Author: Prakash Singh
Publication: The Hindustan Times,
New Delhi
Date: November 9, 2001
Introduction: Human rights of terrorists
are important. Policemen, paramilitary and Army personnel have no human
rights; they serve to die.
India is different, and it must
remain so. While other countries are gearing up to fight international
terrorism, we need not be unduly disturbed by the threat. Matters nearer
home are far more important.
We have spent the last 50 years
promoting our caste and regional interests, building personal fortunes,
giving a long rope to mafia dons and distorting the rule of law to the
rule of the jungle. Democracy has been subverted to a government that buys
people, at the expense of the people and far from the people.
We must continue to tread this path
charted by our illustrious leaders.
The Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance
is an outrageous piece of legislation. It has been promulgated for electoral
advantage and will be an instrument of oppression in the hands of government.
It should not be allowed to be passed
in the Parliament and be opposed on the following grounds:
1. India has a tradition of inviting
or letting in foreign invaders. It dates back from Alexander's invasion
in 326 BC and continued through Mahmud of Ghazni's 17 forays into India,
up to Pakistan's intrusions planned by Musharraf in Kargil in 1999. The
tradition should be continued and we should allow the mujahideen terrorists
a free run of the country.
2. India has produced Jaichands
and Omichands in the past. The breed has greatly proliferated since, thanks
to the westernised Indian elite, which has no love for Mother India. We
should not impose any undemocratic restraints on them.
3. We have a criminal justice system
which does not believe in punishing criminals. Why discriminate against
the terrorists then? We have provincial satraps who are more particular
about holding on to their zamindari in their respective states than giving
powers to the federal government which might enable it to combat organised
crime more effectively. Let them flower in their respective cesspools.
4. The terrorists, in any case,
are doing a great service to the country in the sense that they reduce
our population even though to a marginal extent (nearly 50,000 so far).
Considering that no politician of the country has the courage to tackle
this gargantuan problem, we should recognise whatever little service they
are doing in this sphere.
5. The Congress lost Rajiv Gandhi
and Indira Gandhi in terrorist attacks. The party's opposition to POTO
shows that it is willing to make more such sacrifices. This should be an
inspiration to the other political parties.
6. Human rights of terrorists are
important. Policemen, paramilitary and Army personnel have no human rights;
they serve to die.
7. A large number of so-called human
rights activists would lose their jobs if the terrorists were all put behind
bars or dealt with by the security forces. Their unemployment would be
a matter of concern.
8. Our secular credentials would
suffer a setback if we crack own on the fundamentalists. We should not
violate any 'salutary principle enshrined in the Constitution.
9. The police cannot be trusted
with authoritarian powers. It has
misused them in the past and in
all likelihood will abuse them in future also. That we have not cared to
reform the police and used it as an instrument of the executive all these
years is not relevant.
10. Getting votes and winning elections
are far more important. National security can take a back seat.
11. We have always believed
in ahimsa. Those thinking in terms of incarcerating or eliminating terrorists
would be acting against the principle of non-violence.
12. The fundamentalists want to
hoist their flag on the Red Fort. What difference would it make? After
all, it is a piece of cloth only.
13. We should not imitate the US
or UK which have passed antiterrorist legislation and are in the process
of making it more stringent. The US has already suffered heavily for its
bias against the fundamentalists. UK is most likely to get the next blow.
We should try to keep the fundamentalists in good humour and be on the
right side of bin Laden.
(The writer is a retired police
officer.)