88. EXTREMISMS

88. EXTREMISMS 

THE world is suffering from extremismS. However, only the extremist attacks and activities of the Islamic groups get publicity in our media which are all influenced ultimately, directly or indirectly, by Uncle Sam and other Western/ West oriented vested interests. 

What is Extremism?

Just, what is extremism? There is no agreed definition.See some of the definitions below:

a tendency to go to extremes or an instance of going to extremes, esp. in politics.

the holding of extreme political or religious views; fanaticism

Extremism means, literally: driving (something) to the limit, to the extreme or the quality or state of being extreme, advocacy of extreme measures or views.

1. the condition or act of taking an extreme view.2. the taking of extreme action.
 — extremist, n., adj..

Extremism: belief and action

So long as extreme belief exists as belief, it poses no problem. It becomes a problem and a threat  only when  individuals and groups try to impose  it on others  by force or violence. 

Lord Dalhousie and Indira Gandhi

What is considered extremism depends upon whose interests are involved and who considers it. The Doctrine of Lapse by which the British annexed 32 native Indian states is an act of extremism, as it destroyed the traditional right of the ruler to choose his successor. Though in the history books we read Lord Dalhousie  as its author, it was enforced both before and after him. During the Emergency in Independent India, the Privy Purse sanctioned to Indian ex-rulers  under the Constitution was abolished by PM Indira Gandhi - an act of brutal extremism. There was no provocation or justification for it. Indira Gandhi seems to have been visited by the ghost of Dalhousie !

Gandhi: master of extremism

For that matter, consider Gandhiji resorting to fasts to force his opponents to agree to his thinking. Though it has been given fancy/honourable names such as Satyagraha, moral force etc, it is naked extremism. How can so called moral authority be wielded to extract compliance from others? In Independent India, too many people have resorted to hunger strikes for many purposes. 

Potti Sriramulu ( who was once praised by Gandhi himself ) resorted to hunger strike to demand the creation of Andhra on linguistic basis, with Madras as its capital. Following his death, Andhra was created but now Andhra itself is divided ! Who knows, one day Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra may separate! ( Remember, there are many countries with much less populations!)

Recently, former stop-gap PM Deve Gowda undertook a fast  to prevent Karnataka from releasing  Cauvery water  to Tamil Nadu , [ which Karnataka was not releasing any way], as ordered by the Supreme Court. Thus it involved disrespect to the Supreme Court and spurning of constitutional means to resolve conflicts in a federal arrangement. To think that such a man was Prime Minister! [ Of course, this fast ended up as a farce.]

[ Incidentally, both the Congress and BJP have vested interests in Karnataka as they have formed govts. in the state. They have no standing or chance to come to power in Tamil Nadu, unless the sun rises in the West. Hence, the Central govt formed/run by these parties will not take any unbiased decisions.I have observed this for 40 years.]

Linguistic extremism in India

After the formation of linguistic states, each state is imposing its language on the minorities with fanatical zeal through the educational system which is a toy in their hands. In an extreme act, Karnataka govt imposed the state language as the sole medium of instruction in certain classes- even though no one- including native speakers of the language- opted for it! Finally, the Supreme Court said that the choice of the medium of instruction should be left to people. 

In states like Tamil Nadu, the ( party in ) govt is dictating how the language shall be written or spoken- something not done in any democratic country! 

Jingoism often turns into vulgar and violent extremism.

Hindi Extremism

On the national scene, the imposition of Hindi as the official/national language is such an extreme measure- which destroys the independence of the non-Hindi speaking people in the matter of language. When the matter came to a head in the fifties due to agitations in Tamil Nadu,  PM Nehru gave the assurance (twice, once in 59 and then in 63) that Hindi would not be imposed unless non-Hindi speaking people wanted it.However, it was not satisfactorily built into a law. [ Not that the record of Indian govt in the matter of laws or even Constitution is endearing!]  The successive govts have been merrily imposing Hindi, as the language of the law is dubious. The current PM Modi has revealed himself as a Hindi zealot. I fear he is a time bomb for Hindi. Under him, most national schemes have Hindi names- which are as foreign to non-Hindi speaking people as English is claimed to be for the Hindi speakers. Hindi zealots are steadily moving towards a monolinguistic stance. [Unfortunately, non-Hindi people are not united or equally sensitive on this issue. They will all realise  on the 29th day when it may be too late.]

(Full developments on this issue may be traced in a paper at https://selfstudyhistory.com/2015/18/post-independent-india-question- of -national-language/)

All  these are acts of linguistic extremism. 

Islamic Extremism: WTC

The present world-wide concern about extremism is directly linked to Islamic fundamentalism and especially the supposed attack by extremists on the WTC towers in New York on 9/11/2001.

The media repeatedly showed two towers , one of them being hit by a plane and the two plunging into flames and getting reduced to powder. 

