Often, I get phone calls from Delhi-based journalists to discuss with me the disturbing phenomenon of some Hindus taking to terrorism and the reported confession before a Magistrate of Swami Assemanand, who is stated to be a follower of the Hindutva ideology. Many of these journalists are not interested in analysing this phenomenon and the investigation made so far. They are only interested in exploiting it to suit their own agenda.
They never tell me that they want to have a discussion with me in order to better understand the phenomenon. They always start the conversation with the remark:” Sir, I want to have a couple of quotes from you.” They are not interested in facts. They are not interested in an objective analysis. They are not interested in the truth. They are only interested in quotes. If they are dissatisfied with my quotes or if they find that my quotes would not suit their agenda, they do not hesitate to substitute my quotes with their own and attribute them to me.
There were only four incidents of terrorism in which some Hindus were probably involved”¦there could be more acts of reprisal terrorism by some Hindus against the Muslims”¦
This pernicious practice of agenda and motivated journalism, which came to the fore during the recent dissemination—one does not know even now by who and why— of the tapped conversations of Niira Radia, the lobbyist, has acquired new dimensions in the wake of the leak of the confession made by the Swami.
I am proud to have sounded the wake-up call as early as in 2006 to the dangers of some angry members of the Hindu community taking to reprisal acts of terrorism against our Muslims if the Government does not take note of the perceptions in sections of the Hindu community that it has been soft towards the jihadi terrorists. I have been writing and speaking on this from time to time since then.
While welcoming a professional and vigorous investigation into the alleged involvement of some Hindus in acts of terrorism against the Muslims, I have also been expressing my disquiet over the way the investigation was being done with motivated leaks to suit some hidden agenda.
In my assessment on the basis of open source information,there were only four incidents of terrorism in which some Hindus were probably involved. My fears that there could be more acts of reprisal terrorism by some Hindus against the Muslims in the wake of the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai were happily belied.
Also read: Global terrorism and responses
I now sense a new wave of anger in sections of the Hindu community over what they perceive as attempts being made by the Congress (I) and some agenda journalists to exploit the confession of the Swami to divert attention from the serious threat of jihadi terrorism that we still face and to whitewash the horrendous crimes of the jihadi terrorists, including the July 2006 explosions in some suburban trains of Mumbai and even the 26/11 terrorist strikes.
It is important for the Government to remove such perceptions. The investigating agencies should be given a free hand to investigate the confession of Swami Assemanand to its logical conclusion and to arrest and prosecute those found responsible. At the same time, this should not be allowed to slow down or distort our fight against jihadi terrorism.
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