreetanand—and very possibly complicit in half-a dozen other blasts
as well—seem to have heeded Savarkar’s advice to the hilt.
Indeed, in his narco-test confessions, Colonel Purohit, sources have
told some TV channels (Times Now), admits to his guilt and justifies
his actions as retribution for what he thinks SIMI (Student’s Islamic
Movement of India) have been doing. He is understood to have further
indicated that the rogue sadhu, Amreetanand, nee Dayanand etc., has
been the kingpin and chief coordinator and devisor of several other
blasts carried out by this cell, including the blasts at the revered
Ajmer Dargah (Mausoleum of the 12th century Sufi saint, Chisti, which
to this day draws devotees across faiths the world-over), and at
Kanpur.
The ATS are now busy exploring the routes through which huge sums of
money have been brought into the country for such terrorist activity
as hawala transactions, and whether the RDX, suspected to be used in
the Malegaon blast, was procured by Colonel Purohit through Army
connections. It is to be noted that Purohit has been in Military
Intelligence, and serving in Jammu and Kashmir, where it is thought he
made contact with the rogue sadhu, Amreetanand.
(Indeed, as I write, news comes of the ATS claiming that Purohit
actually stole some 60 kilos of RDX which was in his custody while
doing duty at Deolali, and that in his narco-test confession he admits
to passing it on to one “Bhagwan” for use in the blast on the
Samjhauta Express train in February, 2007.)
Needless to say, that alongwith the courts, we will also require that
the ATS is actually able to obtain convictions rather than merely pile
on evidence which may not be admissible in law.
To return to the argument:
As I suggested in my last column, “Notions of the Nation” (Znet,
November 4), Hindutva militarism since the establishment of the Hindu
Mahasabha and the RSS has been inspired by the desire to emulate and
then better Muslim “aggressiveness” seen as a racial characteristic
that defined “Muslim” rule in India, and rendered Hindus “limp” and
“cowardly”.
Thus, if Savarkar established Abhinav Bharat, Dr Moonje, an avowed
Mussolini admirer who in turn inspired Dr Hedgewar to establish the
RSS on Vijay Dashmi of 1924 (victory day, denoting the liquidation of
the Dravidian Ravana by the Aryan Kshatriya warrior, Ram), established
the Bhondsala Military Academy at Indore (1937). It now transpires
that this academy has been playing host to the Bajrang Dal for
militarist training routines etc., and its Director, one Raikar, has
put in his papers. Unsurprisingly enough, both these institutions are
now under the scanner.
III
Over the last decade, terrorist blasts have occurred in India across a
wide variety of sites and in major cities and towns.
Many of these blasts have taken place outside mosques and known
Muslim- majority locations, as well outside cinema halls that were
thought to be showing movies inimical to Hindu glory.
Briefly, these sites are: cinemas in Thane and Vashi in Maharashtra,
Jalna, Purna, Parbhani, and Malegaon towns, again all in Maharashtra—
and all areas of high Muslim density, in Hyderabad outside a famous
old mosque, and in Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat.
Curiously, in the Surat episode, some sixteen odd bombs were found
placed along the main thoroughfare in tree branches, on house-tops, on
electric poles and so forth. Not one of them however exploded. This
was thought to be the result of defective switches. Curious
circumstance that; besides the wonder that Ahmedabad’s Muslims could
find such sprawling access to such strategic locations without Modi
knowing a thing.
Yet, regardless of where the blasts have taken place, almost without
exception the Pavlovian response of state agencies as well as, sad to
say, media channels has been invariably to point fingers of suspicion
and culpability towards one or the other “Islamic” outfit.
Often, young Muslims men have been rounded up in the scores and held
for days of brutal questioning without the least prima facie evidence.
Nearly in all such cases, however reluctantly, they have had to be let
off.
The most recent case is that of some fifteen young Muslims picked up
after the Hyderabad blasts. Tortured with electric shocks, they have
nevertheless been found to be innocent and let go.
Indeed, after the gruesome blasts in the Samjhauta Express—a train
service of reconciliation and confidence-building between India and
Pakistan—in which some 68 people were burnt to cinders, 45 of them
Pakistani citizens, fingers were immediately pointed towards the SIMI.
Yet, the ATS of Mumbai now suspects that this may also be the doing of
the “Hindu” terrorists in custody. These speculations have been raised
by the circumstance that the suitcases that held the bombs had Indore
labels on them.
Just as the ATS now suspects that more than half a dozen blasts (the
two at Malegaon, in 2006 and 2008, at the cinemas in Thane and Vashi,
at Jalna, at Purna, at Parbhani, provenly at Nanded and Kanpur) have
all been the handiwork of “Hindu” terror groups.
IV
For some years, reputed civil and human rights organisations, and
individual members of civil society that have included journalists,
judges, lawyers, writers, artists, teachers, students, and labour
organisations, besides organised Muslim fora and Left parties, have
been cautioning both state agencies and media conglomerates to:
• desist from the Pavlovian haste with which some one or other Muslim
group is immediately named and labelled literally within an hour of
the occurrence of a blast, thus contributing to the maligning of the
entire Muslim community;
• to consider the possibility that groups other than those involving
Muslims could be involved;
• to refrain from covering up prima facie evidence which points to
such possibilities; indeed, where such evidence seems conclusive, as
the complicity of the Bajrang Dal at Nanded and Kanpur;
• to ponder the question as to why Muslims should effect blasts within
their own localities or outside their mosques;
• to weigh the consequences for the Muslim psyche of the failure of
the state to prevent repeated pogroms against them, and to find or
punish the guilty; not to speak of active state connivance in those
pogroms (Moradabad, 198o; Nellie, 1983; Hashimpura, 1987; Bhagalpur,
1989; Mumbai, 1992-93; Gujarat, 2002, to cite just the more recent
ones);
• to permit transparency in the matter of police investigations with
due regard for the Constitutional rights of those held in custody—such
as visitation, access to legal defence, norms of the recording of
confession and other evidence etc.;
• to respect the obligatory presumption of innocence until anyone is
juridically found guilty;
Time and again these cautions and rightful prerogatives have been
trampled under foot.
Aided by the loud biases of the corporate media which have tended to
reflect the predilections both of free-market imperialism and
comprador urban middle class sentiments in India’s metropolitan towns,
India’s state agencies and that “all-knowing” species, the
Intellegence expert, who seems ever present to reinforce anti-Muslim
prejudice, have tended to feed massively into the politics of the
Hindu Right-wing.
For years on end, India’s chief malady has been sought to be seen to
reside in “Islamic” terrorism, and in the complicit refusal of the
secularists to allow draconian preventive laws to be brought back on
the books. Not in poverty, malnutrition, disease, absence of health
care or clean drinking water, or lack of steady work among the urban
poor, or the ousted tribals, disenfranchised farmers, chronic failure
of primary schooling and so forth among some 75 per cent of Indians.
And most of them belonging to the Muslim, Dalit, and Tribal
communities.
And to repeat for the nth time, this three-fourths of Indians able to
spend just or under Rupees Twenty a day, all according to the
governments’ own Arjun Sengupta Committee Report.
Not to speak of the venomous communalisation of the polity, the
alienation and ghettoisation of the minorities, and the state’s
failure or unwillingness to carry through schemes that could redress
these maladies.
As to new terror laws, the government of the day may protest that it
has all the laws it wants, and more; as well as the fact that the
worst terrorist attacks took place when laws like the dreaded POTA
(Prevention of Terrorism Act) was on the books during the tenure of
the NDA regime led by the ultra-”nationalist” BJP. Small dent is made
by any regime of empirically-founded facts, or fair-minded arguments
on the right-wing fascists and their fattened constituency.
V
Now, of course, a radically transformed milieu is unravelling.
Photos and videos are doing the rounds that show the “Hindu”
terrorists currently under investigation in close and intimate
proximity to top leaders of the RSS, the VHP, and the BJP as well.
Had POTA indeed been on the books today, such evidence would have
authorised the police to put them all behind bars on the charge of
associating with those under investigation for “terrorism”. And all
that without any recourse to bail either.
Predictably, nonetheless, after some days of dumbfounded
crestfallenness (remember that the main electoral plank of the BJP in
the elections now under way in several states and in the soon-to-be-
held parliamentary polls is the failure of the Congress to eradicate
“terrorism” because of its “minority appeasement” policies), the Right-
wing fascists are back to brazen form.
Even as the projected Prime Ministerial candidate, Advani (the high-
point of whose career remains the successful demolition of the Babri
mosque) seeks to strike a stance of caution, party hard-liners have
taken to peddling outrageous theories.
As a complement to the well-known Pavlovian hunch that “all terrorists
are Muslims”, we are now told by the likes of Rajnath Singh, the party
President, that “no Hindu can be a terrorist”, that is to say even
when he or she is found to be one.
This for the reason that what the ordinary man calls “terrorism” is in
fact “nationalism” where any Hindu be involved. Live and learn.
Other than that, it is both interesting and laughable that spokesmen
and women of the BJP are today reduced to gurgitating every single
argument that Muslims and civil rights organisations have to this day
voiced:
• presume innocence until found guilty;
• desist from the “political conspiracy” to malign a whole community;
• do not let enemies of the Hindu-right propagate fake evidence
against them, since all evidence against them must be fake in
principle;
• and most outlandishly, do not communalise terrorism; that from
India’s rank communalists who have done nothing but communalise
terrorism ever since we remember!
VI
Even as these new developments point to a potentially mortal combat
among “Hindu” and “Muslim” terror groups, I venture to think that the
situation also offers opportunities of far-reaching redressal for all
three axes that matter: the state and its agencies, the party-
political system, and the polity generally.
First off, if, as has been the case, the Congress’ secular credentials
have consistently been vitiated by, willy nilly, playing second-fiddle
to Hindu-communalist appeasement, the denuding of the Hindu-Right
offers it the opportunity of a lifetime to assert the supremacy of the
constitutional scheme of things, without fear or favour.
It is indeed a circumstance that can now help the Congress and other
secular parties to come down like a ton on communalism of all shades
that underpin the fatal subversion of the secular republic without the
need for apology.
In this endeavour, its greatest inspiration must come from two factors
on the Muslim side of the issue:
one, that over the last year every single major and influential Muslim
cultural and religious organisation has publicly, and repeatedly,
denounced through speech, act, and fatwa “terrorism” as un-Islamic and
a rightful candidate for punishment under law;
and, two, that without exception they have pleaded only and ever for
fair and just treatment at the hands of the authorised instruments of
state, both when victimised by pogroms and suspected as culprits; and
for credible pursuit of those that persecute them.
Not once has any Muslim organisation worth the name suggested that
Muslims have any claims that override the cosntitutional regime of
laws and procedures pertaining to all citizens of the Republic.
All that in stark contrast to the refusal, however camouflaged or
strategised, of the RSS and its affiliates to accept either the
secular Constitution or the notion of secular citizenship.
It is to be recalled that the RSS tactically acquiesced to
acknowledging the primacy of the national flag over its own saffron
one in 1949 as a quid pro quo to its release from the ban imposed on
it after Gandhi’s murder.
To this day it seeks to overthrow the Republic as constituted by law
and to replace it by a theocratic Hindu Rashtra wherein the
prerogatives of citizenship will be determined not by secular,
democratic equality but racial difference among Indians (all that
brutally codified in Golwalker’s two books, We, and Our Ntionhood
Defined; and, the later Bunch of Thoughts which explicitly designates
Muslims as the nations’s “Enemy Number One” in an exclusive chapter).
However Hindu cultural politics may have come to infect sections of
the fattened urbanites, the Congress must show the conviction that
none of these in this day and age would be willing to back what is
explicitly “terrorist” activity, indistinguishable from any other,
once the matter is proven.
This then is a fine moment to release a new energetic politics that
recharges the conviction and inspiration of the non-discriminatory
humanism that informed the leaders of the freedom movement, and thus
to disengage whatever popular base the Hindu-Right has built over the
years since the demolition of the Babri mosque from its fascist
leaderships and cadres.
Just as, in fact, many BJP supporters are busy thinking whether they
are indeed willing to carry their love of Muslim-haters quite to the
point where those other dreams of Indian super-powerdom are seriously
jeopardised by a war of competing terrorisms.
It is also a golden opportunity for the Congress-led UPA, should it
come back to power, to take a hard look at the communalist virus that
has infected law-enforcement agencies over the decades, and to make
bold to effect reforms of a far-reaching character, such as include
the recruitment of Muslims and other “minorities” in due proportion to
the forces, and not just among the lower ranks.
Speaking of the Army, some three per cent Muslims are today among its
ranks—some sixty years after Independence. And I won’t make a guess as
to how abysmal might in fact be its share among the officer core,
colonel and above. And wouldn’t I dearly like to take a peek into what
sort of Indian History is taught India’s future officers at Khada-
kvasla and Dehradun? Truly; and who does the teaching as well.
VII
As to the BJP: it has another opportunity as well, namely, to
reconstitute itself as a secular party on the Right, bearing full
allegiance to the Constitution in letter and spirit (remember now that
among other things on the street-level, the NDA regime led by the BJP
did constitute a Constitution Review Committee—an ominous enough move
that, thankfully, was duly aborted in course), and shunning once and
for all its enslavement to the RSS and its fascist vision of India,
its history, culture and state.
Failing to do so, the BJP may succeed in causing further mayhem; but
it is highly unlikely now to attain the sort of ascendance it seeks
through fair means and foul.
Most of all, the BJP must understand that the Muslims of India, and
Christians as well, have the inalienable right to live and work in the
country on the terms set by the Constitution, not by the RSS or the
Sangh Parivar.
And, conversely, that the BJP itself is as subject to those
constitutional stipulations as any another collective of Indians who
practice their beliefs and politics.
Let the BJP notice the epigraph chosen for this column; it comes from
the new President-elect of the one country that the BJP adores. Or
will it now, with a Black man at the helm?
A different voice floats from there.
Time for the BJP to change its langoti, and say “yes we can” also be
peaceable and law-abiding citizens of the Republic of India. And to
prize and protect its magnificent plurality like all sensible and
humane Indians.
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article1067.html
Mainstream Weekly
Mainstream, Vol. XLVII, No 34, August 8, 2009
Will RSS see the Ground Reality and join to Salve India‘s Core Values?
Sunday 16 August 2009, by Sailendra Nath Ghosh
Of late, the RSS has been accusing the BJP of inconsistency and also
of failure to convey the real meaning of Hindutva. The BJP has
certainly been inconsistent. It has been in two minds because like the
Congress, it, too, is preoccupied, not with any principle or any
concern for correct ideation, but with the slogan that can help it
capture power. But on the question of the real meaning of Hindutva, is
the RSS itself clear and consistent? It has a very large and committed
cadre. Why does it depend on the BJP to “convey the real meaning”? To
what extent has the RSS itself succeeded in conveying the supposedly
real meaning?
The RSS has been saying that anybody who regards India as his/her
motherland and a holy land is a Hindu and that the Indian Muslims are
Mohammadi Hindus and the Indian Christians are Isahi Hindus and so on.
Now, there is a large body of people who plainly call themselves
Hindus. They are not the followers of any one Prophet or of any one
Book. They have a large body of sacred books – the Vedas, the
Upanishads, the Geeta and Puranas. They venerate many Rishis and adore
some maryada-purushes like Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. How should they
be described? They cannot be called Ramiah Hindus or Krishnaiah
Hindus. They would not like to be called Sakti-ite Hindus, or Shivaite
or Vaishnavaite Hindus. Saktism, shaivism, and vaishnavism have got so
merged in their thinking that they are partly sakta, partly shaiva and
partly vaishnava. They worship all these principles as different
manifestations of the one Supreme Reality in differing circumstances.
If they are to be called “Sanatan dharmis” or in brief, “Sanatanis”,
why did the RSS not launch a movement insisting that the members of
the community, now plainly called Hindus, add a prefix “Sanatani” to
bring consistency? Not to do that would mean they would continue to
describe themselves as Hindus by religion, and again, as Hindus by
nationality. This becomes ridiculous.
Hinduism is no particular religion. It is a philosophy of religions.
The great nationalist leader, late Bipin Chandra Pal, described
Hinduism as a “confederal principle of co-existence of all religions”.
In deference to this spirit, the RSS had composed a verse in which the
names of pious Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Jains were included
as persons to be remembered and revered early every morning, before
beginning the day’s work.
Socio-Cultural Heritage got Degraded
IF this is Hinduism, how does Hindutva differ from it? The RSS’s
cryptic answer is, Hindutva is the concept of “geocultural
nationalism”. Implicitly, it says that long before India’s political
unification, India had achieved cultural unification from Jammu and
Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from Arunachal and Meghalaya to Saurashtra
through the medium of two great epics, the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, and the Geeta (which is truly a part of the Mahabharata).
These great works of the ancient Indians, then universally called
Hindus, had imparted values of parental love, filial duties, brotherly
love, unshakeable fidelity to the spouse, the monarch’s obedience to
the people’s wishes, the triumph of dharma over the mightiest wrong-
doer—that is, values to be cherished in perpetuity. Hence Hindutva is
value-orientation, the RSS claims. But can the RSS deny that during
the so-called Hindu period, caste hatred had taken firm roots as a
value? In ancient India, desertion of the wife for no fault of hers
also had become a tradition, as in the case of Sita. Murder of a
shudra for reading the Vedas was sanctioned by the social ethos.
Merit of Religio-Confederal Concept
THE RSS needs to accept that the ancient Hindus had, at a certain
stage, come to indulge in regressive social discrimination. The
obverse side of “geocultral nationalism” was socio-cultural dominance
of the higher castes and of the males among them. In the sphere of
philosophical concepts, however, the ancient Hindus were the most
liberal and the highest in cosmopolitanism (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam).
Hence if the RSS does not want to nurture caste inequality and gender
inequality, it should give up its “geo-cultural nationalism” (read the
socio-cultural concept) of Hindutva. If it seeks to promote the
philosophy of co-existence of all faiths, which is the ideal of
Hinduism, it should opt for the religio-confederal concept of
Hindustaniyat. The Muslims of this country have no problem with this,
because they have been traditionally describing themselves as
Hindustanis. The word Hindustan itself came from the verbiage of the
Iranians.
Four Cardinal Considerations
THE RSS needs to recognise four things. First, the usage of a word in
a restricted sense over centuries changes the original acceptation of
the word. Secondly, the Koran not only teaches the oneness of the
Creator. Its esoteric message is the unity of all of creation. The
bigots fail to see this. Hence, for ages, the raging controversy
within Islam, in the words of the eminent historian, the late Prof
Mohammad Habib, has been “between Wahdat-ul-wujud (God is everything)
and Wahdat-ush-shuhud (everything comes from God)”. Those who believe
in the former become attuned to tolerance, amicable relations between
all religious and racial communities and (Emperor) Akbar’s doctrine of
sulh-I-kul (Universal Religious Peace). The doctrine of Wahdat-ush-
shuhud led to the worship of external shariat (shariat-i-zahiri) and
communal hatred. (Vide Prof Habib’s Foreword to Dr S.A.A.Rizvi’s book
“Muslim Revivalist Movements in Northern India in the Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Centuries”)
From the above, it follows that the pious people in other faiths
should help in resolving the worldwide intra-Islamic controversy in
favour of the former. Declaration of the principle of confederal
principle in religion in India would largely help resolve Islam’s
global problem and be a powerful blow against bigotry, for world
peace.
Thirdly, India’s religio-philosophy’s contribution to Sufism in Islam,
and Islam’s contribution to spurring religious reform movements in
India constitute a glorious chapter in the world’s history. Historians
agree that the growth of Sufism in early Islam was inspired as much by
its internal urges as by the influences of Buddhism, the Vedanta and
the Hellenistic religions. Islam’s strident call to equality was
wedded to the Arabian nomadic tribes’ aggressive traits. It needed an
Indian response. This provided the spark for the religious reform
movements led by Ramananda, Kabir, Namdev, Tukaram, Guru Nanak and Sri
Chaitanya. To talk of inequitous socio-cultural Hindutva as the motto
is to belittle the fruitful intermingling of the religio-philosophical
thoughts of early Islam and its contemporary Hinduism.
Sharing is a positive value within Islam. Sharing the means of
sustenance is also an ideal of Hinduism so much so that Swami
Vivekananda had proclaimed that the “Hindu ideal is socialistic”.
Hence there is considerable convergence between the pristine Islamic
and Hindu spirituality.
Fourthly, all the ideals of love and selfless service which the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata had taught are getting eclipsed under the
influence of the now globally dominant commercialism, selfism, and cut-
throat competitivism in the name of efficiency. To restore ancient
India’s sublime values, we need a joint fight of all people against
the West’s consumerist and acquisitive philosophy of life and its
accompanying paradigm of development. The Biblical value of universal
love, the Koranic value of Raham and the Upanishadic teaching “love
others as you do yourself” can join together to beat back the narrow
self-centric modes of thought. For this also, the fascination for the
word “Hindutva” needs to be given up to salve the basic values.
Hinduism’s ideal is synthesis, ever higher synthesis. It requires
reconciliation by dissolving the sources of conflict in every
unfolding situation. Its ideal is integration of the heart and the
head (that is, emotion and intellect) of every individual; integration
of individuals with the society; integration of the communities by
elevation to newer peaks of harmonious existence. Its form of address
must, therefore, be such as has a psychological appeal to all people.
The language of negativism, or a language that has the flavour of bias
against any group is alien to the spirit of Hinduism. We need
inclusivism in letter and spirit.
Inclusivism is not an apologia for overlooking anybody’s hateful,
divisive or separatist trends. But to successfully fight separatism,
we must have a robust faith in the ultimate victory of the cause for
universal good and the preparedness to make sacrifices for it. Success
is assured if the approach is positive. Mere criticism/condemnation of
any trend without a pointer to the workable alternative serves only to
widen the gulf. It defeats the national purpose.
True, the virulent anti-Hindu, anti-Shia mujaddid movement in the 16th
century, the bigoted ulama’s secretive conspiracies against Emperor
Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance in the 16th century, the wave of
Wahabi Jihadism from Arabia in the 18th century, the ani-Hindu tirade
of the later-day incarnate of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in the late 19th
century and the mayhem for a separate homeland for the Muslims led by
the later-day incarnate of Mohammad Ali Jinnah were all abominations
and deserved condemnation. But the turning of the usually unruly
Pathans into the volunteers of non-violence led by the Frontier Gandhi
( Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan) was an index of the wonder that communal
harmony and national unity could achieve.
Indian Muslims had no Pathological Separatism
IT must not be imagined that the Indian Muslims had always been under
separatist influence. It is well known that in undivided Punjab,
undivided Bengal and in Sind and the NWFP, and Balochistan, that is,
in the Muslim-majority States which were to constitute Pakistan later,
the Muslim League’s influence was meagre. In the elections to the
provincial legislatures and the Central Assembly in 1937, just a
decade before the Partition, the Muslim League had cut a sorry figure.
In Punjab, it contested only seven out of 84 Muslim reserved seats and
won only two. In Bengal, out of 117 Muslim reserved seats, it had won
only 38. In Sind out of 133 Muslim reserved seats, it had secured only
38. In the NWFP, the League was trounced. The League did not get even
a single seat in the Central Assembly. This showed the Muslims could
be mobilised for national purposes if the national leadership could
act wisely and avoid falling into traps.
True, a decade later the results were reversed. The Muslim League won
all the 30 reserved seats for Muslims in the Central Assembly and 428
seats out of 492 reserved seats for Muslims in provincial
legislatures. That happened because the elections were held in an
atmosphere in which no civilised country would ever allow an election
to take place. The ambience was vitiated by the British rulers’
intrigues, the Imams’ fatwas and false propaganda blitz that in the
event of Muslim League’s defeat, the Muslims would not be allowed to
congregate to offer prayers or to bury their dead and that the
madrasas would all be closed. The Indian National Congress, which had
the necessary moral resources and international prestige, could have
asked for postponement of the elections unless there was a stoppage of
the false propaganda and a calming down of the tempers. Moreover, it
should never have agreed to the elections— a virtual referendum —
being held on the basis of restricted franchise in which only 10 per
cent of the population had the right to vote!
Deadly Poison Mix of Ruling Party’s Pseudo-Secularism and RSS’
Hindutva
IN post-independence India, the ruling Congress party, in the name of
secularism, has been following a policy of appeasing the bigoted
Muslim clerics. Thereby it encouraged “minority aggressivism” and
further fuelled the communal fire. But Hindutvavad was no answer to
this. Instead of mitigating the communal fire, it only served to
corroborate Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s and later Jinnah’s thesis that the
Muslims and the Hindus were two separate nations. What was needed
instead was the pointer that concessions to the clerics were only a
cloak for neglect of the Muslim masses’ material, intellectual and
spiritual interests. Only Mahatma Gandhi’s kind of response could have
been effective. During his Noakhali tour, with his ever-present
declaration of Universal Love, he had challenged the communalist
leaders to show him where the Koran had enjoined the killing of people
of other faiths. Could the RSS challenge the communalists the way the
Mahatma did?
One only wishes that the Mahatma had shown the same grit by standing
steadfastly with Maulana Azad and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in resisting
Partition.
Hinduism’s unique teaching is: “Hate the sin, not the sinner.”
Hinduism also teaches: “Love others as you do yourself.” “Love has the
power to heal.” The Biblical teaching, too, is Universal Love. The
Koran teaches Khuda’s Raham pervades the universe. Criticism by the
way of pointer to the error is essential. But criticism without
concern for the welfare of the wrong-doer is of no avail.
Half-hearted Compromise is no Solution
IN its latest meet, the BJP’s National Executive has tried to make a
compromise between the RSS’ clamour for Hindutva and many of the BJP
leaders’ belated realisation that the Hindutva slogan alienates not
only the Muslims, Christians and large sections of the Dalits, but
also the secular “caste-Hindus”. L.K. Advani’s middle-path declaration
that the party would not accept “any narrow, bigoted, anti-Muslim
interpretation of Hindutva” indicates it is unable to shed its
fascination for the word it has so long been pledged to. In fact, the
BJP would not be able to shed it until the the RSS realises how, by
sticking to this word, it is hampering national unity and also
defeating its own cherished values. This tightrope walking by the BJP
will not have the healing touch. This will not unify the people.
Clearly discarding Hindutva and accepting Hindustaniyat will not mean
any loss of face. This will rather show the courage to steer a change
propelled by the depth of patriotic fervour.
If the RSS and/or the BJP could drop Hindutva as its motto, it would
be able to challenge the Muslimist bigots more effectively. Like Dr
Rafiq Zakaria and in one voice with all truly secular people, it will
be able to tell the bigoted clerics:
During the British rule, you accepted the replacements of the Koranic
punishments by those which the then rulers had imposed in their civil
and criminal courts. At that time, you acquiesced in the banning of
the stoning of the adulterous to death, though this ban violated the
Koranic injunction. You paid interest on the loans taken from the
banks though it was prohibited by the Koran. Now, you raise a hue and
cry about carrying out some essential reforms in Muslim Personal Law
even though some Muslim countries have already enacted them. In
protest against the Supreme Court’s righteous verdict in the Shah Bano
case, you got enacted a law of maintenance which has thrown many
Muslim women divorcees to the streets. ‘Triple talaq at one go’ is
barbaric and against the spirit of the Koran; still you cling to it.
After it drops the outmoded Hindutva slogan, it would be able to mock
the shariat enthusiasts in the manner of Akbar Allahabadi: “The Shaikh
advised his followers, why do you travel by train when you could
travel on camel’s back?”
Writing on the Wall
MAYBE, all these pleas will fall flat in the RSS leadership’s ears. In
that case, the RSS should read the writing on the wall: the RSS will
break up or become moribund. Despite its claim of being a monolith
with no divergence of views among its members, the RSS will face a
grave existential crisis if it does not change its tune in keeping
with the times. There are already sufficient indications. In the1980s—
I forget the exact year—I was invited by Deendayal Research Institute,
headed by Nanaji Deshmukh, to give a series of lectures on my ideas of
environment and development. Lala Hansraj Gupta was in the chair. When
I came to say “Hinduism is no religion. It is a way of life”, I heard
an exclamation in endorsement: “Exactly. Those who talk of ‘Hindus,
Hindus’ but have no interest in the lives of Muslims are not genuine
Hindus.” The voice was Nanaji’s. I was pleasantly surprised because
Nanaji was a prominent RSS member and I did not expect this from an
RSS leader of his stature. Later I had many discussions with him, in
course of which I asked him: “Why don’t you tell your opinions to
Balasaheb Deoras?” He told me that he was writing down his viewpoints
but these would be published after his death. Presumably, he did not
want to annoy the RSS leadership for fear of their non-cooperation in
his other constructive activities at Gonda or Chitrakut.
I know some senior BJP leaders who would be happy if Hindutva is
dropped as the guiding principle. How long can the RSS keep such
people together under the banner of Hindutva? The slogan of Hindutva
does conjure up fear of “Hindu cultural domination” in the minds of
today’s non-Hindus, even if Hindu Rashtra is ruled out. Rationalising
has its limits.
If the RSS changes its archaic ideas and accepts Hindustaniyat as the
religio-confederal principle, it can play a much larger role on the
national horizon. During invasions by China and by Pakistan, its
volunteers played a very useful role in mobilising the people against
the invaders, and working as service providers to our military and
internal security forces. It also played a significant role in
regulating traffic and maintaining law and order even-handedly. In
recognition of this, the then Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri,
invited the RSS leadership to be a member of the National Security
Council. In times of violent attacks on the Sikhs following Indira
Gandhi’s assassination, it did laudable work in giving shelter and
succour to the Sikhs. Dr Hedgewar had links with Bengal’s legendary
revolutionary leader, Trailokya Nath Chakrabarty also known as
‘Maharaj’; and therefore, this nation’s hero, Subhas Chandra Bose, had
even thought of utilising the RSS’ organisational skill in raising a
nationalist volunteer force. During Jayaprakash Narayan’s anti-
corruption and anti-Emergency movements and Bihar flood relief, the
RSS had earned fulsome praise from JP.
Will the RSS let all this goodwill to be besmirched or lost by its
dogmatism and obsolete ideas? It needs to realise that its Hindutvavad
does stir up, among its unthinking followers—which is by far the
larger part—fanaticism, blind prejudices and hatred against all those
who now refuse to see themselves as “Hindus”. If the RSS did not
suffer from the Nelson’s eye syndrome, it would have seen that a large
section of the Dalits and even the Sikhs, who were once the vanguard
of saving the Hindus from forced conversion, do not now like to be
counted as Hindus.
The author is one of the country’s earliest environ-mentalists and a
social philosopher.
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article1571.html
Mainstream Weekly
VOL XLV No 01
Sachar Committee Report : A Review
Tuesday 24 April 2007, by Anees Chishti
The report of the High-Level Committee appointed by the Prime Minister
under the chairmanship of Justice Rajindar Sachar, retired Chief
Justice of the Delhi High Court, to study the ‘Social, Economic and
Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India’, has been a
subject of wide discussion in the press, among parliamentarians and
other politicians as well as in other informed sections of the
society.
The seven-member Committee had as its members eminent personalities
like Sayid Hamid, former Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim
University and currently Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, Prof
T.K. Oommen, former Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and a
sociologist of world renown, among others. Dr. Abusaleh Shariff, Chief
Economist, National Council of Applied Economic Research, who is noted
for his perceptive research on various issues of national concern, was
the Member-Secretary. There was no woman member: surprising, as the
condition of women is very important for any survey of the social
scenario among the Muslims. And, the Committee has tried to look at
the predicament of the Muslim women in as good a manner as it could.
The Committee had several consultants from different disciplines and
had commissioned specialists on various aspects of the subject under
coverage to write papers for its use in its study of the complex
issues.
The Committee collected data from the various Censuses, the National
Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), banks and, of course, from the
Central and State Governments.
The members of the Committee visited different parts of the country to
assess the grassroots situation and grasp the realities by experience
rather than merely with the help of statistics brought to their desks
by investigators. The Committee tried to sift the perception of
members of the Muslim community (as well as of non-Muslims) and
understand the nature and magnitude of the community’s grievances, to
be able to judge the veracity or otherwise of the expressions of
negligence and deprivation.
Most of the grievances of the community are common knowledge and those
who have access to the Urdu press in different parts of the country
are fully aware of the endless stories of ‘woes’ and ‘miseries’ of the
community. But a systematic study of these grievances had to be made
and the Sachar Committee ventured to do that. We shall deal with the
grievances briefly later but, first, a review of the findings of the
Sachar Committee in different areas of its concern.
II
It would be appropriate to begin a survey of the Sachar Committee’s
findings with the fundamental issue of education. The literacy rate
for Muslims in 2001 was, according to the Committee’s findings, far
below the national average. The difference between the two rates was
greater in urban areas than in rural areas. For women, too, the gap
was greater in the urban areas.
When compared to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes the growth
in literacy for Muslims was lower than for the former. The female
urban enrolment in literacy ratio for the SCs/STs was 40 per cent in
1965 that rose to 83 per cent in 2001. The equivalent rate for Muslims—
that was considerably higher in 1965 (52 per cent)—recorded a figure
of 80 per cent, lower than the figure for the SCs / STs.
According to the Sachar Committee’s findings, 25 per cent of Muslim
children in the 6-14 age-group either never went to school or else
dropped out at some stage.
The disparity in Graduate Attainment Rates between Muslims and other
categories has been widening since the 1970s in urban and rural areas.
According to the Sachar Committee, only one out of 25 undergraduate
students and one out of 50 post-graduate students in ‘premier
colleges’ are Muslims. The percentage of graduates in poor households
pursuing post-graduate studies is significantly lower for Muslims:
Hindus General (29 per cent); SCs/STs (28 per cent); OBCs (23 per
cent); Muslims (16 per cent). The unemployment rate among Muslim
graduates is the highest among all Socio-Religious Categories (SRCs),
poor as well as non-poor.
In the midst of the widespread discussion about the role of madrasas
in the life of Muslims, it is interesting to note that only three per
cent of Muslim children go to madrasas.
Some figures of the Committee are very revealing, when the situation
of OBCs is considered. In education upto matriculation, graduation and
employment in the formal sector all OBCs lag behind in terms of the
all-India average. Muslim OBCs (that have been defined here a little
later) fall below the Hindu OBCs in all categories. And, General
Muslims fare the worst being behind both Hindu and Muslim OBCs.
An important cause for the low level of attainment of Muslims in
education is the dearth of facilities for teaching Urdu and other
subjects through the medium of Urdu (mother tongue) in lower classes,
the Committee points out. It cites the better examples of Karnataka
and Maharashtra in this context. These two States are much better
equipped with Urdu medium schools at the elementary level. Karnataka
has the additional feature of concurrent facilities for English medium
as well in a good number of schools, the Committee points out.
In an indirect reference to the utility of reservation, the Committee
says that the SCs/STs have reaped advantages of targeted government
and private efforts thereby pinpointing the importance of ‘affirmative
action’.
Employment
According to the findings of the Sachar Committee, Muslims have a
considerably lower representation in jobs in the government including
those in the Public Sector Undertakings compared to other SRCs.
According to these findings, in no State of the country the level of
Muslim employment is proportionate to their percentage in the
population.
It is pointed out that the situation of government jobs is the best in
Andhra Pradesh where a “fairly close” representation (in proportion to
the population) has been achieved. Other States with a better picture
of representation are: Karnataka (8.5 per cent job share in a
population proportion of 12.2 per cent); Gujarat (5.4 per cent against
9.1 per cent); Tamil Nadu (3.2 per cent against 5.6 per cent).
According to an analysis, in all other States, the percentage of
Muslims in government employment is half of their population
proportion. The highest percentage figure of government employment for
Muslims is in Assam (11.2 per cent) even though it is far less than
the State’s Muslim population (30.9 per cent).
The most glaring cases of Muslims’ deprivation in government jobs are
found in the States of West Bengal and Kerala where, according to
common perception, egalitarianism has been the cherished norm in all
walks of life. In West Bengal where almost 25 per cent population
practises the Muslim faith, their share in government jobs is a paltry
4.2 per cent. In Kerala the Muslim representation in government jobs
is 10.4 per cent, a figure that is short of half of their population
percentage. In Bihar and UP the percentages of Muslims in government
jobs are found to be less than a third of their population
percentages. Those governing these States need to monitor their
actions to bring the situation in conformity with their professed
objectives and claims.
There are some factors that need to be considered in view of the low
employment figures for Muslims on an all-India basis. The Sachar
Committee observes that the low aggregate work participation ratios
for Muslims are ‘essentially’ due to the much lower participation in
economic activity by the women of the community. Also, a large number
of Muslim women who are engaged in work do so from their homes rather
than in offices or factories. Their figure in this regard is 70 per
cent compared to the general figure of 51 per cent
There is a high share of Muslim workers in self-employment activity,
especially in urban areas and in the case of women, the Committee
points out. Whether this trend is due to compulsion or their non-
expectation for jobs in the government or non-government formal
sector, or due to their inclination for certain types of work that are
done best under a self-employment scheme, would be an important
subject for study. The fact has to be considered that Muslims in
regular jobs in urban areas are much lower in numbers compared to even
the SCs/STs. And, surprisingly, the Muslim regular workers get lower
daily earnings (salary) in public and private jobs compared to other
socio-religious categories, as the Committee points out.
The point that needs special notice is that, according to the
Committee’s findings, Muslim participation in professional and
management cadres is quite low. Their participation in security-
related activities (for example, in the Police services) is
considerably lower than their population share (four per cent
overall).
In the context of employment of Muslims at the level of the Central
Government, the Committee’s findings are very revealing. In the Civil
Services, Muslims are only three per cent in IAS, 1.8 per cent in IFS
and four per cent in IPS. (While the figures are shockingly low
compared to the population percentage, the fact also needs to be
considered that there were only 4.7 per cent Muslims among the
candidates at the Civil Services examinations in 2003-04. The figure
would be almost identical for other years.)
In the Railways, 4.5 per cent are Muslims and, significantly, ‘almost
all’ (98.7 per cent) are in low level positions. Are you listening,
Laloo Prasad Yadav?
Figures for other Departments are: Education 6.5 per cent, Home 7.3
per cent, Police Constables (for which no special educational
qualifications are required) six per cent.
Also to be considered is the finding that in the recent recruitments
by State Public Service Commissions, the employment of Muslims has
been as low as 2.1 per cent.
Minorities other than Muslims are not placed as delicately as the
Muslims. According to the Committee’s findings, 11 per cent of Group A
jobs are with minorities other than Muslims. Deprivation of Muslims in
the State judical set-up seems to be among the most worrying aspects
of their overall backwardness.
The data collected by the Committee in this sector are about all
levels of the officers and employees: Advocate Generals, District and
Sessions Judges, Additional District and Sessions Judges, Chief
Judicial Magistrates, Principal Judges, Munsifs, Public Prosecutors,
and Group A, B, C and D employees. The overall Muslim presence of 7.8
per cent in the area of judiciary in 12 States with high concentration
of Muslim population is considered very low by experts.
To come back to an old theme, in West Bengal with a Muslim population
of over 25 per cent, the figure of Muslims in ‘key positions’ in the
judiciary is only five per cent. In Assam with a Muslim population of
30.9 per cent, this figure is 9.4 per cent. Surprisingly, in Jammu and
Kashmir (where the Muslim population is 66.97 per cent), the
community’s share in the State judiciary is only 48.3 per cent. Andhra
Pradesh once again scores over other States in terms of equitable and
even more than equitable sharing of jobs: Muslims have a share of 12.4
per cent in the State judiciary against a population share of 9.2 per
cent.
Experts feel that for an inclusive democracy, an equitable share for
all sections of the society in the judiciary is essential: it creates
greater public confidence in the judicial process. It would be useful
to survey the situation in this regard in some other developing and
developed countries to be able to arrive at some remedial measures for
this crucial sector of decision-making.
Health and Population
Along with education and employment, health and population welfare are
the other areas that have to be assessed for estimating attainments of
any society. The Sachar Committee has done this exercise in a
comprehensive manner.
First, the overall population picture: According to the 2001 Census,
the Muslim population of India was 138 million (13.4 per cent of the
total population). This figure is estimated to have crossed the 150
million mark in 2006. According to the estimate cited by the
Committee, the share of the Muslim population would rise ‘somewhat’
and stabilise at just below 19 per cent in the next four decades (320
million Muslims in a total population of 1.7 billion). There are many
areas where the Muslim population is 50 per cent or more; and in nine
out of 593 districts (Lakshadweep and eight districts of Jammu and
Kashmir) the Muslim population is over 75 per cent.
On the positive side, the period 1991-2001 showed a decline in the
growth rate of Muslims in most States. According to the Committee’s
findings, the Muslim population shows an increasingly better sex ratio
compared to other Socio-Religious Categories. Infant mortality among
Muslims is slightly lower than the average. (It is beyond the
Committee’s understanding how Muslims should have a child survival
advantage despite lower levels of female schooling and economic
status.) Life expectancy in the community is slightly higher (by one
year) than the average, and this should again surprise many.
The Committee’s finding is important that the Muslim child has a
significantly greater risk of being underweight or stunted than is the
case with other Socio-Religious Categories: the risk of malnutrition
is also ‘slightly higher’ for Muslim children than for ‘Other Hindu’
children. This again seems to be a contradiction vis-à-vis the
reported child survival rate.
Economy
Related to the existing economic condition of Muslims is the issue of
providing legitimate support by state and private agencies for the
members of the community to improve their position. One would like to
examine the situation with regard to trends in the support system of
existing instruments. Banks have been seen as an important source of
credit to support citizens’ economic and commercial ventures. The
picture regarding bank loans to members of the minority is not bright,
according to the findings of the Sachar Committee. It says that the
share of Muslims in ‘amounts outstanding’ is only 4.7 per cent. This
figure is 6.5 per cent in the case of other minorities. Further, on an
average the amount outstanding per account for Muslims is about half
that of the other minorities and one-third of ‘others’.
The pity is that, according to the report, many areas of Muslim
concentration have been marked by many banks as ‘negative’ or ‘red’
zones where giving loans is not advisable. Something would, indeed,
have to be done to put an end to such blanket bans, particularly in
view of the Committee’s finding that very large numbers of Muslims are
engaged in self-employment ventures.
The Reserve Bank of India’s efforts at banking and credit facilities
under the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the welfare of
minorities have, according to the Committee’s findings, mainly
benefited minorities other than Muslims, thus “marginalising Muslims”.
Apart from the formal banking sector there are two other institutions
that are meant to extend loans to the disadvantaged for economic
ventures: the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation
(NMDFC) and National Backward Classes Finance and Development
Corporation (NBCFDC). For loans from the NMDFC, one has to obtain a
guarantee from the concerned State Government. According to the
Committee, this is the biggest hurdle in the processing of loan
applications. And members of minority communities are very adversely
affected due to this factor.
Poverty Factor
The Committee has found that substantially large proportion of Muslim
households in urban areas are in the less than Rs 500 expenditure
bracket. According to calculations mentioned in the Committee’s
report, using the Head Count Ratio (HCR), overall 22.7 per cent of
India’s population was poor in 2004-05. In absolute numbers, this
amounts to over 251 million people spread across India. The SCs/STs
together are the most poor with an HCR of 35 per cent followed by
Muslims who record the second highest incidence of poverty with 31 per
cent people below the poverty line. The H(indu)-General is the least
poor category with an HCR of only 8.7 per cent and the OBCs hold the
intermediary level HCR of 21 per cent, which is also close to the all-
India average.
The Committee has observed that the inequality is higher in urban
areas compared to rural areas in most States. It says that poverty
among Muslims is the highest in urban areas with an HCR of 38.4 per
cent. Significantly, the fall in poverty for Muslims, according to the
data provided to the Committee, has been “only modest during the
decade 1993-94 to 2004-05 in urban areas, whereas the decline in rural
areas has been substantial”. Poverty leads to neglect, or the other
way round: the Committee found a “significant inverse association”
between the proportion of Muslim population and educational and other
infrastructure in small villages. Areas of Muslim concentration are,
somehow, not well served with pucca approach roads and local bus
stops.
An analysis by the Committee showed a fall in the availability of
medical facilities with the rise in the proportion of Muslims,
especially in larger villages. A similar but sharper pattern can be
seen with respect to post/telegraph offices.
Affirmative Action
Under the existing constitutional provisions, affirmative action in
the form of reservation cannot be possible for the entire Muslim
community even though, according to the findings of the Sachar
Committee, the entire community has been left behind in terms of
education, employment and economic status. A way can be found to lift
a significant segment of the community’s population if social
stratification is defined and officially accepted within the Muslim
community. It could be done in case of Hindus, and subsequently for
Mazhabi Sikhs and neo-Buddhists in terms of caste demarcation. But it
would not be easy to have official acceptance of the caste principle.
The resistance against acceptance of social stratification on caste
lines among Muslims would come largely from the clerics and other
orthodox sections of the Muslim community itself which would be
adamant in its insistence that caste does not exist within the
community. This, even though the fact is that, whether one likes it or
not, the Muslim community is divided with caste demarcations almost on
the lines of the Hindus. A via media has to be found for a clearly
defined backward class like the OBCs among the majority community.
The Sachar Committee has talked of the issue of social stratification
among Muslims. It points out that the 1901 Census had listed 133
social groups, “wholly or partially Muslim”, in India. This
classification thus recognised the fact of social stratification in
the community. The Committee has identified different groups of
Muslims based on studies by sociologists. The community, according to
these studies, as mentioned by the Committee, is placed into
two broad categories , namely, ashraf and ajlaf. The former, meaning
‘noble’ (emphasis added), includes all Muslims of foreign blood and
converts from higher castes. While ajlaf, meaning ‘degraded’ (emphasis
added) or ‘unholy’, embraces the ‘ritually clean’ occupational groups
and low ranking converts. In Bihar, UP, Bengal, Sayyads, Sheikhs,
Moghuls and Pathans constitute the ashrafs, The ajlafs are carpenters,
artisans, painters, graziers, tanners, milkmen, etc. According to the
Census of 1901, the ajlaf category includes “the various classes of
converts who are known as Nao Muslim in Bihar and Nasya in Bengal. It
also includes various functional groups such as that of Jolaha or
weaver, Dhunia or cotton carder, Kulu or oil presser, Kunjra or
vegetable seller, Hajjam or barber, Darzi or tailor, and the like.”
The 1901 Census also recorded the presence of a third category called
Arzal: “It consists of the very lowest castes, such as Halalkhor,
Lalbegi, Abdal and Bedia.” The Committee has taken note of the fact
that the Presidential Order (1950), officially known as Constitutional
(Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, restricts the Scheduled Caste status
only to Hindu groups having “unclean” occupations. Their non-Hindu
equivalents have been bracketed with the “middle caste converts” and
declared OBCs.
The Committee has noted that at least 82 different social groups among
Muslims were declared OBCs by the Mandal Commission (1980). Owing to
this declaration many Muslim social groups got reservation in
different parts of the country under the Backward Classes category.
Only two States, Kerala and Karnataka, have provided reservation to
the State’s entire Muslim population (minus the creamy layer). The
roots of this policy have to be traced to the colonial days.
In Karnataka (the erstwhile princely state of Mysore), affirmative
action started in 1874 (with 80 per cent posts in the Police
Department having been reserved for non-Brahmins, Muslims and Indian
Christians). In Karnataka today, all Muslims with income of less than
Rs 2 lakhs per annum enjoy four per cent reservation in jobs and
admission to institutions in the category of ‘More Backwards’. In
Kerala Muslims enjoy 12 per cent reservation, with some other
communities and social groups too being provided reservation.
Tamil Nadu, which had a tradition of reservation to Muslims since
1872, withdrew such reservation following independence. Currently even
though there is no reservation in the State on the basis of religion,
nearly 95 per cent Muslims have been provided reservation as Backward
Classes, according to the data provided by the State Government to the
Sachar Committee. Significantly enough, reservations in Tamil Nadu
stand at 69 per cent, much above the limit of 50 per cent fixed by the
Supreme Court. Looking at the state of public employment for OBCs the
Committee found that unemployment rates were the highest among Muslim
OBCs when compared to Hindu OBCs and Muslims General. In the formal
sector (government/PSUs), the share of Muslim OBCs was much lower than
those of Hindu OBCs and Muslims General.
At the workers’ level, the Committee estimated that out of every
hundred workers about eleven were Hindu OBCs, three were Muslims
General and only one was a Muslim OBC.
The Committee had divided public employment into six ‘agencies’ of the
Central Government including PSUs and universities. It found that the
Hindu OBCs were under-represented. But their under-representation was
less than that of Muslim OBCs in five out of the six agencies, less
than that of Muslims General in three out of the six agencies. In the
State services the Committee found that Muslim OBCs had a better share
at the Group A level, but their presence was insignificant at other
levels.
In the context of Muslim OBCs, the Committee concluded that the
abysmally low representation of Muslim OBCs suggests that the benefits
of entitlements meant for the Backward Classes are yet to reach them.
The Committee also concluded that “the conditions of Muslims General
are also lower than the Hindu-OBCs who have the benefits of
reservations”.
III
While the Sachar Committee has done a laudable job of assembling a
huge body of data and presenting it in an easily digestible manner, it
has not been as meticulous in formulating its recommendations. Perhaps
it was due to the fatigue after an enormous amount of legwork on a
national scale and the subsequent analysis of the compiled information
that its members had to do in about 15 months of actual work, coupled
with the desire of submitting its report rather urgently and the fact
that much of the information about its findings had already been
accessed by a section of the press. In view of the mind-boggling
findings and the very sensitive nature of the ground it was traversing
a very comprehensive matrix of recommendations should have been
presented by an able and competent panel blending experience and fresh
thinking. Unfortunately this could not be achieved by the Committee.
The most important recommendations of the Committee can be summarised
as under:
• Creation of a National Data Bank (NDB) where relevant data about
different socio-religious communities could be stored to facilitate
any study and subsequent action.
• Setting up of an autonomous Assessment and Monitoring Authority
(AMA) for a regular audit of the benefits of different programmes of
the government reaching the concerned communities or groups.
• Establishing an Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) to examine and
analyse the grievances of deprived groups, the inspiration
understandably for it coming from the Race Relations Act, 1976 of the
United Kingdom that finds mention in the Committee’s recommendation.
• Exploring the idea of introducing some incentives to a ‘Diversity
Index’ in the realms of education, government, and private employment
and housing programmes. Special mention has been made of a possible
programme of incentives to colleges and institutions under the
University Grants Commission linked to diversity in the student
population.
• Evolving some sort of a ‘nomination’ procedure for enhancing the
levels of inclusiveness in governance.
• Certain measures like removal of anomalies in Reserved
Constituencies for General Elections against complaints of declaring
Muslim concentration areas as SC/ST reserved seats.
• Institutionalising evaluation procedures for textbooks, alternate
admission criteria in regular universities and autonomous colleges;
cost friendly reasonable hostel facilities for minority students as a
priority; making teacher training oriented to ideals of pluralism;
state-run Urdu medium schools for primary education in mother tongue;
ensuring appointment of experts from minority community on interview
panels and boards; linking madrasas with higher secondary schools
facilitating shift of students who might opt for a mainstream
education system after a few years; recognition of degrees from
madrasas for competitive examinations (a recommendation hard to find
acceptance in any section of concerned quarters); on the economic
front, provision of financial and other support to initiatives built
around occupations where Muslims are concentrated and that have growth
potential.
The above suggestions have given considerable food for thought with
regard to the panacea for deprivation of the Muslim community in
various spheres. But a more comprehensive and concrete programme
should have been suggested by the Committee.
This task could have been performed best by the able members of this
panel who had travelled far and wide and acquainted themselves with
the grassroots realities rather than leaving it for another possible
committee for a start from a scratch. This was essential to get action
initiated on the basis of its findings instead of letting this venture
too meet the fate of the earlier Gopal Singh Committee over two
decades ago that had similar findings (although it had a narrower
coverage than the Sachar Committee). Now it is for the Prime Minister
and his government to decide the future course of action to remedy the
situation regarding the travails of the Muslim community.
IV
Much of the Sachar Committee’s endeavour was in pursuance of the
perception among Muslims of utter neglect and apathy, and even
suspicion, towards the Muslim community on the part of governmental
agencies—right or wrong! An oft-repeated remark by many members of the
community was that Muslims carried a double burden of being labelled
as ‘anti-national’ and as being ‘appeased’ at the same time. Or,
whenever any act of violence or terror occurs Muslim boys are picked
up by the police. “Every bearded man is considered an ISI agent,” the
Committee has quoted someone as saying. It was also pointed out that
“social boycott of Muslims in certain parts of the country have forced
them to migrate from places where they lived for centuries.”
The Committee has also observed that identification of Urdu as a
Muslim language and its politicisation has complicated matters. A
worrying observation is that Muslims do not see education as
necessarily translating into formal employment. And, many a time
madrasas are the only educational option for Muslims.
On the economic front, the Committee observes that liberalisation of
the economy has resulted in displacement of Muslims from their
traditional occupations, thus depriving them of their livelihood.
The Committee has reported that there were many complaints of Muslims’
names missing from electoral rolls. It could not look into the
veracity or otherwise of this complaint. But what the Committee found
in case of complaints that a number of Muslim concentration Assembly
constituencies are declared as ‘reserved’ seats for the SCs
(deliberately?) should certainly worry those involved with the work of
delimitation of constituencies. Its analysis of reserved
constituencies for SCs in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal proved
that there was truth in the allegation of the members of the minority
community in this regard.
With the perception of Muslims not being quite favourable to official
agencies, the revelation of the findings of the Sachar Committee with
regard to over-representation of the community in the country’s
prisons, reported (before the submission of its report to the Prime
Minister) by The Indian Express, in its series of reports entitled
‘The Missing Muslim’, created a sensation. The Urdu press was on fire
and questions were asked why prisons were the only place where Muslims
were over-represented compared to all other communities and in some
cases their representation being much higher than their population
proportion.
In Maharashtra, the percentage of Muslim jail inmates in all
categories was found to be way above their share in the population
(share in population: 10.6 per cent; share in prison inmates: 17.5 per
cent). In Gujarat the position was: share in population: 9.06 per
cent; share in jail inmates: over 25 per cent). The situation was on
similar lines in other States too although the jail inmate share might
not be as bad in other States as in the States mentioned above.
Following the submission of the report to the Prime Minister, The
Indian Express reported that the data with regard to prisons were
edited out of the Sachar report, following the concern expressed on
these figures in different quarters. Some observers felt that the
prison figures should not have been omitted, as they would have given
a clear picture of some of the Muslim grievances with regard to the
more sensitive issues.
The remedy for the travails of the Muslim community can be found
largely by the community’s bolder initiatives in the field of
education that would empower them as nothing else would.
The government, on its part, seems to be ready for whatever remedial
measures can be adopted by its different agencies. The recent
initiative taken by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K. Rehman
Khan, to arrive at a consensus for action on an all-party basis,
through a conclave of Muslim MPs (including some from the Bharatiya
Janata Party, which has been very critical of the very appointment of
the Sachar Committee), seems to be a significant one. One only hopes
that such an initiative would have the support of the government and
some concrete steps would be taken without much delay.
http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article95.html
Sid Harth
James Heitzman and Robert L. Worden, editors. India: A Country Study.
Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1995.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank individuals in various agencies of the
Indian and United States governments and private institutions who gave
their time, research materials, and special knowledge to provide
information and perspective. These individuals include Hardeep Puri,
Joint Secretary (America) of the Ministry of External Affairs;
Madhukar Gupta, Joint Secretary (Kashmir) of the Ministry of Home
Affairs; Bimla Bhalla, Director General of Advertising and Visual
Publications, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Amulya Ratna
Nanda, Registrar General of India; Ashok Jain, director of the
National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies; T.
Vishwanthan, director of the Indian National Scientific Documentation
Centre; G.P. Phondke, director of the Publications and Information
Directorate of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; Air
Commander Jasjit Singh, director of the Institute for Defence Studies
and Analyses; G. Madhavan, deputy executive secretary of the Indian
Academy of Sciences; Sivaraj Ramaseshan, distinguished emeritus
professor, Raman Research Institute; H.S. Nagaraja, public relations
officer of the Indian Institute of Science; Virendra Singh, director
of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Bhabani Sen Gupta of
the Centre for Policy Research; Pradeep Mehendiratta, Vice President
and Executive Director, Indian Institute of American Studies; and
Richard J. Crites, Chat Blakeman, Peter L.M. Heydemann, and Marcia
S.B. Bernicat of the United States Embassy in New Delhi. Special
thanks go to Lygia M. Ballantyne, director, and Alice Kniskern, deputy
director, and the staff of the Library of Congress New Delhi Field
Office, particularly Atish Chatterjee, for supplying bounteous amounts
of valuable research materials on India and arranging interviews of
Indian government officials.
Appreciation is also extended to Ralph K. Benesch, who formerly
oversaw the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program for the Department
of the Army, and to the desk officers in the Department of State and
the Department of the Army who reviewed the chapters. Thanks also are
offered to William A. Blanpied, Mavis Bowen, Ainslie T. Embree, Jerome
Jacobson, Suzanne Hanchett, Barbara Leitch LePoer, Owen M. Lynch, and
Sunalini Nayudu, who either assisted with substantive information or
read parts of the manuscript or did both.
The authors also wish to thank those who contributed directly to the
preparation of the manuscript. They include Sandra W. Meditz, who
reviewed all textual and graphic materials, served as liaison with the
Department of the Army, and provided numerous substantive and
technical contributions; Sheila Ross, who edited the chapters; Andrea
T. Merrill, who edited the tables and figures; Marilyn Majeska, who
supervised editing and managed production; Alberta Jones King, who
assisted with research, making wordprocessing corrections to various
versions of the manuscript, and proofreading; Barbara Edgerton and
Izella Watson, who performed the final wordprocessing; Marla D.
Woodson, who assisted with proofreading; and Janie L. Gilchrist, David
P. Cabitto, Barbara Edgerton, and Izella Watson, who prepared the
camera-ready copy. Catherine Schwartzstein performed the final
prepublication editorial review, and Joan C. Cook compiled the index.
Graphics support was provided by David P. Cabitto, who oversaw the
production of maps and graphics and, with the assistance of Wayne
Horne, designed the cover and the illustrations on the chapter title
pages; and Harriet Blood and Maryland Mapping and Graphics, who
assisted in the preparation of the maps and charts. Thanks also go to
Gary L. Fitzpatrick and Christine M. Anderson, of the Library of
Congress Geography and Map Division, for assistance in preparing early
map drafts. A very special thank you goes to Janice L. Hyde, who did
the research on and selection of cover and title-page illustrations
and photographs, translated some of the photograph captions and
textual references, and helped the editors on numerous matters of
substance and analysis. Shantha S. Murthy of the Library of Congress
Serial Record Division provided Indian language assistance. Clarence
Maloney helped identify the subjects of some of the photographs.
Finally the authors acknowledge the generosity of individ-uals and
public and private organizations who allowed their photographs to be
used in this study. They have been acknowledged in the illustration
captions.
http://countrystudies.us/india/1.htm
Preface
This edition supersedes the fourth edition of India: A Country Study ,
published in 1985 under the editorship of Richard F. Nyrop. The new
edition provides updated information on the world's second most
populous and fastest-growing nation. Although much of India's
traditional behavior and organizational dynamics reported in 1985 have
remained the same, internal and regional events have continued to
shape Indian domestic and international policies.
To the extent possible, place-names used in the text conform to the
United States Board on Geographic Names, but equal weight has been
given to spellings provided by the official Survey of India.
Measurements are given in the metric system.
The body of the text reflects information available as of September 1,
1995. Certain other portions of the text, however, have been updated.
The Bibliography lists published sources thought to be particularly
helpful to the reader.
http://countrystudies.us/india/2.htm
History
THOSE "WHO WEAR COTTON CLOTHES, use the decimal system, enjoy the
taste of [curried] chicken, play chess, or roll dice, and seek peace
of mind or tranquility through meditation," writes historian Stanley
Wolpert, "are indebted to India." India's deep-rooted civilization may
appear exotic or even inscrutable to casual foreign observers, but a
perceptive individual can see its evolution, shaped by a wide range of
factors: extreme climatic conditions, a bewildering diversity of
people, a host of competing political overlords (both local and
outsiders), enduring religious and philosophical beliefs, and complex
linguistic and literary developments that led to the flowering of
regional and pan-Indian culture during the last three millennia. The
interplay among a variety of political and socioeconomic forces has
created a complex amalgam of cultures that continue amidst conflict,
compromise, and adaptation. "Wherever we turn," says Wolpert, "we
find . . . palaces, temples, mosques, Victorian railroad stations,
Buddhist stupas, Mauryan pillars; each century has its unique
testaments, often standing incongruously close to ruins of another
era, sometimes juxtaposed one atop another, much like the ruins of
Rome, or Bath."
India's "great cycle of history," as Professor Hugh Tinker put it,
entails repeating themes that continue to add complexity and diversity
to the cultural matrix. Throughout its history, India has undergone
innumerable episodes involving military conquests and integration,
cultural infusion and assimilation, political unification and
fragmentation, religious toleration and conflict, and communal harmony
and violence. A few other regions in the world also can claim such a
vast and differentiated historical experience, but Indian civilization
seems to have endured the trials of time the longest. India has proven
its remarkable resilience and its innate ability to reconcile opposing
elements from many indigenous and foreign cultures. Unlike the West,
where modern political developments and industrialization have created
a more secular worldview with redefined roles and values for
individuals and families, India remains largely a traditional society,
in which change seems only superficial. Although India is the world's
largest democracy and the seventh-most industrialized country in the
world, the underpinnings of India's civilization stem primarily from
its own social structure, religious beliefs, philosophical outlook,
and cultural values. The continuity of those time-honed traditional
ways of life has provided unique and fascinating patterns in the
tapestry of contemporary Indian civilization.
http://countrystudies.us/india/3.htm
Harappan Culture
http://countrystudies.us/india/4.htm
Vedic Aryans
http://countrystudies.us/india/5.htm
Kingdoms and Empires
http://countrystudies.us/india/6.htm
The Mauryan Empire
http://countrystudies.us/india/7.htm
The Deccan and the South
http://countrystudies.us/india/8.htm
Gupta and Harsha
http://countrystudies.us/india/9.htm
The Coming of Islam
http://countrystudies.us/india/10.htm
Southern Dynasties
http://countrystudies.us/india/11.htm
The Mughals
http://countrystudies.us/india/12.htm
The Marathas
http://countrystudies.us/india/13.htm
The Sikhs
http://countrystudies.us/india/14.htm
The Coming of the Europeans
http://countrystudies.us/india/15.htm
The British Empire in India
http://countrystudies.us/india/16.htm
Company Rule, 1757-1857
http://countrystudies.us/india/16.htm
The British Raj, 1858-1947
http://countrystudies.us/india/17.htm
Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-59
http://countrystudies.us/india/17.htm
After the Sepoy Rebellion
http://countrystudies.us/india/18.htm
The Independence Movement
http://countrystudies.us/india/19.htm
Mahatma Gandhi
http://countrystudies.us/india/20.htm
Political Impasse and Independence
http://countrystudies.us/india/21.htm
Independent India
http://countrystudies.us/india/24.htm
National Integration
http://countrystudies.us/india/22.htm
Jawaharlal Nehru
http://countrystudies.us/india/23.htm
Indira Gandhi
http://countrystudies.us/india/24.htm
Rajiv Gandhi
http://countrystudies.us/india/25.htm
Geography and Demographics
Geography
Coasts and Borders
Rivers
Climate
Earthquakes
Population
Population Projections
Population and Family Planning Policy
Health Conditions
http://countrystudies.us/india/35.htm
Health Care
Education
http://countrystudies.us/india/37.htm
Religion
The Vedas and Polytheism
http://countrystudies.us/india/39.htm
Karma and Liberation
Jainism
http://countrystudies.us/india/41.htm
Buddhism
http://countrystudies.us/india/42.htm
The Worship of Personal Gods
http://countrystudies.us/india/43.htm
Vishnu
Shiva
Brahma and the Hindu Trinity
The Goddess
http://countrystudies.us/india/47.htm
Local Deities
http://countrystudies.us/india/48.htm
The Ceremonies of Hinduism
Domestic Worship
Life-Cycle Rituals
Temples
Pilgrimage
Festivals
Islam
http://countrystudies.us/india/55.htm
Sikhism
http://countrystudies.us/india/56.htm
Tribal Religions
http://countrystudies.us/india/57.htm
Christianity
http://countrystudies.us/india/58.htm
Zoroastrianism
http://countrystudies.us/india/59.htm
Judaism
http://countrystudies.us/india/60.htm
Modern Changes in Religion
http://countrystudies.us/india/61.htm
Language, Ethnicity, and Regionalism
Linguistic Relations
Diversity, Use, and Policy
Languages of India
Hindi and English
Hindi
English
Linguistic States
The Social Context of Language
http://countrystudies.us/india/69.htm
Tribes
http://countrystudies.us/india/70.htm
Jews and Parsis
http://countrystudies.us/india/71.htm
Portuguese
http://countrystudies.us/india/72.htm
Anglo-Indians
http://countrystudies.us/india/73.htm
Africans
http://countrystudies.us/india/74.htm
Regionalism
http://countrystudies.us/india/75.htm
Telangana Movement
Jharkhand Movement
http://countrystudies.us/india/76.htm
Uttarakhand
http://countrystudies.us/india/77.htm
Gorkhaland
http://countrystudies.us/india/78.htm
Ladakh
http://countrystudies.us/india/79.htm
The Northeast
http://countrystudies.us/india/80.htm
Society
Themes in Indian Society
Family
Veiling and the Seclusion of Women
Life Passages
Children and Childhood
Marriage
Adulthood
Death and Beyond
Caste and Class
The Village Community
Urban Life
The Economy
Structure of the Economy
The Role of Government
Labor
Industry
Government Policies
Manufacturing
Energy
Mining and Quarrying
Tourism
Science and Technology
Agriculture
Crops
The Green Revolution
Livestock and Poultry
Forestry
Fishing
Government and Politics
The Constitution
Politics
The Congress
Opposition Parties
Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rise of Hindu Nationalism
http://countrystudies.us/india/113.htm
Communist Parties
Regional Parties
Caste-Based Parties
http://countrystudies.us/india/116.htm
Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir
http://countrystudies.us/india/117.htm
Hindu-Muslim Tensions
http://countrystudies.us/india/118.htm
Corruption
http://countrystudies.us/india/119.htm
The Media
The Rise of Civil Society
Foreign Relations
Pakistan
http://countrystudies.us/india/123.htm
Bangladesh
http://countrystudies.us/india/124.htm
Sri Lanka
http://countrystudies.us/india/125.htm
Nepal
http://countrystudies.us/india/126.htm
Bhutan
http://countrystudies.us/india/127.htm
Maldives
China
http://countrystudies.us/india/129.htm
Southeast Asia
Middle East
http://countrystudies.us/india/131.htm
Central Asia
Russia
http://countrystudies.us/india/133.htm
United States
http://countrystudies.us/india/134.htm
Britain, Australia, Canada, Western Europe, and Japan
United Nations
Bibliography
Adas, Michael. Machines as the Measure of Men: Science, Technology,
and Ideologies of Western Dominance. Ithaca: Cornell University Press,
1989.
Adas, Michael. "Twentieth Century Approaches to the Indian Mutiny of
1857-58," Journal of Asian History [Wiesbaden], 5, No. 1, 1971, 1-19.
Ahmad, Imtiaz. State and Foreign Policy: India's Role in South Asia.
New Delhi: Vikas, 1993.
Ali, M. Athar. "The Mughal Policy--A Critique of Revisionist
Approaches," Modern Asian Studies [London], 27, Pt. 4, October 1993,
699-710.
Ali, Tariq. An Indian Dynasty: The Story of the Nehru-Gandhi Family.
New York: Putnam, 1985.
Altekar, A.S. Rastrakutas and Their Times. 2d ed., rev. Pune: Oriental
Book Agency, 1967.
Asher, Catherine Ella Blanshard. The New Cambridge History of India, I.
4: Architecture in Mughal India. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1992.
Ashton, S.R. British Policy Towards the Indian States, 1905-1939.
London Studies on South Asia, No. 2. London: Curzon, 1982.
Austin, Granville. The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966.
Baird, Robert. Religion in Modern India. New Delhi: Manohar, 1981.
Baker, Christopher J. An Indian Rural Economy: The Tamiland
Countryside. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984.
Baker, Christopher J. The Politics of South India, 1920-1937.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976.
Baker, David. "Colonial Beginnings and the Indian Response: The Revolt
of 1857-58 in Madhya Pradesh," Modern Asian Studies [London], 25, Pt.
3, July 1991, 511-43.
Bakshi, S.R. Morarji Desai. New Delhi: Amol, 1991.
Banerjee, Hiranmay. The House of the Tagores. 3d ed. Calcutta:
Rabiondra Bharati University, 1968.
Barker, A.J. Bastard War: The Mesopotamian Campaign of 1914-1918. New
York: Dial, 1967.
Barraclough, Geoffrey, and Geoffrey Parker, eds. The Times Atlas of
World History. 4th ed. Maplewood, New Jersey: Hammond, 1993.
Barrier, N. Gerald. India and America: American Publishing on India,
1930-1985. New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies, 1986.
Basham, A.L. The Origin and Development of Classical Hinduism. Ed. and
completed by Kenneth G. Zysk. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Basham, A.L. The Wonder That Was India, 1: A Survey of the History and
Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before the Coming of the Muslims.
3d ed., rev. London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1967.
Basham, A.L., ed. A Cultural History of India. Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1975.
Bayly, C.A. The New Cambridge History of India, II.1: Indian Society
and the Making of the British Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1987.
Bayly, C.A. Rulers, Townsmen, and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the
Age of British Expansion, 1770-1870. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1983.
Beach, Milo Cleveland. The New Cambridge History of India, I.3: Mughal
and Rajput Painting. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Beaumont, Roger. Sword of the Raj: The British Army in India,
1747-1947. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1977.
Begley, Vimala, and Richard Daniel DePuma, eds. Rome and India: The
Ancient Sea Trade. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1992.
Bhattacharjee, Arun. Rajiv Gandhi: Life and Message. New Delhi:
Ashish, 1992.
Blake, Stephen P. Shahjahanabad: The Sovereign City in Mughal India.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Bondurant, Joan V. The Conquest of Violence: The Gandhian Philosophy
of Conflict. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1958.
Bose, Subhas Chandra. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: Correspondence and
Selected Documents, 1930-1942. Ed., Ravindra Kumar. New Delhi: Inter-
India, 1992.
Bose, Sugata. The New Cambridge History of India, III.2: Peasant
Labour and Colonial Capital: Rural Bengal since 1770. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Brass, Paul R. The New Cambridge History of India, IV.1: The Politics
of India since Independence. 2d ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1994.
Brecher, Michael. Nehru: A Political Biography. London: Oxford
University Press, 1959.
Brecher, Michael. The Politics of Succession in India. Westport,
Connecticut: Greenwood, 1976.
Brown, Judith M. Gandhi and Civil Disobedience. London: Cambridge
University Press, 1977.
Brown, Judith M. Modern India: The Origins of an Asian Democracy. New
Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Buchanan, R.A. "The Diaspora of British Engineering," Technology and
Culture, 27, No. 3. July 1986, 501-24.
Carras, Mary C. Indira Gandhi in the Crucible of Leadership. Boston:
Beacon Press, 1979.
Carson, Penelope. "An Imperial Dilemma: The Propagation of
Christianity in Early Colonial India," Journal of Imperial and
Commonwealth History [London], 18, No. 2, 1990, 169-90.
Chanchreek, K.L., and Saroj Prasad, eds. Crisis in India. Delhi: H.K.
Publishers, 1993.
Chandra, Bipan. Essays on Contemporary India. New Delhi: Har-Anand,
1993.
Chandra, Bipan. Modern India. New Delhi: National Council of
Educational Research and Training, 1971.
Chandra, Satish. Medieval India: A Textbook for Classes XI-XII. 2
vols. New Delhi: National Council of Educational Research and
Training, 1978.
Chattopadhyaya, B.D. "Origins of the Rajputs: The Political, Economic,
and Social Progress in Early Medieval Rajasthan," Indian Historical
Review [Delhi], 3, No. 1, March 1976, 59-82.
Chaudhury, K.N. The Trading World of Asia and the English East India
Company, 1660-1760. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978.
