Nation's Security Overlooked for Petty Individual Gains!

ByLt Gen Prakash Katoch

IssueNet Edition| Date : 20 Jan , 2014

It is amazing how issues of national security are given the short shrift in India. Whether it is by design or inadvertent can continue to be guessed. That there is political interference is without doubt but whether such interference is because of mere vote-bank politics, mafia links or external pressures is the moot point, latter being the most dangerous. Recently, a gentleman put his comments on Facebook after meeting a CRPF soldier on leave from the Maoist insurgency area. As per him, there are many instances where Maoists nabbed by CRPF have to be let off because of political pressure. This would well be the case where local politicians are ready to look askance to matters of national security despite the Maoists insurgency being described as the biggest threat to national security. But if the local politicians look for the support of the Maoists to retain power, it does not stop there. In fact it goes all the way up through the political spiral right to the national apex.

While foreign links and massive funding of NGOs, politicians and political parties in India may never be investigated including the instant case of NGO Kabir because of calculative assessments to stay in power…

That is the reason terrorism and insurgency thrives in India undermining the blood and sacrifices of the security forces. That is why political parties brush aside even statements by idiotic so called political leaders that soldiers are meant to die. That is why a fledgling political party now governing Delhi, while claiming to be the most righteous in the country, does not even rebuke its members for openly preaching secession against the Indian State much to the glee of our enemies and those who want continued instability and a weak government in India. While foreign links and massive funding of NGOs, politicians and political parties in India may never be investigated including the instant case of NGO Kabir because of calculative assessments to stay in power any which way, we really should heed Ashley Tellis of Carnegie Foundation saying, “India being subjected to terrorism suits many ………. India is a sponge that absorbs terror”.

Take the recent case of Delhi Police claims to evidence that Pakistan based terror group LeT is attempting to recruit operatives in the riot hit district of Muzaffarnagar. As reported, the Delhi Police had even arrested two persons in this connection; Mohammed Rashid and Mohammed Shahid from Mewat in Haryana. The arrests were made after locals of Muzaffarnagar had alleged that Rashid and Shahid had approached them to discuss carrying out kidnappings and other nefarious activities. As per media reports, the IB had been tracking the movement of these two, who had already visited Muzaffarnagar six times since end of riots in September last year at the behest of Abdul Subhan, a leader of LeT. Then came news that MHA had capped the issue by saying there was not enough evidence. This, by a small news item inserted in an inconspicuous part of newspapers. Unfortunately in India, it is very easy to switch viewer attention quickly from one event to the other. A dispassionate analysis would tell you that the powers that be have successfully used these tactics through a TRP hungry media – an event suddenly brushed aside and forgotten (read erased). Therefore, for days on end, full media glare was shifted to Bollywood stars gyrating in the Saifai festival, the deaths and status of the Muzaffarnagar camps and the so-called multiple countries “educational” tours of some jaundiced politicians, only silver lining being the lucky correspondents who also got to visit the same countries covering the exploits of the scoundrels.

So the import of the LeT, which is the covert arm of the ISI, making inroads into Muzaffarnagar area got lost in all this, buried along with the debate about the propriety or otherwise of an IB official telling Rahul Gandhi that the ISI was trying to contact the Muzaffarnagar riot victims. Incidentally, according to teachers and schoolchildren who attended the 16th Rashtriya Katha Shibir (overall 12,000 children from many States of India including Nagaland, Meghalya and Arunachal Pradesh), many who are flocking relief camps in Muzaffarnagar are not even from the rioted area, have not suffered any loss or damage (lives, houses or property) but are lured by the declaration of Rs 5 Lakh compensation.

It is very apparent that Kerala is on the priority list of Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company.

But given the state of affairs in the country, why crib about import of the LeT making inroads in Muzaffarnagar getting lost. Look at the Kerala headquartered Popular Front of India (PFI), formerly known as NDF, whose cadres donned uniforms and have picked up weapons years back. Media quoting both R&AW and IB sources have been reporting that PFI has links with Al Qaeda and LeT, both these terrorist organizations having made inroads in Kerala. In October 2008, security forces killed four LeT recruits from Kerala in Kupwara (northern Kashmir) in an encounter while they were trying to cross over to Pakistan, obviously for advanced weapons and ideological training. A raid on a PFI leader’s house in Kerala during 2010 had unearthed publicity material related to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Counterfeit Indian currency minted in Pakistan worth several crores have been confiscated at Kerala’s international airports, much more possibly comes through other avenues. It is very apparent that Kerala is on the priority list of Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company. The killing of four PFI cadres in Kupwara was not, however, the first spotlight on what the PFI is up to. As per media reports, ISI infiltration into Kerala first emerged in 2006 post the arrest of Muhammad Fahd of Al Badr (Pakistani national) with roots in Kerala, along with weapons and IEDs, possibly linked to the two bombs that went off in Kozhikode on March 3, 2006. More significantly, in 2010, raid on another PFI leader’s house revealed ISI plans to monitor preparedness of the Navy’s Southern Command at Kochi. Seized documents also gave details of counter-terrorism drills held by security forces, and about huge sums of money being pumped into the PFI. Last April, 21 cadres of PFI were arrested in Kannur district attending a terrorist training camp, along with country made bombs and a human dummy. Kannur incidentally happens to be just one terror centre of the many operating in the region. Obviously, ISI and other ISI-linked terrorist organizations have been operating in Kerala for years.

