Terrorism: July 2006 Archives

Who does not want to visit Heaven on Earth - Srinagar, who does not want to enjoy the serene Mountain Valley, the largest valley at that height in the World. Bengalis, the lover of Traveling Places are found not only in every corner of our Country but also all over the World. There was a time when we would find a Sikh gentleman in any corner of the World, the same is applicable to a Bengali Today. May be in another two decades time, you will find a Bengali on the Moon!

On 11th July 2006, a Tourist Group of Bengalis in Family group were traveling in Mini Bus and cars in Srinagar, were enjoying a lovely sunshine in the Valley next to Dal Lake. There was sing-song inside the Bus, some housewives were entertaining their husbands and family singing Rabindra Sangeet.

Suddenly five grenades were lobbed inside the Bus and the Car by the Terrorist. The grenade bursts, one could see the limbs of ladies and children flying all over. There was blood, scream, shouts and cry for help. These gruesome act of terrorism was by the members of Lashkar-e-Toiba, a Pakistan based Terrorists organization. Most of the dead and wounded were ladies and children.

July 24, 2006 issue - They seem to have drawn little notice as they squeezed aboard the packed first-class carriages. Most passengers were concentrating on getting home from a long, rainy Tuesday at the office in India's financial center, Mumbai. The men placed their duffel bags and metal lunchboxes on the overhead luggage racks, and then, apparently, pushed their way off again, unnoticed-until 6:24 p.m., when the explosions began. Within 11 minutes, bombs had ripped through seven suburb-bound commuter trains on the same rail line. The blasts left 197 passengers and crew dead or dying and 800 others injured.

Blast investigations gather momentum but no major breakthrough has been reported in Tuesday's attacks on commuter trains in Mumbai.

Separately, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said investigators would be able to zero in on suspects in a week’s time.

There is no clear word on the type of explosives used but a forensic lab ruled out RDX. The National Security Guard's Bomb Data Centre will be asked to help.

India achieved its independence in the year 1947. Bengal was divided into two parts. Did the aspirations of Bengal find their fulfillment? Did the politically-shattered, economically-devastated Bengal find justice from the new rulers of Delhi? Could the Bengal that had been the colony of the British raise its head with sovereign dignity? Before analysing post-independence Bengal, however, it is essential to elaborate on her socio-cultural background. How could the people of such an advanced civilisation have tolerated ruthless exploitation and oppression for such a long period of time? In any society, people's aspirations and hopes, dynamism and fighting spirit, and their social, economic and political structures all develop on the foundation of that society's cultural heritage. So at the outset let us look at the cultural evolution of Bengal.

In 1613, when a British company by the name of the East India company was granted permission by the Mughal emperor Jehangir to start their trading activities, nobody imagined that the British would one day rule India. Starting from the West coast they gradually established their centre on the East coast and in Bengal. Bengal was then under Mughal rule. In 1717, Murshid Kuli Khan was appointed as the Subadar (administrator) of Bengal. At this time, Bengal was for all intents and purposes independent, though nominally it was under Mughal rule. In 1756, after the death of Nawab Alivardy, Sirajuddaula, who succeeded him, was the last independent ruler of Bengal. Lord Clive was then the governor of the East India Company in Bengal. Lord Clive hatched a conspiracy with the commander in Chief of Nawab's army, Mirjafar, and defeated Sirajuddaula in the battle of Palashii in 1757. After this victory, the British aggressively expanded their domination of India.