This is the
headline of The Times of India (4 March) and the sub-heading runs thus: “As the battle for Bangladesh’s soul is joined, India
must strengthen anti-Jamaat forces”. These titles show what would have been
said in the body. The Government of India is being advised that the situation
in Bangladesh and the restlessness of the young generation is very good and
historic opportunity for India. The Government of India should extend full
support to anti-Jamaat forces there and stop Bangladesh at any cost from
falling into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. The future of Bangladesh
does not lie in Talibanisation, but in secularism. Khaleda Zia and her
Bangladesh National Party will have to be kept from supporting the Jamaat. –
Then the same newspaper the very next day (5 March) published an article by a
political commentator Sreeram Sundar Chaulia, which is the detail of the idea
of this editorial. However, there is a new point in it that the Government of
India should have good relations with the opposition parties over there, even with
Islamic extremists so that whosoever may emerge as victorious in the next election
might not be anti-India. Jamaat-e-Islami has been accepted in the article as an
effective power in Bangladesh.
This is the representation of English press
And these two analyses of The Times of India are representing Indian media, particularly English press. The stress of the entire English press is that India should avail herself of the situation prevailing in Bangladesh to stop the Islamists from getting strengthened over there. However, some newspapers are also advising the government to be cautious; they are of the view that direct intervention may promote anti-India feelings there. That is, we should change our strategy. These newspapers have been represented by The Asian Age in its editorial (4 March). The target of English newspapers is apparently Jamaat-e-Islami but the real target is Islam. Whatever abuses editors, reporters, commentators and letter-writers have in their stock, they are using them against the Islamists in the pretext of the terms like “radical Islam, extremist Islam, Taliban, Jamaat-e-Islami and religious fanatics. The utmost effort of Indian media is that the spirit of 1971 war (hatred and enmity) that has been rekindled in Bangladesh should not be dampened. There should not be any talk of Islamic Shari’ah system. Efforts are being made to ignite the Bangla and non-Bangla feelings in the same manner as they had been made during 1971 war.
Is this policy of ours right?
But this attitude of Indian media is in fact the expression of Indian foreign policy and it is evident that this policy must have had the support of America and Israel that do not want Deen and Shari’ah live in the collective life of a Muslim country. Now the question is whether this foreign policy of ours is right and useful. The experience in Bangladesh in the past itself replies in the negative. The Muslims of Bangladesh are practising. Despite instilling the poison of Bangla nationalism and irreligious secularism in them in 1971 their relation with Islam could not be cut off. – The other point is that every noble person in the world knows that the allegations levelled against the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami there are baseless, absurd and full of political vendetta and this fact will be known to the world very soon. As for the efforts to establish Islamic life there, the people of that country respect Jamaat-e-Islami despite certain indifferences. Therefore, keeping these realities in view, our government should draw a policy. If a government is formed there on Islamic principles, there is nothing to worry about. That country would establish good relations with our country; and also keep in mind the presence of twenty crore Muslims here.
This is the representation of English press
And these two analyses of The Times of India are representing Indian media, particularly English press. The stress of the entire English press is that India should avail herself of the situation prevailing in Bangladesh to stop the Islamists from getting strengthened over there. However, some newspapers are also advising the government to be cautious; they are of the view that direct intervention may promote anti-India feelings there. That is, we should change our strategy. These newspapers have been represented by The Asian Age in its editorial (4 March). The target of English newspapers is apparently Jamaat-e-Islami but the real target is Islam. Whatever abuses editors, reporters, commentators and letter-writers have in their stock, they are using them against the Islamists in the pretext of the terms like “radical Islam, extremist Islam, Taliban, Jamaat-e-Islami and religious fanatics. The utmost effort of Indian media is that the spirit of 1971 war (hatred and enmity) that has been rekindled in Bangladesh should not be dampened. There should not be any talk of Islamic Shari’ah system. Efforts are being made to ignite the Bangla and non-Bangla feelings in the same manner as they had been made during 1971 war.
Is this policy of ours right?
But this attitude of Indian media is in fact the expression of Indian foreign policy and it is evident that this policy must have had the support of America and Israel that do not want Deen and Shari’ah live in the collective life of a Muslim country. Now the question is whether this foreign policy of ours is right and useful. The experience in Bangladesh in the past itself replies in the negative. The Muslims of Bangladesh are practising. Despite instilling the poison of Bangla nationalism and irreligious secularism in them in 1971 their relation with Islam could not be cut off. – The other point is that every noble person in the world knows that the allegations levelled against the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami there are baseless, absurd and full of political vendetta and this fact will be known to the world very soon. As for the efforts to establish Islamic life there, the people of that country respect Jamaat-e-Islami despite certain indifferences. Therefore, keeping these realities in view, our government should draw a policy. If a government is formed there on Islamic principles, there is nothing to worry about. That country would establish good relations with our country; and also keep in mind the presence of twenty crore Muslims here.
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