RSS Agenda: India, Again, Threatens Surgical Strikes

By Sajjad Shaukat

In the aftermath of the terror attack at a military base in Uri, close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, India has been deliberately increasing war hysteria against Pakistan in accordance with the agenda of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The situation developed after the Uri base assault has clearly proved that with the help of Indian intelligence agencies, particularly RAW, India has itself arranged the attack not only to defame Pakistan, but also to achieve a number of sinister aims.

After the Uri episode, without any investigation, India’s top civil and military officials, including their media started propaganda against Pakistan by accusing that the militants who target the Uri base came from Pakistan’s side of Azad Kashmir and the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba controlled by  Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were involved in it. Under the mask of the Uri base assault, India started mobilization of troops near the LoC to wage a limited war with Pakistan, while considering surgical strikes on the Azad Kashmir.

New Delhi claimed on September 29, 2016 that it carried out surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads across the LoC in Pakistani side of Kashmir.

On the other side, in a statement, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) rejected Indian claims by saying, “There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross border fire initiated by India. Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing across the LoC…the notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects…to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is a fabrication of truth.”

Meanwhile, the representatives of The Washington Post and The New York Times, who visited the villages adjoining LoC in the disputed Kashmir region have reported that the people they met there told them that there were no surgical strikes.

Reports suggest that myth of Indian surgical strikes was exposed. Hence differences existed between the civil and military leadership—as to how cover the falsehood. In this regard, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and country’s former Army Chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhaag had decided to prepare a ‘fake video’ of surgical strikes so as to pacify the Indian public and media.

In this context, Indian Express wrote on October 5, 2016, “Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam on Wednesday attacked BJP even as he continued to face flak from several quarters for suggesting army’s surgical strikes could be “fake” Unfazed by the heat, even from within his party, Nirupam fired a fresh salvo accusing BJP of trying to extract political mileage out of the national security issue with eyes set on ensuing elections in the state to be held next year.”

It is mentionable that since July 8, 2016 against the martyrdom of the young Kashmir leader Burhan Wani by the Indian security forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in wake of continued sieges and prolonged curfews, Indian forces have martyred more than 150 innocent persons who have been protesting against the martyrdom of Burhan Wani.

In wake of new phase of uprising in the Indian Held Kashmir, pressure on the BJP-led Indian government of Modi has been mounting both domestically and internationally.

But, setting aside the internal and external pressure, days after being named the new Indian Army Chief, Gen. Bipin Rawat said on January 3, this year that so-called “surgical strikes” against Pakistan were meant to deliver a message. While threatening Islamabad, Gen. Bipin Rawat told NDTV in an exclusive interview that the possibility of similar action in the future could not be ruled out by adding, “If there are terrorist bases across and if they continue to disrupt the situation on our side of the Line of Control then we have a right to take action against the terrorists.”

In response, Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa on January 5, 2016 rejected claims by his Indian counterpart Gen. Bipin Rawat about “so-called surgical strikes” and their possible recurrence.

According to ISPR, Army Chief Gen. Qamar Bajwa made it clear that “Pakistan Armed Forces were fully geared to respond to any aggression by India.”

However, like the BJP-led Modi government, Indian new army chief is also following the RSS agenda which is, the real controller of Indian internal and external policies, based upon anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan approach.

Taking cognizance of various developments such as unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum and creation of war-like situation with Pakistan, analysts have still been opining that being the leader of the BJP, Indian Prime Minister Modi is implementing the fundamentalist agenda of his party with the support of other Hindu fanatic outfits. But, a Mumbai-based writer, author and lawyer, A. G. Noorani in his article, “Modi’s loyalties,” published in a Pakistan’s leading daily, on October 10, 2015 proved with authentic events and arguments that Hindu fundamentalist party, RSS is the real controller of India and BJP is only a show piece.

In the article, A. G. Noorani said, “It was an unprecedented journey; but caused little surprise. On September 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Nagpur, the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to present himself before the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Almost his entire council of ministers and the BJP’s parliamentary board were there to demonstrate their accountability to the RSS. On Oct 2, a dozen or so junior ministers of state got into a huddle with senior RSS functionaries in New Delhi in what was described as a regular review meeting. A press release issued thereafter revealed: The prime minister said he was proud to be a Swayamsevak and he had reached where he had because of the values he had imbibed as a member of the RSS.”

A. G. Noorani elaborated, “Modi is a lifelong RSS activist (pracharak), having left his family to dedicate himself to the organisation. It, in turn, ensured his rise to the post of the highest executive of the country. The entire exercise was a flagrant violation of the fundamentals of the parliamentary system.”

The writer pointed out, “The BJP general secretary Ram Madhav is an RSS man who was seconded to the BJP along with many others—recently the RSS model is unique. It has a parivar [family] of 40-plus organisations. The RSS is their ideological fountainhead. It is also the BJP’s muscle; it provides the cadres and foot soldiers who are indispensable at election time. Bhagwat disapproves of the personality cult which Modi and his men have built up ever since he became prime minister.”

He wrote, “The stark reality is that the BJP can never be a right-wing party in the traditional sense. Its ideology binds it to the RSS which also controls it organizationally.”

