Indian Defence Review

There is again grief in the nation. The nation is again angry. This is the phenomenon since at least three decades. Yet after every attack we look for reasons, as though it is the first one. Like every past occasion, there is clamour in the country for a decisive punitive action against Pakistan.

Those, who could not mend the situation in Kashmir are offering tonnes of advice on TV channels. Pakistan on the other hand remains criminally calm, and murderously calculated and assured. It has great experience in the conduct of proxy war, in both its facets, external and internal. It knows how to calibrate it.

Pakistan has been conducting jihadi proxy war in Afghanistan for four decades now. First, in alliance with the Americans against the Soviet forces; the next decade without America in India and Afghanistan; the next two decades against America while professing support to the American cause.

The global jihad machine was created in Pakistan, and by Pakistan. One of the biggest architects is Maulana Masood Azhar. He as General Secretary of Harkat-ul-Ansar visited Zambia, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, UK and Albania to carryout recruitment for global jihad. It would not be wrong to say that Masood Azhar is the one, who planted global jihad in the Western World. He visited UK in 1993 with the purpose of indoctrination, fundraising and recruitment for global jihad. He addressed large gatherings in the most import Islamic institutions in Britain, i.e. Darul-Uloom-Bury seminary, Zakaria Mosque, Madina Mosque and Jamia Masjid. He exhorted the Muslims to rise for global jihad and said that the Quran enjoined upon them to kill in the name of Allah. Significantly, Azhar met those who were subsequently responsible for 7/7, 21/7 and the conspirators involved in the aborted destruction of a trans-Atlantic aircraft in mid-air by liquid bombs.

Azhar has an old connection with Kashmir. He visited the Valley in early 90s to resolve differences between various jihadi groups like Harqat-ul-Ansar, Harqat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami and Hizb-ul-Mujhaideen. He was apprehended and then enjoyed the hospitality of Indian prison for four years. Then in 1999,he got IC-814 hijacked to bargain his release. Just after his release, he addressed a gathering of 10,000 strong crowd in Karachi, and vowed to destroy India.

It is the truism that any jihadi, who comes into Kashmir or is born in Kashmir, does not fight or die for Kashmir or Kashmiriyat. He also does not sacrifice his life for the sake of Pakistan because Pakistan is a non-Quranic concept. Nor Pakistan is a departure lounge for visiting 72 virgins. He comes into Kashmir for the sake of Islam and global jihad. He is propelled by the Quranic concept of Ghazwa-e-Hind and Caliphate. Zakir Musa categorically stated this ideological position in a video message. It is with this ideology that the jihadis in Kashmir are indoctrinated. Otherwise why should a Chechan or an Uzbek or a Pathan or a Punjabi sacrifice his life in Kashmir?

In the recent attack in Pulwama, wherein more than 40 CRPF personnel were martyred, there was a suicide bomber backed by a Pakistan based global jihadi organization, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). What is the link between the killer in India and the mastermind in Pakistan, what is the symbiosis or what is the brotherhood about? We know the answer. We know that the same jihadi syllabus is followed in Pakistan and in India, particularly Kashmir. We pretend as if we do not understand. It is this hypocrisy of the Indian establishment and some Indian people, which are responsible for the murder of the CRPF personnel.

This jihadi relationship was established long ago, but did not impact in the same measure because Kashmiriyat outweighed it. It is for this reason that Sheikh Abdullah was not able to succeed in his hideous agenda. Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar could not succeed in 1965 because the Gujjar Muslims and the Pahari Muslims refused to betray India and foiled the designs of the Pakistani jihadis. The Gujjar Muslims and the Pahari Muslims continue to stand solidly behind the Indian Army.

How did global jihad arrive in India? The person who brought global jihad into the country in 1989 was unfortunately the Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, father of Mehbooba Mufti. Within four months of his tenure, he scripted the biggest drama and conspiracy against his own country. His daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed was kidnapped by jihadis. While in captivity, she was toasted and pampered. The kidnappers demanded the release of their fellow jihadis. The moment, they were released, the father and the daughter were reunited as per the script. This action of the home minister opened the floodgates for the global jihadis into Kashmir. In this entire episode, the timing and the prevailing geopolitical situation needs to be factored. The global jihadi beasts were released from the Afghan front and diverted into Kashmir. It was during the same period that half a million Kashmiri Hindus were hounded out from the Valley. Following this exodus of the original Kashmiris, Kashmiriyat died, and the Valley came under the complete ideological control of the jihadis.

