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| An open letter to Businessmen
Publication: Hindu Vivek Kendra Date: 12 Sep 2003
All members of the Rehabilitation Committee for the Twin Bomb Blast Victims, Mumbai. Shri Rahul Bajaj - Chairman & Managing
Director of Bajaj Auto Ltd.
Dear Sirs, We would like to thank you for sparing your valuable time in helping out in the rehabilitation of the victims of the August 25 bomb blasts in Mumbai. We hope that the scope of your committee will not only be the victims of terrorism of these two blasts, but also of the previous five blasts that the people of Mumbai had to suffer recently. Furthermore, there are victims of terrorism in various places in Maharashtra over the last four years. For example, after taking out a rally in support of Osama bin Laden, some Muslims in Malegaon indulged in acts of vandalism against the Hindus, killing some and destroying a lot of property (commercial and residential). Another instance is that of the riots in Sholapur which had its origins in a statement made by a member of a Christian church in the USA, wherein he called Mohammed a terrorist. This brings us to the issue of why these acts of terrorism have taken place. Every time, the media and the intellectuals have blamed the victims of such violence, namely the Hindus. For example, they say that the movement to recover the site of the Shri Rama Janmabhoomi is a cause for creating alienation of the Muslim community in India. Recently, the post-Godhra riots are said to be the cause. Often, as in the case of Malegaon and Sholapur, it is said that the poverty amongst the Muslims have lead them to be influenced by the fundamentalists amongst their co-religionists. Does this really answer the basic cause that one is looking for? When the Hindus of Gujarat reacted violently, the same media and the intellectuals blamed them for their reaction. In that case, why the double standard today when it comes to the Hindus being the victims? Here it would not be inappropriate to point out that when, in 1986, a large number of temples in Kashmir were attacked almost simultaneously, Hindus did not react. Also, when there was an ethnic cleansing of the Hindus from the Kashmir Valley, Hindus did not react. When 100 Hindu Amarnath pilgrims were killed on a single day, in different places of Kashmir valley, (August 2002) Hindus did not react. It should also be recognised that the scope of Islamic terrorism is not restricted to India. One sees acts of vandalism in places like Indonesia, Sudan, Nigeria, etc. The USA had to suffer a major attack on September 11, 2001. Intelligence agencies in Europe have been able to prevent similar attacks by timely action. We are sure you are in full knowledge of all this, and so we will not go further on this issue here. No cognisance seems to be taken on statements that have come out recently from people like a former police commissioner in our city wherein he has clearly stated that police postings are determined on the basis of payments to the politicians and not necessarily merits. We feel that this has encouraged a huge force of anti-social elements, who indulge not only in terrorism but also acts of extortion, robbery, etc. This has a history going back a long time. For example, in December 1995, Mr AR Kanangi, associate editor of The Afternoon, wrote: "The Congress party made the smugglers respectable.....They contributed generously to the Congress Party..... I know definitely that smugglers were giving money to the Congress party. A Congress leader in Mumbai took a big part in making smugglers respectable. The party liked him a lot because he was able to collect huge funds.... I was a witness to one such shady deal. It took place in an office in the Fort area. The smuggler came with a lot of cash. I was sitting there next to the man to whom the cash was given." The incident he was referring to took place before 1978, since Mr Kanangi mentioned that the cash was provided in notes of the denomination of Rs 1000. Then we have the Vora Committee Report of 1993, wherein it was said: "From the various reports, it as apparent that the activities of Memon Brothers and Dawood Ibrahim had progressed over the years, leading to the establishment of a powerful network. This could not have happened without these elements having been protected by functionaries of the concerned Government departments, especially Customs, Income Tax, Police and others." The anti-social elements do the bidding of not only the international Islamic terrorists but also that of Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. Thus they play an additional role of being traitors. The existence of these anti-social elements enabled the international Islamic terrorist movement to obtain members from the Muslim community to undertake their evil programme in India very easily. The support received by the terrorists, most of whom are Indian citizens, from their co-religionists has been articulated by Mr Julio Ribeiro in an article in The Asian Age dated August 26, 2003. We are narrating all this in brief. We do believe that a large number of Muslims in India have the interest of our country at heart. At the same time, it would be taking an ostrich-like attitude if we do not face up to the reality and see what is happening not only in India but also in the world. We had said before that it is necessary to go into the real causes of the acts of terrorism. When a fire takes place, it is the duty of all to first extinguish it. However, if the causes of the fire are not properly investigated, and the corrective action taken, then there will be more fires in the future. We feel that this has happened in the past, and our country has to suffer grievously on this account. We are enclosing an article from the Time magazine which indicates the type of propaganda that is going on and that only informed business people can counter. It also emphasises the need to have a proper analysis of what is happening in our nation. We know that, jointly, you have adequate resources
available to make a proper investigation. You will be doing a yeoman
service not only to the citizens of Mumbai, but also of the whole country,
if you undertake this task. We hope our faith in you will be justified.
Vinod Pawar
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