Terrorism today has become a global problem with terrorist strikes on various targets around the world. The most notorious terrorists acts abroad has been against Israeli athletes at Munich Olympic village, blowing up of Pan Am and Air India’s Kanishka planes, bombing of Bali hotel, attack on American embassies in Africa, strikes against New York Twin Towers, Pentagon and London Subway. India has been the worst victim of terrorism. The most heinous acts were killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a suicide bomber and 1993 Mumbai blasts, attack on Parliament House and Red Fort of Delhi, Akshardham Temple, 7-11 Mumbai train blasts, Delhi blasts, Hijack of Indian Airlines plane to Kabul (2002), Varanasi blasts, Malegaon bombing and 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts. There have been countless killings and suicide bombing.
The terrorism has acquired a frightening dimension and proportions. There is no end to it. The first decade of 21st century has seen the worst. Then there is ethnic terrorist violence in Iraq. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Srilanka and Bangladesh are also suffering from terrorism.
All the leaders of the world condemn and denounce the terrorists acts but it is spreading regardless. For terrorists, terror acts serve as means of grabbing attention of the world to propagate their cause. They have no faith in talks or peaceful processes. The trigger happy terrorists use all kinds of strategies to put pressure on or frighten their opponents. To achieve the unholy aims they use bombs, grenades, guns, rockets, modern plastic explosives, timer devices, mines, kidnapping, hijack, blackmail and threats. Their favourite targets are government buildings, schools, colleges, public transport and crowded places. Thus, the world is becoming a very unsafe place.
The terrorists groups use every means to destabilise the country. For decades they made tourists their targets to keep the visitors off Kashmir to ruin its economy. Similarly, lately they have been targetting India’s money generating economic centres like Bombay Stock Exchange and I.T. establishments southern region, the BPO hub of the world. Terror out-fits supply huge amounts of fake currency to hit the economy. Jehadi terror groups trade in drugs also. It creates funds for them and the young population of the target country gets condemned to drug abuse. Thus, they do double the damage.The terrorist phenomenon is fed by politically frustrated groups, religious fundamentalists and misled factions of the society aggrieved for various reasons. These elements are recruited, trained and financed by very powerful national and international vested interests. There is no dirth of weapons and ammunition. Some of the recruits are trained in making of modern explosive devices of various kinds and timer technology for remote control. Lately, professionals like doctors and engineers were discovered to be the members of terrorist outfits. That is worrisome. The religions hate preachers turn the recruits into highly motivated terrorists who don’t mind becoming even suicide bombers to achieve their narrow sectarian cause.
In our case, terrorism is a by-product of the colonial legacy. The country was divided into two on the basis of religion, faith and community. Later, Pakistan got further divided with the birth of Bangladesh with India helping the break away part. These partitions sow seeds of hatred, violence, mistrust, communalism and separatism. The country goes reaping the harvest of terrorism. India’s north-east part is in the continuing grip of extremism and terrorism. Even after Independence the people of these regions felt neglected and feeling of distrust, alienation and disharmony grew deeper. The sectionist forces are aided and abetted by not so friendly neighbours.
The religious feelings also generate extremism. We saw that in Punjab when Khalistan seekers took to terrorism and threatened the integrity of the country. Thankfully, good sense prevailed and through democratic process the alienated sections were redrawn into national mainstream. But in the west the partition was followed by dispute on Kashmir. It became rallying point for separatists and degenerated into Jehadi terrorism fuelled up by Pakistan. It continues on and on. Now the relations between India and Pakistan are improving and it is hoped that some solution to Kashmir problem would be worked out. But even this won’t fully solve the problem of terrorism because global terrorism has overtaken all local issues and conflicts.
Terrorism is a crime against humanity and needs to be dealt with strongly. All nations of the globe must unite against it because the aim of terrorists now is to terrorise the world into accepting the rule of their tyranny. Palestine or Kashmir are now old issues. Those who helped the terrorists on various excuses in the past are repenting today. USA raised Osama-bin-Laden and how it suffers today! Pakistan created Majahideen and Pak regime is now their target.
Besides global terrorism, India also faces the naxal terrorism in Red Corridor spread over Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, M.P. and Chhatishgarh tribal belts. It is a battle between haves and have nots, now linking up with global terror groups.
Terrorism outsourced in India must be firmly dealt with. The government should open a dialogue with North-East sectionist groups and work out compromises within the frame work of the Constitution. Those who don’t come to the table should be put down with iron hand. Within the country the unemployment problem must be addressed. New jobs and opportunities should be created somehow for the youth. The people must exercise tolerance and the society has to accommodate all the sections and groups. No one should be made to feel alienated. The politicians must adopt national outlook and give up rabid parochialism. The government and the people united can surely defeat terrorism.
