Excerpts:Quote: The siege in South Mumbai exposed the extent of the denial residing in the central government over a recurrent threat posed by extremists. Western commentators were quick to invoke references to 9/11. Yet the truth is that these atrocities were only the latest in a torrent of sequential violence that has flown through many Indian cities during this decade. And it is not just Islamic extremism that bedevils the Indian state. There is a conflict with the Maoists and an insurgency in the north-east. The thread of 'India Shining' has failed to acknowledge this dark tapestry.
What is urgently needed is a governmental strategy focused not only on prevention and enforcement but also on winning hearts and minds. Inertia is no option when the stakes are so high. Nevertheless, if the Indian state should conduct a soul-searching, so too should many Indians. The routine discrimination endured by Indian Muslims and other marginalised sections is no fiction. Yet so pervasive is the casual acceptance of this prejudice ^ or even indifference to it ^ that it barely registers comment. At its most benign, this outlook takes on the form of slights and innuendos. But at its most malignant, it assumes an uncontrollable frenzied rage. What is also required is for political parties to make the case for an inclusive India. That a people with multiple identities can prosper together is part of the founding ideal of the republic. It is time to reclaim its essence Unquote: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3859250.cms Regards, Marshall
