Inquilab and Jadid Khabar on the new campaign of arrests

March 26, 2014 Urdu Media Monitor

New campaign of arrests

Daily Inquilab’s editorial, 25 March 2014

Carrying out an act of terror or planning terrorism is such an abhorrent thing that no peace-loving citizen can support it. In the country whenever and wherever terror attacks have taken place, everyone high and low has rightly condemned them. Notwithstanding the fact that following these terror attacks it were mostly Muslims who faced arrests and detentions, neither they ever condoned these attacks nor did they ever defended the perpetrators. However, they have always demanded, and did so with great assertion, that investigations should be carried out with an open mind and that detentions merely on the basis of suspicion should be avoided.

Government and the police did not pay any attention to these demands. But slowly and gradually when the truth started coming out that the arrests were carried out simply in order to claim the credit by the so-called investigative agencies; or one agency trying to supersede the other; or in order to hide their embarrassment for failing to prevent terror attacks a campaign of immediate arrests gets started, without any trace of evidence or proof, hence such investigations have lost any credibility.

Meanwhile it also has happened that cases against those who had been arrested could not stand trials as a result of which detainees were released by the courts. Because this is not a two or four months old issue but has been going on for more than last ten years and therefore the first reaction on any arrest now in relation to terror attack or planning such an attack is of suspicion and disbelief and one wonders if the claims being made hold any truth or not. Forming such an impression is very sad but as there are [genuine] reasons therefore it cannot be avoided.

It is not possible to ask each and every person who draws such conclusions to keep his mind open. However, it is possible to make security agencies to carry these arrests only on the basis of solid proofs and evidences. It is very sad that the Government has not done so in the past. During the last six months Central Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde advising state governments had instructed them to practice caution in arresting Muslim youths and refrain from detaining innocent individuals. However, without any confirmation whether or not those who were arrested on Sunday from Jaipur and Jodhpur were really guilty, he praised these arrests as a big success of his department. Perhaps he has forgotten that on several occasions before it has happened that arrests made in relation to such incidents were greatly rejoiced upon, officers were patted on the back and the arrests of, ‘terrorists’ were interpreted as, ‘big successes’ but lack of evidence in the law courts revealed the real truth of these, ‘big successes’.

Because out rightly the claims of security agencies cannot be rejected, therefore despite doubts and suspicions it can—in fact should—be hoped that there is no political motive behind the arrests made on Sunday, of Muslim Indians, innocent individuals have not been held, ‘big success’ does not prove to be a ‘big failure’ and that the detainees are really those who were supposed to be arrested and there are irrefutable proofs against them so that, if they are really terrorists or were planning to conspire terror attacks they can be tried effectively and are awarded due punishments.

Threat to Modi?

Daily Jadid Khabar’s editorial, 25 March 2014

Police while claiming, that in a joint operation by Delhi Police’s special cell and Rajasthan Police yesterday members of the so called Indian Mujahideen have been arrested, further revealed that BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was the target of these mujahideen. Thus by taking a timely action police has brought to light a very, ‘Big conspiracy.’ This is, however, altogether a different matter that after massive protests by the public, police has declared the two Muslim youths arrested from Jamia Nagar as innocent and has released them. It raises the basic question why on earth, on the pretext of a threat to Modi, Muslim youths are being targeted? Every day statements are being issued that terrorists pose danger to BJP leaders, especially Narendra Modi. By creating doubts and fears in the minds of the public the party wants to secure its future and thus grab power. BJP has neither a positive programme nor a leader with a positive public image who could lead the party to the seat of power on his own. This is the only reason why it has side-lined senior leaders and has nominated Narendra Modi, the man facing cases for his role in Gujarat’s anti-Muslim riots, as its prime ministerial candidate. In doing so it did not care about the displeasure of its senior leader L. K. Advani. On Modi’s instructions other senior leaders are also being ignored and deprived of party tickets. Candidates with criminal records are being projected and are being fielded. Alleged culprits in Muzaffarnagar riots have been put up in Lok Sabha elections. This is a proof of its negative mind-set, mental level and greed for power. In Karnataka as well the party has recruited tainted politicians in its ranks.

Now that even after adopting all these tactics signs are that the party may not be able to gain power. Because Kejriwal-led-AAP has created hurdles in its way and that is why the party is raising the bogey of threats to its senior leaders.

Terrorism is a serious problem that has taken the lives of hundreds of innocent people. This party [BJP] does not hesitate in branding Muslim youths as terrorists while the fact is that Hindu terrorism has played havoc [with peace and social harmony] in this country and those who are involved in Hindu terrorism are associated with BJP and RSS.

Thus the fact is that terrorism is BJP’s political agenda through which it seeks to terrorise and intimidate the Muslims. Using the [same bogey of] terrorism it wants to frighten the Hindus and coerce them to vote for it for it has no manifesto based on a positive policy and programme to [be able] to win public support. With this negative mind-set it has stooped so much so that it has resorted to worshipping an individual and with that it is also not feeling any hesitation in using the curse [as abhorring as] of terrorism.

BJP leaders are using the very media to express their fears about dangers to them that has already been accused of working for it. Central Government and intelligence agencies have made it clear that there is no threat to any BJP leader and that enough security has already been provided to them. Despite these assurances it is not a civilised thing to use baseless and concocted stories and create fear and terror in the minds of the public. This is a highly deplorable act and such moves should be strongly condemned and opposed. Hindus who care for the security and integrity of the country and the nation should display political maturity by voting on the basis of the agenda of development and reject those power-hungry politicians who, in order to grab power, do not hesitate even in exploiting the challenges and dangers facing the country. The supporters of BJP and Modi should not be allowed to erect the walls of hatred between the common men.

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