Glorification of terrorists makes it clear where Pakistan’s sympathies lie: India

India Friday hit back at Pakistan for describing slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as martyr and announcing its plans to observe July 19 as black day to express solidarity with people of Kashmir.

MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, in a press release, said that India is dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters. He reiterated that Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi on the Kashmir issue.

“Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan’s sympathies continue to lie,” Swarup said.

Accusing Pakistan of seeking to derive political mileage out of Kashmir unrest, Swarup said India unequivocally rejects the decision taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet today.

Sharif today chaired a cabinet meeting, where he declared Wani as martyr.

“Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination,” Sharif said.

The prime minister directed all the relevant departments to highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora.

Source: http://indianexpress.com

Nice Attack: Islamic terror, wilful denial and rise of right-wing forces

When a terrorist attack takes place — and most are targeted against unarmed civilians in virtually every sphere of public life — the initial reaction of shock and horror is quickly replaced by anger. Grief needs a catharsis. In absence of the terrorists who have perpetrated the crime, the anger turns towards the political leaders whose job it is to provide security.

The blood has not yet been wiped off the streets of Nice that France has turned against President Francois Hollande. TV channels covering the Thursday night tragedy, showed how unmitigated anger poured out against a President largely seen as effete, ineffective and incapable of preventing waves and waves of terror attacks on French soil.

The attack in Nice was as gruesome a terror strike as any. Latest reports indicate that 84 people were killed when a large white truck, said to be driven by a French-Tunisian citizen, ploughed into a large crowd, who gathered at the beachfront Promenade des Anglais in southern city of Nice for a fireworks display on Bastille Day. Local French media reported that the driver shouted "Allahu Akbar" before taking out his gun and firing several times at the crowd before he was subsequently neutralised.

Bastille Day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July, 1789, an important event in the French Revolution. It is marked with a military parade down Paris' most famous boulevard, a presidential address to the nation and a vast fireworks display. Founding values of French Republic, equality, liberty and fraternity, are glorified.

The significance of the day and the fact that a large number of citizens had gathered for celebration — made it a lucrative target. In one fell blow, two purposes were achieved. One, a huge number of people were killed ensuring widespread outrage and non-stop media coverage — aspects which serve as fuel for glorification of terror and draws more and more perpetrators. Two, a symbolic, cruel blow was dealt to the French ideal of syncretism, the bedrock on which the multicultural republic stands.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com