Column

I will run the risk of being called a hopelessly miscast peacenik in these volatile times and give my kudos to both the government and the opposition for tackling the post-terror scenario with sensitivity, tact and aggressive diplomacy. At this time, our best ally is favourable international opinion, because there is no conquest of terror in isolation.

There is considerable heat on Pakistan now to clean up its ‘factories of death’, which is a major step, and in the right direction. The key now is to sustain this pressure through a consortium of allies (and this time there are no dissenting countries), even while rapidly overhauling the intelligence and security systems within the country.

War-mongering, and astonishingly among the chatteratti, had reached a crescendo after the terror attack on Mumbai, and for a spell it appeared that the political leadership too might be constrained to deploy military action, Mercifully, wiser counsel prevailed, and as results to the recent elections in five states suggest, the majority was not swayed by hate propaganda.

The understanding of terrorism by the common people seems to be more mature than that of the so-called privileged class. In many ways, this can be construed as the triumph of both common sense and democracy. War is such a knee-jerk solution to a problem that is frankly infinitely more complex than just a simple invasion of a country that is seen as unfriendly.

Surely, America’s misadventures in Iraq post-9/11 should be a lesson to everybody who inhabits this planet that wars may not provide a solution — in fact worsen the situation. The US may have overrun Iraq, but in the process has only helped multiply, not diminish, the number of terrorists in the world.

Problem is that in a globalised society, terrorists are emerging as a stateless entity, not necessarily belonging to any particular country (it is important to remember the case the ATS is still investigating); rather to a shared mindset that seeks solutions to grievances – real, perceived or entirely imagined — through random and naked violence.

This mindset it is now becoming clearer, seeks and celebrates death — of others, or personal — as an act of bravado in itself. This is where the future danger lies for our civilisation. And the challenge. There is a school of thought, gathering greater credence by the day, that the war against terror cannot be won through wars and/or massive homeland security, but by winning over this mindset.

While running concurrently, this will require time, study and effort to be spent in a direction other than just open conflict. Irish terror against England took almost a century to resolve, so there seems to be no apparent quick fix. What could work towards this end, however, is stronger community building in every country, redressing inherent imbalances in societies — indigenous and global — and greater emphasis everywhere on the dignity of human life.

And finally, what better way to acknowledge the courage of the England cricket team for touring India in spite of the terror threat than with an anecdote about Dr WG Grace, still regarded as the father of cricket. WG, as every cricket follower knows, was a doctor by qualification, a brilliant cricketer, but perhaps most importantly a domineering personality who best brought out the character, quirks and humour that is such an integral part of English cricket.

The story goes that he once advised young cricketer ACM Groom the virtues of wearing a box, especially when facing a fast bowler like Tom Richardson. Groome went up to a sports shop and asked for one. He almost choked with embarrassment when she asked him the size, and ran off with the first box she offered.

On the Saturday, Groome went in to bat at number 9, joining Grace who was still there having opened the innings. The first three deliveries from Richardson,struck Groome in the unmentionables, with the batsman joining in with groans and sighs to the sounds made by ball hitting box. Grace, needless to say, was not impressed. He walked down the pitch and told Groome sternly. “Young man, I told you to get a protective device, not a bloody music box!” Howzatt!

Email: ayaz@dnaindia.net