Chellaney, Brahma. Nuclear Proliferation: The U.S.-Indian Conflict.
New Delhi: Orient Longman, 1993.
Chopra, Pran, ed. Contemporary Pakistan: New Aims and Images. New
Delhi: Vikas, 1983.
Collins, Larry, and Dominique Lapierre. Freedom at Midnight. New York:
Simon and Schuster, 1975.
Crawford, S. Cromwell. Ram Mohan Roy. New York: Paragon, 1987.
Cunningham, Joseph Davey. History of the Sikhs, From the Origins of
the Nation to the Battles of the Sutlej. Delhi: Sultan Chand, 1955.
Damodaran, A.K., and Bajpai, U.S., eds. Indian Foreign Policy: The
Indira Gandhi Years. New Delhi: Radiant, 1990.
Das, Arvind. India Invented. New Delhi: Manohar, 1992.
Das, Kamal Kishore. Economic History of Moghul India: An Annotated
Bibliography, 1526-1875. Calcutta: Santiniketan, 1991.
Das, M.N. India under Morley and Minto: Politics Behind Revolution,
Repression, and Reforms. London: Allen and Unwin, 1964.
Das, Veena. Mirrors of Violence: Communities, Riots, and Survivors in
South Asia. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Dasgupta, A. "Indian Merchants and the Trade in the Indian Ocean."
Pages 407-33 in Tapan Raychaudhuri and Irfan Habib, eds., The
Cambridge Economic History of India, 1: c.1200-c.1750. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1982.
Datta, V.N. Sati: Widow Burning in India. New Delhi: Manohar, 1990.
Davies, C. Collin. An Historical Atlas of the Indian Peninsula.
London: Oxford University Press, 1959.
Derrett, J. Duncan. Religion, Law, and the State in India. London:
Faber, 1968.
Desai, Morarji. The Story of My Life. 3 vols. New Delhi: Pergamon,
1979.
Dhanagare, D.N. Peasant Movements in India, 1920-1950. New Delhi:
Oxford University Press, 1983.
Digby, Simon. "The Maritime Trade of India." Pages 125-62 in Tapan
Raychaudhuri and Irfan Habib, eds., The Cambridge Economic History of
India, 1: c.1200-c.1750. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.
Dikshit, D.P. Political History of the Chalukyas of Badami. New Delhi:
Abhinav, 1980.
Dixit, Prabla. Communalism: A Struggle for Power. New Delhi: Orient
Longman, 1981.
Doniger, Wendy, trans. Laws of Manu. New York: Penguin, 1992.
Doshi, Saryu, ed. India and Greece. New Delhi: Marg, 1985.
Dunn, Rose E. The Adventures of Ibn Battuta. London: Croom Helm, 1986.
Dutt, Ashok K., and Allen G. Noble. "The Culture of India in a Spatial
Perspective: An Introduction." Pages 1-28 in Allen G. Noble and Ashok
K. Dutt, eds., India: Cultural Patterns and Processes. Boulder,
Colorado: Westview Press, 1982.
Eaton, Richard M. The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier,
1204-1760. Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies, No. 17. Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1993.
Eaton, Richard M. Sufis of Bijapur, 1300-1700: Social Roles of Sufis
in Medieval India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1978.
Eldridge, P.J. The Politics of Foreign Aid in India. New York:
Schocken, 1970.
Ellinwood, DeWitt C., and S.P. Pradhan. India and World War I. New
Delhi: Manohar, 1978.
Embree, Ainslie T. 1857 in India: Mutiny or War of Independence.
Lexington, Massachusetts: Heath, 1963.
Embree, Ainslie T., ed. Alberuni's India. New York: Norton, 1971.
Embree, Ainslie T., ed. Encyclopedia of Asian History. 4 vols. The
Asia Society. New York: Scribner's, 1988.
Embree, Ainslie T., ed. Sources of Indian Tradition, 1: From the
Beginning to 1800. 2d ed. Introduction to Oriental Civilization
Series. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.
Erickson, Erik H. Gandhi's Truth: On the Origins of Militant
Nonviolence. New York: Norton, 1970.
Fairservis, Walter A. The Roots of Ancient India: The Archaeology of
Early Indian Civilization. New York: Macmillan, 1971.
Farmer, Edward L., Gavin R.G. Hambly, David Kopf, Byron K. Marshall,
and Romeyn Taylor. Comparative History of Civilizations in Asia. 2
vols. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1977.
Featherstone, Donald F. Victorian Colonial Warfare, India: From the
Conquest of Sind to the Indian Mutiny. London: Cassell, 1992.
Fischer, Louis. The Life of Mahatma Gandhi. New York: Harper, 1950.
Fisher, Michael. A Clash of Cultures: Awadh, the British, and the
Mughals. New Delhi: Manohar, 1987.
Fisher, Michael. Indirect Rule in India: Residents and the Residency
System, 1764-1857. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Frykenberg, Robert E. Guntur District 1788-1848: A History of Local
Influence and Central Authority in South India. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1965.
Frykenberg, Robert E. "The Impact of Conversion and Social Reform upon
Society in South India During the Late Company Period: Questions
Concerning Hindu-Christian Encounters, with Special Reference to
Tinnevelly." Pages 187-243 in C.H. Philips and Mary Doreen Wainwright,
eds., Indian Society and the Beginnings of Modernization, c.
1830-1850. London: School of Oriental and Arican Studies, 1976.
Gandhi, Mahatma. An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with
Truth. Trans., Mahadev Desai. Boston: Beacon Press, 1957. Reprint.
Boston: Beacon Press, 1993.
Gandhi, Mahatma. Essential Writings of Mahatma Gandhi. Ed., Raghavan
Iyer. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Gandhi, Mahatma. The Gandhi Reader: A Sourcebook of His Life and
Writings. Ed., Homer A. Jack. Grove Press Eastern Philosophy and
Literature Studies. New York: Grove Press, 1961.
Gandhi, Mahatma. Non-Violent Resistance. Comp. and ed., Bharatan
Kumanappa. New York: Schocken, 1951.
Ganguly, D.K. Ancient India: History and Archaeology. New Delhi:
Abhinav, 1994.
Gascoigne, Bamber. The Great Moghuls. London: Cape, 1971.
Ghose, S.K. Politics of Violence: Dawn of a Dangerous Era.
Springfield, Virginia: Nataraj, 1992.
Glazer, Sulochana Raghavan, and Nathan Glazer, eds. Conflicting
Images: India and the United States. Glenn Dale, Maryland: Riverdale,
1990.
Goalen, Paul. India: From Mughal Empire to British Raj. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Gokkhale, B.C. "Buddhism in the Gupta Age." Pages 129-56 in Bardwell
L. Smith, ed., Essays on Gupta Culture. New Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass, 1983.
Gopal, Sarvepalli. Jawaharlal Nehru: An Anthology. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1980.
Gopal, Sarvepalli. Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography. 3 vols. London:
Cape, 1975-84.
Gopal, Sarvepalli. Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography. Abridged ed. New
Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Gopal, Sarvepalli, ed. Anatomy of a Confrontation: The Babri Masjid-
Ramjanmabhumi Issue. New Delhi: Viking, 1991.
Goradia, Nayana. Lord Curzon: The Last of the British Moghuls. New
Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Gordon, Stewart. The New Cambridge History of India, II.4: The
Marathas, 1600-1818. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Gorman, Mel. "Sir William O'Shaughnessy, Lord Dalhousie, and the
Establishment of the Telegraph System in India," Technology and
Culture, 12, No. 4, October 1971, 581-601.
Goyal, Shankar. Aspects of Ancient Indian History and Historiography.
New Delhi: Harnam, 1993.
Guha, Ranajit, and Gayatri Chakravorty, eds. Subaltern Studies:
Writings on South Asian History and Society. 5 vols. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1982-87.
Gupte, Pranay. Mother India: A Political Biography of Indira Gandhi.
New York: Scribner's, 1992.
Gupte, Pranay. Vengeance: India after the Assassination of Indira
Gandhi. New York: Norton, 1985.
Habib, Irfan. The Agrarian System of Mughal India, 1556-1707. New
York: Asia, 1963.
Habib, Irfan. An Atlas of the Mughal Empire. Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 1982.
Habib, Irfan. "Mughal India." Pages 214-25 in Tapan Raychaudhuri and
Irfan Habib, eds., The Cambridge Economic History of India, 2: c.1200-
c.1750. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.
Habib, Irfan, ed. Medieval India, 1: Researchers in the History of
India, 1200-1750. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Hadi Hussain, Muhammed. Syed Ahmed Khan: Pioneer of Muslim Resurgence.
Lahore: Institute of Islamic Culture, 1970.
Halbfass, Wilhelm. India and Europe: An Essay in Understanding.
Albany: State University of New York Press, 1988.
Hamilton, J.R. Alexander the Great. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965.
Hardgrave, Robert L., Jr., and Stanley A. Kochanek. India: Government
and Politics in a Developing Nation. 5th ed. Fort Worth, Texas:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1993.
Harrison, Mark. "Tropical Medicine in Nineteenth-Century India,"
British Journal for the History of Science [Cambridge], 25, Pt. 3, No.
86, September 1992, 299-318.
Hart, Henry C., ed. Indira Gandhi's India: A Political System
Reappraised. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1976.
Haynes, Douglas E. Rhetoric and Ritual in Colonial India: The Shaping
of a Public Culture in Surat City, 1852-1928. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1991.
Heinsath, Charles. Indian Nationalism and Hindu Social Reform.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1964.
Hill, John L., ed. The Congress and Indian Nationalism: Historical
Perspectives. Westwood, Massachusetts: Riverdale, 1991.
Hindustan Year Book and Who's Who, 1992. 60th ed. Ed., S. Sarkar.
Calcutta: M.C. Sarkar, 1992.
Hindustan Year Book and Who's Who, 1994. 62d ed. Ed., S. Sarkar.
Calcutta: M.C. Sarkar, 1994.
Hiro, Dilip. Inside India Today. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul,
1976.
Hirschman, Edwin. White Mutiny: The Ilbert Bill Crisis in India and
the Genesis of the Indian National Congress. New Delhi: Heritage,
1980.
Hossain, Hameeda. The Company Weavers of Bengal: The East India
Company and the Organization of Textile Production in Bengal,
1750-1813. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Humbers, Philippe. The Rajiv Gandhi Years: Sunshine and Shadows. New
Delhi: Vimot, 1992.
Hutchins, Francis. The Illusion of Permanence: British Imperialism in
India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1967.
Hutchins, Francis. Spontaneous Revolution: The Quit India Movement.
New Delhi: Manohar, 1971.
Ilankovatikal. The Cilappatikaram of Ilano Atikal: An Epic of South
India. Trans., R. Parthasarathy. Translations from the Asian Classics.
New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.
Inden, Ronald. Imagining India. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Inder Singh, Anita. "Decolonization in India: The Statement of
February 20, 1947," International History Review [Toronto], 6, No. 2,
May 1984, 191-209.
Inder Singh, Anita. "Imperial Defence and the Transfer of Power in
India, 1946-1947," International History Review [Toronto], 4, No. 4,
November 1982, 568-88.
India Handbook, 1996. 5th ed. Ed., Robert W. Bradnock. Bath, United
Kingdom: Trade and Travel, 1995.
Irschich, Eugene F. Politics and Social Conflict in South India: The
Non-Brahman Movement and Tamil Separatism. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1969.
Irschich, Eugene F. Tamil Revivalism in the 1930s. New Delhi: Manohar,
1986.
Jain, C.K., ed. Rajiv Gandhi and Parliament. New Delhi: CBS, 1992.
Jain, M.P. Outlines of Indian Legal History. 2d ed. Bombay: Tripathi,
1966.
Jalal, Ayesha. The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League, and the
Demand for Pakistan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. New Delhi: Penguin, 1992.
Jeffery, Roger. "Recognizing India's Doctors: The Institutionalization
of Medical Dependency, 1918-39," Modern Asian Studies [London], 13,
Pt. 2, April 1979, 302-26.
Jeffrey, Robin, ed. People, Princes, and Paramount Power: Society and
Politics in Indian Princely States. New Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 1978.
Jones, Kenneth W. Arya Dharm: Hindu Consciousness in 19th Century
Punjab. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1976.
Jones, Kenneth W. The New Cambridge History of India, III.1: Socio-
Religious Reform Movements in British India. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1989.
Kandaswamy, S.N. Buddhism as Expounded in Manimekalai (The Jewelled
Belt). Annamalainagar: Annamalai University, 1978.
Kapur, Rajiv. Sikh Separatism: The Politics of Faith. New Delhi:
Vikas, 1987.
Karashima, Noboru. Towards a New Formation: South Indian Society under
Vijayanagar Rule. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Kashvap, Subhash. The Politics of Defection. Delhi: National, 1969.
Keay, John. Democracy and Discontent: India's Growing Crisis of
Governability. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Keay, John. The Honourable Company: A History of the English East
India Company. London: Harper Collins, 1991.
Kopf, David. The Brahmo Samaj and the Shaping of the Modern Indian
Mind. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1979.
Kopf, David. British Orientalism and the Bengal Renaissance: The
Dynamics of Indian Modernization, 1773-1835. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1969.
Kosambi, D.D. Myth and Reality: Studies in the Formation of Indian
Culture. Bombay: Popular Prakashan, 1962.
Kothari, Rajni. Politics in India. Boston: Little, Brown, 1970.
Kreisberg, Paul H. "Gandhi at Midterm," Foreign Affairs, 65, No. 5,
Summer 1987, 1055-76.
Krishna Murari. The Calukyas of Kalyani, from circa 973 A.D. to 1200
A.D. Delhi: Concept, 1977.
Kulke, Hermann, ed. The State in India, 1000-1700. Oxford in India
Readings, Themes in Indian History. Delhi: Oxford University Press,
1995.
Kulke, Hermann, and Dietmar Rothermund. A History of India. Rev.,
updated ed. London: Routledge, 1990.
Kumar, Deepak, ed. Science and Empire: Essays in Indian Context,
1700-1947. Delhi: Anamika Prakashan, 1991.
Kumar, Dharma, and Meghnad Desai, eds. The Cambridge Economic History
of India, 2: c.1757-c.1970. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1983.
Kumar, Ravinder. The Social History of Modern India. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1983.
Lelyveld, David. Aligarh's First Generation. Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1977.
Lewis, Martin D. The British in India: Imperialism or Trusteeship.
Lexington, Massachusetts: Heath, 1962.
Lingat, R. The Classical Law of India. Trans., J.D.M. Derrett.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973.
Ludden, David. Peasant History in South India. Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1985.
McLane, John R. Indian Nationalism and the Early Congress. Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 1977.
MacLeod, Roy M. "Scientific Advice for British India: Imperial
Perceptions and Administrative Goals, 1898-1923," Modern Asian Studies
[London], 9, Pt. 3, July 1975, 343-84.
Mahajan, Jagmohan. The Raj Landscape: British Views of Indian Cities.
New Delhi: Spantech, 1988.
Mahalingam, T.V. Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar. 2
vols. Madras: University of Madras, 1969-75.
Mahalingam, T.V. Readings in South Indian History. Delhi: B.R.
Publishing, 1977.
Mahalingam, T.V. South Indian Polity. 2d ed., rev. Madras: University
of Madras, 1967.
Malik, Hafeez. Sir Sayyid Ahamd Khan and Muslim Modernization in India
and Pakistan. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.
Mansingh, Surjit. Historical Dictionary of India. Asian Historical
Dictionaries, No. 20. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow, 1996.
Marshall, John Hubert. Taxila: An Illustrated Account of the
Archaeological Excavations Carried Out at Taxila under the Orders of
the Government of India Between the Years, 1913 and 1934. 3 vols.
Varanasi: Bhartiya, 1975.
Marshall, P.J. The New Cambridge History of India, II.2: Bengal: The
British Bridgehead: Eastern India, 1740-1828. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1987.
Marshall, P.J. Problems of Empire: Britain and India, 1757-1813. New
York: Barnes and Noble, 1968.
Masani, Zaheer. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. Farmington, New York:
Brown, 1976.
Mayer, Adrian C. "Rulership and Divinity: The Case of the Modern Hindu
Princes and Beyond," Modern Asian Studies [London], 25, Pt. 4, October
1991, 765-90.
Mehra, Parshotam. A Dictionary of Modern Indian History, 1707-1947.
New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Mehta, Ved. Portrait of India. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993.
Menezes, S.L. Fidelity and Honour: The Indian Army from the
Seventeenth to the Twenty-first Century. New Delhi: Penguin, 1993.
Menon, Vapal Pangunni. The Story of the Integration of the Indian
States. Madras: Orient Longman, 1956. Reprint. Madras: Orient Longman,
1985.
Menon, Vapal Pangunni. The Transfer of Power in India. Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 1957.
Metcalf, Thomas R. The Aftermath of the Revolt: India, 1857-1870.
Princeton: Princeton University, 1964.
Metcalf, Thomas R. An Imperial Vision: Indian Architecture and
Britain's Raj. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.
Metcalf, Thomas R. Modern India: An Interpretive Anthology. London:
Macmillan, 1971.
Metcalf, Thomas R. The New Cambridge History of India, IV.3:
Ideologies of the Raj. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Michell, George. The New Cambridge History of India, VI.1:
Architecture and Art of Southern India: Vijayanagara and the Successor
States, 1350-1750. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
Miller, Barbara Stoler. "Presidential Address: Contending Narratives--
The Political Life of the Indian Epics," Journal of Asian Studies, 50,
No. 4, November 1991, 783-92.
Minakshi, C. Administration and Social Life under the Pallavas.
Madras: University of Madras, 1977.
Minault, Gail. The Khilafat Movement: Religious Symbolism and
Political Mobilization in India. Studies in Oriental Culture, No. 16.
New York: Columbia University Press, 1982.
Mishra, Jayashri. Social and Economic Conditions under the Imperial
Rashtrakutas. New Delhi: Commonwealth, 1992.
Misra, Satya Swarup. The Aryan Problem: A Linguistic Approach. New
Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1992.
Moon, Penderel. The British Conquest and Dominion of India. London:
Duckworth, 1989.
Moon, Penderel. Divide and Quit. London: Chatto and Windus, 1961.
Moore, R.J. Crisis of Indian Unity, 1917-1940. London: Oxford
University Press, 1974.
Moraes, Dom. Indira Gandhi. Boston: Little, Brown, 1980.
Moreland, W.H. India at the Death of Akbar, 1: An Economic Study.
N.p.: 1920. Reprint. Delhi: Atma Ram, 1962.
Morris-Jones, W.H. The Government and Politics of India. London:
Hutchinson, 1971.
Mukhia, Harbans. Perspectives on Medieval History. New Delhi: Vikas,
1993.
Nanda, B.R. The Indo-Greeks. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957.
Nanda, B.R. "The Kushana State: A Preliminary Study." Pages 251-74 in
Henri J. Claessen and Peter Skalnik, eds., The Study of the State. The
Hague: Mouton, 1981.
Nanda, B.R. Mahatma Gandhi. Boston: Beacon Press, 1958.
Nanda, B.R. "Religious Policy and Toleration in Ancient India." Pages
17-52 in Bardwell L. Smith, ed., Essays on Gupta Culture. Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass, 1983.
Narain, Harsh. The Ayodhya Temple Mosque Dispute. New Delhi: Penman,
1993.
Narashimhan, C.R. Rajagopalachar: A Biography. New Delhi: Radiant,
1993.
Nayar, Kuldip, and Kushwant Singh. Tragedy of Punjab: Operation
Bluestar and After. New Delhi: Vision Books, 1984.
Nehru, Jawaharlal. Jawaharlal Nehru's Speeches. 5 vols. New Delhi:
Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
1958-68.
Nehru, Jawaharlal. Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru. 2d Series. 16
vols. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Memorial Fund, 1988-92.
Nehru, Jawaharlal. Towards Freedom: An Autobiography. New York: Day,
1941.
Nelson, David N. Bibliography of South Asia. Scarecrow Area
Bibliographies, No. 4. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow, 1994.
Nilakanta Sastri, Killidaikurchi Aiyah Aiyar. The Colas. 2d ed., rev.
University of Madras Historical Series, No. 9. Madras: University of
Madras, 1975.
Nilakanta Sastri, Kallidaikurchi Aiyah Aiyar. History of South India
from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar. 4th ed. Madras:
Oxford University Press, 1976.
Noble, Allen G., and Ashok K. Dutt, eds. India: Cultural Patterns and
Processes. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1982.
Nugent, Nicholas. Rajiv Gandhi: Son of a Dynasty. New Delhi: UBS,
1991.
Page, David. Prelude to Partition: The Indian Muslims and the Imperial
System of Control, 1920-1932. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1982.
Pandey, B.N. The Break Up of British India. London: Macmillan, 1969.
Panikkar, K.M. Asia and Western Dominance. 2d ed. New York: Collier,
1969.
Park, Richard L., and Bruce Bueno de Mesquita. India's Political
System. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979.
Patnaik, Naveen. A Second Paradise: Indian Courtly Life, 1590-1947.
Garden City, New Jersey: Doubleday, 1985.
Patterson, Maureen L.P., in collaboration with William J. Alspaugh.
South Asian Civilizations: A Bibliographic Synthesis. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1981.
Paul, John J. The Legal Profession in Colonial South India. Bombay:
Oxford University Press, 1991.
Paul, John J. "Religion and Medicine in South India: The Scudder
Medical Missionaries and the Christian Medical College and Hospital,
Vellore," Fides et Historia, 22, No. 3, Fall 1990, 16-29.
Pearson, M.N. Before Colonialism: Theories of Asian-European
Relations, 1500-1750. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Pearson, M.N. The New Cambridge History of India, I.1: The Portuguese
in India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Piggott, Stuart. Prehistoric India to 1000 B.C. London: Penguin, 1952.
Possehl, Gregory L., ed. The Harappan Civilization. London: Aris and
Phillips, 1982.
Possehl, Gregory L., ed. South Asian Archaeology Studies. New Delhi:
Oxford University Press, 1992.
Powell, Avril Ann. Muslims and Missionaries in Pre-Mutiny India.
London: Curzon, 1993.
Prasad, Rajeshwar. Days with Lal Bahadur Shastri. New Delhi: Allied,
1991.
Qureshi, I.H. The Muslim Community of the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent,
1610-1947. The Hague: Mouton, 1962.
Ramusack, Barbara N. The Princes of India in the Twilight of Empire:
Dissolution of a Patron-Client System, 1914-1939. Columbus: Ohio State
University Press, 1978.
Rangarajan, L.N., trans. and ed. Kautilya: The Arthasastra. New York:
Penguin, 1992.
Raychaudhuri, Tapan, and Irfan Habib, eds. The Cambridge Economic
History of India, 1: c.1200-c.1750. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1982.
Richards, J.F. "The Islamic Frontier in the East: Expansion into South
Asia," South Asia [Nedlands, Australia], No. 4, October 1974, 91-109.
Richards, John F. The New Cambridge History of India, II.5: The Mughal
Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Rizvi, S.A.A. The Wonder That Was India, 2: A Survey of the History
and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent from the Coming of the Muslims
to the British Conquest, 1200-1700. London: Sidgwick and Jackson,
1987.
Robb, Peter G. The Evolution of British Policy Towards Indian
Politics, 1880-1920. Westwood, Massachusetts: Riverdale, 1992.
Robinson, Francis. Separatism among Indian Muslims: The Politics of
the United Provinces' Muslims, 1860-1932. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1974.
Robinson, Francis, ed. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Roy, Asim. "The Politics of India's Partition: The Revisionist
Perspective," Modern Asian Studies [London], 24, Pt. 2, April 1990,
385-415.
Rudner, David W. Caste and Colonialism in Colonial India: The
Nattukkottai Chettiars. Berkeley: University of California Press,
1994.
Rustomji, Nari. Imperilled Frontiers: India's North-Eastern
Borderlands. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1983.
Sahasrabuddhe, P.G., and Manik Chandra Vajpayee. The People Versus
Emergency: A Saga of Struggle. Trans., Sudhakar Raje. New Delhi:
Suruchi Prakashan, 1991.
Saksena, N.S. India: Towards Anarchy, 1967-1992. New Delhi: Abhinav,
1993.
Sangwan, Satpal. "Science Education in India under Colonial
Constraints, 1792-1857," Oxford Review of Education [Oxford], 16, No.
1, 1990, 81-95.
Sangwan, Satpal. Science, Technology, and Colonisation: An Indian
Experience, 1757-1857. New Delhi: Anmika Prakashan, 1991.
Sankaia, H.D. Aspects of Indian History and Archeology. Delhi: B.R.
Publishing, 1977.
SarDesai, D.R., and Anand Mohan, eds. The Legacy of Nehru: A
Centennial Assessment. New Delhi: Promilla, 1992.
Sarkar, Jadhunath. Fall of the Mughal Empire. 4 vols. Bombay: Orient
Longman, 1964-72.
Sarkar, Sumit. Modern India, 1885-1947. Delhi: Macmillan, 1983.
Schuhmacher, Stephan, and Gert Woerner, eds. The Encyclopedia of
Eastern Philosophy and Religion. Boston: Shambhala, 1989.
Schwartzberg, Joseph E., ed. A Historical Atlas of South Asia. 2d
impression. Reference Series of Association for Asian Studies, No. 2.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Seal, Anil. The Emergence of Indian Nationalism: Competition and
Collaboration in the Late Nineteenth Century. London: Cambridge
University Press, 1968.
Sen Gupta, Bhabani. Communism in Indian Politics. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1972.
Sen, S.P., ed. Dictionary of National Biography. 4 vols. Calcutta:
Institute of Historical Studies, 1975.
Sen, S.P., ed. Sources of the History of India. Calcutta: Institute of
Historical Studies, 1978.
Seshan, N.K. With Three Prime Ministers: Nehru, Indira, and Rajiv. New
Delhi: Wiley-Eastern, 1993.
Sewell, Robert. A Forgotten Empire: Vijayanagar. London: Sonnenschein,
1900.
Sharma, Kususm. Ambedkar and Indian Constitution. New Delhi: Ashish,
1992.
Sharma, Ram Sharman. Ancient India. New Delhi: National Council of
Educational Research and Training, 1977.
Sharma, Ram Sharman. Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in
Ancient India. 2d ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1968.
Sharma, Ram Sharman. Indian Feudalism: c. 300-1200. Calcutta:
University of Calcutta Press, 1965.
Sharma, Ram Sharman. Light on Early Indian Society and Economy.
Bombay: Manaktalas, 1966.
Sharma, Ram Sharman, ed. Land Revenue in Ancient India: Historical
Studies. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1971.
Sharma, Ramesh Chandra, Atul Kumar Singh, Sugam Anand, Gyaneshwar
Chaturvedi, and Jayati Chaturvedi. Historiography and Historians in
India since Independence. Agra: M.G. Publishers, 1991.
Shourie, Arun. Indian Controversies: Essays on Religion in Politics.
New Delhi: Manohar, 1993.
Shourie, Arun. Symptoms of Fascism. New Delhi: Vikas, 1978.
Singh, Birendra Kumar. Early Chalukyas of Vatapi, circa A.D. 500 to
757. Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers, 1991.
Singh, Gopal. A History of the Sikh People, 1469-1978. New Delhi:
World Sikh University Press, 1979.
Singh, Harbans. The Heritage of the Sikhs. Columbia, Missouri: South
Asia Books, 1983.
Singh, Mahendra Prasad, ed. Lok Sabha Elections 1989: Indian Politics
in 1990's. New Delhi: Kalinga, 1992.
Singh, Patwant, and Harji Malik, eds. Punjab: The Fatal
Miscalculation. New Delhi: Patwant Singh, 1985.
Singh, Surinder Nihal. Rocky Road of Indian Democracy: Nehru to
Narasimha Rao. New Delhi: Sterling, 1993.
Sisson, Richard, and Stanley Wolpert, eds. Congress and Indian
Nationalism: The Pre-Independence Phase. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1988.
Sitaramayya, B. Pattabhi. History of the Indian National Congress. 2
vols. Bombay: Padma, 1947.
Smith, Bardwell L., ed. Essays on Gupta Culture. Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass, 1983.
Smith, Donald E. India as a Secular State. Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1963.
Smith, Vincent, ed. The Oxford History of India. 4th ed. New Delhi:
Oxford University Press, 1981.
South Asian Handbook: India and the Indian Sub-Continent, 1993. 2d ed.
Ed., Robert W. Bradnock. Bath, United Kingdom: Trade and Travel, 1992.
Spate, O.H.K., A.T.A. Learmonth, A.M. Learmonth, and B.H. Farmer.
India and Pakistan: A General and Regional Geography with a Chapter on
Ceylon. 3d ed., rev. London: Methuen, 1967.
Spear, Thomas George Percival. A History of India, 2. Baltimore:
Penguin, 1965.
Spear, Thomas George Percival, ed. The Oxford History of Modern India,
1740-1975. 2d ed. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Spencer, George W. "The Politics of Plunder: The Cholas in Eleventh
Century Ceylon," Journal of Asian Studies, 35, No. 3, August 1976,
405-19.
Srivastava, Ramesh Chandra. Judicial System in India. Lucknow: Print
House (India), 1992.
Stein, Burton. The New Cambridge History of India, I. 2: Vijayanagara.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Stein, Burton, ed. Essays on South India. Honolulu: University Press
of Hawaii, 1975.
Stein, Burton, ed. Peasant, State, and Society in Medieval South
India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1980.
Stein, Burton, ed. Thomas Munro: The Origins of the Colonial State and
His Vision of Empire. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Stern, Robert W. Changing India: Bourgeois Revolution on the
Subcontinent. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Subrahmanyam, Sanjay. The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern
India, 1500-1650. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
Subramaniam, Chitra. Bofors: The Story Behind the News. New Delhi:
Viking, 1993.
Tahseen, Rana. Education and Modernisation of Muslims in India. New
Delhi: Deep and Deep, 1993.
Talwar, S.N. Under the Banyan Tree: The Communist Movement in India,
1920-1964. New Delhi: Allied, 1985.
Tambiah, Stanley J. "Presidential Address: Reflections on Communal
Violence in South Asia," Journal of Asian Studies, 49, No. 4, November
1990, 741-60.
Tandon, Prakash. Punjabi Century, 1857-1947. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 1968.
Tarn, W.W. The Greeks in Bactria and India. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1951.
Taylor, Jay. The Dragon and the Wild Goose: China and India, with New
Epilogue. New York: Praeger, 1991.
Taylor, P.J.O. Chronicles of the Mutiny and Other Historical Sketches.
New Delhi: Indus, 1992.
Thapar, Romesh. These Troubled Times. Bombay: Popular Prakashan, 1986.
Thapar, Romila. Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas. London: Oxford
University Press, 1961.
Thapar, Romila. From Lineage to State: Social Formations in the Mid-
First Millennium B.C. in the Ganga Valley. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1984.
Thapar, Romila. A History of India, 1. Baltimore: Penguin, 1965.
Thapar, Romila. Indian Tales. New Delhi: Puffin Books, 1991.
Thapar, Romila. Interpreting Early India. New Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 1992.
Thapar, Romila. "The State as Empire." Pages 409-28 in Henry J.
Claessen and Peter Skalnik, eds., The Study of the State. The Hague:
Mouton, 1981.
Thompson, Edward. The Making of the Indian Princes. London: Oxford
University Press, 1943. Reprint. Columbia, Missouri: South Asia Books,
1980.
Thurston, Edgar. Caste and Tribes of Southern India. 7 vols. Madras:
Government Press, 1909.
Tolkappiyar. Tolkappiam. Trans., E.S. Varadaraja Iyer. 2d ed.
Annamalainagar: Annamalai University, 1987.
Tomlinson, B.R. The New Cambridge History of India, III.3: The Economy
of Modern India, 1860-1970. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1993.
Trautmann, Thomas R. Dravidian Kinship. Cambridge Studies in Social
Anthropology. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Trautmann, Thomas R. Kautilya and the Arthasastra: A Statistical
Study. Leiden: Brill, 1971.
Trevelyan, Raleigh. The Golden Oriole: A 200-year History of an
English Family in India. A Touchstone Book. New York: Simon and
Schuster, 1988.
Tully, Mark. India: Forty Years of Independence. New York: Braziller,
1988.
Tully, Mark, and Satish Jacob. Amritsar: Mrs. Gandhi's Last Battle.
London: Cape, 1985.
United Nations. Legal Department. Statement of Treaties and
International Agreements Registered or Filed and Recorded with the
Secretariat, 548. New York: 1965.
United Nations. Legal Department. Statement of Treaties and
International Agreements Registered or Filed and Recorded with the
Secretariat, 560. New York: 1966.
Venkataramanayya, N. The Eastern Calukyas of Vengi. Madras: Vedam
Venkataray Sastry, 1950.
Vincent, Rose, ed. The French in India: From Diamond Traders to
Sanskrit Scholars. Trans., Latika Padgaonkar. Bombay: Popular
Prakashan, 1990.
Washbrook, David A. The Emergence of Provincial Politics: The Madras
Presidency, 1870-1920. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976.
Washbrook, David A. "South Asia, The World System, and World
Capitalism," Journal of Asian Studies, 49, No. 3, August 1990,
479-508.
Wheeler, Robert Eric Mortimer. Civilization of the Indus Valley and
Beyond. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1966.
Wheeler, Robert Eric Mortimer. Early India and Pakistan: To Ashoka.
Rev. ed. Ancient Peoples and Places, No. 12. New York: Praeger, 1968.
Who Are the Guilty? Report of a Joint Inquiry into the Causes and
Impact of the Riots in Delhi from 31 October to 10 November, 1984. 2d
ed. New Delhi: People's Union for Democratic Rights and People's Union
for Civil Liberties, 1984.
Wink, André. Al-Hind, the Making of the Indo-Islamic World, 1: Early
Medieval India and the Expansion of Islam, 7th-11th Centuries. 2d.
ed., rev. Leiden: Brill, 1991.
Wolpert, Stanley. India. Berkeley: University of California Press,
1991.
Wolpert, Stanley. Jinnah of Pakistan. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1984.
Wolpert, Stanley. Nehru: A Tryst with Destiny. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1996.
Wolpert, Stanley. A New History of India. 4th ed. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1992.
Wolpert, Stanley. Tilak and Gokhale: Revolution and Reform in the
Making of Modern India. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1962.
Reprint. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Woodruff, Philip (pseud.). The Men Who Ruled India, 2: The Founders.
London: Cape, 1963.
Zimmer, Heinrich. The Art of Indian Asia. New York: Pantheon, 1955.
Enter your search terms Submit search form
Web countrystudies.us
http://countrystudies.us/india/137.htm
FOCUS GROUP ASIAN SUBCONTINENT:
Muslim-Hindu Relations in India
Beside being one of the most populous nations in the world, India is
also one of the most religiously and ethnically diverse. Islam and
Hinduism are the main religions in India, however, and the two have
had a very long and sometimes violent coexistence. After the British
left India in 1947, in particular, the continent split into the
nations of the Muslim Pakistan and a majority-Hindu India in a violent
partition which cost the lives of approximately one million people and
dislocation of no fewer than eleven million.
Since 1947 India and Pakistan have fought three wars with each other
since then; and violence between Hindus and Sikhs and Muslims in India
itself have also been bitter and violent. The secular regime in
democratic India that Mahatmas Gandhi help establish in 1947 professes
to be one country for all Indians, no matter their religion; but
enmity between religions continues to plague India. The tide of Hindu
communalism continues to roll across the Indian subcontinent, and with
a literacy rate of just 30% and horrific poverty India's democracy
faces strong challenges in the future. Combine that with the
conflicts in Kashmir with Pakistan and the proliferation of nuclear
weapons in the area, and the situation is particularly dangerous.
Questions to keep in mind: What historical events in history
contribute to present day bad feelings between Muslims and Hindus on
the Asian subcontinent? What are the wars, conflicts, rivalries that
Muslims and Hindus have suffered between them? What was the influence
of the life and death of Mohandas Gandhi? How many Muslims are there
compared to Hindus and Sikhs in present day India? What conflicts
have arisen on sites considered "holy" by both Muslims and Hindus?
RESOURCES:
At Yahoo! check out the following categories: Indian history in
general, India by time period, and Mohandas Gandhi. Also check out
this excellent CNN perspective on India and Pakistan: 50 Years of
Independence. This is also an excellent article about Indian and the
recent elections there.
Check out these links also: Redif India Online, Discover India, India
Express, Hello India!, India Review, Inet India, and India on
Internet.
Check out these official Indian government pages: Indian Parliament
Home Page, and The President of India.
This is a cool link about Hindu vs. Muslim values in India. This is
also good. Read this article about tensions between Indian Muslims
and Hindu nationalists.
Check out the below NPR radio broadcasts to get an in-depth analysis
of events:
India-Pakistan: Tit for Tat
Tensions rise anew with the shooting down of a Pakistani military
plane and a reported retaliatory missile firing (8/23/99)
CNN broadcasts: Pakistan/India Partition, India/Pakistan at 50, India
Acquires Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan Nuclear Weapons, India Hindu-Muslm
Tensions, India Diverse Country (good link!)
http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/India/Arts_and_Humanities/Humanities/History/
http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/India/Arts_and_Humanities/Humanities/History/By_Time_Period/
INDIA ELECTION '98
March 4 1998
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Transcript
Leaders of a Hindu nationalist party are demanding the right to form
India's next government after nearly complete election returns show
the party winning the most seats in the parliament. But conflicting
claims have led to bitterness and confusion. Fred de Sam Lazaro has
this report on the party's rise to power.
A RealAudio version of this segment is available.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Ramesh Chand Thomar has served in India's
parliament since 1991, representing a semi-rural district in the
Northern, Uttar Pradesh province. He began this campaign day with a
stop at a Hindu temple, part of a routine that emphasizes the central
theme of his BJP or India People's Party. Called Hindutva, the slogan
has few specifics but declares India "a nation of Hindu values." He
insists this does not violate the secular democratic tradition of
Mahatma Gandhi, on which the nation was founded. Thomar says it simply
calls on Indians to be patriotic.
RAMESH CHAND THOMAR: Indian must think first of India, the development
of India, the prosperity of India, we like that. The people are living
here and they are thinking about other countries.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: What other countries specifically?
RAMESH CHAND THOMAR: Neighboring countries, whatever they have in
their mind, I cannot say.
BJP strategy: anti-muslim rhetoric?
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: The BJP's critics say that's code language aimed
at India's Muslim minority. They are often accused of being loyal to
Pakistan, India's Islamic neighbor and adversary in three wars,
according to Syed Shahabuddin, a former member of parliament and
publisher of a journal called Muslim India.
SYED SHAHABUDDIN, Publisher, Muslim India: This is precisely their
method of trying to undo, or rather to do a minority out of its due
share. Point one, look, he's the enemy, he is the other, he is the
enemy, he is the adversary, he's with them; he's the fifth columnist.
He's at the beck and call of Pakistan. And Pakistan, of course, you
know, is always leaving difficult responsibilities against us. And
this is how you create a miasma of fear, and that is how you create
distrust. That is how you inject poison into the body politic of this
country, and that is how you create an atmosphere in which any amount
of violence can take place.
Religious tensions become political issues.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Critics blame the BJP for trying to reignite
religious tensions that date back centuries. In the early 1990's, the
party led a campaign to remove a 16th century mosque, called Babri
Masjid, and replace it with a Hindu temple. They claimed India's
Muslim conquerors built it in a sacred spot; the birthplace of the
Hindu God Rama. Murali Manohar Joshi, a BJP leader, explained the
campaign to foreign reporters.
MURALI MANOHAR JOSHI: If Hitler would have been victorious in the
second world war and there would have been a statue of Hitler in
Trafalgar Square, and in 1990 the Britishers would have been liberated
from Hitler's yoke, what would they have done to that statue of
Hitler?
The ruling party faces voter resentment.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: In 1992, rioters stormed the mosque called Babri
Masjid and razed it. The incident sparked violent clashes that claimed
dozens of Hindu and Muslim lives, and for a while, it seemed to
alienate many voters from the BJP, but political observers say it also
hurt the ruling Congress Party government, which was criticized for
not cracking down on the rioters. At the same time, the Congress
government, which had ruled India almost uninterrupted for four
decades, began to face increasing voter resentment for policies that
failed to deliver even basic amenities. It's frustration that's still
very much in evidence.
MAN: (speaking through interpreter) Take a look at the condition of
our village. Do you see any water taps? We have to go two kilometers
to get water, and we still get water from an open well.
TEACHER: (speaking through interpreter) The minister came here, he
promised to expand this school. We're still waiting. We only go to the
fifth grade. I'd love to see kids go to the eighth.
SECOND MAN: (speaking through interpreter) When it comes time for our
votes, they say they'll do this, they'll do that, in the end they
don't do anything.
THIRD MAN: (speaking through interpreter) The Congress Party has been
in power for a long time. They haven't done anything for the poor, the
lower castes.
The Congress Party faces allegations of corruption.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Perhaps the biggest reason for the Congress
Party's fall from grace were allegations of widespread corruption.
It's an issue the BJP has seized. A BJP promise to clean up politics
has struck a responsive chord, even among some Congress Party members,
like Colonel Ram Singh.
COLONEL RAM SINGH: I really got so disgusted. Every minister, barring
four or five of us, there is about 65, every minister was looting the
country literally with both hands, and it was shameful.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Singh, who ran for parliament this time as a BJP
candidate, believes his adopted party is divorcing itself from its
extremist past.
COLONEL RAM SINGH: I think that is gradually being removed. I mean, my
total outlook has always been, and will always be that every religion
should have equal place, equal rights, and they should be no
persecution of anybody on religious grounds.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Singh describes himself as a moderating force in
the BJP and the party has gone out of its way to tone down its
Hindutva rhetoric, according to H. K. Dua, editor of the Times of
India.
H. K. DUA, Editor, The Times of India: They are trying to project more
a centrist party, keen to do the business of the state, taking the
others along, than the kind of image they had tried to project
earlier. Possibly they are seeing it's politically necessary. They
won't be able to come to power if they are taking an extreme position.
So there is a definite attempt to demarcate themselves from the old--
the old Hindu image. But they're doing it softly, lest they may lose
their old constituency.
RAMESH THOMAR: India is a secular country, and it will remain always
secular.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Hard-line BJP candidates, like Ramesh Thomar,
insist they're committed to freedom for all religions, but at the same
time, Thomar says a temple must be built at the site of the demolished
Babri mosque.
RAMESH THOMAR: Construction of the temple is the permanent solution,
and most of the Muslim people also wants that the temple of Rama in
Ayodhya that should be constructed.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: So you would like to see a temple constructed
in--
RAMESH THOMAR: Must, must, must.
Which party will control the future of India?
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Election results show the BJP won the most seats
in parliament but not the majority needed to form a government. Its
position on the temple and other issues will be the subject of intense
and difficult negotiations as it seeks coalition partners. Kuldi
Nayyar is a columnist and former diplomat.
KULDIP NAYYAR, Columnist: The roots of tolerance, the roots of secular
polity, the roots of sense of accommodation are very deep, because
even last time, they tried their best to get others to join them.
Fourteen, fifteen parties came together to keep them away because
these people represent a philosophy or an ideology which is alien to
this country.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Opposing the BJP in the race to form a coalition
government is the once dominant Congress Party, whose campaign was led
by a woman with India's best-known political name, Sonia Gandhi. It
finished a distant second and will try to team with a group of smaller
parties called the United Front to stop the Hindu Nationalists.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/jan-june98/india_3-4.html
chhotemianinshallah
Between despair and hope
PRAFUL BIDWAI
The Rae Bareli court's discharge of L.K. Advani in the Ayodhya
demolition case is a mockery of justice, but the Supreme Court's
intervention in the Best Bakery matter revives hopes that the Indian
legal system might prevail in bringing the perpetrators of communal
hate crimes to book.
THE waywardness of India's police and justice delivery systems has few
parallels when it comes to punishing communal offences and hate
crimes. What began as a devious process of manipulation of the first
information reports in the Babri mosque demolition case, and the
totally illegitimate dropping of conspiracy charges against the
principal accused, turned into a grotesque parody of justice on
September 19 when the Special Court of Magistrate Vinay Kumar Singh in
Rae Bareli framed charges against seven persons, including Murli
Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati, Vinay Katiyar and other Vishwa Hindu
Parishad leaders, but discharged Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.
Advani is the man who spearheaded, planned and ideologically inspired
the raucous agitation that led to the razing of the mosque on December
6, 1992.
Precisely what charges are framed against the remaining seven will be
only known on October 10. The list of offences filed by the CBI under
the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is not long: Section 147 (rioting), 149
(committing a crime), 153A and 153B (spreading communal hatred) and
505 (creating ill will). But it is clear that the indictment will not
include the all-important charge of criminal conspiracy, nor offences
under Sections 295 and 295A of the IPC (defiling places of worship and
indulging in acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any
class).
Thus, the perpetrators of one of the worst hate crimes in India's
history - who pulled down a monument which had become a symbol of
pluralism - will not even stand trial for destroying a mosque and
exploiting communal hatred, which they so clearly did.
This is bad enough. What is downright outrageous is that Advani, who
was the most important leader of the anti-Babri movement which the BJP
took over in the late 1980s, and who conducted the infamous Somnath-to-
Ayodhya rath yatra and played a direct, preponderant role in the
events leading to December 6, has been let off the hook. The
ostensible reason made public for this is the curious argument that
the CBI cited two conflicting testimonies, one of which claimed that
Advani tried to calm down the restive crowd (while the other said he
did nothing to restrain leaders like Uma Bharati and Sadhvi
Ritambhara, with whom he shared the dais who made extremely
inflammatory speeches).
Basing himself on this claimed contradiction, the Magistrate gave
Advani the "benefit of the doubt". Strangely, he cited the Supreme
Court's ruling in the Praful Kumar Samal case, that if the scales of
evidence presented against the accused during a trial are "even" then
that is a fit ground for acquittal. This conforms to the canonical
rule that a person must be considered innocent until proved guilty.
Logically, this rationale can come into effect only at the conclusion
of a trial, not before it, at the stage of framing charges. It does
not stand to reason that a person against whom there is weighty prima
facie evidence should be simply let off. The Supreme Court had said:
"If an element of grave suspicion is there and the accused has
explained the doubts then he can be discharged." Advani manifestly did
not explain away any "doubts".
The Magistrate has erred in exonerating Advani. Independent
investigations have turned up overwhelming evidence of Advani's
pivotal role in the processes and events that led to the demolition,
including the happenings of December 6. The Citizens' Tribunal on
Ayodhya, comprising Justices O. Chinappa Reddy, D.A. Desai and D.S.
Tewatia documented Advani's role at length in its Report of the
Inquiry Commission (July 1993) and in the Judgement and
Recommendations (December 1993), both published by the Tribunal (K-14
Green Park Extension, New Delhi 110016).
These show that Advani was central to the build-up to the events of
December 1992 - from numerous kar sevas, the 1990 rath yatra, and
manipulation of the State government (then under the BJP's Kalyan
Singh), to misleading the courts, and organising crucial coordination
meetings of the Sangh combine. The intention to raze the mosque was
repeatedly and unambiguously stressed during these events. The very
purpose of the rath yatra was to kindle "Hindu pride" and "get even"
with history - of "conquest and humiliation" of the Hindus by
"foreigners". The main slogans of the yatra were provocative: "there
are only two places for Muslims - Pakistan or kabristan
(graveyard))".
The Inquiry Commission recorded detailed testimony of eyewitnesses to
show that plans for December 6 were launched by the BJP-VHP-Bajrang
Dal with a lalkar saptah starting November 29. By December 2, 90,000
kar sevaks had gathered at Ayodhya. By December 3, they numbered
150,000. On December 5, Advani addressed a public meeting in Lucknow
and was to go to Varanasi, reaching Ayodhya/Faizabad on December 5.
He, however, altered his plans so as to reach Faizabad to join an all-
important closed-door meeting at Vinay Katiyar's house, where the
ultimate, detailed, nuts-and-bolts plans for December 6 were
finalised.
Among those present were the RSS' H.V. Seshadri and K.S. Sudershan,
the VHP's Ashok Singhal, Vinay Katiyar and Acharya Dharmendra, the
Shiv Sena's Moreshwar Save, and the BJP's Pramod Mahajan. Meanwhile, a
rehearsal of the demolition operation took place the same day near the
Babri mosque.
According to the Commission, on December 6, Advani arrived at the site
at the same time as Joshi (10-30 a.m.). He, among others, addressed
the kar sevaks. His speech was intemperate. Meanwhile, some kar sevaks
had breached the security cordon and were in a highly excited state.
At 11-30 a.m., Uma Bharati made a highly inflammatory speech,
including slogans "tel lagao Dabar ka, naam mitao Babar ka", "Katue
kate jayenge, Ram-Ram chillayenge", and so on.
At 11-45, Advani reportedly announced, "We don't need bulldozers to
pull down the mosque; [we can do it manually by removing chunks of its
wall]". The assault on the mosque began. Advani then ensured that the
demolition would continue and be completed without the intervention of
Central paramilitary forces stationed nearby. At 3-15 p.m., he urged
kar sevaks "to block all entry points to Ayodhya to prevent Central
forces from entering, and warned the armed forces not to touch the kar
sevaks." The eight accused were present at the site for a full seven
hours and made no gesture to distance themselves from the destructive
and illegal actions of the day.
The December 6 events were videographed and photographed by numerous
journalists, by Indian and foreign TV channels and, above all, by the
Intelligence Bureau, which reportedly has nine hours of tapes.
(Curiously, the CBI did not present all of these to the special
court).
Yet, the Sangh Parivar has launched a disinformation campaign which
claims that Advani did his best to restrain the kar sevaks and shed
tears at the demolition! It is relevant to ask if these were tears of
sorrow or of joy: Advani has consistently described the anti-Babri
agitation as a "national" movement for Hindu self-assertion, which
finally removed what he called the "ocular" insult in the form of the
mosque.
The disinformation and evasion of responsibility speaks of monumental
cowardice on the part of Advani & Co. They revelled in the
destruction, and hugged one another in exultation and mutual
congratulation.
The BJP rode to political power at the Centre on the anti-Babri Masjid
movement. In all honesty, its leaders must face trial and declare
either that they stand by their role or that they regret and repent it
and apologise. They cannot both take credit for the act and attribute
its planning and execution to mysterious, unknown and unknowable
forces - as Sangh ideologue K.R. Malkani once did, by blaming the
CIA.
There was a clearly identifiable human agency behind December 6: the
BJP-VHP-RSS-Bajrang Dal-Shiv Sena's top leadership, including Advani
and Joshi. But cowardice is a Sangh characteristic. Following Gandhi's
assassination, the RSS was banned. Thousands of its members quickly
stopped participating in its activities and claimed they were never
its members.
The Rae Bareli order is odious. But Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Mulayam Singh Yadav has decided not to appeal against it - on the
grounds that "I am a firm believer in the judiciary and of the view
that the court verdict on Ayodhya should be acceptable to all ... I
welcome the court's decision and have nothing more to say ... " Amar
Singh has gone even further to say that the government cannot appeal
against it. This strengthens the suspicions of a secret collusive deal
between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. Mulayam Singh Yadav has
decided to accept the BJP's Kesarinath Tripathi as Speaker and not to
poach on the party's MLAs. This makes the whole matter all the more
sordid. It sets back hopes of a just trial and further shakes the
public's confidence in India's justice delivery system.
IN contrast to this comes the Supreme Court's intervention in the Best
Bakery case. Through two hearings on September 12 and 19, the court
effectively began piloting and guiding the Gujarat government in its
handling of the consequences of a "fast-track" special court's
judgment exonerating all the accused for the burning of 14 Muslims.
While questioning Gujarat's Chief Secretary and Director-General of
Police directly, Chief Justice V.N. Khare obtained an assurance that
Gujarat's Advocate-General would now take full charge of the matter.
He would redraft the appeal against the "fast-track" court verdict.
The Supreme Court tried to establish three things: the Best Bakery
investigation was faulty because 37 of the 43 witnesses turned
hostile; there was miscarriage of justice; and there is a case for re-
trial of the accused outside Gujarat. The Gujarat government did admit
that there was miscarriage of justice and there is a case for re-trial
(although that should not be outside Gujarat). It also claimed the
investigation was not faulty. However, the Supreme Court asked it to
file an affidavit on October 9 to say on what lines its appeal would
be drafted. This suggests close supervision or stewardship of the
process of litigation.
Welcome as this intervention is, the Court needs to go beyond the Best
Bakery case and look at the horrendous crimes committed during the
Gujarat pogrom in their totality. Crimes Against Humanity, the report
of the Concerned Citizens' Tribunal, comprising eminent jurists and
scholars, concluded, after examining 2,094 statements and 1,500
witnesses, that the pogrom that lasted several weeks amounted to
genocide in the strict sense of the term. The pattern of violence
shows: selective targeting of Muslims, inhuman forms of brutality,
military precision and planning, and use of Hindu religious symbols.
This was planned, sustained and prolonged through hate speech,
intimidation and terror by the RSS, the BJP and the VHP-Bajrang Dal,
with the complicity and participation of policemen and bureaucrats,
encouraged by Narendra Modi.
It is clear that Muslims were targeted not because they did this or
that act, but simply because they were Muslims. The killer mobs'
declared intention, as revealed by their own slogans, was to
liquidate, mentally harm, humiliate and subjugate Muslims and "destroy
them", "wipe them out from Gujarat", and cleanse the state of Islam.
The physical violence directed against Muslims, the calculated
destruction of the economic basis of their survival, and sexual
assaults against Muslim women as an instrument of terror, all point to
genocide.
Article II of the International Convention on Genocide, 1948 defines
genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to
destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or
religious group" like: "(a) killing [its] members; (b) causing [them]
serious bodily or mental harm; (c) deliberately inflicting on the
group conditions ... calculated to bring about its physical
destruction... ; (d) imposing measures intended to prevent births
within the group; (e) forcibly transferring [its] children ... to
another group."
The Gujarat pogrom unambiguously fits the definition. As a signatory
to the Convention, India is obliged to punish the perpetrators of
genocide through a competent court. This demands a special independent
National Tribunal for hate crimes and genocide. This alone can meet
the ends of justice.
For this to happen, we must see the numerous cases of violence not as
discrete acts, but in their totality as genocide. This sui generis
process of litigation will need special agencies for investigation and
prosecution as well as victim protection. It would be a historic
tragedy if the Indian state once again fails to bring the perpetrators
of hate crimes to book.
Volume 20 - Issue 20, September 27 - October 10, 2003
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
http://www.flonnet.com/fl2020/stories/20031010005312500.htm
India's National Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
Vol. 16 :: No. 04 :: Feb. 13 - 26, 1999
COVER STORY
A bitter aftermath
The pattern set in the aftermath of the Staines killing shows that
there are enough voices in positions of authority willing to justify
heinous crimes committed in the name of religion.
SUKUMAR MURALIDHARAN
SENSITIVITY to public opinion was at a premium in the aftermath of the
grisly murder of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his
two young boys by a lynch mob in Orissa on January 23. Union Home
Minister L.K. Advani put on record his strong condemnation of the
event, as did Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh, the latter
describing it as a "crime against humanity". But for each such
concession to the demands of rectitude, there was a gesture that
tended to work to the contrary purpose. One such act was Advani's
preemptive exculpation of the Bajrang Dal - his claim that he had
authoritative information that the organisation was not involved in
the crime. Another was BJP president Kushabhau Thakre's assertion that
Christian missionaries were inviting trouble through their activities.
He said: "I appeal to the missionaries that they are sitting on a
stack of hay. They better be careful."
Thakre's remarks conformed to a pattern of morally dubious conduct by
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate organisations
after the Staines murder. In what could only be construed as a gross
act of dishonouring the dead, Vishwa Hindu Parishad vice-president
Giriraj Kishore asserted that the work of Graham Staines amidst
leprosy sufferers was a facade, since there were no such people within
a wide radius of where he lived and worked. As an intervention in an
emotionally fraught situation, this was only slightly less coarse than
that of Hindu Jagran Manch's Orissa unit president Subhash Chouhan. He
said that Graham Staines was killed because he was engaged in
proselytisation. The pattern set in the aftermath of the killing was
very clear. Adherents to the RSS worldview who happen to be in the
Government felt obliged to issue deprecatory noises. But those outside
the Government felt few such restraints.
EASTERN PRESS AGENCY
Australian Christian missionary Graham Stewart Staines with wife
Glade and children Philip, Esther and Timothy, in a picture from the
family album.
A three-member team of Cabinet Ministers visited the site of the
murder as part of the Government's crisis management strategy. Prior
to his departure to the spot, Union Minister for Steel and Mines
Naveen Patnaik made it clear that he looked at the event through the
miasma of his antagonism to the Orissa unit of the Congress(I).
Defence Minister George Fernandes and Human Resource Development
Minister Murli Manohar Joshi chose a strategy of prudence in advance
of their visit - the former because he is a key member of the BJP-led
Government's crisis management effort and the latter because of his
well-advertised proximity to hardline elements in the RSS.
The ministerial trio spent one hour at the scene of the crime. On its
return to Delhi, the team issued a statement which ascribed
responsibility for the crime to an "international conspiracy" by
"forces which would like this Government to go". If this effectively
ruled out the culpability of the Sangh Parivar and its affiliates, the
team also urged that a judicial commission of inquiry be constituted
to look into the murder in order to uncover the conspiracy.
Shortly afterwards the Government announced, on the advice of the
Chief Justice of India, that a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court,
Justice D.P. Wadhwa, had been appointed as a one-man commission of
inquiry into the Staines killing. Union Minister for Information and
Broadcasting and Cabinet spokesman Pramod Mahajan said that the
inquiry report would be completed by April, so that it could be placed
in Parliament in its next session.
The Director-General for Investigations in the National Human Rights
Commission, D.R. Karthikeyan, visited the scene of the crime. His
report is expected to be submitted by the middle of February, though
with the appointment of the judicial commission it could become an
input for the broader inquiry. Certain suggestions that he made in the
context of the local police investigation, such as entrusting it to
the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the State police and
putting an officer of the rank of Superintendent in charge of it, have
been accepted.
A two-member team from the National Commission on Minorities
comprising James Massey and N. Neminath also went to the site. Its
report is also expected to be an important input into the inquiries of
the judicial commission.
AP
During their visit to Manoharpur village in Orissa a few days after
the murder of Graham Stewart Staines and his sons, members of the
Cabinet team, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Human Resource
Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Minister for Steel and
Mines Naveen Patnaik, make inquiries.
IN the midst of these exertions, the ambivalence of official
utterances continues to cause disquiet. It is well known that the
Bajrang Dal - as in the case of most organisations in the RSS
constellation - does not maintain membership rolls. Established in
1984, just when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was beginning to take
shape in the strategies of the RSS, the Bajrang Dal honed its
agitational and inflammatory skills in the lethal campaign to bring
down the mosque in Ayodhya. The slogans it crafted as part of this
campaign still ring with menace and were often chanted by the riotous
mobs which took a heavy toll of human life during the six years
leading up to the demolition.
Many modern legal systems have a category of offence known as "hate
speech". Slogans and declamations that tend to engender a sense of
antipathy towards any group of people are an offence in themselves.
And if they are issued in close temporal or spatial connection with
actual incidents of violence against these groups, a direct
association is drawn. The onus is then on those who raise the
inflammatory slogans to prove that there is no connection with the
actual act of violence.
By this reasonable benchmark, the BJP spokesmen who have, at every
juncture since the cycle of anti-Christian violence began, exerted
themselves in the cause of strife rather than harmony bear a share of
the blame for the Staines killing. And their conspicuous lack of
remorse after the event has certainly contributed to the sustenance of
an atmosphere of violence. This has been most recently exemplified in
the alleged gang-rape of a Catholic nun on February 3 in Mayurbhanj
district in Orissa. Heinous crimes have been justified by the supposed
sense of rage at the incursions of alien religions into what is deemed
to be Hindu territory. For the BJP leaders who today represent
governmental authority, this has concurrently become an alibi for a
complete abdication of responsibility.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1604/16040220.htm
Volume 24 - Issue 08 :: Apr. 21-May. 04, 2007
INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE
from the publishers of THE HINDU
COLUMN
Politics of intimidation
PRAFUL BIDWAI
The Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to browbeat the Election
Commission and its critics on the anti-Muslim CD issue.
SUBIR ROY
BJP State president Kesri Nath Tripathi with senior leader Lalji
Tandon in Lucknow on March 30.
NO Indian political formation can even remotely match the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) when it comes to violating norms of political
decency, defying the law, and pursuing an outrageously divisive and
sectarian agenda. The latest instance is its release on April 3 of a
viciously anti-Muslim compact disc (CD) entitled Bharat ki Pukar (the
call of India) as part of its campaign material for the Uttar Pradesh
Assembly elections.
The BJP has disowned the CD and feigned ignorance of how it got to be
commissioned, written, approved and released — without sincerely
apologising for it. Worse, it has tried to turn the tables on a
constitutional authority, the Election Commission, as well as its
political opponents. It has also used threats and intimidation to
resist reasonable pressure to play by the ground rules of electoral
politics.
Even more disgracefully for the Indian political system, the BJP has
for all practical purposes got away with its offensive conduct. As
this is being written, during the third round of polling in the seven-
phase U.P. elections, it seems highly unlikely that the BJP will be
made to pay politically for its defiance of the prohibition against
using hate speech to win votes, itself a crime against democracy.
The Election Commission issued the BJP a notice asking the party to
explain why it should not be punished under the Representation of the
People Act, 1951 and its Model Code of Conduct, which was in force
when the CD was released. But the BJP, true to type, launched a
counter-offensive and tried to divert attention from this central
issue by demanding that Naveen Chawla, one of the Election
Commissioners, recuse himself from hearing its case. It took this
secondary issue to the Supreme Court on April 13, which has deferred
its hearing to May 8.
Regrettably, the BJP has thus succeeded in getting any resolution of
the issues raised by the CD postponed until it ceases to matter for
the all-important election campaign in U.P.
Now, it can hardly be disputed that the CD is flagrantly anti-Muslim.
It perversely portrays all Muslims as anti-Hindu and anti-national.
They are depicted as duplicitous devils: they trick Hindus into
selling them cows by pretending they will look after them, only to
butcher them in a gory way. They oppress their own women and turn them
into mere reproductive machines - so as to change India's demographic
balance.
The CD shows Muslim men abducting innocent Hindu girls and eloping
with them - only to convert them forcibly. (The effect of this was
reinforced in real life by the systematic hounding of mixed couples
from Bhopal and elsewhere, and by orchestrated "protests" against
their marriage, including a typical Hindutva-style attack on a Star
News studio in Mumbai.)
The CD was clearly calculated to incite hatred against a religious
community, divide citizens, and provoke a militant reaction - probably
with a view to triggering a Hindu-communal backlash. There is nothing
vague or unambiguous of its purpose: it is to win votes in U.P., where
the BJP faces a double-or-nothing prospect.
It simply will not do for the BJP to pretend that the CD was
unauthorised and produced by a junior-level "worker" without prior
approval by the party's top leaders, including Lalji Tandon and State
unit president Kesri Nath Tripathi. According to Virendra Singh,
director of the Bulandshehr-based Fakira Films, which produced the CD,
the State BJP leadership was consulted "at every stage of the writing
of the CD" and whenever the script was "modified... and fine-tuned...
" This stands to reason. Withdrawing the CD cannot mitigate the
original offence because the disc is in circulation and has been
viewed by large numbers of people - in excerpts aired on television,
as well as original copies.
V.V. KRISHNAN
The controversial CD.
Prima facie, there is an irrefutable case against the BJP for
violating the election law in a depraved manner and for offending
Sections of the Indian Penal Code that pertain to spreading hatred
against a particular group or using appeals to religious identity and
which prohibit and punish the use of inflammatory communal material.
The Election Commission was not only right to issue a notice to the
BJP, it was duty-bound to act against it. Logically, such action can
take many forms: publicly reprimanding the BJP, imposing a hefty fine,
and derecognising it at least so far as the use of the lotus symbol is
concerned. The E.C. is not merely meant to disqualify a candidate in
retrospect for communal propaganda. Article 324 of the Constitution
gives it a broad mandate, which includes preventing, precluding and
punishing the use of such propaganda during elections.
The "retrospective" argument just does not stand up to scrutiny. The
E.C.'s core job is to do all it can to prohibit effectively the use of
unfair electoral practices. That is why it is empowered to requisition
police and paramilitary forces, transfer and appoint civil servants,
and set rules for the conduct of the electoral process in its minutest
details.
Implicit in, and central to, the E.C.'s function as a statutory
authority is preventive and pre-emptive action so as to guard the
sanctity of elections. To use an analogy, its principal task is not to
punish arsonists but to prevent fires, which vitiate the selection of
the people's representatives - a process vital and indispensable to
democracy. The E.C. would be perfectly within its powers to demand an
explicit, binding commitment from any political party that it will not
use communal means of canvassing electoral support, a breach of which
would automatically entail disqualification and derecognition.
The case for doing so is especially strong because only last December,
the BJP officially released a CD similar to the April avatar. This was
done during its National Council meeting in Lucknow, where the CD
featured as part of the press kit. The BJP fully owns and stands by
this CD. It cannot claim innocence about its cousin/derivative.
It has since produced equally obnoxious advertisements questioning the
patriotic intentions of Muslims through the caption: Kya inka irada
Pak hai? (Are their intentions pure). Several of its top leaders,
including its chief ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh, have publicly
defended their content as "truthful".
The plain truth is that the BJP has tried to browbeat its opponents -
by raising a diversionary issue and by resorting to the melodramatic
(but mercifully aborted) tactic of courting arrest and launching a
self-righteous protest agitation against the E.C.'s notice. (It is
another matter that it also put up a dummy candidate in Tandon's
constituency - his own son - in case the U.P. BJP's topmost leader
faces punitive action.)
This is not the first time that the BJP has resorted to bluff and
bluster, by threatening a "mass agitation", by pretending that any
E.C. action against it would amount to an "electoral emergency", and
by creating a climate of fear. This is a familiar tactic. It takes
recourse to majoritarianism and arouses concern that should a Hindutva
force be even brought to book, the consequences in the form of
disruption of order would be unacceptable.
The BJP did exactly this after the Babri Masjid was demolished in
December 1992, when it prevailed upon the Centre to allow the patently
illegal makeshift Ram-Lala temple built on its rubble to remain.
Indeed, even before that ghastly episode, our courts were reluctant to
take pre-emptive action except of a tokenist variety against it. So
was the government, which retreated each time the BJP adopted an
aggressive posture.
Here too, the fear of a "majoritarian backlash" trumped all
considerations of constitutional propriety, defence of secularism and
plain legality. Since December 1992, no government has dared to assert
the law of the land. Nor have the demolition's planners and
perpetrators been brought to book.
A similar fear gripped the Establishment after the Gujarat pogrom. The
Centre failed to dismiss the BJP-ruled State government although it
had caused, and continued to preside over, a total breakdown of all
constitutional order: even High Court judges and senior police
officers had to flee their homes in fear. The Opposition too failed to
mount enough pressure on the Centre to impose President's Rule, for
which there has never been, and could not have been, a fitter case.
Worse, elections were allowed to be held while a whole community had
been terrorised, democratic governance had collapsed, and free and
fair canvassing, polling and exercise of rational choices had become
impossible — given the continuing harassment and intimidation of
Muslims, inflamed Hindu-communal sentiments, the BJP-VHP's (Vishwa
Hindu Parishad) goonda raj, and the prevalence of a generalised
climate of fear.
All that the E.C.'s initial and salutary intervention in Gujarat
resulted in was postponement of the elections by a few months - when
the obvious remedy was President's Rule, followed by full return to
normalcy and systematic prosecution of the pogrom's perpetrators. The
Supreme Court's off-the-cuff pronouncements indicating its opposition
to deferring elections did not help.
S. SUBRAMANIUM
Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami flanked by Election
Commissioners S.Y. Quraishi and Naveen Chawla, in New Delhi.
The Establishment, in effect, has repeatedly permitted the BJP to hold
and exercise a veto over vital political processes, exercise of police
and prosecution powers, and the running of the administration in
crisis situations such that it would be suborned by the forces of
Hindu communalism.
This does not argue that the Indian government/Establishment has
turned actively communal over the years, only that it has made
deplorable compromises with Hindu communalists or passively accepted
that they deserve to be treated differently from other communalists,
as well as secularists. It is both noteworthy and shameful that the
worst abuses of freedom and the most ferocious attacks on democracy,
secularism and the rule of law in India's recent history have occurred
in situations where Hindu communalism was ascendant or rampant.
Similarly, the Establishment has allowed the BJP and its associates
virtual veto power on a number of policies, especially those
pertaining to religion and politics, to Kashmir, to relations with
Pakistan and other neighbours, and to defence and national security.
BJP leaders have arrogantly begun to assert such "primacy". Three
years ago, L.K. Advani claimed: "The BJP alone can find solutions to
our problems with Pakistan because Hindus will never think whatever we
have done is a sell-out."
The underlying assumption seems to be that by virtue of being
majoritarian or Hindu-communal, the BJP or the Sangh Parivar is a more
authentic representative of Indian opinion than other political
currents or parties. Nothing could be more false. Looked at
historically, the BJP has been a minority current in Indian politics
until the 1990s. Even at its peak, it has never commanded more than a
quarter of the national vote.
Even more important, the assumption is dangerously misguided and
unbecoming of a society and state that aspires to be secular by
drawing a line of basic demarcation between religion and politics. It
simply cannot accord primacy to a particular religious group by virtue
of its large numbers.
This situation must be remedied. That can only happen when progressive
political opinion and civil society pressure is mounted on the
Establishment so that it stands up to the bullying tactics of the
majoritarian communalists. One must hope that the E.C. will set a
positive example in the CD case.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl2408/stories/20070504002810800.htm
Volume 17 - Issue 13, June 24 - July 07, 2000
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
COMMUNALISM
An assault on Christians
Emboldened by the weak response of governments to attacks against
Christian places of worship, the affiliates of the Sangh Parivar
unleash a new wave of terror against the community.
PARVATHI MENON
in Bangalore
EVER since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance
government assumed power at the Centre, there has been a low-intensity
war against Christians in India, especially nuns and priests, by
groups and organisations loyal to the Sangh Par ivar. A wave of
attacks against Christian evangelists and places of worship through
1998 culminated in the murder of the Australian missionary Graham
Staines and his two sons on January 23, 1999. Dara Singh, a Hindutva
fanatic with links to the Sangh Par ivar, has been arrested in that
connection. A second wave of terror against Christian missionaries,
that extends now to the States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and
Andhra Pradesh, has culminated this June in a series of bomb blasts in
churches in Ka rnataka, Goa and Andhra Pradesh.
SHERWIN CRASTO/AP
During a peace march in Mumbai on June 17, Christian priests carry a
portrait of Brother George Kuzhikandam, who was bludgeoned to death in
Mathura.
The bombs that went off in churches in the towns of Vasco in Goa, Wadi
in Karnataka, and Ongole and Tadepalligudem in Andhra Pradesh, point
to a qualitatively new phase in the campaign of organised violence
against Christians in the country. Although the identity of the forces
behind the blasts is yet to be established, the nature of the attacks,
their target and timing, point the finger of suspicion at the Sangh
Parivar. In fact, the month of May alone saw two bomb attacks in
Andhra Pradesh; the first in Machlipatnam where 30 persons were
injured in a bomb blast at a prayer meeting on May 21, and another in
Vikarabad where an explosive device planted in a church was
fortunately defused in time. The simultaneous bomb blasts in the four
towns suggest th at the perpetrators have been emboldened by what has
been seen as a weak and non-serious state response to the terror
campaign so far.
At 6 a.m. on June 8, a bomb exploded on the precincts of the St. Ann
Catholic Church in the industrial town of Wadi in Gulbarga, shattering
glass panes. A second blast occurred at 9 a.m. after the police had
reached the spot, surveyed the area and recove red residual material
of the earlier blast. When a car parked in the church precincts was
moved, a tin box was found protruding from the ground. But it exploded
before the bomb disposal squad could defuse it. One person was injured
in the blast. Wadi has a Christian population of about 80 families.
