The Taliban challenge

So many times we have read 'what goes around does come around'. The latest in this is the deadly possiblity of Taliban at India's doorstep. In more ways than one, India indirectly was the birthplace for the ideology which later turned into Taliban. In 1800s, after losing their power and grip over India, one saw the rise of Deoband. Started in UP on a very strong anti-British pitch, Deobandis fought pitched battles against British forces specially in 1857 War of Independence. Though many historians have tried to potray them as nationalists, the fact remained that they were fighting more for their religion and the religious power they enjoyed over vast areas of then undivided Hindustan. One has surely read how they fought or looked down upon the Hindus and other Muslim fighters during 1857 war. Post the loss, one did not hear much about them except the activities in Islamci Education or rise and spread of Wahabism. One of the seminaries of Deoband went far and wide spreading the so-called stringent form of Islam and that was termed Wahabsm.

Taliban right from it's early days draws strength and inspiration from this form of Islam. So in an indirect way India could be said to be the birthplace of Taliban. Now that challenge is right at our doorstep.

UPA government like always would like to be blind to this threat. But what one cannot close its eyes to is the fact that there is a sort of active revivalism of Wahabism in India. This is the dangerous territory. Remember how riots broke out in India over things like Afghan war or hanging of Saddam? Remember how desecration of Buddha in Bamiyan was treated with silence in Indian Islamic world and with glee in the radical circles? India has rarely seen bigger rallies than anti-Bush and anti-Danish Cartoon rallies. Malegaon, Bangalore, Meerut, Aligarh all burnt on issues which did not concern India.

These things will show how Taliban is not just at our doorstep but has entered our country in some way. Fighting individuals and armies is still possible but idealogies spread faster than people. And it was take an ideological battle to fight Taliban from destroying India.

And this ideological battle cannot be fought by indulging to vote-bank politics. Neither it can fought by victomisation. It can be fought only on the ideals of 'Justice for All, Appeasement for None'