| Font Size |
Participating in a panel discussion at the Asia Society, Rushdie said that the terror attacks in Mumbai were marked by brutality by the attackers and incompetence of government and security agencies in responding to them.
During the discussion, panellists agreed that all terrorism roads lead to Pakistan and expressed scepticism that Islamabad would dismantle the terror groups.
They said the world should send clear message to Islamabad that terrorists are becoming a liability to Pakistan and it is in its own interest to dismantle them.
The (George W) Bush administration too came in for strong criticism for considering former President Pervez Musharraf an "ally in fighting terrorism" and giving billions of dollars to it without any condition that the money should be used to fight terrorists.
The panellists recalled that Musharraf was responsible for aiding Lashkar-i-Toiba to fight in Kashmir during his years in army and Rushdie said he put up a western face to the Westerns but was mullah to extremists.
Rushdie as also other participants strongly attacked noted author Arundhiti Roy for linking the Mumbai terrorist attacks to Kashmir, Gujarat riots and demolition of Babri Masjid.
The terrorists, the participants said, are driven by a different philosophy and ideology and want to take the world back into the medieval ages.
But they agreed that terrorists failed in their apparent bid to split Hindus and Muslims and ignite communal riots as both the communities condemned the attacks and vowed to unitedly fight them.
They also warned against government responding to the attacks and criticism of its tardy response by adopting draconian measures. Instead, it should take measures to strengthen the areas in which weakness were found.
Besides Rushdie, the panellists included former Bernard Schwartz Fellow Mira Kamdar, who had lost her cousin and her cousin's husband in the Mumbai attacks, and author of “Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found" Suketu Mehta.
There was a lively discussion on the role of media which some had criticised but panellists generally defended the "aggressive coverage" though Rushdie at one stage criticised an Indian television channel for giving room number and floor of a guest from whom it had received a call.
They were also sceptical that the weak civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari would be able to control terrorist or their organisation especially when his own credibility is on the line for alleged corruption during the time his wife Benazir Bhutto was the prime minister.
"He was known as 10 per cent and then 20 per cent which showed his skills," Rushdie said amidst laughter.
In his brief remarks, Indian Consul-General in New York Prabhu Dayal called on all civilised nations to bring maximum pressure on Pakistan to stamp out the terrorist camps which give rise such attacks.
There is no place for terrorism in the civilised world," Dayal said, adding that the Mumbai attack was not just strike against the Indian people but against humanity.
"Therefore, all humanity must act together in this hour crisis to ensure that incidents like these do not occur in future," he added.
It is "amazing," he said, that Islamabad even refuses to accept the bodies of the attackers killed in the incident even though the only surviving assassin has identified them and he himself, in turn, has been identified by his father in Pakistan.
He agreed with panelists that the response did leave "something to be desired" but pointed out that the Indian home minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister had resigned taking the moral responsibility.
That brought a question from the audience as to why politicians in the US do not take moral responsibility and resign.
Dayal said the attacks were also against growing ties between India and West as was clear from the fact that Westerners were targeted.
Kamdar, who was seen fighting back her tears as she remembered her cousin, expressed the view that the terrorists attacked Taj as they wanted to do something spectacular and they did succeed in that.
The panellists said the terrorists chose soft targets where they could achieve maximum effect but Rushdie questioned as to why security in Taj hotel was relaxed even though it was known to be a target.
Another point made was that it would be impossible to stamp out terrorists unless Pakistan takes action to their roots. Otherwise, the banned organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa would start functioning under some other name.
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
.Salman Rushdies has two broad themes one, that religious identity is not that important or, at least, should not be considered that important; and two that the modern age has been uniquely defined by such religious intolerance. It is easier to understand that a writer who is living under threat of death for blaspheming Islam would feel this way, however, he is wrong on both counts. Individuals are defined by their religious/moral beliefs and cultures are defined by the dominant religious/moral beliefs of their members. Mr. Rushdie seems to relish turning religious characters of all Hinduism and Islam into evil caricatures; He seems to believe that serious religious beliefs necessarily warp the soul and make believers evil. It's odd that this author, who is so widely celebrated as a victim of religious intolerance, is himself intolerant of others. I fail to understand how religious minded Hindus in the Indian Express columns support him just because they hate Muslim Indians.
Salman Rushdie one of the notorious writers. His comments just reflect only his cheap mentality, these people are always triggering violence around the world. even in India large population is of Muslims which surely does not support his comment, As a Indian Muslim I would say keep these people out of scene otherwise these can harm the future of country and allows the disharmony among the communities in India, he just have biased idea to involve only Pakistan in Mumbai attacks, I would like to say why the security measures were not taken if Taj was the target of killers, Last years Pakistan also suffered huge amount suicide attacks, they are already fighting in against extremist, so don’t blame any one. We can not go for war against Pakistan as they are also capable to strike back, Salman Rushdie ideas does only reflect his hate against Muslims
Rusdie is brave, and he boldly declares the truth. See anti-democratic and anti-patriotic Congress government, which banned his book, Satanic Verses. India has suffered a grievous damage under the prolonged misrule of Congress. Why do Indian citizens vote for Congress? India is surrounded by hostile neighbors, Jihadi Pakistan and Bangladesh, and anti-India superpower China. India today would have been a superpower except socialist and misguided Nehru with a slogan of Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai. China wants no competition in Asia, and she will keep on encouraging Hindu hater Pakistan. Please elect a patriotic government in India to take this country to a great height.
What Mr.Ashvini Kumar Popli is trying to say is not at all clear, at least to me.Wil he be more specific and clear?
well , i guess , had rushdie said that pakistan is not involved ,, it would have been that same indian media , saying that rushdie is wrong . and i m confident about that . y this biasing . lets ask pakistan itself ,, y ask rushdie and stuff ? ?