Despite all this, PFI does not figure in the MHA list of banned organizations in India even as they run terrorist training camps, some even in uniform and handling weapons. Both the State and the Centre have gone soft on the organization. Very conveniently, there is no laid down criteria for putting an organization on the banned list. All is left to the whims and fancies of the political leadership. So why has the PFI not been banned over the last decade? So is it only because of votes, to keep the State coalition intact or Ministers from Kerala including the current Defence Minister, or a combination of all these factors? Whatever be the case, such precedence encourages others to follow suit, latest example being the fledgling AAP, already tolerating members issuing statements averse to the security of the nation and the security forces, and even openly preaching secession. These are dangerous precedents that any self respecting country can hardly afford to overlook.

…politicians who have used Hawala for sneaking money out are under ISI and LeT blackmail. This is logical assessment since Hawala is being managed by Dawood Ibrahim who is intimately linked to the ISI.

Much more revealing is the article ‘Corrupt netas LOOT India’ dated 6th January 2014 on rediff.com that talks of Rs 73,00,00,00,00,00000 having been siphoned out of India by corrupt politicians. Though the Jain Hawala racket of Maharashtra is mentioned, it is a fraction of the overall amount given in the article. Veteran R&AW officers appreciate that politicians who have used Hawala for sneaking money out are under ISI and LeT blackmail. This is logical assessment since Hawala is being managed by Dawood Ibrahim who is intimately linked to the ISI. The assessment also gives this as the likely reason for India going soft on terror. Obviously they comply for fear of exposure and possible end of their political career. So that is the story of India’s counter terrorism policy. Given the “higher than the mountains, deeper than the sky’ China-Pakistan relationship there is no reason that such information is not being shared by the ISI with the 国家安全部 (Chinese Secret Service), so our soft stance in face of Chinese belligerence. Chinese strategy always aims to target the minds of the political leadership of adversaries. What better Gordian Knot then blackmail of grave financial misdemeanors. To this end, the recent allegation by the former Home Secretary of the current Home Minister favouring a D-Company individual can hardly be brushed under the carpet.

Ever wondered about the following:

• Why is it that never a White Paper has been issued on ISI and LeT activities in India?
• Why has the Home Minister shied away from answering the charge of the former Home Secretary – surely it cannot be brushed away by saying that he won’t respond because the former Home Secretary has joined another political party?
• Why does the Home Minister refer to Hafiz Saeed as “Shri Saeed” in Parliament?
• Why is GoI facilitating Hurriyat hardliners visit Hafiz Saeed and other terrorist leaders in Pakistan?
• Why did MHA not ensure follow up of the Delhi Police findings of LeT making inroads into Muzaffarnagar?
• Why has MHA not banned PFI despite Al Qaeda and LeT penetrating Maldives and R&AW and IB warning of terror strikes off the Sri Lankan coast?
• Why did the External Affairs Minister go running to Jaipur to host lunch for Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf (on a private visit) in Jaipur against protocol, ignoring advice of his own ministry and despite grave Pakistani provocations?
• Why did the External affairs Minister refer to the 19 kms deep Chinese intrusion in Raki Nala area (acknowledged by MEA far beyond Chinese claim lines) as a “small acme on the face”?
• Why has the longest serving Defence Minister of India brought the defence industrial complex to the level where even assault rifles, carbines and light machine guns have to be imported by the army and even central armed police forces?
• Why is the Defence Minister banning firms at the drop of a hat without alternatives, widening the gap between the PLA and Indian military exponentially?
• Why have the ammunition and equipment deficiencies in the army permitted to rise to the level of Rs 41,000 crores?
• Why did the Defence Minister issue flip flop statements for the barbaric killing of five India soldiers through a cross-border raid till forced to acknowledge it was Pakistani Army?

• Why was the disclosure of loss of 645 sq kms territory in Ladakh over the years (reconnaissance report of Chairman NSAB) given the quiet burial by the Defence Minister stating not an inch of territory lost?
• Under what pressure / blackmail was the Indian Track II Team directed to recommend withdrawal from Siachen?
• Why grave incidents like beheading of our soldiers evoked no response from the Prime Minister or Defence Minister?
• Why did the Defence Minister issue flip flop statements for the barbaric killing of five India soldiers through a cross-border raid till forced to acknowledge it was Pakistani Army?
• Why hasn’t any action been taken post the NIA report that in last 10 years, Rs 600 crores has been pumped in for terror operations from the J&K state of India through donations and relief funds, the Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Fund Trust topping the list having transferred Rs 95 crores?
• Why despite grave provocations by China last year, India’s trade deficit with China has gone up to $30 billion?

Americans always worry that Pakistani nukes may fall into radical hands. But they continue to support the Pakistani military oblivious to the fact that intransigence to accelerating radicalization in Pakistan will eventually lead to radicals guarding those very nukes. Already senior military officials in Pakistan say the Brigadier and below level of officers have been affected by radicalization in varying degrees. Now, have you ever wondered why in India any big fish ISI mole has never been caught? But who will order the probes when there is sellout at higher levels.

A veteran R&AW officer wrote last year that the sinister design of the government is to cripple the institutional integrity of intelligence agencies not only because of vote-bank politics but systematic destruction of India’s internal security apparatus, in league with terrorist organizations in Pakistan, particularly the LeT. Hence, the nervousness displayed with regard to ISI, Hafiz Saeed and David Headley.

Rats getting sold out is not surprising but the fact that they are nibbling away at India’s innards should concern all Indians. They need to be speedily hunted.