JK News Today Commentary
Perhaps there is a deliberate attempt to distort the statements and commitments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to unravel the whole conspiracy that culminated in Red Fort blast in Delhi on November 10, abbreviated as 10/11 now. The narration of collective punishment is negation of the reality but also putting spokes in the investigations aimed at bringing out the truth.
The crowd mentality of whipping up passions on the religious and regional lines harms investigations and the early conclusion of the same. This also attempts at shielding those who acted as second or third layer in acts of terror. They are as deadly as the perpetrators – suicide bombers or others. It is harmful to the narrators and society at large as it attempts to keep a lid on the real players and their supporters who pollute the atmosphere.
There have been three major statements since the blast that left nine people dad and several others injured. Home Minister who visited the blast site on the same evening, met the injured and took feedback from investigating agencies, made a critically important statement: “All angles will be probed to bring out the truth.” Next morning, PM, during his visit to Bhutan, declared “All those responsible (for the blast and the conspiracy) will be brought to justice.” And, on Monday ( November 17, 20225) while addressing North Zone Council meeting in Faridabad , Haryana , Home Minister made it plain that “ the perpetrators of the heinous act of terror in Delhi would be pulled out of netherworld –Paatal- and punished.”
A campaign of disinformation has been launched that the investigating and law and order agencies were overstepping their domain. It is being alleged that all were being hauled up, investigated, and questioned, for the act of very, very, small number of doctors and others directly involved in the blast. On the face of it, this sounds quite plausible, why others who have no direct involvement in the gruesome tragedy should be arrested or punished .The underlying thesis is to challenge the questioning of suspects in the case.
The underlying idea is to show that the law enforcing agencies were inflicting collective punishment for the whole population, especially a particular community, for the evil act of a miniscule number of people. This idea is being pushed hard to reinforce the point that the normalcy was in name only, the real intent is to punish the community.
It ignores two realities: One, it is to create distrust between what the Centre’s line of thinking and action, second, the very reality and the need of investigation. A canard is being spread that the investigators are not distinguishing between the majority of the innocent people and a few culprits. This action is seen as a cover up for the unanswered questions about the blast and the damage it caused. The whole blame is laid at the door of security agencies.
On a larger canvas, it is t be analyzed whether security agencies see terrorism where there is none. This is a serious flaw in the thinking and airing of the ideas of deception. Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has not been discovered with Delhi blast of 10/11. It existed in Kashmir – Pakistan sponsored or adopted by those who thought that violence could turn their illusions into reality.
Certain facts bring out the clear picture. The key players – Dr Umar Nabi , Dr Adil and Dr Muzameel – all hailed from Kashmir . They were convinced or they had convinced themselves that the path they were choosing was better than their medical profession. They were educated enough to discern what was good for them and their society . It is unimaginable that they could not have anticipated the consequences their actions would entail for their families , neighbours , friends and relatives . Or, they were in illusion that once they die in suicide bombings , investigators will not be able to trace their roots . If that was the case, they were living in fool’s paradise because in this era of high technology and forensic science , each and everything under the sun can be traced . This is first step to bring the perpetrators and their backers to justice .
Now , Home Minister’s two statements each complementing the other – all angles will be probed to get to the roots of the conspiracy , and that the perpetrators and conspirators would be flushed out of netherworld.. That signified that there wil not be unilateral prism of investigations – all the aspects of who, where, why , what , when , and how would be brought out . It was to pick up those who were responsible and laying out a responsible path of investigation that the truth be brought out with specifics . The very requirement of bringing out the truth is to leave no corner uncovered in the course of investigations . That is essence of the Home Minister’s message on investigations .
It would be better for the narrators of “ collective punishment” to understand that that identifying the culprits and punishment to them would save them from stigma and see for themselves who the real criminals are living among them . They will have to decide whether it is good for them to have such evil elements amidst themselves or purge them out of society.
