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From: A
Subject: Rhetoric, half-truths and terrorism
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Half truths seem to have become quite a rhetorical weapon in the hands of terrorists and their supporters – consider the odd case of half-liar K. Sidharth who writes in http://www.countercurrents.org/ind-sidharth130706.htm
[Note: apparently, even the rabid ideologues at countercurrents could not stand the putrid thinking of Sidharth's article – so, they removed it, today]
"It cannot be excluded that yesterday's atrocity in Mumbai was organized or facilitated by agents provocateurs working for one of India's intelligence agencies or that elements within the security forces allowed the terrorist attack to take place, with the aim of panicking the public into accepting increased repressive powers for the state. It is also possible that the Mumbai bombings were the work of Hindu supremacist fanatics bent on stoking up anti-Muslim violence. " – so, apparently he wants us to believe that the Indians did it.
Let's analyze his fictional hypothesis a little…
Sidharth-babu starts with an attempt to absolve the LeT of possible linkages to the massacre in Mumbai. His approach - raise doubts about LeT's involvement.
(a) First question the LeT's capabilities thru " if Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was the author of the coordinated bombings in Mumbai, it would represent a new level of technical sophistication" - no mention of LeT's apparent global organization, association of Pakistani nuclear scientists with the LeT, support from Pakistani terrorist agencies such as the ISI or any other source of help – no need for any analysis, when you can always blame the Indians.
(b) The other trick - a deliberate piece of poor logic as in 'LeT could NOT have done it, since they have not shown this level of sophistication before, but the Hindu supremacists could surely have done this, in spite of the fact that they have never done been accused of any similar terrorist attack '. I'm sure the Hindu supremacist groups have gone around spreading mindless violence, but systematic terrorist attacks on buildings, trains, schools – not much prior art on that. So, why doesn't the question of "technical sophistication" apply to Hindu supremacist groups – ah! that would spoil Sid's odious diatribe, wouldn't it.
(c) Then of course the big one – the Le sad they didn't do it. "A spokesman for the organization has denied it had anything to do with yesterday's terrorist attacks in either Srinagar or Mumbai. According to the Hindu, LeT representative Dr. Abdullah, condemned both attacks as "inhuman and barbaric" in a telephone call to several media organizations in Srinagar. "Blaming the LeT for such inhuman acts is an attempt by the Indian security agencies to defame the freedom struggle in Jammu and Kashmir," claimed Ghaznavi ". So, now we have come down to giving credence to some dude called Ghaznavi, from a jihadi organization that excels in killing women and little children. Of course "Ghaznavi's" credibility is not hurt by " Killing Hindus is the way forward" mantras spun by LeT's uber-jihadi Hafiz Sayed [reported by Daily Times, Lahore]
So, in Sidharth's make believe world – he would rather give credence to a bunch of trans-national habitual rapists and child-murderers, than dozens of different Indian security agencies; raise doubts about some Pakistani jihadi group, while ignoring the possibility that the same lack of technical sophistication excuse may apply in a much greater way to, as he calls them, Hindu supremacist groups.
But, lest you judge him by his true intentions, he prefaces his charade by a weasel word or two, as in " Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Islamicist terrorist groups opposed to Indian control over Kashmir have repeatedly staged attacks on civilians and perpetrated communalist atrocities ".
But, let's look at K. Sidharth's bag of twisted-statements a little further….
"Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seized on a terrorist attack on India's parliament, …to threaten war on long-time arch-rival Pakistan, which it accused of supporting the LeT " – so, the Pakistan supporting the LeT becomes an accusation thrown out by the BJP – not a fact, backed up by evidence. Isn't it strange then that the LeT runs a terrorist-breeding farm in a luxurious 190 acre layout openly in Lahore, with the full connivance of the all-controlling terrorist army of Pakistan? Maybe, recent developments like, Pakistan's refusal to join in the ban of the JuD [the front-organization of the LeT] would have convinced Sidharth – but, then again mentioning such facts would hardly facilitate the truth-distortion exercise, that K. Sidharth has undertaken, under the guise of searching for the perpetrators of terror.
Other interesting twists include "In an attempt to force Pakistan into making major concessions, India's government kept a million troops in battle formation near the Pakistan border for almost a year " – now what concessions would this be – that Pakistan stop killing women and children in India.
