Patna serial blasts: Give BJP credit for keeping the calm during Modi rally Read more at: indiatoday.intoday.in/story/patna-serial-blasts-give-bjp-credit-for-keeping-the-calm-during-modi-rally/1/320622.html So, the Patna serial blasts were the handiwork of Indian Mujahideen to avenge Muzaffarnagar riots? Thats what the security agencies want us to believe. Should we trust them? Well, we do not know the truth yet, but theres little to trust this spin because it tries to deflect attention from the actual conspiracy and subtly justify the crime. First, the purpose was to kill some people in explosions and trigger a stampede that killed scores, scare people and scuttle the rally. Not avenging Muzaffarnagar as the police is spinning it. Bihar, Patna or for that matter Narendra Modi has little do with riots in Muzaffarnagar. That the terrorists chose Patnas Hunkar Rally to target means they chose Hunkar Rally as target. Simple. Theres no need to find meanings in what is apparent. Also Read: Cant disappoint those at rally, Modi said when told to skip Patna address When security agencies add motives beyond the obvious, they attribute, often without realising it, a cause to the madness. Madness may have an unholy pattern, but doesnt always have a holier motive. They wanted to avenge one riot or another becomes a tool, like it or not, to lessen the severity of the crime. The revenge angle may or may not be true. In any case, killing innocents in the name of revenge is terrorism. Smoke rises after the serial blasts that shook Modis Hunkar rally in Patna on Sunday. PTI It was no coincidence that the tragedy didnt become colossal in scale. All the ingredients that make a disaster were present. Lakhs of people gathered in an area with controlled access and exit. A political rally largely consisting of charged-up youth. A leader branded divisive addressing a crowd in the heart of the city that he was persona non grata in. When cops or vested interests prop up the revenge angle, they forget that an attack on any election rally is an attack on democracy. In this case, there is also an attempt to deny credit where its due: That BJP leaders handled the blasts in a mature and responsible manner. Hundreds of thousands of emotionally charged youth could do a great deal of damage to themselves and to the city if told that the rally was under attack. Initially, BJP leaders too were in the dark as the Patna railway station explosions were seen in isolation. When bombs started going off in the vicinity of the ground, cops told them not to worry about pre-Diwali crackers and tyre bursts. But news did reach the stage that bombs had been planted around the venue and that people had died and many had been injured. Must Read: Modi cannot hope to lead India by inspiring fear, says New York Times Hence the final lines of Modis speech were focused on maintaining calm, communal harmony and ensuring no life is lost. Any panic or one provocative statement could turn it into a calamity. Patna escaped a disaster. Not because of security, but because the party that organised the rally felt responsible for maintaining calm and minimising damage. This is not what generally happens in this country. With the kind of police preparation on display, simply cancelling the rally would have meant large-scale violence and destruction. That the Modi rally did take place, that a mob of that size could be controlled and disciplined by party workers in spite of the tragic turn of events deserves credit. Whether you like the BJP or not, whether you hate Modi or not. Read more at: indiatoday.intoday.in/story/patna-serial-blasts-give-bjp-credit-for-keeping-the-calm-during-modi-rally/1/320622.html
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:19:01 +0000
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