India in the 21st century maybe world’s biggest democracy but is the weakest political power. It is said democracy and strong political power do not go together as in an autocratic country of a Sultan, King, Dictator or Communism. Here the political power is unipolar so also very strong. This is what many so - called intellectuals and political pundits tell us. But then, look at America. It is also a democracy and possesses immense political power capable of policing the whole world. Therefore, it is a moot point, why Indian democracy cannot be as vibrant and also a strong political power as America to address the challenges of 21st century?

Like for example, the challenge of terrorism which is haunting our country like a deadly plague with a frequency which, if continued for another decade, will destroy our democracy itself. After all, just as nature does not allow any vacuum in the atmosphere, so also the political society does not allow any power vacuum. I mean political power. Even if there is to be chaos or a civil war, at the end there will be someone, an individual, or a group of individuals like the Roman triumvirate or as happened in Russia briefly after the death of Lenin, to occupy the positions of power in the country.

However, if our present lot of politicians can rise above their personal interest, placing our nation's interest above all else, then there is hope for India from risking the danger mentioned above. And India could have certainly prevented this terrorist attack on Mumbai’s Hotels and public places.

The reaction of our political leaders and officials to this terrorist attack, from the Prime Minister to the Maharashtra Home Minister and officials and the Maharashtra Police Commissioner, reveals that they have become inured to terrorist attack. Though not exactly to this kind. Good reason why they should quit their offices and allow someone who is sensitive to violence and mindless killing of this kind to manage the affairs of our country. After all, the duty of any Government is first and foremost, not collection of taxes but protection of lives of its citizens. When a Government consistently fails to discharge this, no doubt, onerous task in this 21st century that Government must gracefully go. During and after the World War II we have seen this happen in the Western countries.

Today India is beset by Muslim terrorism which apparently has given rise to Hindu terrorism, going by the reports about the Malegaon blasts in Maharashtra particularly. It could well be a reaction to acts of terrorism that preceded it. Sadly, the whole world, including the Muslim world, is now traumatised by fundamentalist Muslim terrorism. Whatever may be the grievances of these terrorists, or their patrons, violence of this kind perpetrated on the weak and the innocent of the city cannot be the means to find relief to such grievances. It is said when the prophet of a religion was asked to define religion, he reportedly replied that, "religion is the way we conduct ourselves towards others." And the way the terrorists are conducting themselves towards others, cannot by this definition be inspired by any religion. At best, religion could be a camouflage.

Be that as it may, I was going through the Wall Street Journal editorial of Nov.27, 2008 and it simply held a mirror to the face of our political leaders belonging to all parties including BJP. It is said the death toll from terrorism in India stands above 4,000 giving our country the dubious distinction of suffering more casualties since 2004 than any country except Iraq. We have put even Afghanistan behind. The Mumbai attack on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday further highlights India’s vulnerability to terrorist violence. The Wall Street Journal says, “The Mumbai attack is a text book example for other democracies in the world on how not to deal with militant Islam”.

Mumbai symbolises for all Indians (Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis etc. etc.) the true spirit of democracy, pluralism, enterprise and an open society. And if that is not acceptable to terrorists or their masters, what is? The Wall Street Journal says that our perpetually squabbling leaders have failed to put national security above partisan politics. The country’s anti - terrorism effort is not proactive and also not sustained. According to the journal, "India’s public discourse on Islam oscillates between crude anti - Muslim bigotry and mindless sympathy for largely unjustified Muslim grievance mongering." India’s failure to either befriend or keep in check its Islamist neighbours Pakistan and Bangladesh too is a cause for the terrorist problem.

India should indeed take into confidence its 150 million strong Muslim population, the second largest after Indonesia’s in the world and address their justified grievances. Because the Wednesday’s terrorists have made a reference to this issue among their demands. Now let us see what the Wall Street Journal has to say about our two important national political parties, the Congress and the BJP. Both these parties have failed in the matter of protecting the country from terrorist attacks. In contrast, the example of Indonesia is mentioned. Indonesia, a poor Muslim majority nation, where sympathy for militants runs deeper than it does in India, has done a very good job in this regard. A superbly trained Federal anti - terrorism force called "Detachment 88" has ensured that the country has not suffered a terrorist attack for the last more than three years. And India?

The Journal takes the ruling Congress (UPA) to task for scrapping a Central anti-terrorism law (POTA) that provided total witness protection and enhanced powers to the Police, soon after it came to power in 2004. The UPA government has also stalled similar State - level legislation in Gujarat. It says, Congress Government also kowtowed to fundamentalist pressure from Muslims and many issues in the past. Similarly, BJP too has not done well in facing the challenge of terrorism, according to the Journal. It reveals how BJP Government released three hardened militants, including Omar Sheikh Saeed, who later murdered the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. More recently, the Journal says, the BJP failed to demand the same tough treatment for alleged Hindu terrorists as it does for Muslims.

At the end, it is not a question of Muslim terrorism or Hindu terrorism. It is the failure of Congress and BJP in preventing terrorism. "We still do not have a crisis infrastructure in place," according to a senior officer on TV. It is a question of protecting the lives of innocent people of our country who have nothing to do with the grievances real or imaginary, justified or unjustified, of these terrorists. Yesterday, I was reading our columnist Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem’s article “Tackling terror with tact and commonsense”. He has suggested that we should rise to be a nation bereft of race and religion to win this war against terrorism.

I am afraid, it is too Utopian an idea good in theory but impracticable. Probably he means a “nation that transcends race and religion”. Again, if he thinks terrorism is a manifestation of frustration in any religion and considers that frustration as a common evil to be stamped out ruthlessly, he is, once again, thinking more like a philosopher and less like a political pragmatist. No frustration, no matter of what kind or in which religion, can manifest itself in the form of terrorism. It is against the basic tenet of any religion (distinct from the very ancient and tribal religion) and a civilised world.

Tailpiece:
Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, spake thus:
"The attacks have caused us both distress and outrage. The incident is a challenge both to the country and the Indian society and everyone must face it as one."
Okay, we will face it as one. What next, pray tell us.

"It is not just a question of India’s security but its prestige (too). Terrorists are enemies of the nation and we have to deal with them as such. No, challenge can withstand a determined nation. I want to tell those who want to harm India through maniacal (acts) that we will rest only after eliminating terrorism."

Okay, but when will we rest? Any deadline to eliminate terrorism?

Dr. Manmohan Singh spake thus:
Report:
Prime Minister warned Pakistan that there would be consequences if they did not take steps to stop terror attacks launched from their territory.
Is this the first time Pak supported terror attack taking place in our country? Is it the first warning to Pak by our Prime Minister or have we lost count of it?

“Use of their territory to launch attacks will not be tolerated. There would be a cost if suitable measures are not taken by them.”

Well, well…. What cost our PM is talking about and for whom?