Terrorism: Is this the price we have to pay for democracy?

For the topic (Pros)

Terrorism has been a menace across the world and especially India. Not only at the different platforms in different countries has the issue of Terrorism causing loss of property and life and especially the state sponsored terrorism been discussed, but the top B-schools have also included it as one of the GD topics in their final admission round. 

On 14 February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar Highway was attacked by a young Kashmiri turned terrorist suicide bomber named Adil Ahmed Dar. He was carrying hundreds of Kilograms of explosives in a vehicle at Lethpora (Near Awantipora) in the Puwama District of the Jammu & Kashmir State of India and hit the vehicle to the bus carrying security personnel. The attack resulted in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. Jaish-e-Mohammed, Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist group, has claimed the responsibility of the Puwama attack.  It is the deadliest terror attack on state security personnel since 1989.

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As usual, Pakistan has denied any role in the terrorist attack and is asking for more proofs. However, as the Chief of this terrorist outfit Masood Azhar roams free in Pakistan, India as well as other countries across the Globe who are the members of United Nations Organization (UNO) have all the reasons to believe that entire terrorist planning and actions are sponsored by Pakistan and its spy agency ISI as the country has neither arrested Masood nor has handed him over to India.

A few key points highlighting the pros and cons of tackling this socio-political menace of terrorism are suggested below to guide you to get through the GD round.

For the topic (Pros):
India is the worst sufferer of terrorism and the State of J&K adjacent to Pakistan border is suffering more due to terrorist attacks. Terrorist Attacks on Uri security forces camp that resulted in surgical strike, Attacks on Innocent J&K people, the Pulwama terrorist attack by JeM whose leader lives in Pakistan, on the CRPF convoy killing 42 security personnel have left the country in the state of shock.

Recent spurt in terrorist activities across the globe in the name of religion has raised the question mark on the efficiency on the governance, social connectivity, and doubt about the motives of these terrorists. The terrorists impose their own rules, do not allow the society to live in peace and grow, try to stop spread of education, earn money from outside sources just to create terror in the otherwise peaceful society. 

Key facts

Except a few, almost all the countries across the Globe have democratically elected governments by the people, of the people and for the people. The peoples’ representatives get elected after every 4-5 years to run the Government for the welfare of the people. This is largely the ideal thought behind democracy.

But in the name of religion and to earn quick money without good and hard work, youth fall in the net of certain terrorist outfits who brainwash them. These young people who could have proved to be the asset for the society and could be the propelling growth engines, become the killers of their own community and civilization at large without knowing the impact of their misdeeds.

In their mind they think they are doing good as their faith has been misguided by the terrorists. Despite knowing that it is a sing to kill innocent people who become victims of their fanaticism without any fault of theirs, they continue doing the same acts till they fall prey to the bullet of security forces or their own people.

India, USA, France, Afghanistan, Britain, Russia and almost half of the world is suffering from the menace of terrorism. The terrorists who have no religion of their own terrorize the local people to force them to support their acts due to which innocent people are either killed or have to live their life terror struck throughout.

Rising terrorism-Cause & impact (Pros)-

• Terrorism is the emerging issue across the globe at the moment. The rise of terrorism in the recent years and more terrorist organizations coming in open arena has put the nations in shock. Their glaring attacks on the countries and their major steps have warned the great nations of the world.
• The main objective of terrorism is usually to gain publicity for some cause, although there can be other motives, too, Jonathon R. White in his book Religion and Terror raises the question of why religious people commit violent acts in the name of their god, taking the lives of innocent victims and terrorizing entire populations?  Many different kinds of events are labeled acts of terrorism instigating from religious differences and frustrations. These kinds of attacks are an international and worldwide phenomenon, and we find that places like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, The United States of America etc. fall victim to such attacks all the time.
• Terrorism and religious terrorism are viewed as victories and exultation in the eyes of the people who are supportive of the religions and who advocate such acts. The act of the 'Holy War' is something that occurs after much oppression or is caused by some elemental hatred that stems from something far more disastrous. There are various terrorist groups operating in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and  Israel and they have been targeting either the people of other religions or the crowded public places where  innocent people are their primary victims.
• Terrorism is the use of illegitimate force to achieve political ends by targeting innocent people.  Public fear is the key to understand the psychology of terrorism.  
• The word terror implies fear, which the entire society suffers from, as this is the object of any terrorist. The threat of harm to innocent people is what makes terrorism powerful. The glaring examples are the 9/11 attack causing the fall of World Trade Centre in Newyork, 26/11 attack on Mumbai where hundreds of innocent people died for no fault of theirs. Attack on the Parliament in New Delhi where many innocent security personnel died. Nothing moved the terrorists.  In this sense, it is the same as what makes military operations powerful - striking terror in the hearts of the enemy. Terrorists, however, are less concerned and continue inflicting harm on the victims creating fear among others so that they cannot speak or identify these terrorists.
• None of the top terrorists living in any country have allowed their children to move on the path of terrorism. But they vomit vemon just to push the innocent young people to march on the path of terrorism in the name of religion. 

Get to the core to find solution - (Cons)

• There is no universally accepted definition of terrorism. In fact, the nature of terrorism is always changing. What is called terrorism one year may be called war, liberation, freedom fighting, or revolutionary action another year. Freedom fighters and revolutionaries should not be labeled terrorists. Unless the root cause is known, the treatment may not be done. It needs strong political and social will power to get rid of terrorism.
• Terrorism is an emotionally charged word that is frequently used to politically and socially denigrate somebody or some group. One would have to delve deeper in order to understand why so many men, women, and even children are driven into such acts of blatant violence and that there must be some reason why they would resort to such extremities of violence. Has it become a norm for these people? Is the war that they wage against the people of other religions or faith, just? Perhaps no one can ever answer these questions. A person would have to be hurt a lot, his/her family taken away and be really desperate before he/she attempts a suicide bombing.
• The views upon the most widely used definitions in criminal justice are simple ones. All resting upon our history which has provided us with many examples of great acts of violence that have been conducted in the name of religion, or for other religious purposes. There have been great acts of martyrdom, which are reflected in the psyche of the terrorism and suicide bomber of today.
• Many people seem to side with the terrorists as they think that they are freedom fighters, fighting for their right. Acts of terrorism are a never-ending phenomenon. What gives rise to terrorism required understanding the complex social factors. It may be important to note that the means used by terrorists are illegitimate, not always their ends, which may be legitimate ends. However, the term freedom fighting is often reserved to describe nonmilitary (illegitimate) means to achieve legitimate ends. such as the desire to obtain concessions or bring about social change.

Nip in the bud

Many people tend to think that terrorism and terrorist acts are caused by certain organizations because of their destructive agenda. It is, however, important to realize that a lot of ideas concerning social construction of deviances go behind why a person becomes a terrorist. Finding quick socio-political and religious solutions to nip in the bud this menace must become the priority of all concerned, if the society is supposed to be saved from this disease.

The shield of human rights, religion is applicable only when you are not violent and do not indulge in criminal activities. It is not possible to kill, pelt stones just for petty money, set the people on fire live, do all the bad things with women, drive your non supporters out of their homes not to allow them come back and hope nothing would happen to you. In fact where reason does not work, other harsh methods are used against terrorism to protect the democratic structure of the society.

Accordingly, unless those who instigate young people on the path of terrorism, are reformed or taken out of socio-political system, the process of rising terrorism might continue putting the democratic fibre of the society in danger.
 

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