Around the same time a blast at the St. Andrews Church in Vasco in
south Goa shattered windowpanes and twisted grills out of shape. At
8-15 a.m. that day, the Gewett Memorial Baptist Church in Ongole was
the scene of a bomb blast which because it took pl ace after the
morning service, only injured three persons. A bomb went off at the
Mother Vannini Catholic Church at Tadepalligudem in West Godavari
district, around the same time.
The police have already established certain significant facts with
regard to the blasts. "We are now certain that the same group of
conspirators were behind all the three blasts," C. Dinakaran, Director-
General of Police, Karnataka, told Frontline . In all the cases, he
said, the timing device and the detonators used were of the same type.
While in Andhra Pradesh the explosive had a plastic casing, in Goa and
Karnataka the explosives were encased in tin. The bombs were placed,
in all the cases, ne ar the gates or windows of the church. Gelatine,
an explosive commonly used for blasting in the stone quarries and
cement factories of Gulbarga in Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh was the
raw material used. "The other significant fact is that all the towns
have railway stations and we suspect that this may have determined the
choice of place. The conspirators possibly took trains from one place
to another," said Dinakaran.
K. RAMESH BABU
Inside the Mother Vannini Catholic Church at Tadepalligudem in West
Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh which was damaged in a bomb blast
on June 8.
THE serial blast mark a new phase in the continuing two-year-long
violence against the Christian community in the country. The fact of a
conspiracy is now clearly established. This points not only to careful
and coordinated planning, but also to new leve ls and strategies of
planned violence suggestive of a deadly seriousness of purpose. No
longer need mobs be mobilised in the destruction of places of
Christian worship as in the past. The terrorism of the bomb gives the
criminal a degree of invisibility, and widens the range of attack. The
serial bombs were in the nature of a message of intimidation, not just
to those who work for Christian organisations but to Church
congregations, from prayer meetings to Sunday school gatherings. With
the perpetrators of the crime distanced from the scene of the crime,
it is much easier for a compliant state machinery to give them
protection. The fear of indiscriminate strikes anywhere and at any
time has already created a sense of panic amongst Christians. After
all , ifa bomb can be planted in a town as innocuous as Wadi, it could
happen anywhere in the country.
"I read in all this a pattern of violence. These were similar
explosive devices that were used, " Fr. Dr.H.R. Donald De Souza,
deputy secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India
told Frontline. "We suspect an organised movement b y fundamentalist
groups who have been emboldened by the inaction of the government," he
added.
The serial blasts give the lie to the theory of 'secular violence'
that the BJP and the government it heads have put out regarding the
recent attacks on minorities in different parts of the country.
Despite evidence to the contrary, the government held t hat the
innumerable acts of violence against members of the Christian
community, in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and elsewhere, was not communally
motivated but were incidents of "dacoity and loot" by "criminal
gangs".
According to the United Christian Forum for Human Rights (UCFHR),
there have been 35 recorded anti-Christian crimes between January and
June this year. The most recent of these was the murder of Brother
George Kuzhikandam, who was bludgeoned to death in the Paulus Memorial
School in Navada, Mathura, in U.P. on June 7. Within days of this
incident, a group of nuns were attacked in Mathura by a couple of
scooter-borne assailants. In the case of George Kuzhikandam, U.P.
Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta ins isted that money was the motive
behind the murder. "The BJP and the State government reach conclusions
even before the police start investigation," John Dayal, national
convener of the UCFHR said. "Why would a gang of thugs choose to kill
a poor priest i n his school during the holidays ? Or attack nuns who
run a convent school that charges the lowest fees in the area?" Dayal
said that the U.P. Police had promised to post police units at
Christian institutions but these were soon withdrawn. "A police out
post was stationed at the nuns' ashram in Agra. They proved more of a
nuisance as they insisted on being fed and looked after, and were in
any case taken off duty a few days later!" The U.P. government's stand
on the attacks received support from an unexpected quarter. The
National Minorities Commission (NMC) sent an investigative team to the
Agra-Mathura region and its report upheld the official view that the
cases of physical viol ence and murder were committed by anti-social
elements. "The NMC report was prepared by nominees of the present
government. So it is not surprising that they arrived at the
conclusion they did,"said Fr. Donald De Souza. "A group of Christian
parliamentar ians led by P.C. Thomas conducted another enquiry and on
the basis of the same evidence wholly disagreed with the NMC report,"
he added.
THE BJP responded to the serial blasts even before the government did.
While the Home Ministry "waited for reports from the States," the BJP
announced that the blasts were the handiwork of Pakistan's Inter-
Services Intelligence (ISI), which, it said, is bent on fomenting
hatred between Hindus and Christians in the country. Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee had no information to give as to what action the
State governments had taken when a delegation from the UCFHR called on
him three days after the bl ast. By then police investigations could
not establish any ISI involvement.
K. RAMESH BABU
The facade of the church.
Preliminary investigations into the blasts appear to discount the
theory of ISI involvement. "We cannot rule out anything," said DGP
Dinakaran. "But if an organisation as well-funded as the ISI is
involved, we expect they would use more sophisticated bom bs. Why must
they depend on gelatine and not the more expensive and deadly RDX
(research department explosive)?"
Christian leaders attach importance to the proliferation of hate-
literature that has provided the fuel for the attacks, and which also
provides evidence, for a law enforcing agency that wishes to use such
evidence, of who is behind the violence. Hate-lit erature is freely
printed and distributed in States where the Sangh Parivar is active,
and in States where the BJP is in government or is an ally of the
government, as in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Most hate-pamphlets do
not carry the name of an organis ation that has an address. For
example, there are pamphlets signed by the 'Hindu Jagaran Manch,
Kashi', or by 'Supporters of Dara Singh, the God Who Descended from
Heaven'. While some of the books are directly incendiary, others come
in the garb of work s of historical 'research', and yet others are
books/pamphlets on how to harass Christian missionaries in order to
prevent them from proselytising. For example, a booklet published in
Gujarat suggests that one way to prevent missionaries from working is
to foist false cases on them so that they are always tied up in the
courts.
These are faceless, addressless, front organisations of the Sangh
Parivar. If the law enforcing mechanism is slow in apprehending the
culprits in an attack of communally motivated violence, it is even
slower in tracing and taking action against the print ers and peddlers
of hate-literature. The environment in all the three States where the
serial blasts occurred has been vitiated by the activities of the
Sangh Parivar. "We are alarmed at the statements of important people
in the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamseva k Sangh) and the BJP, such as B.K.
Modi and Ashok Singhal, who have been talking of the need to build a
pan Buddhist-Hindu alliance against Christianity and Islam in South
Asia," said Dayal. "The RSS chief speaks of an "Epochal War". What
does all this m ean?" he asked. The NDA government has already swept
the uncomfortable issue of the serial blasts, which they were briefly
confronted with, under the carpet. A passing worry presented itself
when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu was reported to
have tol d a delegation of Christian leaders that he would even
consider withdrawing support to the BJP-led government if the rights
of the minorities were not protected. But that concern too was
dispelled when the Telugu Desam Party leader denied that he had sai d
anything of the sort.
To the Christians in the country, the targets of a sustained two-year-
long cycle of violence, there is little room for comfort. And for
assurances there are few positive measures that have been taken for
their protection.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1713/17130210.htm
India's National Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
Vol. 15 :: No. 26 :: Dec. 19, 1998 - Jan. 01, 1999
COLUMN
RSS and Christians
The Sangh Parivar's violent hatred against Christianity is deep-rooted
and decades old, as is the case with its animosity against several
other communities.
A. G. NOORANI
ON December 4, 1998, nearly 23 million Christians across the country
observed a protest day demanding that the governments at the Centre
and in the States check the growing violence against members of the
community. A letter of protest, drawn up by the United Christians'
Forum for Human Rights (UCFHR), said: "Since January 1998 there has
been more violence against the Christian community than in all the 50
years of the country's Independence. Nuns have been raped, priests
executed, Bibles burnt, churches demolished, educational institutions
destroyed and religious people harassed." This is persecution in the
strict dictionary meaning of the word "pursue with enmity and ill-
treatment". Mabel Rebello of the Congress(I) told the Rajya Sabha that
day that "50 per cent of these (incidents) have occurred in Gujarat
where the BJP is in power".
On October 8, Gujarat's Director-General of Police, C.P. Singh,
confirmed in an interview to Teesta Setalvad, co-editor of Communalism
Combat (October 1998): "One thing was clear in the pattern of
incidents. It was the activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and
Bajrang Dal who were taking the law into their own hands, which posed
a serious danger to peace in Gujarat. Many of the attacks on the
minorities were after these organisations had whipped up local
passions of conversions (by Christian missionaries) and allegedly
forced inter-religious marriages... our investigations revealed that
in most cases these were entirely baseless allegations."
Two disturbing features of the campaign stand out in bold relief. One
is that the attacks mounted steeply after the Bharatiya Janata Party-
led Government assumed office in March 1998. The Archbishop of Delhi,
Alan de Lastic, said: "What I have noticed is that ever since this
Government came to power at the Centre, the attacks on Christians and
Christian missionaries have increased" (Sunday, November 22). The
other is the Government's wilful refusal to condemn them. Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's remarks on December 5 were virtually
forced out of him. Union Home Minister L.K. Advani has been false to
his oath of office ("do right to all manner of people in accordance
with the Constitution and the law without fear or favour, affection or
ill-will"). He said in Baroda on August 2 (The Hindu, August 3):
"There is no law and order problem in Gujarat." Three days later the
DGP said, according to The Hindustan Times (August 6), that "the VHP
and the Bajrang Dal were taking the law into their own hands." He also
said that incidents of communal violence had increased manifold over
the last few months; recently the crime rate in the State had
increased by as much as 9.6 per cent. On an average, 39 crimes of
serious nature like murder, rape and dacoity were reported in the
State every day." A member of the investigation team sent by the
Minorities Commission revealed: "After initial reluctance, the
officials named VHP and Bajrang Dal allegedly involved in the mob
attacks on Christians and Muslims" (The Indian Express, August 12).
Advani's certificate of good conduct speaks for itself.
Christians did not rush to register their protest, as they did on
December 4, but for long kept pleading for succour. On October 1, the
national secretary of the All India Catholic Union (AICU), John Dayal,
pointedly remarked: "The AICU is surprised that Union Government and
members of the ruling coalition, including the BJP, have not come out
categorically in denouncing the violence against Christians."
The Bajrang Dal has threatened Christian-run educational institutions
in Karnataka with dire consequences if they did not "Hinduise" them.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Rajendra Singh declared at an RSS
camp in Meerut on November 22: "Muslims and Christians will have to
accept Hindu culture as their own if Hindus are to treat them as
Indians" (an Agence France Presse: report in The Asian Age; November
23). The UCFHR bitterly complained in an open letter published on
November 19: "The state has failed to do its duty in protecting the
life, dignity and property of the victims. At many places, it seems as
if the Centre and the State governments have tacitly supported the
communal groups. How is it otherwise that the State governments have
not taken any action against the virulent and anti-national statements
of the VHP, RSS, Jagran Manch and Bajrang Dal?" (emphasis added,
throughout).
While the Sangh Parivar's animosity towards Muslims is well-known, its
attitude towards Christians has taken many people by surprise. But,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary Giriraj Kishore said in
Chandigarh on November 25: "Today the Christians constitute a greater
threat than the collective threat from separatist Muslim elements."
Describing G. S. Tohra, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak
Committee, as a "separatist", he said, "all minorities including
Muslims and Christians must accept that their ancestors were Hindus."
Ergo, they must all return to the Hindu fold.
Violence in speech inevitably inspires violent acts. As the Jaganmohan
Reddy Commission that went into the Ahmedabad riots (1969) noted, once
communal tension is created in a city, all that is needed is "only a
match to set on fire and a fan to fan the city ablaze." Riots erupt
over trifling incidents only because the atmosphere has been fouled
up. Hence, the need for "a proper appreciation of the communal
atmosphere in a State, in a town or in any particular area," the
Commission stressed. Those who spread hate are the real perpetrators
of violence. The ones who wield the weapon are their mindless agents.
We have tended to ignore a fact that brooks no neglect - the real
cause of the communal riots is the rise of the Sangh Parivar. There
was communal peace even in the early years after Partition. A Home
Ministry review presented to the National Integration Council in 1968
noted: "From 1954 to 1960, there was a clear and consistent downward
trend, 1960 being a remarkably good year with only 26 communal
incidents in the whole country. This trend was sharply reversed in
1961. "That was when riots erupted in Jabalpur - thanks to the Jan
Sangh, the BJP's ancestor. Communal violence has not "looked back"
since.
Justice P. Venugopal, a former Judge of the Madras High Court, who
inquired into Hindu-Christian clashes in Kanyakumari district in March
1982, noted: "The RSS adopts a militant and aggressive attitude and
sets itself as the champion of what it considers to be the rights of
Hindus against minorities. It has taken upon itself the task to teach
the minority their place and if they are not willing to learn their
place, teach them a lesson. The RSS has given respectability to
communalism and communal riots and demoralise administration (sic).
The RSS methodology for provoking communal violence is: (a) rousing
communal feelings in the majority community by the propaganda that
Christians are not loyal citizens of this country..." Report after
report has indicted the RSS specifically or its affiliates (Ahmedabad
1969; Bhiwandi 1970; Tellicherry 1971; Jamshedpur 1981; and Mumbai
1993).
VIOLENCE is an integral part of the RSS credo. "It should be used as a
surgeon's knife... to cure the society... Sometimes to protect non-
violence itself violence becomes necessary," RSS leader M.S. Golwalkar
said in 1952. (Spotlights: Guruji Answers, pages 110 and 188). In his
fine work India as a Secular State, Donald Eugene Smith recalled the
desecration of a church in Bihar in 1955 and the almost total
destruction in 1957 of the Gass Memorial Centre at Raipur.
V.D. Savarkar wrote repeatedly in his book Hindutva (1923): "Hindutva
is different from Hinduism." For once, he was right. Hinduism is a
great religion, it is ancient. Hindutva is an ideology of hate. It is
recent. He grouped Muslims and Christians together as ones who do not
share "the tie of the common homage we pay to our great civilisation -
our Hindu culture." He added: "Christian and Mohammedan communities
who were but very recently Hindus... cannot be recognised as Hindus as
since their adoption of the new cult they had ceased to own Hindu
civilisation (Sanskriti) as a whole... For though Hindusthan to them
is Fatherland, as to any other Hindu, yet it is not to them a Holyland
too. Their holyland is far off in Arabia or Palestine."
They are not the only offenders: "Look at the Jews; neither centuries
of prosperity nor sense of gratitude for the shelter they found can
make them more attached or even equally attached to the several
countries they inhabit."
Golwalkar revealed on May 15, 1963 that his first book We or Our
Nationhood Defined was based on Savarkar's brother Babarao's book in
Marathi on the same theme, Rashtra Mimamsa. Golwalkar's second book,
Bunch of Thoughts, praised the book Hindutva and amplified its
ideology. The BJP has used it as a political weapon with dangerous
consequences. Chapter XII of Bunch of Thoughts is devoted to three
"Internal Threats" - Muslims, Christians and the Communists. Of the
first two he wrote: "Together with the change in their faith, gone are
the spirit of love and devotion for the nation. Nor does it end there.
They have also developed a feeling of identification with the enemies
of this land. They look to some foreign lands as their holy places."
They are asked to return to the Hindu fold.
Not that that will be of much help. "For a Hindu, he gets the first
sanskar when he is still in his mother's womb... We are, therefore,
born as Hindus. About the others, they are born to this world as
simple unnamed human beings and later on, either circumcised or
baptised, they become Muslims or Christians." The hatred is
unconcealed. They have no right to proselytise. Hindus alone have it,
for, "returning to one's ancestral faith is not conversion at all, it
is merely home-coming."
Bunch of Thoughts first appeared in 1966 but the good work has been
stepped up since. To the three "internal threats", a fourth is added -
"Nehruism" - and among the perils we face is "Macaulayism". In Delhi
functions an outfit, Voice of India, which proclaims: "We are not
general booksellers and handle only books listed in this catalogue.
Please do not ask for other books." It is an outfit with a mission.
For the catalogue has an "appeal" which reads thus: "Hindu society and
culture are faced with a crisis. There is a united front of entrenched
alien forces - Islam, Christianity, Communism, Nehruism - to disrupt
and discredit the perennial values of the Indian ethos. All who care
for India need to know what is happening, and what is to be done if a
major tragedy is to be averted. Voice of India aims at providing an
ideological defence of Hindu society and culture, through a series of
publications."
SOME people were surprised by Advani's assertion at a seminar on
November 6 at Sarnath that "the Buddha did not announce any new
religion. He was only restating with a new emphasis the ancient ideals
of the Indo-Aryan civilisation." The Buddha, he added, derived his
teaching from the Bhagvad Gita and was an avatar of Vishnu. Rebuttals
from Buddhists were swift and sharp (see "Hindutva's fallacies and
fantasies", Frontline, December 4, 1998).
However, no one familiar with the stuff churned out by this factory,
for over four decades, would have been surprised. Its literature is
intolerant of any cultural and religious diversity. It fosters a siege
mentality among Hindus and speaks disparagingly of all others - not
excluding Sikhs and Jews. That is not all. A Hindu who does not share
its bigotry is attacked as being "anti-Hindu". Its literature
represents the spirit, outlook and ethos of the Sangh Parivar. The
writings cited below reveal a revolting virulence. Its moving spirit
is one Sita Ram Goel.
The Parivar's organ Organiser only recently (October 18, 1998)
published a paper he had written in 1983. He wrote: "The English-
educated Hindu elite which controls the commanding heights in
government, educational institutions and mass media has failed the
test either because it has become indifferent to Hindu society, as a
result of having imbibed the current cosmopolitan culture, or because
it has been trained to look at Hindu society through eyes which are
not of its own ancestral culture and, as a result, has become
sceptical about, if not actually hostile to, the merits of Hindu
society. This desperate situation has been made more difficult by a
degenerate politics through which vote-hungry, sloganised, short-
sighted and nominally Hindu politicians weaken Hindu society by
dividing it on the basis of caste, sect, language and region, disarm
Hindu society by sanctimonious and one-sided appeals in the name of
traditional Hindu tolerance, strengthen alienated and aggressive
communities by supporting their separatist demands in the name of
secularism." His intolerance brings all within the sway of his
indictment, bar the Parivar itself.
TO return to Advani's notions on Buddhism, a pamphlet entitled
"Buddhism vis-a-vis Hinduism" published 40 years ago by Ram Swarup for
the outfit asserts: "Buddha, his spiritual experiences and teachings,
formed part of a Hindu tradition... A good Buddhist has perforce to be
a good Hindu too." He went on to attack "foreign" religions. "The
indigenous religions of the countries of the two Americas have been
completely overwhelmed. In the African sub-continent (sic) the local
religions are under a systematic attack from Islamic and Christian
ideologies." The Parivar takes a dim view of the United States.
Golwalkar was asked in July 1967: "What is your opinion about present-
day America?" There was lot to comment about - racial conflict,
Vietnam policy, and so on. All he could say was: "Do you not yourself
see that the American youth is fast dissipating himself in all kinds
of sensual indulgence?" Simplistic, sweeping, defamatory judgment
comes easily to the tribe.
Ram Swarup's tract Hinduism vis-a-vis Christianity and Islam continued
his refrain about "native" faiths. "What is happening in India is also
happening elsewhere. In America even the vestiges of once (sic), a
rich spiritual culture of the Indians, is no more." He developed the
theme in its sequel Hindu View of Christianity and Islam (1992). "The
two ideologies have been active and systematic persecutors of pagan
nations, cultures and religions... We have spoken here with sympathy
and respect not only of pagan Americas and Africa but also of the
pagan past of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iran, Syria and Arabia." V.S.
Naipaul is in good company with the Sangh Parivar. Unlike him, it
indicts Christianity as well as Islam on this score.
"Hinduism can help all peoples seeking religious self-renewal, for it
preserves in some way their old Gods and religions, it preserves in
its various layers religious traditions and intuitions they have lost.
Many countries now under Christianity and Islam had once great
religions; they also had great Gods who adequately fulfilled their
spiritual and ethical needs... during the long period of neglect, they
lost the knowledge which could revive those Gods, Hinduism can help
them with this knowledge. In its simplest aspect, Europeans can best
study their old pre-Christian religion by studying Hinduism."
Ram Swarup goes on to quote approvingly: "Gore Vidal says that from a
'barbaric Bronze Age text known as Old Testament, three anti-human
religions have evolved - Judaism, Christianity and Islam'; he also
calls them 'sky-god religions'."
Ram Swarup damns all three religions as "great persecutors". The Hindu
response of old was wrong. He writes:
"First, they tried to 'reform' themselves and be like their rulers...
One God, a revealed Book and prophets.... The Brahmo Samaj, the Arya
Samaj, and the Akalis also claimed monotheism and iconoclasm ... in
the case of the Akalis, the new look has also become the basis of a
new separatist-militant politics....
"The second way the Hindus adopted was that of 'synthesis'. The
synthesizers claimed that all religions preach the same thing. They
found in the Bible and the Quran all the truths of the Upanishads and
vice versa. They culled passages from various scriptures to prove
their point... It is by such methods that they proved that the Bible
and the Quran were no different from the Upanishads...."
The wrath wells up as he proceeds and delivers a message which
explains why the country has had to undergo what it has all these
years, especially since 1990: "India became politically free in 1947,
but it is ruled by anti-Hindu Hindus. The old mental slavery continues
and it has yet to win its cultural and intellectual independence.
India is entering into the second phase of its freedom struggle; the
struggle for regaining its Hindu identity. The new struggle is as
difficult as the old one. Hindus are disorganised, self-alienated,
morally and ideologically disarmed. They lack leadership; the Hindu
elites have become illiterate about their spiritual heritage and
history and indifferent and even hostile towards their religion...
India's higher education, its academia and media are in the hands of a
Hindu-hating elite."
Note what Ram Swarup has to say of the caste system:
"Once when Hinduism was strong, castes represented a natural and
healthy diversity, but now in its present state of weakness these are
used for its dismemberment. Old vested interests joined by new ones
have come together to make use of the caste factor in a big way in
order to keep Hindus down.
"Hindus have been kept down too long. Everyone including the victims
think that it is the natural order of things. Therefore, now when the
Hindu society is showing some signs of stir, there is a great
consternation. Already a cry has gone out of Hindu fundamentalism, we
must expect more of it in future." The readers have been warned. But
India will not be the only country to be saved. "America is awaiting
to be rediscovered in a characteristically Hindu way, not the
Christian way".
THIS represents a worse-than-narrow world-view. It is redolent of the
bigotry of medieval times. This book was published in 1992. His
earlier pamphlet, "Cultural Self-Alienation and Some Problems Hinduism
Faces", also characterised "castes and denominations" as expressing a
"natural and healthy diversity". The ignorance is astounding. "To
Marx, the British conquest of India was a blessing." Hinduism faces
attacks "both from inside and outside. While the forces of self-
alienation are increasing within society, external enemies have
intensified their attack.... Communism, Islam, Christianity have
powerful international links... their World-Centres. Commu-nists have
their Comintern working overtly or covertly." By 1987, Ram Swarup
ought to have known that the Comintern was dissolved on May 22, 1943
and that the "Islamic International, a kind of Muslim Vatican, Rabitah
al'-alam al-Iscaniya" (Muslim World League) is a Saudi-sponsored non-
governmental organisation (1962) which counts for little in India.
Hindus, by comparison, are at a disadvantage, he moans. "They do not
even have a government of their own." Socially, they are falling prey
to "vulgarity"; that is, "gambling, drinking, vulgar film music...
Cinemas (sic) are becoming great moral and social pollutants."
ANU PUSHKARNA
The Christian missionary centre at Nawapara in Jhabua district,
Madhya Pradesh, where four nuns were gangraped on September 23.
So, combat these and go over to the offensive and "look at Islam,
Christianity and Communism... from the Hindu angle." Sikhs are not
spared. Ram Swarup adopts a dual approach in Hindu-Sikh Relationship
(1985). He woos them as "the members of Hindu society" and denounces
them for thinking that "they were different". Base motives are freely
attributed: "Thanks to the Green Revolution and various other factors,
the Sikhs have become relatively more rich and prosperous. No wonder,
they have begun to find that the Hindu bond is not good enough for
them and they seek a new identity readily available to them in their
names and outer symbols. This is an understandable human frailty."
He defends the storming of the Golden Temple. It "became an arsenal, a
fort, a sanctuary for criminals. This grave situation called for
necessary action which caused some unavoidable damage to the
building." There followed "protest meetings, resolutions", which he
deprecates. "The whole thing created wide-spread resentment all over
India which burst into a most unwholesome violence when Mrs. Indira
Gandhi was assassinated. The befoggers have again got busy and they
explain the whole tragedy in terms of collusion between the
politicians and the police. But this conspiracy theory cannot explain
the range and the virulence of the tragedy. A growing resentment at
the arrogant Akali politics is the main cause of this fearful
happening."
This is of a piece with the Organiser's defence of Mahatma Gandhi's
assassination in its editorial (January 11, 1970) - "turned the
people's wrath on himself." Its editor then, K.R. Malkani, is now vice-
president of the BJP.
SITA RAM GOEL does not lag behind. His pamphlet "Hindu Society under
Siege" (1981) paints a frightening future: "The death of Hindu society
is no longer an eventuality which cannot be envisaged. This great
society is now besieged by the same dark and deadly forces which have
overwhelmed and obliterated many ancient societies. Suffering from a
loss of its elan, it has become a house divided within itself... Hindu
society is in mortal danger as never before."
One is reminded of the loonies of California, the minutemen who lived
in dread of a Soviet conquest of the U.S. The familiar ghosts of old
are revived - "Islamism", "Christianism" and a new one to keep them
company, "Macaulay-ism" (the educated Hindu who rejects the Parivar's
voodoo credo and the mumbo-jumbo of its shrill rhetoric).
"Ideologically, Communism in India is, in several respects, a sort of
extension of Macaulayism, a residue of British rule. That is why
Communism is strongest today in those areas where Macaulayism had
spread its widest spell." In no other parts of the country, though,
are Indian languages and culture more highly respected than in West
Bengal and Kerala. "Macaulayism is wedded to Secularism and Democracy.
It has to find out for itself as to who are the enemies of Secularism
and Democracy and who their best friends. This can be done only by
looking beyond the United Front of Islamism, Communism and
Christianism."
In the U.S., the minutemen belonged to the lunatic fringe. In India,
the Parivar's ideology is espoused by the party in power, even if it
be through dubious alliances. Scruples are not the Parivar's
strongpoint. On April 4, 1980, L.K. Advani and A.B. Vajpayee endorsed
a formulation in the National Executive of the Janata Party which
pledged its members to accept "unconditionally and strive to preserve
the composite culture and secular state established in our country."
After splitting the Janata Party both rejected the concept of India's
"composite culture." On April 8, 1998, at the BJP's Agra session, its
then president, Advani, denounced the concept of composite culture -
just as the Jan Sangh had done in December 1969.
HARSH NARAIN was a Visiting Professor at Aligarh Muslim University and
Reader at the North-Eastern Hill University. His Myths of Composite
Cultural and Equality of Religions (1990) reveals the unspoken
thoughts of the Parivar; the sub-text beneath the avowed text.
"Mere permanent settlement in a country does not entitle a plunderer
to be looked upon as indigenous. It must first be seen whose interests
he is out to serve. What is his attitude towards Indians? Take an
example. European settlers entered America and ruined the original
inhabitants, whom they named 'Red Indians'. To expect the remaining
Red Indians to regard their European-born rulers as equally indigenous
would be a cruel joke beyond their understanding.
"Islam was out to deal a death blow to the equilibrium, exuberance,
and cosmopolitan character of Indian humanity, later designated as
Hindu culture in juxtaposition to Indian culture."
To him, the Taj and the Qutub Minar are specimens exclusively of
Muslim, not Indian, sculpture. For, he holds: "The Muslims have been
religiously indifferent to, if not contemptuous of, Indian sculpture.
Thanks to the taste of the Sufis, the Muslims took some fancy to
Indian music. The main gamut of Indian literature has also been
untinged with Muslim literature and historic-cultural allusions...
Urdu language and literature, the much-vaunted symbols or vehicles of
composite culture, are not the result of intermingling of Hinduism and
Islam but reflected the Muslim image in Indian garb... nor have the
Hindu heroes and servants been fortunate enough to be honoured by the
Muslim community."
This can only be deliberate falsehood, since he flaunts familiarity
with Urdu. The much-maligned Iqbal wrote whole poems in praise of the
Buddha, Ram, Guru Nanak, and Swami Ram Tirtha. He was an admirer of
the Sanskrit poet, Bhartruhari, and had drunk deep at the fount of the
Gita and the Upanishads. Another great poet, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, a
confirmed leftist, wrote nostalgically of the soil of Mathura and in
praise of Krishna. He was also an ardent admirer of Bal Gangadhar
Tilak. But this is understandable of one who stoops to libel one of
the greatest mystics and martyrs of all time, Mansur al-Hallaj. He was
beheaded and his life forms the subject of the feat of scholarship,
Louis Massignon's four-volume The Passion of al-Hallaj. He is accused
of converting to Islam "the Dudwalas and Pinjaris of Gujarat." No
authority is cited in support of the charge.
Harsh Narain holds that while "a sizable section of the Sufis had been
comparatively free from the proverbial emphasis on coercion ... the
role of Sufi tradition in bridging the gulf between Islam and Hinduism
or laying the foundations of a composite culture has been greatly
exaggerated."
All this and more only in order to expose "the mad propaganda of
composite culture" and to prove that "Muslim culture cannot be said to
be an integral part of Indian culture and must be regarded as an
anticulture or counter culture in our body politic." This is no
different from the RSS chief's demand (November 22, 1998) that the
minorities Hinduise themselves.
The author turns his attention to Jainism ("failed to develop any
cultural identity of its own") and Buddhism ("basically a life-
negating religion, having little interest in social order, strictly
speaking"). Conclusion? "Our national culture, Indian culture, is a
unity describable as Aryan culture, Hindu culture... Indian culture is
Hindu culture... Muslim and Christian cultures are counter-cultures."
And Parsi culture is "something like" a sub-culture.
So "Hindu culture alone deserves the credit of recognition as the
national culture (abhimanin) of this country, as the culture owning
and possessing this great nation, along with other Indian-born
cultures like Buddhist and Jain cultures as its sub-cultures; Muslim
and Christian cultures being in the nature of tenant-cultures. The
distinction of master-possessor-owner culture and tenant-parasitic
culture has its own significance." One can guess what he is hinting
at.
Sita Ram Goel writes in the same vein. His ardour is reflected in his
three books Catholic Ashrams, Papacy and History of Hindu-Christian
Encounters (304-1996). His preface to the second edition (1996) of the
book on Hindu-Christian encounters explains a lot: "The Sangh Parivar,
which had turned cold towards Hindu causes over the years, was
startled by the rout of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 1984
elections, and decided to renew its Hindu character. The
Ramajanmabhumi Movement was the result. The Movement was aimed at
arresting Islamic aggression. Christianity or its missions were hardly
mentioned. Nevertheless, it was Christianity which showed the greatest
concern at this new Hindu stir, and started crying 'wolf'. Its media
power in the West raised a storm, saying that Hindus were out to
destroy the minorities in India and impose a Nazi regime. The storm is
still raging and no one knows when it will subside, if at all." Thus
"the storm" was unleashed for reasons of power through election
victories.
Goel's writings alone prove that the Parivar's ire against Christians
is decades old. In an article published in March 1983 he had asserted
that the ancient Hindu precept sarva dharma samabhava (all religions
are equal) should not be applied to Christians or Muslims.
IT is with some hesitation that one turns to Goel's book Jesus Christ:
An Artifice for Aggression (1994); so wantonly offensive it is. The
focus now is not on the missionaries, or politics, or history. The
target is the faith itself; Christianity as a religion. Why? Because
hitherto "we Hindus have remained occupied with the behaviour patterns
of Muslims and Christians and not with the belief systems which create
those behaviour patterns. We object to Christian missions, but refuse
to discuss Christianity and its God, Jesus. We object to Islamic
terrorisms, but refuse to have a look at Islamic and its prophet,
Muhammad. I see no sense or logic in this Hindu habit."
Is there any other country in the world where such theses are written
for such a purpose? One wonders. "Now, I could see why the history of
Christianity had been what it had been. The source of the poison was
in the Jesus of the gospels."
The Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary is attacked wantonly. There
are chapters on Jesus of history, of fiction and of faith. The thesis?
He did not exist in history. "The quantum of crimes committed by
Muhammad's Islam was only slightly smaller than that of the crimes
committed by the Christianity of the Jesus Christ... The parallel
between Jesus and Hitler was seen as still more striking. The Nazi
creed, as laid down by Hitler, did not sound much different from the
Christian creed as preached by Jesus in the gospels."
Goel is dismayed to find that Jesus Christ "should continue to retain
his hallow" (sic) in India. "Christianity is accepted as a religion
not only by the westernised Hindu elite but also by Hindu saints,
scholars, and political platforms."
Jesus Christ has been "praised to the skies, particularly by Mahatma
Gandhi." But, "it is high time for Hindus to learn that Jesus Christ
symbolises no spiritual power, or moral uprightness. He is no more
than an artifice for legitimising wanton imperialist aggression. The
aggressors have found him to be highly profitable so far. By the same
token, Hindus should know that Jesus means nothing but mischief for
their country and culture. The West where he flourished for long, has
discarded him as junk. There is no reason why Hindus should buy him.
He is the type of junk that cannot be re-cycled. He can only poison
the environment."
THE virulence of the language reveals the depths of the hatred. This
is what Indians are up against - a powerful hate group, enjoying the
patronage of many politicians in power and in the administration,
which is out to wipe out all traces not only of secularism and
democracy but of religious tolerance, religious and cultural diversity
and, indeed, of decency itself from India.
It shall not come to pass. The answer lies not in forging a united
front of the minorities; it lies in a renewal of the secular ideal in
our politics and in the nation at large.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1526/15261230.htm
Volume 19 - Issue 09, Apr. 27 - May 12, 2002
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
Plumbing new depths
No Indian Prime Minister has justified a communal pogrom the way
Vajpayee has. The BJP's Goa conclave marks the lowest point in
Hindutva's hardline evolution, underlining the need to punish the BJP
politically.
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE'S public address at the April 12 BJP National
Executive meeting in Goa has rudely convulsed the secular conscience
of India's citizens. Many were jolted out of the complacent
assumption, promoted by sections of the media, that Vajpayee is some
kind of "moderate" or "liberal" - "the right man in the wrong party" -
a leader "secular" at heart, whose political "compulsions" regrettably
drive him from time to time to compromise with Hindutva. Yet others
attributed the tone and tenor of his speech to his interaction with
the party's young "hardliners" immediately before the Goa meeting,
such as Pramod Mahajan, Arun Shourie and M. Venkaiah Naidu, or to the
temporary "influence" of L.K. Advani, which made him reverse the
stance he adopted during his April 4 Gujarat visit.
The significance of Vajpayee's address goes much beyond his personal
"unmasking". His adoption of a virulent communal posture - which looks
at Indian society in terms of a division between Hindus and Others,
and accords social and political primacy to the majority community -
is shocking, but not really surprising. Vajpayee has never claimed to
be secular in the sense of separating religion from politics, or even
to have cut his umbilical cord to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Several public statements can be readily cited, which indicate
Vajpayee's ideological-political inclinations: for instance, "the
Sangh is my soul" (1995), "I will always remain a
swayamsevak" (September 2000), the Ram temple agitation is a "national
movement", not a sectarian-parochial one (December 2000), and his
Uttar Pradesh election speech in February 2002, in which he chided
Muslims for not voting for the BJP, but also warned them it could come
to power without their support. These are not aberrations. Nor is his
annual obeisance to the Sangh in the form of guru dakshina. Vajpayee
is as dedicated to Hindutva or "cultural nationalism" as any RSS
pracharak.
The true significance of Vajpayee's disquisition in Goa lies in its
relationship to the BJP's recent rightward evolution, and secondly, in
the new low political depths it plumbs. Never before has a Prime
Minister of India, of whatever persuasion, descended to making a hate-
speech against Muslims or Christians, castigating them as "outsiders".
Never before were our religious minorities humiliated by a Prime
Minister who would want them to feel grateful for being "allowed to
pray" - that is, for exercising their fundamental constitutional
right.
Never before has an Indian Prime Minister used such aggressive body
language to justify the Gujarat pogrom by citing the "who-cast-the-
first-stone" argument. Vajpayee blamed the victims of India's worst
communal pogrom for their own suffering. No other Prime Minister has
so blatantly undermined public confidence in the rule of law and in
the possibility of minimal justice for all in this society.
We now know, from numerous independent media accounts, and from
several highly credible and sensitive reports*, that the Godhra
killing of 59 Hindus was not, causally, "the first stone". The post-
February 27 carnage in Gujarat, which has claimed upwards of 850
lives, would probably have occurred even if the Godhra incident had
not. The conditions were ripe for the massacre of Muslims in that
"Hindutva laboratory" State. Elaborate preparations had been under way
for weeks before the massacre, in particular after kar sevaks were
dispatched daily to Ayodhya following the stepping up of the temple
campaign.
For instance, according to sources in Vadodara, lakhs of anti-Muslim
leaflets were illegally printed on slow treadle machines - which must
have taken months. Bombs and trishuls were stockpiled over a period of
weeks. The gap, exceeding 24 hours, between the "trigger event" and
the anti-Muslim violence - in contrast to, say, the immediate reaction
in Delhi to Indira Gandhi's assassinatio - only confirms the
organised, unspontaneous, planned nature of the pogrom.
Reconstruction of the Godhra incident, for example in the Citizens'
Forum report, suggests that it was a spontaneous, rather than an
elaborately planned, over-reaction to the daily harassment of local
Ghanchi Muslims (oil-pressers by occupation) by communally charged kar
sevaks returning from Ayodhya. Had there been serious preparation for
the attack on the Sabarmati Express, scheduled to reach Godhra at 2-55
a.m., there would have been a large crowd on the railway platform at
dawn. There was not.
When the train rolled in five hours late, there were only a handful of
vendors, porters and passengers on the platform. An altercation broke
out between the kar sevaks and Muslim tea vendors. It was only when a
rumour spread that young Sophia Khan had been dragged into coach S-6
that a crowd gathered near Signal Fadia, a basti known for communal
tension and criminal activities.
Seven weeks on, the government has failed to provide credible evidence
linking the Godhra episode to a "conspiracy" involving Pakistan's
Inter-Services Intelligence or even an organised group in Gujarat or
elsewhere. Nor can it explain why towns such as Ratlam, which are
physically far closer to Godhra, and which have a similar composition
of Hindus, Muslims and Adivasis, did not register any "retaliatory"
violence, while distant Ahmedabad did.
The reasons are self-evidently Gujarat-specific and political. They
have to do with the Narendra Modi government's conscious decision to
support the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's February 28 bandh call and the
authorities' decision to transport the bodies of the Godhra victims by
train to Ahmedabad in a ceremonial manner calculated to inflame
passions. It is impossible to separate the post-February 27 violence
either from the Modi government or Gujarat's communalised context.
The fact that Vajpayee stooped to endorse Modi's "action-reaction"
logic to justify violent retribution upon a falsely constructed
collective culprit (Muslims) speaks of an utterly debased mind. The
logic of such revenge is ultimately the logic of "getting even" with
history, of Nazism, of barbarism. That is now unfolding before our
eyes.
Clearly, the BJP has decided to embrace a virulent form of Hindutva,
one that bases itself on a contemporary version of the "Two-Nation"
theory. Its disgraceful defence of Modi, its coercive tactics in the
NDA, its prolonged refusal to discuss Gujarat under Rule 184 in the
Lok Sabha, and its wholly unapologetic, brazen, attitude towards the
continuing climate of fear, intimidation and terror in Gujarat all
confirm this. The very fact that the BJP seriously threatened to hold
mid-term Assembly elections in Gujarat in a vitiated atmosphere, and
used it as a bargaining chip in negotiating with its allies, testifies
to its cynicism.
The consequences of this stance are already apparent. Thus, BJP
spokesman V.K. Malhotra made a revoltingly aggressive statement
likening the Congress to the pre-Partition Muslim League - merely
because the Congress expressed concern at the butchery of Muslims
(although not to the exclusion of concern for Hindus too). And one
cannot fail to note Modi's deviousness in transferring honest police
officers who tried to maintain a semblance of impartiality, or his
gross insensitivity to traumatised Muslim children in thrusting
examinations on them at centres located in areas where Muslims were
butchered.
Gujarat is a fit case for compelling the State government to abide by
the Constitution under Article 355 and for imposing President's Rule
under Article 356. True, Article 356 has been repeatedly misused to
dismiss Opposition governments. The demand for its use is being voiced
by forces with an extremely dubious record. But there could be no
fitter case than Gujarat to which the following description from the
Constitution applies: "a situation has arisen in which the government
of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of
the Constitution."
The constitutional machinery patently broke down in Gujarat on
February 28 when scores of citizens were massacred with the full
complicity of the state, and when it could not even protect a guardian
of the constitutional order, a High Court Judge, who happened to be a
Muslim.
It is precisely for such contingencies that President's Rule was
envisaged. The Gujarat situation cannot get normalised with Modi's
replacement alone. If hardcore sanghis like Goverdhan Zadaphia or
Ashok Bhatt were to take over, it could worsen. It is essential, but
not enough, that Modi be sacked. The whole government must be
dismissed and Gujarat placed under President's Rule with advisers of
impeccable integrity and experience, recommended by Parliament as a
whole.
It will take months for Gujarat to recuperate and achieve normalcy in
any real sense. Such normalcy must include reconciliation between
estranged neighbours and communities, full physical, psychological and
economic rehabilitation, and restoration of public confidence in the
impartiality of the government as regards different religious groups.
The danger of half-hearted reconciliation should be obvious. If the
one lakh Muslims who are in relief camps - and three or four times as
many, whose livelihoods have been affected - are forced to fend for
themselves without state and community assistance, they will probably
leave Gujarat altogether, or create "safe" ghettos for themselves. The
greater the ghettoisation, the greater the mutual estrangement of
religious groups, the lesser their social interaction - and the
greater the scope for conflict.
That is the last thing Gujarat needs. Indeed, it would be a recipe for
another communal pogrom. That is precisely what Hindutva craves most.
If the BJP succeeds in its game plan in Gujarat, by whipping up anti-
Muslim hysteria, it will replicate the same trick nationally - if
necessary, by staging another Godhra. If the Nazis could stage the
Reichstag fire, the BJP can create a Godhra-II, through agents
provocateurs.
These comparisons are not far-fetched. In foundational premises of its
ideology and politics, the BJP shares a great deal with the Italian
fascists, the German Nazis and the Taliban. They all reject the
emancipatory heritage of the Enlightenment. They privilege tradition
(itself ill-defined and distorted) over modernity. They are profoundly
intolerant of difference. They hate democracy and equality. And they
do not believe in just and fair means to achieve just ends. They are
prone to despotic methods and barbaric violence.
It will take a lot of effort to fight a force like the BJP-RSS-VHP. It
has already captured a number of institutions and key positions in
government and civil society. It has a dedicated, if fanatical, cadre.
Even in the short run, it will not be possible to isolate the Hindutva
forces unless the perpetrators of the Gujarat violence are severely
punished for their grave crimes, along the lines described in the
previous Frontline column (issue of April 26), and unless the BJP is
politically punished, that is, made to pay a heavy price through
systematic boycott and isolation.
One wishes this would happen both nationally, in the National
Democratic Alliance, and in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is about to
form a government with the Bahujan Samaj Party. Regrettably, the BSP
leadership seems to be bent on using its Dalit base as virtual common-
fodder for Hindutva - for dubious, at best petty, short-term gains.
Fighting Hindutva will be a long haul. But the struggle would not even
have been joined unless the Opposition mounts relentless pressure on
the NDA, both inside and outside Parliament, through dharnas, rallies,
public meetings and mass mobilisation. The People's Front should
consider launching a relay dharna in Gujarat's major cities.
The Opposition will do well to join hands with citizens' groups such
as SAHMAT, Aman Ekta Manch, People for Secularism and the Citizens'
Initiative (Ahmedabad), which have done a great deal to highlight the
Gujarat issue and collect donations for the victims' relief. For
instance, SAHMAT mobilised artists to donate their paintings and
raised Rs.5.5 lakhs through their sale.
One thing is clear: it will be a crying shame if the BJP is allowed to
go unpunished for its grievous assault on India's secular-democratic-
constitutional order, and on the foundations of this plural, diverse,
multi-cultural society.
*Citizens' Forum: Gujarat Carnage 2002, by an independent fact-finding
mission composed of S.P. Shukla, K.S. Subramanian, Achin Vanaik, and
Kamal Mitra Chenoy; State-Sponsored Carnage in Gujarat, Report of a
CPI(M)-AIDWA delegation; The Survivors Speak, by a Women's Panel
sponsored by Citizen's Initiative, Ahmedabad; Ethnic Cleansing in
Ahmedabad, by SAHMAT; and A Report on the Gujarat Carnage, prepared by
the People's Union for Civil Liberties.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1909/19091280.htm
Undermining India
Sitting here in our village home, keeping in touch with the world
through the Internet, the newspapers and magazines like yours, we ask
ourselves, how many fires can we fight? And yet it appears that there
is really no option except to keep fighting them and to stand up for
what we see as the values and beliefs which are intrinsic to the
foundations on which this civilisation (if indeed we can use that term
any longer) is based.
We have been reading the comprehensive coverage in your magazine of
the ghastly and inhuman murder of members of the Staines family in
Manoharpur and the hard-hitting articles on the politics of hate
("Undermining India", February 12). We have also read (on the
Internet) the highly slanted report of the murders (from Rashtradeep -
Orissa) with its not so oblique insinuations that Staines and his
family deserved what they got. What a coincidence that the Santhals
and the Kolhas apparently lost their patience 34 years after Graham
Staines came to work and live in Keonjhar and decided to attack him
when there is a BJP Government at the Centre, and the Sangh Parivar
has targeted Christians as the new enemies! It is hard to believe that
the so- called educated people hold these views and, more sinister,
use their power and technology to propagate these views in the most
dangerous fashion on the Internet from their comfortable spaces in
American universities. It is also interesting that the fact that
millions of dollars are sent by non-resident Indians to support
fascist activities in the name of Hindutva is not questioned or
attacked.
If only we can learn from history, we would see that we are moving
inexorably towards fascism - and the silence of the majority can only
hasten this process.
We too are Hindus, comfortable in the freedom of thought that it
provides, and because of this we can also look at our own tradition
critically and see and understand all the warts and distortions that
it accommodates. But what is propagated in the name of Hinduism is a
far cry from the philosphy to which we subscribe. Had we been born
Dalits or tribal people, or experienced oppression and discrimination
in the name of religion, we too might have opted for Christianity,
Islam, Buddhism or any faith which promised us a better deal and the
hope of social justice and dignity. Certainly, India's Constitution
guarantees each of us that freedom.
In all the polemics and passion that we see around us, one hears
little, if any, questioning or critiquing of the built-in inequities
of Hinduism - only the shrill and fearful howls of the advocates of
Hindutva with its distorted and dangerous ideology of linking religion
with nationalism and patriotism. If we believe that it is the spirit
of inquiry and search for truth that is the hallmark of both science
and religion, then let us stop blaming others and begin looking
inwards in the real quest for self-knowledge and encourage our people
to bring about the changes within, rather than demonising other
faiths, other denominations. But the politics of hate is so much
easier to practise than the quest for truth. It has always been
convenient to mobilise mobs - be it against masjids or mandirs,
Dalits, tribal people, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, 'Madrasis',
'Bangladeshis', 'Pakistanis'. We continue to rely on fanning the
flames of hatred for 'the other', to exercise power instead of coming
to grips with the real issues of this country - poverty, education,
employment and all-pervasive inequality. The issue is not one of
conversions or Christianity, but of how to exploit people who have no
identity or no hope of getting a space under the sun, as the foot
soldiers in the service of the armies of destruction and mayhem who
can terrorise, garner votes when needed, and ensure political power at
all costs. Ultimately, it is through economic policy decisions and the
right kind of education in our classrooms that we can hope to build
the kind of India that our Constitution has promised. For now, we can
only ask and hope that the right-thinking majority of people in this
land, regardless of their religious affiliations, will speak up before
it is too late.
Admiral Ramu Ramdas
(former Chief of the Naval Staff)
Lalita Ramdas
Bhaimala, Maharashtra
* * *
Your crusade against the diabolical designs of the Sangh Parivar is
commendable.
The riots in Suratkal, the persecution of Christians in Gujarat, and
the outrage against a missionary in Orissa expose the Parivar's game
plan. When the Babri Masjid was demolished, people in authority
remained passive spectators. They remain so when the minorities are
attacked. As long as the minorities have insufficient representation
in the police force and secular values are not instilled in the
guardians of law, there is no hope.
The biggest irony is that L.K. Advani, one of the accused in the Babri
Masjid demolition case, has become the Home Minister of this country.
A.B. Vajpayee has proved to be the weakest Prime Minister of India.
During his visit to Gujarat, instead of assuaging the hurt feelings of
Christians, he suggested a national debate on conversions. With this
he dropped his mask of moderation.
Ubedulla
Mysore
* * *
It was with a sense of dismay and shame that one watched the Home
Minister making a humiliating trip to Mumbai to pacify the Shiv Sena's
"paper tiger". It is a pity that the BJP Government with all the power
at its command could not counter the threat to a visiting cricket
team. The Shiv Sena's attack on the BCCI's office or threats to
release poisonous snakes into the playground only proved its
cowardice. If India is to progress, the culture of violence and
terrorism should give way to goodwill, harmony and peace.
Dr. A.K. Tharien
Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu
* * *
January 23, the day Graham Stewart Staines and his two young sons were
burnt alive, was the blackest day in the history of our country. One
is at a loss to understand why such a harrowing punishment was meted
out to the missionary who had served leprosy patients in India since
1965.
Why does the Prime Minister hesitate to take stringent action against
Bal Thackeray, at whose instigation the cricket pitch at the
Ferozeshah Kotla stadium was damaged and the BCCI office in Mumbai was
ransacked? Is the Sena chief so indispensable?
Mani Natarajan
Chennai
* * *
It was a unique and informative Cover Story. The need of the hour is
unity, integrity and peaceful coexistence of various communities. We
should uphold our secular values and fulfil the hopes and aspirations
of every citizen.
Shaik Rafeeq Ahamed
Rayachoty, Andhra Pradesh
* * *
The expectation that the experience of heading a government in a
modern democracy will soften Hindu fundamentalists, has been belied.
With the assumption of power by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the
process of undermining India started. The aim is to throw the country
back into an era when power, wealth and education were concentrated in
the hands of people who belonged to the upper strata of society. But
we have come a long way. A government which owes allegiance to the
Constitution has to go by the principles enshrined in the
Constitution.
A. Jacob Sahayam
Vellore, Tamil Nadu
Arundhati Roy
Indian culture is rich and vibrant and Dalits' contribution to it is
no less than that of any other section of our society. Unless this
aspect is researched and brought out, Dalits will not get the kind of
respect they deserve. In this context, Arundhati Roy's proposal to the
Dalit Sahitya Akademi on the publication of the Malayalam translation
of her novel was really pathbreaking ("In solidarity", February 12).
Dhiraj Kumar
Delhi
Role of bureaucrats
I read with great interest A.G. Noorani's article on Admiral Bhagwat's
case in your February 12 issue. As usual Noorani's article is very
scholarly and unbiased and would serve as reference material. I would,
however, like to point out two references made to me in the article.
First, Noorani should have mentioned that I had also said in my letter
to The Times of India that "he will therefore have to look for another
Cabinet Secretary". This would have clarified that my intention was
that I would rather vacate the post of Cabinet Secretary than sign the
notification.
Secondly, the reference to the 1989 general elections. I do not know
the basis on which it is mentioned that "and that the announcements in
that behalf should be made by the Commission forthwith and before 2.00
p.m. on that date, in any case". This was not my belief at all. In an
article I wrote on T.N. Seshan, published in November 1994, I have
said that "I can only write about late Peri Shastri because I knew him
well. It required a lot of courage to stand up to a strong Prime
Minister like Rajiv Gandhi who decided to appoint two Election
Commissioners obviously to control Peri Shastri. Seshan may say that
he was not consulted here but he went out of his way to force the Law
Ministry to issue the notification urgently. When Rajiv Gandhi decided
to announce the general elections, an urgent Cabinet meeting was held
when the Cabinet approved the proposal. Seshan as Cabinet Secretary
should have been sent to Peri Shastri to convey the decision, but
Rajiv Gandhi said, 'let us not send the bull into the China shop. Let
Deshmukh go and settle it in his own quiet way.' I accordingly went
across after sending a message to Peri Shastri. When I entered his
room, I found him agitated, saying that he would not be dictated to by
the Government in fixing the dates for the elections. There was a
sharp exchange between us and tempers rose. I then decided to keep
quiet and let Peri Shastri blow off steam. When he quietened down I
convinced him that the Government was right in suggesting the dates as
it had to make various administrative arrangements. Ultimately, the
notification was issued accordingly."
This should make it clear that I was not the "civil servant who was
sent as an errand boy". My brief was to persuade Peri Shastri to agree
to the Government's suggestion. It should also be added that at that
time I was not a serving civil servant but was re-employed to hold the
post in the Prime Minister's Office.
B.G. Deshmukh
Mumbai
A.G. Noorani writes:
I was not called upon to mention, as B.G. Deshmukh insists, that he
had asked the President "to look for another Cabinet Secretary". His
intimation to President Zail Singh that he would not notify any order
dismissing Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 as Prime Minister, was wrong enough.
It was not his place to do so; least of all ask the President "to look
for" a substitute especially since the office is in the bounty of the
Prime Minister.
As for the 1989 Lok Sabha elections, the words in quotes are taken
from Justice P.B. Sawant's judgment in the case brought by one of the
two Election Commissioners whom Rajiv Gandhi appointed to overrule
Peri Shastri, the CEC (S.S. Dhanoa vs Union of India & Ors. (1991) 3
Supreme Court Cases 567 at pages 581-582, para 22).
Deshmukh confirms my comment. It was based on Justice Sawant's
reference to his mission as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
It is pointless to shift the blame to T.N. Seshan, then Cabinet
Secretary, when he himself carried out an order he knew to be illegal
and politically immoral. On his own showing, there was "a sharp
exchange" between him and the CEC Peri Shastri and "tempers rose".
This would not have happened unless a zealous Deshmukh had tried to
force the upright Peri Shastri to accept the election dates
peremptorily urged by Rajiv Gandhi. He relented because the two
Election Commissioners had been appointed to overrule him. "The bull
in the China shop" could hardly have performed worse than Deshmukh
himself did at the meeting. Significantly, Deshmukh has not a word of
criticism of the man who sent him, Rajiv Gandhi. His Cabinet's
decision was palpably illegal and politically immoral.
Judging by his own account, Deshmukh was far worse than the "civil
servant who was sent as an errand boy". Both Seshan and Deshmukh
carried out an illegal order with competitive enthusiasm. Servitors
while in service, lecturers on retirement. The Constitution makes the
CEC an umpire between the ruling party and the others. It is his
prerogative to fix the dates. Two of the foremost civil servants of
the day tried to suborn him.
Ban all Senas
The twin massacres by the Ranvir Sena in Jehanabad district are a
testament to V.D. Savarkar's call to "'militarise Hinduism". As the
blood of 12 Dalits (from Khoja Narayanpur, February 10) and of 23
Dalits (Shankarbigha, January 25) flows in central Bihar, the Sangh
(more like, Jang) Parivar offers its regret from one side of its
mouth, while it is gleeful on the other.
The Progressive Forum of India (PFI) condemns the Ranvir Sena for its
violence as well as the Jang Parivar (notably the BJP) and the
erstwhile Bihar Government for their studied negligence.
The Ranvir Sena, like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra three decades
earlier, was set up in 1994 to counter the growth of Left
organisations in central Bihar. From the first, the organisation was
prone to violence. Before its formation, landlords (many of whom are
Bhumihars) formed private militias that massacred, for instance, seven
Dalits in Sawanbigha village in Jehanabad in 1991. In December 1997,
the Ranvir Sena killed over 60 people in Lakshmanpur-Bathe, again in
Jehanabad. Further, on January 9, 1999, a Ranvir Sena leader announced
that his fascist band planned to conduct a massacre larger than that
in Lakshmanpur in the near future. Neither the State Government nor
the Jang Parivar did anything against him. Progressive forces in Bihar
and elsewhere underscored the danger, but nothing was done. In fact,
The Times of India reported that Vinod Sharma (Ranvir Sena) travelled
with a police officer to Arwal at the time of the massacre. The PFI
condemns this nexus between the landlord militia, the Jang Parivar and
the institutions of the state.
The Ranvir Sena has been set up to undermine popular movements. It
resorts to violence and to authoritarian acts against the oppressed.
The PFI offers its support to those who feel the strong arm of such
organisations and we call upon all progressive people to condemn and
challenge such fascist bands.
Vijay Prashad
(for the Progressive Forum for India)
received on e-mail
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1605/16051120.htm
Volume 21 - Issue 02, January 17 - 30, 2004
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
ANALYSIS
HOW ADVANI WENT SCOT-FREE
A.G. NOORANI
The Rae Bareli court judgment in the Ayodhya case discharging Deputy
Prime Minister L.K. Advani is against the weight of the entire
evidence and violates the law as declared by the Supreme Court.
VINO JOHN
Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.
THE Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, Lal Krishna
Advani's discharge in the Ayodhya case on September 19, 2003, was no
"honourable acquittal" after a full trial on the merits. It was a
gross miscarriage of justice, which precludes a proper trial. A
perusal of the English translation of the 130-page judgment in Hindi
by Vinod Kumar Singh, Special Judicial Magistrate, Rae Bareli, reveals
that the grounds for his discharge could well apply also to other
accused such as Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Madhya Pradesh
Chief Minister Uma Bharati. Conversely, the grounds on which charges
will be framed against them apply also to Advani. The judgment is
utterly unconvincing in the distinction it draws between him and the
other accused, including Ashok Singhal, V.H. Dalmiya, Giriraj Kishore,
Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Ritambara.
The judgment is against the weight of the entire evidence and violates
the law as declared by the Supreme Court. The reasoning is laboured to
a degree. It must be emphasised that what the Magistrate pronounced
was an order of discharge at the stage of framing the charge not an
acquittal on merits after a trial. A discharge does not bar another
prosecution, an acquittal does.
In the face of such a judgment the behaviour of the Central Bureau of
Investigation, the prosecuting agency, was true to form. It did not
move the High Court for quashing the order. The prescribed period of
limitation is three months. The CBI bestirred itself ostentatiously
thereafter in view of public censure. Rajnish Sharma reported in The
Hindustan Times (December 31, 2003) that "CBI sources claim that the
agency's top-brass still differ on whether to move the High Court or
not. Initially, it was decided that the CBI should not go in for an
appeal against Advani. However, faced with mounting criticism for
having failed to appeal against the lower court order, the opinion
seems to have changed.
RAMESH SHARMA
Murli Manohar Joshi.
"While announcing its decision, even the Rae Bareli court had strongly
criticised the agency's role as it felt the CBI had deliberately
weakened the case against Advani. Agency sources now claim that once
the courts reopen, they will file a petition explaining the reasons
for the delay."
IT is necessary to recall the background in order to appreciate the
judgment. The CBI had filed a charge-sheet in court against Advani and
other accused, on October 5, 1993, charging them with conspiring to
demolish the mosque. Two courts found that a prima facie case on this
charge did exist - Special Judicial Magistrate Mahipal Sirohi on
August 27, 1994, while committing the accused to the Sessions Court,
and the Additional Sessions Judge, Lucknow, Jugdish Prasad Srivastava,
on September 9, 1997, while framing the charges.
The Sessions Judge concluded that "in the present case a criminal
conspiracy to demolish the disputed structure of Ramjanmabhoomi/Babri
Masjid was hatched by the accused persons in the beginning of 1990 and
was completed on 6.12.1992". Advani and others hatched criminal
conspiracies "to demolish the disputed premises on different times at
different places". A prima facie case was found to charge Bal
Thackeray, Advani and others, including Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma
Bharati, under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
Advani and his colleagues, Joshi and Uma Bharati, faced two charges in
two courts - delivering inflammatory speeches on December 6, 1992,
prior to the demolition, and hatching a conspiracy to demolish the
mosque from 1990. Immediately after the mosque was demolished, two
first information reports were filed in the same police station. One
was filed at 5-15 p.m. against "lakhs of unknown kar sevaks" for
offences committed at 12-15 p.m.; mainly the demolition. Spread of
communal hate was one of them. Very properly, conspiracy was not
alleged since the facts were not known then and no particular person
was cited either. This was Crime No. 197 (demolition).
S. SUBRAMANIUM
Uma Bharati.
The next FIR, filed only 10 minutes later, was Crime No. 198
(speeches) against eight named persons - Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharati,
Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, V.H. Dalmiya, Vinay Katiyar and
Ritambara. It alleged that they had delivered communally inflammatory
speeches at 10 a.m. prior to the demolition (Section 153A IPC). This
charge was common to both FIRs. FIR 198 (speeches) said also that
"during the speeches of these leaders, repeated indications (sic:
"incitement") were given to demolish the mosque. As a result, lakhs of
kar sevaks attacked and pulled down the disputed structure". The
leaders were named because their identities were known. Conspiracy was
properly not alleged in either FIR because it requires a long probe.
There were 47 other FIRs for offences against the media.
After the imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, the
demolition case (197) was assigned to the CBI while the State police
dealt with the speeches case (198). Both were parts of the same
transaction and were linked inseparably. Eventually, the CBI was
assigned the speeches case as well. It, therefore, submitted a
composite, damning charge-sheet in court on October 5, 1993. But there
was a technical flaw in the assignment of the cases to courts, which
was pointed out by Justice Jagdish Bhalla of the Allahabad High Court
on February 12, 2001. He struck down as invalid the reference of Case
198 (speeches) to the Lucknow court from the Rae Bareli court. His
judgment of February 12, 2001, upheld everything else, including the
joint charge-sheet. He thrice said that the defect was "curable" by
another notification after consulting the High Court. Obviously,
justice required that the two cases, 197 (demolition) and 198
(speeches), be tried together in one court.
Neither the Rajnath Singh government nor the succeeding Mayawati
regime had any intention of "curing the defect". Nor has Mulayam Singh
Yadav's government now. The High Court issued a notification on
September 28, 2002, assigning Case No.198 (speeches) to the Rae Bareli
court. On November 29, the Supreme Court upheld it, holding that no
one had a right to insist on a particular venue. It overlooked the
background, the mala fides and the obvious miscarriage of justice. A
review petition has been filed against this order. (vide the writer's
article, `Reprimand for delay', Frontline, March 30, 2001).
To be precise, Justice Bhalla upheld: 1) the Sessions Judge's order of
September 9, 1997, framing the charges in Case No. 197 (demolition);
2) the validity of Vijai Verma's appointment as Special Judge and his
cognisance of all cases (save No.198); 3) the notification of the
Special Court in Lucknow; 4) the CBI's investigation; and 5) the
consolidated charge-sheet of October 5, 1993. Even if the one
concerning the speeches of December 6, 1992, is dropped, the
conspiracy case survives.
C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Ashok Singhal.
But let alone a notification to cure the defect and ensure trial of
both the connected cases in one court, in the interests of sheer
justice, the course which the two cases took subsequently in different
courts was, to say the least, surprising. The High Court's ruling was
set at naught by the Sessions Judge at Lucknow, Srikant Shukla, on May
4, 2001, which he had no right to do. Justice Bhalla had merely struck
down the transfer of the speeches case (198) from Rae Bareli to
Lucknow. Shukla went beyond it and dropped even the conspiracy charge
in Case No.197(demolition) before him. The reasoning was tortuous. He
confined FIR 197 (demolition) to kar sevaks alone; ignored the
conspiracy charges and exonerated the leaders. They were held
accountable only in FIR 198 (speeches) - which he could not try. He
wrote: "Two distinct cases were registered which are different. In the
first FIR were kar sevaks who pulled down the structure... and in the
other FIR are conspirators/abettors who instigated the kar sevaks.
This way, the State has considered both the cases different and
separate and has treated them so."
This was in flat contradiction to Justice Bhalla's judgment. What
Shukla did was to transpose the conspiracy charge, which properly
belonged to the demolition case (197) which he was trying, to the
speeches case (198), which he could not try. Having done so, he
dropped proceedings on the conspiracy charge against the eight accused
leaders who also figured in the speeches case and 13 others besides
who did not. Thrown back at the Rae Bareli court like a shuttle cock,
the conspiracy charge was buried there by the CBI two years later in
its charge-sheet of May 30, 2003. On September 1, the apex court
issued notices to Advani and other accused on a petition challenging
this omission. The CBI had curiously moved the High Court on June 19,
2001, against Shukla's order. On August 6, 2003, Justice N.K. Mehrotra
ordered stay of proceedings in the Lucknow court till September 24.
But the conspiracy charge cannot vanish so easily. It covers events
since 1990. Abetment by incitement occurred on December 6, 1992.
Shukla's reference to "conspirators/abettors who instigated" truncates
the conspiracy charge - and drops it. The CBI's joint charge-sheet of
October 5, 1993, explicitly said: "Investigations revealed that on
5.12.1992, a secret meeting was held at the residence of Shri Vinay
Katiyar which was attended by S/Shri L.K. Advani, Pawan Pandey, etc.
Wherein a final decision to demolish the disputed structure was
taken." Sessions Judge J.P. Srivastava's order of September 9, 1997
also mentioned this very date. He traced the beginning of the
conspiracy to 1990, how it picked up speed in 1991 and the stages
leading to its culmination with the demolition of the mosque. In each
stage Advani's role was narrated in detail. "Conspiracy is planned
secretly," he remarked. It cannot be limited to the public speeches on
December 6, as Shukla did. The High Court upheld the validity of the
conspiracy charge.
TWO recent disclosures support the charge. It has been revealed that
on October 1, 1993, the Home Ministry itself sanctioned the CBI's
charge. It mentioned an interesting detail: "In pursuance of the
criminal conspiracy", Pramod Mahajan and Ashok Singhal met Bal
Thackeray on November 21, 1992, and secured the Sena's participation
in the "kar seva". On June 7, 2003, five of the accused alleged
instigation by the leaders. R.N. Das, one of the priests at the site
where the idols were placed inside the mosque before its demolition,
told the media: "I was a witness in a meeting held by Advani and
others... on December 5 night" - and spilled the beans. Justice Bhalla
remarked: "According to the prosecution, the accused persons are
either rich, influential or politically strong." He recalled the
Supreme Court's remarks in the case of the former Chief Minister of
Karnataka, S. Bangarappa: "The slow motion becomes much slower motion
when politically powerful or rich and influential persons figures as
accused."
The demolition case (197) was thus put out of the way. All that the
leaders faced was the speeches case (198) alone. On May 30, 2003, the
CBI filed a supplementary charge-sheet in the Rae Bareli court trying
the speeches case. On July 5, the CBI's advocate, S.S. Gandhi, opened
the case and cited statements by witnesses testifying to inflammatory
speeches and to instigation of the kar sevaks to demolish the mosque.
He said he would produce audio and videocassettes as evidence. On July
30, astonishingly, the CBI said that "the video cassettes did not show
them giving any speech". Special Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar Singh
delivered judgment on September 19, 2003, in this case.
He begins by reproducing the FIR in case No. 198 which is revealing:
"I, Sub Inspector Ganga Prasad Tewari, in-charge of the police post
Ramjanmabhoomi, police station Ramjanmabhoomi, Faizabad, was engaged
today, on 06.12.92, in maintenance of peace and order during the kar
seva organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Checking duty near the
disputed Ram Chabutara and Sheshavatar Mandir, I reached the meeting
place in Ram Katha Kunj at about 10 a.m. where the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad General Secretary Shri Ashok Singhal, Joint Secretary Shri
Giriraj Kishore, Shri Lal Krishna Advani, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi,
Shri Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and BJP M.P. from Faizabad and Bajrang Dal
convenor Shri Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharati, Sadhvi Ritambara, etc. all
the speakers were seated on the dais. The above mentioned speakers
were inciting the kar sevaks by their incendiary speeches; their
slogan was `Ek dhakkar aur do, Babri Masjid tod do,' and destroy this
khandahar (rubble) that is symbolic of the Mughal age slavery. Incited
by their incendiary speeches, the kar sevaks were now and then raising
slogans - "Jab katue kaate jaayenge, tab Ram Ram chillayenge; and
Ramlala, hum aayenge, Mandir yahin banayenge." The intention to
destroy the mosque was again and again indicated (in) these leaders'
speeches. As a consequence, lakhs of kar sevaks broke through the
barricades and destroyed the disputed structure, which has hurt the
national unity seriously. The said event was seen, apart from the
police and administration officials and employees, by the audience and
journalists. Therefore, the report must be entertained and necessary
action taken."
The secret meeting of December 5 was followed by the speeches on
December 6 which incited the demolition. The rest followed as planned.
The judgment recites statements by eyewitnesses on the leaders'
speeches, before the Babri mosque was demolished, as recorded by the
police under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, four video
cassettes, three audio cassettes, photographs and news reports. It is
well settled that at the stage of framing the charges all that the
court has to consider is whether a prima facie case is made out. It is
not to enter into a trial on the merits. Section 227 of CrPC says that
if the Judge considers "that there is not sufficient ground for
proceeding against the accused, he shall discharge the accused", as
distinct from an acquittal which can follow only after a trial on the
merits of the charges.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1979 that "even a very strong suspicion
founded upon material before the Magistrate, which leads him to form a
presumptive opinion as to the existence of the factual ingredients
constituting the offence alleged, may justify the framing of charge".
Nor is the court bound to consider evidence produced by the accused.
It has to consider whether the prosecution case, if unrebutted,
establishes a case in law. That is what a prima facie case means in
law.
KAMAL NARANG
Sadhvi Ritambara.
The sole issue before the Magistrate, therefore, was whether the
police statements produced before him by the prosecution established
such a case. Thirty-odd such statements are reproduced in the
judgment; some contradict others. The contradiction is to be resolved
only in the trial proper; not while framing the charges unless, of
course, the ones against the accused are manifestly untrue or absurd.
In this case, they were not.
Consider the very first two statements which the judgment quotes:
"Shri Ram Kripal Das, disciple of Mahant late Bharat Das, PS
Ramjanmabhoomi, Faizabad, has made, in the main, the following
statement under Section 161 CrPC: "On 6.12.1992 I remained near my
temple the whole day. Through my door and the windows inside, sounds
coming from the Ram Katha Kunj and words (like) Sheshavatar Mandir,
vivadit dhancha (disputed structure) vivadit chabutara (disputed
platform) can be heard. That day, a crowd of kar sevaks had started to
gather since morning. The kar sevaks were raising slogans and loudly
saying: today we would not stop even if some leader tries to stop us.
We will demolish it today... On the Ram Katha Kunj side, leaders were
making speeches one by one that a temple has to be built. There was a
lot of noise. Lal Krishna Advani, Ashok Singhal, Vinay Katiyar, Murli
Manohar Joshi, etc. spoke. All the leaders were making enthusiastic
speeches. I had seen with my own eyes the above leaders going towards
the temple. When there was a hullabaloo and they were demolishing the
disputed structure, none of the leaders was preventing them. If these
leaders had told the kar sevaks not to break any dome, they would have
obeyed it, because they had called the kar sevaks to come here. Vinay
Katiyar was much active from the very beginning and was prepared to do
everything right or wrong for temple construction" (emphasis added,
throughout).
Dhanpat Ram Yadav made the following statement under Section 161 CrPC:
"On 6.12.92, I was on the roof of the Sita Rasoi (Sita's kitchen) from
early morning. That day I saw Vinay Katiyar, Lal Krishna Advani, Uma
Bharati, etc. coming in a crowd of kar sevaks. They were making
speeches that were provoking the kar sevaks, saying Mandir bana kar
jaayenge, Hindu Rashtra banayenge (we will leave after building a
temple and we will build a Hindu Rashtra). When the kar sevaks had
climbed the domes in large numbers and were demolishing them, none of
the leaders prevented anyone or told to stop. All stood silent... "
Another 10 statements were in the same vein followed by that of
Chandra Kishore Mishra who said "inflamed by the very speeches of
these leaders, the kar sevaks brought down the structure". Advani was
specifically mentioned by him as one of them.
