Perpetrators behind the recent terror attacks in major Indian cities - including Saturday’s Delhi bombings that left at least 20 dead and scores injured - are still shrouded in mystery. But the needles of suspicion are pointing towards groups with Muslim names. And if they are indeed to blame, we need to ask what purpose do such acts serve other than damaging the standing of the community in whose name it’s all being done.
Irrespective of whether or not Muslims have a link to these dastardly attacks, as a society we are again confronted with shame that a small bunch of radicalised people acting in the name of faith carry out crimes against innocents. Men and women hysterically screaming for their dear ones who died in these terrible blasts should be an indictment enough from a religious, moral and humanist point of view.
On Saturday, when Muslims observed Ramadan and Hindus were engrossed in Ganesh Chaturthi, five bombs ripped through three market places crowded with weekend shoppers in the national capital. The intent was evident. Target innocents and scare the others.
Why are you doing this? This is the question that requires answer from those who do it purportedly in the name of Islam. With whatever conviction they do it, all reasons fall flat in the face of the death of an innocent. If it’s really done to avenge the Gujarat 2002 mayhem and the demolition of Babri Masjid, why do they forget that Islam prohibits acts of vengeance and shedding of innocent blood.
In fact, the holy Quran teaches us to repel evil with good: ‘Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance of their Lord; establish regular prayers; spend out of (the gifts) We (Allah) have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly; and turn off evil with good: for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home.’ (verse 13:22)
If it is true that the Indian Mujahideen - which claimed responsibility for Saturday’s mayhem - is indeed a Muslim outfit, they must understand that nothing more can harm Islam and Muslims than this act, which from all angles is anti-Islamic. The ultimate debasement of human values inflicting agony on innocent people cannot be justified on any count.
To believe that such shameful acts will help rebuild the demolished Babri Masjid, reverse what happened to innocent Muslims in Gujarat or make India pack up from Jammu and Kashmir is nothing but delusion harboured by corrupted and insane minds. Terror does no good to anybody and states rarely cave in to terror.
Such acts only shrink the space for Muslims in the entire world and of course in India, where anybody with a Muslim name already faces difficulties to find a house in cities. If the mindless violence continues, time is not far when our expulsion becomes inevitable, only because of a handful of extremist Muslims’ provocation.
And the outfits which benefit from such situations will try to cash in on it. Our country has no dearth of fanatics using such violence for vote bank politics. It is time to wake up before it gets too dark to see the light of truth.
(Sarwar Kashani is with IANS and can be contacted at s.kashani@ians.in. The views expressed are personal.)
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