Causes and solution to Islamic terror in India

This time Deccan Mujahideen (Mujahideen Hyderabad Deccan to be more fanciful) did the job of killing. For past one year another fancy name Indian Mujahideen cropped up and which killed a lot of children, women, innocents and of course the fellow Muslims. The word “Mujahideen” is the co-branding by the terrorist worldwide. The word Mujahid is so abused that even Pakistan Army National Guard is also known as “Mujahid Force.” Whatever the Indian outfit with fancy names co-branded with “Mujahideen” does not signify as an indigenous outfit, it only lulls onlookers mind into a false perception. The words like “Indian” and “Deccan” or even “Hyderabad” are also brands with their own weight. So, the popular words like Indian and Deccan are merged with Holy names like Mujahideen to indicate an Indian outfit.
So what causes terrorism in India? Historical
The medieval India saw invasions and consolidation of Muslims in India which then included the territories of Pakistan and Bangladesh (for convenience referred as “Greater India”). Regular conquest by Muslims (via what constitute both legal and illegal territories of Pakistan today) and proximity with Iranian, Arabs, Turks and Afghan territories and people, resulted into heavy influences in North Western region of Greater India. In south of India, the Arab traders and followers of Prophet Muhammad brought influences. Both the conquest and Arab influences spread over Eastern part of Greater India too.
Since 1947, Greater India was divided into Hindu and Muslim country. The Muslim country Pakistan included East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh). There were also a number of independent areas like Jammu and Kashmir in Indian north and Hyderabad in Indian south. While Pakistan conquered many independent states around it, it could not stomach the integration of states like Hyderabad and Jammu and Kashmir into India. Pakistan attacked India in 1947 sending tribal raiders followed by Pakistani Army. This was the birth of terrorism in India. Pakistan retained a certain portion of Jammu and Kashmir today called Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and certain areas of Kashmir like Northern Areas of Gilgit, Baltistan and Hunza claimed to be its territory by Pakistan. In 1971, due to Pakistani excess and Indian direct support to the freedom fighters of east Pakistan, Bangladesh was formed. Pakistan lost its eastern wing and Pakistani Army recruits till today take oaths to avenge 1971 when they pass out of the academy.
Geographical
There is a major concentration of Islam from CIS in North, East of Israel borders and South East Asia. India as a democracy breaks the chain of Muslim dominated countries. It is a huge chunk of territory with massive human and natural resources not possessed by these fragmented Islamic countries.
Geopolitical
The creation of the geographically dominated Islamic sphere in Asia and Africa as a counter to Christian West is impossible without participation of India. It is desirable to make India as an Islamic state. Pakistan and Al Queida fancy themselves to be the army of Islam. A resource less Pakistan fancies were aided by money and support from relevant Islamic countries. But the big break came when USA moved in with money and training. Pakistani intelligence agency ISI became second biggest CIA post outside America. The Pakistani Army, the influential and religious leaders got tremendous boost in their designs against India. It was quid pro quid when USA and Western countries started supporting disturbances in Indian Kashmir and Punjab. The Pakistani design was even grander, because, it did not just have powerful backers against India, but also, for the first time Pakistan had a chance to acquire strategic depth into Afghanistan and later CIS. Defeat of Russians gave Pakistanis tremendous influence in Afghanistan. It became a sweetener when Russia collapsed and Islamic CIS states popped in. Taliban, which is the Pakistani creation thundered through the Afghanistan and ISI influences grew in CIS states. Pakistan had ready made terrorists who could be diverted to Kashmir and rest of India. Pakistan had already secured Afghanistan via Taliban, when Al-Qaeda pulled up an ace. Al-Quaeda became the poster boys of Islamic resistance. Pakistan desperately tried to get rid of Al-Qaeda ,but, Al Qaeda pulled off 9/11. Pakistan became the unwilling ally of free world who bombed Taliban and Al-Qaeda back to Pakistani volatile border. Indian influence in Afghanistan was back.
There has been a Muslim resurgence since Iranian revolution.The very concept of minorities getting upper hand over the majority was inspiring. The Ummah Wahida or the concept of Islamic world unified came forth. Pan-Islamism idea came forth. Muslim brotherhood challenged secular nationalist.
