The bomb blast near the historic Red Fort in the national capital, Delhi, is shocking. The death of 13 people and injuries to many others is deeply tragic. Many who were busy with their daily routines lost their lives in an instant before they could even comprehend what had happened as human limbs were torn apart around them, and others collapsed screaming in agony. The entire area turned into a terrifying scene. Eyewitnesses say that the explosion was so powerful that body parts of victims were hurled into the air, smoke and flames engulfed the sky within seconds, and the sound was heard for several kilometers details that leave everyone heartbroken. The suffering of the families of those killed and those fighting for their lives in hospitals is heartrending. It is tragic that authorities have to identify victims based on body fragments, personal items or jewelry. The entire nation has unanimously condemned this inhuman act, demanding the harshest possible punishment for the perpetrators of this massacre.
In the past decade, major terrorist attacks such as those in Pulwama and Pahalgam have occurred in Jammu and Kashmir. The then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, expressed anguish that despite his prior warnings, the Home Ministry insisted on sending convoys by road resulting in soldiers deaths. Analysts believe that the divisive propaganda that followed the Pulwama incident helped the Modi government return to power. In response to the Pahalgam attack on tourists, the central government launched ‘Operation Sindoor’. After that attack, the Foreign Secretary stated that the act of terror was intended to incite religious divisions. Unfortunately, hate-filled campaigns by certain right-wing groups afterward led to attacks on members of a particular community something that deserves strong condemnation. All religions preach peace and non-violence. But outdated ideologies, used as ladders to power by spreading hatred and enabling neoliberal policies that favor corporate control of national resources, continue to fuel terrorism. Shockingly, just a day before the Delhi blasts, police from three states jointly seized 2,900 kilograms of explosives and arrested eight people, including three doctors. The spread of such networks across the country is alarming. It is the duty of the government to uncover the sources of explosives and terrorist bases. Preliminary reports suggest that the Delhi blast was caused by a suicide bomber and that another person was in the same car. Clearly, this is a failure of the central government’s administration nothing less. The responsibility for law and order in Delhi lies with the Union Home Ministry and they must answer for this lapse.
For any nation to progress, a peaceful environment is essential. India’s strength lies in its unity in diversity and pluralistic society. But in the past decade, attempts to disrupt this unity and spread hatred against certain communities have increased. Such divisive tendencies must be stopped. We must resist provocations and uphold unity as our greatest strength. Terrorism regardless of the religion of its perpetrators is dangerous and destructive. The fight against terrorism must rest on people’s unity and secular values. Every citizen must remain vigilant. Standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity is the only antidote to the poison of hatred only then can we suppress the evil of terrorism.