B L Saraf
Three incidents of enormous national importance, which happened rather in a quick succession, marked the week that ended 13th instant. They brought out best and the worst in us .
Lance Naik Hannumantappa , the brave Indian soldier from the southern part of the country – having been brought up at the Sea-level, fought a losing battle for his life in a New Delhi Army hospital, after he and his ten colleagues were struck by a snow avalanche, while serving at the highest peak in Northern part of the country – Siachen in Ladakh. His presence in the Army and death while guarding the borders reaffirmed the definition of India-that it is a vibrant and organic land mass spread across Kanaya Kumari, in south, to Ladakh Kashmir in the north, which is cemented together by the blood of its brave men and the women. It was heartening to note that whole India stood by the brave soldier, praying for his recovery and people offering their organs to save him. The soldier, however, could not refuse the call of heavens as, indeed, when alive he couldn’t refuse the call to the national duty. The best part of it was that nation rose in one to salute the Siachen martyrs . That was a much needed assertion of pride which, thanks to the so called ‘intellectualism ‘has become a rare commodity these days.
Then came the worst. We had the statement of David Coleman Headly – an accused of 26/11 Mumbai attack, giving a graphic details in the court how Pakistani Intelligence Services and its Army men , with the help of LET and their Indian handlers caused the mayhem, by destroying property worth crores and killing hundreds of innocents in the hotels, public places and the streets of Mumbai, in November 2008 . While making his statement, Headly referred to the role of Ishrat Jahan a Mumbai girl as an LET operative in India to help carry out deadly terrorist attacks in various parts of India. Her role as a helper of the extra -territorial terrorist organization was never in doubt to the intelligence agencies. But a political party which ruled India till 2014 projected her as a’ national heroine who, as if, fell to the “cause of India’s independence”. Her death, in the circumstances which are subject matter of a judicial scrutiny, was commemorated by the managers of the then ruling party as a ‘national tragedy -‘just to garner votes of a particular community. So much so, a ‘re- incarnated secularist ‘who had no qualms in cohabitating with the forces whom he now calls ‘fanatics’ for better part of his political life to make a fortune, called the lady as a daughter of Bihar as to bestow honor on her . Till 2014, the ruling party at the centre used the death of this lady as a stick to beat the present PM, in total disregard to the national security and utter demoralization of the investigating agencies and honest police officers , by pitting one against the other.
The worst that came out is not only trumpeting the innocence of the female in question but denouncing Headly’s testimony as that of a rogue, not fit to be relied on . The spokesperson of the then ruling party went to the TV Channels to discredit Headly just to cover up their earlier partisan activities. Forgetting that in doing so they are weakening the case of 26/ 11 and putting India to an awkward position before those countries whose national also fell to the bullets of terrorist in that Mumbai attack. Pakistan intelligence agencies and the terrorists must be celebrating ,as they could not find much better alibi to denounce Headly’s testimony lock , stock and barrel as is being provided to them by the spokesperson of some political parties .
Worst had to come. The pyre of the martyr Lanc Naik was still smoldering when we saw a disgusting spectacle being enacted in JNU, Delhi. Students were commemorating the death of Afzal Guru by extolling the fifth columnists to work for the dismemberment of the country. The we had a beeline of politicians to the University made to provide moral and political support to the seditionists , whom law of the land had caught up with . These leaders found no time to call on the martyr Hannumantaapa when he was battling for life in the military hospital .The anti Indian diatribe is being explained by the apologists of the secessionists that the resistance is relevant to the “intellectual tradition.” We have seen it recently how this ” tradition ” selectively woke up to the Award Wapsi ” call only to die down when the Bihar Elections were over. What business the students had to raise the anti -India pitch when the nation was mourning the death of a brave soldier, who laid down his life in the line of duty. More than to these students, the question could be posed to the politicians who lost no time to bail out the secessionists.
The tendency must be curbed lest it gains persuasive influence on the elements who thrive on the fissiparous and parochial politics.
During the American civil war in 1861 eleven southern states fought to secede from the Union. Abraham Lincoln was the US President, who ordered his Army Commander Ulysses S Grant to use all force to quell the secessionist movement. Southern states were devastated but the Union was saved. Lincoln showed what it means to save the country. The same country enacted Inland Security Act and Patriotic Act after it suffered 9/11 terrorists act .No one complained. There was a complete bipartisan approach in framing the laws to protect the America citizens. France is on the verge of framing a law which will deregister its citizen who is involved in the terrorists act. More than hundred religious places of a particular community have been closed, when found fanning religious hatred. Could we think of such measures in India, though ours is the country worst hit by the terrorism? Look what happened to TADA and the POTA, laws made in late eighties to combat the terrorism. The vote bank politics saw their death, with no respite from the terrorist onslaughts
Wherefrom could we get leaders like Lincoln or Neil Kinnock who famously said “I will die for my country but I could never let country die for me.” Nation is truly pained. Pain of physical injury or death is not as hurting as is the pain of subterfuge and the political double speak.
(The author is former Principal District & Sessions Judge)
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