He explained, “The word ‘fascist’ was aptly chosen. As Donald E. Smith says in his classic India as a Secular State—The leader principle, the stress on militarism, the doctrine of racial-cultural superiority, ultra-nationalism infused religious idealism, the use of symbols of past greatness, the emphasis on national solidarity, the exclusion of the religious or ethnic minorities from the nation-concept—all of these features of the RSS are highly reminiscent of fascist movements in Europe. A responsible correspondent reported in August that the RSS membership is growing at 10,000 to 15,000 recruits every month and says it has reached every district except parts of Kashmir and Assam. The RSS influence on governance was obvious when Atal Behari Vajpayee was prime minister. It successfully vetoed Jaswant Singh’s appointment as finance minister. The RSS shadow lurks ominously on issues dear to it. Ram Madhav specifically mentioned Kashmir as one of them; which implies also relations with Pakistan.”

Nevertheless, these new revelations prove that all the extremist parties like VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena and other extremist outfits including his own ruling party are subsidiaries of the RSS, while under the influence of RSS; Prime Minister Modi has been rapidly radicalizing India.

While, the constitution declares India to be a secular state, granting equal rights to the religious minorities, but in practice, ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) prevails. Hindu politics and culture dominated by the fundamentalist parties—under the control of RSS have been propagating Hindutva. Provocative utterances of their extremist leaders have resulted into unending violence against the Muslims and Christians including other minority groups.

In fact, Modi who was also a volunteer worker of the extremist Hindu terrorist outfit RSS since 8 years of age is a natural born Hindu extremist, while RSS involved in Muslim genocide, rape of women, demolition of mosques and alive burnings of the innocent persons.

It is noteworthy that especially, on the basis of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan slogans, BJP got a land sliding triumph in the Indian elections 2014, and enabled BJP hardliner, Narendra Modi to become Indian prime minister who was so far seemed to be implementing his party’s extremist agenda by giving impetus to Hindu chauvinism—not only against other minorities, but also against Pakistan, as under his direction, New Delhi has intensified unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir and Working Boundary across Pak-Indian border. Now, these latest revelations clearly indicate that the Indian Prime Minister Modi follows the instructions of the RSS which is the main decision-making party and real controller of India.

In this respect, some reliable online sources have disclosed that a secret meeting of RSS took place under Mohan Bhagwat, Chief of RSS which was also attended by Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, serving 3^rd term as General Secretary of RSS, Sureshi Sony (Secretary), Krishna Gopat, Majoj Biyani and Dr Subhash Bhambre (Minister of State for Defence). Important details reported about the meeting are—RSS wants BJP to be more aggressive towards Pakistan. Across Line of Control/Working Boundaries/International Boarder operation has been planned against Pakistan in the near future, most likely before UP election to favorably impact the outcome of elections.

These reports also revealed that RSS wants BJP to build Ayodhya Temple after forming government in UP. Prime Minister Modi has made important appointments recently including COAS, RAW and IB Chiefs. BJP/RSS now have their “own men” to lead these organizations.

Modi with ambitious newly appointed Chief’s and DGMO may resort to some limited action against Pakistan which can be used for political gains through inflated projection. Possibility of a “False Flag” act of violence followed by a limited cross LOC/WB/IB action by Special Forces or infantry will be high until the elections are over.

Indian new army chief has been portrayed as an expert of “Surgical Strikes” to domestic audience, as Corps had conducted “cross border strikes” against Naga rebels in Myanmar.

Para-drop practices have been conducted recently in Kishtwar in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)—Samba, Jammu and Bhatinda. Practice of “Surgical Strikes” was conducted by D Force RRF in Batote (IOK). Possible objective of these exercises could be—make videos/ photographs which can be used to add credibility to a future fake activity.

New Delhi can use any pretext to obtain its sinister designs against Islamabad. In this connection, Kashmiri freedom fighters attacked on General Res Engineers Force (GREF) Camp in Batal (Akhnoor) on January 9, 2017. In this connection, Indian media reported that 3 x GREF employees were killed in an attack by terrorists on January 9, 2017 at GREF camp, located 2 km from LOC in Batal village. Indian media also stated that the attackers came from across the LOC. The exact number of attackers is still not confirmed contrary to that, actual facts are GREF is a subordinate organization of border Roads Organization (BRO).

The Indian authorities have been quick to link them to Pakistan. Indian media is not giving it due coverage, as has been done in previous incidents. Because, Indian Army might be making the groups for launching another surgical strikes—Indian designs to use such fake incidents to malign Pakistan and to use them as a justification for any surgical strikes may be exposed.

Nonetheless, the Modi government and its new army chief who are acting upon RSS agenda by considering surgical strikes in Azad Kashmir or limited war in Kashmir in wake of intermittent firing across the LoC by targeting the villages of Azad Kashmir are badly mistaken, if they overestimate India’s power and underestimates Pakistan’s power. Pakistan’s Armed Forces are fully prepared to give a matching response to any such an attack by Indian forces. So, our forces are ready to conduct a real strike on an opportune moment.