Ever wonder, why would a rabid commentator use phrases like "force Pakistan into making major concessions"…the reason becomes clear…
Sidharth the liar, it seems, is thrilled about something: "the Congress Party-led UP government has—at least thus far—leveled no accusations of Pakistani involvement in either the Mumbai or Srinagar terror attacks "
Ah! – so apart from bashing sundry Hindu organizations and shifting the blame on to the Indians, he's really happy that Pakistan has not been blamed – I mean, what could be worse than blaming good ole' Pakistan.
The problem is
(a) Pakistani complicity in cross-border terrorism is something that other Muslim states like Afghanistan have openly been decrying for a few years now
(b) Pakistani involvement in terrorism in India has been described by reputed news sources across the world – in fact, Pakistani enthused killings in India have cost at least 1300 lives every year for the last decade and a half
(c) Pakistani involvement in almost every international terrorist act of the last decade has been quite well documented – from 911thru the Cole Bombings, the London bombings to terrorist attempts in US, UK, Singapore and Mali.
For heaven's sake – Pakistan is a country where 44% of the people support suicide bombings in some form. Yet in his misdirected blame game, Sidharth nauseatingly avoids mentioning possible Pakistani complicity; his sympathies certainly do not lie with the victims of the tragedy.
Unfortunately for Sidharth – he's too stupid to do a good job of hiding the target of his sympathies….better luck next time.
10 comments:
Rajeev,
Why are you giving space to these kind of garbage?
To add to Siva's query - Rajeev, have you or anyone else spotted anybody writing in a similar imaginative way AGAINST the terrorists and pseudo-seculars, marxists, and so on?
I am dying to read one such good piece.
siva, good question. why do i post this sort of stuff? it's because it's good for people who still believe there's some iota of decency in the 'secularists' to see the beast up close and personal and to realize that there isn't.
there be traitors.
as for itsthebjpsfault/iamdemocracy, you are back to normal after a momentary lapse into reason. have you considered who would actually publish anything that's not 'secular' in the indian media. i have written sensible, middle of the road stuff which was rejected, for instance, by the indian express, simply because the editor concerned doesn't like me. as for the toi and the anti-hindu, my chances of getting anything provocative published there are basically nil.
as for something proactive from the right, there's a great new book brought out by Vigil Online, on the NGOs (no-good organizations) of india. i'll post the details shortly; it has, for instance, narayanan komerath's spirited expose. but let me ask you, yet again, ad nauseam, what have *you* personally done to fill this gap, other than expect somebody else to do what you want? if you are so spirited about it, how come i dont see your work on things like indiacause or india forum or whatever? especially since you are anonymous here and none of us would know it even if you were to post something? perhaps you'd care to divulge your real name as well, or do you prefer to carp incognito?
I would like to post counter-replies to secularists and against their propaganda if I only know where too. I love to argue with people who can't handle facts/evidence/reality. As soon as they are confronted they become delirious.
Also, as a mumbaikar, I am still incensed. And I apologize to Rajeev for doing this on his blog - I would like to post a message for lurkers.
"You maybe gloating at orphaning many kaafir children in Mumbai. This may feel like a victorious moment. Who can appeal to your humanity since you have known. But know one thing, everyone pays for his/her sins in this life and this life alone and so will you all. Maybe your children's blood will turn in pigpiss or may be your mom will tell you one day that she's your sister or maybe our Su30MKIs will fry your sorry asses. Whatever fate awaits you, there will be no forgiveness. Rest in pieces."
-Sage
Rajeev, I am aware you (and each one of us) have limitations. Not only individuals, even the Indian society has limitations. We must note that the Islamist aggression sharpened after the sharp increase in oil prices, sometime in 70's.
We notice that the attacks are getting fiercer, and they have gathered enough strength to threaten quoting their number.
In contrast, Indian society is sharply divided. Apart from caste, regional considerations, too, can easily sway Indian voters. Shiv Sena, for example, has been ridiculed by everyone and anyone outside Maharashtra. We often lose sight of the fact that Shivsena was one of the most potent weapon that really kept aggressors in check.
Finally, we now have a muslim election commissioner. How do you feel about that? The islamists will soften the Indian state with Bomb attacks. Quite soon, they will come down to swords. From 20% population to 50%, it doesn't take them much time.
I feel you are diluting your message by posting this drivel written by some Commy, and by writing things about what IamforD is doing or not doing. I suspect you feel as helpless as I do. I suspect Hinduism is doomed. I suspect India is a lost case.
As usual a superbly written column by Swapan Das Gupta, though not sure about the Gandhi part.