Most people are not aware that a third tower ( 7) also collapsed on that day, in the evening, though it was not hit by any plane! This is not shown much in the media!

The fall of building 7 had all the characteristics of controlled demolition. There are numerous Web sites where these issues are discussed threadbare, with videos.

The Bush administration and following it all others have ascribed it to extremist attack  by Islamic fundamentalists led by Bin Laden. But with every passing day, this theory is questioned

- Hundreds of architects, engineers, scientists and researchers have shown that a commercial plane cannot cause  this kind damage in such a strong steel and concrete structure.

- Why did President Bush delay the constitution of the Commission by 441 days in such an important matter? Why did he deny it sufficient funds?

-Why did he allow the steel beams to be exported to China and why were they not subject to test/analysis in the US?

-What accounts for the fact that the buildings did not collapse as they normally  do but got reduced into powder? Does concrete get reduced to powder due to fire? Steel melts at around 2400 degrees F. What accounted for such extreme heat, which cannot be generated by airline fuel which is but kerosene?

-What accounts for the presence of  THERMITE in the dust there? It "can create brief bursts of high temperature in a small area."-exactly what happened in WTC.

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Thermite reaction

The thermite reaction, otherwise known as the Goldschmidt reaction, is a spectacular, highly exothermic reaction.

Industrially, it can be used for welding railway lines. The exothermic nature and extreme temperature generated, combined with the molten iron, make this reaction attractive to the military for incendiary devices, hand grenades, and also as a reasonably quiet means of disabling artillery by the blocking or damaging of barrels.

Also, a school favourite, the thermite reaction is guaranteed to impress - regardless of age - as the redox reaction between iron(III) oxide and aluminium produces a spectacular pyrotechnic effect and a molten ball of iron. 

Royal Society of Chemistry, 2016.

[One can see that this is exactly how the towers burned!]

-Is it not odd that the buildings collapsed into their own footprints- which is suggestive of controlled demolition?

-Why are independent witnesses committing suicide or dying under suspicious or mysterious circumstances?

-Was a new kind of weapon tested?

There are numerous questions like this, unanswered. No thinking person takes the official line seriously any more. After all, a govt which could not determine how President Kennedy  was killed even after 50 years- what credibility can it command? Something wrong in the State of Denmark?

After WTC

However, its aftermath has been so distasteful for ordinary people everywhere. In the name of security, ordinary people are subjected to the most ridiculous forms of surveillance. Even Indian Defence Minister had to undergo a body search in the US while on an official visit. Such is the arrogance or plain idiocy of the US! Practically, everyone now has some number through which he is monitored-like a prisoner! 

This is much worse than what is in 1984!  (Recent Book cover- Maanu Graphics publishers) 



But it has had no visible or substantial deterrent effect on the extremists themselves!  Indian govt too has adopted most of these measures. Is it not atrocious that every citizen is now treated as if he is an extremist, while the real extremists still operate at will? This is a form of official extremism! If not official madness! Citizens are losing their liberty.

Naked insult

NEW DELHI: In what is seen as a clear violation of protocol, former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who is exempt from security checks, was treated like an ordinary passenger and frisked by the ground staff of American airliner Continental Airlines at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on April 24, 2009 at the insistence of the company's American boss. The former President was on his way to Newark on Continental Airlines Flight CO 083.

It is particularly sad that it happened to the gentle Abdul Kalam, of all people!

WASHINGTON: George Fernandes was strip-searched twice in Dulles Airport in the US capital area when he was defence minister, once while on an official visit to Washington and another time while en route to Brazil, according to former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.

(Both reports are from Times of India )

These are forms of naked extremism- as also sheer arrogance and plain madness.

Religious Extremism is real

I am not minimising the danger from Islamic fundamentalist extremism. But most people do not understand Islam and its history. Strictly understood, the whole of Islam is extreme, not just its so called fundamental fronts. While the media focuses on the so called extreme elements, the other elements get into different countries which are democratic-secular and when they reach a critical mass, demand their own things! This is happening all over the West now Why are the refugees going only to democratic Western countries? Why not to other wealthy Muslim countries?  There is something here. The recent Brexit decision is directly linked to the question of such refugees. It is said France may follow soon!  No one can pretend that Islamic extremism does not exist, but there are other forms of extremism too! And not to forget, extremism begets extremism!

Economic extremism

The manner in which the US is trying to impose its economic hegemony on others through all means- including international agencies like the UN and the WTO is another form of extremism- but it is a big subject by itself! The way globalization is forced on countries is yet another act of extremism and aggression!

America unhinged!

Americans seem to have become unhinged after just one 9/11. Let them remember how much Hindus and India have suffered at the hands of Muslims for over 8 centuries! Let them read the first volume of  "The Story of Civilization" by their own Will Durant and they will know what India has endured! Civilizations do not survive on military might. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain!  Sterner, if also subtler, stuff is required.