26/11 mastermind finally brought to justice

The cooperation extended by the Trump administration to India in the extradition of Tawwahur Rana ought not to be an isolated action.

- M.D. NALAPAT

It seemed a hopeless task for several years, and yet the Modi 3.0 government persevered in its efforts at getting the 26/11 mastermind to India to face justice. Its success was based on hard work, whereas in contrast, the capture alive of Ajmal Kasab, one of the ISI-trained terrorists was a stroke of luck leavened by the bravery of police officer, Tukaram Omble, who fell on the terrorist and refused to let go even after getting nearly 40 bullets pounded into him by Kasab. As a consequence of the capture of Kasab, the balloon of "Hindu terror" was punctured. Kasab himself, who was expecting to be killed and not captured, was wearing metal symbols worn by many Hindus, a touch of finesse by the ISI planners of the 26/11 attack as part of their effort to create the myth of "Hindu terror". Unfortunately, some influential politicians in the ruling dispensation of that time, fell into the ISI trap and began propagating the ISI-manufactured untruth of Hindu terror. Had Kasab not been captured alive, that untruth would have been boosted substantially by its propagators. In contrast to the capture of Kasab, which was a lucky accident, the bringing to justice of Tawwahur Rana was the consequence of painstaking effort on the part of the National Investigation Agency. It needs to be added that both the Research & Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat as well as the Intelligence Bureau have done great service to the country, functioning that has been particularly marked since the advent of the Modi government in 2014. Much more collaboration has been taking place, a meshing of capabilities that is having an impact on the battlefield that is national security.