do attacks on swami have any message for us?
An In-Depth Inquiry
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Part 3 |
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PART 3: A BACKGROUND THAT WOULD HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE HIDDEN AGENDA
Thus far, I have been focussing on some of allegations of the
Icelander, and how all that negative presentation is based on
falsehood. I now turn to something very different, namely, offering a
perspective on the Muslim angle – let us remember, that Mr. Haraldur Erlendsson
addressed his article to the Muslims of Bangladesh. The background
offered in this part would help many readers who are not familiar with
the recent history of India, enabling them to place Mr. Haraldur Erlendsson’s
article in the context of recent terrorist attacks in India and their
links to Jehadists groups in Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh located in South-east Asia was carved out of India |
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Bangladesh is a separate and independent country, an Islamic Republic
with Bengali as its national language. In British times, it was a part
of British India, and, along with the State, West Bengal, in India,
formed a single province known as Bengal. In 1947, when British India
was partitioned into two separate countries, namely, India and
Pakistan, the Province of Bengal was split into two, the eastern part
becoming a part of Pakistan, and the western part becoming a part of
India.
In those days, Bangladesh did not exist and the eastern part was
simply referred to as East Pakistan, and was a Province of Pakistan;
the portion that became a part of Independent India was called West
Bengal, a name that has remained. By the way, the same thing happened
with respect to Punjab and after 1947 the sub-continent ended up with a
West Punjab in Pakistan and an East Punjab in India. Today, those
prefixes have disappeared and while Pakistan has the Province of
Punjab, India has a State called Punjab.
Where Pakistan [in 1947] was concerned, East Pakistan not only had a
larger population than West Pakistan, but was also ethnically and
culturally quite distinct. In subsequent years, the internal politics
of Pakistan evolved in such a manner that towards the end of the
sixties of the 20 th century, the political unrest in East Pakistan
snowballed to the point where East Pakistan broke free and declared
itself to be an independent country, i.e., Bangladesh. Soon, the new
country was recognised the world over and also admitted as a member of
the United Nations. Unlike Pakistan, Bangladesh started off on a
strongly secular note, though the majority of people were Muslims.
However, after about a decade or so, fundamentalist elements began to
slowly establish themselves, and even influence the political
landscape. One thing led to another, and soon there arose in Bangladesh
that started off as a most friendly neighbour of India, some sentiments
that were decidedly anti-Indian. In due course, this fringe element
sought to extend its leverage by appealing to a fringe element of
Muslim fundamentalists in India, with many unpleasant consequences of
course.
In
the last five years or so, India has faced many terrorist attacks that
have received strong logistic and other support from the Jehadists in
Bangladesh. It is now widely believed that the present wave of
terrorist outbreaks are a part of the larger global network of
Jehadists; where target India is concerned, these days, the launch pad
is mostly Bangladesh. And that precisely is where this article,
specifically addressed to Muslims in Bangladesh, and calculated to whip
up frenzy by alleging that Sai Baba is anti-Muslim, acquires disturbing
and even sinister meaning.
I hope the above remarks make it clear that there is far more to the
revival of the attack on Swami than the usual diatribe. This time round
the anti-Swami group is trying out a new strategy, feeling perhaps
rather impotent because hardly anyone takes serious notice of them
these days. Whether the article I am commenting upon is intended to
specifically provoke the Jehadi elements, I can only guess. But things
being what they are, I cannot entirely rule out that possibility; and
that is what has motivated me to put on alert the members of the Sai
family.
All
the above ought to make clear to readers what is it that has made me
rather anxious, and why I am going to great lengths to put the record
straight. In recent years, many terrorist attacks have been made on
places of worship in India, indeed even on Mosques! Sure, these have
nothing whatsoever to do with Swami. However, the present article
addressed to Bangladeshis ought to make one sit up and wonder: “Why is
this article specifically addressed to people of that country, when
there is not a single Sai centre in that country, and very few people
in that country would even have heard of Sai Baba?” It is to alert the
Sai family of the deeper [possible] implications that I have gone to
great lengths to give a full picture.
This article has five parts: |
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Part 3 |
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