Terror, after tormenting Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, finally hit the national capital on September 12 and took a toll of 28 innocent lives, while leaving more than 100 people maimed and injured.
This happened in spite of tall claims by police that masterminds behind recent series of heinous acts of terrorism were apprehended and securely thrown behind bars to face justice. These blasts in capital in the busy festival season show the utter inefficiency and incompetence of our security and investigation agencies. Newspapers are full of gory details of deaths of innocents, trauma and shock experienced by the near and dear ones of the dead and the wounded and horror and resentment of common people.
Delhi blasts appear to be the continuation of the same conspiracy to damage public peace, instil fear, promote hatred and communalise the whole atmosphere. One good aspect is that people are increasingly refusing to fall prey to the objectives of the terrorists and political exploiters.
As usual the blame game started immediately after the blasts. The most convenient scapegoat SIMI was mentioned by TV commentators within minutes of the breaking of news.
The net result of all acts of terror is further demonisation of Muslim community. The terrorists never fail in achieving this end. Media, with its sensational coverage, strengthens this impression that Muslims are responsible for all such troubles. The common Indian further becomes convinced that in the final analysis some Muslim groups are responsible for these heinous acts of terrorism.
BJP leader LK Advani, shrewd anti-Muslim manipulator as he happens to be, did not lose this terrorists-sent opportunity, and said in Bangalore without mincing words, that Congress has to be held responsible for terrorist acts as it does not want to take stringent action against terrorists for fear of losing Muslim votes. Thus he clearly made a connection between terrorism and Muslims. He has conveniently forgotten that it was with his permission that his Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh had personally escorted the Pakistani terrorists to a safe haven. He will not even accept that demolition of 400-year old historical Babri Masjid under his leadership was an act of terrorism.
General elections are fast approaching. The BJP has made no secret that it would use these condemnable terrorist acts to its advantage. In fact the BJP is the biggest beneficiary of these acts of terrorism as they help it in polarising votes on communal lines. It has already started its game of promoting hatred against Muslims and playing on the fears in the minds of the majority community.
Our country is facing a lot of socio-economic problems like poverty, illiteracy, consumerism, corruption and injustice. Unfortunately all these vitally important issues would be relegated to a back position and elections would be fought on communal and sentimental issues. Surely it would be a big loss for the health of nation. The Government, the civil society must ponder as how to extract the country from this darkness, while at the same time redoubling efforts to hunt the terrorists whoever they may and wherever they may be.