Arif Mohammed Khan defines terrorism

Terrorism is nothing but "use of force or threat of use of force to weaken the will of a government or people to pursue the policies that the agents of such violence find objectionable", says Arif Mohammed Khan, former Union Minister and one of the few scholar-politicians in India, in reply to a communication from Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai that appalled him, as it prognosticated - 'India has brought this calamity on its own head and the times ahead will be full of immense turmoil and bloodshed - with reference to India’s policy of engagement with Israel.

NewAgeIslam.com is publishing this exchange in view of the urgent need to understand and coherently define terrorism. Readers are welcome to use our forum to debate the issue.

On Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 11:59 PM, Arif M. Khan <amkindia@gmail.com> wrote:

    Ghulam Saheb

    Thank you very much for including me in your mail list and keeping me enlightened on various subjects you feel concerned about.

    I am writing this mail with reference to your letter to the Editor dated 12 September 2008 which you have marked to me as well. I saw your mail today and will not mince words, I was appalled to read this letter.

    In the second Para of your letter, you have said:

    'India has brought this calamity on its own head and the times ahead will be full of immense turmoil and bloodshed. There can be no doubt it.'

    I do not know if you are aware that only a day after you wrote this letter blood of innocents has been shed in Delhi and according to news channels so far more than 24 persons have already lost their precious lives to this dastardly act of terror.

    I do understand your feelings about Israel. I do not challenge your right to protest against any decision or action of the government that you feel is not right or in the national interest. Your right to canvass support and mobilize public opinion cannot be disputed. But do you think it is right to canvass support by holding out a threat of "immense turmoil and bloodshed". Is this the way to conduct an argument or debate in a civilized society? Do you really think that if the government has decided to pursue friendly relations with Israel, then you can force them to change their decision by such violent threats?

    Terrorism is nothing but "use of force or threat of use of force to weaken the will of a government or people to pursue the policies that the agents of such violence find objectionable".

    Debates and discussions are not conducted under the looming threat of violence and bloodshed. This is totally unacceptable and rather abuse of the democratic freedoms that our country and constitution ensure to every Indian citizen. Can you imagine the consequences if while in Saudi Arabia, you had written such a letter objecting to their friendship with USA, the closest ally of Israel?

    While objecting to the Kashmir visit of Israeli General, you have said that "it only shows the utter bankruptcy of Manmohan Singh and Sonia Congress's internal policies vis-à-vis Muslims of Kashmir as well as mainland India". It is undoubtedly right of any and every individual Indian citizen to disagree with or oppose any decision of the government, but who has given you the authority to speak on behalf of Muslims of Kashmir and rest of India particularly when you are using the language of terror and violence.

    The history shows that the Indian Muslims have already suffered enough at the hands of self appointed busybodies masquerading as champions of their interests. Kindly stop it. You can hold out violent threats or even make them a reality by shedding the blood of the innocent but do it as an individual and the law can take care of that but don't do so while pretending to be speaking on behalf of the Muslims of India. Make no mistake we are living in 21stcentury and no civilized people will ever allow their policies and actions to be influenced by such threats or actions.

    Arif Mohammed Khan

This was in reply to the following:

    On Fri, Sep 12, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Ghulam Muhammed <<ghulammuhammed3@gmail.com> wrote:

        Friday, September 12, 2008

        A LETTER TO THE EDITOR: INDIA'S MOST DANGEROUS MOVE

        As if Israeli Army Chief Major General Avi Mizrahi's visit to India, in these trouble times, is not provocative enough, Indian administration has allowed him to visit the inflamed state of Jammu and Kashmir, to put oil on raging fire. If the signal is being given that Kashmiris should prepare themselves for a fate that befell Palestinians, as Indian administration is determined to hand over the dirty job of 'pacification' to an outsider power, it only shows the utter bankruptcy of Manmohan Singh and Sonia Congress's internal policies vis-à-vis Muslims of Kashmir as well as mainland India. As has been warned that India's strategic partnership with the US, will bring in the foreign power to virtual takeover India, the worst case scenarios have already started unfolding, even when the signatures on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal are still to be appended and the covert commitment by India to abide by US foreign policy directions are laid out by Hyde Act and 123 agreement.

