I know it is very difficult for the Indian government to implement, as there are issues like communal sentiment, etc.
However, if the government has to enhance its anti-terror operation, then I feel it should immediately issue “shoot-at-sight” orders against the members of Indian Mujahideen (IM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (a.k.a. Jamaat-ud-Dawa). And I hope technically it will not be very difficult, as both the organizations are now banned by the Indian government.
I understand that the proposal seems to be somewhat harsh, and also appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to the recent Mumbai blasts. However, I will very confidently say that there is no other way. Whenever police arrests one member of any of these banned organizations, it has to waste a lot of time and energy to gather evidence and prepare a chargesheet against him. Until and unless a proper chargesheet is not filed, the person cannot be prosecuted. And he keeps enjoying a happy life in the custody.
More importantly, both IM and LeT have a huge membership. If police takes so much time to tackle one member, then how can it tackle the entire organization?
Prosecuting an arrested terrorist through legal process is a lengthy procedure, which delays his punishment to a huge extent (just recall the examples of Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab). Terrorism is now like an ever expanding tumour for India, and we have to wipe out as much chunk of the problem as possible by spending as little time as possible. We have to be fast and swift, ruthlessly cutting down each and every branch and fruit of the two venomous trees – IM and LeT. And in that case there seems to be only one way out – instantly gunning down an LeT or IM operative the moment police can have a hand on him.
The idea might not appeal to so-called intellectuals who are obsessed with catchy words like “Human Rights”, “ethics”, “morality”, etc. Well, I have due respect for the philosophy of “Human Rights”. But I am sorry to say that I do not feel it to be more valuable than the lives of my fellow Indian citizens.
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3 comments:
As you know the terrorists don't walk around with a badge on their heads. That's where you run in situations where police starts shooting anyone they don't like in the name of this "free all" rule. Isn't that what's happening in most of East India anyways..
Yesterday I had the opportunity to listen to a presentation by Professor Priyanker Upadhyaya, who holds the UNESCO Chair for Peace & Intercultural Understanding at Banaras Hindu University. It was on the subject of "Multiculturalism, Terrorism and Peace- an Indian Experience". I thought the best point he made was that we need to use our insights into history, politics, psychology, religion, and philosophy to address issues that result in terrorism.
Simply taking a one-track approach to tackle terrorism will give us more of the same. Cool heads are required so that in trying to overcome a problem we don't create a bigger problem. There are always those who would advocate taking the society backwards to tackle a problem. This fringe element demands must be ignored. Sanity must prevail, and there must be a willingness to engage in a constructive way without fear of losing face.
I have given some ideas (for whatever they are worth) in other posts of Raja Boshu's blogs on Kashmir and Ahmedabad.
We also learnt from Professor Upadyaya how Varanasi (Benares) has been able to maintain peace and cooperation between different communities despite provocations from time to time.
It was news to most of the attendees that the city of Varanasi had a Muslim population of 38% and that it was a holy city for the Buddhists as well.
Apparently, the religious leaders of the various communities have an agreement amongst themselves to pre-empt escalation whenever peace and harmony is threatened. This is working and other cities (Ahmedabad and other Gujarat cities most particularly) could learn lessons from it.
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