The Additional Superintendent of Police, Faizabad, Anju Gupta was
detailed to provide security to Advani. She saw people running towards
the mosque with tools in their hands. If she could see that so, one
would think, could "the leaders". She said "Then Shri Lal Krishna
Advani asked me what was happening inside the temple. I asked the
control room and came to know that kar sevaks had entered it and were
busy demolishing the structure; then I told him the same. I also told
him that many people had got injured and were being brought near the
Ram Katha Kunj for treatment. Then Advani told me: I want to go and
tell them to come down. I conferred with S.P. Intelligence and
Commandant of the 15th Battalion who were with Shri Murli Manohar
Joshi. He said it was not proper to go into the crowd as these people
were inflamed. Shri Advani talked to his comrades and told me that he
won't go but somebody would have to be taken there. Then I sent Uma
Bharati and two others there. The crowd surrounded my jeep near Dorahi
Kuwan and did not allow us to go ahead. Then Uma Bharati and we
proceeded on foot. I saw after sometime that people had come down from
the domes. They were talking of doing the kar seva from below, not
from above. Advani told me he wanted to talk to the DM. He also told
about talking to the Chief Minister, but I pleaded helplessness. One
person, who had come with Uma Bharati, was making fun of the Supreme
Court. After some time, Advani and Joshi went to the office of Ram
Katha Kunj, and told me they were talking to the Chief Minister. I saw
fire and smoke rising at all sides in Ayodhya. Advani told me... [page
92 bottom: seems some lines are missing here]... began to distribute
sweets... . Advani came back at about six and a half. With him there
were Murli Manohar Joshi, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Ashok Singhal and Vinay
Katiyar etc. About the speeches from the stage, I have already told. I
remember the atmosphere became surcharged with Advani's arrival.
People were raising slogans, but I could not hear any other slogan
because of being busy with other works. Joshi had spoken earlier, he
had said whatever Narasimha Rao could say, the temple would be
constructed here. I did not see these leaders making any attempt to
prevent the kar sevaks from demolishing the disputed structure. Advani
was sad that people were falling from the domes and dying... on the
fall of the first, second and third domes, Uma Bharati and Ritambara
had embraced each other; sweets were also distributed. The two had
also embraced the males. Embracing Advani, Joshi and S.C. Dixit, Uma
Bharati and Ritambara were expressing their happiness. On the fall of
the domes, all the said eight accused and Acharya Dharmendra etc were
congratulating one another. All were expressing happiness."
Vinay Katiyar.
Renu Mittal confirmed reports in The Hindu and The Indian Express
(December 7, 1992): "L.K. Advani began to address the kar sevaks over
the mike from the protection of the Ram Katha Kunj platform. In the
rush of shouts and the milling confusion he could be overheard telling
the kar sevaks to block all entry points to Ayodhya to stop anyone
entering the town. He also announced that the kar seva that begun
today would only end once the mandir nirman was completed... . At 3-30
p.m. the left dome of the Babri Masjid was demolished. Many of the kar
sevaks were injured and some of them were buried under the falling of
the debris of the dome."
Triyugi Narayan Tewari told the police: "The RSS workers also climbed
the domes and demolished the disputed structure. Sh. Ashok Singhal,
L.K. Advani, Uma Bharati, Vinay Katiyar, Murli Manohar Joshi, Acharya
Dharmendra, Sadhvi Ritambara were also present there and were inciting
the kar sevaks."
A few statements, about 5 or 6, averred that Advani urged the kar
sevaks to climb down; evidently for their own protection. For, some
were buried in the debris.
Vishnu Hari Dalmiya.
The Magistrate's observations on the course the case took are
significant. "This is an indisputable fact that the High Court had
before itself a combined charge-sheet in cases 197/92 (demolition) and
198/92 (speeches) and, compared to this court, the High Court was
presented with much more evidence/statements of witnesses. Apart from
it, the High Court had before it the charge under Section 120 IPC
(conspiracy), which was not included in the charge-sheet filed in this
court. After the said judgment, an order was passed by the Special
Judge (Ayodhya Prakaran), Lucknow, in which 21 accused were recognised
as accused in case 198/92 (speeches) and proceedings against them were
ordered to be stopped. These included the eight accused named in the
charge-sheet filed in this court. Thereafter, the CBI requested the
State government to rectify the said shortcoming in the notification
dated 8/10/93, but the said shortcoming was not rectified by the State
government. After that, special writ petitions were filed by Bhure Lal
and three others against the said judgment of the High Court, on which
the Supreme Court issued its judgment/order on 29/11/2002. Under the
said order of the Supreme Court, a petition has been filed by the CBI
in this court constituted under the former notification, on which the
CBI was directed to get the papers in case 198/92 (speeches) and
present in this court. The record of case 198/92 (speeches) was
received and then the CBI filed a supplementary charge-sheet. At
present the case is being heard in this court under the Supreme Court
order dated 29/11/2002. Thus this court has considered the material
presented to it about this charge. Statements of some more witnesses
were considered after the CBI filed a charge-sheet and some evidence
along with it and, later, after its advance investigation."
THUS the CBI itself dropped the conspiracy charge (Section 120 IPC).
The Magistrate lists some 19 considerations for framing the charges.
Two of them read thus: (2) "If the case falls in the area of doubt, it
cannot take the place of proof at the conclusion of the hearing. But
if there is serious doubt in the initial stage and it leads the court
to think that there is ground to believe that the accused has
committed the offence, then the court is not allowed to say that
enough ground is not there for proceeding against the accused... (8)
If material has been presented before the court and that creates
serious doubt against the accused and has not been adequately
explained, it is justified for the court to frame charges and start
hearing." He violated both.
He recorded: "In the videocassettes presented to the court, no leader
is seen making a speech during the demolition of the said structure on
6/12/92. From a perusal of all the statements under Section 161 CrPC
and the available material, it appears prima facie that there were two
groups during the event - one was demolishing the disputed structure
while the other was, along with the security forces, attempting to
prevent the demolition of the disputed structure. The prosecution
witness Shri Ram Kripal Das has said in his statement, among other
things, that the kar sevaks were greatly excited and loudly telling
that (they) would not stop even if some leader tried to stop them.
AJIT KUMAR/AP
Acharya Giriraj Kishore.
"In her statement, Anju Gupta has specifically said that on 6/12/92
she was deployed for Lal Krishna Advani's security. She has also said
that the S.P. Intelligence and the Commandant of the 15th Battalion
were with Murli Manohar Joshi Ms. Anju Gupta is an IPS officer and, as
is evident from her statement, she was deployed for Lal Krishna
Advani's security. Therefore, Anju Gutpa's statement is extremely
important regarding L.K. Advani. She has said the following in her
statement: "I had seen some boys advancing towards the disputed
structure from the Kuber Tola side, with tools in their hands. Then
Shri Lal Krishna Advani asked me what was happening inside the
temple... ."
"From this statement, the prima facie conclusion emerges that at that
time L.K. Advani did not know that demolition of the disputed
structure had started. Besides, Advani's contention in Anju Gupta's
statement that `I want to go and tell them to come down' generates
another view contrary to the prima facie charge against him. In her
statement, Anju Gupta has not indicated any such contention by any
other leader. She has also said Advani had asked her what was
happening at other places and she had said she did not know. The fact
of Advani inquiring about what was happening at other places prima
facie reveals his ignorance." How does his ignorance of what was
happening at "other places" in the city prove his ignorance of what
was happening before his and everyone else's eyes - demolition of the
mosque. His reasoning is palpably wrong. First, there were no "two
groups" of leaders, implying that Advani belonged to one that tried to
pacify the mob while the rest instigated it. Who were Advani's allies
in the pacificatory effort or was he alone in this? There were in fact
two sets of statements before the court. It is not the number but the
quality that matters. Even so, the overwhelming majority explicitly
implicated Advani along with the rest as an instigator. The minority
is not only small but pathetically laboured in its apologia.
Secondly, from a mere query by Advani to Anju Gupta, Vinod Kumar Singh
jumps to the astonishing conclusion that "L.K. Advani did not know
that demolition of the disputed mosque had started." The demolition
was surely there for all to see. The query was "what was happening
inside the temple" (sic.). His concern was not to stop the demolition,
else he would not have urged barricading of the roads to prevent
Central forces from arriving. The reason for his disquiet was
different as she clearly mentioned: "Advani was sad that people were
falling from the domes and dying."
DOUGLAS E CURRAN/AFP
Kar sevaks stop the Babri Masjid five hours before the structure was
demolished on December 6, 1992.
Thirdly, the Magistrate holds that "Anju Gupta has not indicated any
such contention (sic.) by any other leader." On the strength of this
solitary statement, Advani alone is exonerated. Her statement itself
is palpably misconstrued. Lastly, the Magistrate embarked on the
evaluation of the evidence. He singles out her statement, misconstrues
it, and ignores the enormous bulk, which clubbed Advani with the rest.
This is in clear breach of the law as laid down by the Supreme Court.
The Magistrate holds: "On the basis of the material presented to the
court, and having considered the extensive possibilities and the total
impact of the evidence in the light of both sides' arguments, I am of
the opinion that two views appear probable only about the prima facie
charge brought against the accused Lal Krishna Advani. One view is
that, prima facie, the crime was caused by Lal Krishna Advani to be
committed and the other view is that, prima facie, the crime was not
caused to be committed by him. After having considered the available
material and the two sides' arguments, in my opinion, suspicion but no
serious suspicion, seems to exist about the accused Lal Krishna Advani
having caused the crime to be committed under Sections 147/149/153A/
153B/505 IPC. On the contrary, having considered the available
material on record in the light of the two sides' arguments, I am of
the opinion that serious suspicion exists about the crime having been
caused under Section 147/149/153A/153B/505 IPC by the other accused
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Acharya
Giriraj Kishore, Sadhvi Uma Bharati, Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi
Ritambara, which the said accused have been unable to explain... . As
per the above discussion, as two views are possible regarding the
accused Lal Krishna Advani's offence and there exists only suspicion
(keval sandeh) that he caused the said crime to be committed,
therefore under the said ruling the accused Lal Krishna Advani
deserves to be acquitted from the charge in the case in question.
"As per the above discussion, serious suspicion (ghor sandeh) exists
that the crime was caused to be committed by the accused Dr. Murli
Manohar Joshi, Ashok Singhal, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Acharya Giriraj
Kishore, Sadhvi Uma Bharati, Vinay Katiyar and Sadhvi Ritambara, which
the said accused have been unable to explain, therefore in the light
of the said ruling, a prima facie case is made against the accused Dr.
Murli Manohar Joshi, and the rest."
The Magistrate, in effect, tried Advani on the merits instead of
framing charges against him since a prima facie case was disclosed
warranting a full trial. Only at the end is the accused entitled to
benefit of the doubt. The reasoning is tortuous in the extreme. The
conclusion is manifestly demonstrably wrong. Magistrate Vinod Kumar
Singh's judgment prevents Advani's trial on grounds that are
manifestly wrong. Criminal proceedings in the Ayodhya case have taken
a bizarre course. In the Sessions Court at Lucknow, the Judge Srikant
Shukla drops the conspiracy charge on May 4, 2001, in breach of the
High Court's ruling on February 12, 2001. In the Rae Bareli court the
CBI drops that charge in its "supplementary" charge-sheet on May 30,
2003. What are we coming to? The civil proceedings are as disquieting;
especially after the order for excavation by the Special Bench of the
High Court last March. As for the CBI's role the less said the
better.
http://www.flonnet.com/fl2102/stories/20040130002204700.htm
Resolved Question
Hindu Hate Crimes?
Why doesn't anyone ever point out the Hindu hate crimes against
Muslims in India and Pakistan while they are talking about Religious
Extremism?
3 years ago
Additional Details
Thomas, please see answer below, thanks
3 years ago
by Thomas B Member since:
June 12, 2007
Total points:
5188 (Level 5)
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
Dear Please list some.
Most Hindu attacks in India are retaliation to what the stupid Muslims
start.
Please show us a proof of Muslim oppression with facts to support your
claim.
Whatever Kalebow has stated comes from an extremist platform christian
news network. I am a Christian and still don't buy this BS spread by
the Evangelical Christian Media. Just the same I don't buy that
Muslims in Pakistan want peace.
All what Kalebow has said has supposedly happened in Burma and Sri
Lanka, he does not answer your question about India, please provide
proof of Hindu crimes against Muslims in Pakistan? are you joking.
When India and Pakistan were separated in 1947 Hindu population in
Pakistan was more than 14% today entire Pakistan is has less than 2%
minorities Pakistan is 98% Muslim State.
Where as India at Sepration had a 7% Muslim population which today is
more than 12% and 12% Muslims in India equal to the entire population
of Pakistan.
Please check your facts about ethnic cleansing then talk.
3 years ago
60% 3 Votes
Other Answers (4)
by MikeInRI Member since:
July 06, 2006
Total points:
87738 (Level 7)
Because for most people in the west they never hear about them and
lets face it Hindus are not mass killing Christians and Jews like
Muslims have been trying to do - it just does get the interest of most
in the west. Most actions taken by Hindus - although are bad - are
usually retalitory in nature which makes thems to a certain extent
seem justified to some.
Good Luck!!!
3 years ago
0% 0 Votes
3 Rating: Good Answer 1 Rating: Bad Answer Report Abuse by Cathy
Member since:
May 09, 2007
Total points:
10890 (Level 6)
Because there comes a point in discussing Religious Extremism where
you just have to start leaving religions and incidents out--EVERY
religion has zealots that commit such crimes.
3 years ago
2 Rating: Good Answer 1 Rating: Bad Answer Report Abuse by wwhy
Member since:
May 03, 2007
Total points:
1734 (Level 3)
The Buddhist state of Burma openly plans to Abolish Christianity and
nobody calls them terrorists ?
The Burma Government May Move to Abolish Christianity With Buddhist
Support ?
Government officials have shut down churches in this capital city and
have disallowed the construction of new church buildings. The number
of bibles allowed for import is limited and in-country printing of
bibles and Christian literature is restricted.
"Some Buddhist monks came and started shouting, 'don't worship God
here – he has nothing to do with us,'” David said. “They said we were
trying to establish Christianity in the village and they did not want
it. The monks and others threw stones at us. They hit us like a hard
rain. Some of us were hit in the cheek, the neck and the forehead."
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/012607Bur…
Report: Burma Plans to Wipe Out Christianity
A leaked secret document claims to reveal plans by the Burmese
military regime to wipe out Christianity in the southeast Asian
country.
Inside the memo were detailed instructions on how to force Christians
out of the country, according to Telegraph.
Instructions included imprisoning any person caught evangelizing,
capitalizing on the fact that Christianity is a non-violent religion.
“The Christian religion is very gentle,” read the letter, according to
Telegraph, “Identify and utilize its weakness.”
Burma, also known as Myanmar, has a Christian population of about four
percent, according to the CIA World Factbook. Persecution against
Christians have come in the form of church burnings, forced conversion
to the state religion of Buddhism, and banning children of Christians
from school.
http://www.christianpost.com/article/200…
Christian children forced to become Buddhist monks.
CHILDREN from Christian families in Burma, between the ages of five
and ten, have been lured from their homes and placed in Buddhist
monasteries. Once taken in, their heads have been shaved and they have
been trained as novice monks, never to see their parents again.
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-…
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_s…
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/ch…
Buddhist Extremists Attack Christian-Run Children’s Home in Sri Lanka
A 200-man mob, accompanied by extremist Buddhist monks, has attacked a
children’s home, which was being run by the Dutch Reformed Church in
central Sri Lanka at the beginning of August.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights organisation
which specialises in religious freedom, has reported that the mob
fiercely attacked the home, following which, they climbed to the roof
and planted a Buddhist flag on the roof.
Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide
(CSW), said: "We are extremely concerned about the continuing violence
against Christians in Sri Lanka. This latest incident, in which child
care workers have been threatened, is unacceptable and we urge the Sri
Lankan authorities to bring the perpetrators of such violence to
justice."
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bu…
Hindu and Buddhists united to opose Christian evangelism
Hindu and Buddhist priests from across Asia are uniting to oppose
Christian proselytism. The 1,000 delegates to a three-day conference
in Lumbini, Nepal, discussed Pope John Paul II's recent call to
evangelize Asia. Evangelism constitutes "a war against Hindus and
Buddhists" and is a "spiritual crime," they said.
Hindus attacking Christian churches and
Reports of Christian persecution in Nepal continue
http://www.wtcf.org/www.viamission.org/n…
Buddhist Cambodia Limits Christian Activities :
Cambodia's government issued a directive preventing Christians from
promoting their religion in public places, or using money or other
means to persuade people to convert, officials said Tuesday.
Cambodian Buddhists generally tolerate other religions, but last year
about 300 Buddhist villagers DESTROYED a partially built Christian
church near Phnom Penh.
Also last year, a group of Christian worshippers was caught
distributing sweets to young people in the countryside while trying to
convert them, Sun Kim Hun said. Such activities are illegal.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wire…
INDIA (Newsroom) – Six Christian missionaries participating in a
gospel campaign called "Love Ahmedabad" were beaten so savagely in the
state of Gujarat last week that one of the men may lose his arms and
legs.
Members of the Hyderabad-based Operation Mobilization (OM) were
distributing Bibles and religious tracts in Ahmedabad, about five
miles from Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, the afternoon of May 5
when they were attacked by members of the Hindu extremist groups
Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Operation Mobilization
ships tons of Christian literature around the country. The assailants
also burned copies of the Bible and tracts.
http://www.worthynews.com/news-features/…
Christian missionaries beaten in public for 'converting' Hindus
Television channels showed Hindu activists kicking and punching the
two young priests while dragging them through Maharashtra's Kolhapur
town.
News footage showed an activist knee one priest in the groin, making
him double up in pain. Another kicked the missionary in the head. The
crowd accused the priests of forcibly converting poor Hindus, and
handed them over to police.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/…
The violence of Buddhist extremists it’s being compared to the killing
fields of Cambodia. In Sri Lanka religion has become mixed with
politics and nationalism - creating a toxic brew of hatred and fear.
They are…… forcibly trying to convert people to Buddhism and forcing
people to kneel down to declare Buddha is our god! Read about it
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=7…
3 years ago
2 Rating: Good Answer 2 Rating: Bad Answer Report Abuse by
anser_qu... Member since:
January 22, 2007
Total points:
1489 (Level 3)
great answer Thomas...
Unfortunately these bigots that make these false calims only see
though their lens and are not mature enough to realise the facts..
3 years ago
Any my Hindu brother will accept nithyananda swamiji is their guru,
after his crime...? if s why..?.?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=As4N.azjWH.QVon7PCP20wjd7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20100308072451AAYK8du
Any one accept nithyananda swamiji is their guru, after his crime...?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AotF_sqWOe_Lk7tfFDNher7d7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20100308072237AAd8GeG
Christians, can you give several examples of scriptures (to add to
this) that show us how precious...?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnF9GzIAaTjwzchT.UEaegHd7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20100308072220AAxqgd2
Why do religious people think that suicide is a sin?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApdmH190JzBD8onJU9H2_W3d7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20100308072151AAI7dpX
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070724133507AAtHOJI
THE OTHER HALF
From the land of hate
KALPANA SHARMA
`We have found a lot of happiness here,' said one girl. Happiness?
After spending just three days in an overcrowded, hot, dirty city?....
The story of 19 young Muslim women from Gujarat.
ON the surface they looked like any group of college girls. A little
conservative, perhaps, compared to their counterparts in Mumbai. But
these were not just college girls. You could tell if you looked more
closely, if you looked into their eyes, if you noticed the anxiety.
Nineteen young Muslim women from Gujarat with 19 stories to tell. All
of them unexceptionally disturbing and tragic. They were invited to
visit Mumbai by Aawaz-e-Niswan, a remarkable organisation that works
with Muslim women in Mumbai and is now extending its work to women in
other cities. The very ordinary, mostly lower middle class Muslim
women from this organisation, many of whom have been personally seared
by communal riots such as those that tore Mumbai apart in 1992-93,
decided to reach out to their sisters in Gujarat after the communal
carnage of 2002. They visited some of the worst affected areas; they
heard the stories from women who did not know how they would pick up
the threads of their lives again. And they decided that they would do
something for the younger women, many of whom expressed a
determination to continue with their education, to seek professional
qualifications and to work and be independent.
For some of the girls from Dahod, Fatehpura, Jalod and Vadodara, even
travelling in a train was a novel experience. The five from Fatehpura,
a small town bordering Rajasthan, had never seen a film in a cinema
theatre. The women from Jalod said there was a theatre in their town,
but women never went there. So one of the highpoints of their visit to
Mumbai was seeing a film in a theatre. They could not get over the
fact that as women they could do this.
Also for the first time, these women travelled around the city by
night. Mumbai by night, or any city by night, was something they could
not have imagined doing in their wildest dreams. Yet they went around
and no one looked at them strangely. They were just some among
thousands of men and women who inhabit Mumbai's public spaces till all
hours of the night.
"We have found a lot of happiness here," said one girl. Happiness?
After spending just three days in an overcrowded, hot, dirty city?
"The love we see on the faces here we don't see there," said another.
"We never get izzat (respect) anywhere in Gujarat," said another. It
was interesting to see how the very anonymity of a big city can mean
so much to people who live surrounded by hate.
That hate lurks around every turn, they said. Everyday they see on the
streets the perpetrators of the crimes that led to the death and
destruction of their community. "Even now if we pass by, they shout at
us, use bad language," said a primary school teacher from Godhra. "We
can see our things, our furniture, even our clothes, being used by
other people," said a student from Fatehpura. She broke down as she
spoke of how her house was burnt and looted, forcing her family to run
across the border to Rajasthan.
If there is one good thing that has come out of this evil, say many of
the girls, it is the increasing emphasis on women's education. "We
girls thought that if we had been educated, we could have taken a good
job and supported our families," said one. Families with no earning
member left did not get anything more than a meagre compensation.
This, she said, forced many parents to realise the value of education
and professional training.
So what did they want to do once they graduated? Most said they wanted
to become teachers. But at least two said they wanted to join the
police.
But the down side is that many girls never had a chance to make that
choice. With parents worried about the future of their daughters in
the immediate aftermath of the violence, many girls were married off
to men they had never met at the relief camps. It is unlikely that
these young women will have the freedom to travel to Mumbai at the
invitation of a women's group, to go to the theatre, to wander around
the city at night, to travel in trains and buses.
Life for the Muslim women of Gujarat, as was evident from the way
these 19 spoke, consists of "earlier" and "now". "Earlier", they had
Hindu friends, went to each other's homes, even celebrated each
other's festivals. "Now" this is not possible, they are even afraid to
go through Hindu areas and the question of enjoying each other's
festivals does not arise. "Even today we are told, Pakistan is yours,
go to Pakistan. The Hindus have come back to the city, the Muslims
have moved out. India has already been divided but now even our city
of Vadodara is divided into India and mini-Pakistan," said Nilofer.
Just a day before we met these women, the Supreme Court had ordered
the reopening of over 2,000 cases filed during the communal trouble of
2002 that the local police had closed. A 10-member committee has been
set up.
The process is forcing all of us to revisit the horror of those days.
The arrest of Police Sub-Inspector R.J. Patil, for instance, who
admitted that he had burnt 13 bodies of the victims of what is known
as the Ambika Society massacre, without sending specimens for forensic
analysis, is only the beginning of more gruesome details that will
emerge.
Yet, even this tentative beginning represents hope for many Muslims in
Gujarat. Said Nilofer from Vadodara, "Even if these cases are
reopened, and regardless of whether there is justice or not, at least
in front of society these people will be named." She felt that the
arrest of men like Patil was an important gesture for her traumatised
community.
E-mail the writer ksh...@thehindu.co.in
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2004/09/05/stories/2004090500290300.htm
No time for coffee in Copenhagen
TABISH KHAIR is not writing about the numerous lives lost in a
senseless and criminal act of violence on September 11. Instead, he
writes about the voices he has heard thereafter; a sound that has a
certain tone to it and which has set him wondering about abstract
hatred and prejudice.
THERE are moments that cleave Time into two. Everything that happens
afterwards happens in a different world. World War II was one such
moment for Europe. The suicide-hijack-crashing of four passenger
planes and the destruction of the World Trade Center is such a moment
for the world.
I will not write about the 5,000 lives lost in a senseless and
criminal act of violence. Such human loss escapes the limits of
language and representation. One can only stand silent in front of the
monuments of sorrow that tens of thousands - relatives, friends,
colleagues - will carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
It is a sorrow the rest of us can only share in silence.
I cannot write about silence. And I should not for, in Copenhagen, I
have been deluged with sound: the opinions of ordinary people, the
film-like coverage of the tragedy by Cable News Network (CNN), the
voices of commentators and politicians. Much of this sound had a
certain tone to it and that tone set me wondering. Is there much of a
difference between the terrorists who struck back at a group of
politicians by targeting tens of thousands of innocent people and
those voices that seem to be using the cruel act of a handful of
presumed Islamic terrorists to tarnish and blame entire populations of
Muslims and Arabs? Do not both the acts demonstrate the same type of
abstract hatred and prejudice?
But the questions never end. On the margins of time, in the split
space between worlds, one is always deluged with questions.
For example, the first Danish person who brought me news of the
tragedy said that he was against violence of any kind and added that
he would understand it if Americans decided to hit back. Why is it
that we always justify our own violence, while the violence of the
enemy is sheer sacrilege? Isn't that why there were shocking pictures
of some Palestinians celebrating: people who have become so used to
the idea of missiles being launched at their own buildings by Israeli
forces and the notion of reciprocal violence that they could not feel
the inhumanity of their celebration?
But, then, is this what we can write about: this spiral of violence
and inhumanity? Is this immense tragedy going to remain at such a
general level of discourse?
The answer seems to be "yes" if various media discussions in the West
are to be believed. But it has to be "no" if we are to salvage some
sense from the wanton destruction.
It is easy for us to sit here in our cosy sitting rooms in Copenhagen,
holding a cup of coffee, munching a biscuit, watching the tragedy
unfold almost as fluently as a film on the idiot box, and speak in
general terms. What we are doing is celebrating our own humanity, and
all human beings - even terrorists - are convinced of their own
superior humanity. Many of the most inhuman acts known to humanity
have been the consequence of such a conviction. We need to go beyond
it. We owe it to the victims of the tragedy to go beyond it.
The second person who called me with news of the tragedy was my
father: a devout Muslim doctor who has lived most of his life in a
small town in Bihar. He was shocked by the news. How could anyone do
this, he said again and again. The word he used was "anyone". I went
back to the TV and, in spite of the fact that no one knew anything
about the identities of the terrorists, I did not hear too many people
say "anyone". I heard "Muslim", "Islamic", "Middle Eastern", "Arab".
These were people who had already decided to exclude entire
populations from the circumference of their definitions of humanity.
My father's "anyone" had been reduced by many of these contributors to
"Arab" or "Muslim", even to the very type of an Arab or Muslim. I
could feel the irreligious "Muslim" in me cringe every time I heard
such discussions. I could feel my father being put in the dock.
It is so comfortable, this celebration of our own humanity. It can be
so inhuman, this celebration of our own humanity.
But what about violence?
Thomas Burnet, the late 17th century English divine, wrote that the
Roman Catholic Church persecuted prophets of Apocalyptic violence
(even though Apocalypse and the millennium were prophesied in the
Bible and, as such, should have been welcome to the church), because
it was in those days a church of privilege. Apocalyptic violence,
Burnet argued, was always the last resort of the persecuted and would
be disliked by those who "have lived always in pomp and prosperity".
Violence, in other words, is seldom a free choice. It is predicated
upon most individuals by circumstances. These individuals are usually
those who labour under an overpowering feeling of injustice and
deprivation. However senseless it might be, behind all violence lies
the rubble of shattered hopes, of real and imagined injustices, of
human desperation and, consequently, inhuman hatred. Let us not take
refuge in the easy excuse that we are against violence. For all of us,
given certain circumstances, are capable of violence or sympathy with
violence. While a thousand candles have been lit in Copenhagen for
those who died in the United States, let us also light a candle or two
for those who die - and thousands do every day, with or without
"Western" complicity - in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Rwanda .... Let
us not traffic in the worth of human lives.
No, large descriptions like "violence" do not help if we stay confined
to that general level. Neither does the kind of cry for vengeance that
one heard in the voice of many Americans and Europeans. It is true
that we have to take a stand against violence. Not just violence of
one kind, we have to take a stand against all kinds of violence - the
violence of terrorists as well as the violence of State agencies,
physical violence that leads to the death of bystanders as well as
economic violence that leads to the starvation of millions in a world
that has enough to go around. More than enough.
It is time we in the West think a bit before we bite into the cake of
our affluence and drink the coffee of our civilised condemnation.
If general sentiments will not do, what, then, about the specific
lessons that we can draw from this tragedy?
One of the things that this outrage has demonstrated is the
ineffectiveness of any kind of military shield. The only shield that
can be effective is the shield of a more just world. And for the world
to be made just and equal, it not only needs some of the resources of
the affluent, it also has to be made democratic.
Unfortunately, the U.S. has made itself into the target of extremist
groups largely because it has tried to go solo or exert undue
influence in certain international quarters. The internal democracy of
the U.S. seldom gets translated into international democracy. Had
certain decisions been taken through the channels of the United
Nations (not a military alliance of the privileged, like the North
Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)), the U.S. would have been only
one nation among many. The burden, the "blame" and the risks would
have been shared. There are advantages to democracy at the
international level, but it has to be true democracy. And the final
lesson is that of the dangers of abstract hatred and prejudice. The
act of one leader or a group cannot be blamed in a generalised way on
an entire people or country, as the terrorists seem to have done. But
this is a lesson that we should also remember every time someone uses
the dastardly act of a handful of presumed Islamic terrorists to
implicitly or explicitly blame entire populations of Muslims and
Arabs.
The crashes that reduced the World Trade Center to rubble and the two
terror-inducing plane crashes elsewhere have cleft our age into two.
On the other side of this smoking chasm of blood and bitterness, lies
another world. It can be a world in which all the mistakes of the past
- global inequality, socio-economic exploitation, lack of
international democracy, lack of national democracy and literacy in
some nations, prejudice, hatred - all these mistakes are consolidated
into a world of greater violence and suffering. Or we may, finally,
learn to work towards a world, a very different world, where we will
tackle not the consequences of senseless tragedies but the reasons for
them. A world in which we will condemn not only a certain kind of
violence, but all violence; a world in which we will love not only our
humanity, but all humanity.
In order to make this choice we have to look deep into our own hearts
before we tidy away the tea things and swap the channel in places like
Copenhagen.
People who commit hate crimes against Americans with Middle Eastern
backgrounds in the wake of the terrorist attacks will be prosecuted
"to the fullest extent of the law", according to a top Justice
Department official.
According to new federal hate crime statistics released recently:
* Hate crimes accounted for nearly 3,000 of the roughly 5.4 million
victim-related crimes examined in a study which looked at cases
reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) by local police
in more than a dozen states from 1997 to 1999.
* Among the racially motivated incidents, 60 per cent targeted Blacks,
30 per cent targeted Whites and the rest targeted Asians and American
Indians. Forty-one per cent of the incidents involving religious bias
targeted Jewish people.
* Violent crime was the most serious offence in 60 per cent of the
hate crimes, typically involving intimidation or simple assault.
* More than half of the violent hate crime victims were 24 years old
or younger. Among the offenders, 31 per cent of violent offenders and
46 per cent of property offenders were under age 18.
Source: Internet
(The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of English, Copenhagen
University, Denmark.)
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/10/07/stories/13070612.htm
harmony
that's not the kind of reunification we need.
i do not think your prediction (of united islamic india?) should invite
hate.
<use...@mantra.com and/or www.mantra.com/jai (Dr. Jai Maharaj)> wrote in
message news:20100222QXq454r3g9sBVpFX68E2x7c@Bw05O...
> harmony ji, there are many painful components in the reunification
> process. Muslim and Christian terrorism must be stopped. Who is
> going to do the job? We Hindus can if we follow the advice of Shree
> Krshn to Arjun.
>
> A note on predictions: many people assume that a Jyotishi's
> predictions reflect his or her desires, which of course is not
> necessarily true. I received a lot of hate mail when I publicly
> predicted that O. J. Simpson would be acquitted in the criminal
> trial after the double murder.
>
> Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
> Om Shanti
>
> In article <4b8318e9$0$12454$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
> "harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>>
>> jai maharaj ji, my sources inform me that the traffick is predominantly
>> (99pct) mommedan. millions of pakis stay behind, they now don't even care
>> to
>> report to police station beause the police can not monitor millions of
>> pakis. result: thousands of terror cells in india.
>> this can not be the idea of reunification.
>>
>> pm mmsingh: muslims have first right to national resources.
>
>> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
>>
>> > The reunification of Bharat and Pakistan, and others, (I published
>> > the prediction here many years ago) is complete at many levels, and
>> > continues at others.
>> >
>> > About "the Hindus have a death wish", I can say that true Hindus have
>> > been reduced to a small minority because of the centuries of genocide
>> > by Muslims and Christians.
>> >
>> > However, as long as a spark of true Hinduism remains a revival is
>> > certainly possible. It is this seed that brings about the transition
>> > from one Yug to another.
>> >
>> > The buses and trains provide traffic in both directions. As long as
>> > the traffic in the direction beneficial to Hindus is not nullified by
>> > traffic in the opposite direction, the system is acceptable. We
>> > Hindus need a big advantage.
>> >
>> > Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
>> > Om Shanti
>> >
>> > In article <4b78522a$0$12417$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
>> > "harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>> >>
>> >> of course, nobody but nobody wonders why we still have lahore-dillie
>> >> buses
>> >> and samjauta trains runinng which has brought in millions of pakis so
>> >> far
>> >> into india, and continues to bring in tens of thousands of pakis into
>> >> india
>> >> every week. the hindus have a death wish, and bollywood can make it
>> >> poetic
>> >> too.
>> >
>> >> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
>> >>
>> >> > Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >> >
>> >> > Blasts in India
>> >> >
>> >> > Dear India-based folks
>> >> >
>> >> > My condolences to the families affected by the Pune German Bakery
>> >> > (what appears to be) bombings.
>> >> >
>> >> > Unfortunately, the geopolitical situation in South Asia has now
>> >> > turned in Pakistan's favor, with America agreeing to accept
>> >> > Pakistan's primacy in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban.
>> >> >
>> >> > Indeed, terrorism works!
>> >> >
>> >> > It is likely that Pakistan has initiated a significant round of
>> >> > terrorist attacks all throughout India. The attacks are designed to
>> >> > push India to accommodate Kashmir in Pakistan's favor.
>> >> >
>> >> > Pakistan has a well-established network in India to carry out its
>> >> > nefarious designs.
>> >> >
>> >> > Prominent public places and businesses, Hindu religious centers, and
>> >> > even leading educational institutions could be part of the hit list.
>> >> >
>> >> > Please be careful.
>> >> >
>> >> > Remember, your family's safety lies in the safety of your
>> >> > community --
>> >> > and your nation.
>> >> >
>> >> > Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >> >
>> >> > End of forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy
>> >> >
>> >> > Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
>> >> > Om Shanti
>> >> >
>> >> > o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
>> >> > educational
>> >> > purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post
>> >> > may
>> >> > not
>> >> > have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion
>> >> > of
>> >> > the
>> >> > poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the
>> >> > exemption
>> >> > for
>> >> > fair use of copyrighted works.
>> >> > o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
>> >> > considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
>> >> > current
>> >> > e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
>> >> > o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by
>> >> > others
>> >> > are
>> >> > not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
>> >> > article.
>> >> >
>> >> > FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the
>> >> > use
>> >> > of
>> >> > which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the
>> >> > copyright
>> >> > owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance
>> >> > the
>> >> > understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
>> >> > democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is
>> >> > believed
>> >> > that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material
>> >> > as
>> >> > provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance
>> >> > with
>> >> > Title
>> >> > 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
>> >> > without
>> >> > profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
>> >> > included
>> >> > information for research, comment, discussion and educational
>> >> > purposes
>> >> > by
>> >> > subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
>> >> > information
>> >> > go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
>> >> > If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for
>> >> > purposes
>> >> > of
>> >> > your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from
>> >> > the
>> >> > copyright owner.
>> >> >
>> >> > Since newsgroup posts are being removed
>> >> > by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
>> >> > this post may be reposted several times.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> > o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
>> > educational
>> > purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may
>> > not
>> > have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of
>> > the
>> > poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption
>> > for
>> > fair use of copyrighted works.
>> > o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
>> > considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
>> > current
>> > e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
>> > o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
>> > are
>> > not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
>> > article.
>> >
>> > FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use
>> > of
>> > which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
>> > owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
>> > understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
>> > democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is
>> > believed
>> > that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
>> > provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
>> > Title
>> > 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
>> > profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
>> > included
>> > information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes
>> > by
>> > subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
>> > information
>> > go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
>> > If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes
>> > of
>> > your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
>> > copyright owner.
>> >
>> > Since newsgroup posts are being removed
>> > by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
>> > this post may be reposted several times.
>>
>>
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
continue for the time being. We Hindus have to work hard control the
process and also carry the essence of all that is Hindu forward
through the Yugs.
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
In article <4b9577bd$0$12453$bbae...@news.suddenlink.net>,
"harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>
> at the present trend, reunification will surely mean islamic united "india".
> that's not the kind of reunification we need.
>
> i do not think your prediction (of united islamic india?) should invite
> hate.
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
bademiyansubhanallah
Hindu-Muslim Conflict in India
May 24, 2002 Episode no. 538 November 7, 2008
BOB ABERNETHY: India, which is mostly Hindu, and Pakistan, which is
mostly Muslim, are once again on the brink of war over the disputed
region of Kashmir. And both nations have nuclear weapons. Hindu-Muslim
tensions extend beyond Kashmir. Within India, where Hindus make up 80%
of the population and Muslims make up 14%, violent outbreaks that
began in February may already have taken thousands of lives. Fred de
Sam Lazaro reports.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Gujarat is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. At
the center from where he led India's independence movement in the
early 20th century, school children sing about non violence and peace.
Gujarat has been anything but peaceful in recent weeks. Last February,
a train was set ablaze by a group of Muslims in the village of Godhra.
Stories vary on what provoked the incident but in the end, 58 Hindus,
most of them women and children, were burned alive. The train was
carrying Hindu activists returning from the site of a long-simmering
dispute over ground claimed as sacred both by Hindus and Muslims.
The train attack sparked some of the worst religious violence seen in
India since it was partitioned in 1947 by the departing British. An
estimated half million people died. Muslims moving to the newly-
created Pakistan, Hindus going the other way to a newly-independent,
officially secular India. Many Muslims remained in India. They form a
12 percent minority.
Today in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat state capital, more than 110,000 of
the city's Muslim minority have fled into makeshift refugee camps.
They tell stories of rape, murder, and torched homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Tell us, where can we go? They took our Koran, threw
it in the street, and pissed on it. They tell us to get out of this
country. We were born here, our men fought for this country, where can
we go?
DE SAM LAZARO: A few miles away, a Hindu family mourns the loss of
their son and brother, killed by a Muslim gang. He was a youth
activist for the world Hindu council, a Hindu nationalist group. He
was a martyr for the country -- the cause, they say -- and that cause
will continue.
What sparked the violence is 800 miles away in Ayodhya. For Hindu
nationalists this 16th-century mosque symbolized Muslim domination of
their land. India is the birthplace of Hinduism, approximately 2,500
years ago. Islam first came to south Asia around the 12th century, and
much of the region came under the rule of the Muslim Mogul empire at
about the time this mosque was built. Hindu nationalists insist the
Moguls destroyed a Hindu temple to build the mosque and that the site
was the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram. In 1992, a Hindu crowd tore
down the mosque. Hundreds died in violence that followed across the
subcontinent.
The BJP -- or India People's Party -- allied with nationalist Hindu
groups, rode the issue to electoral success. It campaigned to build a
new Ram temple. In 1999, the BJP came to power with coalition partners
who forced moderation. The government now says the courts should
decide the matter.
As India's Supreme Court grapples with the issue, Hindu forces have
been active, building the temple, they say, just waiting to erect it.
Not far from the disputed site, hundreds of pillars and columns have
already been carved. Visitors come to admire the stone work, and they
chip in a few rupees for the temple project.
Today, the dozens of their number who perished in the Gohdra train
incident have been called martyrs. Their deaths have sparked
retribution against Muslims on a scale Police Commissioner P.C. Pande
says he's never witnessed.
P.C. PANDE (Police Commissioner): We've dealt with several such
situations -- it's not the first time. But you don't expect people to
come out in the hundreds of thousands.
DE SAM LAZARO: By the time Army troops arrived, almost every Muslim-
owned business in Gujarat was destroyed. The official death toll had
exceeded 800 people, most of them Muslims. The toll is likely in the
thousands. Many victims, like the relatives of 14 year-old Naved, have
never been found.
NAVED (through voice of translator): My mother, my father, brother,
sister, plus an aunty and her family. We all lived together. On
February 28, our house was burned. My hands and legs were burned. I
ran to my employer who took me to the hospital.
DE SAM LAZARO: An uncle who lives in south India has offered to take
him in, Naved says, when it is safe. It will be a while.
It is not often that one can walk in the middle of the street in a big
Indian city. Ahmedabad has five million people. But weeks after the
orgy of violence that claimed thousands of lives, there continue to be
sporadic outbursts of violence, fed by the rumor mill, so police
routinely impose curfew in neighborhoods like this one at night.
Still there are almost daily clashes. During our recent three day
stay, more than a dozen deaths were reporteds. The failure to contain
the violence indicates the complicity of the Gujarat government -- a
legislature in which the BJP has a majority.
SIDDHARTH VARADARAJAN (Editor, TIME OF INDIA): The killings that
followed the train massacre were not spontaneous, they were not the
result of mass anger on the part of Hindus, but it was an
orchestrated, organized, calculated pogrom which took place because
the ruling party, the BJP has state power in Gujarat and was able to
use the power to essentially give a free hand to its party activists
to indulge in this kind of criminal behavior.
DE SAM LAZARO: He's also critical of national BJP leaders. He says
they've tended to focus on the train incident instead of condemning
all violence.
Mr. VARADARAJAN: I think a statesmanlike attitude would have been to
condemn both, to recognize both are acts of terrorism, both have to be
condemned. To say that one incident justifies the other in any way
reveals a complete moral and philosophical bankruptcy.
DE SAM LAZARO: For their part, officials with the ruling BJP insist
the Gujarat government did its best to bring the early carnage under
control. Mukhtar Naqvi, the BJP's national secretary, a Muslim
himself, blames opposition parties for inciting the ongoing tension,
for courting the Muslim vote.
MUKHTAR NAQVI (National Secretary, BJP): They think if the minorities
feel insecure then they can exploit them easily. They don't want
normalcy. They're not interested in peace in Gujarat.
DE SAM LAZARO: What no one questions, is that the BJP, particularly in
Gujarat, is closely allied with nationalist Hindu organizations.
PRAVEEN TOGADIA (World Hindu Council): Here in Gujarat, Hindus are
victims of Islamic terrorism.
DE SAM LAZARO: Praveen Togadia, head of the World Hindu council, says
Gujarat fits a global pattern.
Mr. TOGADIA: Why there is riot in Xijiang province in China? Why there
is riot in Chechnya? Why in Bosnia? Why in Jerusalem? It has only to
do with the Jihad intolerant tendency who want to impose totalitarian
religious belief system on the rest of humanity, who want to destroy
the rest of all civilizations at gunpoint.
DE SAM LAZARO: Muslims and Hindus come from the same culture. But,
like those who wanted Pakistan, he charges, many Indian Muslims today
consider themselves Muslims first, not Indians. Many Indian Muslims
say the words of an unrepresentative few are being used to tarnish an
entire community.
ABID SHAMSI (Retired English Professor): The voice of sanity is not
heard. There is such a large scale and widespread rule of fanaticism
where you can't go and talk reason.
DE SAM LAZARO: He notes that aside from a few movie stars and
industrialists, India's Muslims are poorer and less literate than most
Indians. And far from being fanatics, he says, many Muslims rejected
Muslim Pakistan and chose to live in a secular, democratic India. But
Gujarat, some fear, is just the kind of environment that breeds
religious extremism over time.
SYED SHAHABUDDIN (Publisher, Muslim India): We cannot control the
motivation of individuals. An adolescent who has lost his entire
family, who has seen his mother and sisters raped, and who has seen
his fathers and brothers butchered. If he becomes a terrorist, what
shall you tell him? What can you tell him? Yes, I go on telling them,
"Please have fortitude, have faith in Allah."I might teach them .I
might try to keep them from the path of violence.
DE SAM LAZARO: Months into the religious tensions, however, the forces
of moderation have yet to rise.
(to Professor Shamsi): There was one person we spoke to yesterday who
said it will just take time and fatigue to bring peace to Gujarat.
Prof. SHAMSI: Yes, absolutely. And this time, it is going to be a
long time.
DE SAM LAZARO: Many Indians take heart from the fact that the
religious violence hasn't spread beyond Gujarat -- that the BJP in
fact lost an election in Delhi soon after the Gujarat riots. But
others fear the birth place of Gandhi may some day become the
graveyard of the secular nation he helped found.
For RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, this is Fred De Sam Lazaro, at the
Gandhi Ashram, Gujarat, India.
Read interviews with scholars Ainslee Embree and Timothy Shah about
the recent religious violence in India.
Related Links:
The Times of India
BBC News: "Tense times for India's Muslims" by Martin Plaut, Jan. 15,
2002
BBC News: "Q & A: The Ayodhya dispute," Feb. 27, 2002
India News
The Guardian: "Religion, as ever, is the poison in India's blood.
Salman Rushdie on new horrors in the name of God, " March 9, 2002
Related Books:
GANDHI, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH by
Mohandas K. Gandhi
GANDHI ON NON-VIOLENCE edited by Thomas Merton
GANDHI'S PASSION: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MAHATMA GANDHI by Stanley
Wolpert
GANDHI: A PHOTO BIOGRAPHY by Peter Ruhe
GANDHI'S RELIGIOUS THOUGHT by Margaret Chatterjee
GANDHI'S WAY: A HANDBOOK OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION by Mark Juergensmeyer
RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM by Mark Juergensmeyer
IMAGINING INDIA by Mark Juergensmeyer
RELIGIONS OF INDIA IN PRACTICE edited by Donald Lopez
INDIA: FROM MIDNIGHT TO THE MILLENNIUM by Shashi Tharoor
INDIA: A CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE, 1947 TO 1997 edited by Victor
Anant
HINDUISM AND SECULARISM: AFTER AYODHYA edited by Arvind Sharma
UTOPIAS IN CONFLICT: RELIGION AND NATIONALISM IN MODERN INDIA by
Ainslie T. Embree
LEVELING CROWDS: ETHNO-NATIONALIST CONFLICTS AND COLLECTIVE VIOLENCE
IN SOUTH ASIA by Stanley Tambiah
RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM: HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN INDIA by Peter van der
Veer
GODS ON EARTH: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND IDENTITY IN AYODHYA by Peter
van der Veer
GANDHI: PRISONER OF HOPE by Judith Brown
THE HINDU NATIONALIST MOVEMENT IN INDIA by Christophe Jaffrelot
ETHNIC CONFLICT AND CIVIC LIFE: HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN INDIA by
Ashutosh Varshney
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/cover.html
INTERVIEW:
Ainslee Embree and Timothy Shah
May 24, 2002 Episode no. 538 November 7, 2008
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly corresponded by e-mail with two scholars
about the recent religious violence in India. Ainslie Embree is
professor emeritus of history at Columbia University and an Asia
expert. Timothy Shah is a research fellow at the Ethics and Public
Policy Center in Washington, D.C.:
Q: Salman Rushdie recently wrote an impassioned piece of commentary
about the violence in India between Hindus and Muslims. He said, among
other things, that religion is "the poison in the blood" of India and
that the name of the problem in India is "God." Do you agree? Could
you comment on his views about religious violence in India and your
own?
Ainslie Embree: The Rushdie piece is excellent, because it is written
by a superb writer with a passionate concern for the fate of Muslims
in India. God is the name of the problem, but of course it is not
religion that is at fault, but rather the fact that religion has been
used in India (as in this country) to legitimize violence and bigotry.
It was not a fanatical Muslim who killed Rabin in Israel because he
tried to make peace and seemed to be succeeding, but a fanatical
orthodox Jew; and it was an orthodox Hindu who killed Gandhi for the
same reason.
Religions believe in Truth, and if you believe that you possess the
truth, then you have the right to eliminate those against that truth.
(This is, after all, President Bush's version: "They are against US.")
In India, the Hindus of Gujarat and the right-wing Hindu nationalists
rarely say, however, that they speak for God. What they say is that
Muslims and Christians (and liberal Hindus) pollute India with their
false ideas. They go on to say that Hindus believe all religions are
true, but that Muslims and Christians deny this, and therefore are
false. They also say that the only true Indians are those who accept
the truth of Hinduism.
None of this is very sophisticated, but it is very insidious: Muslims
and Christians are not just purveyors of false ideas, they are enemies
of India and traitors. It is this one hears over and over again -- not
so much that Hinduism is true, but that Muslims and Christians are
corrupting the fabric of India with their false and foreign arguments.
The Muslims are the poorest people in India, and their enemies are
equally poor Hindus who see them as competitors for scarce resources.
So, Rushdie is right with his passionate statement, but it is a
complex and difficult idea.
Timothy Shah: Rushdie is wrong: it is not religion in India, or the
religiosity of India, that is the problem. Nor is it Hinduism or Islam
as such: Hinduism has a well-deserved reputation as a tolerant faith
(even if this is sometimes exaggerated; there is the caste system,
after all, which obviously suggests that its tolerance and
inclusiveness have definite limits), and Indian Islam is
extraordinarily moderate and irenic.
Almost all of the steep escalation in religious violence in India in
recent years, since the late 1980s and early 1990s in particular, has
been a consequence in one way or another of the "saffron wave" -- the
rise of an increasingly militant Hindu nationalism. Although the
Gujarat violence started with a Muslim attack on a trainload of Hindu
activists, it occurred in the context of the increasing power of Hindu
militants and their increasing pressure on the Indian central
government to comply with a whole series of demands, particularly the
immediate construction of a temple to Lord Ram in the city of Ayodhya
(Ram's supposed birthplace) in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Indeed, much of the violence of the last decade can be traced back to
Hindu militant agitation over Ayodhya. It was in Ayodhya in December
1992 that Hindu nationalists, in an extraordinarily provocative act,
demolished a mosque, the Babri Masjid, to make way for the
construction of the temple to Ram. The result was terrible rioting,
particularly in Mumbai (Bombay), which left more than 2,000 people
dead.
It is clear from many sources, including Human Rights Watch, the
British government, and the National Human Rights Commission of India,
that the anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat was pre-planned and
systematically executed by militant organizations that are part of the
Hindu nationalist family (or sangh parivar, "family of
organizations"). These organizations, particularly the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have a paramilitary quality, and their
founders openly admired modern fascist movements such as Nazism. For
them, the attack on the train at Godhra was a pretext; any number of
events or circumstances could have served equally well. But the
particular viciousness of that attack, and the unquestionable
spontaneity of some of the violence that followed, provided the
perfect cover: the Hindu militants were able to conduct a systematic
pogrom under the guise of a "spontaneous" communal riot.
Indeed, the fact that the grotesque religious violence in India in
recent years is not merely endemic or the "natural" result of
"religion," but an organized and deliberate program of Hindu
nationalists, is supported by the recent work of Ashutosh Varshney,
associate professor of political science and director of the Center
for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan. Varshney has
just published a searching and highly acclaimed analysis of Hindu-
Muslim relations in India (ETHNIC CONFLICT AND CIVIC LIFE: HINDUS AND
MUSLIMS IN INDIA, Yale University Press, 2002). Most germane to the
Gujarat attacks is Varshney's insistence that such large-scale
violence (leaving, in the case of Gujarat, over 2,000 people dead,
according to human rights organizations and Western diplomats) cannot
result from spontaneous rioting. In the Indian cities with violent
track records that Varshney studied (including Ahmedabad in Gujarat,
where the worst violence occurred), "a nexus of politicians and
criminals was in evidence. Without the involvement of organized gangs,
large-scale rioting and tens and hundreds of killings are most
unlikely, and without the protection afforded by politicians, such
criminals cannot escape the clutches of the law."
Hindu nationalists, in other words, have succeeded in visiting more
and more violence on Muslims (as well as Christians, particularly in
southern Gujarat), because they have been able to act with the
complicity of sympathetic politicians and even governments. And they
have been able to act with the most impunity in the state of Gujarat
because it has a strongly Hindu-nationalist state government.
Q: What are the connections between Hindus and Muslims in the U.S. and
religious violence in Gujarat?
Ainslie Embree: Unfortunately, the connection is very close. Right-
wing Hindus in this country have an organization they call the World
Hindu Council, the translation of "Hindu Vishwa Parishad," the extreme
right-wing group that almost all Indian reporters hold responsible for
the violence in Gujarat. They have the ear of many people in the U.S.
Congress, because they are a wealthy, powerful group. They are skilled
if crude propagandists. An example: they have permission from a Texas
school district to explain in the schools why Hinduism is a religion
of peace, unlike Islam. I brought this to the attention of Americana
for the Separation of Church and State, but they said that when they
investigated, they found that the Council just teaches that all
religions are true.
Timothy Shah: One of the great untold stories about Hindu nationalism
in India (though it is a story that is beginning to be told a bit
more) is that it is heavily supported and funded by what are called
"non-resident Indians" (NRIs) in the West, particularly in the United
States. An excellent story in THE NEW YORK TIMES a couple weeks ago,
by Somini Sengupta ("Hindu Nationalists Are Enrolling, and Enlisting,
India's Poor," May 13, 2002), pointed out the strong links between
Indians in the U.S. and what are in effect Hindu "madrassas" in India:
Hindu-nationalist schools that provide education to poor and often
tribal people, who would not otherwise be educated, but that in the
process inculcate a message of hatred of so-called "foreign" religions
such as Islam and Christianity. The graduates of these schools, at
least in some cases, join the cadres of Hindu-nationalist
organizations such as the RSS and the Bajrang Dal, the groups that
helped orchestrate the attacks in Gujarat. Interestingly, as the
article pointed out, for the first time the very tribal peoples of
Gujarat that the Hindu nationalists are educating in their schools
participated in the anti-Muslim pogrom (whereas historically they
harbor no hostility whatsoever to India's Muslims).
The last couple months have also seen something else that is very
disturbing: Hindu militant groups in the United States actively
seeking to deny that any serious anti-Muslim violence took place in
Gujarat at all. As an Indian-American of Gujarati background who is
generally very proud of the Indian-American community, I must confess
that I wish I were making this up. But it often seems to be the case,
as with other ethnic or religious diasporas, that non-resident Indians
(the vast majority of whom are Hindus, it seems, though I don't know
the exact proportions) are more "right-wing" about Indian politics and
more militantly nationalist than their average counterpart in
India.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/india.html
Page last updated at 15:22 GMT, Monday, 15 November 2004
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Q&A: The Ayodhya dispute
The Babri Mosque was torn down by a Hindu zealots in 1992
The religious dispute over Ayodhya in northern India has been a source
of tension between Hindus and the country's Muslim minority for nearly
two decades.
The BBC answers key questions about the history of the site and the
dispute.
Why is the site disputed?
Many believe that Ayodhya, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is
the birthplace of one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, Lord
Rama.
Ayodhya is mentioned in several Hindu scriptures and has been a place
of holy pilgrimage for centuries.
Why is the dispute over Ayodhya so dangerous?
Militant Hindus demolished the 16th-century Babri mosque in 1992,
vowing to replace it with a Hindu temple to Rama.
They say they were justified in destroying the mosque because there
used to be a Hindu temple marking Rama's birthplace on that spot
before.
The mosque was torn down by supporters of the hardline Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council), the Shiv Sena party and then-
opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The destruction prompted one of India's worst bouts of nationwide
religious rioting between Hindus and the country's Muslim minority,
which left 2,000 people dead.
The bloodshed was viewed as the most serious threat to India's secular
identity since independence in 1947.
Why is Ayodhya so politically sensitive?
India's main opposition BJP and its Hindu hardline associates were
closely involved in the destruction of the mosque.
Between 1998 and 2004 when a BJP-led coalition governed India, the
party had to maintain a delicate balance between Hindu hardline
organisations such as the VHP and its coalition partners who favour a
negotiated settlement between Hindus and Muslims.
The VHP say the construction of a temple is a matter of conscience and
they will ignore any court decision against them.
Several BJP leaders still face legal proceedings over the destruction
of the mosque.
And last year Indian archaeologists said they found the remains of a
structure similar to a Hindu temple under the ruins of an ancient
temple, sparking off a fresh legal battle between Hindus and Muslims.
When did tensions last escalate?
On 27 February 2002, more than 50 people died when a train carrying
Hindu activists returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya was set alight,
allegedly by a Muslim mob.
More than 1,000 people - mainly Muslims - died in the violence that
erupted following this attack. Some independent accounts placed the
numbers killed at close to 2,000.
A month later hardline Hindus held a ceremony at the Ayodhya site as
part of their campaign for the construction of a temple.
A massive security operation largely forestalled a feared outbreak of
religious violence.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1843879.stm
Religion, as ever, is the poison in India's blood
Salman Rushdie on new horrors in the name of God
Salman Rushdie
The Guardian, Saturday 9 March 2002
The defining image of the week is of a small child's burned and
blackened arm, its tiny fingers curled into a fist, protruding from
the remains of a human bonfire in Ahmadabad, Gujarat.
The murder of children is something of an Indian specialty. The
routine daily killings of unwanted girl babies, the massacre of
innocents in Nellie, Assam, in the 1980s, and of Sikh children in
Delhi during the reprisals that followed Mrs Gandhi's assassination in
1984 bear witness to our particular gift, always most dazzlingly in
evidence at times of religious unrest, for dousing our children in
kerosene and setting them alight, or cutting their throats, or
smothering them, or just clubbing them to death with a good strong
length of wood.
I say "our" because I write as an Indian man born and bred, who loves
India deeply and knows that what one of us does today, any of us is
potentially capable of doing tomorrow. If I take pride in India's
strengths, then India's sins must be mine as well.
Do I sound angry? Good. Ashamed and disgusted? I certainly hope so.
Because, as India undergoes its worst bout of Hindu-Muslim
bloodletting in over a decade, many people have not been sounding
anything like angry, ashamed or disgusted enough. Police chiefs have
been excusing their men's unwillingness to defend the citizens of
India without regard to religion, by saying that these men have
feelings too, and are subject to the same sentiments as the nation in
general.
Meanwhile, India's political masters have been tut-tutting and
offering the usual soothing lies about the situation being brought
under control. (It has escaped nobody's notice that the ruling BJP -
the Bharatiya Janata Party, or Indian People's Party - and the Hindu
extremists of the VHP - the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu
Council - are sister organisations, offshoots of the same parent
body.) Even international commentators, such as Britain's Independent
newspaper, urge us to "beware excess pessimism".
The horrible truth about communal slaughter in India is that we're
used to it. It happens every so often; then it dies down. That's how
life is, folks. Most of the time, India is the world's largest secular
democracy; and if, once in a while, it lets off a little crazy-
religious steam, we mustn't let that distort the picture.
Of course there are political explanations. Ever since December 1992,
when a VHP mob demolished a 400-year-old Muslim mosque, the Babri
Masjid in Ayodhya, which they claim was built on the sacred birthplace
of the god Ram, Hindu fanatics have been looking for this fight. The
pity of it is that some Muslims were ready to give it to them. The
murderous attack on the trainload of VHP activists at Godhra (with its
awful, atavistic echoes of the killings of Hindus and Muslims by the
trainload during the partition riots of 1947) played right into the
Hindu extremists' hands.
The VHP has evidently tired of what it sees as the equivocations and
insufficient radicalism of the BJP government. The prime minister, Mr
Vajpayee, is more moderate than his party; he also heads a coalition
government, and has been obliged to abandon much of the BJP's more
extreme Hindu- nationalist rhetoric to hold the coalition together.
But it isn't working any more. In state elections across the country,
the BJP is being trounced. This may have been the last straw for the
VHP firebrands. Why put up with the government's betrayal of their
fascistic agenda when that betrayal doesn't even result in electoral
success?
The electoral failure of the BJP (used by the let's-not-get-carried-
away gang to show that India is turning away from communalist
politics) is thus, in all probability, the spark that lit the fire.
The VHP is determined to build a Hindu temple on the site of the
demolished Ayodhya mosque - that's where the Godhra dead were coming
from - and there are, reprehensibly, idiotically, tragically, Muslims
in India equally determined to resist them. Vajpayee has insisted that
the notoriously slow Indian courts must decide the rights and wrongs
of the Ayodhya issue. The VHP is no longer prepared to wait.
The distinguished Indian writer Mahasveta Devi, in a letter to the
Indian president, KR Narayanan, blames the Gujarat government (led by
a BJP hardliner) as well as the central government for doing "too
little too late", and pins the blame firmly on the "motivated, well-
planned-out and provocative actions" of the Hindu nationalists.
However, another writer, the Nobel laureate VS Naipaul, speaking in
India just a week before the violence erupted, denounced India's
Muslims en masse and praised the nationalist movement.
The murderers of Godhra must indeed be denounced, and Mahasveta Devi
in her letter demands "stern legal action" against them. But the VHP
and its other related organisation, the equally sinister RSS
(Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh, or Association of National Volunteers,
from which both the BJP and the VHP take inspiration) are determined
to destroy that secular democracy in which India takes such public
pride and which it does so little to protect; and by supporting them,
Naipaul makes himself a fellow traveller of fascism and disgraces the
Nobel award.
The political discourse matters, and explains a good deal. But there's
something beneath it, something we don't want to look in the face:
namely, that in India, as elsewhere in our darkening world, religion
is the poison in the blood. Where religion intervenes, mere innocence
is no excuse. Yet we go on skating around this issue, speaking of
religion in the fashionable language of "respect".
What is there to respect in any of this, or in any of the crimes now
being committed almost daily around the world in religion's dreaded
name? How well, with what fatal results, religion erects totems, and
how willing we are to kill for them! And when we've done it often
enough, the deadening of affect that results makes it easier to do it
again.
So India's problem turns out to be the world's problem. What happened
in India has happened in God's name. The problem's name is God.
© Salman Rushdie 2002
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/mar/09/society.salmanrushdie
Tuesday, 15 January, 2002, 19:30 GMT
Tense times for India's Muslims
India has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan
By the BBC's Martin Plaut
In the confrontation between India and Pakistan it is easy to forget
that there are more Muslims in India than there are in Pakistan.
India is a secular country where religious discrimination is
outlawed.
But how does the threat of war with its Islamic neighbour affect
India's Muslims and the attitudes of Hindus and others in that country
towards them?
Muslims know no matter what they do for the country ... they will
always be suspected
Professor Rizwan Qaiser, Jamia Millia Islamia University
It is India's proud claim to be a truly secular, multi-religious
society.
Old Delhi is home to many of the city's Muslim community. They are,
they say, secure in their Indian identity.
"We are very much safe here and the Pakistanis are misguiding us that
the Muslims are not safe in India, but it is not right. We are totally
safe in our country and we love our country also," says one man.
But as India faces the threat of another war with its Muslim
neighbour, Pakistan, the 135 million Muslims who live and work in
India know they are being treated with suspicion as the crisis
deepens.
Tension
"Whenever there is tension between India and Pakistan, there is always
a fall-out against the Muslims because the Muslims are seen as fifth
columnists, potential agents of Pakistan, says Syed Shahabuddin,
editor of Muslim India.
India's Muslims fear they may be demonised in the media
"For example, you see, of late all our religious institutions - the
little seminaries in every village, called madrassas - the little
mosques, in every nook and corner of India - they were projected as
dens of the ISI (intelligence service) of Pakistan."
The ISI is portrayed as the sinister hand, blamed for all of India's
evils by the popular press.
But India has prided itself on being a safe home to those Muslims who
chose to remain in India when Pakistan was founded as a Muslim
homeland at independence in 1947.
The former Indian Prime Minister, I K Gujral, insists that any
suspicion is wrong. He points to the fact that Indian Muslims did not
volunteer to fight for Osama Bin Laden.
"Why did they not go? The government of India did not stop them, he
says.
"Voluntarily they did not go because two things. One is the legacy of
Indian freedom struggle and a faith in the genuineness of the Indian
democracy ... [secondly] faith in the fact that Indian democracy does
not distinguish amongst the people on the basis of religious
beliefs."
Fundamentalists dominant
But India's current government is dominated by Hindu fundamentalists.
With its population of over 1 billion India has succeeded remarkably
in holding together its diverse religious groups
Many backed the decision 10 years ago to level the mosque at Ayodhya
that was said to have been build on a sacred Hindu site.
Some in government have links to organisations that wish to turn India
into a Hindu homeland.
Since coming to power they have diluted their fundamentalist rhetoric
but many Muslims are still nervous in a crisis.
"Muslims anyway also have got used to it, says Professor Rizwan Qaiser
of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
"They all know, no matter what they do for the country, no matter
what, you know, they think, no matter what contributions they make,
they will always be suspected."
With its population of over 1 billion India has succeeded remarkably
in holding together its diverse religious groups. But anger at the
attack on its parliament, and the threat of war, could damage that
achievement.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762346.stm
Last Updated: Wednesday, 16 January, 2002, 02:05 GMT
Email this to a friend Printable version
Kashmir: The origins of the dispute
Current tensions go back decades
By Victoria Schofield, author of Kashmir in Conflict
In August 1947 when the Indian subcontinent became independent from
Britain, all the rulers of the 565 princely states, whose lands
comprised two-fifths of India and a population 99 million, had to
decide which of the two new dominions to join, India or Pakistan.
The ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, whose state was situated between the
two new countries, could not decide which country to join.
He was Hindu, his population was predominantly Muslim. He therefore
did nothing.
Instead he signed a "standstill" agreement with Pakistan in order that
services such as trade, travel and communication would be
uninterrupted.
India did not sign a similar agreement.
Law and order
In October 1947, Pashtun tribesmen from Pakistan's North-West Frontier
Province invaded Kashmir.
There had been persistent reports of communal violence against Muslims
in the state and, supported by the Pakistani Government, they were
eager to precipitate its accession to Pakistan.
Mountbatten favoured Kashmir's temporary accession to India
Troubled by the increasing deterioration in law and order and by
earlier raids, culminating in the invasion of the tribesmen, the
ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, requested armed assistance from India.
The then Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten, believed the developing
situation would be less explosive if the state were to accede to
India, on the understanding that this would only be temporary prior to
"a referendum, plebiscite, election".
According to the terms of the Instrument of Accession, India's
jurisdiction was to extend to external affairs, defence and
communications.
Troops airlifted
Exactly when Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession has been
hotly debated for over 50 years.
Nehru's representative met the ruler of Kashmir
Official Indian accounts state that in the early hours of the morning
of 26 October, Hari Singh fled from Srinagar, arriving in Jammu later
in the day, where he was met by V P Menon, representative of Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and signed the Instrument of Accession.
On the morning of 27 October, Indian troops were airlifted into
Srinagar.
Recent research, from British sources, has indicated that Hari Singh
did not reach Jammu until the evening of 26 October and that, due to
poor flying conditions, V P Menon was unable to get to Jammu until the
morning of 27 October , by which time Indian troops were already
arriving in Srinagar.
In order to support the thesis that the Maharaja acceded before Indian
troops landed, Indian sources have now suggested that Hari Singh
signed an Instrument of Accession before he left Srinagar but that it
was not made public until later.
This was because Hari Singh had not yet agreed to include the Kashmiri
leader, Sheikh Abdullah, in his future government. To date no
authentic original document has been made available.
Pakistan immediately contested the accession, suggesting that it was
fraudulent, that the Maharaja acted under duress and that he had no
right to sign an agreement with India when the standstill agreement
with Pakistan was still in force.
Pakistanis also argued that because Hari Singh fled from the valley of
Kashmir , he was not in control of his state and therefore not in a
position to take a decision on behalf of his people.
'Bad faith'
In the context of Pakistan's claim that there is a dispute over the
state of Jammu and Kashmir, the accession issue forms a significant
aspect of their argument.
By stating that the Instrument of Accession was signed on 26 October,
when it clearly was not, Pakistan believes that India has not shown
good faith and consequently that this invalidates the Instrument of
Accession.
Indians argue, however, that regardless of the discrepancies over
timing, the Maharaja did choose to accede to India and he was not
under duress.
On the basis of his accession, India claims ownership of the entire
state which includes the approximately one-third of the territory
currently administered by Pakistan.
In 1949 Maharaja Hari Singh was obliged by the Government of India to
leave the state and hand over the government to Sheikh Abdullah.
He died in Bombay in 1962.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762146.stm
Full coverage
Rising tensions
Kashmir war scenarios
Q&A: Peacekeeping
US balancing act
Musharraf's position
Gauging nuclear risk
Eyewitness
Behind the lines
'Phoney war'
Civilians in cross-fire
Pakistan nuclear fears
Background
Q&A: Kashmir
Forgotten plebiscite
Who are the militants?
Texts & transcripts
Vajpayee transcript
Musharraf excerpts
TIMELINE
Roots of conflict
Introduction
Ever since the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, when Britain
dismantled its Indian empire, India and Pakistan have been arch
rivals.
The animosity has its roots in religion and history, and is epitomised
by the long-running conflict over the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This
has recently escalated into a dangerous nuclear arms race.
Partition and independence
Summary
The Indian subcontinent was partitioned into Hindu-dominated but
nominally secular India and the newly created Muslim state of Pakistan
after India’s independence from Great Britain in 1947. Severe rioting
and population movement ensued and an estimated half a million people
were killed in communal violence. About a million people were left
homeless. Since partition, the territory of Jammu and Kashmir has
remained in dispute, with Pakistan and India both holding sectors.
In full
The name Pakistan was derived from an idea first suggested in 1933
when a student, Chaudhuri Rahmat Ali, proposed that there should be a
separate homeland which would be comprised of the Muslim-majority
provinces in the north-west as well as the geographically contiguous
princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The name was formulated from: P for Punjab, A for the Afghanis of the
north-west frontier, K for Kashmir, S for Sind and Tan denoting
Baluchistan. The word also means land of the pure in Urdu.
The partition of the Subcontinent, however, led to severe rioting and
population movement as Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus found themselves on
the wrong side of the partitioned provinces of Punjab and Bengal. The
latter of these became East Pakistan. An estimated half a million
people died in communal violence, millions more became homeless.
Jammu and Kashmir, a collection of culturally distinct regions, were
nominally brought under the rule of Sikhs in the early 19th Century.
After the British fought the Sikhs in 1846, instead of assuming direct
control over the area, Britain installed a Hindu ruler as Maharaja.
The Maharaja's territorial possessions included the Buddhist area of
Ladakh, the predominantly Hindu region of Jammu, the majority Muslim
valley of Kashmir, as well as smaller Muslim kingdoms in the west.
In the days of the British Empire, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was
one of more than 560 autonomous princely states owing allegiance to
Britain. At independence, the rulers were advised to join, by means of
an instrument of accession, either of the two new dominions, India or
Pakistan, bearing in mind their state's geographical position and the
religion of their inhabitants.
By August 1947, the date of partition, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir
had not decided which dominion to join.
Over 50 years later, Pakistanis still believe that Jammu and Kashmir
should have become part of Pakistan because the majority of the
state's population, concentrated in the valley of Kashmir, is Muslim.
India, says the state of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India because by
the October 1947 instrument of accession, the Maharaja finally agreed
to join India.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1947.stm
The 1947- 48 war
Summary
India and Pakistan first went to war in October 1947 after Pakistan
supported a Muslim insurgency in Kashmir. India agreed to a request
for armed assistance from Kashmir's Maharaja, in return for accession
of the state to India. But the nature of that accession has long been
the subject of debate. The war ended on 1 January 1949, with the
establishment of a ceasefire line. The status of the territory
remained in dispute because an agreed referendum to confirm the
accession was never held.