        India has brought this calamity on its own head and the times ahead will be full of immense turmoil and bloodshed. There can be no doubt it.

        It is time saner elements in Indian polity warn the Congress policy makers to desist from bringing in Israel into our internal equations, or India which was shielded till now from wars and genocides committed by the ruthless forces now being befriended by India, will make India a vast killing field.

        People should rise and demand closing of all relations with Israel. A mass public movement must begin right away, lest it may be too late.

        Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai, <ghulammuhammed3@gmail.com

        <www.ghulammuhammed.wordpress.com

Ghulam Muhammed's reply:

ASAK, Arif Khan Saheb,

Thanks for your email.

You wrote:

"But do you think it is right to canvass support by holding out a threat of "immense turmoil and bloodshed".

When I write about turmoil and bloodshed, how it can be deduced that I, an individual, could be the single source of an age of trials and tribulation that is bound to visit India, if Indian leaders persist in engaging one of the history's most notorious trouble makers of the world. It is plain common sense. And even though I am, I do not have to be a psychic to know, that India is moving in a very hazardous direction.

The past and present record of both Jewish Zionists in world affair is too well known for me to break any new ground.

You asked me:

"Do you really think that if the government has decided to pursue friendly relations with Israel, then you can force them to change their decision by such violent threats?"

As an Indian, I have right to express my opinion freely and free to caution the government of my country, about the danger ahead. The threat of turmoil and bloodshed is not from me. I am too insignificant and too much in love with my country, to pose any such threat. But because I love my country and its people, I feel it is my duty to mobilize public opinion within the ambit of democratic norms so that government should review its policies and bring it in line with people's opinion.

As a human being, I am deeply hurt that these bombings and killings, the latest in Delhi, are becoming a pattern of life in India. My own assessment is that government knows much about the source of this continuous carnage but politically most feeble to take any drastic measure.

It is common knowledge that Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Congress has kept its distance from Israel. It is others who breached this foreign policy dictum of the Gandhi-Nehru generations. The change has its upsides and downsides. However, the warmongers like the neo-con, who are for permanent war for permanent peace, cannot give India, anything other than what they firmly believe in. Indian ethos is quite different. In fact, under Israeli and American influence, India will be required to prepare for war, whether it likes it or not. It will be manipulated into traps that will force India, to go along with the evil designs of the Israel and the US.

You asked me if I can force them to change their decision.

I have reason to believe that Indian government is not as insensitive and as dictatorial as not to be open to people's opinion. Barring, the recent Manmohan Singhji's decision to stick it out with the nuclear deal, even after so much opposition from so many sections of the people, it is my observation that in the past, both Congress and BJP coalition, both at times, had changed course under public pressure. There is still time for our leaders to use their precious freedom, to disentangle themselves from the stranglehold of the axis that will once again rule India, like the British of the past.

I fully agree with you that discussions and debates in any democratic set-up cannot be conducted in an atmosphere of threats. However, the threat that I am making out to be the hallmark of the future is from sources, too well known, to be so easily discounted or transferred.

By comparing India to Saudi Arabia, I do not think you are doing India any justice. Saudi Arabia is too weak and defenceless to counter American pressures. My fear is that in very near future India too will become too feeble and defenceless to counter American pressures.

And I do not know, why you should bring in Saudi Arabia, out of hundreds of world nations, as relevant here, just because I happen to be a Muslim. Do you hold a Muslim should be subjected to different criteria from other Indians, even while he or she holds an opinion that is in the best interest of the nation?

I have called for a mass movement against Israel. I know Communists are against Israelis. Muslims too are against Israelis, mainly for the atrocities it is heaping on Palestinians. Both these groups do have a sizable presence in political field, to impress on the current administration, to once again look to the threat to India's peace and security, given Israel's warmongering policies, and its anti-Muslim agenda wrapped in armed actions.

I think I am performing my duty as Indian citizen and I will be most happy if others too raise up the subject with the movers and shakers of India.

Thanks once again for writing.

Regards,

Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai

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