In retrospect, given the sequence of events, it will not be misplaced to lend credence to the persisting suspicion that the then government in 1989 was installed by machinations of the US-ISI combine. Only few years later, Robin Raphel, a known India baiter, created the Hurriyat. In the unipolar world that emerged after the end of Cold War, India’s strategic maneuver space was severely restricted.

If Mufti Mohammad Sayeed opened the floodgates for global jihadis, his daughter Mehbooba provided unstinted and unqualified impetus. She condemned the killing of Burhan Wani. She is the most passionate advocate of talks with Pakistan. Most Kashmiri politicians treat Pakistan as the extension of Kashmir. The psychological distance between them and Islamabad is much less than with New Delhi. This is despite the fact that the Kashmir Valley has no borders with Pakistan.

Then why are the Kashmiri politicians so desperate for talks with Pakistan? Who are they to determine the trajectory of relations between India and Pakistan? Why is it that Nitish Kumar or Yogi Adityanath do no interfere Indo-Nepal relations, or Mamta Banerjee with Indo-Bangladesh relations? The Kashmiri leaders have no blood relations in PoK, while the Shias of Kargil do share it with Gilgit-Baltistan. The Pahari Muslims and Gujjar Muslims also have relatives on the other side. Yet they never advocate talks with Pakistan. The Abdullahas and Muftis pose in a manner that the geopolitical setting of the subcontinent is their headache and Pakistan is their benefactor. Otherwise, Farooq Abdullah would not have made the infamous statement: “PoK kya tumhare baap ka hai?” (Does PoK belong to dad of Indians).Farooq Abdullah needs to reminded that if due to the force of circumstances, his ancestors had not converted, PoK would have certainly belonged to Sheikh Abdullah!

Does democracy have an external facet as well? Is it mentioned so in any book of any political science?

Mehbooba Mufti just before the suicide attack on CRPF convoy, hysterically demanded the mortal remains of Afzal Guru. The timing was suspicious. Mehbooba invokes humanism and democracy in her defence, forgetting the fact that Afzal Guru was involved in attack of parliament, the core of democracy. Earlier both Mehbooba and her father had passionately advocated the clemency to Afzal Guru. Very few in India therefore understand the trajectory, agenda and nuances of global jihad as do the Muftis.

There is a hackneyed dialogue, which has gained wide currency in India, i.e. ‘Terror has no Religion’. Nevertheless, the moment a terrorist is killed the demand for his mortal remains acquires the form of mass hysteria. Depending on his religious extraction, the mortal remains are either buried or consigned to flames. It is the considered view of this author that If indeed, terrorists have no religion, the bodies of slain terrorist should be put in the municipality garbage, doused in kerosene and set on fire, because decent burials encourage jihadi terrorism.

If the Muftis and the Abdullahas had not created this particular narrative, global jihad would never have proliferated in the Valley. If their heart was Indeed Indian, they would have never killed Kashmiriyat. They are the biggest global jihadis thriving under the umbrella of Indian democracy.

Our pain, anguish and anger at the recent loss of CRPF personnel must make positive contribution in search of a solution to the jihadi proxy war. This is not possible if our approach or reaction remains episodical. The narrative of global jihad has found acceptance in a large segment of our populace in a most imperceptible manner. Who built this narrative? It was those forces, which did not rise in the defence of the Hindus, when hounded out of the Kashmir Valley; it were those people, who supported Kanhiya Kumar and the Tukre-Tukre Gang; it were those, who did not raise their voice when there were celebrations in JNU after the martyrdom of 73 CRPF personnel; it were those, who grieved the elimination of Ishrat Jahan; it were those who raised doubts about surgical strike; it were those, who went to Pakistan and asked for help to dislodge Modi; it were those, who campaigned in elections with Osama Bin Laden look alike; it were those, who created so-called ‘Hindu Terror’ in collusion with Pakistan for electoral gains; it were those, who surreptitiously visited the Chinese Embassy during the Doklam crisis. It is these elements, who are now asking as to why China is supporting Masood Azhar? It is these elements, who colluded with Pakistan for 26/11.

The reality is that proxy war in India is not a very difficult proposition. Political parties in India can very conveniently be leveraged by external powers. Look at the Indian Communists! Most countries in the world are trying to de-radicalize the jihadis. Tajikistan has banned beard and burqas. France has prohibited burqas and other radical symbols. China also has banned beard and burqas, and has opened re-education centers in Xinjiang province for de-radicalization.