In full
The first Indo-Pakistani war started after armed tribesmen from
Pakistan's north-west frontier province invaded Kashmir in October
1947. Besieged both by a revolt in his state and by the invasion, the
Maharaja requested armed assistance from the government of India. In
return he acceded to India, handing over powers of defence,
communication and foreign affairs.
Both India and Pakistan agreed that the accession would be confirmed
by a referendum once hostilities had ceased.
Historians continue to debate the precise timing when the Maharaja of
Jammu and Kashmir signed the instrument of accession and the Indian
army moved into the state, arguing that the Maharaja acceded to India
under duress.
In May 1948, the regular Pakistani army was called upon to protect
Pakistan's borders. Fighting continued throughout the year between
Pakistani irregular troops and the Indian army.
The war ended on 1 January 1949 when a ceasefire was arranged by the
United Nations, which recommended that both India and Pakistan should
adhere to their commitment to hold a referendum in the state. A
ceasefire line was established where the two sides stopped fighting
and a UN peacekeeping force established. The referendum, however, has
never been held.
In 1954 Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India was ratified by the
state's constituent assembly. In 1957, it approved its own
constitution, modelled along the Indian constitution. Since that time
India has regarded that part of the state which it controls as an
integral part of the Indian union.
To the west of the ceasefire line, Pakistan controls roughly one third
of the state. A small region, which the Pakistanis call Azad (Free)
Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indians call Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, is
semi-autonomous. The larger area, which includes the former kingdoms
of Hunza and Nagar, called the northern areas, is directly
administered by Pakistan.
In 1962-3, following the 1962 Sino-Indian war, India and Pakistan held
talks under the auspices of Britain and the US in an attempt to
resolve their differences over Kashmir, but without success.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1947_48.stm
The 1965 war
Summary
The two countries went to war again after Pakistan launched a covert
offensive across the ceasefire line into Indian-administered Jammu and
Kashmir. India retaliated by crossing the international border at
Lahore.
In full
In April 1965, a clash between border patrols erupted into fighting in
the Rann of Kutch, a sparsely inhabited region along the south-western
Indo-Pakistani border. When the Indians withdrew, Pakistan claimed
victory.
Later, in August, hostilities broke out again in the 2nd Indo-
Pakistani war, when the government of Pakistan launched a covert
offensive across the ceasefire line into the Indian-administered Jammu
and Kashmir. In early September, India retaliated by crossing the
international border at Lahore. After three weeks, both India and
Pakistan agreed to a UN-sponsored ceasefire.
In January 1966, the governments of India and Pakistan met at Tashkent
and signed a declaration affirming their commitment to solve their
disputes through peaceful means. They also agreed to withdraw to their
pre-August positions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1965.stm
The 1971 war
Summary
Pakistan descended into civil war after East Pakistan demanded
autonomy and later independence. India invaded East Pakistan in
support of its people after millions of civilians fled to India. At
the end of 1971, Bangladesh was created out of East Pakistan.
In full
Indo-Pakistani relations deteriorated again when civil war erupted in
Pakistan, pitting the West Pakistan army against East Pakistanis
demanding autonomy and later independence.
The fighting forced an estimated 10 million East Pakistani civilians
to flee to India.
In December India invaded East Pakistan in support of the East
Pakistani people. The Pakistani army surrendered at Dhaka and its army
of more than 90,000 became Indian prisoners of war.
East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh on 6
December 1971.
Regional tensions were reduced by the Simla accord of 1972 and by
Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh in 1974. The Simla accord
committed both sides to working through outstanding issues bilaterally
and through the mechanism of working groups.
In relation to Jammu and Kashmir, the two countries agreed that the
ceasefire line, which was renamed the Line of Control, would be
respected by both sides "without prejudice to the recognised positions
of either side".
In 1974 the Kashmir state government reached an accord with the Indian
Government, which affirmed its status as "a constituent unit of the
union of India". Pakistan rejected the accord.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1971.stm
Insurgency continues: In 2001, an attack in Srinagar killed 38 people
Related story
Who are the militants?
Kashmir insurgency
Summary
Armed resistance to Indian rule broke out in the Kashmir valley in
1989, with some groups calling for independence and others calling for
union with Pakistan. India accused Pakistan of supplying weapons to
the militants. During the 1990s, with the emergence of militant Muslim
groups, the movement’s ideology became essentially Islamic in
nature.
In full
In 1989 armed resistance to Indian rule began in the Kashmir valley.
Muslim political parties complained that the 1987 elections to the
state's legislative assembly were rigged against them, and they formed
militant wings.
Some groups demanded independence for the state of Jammu and Kashmir
and others union with Pakistan.
Pakistan gave its "moral and diplomatic" support to the movement,
calling for the issue to be resolved via a UN-sponsored referendum.
But the government of India maintained that Pakistan's support of the
insurgency consisted of training and supplying weapons to militant
separatists and repeatedly called for Pakistan to cease "cross-border
terrorism".
During the 1990s, several new militant groups emerged, most of which
held radical Islamic views.
The ideological emphasis of the movement shifted from a nationalistic
and secularist one to an Islamic one.
This was in part driven by the arrival in the valley of Kashmir of
large numbers of Islamic "Jihadi" fighters who had fought in
Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1989.stm
Diplomatic push
Summary
India and Pakistan set up low-level meetings to defuse tension over
Jammu and Kashmir. The diplomatic push became more concerted a year
later and an agenda for peace talks was agreed on. Also in 1997,
Pakistan suggested that the two sides meet to discuss restraining
nuclear and missile capabilities.
In full
In 1996, Pakistani and Indian military officers met on the Line of
Control dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir to ease tension after
clashes.
The celebrations of 50 years of independence in 1997 in both countries
coincided with a surge in diplomatic activity. During 1997, Indian and
Pakistani foreign ministers met in Delhi.
After a second round of talks in Islamabad, they announced an eight-
point agenda for peace talks, including discussion of the Kashmir
issue. Although the talks ended in stalemate, both sides promised to
meet again.
In a speech at the UN, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered
to open talks on a non-aggression pact with India, proposing that both
nations strike a deal to restrain their nuclear and missile
capabilities.
In 1988 India and Pakistan had signed an agreement not to attack each
other's nuclear facilities.
India has consistently rejected any third party mediation to help end
Kashmir border clashes, saying differences should be solved in
bilateral talks, according to the 1972 Simla agreement.
The 1980s had seen some diplomatic discussions aimed at resolving
outstanding differences, between India and Pakistan. In 1982, the two
rivals began unsuccessful talks on a non-aggression treaty. However,
in 1984 Indian troops were airlifted to the Siachen glacier in
northern Kashmir which increased tension in the area.
Pakistan retaliated by fortifying the glacier from its side of what
has become known as the world's highest war zone.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1996.stm
Nuclear rivalry
Summary
Fears of a nuclear confrontation grew, after both sides conducted
nuclear tests. The US ordered sanctions against both countries, with
several European nations doing the same. Tensions were reduced early
the following year after the two sides signed an accord pledging to
intensify efforts to resolve all issues – including that of Jammu and
Kashmir.
In full
The arms race between the rivals escalated dramatically in the 1990s.
In May 1998, India conducted underground nuclear tests in the western
desert state of Rajasthan near the border with Pakistan. In response,
Pakistan conducted six tests in Baluchistan.
In the same year, Pakistan tested its longest range missile, the 1,500
km (932 mile) Ghauri missile, named after a 12th Century Muslim
warrior who conquered part of india.
Both sides were heavily criticised by the international community for
the tests as fears of a nuclear confrontation grew.
The United States ordered sanctions against both countries, freezing
more than $20bn of aid, loans and trade. Japan ordered a block on
about $1bn of aid loans.
Several European countries followed suit, and the G-8 governments
imposed a ban on non-humanitarian loans to India and Pakistan.
The UN Security Council condemned India and Pakistan for carrying out
nuclear tests and urged the two nations to stop all nuclear weapons
programmes.
Relations between India and Pakistan improved again in February 1999
when Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee travelled to Pakistan to meet
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
They signed the Lahore accord pledging again to "intensify their
efforts to resolve all issues, including the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir".
India had detonated its first nuclear device in1974. In 1989, Pakistan
announced the successful test firing of its first long-range surface-
to-surface missile, the Hatf-1 and Hatf-2.
In 1992 Pakistan said it had acquired the scientific know-how to make
a nuclear bomb.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1998.stm
Kargil conflict
Summary
Conflict again erupted after India launched air strikes against
Pakistani-backed forces that had infiltrated Indian-administered
Kashmir. Fighting built up towards a direct conflict between the two
states and tens of thousands of people were reported to have fled
their homes on both sides of the ceasefire line. Later that year,
General Musharraf led a military coup in Pakistan.
In full
For the first time in nearly 30 years, in May 1999, India launched air
strikes against Pakistani-backed forces that had infiltrated into the
mountains in Indian-administered Kashmir, north of Kargil.
Pakistan responded by putting its troops on high alert as the fighting
built up towards a direct conflict between the two states.
India repeatedly claimed that Pakistani forces belonging to the
northern light infantry, based in the Pakistani-administered Northern
Areas, were engaged in the operations - a claim Pakistan consistently
denied.
Pakistan insisted instead that the forces were "freedom fighters"
fighting for the liberation of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
At the height of the conflict, thousands of shells were fired daily,
and India launched hundreds of airstrikes. The Red Cross reported that
at least 30,000 people had been forced to flee their homes on the
Pakistani side of the Line of Control.
Correspondents reported that about 20,000 people became refugees on
the Indian side.
Both sides claimed victory in the conflict, which ended when, under
pressure from the United States, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called
upon the infiltrating forces to withdraw.
In October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in
Pakistan, deposing elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. General
Musharraf's assumption of power was later validated by the supreme
court of Pakistan for a period of three years.
The coup was, however, was condemned by the international community
which called for elections and an immediate return to civilian
government. Pakistan was also suspended from the Commonwealth.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1999.stm
The brink of war
Summary
Tension along the ceasefire line continued. In October 38 people were
killed after an attack on the Kashmiri assembly in Srinagar. A month
later, 14 people were killed in an attack on the Indian parliament in
Delhi. India again blamed Pakistani-backed Kashmiri militants. A
dramatic build up of troops along the Indo-Pakistan border ensued.
In full
The 11 September 2001 suicide attacks in the United States brought a
rapprochement between Pakistan and the West. Pakistan agreed to co-
operate with the US's campaign against Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda
network and the Taleban rulers of Afghanistan.
Tension along the line of control continued. The worst fighting for
more than a year broke out in October as India, which continued to
condemn Pakistan for cross-border terrorism, started shelling
Pakistani military positions.
October saw a devastating attack on the Kashmiri assembly in Srinagar
in which 38 people were killed. After the attack, the chief minister
of Indian-administered Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, called on the Indian
government to launch a war against militant training camps across the
border in Pakistan.
On 13 December, an armed attack on the Indian parliament in Delhi left
14 people dead. India again blamed Pakistani-backed Kashmiri
militants. The attack led to a dramatic build-up of troops along the
Indo-Pakistan border, military exchanges and raised fears of a wider
conflict.
In January 2002 President Musharraf gave a keynote speech pledging
that Pakistan would not allow terrorists to operate from Pakistani
soil. He again called on the government of India to resolve the
dispute over Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue.
India said it would wait for action to back up his words.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/2001.stm
Partition saw rioting, communal violence and population movement
Related stories:
Flashback to partition
Friday, 11 January, 2002, 14:26 GMT
Flashback to Indian partition
Mohammed Ali Jinnah: Founding father of Pakistan
Astrologers could not decide on an auspicious day for the independence
of India so it fell at midnight between 14 and 15 August 1947.
The British colony was divided along religious lines and two nations
were born - the secular but Hindu-dominated India and the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan.
Pandit Nehru campaigned with Gandhi to achieve Indian independence
But even as the celebrations were getting under way it was questioned
whether partition could lead to peace among the subcontinent's
different groups.
Some observers say it has fuelled regional animosities and argue that
it established a sinister precedent.
Since partition, India and Pakistan have waged three wars against each
other - two of them over the unresolved issue of Kashmir.
Peace declaration
The first ceremonies to symbolise the transfer of power from Britain
to one of the new dominions took place in Karachi on the morning of 14
of August.
At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will
wake up to life and freedom
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who at
midnight was to become governor general of Pakistan, addressed the
Constituent Assembly.
Lord Mountbatten read a message from King George VI pledging the
support of the British Commonwealth to Pakistan. Mr Jinnah assured the
world that Pakistan would work to preserve peace.
The next day, Mr Jinnah addressed the nation during the inauguration
of the Pakistan Broadcasting Service.
"The creation of the new state has placed a tremendous responsibility
on the citizens of Pakistan," he said. "It gives them an opportunity
to demonstrate to the world how a nation containing many elements can
live in peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its
citizens irrespective of caste or creed.
"Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live
peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate
neighbours and with the world at large."
Free India
After the ceremony in Pakistan, Lord and Lady Mountbatten flew to
Delhi, where special events to mark the transfer of power took place.
He was to stay on as Governor General of India, while Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru became the country's first prime minister.
That night people were very expectant, very hopeful of things to come
Saeed Suhrawardy
The special ceremony began at 11pm in the State Council building.
"At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will
wake up to life and freedom," Nehru said.
As the last chimes of midnight died, an assembly member blew a conch
shell and a great cheer rose in the hall.
Tens of thousands of people celebrated outside the building - many
more did so in cities around India.
Mahatma Gandhi, regarded as the father of Indian independence, did not
attend the celebrations. Instead, Gandhi - who strived for a united
India - spent the day with Indian Muslims in Calcutta.
Exodus
Journalist Saeed Suhrawardy, an Indian Muslim from the town of
Mirzapur, was 17 at the time and remembers the night clearly.
"I think the whole town was awake," he said. "There was no television
at that time and few radios. So radio shops were very crowded with
people waiting for the speech of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was like
a festival, at least in my place there was no tension.
"That night people were very expectant, very hopeful of things to
come."
But Saeed Suhrawardy recalls that there were also fears that night.
Lord Mountbatten is said to have found the situation very dangerous
"Reports coming from other places made the minorities fearful for
events to come.
"In our town we did not have any record of communal violence. But
there were stories of violence, riots, attacks on trains and
bloodstained trains arriving with dead bodies."
Saeed Suhrawardy did not think of migrating after partition. Many
others did.
As soon as the new borders were known some 10 million Hindus, Muslims
and Sikhs fled from their homes on one side of the newly demarcated
borders to the other side.
About one million people were killed during the exodus, and to this
day many families are separated by the border.
Religious rivalry
The origin of partition is still a matter of debate.
The name Pakistan - or "Land of the Pure" - did not come into
existence until 1933, when it was coined by Rahmatullah Chowdhry, a
Cambridge student.
Partition timeline
1930: Alama Iqbal advocates the two-nation theory
1933: The name Pakistan is coined
1940: Jinnah calls for a separate Muslim state
May/June 1946: Both parties accept Cabinet Mission Plan
July: Plan collapses
Aug: Hindu-Muslim violence kills thousands
June 1947: Mountbatten plan for partition approved
July: India Independence Act passed in Britain
Aug: Separate states of Pakistan and India are born
Three years earlier, the poet Alama Iqbal had advocated the
establishment of a separate Muslim state at a Muslim League
conference. But it was not until 1940 that his two-nation theory was
adopted by the League.
The 1930s saw a growing mistrust between the Muslim League and the All
India Congress.
The League's leader, Mohammed Ali Jinnah - until 1940 reluctant to
advocate the creation of two nations - is said to have feared that the
country's Muslim minority would be subjugated by the Hindu majority.
Deadline
During World War II Britain's mobilisation of the Indian economy and
military forces was opposed by Congress.
Fearing the movement's ability to sabotage the war effort, Britain is
said to have exploited the Hindu-Muslim rivalry in an effort to
curtail the Congress.
Millions fled as the new borders were demarcated
After the war, Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee came to power in
Britain.
In 1946, he sent a Cabinet Mission to India that put forward a plan
for Hindus and Muslims to work together.
This was initially accepted by both sides, but within week the plan
had collapsed. Some say it was Nehru who changed his mind, others say
it was Jinnah.
Jinnah called for Direct Action on 16 August 1946 to protest against
Congress and the British.
In Calcutta this led to three days of Hindu-Muslim violence - the
bloodiest in nearly a century - and thousands of deaths.
A year later, Lord Mountbatten was sent to India to replace Lord
Wavell as viceroy, with plans to transfer power no later than June
1948.
Demarcation
The new viceroy is said to have found the situation too dangerous to
wait even that brief period, and to have become convinced that
partition was unavoidable.
Gandhi was against partition
On 3 June 1947, he presented his plan to Nehru and Jinnah. They both
accepted it.
A month later, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence
Act, ordering the demarcation of the dominions of India and Pakistan
by midnight 14-15 August.
Two boundary commissions worked against the clock to partition the
states of Bengal and Punjab in such a way as to leave a majority of
Muslims to the west of the new Punjab border (what is currently
Pakistan) and to the east of the new Bengal border (East Pakistan,
which in 1971 would become Bangladesh).
Under the partition plan, Kashmir was free to accede to India or
Pakistan.
Sharp reminder
Three days before partition, the Hindu ruler of Muslim-majority
Kashmir, Maharajah Hari Singh, said that he wanted to remain
independent.
However, in a series of events which are still the subject of
controversy to this day, a Pathan tribal force entered Kashmir with
Pakistani backing. The Maharajah decided to accede to India, allowing
Indian troops to be airlifted to the state.
Pakistani and Indian forces ended up at the point now known as the
Line of Control, splitting the territory unevenly.
Nearly 55 years and two wars later, the status of Kashmir remains
unresolved - one of the many reminders of a partition that has left
thousands of families separated by the line which divides India and
Pakistan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1751044.stm
Kashmir: The origins of the dispute
From the archive:
Listen to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 3 June 1947
Listen to Mohammed Ali Jinnah on 14 August 1947
Listen to Lord Louis Mountbatten on 15 August 1947
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762346.stm
...and i am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
Today's guest blogger is Hafsa Kanjwal, a recent graduate of
Georgetown University and a Director of KashmirCorps. Hafsa is a
former Interfaith Youth Core Fellow and recently joined IFYC as a
staff member.
Much to the dismay of the Indian government, the issue of Kashmir has
once again garnered international media attention. For the past two
months, the region has been witness to violent protests and clashes
with Indian army officials. As always, the situation is portrayed as a
communal one, pitting Hindus and Muslims against each other. It is
unfortunate that the unresolved territorial status of Jammu and
Kashmir has taken religious overtones, serving only to stifle the road
to self-determination for the Kashmiri people, who suffer Indian rule
since 1947.
The most recent set of events were spurred by the state government's
decision to grant nearly 100 acres of forest land to the Amarnath
Shrine Board, which oversees the annual Hindu pilgrimage to a cave
shrine of Lord Shiva in the mountains of the Kashmir Valley. In an
election year, it is rumored that the current state government made
this decision to secure support in the Hindu-majority Jammu region.
The land was to be used to set up shelters and facilities for the
Hindu pilgrims.
Muslims in the Kashmir Valley protested this land transfer in late
June, believing it was a ploy by the Indian government to change the
demographics of the pre-dominantly Muslim Kashmir Valley and integrate
it with the Indian union.
I was there during these protests, running a program of volunteers
from the United States who worked with local civil society
organizations. Schools and businesses were shut down as thousands took
to the streets demanding a revocation of the land transfer and an end
to the Indian occupation. Those who were shocked by the strength of
the protests underestimated the Kashmiri desire for azaadi, or
freedom. Separatist leaders capitalized on the popular sentiment and
emphasized that the protests were not against the pilgrimage itself,
but the illegal land transfer and continued Indian influence in
Kashmir's affairs.
The order was revoked on July 1st. By the time I left Kashmir in mid-
July, it appeared that the situation had normalized and a greater
crisis had been avoided.
The issue had managed to stay away from being deemed communal until
the BJP and other Hindu nationalist parties in India (known
collectively as the Sangh Parivar) used the Amarnath land transfer
issue to gain political leverage, especially in Jammu. The BJP
believes that India is a Hindu nation--an ideology completely at odds
with the nation's supposed secularism and contrary to India's touting
itself as home to the world's largest Muslim minority. It draws its
inspiration from the Hindutva, a concept coined before India's
independence that defines the identity of an "Indian" as one linked to
being "Hindu." The BJP has also been at the forefront of violence
against India's Muslim minority, especially in the state of Gujarat in
2002.
In Jammu and other parts of India, the BJP urged people to protest the
revocation. Hindu protesters attacked and set fire to a number of
Muslim homes, and a curfew was imposed in many districts. These
protesters enforced an economic blockade of the Kashmiri Valley by
stopping traffic on the national highway between Srinagar and Jammu.
The blockade was the last straw for the Valley--fruit growers were
unable to sell their produce outside of the state, and food and
essential medical supplies became scarce.
Separatist leaders, who have more support than the puppet state and
central government, called for a march to Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir, to breach the border that splits the region between
the two Kashmir's. As during the height of the insurgency against
Indian rule in the early 90's, the Indian army responded to these
peaceful protests with brute force, killing over 20 Kashmiri civilians
over the next few days, including a prominent separatist leader.
News reports from all over the world remind me of my childhood--once
again, the blood, despair, and frustration had returned to the streets
of a land once known as "Paradise on Earth."
The stage was set for another week of more large-scale protests by
Kashmiri Muslims and demands for independence, including a gathering a
few days ago of nearly one million Kashmiris marching towards the UN
headquarters, demanding the right of self-determination.
In recent years, pundits and leaders in New Delhi, Washington, and
even Islamabad began to believe a state of normalcy had returned to
the Valley, that pro-independence sentiments had all but disappeared,
and that the Kashmiri people were beginning to accept Indian rule. By
communalizing the land transfer, the BJP had, ironically, managed to
turn a debate over the allotment of land into a renewal for the
struggle for independence. In response, the Muslim separatist leaders
were then able to mobilize Muslim nationalism and grievances in the
Valley, thus continuing to frame the situation in communal terms.
The issue is not one of Hindu versus Muslim, and if it is continued to
be irresponsibly framed by political leaders in this manner, the
consequences will be devastating. One only has to go back a few years
and recall the massacres in Gujarat. The issue here is the continued
manipulation by both India and Pakistan, as they compete to comfort
their own egos at the expense of not only the Kashmiri people, but
also their own citizens. It is the occupation and oppression of the
Kashmiri people by the Indian government. It is the alienation of the
Kashmiri people through draconian Indian policies and continued human
rights violations--including indiscriminate killing, forced
disappearances, and torture. It is the Indian government's denial of
"the problem of Kashmir" and their insistence that "Kashmir is an
integral part of India," an insistence that is disingenuous at best,
given Indian actions. It is the failure of the peace process between
India and Pakistan to legitimately address the wishes of the Kashmiri
people.
It saddens me to read about the current events in Kashmir, and I worry
for the safety of my friends and family whose lives are always at the
mercy of the instability there. I hope that the rest of the world
wakes up to the situation in Kashmir, and that the people there are
given the right, laid out by numerous UN resolutions, to determine
their own future.
The content of this blog reflects the views of its author and does not
necessarily reflect the views of either Eboo Patel, the Interfaith
Youth Core, or Kashmircorps.
By Eboo Patel | August 20, 2008; 10:21 PM ET | Category:
Interfaith Issues , Religion & Leadership , Religion & Politics
Share: Email a Friend | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
Previous: Interfaith Youth At Work in New Orleans | Next: Interfaith
Dialogue on the High Seas
Comments
Hey you stinking ugly indian, you didnot answer keith.
Posted by: George | September 17, 2008 12:49 PM
George, Is it true that these people worship phallus. I dont believe
so. No sane person will worship phallus. Hey Deb can you tell me
whether george is telling a truth. Man you guys must be something.
Wooo "Phallus GOD" quite interesting. Do you guys have "Vagina GOD"
also
Posted by: Keth | September 15, 2008 5:08 AM
Any level headed, impartial person (and this does include someone like
John McCain and Barak Obama) would agree that bombing Pakistan would
actually send a message to the Muslim terrorists in India. SIMI gets
its inspiration and logistical support from LeT (Paki) and HuJi
(Bangladesh) militants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/world/asia/01pstan.html?fta=y
USA has the report that Pakistan aided the bombing of the Indian
Embassy in Kabul, regardless of the denials by Pakistan.
Muslim militants in India think that after any carnage they commit,
they shall get shelter in Pakistan and remain home free. In addition,
Pakistan is always raising the issue of "human rights abuse of Muslims
in Kashmir" and at the same time providing logistics and spiritual
inspiration of Jihad in India.
If Pakistan is bombed and its funding from USA is stopped, then an
enfeebled country would go weak in support of Jihad in Kashmir and
elsewhere in India.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 14, 2008 8:59 PM
Quite frankly, the barbaric religion of Islam needs to be destroyed.
Its bloodthirsty doctrines, laced with potent venom of hatred for all
that is un-Islamic raises is allowed to raise its ugly head.
The recent Delhi blasts, and the promise of much more, by the SIMI
(Student Islamic Movement of India) and its terrorist arm Indian
Mujahadeen is a tell-tale reminder of how Muslim terrorists are
spreading inside India. It appears that following Kashmir, the
ultimate aim is to convert India into a Islamic Caliphate. The SIMI
had its 2001 meeting in Hubli, Karnataka, India and had made a list of
timings and other logistic details of attacks in India.
Chilling details are available at the link:
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/14delblast2.htm
India should elect BJP as the majority Government and should implement
POTA. Then India must declare itself as a Hindu state, and ban all
conversions and particularly the practice of Islam - the barbaric
religion. It is too bad. Hard times deserves hard measures. If Muslims
in India don't hunt and hand over the black sheep from their fold to
the police, then surely till that happens all Muslims are suspect.
Because it is the collective of the will of the Muslim community
(ummah) that is sheltering the Mohammedan terrorists. If Muslim
terrorists like the Afzal Khan Guru is apprehended, then the lax laws
of the country would allow such terrorists to seek loopholes and
escape. Political parties in India are too afraid to anger the Muslim
vote bank. (Muslims know this and are very proud of their political
power.) Again, if any attempts are made to tighten the lax laws, or
bring in harsher ones there is a outcry, citing the so-called human
right violations in Kashmir, by the bleeding heart leftist liberals on
how such strict laws would affect the "minority" community. (Poor
me !) These leftists liberals don't at all recognize the Muslim
terrorism, but say that such is orchestrated by the "ruling" party to
win votes.
Kashmir can only be held back by the BJP in Delhi, and not the Muslim-
appeasing Congress.
Islam is a barbaric religion, and most Muslims are terrorist
sympathizers or terrorists.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 14, 2008 7:41 PM
Hey phallic worshiper Deb you did not answer any of my questions
regarding your Sita mata. Ravana Had sita in lanka for years. What was
he doing with her when her husband was seeking help from monkeys. So
Ravana is a devil and I really believe that he must have ravaged
sita's chastity with his Phallus. I wonder why dont you worship his
phallus too as it has enjoyed a lot in your sita matas Vag***. Please
answer my question in simple and plain words. Did Ravana Fu**** sita.
Dr Chatterjee in his Book wrote "Oh Hindu you awake" has clearly
written that sita used to enjoy ravana and Ram could never satisfy
her .Please enlighten us how ravan sed to enjoy your mother sita
Posted by: George | September 14, 2008 4:20 PM
This is what exactly happens when Narendra Modi's fears/rantings and
ravings are not heeded. Modi is shrill about conversions. The ToI (no
way a pan-Hindu newspaper) had this to report about to the Ahmedabad
bomb blasts:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Dalit_converts_suspects_in_Abad_blasts/articleshow/3480940.cms
Soo, I believe that Hindus would vote for a more hardlined BJP only to
see India as a Hindu country. If appeasement, like job/education
quotas for Muslims and selling out Kashmir to Pakis and Jihadists,
then declaration of India as a Hindu country is the panacea to such
Muslim problems.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 8:30 PM
Aamir:
The garbage about the "peaceful" face of Islam, and your pontification
about Prophet Muhammad's infallibility in character shows how
deceptive Islamists are.
Islam is NOT a peaceful religion. Yes, as I stated many times and over
and over again, to sound like a broken record, that most Muslims are
NOT terrorists, but, most terrorists ARE Muslims.
(As you know, the terrorists from the ranks of the Indian Mujahadeen,
and maybe you are perhaps a member/sympathizer of those coward Muslim
groupies, would state that they are just following the Holy Quran's
dictates and they are out to destroy the pagan/idol worshipping Hindu
culture. Who knows ? Inwardly you maybe titillated at the power of
Islam through this terror strike in New Delhi killing 30 innocents.)
The following from Times of India (ToI) newsitem is a testimony to
this bloodlust that Quran (047:004) asks of its adherents:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Terror_strikes_Delhi_30_killed_in_5_blasts/articleshow/3479914.cms
I think India should declare itself as a Hindu country and exorcize
itself of the Shariah-thumping, bomb-throwing, Allah-following,
bearded groupies. The Kashmir problem shall be solved immediately.
Believe me, if this trendy carnage continues and it looks like it will
for the near future, then I shall certainly support the conversion of
India to a Hindu country on this and other blogs. I shall get much
silent support from readers who would want to strengtghen the hand of
Narendra Modi and his likes just to hold down the barbaric religion of
Islam under the feet of secularism.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 8:22 PM
Deb,
You have your right to say anything against prophet and Islam and this
speaks volumes about your ignorance. As anonymous wrote"In Hinduism,
if the Bhagavad Gita is to be taken as the greatest spritual guide, a
Hindu is obliged to fight even his own family, teachers, etc in
conquering evil". You must know by now in islam, we give it the name
Jihad. People like you and those Islam bashers of West are using this
world in the most twisted form. If Palestinians are being displaced
from their homes and hearths by the Polish or Brooklyn Jews, accorging
to your own Hindu doctrine you are supposed to the same Jihad to
protect your family. In the same way if Kashmiris are fighting against
forced torture, rape, intimidation, and continued humilliation and
illegitimate occpation of their mother land, they are doing nothing
but a holy Jihad. Deb, I wish you were in this situation and had to
face the rape of 80 women between the ages of 8-80 years(by your goons
in Khaki who are nothing but decoits from Chambal and Phoolan devi
must be turning in her garve to see their atrocities) in
"Konanposhpora". How would you react when hundreds of people were shot
in Sopore in 1991 and whole town burnt from one to another corner and
not only that, these sons of Genghez Khan picked up injured people and
threw them in fire and doused them with gun powder? This is not a made
up story, but thousands of events like that are in the documents of AI
and Asia Watch and even Indian Human rights groups)These are the same
dirty breed of people who are sharing the same fascist ideology of
people like that s.o.b. Narender Modi. At times you seem to be one
like them but the difference is you are in States and writing from
your airconditioned home. You are in fact doing more harm to Kashmir's
just cause by spreading lies like Islamisation of Kashmir in this
blog. I would ask you to google some of these facts.
Once again you have right to say whatever you may, but the fact
remains that Kashmir is a dispute you can not deny that and why do you
want the land if you can not win the hearts of people?
Let me be amply clear, Kashmiris donot want Shariah and Geelani was
recently booed by almost 2 million people at an independence rally at
Eidgah, srinagar once he gave reference of Pakistan in his speech. He
had to appologise latter.Kashmiris have never ever supported a hard
core religious party, and I can assure you that majority DO NOT WANT
Pakistan. Geelani is no doubt fundamentalist but at this time he is
one of the strogest voices of Kashmir against India. It is not for the
love of Geelani but instead a deep rooted hatred for India Kashmiris
always had, that they are supporting him.
Please donot malign our just cause by ranting that we are hard core
fundamentalist like your mother India for many years has been trying
to convince the West that Al-Qaida and Osama are in Kashmir. They have
failed then to convince USA and allies and you will fail now. Go and
see what is going on in Kashmir now and if you have any bit of
humanity left, you woulld certainly feel ashamed to be an Indian and
not use your pen with words that are no different than those of
Narender Modi. You must be doing him proud and at times one gets an
impression that you are his true representative in this sacred land,
that still vlues tolerance. I donot know about the future and am
certainly worried if people like you thrive here.
Shed hatred from your dark heart and spread love.
Posted by: Aamir | September 13, 2008 6:58 AM
Aamir wrote:
"I would also ask Mr. Chatterjee not to spread religious hatred."
Opposing Shariah law in Kashmir is "spreading religious hatred" ? Thus
if one opposes the slogan of the separatist Hurriyat (Geelani)
faction, "Kashmir mein Rahena Hai, Allah-ho-Akbar Kahena
hai" (translation: if one lives in Kashmir then s/he has to chant
"Allah-ho-Akbar", meaning that s/he has to be a Muslim); this clearly
indicates that Kashmir has to project a Muslim identity in governance
(Shariah) because of the majority residents being Muslims there. If
opposing installing a theocracy (Islamic Shariah) is the same as
spreading religious hatred, then I am stomped.
Is opposing a message (doctrine) the same as opposing the messenger ?
I know that Prophet Muhammad had killed those who had opposed his
policies and views. But I am not a Muslim and hence don't accept such
traditions, and would oppose such tribal primitivism.
On the contrary, Islam preaches religious hatred for other religions
and the followers. That is why Kashmir is bogusly claimed as
"Kashmiriyat" which actually means implementation of Shariah law. Why
are you not being honest in admitting that ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 2:03 AM
This is for George and Wamiq,
You guys should be ashamed of yourselves to use such words against a
particular person and call foul names to his family and that too in
Kashmiri or in Urdu/Hindi. If you guys are Kashmiris, even I am
ashamed of you. People like you are bringing disgrace to the just
cause of Kashmir and give this impression that you actually have lost
the argument which has been going on in this blog for many weeks.
Mr. Chatterjee may be a "wolf in lambs clothing" but he has most of
the time ( although taken out of context) given references to prove
his point and never resorted to abuse somebody's sister or mother.
Whatever he says about Islam in general and Kashmir in particular are
his personal views and may not be shared with mainstream Hindus and he
is entitled for that. Kashmiris historically have been tolerant and
that is the cause of a different form of Isalm we practice and there
are clear signs of hindu inluence as well. Under the shaddow of every
great mosque there is a Mandir and Mr. Chatterjee can confirm it. They
have been left untouched and clean by none other than Muslims of
Kashmir when Pundits left everything on the behest of Jagmohan, the
then governer. How can Mr. Chatterjee explain that when genocide was
being perpetrated in Kashmir and Muslims slaughtered in Gujrat, the
same Kashmiri Muslims were cremating Pundits in Kashmir with full
Hindu rights. Kashmir is the only place in the whole world where a
Hindu and a Muslim eat from the same plate.
I would request my fellow Kashmirirs to be civil on this blog and just
keep it a political dialogue. I would also ask Mr. Chatterjee not to
spread religious hatred. Kashmiri bloggers should try to expose Indias
fascist face and highlight the worst form of human rights abuses they
have been committing in Kashmir since 1937, the year when this
movement was actualy born.
Posted by: Aamir | September 12, 2008 6:35 AM
There is nothing in *real* Hinduism which would leave room for
militant fascism. In fact because a Hindu understands that there is
only one God who is worshipped under different names by different
people, they find it easiest to accept all religions as equal. All the
great Hindu spiritual masters have given that testimony.
In Hinduism, if the Bhagavad Gita is to be taken as the greatest
spritual guide, a Hindu is obliged to fight even his own family,
teachers, etc in conquering evil. So any real Hindu who strives to put
militant Hindu fascists in their place and curb the division and
violence they are spreading in India for political reasons, they would
be acting in accordance with the highest Hindu principles.
Deb Chatterjee is at least honest in admitting the purely political
motive behind the militant Hindu fascism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 11:24 PM
One hundred and forty million Muslims in India live scattered among
Hindus and Christians in India and live at peace with them. Why should
Kashmiri Muslims not see that as proof of Hindu acceptance and the
religious diversity of India? (Militant Hindu fascists like Deb
Chatterjee are luckily the exception not the rule among Hindus.)
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:33 PM
wamiq:
"Kashmir banega pakistan ,... kashmir banega pakistan..."
________________________________________
That is the whole point: Kashmir will become part of Pakistan, and the
border of India with Pakistan will come deeper into Indian territory.
Is that what Kashmiris want? To say that Kashmiri Muslims cannot get
along with Indian Muslims is not true. I say because of first hand
experience, because of knowing and sharing a room for a while with a
Kashmiri Muslim who got along equally well with Hindus and Christians
in India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:28 PM
George, my guess is that you are probably a Muslim pretending to be a
Christian. If you are a Muslim, you disgrace all Muslims (btw Sharia
Law for all its limitations, is tough on Muslims who indulge in sexual
misconduct), if you are a Christian, you disgrace all Christians.
I repeat, check out a (?homosexual, since your posts are addressed to
a male) sex chat website instead of posting filth on this forum.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:19 PM
Deb Chatterjee:
Quoting Anonymous: "The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in
Gujrat first. The Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as
provocation."
DC: "First you are lying about the incident, and second you are
arrogant about the slaughter.
First, Muslim mobs attacked and burnt down the train compartment
(Sabarmati Express) that was coming with the "pracharaks" (RSS
preachers). That was the provocation from the Muslims."
______________________________________________
You get me wrong. I do *not* condone violence. Killing is killing,
whether a Muslim does it or a Hindu. Both need to be brought to
justice and punished for taking innocent lives.
As it turns out the Godra Train incident, and the death of 58 Hindus
on February 27, 2002, involved a small group of Hindus and Muslims
which began with an altercation. Why did the Hindus not seek out the
guilty Muslims and bring them to justice? Is not that the way a
"secular" Hindu governance is supposed to function? Instead innocent
groups of Muslims were targeted in 151 towns and 993 villages from 28
Feb to mid June 2002.
"Hundreds of mosques and other Muslim shrines were damaged or
destroyed and makeshift Hindu temples were installed in their place in
some cases. In Ahmedabad, the dargah of the Sufi saint-poet Wali
Gujarati in Shahibaug and the 16th century Gumte Masjid mosque in
Isanpur were destroyed. The Muhafiz Khan Masjid at Gheekanta was
ransacked. Police records list 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples
and three churches as damaged in the months of March and April...
According to an official estimate, 1044 people were killed in the
violence - 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus including those killed in the
Godhra train fire. Another 223 people were reported missing, 2,548
injured, 919 women widowed and 606 children orphaned.
Unofficial estimates put the death toll closer to 2000, with Muslims
forming a high proportion of those killed..."
______________________________________________
The point is: do militant Hindu fascists want to convert India into a
violent country that has no place for non-Hindus?
Militant Hindu fascists have been targeting innocent Christians for no
reason at all, except a fascist ideology.
India already has a secular Constitution. There is no need for
militant Hindu fascists to abolish it and set up their own version of
"secular." If the violence in Gujarat is any indication of how
violence is brought to justice, (read: by killing innocent people who
had nothing to do with the original incident), then it is a kind of
Hindu "secular" India doesn't need.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:13 PM
Hindustane kuto jan lo Kashmir tumhare moot hay. Kashmir banega
pakistan , Dapum chatter mehra agar toheya aitraz chu , tele wano aes
kashmir banega pakistan boto rostey batnen saan
Posted by: wamiq | September 11, 2008 6:49 PM
Aey hindu debu,
tune apne maan behan ko nahin beja mere usko doodh pilaney. Salla lun*
ka pujari kuta hindu
Posted by: George | September 11, 2008 4:40 PM
"Indian Muslims are a minority group and they have not exercised any
hegemony over Hindus in two and half centuries."
Really ? How about the Shah Bano case that happened in 1984-85 where
Muslims wanted to overturn the "secular" verdict of the secular
Supreme Court and did succeed ? How many Muslim luminiaries (including
the Rajya Sabha member Shabana Azmi) have protested against it ? Did
Irfan Habib, Muslim Marxist historian at JNU/Aligarh MU, do anything
except expressing his carefully orchestrated "outrage" ?
"If they are demanding imposition of Sharia Law for members of their
own religion, which most Indian Muslims don't want anyway, it is not
about exercising hegemony over Hindus."
I agree mostly. Muslims want Shariah law to silence Tasleema Nasreen
and Salman Rushdie. Tasleema was hounded by the Muslim fanatics even
from Kolkata - the bastion of the secular, intelligent "Bengali
Bhadralok". Now she lives in exile in Switzerland.
So, yes it is about clinging onto the barbaric Shariah laws and
protecting such obsolete garbage which progressive civilizations have
rejected anyway.
"Isn't nearly four thousand years of such Hindu "secular"
discrimination long enough?"
No, it's not enough. There is never an "enough" in secular governance.
If Muslims want to implement Shariah laws, and exercise that by
attempting to kill or issuing fatwas for killing from the Charminar
mosque in Hyderabad towards those who offend Islam such as Tasleema
Nasreen or Salman Rushdie, then they should leave India and go to
Pakistan. India is majority Hindu and must remain secular, even if it
offends Islam and Muslims. Too bad !
"The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in Gujrat first. The
Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as provocation."
First you are lying about the incident, and second you are arrogant
about the slaughter.
First, Muslim mobs attacked and burnt down the train compartment
(Sabarmati Express) that was coming with the "pracharaks" (RSS
preachers). That was the provocation from the Muslims.
Two, Akshardham temple complex shootings, on innocent devotees doing
"bhajans", remember ? That is a still a provocation that needs to be
retaliated.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 11, 2008 4:17 PM
It is true India is an ancient and great civilization. But it is
equally true that it has left out completely sections of its own
society - the lower castes.
The world goes forwards, not backwards.
Social equality/upward social mobility that everyone has an
opportunity to strive for and human rights for all sections of the
society is where mankind is at in its level of consciousness.
Militant Hindu fascists would set the Indian clock back to the days
when only upper caste Hindus got to enjoy the fruits of the Indian
culture and its achievements. Lower castes merely provided slave
labor.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 2:03 AM
Indian Muslims are a minority group and they have not exercised any
hegemony over Hindus in two and half centuries.
If they are demanding imposition of Sharia Law for members of their
own religion, which most Indian Muslims don't want anyway, it is not
about exercising hegemony over Hindus.
The militant Hindu fascist party on the other hand is about exercising
hegemony over all non-Hindus, including lower caste Hindus.
India has suffered under such Hindu hegemony long enough. There is no
need for a repeat performance by setting the backwards by two and a
half thousand years. Remember Buddhism and Jainism were founded as an
answer to Hindu "secular" hegemony.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:57 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular?"
Pure gobbledygook nonsense. No need to respond.
___________________________________
Sorry, what I really meant was, when the Indian Constitution is
already secular, why the need for a Hindu version of secular where low
caste Hindus and non-Hindus stand to be discriminated against?
Isn't nearly four thousand years of such Hindu "secular"
discrimination long enough?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:47 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"One can state that BJP is calling for a Hindu state, and Hindutva and
hence is branded "militant facist Hindu political party" and all the
blah, blah.
My rebuttal to the above (unfair) allegation by the pseudo-secularists
is that "militant Hinduism" is definitely a phenomenon of the past 80
years, and is a response to Muslim fundamentalism. The "Hindutva" is a
legitimate "weapon" for pro-Hindu political parties like the BJP. This
"Hindutva" concept is just absent as a doctrinal status in any Hindu
religious scripture. It is a purely political invention..."
For many years now, the militant Hindu fascists have been
systematically targeting Christians wherever it can, so it is an
outright lie to claim that the militant form of Hinduism is a response
to Muslim extremism and targets only religious extremists.
The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in Gujrat first. The
Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as provocation.
I repeat, militant extremists in Hinduism behave no differently from
Muslim extremists who are the first to incite violence.
Clean up your act of militant thinking before criticizing the Muslims.
In India at least it can be rightly said that they are being targeted
unfairly by Hindu militants.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:44 AM
"Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular?"
Pure gobbledygook nonsense. No need to respond.
"Islam as a religion allows for just retaliation, just like Judaism,
so no Hindu should imagine that Indian Muslims would take violence
done to them lying down."
Yes, Hindus have learnt from their Muslim brethren that they (Hindus)
can also invent any cause for bloodlust. It is not intrinsic to Islam
to retaliate on "just causes". The Hindu has learnt it, and I believe
will act on it. RSS/VHP/Bajrang Dal/Shiv Sena have made it clear that
they will rise up against Muslim hegemony.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 11, 2008 1:33 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular? The
motive is clear, a Hindu form of theocracy secular, in which high
caste Hindus get to retain all the power.
Indians who practice Islam are still Indians. So why this stuff and
nonsense about "if Muslims want to live in India?" The truth is
really, if Indians want to practice any religion other than Hinduism
in a Hindu "secular" theocracy.
Hinduism has been around for four thousand years. So no Hindu can
claim it hasn't had the opportunity to prove its governing abilities.
India happens to be the birthplace of three other religions and has
had other religions for a long time.
Hindu "secular" theocracy is beneficial only to Hindus of the higher
castes. That is proven by the fact that the vast majority of lower
castes (until independence when the quota system was worked into the
Indian Constitution) remained trapped in poverty and illiteracy for as
long as Hinduism has been around. Christianity has done nothing but
good in India. Social equality and literacy rates are high were
Christians abound.
Islam brought a lot high Arabian culture to North India, which is now
so integrated with Hinduism in the Indian society, that the roots are
almost forgotten.
Hindus have much more to gain by treating Indian Muslims as their own,
than putting up a fight with invented reasons for political reason.
Islam as a religion allows for just retaliation, just like Judaism, so
no Hindu should imagine that Indian Muslims would take violence done
to them lying down. Passive resistance and just war has been worked
into Christianity to deal with violation of human rights. Mahatma
Gandhi set an example of how evil could be overcome by non-violent
means.
You need to reflect about that, instead of inciting division,
intolerance, hatred and violence for political gain. You seem not to
have learned anything useful politically in the US. Is inciting hatred
and violence the way things work in the US? How sad that you can't
propagate the best of US politics in India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 11:51 PM
"Extremism tends to be intolerant and divisive and violent, not just
in Islam but in Hinduism too.
Most Muslims would not like to be ruled by Sharia Law."
That is just a hogwash. Allah mian states very much unequivocally (in
the Quran) the following:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran(003:085)]
This clearly shows the God of Islam wants the world to be Islamized
means ruled by Islam as supreme, though there could be plurality of
religions and cultures. But the doctrinal status quo following the
above verse implies that all other religions (even after their assured
plural status) would be ranked *inferior* to the status of Islam. (To
that end, the verse Quran(009:029) comes to my mind.) Such is
effectively asking for Shariah to be implemented all over the world.
What I wrote about equality of religions was motivated by the
fundamental Hindu doctrines on spirituality and logic systems. Hindu
governance is secular.
One can state that BJP is calling for a Hindu state, and Hindutva and
hence is branded "militant facist Hindu political party" and all the
blah, blah.
My rebuttal to the above (unfair) allegation by the pseudo-secularists
is that "militant Hinduism" is definitely a phenomenon of the past 80
years, and is a response to Muslim fundamentalism. The "Hindutva" is a
legitimate "weapon" for pro-Hindu political parties like the BJP. This
"Hindutva" concept is just absent as a doctrinal status in any Hindu
religious scripture. It is a purely political invention, and it has
its roots in the RSS ideology who based their views on the history of
India (Akhand Bharat); the history of "Akhand Bharat" implied
documented history from the times of Chandragupta Maurya (Vikramaditya
I) etc. (BTW, this Vikramaditya ruled only by secular laws - when
compared against our times.) Hindu kings always ruled by secular laws.
The Muslims don't like RSS bringing in this notion of Hindutva because
it conflicts with the message of the Quran that comands theocracy.
Well, too bad ! Get used to this if Muslims want to live in India. The
RSS has as much right to raise Hindutva slogan as much as Muslims want
to live under Shariah laws of an Islamic State.
It is indeed used by BJP during elections to draw Hindu votes. I *DO
NOT* see anything wrong with that. What is wrong with a political
party stating that it wants to represent majority interests ? That's
pure legal under the auspices of Freedom of Political Expression. If
Maoists in India can still have it in their manifesto to kill the
"bourgeois elite", and is recognized as a legitimate political party,
till they start killing, why is the BJP to be singled out when Muslim
parties like Jammat-i-Islam-i-Hind openly lobby Muslim interests ?
But, I know; you and your likes would state that it is a majority
party and hence should be treated differently from parties
representing the minority. That position is actually condescending and
racist. There are no distinctions between humans. Muslims are far
better off in India, even after some of them engaging in anti-national
activities. The SIMI head honcho, Safdar Nagori, is well off and is
still inspiring Jihad.
Yes, I know that most Muslims are NOT terrorists, but most terrorists
ARE Muslims.
Finally, if Muslims wouldn't like to be ruled by by Shariah laws, why
was Shah Bano ruling overturned by the Congress with the active
support of the various Muslim organizations in India, such as Jammat-i-
Islam, who saw secular ruling as a threat to Islam and proclaimed
that, "Islam Khatre Mein Hain" (Islam is in danger) ???
Indian Muslims are a part of India, reluctantly I have to agree. But,
I also think that Islam is a barbaric (theocratic) religion which they
practice.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 10, 2008 1:51 PM
Deb Chatterjee:
Indian Muslims are an integral part of India. They are Indians first
and Islam happens to be the religion they practice. You'll have to get
used to that idea whether you like it or not because it is the truth.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 2:39 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Of course, Islam wants the world to become Muslim. That's Allah mian's
grand plan. To that end, the Islamic Shariah has been put in place by
the mullahs and Muhammad. Thus, Islam and Secularism are diametrical
odds, and I just cannot fathom how Eboo Patel supports secular
governance himself being a Muslim.
Islam is a primitive and barbaric religion simply because it is an
intolerant theocracy, as evidenced by Shafiuddin's remarks against
secularism.
_________________________________________
Sorry, I meant to delete this part of your post.
Islam should not be painted in the black and white fashion you have
done. Militant fascist Hinduism has no nobler motives than political
power and oppression of non-Hindus and Hindus of lower castes.
Extremism tends to be intolerant and divisive and violent, not just in
Islam but in Hinduism too.
Most Muslims would not like to be ruled by Sharia Law.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 2:35 AM
Re
Deb Chatterjee:
However because our knowledge is limited does not mean that to govern
regular mundane human affairs one needs to submit to some
monochromatic or multi-colored deity to take guidance. If humans
cannot use their rationality and reasoning to figure out mundane
matters of governance, then humans are no different from their
ancestral primates.
Governing by beliefs or a set of beliefs, that have been sanctioned/
approved by some supernatural Supreme, is tribal primitivism. Any
human being with some iota of intelligence would accept the validity
of the onus of pedrsonal responsibility. One need not cite some stupid
scripture or some priest/minister/mullah/rabbi to be convinced of this
important aspect of human behavior. And, this can only be done in a
multi-cultural/multi-religious society if all these people are judged
under one set of common laws which does not emphasize a specific group
of people's spiritual beliefs. That is essentially how "secularism"
works and the world must remain secular to preserve harmony.
Of course, Islam wants the world to become Muslim. That's Allah mian's
grand plan. To that end, the Islamic Shariah has been put in place by
the mullahs and Muhammad. Thus, Islam and Secularism are diametrical
odds, and I just cannot fathom how Eboo Patel supports secular
governance himself being a Muslim.
Islam is a primitive and barbaric religion simply because it is an
intolerant theocracy, as evidenced by Shafiuddin's remarks against
secularism.
Finally all religions are equally good. Because the goal of all
religions is unique: to realize the Supreme. However the various paths
(religions) by which that unique goal is achieved can very well be
different. Thus it is pure ignorance to label secularism as
"hypocrisy".
September 9, 2008 11:10 AM
____________________________________________
This is an excellent post.
You do Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda proud!
If you keep your posts to this style, thus bringing the highest Hindu
wisdom to bear on this forum and among people with whom you have
influence, including those in India, you are about to win my deepest
respect. But not until them. -:)
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 10:09 PM
Deb Chatterjee:
Militant Hindu fascism is NO different from militant Islam. You are as
bigoted and intolerant as any Muslim extremist and there is nothing
laudable about the political goals of the party you support in India.
The pot shouldn't call the kettle black. So *clean up your own act*
and do real justice to the religion you claim to represent, *before*
preaching to Muslims.
Do some interfaith work in India, which would do more to promote peace
in India than propagation of hatred and militant intolerance.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:42 PM
There are only 2.3% Christians in India, i.e. about 25 million in a
country with a population of 1.1 *billion*. Christians are found
mostly in three southern states - Kerala, Tamil Nad & Karnataka - and
also in Goa, cities of Mumbai (Bombay) & Kolkotta (Calcutta).
Politically motivated militant Hindu fascists, with a newly invented
"India-for-Hindus-only" are creating havoc in India by persecuting non-
Hindus, especially Christians and Muslims. Working behind the scenes
and from from away, fueling hatred, intolerance and violence are also
the likes of Deb Chatterjee, who is a non-practicing meat eating
Brahmin, who attended a Catholic school in Kolkotta and lives in the
US as an American citizen, a country with a Christian majority.
Although India is a secular democracy, the likes of Deb Chatterjee
would actively support those in India who are pushing for a fascist,
militant, Hindu theocracy, where only the higher caste Hindus would
have a say, keeping the lower caste Hindus trapped in their social
milieu as high caste Hindus have done for millennia whenever they
wielded power over others.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:36 PM
The Qur'an speaks well of the relationship it has with former books
(the Torah and the Gospel) and attributes their similarities to their
unique origin and saying all of them have been revealed by the one
God.
Torah
Psalms by King David
The New Testament
The Qur'an retells stories of many of the people and events recounted
in Jewish and Christian sacred books (Tanakh, Bible) and devotional
literature (Apocrypha, Midrash), although it differs in many details.
Torah (The First Five Books of the Old Testament)
Psalms by King David (The Old Testament)
The New Testament
Adam,
Enoch,
Noah,
Heber,
Shelah,
Abraham,
Lot,
Ishmael,
Isaac,
Jacob,
Joseph,
Job,
Jethro,
David,
Solomon,
Elijah,
Elisha,
Jonah,
Aaron,
Moses,
Ezra,
Zechariah,
Jesus, and
John the Baptist
are mentioned in the Qur’an as prophets of God.
Muslims believe the common elements or resemblances between the Bible
and other Jewish and Christian writings and Islamic dispensations is
due to their common divine source, and that the original Christian or
Jewish texts were authentic divine revelations given to prophets.
Muslims believe that those texts were neglected, corrupted (tahrif) or
altered in time by the Jews and Christians and have been replaced by
God's final and perfect revelation, which is the Qur'an. However, many
Jews and Christians[who?] believe that the historical biblical
archaeological record refutes this assertion, because the Dead Sea
Scrolls (the Tanakh and other Jewish writings which predate the origin
of the Qur’an) have been fully translated, validating the authenticity
of the Greek Septuagint.
Influence of Christian apocrypha
The Diatessaron,
Protoevangelium of James,
Infancy Gospel of Thomas,
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and
the Arabic Infancy Gospel
are all alleged to have been sources that the author/authors drew on
when creating the Qur'an. The Diatessaron especially may have led to
the misconception in the Qur'an that the Christian Gospel is one text.
However this is strongly refuted by Muslim scholars, who maintain that
the Qur’an is the divine word of God without any interpolation, and
the similarities exist only due to the one source...
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:16 PM
Report Offensive Comment
The Talibans read the same Quran as does the most liberal Muslim. The
message in the Quran for any specific case cannot be different for the
liberal Muslim or the fanatic Taliban. However, the following scenario
reported by Dexter Filkins in NYT, shows the alarming spread of
Taliban and their hateful ideology derived from none other than the
Quran.
The NYT link is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07pakistan-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin
The religion of Islam is based on the central tenets of hatred for
infidels/unbelievers and also derives its inspiration from the Quran.
Verses in the Quran calling for hatred of "kufr" actually mean hatred
for all other religions. To that end Quran is explicit, and thus
states:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran(003:085)]
The message of hatred is unmistakeable. It is thus completely false to
state that Islam is a peaceful religion and has respect for other
religions - as the advocates of "religious harmony" state. This is the
reason why Kashmir is not "kashmiriyat" but "Nizam-i-Mustafa",
instead. It is just because of the hatred that Islam promotes for
followers of other religions, that Kashmiri Pandits have been killed
by the Muslim neighbors. Visit the site
http://www.iakf.org/main/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=3&MMN_position=4:4
to learn how Islam has treated Kashmiri Hindu pandits. Unfortunately
the voice of the Kashmiri Hindu pandits are unheard, and because of
their dwindling numbers they don't get much attention from the US
Govt.
Why shy away from condemning and rejecting the message of Islam
(Submission to the Supreme Will of Allah) ?
Islam is a barbaric religion.
When will the world wake up to confront such barbarism ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 7:26 PM
Aamir wrote:
"Also Mr. Iblis let me tell you Quran is the only book that has not
changed (like our other books of faith like Bible and Torah) a word
since it came in to existence, because there are millions who remember
each and every word and meaning of it by heart."
That's phoney baloney. There are sufficient reasons to doubt the
authenticity of the Quran. It is reasonable to speculate, that a book
which was compiled in its present form 100 years after Prophet's death
in 632 A.D., could not have been tampered with. I believe it was, and
hence Quran is not the unadulterated word of Allah (God). Muhammad may
himself have modified the verses. The following 3-part article in The
Atlantic Monthly by Toby E. Lester supports that view, viz., Quran was
rewritten several times before its final form (as we see now) was
achieved.
Read the article at the link:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199901/koran
Islam is a barbaric religion. I sincerely pray that you and all other
Muslims abandon Islam and embrace the ancient faith of your
forefathers. Islam is not divine. Many people remembering its verses
etc., don't make it divine at all.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 4:36 PM
You may take the name of Ender, Aditya or Chatter, you are the same
coward and a hate monger, whose mission is to talk cheap about Islam.
Let me tell you ignorant Hindu, you may be literate but living in this
country has not changed you a bit, you continue to be uneducated and
full of hate. Persons like you ultimately self destroy themselves.
Mosques or even for that matter Makkah are symbols of a great faith
which is real and not a myth. Even if you destroy the symbolsthe great
faith will remain and Islam will continue to be the answer for
wandering people like you who have not found real purpose of their
life so far. You are a perfect example of a person who actually God
gave a purpose of spreading hate and do false propaganda and what my
faith calls men like you is "IBLIS" meaning Satan. Also Mr. Iblis let
me tell you Quran is the only book that has not changed (like our
other books of faith like Bible and Torah) a word since it came in to
existence, because there are millions who remember each and every word
and meaning of it by heart. You along with all infidels of the world
may wish to destroy all the symbols of Islam, but it is to stay there
even beyond eternity. Our book is not a sexy story book full of Kathas
that how sita mata apharan happened and how monkeys liberated her as
was pointed out by one of the bloggers. I can simply understand your
frustration which has affected your personal life also. You need some
purpose and I would encourage you to be a champion of interfaith
dialogue rather than a hate monger. It certainly is going to destroy
you. Try to use this time to educate people about your mythical faith
rather than spreading lies about other faiths. Also people have asked
you so many questions about the purpose of Hinduism as religion in the
present day world. Help some of us in understanding this rather than
harping the same crap what he said and she said about Islam.
Lainatulahi-Alla komil Kafirin.
Kashmir will be independent and that too soon. I will also pray for
your sanity. Our Allah is gracious and merciful and he will put you to
straight path. Aameen
Posted by: Aamir | September 7, 2008 6:50 AM
Aamir:
US Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) stated that USA would consider
nuking Makkah.
Though extreme, I think that would be the "Judgement Day". USA needs
to control Pakistan and subsequently slowly start to destroy Islam by
weakening its organs of Jihad.
Inshallah that will happen.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 2:50 AM
Hey poor Aditya,
You have a bipolar personality. Your english has gotten bad once
again. There was no lord Krishna. It is a myth.
Donot boast of your filthy country. You infact should be ashamed of
calling yourself Indian. Only upper 10% of Indians have prospered with
the economic boom and you should thank Sardarjee for that. 90% live
like rats. If one soldier dies in Kashmir, there are 100 thousand
applications for that single post. The concept of India being a super
power is a myth too like its religion. You should not be proud of this
stupid country. Shame on India that they are many thousand times
bigger than Jamaica and look how they performed in Olympics. Yes,
India won a solitary gold in shooting. The reason is that they are
very good at that as they have been practicing it in Kashmir for the
last 61 years. They never misssed so far their target of shooting in
the head and heart of almost 150,000 Kashmiris.
Khushwant Sigh once rightly said that "Dall" eaters can not win
olympic golds. You need to eat meat and especially beef.
Whether you or your RSS cronies like ender or bender Chatterjee cry
your lungs hoarse, Kashmir belongs to Kashmirirs and we as Muslims
will fight till last and will not keep silent like Hindus did in last
5000 years like cowards. Your country and your people are fake and you
people love life and as Muslims we donot care and all Kashmiris will
give their last drop of blood to keep our land pious and free of
Indias dirty occupation.
Kashmir will get independence from India and that too soon, Insha-
Allah.
Posted by: Aamir | September 7, 2008 12:07 AM
Hi, There is no point arguing nd counter arguing. We have all decided
to sty entrenched in our position. However I just want to tell Muslims
that, see brothers sometimes flight of fancy catchs our imagination to
the extent that we loose control on our being. You have been arguing
things like Kashmir was never part of India. I agree that no country
can be subjugated by force forever but in this case no country has
been subjugated. The truth is there was never a time in history when
Kashmir was not a part of India. So there is no question of
subjugation. Here the fight is between the quranic ideologies of
grubbing land from non-Muslim countries and progressive forces. Well
the quarnic ideologies idid work wonderfully in the past. I cannot
deny that peace loving Hindus were summarily defeated by Islamic
hordes. But now the patients of the quite religion has eroded and the
signs are everywhere. Sleeping lion has awaken after 1100 years. You
are beaten everywhere. In last 50 years not a single war is won by a
Muslim country against a non-muslim country. You mend your ways
otherwise we are watching nd we are counting. Lord Krishna tolerated
100 abuses. We have tolerated even more. Our tolerance has limit. No
more indian territory for Muslims to satisfy their real estate
grabbing quranic ideology.You are holding the world at ransom thinking
people are scared of you. The past is history. Let me tell you the
future. If your fanatics continues world will slip into 3rd world war.
Then all bets will be off. You will not be able to hide behind U.N
rules while carrying out terrorist activities. But ll bets will be off
in 3rd world war. In india you will not only lose Kashmir but will be
forced to convert back to hinduism. You push your luck too much and it
will only bring destruction.
Posted by: Aditya | September 6, 2008 6:24 PM
It is interesting to read the bloggs of 'Ender and Bender the
Chatterjee'. Ender is hiding his identity and claiming to be a
Christian and Bender the Chatterjee has now bend so much that he took
the refuge of Budhism.He seems to be changing his colours. I can
simply empathise with both of them. They seem to have read some
literature which unfortunately is directed only against the people of
certain faiths and at the same time they ignore the actual message of
those faiths. They should be intelligent enough to separate the
political face of all the three Abrahamic faiths from the religious
one and I can tell you neither the Ender nor the Bender Chatterjee
will have anything to question about.These people are taking certain
quotes out of context and beating the same rhetoric time and again.
By the way coming back to the original blog,( which unfortunately has
been hijacked byEnders and Benders only for propagating their
nafarious agenda)it was Jawaher Lal Nehru who first went to UN to ask
for right of self determination of Kashmiris. UN still has those
Charters. It is not Pakistan who refuses to give independence to
Kashmir, but it is the fascist India. History is witness that people
can not be subjugated for ever. Also Bender Catterjee has his own
encylopedia from where he churned the number of Hindus slaughtered.
Stupid it was 140,000 Kashmiri Muslims who in fact were slaughtered by
communal India only on the basis of being Muslims. More people have
died in Kashmir and that too many more times than those Indians dying
during their entire freedom struggle which was given to them on plate
by retieving British, who were losing their empire everywhere they
held. The land of Snake Charmers would have been their last priority
to keep.
So Ender and Bender the Chatterjee try to get some massala from your
Hinduism and donot get protection of Budhism and simply being an
athiest for that matter. You guys know that there is nothing but
emptiness in Hinduism.
We will get Independence in Kashmir and that too soon, Insha-Allah
Posted by: Aamir | September 6, 2008 5:17 PM
Ender, whether you like it or not Judaism and Christianity came from
the Middle East, Israel being located in ME.
OK the Catholic Church adopted a lot of Greek philosophy into its
theology, and adopted some European pagan customs. But the Bible
remains a work entirely of Jews as well as the religion of
Christianity and Judaism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:18 AM
Ender, you say you know about the Abrahamic faiths and then you claim
everything came from Greece and Rome. The Bible was written by Jews
you know. The Greeks and Romans gave up their paganism and adopted
Christianity easily enough.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:14 AM
Ender, maybe you should live in India for a few years and experience
first hand the life of the tribals there before glorifying militant
fascist Hinduism. The Christian neocons will feel like angels in
comparison and the US like paradise.
If you are talking about a religion you know only in the abstract,
then you'd better inform yourself a little more before posting support
based on ignorance.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:09 AM
I'm a white anglosaxon cracker from Florida that was raised and lives
under the Christian tyranny of neocon local gov't and the Bush
Christian Terrorist state nationally.
I know the history of the Cults of Abraham and they are they have all
become a enemy to human existance. The best of Judeo Christian ethics
and thought came from the Democracy and Phylosophy of Greece and Rome.
everything that came our of the middle east should be caged up there
and never released on the civilized world.
And since you lack imagination to come up with a handle, you don't
even know which anonymous fool I'm posting to.
Posted by: ender | September 6, 2008 8:59 AM
To think Deb Chatterjee is one such Machiavellian militant fascist
Hindu who incites hatred against Christians in India while living in
luxury and enjoying his life in a Christian majority country in the
West. Yuck!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 8:33 AM
The Hindu fascists who posted on this thread shamelessly accused
Christians for the political upheaval in North East India.
The United Liberation Front of Asom is a militant group from Assam,
among many other such groups in North-East India...It claims that
among the various problems that people of Assam are confronting, the
problem of national identity is the most basic, and therefore it seeks
to represent "independent minded struggling peoples" irrespective of
race, tribe, caste, religion and nationality...
The Government of India (GOI) has classified it as a terrorist
organization and had banned it under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act in 1990. Concurrently, GOI started a military
offensive against it, named Operation Bajrang lead by the Indian Army.
The operation continues at present under the Unified Command
Structure.
The Government of India accuses ULFA of maintaining links with the
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of *Pakistan* and the DGFI of
*Bangladesh*, and waging a proxy war on their behalf against India.
On the other hand Christians are persecuted.
A Christian from Assam said: "Hindu fanatics used the ... tribal
communities to incite communal divide among different faiths among
the ... communities. In most of the cases, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) worked behind the ...tribal communities to act against tribal
Christians."
“It has been the same strategy among all tribal communities in India
where RSS uses tribal and scheduled caste communities to attack
Christian and other minority religious communities. In most of the
cases, when the police register complaints, only the members of tribal
and scheduled caste communities are made to suffer,” he said.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 8:28 AM
ender:
Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.
___________________________________
Sri Lanka was traditionally a part of India? Have you read the
Ramayana?
You have nothing to fear from a Hindu nation because you are a Hindu.
Have you cared to ask what non-Hindu Indians may have to say about not
being allowed to practice their religion?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 3:10 AM
ender:
Anonymous posting shouldn't be allowed. Anonymity is the perview of
cowards and terrorist. Grow a pair and use a consistent screen name.
In the mean time, I can only respond to Deb C.
I wish India much success in resisting the terroritst forces of Islam
and the evangelical and intolerant nature of all of the Cults of
Abraham. They are the blight of the modern world that would keep us
all in the dark ages of repression and Empirical Rulers.
August 31, 2008 10:08 AM
___________________________________
You are another Hindu fascist living in a Western country with a
Christian majority encouraging militant fascist Hindus in India to be
intolerant towards their own, who happen to practice other religions
including Christianity. Shameless hypocrite!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 3:04 AM
ender:
Let's not forget the Sikhs, with the most recent claim to governance
of Kashmir other than the British, whom have been pretty much force
out of the region by outrageous human rights violations.
India was a Hindu nation that was conquered by Muslims then retaken by
Hindus many hundreds of years ago. Using standard Islamic practice,
Islam used its period of armed conquest to import millions of Muslims
and attempt to take over a nation by sheer numbers. Since Muslims
traditionally insist on Islamic states with a state gov't and don't
play well with others, India was kind enough in '47 to follow a UN
recommendation and voluntarily give up Pakistan for an Islamic state.
Sikhs ruled Kashmir at the time. Pakistani Islamicist have been
infiltrating and replacing the Hindu and Sikh population for 50+ years
and are using their normal terrorist tactics to take more of India. If
the Indian police or military fight back, they are blamed for human
rights violations, while Muslims force Islamic law on the entire area.
India should not give up another inch to Muslim invaders. They should
learn to live in a Secular society or move.
August 27, 2008 11:35 AM
_______________________________________________
You ARE a Hindu.
Brush up your Indian history.
India existed as an empire nearly two and a half thousand years ago,
in the time of Emperor Ashoka, a BUDDHIST. A BUDDHIST, NOT a Hindu!
After that India consisted of *many small kingdoms* ruled by Hindu
kings.
Muslims did invade North India and conquer some parts, but they did
NOT import *millions* of Muslims from Arabia. Many came as rulers but
they converted Indian Hindus to Islam.
Muslims ruled some parts of India for three hundred years.
After that India became a British colony for two hundred years. It was
the British who united India as it was just before Independence, NOT
Hindus or Muslims. So it is worthwhile to keep in mind that after a
Buddhist emperor united India, it was the British who drew the map of
pre-independent India.
So you need to correct your view that India was retaken from Muslims
hundreds of years ago.
There are many parts of India, especially in the South where Muslims
have never ruled. But they remained small independent kingdoms ruled
by Hindu kings until the British came. The Hindu kings did not
persecute non-Hindu minorities, so Muslims and Christians lived in
peace with Hindus.
The modern militant fascist Hindu political party are violent and
intolerant. They have nothing to do with the Hindu India of the past.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 2:56 AM
ENDER, if you are a humanitarian atheist, then fight to keep the
Indian government secular and give no room for militant fascist Hindus
to take over and convert it into a theocracy and the old ways of
exploitation of lower castes. However I suspect you are a Hindu
fascist yourself pretending to be an outsider and an atheist. You come
across as the kind of fascist Hindu coward who is afraid of justice
seeking Muslim retaliation permitted by their religion, so you would
target only Christians who have always been peace loving.
As for your knowledge of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, you better
get better sources of information. You are displaying pathetic
ignorance in your post.
Christianity came to India in 52 AD, brought by an Apostle of Jesus, a
mere nineteen years after the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus.
And by the way the historical evidence of the crucifixion of Jesus has
been corroborated by a Jewish and Roman historian.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 5, 2008 11:42 PM
Three thousand yrs of the Cults of Abraham have kept the human race at
war long enough. While I don't believe Hinduism, it has never been a
reason for nation to attack nation and supports secualar nations and
gov'ts.
I don't want to see the world burn in the name of mideastern tribalism
and a paternal wargod created in the image of the warlords that
created it. It is time the peoples of the world move beyond
superstition and ancient tribal myths and seek to better themselves
and the race by seeking wisdom and truly ethical behavior based on
examination and careful thought, not what dead old men invented to
rule other men.
Posted by: ender | September 5, 2008 2:27 PM
I will request all people who posted comments here that dont indulge
abusing each other.Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.
Facts dont change if somebody repeats on chanting lies against Islam
and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). There is a verse in quran saying dont say
anything bad about about their false Gods as they can say bad about
your true gods. There are some people here, God has sealed their
hearts. They have no eyes to see the truth, and no ears to hear the
message of God. May Allah show every body the path of truth. May allah
enlighted your hearts and take you out of darkness.
Kashmir belongs to kashmiris.
Posted by: Muslim | September 5, 2008 2:10 PM
The blatant racisism of the supposedly Christian poster are enough
explanation for me of why Indian Hindus would get tired of them
proselytizing rather quickly.
History of Abrahamic Religion101.
