Bharatiya Pragna - Dr. Th Chowdary

national outrage on this issue has dented the UPA
government’s apathy. Not even the extraordinary
decision of the families of the martyred security
personnel to return the gallantry awards has made
it act. Such indeed is the grip of minorityism on
the Congress mindset today.
The same mindset has dictated the Congress
party’s anti-national response to the issue
of unchecked infiltration of Bangladeshis into
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Once again, the same mindset has dictated
the UPA government’s decision not to give
approval to the anti-terror laws passed by the
assemblies of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and
Rajasthan, on the lines of an identical Act that
exists in Maharashtra.
I can understand a government not succeeding
despite making its best efforts. But I cannot
but strongly indict that government which does
not take even a single positive step
at the legislative, political, administrative
or operational levels to
counter a threat which is so profusely
bleeding the nation.
Stigmatising any faith in the
fight against terror is wrong
Friends, no campaign of
terrorism that has continued for so
long can be without an ideological
motive. Recognising the anti-India
ideological driving force behind terrorism,
and evolving a proper nationalist
ideological response to it,
is critical to achieving long-term
success. Here I would like to state
Assam and other parts of the country. I was in two things emphatically. Firstly, no religion and
Guwahati last week where, among others, I met no religious community can and should be blamed
Jaideep Saikia, an eminent Assamese scholar who for the criminal acts of some individuals belong-
has written a widely acclaimed book Terror Sans ing to that community. Stigmatising any commu-
Frontiers: Islamist Militancy in North East Innity in the fight against terrorism is wrong, counterdia.
The book is indeed an eye-opener, a strong productive, and must be condemned.
warning against a problem which the Supreme At the same time, it is equally impor-
Court itself, while striking down the IMDT Act tant to recognise that religious extremism of a
as unconstitutional, has described as “external certain kind provides the ideological fervour and
aggression”. The UPA government’s response to outward justification for terrorism and separat-
this external aggression is simply to turn a blind ism. After all, religion was indeed misinterpreted
eye.
and misused to construct the two-nation theory,
November & December 2008 Bharatiya Pragna