By Sushil Kutty
‘Global Jihad Day’, Friday, October 13, was an imposition on the non-Muslim world. The Muslim world has a grudge and the rest of the world has to pause and pay. It is about who is the aggressor and who is the silent sufferer? It is no longer ‘Hamas’, but the entire Muslim fraternity. A former head of Hamas gave the call for ‘Global Jihad Day’ and governments worldwide bent at the knee to comply, except for a few honourable mentions.
Like for example President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Both France and the UK have declared “zero tolerance” for even symbolic jihadi protests. France banned the raising of the Palestinian flag in its cities and towns and the United Kingdom couldn’t be less lenient. The story is about how countries and peoples have been hit hard by the Hamas-induced unrest deliberately being spread outside the Israel-Palestine region, the so-called ‘Holy Land’.
India for example cannot seem to decide what is terrorism? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is still hunting for a definition of “terrorism” and vacillates between firm handling and soft handling of terrorism. Ditto the “state” under Modi’s watch. It beats logic why Modi and India cannot come out unilaterally with a definition of terrorism if it is so much of a need?
A supposedly personal friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first “global leader” to tweet “stand with Israel” but then he forgot to mention “Hamas” such that on ‘Global Jihad Day’ large numbers of Indians were confused whether India stood with Israel or with “Hamas/Palestine”.
Most Indians made do with “India stands with Israel and Indians stand with Palestine”. Very importantly, the Government of India has so far not ventured to “correct” this impression if it needed correction. On ‘Global Jihad Day’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi settled for “terrorism anywhere should be condemned and rejected outright”, clearly wary of hurting a certain sentiment while being cagey about openly accepting another different sentiment.
Playing safe is the Modi government’s signature. Search for it and there is an avalanche dating back to May 2014. The Modi dispensation is undyingly wedded to the working style which is deceptively militant, the empty metaphor for fooling people to vote for Modi. The “India stands with Israel” is also to influence Hindus voting in the upcoming assembly elections and in the 2024 general elections.
Caught as he is in Israel’s pressing business, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wouldn’t catch on to this truth — the Modi dispensation’s deception. How many Indians have taken note of “Operation Ajay”, designed and launched to bring back to Bharat innocent Indian citizens caught in the Hamas onslaught against Israel?
The Israel-Hamas confrontation is not similar to the Ukraine-Russia standoff. After the first day on October 7, Israel isn’t facing “War” like what Ukraine faced, the kind which needed prompt evacuation, “Operation Ganga” for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was roundly praised. “Operation Ajay” is being forced on Indians working in Israel and it’s not that Israel’s “Iron Dome” is busted and helpless.
Hell, if bombs are falling and blasting and killing, it’s in the Gaza Strip and there aren’t any Indian citizens caught in the tirade of shelling and shrieking there. “Operation Ajay” appears to be a forced mission that will be added to the long list of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarkable global achievements. In the process, the Indian Air Force will also get its share of accolades. Mind you, Indians living in Israel are not shouting to be evacuated in a hurry.
That said, the Global Jihad Day in India was to resonate from the millions of mosques dotting India’s landscape. Eighty percent of Indians have nothing to do with this “Jihad” but at least the confusion over “what is jihad?” stands cleared. Jihad is what follows after a day of extreme violence, it is a show of strength and belligerence; it’s to tell the world that “it is my way or the highway”. Jihad is reminding the world that there aren’t any negotiators to handle this hostage situation.
Just like the ‘Book’ is the ‘Final Word’, Jihad is akin to the ‘Final Solution’. It is irrevocably tied to conquest and “Qayamat”. And like the lamb was led, the non-believers will be led. Make no mistake, from now on to the next 1000s of years, October 13, or the nearest Friday to October 13, will be observed as the ‘Global Jihad Day’, a pressure cooker 24 hours to let off steam. On this first Global Jihad Day, Jordanians broke through police barricades and were photographed racing towards the border with Israel to do a Hamas on Israel. And an Israeli diplomat was stabbed in China by somebody who looked “Middle-eastern”. (IPA Service)
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