There is nothing surprising about an Al-Qaeda leader’s statement about opening “a branch” of his militant group in India being described as “just crazy” by Peter Bergen, an American expert on counter-terrorism. The nature of Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s announcement lacks credibility as well as legitimacy. The hype raised over his announcement in media and in certain political and diplomatic circles certainly gives an impression that India needs to go on high alert over Zawahiri’s intentions.
This is equivalent to assuming that India has not been on an alert over the prospects of various terrorist groups’ entry into its territories. Had India not been continuously on alert, the country may not have been as safe and peaceful as it is at present. True, of and on, domestic skirmishes, at times of communal nature still keep occurring in this country. But these are linked with internal, sociopolitical issues of the country and is not the result of any foreign militant group’s meddling in India. Not surprisingly, most Muslim organizations in India have openly rejected Zawahiri’s call and have said that they don’t want “foreign terrorist outfits” interference in their internal matters.
Zawahiri’s decision to open a wing of his group in India has earned him plenty of publicity across the world. Indirectly, this also proves this militant leader’s concern about his group lacking supporters in India. If his group really had active members in India, Zawahiri would have refrained from issuing such a statement. He would have probably preferred carrying out his “tasks” silently. Giving it publicity is equivalent to setting Indian defense and security forces on guard against success of his militant group. A militant leader seriously concerned about attracting Indian Muslims to his group is not expected to lay a trap for his own agents being caught in their attempt to open a wing in India. After all, what else does Zawahiri’s video indicate? As headlines read, India is on alert.
Zawahiri is perhaps hardly concerned about his video having put India on an alert. If he were, there would not have been any video of his so-called aim to open a branch of his militant group. Absence of such a video would have also not earned him so much publicity across the world. This probably was his key mission, earn publicity, receive media coverage, political as well as diplomatic attention and remain in the limelight for some time.
Chances of any foreign militant group, with or without a religious label, succeeding in India are extremely limited. India is home to major religions of the world. It has the second largest population of Muslims in the world, who form around 14 percent of India’s population. While Indian Muslims represent 24 percent of the global population of Muslims, the 2.3 percent of Christian population in India forms 32 percent of Christians in the world. The population of Indian Muslims is too large and widespread in the country to be easily influenced by any foreign militant group.
Had the Muslims in India been geographically concentrated in a few areas without any major differences, the situation would have been different. Differences and certain divisions within Indian Muslims are to a degree also responsible for their being devoid of any common political party and of any person or group regarded as representative of the entire Indian Muslim community. Cultural differences as well as political leanings among Indian Muslims vary remarkably from region to region.
Religious freedom allowed in India as a part of its secularism together with its democratic, constitutional, cultural and historical roots leaves little scope for religious extremism to progress here. In India’s capital city, within a range of few kilometers, it is not surprising to come across several places of worship representing different communities, including Muslims, Christians and Hindus.
Not surprisingly, the militant leader’s announcement has failed to stir Indian Muslims. Majority of Indian Muslims are not even aware of such militant leaders and their groups’ existence in other countries. A large number of Indian Muslims who are conscious of their presence are least interested in being associated with them. Thus, there is nothing surprising about Indian Muslims, unintentionally or deliberately, having virtually ignored Zawahiri’s call for their support. Their approach adds legitimacy to international experts on counterterrorism regarding Zawahiri’s idea of opening a branch in India as “just crazy.”
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