Rushdie is a real hero, we should permanently keep him in India. He will sure appreciate our Brothers efforts of killing thousands in Gujrat, samjhota express, ahmedabad and our great conspiracy against East Pakistan. He definitely need to be honored by all of us for his courage, after all why he is being fed by UK? He has to come more empathic to our country if we also pay him gratuity in UK pounds
Rushdie is a great person whose vains are full of democracy. Pakistan should ban all these nasty organisations or else the entire International community will invade Pakistan to clean the terrorists.
Mr Rushdie is right, but US has a dirty foreign policy and US is the real terror country.They promote and breed all sorts of crap to remain in super status.US should have by now learnt lessons from Iraq, subprime lending and afgan.Americans are a curse on the world.Double standard value less country.
Hats off to Mr. Rushdie. Even though he is under Fatwa, a death sentance from his own community, he is courageous to come out with the right analysis of pakistans role in terrorism. As we all know, the recent terror attacks either be it in Madrid, London, Mumbai etc, lead tracks directly to pakistan. Even Gordon Brown has stated that 3/4 of all the terrrorist acitivites in England have a backing directly in pakistan. Unless and untill all the terrorist camps in pakistan are wiped out, there are lot more trouble to be expected from this corner. I wish the muslim intellectuals all over the world would stand up united and condemn pakistan in this regard. I wish that the religious leaders in muslim countries would clearly state that the jihadis would not enter heaven and rather go directly to hell for killing of innocent people. This would help to contain the islamic terrorism to a great extent. No one doubts that majority of muslims are honourable, however they need to express themselv
Jihadi E. Ahamed omitted the Nariman House attack in the statement made in the UN regarding the Mumbai 26/11 attack by Pakistani muslim terrorists. He wanted to avoid the mention of torture and killing of Jews in the Nariman house attack. Jihadi E Ahamed and AK Anthony wer partners in the Marad massacre on 2-5-2003 in which muslim terrorists came by speed boat to the marad beach and killed some 8 hindus in a matter of 10 minutes the info regarding the attack was known to E Ahamed earler. The method of Mumbai attack is similar in nature and the muslim terrorists arrived by boat, a method perfected in Marad beach. The Kerala DGP K J Joseph deposed before the Marad massacre commission that the then Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kozhikode) Abdul Rahim was posted by AK Anthony at Kozhikode without his knowledge and after the massacre he found the posting was done to oblige a Muslim leader, who was E. Ahamad.
Pakisthan will never give up supporting terrorism unless they are taught lesson by the world powers. They really really need a good lesson before they understand the implications of what they are doing.
Well said. Also what needed to be said was that India's reaction has been half-hearted once again. What needs to be done is a roadmap of the steps that we are going to take to secure ourselves including military action within a set time frame if Pakistan does not hand over the terrorist on India's list. We cannot wait for the world to support us. We have to lead them into a direction where they are morally, tactically and strategically obligated to support us.
It is business as usual in Pakistan, in spite of International condemnation of the attacks in Mumbai. Meanwhile, our leaders do what they are best at: rhetoric like 'we will not attacks on our soil etc," We have lost a golden opportunity when so much International opinion is against the terror attacks and no one is in doubt regarding the origin There are some of our own leaders who are bold enough to divert the issue and raise irrelevant doubts. Where do their loyalties rest?
I completely appreciate Rushdie and agree with him. I am more than 100 % convinced that there is a requirement of surgical operation in terms of beefing up our security apparatus in respect of their training and infrastructure and modern equipments. Since our Governments have been weak since long, this has been continuing and is expected to continue like this with knee jerk reactions. I tend to be cynic under the circumstances. There are lot of gaps in the system and these have become stronger over a long period of more than 30 years. Since we are all happy go lucky type and do not even care to vote even after so much education, the situation has become like this. We need to shake ourselves out of our long slumber of absolute selfish attitude and drawing room debates.I hope that our education really helps us to be any wiser at least now.
Well said. Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism.
It is very heartening to see a Mulsim bold enough to say the truth. Rushdie you are great. I wish Mulsims in India atleast be a human and a citizen first before being a muslim. It all depends on the muslim communities action against terrorism which will decide the harmony for this nation. No one will accept a community who is spreading hatread and violence. Rusdie is a courageous man who can voice the need for change even in the so called sacred utopia. 1700 year practices need a lot of change man.
You are terribly biased Mr Ayyappa. You are insulting a large community of 140 million people as inhuman and disloyal simply because a small minority are black sheep due to personal revenge, reprisal and desperation as issues such as Babri Masjid and Gujarat Massacre have not been fairly dealt with by the Indian Governments. There are 16734 inmates in Indian prisons who have been kept there without trial and they are there for terrorist activities and serious criminal acts causing disturbance to the peace of India, and should you go through their names you find people from all religions, castes and regions, so your contention that only Muslims are terrorists are pure non-sense and represent your love for RSS propaganda. You do not know how much filth Rushdie wrote about Hinduism( of course he did do about Islam) you praise him without knowing his greediness. He is a master of concoction You will come to know that he is more dangerous than a snake in the grass.
site jamatdawah. org is still very much active. Pakistan always lies and they are not even good at that.
I guess in another week we'll see another fatwa for Mr. Rushdie... This time what will they ask for? Already they asked for his head... PLease Rushdie dont leave comments like this... Poor guys how many fatwa's can they give....
Take them financially down by imposing trade cut off. Try to cut every supply globally and let them implode. The Army/ISI will take charge of situation to make the matter worse. Stamp them as failed state and let them be in stone age for few decades. Let them eat their own bullets to surview.