stop blaming one section of society for all the terror attacks in India

(The Hindu, 5 August 2008)

Don’t blame a single section for all terror attacks: Secular Forum

Staff Reporter

“No such violence can take place without political failure and injustices”

Demands an inquiry either by CBI or by apex court judges into the recent blasts

NEW DELHI: Calling terrorism a response to politics and not religion, Asghar Ali Engineer of the All India Secular Forum has asked the Centre and the media to stop blaming one section of society for all the terror attacks in the country recently. Addressing a press conference organised by Anhad here on Monday, he appealed to all Indians not to be misled by any religious rhetoric.

“In our country, the Hindutva forces too use such rhetoric for their own political purposes. Terrorism is a political response to a political situation. It would be futile to look for its roots in any religion. As Hindutva is not a product of Hinduism but that of a right-wing Hindu political party, jihadis are not a product of Islam but of politics of right-wing Muslim outfits. In principle, our democracy should keep religion at a distance from governance and politics should be based on secular issues pertaining to people.”

Stating that no such violence would take place without political failure and gross injustices, Dr. Engineer said: “Even after Independence and vivisection of our country, we never shed our communal outlook and politics. Our politicians were hardly made of secular democratic stuff and our administrative machinery was hardly any different. Our politics was never based on soci0-economic justice and the naxal problem is an outcome of gross socio-economic injustices.”

Also present were Shabnam Hashmi of Anhad (Delhi), Jyotsna Shukla of Quami Ekta Samiti and L.S. Hardenia, editor of Secular Democracy.

Seek CBI inquiry

The speakers demanded an inquiry by the CBI or by sitting judges of the Supreme Court into the recent bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and Surat. An inquiry was also demanded into the role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bajrang Dal and other Sangh Parivar organisations in various attacks.

Ms. Hashmi said: “There are several Muslim families who fought the British during the Indian freedom struggle. We are proud that we belong here but why are we forced to prove our patriotism after every terror attack? We also want to know why very often innocent young men are rounded up and harassed after every bomb blast in the country just because they happen to belong to a particular community.”