US sees a terrorist in Dawood

Men, Matters & Memories
By M L Kotru

It's over a month since the Americans finally discovered that Dawood Ibrahim, the underworld don is a terrorist. And they acted with usual alacrity in enforcing their writ. The Americans decided to confiscate his assets, though their quantum in the US must remain a matter of conjecture. Going by Dawood's record even the Americans may find it difficult to locate his assets including his bank accounts and investments. The Pakistanis who have played host to Dawood for a number of years have quickly denied his existence in Pakistan. His many aliases, some of these reflected in his numerous travel documents, provide convenient enough cover for Islamabad to deny his existence. Or so they believe.

US Secretary of Treasury John Snow did travel to Pakistan to provide damaging evidence of Dawood's connections with the terror networks including Al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The last-named, though officially banned, continues to thrive, running its madrassas just as Maulana Azhar Masud, the founder of the banned terrorist outfit, continues to collect funds in the name of the Jihad in Kashmir and equally glaringly he does it in full public view with friendly elements of the Pakistan Army including the ISI looking on with obvious admiration.

It can't be unknown to the Americans that the Lashkar leadership and Masud even as they may have given new names to their outfits indeed continue to pursue their chosen path of terrorism. One of the top leaders of a Pakistani terrorist outfit went on record only last week asserting that they would continue to work in tandem with the Afghan Taliban which alone according to him was capable of administering Afghanistan. He did not hesitate to mention what has been obvious to everyone bar the Americans that President Hamid Karzi's writ does not run beyond the capital Kabul and that for the rest the warlords and their ever burgeoning treasure troves (thanks to an abundance of narcotics) hold sway over the rest of that blighted country.

Pakistan again is not willing to accept that it continues, covertly and overtly, to play host to terrorist outfits whose involvement in the destablisation of the Afghan regime and the ongoing Pak-inspired terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir is well-known. If only the other day three Pakistani military personnel in uniform are caught alongwith Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan it hardly seems to make a difference to Gen Pervez Musharraf, the Commando-turned-Chief Executive of Pakistan. ''The presence of Pak soldiers among Al Qaeda men must be an aberration; just look at the number of Al Qaeda activists we have made over to the US authorities'', the General says self righteously. And the Americans do not have much of a choice.

Given George Bush's maniac obsessions he is willing to look only at ''friend and ally'' Musharraf's ''positives''.

And thus even if the US may have declared Dawood a most wanted terrorist having ignored earlier Indian concerns in this regard the underworld king and his hosts in Pakistan need have no fears. The General has told Bush that no one by the name of Dawood Ibrahim lives in Pakistan. And he may not be lying, for all you know. Because a leading Pakistani Journal had more than a year ago exposed the presence of Dawood in Karachi as also the fact that he owned huge properties under various names in the Pakistani megapolis. Or could it be that even the Americans, after having virtually accepted the Indan view of Dawood Ibrahim and his activities, still share at least some of the Pakistani concerns on the issue. After all the Indians had for long proclaimed that Dawood was operating from Dubai ?

Home Minister L K Advani during last visit to the US presented ''clinching'' evidence against Dawood's presence in Pakistan. And many believe that the noose was finally tightened round Dawood's neck as a consequence of the Advani dossier. The US declaration confirmed that feeling. But we obviously had reckoned without the American dilemma over Pakistan. Many voices have been heard from very responsible American quarters raising questions about ''Is Pakistan a friend or foe?'' The US establishment regardless is willing to look the other way even when the ''friend or foe'' thought may have been entertained by some within the set-up. Musharraf continues to occupy a special place in the heart and mind of George Bush. George Bush, recently stated that God asked him to seek election as President to save the US; Musharraf similarly believes that he was sent by the Gods to save Pakistan from its politicians.

