#dnaEdit: Twist in the tale

The controversy over whether the boat that caught fire and sank on New Year’s eve was being used for “terrorism” or “smuggling” refuses to die down. But the unwarranted hurry to equate the incident with the 26/11 attack on Mumbai has drawn the central government into a needless controversy. That a coastal security agency thwarted another 26/11-type attack and intercepted, what was initially claimed to be, an “explosives-laden” boat, had felt reassuring. However, despite playing up the terror angle, defence minister Manohar Parrikar had only “circumstantial evidence” to fall back on when he addressed the media on Monday, four days after the incident. Without releasing concrete evidence, which he has promised to do, Parrikar’s unsubstantiated allegations against the Pakistan army and maritime authorities of radio contact with the boat’s occupants, do not help the cause of exposing Pakistan’s involvement or their support for terrorism. He should have refrained from such allegations till such time as the defence ministry was in a position to release the evidence. Rather, Parrikar’s statement and those from sources in the defence establishment have left the Indian government open to ridicule from its Pakistani counterparts. Even the intelligence community appears to be appalled by the course taken by the government on the issue. 

The defence ministry must also take note that various Indian naval, intelligence and explosives experts besides newspapers, including dna, have already poked holes in its statement of January 2.  The statement claimed that “intelligence inputs” received on December 31 suggested that a fishing boat was planning “some illicit transaction” in the Arabian Sea. However, doubts have been posed about whether this intelligence input, which clearly raised suspicions of a terror plot, was shared by the National Technical Research Organisation with the Multi Agency Centre, as mandated by the protocol on sharing terror-related information instituted after the 26/11 attacks.

Consequently, most stakeholders in the intelligence apparatus including the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Naval Intelligence and the National Security Guard were unaware of the operation. What was perhaps a legitimate Coast Guard operation against illegitimate or suspicious activity has further been vitiated by the dubbing of journalists, media houses and politicians who have questioned the official “terrorism” narrative as “anti-nationals”. The ruling BJP has been particularly guilty on this count and must restrain its spokespersons. 

Too often, the media has fallen for official narratives without adequately questioning them. Be it on innocent persons framed in terror cases or people’s struggles against unpopular government actions, the absence of such scrutiny has led to costly mistakes harming individual liberty and social justice. In the present case, irrespective of the outcome, we must welcome those who have expressed scepticism, as this has forced the government to come forward with more information than the inconclusive official statement of January 2. Yet another fallout of the “terror” boat saga has been the retaliatory actions mounted by Pakistan on sea and land. Two Indian fishing boats have been reportedly seized by Pakistan in the days since, while cross-border fire has been reported from several points along the India-Pakistan border forcing casualties on both sides and civilians to flee to safer areas. It is worrying that in the ongoing atmosphere of distrust and mutual recrimination, attempts at de-escalation are yet to begin. Those guarding the country’s borders on sea and land require our unstinting support. But those in a hurry to make political capital on issues with international ramifications must learn to be judicious before making unsubstantiated allegations.