Pakistani dictator Zia Ul Haq layed a foundation of radicalisation of Pakistani state in 1970’s. The influence of Iranian revolution was not lost on Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), a political party in Pakistan. JI had blessings of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) or the United Council of Action, a coalition between religious-political parties in Pakistan. formed after United States started bombing Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban regime. JI aims to establish complete theocracy in Pakistan. The radicalisation of Pakistan escalated.
Bangladesh also went the Islamic way when its former president Zia Ur Rahman.
The Afghan war also created wave of Islamic terrorism.
For radical islamist , Hindustan (India) is DAR-UL-HARB (Abode of War).” As per them India is a land ruled by infidels that might, through war, become the dar-ul-Islam (Abode of Islam) .
Pakistan
Pakistan is best described as a state where Islamic principles went wrong. Pakistani fantasies of Islamic ideals lay shattered. Its a very fragmented country with little control over its territories. To be precise a functional Islamic anarchy. On social level, Pakistan is dominated by Punjabis and Sindhi’s and Pushtun’s do not like this. Technically it means Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Sindh versus Pakistani Punjab. The Pakistani occupied Kashmir demographics have been changed. The Kashmiris are being marginalised and live in abject poverty. Politically and militarily they dominate the government and army. While Sindhi’s have their own struggles against the state of Pakistan on and off, the Balochistan, Waziristan etc are in constant struggle. Pakistan’s students followed curriculum with anti-India and radical education until a year or two ago. Besides there are radical groups which are sympathetic to Taliban and Al Qaeda. The military and the ISI have been radicalised too.
Pakistan’s ISI has initiated several terror movements in India. Of late Bangladeshi’s via their own intelligence agency DGFI has started spreading terror in India. ISI and DGFI are co-operating via mediation from third parties. Since they find it difficult to recruit Indians, they supplement it by their own men. Typically they carry out main act of terror with Indian elements playing a supporting role. Some Indian gangsters have been given refuge in Pakistan who also contribute to the Indian terrorism. The names like Indian or Deccan Mujahideen are nothing but re-energising terrorism in a new name.
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)
The desire for the state of J&K by Pakistanis has lead to a lot of destruction in J&K. This is in addition to marginalisation and poverty of Kashmiris residing in the Pakistani Occupied Kashmir. 1947, 1965 and 1998 (kargil) wars have been fought between India and Pakistan with no relief to Pakistanis. The plans to promote “indigenous uprising” in J&K has remained a dream. It has been successful in creating a semi-indigenous struggle in J&K which fizzled out. Even American help in Cold war days did not help much. Chinese always backed out. India has held multiple elections in J&K. Pakistan’s J&K dreams remain unfulfilled. The policy of sending foreign fighters into J&K has not helped either.
Making India an Islamic State
Chaudhry Rahmat Ali, founder of the Pakistan National Movement spoke of an independent homeland for Muslims, Pakistan, in the northern areas of India (includes Kashmir), “Bang-i-Islam” or “Bangistan” for Muslims in Bengal, and “Usmanistan” for the Muslims in Hyderabad-Deccan. On January 28, 1933, he voiced his ideas in the pamphlet entitled “Now or Never; Are we to live or perish forever? In addition, in his map of “Pak commonwealth of nations”, there were to be Muinistan, Haidaristan, Akhootistan, Fariquistan, Siddiqistan in north-central India and Maplistan in kerala. Instead of India, he said that its the “the Continent of Dinia.” He had asked Dravidian, Akhoot, Buddh, Muslim. Sikh, Christian and Parsi s to support his Dinia Continental Movement. If one looks at the Islamic inspired terrorism pattern of India, it follows the same pattern. Chaudhry Rahmat Ali lamented that Pakistan territory created was too small and blamed Pakistani politicians for it.
Secondly, he argued that Pakistan was not carved out of India. He writes that British subdued the “then territory of Pakistan” and made it an administrative unit of India. He was also of the view that Northern and Central Dinia were dependencies of the Islamic Pak Nation - that is the Muslim territory that was once the “undivided eastern flack” to the heartland of Islam which included Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
He also argued that Pak Empire which included Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and present day Pakistan had ruled parts of the Continent of India. This is in reference to the Muslim invasion of India. This has another implication. Each time a Pakistani dictator launched attack on India, he wanted to be another conqueror of India like the Muslim invaders.
