The Hindu Business Line : Varanasi test

On Wednesday terrorists set off bombs in the holy city of Varanasi which claimed more than a score of lives, in the process confirming that the enemies of the republic are bent on pursuing their goal of disrupting normal life, even if it leads to the deaths of innocent citizens.

Reluctantly, it has to be admitted that those bent on wreaking havoc on civil society are being successful in spreading the message of disruption and confusion, which is their avowed objective. But the point must also be made that, till now, their success has been limited in that the scars are being rapidly healed wherever the terrorist bomb and bullet is making a mark, which must be rather frustrating for the perpetrators of the dastardly acts.

In fact, this is precisely where the fabric of Indian society has scored over those who believe in the cult of the bomb, especially that section which would focus on stoking the communal fire to attain its end.

The most recent instance of this innate strength of Indian society is to be found in the lack of any overtly communal response to the Varanasi outrage, the calculation on the part of the terrorists clearly being that a conflagration would be ignited following the assault, which would render Indian society as a whole more fertile to future similar provocations.

No one can argue that the subject is not an extremely sensitive one, which is one reason why the internal security apparatus all over the country was put on alert immediately following the bomb blasts. In this situation, it is to be expected that every responsible political party should do everything in its power to douse the fires of revenge and retaliation that may very naturally gather strength in the given circumstances.

The Congress Party has done well so far as its immediate response in Uttar Pradesh is concerned. But the same thing cannot be said of the BJP, which has announced two "national integration" yatras in the wake of the Varanasi blasts.

Any focus on saffron Hindutva, direct or indirect, at this specific juncture should have been avoided in the interests of maintaining and strengthening further the existing communal peace and harmony. The two BJP yatras will accomplish just the opposite.

Ranabir Ray Choudhury

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