By Joginder Singh, IANS,
Terrorists struck in the Indian capital again in a big way Saturday. All blasts were of low intensity. The defused bombs used a cocktail of ammonium nitrate, gun powder, ball bearings and nails, with timer devices. It is the same kind of bombs used in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. They were set off using electronic timers.
Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by Indian Mujahideen, a home-grown terrorist group with links to Pakistani extremists. It first came to prominence in May 2008 when it is said to have been behind a series of bombings in Jaipur, killing 63 people, and in Ahmedabad that left 56 dead in July 2008.
Indeed, Delhi has been a frequent target of terrorists as the following figures will show:
Date: April 14, 2006; Place: Jama Masjid; Killed/Injured: 0/14
Date: Oct 29, 2005; Place: Sarojini Nagar/Paharganj/Govindpuri: Killed/Injured: 59/155
Date: May 22, 2005; Place: Liberty/Satyam Cinema; Killed/Injured: 1/60
Date: Dec 13, 2001; Place: Parliament House; Killed/Injured: 11/30
Date: Aug 11, 2001; Place: South Extension; Killed/Injured: 0/2
Date: May 20, 2001; Place: CGO Complex; Killed/Injured: 0/0
Date: May 9, 2001; Place: Army Headquarters; Killed/Injured: 0/1
Date: June 18, 2000; Place: Red Fort; Killed/Injured: 2/0
Date: March 16, 2000; Place: Sadar Bazaar; Killed/Injured: 0/7
Date: Feb 27, 2000; Place: Paharganj; Killed/Injured: 0/8
Date: Jan 6, 2000; Place: Old Delhi Railway Station; Killed/Injured: 0/20
Date: June 3, 1999; Place: Chandni Chowk; Killed/Injured: 0/27
Date: April 16, 1999; Place: Holambi Kalan Railway Station; Killed/Injured: 2/0
Date: Dec 19, 1998; Place: Bhajanpura temple; Killed/Injured: 0/Unspecified
Date: Aug 31, 1998; Place: Turkman Gate; Killed/Injured: 1/17
Date: July 26, 1998; Place: Interstate Bus Terminal; Killed/Injured: 2/3
Date: Jan 9, 1998; Place: ITO; Killed/Injured: 0/40
Date: Dec 30, 1997; Place: Punjabi Bagh; Killed/Injured: 4/30
Date: Nov 30, 1997; Place: Chandni Chowk; Killed/Injured: 3/73
Date: Oct 26, 1997; Place: Karol Bagh; Killed/Injured: 1/34
Date: Oct 18, 1997; Place: Rani Bagh; Killed/Injured: 1/23
Date: Oct 10, 1997; Place: Kingsway Camp; Killed/Injured: 1/18
Date: Oct 1, 1997; Place: Sadar Bazaar; Killed/Injured: 0/30
Date: Oct 1, 1997; Place: Frontier Mail train; Killed/Injured: 3/Unspecified
Date: July 14, 1997; Place: Red Fort; Killed/Injured: 0/18
Date: Jan 4, 1997; Place: Sonepat Road; Killed/Injured: 0/0
It is nauseating how innocents are being killed everywhere in India by terrorists. It is sickening to find these terrorists using the name of Allah to justify their acts. In the name of the freedom guaranteed by the constitution, they are out to destroy our country.
Those in power keep saying that terrorism will be dealt with strongly, but we do not even have a specific anti-terror law in position. The question which the highly protected government leaders should ask is how long will our people live in fear in our own country.
This is not terror or low-intensity strikes. This is war on our country. Indian citizens are caught in the war zone. The sooner the government realises this, the better it will be. It should remember that all is fair in love and war. You cannot give excuses and not fight this war.
There are no rules in killing an enemy who is out to kill you. The government should rise above vote bank politics and enact strict model anti-terror laws. Incidentally, the anti-terrorist laws passed by the Rajasthan and Gujarat assemblies are gathering dust in New Delhi.
If the government cannot assure security, it should forget about development and foreign direct investment, industrialisation and higher economic growth. The choice before India is simple: defeat terrorism or be defeated by it. Defeat it we must.
(Joginder Singh is a former director of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He can be reached on [email protected])