This is a compilation of published and unpublished articles, which have been culled together to expound upon the various political problems confronting the country. The book discusses the menace of terrorism, which is slowly but surely eating away at the vitals of the country and suggests measures to crush the menace so that India may emerge as a major global power.
Since the book was published in 2004, before the General Elections were held, the author begins by talking of the cold-blooded massacre of 36 Sikhs in the village of Chati Singhpura in Anantanag district of Jammu & Kashmir. With the taking over of Pakistan by the military regime, the author talks of the danger posed by a ?clique of military generals who have been looking for an opportunity to destroy India?. He believes that with the ?unshakeable resolve? and the mindset of settling scores with India to avenge the humiliating defeat of 1971, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh, Pakistan poses a grave threat to India'sexistence. Not that his fears are unfounded for news of activities of ISI and the Muslim militant outfits having assumed ?fearsome proportions? in the north-east region of India, keep filtering in every now and then. The agents and ultras, such as the Muslim Liberation Tigers of Asom are indiscriminately buying land and property from the poor to entrench themselves and indulge in subversive activities. Some say that the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) has been engaging the ISI for imparting training to its cadres in Afghanistan. It'snot only Assam, but, even Nagaland with its Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland that is receiving arms and ammunition from Pakistan.
A very vulnerable area is the Chicken Neck alley between Srirampur in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal connecting the north-east with the rest of the country. The author'sfears are somewhat justified when he talks of the 24 active Islamic fundamentalist groups who are carrying out their activities of spreading terror from Bangladesh, Nepal and within India. These groups are being trained on the pattern of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Taliban militia. This apart, the Bangladesh government as also various fundamentalist groups of nearly 5,000 youths have so far been trained by ISI for carrying out an operation like Kargil to terrorise India.
In a scathing attack on the USA, the author condemns the Americans who have been following such a course, which lacks ideology and is based totally on expediency, ?like supporting dictatorship regimes to promote her own short-term economic and strategic interests.? As pointed out earlier, the book is rather outdated now as too much has happened since it was compiled. The author voices concern that while the ?USA is concentrating on hitting Afghanistan to capture Laden, Pakistan continues to crack down on Kashmir with her terrorist outfits.? Another piece of information that is old is about the discovery of evidence with the US intelligence agencies regarding transfer of Chinese nuclear technology to Pakistan and that the Clinton administration taking no notice of it.
It is in the gaps between the papers and the text in papers that what the author says in his articles has some relevance today as it had earlier. His following observation for example??America has reached the end of the road; a defining moment in her history to re-evaluate and reform her foreign policy to create more trust and credibility in the comity of the nations of the world in general and the Muslim world in particular??seems very apt today as it did earlier.
In one paper the author discusses the attack on Indian Parliament by terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba and General Musharraf'sfalse commitments to crack down on terrorist camps in his country. Here he does not mince words to castigate Atal Behari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister of India and a veteran statesman, who took long to confront General Musharraf: ?His failure to see through the dangerous game ISI'splaying to destroy India and the criminal delay in dealing with Pakistan in a robust and determined manner, has not only resulted in the unnecessary loss of lives, but has soiled his legacy.?
He praises Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, for ?spearheading the campaign against terrorist forces unleashed by Pakistan, ignoring Hindu religious sentiments and psychological fears.?
In the second part of the book, the author interviews a few non-resident Indians to find their views on the political situation prevailing in the country.
A lot has happened since the book was written and it reads like a dated piece. However for reference purposes and for students of political science, it could provide some information of which they may be unaware.
(Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd, A-59 Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020.)
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