A/Ibrahim(not his name yet) was a priest of the Sumerian deity EL. His
tribe was small and had maintained a separate culture from many of the
other followers of the Sumerian Trinity of Gods, so as a tribal
leader, he declared a revELation from El(as in Israel -chosen of God,
and Daniel - beloved of God) that the tribe could take no other God
before HIM, El, and by the way, never say or write MY NAME again,
except in a code understood only by the priesthood, so we can forget
about that whole EL/Triumvirate thing. Abraham was a capable leader
and warlord, and his tribe prospered. The priesthood he founded
included much of the Sumerian religions myths of creation and the
flood into their repertoire and maintained their 'secret' knowledge of
the Sumerian calendar and astrological systems to keep themselves in
position of power. They taught their tribe cultural racism and
apartheid, but allowed enslaved and captured women to bare legitimate
children, to avoid the inbreeding that even prehistoric humans knew,
led to birth defects. So….slavery was ok, but not of your close
neighbors, because that might defeat the purpose – diversity of the
gene pool.
This tribe maintained its genetic and cultural uniqueness very
successfully. The shared religion allowed leaders to exhort them to
martial ferocity, when wronged, or to take some other tribes property
and land. Remember the time they were supposed to kill every living
thing in Canaan and make the land theirs? It took uncommon will,
devotion, and brutality for such a small tribe to conquer a larger
more technologically advanced civilization such as the Canaanites.
This cultural bigotry served them well for over a thousand years. It
also made them a universally hated tribe.
So, after they have been defeated and displaced several times, and
finally completely conquered by the Romans, a group of radical Jewish
rabbis, Zoroastrian priest, and Roman Freethinkers, used the local
stories about a Jewish Rabbi/carpenter, embellished them borrowing
heavily from the messianic traditions of Judaism which were stolen
from the Sumerian religion, created the Christ myth. It took them
quite a while, and they didn't get around to recording all of this
until decades after the events supposedly had taken place. But…it is
much easier to make up events after the fact, when the people who were
there/then aren't around to dispute the 'facts.'
A few hundred years after that, a learned merchant that lives a life
of leisure due to marrying a much older but wealthy widow, studies the
Jewish religion, and realizes its real problem is its exclusivity. So
he copies large parts of it, and creates a religion that invites
everyone to join. In fact it often insists. He keeps the most holy
spot in his homeland though, and discourages translations from the
Arabic, so his tribe maintains Top Dog First of the First status. The
End of Time myth involves a leader, or Great Caliph, that can really
only come from his tribe. So, in typical tribal fashion, members of
the other powerful and rival tribe in the region, the Persians, claim
the Arabic descendants have gotten it wrong, and they are the true
carriers of the flame.
So, Christians begin loosing ground to Islam and begin the Crusades
and the Inquisition. Islam gets pissed and begins taking parts of
Europe in order give the Infidels a chance to convert. That only gets
so far as the Shia/Sunni/Persian/Arabic infighting keep them too
occupied with each other to maintain their triumphs over the
Christians.
It ain't over yet folks.
Men create religions to consolidate tribal power and control other
tribes of men.
Posted by: ender | September 5, 2008 1:03 PM
Women are buried alive in Pakistan, and a Pakistani lawmaker defends
that. It is considered as a part of the Muslim culture, though there
have been protests by Muslims claiming that such is "un-Islamic". (Of
course when exposed, Muslims will claim anything to whitewash Islam
before the non-Muslim media/world in Islam's defense. It is the
traditional practice of "taqiyah" as was referred to in my preceding
post on this thread.)
The link is:
http://www.dawn.com/2008/09/04/letted.htm#9
Well, this conforms to my view: Islam is a barbaric, primitive
religion.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 4, 2008 2:41 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Thanks you Kosur, Ironically India has an ambassador for its cause in
you. After reading your comments I bet not educated sensible person
will ever think of supporting Muslims. Don’t think anybody can be
fooled by various Pseudonymes that you assume. . Everybody knows. You
just don’t cringe while lying through your teeth. See what islam has
done to you.
Posted by: Aditya | September 4, 2008 7:42 AM
So KOSHUR it was you posting as George? Shame on you!
Kashmir was/is indeed part of India, as was Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Have you forgotten Indian history, how some Muslims wanted a separate
country based on their religion only in 1947 and Pakistan and the
current Bangladesh was created by partitioning India?
It is not a coincidence that the part of India wanting to be a
separate country has Muslim majority.
Indians therefore fear that the 140 million Muslims living in India
would somehow create trouble and ask for a separate country. Can you
understand the anxiety? Maybe you can't. Even so, Kashmir was always a
part of India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2008 4:35 AM
I sincerely feel bad for poor Aditya. He has tried to act moron by
writing and infact accepting that he does not know english( He infact
may be trying to act stupid). He infact is moron as he is so far from
the facts about Kashmir. Kashmir is neither Punjab nor North-East. For
your knowledge it was never part of India. He seems to be like an
anencphalic form of Chatterjee. In the meantime Chatterjees Chatter is
fizzling out and he has run out of choicest words for Islam and its
prophet.
Come on Chatter! You have not answered a single question about Sita,
Lingum, elephants, monkeys and rats peeing on Shiva. You have nothing
to defend about this filthy religeon. Mere Kashmir, Islam and Pakistan
bashing is not enough.
Posted by: Koshur | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM
Dear Muslims Brothers,
My english is not very good so please forgive. I dont know what the
problem of Kashmir is. I only want to tell you guys is that take
kashmir if you can. Try getting support of worrld by spreading lies
and if you fail try getting support of your god by praying 5 times or
6,7 ,8 times whatever is written in your book. I respect your choice
to try for what you want. But we will not give any terretory to
muslims any more. Again try for all you will and try harder this time.
Ok Good bye
Posted by: Aditya | September 3, 2008 9:44 PM
Chris I agree with you. They are very dirty people. I have been to
India and have first hand experience with these people. They are
really ugly.
Posted by: Roger | September 3, 2008 7:08 PM
The hindu religion is not only filthy, but unlike other monotheistic
religions barbaric too. Look at these bastar**who call trhemselves
patriots and kill the minority whether it is sikhs, muslims,
christians and dalits. They have Devil gods and do devilish deeds. It
is not only old and outdated religion but dangerous to humanity as
well to nature too. The ganges which is supposed to be pure is full of
filth. They kill people in the name of sacrifice to please their gods.
They promote prostitution at their places of worship. More important
they should be thrown out of this country as they are stinky,
smelly,untidy and dangerous. In the name of religion they can do any
thing. They were the only people who used bioterrorism against this
country. I tell you kick them out.Their God Rajnesh was the person who
did it.Their females are ugly too with with fat bottoms and pendulous
bellies and the worse thing is they smell horrible.
Posted by: Chris | September 3, 2008 3:09 PM
Deb Chatterjee: "For your converted likes, there is no difference if
Kashmir stays or not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet
of your spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
The "quota master" for your information is the Indian Constitution. So
it is a legal right which doesn't require any Indian who is eligible
under the quota system to lick anyone's feet.
However should dark times and tragedy befall India, and sufficient
number of Indians should turn insane enough to undo the work of the
fathers of the Nation and have a Fascist Hindu political party gain
enough power to declare India a "India-for-Hindus only nation which
overturns the Constitution, along with its quota system meant to
uplift the lower castes...
then, then, Indians will be at the mercy of high caste Hindus once
more as they have been for four thousand years,... and nepotism will
be the law of the land, and no amount of licking the high caste Hindu
feet will get the low caste Hindu anywhere, for the low caste Hindu is
expected to remain in his low caste status and poverty for sins in his
past life...
O what glorious days you and your political party promise Indians Deb
Chatterjee, the Deist Hindu, meat eating Brahmin!
Btw, unfortunately I do not have access to the preferential quota
system written into the Indian Constitution for I'm listed as forward
caste... just like you.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 11:55 PM
Report Offensive Comment
George, I can't for the life of me believe you are a Christian or
intend to represent Christianity by writing such revolting stuff.
If you do not wish to bring shame on Christians with your behavior, I
urgently request you to stop writing filth.
Join a sex chat or something if you feel the urge to write such rot.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 11:35 PM
deb,
Strong will power of your family. They have to pass my test too. Will
they pour milk on mine too. I have a good one. You can worship thattoo
Posted by: george | September 2, 2008 10:13 PM
Deb Chatterjee:
Your hatred and intolerance of non-Hindus is pathetic. I'm amazed that
living so long in the US has left your extremist values unchanged.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 6:05 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
It is my heartfelt desire that Kashmir will remain a part of India and
Kashmiri Muslims freely choose to belong to India, and ALL violence
stop.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 6:00 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslim majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Axfghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
----------------------------------
You invent a long fairy tale of "ifs" to justify turning India into a
Hindu theocracy.
Muslims have lived in India for centuries among Hindus. There was
Muslim rule for 300 hundred years in a large part of India (not in
all) before the British arrived. There was a call for separate
countries based on Islam during partition in 1947. Yet there are 140
million Muslims still living in India scattered among Hindus. There
are 25% Muslims in West Bengal, even after the partition; there is an
equal percentage of Muslims in Kerala (25%). No Muslim in India has
called for a separate country since independence or even before that
in other parts of India where Muslims have always lived. But you
invent a theory that they might, in order to justify achieving your
goal of a Hindu fascist India.
Similarly there have been Christians in India since 52 AD. Yet you
invent a theory that there is going to be a mad rush of Christian
missionaries to India if Kashmir becomes independent. What kind of
crazy logic is that? What has Kashmiri independence, if it happens,
got to do with rushing of Christian missionaries into India?
You suggested the serious possibility of Kashmir gaining independence
from India, not I. However you see that as a pretext to turn India
into a fascist Hindu theocracy, I don't.
Hindu militants of your political colors are using violence against
Christian missionaries in the North, against Indian Christian
missionaries, and YOU SEEM TO APPROVE OF IT BECAUSE OF YOUR HINDU
FASCIST IDEALS.
In Christianity there is no such thing as "Guru Pooja" worship of a
man, Guru, like a god. Only Jesus is worshiped like God, no one else.
Only Hindus fall at the feet of their gurus and worship them like god.
So maybe you got the facts a bit mixed up maybe?
It is true Hindu sannyasis and some Buddhist monks live like
mendicants as part of their spiritual conviction. Christian
missionaries usually don't. They are known to help the poor with both
material things, and spiritual instruction. It is based on a different
understanding of God and spirituality you know.
Is that your problem, that Christianity has a different understanding
of God and spreading the faith by peaceful means is part of it, just
like Buddhism?
You are obviously bitter that the founding fathers of India wanted to
help the socially oppressed, and hence worked the quota system into
the Indian Constitution precisely because they were familiar with the
four thousand year history of India where Brahmins like you kept all
the power and advantages. So well did they know that the likes of you
would try to regain power in a Machiavellian fashion as soon as
opportunity presented itself. LIKE YOU ARE SUGGESTING NOW, hardly
sixty years after such a Constitution was framed to compensate for
four thousand years of oppression! Btw, Nehru, although agnostic
himself, was a Kashmiri Brahmin. So the Congress party you are against
have many Brahmins among their ranks too, but the kind who are not
fascist and selfish like you and the party you represent.
And btw, without knowing who I am, if I were you, I wouldn't jump into
the conclusion that I have had to lick the "quota masters."
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 5:31 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslim majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Axfghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
----------------------------------
You invent a long fairy tale of "ifs" to justify turning India into a
Hindu theocracy.
Muslims have lived in India for centuries among Hindus. There was
Muslim rule for 300 hundred years in a large part of India (not in
all) before the British arrived. There was a call for separate
countries based on Islam during partition in 1947. Yet there are 140
million Muslims still living in India scattered among Hindus. There
are 25% Muslims in West Bengal, even after the partition; there is an
equal percentage of Muslims in Kerala (25%). No Muslim in India has
called for a separate country since independence or even before that
in other parts of India where Muslims have always lived. But you
invent a theory that they might, in order to justify achieving your
goal of a Hindu fascist India.
Similarly there have been Christians in India since 52 AD. Yet you
invent a theory that there is going to be a mad rush of Christian
missionaries to India if Kashmir becomes independent. What kind of
crazy logic is that? What has Kashmiri independence, if it happens,
got to do with rushing of Christian missionaries into India?
You suggested the serious possibility of Kashmir gaining independence
from India, not I. However you see that as a pretext to turn India
into a fascist Hindu theocracy, I don't.
Hindu militants of your political colors are using violence against
Christian missionaries in the North, against Indian Christian
missionaries, and YOU SEEM TO APPROVE OF IT BECAUSE OF YOUR HINDU
FASCIST IDEALS.
In Christianity there is no such thing as "Guru Pooja" worship of a
man, Guru, like a god. Only Jesus is worshiped like God, no one else.
Only Hindus fall at the feet of their gurus and worship them like god.
So maybe you got the facts a bit mixed up maybe?
It is true Hindu sannyasis and some Buddhist monks live like
mendicants as part of their spiritual conviction. Christian
missionaries usually don't. They are known to help the poor with both
material things, and spiritual instruction. It is based on a different
understanding of God and spirituality you know.
Is that your problem, that Christianity has a different understanding
of God and spreading the faith by peaceful means is part of it, just
like Buddhism?
You are obviously bitter that the founding fathers of India wanted to
help the socially oppressed, and hence worked the quota system into
the Indian Constitution precisely because they were familiar with the
four thousand year history of India where Brahmins like you kept all
the power and advantages. So well did they know that the likes of you
would try to regain power in a Machiavellian fashion as soon as
opportunity presented itself. LIKE YOU ARE SUGGESTING NOW, hardly
sixty years after such a Constitution was framed to compensate for
four thousand years of oppression! Btw, Nehru, although agnostic
himself, was a Kashmiri Brahmin. So the Congress party you are against
have many Brahmins among their ranks too, but the kind who are not
fascist and selfish like you and the party you represent.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 5:24 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
If the sickening hypocrisy you exhibit is not obvious to you, then you
must be deluded indeed. You attended a Catholic school in India, you
live in the United States, a country with a Christian majority, and
yet, you are actively involved as a political hack for a Hindu fascist
party in India!
Your Machiavellian motives are clear as day:
You want a Hindu state where high caste Hindus would get to dictate
all the terms.
What you want overturned is the quota system that is meant to help the
communities that were oppressed for four thousand years in the name of
Hinduism. You want to bring back that oppression.
If other Indians don't submit to a fascist Hindu regime, they are free
to leave??????? Where??
India is not a country of immigrants you know. Non-Hindu Indians are
as much Indian as Hindu Indians.
HOW EXACTLY DO YOU DIFFER FROM EXTREMIST MUSLIMS YOU SO LOVE TO CALL
BARBARIC?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:40 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
As a final thought, suppose Kashmir seceded, and with covert
assistance from the UPA-led Govt., led by Monkey Singh, then India
should redefine herself as:
1. The HINDU REPUBLIC OF INDIA
2. Modify the Constitution to protect and prioritize Hindu interests.
3. Enforce the Uniform Civil Code (Article 44 of the Indian
Constitution).
4. Abolish all quota systems in jobs/education etc. for minorities
that currently exists.
5. Treat Muslims and other minorities with equal respect and dignity
as long as they behave as responsible citizens of India. Else, they
are free to leave.
This, in my view would protect the interests of the majority (India)
of India. Go anywhere in the world, almost all protect the interests
of the majority of the population including USA. Why should India be
an exception ?
August 25, 2008 12:09 PM
------------------------
Deb Chatterjee:
Anonymous wrote:
"What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India?
If Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that
politics and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more."
It is because of this mentality that the VHP/Bajrang Dal activists are
out for your likes.
To respond your question, however, it is this:
If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslikm majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Afghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine.
Hallelujah !
September 2, 2008 2:37 AM
--------------------------------------------------
YOU ARE A POLITICAL HACK FOR THE HINDU FASCIST BJP LIVING IN THE USA!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:28 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
As a final thought, suppose Kashmir seceded, and with covert
assistance from the UPA-led Govt., led by Monkey Singh, then India
should redefine herself as:
1. The HINDU REPUBLIC OF INDIA
2. Modify the Constitution to protect and prioritize Hindu interests.
3. Enforce the Uniform Civil Code (Article 44 of the Indian
Constitution).
4. Abolish all quota systems in jobs/education etc. for minorities
that currently exists.
5. Treat Muslims and other minorities with equal respect and dignity
as long as they behave as responsible citizens of India. Else, they
are free to leave.
This, in my view would protect the interests of the majority (India)
of India. Go anywhere in the world, almost all protect the interests
of the majority of the population including USA. Why should India be
an exception ?
August 25, 2008 12:09 PM
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:25 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Please check this out: Arundhati Roy is an atheist, not a Muslim as
you claimed. Her father is a Bengali Hindu, her mother a Kerala
Christian. The name of her current/second husband is Pradeep Krishen.
Does that sound Muslim to you?
http://www.nndb.com/people/240/000073021/
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:18 AM
Mohamad Malleck (? Canada) posted this link 25 August 08, an article
by Arundhati Roy (daughter of a Bengali Hindu father and Kerala
Christian mother):
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20080901&fname=Arundhati+Roy+%28F%29&sid=1&pn=1
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:05 AM
Anonymous wrote:
"What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India?
If Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that
politics and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more."
It is because of this mentality that the VHP/Bajrang Dal activists are
out for your likes.
To respond your question, however, it is this:
If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslikm majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Afghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine.
Hallelujah !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 2, 2008 2:37 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
You do spiritual giants like Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda no favor
when you remain a politically motivated Hindu extremist.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:59 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"Kashmir is an essential and integral part of India. If Kashmir
secedes, then India must declare itself as a Hindu country. (It would
be ridiculous to remain "secular" to the point that it can be hurtful
to India's identity.)
Sorry for being so explicit."
India is a secular democracy and the founding fathers did a good job
of creating it as a secular democracy with religious freedom for all.
It has done just fine as a secular democracy until now. India does not
need any Hindu based religious nuts ruling the country as a Hindu
theocracy any more than any country needs Islamic theocracy.
What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India? If
Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that politics
and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:55 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"I am not a official card carrying member of the BJP/RSS/VHP/Bajrang
Dal/Shiv Sena. But I do sympathize with most (but not all) of their
social agendas. Most Hindus do. These parties have adopted some
"extremist" positions because they have also to stay relevant. If,
agenda wise, the Congress and the BJP are the same, then why should
BJP exist as a political party ? Can you explain this to me ?"
Are you their remote, unwise, Machiavellian political adviser then?
You do sympathize with MOST of BJP's extremist, Hindu fascist, social
agendas...in spite of having lived in the US for so long???????????
Is becoming militant, divisive and Hindu fascist the only way to carve
out a different political identity from the Congress party?
Who says BJP must exist as a political party? If they can't think of
better ways of being politically useful, they should everybody a favor
and disappear into Himalaya to do tapas for their sins thus far, lest
they be condemned to be reincarnated as Dalits or animals for the next
hundred lives.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:46 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
"Conversion is fine with me and many "extremist" Hindus. However that
conversion has to have some moral basis. If low caste Dalit Hindus
want to convert by self motivation, fine. But if that Dalit, upon
interrogation says that he was told to convert and offered some money
and he converted, then that is a crime. It is cheating the Indian
legal system. So, as long as the Christian missionaries play by the
legal system, it is fine with me."
How much philosophy does it require on the part of a Dalit to accept
Jesus Christ as one more Avatar, when Hinduism is used to worshipping
many gods or Avatars? Whereas Hinduism puts a Dalit at the bottom of
the society, even completely out of the Hindu society, as an out-
caste, by virtue of his birth alone, Christianity offers Jesus Christ
as the Avatar who sought out the poor and social out-castes of His day
to tell them of God's love for them.
In Christianity the law of Karma and reincarnation is abolished. A
Dalit does not have to live with the feeling that he suffers because
of sins in past lives and deserves to suffer without being helped out
of it.
Isn't that attractive enough as a religious philosophy for a Dalit who
is used to being ignored and treated like dirt for four thousand
years?
And you are convinced Hindu extremists, who have an agenda of their
own and would like to stop conversions to Christianity in order not to
lose power, are telling the truth about conversions with bribe? Which
Dalit would not want to be helped materially? Jesus taught that the
hungry are to be fed, the naked clothed, the sick attended to, even
prisoners to be visited...in His name and whatever a Christian does
for the least of His brethren would be counted as being done for Him.
Jesus identified with the poor, the sick and the suffering.....Gandhi
tried to live that in his life. A Christian is to be judged not on the
number of hours he spent in meditation and mental gymnastics about
God, but by how much they help the needy and suffering. Hence the
Christian focus on helping the poor and needy.
Should you not be happy that Dalits are being helped out of their
material and spiritual poverty? In Hinduism only the Brahmin gets to
read Scripture and understand things of God.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:35 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Your tactics, the tactics of the upper caste Hindu BJP you represent
(luckily there are plenty of upper and lower caste Hindus who can see
through the sinister intent of BJP) are Machiavellian indeed and it is
all about gaining political power and restricting power to a few high
caste Hindus. The hatred for Gandhi is to be understood from that
perspective.
The Hindu-only India is an outright lie. Hinduism in itself is a
confederation of religions with no central teachings or authority.
There have always been other religions within India for at least two
and a half thousand years and they have all co-existed peacefully.
This new militant Hinduism is a political invention by a few.
An extremist Hindu who attended a Catholic school in India and who
lives in the US, a country with a Christian majority, does militant
Hindu politics in India by remote control.
Deb Chatterjee seems to have forgotten that India is not a country of
immigrants like the US. It is ridiculous to talk of Indian minorities
as if they were foreigners. There are Indians who practice Hinduism as
a religion and there are Indians who practice other religions. All are
Indians.
Deb Chatterjee would like to introduce aspects of Sharia Law by
calling non-Hindus in India as minorities who must be awarded certain
rights by the ruling class of Hindus.
It is a fact that Christians and Muslims in India feel a certain
affinity due to their religion. But Deb Chatterjee would like to
destroy that for his Hindu extremism based political ends.
Instead of promoting unity, he would like to promote division.
Machiavellian indeed.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/08/todays_guest_blogger_is_hafsa.html
To be continued...
bademiyansubhanallah
> Kashmir is not Hindu vs. Muslim
>
destroy that for his Hindu extpolitical ends. Machiavellian indeed.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:45 PM
Anonymous:
1. Jesus Christ is accepted as a saint/rishi who attained Supreme
Consciousness like Lord Buddha. You are right: Sree Ramakrishna
Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda accepted that Jesus Christ was Son of
God, and he performed miracles in this mortal world, and it is
reported by the disciples of Ramakrishna that when he meditated on the
image of Christ, a Divine Light from the heavens came and wrapped him
and he lost all consciousness of the mortal world. Many Hindus, even
the extremists, would have nothing with the teachings of Christ. In
fact, some extremist Hindus say, and I am not that far into it, that
Christ was essentially a Hindu. They base their speculations on Holger
Kersten's JESUS LIVED IN INDIA. (Read it, if you haven't. Its
fascinating and in the least very provocative intellectually.)
2. Conversion is fine with me and many "extremist" Hindus. However
that conversion has to have some moral basis. If low caste Dalit
Hindus want to convert by self motivation, fine. But if that Dalit,
upon interrogation says that he was told to convert and offered some
money and he converted, then that is a crime. It is cheating the
Indian legal system. So, as long as the Christian missionaries play by
the legal system, it is fine with me.
3. I am not a official card carrying member of the BJP/RSS/VHP/Bajrang
Dal/Shiv Sena. But I do sympathize with most (but not all) of their
social agendas. Most Hindus do. These parties have adopted some
"extremist" positions because they have also to stay relevant. If,
agenda wise, the Congress and the BJP are the same, then why should
BJP exist as a political party ? Can you explain this to me ?
4. Kashmir is an essential and integral part of India. If Kashmir
secedes, then India must declare itself as a Hindu country. (It would
be ridiculous to remain "secular" to the point that it can be hurtful
to India's identity.)
Sorry for being so explicit.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 11:40 PM
George, quite calling yourself a Christian. You are writing rubbish.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:18 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Deb Chatterjee:
You seem to be a political hack for the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP).
It seems that the aim is to overturn the provision in the Indian
Constitution which seeks to compensate in some measure the four
thousand years of social oppression of the lower castes, by reserving
places in government educational institutions and jobs for them.
Hence the high caste Hindu in you would like "equality on paper"
another word for abolishing the means provided by the Constitution to
help the lower castes. You make it sound you are for equality but what
you really want is return of Manu Smrithi days where upper castes had
all the advantages and the lower castes lived in a different world.
It takes a long time for the effect of four thousand years of
oppression to be diminished.
The high caste Hindu in you would not like to see lower caste Hindus
freed from the spiritual burden of belonging to the lower caste by
converting to a religion that has no caste system.
The Hindu caste system is not a religious philosophy, it is Hindu
social order.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:14 PM
Koshur wrote, provocatively:
"One is filth of imagination and another is from heaven."
In my view, Islam is the filth. Sorry for being so explicit. You can
write whatever you want to your Eboo Patel who owns this WP blog
(Faith Divide), and being your fellow co-religionist it will not be
difficult for him to have me removed. It shall, however, be not the
end. I have other forums to vent my opinion against Islam.
FYI, I post from USA which has the 1st Amendment (Freedom of Speech).
This is not Pakistan or India or some other stupid Muslim country. I
or any US citizen can be *offensive* of any doctrine (and that
includes Islam) or any religion. That's the 1st Amendment right. If
Eboo Patel wants to stop this, fine with me.
One thing: you are right in that your friend George (which maybe you
in reality) has been instigating such nastiness in the first place. I
just thought of paying back in the same coin. If I have sounded too
crude, I remain humbled. It is certainly not my objective to engage in
personal attacks. However, I (or anyone else) have the right to
hardball if provoked.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 11:09 PM
This is really getting nasty. I will certainly ask Washington post to
remove the names of those publishing profanity on their web and people
like this stupid idiot pseodonym Chatterjee should feel ashamed of
flaring up these personal attacks. Mr George, you started well, but
Chatterjee has been successful in getting you also in mud. Leave this
creep alone. I will also sign off not to even write about this creep
whos agenda is nothing but Muslim bashing. I want to part with these
comments. The black stone is not Phallus like and the story about it
not like the imaginary penis of your lord shiva. At least black stone
has been there for 1400 years and was only used by prophet to
designate the site where Kaba would be built.Ask your another RSS
buddy the then governor Sinha who got Penis of Shiva made from
somewhere Himachal Pradesh by freezing water in the shape of lingum as
Amarnath Cave teperature had gone up and no penis was formed. What a
crap. You know well how Hindus got mad about it and found that it was
an artificial man made penis.You should feel ashamed by comparing the
two stones. One is filth of imagination and another is from heaven. It
is not like the dirty penis like stone on which rats pee and potty in
your dirty temples.
Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 10:56 PM
Deb Chatterjee: "I have expressed outrage against the lying and
cheating tactics used by Christian missionaries in converting poor/
uneducated Dalits
from Hinduism to Christianity. I have never spoken against the
teachings of the Bible or that of Jesus Christ, whom many Hindus
regard as a saint/rishi."
If thethe teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ is good and Jesus is
accepted as Divine by famous Hindus, in including Sri Ramakrishna,
Vivekananda...why is it wrong to convert lower caste Hindus to
Christianity by practicing the tenets of Christianity, the command of
Jesus to help the poor?
All Catholic institutions in India offer their services to all Indians
without making any attempt to convert them to Christianity. The fact
that you attended a Catholic school and remain an extremist Hindu is
proof!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 10:54 PM
George wrote:
"one more question do you get aroused to see females of your faith
when they dance nude and naked in front of natraja or you too have lot
of self control.Or probably you are impotent like your lord rama."
Well, I have my own fantasies, and we should keep this to a civilized
level on Washington Post. I am not offended, though.
And more
"But tell both your mother and sister even daughter, like lord shiva I
too want to test there self control. I will really give credit to your
faith i they pass my test.Let me know"
You can surely go ahead and plan testing of whatever you want with
female members of my family. But, they shall certainly not pass your
test. Instead, I am afraid, you shall have to be medically treated for
the Bobbit phenomenon. Explicit details on this grotesque phenomenon
are available at the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorena_Bobbitt
Thanks for asking candid questions, and please pray to that Allah mian
to save you.
- ameen !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 10:52 PM
Oh my God,
Deb,
Are you serious that your mother and sister touch this ugly thing. Why
do they pour milk on it.
Jesus Christ what a crap.
Posted by: john | September 1, 2008 10:43 PM
After googling
To Deb Chatterjee:
Two waves of conversions to Christianity in India before arrival of
the British:
1. By Apostle Thomas in 52 AD involving Jews and high caste Hindus
including Nambudiri Brahmins in Kerala.
2. By Francis Xavier, a Spanish aristocrat, co-founder of the Jesuit
Order. 1543. Involving people in Goa and mass conversion of fishermen
folk in Kerala. Christianity came to India long before the British.
Jesuit schools and colleges, and other Catholic institutions
(hospitals etc) are Roman Catholic, not British/by Church of England.
From Wikipedia about Francis Xavier ---
Francis Xavier devoted much of his life to missions in foreign
countries. As King John III of Portugal desired Jesuit missionaries
for the Portuguese East Indies, he was ordered there in 1540. He left
Lisbon on April 7, 1541, together with two other Jesuits and the new
viceroy Martim de Sousa, on board the Santiago. From August of that
year until March 1542, he remained in Mozambique then reached Goa, the
capital of the then Portuguese Indian colonies on May 6 1542. His
official role there was Apostolic Nuncio and he spent the following
three years operating out of Goa.
On September 20, 1543, he left for his first missionary activity among
the Paravas, pearl-fishers along the east coast of southern India,
North of Cape Comorin (or Sup Santaz). He lived in a sea cave in
Manapad, intensively catechizing Paravar children for three months in
1544. He then focused on converting the king of Travancore to
Christianity and also visited Ceylon (Sri Lanka)...
He returned to India in January 1548. The next 15 months were occupied
with various journeys and administrative measures in India...He left
Goa on April 15, 1549,...
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 10:42 PM
Wow, that is great to know that even after touching phallus they do
not get devilish ideas. What a self control seen only in upper class
hindu females.
one more question do you get aroused to see females of your faith when
they dance nude and naked in front of natraja or you too have lot of
self control.Or probably you are impotent like your lord rama.
But tell both your mother and sister even daughter, like lord shiva I
too want to test there self control.
I will really give credit to your faith i they pass my test.Let me
know
Posted by: George | September 1, 2008 10:38 PM
George wrote:
"Has your mother or sister worshiped shivas lingh, have they touched
it. Tell them how it feels do they get devilish ideas like sita, when
she was touched by Ravana."
Oh, yes they both have worshipped and poured milk on that black
majestic stone too. Its Shiva's phallus (lingam). However, I have
asked them and they denied having any "devilish" ideas.
I was told that a sizeable majority of Muslim women in their annual
Hajj pilgrimage would hug and kiss that solid phallus-shaped black
stone at Ka'ba, and have sexual arousal.
I can ask my Muslim friends to send you some similar black stones for
appropriate personal use by female members of your family.
Get the drift ? :-)
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 10:06 PM
Deb,
Has your mother or sister worshiped shivas lingh, have they touched
it. Tell them how it feels do they get devilish ideas like sita, when
she was touched by Ravana.
Posted by: george | September 1, 2008 8:33 PM
well. I just read the ticker on CNN
" Even in floods, the untouchables in India were rescued last"
It is shame and all those so called educated Indians enjoying
everything in this country should drown themselves in to a trench full
of sh.....
Shame on you India and shame on your filthy upper cast Hindus.
Again answer to those poor souls is Islam and Christianity.
Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 5:54 PM
Koshur wrote:
"You stupidly started this discussion of blasphemising not only Islam
but also great religion of Christianity, who by the way we call
"People of the Book"."
First, I did not start/initiate anything against Christianity or
Christian doctrines. Just read my posts. I have expressed outrage
against the lying and cheating tactics used by Christian missionaries
in converting poor/uneducated Dalits
from Hinduism to Christianity. I have never spoken against the
teachings of the Bible or that of Jesus Christ, whom many Hindus
regard as a saint/rishi. So, your tirade against what I do perceive as
unethical (to put mildly) shows your incapacity to comprehend any
message. Arguing against the message and opposing the tactics of the
messenger are different, and you seem to be lost in the morass of such
garbage verbiage.
Second, I have no respect/tolerance for the message/doctrine of Islam
(Quran/Sharia). I believe that Islam is a barbaric religion. This is
markedly different from my opposition to the practices of the
Christian missionaries used to convert the Dalits in India. Again, I
must emphasize, because apparently some people like your noble self
are pathologically slow to learn, that my posts on this and other
blogs have never castigated anything against Christian doctrines or
message of Jesus Christ. If you (or others) can, show me where I have
*EXPLICITLY* condemned the Bible or Christ's message, I'd remain
corrected and humbled. Of course you (George/Koshur) are a Muslim and
hence would stand confused to discern anything like that.
Third, and quite amusingly this is what the glorious Quran has to say
about "People of the Book" (inclusive of the Judaism and Christianity)
YUSUFALI: "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor
hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His
Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are)
of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing
submission, and feel themselves subdued." [Quran(009:029)].
And again this piece of gem regarding Jews and Christians ...
YUSUFALI: "O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for
your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to
each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is
of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust." [Quran(005:051)].
It is indeed the above, and you are falsely projecting the non-
existent harmony between Islam and the "People of the Book", or,
Muslims and Jews and Christians.
Unfortunately, your attempt to mislead readers on this forum have been
detected and exposed.
"Everybody has a right to choose the righteous religion or faith. Why
are you so frustrated if people find Islam or Christianity as an
answer to your faith that basically is completely irrelevant in
present day world?"
I am frustrated because conversions are a sham if they are done for
economic upliftment/material gain. (Of course in a present day world
whom you worship and how you do it is irrelevant. But if the existing
laws are broken in the process of conversion it is indeed a serious
matter. The state government must take notice and prevent such sham
conversions.) And recent conversions to Christianity in India have
been reported to have happened by deception.
(This is not the same when Saint Thomas the Apostle who came to India
about 1900 years ago and converted the Namboodiri Brahmins to
Christianity. The Brahmins were not ignorant, or poor or looking for
material gain. They were knowledgeable. Saint Thomas desired that only
people with knowledge convert to Christianity. Too bad that the
Christian orthodoxy have rejected the Gospel of Saint Thomas.)
Thus recent conversions to Christianity in India (by the poor/
uneducated Dalits) is not the same like when one has accepted a path
of worship by thoroughly understanding it. The two are radically
different. Of course, you and your likes wouldn't agree, but that's
irrelevant.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 3:50 PM
Deb,
I simply empathize with you. It is Deb vs. rest of the world. You have
failed to convince anybody fot that matter be it regarding Kashmir or
about your frontal attack on Abrahamic faiths. You stupidly started
this discussion of blasphemising not only Islam but also great
religion of Christianity, who by the way we call "People of the Book".
Everybody has a right to choose the righteous religion or faith. Why
are you so frustrated if people find Islam or Christianity as an
answer to your faith that basically is completely irrelevant in
present day world? People don’t want "Kathas" or stories full of crap,
for which there are no basis whether they existed at all. Every other
faith is based on historical facts, which actually existed. People
want equality and justice for all and are treated with respect. Both
Islam and Christianity refer every human being as children of God. In
Islam there is no preference of a white over a black, Arab vs. Non
Arab. It was a black African who was chosen to give the first call for
prayer in Medina when Prophet (pub) declared his prophet hood.
I would ask every intelligent Hindu for that matter, that why can’t
you think rationally and feel the emptiness in your hearts about the
hollowness of your faith. This faith is like a fictional Hindi movie
with lot of sex, violence and no real message at the end.
People have suggested you to come out of this dark religion and come
to light, Think about it why did God choose you to get involved in
this discussion through this blog. There is a purpose to all this and
I would suggest Islam is the answer. Kafirs did ridicule prophet
Mohammed (pbuh) even in the 7th century, but his message of truth
spread far and wide including your country, which is the second
largest Muslim nation in the world. This is the power of message of
Islam. Muslims don’t spend money to convert people in the world and
still continues to be the fastest growing religion. I would encourage
people not to compare the present day politics in Islamic world
particularly of those fascist Arab regimens with the religion of
peace, love and justice for all.
The discussions should be in between the religions based on firm
beliefs like Christianity, Judaism, Islam and for that matter Sikhism
who have a history based on facts not on fiction like Hinduism. I
would urge everybody that from now onwards don’t waste time to
convince those people about whom Holy Koran says, they are blind, deaf
and dumb and O, prophet they would not listen to your logic.
As far Kashmir, India may timely be able to subjugate them, but once
again they are not like coward Hindus and ultimately will prevail by
the POWER of the message of their faith that ordains them to never
give up and do Jihad against the filthy oppressors. Insha-Allah they
will overcome!
Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 1:50 PM
"India needs another Gandhi, a Hindu reformer, who will put militant
Hindu extremists in their place...."
That shall *NEVER* happen, again ! Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi gave
birth to the creation of Pakistan. He was solely responsible for
initiating usage of (Hindu) religious beliefs into contemporary
politics; as such Congress party came to be identified as "party of
Hindus". Thus, he ushered some form of "Hindu theocracy" which is
actually forbidden by many great Hindu luminiaries of the past.
Chanakya (aka Kautilya), the minister in Chandragupta I (Vikramaditya)
court had repeatedly advised against using religion in politics. The
famous treatise by Kautilya, ARTHASHASTRA, makes this very very clear
- which was written around 100 B.C. (One finds amazing parallels
between ARTHASHASTRA and Niccolo Machiavelli's THE PRINCE - written in
1500 A.D.(?) Both have most useful practical wisdom for politics and
state governance.)
BTW, I am very happy that Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
It is simply because of Gandhi that Muhammad Ali Jinnah turned to
"Muslim identity" and kept stating that "Hindus and Muslims" cannot
live together unless partition happened. The divide was actually
initiated by Gandhi, based on religious identities. If Gandhi had not
instigated Jinnah, he would not have left Congress and formed his own
Muslim League that only resulted in Pakistan and thus the vivisection
of India, and precipitaed the present Kahsmir problem.
In Hindi I would state:
"Ram naam satya hai ! Murda Gandhi mast hai !"
(Approximate translation: Ram is truth ! Dead Gandhi is happy !)
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:13 PM
Hindu extremists need to be reminded that every Indian has the right
to practice any religion they damn well please and change religions as
often as they damn well please.
Hindus worship different gods depending on their needs and mood. So
what's the big difference?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 4:51 AM
Deb Chatterjee: "I was just pointing out that converting the poor/
uneducated Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be
punished. India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating
tactics by missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the
plight of the Dalits does not make any sense."
Christian charity and tenets of the Christian religion is a crime
according to a Hindu extremist who calls the apostasy law in Islam
barbaric? How interesting and outright hypocritical!
There is no Hindu Scripture preventing anyone from worshiping any God
they please. So on what basis does a Hindu extremist invent this rule?
Is it not outright criminal to prevent anyone from leaving a religion
which keeps them socially oppressed based on their birth alone?
Hindu extremists need to be kept in check and prevented from spreading
their lies and using violence and intimidation to keep lower castes
trapped in a situation they have remained helpless for four thousand
years.
India needs another Gandhi, a Hindu reformer, who will put militant
Hindu extremists in their place and fight for the rights of any Indian
to worship any God in anyway and even change their religion if they
chose in accordance with REAL Hinduism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 4:39 AM
Said Deb Chatterjee:
Anonymous wrote:
"Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years."
Could be. I was just pointing out that converting the poor/uneducated
Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be punished.
India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating tactics by
missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the plight of
the Dalits does not make any sense.
If the world has problems with India's caste system, and perhaps
rightfully, take it to the UNHRC and rebuke India. Perhaps place
sanctions on India if they don't give Dalits equal status as Brahmins
and other major castes. Why use Jesus Christ's name in an illegal way
to fool those poor Dalits and dupe them into conversion ?
------------------------
Buddha, Mahavir and Guru Nank founded new religions because of the
limitations of Hinduism. Christianity in India is nineteen and a half
centuries old.
Hindus worship any God in any way they please and nobody is policing
them about their choice. Hindus have reformed their religion over and
over again.
There is no Hindu authority to dictate terms about what Hinduism is.
Banning conversion is an evil high caste Hindu extremist trick.i It is
barbaric especially because of the caste system which keeps low castes
trapped. Most importantly ban on religious conversion stands in
violation of basic human rights. It is in violation of the UN
Declaration of Universal Human Rights.
On what grounds does a Deistic Hindu explain Christianity and how a
Christian ought to behave in accordance with Christianity.
An extremist Deist Hindu, the hypocrite who benefited from Christian
education in India, one who enjoys the benefits of a country founded
on Christian principles and has a Christian majority, and promotes
intolerance and hatred against non-Hindus in India to maintain the
power status for his Hindu caste is a SICKENING and POOR JOKE.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 2:36 AM
Unless this forum returns to its original mission: Kashmir secession,
I'll not respond to irrelevant questions on Christianity in India and
Dalist etc., on this blogsite.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:16 AM
Anonymous wrote:
"Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years."
Could be. I was just pointing out that converting the poor/uneducated
Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be punished.
India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating tactics by
missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the plight of
the Dalits does not make any sense.
If the world has problems with India's caste system, and perhaps
rightfully, take it to the UNHRC and rebuke India. Perhaps place
sanctions on India if they don't give Dalits equal status as Brahmins
and other major castes. Why use Jesus Christ's name in an illegal way
to fool those poor Dalits and dupe them into conversion ?
However any such effort is bound to boomerang because India has now
33% reservation quota for SC/ST and OBC plus Muslims. So, if a Dalit
is now being deprived of the economic status and other material
opportunities, in this quota-raj business, then that is indeed
surprising and most unfortunate. But, using falsehood to convert is a
big sham.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:00 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
You must consider seriously that many of your ancestors must have
reincarnated among the Dalits for their sins of hatred and oppression
during their lives as Brahmins.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 1:00 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
By the tenets of your own religion, Hinduism, you could be born a
Dalit or an animal for a hundred lifetimes for your lack of compassion
and purity as a Hindu.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:56 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
You indulge in the same tactics of lying and misrepresentation of
facts that has been commonly seen among Muslim extremists.
Do you know the real history of Christianity in India? Did you know it
is possible to abandon Hinduism and accept Christianity because of the
limitation of Hinduism?
Who needs the caste system, law of karma and many lifetimes and social
oppression in the name of religion - Hinduism? Hindus help only people
in their own caste and subcaste. They mock Christians for helping the
poor!
Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:47 AM
Anonymous wrote:
"The Deb Chatterjees among Hindus who preach intolerance and hatred
are no different from the Muslim extremists who preach intolerance and
hatred."
There is a *MAJOR* difference between so-called "Hindu extremists" and
Muslim jihadis.
The "Hindu extremist" CAN NOT justify in any way that their
"extreme" (?) actions ared based on the tenets of some religious Hindu
text which is still followed by the majority Hindus and whose
authority is unquestioned. There is NO such ancient religious text
today which Hindus can point out as the source of their "extremism".
Also, Prof. Samuel P. Huntington (Harvard University & author of CLASH
OF CIVILIZATIONS) wrote that according to his researches Hindus have
always governed by secular laws. The king's decision was supreme in
all matters legal. The king had the authority to reject any
suggestions from his ministers even if those suggestions or
recommendations could be substantiated by some religious edicts/
doctrine. For a Hindu the religion (temple) and state (king's court)
were totally different and separate.
The situation is totally different for Muslim jihadists. They claim
that their violence is justified in the Quran: war against infidels.
To that end, they always show that Prophet Muhammad used violence when
unbelievers did nit heed his call to convert to Islam. Thus, with a
jihadi he is always right in blasting infidels and he is not obligated
to reason it with you. Because Quran advocates liberal use of
violence, it is not possible to tell a Muslim (extremist) that Quran
is wrong. In a secular country it would be interfering with religious
freedom, never mind that the religion of Islam which is hiduing behind
the "religious freedom" provision, is actually poised to destroy it.
This, is the difference which you are apparently unaware of.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 12:46 AM
The caste system has been a blight on Hinduism for four thousand
years. The Brahmins have always had vested interest in keeping the
caste system intact for their exclusive power by virtue of their birth
depends on it.
It does not take rocket science to understand why some of them would
try to push it under a political agenda, read: BJP policy - India for
Hindus only, where non-Hindus would be second class. They sure must be
reading the worst aspects of Sharia Law and incorporating it into
Hinduism, like punishment for leaving Hinduism. Accepting any other
religion is treated as illegal.
Hindu extremists need to be reminded that India is a secular democracy
and is a member of the UN. If India needs to maintain its pride as
being the largest democracy in the world, Hindu extremists need to be
put in their place and reminded to take a refresher course in real
Hinduism as taught by the great Hindu reformers of recent times.
Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Free Indian Nation, not a Hindu
extremist.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:37 AM
George wrote (or fulminated):
"...what is your fault if you were born in a hindu family.But if later
on you decide to come out of this filth, you should be encouraged"
Actually I agree with you. However, look what you have written, unless
someone typed using your computer and e-mail account.
The key is "But if later on you decide ..." This IS NOT happening. The
poor/uneducated Hindus are duped by Christian missionaries. In one
instance a bus load of Dalit children were traveling to a camp run by
the Christian missionaries for a picnic. In the middle the bus
apparently broke down. Then the father in his robe got down and told
the children (who were still Hindus) that they shoul,d pary to
whatever gods they believed for the bus to start. The children prayed
and the father watched. Obviously the bus did not start. Then the
father knelt before a small bible and prayed in the name of Jesus
Christ; the driver got up and tried to turn the ignition key. Lo !
Behold ! The bus started ! The father then lectured that he has proved
that Jesus Christ is powerful than the Hindu gods. The result was that
at the "picnic party" the children were converted and then the
missionaries went to the houses of these children, telling their
parents the entire incident, and requested them to "embrace Jesus".
The parents were also told that they would receive better life if they
embraced Jesus. Some of the destitute converted and were promptly
isolated by the missionaries because the missionaries feared that the
corrupting influence of their Hindu relatives may cause them to revert
back to paganism (Hinduism). The local police came to know this from
the Bajrang Dal activists who told the police that unless such
incidxents stop they would burn down the police station (called
"chowk" in India). This incident happened in Keonjhar (Orissa) a few
years ago.
This is the way the Christian missionaries, use the name of Jesus and
the God of the Bible in vain, engage in falsehood and trickery to
convert the uneducated. They (missionaries) must be stopped because
the poor and the uneducated Hindus are being fooled by such crooks in
the name of religious conversion.
George, are you a Muslim hiding behind a Christian name ?
Anonymous:
Why can't Christian missionaries convert Muslims in Pakistan or Saudi
Arabia ? Why let Christian missionaries abuse the lax conversion laws
of India ? Got any clues ? Arte you yelling at me that Jesus would be
happy if he came to know of such deception ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 12:24 AM
George, Deb Chatterjee attended a Catholic school in India. He has
been living in the US for several years and is exposed to Christianity
every single day. He has been posting his Hindu extremist views on
this forum for nearly two years.
Does he need a simplistic presentation of Christianity from you?
Please don't make Christianity look ridiculous by presenting it as you
do. Deb Chatterjee knows where to look if he is interested in
Christianity. He needs to look no further than Sri Ramakrishna and
Vivekananda from his own home state of Kolkotta to become a peace
loving Hindu who respects all religions. Besides he lives in the US
where Christianity in all forms is everywhere.
Deb Chatterjee's extremists views are not Hindu or religion based.
They are entirely politics based.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 11:20 PM
I have simple question to all hindus on this forum.
Why shouldn't those hindus be allowed to convert to christianity who
find christianity a better religion. Isnt it your right to choose your
fath. Deb chatter whatever,what is your fault if you were born in a
hindu family.But if later on you decide to come out of this filth, you
should be encouraged. Christian missionaries dont go with a sword but
with a message of love and passion. to those hindus who creep in their
filthy faith. What right people like you have to kill them. It is
simple if you convert to christianity, the reason being simply that
you have doubts about your own faith.I have seen people coverting to
christinity,judaism, budhism and even Islam but not hinduism. Hindu is
an idiotic person who believes in any thing you tell him in name of
religion he will beilieve without questioning its authenticity was
posted by one of the persons. I feel nauseated when I read about the
practises and rituals in your faith. I read that sometimes to please
your GOD your females dance nude and naked in front of them. This is
not what people who convert to christianity, find in this new faith. I
urge you go and read bible, Lord will shouw you light and get you out
of this darkness. Make Jesus your savior. Leave those monkey, snake
and elephant gods. Leave those practises of worshiping sex organs. The
background of this article is about what, a piligrimage to what, to
see P**** of shive which even doesnt exist.You are probably a literate
person who has come out of India and I expect you to be a little
better and tolerant in comparision to your coreligionists who demolish
churches, kill minorities in the name Ram Raj. There is so much of
voilence and intolerence in your religion, you dont want to be one
among them.
Come I again suggest you make Jesus your savior. Shun this religion
which is nothing but full of crap, which makes you drink cow,s urine,
which makes you worship sexual organs.
Come to truth and convert to christianity
Posted by: George | August 31, 2008 10:59 PM
As a Deist Hindu meat eating Brahmin who attended a Catholic school in
India and now lives as a citizen of the US, a country with a Christian
majority, actively promoting Hindu extremism in India, Deb Chatterjee
gets an A plus in hypocrisy.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:59 PM
As long as a low caste Hindu remains as Hindu he could never escape
the caste system in India no matter how rich and educated he may be.
Luckily Hindu extremists are still not the majority, and most Hindus
are peace loving people who find it normal to live with people of
other religious faiths as they have done for at least two and a half
thousand years, with Buddhism and Jainism becoming major non-Hindu
religions within India.
The Deb Chatterjees among Hindus who preach intolerance and hatred are
no different from the Muslim extremists who preach intolerance and
hatred.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:51 PM
Said Deb Chatterjee, the "Deist Hindu meat eating Brahmin from
Kolkotta resident in the US":
"The BJP is hated by the minorities simply because the BJP wants
equity (at least on paper) between majority and minority by regarding
them as equal citizens of India."
Allegedly the sinister less public face of BJP:
The BJP would like to make a Hindu version of Saudi Arabia out of
India, where Hindu caste system reigns supreme and apostasy/conversion
to other religions is forbidden by law and punished with
indiscriminate death and destruction of property to any member of the
group they can target, not just the person who has converted.
Forced reconversion to Hinduism on pain of death and destruction of
property of members of non-Hindu religions.
Legal banning of religious freedom except for Hindus.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:44 PM
Ender,
India must act with pragmatism. Complaining to USA for Pakistan's
sponsorship of Muslim terrorism shows weakness in India's democracy.
If such incidents happen, then a strong, democratically elected
Government should actually shoot/hang these terrorists in public, and
then send their bodies back to their parent state, Pakistan. All India
does, or at least has been doing in the recent past, is to complain to
Uncle Sam to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state. India does not
have a Muslim policy. Rather I would state that India's Hindu majority
does not have a comprehensive policy on Muslims. The contradiction
that we as outsiders see is that many Hindus, when they think of
Muslims, they cite individuals as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. APJ
Kalam, Azim Premji, Shah Rukh Khan, Amjad Ali, Zakir Hussain, Irfan
Pathan etc. and etc. These Muslim luminiaries have co-religionists who
have butchered Kashmiri Hindu pandits, bombed Mumbai, Varanasi,
Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, New Delhi, raised call for Shariah as a
parallel system of Muslim personal law, have taken benefit of the
largesse of the quota system in jobs/education, and at the same time
portrayed themselves as victims (or Islam as a victim) when any crisis
rose. It is ironic to see that whenever a communal riot happens, by
default it is the Hindu who must be at fault because s/he belongs to
the numerical majority in India. This is the image of Muslims before
Hindus. Of course Muslims like the Congress party, as they stoop to
any level to appease Muslims & minorities. The BJP is hated by the
minorities simply because the BJP wants equity (at least on paper)
between majority and minority by regarding them as equal citizens of
India.
On this score, I am linking a NYT article here that discusses the
recent situation of the Dalits (untouchables) in India.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/world/asia/30caste.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
The hero of the article, Chandra Bhan Prasad, says that economic
globalization would shatter their inferior caste status. (I recommend
that all read this NYT article on Dalits. It is heartening to read,
and muse the typical misleading and outdated information that
Anonymous is referring to.)
This image should not be the instigation to raise hell with
Christians, who have largely been peaceful and law-abiding citizens of
India. The Orissa incident is unfortunate; however it appears that
Anonymous et. al. are trying to hijack the Kashmir issue by needlessly
referring to the Orissa problem into the discussion on this Kashmir
blog.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 31, 2008 6:51 PM
ENDER, another Hindu extremist who would like to convert India into a
Hindu version of Saudi Arabia or Iran? Keep the lower caste Hindus
trapped in their low status for another four thousand years at least?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:31 AM
Are you the owner of The Washington Post by any chance, ENDER, the non-
Anonymous blogger?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:28 AM
ender:
Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:26 AM
Anonymous posting shouldn't be allowed. Anonymity is the perview of
cowards and terrorist. Grow a pair and use a consistent screen name.
In the mean time, I can only respond to Deb C.
I wish India much success in resisting the terroritst forces of Islam
and the evangelical and intolerant nature of all of the Cults of
Abraham. They are the blight of the modern world that would keep us
all in the dark ages of repression and Empirical Rulers.
Posted by: ender | August 31, 2008 10:08 AM
What needs to be exposed repeatedly are the lies used by Hindu
extremist Brahmins/high caste Hindus to prevent anyone from helping
the lower caste Hindus. Under the false pretext of not "cheating" the
lower caste Hindus, the high caste Hindus would keep them trapped in
their lower caste. Sure the high caste Hindus do not want to "cheat"
the lower caste Hindus of their low status.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 9:07 AM
Four thousand years of the Hindu caste system did nothing for the
Dalits or other lower castes. What hypocrisy on the part of a Hindu
extremist Brahmin like Deb Chatterjee to talk of the "harm" done by
Christian missionaries, who are the only ones who have cared enough to
go out and help the lower castes.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 9:04 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
What Hindu extremists like you supposedly want is to convert India
into a Hindu version of Saudi Arabia and Iran!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:59 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
You have constantly wanted the US to keep Muslim extremists out. The
US should keep Hindu extremists like you out as well.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:55 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
You are a religious hypocrite filled with hatred and intolerance no
different from the Muslim extremists you so love to call barbaric.
You don't understand Christianity, you have never read the Bible, and
yet you write as if you understood it better than Christians.
You as a Brahmin stand to gain by keeping the lower caste Hindus
trapped in their low caste status. You pretend to be interested in the
welfare of the lower caste when you would do absolutely nothing for
them. You benefited from a Christian education, you live in a country
with a Christian majority, you promote hatred and intolerance in
India. You ought to cringe with the shame of your hypocrisy, yet you
sound so self-righteous! Sickening. It makes me want to throw up. I
had expected something better from you, a Hindu Brahmin, exposed to
the multi-faith culture of the United States.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:52 AM
Interestingly, the Hurriyat leader (Sheikh Abdul
Aziz) was killed by his own Mohammedan ilk.
The Times of India, not a BJP mouthpiece, had this report
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/JK_situation_far_less_serious_than_projected_Narayanan/articleshow/3425475.cms
If one reads the report on this link it becomes clear that Aziz was
murdered because he was not toeing the hardline militants whose agenda
was to secede Kashmir from India to merge with the failed, Muslim
terrorist state of Pakistan. Aziz may have had different viewpoints
that the Pakis did not like and the militants shot him from the back.
Of course , it waws heaped on India to deflect any blame and gainfully
employ the slaughter of Aziz to whip up anti-India passions and
favoring the failed call for secession.
Again: if Kashmir secedes, India must declare itself as a Hindu state.
This Muslim barbarism has been going on for 60 years. It is time to
stamp this bloodlust now.
The situation in Orissa, according to anonymous, is caused by a Muslim
Maoist (Azad) and then the blame is coming on Christians. Well, if
that is true then such is unfortunate, but Anonymous has not linked
any site which reports this news. Thus, that information appears to
lack credibility.
Christian missionaries actually cheat the poor low caste Hindus
(Dalits). I am not supporting the Hindu caste system that
discriminates people. But, using ruses to falsely mislead the
uneducated, poor Hindus into believing that Jesus has more power to
rid their sorrows, is a crock of garbage. No one is resenting
conversion. But if someone gets converted through the lure of money or
threat, then such is an abuse of power and as such deceit cannot be
allowed. Did Jesus advocate deceit in conversion ? Of course Christina
missionaries are claiming that they are doing social service. Then why
use Jesus and God to further such agenda ? Doesn't one of the Ten
Commandments prohibit taking the name of the Lord (the God of the
Bible) in vain ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 31, 2008 12:33 AM
Repo
In an Orissa daily in India, Maoist leader Azad (a Muslim name) has
claimed responsibility for killing of the VHP (Hindu) leader. Revenge
attacks by Hindus have however been directed at Christians.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:30 AM
August 28, 2008
INDIA – Violence against Christians Escalating in Orissa State
On August 23, widespread violence erupted against Christians following
the assassination of World Hindu Council leader Swami Lakshmananda
Saraswati, the alleged mastermind behind the December 2007 attacks on
believers in Kandhamal, Orissa State. Saraswati was killed with four
of his followers. 30 men believed to be Maoist extremists, stormed a
religious center in Kandhamal and opened fire, VOM contacts reported.
“Despite evidence indicating that Maoists are responsible for
Saraswati’s murder, several Hindu militant groups have blamed
Christians,” VOM contacts said. “As a result, Hindu militants have
launched attacks on Christians throughout the state, setting buildings
on fire and beating and killing believers in at least 12 districts.
The Voice of the Martyrs has been receiving numerous reports on this
developing crisis. At present, it is difficult to know the full extent
of what is happening to Christians in Orissa State.
VOM contacts reported churches, mission buildings and schools
throughout the state have been damaged or destroyed in the attacks. In
the village of Nuagaon, Kandhamal district, extremists set fire to a
social centre in the village after violating a nun who was at the
facility. The Bethel Association, a Christian orphanage in the
district of Rayagada, was burned to the ground. The mission was home
to 150 children, many of them from families who have suffered
persecution for their faith.
In Bargarh district, another orphanage was torched and a young woman
was burned alive after she was thrown inside the building when she
tried to protect the children. At least 20 churches have reportedly
been destroyed, but the extent of the damage in Orissa State has not
been ascertained as reports continue to be released from the affected
regions.
VOM contacts report more than 50 homes belonging to Christians have
been reportedly burned to the ground by extremists in the village of
Rupagaon, Kandhamal alone. \“A paralyzed man was unable to escape his
burning house and was killed. Houses have also been ransacked, pelted
with stones and vandalized throughout the state. Christian-owned shops
have been torched and looted. Many Christians have fled their homes
and are seeking refuge in the jungle. Although police have attempted
to protect Christians and end the attacks in Orissa, the violence has
continued to occur. Militant groups have blocked roads with logs in
order to keep the police away. Christian groups continue to beseech
government authorities to intervene and end the violence,” VOM
contacts added.
Similar attacks erupted on Christmas Eve 2007 after Hindu extremists
targeted Christian homes and churches. Four Christians were killed,
many injured and numerous homes and churches destroyed or damaged in
the violent clashes that lasted five days. More than 18 churches and
prayer houses were ransacked and torched in several areas of Kandhamal
district in Orissa. In the past Hindu extremists have used anti-
conversion laws to terrorize Christians.
VOM is working to gather information on these attacks and provide
assistance to believers affected. Following the December attacks VOM
provided assistance, by distributing thousands of Bibles and
supporting some families that lost loves ones during the attack,
through VOM’s Family of Martyrs fund. VOM encourages you to continue
praying for believers affected by the attacks. Ask God to protect
believers who facing great challenges. Thank God for their
faithfulness, and ask Him to provide for their needs.
http://www.persecutionblog.com/2008/08/india-violence.html
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:10 AM
The Hindu organizations most responsible for violence against
Christians in India are the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu
Council, VHP), the Bajrang Dal, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(National Volunteer Corps, RSS). According to a former RSS member,
these groups cannot be divorced from the ruling BJP party: "There is
no difference between the BJP and RSS. BJP is the body. RSS is the
soul, and the Bajrang Dal is the hands for beating."
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html
"Christians are the new scapegoat in India's political battles.
Without immediate and decisive action by the government, communal
tensions will continue to be exploited for political and economic
ends. "
Smita Narula
Researcher, Asia Division of Human Rights Watch
http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:07 AM
There is great reason to fear that Hindu and Muslim extremists in
India would use Christians as scapegoats for the violence they
inflict. It is after all easy for Hindu extremists to attack
Christians for fear of Muslim revenge attacks if they targeted
extremist Muslims involved in any violence. Christians have never
attacked anyone. Since Hindu extremists fear Muslim retaliation, they
use Christians as scapegoats.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 3:57 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Militant Hindus are using violence to stop Christian missionaries from
helping the poor and needy in North India.
Should it be a crime if a low caste Hindu wants to escape a religion
that condemns them to a low status in the sight of God, condemns them
to many lifetimes to escape their plight in this world?
Does it take rocket science to understand why high caste Hindus want
to maintain the power they have enjoyed for four thousand years by
virtue of their being born into their caste alone?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2008 7:57 PM
Deb Chatterjee:
You have evaded the question why innocent Gujrathi Muslims are being
punished for atrocities committed in Kashmir many decades ago.
Why should innocent Indian Muslims be punished for what some Muslim
invaders and some Muslim rulers did many centuries ago? Remember the
British ruled for 200 years before Indian independence, so any Muslim
wrongdoing was before that. The ordinary Indian Muslims are not guilty
of any crime and they have lived at peace with their neighbors of all
religions for centuries.
It doesn't take rocket science to understand why high caste Hindus do
not want low caste H indtus to covert to religions which do not have a
caste system. Helping the poor and needy is not an integral part of
Hindu religion. Hindus, although they do not harm anyone of other
religions or castes, help only people of their own caste generally and
consider the plight of the poor and lower castes as their Karma, the
suffering earned due to bad deeds in their previous life.
Should you not be happy when the poor are helped? The high caste
Hindus after all don't care about them at all. What spiritual merit is
there in wanting to keep people trapped in their low caste?
You have taken advantage of the best Christian education in India, you
live in a country with a Christian majority and yet you spread hatred
and intolerance in your homeland, where you would not want to return
to anyway.
In what way is your hatred and intolerance different from the hatred
and intolerance of the Muslim extremists you condemn? I see none.
Think about it. Militant extremism has the same ugly face and logic of
hatred and intolerance, no matter from which religion it stems. Your
Hinduism does not shield you from hatred. Most of your genuine peace
loving must feel embarrassed about how you portray their religion of
peace and universal acceptance.
The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights grants every human being
the right to change religions, not just practice any religion.
In what way is your idea of forbidding conversions different from the
Sharia Law for apostasy that you so love to call barbaric. Isn't it
barbaric for any Hindu to forbid conversion?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2008 7:49 PM
George.
Deal with your issues about your mother with your shrink. I really
don't need to hear that kinda redneck bs
Posted by: ender | August 29, 2008 7:35 PM
I have been reading Bengali Dhoti which incidently still must have the
crap of many days on it (as hindus donot clean their rear end after
they go for #2 and are full of BO. I would also agree with another
blogger who has said that how smelly and hairy their women are, as it
is not mandatory for them to take shower after they have been
scr......). I can swear by Almighty Allah that Dhoti is a Kashmiri
Batta (pundit). You coward hindu, you should identify yourself or get
back to your creepy , filthy land called land of snake charmers, to
spread this hatred. You have no material to support your arguments and
are ranting the same fricking words everytime you post a blog. You
have not answered any of the allegations Mr. Khan and others have
levelled against your filthy faith.There are no pundits left in the
world. They have lost their identity for ever and thank God for that.
If anybody ever is going to help them to reclaim their identity, it
will not be BJP, RSS or sick people like you, it will only those
Kashmiri Muslims, but they should never get this filth back to our
sacred land.So please stop spreading this hatred and get back to your
job, whatever you might be doing. I can also imagine that you must be
either unemployed or getting paid by RSS of India to have so much of
time in your hand to spread hatred against the Muslims. You have no
balls to say anything against those Christians who are converting
thousands of people of weak and baseless faith called Hindus. You know
uncle Sam may be watching you, you coward.
Posted by: Koshur | August 29, 2008 7:33 PM
Hey you indian crap whatever your name is. You are blaming every
religion for attrocities against hindus. If you are so intolerant to
christians why the hell you are here. You should get out of this
country along with your ugly, fat, hairy and stinking females.
Posted by: George | August 29, 2008 6:45 PM
News in Kashmir Times. Published from Jammu
Editor Ved Bhasin. Not a muslim or a pakistani.
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: A 5 year old boy was picked up and brutally thrashed
by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Batamaloo for
what the security men said 'harassment' by the young boy.
Despite the repeated pleas of the people in the locality, the CRPF men
refused to let go the boy who was detained in a security bunker and
whose screams were audible in the area. It was only after the
intervention of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) that his troopers
released the 5 year boy from Batamaloo.
The boy had been severely beaten for defying curfew. CRPF maintained
that the boy was harassing the troopers.
Some residents of Batamaloo called up Kashmir Times and informed that
the troopers of CRPF, enforcing curfew in the area, picked up a 5 year
old boy this afternoon while he was venturing in the bus stand area of
Batamaloo.
The caller said the troopers were beating the boy severely. "He was
screaming that they will kill him," the caller told Kashmir Times. "If
they will not release him, we will defy curfew and attack the CRPF
bunker where from we can hear the screams of the boy," the caller
added.
Kashmir Times called upon DIG of CRPF MP Nathiel and reported the
incident. He rushed to the spot and rescued the boy. "I reached
Batamaloo and found that my troopers had detained the boy " Nathiel
told Kashmir Times from the spot adding, "He used to throw stones at
our troopers and harass them."
DIG said that he asked the Commanding Officer of the CRPF unit in the
area to drop the boy at his home. "I thank you people for informing
me. Otherwise situation would have turned something different," the
officer added.
Bengali babua, When your 5 year old will be treated in a same way you
will know what occupation is. When your kids will be in killed in your
wife's womb then you will know what slavery.
You are a luck creep who would have been creeping in the filth of
India like other millions of Indian, you should thank your sexy
devilish gods that you are here. I hope and pray every indian
undergoes the same pain and trauma you guys are inflicting on innocent
kashmiri muslims. You are just demanding what you creeps have promised
them.
Posted by: Khan | August 29, 2008 6:42 PM
Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.
Posted by: ender | August 29, 2008 1:01 PM
The Christian missionaries are spreading hatred against Hindus and
using money to convert the poor and gullible in India. This causes
outrage and resulting in clashes and skirmishes (as now in Orissa).
The following detailed video is here for any one to take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Hh5yIrtlM&feature=related
Shame on such fake conversions and those who exploit the benign
society in India !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 29, 2008 12:06 PM
Anonymous wrote:
"Why should innocent Gujrathi Muslims have to be punished for Hindus
killed many decades ago in Kashmir?"
Justice is the modern form of "revenge". Innocent Kashmiri Hindus were
butchered at the hands of Hizb-i-Islami, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Harkat-ul-
Mujahadeen and other Pakistan sponsored terrorist groups. (These
groups have at the times of the gruesome incidents, claimed
responsibility.) The complete fault lies not with the terrorists, but
the charade of diplomacy between India and Pakistan, denials and
accussations and further denials and accussations. However at the end
no one cared for the Hindu pandits, and they left their ancestral
homes in tears only to settle as refugees in the trans-Jamuna
extension of New Delhi and were "granted asylum". Imagine how
ludicrous/asinine it is to grant a citizen of a country asylum in his/
her own country. The US State Department Human Rights Watch never in
their annual reports acknowledged this slaughter and the Government of
India (manned by dhotiwallahs) never cared.
Thus, indegenous Hindu "extremist" groups have emerged to "set the
wrongs right". Is it fair ? No. But it is equally unfair to treat
Kashmiri Hindu pandits as second class citizens in their own country.
Muslims are surely much elevated in the social status, given the
backing of Pakistan's terrorist groups, and, Indian Government's quota
for jobs/education and even Hajj money (for pilgrimage). The last part
is very hilarious. Everybody knows that Islam is against polytheism
and Hindus by formal definition can be labelled as "idol worshippers".
The Quran [009:005],[047:004] says that such people should be
converted or put to death (if they refuse to accept Islam). So, the
contradiction is that when a federally elected government doles out
Hajj money, it comes also from the tax money of the Hindus who are
labelled as enemies of Islam because they are polytheists. But, Muslim
Wakf boards have no shame. They continue to take the money for Hajj
from those (Hindus) against whose religious rituals the whole doctrine
of Islam is founded. The "extremist" Hindu groups are also getting
"silent" support because the people know that government at New Delhi
will not care for the majority. The various parties, except the BJP,
will cater to the Muslim vote bank. The Kashmiri Hindus have been used
as canon fodder by the Government in this political power play between
Pakistan and India. The faith in the Government in protecting its
majority citizens (Hindus) have eroded long ago. Thus, the people have
taken it upon themselves who would do "something" that the Government
for some status quo would not do. This is unfortunate, and hence what
you see is what is expected to happen.
Also, the collective memory of the Hindus on the Islamic (mis)rule of
India has not been erased. To forget the heritage of the rich cultural
history of Hindus, and the tyranny of Muslim rulers, is suicide. So,
far Hindus have not fallen prey to such politically correct
claptraps.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 29, 2008 10:07 AM
The problem with Hindu extremists is that they are supposedly avenging
the violence done by Muslims three or four centuries ago.
Why should innocent Gujrathi Muslims have to be punished for Hindus
killed many decades ago in Kashmir?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 11:44 PM
The misinformation that Arabs invented all mathematics and gave it to
Europeans has been propagated over and over again.
The truth is mathematics was far advanced in India many centuries
before the birth of Islam.
Since Hindus neither conquered lands nor spread their faith and
knowledge to other countries, it remained in India. When Muslims
conquered India, with the political conquest that went with spread of
Islam, they gained access to the knowledge of Hindus in India. It was
carried back to Arabia, and in a typical Islamic style, everything
they conquered became Islamic, so did Indian mathematics.
Zero was invented by Indian Hindus, so was advanced mathematics and
algebra. Arabs only created the numerals to represent the mathematics
that was available in India, represented with Indian numerals which
was considerably more complex.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 11:41 PM
Quack followers of Islam have started to recycle the NYT articles from
2002 by Celia Dugger. Of course this is the blogsite of Eboo Patel, a
Muslim of Indian extractions, and who has lamented over Gujarat riots.
Never mind that nothing in the past 6 years has been proven against
Narendra Modi in a court of law, and regardless of the Muslim
hysteria, one often forgets the Akshardham shooting on innocent Hindu
devotees by Muslim criminal terrorists, and prior to that the burning
of the Sabarmati express. The Muslim vote bank in India makes the
pseudosecularists dance wild. So, it is always that the majority
(Hindus) who have to bow before the Muslim pathos. No tears are shed
for the slaughter of the Kashmiri Hindu pandits by the pseudosecular
politicians of India. (I don't know if Eboo Patel will allow this post
to appear. But, let's see.)
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 28, 2008 11:39 PM
The new york Times report
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DC1F3EF93AA15757C0A9649C8B63
Allaho akbar
Lanatullah allal hinduin
Discord Over Killing of India Muslims Deepens
By CELIA W. DUGGER
Published: April 29, 2002
Leaders of the Hindu nationalist-led government have warned Western
nations in recent days to stop lecturing India about the official
failure to prevent Hindu mobs from killing hundreds of Muslims. But
the issue refuses to die.
In the last week, more than 40 people have perished in the continuing
violence, in the western state of Gujarat. The official death toll in
the last two months has risen to 900. More than 100,000 people, mostly
Muslims, are estimated to have fled to relief camps.
On Tuesday, Parliament will debate whether the Hindu nationalist
Bharatiya Janata Party -- which has led a national coalition
government for most of the last four years and controls the state of
Gujarat, its last major state stronghold -- has been complicit in the
carnage.
Though the government is expected to defeat a motion critical of its
role, the party's leaders are on the defensive. The issue has eclipsed
all others, even India's military buildup along its border with
Pakistan and the still real possibility of armed conflict between the
two countries.
