By NM Sampathkumar Iyangar
Adolf Eichmann, the genius scientist who invented the gas chamber for the Nazis as a ‘perfect solution’ to end the ‘Jew menace’, remained incognito for 15 years after Nazis fell. When he was captured in a covert act by the Mossad in Argentina, Argentina and even UN initially said it as “violation of the sovereign rights of the Argentine Republic.”
An understanding was reached later and Eichmann underwent a trial costing millions of dollars. The testimony lasted 14 weeks of testimony and nearly 100 prosecution witnesses were produced. Dozens of defence depositions were delivered by diplomatic couriers from 16 different countries.
Eichmann was eventually hanged for his heinous role in the Holocaust. His “Acts of the State” defence, claiming he was only “following orders” did not stand. Whatever be the validity of charges against Israel of crushing Palestinians, no one can fault its handling of Eichmann’s trial. The entire proceedings, broadcast alive, was a benchmark in transparency. Compared to it, the hush-hush affairs shamelessly accepted by Indian courts to condemn ‘culprits’ are just shams. Its objective was to heal the sense of bitterness and hostility between the Jews and proclaimed ‘Aryans’ of Germany – both bestowed with extraordinary intellect and leadership qualities. Eichmann’s fate did achieved the objective.
The Batla House shootout in Jamia Nagar area of Delhi on Sept 19, deserves to be viewed in this context. Mohan Chand Sharma, an inspector in the Special Cell of Delhi Police, working with central intelligence agencies, is being hailed as the hero of the operation. He had sustained grievous bullet injuries and died, due to excessive bleeding, despite hectic efforts according to the police version. The ‘encounter’ came within a week of serial bomb blasts in the Capital, in a daring climax to such terrorist violence targetting innocent commoners in several other cities. Excepting that they were all terrorist acts, nothing else could be established beyond reasonable doubt. And hundreds of ‘culprits’ have been incarcerated and tortured in the process.
Even as the police had ‘successfully cracked’ the ‘terror module’ another bomb blast in a crowed market in the capital, hardly a fortnight after the serial terror bombing. Miserable existence of at least two more proud citizens of the world’s ‘largest democracy’ came to a sudden end and two dozens are forced to enjoy the hospitality of one of the most crowded hospitals of the world. The dozen people picked up after the flower bazaar blast were just an addition to the hundreds of earlier ‘culprits’.
The Jamia Nagar ‘operation’ too targetted dozens of students undergoing advanced studies in computer science, humanities or management. One of the two ‘terrorists’ slain was a student of Jamia Millia Islamia. He has been presented as the ‘brain’ behind multiple, simultaneously timed bomb blasts, including the one in Delhi a week previously. Another student was allegedly writing his management exam when his five comrades were engaged in a gun battle with Sharma’s team. Most others were school buddies from a particular Bihar town, who had no criminal record.
A clear photograph carried by a major newspaper of New Delhi on Sept 23, shows Sharma being walked by two impeccably dressed guys apparently towards an ambulance. The daredevil brave-heart, it has been claimed, did not wear any bullet-proof vest for the encounter he was obviously prepared to stage. For, the raid was on tip off. He appears to be in pain in the picture, but does not apparently require a stretcher.
It is anyone’s guess how a man, even if a superman, could walk down four flights of stairs and still keep walking, after suffering through-and-through bullet wounds that caused fatally excessive abdominal bleeding before he reached the hospital.
The latest ‘encounter’ demonstrate once again that India’s security agencies are directed by flopped Bollywood scriptwriters, otherwise known as ‘terror experts’. They have millions of fans who lap up the stories and feel proud about their capability. Every blast case is declared ‘solved’ by picking up pre-selected guys (often smalltime outlaws), who are tortured into ‘confessing’ their involvement. Pliant courts readily accept such ‘confessions’ as the only basis for conviction. (Remember Afzal Guru). Nobody dares ask what explains repeat blasts If a breakthrough had really been made.
There is another pertinent point to be noted: In the countless bomb attacks reported from various Indian cities, casualties have only been from the general public. Even in the much hyped Parliament attack, not a single politico, bureaucrat, tycoon or ‘expert’ suffered! That is hardly a complement for the hundreds of cops providing Z Class security to the worthies. In this context, Indian police force is known for being so undermanned that it took outrageously long for any help to arrive in the latest incident. Also, it is worth noting that the total number of dead and maimed in all the dozens of incidents is much less than casualties in one ‘real’ terrorist attack elsewhere in the world. A recent example was the razing down of the Marriot in Pakistan’s capital.
A massive Peace March was organised by Jamia Millia Islamia to condone the tragic event in the locality. Vice Chancellor Prof Mushirul Hasan led thousands of students, faculty members, staff and parents. The march was to stimulate reflection on mindless tortures and slaughter of human beings, whether cops or public. They expressed outrage at the media’s attempts to bash the Jamia and the Muslim community for the sake of sensationalism.
But, any numbers of such peace rallies are unlikely to halt repetitive terror attacks. The misery of commoners – innocent by-standers losing their life or limb, hundreds of people (mostly from a pre-condemned community) arbitrarily picked up and tortured, their relatives and numerous police personnel (mostly in the lowest rungs) – cannot justifiably expected to listen them. It will not be surprising if more terrorist attacks get reported during the ensuing festive season.
The daredevil inspector who killed two ‘terrorists’ in cold blood was a much decorated officer for his feat of arresting almost 100 such `terrorists’. The family and friends of those branded as terrorists cannot be faulted for feeling relieved at the elimination of an agent of an oppressive regime that ruined them. For, many of those arrested might have landed in jail with the connivance of courts that have no qualms to follow draconian procedures prescribed. Some could have been victims in a fake encounter. They have every justification to treat the ‘brave-hearted hero’ as a devil- incarnate who martyred their future hopes. It is easy to pick up other family members, even if they may not have the wherewithal to have avenged their loss. Thus ensues a perpetual persecution by the State and perpetual terror acts.
There can be no wishing away of terrorist reprisals as long as nothing happens to our honourable Eichmanns, who ‘ignited’ zealots to purge the society of persons following a ‘foreign’ religion. They are ‘national leaders’, protected with Z-class security at monstrous expense of the people who fall victims to their heinous deeds.