Terrorism is posing multidimensional challenges in South Asia. Generally, it is perceived that terrorism stems from the misinterpreted religious concepts. This perception is correct but there are so many non-religious sources of terrorism as well. Ethnic or racial supremacy and territorial claims too provide enough substance to fuel the fire of violence and terrorism. It is a bitter fact that extremism and terrorism co-exist and closely contribute to each other in most of the violence ridden societies. This would not be wrong that extremist mindset actually leads a person towards use of violence in pursuance of self-perceived objectives.
This oversimplified principle holds good for all brands of terrorism whether stemming from religious or non-religious ideologies. South Asian landscape is infected with all brands of extremist tendencies. Sir Lanka witnessed long insurgency stretched over period of more than two decades. Tamil-Sinhali conflict had strong shades of ethnic and territorial extremism. For years, LTTE (Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam) Fought against Sri Lankan state using all tools of terrorism which included bomb blasts, suicidal attacks, ambushes etc. This prolonged conflict had non-religious roots. Pakistan, Afghanistan and India are largely infected with religious extremism but it’s non-religious version is too strong to ignore. Assassination of former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in a suicidal attack was carried out by a LTTE affiliate female bomber. However, the rise of BJP in power corridors of India may be termed as unique fusion of religious and social extremism.
RSS and BJP
RSS, the mother organization of BJP, is flag bearer of Hindutva ideology. In short, this ideology revolves around Hindu religious and social supremacy with zero tolerance towards other religions and lower castes. This religio-ethnic form of extremism has given birth to greater issues at Indian internal front and regional canvas. RSS considers that 1947 partition was a mistake of Congress, Nehru and Gandhi.
Party top cadre is strong proponent of forced conversions of the Muslims, mob lynching on cow slaughtering, demolition of Mosques, Churches, marginalization of low caste Hindus, demographic changes in IIOJK, atrocities against Sikhs in Punjab and Christian scheduled tribes in Manipur. Non-flexibility of Hindutva extremism can be assessed from the fact that assassin of Gandhi, the infamous Nathu Ram Goddse, was also an ideological affiliate of RSS.
Indian State Sponsored Terrorism in South Asia
Hatred against Pakistan stems from organic anti-Muslim mindset prevailing in RSS. This mindset is endangering regional peace in the shape of Indian state sponsored terrorism through proxies based in Afghanistan. Landscape of extremism in Pakistan is very complex and highly volatile. Religiously motivated terrorist groups are thriving with the financial, logistical and cyber support from regional spoilers. Banned TTP and its numerous splinter groups are misleading their foot soldiers with the misinterpreted version of Jihad’s Islamic concept. Over a period of time, these banned outfits have started targeting the strategic targets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, thus serving the purpose of India as well as anti-China global players. Some of the religiously charged outfits occasionally choose sectarian targets with obvious aim to exploit the Shia-Sunni fault line. Internal security challenges of Pakistan have become more challenging with the growing activism of non-religious ethnic terrorist outfits. Most of these groups are active in Balochistan and abroad.
Their activities rather hardcore terrorism revolves around attacks on LEAs, armed forces, Punjabi labourers and Chinese citizens. Other than terrorist attacks, banned outfits are spreading anarchy and chaos through social media platform with fake news, rumours and subversive content. Tactical fusion and alignment of objectives between the religiously motivated and ethnically charged terrorist groups disclosed recently by the arrested terrorist commander in Balochistan is quite alarming. Extremist ideology of RSS is behind the surging terrorism orchestrated by banned religious and ethnic outfits in Pakistan. Safe havens of these groups in Afghanistan raised many questions on the role of Afghan Taliban’s regime. Unelected interim Afghan government is also best known for its self-style version of Islam generally labelled extremism in the western world. Close supporting linkage of Afghan Taliban with the banned religious, ethnic outfits and Hindutva motivated BJP makes the security matrix of South Asia more complex. Definitely Pakistan cannot afford political divide on the issue of counter terrorism strategy. At the same time, cross-hairs should be laid on both religiously motivated and ethnic terrorist outfits. Both forms of extremism are equally lethal for the existence of Pakistan. And above all, handlers of the both terrorist cults are common ie Hindutva motivated RSS ideologues pursuing the nefarious agenda of “Akhand Bharat”.