Bharatiya Janata, which has prided itself on raising India's prestige
in the world beginning with the decision to test nuclear weapons in
1998, is now clearly worried that the nation's good name is being
besmirched.
''Let no one use this tragedy to make such sweeping generalizations
about the happenings in India that they demoralize Indians and present
a wrong picture of India abroad,'' Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
said on Saturday.
A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman accused European countries on Wednesday
of interfering in India's internal affairs by deliberately leaking
critical evaluations of events in Gujarat and publicly voicing concern
about the violence there.
Indian officials were particularly stung by the leak of a confidential
assessment by British diplomats who estimated the death toll at 2,000,
more than twice the official tally, and said the anti-Muslim violence
had been planned and carried out with the state government's support.
The sharpness of India's diplomatic rebuke was surprising, since
public comments by officials from other governments have generally
been limited to expressions of concern about the violence that echo
those of India's own leaders.
In his only public remarks about Gujarat, the American ambassador,
Robert Blackwill, said on April 17: ''All our hearts go out to the
people who were affected by this tragedy. I don't have anything more
to say than that.''
The Foreign Ministry and party officials contend that state officials
acted quickly to control outraged Hindu mobs seeking vengeance after
Muslims firebombed a trainload of Hindu activists on Feb. 27, killing
58.
I. D. Swami, a Bharatiya Janata member of Parliament and minister in
the government, noted in an interview that the party's state leaders
asked the central government to send in the army to help keep the
peace on Feb. 28, the night of the first and worst day of violence.
''When a reaction takes place in such a big dimension, it is not
possible for any state authority to control it,'' he said.
But in the last month a stream of damning reports by Indian human
rights groups, citizens' committees and the press have charged that
the party's most senior leaders in Gujarat let Hindu mobs go on the
rampage, raping Muslim girls and women, looting and bombing Muslim
homes and businesses and burning men, women and children alive.
The National Human Rights Commission, an independent group set up by
Parliament, scoffed at the state's contention that the crisis had been
brought under control within 72 hours and noted ''the widespread lack
of faith in the integrity of the investigating process.''
On Friday and Saturday, dozens of Muslim victims came to New Delhi,
the capital, at the behest of Sahamat, a nonprofit group, and publicly
told their stories. Many of these people echoed others who spoke out
earlier, testifying that the mobs were led by people from the
Bharatiya Janata Party and other organizations in its Hindu
nationalist family, particularly the World Hindu Congress and its
youth wing, the Bajrang Dal.
Eleven-year-old Raja Bundubhai told of hiding behind a door as he
watched his mother and sister skewered with swords and burned alive.
Ibrahim Bhai Ismail Bhai Ganchi told in a choked voice about the
murder of his father, uncle, brother, sister and cousin.
Arif Bhai Pathan, 13, watched as his parents and grandfather were
slaughtered. Before his father was killed, Arif said his father was
ordered to say, ''Jai Shri Ram'' -- meaning ''Hail Ram,'' the Hindu
god. ''He refused and he was hacked to death,'' Arif said.
Despite the demand by the political opposition and several of the
Bharatiya Janata Party's largest allies for the resignation of
Narendra Modi, Gujarat's chief minister, the party has backed him to
the hilt.
While the issue is not expected to threaten the government's survival,
Bharatiya Janata is under fire not just from the opposition and the
left wing, but also from the staid judiciary and civil service.
At a meeting on Friday at the India International Center, A. M.
Ahmadi, a retired chief justice of the Supreme Court, condemned the
government's attempt to silence its critics abroad. ''It's the duty of
the international community to raise its voice,'' he said.
Harsh Mander, a civil servant who resigned to protest what happened in
Gujarat, declared: ''I would like to testify that no riot can go on
for more than a few hours without active state complicity. It's a
crime which is difficult to describe.''
Posted by: khan | August 28, 2008 11:08 PM
Khan:
Where Did Zero Come From?
13 Eastern philosophy embraced the ideas feared by the Greeks. Because
the concept of the Infinite and the Void were so threatening to Greek
beliefs about the nature of reality and the existence of God, the
Greeks were unable to grapple with the idea of a number which contains
both. Hinduism, in contrast, was comfortable with duality. The gods of
Creation and Destruction were complementary elements of the Hindu
universe. They believed that the ultimate goal of the human soul was
to reunite with the One or infinite and to let go of individuality and
fall into the void. The numeral zero did not challenge Hindu world
view and so was easily accepted. Far from remaining a simple
placeholder, zero was reincarnated in India as a number. In addition,
Indian mathematicians were largely interested in numbers stripped of
geometric rules. This allowed them to include negative numbers in
their calculations and to give zero its place on the number line.
14 As Rome fell the Islamic world ascended. The Muslims learned from
and in conquest. They established a translation bureau in the House of
Wisdom in Baghdad that focused primarily on the works of the Greek
mathematicians. Their knowledge of the mathematics of India resulted
in their adoption of the Hindu numbering system. The Al-jabr written
by Muslim scholar Al-Khwarizmi (on linear and quadratic equations) and
Omar Khayyam's treatise on algebra (on cubic equations) came from this
fertilization of ideas. The dissemination of algorithms (tricks and
devices for multiplying and dividing Hindu numerals) also helped
spread the Hindu system through the Arab world. Zero traveled along.
--- from To infinity and beyond: The history of zero by Barbara Nolan
Thought you might want to know the seminal contribution of Hindu
thought to civilization.
And now back to our regular programming ....
Posted by: Dolivaw | August 28, 2008 4:28 PM
Ender's Rant..
We’ve seemed to have kicked this dead horse long enough, while
avoiding the real issue.
Let’s start with Kosovo/Yugoslavia. Against the wishes of NATO and
most of the Western World, Clinton almost unilaterally used US troops
to STOP GENOCIDE OF MUSLIMS BY CHRISTIANS.
I’ve yet to hear the Islamic world singing his praises for this step,
but whatever.
What Clinton did, was intervene in a local cultural war that has been
ongoing for more than 500 years. The area has gone back and forth
between the rule of Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and Muslims and each
time the leadership has changed, atrocities and genocide were
committed in retaliation for the oppression suffered under the
previous ruler.
Our Moron in Chief, could not understand what his father did, that
Sunnis in Iraq will fight to the death rather than live under Shia
rule, because they know the reprisals for 50 yrs of repression under
Saddam is due them by the Shias. They know it. They would do the same
thing. Muslims are killing Muslims at a higher rate than we managed,
because we really did expect them all ‘to just get along’ after we
took out their dictator.
More than 6 million Christian and Animist Africans have been
exterminated by Muslims in Africa. The Islamic world considers them
immoral and primitive, and says not one word to make it end.
Now, the Crux:
The Islamic world considers the west immoral, secular and pampered.
The Western World considers the Islamic world primitive, intolerant
and violent.
We are engaged in a new phase of the culture wars that began with
Muhammed’s declaration that it was the duty of each Muslim to carry
the torch of Islam to all of the world. He recognized the zealous and
racist nature of the early Catholicism, and sought to protect his own
culture and tribe by spreading a religion that put a premium on Arabic
values, and even the Arabic language.
Meanwhile, the Catholics, French, Italian and Greek/Eastern, fought
over control of the seat of the religion, the Papisty, because that
granted a boost to the survival chances of their respective cultures.
And HERE WE ARE FOLKS! 1500 YEARS LATER! ENGAGED IN THE SAME CULUTRE
WARS!
I’m an equal opportunity cultural bigot myself. I think all religions
are created by men to control men. I am perfectly willing to fight to
the death, murder, maim and terrorize in order to make sure that I and
my progeny can live in a SECULAR nation where not religion or
religiously directed moralities are forced upon us.
I believe that anything good that has come out of any Abrahamic
religion has been as a result of Secular enlightenment overcoming the
true base and tribal natures of the religions.
Islam has a habit of making any state where it gains a majority adopt
Islamic law and custom.
I’m here to tell you that as long as the US has technological
superiority, I will support using it to the stop the spread of Islamic
control into new areas.
I will do everything in my power to fight the intrusion of any
religion, whether Christian or Islamic, into the governance of the
Secular Nation of the United States.
I have only to look at the current world, where some of the worlds
richest nations, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman, to see
wealthy and pampered youth, wasting all their energy on hate, for
Israel and disdain for the modernization that the secular, western
world offers. The peoples of the repressive nation of Iran at least
seek secular education and realize that without the scientific and
technological advancements the west has made available in the last
hundred years, the deserts they inhabit could not support the
populations they do.
I consider Islam a failed culture. The same goes for Christianity, but
that it has evolved into Christianity ‘light’, and is more a religion
of Capitalism than Abraham.
I have met and spoken to a large number of Muslims whom have left
Islamic nations that practice Sharia law, and in private at least,
they admit that Islam as practiced in the Middle East, is
Fundamentalist, and used by rulers to maintain and iron fisted control
over the populace.
I revile the US support of the Terrorist State of Israel. But, when al
Queada, the Taliban and Osama attacked us on US soil, they renewed an
ancient culture war that they cannot win. Or president should have
wiped the Taliban off the face of the planet in Afghanistan, put
pressure on Saudi to stop the funding for them. We should have made
fresh new friends with their enemy, Saddam, and made sure he was
strong enough to stand up against the Taliban in Saudi Arabia in case
they gain a stronger hand.
You claim that Islam is tolerant and peaceful. Well, I would love to
see that. In the meantime, any Islamic mullah that preaches violent
jihad should be immediately deported to the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, along with any ignorant followers that have returned for more
than one dose of his vitriol.
Any nation that support the Taliban, or any other fundamentalist group
should be given a chance to repent, as in put them all in jail and
stop all gov’t support, or face suspension of trade and concessions
with the promise of military intervention if necessary to protect our
interest.
We should stop all monetary and political support for Israel. They
have more than 300 nuclear war heads and don’t need our help.
The only way to avoid the coming debacle of an all out cultural war
between east and west is the Modernization and Secularization of
Islam.
Otherwise, we will see if your religious faith can survive without
your icons when Mecca is a glass parking lot that will glow in the
dark for 10,000 years, and Tehran gives of a brilliant glow at
midnight.
Posted by: ender | August 28, 2008 3:09 PM
Anon Christian,
Repetition is a major element of education. Unfortunately some
"thumpers" constantly repeat the myths of the NT, OT, Koran and the
Book of Mormon/Moroni which requires a counter comment with reality
and history. Deal with it and learn something while doing so!!!!!
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 28, 2008
1:00 PM
Mr. Concerned Christian.
I know you are not a real Christian the way you write. Christians
donot write like that.You may turn out to be a fox under the garb of a
lamb. That what people like you have done all along. Stop writing the
same thing time and again. Do you have anything new to say. Please do
so. You are really getting boring and occupying lot of space in this
column
Posted by: Anonymous Christian | August 28, 2008 12:12 PM
religious riots = oxymormon
religion is satan's tool and the root of all evil
Posted by: Roy | August 28, 2008 7:27 AM
To: Khan the Con/Cave Man
Islam 101-
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.
And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder
Added reading material- Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography, "Infidel".
"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of
desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in
Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her
hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few
different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a
lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali
escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned
spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."
ref: Washington Post book review.
three excerpts:
p. 47 paperback issue:
"Some of the Saudi women in our neighborhood were regularly beaten by
their husbands. You could hear them at night. Their screams resounded
across the courtyards. "No! Please! By Allah!"
p.68:
"The Pakistanis were Muslims but they too had castes. The Untouchable
girls, both Indian and Pakistani were darker skin. The others would
not play with them because they were untouchable. We thought that was
funny because of course they were touchable: we touched them see? but
also horrifying to think of yourself as untouchable, despicable to the
human race."
p. 347
"The kind on thinking I saw in Saudi Arabia and among the Brotherhood
of Kenya and Somalia, is incompatible with human rights and liberal
values. It preserves the feudal mind-set based on tribal concepts of
honor and shame. It rests on self-deception, hyprocricy, and double
standards. It relies on the technologial advances of the West while
pretending to ignore their origin in Western thinking. This mind-set
makes the transition to modernity very painful for all who practice
Islam".
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 28, 2008
4:00 AM
hi hafsa, i appreciate your article about valley and the heading its
not hindusim vs muslim is apt.we all know all is not well in kashmir.
its actually not muslim vs hindu. kashmir is the epitome of harmony.
be it known to all. kashmiri`s are the most hospitable people around.
coming to basics kashmir has again been used for pitty gains. what
hurriyat did to kashmir , amarnath sangarsh committee did to jammu.
both are equally responsible for the collateral damage. while hurriyat
who was reduced to non entity was struggling for survival in jammu its
was BJP who was searching for reasons for its survival in state as
well as in national level.
if only people would sit down and go by facts the so called
controversial order which has no controversy in it clearly states that
the land is not transfered but is given on rent for the period of two
months of yatra. the same land was otherwise also been used by yatries
for more than century.
its pitty people go by the wind rather than the rationale.
thanks.
Posted by: ahmed | August 28, 2008 1:58 AM
How much better it would be if Deb Chatterjee used his influence and
his life experience in the United States to promote religious harmony
in India, doing real honor to Hinduism, instead of promoting
intolerance in his homeland while enjoying religious freedom in the
US, a country with Christian majority.
Is intolerance what the United States taught Deb Chatterjee, the
Hindu?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 12:18 AM
To the shame of Hinduism as the religion of universal tolerance and
acceptance it must be said that Hindu militants have been targeting
Christian missionaries working for the socially remote and downtrodden
low caste Hindus in various parts of the North, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar,
etc.
The violence is fueled by high caste Hindus acting in the background
in the name of preserving Hindu India.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 11:48 PM
Muslims must be remember that Hindus should react the way it is coming
ti be known because Hindu temples in India are under attack.
This is what the Muslims are doing to the Hindus and their lives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdcVpGQh88w&feature=related
It is just natural reaction of Hindus who feel threatened in their own
homeland.
As I wrote, there needs to be a full-scale Indo-Pak war because India
is bleeding by thousand cuts from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, and
also homegrown Islamic terrorism in Kashmir and elsewhere. A full-
scale war would probably be decisive.
A very authoritative video on Islam and terrorism is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZsH346Wo9Y
ISLAM IS A BARBARIC RELIGION.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:25 PM
BAGLA DHOTI SEE WHAT THESE PHALLIC WORSIPERS ARE DOING WATCH IT AND BE
ASHAMED OF YOUR ASSOSIATION
WITH SUCH CREEPY COUNTRY AND ITS CREEPY PEOPLE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiuUsoIc00U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD__5ekRRU4
Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 10:56 PM
Islam is barbaric religion and other cultures/religions around the
world are truly becoming more violent by trying to catch up with
Islam. The militant brand of Hinduism, which was truly non-existent,
is a phenomenon from 1980s when Jana Sangh (predecessor of BJP) came
to power in 1977 thru what is know as Morarji Desai's Janata Party.
Upon ascension to power the Jana Sangh elements in Janata Party
realized that they needed to exist and hence tried to politicalize the
Hindus by appealing to Hindutva. The argument was that if in a
(formally) secular country Muslims can get away by doing anything,
like murdering, marrying endless number of times, taking umbrage under
their religion Islam, and using religion to further the separatist
mentality, why would Hindus be left behind ? It was a nasty thought:
but it did work. I believe that Shri Ashok Singhal-ji stated that if
all else being equal, what is preventing a Hindu for asserting his/her
Hinduness as Hindus are in majority in India ? His foreign travels
showed that everywhere the majority has a voice. Not so in India.
Singhal successfuly argued that Hindu culture and religion are
different. Singhal very persuasively appealed to the Muslim problem of
secessionism that he rightly claimed is based on the Shariah. Singhal
showed that democracies like India get weakened if a minority starts
to get more powers than the majority. The Kashmir problem and the then
Shah Bano case (where Congress Govt. overturned a Supreme Court ruling
against polygamy) were tell-tale incidents that Singhal exploited.
However Singhal was mostly right. Whereever Muslims have majority
abuse of human rights has been a hallmark. The state of minorities in
Bangladesh is quite an eye-opener. The link is at http://www.hrcbm.org/
which clearly details that all minorities are considered enemy of
Islam. Hindus have to give away 40% of any profit from selling land
and house property, if they are moving to India.
To retaliate Hindu organizations in India are paying back minorities
in the same coin. However I contend that the blame goes to Islam. It
is an intolerant and barbaric religion. All other cultures and
religions in its proximity become equally fundamentalist and
intolerant.
So, what's new ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:55 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvzVe5cbkG8
Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 10:41 PM
I missed this piece of gem from Aamir's post. The person wrote:
"What my faith tells me (and that is incidently Islam) to respect
other faiths."
Well, I cannot resist quoting from the Quran to demonstrate my deep
suspicions about how much "respect" Islam teaches its followers about
other faiths:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran (003:085)].
Thus, one is simply unsure what kind of respect Islam has for other
religions if it simply rejects any other paths of faith.
I am not expceting any convincing answer other than the pedestrian
cliche "taken out of context".
This allegation, or that someone is "insulting Islam", seems to be a
panacea for all uncomfortable questions that can be posed by an
infidel.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:29 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhmXn8t0K4Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhmXn8t0K4Y&feature=related
watch the links
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:26 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3znSTS9WcBc
use the above link and see what these idiots are doing to minorties
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:24 PM
Bengali dhoti see
what biggest democracy is doing
Vatican describes Hindu attack on Christian orphanage as a 'sin
against God'
A senior Vatican official has described an arson attack on a Christian
orphanage in India that left a woman dead as "a sin against God and
humanity".
Last Updated: 3:44PM BST 26 Aug 2008
Monday's attack came after a strike by Hindu hardliners, who blamed
Christians for a Communist insurgency in the east of the country in
which a Hindu religious leader was killed last week.
A crowd had converged on the orphanage run by Christian missionaries,
told nearly 20 residents to leave, and then set it alight with an
elderly priest and a lay teacher locked inside.
The teacher, aged 21, died in the blaze while the priest was
hospitalised with bad burns. The orphanage was located in Khuntapali,
a village in Orissa state in the east of the country.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera,
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran called the attack: "a sin against God and
humanity". He said it had no possible justification.
"Certainly religion cannot be invoked for crimes of this type," he
said. Cardinal Tauran heads the Vatican's council for inter-religious
dialogue.
An official statement from the Vatican was less blunt. "The Holy See
expresses reprehension for these actions which harm the dignity and
the freedom of people and compromise peaceful civilian coexistence,"
it said.
"I was in India three weeks ago, in New Delhi," Cardinal Tauran said.
"I met two Hindu religious groups and none of their spiritual leaders
spoke to me about such attacks, which are not occurring for the first
time
to minorties.
And guys hinduism is thr most tolerant religion. (my foot)
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:22 PM
Aamir wrote:
"It started very well till Mr. Chatterjee started personal attcks
against Islam. Since then it has become completely insane."
Well, as a Kashmiri Muslim you demonstrate some form of incapacity to
understand my position. Being critical of a doctrine (Islam) is
nothing wrong. We don't have to pleasant to each other's doctrines.
What is revered to you is barbaric to me and voce versa. I have not at
all attempted to express emotional distress at Khan's posts. Its
unpleasant, but he has the right to do so. Though I do not see how
worship of sex organs (lingam and yoni) has anything to do with the
secession of Kashmir from India. If an antiquated religious ritual is
important, then I think debating the issue is incorrect.
This form of acerbic critique of a religious doctrine is practiced in
western societies, as long as we are not personally attacking each
other. However I am sure that Muslims take it as a insult if someone
(infidel) is critical of Islam.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 9:20 PM
Deb Chatterjee's position as a Hindu Brahmin from Kolkotta (Calcutta),
who attended a Catholic school and lives in the United States, a
country with Christian majority, is unique.
He is seen to be encouraging and fueling religious intolerance in
India with the India-for-Hindus only extremist view. Instead of being
an agent of peace, he preaches intolerance, even against Christians in
India, although he benefited from a Catholic education and lives in a
Christian country. Is it religious hypocrisy or it is merely politics
to keep Brahmin power for his people in India?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 8:19 PM
What happened to the original discussion of Kashmir not being a Hindu-
Muslim issue. It started very well till Mr. Chatterjee started
personal attcks against Islam. Since then it has become completely
insane. It does no good to anybody to expose each others religeon.
What my faith tells me (and that is incidently Islam) to respect other
faiths. Somebody started it and look it has been boomeranging since
then. We all have same roots and basically were brothers only few
decades ago. People can have differences but when you start using
abusive language against each others' prophets, then there remains no
difference between us and people in India or Pakistan who are
intolerant not only to each others' faith but even hate the site of
each other. We are all educated and are expected to have some level of
decency. Once again I reiterate that the basic discussion was about
Kashmir and not about Hinduism or Islam. To me all religeons have
purpose and it is by chance that Mr. Chatterjee was born in a Hindu
family and Mr. Khan in a Muslim Family. It could have been otherwise
and both would be protecting their faith like they try to do now.
Calling names to Mohammed, or for that matter to other revered Hindu
Gods does no good to all of us but instead perpetuates that seed of
hatred. We are young and we are on a forum which was basically created
not for this kind of uncivil dialogue. We should be also thankful that
we can express ourselves in this great country. Miss Hafsa has her own
opinion as any other Kashmiri and so does Mr. Chatterjee. Let us call
it a day and please try not to slander each other. There are lot of
younger readers who's minds have not been maligned yet like some of
ours. Let us give love and tolerance a chance. I am a proud Kashmiri
and still believe that something mutual can be achieved with India if
sincerity is displayed on both sides.
May God bless us all. Aameen
Posted by: Aamir | August 27, 2008 8:16 PM
ender:
Christians in India would not have a problem if they did not insist on
proselytizing. Hindu and Jain Indians have hundreds of years of
experience with evengelical Muslims proselytizing with a sword in
their hand. Hindus never proselytize and don't really consider it your
right to do it to them. If they become dissatified with their religion
they'll come to you, or the Buddha.
August 27, 2008 1:40 PM
---------------------------
Hindus like Jews do not have a proselytizing element to their
faith.One is born a Hindu or Jew. In Hinduism, one is also born into a
caste and subcaste, which one cannot change.
If Jews and Hindus do not go about trying to convert anyone, they are
merely acting in accordance with their faith tradition.
Buddha, if you were to read the history of
Buddhism, spent over forty years, after he attained enlightenment,
walking the length and breadth of India, preaching and CONVERTING
Hindus.
Buddhism spread to all of East Asia precisely because Buddhists went
out to preach and convert.
Jains and Sikhs on the other hand do not have a strong proselytizing
element. Hence most Jains are to be found only in certain areas of
North India where Mahavira lived, and Sikhs are mostly Punjabis.
Christianity has a very strong proselytizing element. It is about
sharing the Good News of Jesus with all the world and doing good in
His name. Jesus spent only three years walking up and down Israel of
His time preaching and coverting the Jews. He worked miracles and
showed great compassion to the poor and needy and called sinners to
repentance. After His resurrection, He COMMANDED His disciples to go
out into the world, preach the good news and baptize people in the
name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. That is what His
disciples did since the day of the Pentecost and that is what
Christians have done for the past two thousand years: preaching the
good news of Jesus and doing good works in His name.
Islam is reformed Arab paganism (Allah, with three daughters, is the
name of an Arab pagan God who was worshipped in Mecca long before the
birth of Islam) with elements of Jewish Law and beliefs from
Christianity. Most of the religion in the Quran can be traced to the
Bible although it has been modified and elements of Arab paganism has
been added.But it was established as a political religion and spread
as such.
The history of Islam in India was one of peaceful proselytization in
the South when Mohammad lived in Mecca (even before he fled to
Medina), and one of violence by invading conquerers in the North,
later.
------------------------------
Hinduism is a con-federation of religions. Hinduism has undergone
changes over and over again . There is no ultimate authority in
Hinduism to lay down rules about how any Hindu may worship God. Each
Hindu is free to worship any God of their choice in anyway they want.
Only social rules seem to have been set which communities enforce and
police.
----------------------------------
If Hinduism makes it a rule forbidding conversion to other religions,
there are many questions to be asked:
What kind of Hinduism is being referred to, after all Hinduism is a
con-federation of religions.
Is the law against conversion meant to retain the superiority of the
Brahmin/upper caste?
How come Buddha, Mahavir and Guru Nanak found other religions and have
Hindu converts as followers?
India has always had many religions, has given refuge to the
religiously persecuted - Jews, Parsis etc, and more recently Buddhists
from Tibet.
It is against the universal nature of Hinduism to be religiously
intolerant.
Is the law similar to apostacy law in Islam where leaving the religion
is punished with death?
On what grounds does secular India violate the principles of the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which considers
the right to practice a religion must go hand in hand with the right
to change religions?
----------------------
The rising trend of intolerance is fueled by militant Hindu extremists
(mostly belonging to the higher castes). They feel threatened by
conversions to religions which have no caste system.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 8:08 PM
RSS, Zionists and White racists are now united against rest of the
world. Since each one of them have their own agenda this axis of evil
will not last. All three believes in cold blooded murder of innocent
people.
Hope Democrats will win next election and save the world from
catastrophy
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 6:33 PM
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/08/todays_guest_blogger_is_hafsa.html
bademiyansubhanallah
> On Mar 9, 12:07 am, bademiyansubhanallah <elcidha...@gmail.com> wrote:> Kashmir is not Hindu vs. Muslim
Islam Exposed
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 27, 2008
4:31 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Bengla Dhoti
Hinduism Exposed
by Dr. Robert A. Morey
Introduction
Hinduism is one of the oldest pre-Christian pagan religions still
viable in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother
India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of
Europeans called the Aryans who invaded and conquered Northern India
from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The light-skinned Brahmins of Northern India
claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants.
The Aryans
The Aryans brought with them their sacred writings called the Vedas.
They were originally fire worshippers and this is why they believed in
cremation instead of burying their dead. They also invented the theory
of soul-transmigration in which at death you do not go to heaven or to
hell but you are reborn into another body on earth. This next body
could be animal, vegetable or human depending on whether you were good
or bad. Your past behavior catches up with you in your present life
due to the law of karma.
You could in your next reincarnation end up a clam, a carrot, a bush
or a human being. The highest rebirth you could wish for was to be
born as one of the white-skinned Brahmins who by virtue of their color
were considered the "higher" class.
The Ugly Reality of Racism
The inherent racism of historic Hinduism is thus blatant. You were
judged by the color of your skin, not the content of your character,
skills or talents. The darker your skin, the lower your caste and rank
in Hindu society. The whiter your skin, the higher your caste and
rank. The Brahmins prided themselves on their white skin while
despising the darker skinned untouchables who were often viewed and
treated as sub-humans.
This explains why Hindu gurus are more than willing to travel to the
West to convert rich white Europeans to Hinduism BUT never travel to
black Africa to make converts. The truth is, they don't want black
people whose skin color is an indication of bad karma. As long as they
can sucker rich white people into giving them money ("Money is evil.
So give it all to me.") why bother with darker skinned people?
This can be documented by the statements of many of the gurus who have
reaped riches in the West. When one guru was asked on TV what he was
doing to help the poor, he responded, "Let the Christians take care of
them. I am here to help the rich."
The Caste System
The terrible caste system was invented in order to protect the white
Brahmins from polluting their sacred whiteness with black blood. You
had to marry and to labor in the caste into which you were born. The
lines were clearly drawn and on one was allowed to move from one caste
to another by marriage or trade.
The mechanism of the caste system is tied to the Hindu theory of soul-
transmigration in which your rebirth determines your caste. Your
rebirth was predetermined by your karma. Your karma was in turn was
determined by how you lived in your past life. For example, if you
were born with a dark skin to untouchable parents, your life of misery
and poverty is your punishment for being evil in your previous life.
In other words, you are getting what you deserved.
The poor, the sick, the disabled, the dark-skinned, etc. are what they
are because of their own fault. The deserve their suffering because
they did something bad in a previous life and their karma has caught
up with them. We should not interfere with their suffering because if
we do, we will doom them to experience it in the next life. Thus the
kindest thing to do is to let them alone so they get their suffering
over and hopefully have a better rebirth the next time around.
On the other hand, if you were born with white skin to Brahmin
parents, your life of wealth and pleasure is your reward for good
deeds done in your previous life. You deserve to be rich and white.
You earned it. Thus you have no moral obligation to help those less
fortunate them you.
The social inequities of Hinduism ultimately led millions of lower
caste Indians to abandon Hinduism for Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism or
Christianity because those religions did not lock them into a rigid
caste system. Social and financial mobility required a change of
religion. Of course, if you were a rich white Brahmin, why would you
convert to a religion which would strip you of your social status and
wealth?
Social Evils
Being originally fire worshippers, Hinduism developed the grisly
practice of burning a widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband
(suttee). If she did not willing jump into the fire, she was often
thrown into it by the mob gathered to watch her burn to death.
Child sacrifices to animal gods such as sacred crocodiles were common
until this Hindu practice was criminalized by the British. The ritual
murder and burial of travelers by the Kali cult (the thugees) is
another example of Hinduism's inherently demonic nature and
inspiration.
Other immoral practices of Hinduism included using children as sex
slaves in Hindu temples. They not only served the sexual perversions
of the priests and gurus but were used as prostitutes to bring in
money. The poorest of the poor who often could not afford to keep a
new child, left the baby in a temple assuming that the child would
have a better life with the priests than with its parents. They doomed
their child to a life of pain and misery.
The tourist who travels to India's many temples is often shocked by
wall art that depicts sodomy, child sex, orgies and bestiality of the
grossest kind. Yet, all this is part of what lies at the core of
Hinduism.
The same shock is received when tourists see Hindus drinking urine
from animals and humans and smearing dung in their hair and on their
body. The smell that emanates from the gurus, monks and holy men of
Hinduism is enough to warn us that Hinduism is rotten to the core. .
Why are we beginning our discussion of Hinduism with such ugly topics
as racism, the caste system, burning of widows, ritual child abuse and
gross immorality? To see the true nature of Hinduism we must study
what it produces in those societies where it is the dominant religion.
Thus a mere abstract philosophic presentation of Hinduism in the
classroom will give a false view of it. Hinduism is far more than a
list of abstract dogmas. It is actually a social program that seeks to
organize a culture according to Hindu concepts of soul-transmigration,
karma, race and caste.
The Philosophic Failures of Hinduism
1. Hinduism denies the existence of the infinite/personal triune God
of the Bible who exists independent of and apart from the universe
which He created out of nothing. It is atheistic in this sense.
2. Hinduism never solved the problem of the One and Many or the
infinite/personal dichotomy.
3. Those Hindus who emphasize the One over the Many, teach Monism (All
is One) and pantheism (All is God), erasing any distinction between
Creator and creation. "God" is an impersonal infinite force or power
which manifest itself as the universe around us. The "things" we see
around us do not really exist per se. They are only illusions of the
One. This is what the high caste Hindus teach the Westerners who come
to India in search of "enlightenment."
4. The vast majority of Hindus do not follow the Brahmin doctrine of
monism. Instead of emphasizing the One over the Many, they emphasize
the Many over the One and practice the most vile forms of polytheism
imaginable in which they worship millions of gods and goddesses. It is
said that the Hindus worship more gods and goddesses than the total
number of Hindus who exist today. They worship snakes, monkeys,
elephants, crocodiles, cats, insects and other absurdities.
5. As a world view, Hinduism fails to answer crucial questions:
a. Why does the Universe exist as opposed to not existing? Since it
cannot answer this question, Hinduism simply denies the existence of
the world around us. It is an illusion (maya) or dream.
b. Is the universe eternal or did it have a beginning? Hinduism has
always taught that the universe is eternal. But this has been
successfully refuted by modern science. This also exposes an inherent
contradiction within Hinduism. If the universe does not exist but is
illusionary in nature, how then is it eternal? How can Hinduism speak
of the universe going through eternal cycles if the universe does not
exist?
c. Why does the Universe exist in such a form that predictability and
science are possible? By denying the existence of the world around it,
Hinduism did not develop science and cannot exist why it works.
d. What is evil? Once again, since Hinduism could not answer this
question, it simply denied that evil existed.
e. Why does evil exist? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
f. What is man? Hinduism denies that we actually exist.
g. How can we explain the uniqueness of man? Hinduism cannot explain
why man is distinct from the world around him.
h. Why do we do evil? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
i. What is sin? Because it does not have a concept of a personal/
infinite Creator, Hinduism has no concept of "sin" per se.
j. How do we obtain forgiveness for our sins? There is no forgiveness
in Hinduism. You will have to suffer in the next life for the evil you
do in this present life. This answer exposes an inescapable
contradiction within Hindu philosophy. If the universe, evil, and man
do not actually exist but are only illusions (Maya), then on what
grounds does karma exist? If it does not actually exist either, then
on what grounds does reincarnation happen?
k. On what basis can we explain man's desire for meaning,
significance, justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism has no
answer to these questions.
l. How can we provide a sufficient basis for meaning, significance,
justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism cannot provide a
philosophic basis for any of these things.
Conclusion
Hinduism cannot answer the essential philosophic questions that always
arise wherever and whenever the human intellect matures. It has been
weighed in the scales of truth and have been found lacking.
Even more importantly, Hinduism has no concept of a Creator God, the
Creation, the Fall of man into sin and guilt, a Day of Judgment,
atonement or forgiveness, or a Savior who redeems us from our sins by
the sacrifice of Himself in our place.
It did not produce democracy, science or equality among different
races and racks of mankind. Instead it produced great social evils
which afflict the Indian people to this day. As a religion and a
philosophy, Hinduism is a complete failure and cannot provide a basis
for meaning, significance, justice, morals, truth
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 3:51 PM
Hinduism Exposed
by Dr. Robert A. Morey
Introduction
Hinduism is one of the oldest pre-Christian pagan religions still
viable in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother
India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of
Europeans called the Aryans who invaded and conquered Northern India
from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The light-skinned Brahmins of Northern India
claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants.
The Aryans
The Aryans brought with them their sacred writings called the Vedas.
They were originally fire worshippers and this is why they believed in
cremation instead of burying their dead. They also invented the theory
of soul-transmigration in which at death you do not go to heaven or to
hell but you are reborn into another body on earth. This next body
could be animal, vegetable or human depending on whether you were good
or bad. Your past behavior catches up with you in your present life
due to the law of karma.
You could in your next reincarnation end up a clam, a carrot, a bush
or a human being. The highest rebirth you could wish for was to be
born as one of the white-skinned Brahmins who by virtue of their color
were considered the "higher" class.
The Ugly Reality of Racism
The inherent racism of historic Hinduism is thus blatant. You were
judged by the color of your skin, not the content of your character,
skills or talents. The darker your skin, the lower your caste and rank
in Hindu society. The whiter your skin, the higher your caste and
rank. The Brahmins prided themselves on their white skin while
despising the darker skinned untouchables who were often viewed and
treated as sub-humans.
This explains why Hindu gurus are more than willing to travel to the
West to convert rich white Europeans to Hinduism BUT never travel to
black Africa to make converts. The truth is, they don't want black
people whose skin color is an indication of bad karma. As long as they
can sucker rich white people into giving them money ("Money is evil.
So give it all to me.") why bother with darker skinned people?
This can be documented by the statements of many of the gurus who have
reaped riches in the West. When one guru was asked on TV what he was
doing to help the poor, he responded, "Let the Christians take care of
them. I am here to help the rich."
The Caste System
The terrible caste system was invented in order to protect the white
Brahmins from polluting their sacred whiteness with black blood. You
had to marry and to labor in the caste into which you were born. The
lines were clearly drawn and on one was allowed to move from one caste
to another by marriage or trade.
The mechanism of the caste system is tied to the Hindu theory of soul-
transmigration in which your rebirth determines your caste. Your
rebirth was predetermined by your karma. Your karma was in turn was
determined by how you lived in your past life. For example, if you
were born with a dark skin to untouchable parents, your life of misery
and poverty is your punishment for being evil in your previous life.
In other words, you are getting what you deserved.
The poor, the sick, the disabled, the dark-skinned, etc. are what they
are because of their own fault. The deserve their suffering because
they did something bad in a previous life and their karma has caught
up with them. We should not interfere with their suffering because if
we do, we will doom them to experience it in the next life. Thus the
kindest thing to do is to let them alone so they get their suffering
over and hopefully have a better rebirth the next time around.
On the other hand, if you were born with white skin to Brahmin
parents, your life of wealth and pleasure is your reward for good
deeds done in your previous life. You deserve to be rich and white.
You earned it. Thus you have no moral obligation to help those less
fortunate them you.
The social inequities of Hinduism ultimately led millions of lower
caste Indians to abandon Hinduism for Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism or
Christianity because those religions did not lock them into a rigid
caste system. Social and financial mobility required a change of
religion. Of course, if you were a rich white Brahmin, why would you
convert to a religion which would strip you of your social status and
wealth?
Social Evils
Being originally fire worshippers, Hinduism developed the grisly
practice of burning a widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband
(suttee). If she did not willing jump into the fire, she was often
thrown into it by the mob gathered to watch her burn to death.
Child sacrifices to animal gods such as sacred crocodiles were common
until this Hindu practice was criminalized by the British. The ritual
murder and burial of travelers by the Kali cult (the thugees) is
another example of Hinduism's inherently demonic nature and
inspiration.
Other immoral practices of Hinduism included using children as sex
slaves in Hindu temples. They not only served the sexual perversions
of the priests and gurus but were used as prostitutes to bring in
money. The poorest of the poor who often could not afford to keep a
new child, left the baby in a temple assuming that the child would
have a better life with the priests than with its parents. They doomed
their child to a life of pain and misery.
The tourist who travels to India's many temples is often shocked by
wall art that depicts sodomy, child sex, orgies and bestiality of the
grossest kind. Yet, all this is part of what lies at the core of
Hinduism.
The same shock is received when tourists see Hindus drinking urine
from animals and humans and smearing dung in their hair and on their
body. The smell that emanates from the gurus, monks and holy men of
Hinduism is enough to warn us that Hinduism is rotten to the core. .
Why are we beginning our discussion of Hinduism with such ugly topics
as racism, the caste system, burning of widows, ritual child abuse and
gross immorality? To see the true nature of Hinduism we must study
what it produces in those societies where it is the dominant religion.
Thus a mere abstract philosophic presentation of Hinduism in the
classroom will give a false view of it. Hinduism is far more than a
list of abstract dogmas. It is actually a social program that seeks to
organize a culture according to Hindu concepts of soul-transmigration,
karma, race and caste.
The Philosophic Failures of Hinduism
1. Hinduism denies the existence of the infinite/personal triune God
of the Bible who exists independent of and apart from the universe
which He created out of nothing. It is atheistic in this sense.
2. Hinduism never solved the problem of the One and Many or the
infinite/personal dichotomy.
3. Those Hindus who emphasize the One over the Many, teach Monism (All
is One) and pantheism (All is God), erasing any distinction between
Creator and creation. "God" is an impersonal infinite force or power
which manifest itself as the universe around us. The "things" we see
around us do not really exist per se. They are only illusions of the
One. This is what the high caste Hindus teach the Westerners who come
to India in search of "enlightenment."
4. The vast majority of Hindus do not follow the Brahmin doctrine of
monism. Instead of emphasizing the One over the Many, they emphasize
the Many over the One and practice the most vile forms of polytheism
imaginable in which they worship millions of gods and goddesses. It is
said that the Hindus worship more gods and goddesses than the total
number of Hindus who exist today. They worship snakes, monkeys,
elephants, crocodiles, cats, insects and other absurdities.
5. As a world view, Hinduism fails to answer crucial questions:
a. Why does the Universe exist as opposed to not existing? Since it
cannot answer this question, Hinduism simply denies the existence of
the world around us. It is an illusion (maya) or dream.
b. Is the universe eternal or did it have a beginning? Hinduism has
always taught that the universe is eternal. But this has been
successfully refuted by modern science. This also exposes an inherent
contradiction within Hinduism. If the universe does not exist but is
illusionary in nature, how then is it eternal? How can Hinduism speak
of the universe going through eternal cycles if the universe does not
exist?
c. Why does the Universe exist in such a form that predictability and
science are possible? By denying the existence of the world around it,
Hinduism did not develop science and cannot exist why it works.
d. What is evil? Once again, since Hinduism could not answer this
question, it simply denied that evil existed.
e. Why does evil exist? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
f. What is man? Hinduism denies that we actually exist.
g. How can we explain the uniqueness of man? Hinduism cannot explain
why man is distinct from the world around him.
h. Why do we do evil? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
i. What is sin? Because it does not have a concept of a personal/
infinite Creator, Hinduism has no concept of "sin" per se.
j. How do we obtain forgiveness for our sins? There is no forgiveness
in Hinduism. You will have to suffer in the next life for the evil you
do in this present life. This answer exposes an inescapable
contradiction within Hindu philosophy. If the universe, evil, and man
do not actually exist but are only illusions (Maya), then on what
grounds does karma exist? If it does not actually exist either, then
on what grounds does reincarnation happen?
k. On what basis can we explain man's desire for meaning,
significance, justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism has no
answer to these questions.
l. How can we provide a sufficient basis for meaning, significance,
justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism cannot provide a
philosophic basis for any of these things.
Conclusion
Hinduism cannot answer the essential philosophic questions that always
arise wherever and whenever the human intellect matures. It has been
weighed in the scales of truth and have been found lacking.
Even more importantly, Hinduism has no concept of a Creator God, the
Creation, the Fall of man into sin and guilt, a Day of Judgment,
atonement or forgiveness, or a Savior who redeems us from our sins by
the sacrifice of Himself in our place.
It did not produce democracy, science or equality among different
races and racks of mankind. Instead it produced great social evils
which afflict the Indian people to this day. As a religion and a
philosophy, Hinduism is a complete failure and cannot provide a basis
for meaning, significance, justice, morals, truth
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 3:50 PM
Foe bengali dhotiwala
AMOROUS GODS AND GODDESSES
Dr. Abraham Kovoor
All religions have their own gods. Members of one religion have no
faith in the gods of other religions.Some religions are monotheistic,
and others polytheistic. Let us get acquainted with the sexual
morality of some of these gods, and their genesis as given in the
scriptures of respective religions, and compare their morality with
that of civilized man.
Brahma and Saraswati
Brahma is one of the three main gods-Trimurti-of the Hindu pantheon.
He is the creator of the universe, Saraswati, who became the wife of
her own father, was the daughter of Brahma. There are two stories
about her genesis in the
"Saraswati Purana". One is that Brahma created his beautiful daughter
Saraswati direct from his "vital strength" or seminal fluid. The other
is that Brahma used to collect his semen in a pot whenever he
masturbated fixing his carnal eyes on the celestial beauty Urvasi.
Brahma's semen in the pot gave birth to Saraswati. Thus,Saraswati had
no mother.
This daughter or grand-daughter of Brahma is the Hindu goddess of
learning. When Brahma saw the beauty of Saraswati he became amorous.
To escape from her father's passionate approach Saraswati ran to the
lands in all four directions, but she could not escape from her
father. She succumbed to Brahma's wish. Brahma and his daughter
Saraswati lived as husband and wife indulging in incest for 100 years.
They had a son Swayambhumaru. Swayambhumaru made love with his sister
Satarpa. Through the incest of Brahma's son and daughter Brahma got
two grandsons and two grand-daughters.
SHIVA
God Shiva had two wives-Ganga and Parwati. It was while Shiva was
frolicking and making love with Parwati in the forest in the form of
elephants that Ganapati, the god with the head of an elephant was
born. On another occasion when Shiva was frolicking with Parwati in
the form of a monkey, Hanuman the monkey god was born.
Once when Parwati was away, Shiva had sexual inter course with a woman
called Madhura, who came to Kailas to worship him. On her return,
Parwati saw her husband Shiva making love with Madhura, and she became
a frog. When the period of the curse was over after twelve years, the
frog took the form of Mandodari who became the wife of Ravana, the ten-
headed king of Lanka. The sperm of Shiva which remained dormant in the
womb of Mandodari when the was frog began to develop, and finally gave
birth to Indrajit. Thus, the so-called son of Ravana-Indrajit of Lanka-
was an intelligence son of Shiva.
INDRA
Indra is the head of all gods. Amarawati was his celestial residence.
Arjun was born to Indra as a result of his clandestine adultery with
Pandu's wife, he had no hesitation in committing adultery with the
wives of other men. One day when Indra saw Ruchi, the beautiful wife
of Devasarma, he became extremely passionate and wanted to seduce her.
But Ruchi chased Indra out ,and he had to go away disappointed.
On another occasion Indra could not control his sexual passion when he
saw Goutama's wife Ahalya. He committed adultery with Ahalya when her
husband was away. On his return home Goutama saw Indra in sexual
interlock with his wife. Goutama cursed both of them.
Once Aruna visited Devaloka in the disguise of a woman. When Indra saw
this woman in disguise he could not control his passion. He had sexual
intercourse with this imitation woman. Bali was born as the result of
this un-natural homosexual cohabitation.
KRISHNA
Krishna is the 9th incarnation of Mahavishnu. Like Jesus Christ,
Krishna was born as the "son of man" at Ambadi among cowherds.
Although he had sixteen thousand and eight wives, Krishna did not let
other women go free. Once, when he saw some Gopi women bathing in the
river Kalindi, Krishna carried away their clothes from the bank of the
river, and got on a nearby tree to feast his eyes on the Gopi women
bathing in the nude. He returned their dresses only after each of them
came out of the water and worshipped him so that he could see their
nude bodies in full. It is claimed that Krishna was so potent that he
could satisfy all his 16008 wives at the same time.
RAMA
Sri Rama was another incarnation of Mahavishnu. He and his three
brothers Lakshmanan, Bharatha and Shatrugna were born to three wives
of King Dasharatha. Like Jesus, Ram and his brothers were not through
a human father although Dasharatha was the husband of their mothers.
They were conceived in their mothers' wombs as a result of the three
women eating portions of a sacred porridge.
JESUS CHRIST
Although St.Mary's other children were born to her husband Joseph, it
is said that Jesus alone was born to her as she got conceived through
Holy Ghost, one of the three-in-one god of the Christians. Although
May had many children, she is worshipper as a virgin by Christians.
SHEELAVATI'S CONCEPTION
According to a Buddhist scripture Sheelavati conceived in an unusual
way like St.Mary and the wives of King Dasaratha without sexual
congress with a man. Shakra in the Develoka knew that Sheelavati on
the earth was pinning to have a child. God Shakra came down to the
earth one night when Sheelavati was sleeping. He touched Sheelavati's
navel with his toe, and she conceived and gave birth to a child.
SABARIMALAI SASTHA
Sabarimalai Sastha or Ayyapa is a sylvan god worshipped by the
credulous Hindus of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India. He is the son born
to Siva and Vishnu as a result of a homosexual act.
To escape from the curse of the powerful demon Durwasa, all the gods
joined together and churned the milky ocean to gather "Amrut"-a butter-
like ambrosia. They collected the "Amrut" in a pot, and kept it to be
served at a heavenly feast. An Asura (demon) from the nether world
stole the pot of " Amrut from Develoka. When the loss of the ambrosia
was detected, the omniscient Vishnu was able to know where it was. He
went to the nether world in the guise of Mohini, a woman of exquisite
beauty, and brought and back the "Amrut" and served it to the gods.
When Mohini was serving the Amrut, Shiva got intoxicated with her
beauty and had sexual intercourse with her, who was in reality Vishnu.
Vishnu became pregnant as a result of the homosexual act, and gave
birth to Sastha from his thigh. Both Shiva and Vishnu discarded this
un-naturally born illegitimate child in the forests of Sabarimalai in
Kerala.
JAGANNATH
Jagannath is the god enshrined in the famous Hindu temple at Puri.
Sankarachariya, the spiritual head of the present Hindus of India, is
the devotee of Jagannath of Puri. Hundreds of measures of rice and dal
are cooked here daily to feed the thousands of worshippers.
At the Jaya-Vijiya gate of this temple various type of sexual orgies
of the god Jagannath can be seen sculptured on granite stones. On the
outer walls of this temple are life-size sculptures of the 64 types of
sexual mating of men and women as described in the Kamasutra of
Vatsyayana.
The dance Bhajan in this temple begins after 10 p.m each day behind
closed doors. It is performed by one of the 120 dancing girls in the
service of the temple. Each night a new dancing girl will have to come
to the temple to dance before god Jaganath. This dance is witnessed
only by the lifeless statue of Jagnnath and the Brahmin priest who
plays on the musical instrument.
As the dance heightens to a crescendo, the girl discards her dress and
dances stark naked. She then throws herself to the statue of Jagannath
in an ecstasy shouting "O Lord, I am thy bride, please make love with
me".
Whether it is the lifeless idol of Jagannath or the living Brahmin
priest who makes love with her is not known.
Dancing girls who have retired form the service of god Jagannath are
now making both ends meet by leading a life of prostitution in the
streets of holy Puri. Their patrons are the worshippers who come in
their thousands to the sacred city.
In reality none of these gods exist or ever existed. They are the
products of mental fantasies of some surrealistic creative thinkers of
the past. Even today there are mentally deranged persons indulging in
creating new gods. All the amorous stores connected with these gods
also are the subjective creations of sex-starved surrealistic thinkers
obsessed with sexual thoughts.
The abominable and perverted morality among the godmen of India may be
due to the abnormal sex behaviour of their gods! Tall Brook, the
American devotee of Sai Baba, has written in his book about Sai Baba's
homosexual assaults on himself and other fair-skinned youths at
Puttaparti.
According to Beatle John Lennon, the reason why the Beatles left
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the Maharishi"s attempt to rape one of their
women-Mia Farrow.
Guru Maharaj Ji was caught by a hidden camera in osculatory embrace
with the house-maid while his American wife was in another room.
The first Shankarachariya-Adisanakara-who led a celibate life claimed
omniscience. He could not answer a question from a devotee about sex
matters as he could not speak with authority about a thing he had not
experienced. So he asked the devotee to come later, and said that he
would answer him after experiencing sex. It is stated that
Shankaracharya got into the body of a married man, and had sex with
his wife.
Those who clamour for teaching religion in schools realize the dangers
of teaching innocent children in their impressionable ages obscene
stories about these imaginary gods. According to the modern standards
of civilized man's ethics and morality these gods are very bad
examples for our children to emulate. Let use refrain from teaching
falsehood to our children in the name of religion! ²
Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 3:44 PM
Asim,
You just make absurd statements only to show the shallowness of your
knowledge on Kashmir. Just as every Pakistani (particularly when they
meet a Hindu Indian) says s/he is from Azad Kashmir and sounds foolish
so does your view.
Let's see:
1. Exactly contrary to what you have written, Kashmir IS indeed Hindu
vs. Muslim (Secularism vs. Islam). That's what Hurriyat hardliner Syed
Geelani states why he is calling for Azadi of Kashmir. In conclusion
he says that however Azad Kashmir is impossible; so he wants Kashmir
liberated and merged with Pakistan (Islamic Republic).
2. Kashmir was not stolen by India. Its accession was legal; Maharaja
Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession with India when Paki
troops were attacking Srinagar. It was legal but a crafty move that
Nehru played to get Kashmir. Did Raja go against the wishes of the
majority of his people (Muslims) ? Yes. Did he do anything illegal ?
NO.
3. If Hindus and Jews have to vacate lands which have been occupied by
Hindus and Jews, then USA has to vacate what we know as America.
That's not possible. The European settlers came here, decimated the
local Indian population, and then ruled. Texas was stolen from Mexico.
Will Texas be ever handed back to Mexico by USA ? No. Going by such
and other similar precedences I do not see how Kashmir can be handed
back. In the extreme case, India needs to launch an all out full-scale
war against Pakistan of graphic dimensions to settle this score that's
been a pain on India's behind for 60 years. India has been terrorized
by Muslim fundies from Pakistan just because of this.
4. Palestine belongs to Jewish people. If you want the "Muslim lands"
to be surrendred by Jewish people, then there must be reciprocity. I
know from the Quran that, at the end, Muhammad ordered all Jews out of
Arabia. The Quran documents in various surahs that Jews lived in
Yathrib till Muhammad drove them out of their ancestral lands or had
them killed. Noone remained who was a non-Muslim. If today Palestine
will be given back, why Mecca will not be handed back to Israel ?
Makes sense ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 3:22 PM
This is disgusting. How can people drink cows urine. Deb or whatever
do you worship SEX organs. Is that true. Please enlighten us.
Posted by: Michael | August 27, 2008 3:12 PM
ENDER
What about Christians insisting on proselytizing Hindus with western
money and power.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 3:08 PM
Kashmir is no different than Palestine:both are occupied respectively
by brute Indian miliatry force and jewish brutal military force backed
by nuclear arsenals.
Thr issue is stolen or occupied land:and not Muslim vs Hindu or Arab/
Muslim vs jew-once the jews go back where they come from and the
ethnically cleanesed Palestinians who now number over six million are
allowed to return to PAlestine from their exile by the jews-all will
be peaecful.
Similarily once the occupying Indian army leaves and a UN sponsered
right of self-determination is enforced them peace will also prevail
in Kashmir.
It is all about stolen or occupied land in PAlestine and KAshmir and
not about people hating each other.
Posted by: Asim, San Antonio | August 27, 2008 2:43 PM
Christians in India would not have a problem if they did not insist on
proselytizing. Hindu and Jain Indians have hundreds of years of
experience with evengelical Muslims proselytizing with a sword in
their hand. Hindus never proselytize and don't really consider it your
right to do it to them. If they become dissatified with their religion
they'll come to you, or the Buddha.
Posted by: ender | August 27, 2008 1:40 PM
Pope condemns religious violence in India
Vatican city: Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday condemned anti-Christian
violence in India, where at least 11 people were killed in three days
of violence as Christians clashed with Hindu mobs attacking churches,
shops and homes
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/pope-condemns-religious-violence-in-india/72296-2.html
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 1:06 PM
Yukii,
Worshiping S** organs and drinking cows urine, Jesus christ. I appeal
to all hindus come to christianity. Make Jesus your savior. Shun these
filthy practises.
Posted by: George | August 27, 2008 12:47 PM
Sikhs have indeed borne the bestiality of the barbarian Mughal rulers.
Guru Arjan Dev was burnt alive at the command of Aurangzeb, for his
refusal to convert to Islam. The same intolerance is seen today in
Kashmir. Sikhs have been butchered in the hands of Muslims in times of
Partition in 1947. This small community is mostly of gallant, fun-
loving people.
ISLAM IS A BARBARIC RELIGION.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:59 AM
Let's not forget the Sikhs, with the most recent claim to governance
of Kashmir other than the British, whom have been pretty much force
out of the region by outrageous human rights violations.
India was a Hindu nation that was conquered by Muslims then retaken by
Hindus many hundreds of years ago. Using standard Islamic practice,
Islam used its period of armed conquest to import millions of Muslims
and attempt to take over a nation by sheer numbers. Since Muslims
traditionally insist on Islamic states with a state gov't and don't
play well with others, India was kind enough in '47 to follow a UN
recommendation and voluntarily give up Pakistan for an Islamic state.
Sikhs ruled Kashmir at the time. Pakistani Islamicist have been
infiltrating and replacing the Hindu and Sikh population for 50+ years
and are using their normal terrorist tactics to take more of India. If
the Indian police or military fight back, they are blamed for human
rights violations, while Muslims force Islamic law on the entire area.
India should not give up another inch to Muslim invaders. They should
learn to live in a Secular society or move.
Posted by: ender | August 27, 2008 11:35 AM
Khan,
Pedophilia (sex with minors) is a bestial act (in view of modern
ethics). Prophet Muhammad has engaged in sex with Ayesha when the
little girl was 9 years old and he was 53 years old. (Opinions vary,
but the majority have agreed on the age of Ayesha when Prophet has
sexual intercourse with her.) I do not hold anything against Prophet
Muhammad for this. It's an incident that happened 1400 years ago. How
can we judge an incident that happened 1400 years ago based on the
attitudes of the 21st century ? That's unfair, and I give Prophet a
benefit of doubt. But, if you have sex with a minor you shall be
incarcerated and live in jail forever. If I am sitting in the jury on
your trial I'd probably recommend death-penalty because of having sex
with minors. It is same as raping a minor. That's a big no no in my
worldview/ethics. Pedophiles have no place in a civilized society as
ours. But, I won't have the same hatred for the same incident
occurring 1400 years ago. Get the drift ?? So, your citing of the
worship of sex organs in the animist/pagan Hindu rituals don't bother
me (or other Hindus). You come across as, unfortunately, as an
unintelligent, confused person unable to discern between issues. Thus
you have no credibility, and is just another distracting irritant on
this blog.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:34 AM
Oh My Goodness, Bengali Dhoti has again resorted to personal attacks.
He isfrustrated and needs help. So you agree hindus do worship sex
organs atleast you have devoloped some courage to accept it. It is
because we have been showing you the right path and truth. And as
somebody said in the end truth prevails. I think we need to spend some
more time with you and I hope you will definitely embrase Islam the
greatest monotheistic religion. By providing a web address of some
creepy hindu organisation what are you trying to prove. Obiviously
these phallic worshipers will not talk good about Islam. I have
provided so much of evidence, that Hinduism doesn't even exist.
I think your own leaders who brought you independence have said that
Gita and Ramayna is ajust a literature a katha not more than that.
Come embrese Islam you will find truth. May almighty help you and show
you the right path
Amen.
See I am your wellwisher, I never curse you, really I pray that
almighty show you truth and a right path.
Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 11:12 AM
Anon. Christian,
Obviously you are Muslim hiding under anonymous blogname.
No Christian I know would mispell "Hallelujah" which you wrote "Alla-
luya". Obviously you are just trying to spell based on dipthongs/
phonetics and is off the mark.
For the record, I visited the site
http://www.geocities.com/indiafas/Hindu/hindu.htm
that apparently contains information which Khan has posted. Well,
partly they are true I admit. In particular the excesses of caste
seems true. But there are some features of this cite. The authors such
as Bipan Chandra, Sumit Sarkar who have been excerpted are themselves
well-known Marxists/Communists. That does not mean everything is
false. But, there is a misconception from what is posted. Some of the
Christian blognames, which I suspect are basically Muslims or one
Muslim, have expressed dismay at the mention of worship of "sex
organs" in the Hindu pantheon. Well, Hindu pantheon admits atheism,
paganism and even strict monotheism.
What is posted on the site is basically about Hindu society and tied
to "religious practices". Hindus of today hardly follow much of these.
The present cannot be judged on past. Hindu society has evolved and
considerably so than any of the Abrahamic societies (Judaism,
Christianity and of course the barbaric Islam). Malpractices have
happened and do happen. But, in general the society has much evolved
and in terms of progress kicked Islamic societies backwards. Muslims
are the most backward societies because they are ordained to live in
the past (per Quran). To the credit, Hindus did not go with the sword
from land to land and convert the locals by force or have brought
calamity on others like Muslims did and are even doing now (Kashmir).
But as a tit-for-tat, I am linking the following site which contains
details about the horrors of Islam.
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/
Just read the various articles there and make up your own opinions.
This site also suggests that Muhammad's wives were raped before
Prophet married them. Also, Muhammad was a mass-murderer and he
incited genocide of non-Muslims.
My view is that there is wrongs with any society. And one's way of
lifestyle maybe unpalatable to others. However as long as that
lifestyle/practice does not interfere with others, there should be no
problem.
Allah mian has asked Muhammad to kill non-Muslims; that is a serious
problem.
Islam is a barbaric religion. Kashmir shall remain as an integral part
of India.
P.S.: "Joseph", FYI, Kama Sutra is not a part of any Hindu "religion".
It is a sex manual. Ask your mom; she must have used it to get you
here.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:47 AM
Jesus Christ, what a crap. Sex organs being worshiped.
YUKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!
Posted by: Chris | August 27, 2008 10:26 AM
Khan Sahib
Thanks for going in to details and exposing this sexy religeon full of
Kama-Sutra details. These penile,vagina and boob worshipers will never
understand the greatness of all the monothiestic religeons. I swear to
God they have that inferiority complex in their minds about their
baseless and crappy faith, but they have no balls to accept like their
Rama did not have. Nobody has even commented about the ciciness of
Rama in not freeing his wife from Rawana, who had her for 14 years.
The primary reason he took her was lust and these stupid people still
call her Pavitra. They have nothing to disprove it .Not only that they
even celebrate her pavitrata since then. ( What a Joke) You have done
a commendable job in trying to make these bigots to understand the
greatness of Islam, but as is mentioned in Quran, these Kafirs will
never hear, listen and see the true virtue of this great religeon.
Penile worshipers come out of this crap and embrace the great religeon
called islam. We are waiting for people like you who have nowhere to
go. Allah will take care of you. HE is merciful and forgiving.Come out
of confusion and embrace reality and not fiction.
Posted by: Joseph | August 27, 2008 10:24 AM
Yek,
After reading Khan's comments in detail, which infact seem to be
substantiated by literature, I thank Jesus that I did not convert to
hinduism. I can not believe that these guys perform such praying
practices. I almost felt nauseated.
Alla-Luya
Posted by: Anonymous Christian | August 27, 2008 10:08 AM
bENGALI DHOTI,
Come on I dare you to deny any of the allegations of your own
coreligionist Dr chatterjee. I feel sorry for people like you. You
look frustrated and desparate. Come On Embrase Islam. I pray almighty
shows you a right path.
Leave this ignorance and embrase the truth. Leave this filth and come
to purity.
Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 7:22 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Khan wrote:
"Prophet Mohammad Stands Number one."
Number one in phallus (lingam) stone kisser, yes. He also drank and
recommended camel urine for getting rid of illnesses.
Michael Hart wrote the book as his opinion. Other books you have cited
were much earlier. They are pre 9/11 books and the authors would have
a totally different view if they were aware of 9/11.
Prof. Samuel Huntington (Harvard University) wrote scathing
commentaries on Islam and Clash of Civilizations. Wanna know what he
wrote ?
Ibn Warraq has most vicious comments on Islam in his book WHY AM I NOT
A MUSLIM ? He opines that Muhammad was an impostor and crook. Warraq
thinks Muhammad invented Islam to suit his own political and murderous
agenda of global domination. He also thinks, based on a few distinct
sources, that Muhammad was indeed possessed by devil (Iblees).
Robert Spencer's biography (taken from Ibn Ishaq's earliest
biographies of Prophet Muhammad makes it clear that Muhammad was a war-
mongering, womanizer - attributes that CCNL has also confirmed in his
blogs on this thread.
Why should anyone convert to a barbaric religion called Islam ? It
seems that you are trying to drag others into your own pitiful state -
that being a Muslim.
I suggest that you reject Islam and get a life !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 1:14 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Holly crap what the hell. Is this true that hindis worship P!!!!!
Yukkkkk
Posted by: Steve | August 27, 2008 12:36 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Truth Seeker, Truth Seeker, Truth Seeker,
What newspapers have you been reading?
Once again the flaws and errors of Islam hopefully to be published on
the front page of every newspaper in the world:
Islam 101-
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/ hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque
bombers, the 24/7 Shiite suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the
Islamic bombers of the trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies,
the Kenya crazies, the Pakistani “koranics”, the
Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the Lebanese nutcases, the
Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.
And who funds this muck and stench of terror?
The warmongering, Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran
aka the Third Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi
Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder.
And "Truth Seeker" or any other Muslim out there: we await your
rebuttal the above synopsis.
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 27, 2008
12:15 AM
Bengali Dhoti
This what people have to say about my Prophet(PBUH)
If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding
results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare
to compare any great man in modem history with Muhammad?
The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only
They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers
which often crumbled away before their eyes This man moved
not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but
millions of men in one-third of the then-inhabited world; and
more than that he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the
ideas, the beliefs and souls.... His forbearance in victory, his
ambition which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no
manner striving for an empire, his endless prayers, his mystic
conversations with God, his death and his triumph after deathall
these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction
which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was
twofold: the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the
former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not;
the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other
starting an idea with the words. Philosopher, orator, apostle,
legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational
dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty
terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is
Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human
greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any
man greater than he?
- Lamartine
Histoire de la Turquie, Pans 1854, Vol. 11, pp. 276-77.
It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion
that deserves our wonder; the same pure and perfect
impression which he engraved at Mecca and Madina is
preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the
Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran...
The Mahometans have uniformly withstood the temptation of
reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with
the senses and imagination of man. I believe in One God and
Mahomet is the Apostle of God' is the simple and invariable
profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has
never been degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the
prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue;
and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his
disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.
- Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay
History of the Saracen Empire, London 1870, p 54.
He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's
pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a
standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without
a fixed revenue. If ever any man had the right to say that he
ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammad, for he had all the
power without its instruments and without its supports.
- Bosworth Smith
Mohammad and Mohammadanism, London 1874, p 92.
It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character
of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and
how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty
Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And
although in what I put to you I shall say many things which
may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read
them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for
that mighty Arabian teacher.
- Annie Besant
The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras 1932, p 4
His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high
moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up
to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate
achievement all argue his fundamental integrity To suppose
Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves.
Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly
appreciated in the West as Muhammad.
- W Montgomery Watt
Mohammad At Mecca, Oxford, 1953, p 52.
Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born
about AD. 570 into an Arabian tube that worshipped idols.
Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the
poor and needy the widow and the orphan, the slave and the
downtrodden. At twenty he was already a successful
businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a
wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five his employer,
recognizing his meet, proposed marriage. Even though she was
fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived
remained a devoted husband. Like almost every major prophet
before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the
transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy But the
angel commanded Read'. So far as we know, Muhammad was
unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired
words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the
earth: "There is one God." In all things Muhammad was
profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an
eclipse occurred, and rumors of God's personal condolence
quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have
announced,' An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish
to attribute such things to the death or birth of a humanbeing."
At Muhammads own death an attempt was made to
deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative
successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches
in religious history: 'If there are any among you who
worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you
worshipped, He lives for ever'.
James A. Michene~
"Islam: The Misunderstood Religion,"
Reader's Digest (Amencan ea.) May 1955, pp. 68-70.
My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most
influential persons may surprise some readers and may be
questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who
was supremely successful on both the religious and secular
level.
Michael H. Hart
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History,
New York: Hart Publishing Company Inc. 1978, p 33.
Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 12:13 AM
Deboo does it hurt when the truth prevails. I can see desparation in
you tone. Come to Islam leave this creepy religion.
Prophet Muhammad - The Most Influential Man in History
from the book by Michael Hart
The following is from Michael Hart's book and lists Prophet Muhammad
as the most influential man in History. A Citadel Press Book,
published by Carol Publishing Group
Ranking of the twenty from the list of 100:
Prophet Muhammad
Isaac Newton
Jesus Christ
Buddha
Confucius
St. Paul
Ts'ai Lun
Johann Gutenberg
Christopher Columbus
Albert Einstein
Karl Marx
Louis Pasteur
Galileo Galilei
Aristotle
Lenin
Moses
Charles Darwin
Shih Huang Ti
Augustus Caesar
Mao Tse-tung
Prophet Mohammad Stands Number one.
None of your creepy Gods is even mentioned anywhere.
This book is not written by a muslim, a pakistani or a kashmiri.
Again I tell you read the quran and please understand it. I again pray
to almighty he shows you a right path.
Come and embrace Islam, leave this filthy religion in which there is
nothing but filth. I am seeing desparation in your words, Islam is a
religion of peace, forgiveness and passion embrace it you will find
the difference.
Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 12:07 AM
Khan fulminated:
"Your Temples in south India have small phaluses of stone made."
Hmmmm......Is that all you got ?
The black stone at Ka'aba (Makkah) is a "shiva lingam" (Lord Shiva's
phallus) too ! Prophet Muhammad kissed that stone understanding that
it was indeed a "shivalingam".
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 11:42 PM
Anonymous urf Bengali Baboa urf Bengali dhoti.Sarojni Naido and MGK
have not read quran and Hadees and You have read it and in fact
understood it. Well I again invite you to this great religion. Again
pray to almighty that he shows you a right path, to differentiate
between just and injust, right and wrong. Truth and falsehood.
Again I am challenging you, you cant even dare to deny what Dr
chatterjee has written. Your own brother, your coreligionist has a
clear message for you.
You live in this great country called US. Have you told your white
friends about your faith, that you worship sex organs (LINGHUM AND
YOONI) you worship elephants and monkeys as they are your GODS. You
worhip snakes. You drink cows urine as you think it is your mother.
Your Temples in south India have small phaluses of stone made.That,
your female who cant concieve use these intruments while in the temple
and then sleep with the priests, you have prostitution intemples
(Devdasi Culture)
Posted by: Khan | August 26, 2008 11:21 PM
KHAN, don't get all that carried away. MKG and Sarojini Naidu did not
read the Quran, Hadiths and Shariah Law. Their opinions are based on
what Muslims told them about Islam and Mohammad.
Jews in Mecca in Mohammad's time were not so impressed. They were
willing to die than give up their religion.
Read the Bible in full if you want to understand the Quran properly.
All the persons mentioned in the Quran are mentioned in the Bible too,
except in a slightly different way.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 11:04 PM
KOSHUR, don't be fooled, should Kashimiris ever break away from Indian
rule, there is no way on earth that they can stay independent, for
Pakistan will lay claim to the country with a Muslim majority.
Pakistan was created that way in 1947, and there is no reason why they
won't use the same reasoning to annexe an independent Kashmir.
Beware of what you pray for separatist Kashmiri Muslims. You have more
to lose if your prayer should come true. You are going to need a
passport and visa to enter India, a work permit to apply for any job
(remember even people from the West are looking for the Indian market)
in India. Alternatively you will need to seek jobs in Pakistan.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 10:58 PM
Bengali Dhoti, Just deny any of the allegation of Dr chatterjee about
your religion.
This what Hindu Leaders have to say abot Prophet Mohammad(PBUH)
Mr. Mahatma Gandhi:
"Someone has said that Europeans in South Africa dread the advent
Islam -- Islam that civilized Spain, Islam that took the torch light
to Morocco and preached to the world the Gospel of brotherhood. The
Europeans of South Africa dread the Advent of Islam. They may claim
equality with the white races. They may well dread it, if brotherhood
is a sin. If it is equality of colored races then their dread is well
founded."
And in "Young India", he wrote:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway
over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced
that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in
the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-
effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his
intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his
fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These
and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every
obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I
was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
Miss. Sarojini Naidu, Poetess, in Ideals of Islam: It was the first
religion that preached and practiced democracy; for in the mosque,
when the minaret is sounded and the worshipers are gathered together,
the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant
and the king kneel side by side and proclaim, God alone is great." The
great poetess of India continues, "I have been struck over and over
again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes a man
instinctively a brother. When you meet an Egyptian, an Algerian and
Indian and a Turk in London, it matters not that Egypt is the
motherland of one and India is the motherland of another."
Prof. Ramakrishna Rao, in "Muhammad the Prophet of Islam":
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the
whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic
succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet.
There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad,
the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad,
the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad,
the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint.
All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human
activities, he is alike a hero." ... Muhammad is the "Perfect model
for human life."
Posted by: KHAN | August 26, 2008 10:56 PM
Khan wrote:
"I would, like Joseph, appeal you again come and embrace islam. you
will have solace and peace by embracing this great religion."
Can accept death, like my fellow Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were
slaughtered by Muslims, but never Islam.
Islam is a barbaric religion.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 10:44 PM
Bengali dhoti, Come on repond to Dr Chatterjee's remarks about
hinduism. He is not a muslim, he is not an ISI member, he is not a
pakistani nor a kashmiri. You will again say he is a converted muslim.
Infact he is not. go and google his name you will come to know about
his contribution.
I have shown you a mirror. I would, like Joseph, appeal you again come
and embrace islam. you will have solace and peace by embracing this
great religion. May almighty help in understanding what is right and
what is wrong. I pray that almighty show you a right path.Stop bashing
any religion.Dont do it. You dont want me to bring more disgrace to
you and your coreligionists.
Posted by: KHAN | August 26, 2008 10:38 PM
Khansaheb:
Thanks for the run down on Hindu pantheon. Some of it is quite
interesting. I am curious to know the ISBN of the book ("Oh! You Hindu
Awake") by Dr. Kamal Chatterjee, M.A., PH.D (U.S.A), (which is your
source). If Prophet Muhammad knew about such wonderful carnal
knowledge, he would also consider embracing Hinduism instead of
Islam.
