Opinion - Editorials

Challenges from Jaipur

Tuesday’s heart-rending tragedy in Jaipur — resulting in the loss of at least 63 civilian lives and injuries to many more — makes this much clear: India’s struggle against terrorism will be long and bloody. Given the similarities between the bomb-fabrication and operational techniques used in Jaipur and those of past terrorist attacks in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, it is likely that the attacks were carried out by one of the doze ns of Islamist cells that emerged out of the Students Islamic Movement of India. Made up of cadre trained and funded by the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harkat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, these cells have been responsible for hundreds of killings since 1993. In the minds of their perpetrators, the bombings that have scarred many Indian cities have been acts of vengeance against communal violence directed at Muslims — but also catalysts for an apocalyptic communal war. To be fair, India’s police and intelligence services have had considerable success in preventing terrorist attacks. Inevitably, some jihadist operations have succeeded — and will succeed in future. Ordinary people have shown that one way to neutralise these ‘successes’ is to maintain communal peace and harmony.

While investigators work to apprehend those responsible for the carnage, India’s policy establishment must address the challenges the bombings pose to its counter-terrorism strategy. Ever since 2001-2002, New Delhi counted on President Pervez Musharraf to rein in jihadist groups operating from Pakistan’s soil. The military dictator’s campaign against terrorism proved fitful, but there is little doubt that at least some pressure was brought to bear on the jihadists. Last year, however, jihadists exploited his waning authority to escalate the tempo and intensity of attacks against both India and Pakistan. Now the new order in Pakistan has moved to heal the ruptured relationship between its army and its long-standing Islamist allies. Pakistan has released the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar from house-arrest, lifted restraints on the Lashkar, moved towards cementing a ceasefire with Taliban elements in its north-west, and agreed to the imposition of Sharia law in the troubled Malakand region. In consequence, jihadist groups are likely to have more freedom than in the recent past to operate against India. The Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be preparing the ground for a communal campaign ahead of the November round of Assembly elections by blaming the Jaipur carnage on the United Progressive Alliance government’s allegedly ‘soft approach’ towards terrorism. Such tactics might help win votes — but will not serve the cause of combating terrorism.

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