Having blamed everyone else for what is turning out to be a flop show. I' affair Dawood- it might do us some good to look at our own failures which to my lay mind are monumental. And to buttress this view I am falling back on the contents of an article which appeared in a weekly recently. The article points out that Dawood was a terrorist, an extortionist, smuggler etc long before 9/11, the American benchmark for the emergence of international terrorism. One part- a significant one-of Dawood's operations has been the hawala operation. When hawala network serves terrorists, Dawood gets drawn into terrorist activity. Narcotics create money for terrorism. Hawala distributes the money. It follows that to fight terrorism the money trail must be busted.

Dawood's network, the author argues, had distributed money to India's leading politicians as well as to Kashmiri militants. Dawood, shrewd operator of the under world kind, saw himself as a provided of service through hawala. When hawala network provided a service to the terrorist and the politician alike, security concerns of a nation are breached. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, which dominated the separatist movement in the State before the Jain Hawala case burst into the open, was one of the beneficiaries of the hawala terrorist nexus. Salahuddin, a recipient of hawala money was an unknown entity then. The money had come to him through the Dawood network. Within a few years Salahuddin rose to lead the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The article, I have alluded to, appeared in the form of an open letter to President George Bush. It most tellingly beings out the pusilaminity of the Indian authorities when it urges George Bush that to make sure that if Dawood is captured he is not handed over to Indian authorities. ''If handed over to India, he might either escape or be shot dead. Remember Abu Salem? Interpol presented him to India on a platter. India did not present the necesary documents. Now Indian Government is enacting a soap opera, trying 'vainly' to extradite him. When you get hold of Dawood, Mr President, induce him to sing. Ask him to sing about the airline company in which a senior (Indian) politicians relatives were his partners....Ask him to sing about politicians in Mumbai from both sides who collaborated with him in land scams in the early days... Ask him to sing about the politicians he lavishly hosted in Dubai. Ask him to sing about politicians and journalists who regularly enjoyed hospitality of his henchman Romesh Sharma at his Delhi farmhouse...''

To this list I might add the fact that in the great Maratha bastion called Mumbai there have been no buyers for some of the Dawood properties ordered to be auctioned off by courts of law. And it is not unknown that Dawood even today owns huge business, residential complexes in Mumbai. And that his gang continues to cater to his every whim and fancy not only in Mumbai but in other parts of the country as well. Mr Advani could well look into his own back yard before accusing others of being soft on terrorists, extortionists, smugglers et al.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's vision of God

By Inder Jeet S. 'Prince'

Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru of Sikhism came to this world (1469-1539) at a time when there was considerable strife between the main religions of India. The poor and innocent people were being butchered and plundered in the name of God. The rulers had become ravenous and love and amity had taken to wings. Vision of God was blurred and its place was taken by futile rituals and ceremonies. In other words, it was a time of complete darkness and the ignorant masses were struggling to get out of this mess, created due to lack of true knowledge and guidance. Guru Nanak's coming to this world has been described as under:-

Sat Guru Nanak Pargatya Miti Dhund Jag - Chanan Hoya."

Guru Nank Dev Ji felt the need to get rid of futile rituals to lessen miseries of the people. Guru Nanak Dev Ji in order to take the society out of the darkness of ignorance decided to stress on the oneness and unity of God to correct the malady.

Before embarking on his mission, the first and significant pronouncement made by Guru Nanak Dev Ji was to recite the "Mool Mantra" in the praise of God. It is the most precise and definite definition of God. In each of its eight words both the transcendental and immanent aspect of God, is given. Mool Mantra appears as an epilogue to Guru Granth Sahib and is repeated frequently throughout its text in full or abbreviated forms to stress its importance. "Ek Oangkar" - The first letter in the Mool Mantra is the numeral I (one): This has been placed to stress the one-ness of the entire cosmos. By this two ideas are expressed that of singleness and that of unity . The unity of God implies the one and only God, the one without a second, the one of complete supremacy, the one unopposed, the one unequalled, the one who is omnipresent and omnipotent and the one who is absolute in all respects.

