India has experienced the scourge of terrorism since its independence in 1947, when the Naga's refused to join the Union. They were followed by the Mizo's in the 1960's. Then it was the turn of the ULFA in Assam. After the North East, Jammu and Kashmir became its victim in 1980's, followed by the terrorism, mostly Islamist, has spread to the rest of India, during the last three decades, which has been dealt with in this multi-volume book. India has the dubious distinction of being the worst sufferer of terrorism, next to Iraq and Afghanitan. One extimate holds that India has had nearly a hundred thousand casualties from extermism of all varieties. In spite of this enormity, Indian republic has shown restraint and balance while dealing with all kinds of extremists, separatist, terrorists, Naxal et al.
The resilience shown by India has been interpreted by some observers as weak-kneed response of a soft state. Others assert India has not fashioned of a counter terrorism policy framework to eradicate these serious threat to its intergrity and sovereignty. There are those who feel the soft approach is the result of Vote Bank Politics followed by the present Government.
The book deals with all these issues in comprehensive manner. It is also a fact that India is too strong a nation to give in to the destructive and fissiparous forces, represented by these terrorists and extremists. |
