By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Along with English and Hindi media, Urdu press in India has also strongly condemned the serial bombings in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in which more than 50 people were killed and about 200 wounded on 25th and 26th July respectively. The Urdu press has questioned the pattern of investigations into terrorist attacks, and to combat the menace of terrorism they have called for a comprehensive plan the government, political parties, public and intelligence and investigating agencies should be part of. Take a look at what Urdu newspapers said in its editorials after the blasts.
Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, New Delhi
The paper has doubted that real culprits behind these blasts, as it happened with Jaipur bombings, will ever be caught.
As usual, intelligence agencies and police have blamed SIMI, HuJI, Harkatul Mujahideen and Indian Mujahideen for the blasts, some people have been arrested, the investigating agencies have also claimed to find crucial clues, but perhaps it will never be clear who the real culprits are behind these deadly attacks, says the paper which is published in several cities including New Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata.
The paper has asked a chilling question: when after Bangalore blasts high alert was sounded in the entire country and the central government had warned just three days ahead about terrorist attacks in Gujarat, how then Ahmedabad took place, why the state government and its intelligence agencies woke up.
Criticizing biased approach in terror investigations the paper says there is a need for taking seriously the Hindutva terrorist groups emerging in the South as some of their members have been arrested in connection with subversive activities.
Soon after the blasts, BJP is crying for POTA. This law is not an ultimate way to curb terrorism, says the paper reminding its readers that when POTA was in place, terrorist attacks were carried out at Akshardham Temple in Gujarat and Parliament House in New Delhi. It says stringent laws are in place to curb the crime. POTA will give BJP political benefit but people from 8-year-old child to 80-year-old person will be arrested and kept behind bars.
Urdu press coverage of bomb blasts
The Inquilab, Mumbai
This paper has also questioned the competence or credibility, whatever the case, of the Gujarat police and intelligence agencies.
Soon after 18 bombs exploded in Ahmedabad, the entire country and Gujarat particularly put on high alert, then how 17 more bombs were planted in Surat, the paper questions. Gujarat police should be asked how it was possible when the entire state was on high alert, but this will not happen, no will ask them, comments the paper.
The paper demands a wide and fair enquiry into the blasts. It expresses the need that a fresh look should be cast at the present security system in the country.
The paper says that political parties should not indulge in blame game, rather they should jointly work to combat terrorism.
The Siasat Daily, Hyderabad
Whatever the reason, terrorist attacks in which innocents are killed and fear and terror are created, cannot be justified, says the paper.
Like other Urdu newspapers, it has also questioned the ability of the police to handle such cases. People were arrested in connection with earlier blasts also, but the police could not reach the real culprits, says the paper and demands that intelligence and investigating agencies should be made accountable and they should be asked about investigations.
It condemns blame game among political parties and says that there is a need for a comprehensive plan in which all sections of the society should be included to tackle the terror. Until the entire country and society stand up, terrorism cannot be defeated, it comments.
Qaumi Tanzeem, Patna
The paper directly blames the BJP government in Gujarat for its lenient functioning to control law and order in the state.
The paper has suggested the state government to set up an independent and unbiased investigative team to investigate the case instead of stressing implementation of POTA like act.
The paper says that there is a need to take seriously Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s statement in which he said “Hinduon ko Musalmanon ne dahshatgardi par uksaya hai” (Muslims have instigated Hindus to become terrorists)
The paper has expressed its fear that the investigation in these blasts will be as such: that some Muslim youths will be arrested and Gujarat police will compel them to confess false charges against them, then they will be encountered.