In her book “Breaking Links with the Past”, Benazir Bhutto mentions that the return of democracy following General Zia death disappointed his generals. They felt that they and Zia had been used by the United States, which had turned a blind eye to dictatorship during the Soviet occupation. They re-established their identity and power by focusing on defeating another superpower, the United States, and the international atmosphere played into their hands. She also speaks of Cabal of ex intelligence, civil and armed forces officers who would like to kill her. Similarly, there is a cabal of Pakistani ex intelligence officers, ex armed forces officers and politicians in league with current serving offiers and terrorist outfits who would like to hurt India. Like Chaudhry Rahmat Ali, the cabal also is on a view that the Government of Pakistan is not doing enough to achiever the larger objectives of Pakistani nation.
Indian Indigenous Terrorist
Pakistan has tried to create an Indian indigenous Islamic movement. This has been a spectacular failure. This also shows the need why Pakistani and foreign nationals directly operate in India. However, of little they succeeded in converting Indian some Indians at some moments of time for terrorism activities. In J&K, the Kashmiri intellectuals were actively engaged by Pakistani and even US (as a part of quid pro quo for Pakistani involvement in Afghanistan) personnel and entities. The creation of Kashmiri faux intellectuals is the deepest penetration of intelligentsia in India. The other penetration is religious. There was a rise of Islamic Puritanism after the demise of the Mughal empire in India. Indian Deoband, Ahl Hadith movement were penetrated by the Pakistani and Bangladeshi counterpart. The jihad which was incubated in Kashmir was slowly spread into rest of India. Some of the elements of rag tag Indian recruits are the people who would stuff for as low as Rs.1000/-. Most of these people live in slums and have no wage earning capacity and would like to eat costly meat. Admittingly, there have been instances of rich gentlemen who have been recruited for different reasons.
Possible solution
India should understand that Pakistan is not an homogeneous state. Its a very fractured state. The Pakistani Army is actually afraid of hot pursuit in its own territories of Balouchistan, Waziristan or Pakistan - Afghan border. On contrary, Indian Army can pursue terrorist where it wants withing Indian territory. Having understood the complexity and magnitude of the failure of Pakistani state, no matter how much you push the Pakistani state, it will side step Indian requirements. Pakistanis have found that its easier to dodge the state of India than to face the militants and ISI.
The solution lies is counter infiltration of terrorist groups in Pakistan, diplomatic pressure and hard bargaining with state of Pakistan. Hypothetically in a conventional “hot Pursuit” response, we will lob some munition of the terrorist camps. Beyond that we have no stake in terrorist infrastructure that we can squeeze. The Pakistani terror organisations do not organise funding or other resource from India. So we will come in confrontation with Pakistan. Secondly, even if we manage to defeat Pakistani nukes and reach the famed Pakistan - Afghan border, Indian Army will be as bogged down as NATO forces in Afghanistan.
What we should understand is that we are fighting against a Pan-Islamic movement. The political - social - religious nexus in Pakistan will be hard to break and its not expected to happen soon. The change in Pakistan towards democracy must follow its logical steps.
What has to be done is penetrate and counter-influence Pakistani institutions like Deoband schools, Jamaat-e-Islami etc which spearhead the unconventional and conventional Pakistani destructive forces. This will include posting Indian Muslims with Pro India ideology; infiltrate Pakistanis or Muslim foreigners with pro Indian ideology (This will blunt or equalise or lessen the hate towards India); try to get these bad institutions a bad name in Muslim community; eliminate its leaders via opposition within their own group or other means. They will definitely have internal politics; and we can use ask our Afghan friends who don’t like these people. We can equip and fund them.
We must keep a permanent diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. We must actively engage Saudi Arabian, Iranian and other critical Islamic institution. The diplomatic pressure US can turn on Pakistan is lesser than the sheer pressure these institutions can put on Pakistan. Indian Muslims can helping engaging Pakistani religious institutions in general.