Radical Mindset: Lawmakers, Fatwa and Jihad
By Animesh Roul
Two events that would shed some light on how far elected political leaders are influenced by the tenets of radical Islam, more than outlawed terrorists in the subcontinent and they act with such impunity only to get away with their antics later.
In India’s Andhra Pradesh state, sitting members of a political party, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) unleashed a murderous attack on the self-exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on August 09 during a book release ceremony at the Press Club in Hyderabad city. MIM’s legislators and activists spearheaded the attacks against Taslima for her alleged blasphemous writings. Even they threatened to behead her under a 1994 fatwa, if she ever comes to Hyderabad again. Three MIM legislators and others were arrested and released on bail on the same day. One of them told the media later, "Muslims are proud of what our legislators and workers have done because we can never tolerate any insult to Prophet Mohammed.” Another political party which has been representing Muslims of the region, Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) had planned to kill Taslima outside the venue after the function. However, the MBT failed to target her as she was escorted to the airport immediately after MIM swung into action inside the club. Countrywide condemnation notwithstanding, the perpetrators are currently boasting on their act and with little fear for the laws of the land.
Earlier this week (August 07), in Pakistan, there was a call for Jihad against India and the US. And this was not from any terrorist outfit, but by the parliamentary secretary for defense, Syed Tanveer Hussain. Hussain, a retired Army officer, with backing from the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, argued for Jihad to solve vexed Kashmir problems and said that the dispute over Kashmir would be settled in months if jehadis were allowed free entry into Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir. He also remarked against the US and Taliban Policy of Pakistan. Pakistan government distanced itself from Hussain's remarks, (he is a member of ruling coalition) terming these outbursts as ‘individual views’ and do not represent the government policy.
These events certainly reflected radical mindset that remains fertile at the political level in both Pakistan and India.