The Hindu : 'Jehadi' terrorism is the newest despotism: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2003

National

National

'Jehadi' terrorism is the newest despotism: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 11. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, told the international youth conference on terrorism, organised by the BJP youth wing, that in the constant struggle between democracy and despotism, "jehadi terrorism'' was the newest manifestation of despotism.

The ideology of pan-Islamism, he said, did not respect boundaries, and "claims legitimacy in sending `jehadi' fighters from other countries into Kashmir''.

His view appeared at odds with strongly expressed feelings during the conference against the association of terrorism with Islam the use of the word `jehad'.

Not an hour before Mr. Advani stood up to speak, delegates from several countries, including Indonesia, Algeria and Sudan, had asked for the word `jehad' to be removed from a proposed declaration, as it was a misinterpretation of its real meaning and its use in this context suggested that terrorism was linked with Islam.

However, this dissonance did not curb the accolades heaped on the Deputy Prime Minister by his party's youth wing.

He was described as the "brain behind the anti-terrorism law, POTA'', which the compere, lawyer Pinki Anand said, had inspired other nations to pass similar laws. He was also the man, who had brought to the world's notice, the dangers of terrorism.

In front of 193 foreign delegates from 55 countries, Mr. Advani was also presented with a portrait of himself and commended for his leadership of the party.

Many of the foreign delegates had, during the two-day conference, spoken of the need to address the root causes of terrorism — poverty, injustice and intolerance — and of the need for a global war on poverty.

Mr. Advani's focus, in his address to them, was on Pakistan's support for terrorism. India had been fighting an undeclared war, on its own.

But, India had wanted to talk. Pakistan, however, had "mid-wifed a jehadi state — the state of Taliban in Afghanistan'' in order to "target other democracies and secular societies.'' He was referring to all this, he said, because "India still wants a dialogue''.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National