Abhishek Vij
The Centre has announced its first anti-terrorism policy to prevent and eradicate terrorist violence. Punjab and Kashmir share a long border with Pakistan. Cross-border terrorist infiltration and terrorist attacks in various parts of the country are heartbreaking. The recent brutal murders of ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar, posted at the Adia village police post near the India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur district, Punjab, are a testament to the terrorists’ brutality.
The Pakistan-based terrorist organization Tehreek-e-Taliban (Hindustan) has claimed responsibility for these murders. After paying their last respects to the brave martyred police personnel, the Punjab government announced an amount of Rs. 1 crore each to their families.
Their families will also receive an additional Rs. 1 crore insurance cover. Yet, the anger and pain caused by these killings remain unabated. The problem of terrorism is becoming more serious every day. It needs to be addressed at a national and international level. The Punjab Police is already adopting a “Prahar” policy to combat terrorists and gangsters. The second phase of Operation Prahar is underway. Now, the Indian government has announced the country’s first counter-terrorism policy, also named “Prahar.”
This is a multi-pronged strategy that will prevent and neutralize extremist violence based on intelligence.
This policy aims to deny terrorists, their financiers, and supporters access to funds, weapons, and safe havens. Seven key pillars have been established for this policy. These are, respectively, prevention, process, integrating internal counter-terrorism capabilities, prioritizing human rights and the rule of law, eliminating conditions that support terrorism, protecting and shaping international efforts to combat it, and building an inclusive society.
While Pakistan is not mentioned by name in this policy document, the implication is clear that terrorism’s financing, inspiration, and conspiracies are all originating from foreign soil. India has always declared its commitment to combating terrorist forces, but this policy will now make a difference in that all state-level forces will now be brought under the umbrella of this unified policy. The government’s effort will be to ensure that if terrorists raise their heads in any corner of the country, they are immediately attacked collectively.
However, terrorism is not a cancer unique to India; it is now being commercially employed throughout the world. In our view, it should be confronted with national and international coordination. Another important point is that not only is this terrorism being supported by foreign enemies, but it is also being sustained by the country’s own black sheep at the local level. Such individuals exist both within the borders of Punjab and in Kashmir. Action taken against such individuals without mercy could significantly help the government in curbing terrorism.
Attention also needs to be paid to those anti-social elements who, lured by money, become puppets in the hands of anti-national forces. When the masterminds of terrorism dazzle some misguided individuals with the lure of money, it is not surprising that they turn anti-national. News of traitors acting as informants or spies for terrorists also occasionally emerges. Every citizen of the country expects the government to successfully formulate a comprehensive policy to address all these problems and control terrorism.