Terrorism in India : politics of communalism and criminalisation.
Terrorist groups exist to create fear and panic among people. They succeed by violent attacks and intimidation. India is not a stranger to such attacks as it has seen many from the 1970s till date. Terror groups that have attacked India exist within the nation and some outside.
This is a list of some of these groups that operate in India.
- Jaish–e-Muhammad: This is a terrorist group that aims to occupy the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and has attacked the valley numerous times.
- Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let): This is a group that is said to be from Pakistan responsible for various terror attacks in India.
- Maoist: This group was formed after Naxalite groups and leftist militants joined forces to wreak havoc.
- United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA): As the name suggests, this group carries out attacks in the state of Assam.
Causes of Terrorism
Four types of terrorism exist in India – Religious Terrorism, Narco-Terrorism, Left-Wing Terrorism, and Ethno-Nationalist Terrorism. While their agendas might be different, all of these groups aim to spread fear and panic to further their goals. Here are some of the causes of this act:
Religion
While terrorism knows no religion, many groups commit crimes in the name of religion. Even though no religion preaches such violence, these groups think that their faith is superior and, in this manner, hurt others.
Ethno-Nationalism
This occurs when a group wants to separate from their state/country into another independent state. The Khalistan Movement in Punjab is one such example of this. This is separatism that can go into extremes of violence.
Political Scenario
Groups that are dissatisfied with the current system of governance form terror groups to threaten the Government. One example of this is the Naxalites. They have carried out several attacks according to their plan.
Socio-Economic Disparity
This sort of attack takes place due to the sizeable socioeconomic disparity. The poor classes in dissatisfaction turn to terror cells to further their aims through violence.
Conclusion
India has faced the brunt of violent terrorism many times over the years. Thousands have died because of this. Despite the measures taken by the Government, many attacks still take place. Firmer and more stringent measures need to be taken to put an end to activities that cause widespread fear and panic among the nation’s people.