The figure I (one) proceeds with 'Om' modified with the addition of a sign 'Kar' and is spelt as Oangkar. It expresses his 'Nirgun (formless) and Sargun (with form) identity. As Nirgun He has no form, colour, shape or creed. Whatever is visible is his 'Sargun' personality. He is not sitting somewhere in the heavens and watching over us, but in Him we live, move and have our being. He is in His creation and yet outside and above it. 'Ek-Oangkar' expresses that God is one, transcendental, immanent, omnipresent, limitless and incomprehensible. 'Sat-Nam God cannot be given a name as he is above our conception. However, if He is to be given one, He is 'True' (Satya) i.e. He alone is permanent, all else is fleeting. This aspect of truism is different from truthfulness which refers to our conduct. He was true before His creation, was true in the beginning of the universe, is true now and shall remain true for all the times. He is an existing reality and not an abstract idea.

'Nam' is God. It is that undefinable wave, ray and invisible string by which we can know Him, preceive Him and obtain his blessings. 'Nam' is the way to achieve salvation. The whole Gurbani is replete with this word enjoying human beings to constantly remember and sing His praises all the times.

'Karta - Purakh - Karta means creator and Purakh is person not an ordinary person but a male personified entity who is the creator of the world. Unlike a potter who having made a pot sets the same aside for sale and having sold it forgets about it. He besides being a Creator, is also Nourisher, Provisioner, Benefactor and Destroyer of everything that he has created. He is all in all. There is nothing which is not under His order or will. The entire Universe functions in perfect harmony and Unison under his divine law.

'Nir Bhau' - He is without fear. He is neither afraid or any one nor does he instill fear in his creatures.

'Nir-Vair' - He is without enmity. There is no different Gods for Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims but there is one God. He loves all and does not care for the artificial boundaries of caste, colour and creed set up by man.

'Akal Moorat - Akal implies the God is not limited by time and space. He is also known as 'Akal Purakh' - the everlasting and infinite being. The word 'Moorat' means picture or idol made of clay or metal used for worship, Guru Nanak Dev's conception of God is a living and existing reality which cannot be confined or limited to any one particular place or object.

'Ajuni -Sebhang' - He has no birth and is self existent. Under this expression no one who comes in the orbit of death can be called or equated with God. How can he be born or die when he is without form or feathers ('Sebhang' - Independently self existent).

Gur Parsad - Guru is the preceptor and the divine enlightener who dispels darkness of illusion. Gurus are beacon lights sent by the Lord form time to time to lead human beings to righteous and virtuous path. They infuse spiritual life, inspire devotion and unite men with God.

'Prasad' is a wide term meaning that God is Bestower of all the blessings. He is benefactor, bountiful, kind and merciful. Grace is His biggest gift.

According to Guru Nank Dev Ji, the Supreme being can be attained by the grace of the Guru only. Guru is the conglomeration of righteous thoughts, behaviour and action and a holy spirit that inspires us to remember God and ultimately help us to unite with him.

The 'Mool Mantra' of Guru Nanak Dev Ji ends with 'Gur Prasad'. The next word is 'Jap'. This is the heading of the prime Gurbani 'Japji' which the Sikhs are enjoined to recite every morning.

In short, 'Mool Mantra' defines His (God's) qualities, identity and personality in most precise and definite terms. Any body, who recites this 'Mantra' with devotion, love and faith shall inherit all those Godly qualities.

In essence, we as an image and spirit of His divine light are also divine. But because of the limitations of our individuality and ego, we are separated from Him. Once this wall of egoism falls by our constant remembrance and surrender to Him, we shall be able to perceive Him and thereby obtain bliss and peace which we all cherish.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled from Punjab (Nankana Sahib) to Assam, from the Himalayas to Ceylon and even to Mecca - Madina in the middle east to spread the message of one-ness and unity of God. And Guru Nank Dev Ji succeeded in creating an awakening of the public consciousness against the prevalent futile religious rituals, tyranny and exploitation.