Published by Book review literary Trust
BOOK REVIEW
THE GAME BEHIND SAFFRON TERROR
By Kanwar Khatana
Review by:
Air Marshal Anil Khosla (Retd) PVSM, AVSM, VM
Former Vice Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force.
The term “Saffron Terror” was coined almost two decades back in 2002 and gained popularity in 2007–2008. At times, terms like Hindu terrorism or Hindutva terror, are also used instead, allegedly to describe acts of violence motivated by Hindu extremist nationalism. In all probability, the term comes from the symbolic use of the saffron colour by most of the temples in India and many Hindu nationalist organisations. However, these organisations consider the term to be a misnomer, and consider the use of the saffron colour as a symbol of religion, asceticism, and sacrifice.
The book “The game behind Saffron Terror” is written by Kanwar Khatana, a military veteran and a lawyer. The veteran-scholar is an experienced intelligence officer, who served in the Intelligence Corps of the Indian Army for almost 3 decades. The 349-page, 21-chapter book written in a dialogue style is claimed by the author to be a fictionalised account of actual events. Although the author has described it as a work of fiction based on verifiable information available in the open domain, the events, names of people, and organizations are actual. His service experience and access to information are evident in the lucid narration of the events.
The book deals with the machination of the creation of the theory of “Saffron Terror”, its developments, and fallouts. It elaborates on the role of political parties in the creation of a divisive environment for political gains, and exploitation by foreign powers, intelligence agencies, and terrorist organisations to commit terrorist attacks on Indian soil to create internal strife and destabilise the nation. The author intends to prove that saffron terrorism is a myth and a conspiracy hatched for petty gains, and it has created a sense of fear, hate, doubt, and paranoia among sections of the population, ruining several lives, and tarnishing the names of some revered institutions.
The book begins with the genesis of the conspiracy. The author claims that the conspiracy was hatched at Congress headquarters in the year 2006. According to the author, instructions were issued regarding aspects related to ensuring the victory of the Congress in the elections, increasing the vote bank, appeasing the Muslims, and the strategy to deal with the rivals. He also brings out that this was concurrent and in line with Pakistan’s policy of bleeding India by thousand cuts.
The book helps in understanding the Pakistani mindset, by narrating aspects related to its internal politics. It highlights the extent of control exercised by the Army in Pakistan and how it manipulates the Pakistani government like a puppet. It also describes how Benazir Bhutto was enticed to return to Pakistan with the bait of dropping all charges against her in exchange for continuing Pakistani military supremacy in the affairs of Pakistan, and subsequently assassinated with the help of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The book delves into the ISI’s links with terrorist organisations including the LeT and the involvement of Pakistan’s army and ISI in terrorist attacks in India. It not only provides the travel details of leaders, terrorists, and ISI officials to the training camps but also enumerates the ISI’s role in the selection and training of terrorists and the supply of arms and ammunition. The book even elaborates upon the six-phase terrorist training modules. The author claims that ISI has developed intelligence resources even in India and these agents may be embedded among the activists, intellectuals, media, government, and political parties.
The most attention-grabbing part of the book is the section describing in detail the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008, in which 175 people (including 09 out of 10 terrorists) were killed and around 300 wounded. The author pertinently traces the sequence of events leading to the 26/11 attacks, including the aspects related to the planning and preparation for the attack. He brings out in detail the thorough selection process of terrorists from LeT, their training under the Pakistani military at Karachi, the journey via sea to India, and the execution of the final attack at multiple locations in Mumbai. The author also hints at possible involvement and support from within, in connivance with ISI.
The narrative of the book essentially revolves around the story of Lt Col Raj Purohit, interposed with terrorist events, planning and plotting in Pakistan, working of intelligence agencies, political scenarios, etc. A significant portion of the book is devoted to the saga of Lt Col Purohit. The Author claims that the arrest of Lt Col Purohit, and Pragya Thakur, and others in the Malegaon blast case was a well-planned move conceived in Pakistan. He further alleges that it was supported by a political party and a few media houses.
In conclusion, Khatana emphasises that Pakistan continues its effort to harm India, and the damage gets accentuated by domestic political games. The author also declares that Lt Col Purohit is innocent and forecasts that he will eventually be freed of all charges by the court.
The fiction-novel-like book makes interesting reading with its thrilling narrative and simple language. The book can be classified as a radical work for understanding the working nuances of intelligence agencies and behind the scene politics, in both domestic and international scenarios. It will be of particular interest to scholars of national security and political science.
Bottom Line
Religion for political reasons divides.
Question
Will mankind ever stop using religion for political gains?
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Saffron terror is only in theory. It was created by Congress to appease the minority community ie Muslims. And there is no doubt on this issue.
That is what the book concludes.