America Shouldn’t Interfere

The terrorist attacks on Mumbai have shaken the entire country. This monstrous and devastating act is being severely condemned by all quarters and all walks of life. Not only each and every state and citizen of India is condemning this, but at global and international level also this heinous act is facing stringent opposition. India itself has apprised the international community of this terrorist attack and prepared a conducive and favorable case for itself with the help of the available evidences and proofs. Nearly all major nations and global leaders have spoken against this attack vehemently and have emphasized upon most stringent punishment for those responsible.

In such an atmosphere, America too is expressing its empathy to India and is issuing statements to show that it shares the sorrows for the dead people in equal measure. Right after this terrorist attack, America announced its decision to assist in the investigations of these attacks, and offered to dispatch an FBI team to India. India, expressing thanks to America for its concerns, dismissed the dispatch of the FBI team, a decision that was very appropriate because India and Indian security agencies have the full expertise to be able to investigate these explosions and terrorist acts happening in India and to reach the root of the problem thus meting out apt punishment to the perpetrators of these crimes.

Despite India refusing to accept the offer, America eventually sent the FBI team to India in the name of assistance in probe, and a Scotland Yard team also reached India from Britain. Now these two teams are conducting their own investigation and are busy collecting proofs and evidences, even though India didn’t formally express any such desire. Even after India refusing the offer, the arrival of American and British investigation teams can not be understood and some groups are expressing apprehension towards this.

Whatever is happening in India deserves condemnation of the highest degree and India does have full capacity and expertise to respond to it. In such circumstances, arrival of American and British investigating agencies who are carrying out their own investigations can be declared extremely unwarranted, and in a way is akin to interfering in the internal affairs of India. No sooner had the FBI team suddenly landed in India than the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also reached India at the instruction of President George Bush and expressed solidarity with India. She insisted Pakistan should extend its immediate and full cooperation to India in the probes. The intent of this visit by Condoleezza Rice appears to be for expressing solidarity with India and if it really is limited to that then there is no scope for objecting to it.

However, the emerging concerns are that America wants to exploit the current situation and these troubled times on the pretext of sympathizing with the Indian people. It wants to fulfill its own agendas, an act which is highly condemnable. Although after the defeat of the Republican Party in the November elections, Condoleezza Rice was deprived of her capabilities to some extent, yet the American aspirations of maximizing its own gains everywhere in every situation can not be denied. The arrival of the FBI team to India without any expressed wish to that effect and starting its own investigations and then the visit of Condoleezza Rice to Delhi to meet Indian leaders further strengthen doubts and concerns. This is the responsibility of India that they do not allow America to interfere in this situation, because a conducive atmosphere is created for India in the whole world and the terrorists and their patrons are being singled out. When India has the ability to make a place for itself among the international community, it should never allow a country like America to interfere in its internal affairs.

The measures required in India to deal with terrorism and the talks of setting up a Federal Agency are the need of this hour, and all possible steps that can be taken by the government in this direction should be taken. But any other country can not be or should not be allowed to interfere in the internal matters of the country, whether it is America, Britain or any other country. As far as proving Pakistan to be a nation assisting the terror-mongers in front of the world is concerned, this is no longer required as the entire world is aware of this fact. Allowing external institutions to carry out investigations may defeat the morale of the country’s investigating and security agencies, which is not at all favorable for the country.