By The Pioneer Edit Desk
There is no reason to doubt, at least as of now, the quality of the intelligence report according to which wanted global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim has recruited fidayeen to assassinate senior BJP leader LK Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.The fact that National Security Adviser MK Narayanan met Mr Advani to brief him about the intelligence input and request the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate to restrict his appearance at political rallies till security agencies have processed the information is a measure of just how serious the threat is.
The Government deserves to be commended for deciding to upgrade security arrangements for Mr Advani and Mr Modi; partisan politics has no place in national security issues. Having said this, it would be in order to point out that perhaps the situation would not have come to such a pass had the Congress not treated terrorism in a cavalier manner, refusing to acknowledge the jihadi threat even while it has been relentlessly staring India in the face. Rather than confront those who indulge in mass murder under jihad’s banner, often at the behest of their masters in Pakistan, and engage them in a battle to the finish, the Prime Minister and his advisers have shown astonishing leniency to them, choosing to treat the perpetrators of violence in the name of Islam at par with their victims. Beginning with the UPA Government’s disastrous decision to scrap POTA and its subsequent actions aimed at mollycoddling homegrown radical Islamists — ostensibly to address Muslim grievances that are more imaginary than real — we have witnessed a retreat from the battlefield and a matching increase in jihadi belligerence. The effete policy pursued by this Government has emboldened terrorists to a point where they have come to believe that they can strike at any and every target with impunity.
The UPA Government, therefore, is to entirely blame for the rapid deterioration in the internal security situation. The dark and fearsome shadow that stalks the nation may delight those who justify perversity as an expression of faith, but has generated a sense of insecurity among the masses. The UPA Government and its allies, especially the Left, cannot disown their role in strengthening the forces of evil. More important, the Government cannot shirk its primary responsibility: Protecting the citizens of India. If fidayeen are stalking Mr Advani and others, then it is the Government’s job to either take pre-emptive action and neutralise them or provide appropriate security cover. It cannot expect people to remain in hiding to cover up its utter incompetence in dealing with the situation; normal life cannot, and must not, be allowed to be held hostage by terrorists. That would mean a body blow to democracy, liberty and open society.
And, since political rallies are a visible demonstration of our democracy, the Government should take all possible steps to ensure they can be held without any restrictions on political parties and their leaders. To curb this freedom would be to concede defeat to Dawood Ibrahim and his ilk; it would amount to reducing our country to the pitiable state known as Pakistan. Of course, false bravado must be avoided. The war against terror cannot be waged by individuals; it is the state which has to lead from the front with courage and conviction.
Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com
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» Hindu Genocide in Kashmir
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