Grasping terrorism

In previous post I stressed the need for analyzing the causes behind Islamic terrorism. I should say it is not the only kind of terrorism in India. Naxalism also poses a grave danger and so does insurgency in North East. However Islamic terrorism is unique in its ability to jeopardize Indian security, and this I am not saying for purpose of rhetoric.
Causes of Islamic terrorism can be analyzed from two angles.
First which is prevalent (and incorrect), to consider Islamic terrorism as only an expression of Kashmiri separatism (or to be precise expression of valley Muslims). It does make sense; it can be argued that it is the demand for independence which is fueling the terrorism. The oppression (real or imagined) perceived by Kashmiri populace is reason behind the local support and therefore it is ultimately limited in its extent
However there is second view which is more accurate. In my view Kashmiri terrorism has less to do with oppression of Kashmiri than with indoctrination and manipulation of local population. Kashmir remained peaceful from 1948 (when Kashmir merged with India) to 1986.
Post 1986 however situation changed dramatically, as Mujahideen fighting soviet troops in Afghanistan stared infiltrating to J&K, Pakistan had attempted this earlier in 1965 war, however it had failed owing to non co-operation of local population, this time however the infiltration was supported by the fundamentalist Muslim cleric.
Unceasing propaganda by these clerics drove the local Muslim population towards extremism creating atmosphere of hatred and distrust. The cant that India and Hindus are oppressing Kashmiri Muslims and thus enemies was successfully implanted in Muslims minds. It did not matter that there was any truth or not in this.
First casualties of this intolerance were Kashmiri Pundits, who had to leave the valley. This could have been a warning to Indian government that however was ignored (and still remain ignored). Soon the extremism and hatred culminated into the armed terrorism which continues to this date. Unfortunately instead of learning from this lesson the educated class is still looking in all the wrong places for the reasons.
The Kashmiri terrorism is not a result of army or illegal Indian occupation or poverty or unemployment. It is a obvious result of all the incitement and rabble rousing.

The most important implication of this is that what happened in Kashmir can easily be replicated anywhere. Whether the instrument of accession is disputed is immaterial. The misinformation and propaganda of Kashmir can be replicated anywhere. The obvious question to that is why it has not been carried out yet.

Three reasons can account for that, Muslims do not happen to be majority in rest of India,
Second the Muslim population lies in the core of India.
Third average Muslim is no more poor and dispossessed that an average Hindu.
So does this mean that everything is hunky dory? Not quite.

All the reasons that I gave above can be overcome with careful misinformation and concerted campaign. The indoctrination can start with subtle insinuation. Any lie can be established as a truth through repeated assertion. Then once a lie has been established, other lies are established with that and soon we have a labyrinth of cant so dense that no reason, no sincere argument can cut through it.

The psychology of humans is to blame other for their own misfortune, it provides escape. Therefore more often than not any rhetoric which affirms this tendency is going to be believed.
And that is what happening, since UPA came to power, there is increasing pandering to Muslim as a vote bank.

Whether reservation for Muslims, or minority status for AMU, or special quota in Army all this help in reinforcing the separate identity between Muslims and Hindu.

In coming days this appeasement is going to sink to new lows. Congress is desperate to regain Muslim vote bank (which it lost to regional parties like SP, or RJD), and to accomplish this it can go to any depth, also that the competitors will try to beat Congress in this game. Along with this at present there is no effective opposition to this, with BJP in disarray and media for all purposes dancing to “secular” tunes. Once a sense of separate identity is established, it is easy to instill a feeling of being oppressed.

To some extent it has already happened, there is no explanation for Indian Muslims protesting over Denmark cartoon or Iran that too during Bush visit.
There is a strong theological basis in Islam for Ummah, which runs counter to the notion of sovereign nation – state. Once there is considerable acceptance in Indian Muslim, incitement and provocation is very easy.

Already some radical clerics use the mosque to provoke Muslims against west, how long before it turns against their compatriots.
If this trend continues, then we may soon except disturbance in districts bordering Bangladesh and may be in Kerala.
However it doesn’t have to reach to that extent, terrorist attacks can be carried out with much less level of participation.

Is there any way out?
Yes, there are two.

First, secular media should stop trying to cover up. By doing this they are just making sure there situation will worsen. Any Hindu, immaterial of how indifferent he is, will strike blindly, if there is a threat of survival.

Second I appreciate as an Indian when Muslims condemn terrorist attacks.

However, what is called for some introspection and a real effort to come out of siege complex. I have to reluctantly say that Muslims are themselves responsible for the situation they find themselves in. They have painted themselves into a corner. Unless there is a serious effort to reform, any delay will only worsen the situation. By playing into hands of self appointed community leader and secularists, Muslims are not doing any good to themselves.