JK News Today Commentary
At a time when Kashmir was celebrating its glory in newly set up chrysanthemum garden , it has been hit by the impact of Red Fort car blast of November 10 with devastating effect . It is now seen as an epicenter of country-wide terrorism network driven by the Islamic radicalism. This should be assessed in the multi-lens prism and that too on the basis of the scientific investigations which are already underway . There is an urgent need to involve all the security agencies , and particularly Jammu and Kashmir that already made a big breakthrough by unearthing the entire gamut of the conspiracy.
The attack and the Kashmir links may be seen as a familiar story of Kashmir, which witnessed a series of gruesome tragedies including car blasts, suicide and finadayeen attacks . It is not , there are far greater and dangerous dimensions that surfaced with the Delhi blast of early this week.
This should be the ground for a fresh look at Kashmir , its environment and who all are seeking to revive all the elements of terrorism , and how the real time meaning can be given to the zero-tolerance toward terrorism . This is a fresh challenge , as there is no background of rigging in elections or for that matter Pakistan’s initial enthusiasm to cash on the disaffection gripping masses in 1980s.
The difference is important to understand strategic fault lines and to understand the track routes to curb this menace in future in line with the zero-tolerance toward terrorism . The blast , its backdrop, an impact should awaken the nation to understanding what contributes to terrorism and there should be no hesitancy in spotlighting the difficult questions and finding their answers.
The investigations made so far are pointing to “ white collar terrorists.”- That is someone committing an act of terror and then melting into crowd like ordinary people .. There may be another term , “ White Coat terrorism”. The initial investigations and the recovery of arms, ammunition and explosives weighing 2900 KGs in Faridabad, Haryana., showed involvement of doctors in this conspiracy designed to hit cities across the country .
There were attempts , and some of them successful too, on the part of terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahadeen , to strike at the places outside J&K in the past .Some of these strikes, include serial bomb explosions in Delhi , attack on the Indian Parliament , Gujarat and other places . But the dimensions were different .Those terror attacks were carried out at the time when the Valley represented a byword for terrorism .. Hardly a day would pass when violence would not take place in Kashmir . The violence was a norm, and a day of peace, a rare exception .
After abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 , terrorism, terrorists and their sympathizers were consumed by the seamless counter-terrorism operations . These operations were upgraded version of the anti-terrorism operations of the previous years as the security forces were equipped with a new weapon – free hand .They could act as per their planning, targeting all the terrorists and the elements supporting them. That era also saw zero political interference. The battleground was between security forces and terrorists with no political shadows and human intervention by stone throwing crowds . It yielded results which made the terrorists with guns and bombs retreat. Normalcy replaced the fear of violence .
The area of probe focused on Red Fort blast, its roots and spread , should investigate how this side of the terrorism grew in this kind of atmosphere . What was at work and how .Those who become doctors investment their hard work, money to fulfill their dreams. Many of them come from well-to-do families and land in secure jobs. That some of them built a castle of their own in which they thought of bleeding India , what influences were at work, and how influenced them, and what is the scale of the subversion they undertook . These questions need answers . Specifics must be brought to fore.
Probe agencies can bring out lot of truth and answers . But for knowing the whole truth, why the intelligentsia and the men in secure jobs , committed to prove their professionalism , went astray .
Kashmir is more worried today than it was ever before . PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is right in letting her worries out. “ If the suspected involvement of Kashmiri doctors is proved , it would mean very bad and sad things for Kashmir and Muslims.” She has hit the nail on head because Kashmir is already under scanner of security agencies and the nation at large. This is a moment of serious reflection for Kashmir and the people , as to how would they be treated in the rest of the country and its fallout within the Valley where neighbours will suspect the residents next door. That would be same what was happening in 1990s. That is the real tragedy.