Hope BJP gets the message and makes Modi their next Prime Ministerial candidate.
http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%5Fpage&file_name=story1%2Etxt&counter_img=1
“Modi”fy your backbone
Swapan Dasgupta
There are some moments in the life of a nation when people eschew individualism and look for leadership. I don't know whether history will record the carnage of July 11 as a defining point for our country - just as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 was for our grandfathers, the fall of France in 1940 was for the British, and September 11, 2001 was for a majority of Americans. It is not the scale of a disaster that prompts a country to break with the past. A decisive shift in a nation's collective way of thinking is invariably provoked by a corresponding feeling of vulnerability and helplessness.
History records that it is at these critical moments a leader often emerges who is able to transform dejection and despondency into determination and hope. Neville Chamberlain, the rather stiff and gentlemanly soul who epitomised the policy of appeasement, was not lacking in popular support between 1937 and 1939.
When he returned from Munich in 1938 with a piece of paper that promised "peace with honour" he was met by jubilant crowds grateful that war with Hitler had been averted. Winston Churchill, who opposed Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler, was then regarded as a crazy killjoy - a British Bal Thackeray. Yet, by the spring of 1940, Chamberlain was unceremoniously dumped and Churchill installed.
Something similar happened in India after 1919. The nationalist leadership slipped out of the hands of stalwarts like Lokmanya Tilak and Surendranath Bannerjee and India reposed its faith in a quirky Gujarati who cloaked politics in ethics. Many of his contemporaries saw the Mahatma as a dotty interloper. He was unique but there is no doubt that passive resistance and non-violence crippled the British Raj more effectively than all the guns and bombs put together.
Leadership involves the ability to capture the essence of popular feeling and nudge it in a clear direction. Leadership becomes inspirational, not because an individual is blessed with godly attributes, but because -to use an ill-timed slogan of a failed American presidential aspirant -"in your heart you know he is right."
Last week, India confronted a twin threat. First, the Islamist jihadis defiantly proclaimed to the world that they have the determination, organisation and technology to strike at the heart of India. The attacks on Parliament, Ayodhya and the RSS headquarters in Nagpur were foiled and the bombings in Delhi and Varanasi were dress rehearsals. Mumbai was the real thing and it left India distraught, disoriented and exposed.
The media invocation of the "Mumbai spirit" of gritty resilience was actually a grotesque celebration of national helplessness. People spontaneously rushed to help and comfort the victims of the tragedy, took the personal discomfiture caused by the disruption in their stride and then - and this is the harsh, unspoken reality - waited for the fire next time. They played Mumbai meri jaan on TV when they should have been whistling Que sera sera - "whatever will be, will be" - the signature tune of Hindu fatalism.
As if this good-humoured march to the gallows wasn't bad enough, India is confronted by a leadership vacuum of monumental proportions. It was absolutely revolting to hear a shamefaced Prime Minister mouthing inane platitudes about keeping the peace and defeating the nefarious designs of the terrorists. It was remarkable that even in the face of such a disaster Manmohan Singh could not rise above the template mundane.
Was Sonia Gandhi any better? She certainly upstaged Manmohan Singh by rushing to Mumbai first and comforting the victims. But where India needed the steely determination of a Margaret Thatcher, or even Indira Gandhi, she chose to play Florence Nightingale for an evening.
When defeatism parades as enlightenment, you know that something has to give way. We need a leader who can call a spade a spade, brook no nonsense and do what is right. We need a man the jihadis dread and loath. We also know that such a leader exists. It is time we stopped being afraid of mentioning his name.
Re. comment:
"I feel you are diluting your message by posting this drivel written by some Commy,..."
--- I feel the post today was worth it because it comes with an Analysis. An analysis answers many of the questions people often ask, and also it answers trolls who voice dissent very rudely, and are exactly interested in an answer.
_
Typo correction:
I meant, "arent exactly interested in an answer"
That was a good post Kapi. There are enough people like the S. Azmi and J. Akhtar who have taken up the task of demoralising Indian security forces. Mid-day regularly did this in early 90's. In 92-93 or so, the then commissioner in Mumbai, one Shrikant Bapat (I believe, if my memory serves me right), was summarily removed from his post when he was doing great work. Many a police inspector, when he took a tough stand against aggressors, has been removed by politicians. Others have been forced to answer court cases and summons.
The terrorists have many organisations working in their support in a less conspicuous way, and they hammer at the building blocks of society, security, economy. A. Azmi and S. Azmi are, for all practical purposes, coworkers in the plot to destabilise India although it might seem that S. Azmi is more cultured and liberal.
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