Can you provide us with the complete reference, please ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 10:32 PM
CCNL,
You are defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan like how you were defeated in
Vietnam. Russia has reemerged as super power. China is emerging.Your
muslim bashing is not going to help anymore.Better listen Barak Obama
and be friendly with muslim countries if you want to save your sinking
economy
Posted by: TRUTH SEEKER | August 26, 2008 10:28 PM
Report Offensive Comment
DEB, we suspect patriotism of uppercast Hindus. All you guys want to
do is grab power by hook or crook. There is no riots in Mayawathi
ruled utterpradesh, Lalu ruled Bihar, Communists ruled Kerala or
Karunanidhi ruled Tamilnadu. We Muslims Dalits, Adivasis and Backward
casts will unite and rule India one day. That will be the end of
terrorism and riots. But we will give you guys due respect then
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 10:22 PM
I would have never posted these articles here but it is important to
expose these worshipers of phallus.
Here comes more from Dr Chatterjee
KALI-GODDESS OF VIOLENCE
A recent report by United Press trust of India (UPI) stated that
during the past three years more than 2,500 young boys and girls were
sacrificed to goddess Kali in India. Another of AFP's recent reports
say: hundreds of young boys and virgin girls are sacrificed every
month for the deity Kali. In one case Rama Sewak hacked his eight year
old son to death in broad daylight in Dehii because goddess Kali had
told him he would come back to life and bring him good fortune.
Bloodthirsty Kali is worshipped openly the length and breadth of
India.
Kali's statue stands naked astride the inanimate body of the Hindu
deity Shiva, tongue stuck out with blood dripping from fang-like
teeth. She holds a noose, a skull-topped staff, a blood-encrusted
sword and a severed head. She is also known as Durga, Devi, Shaktima,
Uma and Parvathi in other manifestations.
The priest of Delhi, Kali Bari, says that a child sacrificed to Kali
ensures a man the birth of a son. Human sacrifices are also made to
these gods or goddesses, either to appease them or to ask favours of
them.
Bihar's police chief J. Sahay said: "We have tried our best to curb
human sacrifices, but what can an agency do when an entire village
chooses a victim and cuts off his head with his parent's consent."
Bihar's famous lawyer, Urnkant Chaturvedi, said that "Human sacrifice
under our law is treated as murder, but the killer- never found - is
always the local high priest." He continues, "at times the local
policemen are reluctant to take action because of the inbred fear of
the gods and goddesses."
A famous human sacrifice occurred in 1972 when a powerful leader in
Maharashtra state- in order to find a treasure - offered blood from 11
virgin girls to Manja. He did not find the treasure, but four persons
were hanged for the crime and the main culprit escaped because of his
political influence. Some time ago, two brothers named Siddharth and
Ravi asked their 21 year old sister Shobha to take a bath and come for
prayers to a nearby temple in Kerala State. To her horror, the
brothers pierced her with a sword and iron rods whilst chanting Vedic
mantras. Withering in pain, she begged for pity, but she was cut to
pieces and her body burned bit by bit. The brothers had done it to
unearth a hidden treasure. At first they tried to find another victim
but when they failed to find another virgin girl, they sacrificed
their own sister.
One may ask why this human sacrifice is so prevalent in Brahmanic
society and is sanctioned in the Vedas (where it is mentioned as
`purushamedha'? Was it, as is sometimes fraudulently claimed, due to
cannibal Adivasi influence ? No ! The answer is : Human sacrifice was
spread amongst the non-Brahmins by the Brahmins in order to make the
non-Brahmins kill each other. One may ask, could this not boomerang
onto the Brahmins themselves ? The Big Brahmins had of course thought
of this : Only Brahmin children are exempted by the Vedas from human
sacrifice.
GODDESS PANCHALI
This goddess was married to five brothers. Which one would become the
legitimate father of his child should she have one? Dr Charles says
that instances of incest are common in Hindu scriptures.
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI - "HIS HOLINESS"!
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI, NIRANJAN DEV TEERTH, one of the BRAHMINS'
supreme Spiritual leaders, gave an interview to the Kalyan (Hindu)
monthly magazine. Extracts are given below:
Q: "Maharaj! if a Shudra acts righteously, can he become a Brahmin?"
A: "If the Shudra acts according to his code and keeps within the
limit of Varnashrama he may become a Brahmin in the next birth - but
never in the present."
Q: "Is the belief in the caste system essential?"
A: "Yes, it is very essential. There can be no PROGRESS without belief
in caste system.
Q: "Maharaj! The change of caste depends on deeds and virtues."
A: "No, it depends on birth and not on deeds. Caste depends on birth,
deeds cannot change it. This is an IRREFUTABLE TRUTH".
At the inaugurating of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (RSS Branch) at Patna
in April 1969, the Shankaracharya (of course he is a Brahmin! ) said:
"Untouchabitity is a part and parcel of Hindu social system, I shall
cling to this belief even if they HANG ME. "
On Low Caste Hindus! Have a look and see what the Brahmin MANU says
(Chapter VIII Sloka 4,14). "Slavery is inborn among the Shudras and no
one can free them from it".
The Brahmin MANU again says in Chapter 19, Sloka 413: "Sri Brahmin had
intended from eternity that the Untouchables should be born slaves,
live as slaves, and die as slaves."
On another occasion the Acharya said that there was no way out for a
woman who becomes a widow other than to commit Sati. He said he will
oppose the Sati law even if the Government of India HANGS him.
Instead of sending him to prison, according to the Indian
constitution, this fanatic priest is often visited and worshipped by
the top Brahmin leaders in India.
ACHARYA RAJNEESH
This is none other than the internationally famous "SEX SWAMIJI." He
preaches free sex involving orgies and he says that before life comes
to an end one should indulge in as much sexual activity as is humanly
possible. This he claims is what blissful heavenly life is. He is a
true swami, in that, he not only preaches but is also actively
involved in practising what he preaches.
He also teaches the love for wealth and materialism. Little wonder
that this "god man" owns over ninety Rolls Royces and a ranch in
America! Rajneesh and his "Holy" group are well known to carry all
kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.
CHANDRA SWAMI
This controversial "globe trotting" godman has links with scandals
like the Bofors scandal. He spends much of his time attending to the
individual problems of Hollywood stars, multi-millionaires and other
famous people. Should anything happen to them he rushes to their aid
in a chartered private jet. He never misses an opportunity to pose for
photographs with them so as to appear in international magazines like
Time and Newsweek. Why doesn't he attend to some of Indian's problems
as well?
Pamella Bordes, the Ex-beauty queen of India, and a well known
prostitute, was used by this Swamiji for some of his international
frauds which have come to light very recently.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI (THE GODLY RAMBOH)
Why does a "HOLY MAN" need a GUN FACTORY? This Swamiji has one! A gun
with a licence to protect himself is justifiable ....... but this
Swamiji needs a gun factory to protect himself ? He also has had a
helicopter pad constructed for his convenience. (His followers include
Nani Palkiwala and Manoj Kumar).
The author has very high appreciation for the following HOLY MEN in
preference to other HOLY MEN:
RAJNEESH - THE SEXY "HOLY" MAN.
MAHARISH - THE FLYING "HOLY" MAN.
CHANDRA SWAMI - THE HOLLYWOOD "HOLY" MAN.
SAI BABA - THE MAGIC "HOLY" MAN.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI - THE "GODLY" RAMBO
THE HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT
This group is now attracting hundreds of drug addicts in the U.S. and
THE WEST. Like the Hindu Saints (Sanyasis) of Kashi (Varnasi) they
smoke and take drugs in all sorts of different forms.
A UNI press report (15-8-1987) said, under the heading of "SECT CHIEF
IS CONVICTED KILLER". - that the Hare Krishna's chief is a convicted
killer and drug dealer. The swami, 38 year old Thomas Drescher, is
imprisoned at the West Virginia state penitentiary for gunning down
Steven Bryant, 33, in Los Angeles. Drescher was also convicted in 1979
for manufacturing and distributing drugs and was found guilty in
January 1983 of slaying a Krishna devotee. Finally the report
concludes that since 1977, seven of the original I I gurus named by
the HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA movements founder have been removed for
reasons ranging from CHILD abuse, DRUG dealing and SEXUAL
promiscuity.
O Ramacandra, these scriptural injunctions were laid down by learned
men, skilled in inducing others to give, and finding other means of
obtaining wealth, thus subjugating the simple-minded. Their doctrine
is 'Sacrifice, give in charity, conse- crate yourselves, undergo
austerities, and become ascetics'. 0 Rama, be wise, there exists no
world but this, that is certain! Enjoy that which is present and cast
behind thee that which is unpleasant! Adopting the principle
acceptable to all, do thou receive the kingdom offered thee by Bharat
(Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, 108).
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
What good has Hinduism done for India?
Does Hinduism have the answers for todays problems? Alcoholism -
Drugs- Divorce - Suicide etc.
To these gods move, think or speak?
Can they defend themselves if attacked; or mend themselves if broken?
Don't you think it foolish to worship these manmade objects?
Does India belong to the Indians (95 %) or the Brahmins (5%)?
Did Hinduism originate in India itself or did it come with the Aryans
via the Khyber Pass?
Can a person convert and become a Brahmin?
What is the relationship between the Aryans of India (Brahmins) and
the Aryans of Germany (Hitler's Nazis)?
Why do the Brahmins and Nazis have the same symbol - the Swastika?
(Look at the racist National Front symbols in South Africa).
Ask yourself who is your God? Is it Shiva, who has the moon and river
Ganges on his head and who could not identify his own son? Or is it
Rama who couldn't see through Sukrievan's disguise and who murdered
another god? Or could it be Krishna, the "playboy god"?
THE BRAHMIN CONSPIRACY
The conspiracy and intrigue of domination over other human beings has
been the main objective of Brahminism all along. Brahminism, an Aryan
concoction of human and insatiable lust for hegemony, sex and money,
sought to rule the ignorant and deprived masses in the name of
religion.
This is very visible from the content, tone and message of the holy
books, written and perpetuated in the name of religion by the
Brahmins. How can these books be called the word of God? They contain
the most exotic form of pornography, the most depraved norms of
behaviour and the most unjust and ugly system of life based on
extortion, cruelty and blood thirsty hunger for domination over
others. The Hindus are not Brahmins and the Brahmins are not Hindus.
At least this is evident from the books written and disseminated by
the Brahmins themselves.
The Sudroids are the original inhabitants of Hindustan, the very
people who were the true architects of the Indus Valley civilization
which was considered to be one of the best examples of human societal
development in the entire history of the human race. The barbaric
Brahmins came from the wastelands of the region beyond the Himalayas
and destroyed the great monuments of culture and civilization and
pushed the real inhabitants of India into slavery.
Slavery is the message of the Brahmins "holy" books concocted by them.
Just as the Jews divided humanity into Jew and Non Jew, so has the
Brahmin. The whole world is classified in these books as Brahmin and
Non Brahmin. The non Brahmin is to remain internally a slave unto the
"master" who has dominated Indian history since he lay his hand on
it.
We must break the chains, once and for ever. The bondage and the
slavery must go. But first let us find out what these books say. On
concept of democracy, social justice, secularism, politics, economics,
leadership and elections are all based on the wretched caste system,
an evil curse that has been spun round the necks of the innocent and
deprived.
Let us tear the mask away from those evil faces, which stare at us
from every nook and corner of our lives.
The intelligent reader can easily uncover the ulterior motives of
Brahmins as to why they incite High Caste Hindu mobs to kill Low Caste
Hindus or for creating communal tensions with other minorities ever so
often. This they do in order to continue their stranglehold on state
policies, so that they can manipulate them to their advantage; they
don't care adamn for the nation of India... Read for yourself what the
Brahmin priest Purshottam Rao has to say......
PURSHOTTAM RAO
Temple priest HYDERABAD
Q: Should sadhus enter politics?
A: There was a time when Brahmins used to dictate state policy. Now we
have been totally sidelined. The VHP is trying to correct this
historical wrong by bringing religious leaders to the forefront of our
national life. It is now time for the entire Hindu religious
leadership to once again lead the nation.
The Continuing War on Low Caste Hindus......
NEW DELHI, Sept. 19 (R) - Three Indian students set themselves ablaze
today to try to shock the government into scrapping plans to reserve
more government jobs for low castes in the Hindu hierarchy.
'This (job's plan) is for the poor classes who have been denied their
rights for thousands of years. The students shouldn't come in their
way," Paswan told Reuters. Protests led by upper-caste students began
sweeping north India soon after Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh
said on August 7 that 27 percent of government jobs would be set aside
for low castes.
Paswan was himself born an "untouchable" or outcast in the system,
which traditionally decides occupation and status by birth.
"Untouchables" prefer to call themselves "Dalits," the oppressed.
Paswan told a conference of political leaders and officials today that
the jobs plan had to go ahead to raise the status of low castes and
create a more sympathetic bureaucracy.
He said the upper castes were still taking jobs set aside 40 years ago
for Dalits by simply delaying the implementation of reservation
policies. Bureaucrats would employ an upper-caste graduate with
irrelevant qualifications for a typist's job and turn down a Dalit
trained to type at 60 words per minute, he said.
Posted by: Khan | August 26, 2008 10:09 PM
"Oh! You Hindu Awake"
by Dr. Kamal Chatterjee, M.A., PH.D (U.S.A)
For all hindu creeps. See What Dr Chatterjee has to write about your
creepy faith.
THE HINDU RELIGION EXPOSED
Brahmins always criticize, condemn and mock at other religions Their
criticism and mocking is unreasonable and unacceptable.
In his autobiography, Dr Charles , an American scholar says that it is
very simple to define a Hindu. He says a Hindu means "one who believes
in anything and everything if said in the name of god and shall never
question its authenticity".
The Brahmins claim that Lord Rama is incarnated (came in human form)
to study and understand the difficulties of mankind. Is it really
necessary for a god to incarnate Himself?? CAn he not understand the
creation? Why should God become a donkey or a cockroach in order to
understand the sufferings of these creatures?
LUSTFUL SITA VS THE "IMPOTENT" RAMA
Sita told Rama "You are no better than a woman-monger who lets his
wife for hire and makes is livelihood. You want to be profited by my
prostitution". Sita also told Rama "You lack in POTENCE, manners and
charm" & "She called her husband a simpleton".
As soon as Sita stepped into Ravan's palace her love towards Ravan
grew more. (Aranya Kandam,
Chapter 54).
When at length Rama asked Sita to swear about her chastity, she
declined and died. (Uttara kandam, Chapter 97).
Kukuvavathy, sister-in-law of Rama, said to him - "Oh Elder! How you
love Sita more than you love yourself! come with me and see what
really is in your lovely wife's heart. Still she could not forget that
fellow Ravan. Drawing a picture of Ravan on hand-fan and pressing it
closed to her bosom She is lying on your bed with eyes closed thinking
on and rejoicing at Ravan's glories. Rama sighed and went out to
Sita's house. There she was found sleeping pressing to her breast the
hand-fan on which Ravan's picture was drawn (This is found in pages
199, 200 of the Bengali Ramayana written by Mrs. Chandravathi).
If Rama loved Sita so much and Sita is held as an ideal Hindu wife,
can Hindu women tolerate their husbands leaving them in forest for the
years? Rama left Sita in forest after se became pregnant and she
delivered er two kids in forest. (DR. B. R. Ambedkar : Riddles in
Hinduism Maharashtra Govt. Publication, 1987).
WHAT LEADERS SAY ABOUT GOD RAMA?
"My Rama (god Rama) is not the Rama of Ramayana". Mahatma Gandhi
"The Ramayana and Mahabaratha are nothing but another Arabian Nights
Story". Jawaharlal Nehru
"Rama is not a god; but he is a hero" Rajagopalachari, First Governor-
General of India and a great Brahmin leader.
"Ramayan is not a divine story; it is only a literature" (Kaliyuga
Kamban, T.K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar). Babri Masjid was demolished by
Rama Bhatkas claiming that it was his birth place.
GOD SHIVA, LORD GANESH & GODDESS PARVATHI.
According to Hinduism, god Shiva's head is the source of the river
Ganges and his head is also the place where the moon is located (if
this was really a fact then why should America send astronaut Neil
Armstrong 240,000 miles away to the moon)
According to Puranas, goddess Parvathi, wife of God Shiva, sought
Shivas's permission to have a baby When Shiva refused, Paravathi took
dirt from her body and created Lord Ganesh. (The late E.V.R. Preiyar
used to call this god a "bundle fo dirt").
Later God Shiva mistakenly chopped off his own son's head. How could a
god make such a foolish mistake? Would such a god solve your problems
or make them more complicated?
To rectify his error God Shiva severed the head of baby elephant and
transplanted in onto his son who then become known as the Elephant
headed god. His statues are usually found near river-sides where he is
said to be looking for a bride resembling his mother! (There is a
different version to this story which, for decency's sake, cannot be
printed here).
DEVADASI (RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTION).
The Devadasi system was set up, according to a Times of India report
(10-11-87), as a result of conspiracy between the feudal class and the
priests (Brahmins). The latter, with their ideological and religious
hold over the peasants and craftsmen, devised a means that gave
prostitution their religious sanction. Poor low-caste Hindu girls,
initially sold at private auctions, were later "dedicated" to the
temples. They were then initiated in to prostitution Even to this day
this religious prostitution blessed by Hindu religion is still alive
in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
THE DEVADASI SYSTEM THRIVES
UNI. - TIMES OF INDIA - 10th Nov 1987: confirms that the practice of
dedication young Harijan (Hindu) girls (Mahars, Mangs, Dowris and
Chambhar) at childhood to a goddess, and their initiation into
prostitution when they attain puberty continues to thrive in
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other parts of South India. This is
largely due to social backwardness, poverty and illiteracy, according
to a study by two doctors of the India Health Organization.
The report clearly indicates that the Devadasi system was the result
of a conspiracy between the feudal class and the priests (Brahmins)
who with their ideological and religious hold over the peasants and
craftsmen, devised a practice which acquired religious sanctions. They
noted in their study on - "Devadasis" - "the link between religious
culture and child prostitution".
The study revealed that girls from poor Hindu families were sold after
puberty at private auctions to a master who initially paid a sum of
money to the families ranging from 500 to Rs. 5,000.
The study, made during health camps organized by the World Health
Organization (WHO) in the Devadasi populated areas, revealed that the
dedicated girls formed 15 percent of the total women involved in
prostitution in the country, and as much as 70 percent of the
prostitutes in the border districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
LORD KRISHNA
Lord krishna was very fond of looking at naked young girls. Once upon
a time Krishna, in order to get a full view of some bathing virgin
girls, went to the extent of hiding their clothes on the tree top just
to get a panoramic view. Does he have divine immunity from looking at
naked women?
The Gita, a Holy book of the Hindus, quotes that when these bathing
low caste girls begged for the return of their clothes, Lord Krishna
demanded that they come out of the water with their hands raised
instead of covering their bodies.
Oh my innocent Hindu brethren! Can this action be attributed to god?
Is this God capable of indulging in such ungodly acts? Will Hindu
mothers tolerate their son imitating god Krishna??
12 YEARS FOR RAMA, BUT ONE DAY TO RAVAN
To retrieve his wife from Devil Ravan, god Rama sought the help of
Hanuman, a monkey god. Hanuman agreed to help Rama bring his wife back
on condition that god Rama in turn help him (Hanuman) to kill his twin
brother prior to undertaking the mission.
I took more than twelve years for Hanuman to build a bridge and
accomplish the task while Ravan just took Sita and flew to Sri lanka
in just one day's time Where is the bridge that Rama built?? Who is
more powerful - God Rama or Devil Ravan ? Would a god seek the help of
another god to murder a third god?
If Hanuman could fly carrying big mountains, he should have in the
first instance carried and flown god Rama to Sri Lanka, which would
have resulted in early rescue of Sita.
Who knows what Ravan might have done to Sita during this period of
twelve years? Definitely a devil would have done only "devilish"
things!
Before helping god Rama, Hanuman made Rama shoot his own twin brother
in the back and only then did Hanuman help god Rama How can a "god"
indulge in such a criminal act for personal gain?
Posted by: khan | August 26, 2008 9:52 PM
Anonymous wrote:
"I am an Indian muslim and I am proud of it.We muslims in India
believe Kashmir is an integral part of India.Muslims fought war
against Pakistan and China."
Very interesting. However, this would have all made sense if we (upper
caste Hindu Brahmins) could really trust the patriotism of Indian
Muslims. While perhaps given the benefit of doubt I submit that many
Indian Muslims stand by the Indian flag with their head high, there is
a growing phenomenon that hardline radical Islam has also seeped into
the Muslim ummah in India.
There is this radical Muslim organization called SIMI (Student Islamic
Movement of India) who have engaged in bomb blasts and slaughters in
the recent times. The SIMI members are not economically impoverished,
poor folks as one would assume. They are educated and often come from
well to do established families. Radicalization of Indian Muslims has
certainly eroded the credibility of Indian Muslims in the recent
times. One can attribute this phenomenon to many factors - Babri
Masjid, Gujarat riots, Kashmir or whatever. The end result that we
Hindus would conclude from the facts is that, despite the comparable
economic upliftment, achieving positions of power and fame, and even
quotas/reservation for jobs, Muslims in India act treacherously. Yes,
Muslims have fought for India in Indo-China and Indo-Pak wars. But
with that attribute, one also finds the negative that Muslims in India
are engaged in acts of homegrown terror. I am linking this Times of
India article which indicates that Indian Mujahadeen and SIMI have
crafted a path of terror. The ToI article also suggests that these
terror activities can not be heaped upon "external" sources (such as
Pakistan).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Jaipur_blasts_script_The_homegrown_face_of_terror/articleshow/3409252.cms
This is contrary to what the Indian politicians ("dhotiwallahs/
topiwallahs") may say to the public to deflect attention away from the
homegrown terror. If what the ToI is reporting is indeed true, that,
Indian Mujahadeen is born to take revenge on the majority population
and (secular) Indian Government and would attempt to convert India
into Islamic Republic of India, then such chest beating patriotism and
Hindu blame-flaming by Indian Muslims is certainly much in suspect.
The Hindus would rightly disbelieve the collective assurances from the
Muslim ummah (but may still be trusting of the individual Muslim at a
personal level).
The core issue, and it drags Kashmir into the fiasco, is that there is
not a single country on earth where such ethnic tensions are non-
existent. India is not a "jannat"; it is a country of people with
majority having a different culture/religion than a specific
minority.
The Hindu in India observes that with the claim for phony Azadi at the
flimsiest opportunity (of what is called "Kashmiriyat"), India is
seeing homegrown Islamic terrorism from Muslims who are educated and
well-established in life. The two could very well be connected.
Everything is possible after 9/11. (Little wonder that Kafeel Ahmed
died of third degree burns in England when he could not blow up the
Glasgow airport in England. Kafeel came from a family of wealthy
doctors in Bangalore, and had a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics
from Ireland. He was not from the economically impoverished class.)
So, by giving job/education quotas to Muslims, and Muslims achieving
upward social climbs, the fanatical and self-destructive fascination
with radical Islam by Indian Muslims is taking shape. It is plausible
to speculate that now that Indian Muslims have achieved some measure
of empowerment on all fronts, they are out to chop off the hand that
feeds them.
All this shows that Hindus may not believe a Muslim. After all, it is
the agenda of Islamization that is ultimately the main goal ("maqsad")
of a Muslim ( Indian/Paki/Bangladeshi/Egyptian/Afghani/Turk...)
whatever. Remaining politically correct with Islam and Muslims is self-
destructive and to that end, if Kashmir secedes, India must declare
itself as a Hindu state.
The situation is that if Hindus continue to be tolerant of homegrown
radical Islam, then they may not exist in the near future to further
demonstrate their tolerance, that Indian Muslims are so fond of. It is
like if one starts by being kind towards evil, then s/he ends up being
evil towards the kind.
The barbaric religion of Islam needs to be dominated before it
dominates others. Islam always had bloody borders. Kashmir is an
example that Indians have painfully realized.
RSS = Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps) is an
organization which speaks for Hindutva and Hindus. Nothing wrong with
it.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 9:40 PM
KOSHUR, calling all Indians, all 1.1 BILLION of them creeps, doesn't
do the Islam you profess any good at all. It merely adds fuel to the
fire that is raging worldwide since 9/11 that Islam is an intolerant
and violent religion that is good only for Muslims but dangerous for
non-Muslims. It is also feared that Muslims want to rule others
whenever they get the smallest chance, and they will not tolerate
being ruled by non-Muslims even if Muslims are in the minority.
India was ALWAYS a country with Hindu majority. Yet Muslims ruled for
three hundred years; India was carved up on religious grounds in 1947.
No other religious group in India has ever demanded a separate country
because of their religious persuasion, ONLY Muslims.
Think about it. If other non-Muslims can live in peace with Hindus,
why can't the Muslims? There are already 140 MILLION Indian Muslims
living among Hindus, and at peace. Why can't Kashmiri Muslims consider
themselves Indians first? When the British ruled for 200 years, there
was no Pakistan, Bangladesh, or a Kashmiri group of Muslims asking for
a separate country. The vast majority of Indians who fought for Indian
independence were Hindus. There were also Muslims, but their
contribution was diluted when they demanded separate countries based
on religion alone.
Be Indian first Koshur. Kashmiri Muslims have more to gain by being a
part of India than being independent or a part of Pakistan.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:37 PM
Except for Hindu extremists, Hindus are the MOST tolerant of peoples.
Whatever may be the limitations of the caste system imposed on the
Hindu society, Hindus have lived at peace with ALL religions from time
immemorial. Islam was introduced in a violent way in anotherwise non-
violent religious society built with Hindu and Buddhist and Jain
ideals.
Political Islam is a reality and Indian Muslims have been transformed
by their living in a Hindu-Buddhist society for many centuries.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:25 PM
Peace loving Muslims all over India need to unite and declare their
unity with Indians of all religious persuasions. Indian Muslims have
lived at peace with their non-Muslim neighbors for centuries. They are
Indians in origin and India is their home.
Islamic extremism in India is a new trend. It is being imported from
outside and it is being fueled by violence done by Hindu extremists.
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinaed, not by a Muslim but by an EXTREMIST
HINDU.
Two well known militant Hindu organizations:
Rashtriya Shiva Sena = National Shiva's Army
Hindutva
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:19 PM
Hey intolerant, insane Hindu bigots,
Read this from your own paper and from your own people.
Shame on India and its 1 million creeps
HR team confirms economic blockade, repression in Valley
KT NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, Aug 26: Notwithstanding, the government denial of any
"economic blockade" on Kashmir Valley, a group of human rights
organisations here on Tuesday confirmed that agitation in Jammu has
led to severe restriction on the movement of goods and people on the
Srinagar-Jammu national highway and even into Punjab.
Representatives of three groups Peoples Democratic Forum (Karnataka),
Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) and People's Union
for Democratic Rights (PUDR) who arrived here from Srinagar said over
75 per cent of fruits were rotting in Sopore mandi.
"During our four day visit we found fruits rotting at many places and
handicrafts and carpet manufacturers reporting cancellation of export
orders," said Harish Dhawan, secretary PUDR. The team was told that
till August 23, 80 per cent of the trucks were not leaving the Valley
for fear of attacks. "In Seer Jagir, near Sopore the team met small
farmers with average land holdings of 4-5 acres which produces on an
average 3000 boxes of apples per annum. The 30 farmers in this village
reported having lost on an average Rs. 2 lakh this season," said the
joint statement issued by these organisations.
FIRINGS: The team during its visit investigated 15 cases of deaths in
police firings. "We have concluded that the firings were aimed to kill
a large number of deaths result from injuries in the abdomen, chest,
head of upper of lower neck," bellying government claims that firings
were in self defence.
ATTACKS ON HOSPITALS: The group in its statement also disclosed that
security forces attacked the Srinagar main hospital on August 11 and
12. "The SMHS hospital received the largest number of casualties. When
doctors were trying to conduct emergency operations at break-neck sped
in order to save lines, the casualty was attacked with tear gas shells
followed by firing live bullets. The firing was again repeated on
August 12," said the statement, describing it a most brazen and
unbelievable attack.
ATTACKS ON FUNERAL PROCESSIONS: The team was told that funeral
processions were attacked by security forces. "The funeral procession
of Ishfaq Ahmed Kana was attacked by the CRPF with lathis and rubber
bullets. In another area Javed Ahmed Mir's funeral procession was
attacked and one person was killed in firing," said the civil rights
groups.
CURFEW: The team which was in Srinagar when curfew restrictions were
imposed said essential supplies to the city, such as medicines, water
tankers and milk have been blocked and this 'blockade' had been done
at the instance of the CRPF. Entire control of law and order have been
handed over to central security forces and at many polices they have
beaten local police as well.
CONCLUSION: Human rights groups concluded that inclination of people
to hold peaceful processions in a democratic way could have been an
opening for the government to engage people in a political dialogue.
"People in Kashmir have shown exemplary restraint and ensured that all
processions and public gatherings after the lifting of curfew remain
wholly peaceful," they said. They said government should have
initiated political dialogue instead of the visit by the National
Security Advisor.
Posted by: Koshur | August 26, 2008 8:09 PM
CCNL and Arif,
Do you want me talk more about your faith which is full of filth.
Sitas. Pavitrata crap must have hit you guys below your eunech
balls.You people are crazy bastards talking trash and maligning
people's mind with quoting a distorted history. Prophet has been
called lot of names by creeps like you who are worse than filthy
insects. It does not matter, Islam continues to prosper and is the
answer to crazy guys like you who need it the most. My offer still
stands, come to the circle of Islam and you will find peace.
Allaho Alkbar.
Lainatullahi- Allaqomil Kafirin.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 7:39 PM
CCNL; You are right. Last week WaPo ran an editorial about a publisher
who dropped a plan to publish a book about prophet Mohamed and his 6
year old child bride-Aisha due to fear of Muslim violence.
In fact, prophet had 9 wives including a ex daughter in law. And
fought more than 9 wars. Fits the definition of a child rapist and a
war mongerer. Yes he made up things and said Angel appeared to him to
justify his lifestyle of lust and violence and intolerance. Example:
present day Saudi Arabia where you can be arrested for carrying a
Bible and their steady stream of terrorists including 9/11.
And speaking of India and Muslim's complaint here of intolerance and
violence: India's population is 4-5 percent Christian/Sikh. 4-5 is
Buddhists. 15 percent is Muslim/terrorist.
In fact, I read a interview of India's top actor Shah Rukh Khan, a
Muslim, who said the only reason he is a top actor in India is due to
inherent secular and tolerant nature of Hindus.
Muslims only need to read a newspaper to see how many Muslims are
massacring civilians every single day all over the world all in the
name of Islam.
Posted by: Intolerance | August 26, 2008 5:46 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Muslims are encouraged to memorize things, they typically don't
exercise the thought process. A good example of the "thinking" Muslim
is the following;
Joseph aka Mohammed writes;
"3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time...."
Fristly I have to laugh then bring out the fact that Koran also
specifically teaches Muslims kill people of other faiths.
Here again classic Muslim "thinking" gone wild...
"Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I
wish I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need
of the hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the
wars they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your
faith where they are supposed to burn themselves."
Mohammed and his gangsters were the aggressors they looted then killed
off all the adult males, fornicated/raped the young women, enslaved
them and/or married them. Please take the time, and there is lots of
space to explain Mr. Joseph aka Mohammed; Why your prophet Moe was
anything other than a womanizer and a warmonger?
More scholarly "thinking"...
"Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If
you have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving
you an offer."
...and finally the icing...
"Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man..."
The genius at one point says he had to marry all those widows; think
for once and you’ll realize that he helped in making them and to tops
it off with a "potent man"?
Fastest growing religion my arse!
Arif (pbuh)
Posted by: Arif | August 26, 2008 5:26 PM
CCNL:
OBSESSIVE, COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER. Seek help.
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 4:54 PM
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 26, 2008
3:28 PM
Report Offensive Comment
I am an Indian muslim and I am proud of it.We muslims in India believe
Kashmir is an integral part of India.Muslims fought war against
Pakistan and China.
The main problem in India is 15% of upper casts Hindus who controls
90% of Indian economy is masterminding communal riots in India so that
both muslims and lower casts Hindus will fight each other and destroy
each other so that their hegemony can be maintained.
What happened in Gujarat has raised very serious questions.When you
speak to somebody and tell them that 2000 muslims where massacred on
the streets of Gujarat, and women were raped, and pregnant women had
their stomach slit open, normal people, or people who are outside the
situation, recoil in horror. But people inside the situation say
things like ;They diserved it'. and how do you deal with that?
It isnt coincidence that the massacre of muslims in Gujarat happened
after september 11. Gujarat is also one place where the toxic wastes
of World Trade Centre is being dumped right now [1]
This wastes is being dumped in Gujarat and then taken off to Ludhiana
and places like that to be recycled. It's quite a mataphor. The
DEMONISATION of mulims has also given legitimacy by the worlds super
power, by the emperor himself. We are at a stage where democracy-this
corruptes scandalous version of democracy-is the problem. So much of
what politicians do is with an eye on elections. Wars are fought as
election campaigns.n India, muslims are killed as part of election
campigns. In 1984, after the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, the Congress
party won hands down. We must ask ourselves very serious questions
about this particular brand of democracy
1.'Chinese steel firm buys 50000 Tonnes of WTC scrap, Agence France-
Press 23 Jan 2002.See WTC scrap at Gujarat Port awaits Toxicity tests,
Indian express 17 April 2002.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 2:44 PM
Deb Chatterji:
Did you see the following headlines right on the page in WP where you
click to get Religion segment?
Here it is:
Suspected Hindu hard-liners set fire to orphanage
Isn't this a brazen act of terrorism? Killing innocent children?
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 12:02 PM
Hey deb,
I can understand your frustration as you have lost your point and did
not muster any supporters. Donot be a coward and write your blog under
different names. My teacher used to say when you lose a point you
resort to personal attacks, that what precisely you are doing.Let me
also get dirty the way you have been.
First do you know how we took care of your hindu Pundits in Kashmir
for 100s of years inspite of being 1% of the population. They got all
the benefits from India and were subjugating Kashmiri Muslims since
ages. Do you know that we Kashmiri muslims donot like eating beef,
which was as a mark of respect for our fellow pundits.
2nd, we took care of all the shrines in Kashmir during these years of
turmoil and also cremated some of the Kashmiri pundits who passed away
of natural causes while they opted to stay in Kashmir and that too did
it according to hindu rights. You will still call us communal
terrorist.
3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time. Do you know some of us believe that Ram or Krishan could have
been some of them. This is what my father taught me who had more
pundit friends than anybody else in my family. I always argued with
him about the role of pundits in Kashmir. I faced it first hand, how
these people used to stab us in our backs. But my father would not
agree as Ram Joo was like his brother.
Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I wish
I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need of the
hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the wars
they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your faith
where they are supposed to burn themselves.
Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If you
have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving you
an offer.
Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man. He did not take"Ban bass" like Ram
did and spend 14 years of life in Jungle wailing and crying instead of
rescuing his beloved wife. In fact it was a mythical "Wander Sena"
comprising of monkeys who finally rescued her from Rawan. You guys
still call her Pavitra, come on give me a break. So according to your
fake, mythical religeon and be honest what would have Rawan done for
14 years, just swat flies. Let us not go into gory details.
Geeta was written by a man. It is not a spiritual book like Tora,
bible and above all the last testament called as Quran.
What is Hinduism? A fake religeon that is a simple myth, based on some
short stories called 'Kathas' and not a way of life.
Bengali baboa, how many are converting to hinduism...... zippo. People
in US laugh when they see snakes, rats, monkeys and bare naked ladies
being worshiped. It is a joke in deed.
Islam is the fastest growing religeon on globe and it is not that
people are converting by the force of sword, but by conviction and the
powerful message it has. Let me give you a piece of information. There
is no minute in 24 hoours, 7 days and 356 days a year that AZAAN ie.
call for prayers ) in not resonating from East to West and North to
the South of this globe because of the time difference. This is the
power of Islam. A closed mind person like you will not understand it.
The powerful message is to do Jihad, the literal meaning of which has
been distorted by sick people like you. Jihad is to fight for your
rights. This is precisely what is happening in Kashmir, Palestine,
Chechneya that people are fighting for illegitimate occupation of
their motherland. They have balls to fight for their rights rather
than put their tails in the hines and take Ban Bass like Ram did and
worship his Chappals for 14 years like the hindus of that time did.
If Hindus have any iota of intelligence they should have a second look
at their religeon and feel how baseless it is!
Once again you started this crap and I urge you to desist from doing
that again.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 11:47 AM
Hey deb,
I can understand your frustration as you have lost your point and did
not muster any supporters. Donot be a coward and write your blog under
different names. My teacher used to say when you lose a point you
resort to personal attacks, that what precisely you are doing.Let me
also get dirty the way you have been.
First do you know how we took care of your hindu Pundits in Kashmir
for 100s of years inspite of being 1% of the population. They got all
the benefits from India and were subjugating Kashmiri Muslims since
ages. Do you know that we Kashmiri muslims donot like eating beef,
which was as a mark of respect for our fellow pundits.
2nd, we took care of all the shrines in Kashmir during these years of
turmoil and also cremated some of the Kashmiri pundits who passed away
of natural causes while they opted to stay in Kashmir and that too did
it according to hindu rights. You will still call us communal
terrorist.
3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time. Do you know some of us believe that Ram or Krishan could have
been some of them. This is what my father taught me who had more
pundit friends than anybody else in my family. I always argued with
him about the role of pundits in Kashmir. I faced it first hand, how
these people used to stab us in our backs. But my father would not
agree as Ram Joo was like his brother.
Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I wish
I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need of the
hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the wars
they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your faith
where they are supposed to burn themselves.
Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If you
have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving you
an offer.
Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man. He did not take"Ban bass" like Ram
did and spend 14 years of life in Jungle wailing and crying instead of
rescuing his beloved wife. In fact it was a mythical "Wander Sena"
comprising of monkeys who finally rescued her from Rawan. You guys
still call her Pavitra, come on give me a break. So according to your
fake, mythical religeon and be honest what would have Rawan done for
14 years, just swat flies. Let us not go into gory details.
Geeta was written by a man. It is not a spiritual book like Tora,
bible and above all the last testament called as Quran.
What is Hinduism? A fake religeon that is a simple myth, based on some
short stories called 'Kathas' and not a way of life.
Bengali baboa, how many are converting to hinduism...... zippo. People
in US laugh when they see snakes, rats, monkeys and bare naked ladies
being worshiped. It is a joke in deed.
Islam is the fastest growing religeon on globe and it is not that
people are converting by the force of sword, but by conviction and the
powerful message it has. Let me give you a piece of information. There
is no minute in 24 hoours, 7 days and 356 days a yera that AZAAN9ie.
call for prayers ) in not resonating from East to Weat and North to
the South of this globe because of the time difference. This is the
power of Islam. A closed mind person like you will not understand it.
The powerful message is to do Jihad, the literal meaning of which has
been distorted by sick people like you. Jihad is to fight for your
rights. This is precisely what is happening in Kashmir, Palestine,
Chechneya that people are fighting for illegitimate occupation of
their motherland. They have balls to fight for their rights rather
than put their tails in the hines and take Ban Bass.
If Hindus have any iota of intelligence they should have a second look
at their religeon and feel how baseless it is!
Once again you started this crap and I urge you to desist from doing
that again.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 11:43 AM
I get sick to the stomach to read such comments about one of the great
monothiestic religeon called Islam. This discussion has turned from a
political one to a brazenly open communal one. This I am sure was not
the aim of the author and we hijacked it in an entirely different
direction. Come on guys, let us behave civil and not try to slander
each others ethnicity and religeon. I hope good sense prevails on all
of you.
Posted by: Koshur | August 26, 2008 11:00 AM
Deb Chatterji:
You wrote that all Muslims are not terrorists but most terrorists are
Muslims. Then how do you explain that the late Rajiva Gandhi was
killed by a Hindu suicide bomber? And how do you explain the numerous
suicide bombings committed by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka? And how do
you explain state sponsored terrorism by the Indian Army in Kashmir
which has killed more than 100,000 Muslims in Kashmir? And how do you
explain the state sponsored genocide of Muslim in Gujarat in 2002.
The only proven incident of bioterrorism the United States has ever
experienced, we learned, was a bizarre plot by the Rajneeshee Hindus,
to steal a county election in Oregon in 1984. The Rajneeshees,
followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a self-proclaimed guru exiled
from India, had moved into a ranch in rural Wasco County, taken
political control of the small nearby town of Antelope, and changed
its name to Rajneesh. Next, the Hindus sought to run the whole county
by winning the local election in 1984.
The amazing story of the Wasco County election scandal was revealed to
the conference's riveted participants by Leslie L. Zaitz, an
investigative reporter for The Oregonian, and Dr. John Livengood, an
epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control. To win the county
election, the Rajneeshee Hindus planned to sicken a good portion of
the population in the town of The Dalles, where most Wasco County
voters live. Their weapon of choice to keep local residents from
voting was salmonella bacteria.
These Rajneeshi Hindus decided to test the use of salmonella and, if
successful, to contaminate the entire water system of The Dalles on
Election Day. First, the Rajneeshees poisoned two visiting Wasco
County commissioners on a hot day by plying them with refreshing
drinks of cold water laced with salmonella.
Then, on a shopping trip to The Dalles, these Hindus sprinkled
salmonella on produce in grocery stores "just for fun." According to
reporter Zaitz, that experiment didn't get the results they wanted so
the Rajneeshees proceeded to clandestinely sprinkle salmonella at the
town's restaurant salad bars. Ten restaurants were hit and more than
700 people got sick.
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 10:20 AM
Two of the most dangerous and volatile spots confronting the world
today can be tracked down to a single cause. Indo- Pakistan and the
Middle Eastern conflicts originating from the decision taken in 1947
by the Labour prime minister Clement Attlee's post war government of
Britain. He followed an easy solution to the crisis, "partition and
run", and effects of the British government's decision to leave the
mess to the locals' policy still plagues the two countries. Evidence
has emerged and was corroborated by a retired Lieutenant-Colonel, R G
Begbie, that 24 hours before the partition of India-Pakistan the
boundary was shifted 20 miles westward by Labour’s viceroy, "special
plenipotentiary" Lord Mountbatten, to give India a common frontier
with Kashmir, over which Indian troops marched the following day. Sir
Cyril Radcliffe, the judge who was responsible for drawing the
boundary lines, was pressured by the viceroy to alter the frontier in
India's favour in various vital [parts] of the Punjab.
Lord Mountbatten was treacherous and partial towards India, and one of
the reasons given was his close friendship with the Nehru family. He
did not care how much of the innocent Kashmiris' blood would be
splattered around their beautiful valley by the Indian occupying
army's brutalities and inhuman atrocities.
In terms of its beauty, the Mughal emperor Jehangir immortalized
Kashmir by saying, "If there is paradise on Earth, Hama ast Hama ast;
it is here, it is here."
In the Middle East, the Attlee government's eagerness to demobilize as
many soldiers as quickly as possible and flee problems that have
lasted until now. Creating a Jewish state in the Arab lands to
compensate for the European Christians' lament and guilt [over the]
Jewish Holocaust was a profound, unjust tragedy of world history. That
Arabs lived in their homeland for thousands of years and then [were]
forcefully expelled from their homes and land by the Israelis was the
ugliest stain on the human conscience. In May 1948, the British
hurriedly withdrew all their armies from the area and gave free hand
to the Zionist state to grab its neighbours' lands.
Since 1989 over 150,000 Kashmiri Muslims have been either killed,
maimed, or disappeared without a trace, and tales of horrendous
torture and rape of young girls and women are heard in almost every
Muslim household. Indian Army kills Kashmiri Muslims with ruthless
barbarity as Jews were killed by the Nazis. Muslims are put under
running steam engines and crushed to pulp; they are beaten to death
and tortured with such severity that thousands have died of renal
failures. They held in army interrogation centres called Papa 1 and
Papa 2 and inflicted worst torture than the Nazi inflicted in the
concentration camps. This is happening even now. I wish to remind Eboo
Patel of the genocide of over 2,500 Muslims spanning three months in
the western state of Gujarat by the right-wing Hindu nationalists
groups, a barbarity resembling that in Rwanda and of the Nazis against
the Jews. Pregnant women were ripped open and burnt, women and girls
gang-raped before being hacked to death with swords, and little
children butchered. Ethnic cleansing and communal violence is sparked
by the so-called "saffron mob" to intimidate minorities. Indians claim
to be secular and proud of it, which is unbelievable and preposterous
under these circumstances.
India and Pakistan have already fought three inconclusive wars over
Kashmir, and a fourth was narrowly averted recently. There can be
properly negotiated solutions to the question of Kashmir only if the
Muslims are free to choose their future. In the long term, only a
plebiscite among Kashmiris on both sides of the border, as ordered by
a United Nations Security Council resolution of 1948, can hope to
resolve the issue. Today to be a Muslim in Kashmir and in other parts
of India makes them feel like a Jew in the late '30s in Germany; their
status is no better that those of untouchables.
In India, "If you are not a Hindu, you are not an Indian" according to
fanatic Hindu Jenta.
Posted by: Saqib khan | August 26, 2008 8:05 AM
Wow. A graduate of Georgetown!! Says this is not religious! If kashmir
wer majority Hindus, according to writer's theory, they would still
want a separate state and many would also want to merge with
Porkistan? Some intelligence there.
Fact is the intolerance and violence prevalent in Islam.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 6:51 AM
Dear Hafsa,
In your article you have mentioned that the State Government had
alloted 100 acres of land from Pahalgam & Sonmarg to SASB but it is to
correct you that it was not 100 acres but 800 acres of land from our
motherland "Kashmir". Many people have lost their lives in this matter
Muslim drivers have been killed on the National Highway by petrol
bombs and this has been denied by the Central Govt. Moreover Kashmir
is facing an economic blockade which is again being denied by the
State & Govt of India. We are suffering a lot but there are questions
I want to ask the people of India espcially Govt of India:
Q1: Why are innocent people (Kashmiris) being killed, harrased &
tortured by armed forces?
Q2: We have been serving yatries since more than 100 years then why is
there a need for land transfer?
Q3: The ecology of Pahalgam & Sonmarg is disturbed during Amarnath
Yatra what measures have been taken by the State & Govt. of India for
that?
Q4: Why is this matter being communalized by the Communal forces of
India?
Q5: When are our sufferings going to end & what measures have been
taken by the Authorities for the matter?
Q6: Why only members of SASB are involved in meetings with the
officials why not Kasmiris?
Q7: What was Govt of India doing till the matter worsened?
Q8: When the yatra was for 15 days, then why it has been extetended
for 3 months & the number of yatries has crossed 5 lakhs this year.
What measures have been taken for ecology of the areas involved as the
division bench of J & K High Court have restricted the entries of
yatries beyound 3,000 at a point?
Posted by: Seerat Farooqi | August 26, 2008 3:57 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
The rising trend of Islamic extremism in India with a population of
140 million Muslims is a serious concern. The solution has to be
sought in reform of Islam in India and interfaith dialogue between
Hindus and Muslims.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:25 AM
Deb Chaterjee:
The point of converting to a religion other than Hinduism is to escape
the caste system altogether.
No matter how rich or educated a low caste Hindu may be, he still
remains low caste as far as the religion is concerned.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:23 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
Agreed there is a reservation of seats at educational institutions and
for jobs for the lower caste Hindus. It is a marvelous achievement.
The discussion was however the freedom to convert to another religion
from Hinduism. The ban on conversion from Hinduism to another religion
seems no different from the Sharia Law apostacy, although conversion
is not punished by death.
Freedom to change religions is fundamental. Hinduism should not deny
it to Hindus.
Hinduism simply means the religions practiced by people living in a
geographical area that is known as India.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:20 AM
Anonymous wrote:
"It is pretty atrocious for high caste Hindus, who enjoy all the
benefits of the Hindu caste system to forbid low caste Hindus from
converting to another religion which would free them from the burden
of the caste system. Christian missionaries find themselves fighting a
running battle with high caste Hindus when they help low caste/
outcaste Hindus."
This is pure baloney. Quota for SC/ST has increased to such an extent
that the caste Hindus are left out of all opportunity. How long can
the bull about caste keep economically deprived people paralyzed ? The
SC/ST quota is purely based on casteist perversions. High caste Hindus
have a right to be concerned that they will eventually lose out to the
SC/ST quota holders. It is indeed happening. However now the Govt. has
also extended the laws to private firms & BPOs who have soundly
rejected the strictures, stating that they would move operations
elsewhere.
India was always a Hindu/Buddhist ruled country and it is speculated
by Holger Kersten in his sensational JESUS LIVED IN INDIA, that indeed
Christ came to India and settled in Kashmir and learnt a lot about
Buddhist and Hindu philosophies.
However, my point with India becoming a Hindu state was primarily
aimed at Islamic (mis)rule for 1000+ years. Becoming a Hindu state
would eliminate the invoking of Shariah laws that Muslims follow. Also
if India became Hindu, I just think that something with minorities
like Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Aga Khan Ismailis, Bahais
have to be considered.
Finally, I have a question for you: how do you define a Hindu religion
in the sense you can define an Abrahamic religion (Judaism,
Christianity and Islam) ?
I'll leave the remainder of the debate of Kashmir secession to other
bloggers, having made my (atrocious) point.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 12:34 AM
The demand of high caste Hindus (Hindu extremists tend to belong to
high castes) that low caste Hindus should not convert to any other
religion that would free them from the burden of the caste system, is
a form of social oppression that Hinduism with its caste system
introduced into the Hindu Indian society at least four thousand years
ago.
It was precisely one of the reasons, Buddha, Mahavira and Guru Nanak,
all non-Brahmins of Hindu origin founded other religions.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 12:20 AM
Deb Chatterjee:
When was India ever a Hindu state? Buddhism and Jainism are two and a
half THOUSAND years old and India has been home to Christianity for
two thousand years, among other religions.
The Hindu-only India is the myth created by Hindu extremists. Hinduism
is a con-federation of religions. It has never been a single religious
philosophy.
The United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights guarantees
religious freedom, which includes freedom to change religions. How
could Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism have come into existence if it was
forbidden to leave Hinduism. It is pretty atrocious for high caste
Hindus, who enjoy all the benefits of the Hindu caste system to forbid
low caste Hindus from converting to another religion which would free
them from the burden of the caste system. Christian missionaries find
themselves fighting a running battle with high caste Hindus when they
help low caste/outcaste Hindus.
What is more basic than the right to worship God in anyway one
chooses? Hindus worship God under so many different names, why should
it matter to them if God is worshipped under a different name under a
different religion?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 12:14 AM
Again, the Solution to the Muslim-Hindu Conflict-
Post the following on every mosque and temple wall:
Mohammed was an illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven,
warmongering, hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/
hallucinating/ plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added
"angels" and flying chariots to the koran but also a militaristic
agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands of non-
believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.
And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder.
Hinduism (from an online Hindu site) -
"Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not
founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centered and therefore one
can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the
question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them
work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’."
The caste/laborer system and cow worship/reverence are problems when
saying a fair and rational God founded Hinduism."
Current crises:
The caste system and cow worship/reverence.
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 26, 2008
12:10 AM
Anonymous:
These are some quips from my side to your loud thoughts:
1. India should become a Hindu state so that it can rid itself of
Islamic radicalism. (SIMI activists want India to become and Islamic
state. They want "Islamization" and are using the bounties of
secularism to further their agenda. This can be stopped if this pseudo-
secularism is stopped. Just look at Kashmir.)
2. VHP has an axe to grind. Christian missionaries had been
proselytizing the poor. That is, the poor were lured with money and
they converted to Christianity. But, then their status did not improve
socially. What happened in the meantime was that suddenly the numbers
of Christians increased in India. I do not support the notion that
conversion, by luring poor people with money, is a good thing to do.
That's a falsehood. It is false to claim that these poor people have
suddenly been spiritually enlightened because they received some
dollars/pounds. That the GOI should stop. VHP claims this against
Christian missionaries. Just because India is secular, any form of
malpractice cannot happen. That's the point.
3. You have been castigating Hindus, like me. However I encourage you
to assess what's the situation of Christians in Muslim countries. How
many prominent leaders in Pakistan are Christians ?
4. It is indeed true that the best universities and schools are run by
Jesuits and Salesians. (I went to a high school run by Salesians in
Kolkata - Don Bosco. It was an excellent school.) That does not mean
conversion to Christianity by money is right.
5. VHP has the full right to condemn and agitate against such
activities. They represent majority of Indians: Hindus. It is
unfortunate that you have no sense of reciprocity. In USA we often see
and hear Christian tele-evangelsists getting extremely vocal and
aggressive about promoting Christian values. I don't see it as wrong.
As long as they don't personally offend me, I am fine. If they can
project their values, claiming to represent the majority - Christians,
what is wrong with VHP doing the same in India ? OR are you implying
that what is good for White Christians is not good for brown skinned
darkies (aka Hindus) ? What is your point in griping against VHP ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 11:56 PM
Actually my best (optimistic) view is the following:
1. Kashmir goes out of India, and India declares itself as a Hindu
nation. This would rid India of the pestilence of Islamic terrorism.
2. Pakistan disintegrates into smithreens. It should be that way,
because it is a failed state. Just read the DAWN newspaper. There is
always a barrage of sick reports on killings, whippings and beheadings
of people who don't support Islamic fundamentalism. The madrassas with
their mad mullahs are breeding bomb-throwing radicals like rats.
(Already Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari are at each other's
throats. So, what's new ?)
3. NATO captures the control Pakistan, and continues to patrol the
streets of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Multan and Quetta till all
madrassas are torn down and all mullahs have their beards plucked off
by monkeys. Their faces swell heavily due to mishandling by primates,
and the pain inflicted upon these mullahs by the animals (monkeys)
temporarily disable them to chant the Quran.
4. Women start going to school to get a decent western education. We
see a slow gradual rejection of the burqa and also radical Islam, due
to prolonged presence of western personnel.
5. Kashmir, once independent, realizes that it is not economicaly a
viable commodity - no jobs, no industries, only mosques and mosques,
cannot afford to self-sustain. It begs India to accept it on any terms
and signs an agreement of accession by India. Raja Hari Singh has the
last laugh from his grave.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 11:37 PM
Religious extremists of any stripe, whether Hindu or Muslim seem to be
marked by a common feature - hatred for those who are not like them.
How pathetic.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:33 PM
Most of the best known schools, private colleges and hospitals in
India are run by Catholics (especially Jesuits and Selasians). None of
them have been accused of force converting anyone or offering any
religious education to non-Catholics.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:31 PM
Hindu militants have been known to attack not just Muslims but also
Christian missionaries in North India. Fortunately militant Hindus are
a very small group.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:27 PM
If India is to be declared a Hindu country, what about non-Hindus like
Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians etc including the non-caste
tribals?
The "usual" suspects, Christian missionaries??????? There are well
known Hindu militant organizations that use violence in the name of
Hinduism.
If there is one thing Mother Theresa did NOT do is convert anyone her
missionary order offered help to Catholic charities do not force
convert anyone.
What by the way is a Hindu who wants to declare India as a Hindu state
because 85% of its population is Hindu, doing in the United States, a
country with a Christian majority?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:24 PM
Ajit wrote:
"The VHP-sponsored bandh, to protest the killing of their leader Swami
Laxmanananda Saraswati and four disciples, witnessed attacks on
churches and missionary schools across the state, reminiscent of the
Graham Staines case in January 1999.In state capital Bhubaneswar,
protesters stoned a church; churches in Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput
Deogarh districts were also attacked."
Well, while unfortunate VHP has an axe to grind. You state that their
leader/guru, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, was killed. The "usual"
suspects were the Christian missionaries. And that is unfortunate.
However, Mother Theresa used to convert first and then accept
destitutes in her missionary in Kolkata. While the deed is noble,
conversion first followed by service is not morally uplifting.
Also: do you know the status of the Christian minorities in Saudi
Arabia, Pakistan etc. ? Do you know what rights they have vis-a-vis
those in India ?
Unfortunate incidents do happen. My position is that if someone is so
damned critical of a country, then please leave and go elsewhere. In
India the majority rarely has a voice: witness the bomb blasts that
are told to be expression of frustration of Islam. When Islam gets
frustrated, it encourages its followers to blast bombs. Still, the
last President of India was a Muslim: Abul Pakir Jainal Abedin Abdul
Kalam.
And, I agree that all Muslims are NOT terrorists. But MOST terrorists
are Muslims.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 10:52 PM
Joseph (a probable phony name) wrote:
"Kashmiri Pundits have always been labelled as Ciccis and instead of
helping their Muslim brotheren at the time of need they fled away like
cowards."
Name calling at Hindus (in this "Ciccis" for Kashmiri Pandits) is
racist epithet. Kashmiri Muslims have been using that epithet against
Hindus in Kashmir and irritating/provoking them into a confrontational
situation. That's one of the reasons why the Pandits left. Its a well
crafted ploy to slaughter Kashmiri Hindu Pandits.
The religion of Islam is purely barbaric: it calls for slaughter of
all non-Muslims. Quran [009:005],[047:004] is explicit about that.
Kashmiri Pandits fled because their neighbors, Kashmiri Muslims, were
also killing the Kashmiri Pandit men and raping their women. This was
done at the behest of their bodymasters in Pakistan.
Truth hurts. Islam is afraid of the truth. India should declare itself
as a Hindu state, and all other non-Muslim countries must consider
revising its immigration policies to prevent Muslims from immigrating
and spreading Islam there.
I did not see the article by A. G. Noorani in Kashmir Times
http://www.kashmirtimes.com after I read your response. Perhaps you
are fabricating facts to confuse others ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 10:32 PM
Deb Chatterji and Anonymous:
You make sweepy generalizations. Not all Hindus are bad people nor are
all Muslims. I have great admiration for India's democracy. But there
are elements in India like BJP or Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu
Congress) or VHP that create and threaten India's democracy. Here is
an item from Hindustan Times of Aug. 26:
A 45-year-old woman, employed as a cook in a missionary school in
Orissa’s Bargarh district, was burnt to death on Monday when the
school was set on fire allegedly by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
protesters. The pastor running the school was also injured.
The VHP-sponsored bandh, to protest the killing of their leader Swami
Laxmanananda Saraswati and four disciples, witnessed attacks on
churches and missionary schools across the state, reminiscent of the
Graham Staines case in January 1999.In state capital Bhubaneswar,
protesters stoned a church; churches in Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput
Deogarh districts were also attacked.
"We are afraid to move out. Some Christians staying in institutions or
bungalows are hiding in jungles or villages," said Bishop of Sambalpur
Lucas Kerketta, whose jurisdiction includes Bargarh. "We have two to
three policemen, and they can’t control a big crowd… we have asked for
more security."
In state capital Bhubaneswar, protesters stoned a church; churches in
Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput Deogarh districts were also attacked.
Said Balasore Bishop Reverend Thomas Thiruthalil, chairman of Orissa
Bishop’s Council: "These are planned attacks on minorities. We need
police protection; minorities should be able to move freely and their
rights to worship must be protected."
Kandhamal remained tense as the Swami was cremated at his Ashram.
http://hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=1a09c30e-5cff-4803-80e9-b00dc7eb3620
Posted by: Ajit | August 25, 2008 10:29 PM
Since Islam is a political religion, it is impossible for Muslims in
Kashmir to keep politics out. They fool only the naive that the
problems in Kashmir and their demand for a separate country does not
have anything to do with political Islam.
If India was so terrible to Muslims under its rule, why does 140
million Muslims living in India not choose to flee the country? Why
have there been Muslim politicians, including in the highest offices?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 10:21 PM
Muslims ruled a large part of Hindu majority India for three hundred
years before the British came. It was considered normal for a Muslim
minority to rule the Hindu majority. So at the time of Indian
independence when some Muslims feared Hindu majority could rule a
Muslim minority, they wanted a separate country.
So India was carved up into Pakistan and current Bangladesh on
religious grounds alone.
Millions were displaced and millions lost their lives.
Nearly 140 million Muslims still live among Hindus in India. Except
for a few clashes in certain parts, the vast majority of Muslims live
at peace with majority Hindus.
In Kashmir, again it is religion that is behind the drive for a
separate country. Moral of the story: Muslims consider it perfectly
natural to rule others even if Muslims are the minority but they will
not tolerate non-Muslim rule.
It is a historical trend that needs noting and learning from.
Again: India was carved up into Pakistan and Bangladesh on religious
grounds. Kashmir is again asking for separation on religious grounds
although 140 million Muslims live in India.
Kashmiri Muslims, Muslims currently the part of Pakistan and
Bangladesh lived as part of India during Muslim rule and during
British rule.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 10:11 PM
It is really sad to know about the present turmoil in Kashmir. People
are suffering as Hindu Extremists in Jammu have enforced economical
blockade of kashmir valley. Ms Hafsa has done a comendable job. People
are entitled to what they write in response to this article but I am
seeing people are writing things which are not even related to this
article and present situation in kashmir.Also some people have started
attacking the religion of this writer which is too low on their
part.People should understand that they live in this great country and
should not behave like those living in third world countries like
India. This speaks of ignorance on part of these people. I think it is
easy for us to comment while having a luxury of safety and freedom of
speech, we should at the same time think of the people who are being
killed for protesting against economical blockade, against the
scarcity of food and medicines. Just today I learnt that even doctors
in hospitals and ambulances are not allowed to reach the injured. This
is the worst form of a state sponsored terrorism against innocent
kashmiris. How can a democratic country like India do it in Kashmir.
On one hand Protestors in Jammu are offered cold drinks and food for
burning Kashmiri muslims with petrol bombs, while the peaceful
protestors even with harming any body are showered with bullets.
I hope that the world understand the plight of these poor kashmiris.
India should respect the genuine wishes of these people. I agree with
koshur people are talking about ethnic cleansing on death of 200 and
some kashmiri pandits but wholeworld is mute on killin of almost
hundred thousand kashmiri muslims.Writers like Ms Hafsa should be
encouraged as they give us a chance to induldge in a dialogue. I hope
people
Posted by: Chris | August 25, 2008 9:49 PM
Bengali Baboa,
You are a coward hindu maniac hiding somewhere in the comforts of this
great country called US. This forum is not to malign a particular
religeon. None of bloggers has stooped so low as you have done. You
must be a cheap uneducated Harijan from West Bengal,or definitely a
Kashmiri Pundit the way you spit crap from your mouth. Kashmiri
Pundits have always been labelled as Ciccis and instead of helping
their Muslim brotheren at the time of need they fled away like
cowards. The manaic named Jagmohan who had planned the massacre of
muslims in Kashmir (and he did a great deal of it) made these cowards
to go to a safe place called India. Thank God they have been
dessipated in the dirt of India and there is no term what used to be
called a kashmiri Batta, and above all what Shah Hamdan could not do
during his lifetime was done by Jaggu dada of Delhi in day. These
creeps had exploited Kashmiri muslims to such an extent, that
something supernatural had to happen and the result is they instead
lost everything.
I would urge Washington Post not allow such maniacs to write and
denegrade the personal religeon of some of the bloggers. I would ask
this sick mind to read todays article by A G Noorani in Kashmir Times
from Jammu and edited by a Hindu. He may get some lessons from it.
Heal thy mind Bengali Babu and take this prejudice out of your mind. I
would also urge other bloggers not to respond to these people with
sick mind
Posted by: Joseph | August 25, 2008 9:15 PM
Kashur wrote (in ressponse to Dolivaw):
"Kashmiri Pandits left kashmir not because of kashmiri muslim or there
was any kind of threat to them,They did so under the infuence of then
Governer of J & K who misled them."
That's unsubstantiated garbage. To be precise, read an excellent
article in The National Geographic (September 1997, pp. 100-123) which
had a special issue on Kashmir and interviewed Kashmiri Pandits who
were living as refugees in the trans-Jamuna extension in New Delhi.
The gruesome details of slaughter of Kashmiri Pandits appeared in a
major international magazine (known for its objectivity and fact
finding missions) are documented. The radical Islam that defines this
garbage of Azad and Azad Kashmir implies "Nizam-i-Mustafa" which means
implementation of Shariah laws. This is confirmed by interviews with
several ordinary Kashmiri Muslims who have stated that they want to
secede from India and merge with Pakistan. The interesting thing is
that thge same rascals who want to secede said that they still want to
enjoy the benefits of India - like quota for jobs but want ti live in
an Islamic state of Kashmir that has merged with Pakistan (Azad
Kashmir). Also in the same article is the interview of fundamnentalist
rabid Muslim woman Ayesha Andrabi who is heading the "Dukhtarani
Millat". This crazy woman is justifying the slaughter of the Kashmiri
Hindu Pandits on one hand, and then being sympathetic to the hapless
Islamic pogrom on the Kashmiri Pandits. When I read this article my
heart swelled with anger and frustration, and the only I way I see to
rid India of this pestilence called Islam is to declare India as a
Hindu state and rewrite its Constitution accordingly. Otherwise we
shall certainly see another series of mini-partitions if Kashmir goes
away under the spell of this Wahabi fundamentalism preached by Geelani
and his perverted ilk.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 7:28 PM
Dolivaw
Kashmiri Pandits left kashmir not because of kashmiri muslim or there
was any kind of threat to them,They did so under the infuence of then
Governer of J & K who misled them.In kashmir we are still living
together with Sikhs nobody told them to leave.You are talking about
Democracy and the meaning of Indian democracy is alltogether different
in Kashmir,just go online and see what they are doing in kashmir
today,They are opening fire on peaceful demostrations ,ambulances
carrying the injured people are not allowed to reach
hospital ,Journalists are being attacked.People of kashmir are not
interested in your elections,they just want to get rid of Indian
Occupation ,for last 62 years india has failed to get AZADI(Right to
self Determination) out of the kashmir MINDS,Even by using brutal
forces and you know the ratio of Army VS Civil people in kashmir
is,for 3 kashmiri their is One army men to control.Right now its
peoples movement and you cannot suppress it by any force in the
world .Let me tell honestly people of kashmir is not against Yatra or
Yatri ,even if kashmiri pandits wana come back we will be more than
happy to welcome them ,but kashmiri will not compromise on their RIGHT
FOR SELF DETERMINATION.
Posted by: Kashur | August 25, 2008 6:55 PM
Kashmiriyat truly buried.. please read Geelani's interview to Rediff.
Visions of another Wahhabi funded Islamic paradise.
Posted by: dolivaw | August 25, 2008 6:27 PM
wonderful article. Ms Hafsa we appreciate you writing this article.
Being a kashmiri I can understand the pain you must have undergone
while being in kashmir. I go through this trauma each and everytime.
So does every muslim of kashmir living here in this unfortunate piece
of land. For Dolivaw and other pandit brothers. It is unfortunate you
are giving a name of ethnic cleansing and pandit holocaust to the
death of 256 pandits in this whole turmoil. You should be ashamed
because you dont utter a word for 150,000 kashmir muslims who were
butchered by you so called security forces. Our whole generation was
killed and you dont utter a word for that. You were not evicted out of
kashmir but you opted for it and the then governer Jagmohan helped you
getting out of kashmir. When our kids were disappearing in custodies
Indian government was offering your kids admissions in prestigious
universities. Only thing you lost was your identity. Even the
government employees we getting doublly paid.They were drawing money
both from kashmir and jammu. I dont understand what did pandits loose
in this whole turmoil. I really fail to understand.
Posted by: Kashur Boy | August 25, 2008 6:25 PM
Kashur:
If only the Kashmiris had shown the same hospitality to its own
Pandits when they were being ethnically cleansed in the late eighties
and early nineties and they were not guests, they were living in their
own houses for most. And as to not a single Yatri being not harmed, it
wasnt for the lack of trying though. In July the Indian Authorities
found 1.5 Kg of RDX on the road leading to the Shrine and used by the
Pilgrims. It is not a so called largest democracy, it is the largest
democracy where nearly 450 million or thereabouts people are entitled
to vote in free and fair central, state and local elections. We did
hold a free and fair election in J&K when the BJP led NDA was in power
at the centre and guess what the Congress and PDP was voted in and the
power was transferred peacefully. If the demographics of the state of
J&K had truly changed, the state election would have decidedly been
different i can assure you and we would have had a BJP MLA from the
valley by now. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the
demographics of 'Azad Kashmir' or PK i.e, Punjabized Kashmir!
Joseph:
Do read the Hindu of 21st August to know about the ex-Governor Lt.Gen
Sinha. Who knows you might want to rethink what you said about him.
Shoukat Shah of Jamaat Ahl-e Hadith says he is not a right wing
communalist, for he approved an Islamic University to be set up by
that body in the state of J&K. And see above for the exaggerated
importance of Kashmiris helping the yatris! For most, it is a good
business to transport the yatris i.e., pure commercial activity. And
Some Kashmiris may not feel themselves as Indians and as i pointed out
in my earlier posts.they are free to take a single way trip to
Muzaffarabad and join 'Azad' Kashmir in the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan where Islam will never be in danger! Hopefully IROAR
(Independent Republic of Arundhati Roy) will do the same and write
about glorious Taliban in tribal areas of Pakistan and the inequities
facing the minorities of Azad Kashmir (i.e, the Kashmiris themselves
reduced to minority by Punjabi Pakistanis). Am sure an interview of
Mullah Omar by her would be a treat to read.
J&K will remain part of the Union of India, as it is a sacred Hindu
land and the Shiv Lingam which is an icicle yes, wasnt discovered by a
Muslim shepherd for the first time. Its existence in history has been
known for a very long time. Its just another canard being spread to
depict the cravenly anti-Hindu, pro-Taliban mindset of Geelani &
company as a peaceful manifestation of Kashmiriyat which it most
definitely isnt!
Nadeem:
India does have a backbone thank you very much, the Ummah
unfortunately hasnt ever grown one! Do read Robert Fisk's excellent
book on the conquest of the Middle East to know about how the Muslim
rulers of various countries have gone about efficiently in the
twentieth century to prolong their rule! Closer home the role of
Gen.Zia in Jordan in 1970, the Pakistan Army's role in erstwhile East
Pakistan in ethnic cleansing and genocide, Gen. Musharraf's 'To do a
Bugti' and of course ISI's role in the creation, nurturing, training,
arming and controlling Taliban are apt lessons am sure. As to IROAR
(see above for definition), i hope she finds a country she would like
to live in on the planet earth (Talibanland hopefully). If not, a
petition for naming her as a candidate for India's manned or human
mission to the moon gets my vote. Vir Sanghvi has a paper to sell so
he is going to be provocative. One partition of the Country was
enough! Never again. The price of Kashmir is worth more than 5 billion
dollars that the Central Govt has given the state. Its time to stress
and out the corruption of the political leaders in J&K! Implicit in
his article is his foolish belief that normalcy will return i.e, no
Pakistan backed, aided and abetted Islamic terrorism in India once
lets say the Kashmir valley is allowed to secede. It would be like a
shark smelling blood and going in for the kill and fostering ever more
bloodier and deadlier terrorist attacks in India. The old Mughal dream
of ruling Delhi isnt quite died yet in Pakistan. So J&K will remain
Indian and the valley people can either enjoy the fruits of economic
development in India and participate fully as citizens as is their due
or keep going on daily strikes economically hurting no one but
themselves alone.
I hope the Govt. of India takes lessons from the fact that they
allowed Geelani a passport to visit the US for medical treatment for
his cancer last year. They probably regret that decision now.
Moreover, with the rise in inflation and series of errors by the
present UPA Govt i.e., Ram Setu, Afzal, the terrorist bombs, Maoist
violence, Amarnath Land reversal, the rise of Mayawati in splitting
the Congress vote bank, no communal violence in BJP ruled states of
Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat even after terrorist bomb attacks
there ..the BJP has a very good chance of being reelected to power in
the next general elections.
Posted by: Dolivaw | August 25, 2008 5:44 PM
A Muslim separatist leader has said he wants all aspects of life in
Kashmir to be governed by Islam. What happens to non-Muslims? Most of
them have already been killed and driven out. Where is Patel's article
on the plight of non-Muslims?
Does it also mean wherever Muslims become in majority (could happen in
the U.S. as well), they will ask for a separate Islamic nation?
Islam invaded India in 1200s. It was all Hindu/Buddhist before that.
Kashmir and Porkistan all belong to Hindus but Hindus do not believe
in strapping on a suicide belt and blowing up human beings to get
their land back.
Latest: civilians blown up peace loving Muslims today in Darfur,
Porkistan, Phillipines, Algeria....all in the name of Islam
Latest:
Posted by: Jayesh | August 25, 2008 5:32 PM