Shiban Khaibri
As Home Minister of India, P. Chidambaram never used the term “No Muscular” power as a policy or even rhetoric to fight the scourge of terrorism. On January 6, 2009 while addressing the Conference of Chief Ministers , he declared that the scourge of terrorism would be wiped out by Government of India , working “closely with you”. Said he, “You have heard the universal demand that our response to terror and terrorist threats should be strong, swift and decisive.” Let us not question as to why the Congress led UPA got a zilch in its efforts in, as it claimed “wiping out the scourge of terrorism” but whether the strategy of “strong, swift and decisive”… means offering kid gloves to terrorists during and after their deadly attacks only when Congress was in the opposition and otherwise when in power, need to be clarified?
The term kid gloves is other interpretation of non muscular approach as proposed rather propagated by many a Congress leader, just to complicate and twist issues to create more quizzing problems for the current dispensation in respect of Kashmir where that Party, in fact, cannot just wash off its hands of how it handled the issue right from 1947-48 down decades at a stretch. Routine and episodic blunders laced with political callowness resulted in heaping up of uncertainties, mess and confusion in Kashmir for which Congress Party cannot put forth alibis of any hues.
Facts and incidents remain afresh in the archives of strong memories of people. We have seen wavering response of the UPA regime to the terror threats and even immediately after actual terror attacks. We know how the “secular” Congress Governments both at the centre and at the state were completely taken by surprise in connexion with 26/11 Mumbai attacks. We also note as to how intelligence and other associated agencies then, either did not accomplish in forewarning about the Pakistani terror attack or the same was taken lightly by both the governments thus exposing the chinks in anti terror armour to preempt and thwart terror attacks.
Refreshing the track record of Congress, we also note, though painfully, how P. Chidambaram’s predecessor, Home Minister Shivraj Patil showed his and his Government’s response to seven blasts of terror attacks of Sept 13, 2008 in New Delhi by changing his dress thrice during the crisis period. At that time, the term of “Suit Boot Sarkar” was not coined though the analogy would have been apt and appropriate. Addressing Press Conference , Patil’s response , rather his Party’s response was, “I am sorry for what happened….” Sorry and Kaadi Ninda are two such words which are now outdated , outdrawn, overused, nauseously repetitive and tiresomely irritating falling in the realm of utter redundancy. If that is “non muscular” response to terror and terrorist attacks, God save us and the Party of those who coined this paroxysmal term now to confuse the entire gamut of fighting Pakistani sponsored terrorism in Kashmir valley.
Recall during UPA regime, series of bloodiest attacks like in Dantewada Chhattisgarh etc by Maoist terrorists or insurgents, the then Home Minister Chidambaram had opined aerial action from helicopters against Maoist insurgents despite the fact while mooting out this idea, it was not pruned and shelved to the extent of how a non insurgent and hence innocent one could be distinguished from a real Maoist insurgent during an aerial action. It is not , Just to score any points but only to project consistent inconsistency by such leaders who speak one language when in power and entirely different one when (rarely) out of power in respect of an issue of sensitivity like fighting terror in Kashmir. No patriotic soul can question such an idea having been mulled to deal with Maoist terror threat and no one can argue that the idea was fundamentally entirely bad when analyzed in terms of the intentions of the then government to contain insurgency.
In a TV talk, Chidambaram was asked about the same tough measure proposed by him as the Home Minister and as to why the decision was not given a green signal. Chidambaram admitted having floated the idea. Agreeably, series of bloodiest ambush attacks on security forces and unconscionable atrocities committed by these Maoist terrorists on those whom they suspected to be informers or not toeing to their line had perhaps led him to suggest such an action. However, his couth reply was , “Combined cabinet decision prevailed upon my proposal and I had to bow before the cabinet decision.” Why then the same Congress leader in the government had the same conviction of not using muscular power against Maoist terrorists, speaks about the political expediency and gimmicks of opportunism . In fact, a few “liberal, democrat, secular and progressive” writers had even described the anti Maoist measures as a war unleashed by Chidambaram.
Chidambaram and his Party must summon public response to his views on Kashmir by saying that “hard , muscular , militaristic approach ” of the central government had failed to present the reality of Kashmir dispute. He , in other words, wants no army in the valley. Curiously Congress has not broken away from Chidambaram’s perception because during UPA regime of 10 years , the same policy was adopted , how it is now different , why did not Manmohan Singh or his Home Ministers do then what Chidambaram says now? His earlier confused views perhaps deliberately expressed in late 2017 that the “real issue in Kashmir was autonomy” has still not been rubbished by his Party making such stand conspicuous of political opportunism with impunity. Is not the country deceived, the public misled and terrorism encouraged by such wavering stand especially when the security forces are having an upper hand?
Now, another Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad having himself served the state as the Chief Minister had more to add to the confusion over Kashmir by saying, “Army operations in the state killed more civilians than terrorists”. He also went further in saying that “ALL OUT operations” in J & K indicated a “massacre” was being planned in the state. How can army be accused and demoralized like such irresponsible and unwarranted statements given by such Congress leaders? Whom they want to favour and why, knowing fully the extent of the problem?
How aspersions are cast on army operations, can be gauged from the issue of surgical strikes against terror targets across the borders. Congress leaders want proof and when adequate proof is provided which, at the outset, should have not been provided as the strikes were conducted to achieve some anti terror results about which designated Army officer, the DGMO duly informed the country and the matter should have ended. There was no need to succumb to pressures of the claptrap of demanding proof or to the unwarranted criticism, perhaps in expectation to get words of positive response. Modi must not hope against hope in an environ where, despite best results post GST implementation, the same is called by Congress leader Chidambaram as RSS tax.
However, the valiant armed forces should never be doubted or any word spoken by which their high morale and the lion hearted courage gets in anyway even slightly shadowed.
Who does not want peace and permanent end to blood spilling in Kashmir? Political leaders must shun the diehard habit of trading charges and showing one another down, wasting time and earning wrath and mistrust of people. These leaders, instead should think positive and do some constructive works, now on the ground, meet people and families in Kashmir to create such an atmosphere by which young people are dissuaded from taking to the path of sense less violence of all hues. This is really difficult but not impossible.
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