Author: Swapan Dasgupta
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: August 13, 2006
It would, perhaps, not be outrageous to suggest
that had the authorities in Pakistan been as forthcoming with information
to India as they were to the British Intelligence, the July 11 carnage in
Mumbai may have been averted. The heinous plot unearthed last Thursday to
cause mid-air explosions on trans-Atlantic flights from London was to have
been executed by middle-class Britons of Pakistani origin.
From all accounts, it didn't have the blessings
of the Pakistani State. At the same time, there was an undeniable Pakistani
connection which can be traced to the burgeoning jihad industry which operates
part covertly and partly with the full knowledge of the ISI.
Islamabad is always concerned that deracinated
would-be jihadis carrying British passports will target the West and put the
Musharraf regime on a sticky wicket. It is more indulgent if the army of rabid
theologians can motivate enough young Muslims into inflicting a 'thousand
cuts' on India instead.
It is unrealistic to believe that the attitude
of Pakistan towards India will change in the short-term. Despite well-meaning
attempts to project Them as People Like Us, there is such a visceral hatred
of Hindu India in that country that an event like the Mumbai bombings will
see the cigars and vintage Port being brought out in the Officers Mess of
the Pindi cantonment.
It is not that the Bush Administration and
the Blair Government are unaware of the many faces of Pakistan - the nuclear
supermarket run by A Q Khan was, after all, unearthed by British Intelligence.
Bogged down in Afghanistan and beleaguered in Iraq, the Anglo-American alliance
feels that it is best to not open another front and, instead, ensure that
Musharraf's dealings with it is above board. By passing on crucial information
to British Intelligence about the jihadi plan to target trans-Atlantic flights,
the ISI has won many brownie points in the West. This is also calculated to
undermine India's feeble diplomatic attempt to target the infrastructure of
terror in Pakistan.
How should India respond to Pakistan's calculated
duplicity? A knee-jerk response would involve questioning President Bush's
sincerity in fighting the "Islamic fascists" when it comes to Pakistan.
This is the response Pakistan would love, since it will portray India as unreasonable
and petulant. If the British, the argument is certain to run, are looking
inwards to grapple with the unique problem of "home-grown" terrorists
with "Muslim sounding names", why isn't India doing likewise?
It's a fair question. The post-July 11 inquiries
have so far yielded suspects who are Indian by birth. Some members of terrorist
modules may have travelled to Pakistan to be trained in arms and explosives
but, like the 25 people arrested in Britain, they are "home-grown"
perverts. The Laskar-e-Toiba originated in Pakistan but it now has branches
in India which are run by Indian Muslims. Subversion has struck roots in our
own soil and we can no longer blame terrorist attacks on Pakistani paratroopers.
Since the 7/7 bombings, Britain has come to
terms with its Muslim terrorist problem. Despite the howls of protests by
do-gooders who like to believe terrorism is a function of "alienation"
which can be resolved by wiping Israel from the face of the earth, the British
police have been given a free hand to do whatever is necessary to protect
the lives of innocent civilians. The Indian Government, however, remains in
a state of denial and vulnerable to political pressure.
The protests by some MPs in Parliament that
Muslims are being targeted by the police led to an intervention by Congress
president Sonia Gandhi. In a speech to party MPs a fortnight ago, she, in
effect, suggested that the Government be hard on terrorism and soft on suspected
terrorists. The unmistakable message to the police was to go slow.
Outside powers can assist but India will have
to fight its own battles. Can we do so by preventing the police from doing
its job fearlessly? Are sectarian vote banks more important than confronting
this assault on our very nationhood? It's time to reflect.
