JK News Today Commentary
The focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s all important meeting with the US President Donald Trump has been read in terms of the strengthening of the Indo-US economic and strategic partnership , but there is something more important than that, the fight against terrorism to which the two committed themselves at their joint press conference at White House on Thursday.
Against the backdrop of what is happening across the world- the ongoing Israel –Palestine conflict for the past over 15 months despite the fragile ceasefire – is because of Hamas’ terror assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.. This very conflict has shaken the world, and various solutions are being offered to defuse the crisis that has engulfed more states than Israel and Hamas run Gaza . Iran, Lebanon and now the entire Islamic world is waking up to the hideous reality that terrorism can destabilize region after region..
President Trump sided with India in its understanding the menace of terrorism and its impact on the countries , individually and collectively . In this well-knit world an act of terror can have world-wide ramifications. That is what has been seen and experienced with lot of anxiety by the countries and populations across the globe. There can be no other definition or explanation to what all is happening in the world, which President Trump rightly described is “ on fire.”
President Trump’s two remarks- one about the extradition of Tahawwur Rana , an accused in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack , and, second his declaration regarding the fight against Islamic terrorism , were a clear endorsement of the Indian stand . India , particularly in the past 10-11 years of the Modi rule, has been pitching for an all-out war against terrorism . Prime Minister Modi has been calling for recognition of terrorism as the biggest threat to the world peace He was reiterating this during his meetings with President Obama, and President Joe Biden, and now again with President Trump who has entered the White House for his second term after a gap of four years on January 20 this year . The elimination of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is must for the global peace .
India’s concern has been regarding cross-border terrorism , which has caused huge damage to its internal assets and harmed the people. In 1980s, Punjab was made a hub of terrorism by the inimical forces from across the border- Pakistan and dealt a body blow to its ethos and culture . Both Sikh and Hindu communities suffered a lot , and the traces of the then so-called “ Khalistan” movement have created long-term problems . Khaliistan movement as such is dead in Punjab, but there are elements sitting in the US, Canda and UK who are trying to reignite the flames . So, it is important that action is taken against these elements . This is where the US can play a big role in taming and neutralizing all these anti-India elements .
In 1990s, Pakistan started its proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir in the vain hope of achieving what it could not through three wars. For over 30 years, Pakistan’s guns and bombs and trained terrorists wreaked havoc in Kashmir, killing thousands and displacing a million plus people . Pakistan acted as enemy of the people of J&K .The problem is that despite India having tried to persuade it to end the export of terror and shut its factories of terror , Islamabad- Rawalpindi never acted upon this sage advice . India had to adopt tough measures against terrorism. This gained momentum during the Modi era when Pakistan failed to respond to the peace overtures .
Prime Minister Modi’s zero tolerance to terrorism policy was not only followed within Ja7k against the terrorists indoctrinated by Pakistani propaganda and universities of terror , but took the fight across the border in 2016 surgical strike and aerial strike in February 2019 in retaliation to Pulwama terror attack which left 40 CRPF personnel dead .
Trump and Modi are on the same page on dealing with terrorism. This should deliver a tough message to Pakistan that it cannot continue its business of export of terrorism into India . For the US, especially President Trump , is aware that Pakistan had aided and abetted the perpetrators and masterminds of 9/11 terror attack as also the 26/11 atrocities in Mumbai .
This conversation and commitment of the two leaders representing the high-degree democracies in the world – India being the largest , while the US is oldest- should help in writing a new chapter against terrorism .
