Should Narendra Modi Raise the Terrorism Issue?

Narendra Modi is reading out scripted speeches against terrorism to hoodwink the world community and get rid of his shady image – much like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

By Rakesh Raman

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, raised on Sunday the issue of increasing terrorism in all parts of the world at the G-20 Working Dinner in Antalya, Turkey.

Who can understand terrorism better than Narendra Modi? When Modi was the Chief Minister of India’s Gujarat state in 2002, nearly 2,000 Muslims were murdered in a gruesome act of terrorism. Plus, there were incidents of rape, robbery, and widespread destruction of property affecting Muslims. It was perhaps the worst act of terrorism in the history of independent India.

It was alleged that the killings were executed at the behest of Narendra Modi who was then the ruler of Gujarat. Although Indian courts have almost exonerated Modi in this case (it is an open secret how courts work), most Muslims in India and international communities still believe that Modi was responsible for Gujarat massacre.

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According to Human Rights Watch, the attacks against Muslims in Gujarat were actively supported by state government officials and by the police. Police told Muslims, “We don’t have any orders to save you.”

As a result, the U.S. administration denied visa to Modi in view of the allegations of human rights violations against him in the 2002 incidents of riots and carnage. But now as he has become the Prime Minister of India, Modi is misusing his position and purposelessly visiting the U.S. and other countries just to regain his lost legitimacy.

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Last week, Modi faced massive protests against rising intolerance and human rights abuses in India when he was visiting the U.K.

“India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks on the world stage to meet global leaders and international capitalists. He wants to sell the idea of a ‘Digital India’, a ‘Clean India’ (swachh bharat) and a developed and self-sufficient India (‘Make in India’). The reality is the unleashing of a violent authoritarian agenda that seeks to undermine India’s democratic and secular fabric,” said Awaaz Network, a U.K.-based independent humanitarian organization.

However, Modi is reading out scripted speeches against terrorism to hoodwink the world community and get rid of his shady image – much like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

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“Terrorism is a principle global challenge. From regions in conflict to the streets of distant cities, terrorism extracts a deadly price,” Modi said in Turkey, adding, “Old structures of terrorism remain. There are countries that still use it as an instrument of state policy.”

Modi is right because Gujarat also used terrorism as an instrument of state policy. And that policy was further instrumental in Modi’s win in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, as he promised to make India a Hindu Rashtra (a nation only for Hindus) where Muslims and other minority communities have no place to live.

“We should strengthen efforts to prevent supply of arms to terrorists, disrupt terrorist movements, and curb and criminalise terror financing. We have to help each other secure our cyber space, and minimize use of internet and social media for terrorist activities,” said Modi who is perhaps the most illiterate and naive Prime Minister that India has seen so far.

By Rakesh Raman, the managing editor of RMN Company

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Photo courtesy: Press Information Bureau, Government of India