Manohar Parrikar’s hard talk is most reassuring
In saying that he would unhesitatingly take “proactive steps” to neutralise terrorists coming from across the borders or those backed by foreign elements, Minister for Defence Manohar Parrikar has displayed the forthright approach he is known for. His remark that terrorists should be used to eliminate terrorists (‘have a thorn to remove a thorn’) may lead to some heated debate, but what he has suggested is not something that has not been done before in different contexts. It is a known fact that in the 1980s especially, the police in Mumbai often fell back on the tactic of tacitly allowing rival underworld gangs to neutralise one another and eliminate senior members. Of course, this often meant using the carrot in the case of some gangsters at one time and the stick against them later when the job was done. But that is part of the game; you don't always play it squeaky clean when you are faced with violent outfits that extort, terrorise and kill.
Rival unlawful groups often nurse a grouse against one another as much as they do against police forces or Governments. In Mumbai, we had seen how the likes of Arun Gawli and Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje aka Chota Rajan had arraigned themselves against Dawood Ibrahim, although they had once worked in tandem with the country's most wanted terrorist. It would not be an exaggeration to say that, in India, Dawood Ibrahim has as much to fear from his rivals in the underworld as from the official authorities. The Defence Minister's comment should be seen in the backdrop of infiltration attempts which are routinely made from our borders with Pakistan. Personnel of the Indian Army and the paramilitary forces lose life and limb in their fight against these elements.
Mr Parrikar does not imply that our security personnel must forego their responsibility, but who can argue with his contention that militants eliminating their own colleagues is not a bad idea! The Defence Minister's remark that proactive steps need not always be in visible in the public domain, points to a deep thinking on novel ways to tackle militancy. Covert operations have always been one of the tools that security and intelligence agencies have used to get the better of anti-national elements — not just by India but by countries across the world. However, it is rare for a Defence Minister to be this candid about its present and potential use. The only issue Mr Parrikar needs to be mindful of is that, these measures do not backfire in the name of human rights violation. A lot more can be achieved by staying within the parameters of the law, even in covert operations.
Mr Parrikar is right in saying that the Modi Government has given a free hand to the Army to combat infiltrations and other terror bids. Many experts had earlier pointed to this reality, saying that the result was there to see on the ground. For instance, a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistan a few months ago had led to such a strong response from the Indian side that the firings abruptly stopped from the other end. The Indian Army no longer has its hands tied behind its back. While all of this is wonderful, the Union Government must also ensure that it maintains a strong political position. If it is seen to be going soft on separatists, then the resolve of our intelligence and security personnel can weaken.