The Pakistani Spectator

The investigation conducted by the Maharashtra’s Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) in connection with 2008 Malegaon blasts was something which the people of India as well as the world were unable to digest. Despite solid evidences in the shape of stuff recovered and confessional statements of involvement in terrorism, there are still Indian leaders who think they can cover the rot. Home Minister of Indian state of Maharashtra, R.R. Patil last week denied that the  Malegaon blast culprits had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate the then Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Mohan Bhagwat, who presently is heading the organization. Let’s pray that the statement of Mr Patil, unlike his earlier political statements, is not mere an eyewash. However, if his denial is mere a formality to avoid turning the state into a battle ground, India is passing from a very critical and dangerous stage i.e. unannounced war within the Indian society. On one side, RSS which is the reflection of Hindu spirit, is being stopped from emerging as one of the strongest political party while on the other, the Indian Military Intelligence (MI) under the command recently retired Indian Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor remained committed in one of the bloodiest game against the religious factions in India. With an aim to accommodate aliens and attract investments and tourists, those who believe in religion including Hindus and Muslims are being treated undesired elements. With the change in command in Indian Army, General Vijay Kumar Singh there is likely chance that all the underground detachments in Indian cities and border areas to achieve the objective will be closed.

There are many analysts who claim that they have authentic reports that Maharashrta ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed to put a tap on the conspiracy hatched by Indian Army against the religious minded Hindus and Muslims. It is being claimed that Indian MI had supplied chemical powder to its agents, which could kill a person if applied to his footwear. Plans have also been chalked out for Muslims who leave their footwear outside the mosque during prayers. This proposition is not some any sort of hearsay as recorded conversations that took place between the members of the network involved in Malegaon blasts clearly indicated about a chemical powder which could kill a person in two to three days if applied to his footwear. In between the conversation, there were highly inflamative, abusive and derogatory remarks about Bhagwat.  Presently, the tapes containing conversations are held by Maharastra Police. Interestingly, Nationalist Congress Party leader, Jitendra Awhad also disclosed in the assembly that the Malegaon blast culprits had conspired to kill RSS General Secretary Mohan Bhagwat and pass on the blame to Pakistan’s supreme intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

If we recall, Malegaon blast took place on September 29, 2008, in which six people were killed and over 120 injured. Investigations confirmed involvement of 28 persons including Sadhvi Pragnya Singh Thakur, Indian MI officer Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, Shankaracharya Dayanand Pandey alias Sudhakar Dwivedi and others. Interestingly, Home Minister Patil while responding to demands to ban right-wing organizations like the Abhinav Bharat, Sanatan Sanstha and RSS, he admitted that activists of these groups were involved in the Malegaon, Thane, Nanded and Goa blasts, however, he claimed that it could not be conclusively said that the organizations, per se, were involved in the act. One wonders that in the presence of solid evidences and the confessions by the members of network for their involvement in terrorist activities, honourable Maharashtra’s Home Minister is still doubtful, then how come New Delhi is so sure about various Muslim groups including Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) in terrorist activities.

In the recent development, a conspiracy against Indian Mujahideen (IM) is in the full swing in which it is being alleged that IM is mastermind behind the February 13, 2010 blast in Pune’s German Bakery that killed 17 people, including four foreigners and injured over 60 people. Ironically, the authenticity of Maharashtra ATS was doubted in case of Hindu groups but a consensus has been achieved between ATS personnel and Indian leaders that IM is behind the German Bakery terror blast and that its leader Riaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal are key culprits. It is pertinent to mention here that IM was not under the scanner in German Bakery blasts but with the appointed ATS chief Rakesh Maria all of the sudden IM and Baktals become main conspirators. Home Minister Patil was swift enough to declare Bhatkals, who are resident of coastal village in Karnataka as absconder in the case. It is strange that despite their voluntary confession by members of Hindu groups, Indian leaders like Home Minister Patil are still not sure about involvement of these Hindu groups in terrorist activities, however, they are dead sure about Muslims’ involvement in similar crimes.

There is a thin line between an outlaw and a terrorist.  Plans to kill top Hindu and Muslims leaders by applying chemical powder in their footwear is, no doubt, act of terrorism. But challenging the writ of an illegitimate government is not even a crime. Thus those Kashmiris who are fighting an armed battle against India security forces in Indian held Jammu and Kashmir are not terrorists but freedom fighters. However, if these Mujahideen carryout plan for mass killings of Muslims, Hindus or other minorities who are not fighting against them, it would amount terrorism. It is has been proved that over one and a half dozen officers belonging to Indian Army including Lieutenant Colonel Purohit of MI were involved in Malegaon, Nanded and Samjoutha Express terrorism but we cannot brand whole of Indian Army and MI as terrorist organizations.  Similarly, elements in Abhinav Bharat, Sanatan Sanstha and RSS might be involved in terrorist activities but these groups as a whole cannot be declared terrorist organizations. The present day India has lost its values in almost all aspects, however, there are few people left in older generations and some other odd groups who are struggling to revive old India. All the inhabitants living in Indian subcontinent are Indian, they must accept each other and live with perfect harmony as they were living together from centuries. Branding one another as terrorists would not help anyone but would only strengthen enemies of India and the aliens. In this difficult phase under which India is passing, New Delhi should not prepare grounds for the imperialists, capitalists, Zionists etc to invade India for another couple of hundred of years.