DANGEROUS signs are visible that a new wave of terrorism may explode on the country. Even as the security forces are regularly busting terror modules and nabbing terrorists and their masterminds in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere, terror is being systematically operationalised in the country -- the freshest evidence coming from the car-bomb blast near Red Fort in the national capital claiming 12 lives and seizing of 2,900 kilograms of explosives in Srinagar and Faridabad. There should be no doubt that terror masterminds are trying to push their agenda in India as a fresh attempt to destabilise the otherwise peaceful Indian society.

 

There is little doubt that the Government and its security agencies are alert and are taking proactive steps to curb terrorism in every which the way. Despite that overall alertness, terror masterminds are refusing to give up their ugly agenda, and are continuing with their effort to destabilise the country. Of course, their diabolical efforts would never succeed. Yet, time it is for the Government and its different agencies as well as common people to be very alert to any signs of danger and take steps to counter any dirty designs against the country. In some time, the details of the car-bomb blast in Delhi will be known to the agencies -- and to the nation. Those apart, it is obvious that dangerous signs are becoming more and more visible in the country that terrorism may get another boost and that the larger Indian society may be forced into facing another wave of terrorism. It would be futile to blame the system habitually for its so-called Intelligence failure as regards the car-bomb blast near the historic Red Fort.

 

True, the explosives-laden car was not detected until it went up in flames -- causing so much of havoc. But then, we must realise that at some point, terrorists may succeed in pushing themselves through the cracks in the system. What matters most, therefore, is the ability of the agencies to swing into quick action and start taking further steps to counter terror in whatever manner possible. The Government doing exactly that. The entire country has now been put under high alert and the internal security machinery has become absolutely sensitive to any terrorist attempt. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi himself took the stock of the situation and had consultations with Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah as regards the specific and overall situation. When the country’s highest authority steps in and start controlling things, things start falling in their respective places. In some more time, the security agencies would be able to bust the terror module at work behind the Delhi car-bomb blast.

 

That investigation will also give the Government an access to more detailed information about the terror network now operating in the country. In every likelihood, the political Opposition in the country would feel tempted to blame the Government for its failure to keep a check on terrorism. Yet, we insist that the Opposition must not abuse the tight situation to beat the Government. In fact, the time has come for every Indian citizen to stand by the Government and help it give a no-nonsense response to the Delhi car-bomb blast.

 

The Government also must investigate whether the Delhi car-bomb blast is part of an international conspiracy to destabilise India -- just as the Pahalgam attack was. If that is really so and the lines of the plot travel to Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, then the Government must never hesitate in taking further punitive action against Pakistan. It has only temporarily suspended “Operation Sindoor”. It can be revived into a direct against Pakistan -- to pick up “Op Sindoor” where it had been left off for time being. On the Government’s part, there should be no hesitation in operationalise its own word about “Operation Sindoor”.