The Indian Communists do not decry China for these measures, but are fiercely opposed to any suggestion to de-radicalize affected Muslims in India. Most political parties dependent on Muslim vote-bank have similar attitude. It is for this reason that a Chief Minister visited Pakistan, only months after 26/11. It is for this reason that in the recent all-party meeting in the wake of attack on CRPF personnel, a collective statement from the political parties was elusive. It is for this reason that the Communists supported China in 1962-War.

All this drama of Pak sponsored global jihad whimpers when it comes to China. Pakistan and China seem to have reached an agreement or mutual assurance that whatever China may do with Ughur Muslims, Pakistan given its clout in the OIC will veto it in that Islamic forum. In return China will do so at the UN in respect of Masood Azhar. The Kashmiri politicians do not whisper a word of protest against China’s indulgence with Masood Azhar or its colonization of Gilgit-Baltistan. The clerics and the Muslim leaders in the subcontinent also maintain a deafening silence. Is it because of their innate hatred for Hindustan vis-à-vis India?

The most alarming aspect of the recent jihadi attack on CRPF personnel was the scale at which the vehicle borne suicide bombing was effected. This is a daily phenomenon in Afghanistan. Given the ongoing talks between the US and Taliban in Dubai, and the critical role being played by Pakistan, it was expected that this phenomenon would eventually make way into India. It was however not expected that it would be so soon. Pakistan is the mother of Taliban. It has provided shelter to the Talibani jihadis in the most difficult times. It is in the same manner that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed provided facilitation to the global jihadis and now her daughter has indirectly done the same with respect to the recent suicide bombing.

This is an inflection point in the ongoing proxy war. The second inflection point is the planning by the so-called Islamic State adherents to carryout chemical warfare in India. Recently the NIA rounded up eight young men in Maharashtra, who under the influence of ISIS, were assembling apparatus for mass attacks in India by chemical means. Their target included the Kumbh congregation. Ben Wallace, the Security Minister of UK, had warned that the jihadis have no moral qualms in use of chemical warfare. Nuclear weapon in the hands of jihadis is the worst nightmare for security establishments all over the world. Chemical weapons, it may be highlighted are referred to as poor man’s nuclear bomb. It may also be mentioned that Islamic State in India is a vector being used by the ISI.

It is not that Saudi Arabia or US are not aware about the entire global jihadi narrative in the Indian subcontinent. Prince Salman does not trust the security establishment of Pakistan. For his security, a 235 member contingent of Islamic Counter Terrorism, military coalition headed by Raheel Sharif was deployed. During the same period, the US issued a travel advisory saying that the air space in Pakistan is not safe.

The reverberations of Kashmir are as far as in Kerala. The proxy war zone is being widened. This was also the objective of the ‘Tukre-Tukre Gang’.

What is the solution?

First the realization that the ‘war is on’.

Second, 1971 war template and mindset needs to be jettisoned.

Third, it should be remembered that the Soviet Union with all its arsenal of tanks, APCs, missiles, fighter aircraft and nuclear weapons collapsed after the onslaught of global jihad.

Prince Salman has said that following the Iranian revolution in 1979, Saudi Arabia embarked on a undesirable journey and therefore it was necessary to de-radicalize. He has taken many bold measures in this direction.

Pope Francis visited UAE recently and conducted mass prayers in a stadium in Abu Dhabhi attended by more than 10,000 Christians. He is a first papal to set his foot on the Arab soil.

This has not gone very well with the radicalized elements in the Indian Subcontinent. Most clerics and so-called Muslim leaders this author has met, indulge in the wishful thinking that the days of Prince Salman are numbered! His life is on a short lease. They imply that global Jihadis and radicals will again soon call the shots.

The truth of the matter is that the situation in Kashmir Valley has remained static or as grave since 1989. If it was not grave there would have been no need to raise the Rashstriya Rifles. We have tried most military options. We have all this while exerted to isolate Pakistan internationally by diplomatic means, yet proxy war persists.

What we have not tried is to create an ideological antidote to the jihadi philosophy. What we have not tried is to change the religious syllabus and discourse in the mosques and the Madrasas that is common in India and Pakistan. What we have not tried is de-radicalization. The Chinese are no fools.

It must be remembered that, euphemistically speaking, the explosive laden vehicle that killed CRPF personnel was powered by the jihadi fuel, the AK-47s that the terrorists use has jihadi propellant, the grenades that the militant use are lobbed with jihadi objectives. Zakir Musa has said this very explicitly. If we do not heed to it and address the ideology, it would be a case of intellectual cowardice.

What we have also not tried is the territorial reconfiguration of J&K. Pakistan did it by expelling the Hindus from the Valley. It amounted to territorial reconfiguration by demographic means. Global jihad would not have been so pervasive without it. We need to do the reverse.