By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: “If you closely study the way Batla house ‘encounter’ and Kerkare’s killing then you will notice that both have been orchestrated on largely the same pattern,” observed SM Mushrif, writer of “Who Killed Karkare” at a conference on “The Politics of terrorism and Suspicion: Two Years since the Batla House ‘Encounter” organized by Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association on Tuesday at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Explaining his point, he said that in both the cases murders have been done under the guise of some thing else. In the case of Karkare, there are strong reasons to believe that he was killed by Brahmanical forces in IB at a golden opportunity which 26/11 indeed was.
SM Mushrif addressing the audience, on the stage from L to R Subhash Ghatade, Digvijay Singh, Lateef Mohammad Khan and Bobby Kunhu
In the case of Batla house ‘encounter’ again the pretext was arresting IM operatives allegedly responsible for the Delhi serial blasts, added Mr. Mushrif.
Mr. Mushrif who is also former IG, Police, Maharashtra, further said that killing innocent Muslim youths and turning them into ‘dreaded terrorists’ has now become a pattern religiously followed by the police of every state across the country.
Willful ignorance of critical leads
Taking the issue of suspicious role of the state agencies into terror and blast cases further, noted social activist Teesta Setalvad said that quite often investigative agencies willfully ignore critical leads.
“As a journalist who has covered various blasts and terror cases in Maharashtra and in various other parts of country, I can say that some times critical things like forensic leads are purposefully not followed,” she said.
Civil society needs to monitor
Consequently, arguing for serious monitoring of investigation of terror and encounter cases by the civil society, she said, “As a citizen and also as a part of civil society it is very important for us to be a watchdog of these investigations and closely monitor critical leads.”
Teesta Setalvad speaking at the convention
Giving many instances, she said that every body in the investigative agencies knows that leakage of the RDX from the government sources is taking place and at various occasions hundreds of Kilos of RDX have been found. For many groups in states like Gujarat, MP explosive material is easily available. But this phenomenon is some thing which agencies like RAW and IB have purposefully ignored, let alone police who doesn’t care, she argued.
IB and RAW authoritative
She also said that at present intelligence agencies in India like IB and others have emerged as the most authoritative institutions of the country. They are the most undemocratic agencies in the country. They are not accountable even to the parliament. Their matter of functioning is so secret that no matter how much illegal and unlawful activity they have committed on the pretext of ‘national security’, they get away with every thing, she said.
Ms. Setalvad further added that there is no financial accountability of IB and RAW and judiciary hardly interferes with their style of functioning.
Should be made accountable to Parliament
“That’s why for the democratic and transparent functioning of the country, it is very important that investigative agencies like IB and others should be made accountable to parliament and other democratic institutions of the country,” she further added.
Mob violence and bomb violence
Ms Setalvad further said that at one point mob violence used to be a tactic manipulated by the Hindutva groups. Now it has been replaced by bomb violence which is what explains the involvement of several Hindutva groups into bomb blasts like Malegaon and Nanded.
Islamic fundamentalism equally dangerous
Lastly she argued that it is equally important to emphasize that Islamic fundamentalism do exist because both Hindutva terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism are equally dangerous for the secular and democratic fabric of the country.
Bobby Kunhu, who is a researcher cum social activist talked about Islamophobia. Kunhu who is also writing a book on the issue pointed out that he was surprised by the impunity with which the Indian state and even the judiciary pronounces Muslims as ‘terrorists’
He also talked about its consequences upon the psyche of Muslim minds in terms of fear psychosis.
Subhash Ghatade, a prominent writer, Lateef Mohammad Khan, general secretary, Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, Hyderabad and activist and Com. Amarjit Kaur, Communist Party of India, also spoke at the occasion.