Title: Release of hijackers
to demoralise security forces: RSS
Author: Observer Political
Bureau
Publication: The Observer
of Business and Politics
Date: January 6, 2000
Rashtriya Swayamsewak
Sangh (RSS) chief Rajendra Singh on Wednesday said that the release of
three dreaded terrorists by the Vajpayee government in the Indian Airlines
hijacking episode would hav6 a "demoralising effect" on the security forces.
However, Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president J P Mathur asserted that
the episode "has damaged the image of the party."
Professor Singh also
cautioned the government against "acting under coercion" and characterised
the government's deal with the hijackers as arising out of the "cowardice"
prevalent in the "Hindu society."
In an interview to RSS
Hindi weekly Panchjanya, Prof Singh said that the terrorists were arrested
through arduous and prolonged efforts of the security forces, and their
release would have a demoralising effect on them.
"RSS has always expressed
that terrorists should never be released in exchange for hostages," he
said, according to a press release issued by the weekly.
Prof Singh recalled that
RSS had opposed the release of some terrorists to free the daughter of
then Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed from her abductors, and
said that the present incident had brought to light the "cowardice" spread
among the Hindu society.
According to him, two
lessons could be learnt from the incident - the government should not take
any decision under coercion; and the Hindu society should indispensably
become brave and courageous, otherwise such outrageous incidents were bound
to occur.
He further said that
the government would have to gear up security arrangements for effective
vigilance and combating the scourge of terrorism.
Meanwhile, the BJP vice-president
said that backtracking of the Vajpayee government in the hijack episode
by releasing the three terrorists in exchange for the hostages had "damaged"
the party's image.
Speaking to newsmen in
the context of Union home minister L K Advani's statement that the hijacking
episode had "damaged the BJP, but not the country," Mr Mathur said that
"the decision of the government will damage the image of the party to the
extent that the hard posture advocated by the party for the Indian states
has taken a dent."
He, however, hastened
to add that the "image will be revived very quickly."
Commenting on the home
minister's statement Mr Mathur said that "Mr Advani wanted to convey that
it was the best decision before the government and was in the interest
of the country. But, BJP's image of not giving any quarter to terrorists
had been eroded."
He added that the "government
has to tune itself to the developing and adverse security environment in
the country' and tackle it with firmness and agility."
'Mr Mathur further said
that though the government had struck a deal with the hijackers, in the
overall scenario, the government had been "tough." He pointed out that
"neither has the government allowed Pakistan to get the upperhand in the
situation nor have we recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan."
Meanwhile, BJP general
secretary Narendra Modi said that he was not in a position to clarify Mr
Advani's statement "because I do not know the context in which it was made
and what Mr Advani wanted to convey."
Be that as it may. the
BJP leaders were also displeased with the bureaucracy for "being inept"
and "keeping even the. Prime Minister in the dark about the hijacking
even after an hour after the event was common knowledge."
They also wanted that
"accountability should be fixed for the slip-up and the people responsible
be hauled up, as that will send a message down the line that the government
will not tolerate incompetence."
